06: The Osennikovas

Branches Of Sunshire

Chapter 6

The Osennikovas

Nari stood at the entrance beside Madelyn and Juniper, her staff resting casually against her shoulder. Outside their home, Ashley and Blake stood by the iron gates. Blake stared at Nari.

Blake: “YOU did this?!”

He strode toward the gate, stepping slightly in front of Ashley.

Nari: “Yes, and I’m rather pleased with the results!”

She smiled proudly and lifted her chin.

Blake: “You have NO right to keep us out of our home!”

His hands curled into fists. Beside him, Ashley’s lower lip trembled.

Nari: “It’s not your home! It’s ours!”

She spread out her arms between Juniper and Madelyn, her elaborate sleeves fluttering around her wrists.

Ashley: “It’s all of our home together!”

They stepped closer to the gate, looking from Nari to the others in disbelief. The black iron gate separated them, making the divide between them even sharper.

Nari: “I didn’t agree to that arrangement!”

Her smile vanished.

Blake: “And neither did I!”

He glared at her, refusing to back down.

Madelyn: “Well, NO ONE agreed to a block-shield, Nari! What the hell?!”

She threw her arms up, her crimson cloak and shopping bag swinging around her.

Juniper: “Why did you do this, Nari?”

She asked gently, holding Nari's gaze. Nari’s proud demeanour faltered.

Nari: “Because it's my job to enforce order where there is chaos!”

She glanced at Madelyn and Juniper. Juniper’s eyebrows drew together, her expression puzzled.

Madelyn: “Yeah, well, I like chaos! You can’t just make decisions for us!”

She argued back. Juniper stepped forward.

Juniper: “The house is legally bound to me, and I agreed to let them stay here, Nari.”

She met Nari’s gaze.

Juniper: “You don’t get to overrule my decisions just ‘cause you don’t agree.”

She said firmly.

Nari: “I’m doing this for your own good! I had to protect you! They’re not to be trusted!”

Her gaze shifted to Ashley through the gate. Juniper glanced briefly towards Ashley and Blake, then returned her attention to Nari.

Ashley: “But you don’t even know us…”

They gestured between themself and Blake.

Nari: “I don’t have to; I know what you are!”

She locked her icy glare on Ashley.

Ashley: “What? A Sole-Wielder?”

They tilted their head, genuinely bewildered. Juniper’s gaze shifted towards Ashley, her expression softening.

Madelyn: “Blake is just a common folk; he’s no threat!”

She cut in before Nari could respond, gesturing to Blake across the gate.

Nari: “He brought a Sole-Wielder into our house!”

She turned to Madelyn. Blake’s scowl deepened.

Madelyn: “Yeah, and he's a legend for it!”

She gestured to Blake and Ashley.

Blake: “You mean I brought my SIBLING into OUR house!”

His voice boomed between them as he stepped in front of Ashley.

Blake: “How dare you throw us out of our house and treat Ashley like some kind of monster!”

He glared at Nari through the gate, fury burning in his eyes.

Blake: “Stop hiding behind your Majique gate like a coward and face us!”

His voice rang through the entrance. Nari recoiled, tightening her grip on her staff.

Ashley: “Blake…”

They tugged on his arm. Blake snapped his head around to Ashley.

Blake: “No! She’s treating you like a monster, and I’m not going to stand for it!”

His voice cracked with anger. Ashley looked at Nari, at a loss for words.

Ashley: “Why don't you trust Sole-Wielders?!”

They asked, genuinely wanting to understand. Nari held Ashley's gaze through the iron bars, her expression growing more guarded.

Nari: “Because… I’ve seen what they can do.”

Her words came out quieter than expected. She turned on her heel and walked back towards the manor, keeping her back to the siblings. For a moment, Blake’s anger faltered, showing something harder to read. Juniper frowned and looked toward Nari with a mixture of concern and disbelief.

Ashley: “What? Make pancakes and light the room?”

