Seemingly Needless Allies

Chapter 8

"You," Bronte snarled, his voice cold.

"Who?" Keefe asked in a confused voice. 

The group had just started to unfold, councillors and children stepping out of the bright light and onto the sandy beach. 

"Relax, Bronte. I am only here to show you around the Island," her voice said.

That was the first time Sophie got a good look at her. She had green-blue eyes, and bob-length blonde curls that moved with the slight breeze. She was tall, with long tan legs covered only with short jean shorts.

"The last time you told me to relax, you betrayed the elven species," Bronte said, his voice unwaveringly harsh.

She laughed dryly and placed her hands in her front pockets. "Are you coming, or not?"

"Bronte, what's going on?" Grady whispered to him, his voice anxious.

"Meet Thalia Fenvyre," He said, gesturing towards the woman. 

"Pleasure," she said, extending her arm.

Grady took it hesitantly, his fingers gripping hers. 

She twisted slightly and led them across the sandy beach. 

They-- anxiously, followed. They moved cautiously along the sandy beach, slowly taking in their surroundings. They were on a beach, Sophie cleverly noted. It looked like they were somewhere in the Mediterranean. To their left, there was a string of colourful booths, filled with half-nude locals clad in swimsuits, and sandals. To their right, the ocean stretched on for miles and miles along the sandy shore. Shells marked every few feet, while small traces in the sand revealed names and tiny messages. It looked like a typical beach on a warm summer day in the middle of paradise. 

"Talia!" Someone screamed.

Everyone turned to face, a small balding man who sat smugly in a wheelchair. His skin was tanned-- like everyone else on this bizarre island-- and freckles spotted his face and bald spot. But that wasn't the weirdest part. He looked like he was wearing a colonial officers costume. It looked as though it was manufactured centuries ago, yet it looked newly made. 

"Ah, Edmund. Is Cornelia back at it again?" Talia inquired lightly, a playful smile on her freckled face.

"It's preposterous. She continually insists on selling her ridiculous concoctions. I shan't understand why." His voice was gruff-- weathered; a soldier who had fought too many battles. 

"I'll talk to her." Thalia smiled warmly. "Are we still on for poker next evening?"

"Of course," he responded, not missing a beat.

"Good. I always love an opportunity to assert my superior card-playing abilities."

He scowled and wheeled away towards the smiling, bathing suit-clad vendors.

"Come on, then. So much to see." She ushered them along, making a beeline to a salesperson at the end of the line. 

The booth was small. A dark-skinned woman with piercing green eyes was folding colourful patterned cloths on to a small table. 

"Come to buy one?" The vendor asked hopefully.

"Don't get your hopes up, Nehemia," she responded dolefully.

Nehemia smirked. "Who are these... friends of yours?" She asked suspiciously. 

"Hardly." She laughed darkly, shooting Sophie & Co. a worried look. "I am the designated tour guide."

"How much did she pay you?" Nehemia asked, laughter on her lips.

"Hush. I am a loyal friend. Always." She took Nehemia's hands in hers.

"What do you need, Thalia?"

"Clothes. Something colourful. She shan't be disappointed."

"For who?"

"Dark-haired triplets," Thalia said, shoving Linh, Tam, and Biana towards Nehemia. "Take care of them. Meet me at The Ritz at... 3?"

"Will do." Nehemia sighed, and placed her hands on Tam and Biana's back, leading them towards the back of the dimly lit booth.

Keefe, Grady, Sophie, Dex, and Bronte trudged along, following Thalia along the dusty road. It was bizarre-- in a very surreal way. Vendors lined the streets, advertising anything from sugar-topped beignets to mosquito-repelling outerwear. Behind the string of colourful booths, more touristy shops inhabited the more practical purchases. The dusty road was filled with dated bicycles and carriages. Horses, bicycles, and pedestrians lined the streets, inadvertently enabling ample space to move around without keeping a very wary eye on the traffic milling around you. 

The streets seemed to hold elements from different places in time Sophie seriously doubted that since her abrupt exit from the forbidden cities, time hadn't changed enough to the extent that horse-drawn carriages and camels were regular methods of transportation. Who knows? Sophie thought. Maybe it's a Mediterranean thing.

They followed Thalia further into the street of mysterious wonders, allowing their eyes to wander all around the bizarre, but beautiful island. 

One of the strangest things that Sophie could note was the clothing. The style of the island was utterly strange-- and the style of the people: even stranger. Sophie couldn't pinpoint what exact era she had entered, nor what species exactly inhabited the island. She saw trolls. dwarves, gnomes, humans, and even the occasional elf-- like Thalia, and herself. 

"Wait here." Thalia halted in front of a big stone gate. She nodded to a man at her left, and the gate opened slowly. "This is the quarter." Thalia gestured to the cluster of larger, nicer shops and buildings in front of her. "It's the centre of the city. The more industrial area is to our left, beyond that stone pillar. Beyond the Quarter is more prominently the residential area, and what you saw back there was the hub-- the centre of trade, among other things."

"Why are the others no longer with us?" Dex asked dubiously, his concern clearly in regards to Biana.

"We'll meet back in a few hours or so," Thalia replied simply, not caring to elaborate.

Dex looked less than satisfied.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "I didn't realize there would be so many of you, so I asked for some help. Is that okay with you?"

Dex looked like he wanted to protest.

After they walked ways into the city, they stumbled upon a small desolate shop. They waited in a quiet huddle, as Thalia knocked softly on the dark, ruptured wood. They waited.

Thalia, without warning, barged into the small shop and didn't look back.

"Bronte, what is this place?" Grady finally enquired.

"I don't know," Bronte answered after a moment of quiet contemplation. "But it certainly is beautiful."

"That it is," Thalia said, surprising Sophie. Thalia threw each of them a not-so-neat stack of clothing. 

Bronte held out a dark piece of clothing, utter scepticism written all over his face.

"Don't let her see you make that face," Thalia snapped at Bronte.

Bronte scowled. "Can I at least ask for some privacy to change?" was all he asked.

"Follow me."

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