Chapter Fifteen: A Night Out, More Like A Nightmare.

Later on in the day after bidding a goodbye to my uncle, we sit around deciding what we want to do for the rest of our evening. Uncle Marek left to meet up with the Guard to take them to Earth. He informed us he would be gone a few days because he wanted to make sure the men had everything they needed.

"Ellie..." Luke starts, "Would you mind if I brought you and your friends out to explore Provence?"

My friends? To be cometely honest, I'm not sure who they are to me. We haven't talked this whole time being here on Elyria. We've been so busy taking everything in and getting comfortable that we haven't had a second to think about friendships. After all, I'm not really sure if I can depend on the two girls yet.

Eventually I respond, "We can."

Personally the freedom of going where we please this evening will be refreshing but I am unsure what things I would like to do.

"I'm gonna go find the girls and see if they'd like to go," Luke runs off up the stairs with a peppy grin upon his lips.

I wait and listen in on the conversation. The girls are in one of the bedrooms together, making me conclude that they don't know what to do with their free time being away from imprisonment.

They quietly agree with Luke that it would be nice to have him show them around. I hear them both stand and begin to follow him, while Lynn questions, "Is it just us and Ellie going?"

Luke stops in his tracks and whispers, "Yes, I'd rather not have Koda come with us." He still sounds angry regarding Koda and his actions.

"Why not?" Lynn asks.

"I don't want to talk about it and I don't want to talk to him."

A minute later the three of them are descending the staircase like the conversation never happened. I keep myself quiet until we get shoes on, "Luke, why didn't you invite Jane?"

He looks around the room almost stunned, "She-she's going to meet with her tutor very soon, but I'd rather not discuss with her how I feel about Koda right now. Really I'm angry at him. And I know Jane would start ranting to me."

I only nod back at him.

We meet my grandparents on the front porch who sit in white rocking chairs. Little Jarin keeps them company, playing with his blocks by the porch swing.

While Luke announces that he's taking the three of us out Jarin begs to come along. From hearing him do the same when his mother left for work and later on when his dad said goodbye for his travels to Earth, I assume he does this often.

"Not today Jarin, we might be out late." Luke sounds annoyed but still says goodbye to him even as he runs off the porch and down the sidewalk to follow us.

"You'll come back tonight Ellie?" The little boy beams up at me curiously.

My stomach drops, making me remember that to him I have been gone for years.

"Of course!" I smile back.

The young boy waves goodbye and I turn back around to catch up to the rest of the group. Only a few yards from the house, with Luke leading the way Estelle asks with a whisper, "Where are we in the universe compared to Earth?"

"I always believed we were in a separate universe than Earth is. That's more of a question to ask Koda or Jane. We have some equipment to look into space but we've never sent anything up there because we don't have the technology."

Estelle is dumbfounded, "Aren't people curious?"

"Not as much as you'd think," Luke responds. "Our culture believes that the gods created this planet for us only. There are Elyrians from Provence that specifically look into the events on Earth and use that in our society to learn lessons. We are not supposed to use Earth and it's people for our own benefit. We use our own planet to our advantage, nothing more. It is sort of frowned upon to want to search for other planets in the sky because of our access to Earth. This is one of the biggest reasons why Elyrians and other creatures do not accept humans, because they are from Earth."

Estelle questions, "Does this mean Earth is an enemy to you?"

Luke sighs, "In a way yes, according to Koda. We are peaceful and want nothing to do with Earth but we argue that they have destroyed their environment. We don't want to be like them and we believe that as people we are superior..."

Is he trying to insult the girls? I know he's mad at Koda but taking it out on others is not the best way to get over your own problems.

"As people, you guys are one with your planet." Lynn states.

Luke agrees, "Well yes. Think of it this way, many humans do not appreciate the same things we Elyrians do. Humans can be considered selfish and dirty," He takes a second. "Personally I believe that, but it doesn't force me to judge an individual human by where they come from. I dislike their society for handling the planet, not disliking a human for the heck of it."

We eventually turn on the main street where people pass us by, and I'm afraid to ask questions because it's somewhat crowded. I keep my head down, even though I'd love to pay attention to the buildings we begin to pass.

Luke looks over at the girls beside him, "Would you like to go to the bakery?" He points ahead to the sign hanging above the street that says Bakery and Sweets.

A few steps closer and I can smell bread and something flowery, similar to lilac. The subtle smells make me ready to go inside, and find that pastery I was eyeing the last time I passed the window.

Estelle whispers to Luke, "Will we be safe here?"

As my tall blonde relative grabs the large metal handle of the door he replies, "Of course! Provence is the safest city on our planet."

Estelle confirms, "No I mean being from... you know."

He looks her dead in the eye, "Nothing will happen to you or Lynn here because you are humans, not while you are with my family."