They gave her an incredulous look, waiting for a response, but Nari kept walking.

Blake: “They’re not responsible for whatever happened to you!”

He fired back. Nari’s steps faltered, and she stood still for a moment. Then she continued into the manor and closed the door behind her.

Juniper watched her go, and her cheerful expression faded.

Juniper: “I can’t believe she did that.”

She looked towards the manor.

Madelyn: “I know, right?! She can’t do that!”

She huffed and threw her arms up.

Juniper: “Don’t worry, she can’t keep you out of your own home.”

She assured them.

Blake: “Then tear down her spell!”

He turned around to her, gesturing to the gate.

Juniper: “I can’t simply wave my staff and undo a spell I didn’t cast!”

She sighed, and her shoulders dropped slightly. Ashley drew a long breath, wrapping their arms around themself as they took everything in. Juniper’s expression softened when she noticed Ashley.

Juniper: “Standing around here and arguing with her isn’t going to solve anything, so let’s cool off in the woods for a bit.”

She offered, turning towards the woods behind the manor. Ashley's expression softened a little.

Blake: “What, and let her get away with this?! No! I’m going to destroy her spell and give her a piece of my mind!”

He clenched his fists and glared at the manor gates.

Ashley: “How, Blake?”

They glanced up at him.

Madelyn: “Yeah, you don’t have Majique!”

She added.

Juniper: “And even if you did, you can’t undo her spell.”

She reminded him.

Blake: “There is always a way.”

He said with a glint of determination in his eyes.

Juniper: “Then let’s go find a way!”

She turned towards the forest and started walking. Ashley and Madelyn followed close behind.

Blake: “Hmph, fine.”

He gave the manor gates one final look and reluctantly followed.

~

Afternoon sunlight pierced the canopy, warming the earth beneath their feet. The gum trees leaned at odd angles, their branches twisting overhead. The air grew cooler, carrying a fresh scent of moss and fern. The sound of rushing water grew louder until they emerged beside a waterfall, spilling over the rocks into a crystal-clear pool below. Mist hung in the air, catching the light in tiny rainbow prisms. Gum trees and smooth, moss-stained boulders surrounded the spot, offering plenty of places to sit.

Juniper: “Welcome to my chill place!”

She swept her arm towards the waterfall. Ashley gazed in awe at the scenery, watching the sunlight shimmer over the water, and they couldn’t help admiring the beautiful surroundings.

Madelyn burst out laughing at the words ‘Dopeus Smokeus’ carved into the moss covering a nearby boulder.

Madelyn: “I can see you’ve been chillin’ here with Brody!”

She winked cheekily. A wide smile spread across Juniper’s lips, and her cheeks reddened.

Ashley: “Who’s Brody?”

They asked, sitting down on the boulder beside Juniper. Madelyn sat down on Ashley's other side. Blake drew a breath.

Blake: “None of our concern. Let’s get to the important matter!”

He raised a hand, cutting into the conversation.

Madelyn: “Right! It’s picnic time!”

She grinned, presenting her ‘Woolcolga’ shopping bag before summoning her staff. She whacked her staff across a large geranium bush nearby, spinning the petals up into a vortex and stretching them into a colourful picnic rug. Madelyn tipped the contents of her grocery bag onto it: chocolate bars, a bottle of sweet peach wine, potato chips, and a calendar featuring shirtless firemen.

Juniper: “What’s with the calendar?”

She picked it up, laughing as she flicked through the pages.

Madelyn: “I didn’t have one, and I wanted to support the firemen!”

She shrugged.

Blake: “Firemen?”

He furrowed his brows, and his gaze lingered on the calendar before he looked away.

Ashley: “...People wield fire here?!”

They stared at Madelyn, confused and disbelieving.

Madelyn: “No, no! Firemen put fires out!”

She laughed, waving her hand dismissively.

Madelyn: “How could anyone wield fire anyway?”

Blake’s expression tightened.

