Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

face fell. "Oh." He retreated until he heard a familiar voice.
"Crag let him through. He is with me."
"Right away, Mistress Hawk." Crag automatically nodded and opened the gates. "Hurry, you have not much time, Earthbound."
"Thank you, Crag. I appreciate this." Derrick said.
Katherine took him to the Garden. "Have you thought of a plan, yet?" She asked him in a whisper.
"No, I'm sorry to say." Derrick told her, depressed. "Have you?"
"Nay, and I fear the worst for her."
"We have to figure out something fast, my feline friend." Derrick supplied.
Before she could say anything, they heard something coming from the bush. He quickly thought of something. Pulling her close, he quickly kissed her on the lips.
"Unhand her, you fiend!" A voice growled. "That Kat is mine!"
Katherine recognized the voice of Wolf. "Wolf, no!" She screamed. "It is only Derrick, Young Guardian’s Earthly Protector! There is no need to be angry."
Wolf's growl turned into a slow snarl. "I am sorry, but that still gives you no right to kiss her!"
"I apologize, Wolf." Derrick replied, backing away from Katherine. "I swear; I didn't know it was you. It just came to me. I thought you were someone else."
“Understood.” Wolf nodded. "What are you doing in the Dominion?"
Katherine hugged Wolf, kissing his snout. "I snuck him in. We were speaking of Young Guardian's demise."
"How sad she is trapped by such an ogre as the Merchant!" Wolf replied. "I am sorry for your worldly loss."
"Thank you for being so concerned, Wolf. We haven't much time left. Sabrina is already loose in my world." Derrick replied, frightened.
Wolf patted him on the back. "No need to worry. I am already thinking of a rescue plan." He replied. "For it was Sabrina's father that separated my dear Katherine from her own twin, Kitten's Claw. I agree to help because I sympathize with you, my friend."
"We must go. Young Derrick has been here way too long." Katherine gave Derrick a kiss on the cheek. "Go quickly. I will keep in touch through her if I come up with anything."
"Thank you, Katherine. Thank you, Wolf." Derrick left, returning to his warm bed.

His eyes flew open, and he heaved a sigh when he found the noise he'd heard was only Luna waking Mark.
Luna noticed he was awake and said. "What are you doing up at this hour?"
He sat up and turned on the light. Reaching for his glasses, he replied. "I entered the Dominion. Katherine was there, and so was Wolf. I heard Ariana's voice calling for me! I did!"
"I'm sure it was just a nightmare." Luna tried to convince herself, not to mention him. She sat beside him on the bed.
"I swear it, Lu! She was calling for me to help her!" Derrick took her hands, excited. "Don't you believe me?"
"Sure I believe you, but what can we do about it?" Luna replied, a tear coming down her cheek. She hugged him, breaking out in tears.
"I don't know, Luna. I really don't know." Derrick whispered as he squeezed her back.
If only they didn't feel so helpless!

Part 3:
The Sinister Plan

Chapter Twenty-Four:
Sabrina's New Power

Mark sat on the bed next to Ariana's sleeping body, watching over his lovely sister. His eyes began to droop when all was quiet; the only noise was the grandfather clock across the room.
"Oh look, a Kodak moment." Sabrina's nasty voice replied snootily.
Mark was definitely awake now, and alert as ever. "What do you want Sabrina?"
Sabrina sat up and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck. "You, lover-boy."
Mark tossed her arms off of him. "Not this time. I've learned a lot since I first met you."
Psycho! Help me out here! Mark cried in his mind as he continued to push Sabrina away.
With a light growl in his mind, Psycho appeared in Mark’s place. The playful joker-like persona declared. "Hello, nice lady!"
"Not you! Will you ever grow up?" Sabrina rolled her eyes; not really liking the fact Psycho was bugging her again.
"Only if you want me to, nice lady!" Psycho teased, puckering up his lips. "Kiss me, you fool!"
"Never!" Sabrina left and Ariana's body went limp once again.
"Thanks buddy." Mark said under his breath to his Companion friend when he returned.
"No sweat, Jet!" Psycho responded, settling back in his place. "I like her!"
Mark groaned, returning to his duty.

II

After leaving the Outer Realm, Sabrina returned to the dungeon to face Young Guardian.
"I am losing my patience with you, Young Guardian!" Sabrina screamed in her face.
"Good, maybe you'll give up and let me go?" Ariana mused, facing her old enemy.
"I certainly will not!" Sabrina scoffed. "Maybe I ought to rid myself of you now?"
"You need me, Sabrina, remember?" Ariana stood up to her. "From what you told me, I have your powers. Forget it, you're stuck with me."
"I am not one to give up on you that easily." Sabrina relied. "I already have a plan to get even with that Psycho friend of yours."
Psycho? Oh, Mark's other Companion. Ariana thought. She smiled. "As you can see, we're not so easily defeated." Where did that come from?
"You will be by the time I am through with you." Sabrina left in a huff, slamming the door behind her.
Ariana sighed, certain that the hell was far from over. She felt she'd never see Luna, Derrick, Aaron, Mark, or her daughter Kelina Erin again. A tear ran itself down her cheek.