She nods while he adds, "And done worry about the men, the- Hunters. If they ever step foot on our grounds the Province Guard has every right to lock them up to keep our city safe."

As the four of us walk inside Luke replies from the back, "Besides my father was trained to be a Provinve Guard, but his future was meant for something different. Anyway, that's where my parents met."

I finally look up, seeing how the bakery has nobody inside accept for ourselves and the man behind the counter. Above him on the wall is a sign listing all types of the seasonal pastries and drinks. I scan through them not recognizing certain names for things when suddenly I read the words, Purebred Antelope Blood Drinks.

"Blood?" I question horrified as I continue to stare at the category of drinks mixed with blood.

Luke only shrugs it off, "Vampires need drinks too."

How is it possible? The monsteruous creatures really do drink blood, and it is served in Provice? Right on the main street? I wonder if this is a craving they live by or if it is a necessity for them to stay alive. Or, aren't vampires immortal?

I spin around, hoping to find something better to think about and find the absolutely elegant window display of cakes and pastries beside the door. Theres nothing I can name but I can horrifically assume that crimson colored foods could contain antelope blood of all things. Everything appears so foreign that I can't name anything.

The smell is a mix of nothing I have ever experienced in my life but it still makes me want to take a bite of everything; other than the blood looking pastries. I predict that the tastes will all be unique as well, or maybe I'm assuming so because we are on a whole seperate planet.

I easily spot the pastery from the other day, hoping it's going to melt in my mouth like I thought it would. It's purple glaze overtop of a honey brown swirl makes me wonder if it's like a cinnamon roll. An image flashes through my head of the glowing portal, it's purple is the same color as this glaze that's lmost shimmering as well.

Being satisfied with my choice, I still blink around at others to try next time. They aren't as distracting, but I end up getting engrossed in Luke's voice reflecting back on Lynn's ear, "I also took some Guard training courses in upper Provence, if you'd like to know..."

I look over my shoulder at them who stand at the counter by the right of the room. Lynn nods her head, "So that is what you meant by you keeping us safe."

He chuckles and whispers, "Yes, but you're not going to be safe from my charms tonight, I'm feeling very flirtatious."

Her cheeks turn hot red and her eyes catch with his. I hear her breath stop for a second until she breaks eye contact and blinks over to Estelle who's stepping towards me. I smile at Estelle, who's furrowed eyebrows tell me she's going to need help picking her pastery.

****

After Luke pays with foreign coins, he seats us furthest from the counter right next to a smaller stained glass window by the door. The four of us fit snugly at the table against it where Lynn and Luke have to sit on the same side. I face the blue stained window that causes a haze to shine down upon the table, making the frosting of my pastery glisten even more.

The evening sky is telling me that we've been out much longer than I thought. The sun is gone behind the buildings and the sky is darkening with a shade of purple I've never seen before. It's almost lavender but mixed with baby pink, and a hot red. Lines are drawn through the sky, vertically through the clouds like it was drawn by a goddess above.

What shocks me the most are the twinkling stars above that are exceptionally bright for this time of day. On Earth you would never see them out when the sky is still this bright. I wish I had somebody to sit outside with me and watch the sky every night. I've always looked out the window hoping of a better place, sitting lonely and silent in confinement.

After some time of staring out the window while I'm eating my sweets, my view becomes blocked by a figure walking past the window. They freeze suddenly like they knew I was watching but never turn their head at me. My heart begins pounding even though the person never saw me. It's as if they sence my presence, and know me personally. Their cloacked body makes me freeze and I put my sweets down.

I don't even see any part of their face but they give me the same feeling they did when I saw them the first night I was here. A tall, broad figure standing across the street as if they were watching me. This is the same person, I have no doubt in my mind they're not.

"Ellie, are you okay?" Lynn questions as Luke's gaze slowly drift from her eyes.

"I think I'm full." I reply.

Luke chuckles, taking my last bite for himself, "Pixie dust is always the most filling..."

I whisper, "Is it normal for people to walk around in large cloaks?"

"Yes, why?"

"I keep seeing this person..."

"They're prabobly not the same person. Even though it's spring and getting warmer, the person may not want their skin exposed in daylight. Well I'm assuming it's a Vampire so they can't have direct sunlight without getting burned."

"Oh."

Luke adds, "But as you can tell fashion is different here. In Provence you get a mix of people dressing in their own style of handmade human-looking clothing, or you get others who have more an Elyrian style which is very dressy and human period style clothing. It depends on where you come from. Here you can not tell much of a difference in clothing from Earth, other than the material."

"I guess I haven't looked at people enough to notice." I reply.

Estelle suggests, "Luke, tell us more about this place."

He looks around, checking to see if anyone is nearby to listen in on our conversation. Still, the only other person here is the shop owner in the back room.

