Duplicate Custodians

Chapter 24

"Elvina? Are you sure you want to stay home?" Rosella arranged the grand party and invited everybody to the party and was asking me to come too. "Brett, his little sister, and Becky would be there too. Can you please think again? I don't know why you are ignoring this grand event."

"No, Jasmine. I can't change my mind. You two should have shared the plan, I have already planned to go somewhere else."

"Somewhere else? Aren't you staying home?"

"Jasmine, I am definitely not staying, if I would have been staying then I would have joined you all."

"Then, what are we supposed to say to people who are coming?"

"Did you tell them, I am going to be there?"

"No"

"Well, then enjoy! Okay I'll leave, bye". I told Jasmine and she was gone by now, I quickly dressed in simple jeans and a T-shirt with joggers and wore a bracelet. A complete look of a teenager Blove going with her friends on a sunny day to picnic. Actually, I was going to meet my friends, but apparently not Jasmine and Rosella and Brett and others, but my other friends. Best friends. Elves.

I haven't provided any better introduction of myself since we met. My name is Elvina and the meaning of my name is "Friends of Elves". I have a lot of friends, but the ones closest to me are Elves. I don't know if that's because of my name in the kingdom or in my soul, but when I am exultant, gloomy, or disorganized, I pay a visit to them. They live in the jungle in a big wooden house with Jasmine's cousin, Alyx. Basically, their type of creatures are found in some other part of the world, but still, they love our area, and once in a month, for a few days they come to stay with Alyx. Those Elves are ancient, as in their type is ancient. They have knowledge of everything like Alyx, but they are not erudite. Those who know them seek their advice like me. I was halfway through when I met Charlotte, sister of Jasmine and cousin of Alyx. She was the same girl who saw me shot an arrow in Jasper's gut.

"Greetings, Princess Elvina." She said in her usual melodic voice. I was ashamed, I attacked Jasper in front of her. A warrior and a princess are not supposed to show their weak, negative, or emotional side. Ma'a taught me once.

"Greetings. How are you doing?" I asked politely back.

"I'm good. Thank you." She smiled and walked to the brown horse, and then flew away on its back.

I continued to walk. The sky was pure blue with white cotton clouds playing around with winds. Trees singing and dancing along as winds and clouds played. A few days ago, the sky turned evil grey and thundered upon the city. Maá said that was unusual and we might find the one who is behind all of this. This keeps me wondering that we are no longer safe and outside, the territories someone is trying to break through the dorm our ancestors made above the city. If that ever happens I would have to fight tooth and nail to keep my people safe, to make sure no harm reaches them. This is what I was born for.

Bluebirds chirped and hummed as I walked among them and somewhere near I smelled fresh pancakes, grilled bread, and blueberries with grape hard liquor, fresh and awesome. That meant, elves were having their lunch. I rushed.

"Hello? Who is the'e? "Kringles asked.

"It's me, Elvina." She asked me to come in.

"Want to have some pancakes and blue stuff?" Kringles asked. My elf friend.

"Sure. Cheers." and we drank some wine and ate pancakes. Meanwhile, Jingles also came along and I told them what had happened. All about Jasper and everything.

"So, what should I do?" I asked when I was completed. It was frustrating and apprehensive.

"Hmm, indeed you should wait."

"For what? Jingles, Kringles. At Least tell me if it is true? Should I believe him? My insights say he is wrong, completely fake. But this skins me off. It burns my heart. It is so repulsive, insane, delusional... that, it keeps punching me that this the truth. Tell me what to do. I try hard not to think about this, but it just goes against my mind. Advise me, this is a request, please." I begged.

"What is stopping you to believe him?"

"It's... it's just a belief, feelings? No, I just, how can I believe him? He says he is my brother. Why didn't I come to know of it anyway? If I had a family, why did Maá hid it? Why did she separate both of us? Even if he is my brother, he had to be a hypocrite. Where was he while all 17 years ago? He is bad. Because of him, I lost the games with Emma, I lost the human possibilities of winning against Maá. Because of him, the sky is going grey and thunders are breaking through, because of him my people and the kingdom are in danger. How can I let him in? I have run security all along with the city, but he just vanished! Disappeared out of the picture." I was yelling, when I saw Alyx coming I lowered my voice. "Jingles, he is causing the trouble. He is evil. I need to let him out. Our ancestors build the dorm for our protection, he wants to cut that off and I won't let him do it!" Jingles was nodding simultaneously which irritated me, "besides, all of it just seems a good story". I tried to answer. Then, I could hear a female and male voice and hooves of a horse. They were talking in a low tone, but I could tell they were coming here. Within a minute, the door cracked open and what I saw was far -fetched, and flimsy. Charlotte with her blond hair neatly tied in a French braid, wearing a pink dress to her knees, coming shoulder to shoulder with a young boy, who looked the same age as mine, with the same green eyes and black hair. An oversized black polka dot button-down shirt with khaki pants and shoes and looked a lot similar. He was laughing back then and when he saw me he stopped dead. "Elvina?" "Jasper?"

We both took names of some familiar personalities we usually don't bump into in an old wooden house.

"Oh, you 're back, honey. Give me those berries, pe'haps I'll bring some juice and salad. Cha'lotte? You would like to join me?" Kringles asked Charlotte and she shook her head up and down in what you call an all-shocked situation.

I reached for my sword. Jasper's hand on a wooden stick. We both raised our weapons. "Stop! No fighting. Talk calmly." Jingles ordered. "No. he's my prey. Let me do it on my own". And when I wanted to cut him off his neck, a strong hard wooden stick hit me on the hand, and in sudden pain, I screamed and wailed in horror. "I never wanted to harm you, sister. I came here to settle down everything between us, but you followed and wanted to hunt me down. I'll never let that happen. Let's talk and keep our weapons down."

He said in a very male voice. Jingles helped me stand up and I sat on the couch with Jasper in front of me with a glass table in our way, thanks. You would be thinking, first I came here to ask suggestions only about that idiot, but then when he comes in front of me I attack him. That's crazy, I know. But that's exactly what I am going through.