The Secret of the Guardians: the lost sceptre

Chapter 1 (Current days - The case of the camera)

One more flash of the cameras and the blindness was already threatening the eyes of Hadassa, who was at least two hours ago in that cacophony and chaos that emerged during the election campaign to Mr. Mendel. She looked away, desperate to get out of there, and came across the threatening eyes that indicated "warning" from Mr. Mendel to her.

"Hey, Hadassa! Is it true that your biological parents dumped you in a dumpster?" Asked one of the photographers, the closest to them. He was a big, tall man with light, greasy-looking hair.

Before Hadassa opened her mouth to give him a sharp answer, as was her custom when there were such occasions, Mr. Mendel stepped forward, shaking the hand that was over her shoulder in warning tone for another of her "clever answers', and decided to answer himself:

" Our goddaughter was found on our doorstep thirteen years ago, regrettably left by nomads." And he gave one of his "famous political smiles", showing off his little yellowish coffee teeth.

Goddaughter was the "affectionate" way the Mendel called Hadassa. Daughter, according to them, was a label too strong to carry as a member of a family "so prestigious". In addition, they finally, after three more years of failed attempts, after the appearance of Hadassa, had a daughter, Giulia, her fake sister, who could carry their "prestigious" blood.

"Could the beautiful family pose so that we can take a picture of everyone together?" Asked another photographer in the background.

Pulling a smile out of her, Hadassa forced herself to look at the camera while Julia and Giulia lined up around Mr. Mendel, while she was purposely further away. Whoever looked, would think it was just an innocent mistake in the formation of the pose.

After finishing one more photo shoot in the midst of another of the election campaigns that Mr. Mendel was participating in, they went away to go away. While Julia and Giulia went ahead, Edgar Mendel held Hadassa by the shoulder and looked deeply into her eyes, which beat her height due to their sizes; he was short and she, tall for her age. Giulia turned his little body back and showed his tongue that sometimes Hadassa imagined it forked like a serpent, and said silently that only she should hear:

" Someone will get scolded... " And returned to the side of her mother.

Hadassa didn't even bother to answer. Despite the many times she felt compelled to actually do something to stop those cynical smiles of Giulia (as well as of Mr. and Mrs. Mendel) the consequences were not worth it.

"I did not like your behavior today." Said a threatening Mr. Mendel.

"What did I do? " Hadassa asked, already feeling the familiar temperament that surrounded her constantly and lived within herself, always ready to explode when any member of that family teased her, or when the school boys chased her.

"Don't think I didn't see the clever response you were going to give to that reporter."

Hadassa looked into his brown eyes, which evoked the color of mud, perhaps more due to his pig character (no offense to the pigs), and which were already beginning to wrinkle in the corners due to irritation towards her, And she knew that it was only a matter of time before the vein in his forehead started bouncing and what was best to do was just agree and apologize. Exhaling heavily, she replied:

"I'm sorry Mr. Mendel."

Looking around to make sure no one listened to them, the tone decreased:

"I understand that your wild nature makes it difficult for you to behave like a civilized being in front of unknown and familiar people, but I am one step away from winning the elections and now, more than ever, I need your cooperation and collaboration." And you squeezed her shoulders tightly.