Chapter Twenty-Five:
Katherine's Story

A couple of nights later, Katherine decided to tell the group about Ariana's sordid past. She awoke to see Luna sitting beside her. "Aluna," Katherine called.
Luna was confused. After shaking herself out of her daze, she recognized the voice of Ariana's feline friend Katherine. "I'm sorry. What is it, Kat?"
"Wake the boys. I have something to tell you."
Luna nodded and stood up.
She returned with the boys, who yawned. Derrick put his glasses on and Mark rubbed his eyes.
"Any news, Kat?" Derrick asked, hopeful.
Katherine shook her head. She sat up and said. "Derrick, Mark, Aluna. I want each of you to listen to a story."
"There's no time for storytelling!" Mark cried. "We have to save Ariana!"
"Aye, but this story is about Ariana." Katherine assured them.
They looked at each other, then at Kat.
"Go on," Luna replied.
"When your parents split you up, Ariana was sent to the Shore Point Home for Children. She met a boy, about her age, named Aaron Theodore. They became very good friends over the years."
"I met Aaron the day before, well, you know." Mark replied, interrupting her.
Katherine nodded and continued. "Aaron and Ariana protected each other, mainly from the constant beatings as she lived at the Home. Soon, they became close. So close that..."
"What, Katherine?" Derrick pleaded.
She took a deep breath before opening her mouth, hoping Derrick wouldn't get angry with her, or his love.
"They became so close, that at age twelve, they made love, and produced a very special child. That child was to be the Enchanted Child of the Dream Realm, way before Ariana even knew what was to become of her." Katherine sighed. She looked up at each of them for their response. "Well?" Kat asked. Her attention turned to Derrick's saddened face. "Please Derrick. Do not be mad at her. She only did it to feel safe from the orphanage beatings."
Derrick didn't know what to think. Should he be mad at her for not telling him this very crucial part of her life story? "Why didn't she tell me?" Derrick asked aloud. "Didn't she trust me? Sure, I knew about them making love. She told me that, but why not about her daughter?"
"I guess she was afraid of losing your love.” Mark replied, shrugging. Derrick gave him a glare. “I found out while she was in the hospital with appendicitis."
“Appendicitis? I thought. . . .” Derrick’s voice trailed. “So, that’s what the scar on her stomach was from. Childbirth.”
Luna decided to speak up. "When she first came to the System, I could feel she was alone and depressed, like she wasn't complete." Luna took a deep breath and pounded her fist into a pillow. "We have to make sure she never feels that way again! Are you with me, guys?"
"Yeah!" They cried, each heading to bed.
Katherine assured them she'd watch over Young Guardian's body before they retired.

The next morning brought a whole new hope for them. A new stride was in their step and the three of them felt a lot better. Now that Derrick knew about Ariana's secret daughter, he knew what to do when she came back to him for good.
They were going to search for the Enchanted Child, as Katherine called her, and Luna agreed to reunite Ariana to her real family. In the end, it was all going to be wonderful.
While Derrick and Luna were downstairs getting breakfast ready, Mark was upstairs, taking a hot, refreshing shower in his private bathroom.
He exited and threw a towel around his waist. Mark sniffed the air: he could almost smell the omelets already! He licked his lips, searching for something to wear in his massive closets.
Mark didn't hear the door creep open, but he did hear a soft, unmistakable laugh of Sabrina.
"Yum! You look good enough to eat!" Sabrina sneered, coming closer to him, as a lioness on the prowl. "Where is that pesky friend of yours, Psycho is it?" She asked, kissing his cheeks, then his chest, then....
Mark pulled away before he could make another mistake. "I thought you didn't like him?"
Sabrina kissed his nose. "I am entitled to a change of mind, am I not?"
"I -- I guess so." Mark replied, stumbling over his words. He called for Psycho in his mind. Psycho came and said, "Hi, nice lady!"
"There you are, you little joker!" Sabrina cooed, acting no different to him as she had to Mark that night. "Do you still crave a kiss from my lips?"
Psycho nodded excitedly. "Yes, yes, I would like that, nice lady!"
"Call me Sabrina." She recalled. Ever-so-gently, Sabrina kissed him on the lips again.
This time, Psycho pulled her tight, kissing Sabrina's venom-lips hard and aggressive. When they parted, Psycho smiled, a changed man.
"That was wickedly wonderful, darling." His voice was no longer childish. Instead, thanks to Sabrina, his voice was deeper and more demanding. This intrigued Sabrina, for she had made him the man he was.
Little did she know just how cruel he was to become...

Chapter Twenty-Six:
Aaron's Return

Aaron Schmidt could tell something wasn't right. He hadn't heard from Ariana for a long time, and she'd promised to keep in touch.
It just wasn't like her to break a promise.
"What's wrong, big brother?" His sister Aimee's voice whispered, breaking his concentration.
Aaron put the book down and looked up at his twin. "I'm sorry, Aimee. What did you say?"
"I noticed you sitting in your 'thinking chair,' staring into space, and I began to wonder. What's wrong?"
"It's Ariana."
"Let's not go over that again." Aimee groaned. "You've been mulling over her for five years. You see her again, make a promise to keep in touch, and neither of you do."
"You don't understand," Aaron complained.
"How can I not understand?" Aimee cried. "The three of us grew up together in Shore Point, remember? Or have you blocked the abuse out of your head?"
Aaron stood, facing his sister with a serious look. "Listen to me, just this once. I can