Luke begins, "We are fortunate to live in a mixed city like Province, because we get to experience all cultures. There is only one place where all cultures are welcome, but it is nothing as peaceful and beautiful as Province. This is why our grandparents live here and the reason why my parents are as well."

"Mixed?" Estelle asks.

"Almost any type of creature is allowed to live here, but only one is forbidden. The Fairy type are not allowed to live on any grounds belonged to Provence or other kingdoms as well. They have their own island where their kingdom was built."

I recall the conversation about Faries earlier today and how everyone was freaking out about Lynn being one in her dream world. A question comes to mind quite quickly and I clear my throat, a bit nervous to speak.

"Luke?" I say quite hoarsely. "Why was it that when we were talking about fairies earlier today, everybody started to panic?"

He suddenly freezes, as if remembering the conversation himself and how it started because of Lynn. She sits right next to him with wide eyes, "I would like to know as well Luke." Her voice is harsh as the matter becomes more serious.

He suddenly looks at her with red cheeks, "Well. Lynn. Before I say a single word, please remember the you right now is not a fairy."

"I still am in another body."

Luke frowns, bringing his bright blue eyes down to his fingertips that he begins tearing at, "Listen, a fairy is not a creature you or anybody need to mess with. If you happen to see one, you have to run the opposite direction. They are so dangerous that most people do not survive passing by them, let alone speaking with them. They as well bring out the lust in anybody they possibly can."

A little creature like that? Very, very strange. I wonder if my thoughts on other mythical creatures aren't accurate as well. I have a lot to learn here before I can even trust myself to do anything.

"What other creatures exist?" Estelle questions.

"Werewolves, mermaids, elfs, vampires, witches, shapeshifters; dwarves and goblins who are servant like, and many more. Then there are the non civilized ones like banchees, who are dangerous. Smaller creatures like the hares, rabbits, and gnomes who have underground homes. And even smaller, insect size would be pixies."

"Rabbits?" I blurt, bringing my full attention to the blond haired boy next to me. "Do they by any chance speak English?"

He takes a long pause, furrowed his eyebrows, "I've never expected them to, honestly I've never spoken to one. Maybe that's a question for someone else?"

"No." I stammer.

He becomes suspicious instantly, "Ellie, I know when you're hiding something."

Right. "Well, people are different here. I wanted to see if animals were too."

His expressions doesn't change but he let's it slide, "Animals here are similar to ones on Earth, but that doesn't mean they aren't magical creatures. Our woodland creatures in Province aren't insanely special. We do get occasional bird types from around Elyria, such as a Phoenix. Other than that we just wild rabbits, squirrels, snakes, antelope, and a types of lizards and frogs that can last through winter."

Sadly my heart drops as I get no information on the talking rabbit, and most likely never will. I don't ever expect to see him again just because I really wonder if he was part of the Hunters trying to trick me. What if he was just a trap for me to go back? I never even got his name, if he had one. Personally I was too shocked to hear him speak English, as well as know me to ask his name.

"I think it's time for me to take you guys somewhere else I have planned." Luke announces.

After leaving the bakery, I cannot keep my eyes off the breathtaking medieval type buildings as we follow Luke down the street. Seeing them in the evening in a brighter light is even more impressive. The buildings give off this extraordinary glow from the sunset.

The sky has gotten darker, making the clouds a darker pink and a more crimson red. The stars catch my attention once again as I make out shape in them unlike any from Earth.

As we pass people walking on the streets I wonder why they walk everywhere. Are they're not any other types of transportation around here? I can't imagine not having some type of ride somewhere far.

Luke crosses the street, not bothering to look both ways with the lack of vehicles. He goes down a side street and up a step to building that has a dim light outside. I sigh of relief seeing how it is only a clothing shop, and as we all enter he announces, "It seems like you all would appreciate some of your own cloths now."

Estelle's eyes instantly light up as she gazes over to Luke as if he has given her a million dollars. Lynn instantly appears relieved and gives him a warm smile. He in turn blushes back, standing at the top step.

Suddenly, everything around me stops as a few yards down the street walks a cloaked figure. My vision focuses on them only and my ears pick up their pounding heartbeat. They stop in their tracks and turns their head is down purposely so I can not see their face.

This is the third time I've seen this person, it has to be the same one. Tall with broad shoulders, and the same black embroderd cloak. There is no way this is a coincidence, someone's keeping an eye on me. The thought of the Hunters spin around in my head, making me literally dizzy. I can't let him  take me away, I can't go back.

I look up at Luke in a panic, "We need to go..."

He looks around, "What's the matter?"

My attention goes to the street, where the person should be.

"They're gone."

"I didn't see anyone." Lynn adds.

My stomach drops, and I don't dare gaze around for a second look. Instead I push past Luke and open the door to the building myself, "I think I'm being watched..."

A night out, more like a nightmare.