Juniper: “Nothing is impossible.”

Blake: “Right, and getting through that gate isn’t impossible either!”

He interjected, pacing around impatiently.

Blake: “You broke Makayla’s spell, so why can’t you break this one?”

He turned towards Madelyn.

Madelyn: “Yeah, 'cause we’re both Vernals and she didn’t seal her spell with a spell box!”

She explained.

Madelyn: “Our best bet is to find and destroy the spell box she used.”

Blake: “Okay, so do that!”

Madelyn burst out laughing.

Madelyn: “HA! Good luck with that! Nari keeps all her spells locked away in her potions cabinet, and she’s cast a block-shield over the whole thing! No one can get inside without her permission!”

She shook her head, and her amusement faded.

Madelyn: “I’ve never seen her cast a block-shield this big before…”

Blake drew a frustrated breath.

Madelyn: “She says she’s protecting us, but from what?! Majique electricity and good vibes?!”

She gestured towards Ashley.

Madelyn: “Hell, she was pretty much begging me to go into town with Ashley and buy this!”

She held up the calendar; her smile faded as she studied it.

Madelyn: “Hang on…”

She looked back towards the manor.

Madelyn: “Then why didn’t she stop us from going into town if she doesn’t trust you?”

Her eyes widened as the pieces fell into place.

Madelyn: “Aw, CRAP! She was orchestrating this whole thing to get you guys out of the house!”

She rose from her boulder. Blake stopped pacing and turned towards her.

Blake: “WHAT?!”

Ashley bowed their head.

Madelyn: “I know, right! That sneaky lil bee! She made me look like an idiot!”

Juniper frowned, glancing between Madelyn and the manor.

Ashley: “...Why was she so determined?”

“I’ve seen what they can do!” Nari’s words echoed in their mind. What did she mean by that? Ashley wondered, still unsettled.

Ashley: “Am I scary?”

They curled in on themself. Madelyn laughed as if it were the most preposterous thing she ever heard.

Madelyn: “NO?! You’re like a kitten!”

She assured them, patting their head.

Juniper glanced towards the manor in the distance. Her fingers drifted to the mushroom earrings dangling from her ears. Nari had gifted them to her that morning.

Juniper: “I don’t know what her problem is with Sole-Wielders…”

She sighed, lowered her gaze, then reached into her bag and pulled out a small pouch filled with green herbs.

Ashley: “What is that?”

They sniffed the pungent herbal aromas and observed the glistening speckles of gold in the sun.

Juniper: “Pure bliss!”

She winked at Ashley. Madelyn grinned at her.

Madelyn: “Oh, is that Brody’s stuff?”

She teased. Juniper cracked a smile and nodded.

Juniper: “Mhmm, it sure is!”

She turned around to Ashley, who gazed at her with curious eyes.

Juniper: “Do you reckon you can bake us some treats, Ashley?”

She held out the pouch with an inviting smile.

Ashley: “You want me to bake something?!”

Their expression lifted a bit.

Juniper: “Of course! Then we can chill out! I reckon you need that right now!”

She placed her hand on their shoulder. Ashley smiled and nodded.

Blake: “Chill out? How can you relax when we’re stuck out here?”

He gaped at her.

Juniper: “I know, it’s frustrating, isn’t it? But there’s nothing we can do about it right now. So we might as well take a breather and clear our heads… and this stuff will help with that!”

She gave a reassuring smile.

Blake: “Can it break down the gate?”

He deadpanned.

Juniper: “It could help us come up with a solution to that, yes.”

She nodded. Blake paused, looking at her with intrigue.

Ashley stood in the sunlight and summoned their staff, inspecting the picnic rug of treats from Madelyn’s grocery bag.

Ashley: “I'll see what I can do with these!”

They waved their staff over the chocolate bars and jelly beans, lifting them into the air. The chocolate softened and melted, swirling together with the colourful sweets as Juniper sprinkled the herbs into the mixture. Ashley flicked their wrist, blending everything into smooth pieces of chocolate.

Ashley: “Okay, treats are served!”

They smiled and presented tiny chocolate pieces that shimmered in the sunlight.

Juniper: “Beautiful job!”

She clasped her hands together.

Madelyn: “Thanks, Ash! Let’s party!”

She grinned and took a piece of chocolate.

Ashley: “Ooh, tasty!”

They happily chewed the chocolate.

Blake: “Wait, Ashley, we don’t know what those herbs actually do!”

He held up his hand and looked toward Juniper.

Juniper: “Don’t worry, it’s totally safe! I’ve had them plenty of times! I wouldn’t give you something I didn’t trust.”

She assured him, taking a bite of chocolate.

Blake: “So, you say this stuff actually helps you think?”

He paced around, looking at her.

Juniper: “Mhmm, sometimes it helps me see things from a different perspective!”

She bent over and peered up at him from upside down.

Blake: “Huh.”

Blake looked down at the chocolate.

Blake: “Fine. I’ll try anything at this point!”

He drew a breath and popped the chocolate into his mouth. Ashley glanced over at him, eyebrows raised in a smile.

Madelyn: “Well, look who’s joining the party!”

She teased, eating another chocolate. Blake gave her a sideways glance, chewing thoughtfully.

Blake: “I’m not here to party. I’m here to find solutions to break down that damn gate!”

He huffed as he took another chocolate.

Juniper watched as Ashley reached for another piece.

Juniper: “Careful, don’t eat too many at once!”

She giggled.

Juniper: “You don’t wanna overdo it!”

Ashley paused, looking down at the chocolate.

Ashley: “Oh, is it really strong?”

Juniper: “It can be!”

She grinned and popped another piece into her mouth. Blake froze and turned to her.

Blake: “...What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Juniper giggled and looked over at him.

Juniper: “You’ll see!”

Blake narrowed his eyes.

Blake: “That’s not reassuring!”

Madelyn stumbled over a laugh.

Madelyn: “Speaking of surprises!”

She rummaged through the ‘Woolcolga’ bag and pulled out the Sweet Peach wine.

Juniper: “Oh! You got my favourite!”

She smiled widely.

Juniper: “Herbs before wine, you’ll be fine! Herbs after wine, you won’t be fine!”

She remarked, reaching for the bottle of wine with a cheerful grin. Madelyn summoned her staff from overhead.

Madelyn: “Now for your gift! Pick a flower, any flower!”

She gestured to the flowers around them. Juniper pointed to her.

Juniper: “You’re a flower!”

Madelyn laughed.

Madelyn: “Not that flower!”

She playfully shook her head. Juniper pointed to the white daisies beside her.

Madelyn: “Daisies? Good choice! They match your dress!”

She remarked, waving her staff over the daisy bush, kicking up white petals into the air, and swinging them like a baseball bat toward Juniper. The white daisies swarmed around Juniper, their stems weaving together to form a delicate, hooded shawl. It draped over her shoulders and cascaded to her knees.

Ashley smiled as Juniper enjoyed her new gift. They watched as she ran her fingers across the daisies, admiring how the shawl swayed in the breeze. Madelyn kept chatting beside her, but Ashley found her attention drifting to the ground beneath their feet.

The hard earth beneath Ashley’s feet suddenly felt so much more apparent. They could feel each grain of dirt and blade of grass.

The trees swayed overhead in the warm summer air, releasing the earthy perfume of wattle. Ashley breathed in and breathed out, watching the branches sway in synchrony, as if their breath blew through the canopy.

The waterfall seemed to grow louder, its rushing waters filling the air around them. Ashley felt tiny droplets splash against their legs, cool against their skin. It was as if the entire bushland had grown quiet enough for them to listen.

Above everything, the sun felt like a warm bath. The light seeped through their body, filling them with joy as the golden tips of their hair shimmered.

Conversations around them became muffled, bouncing off their head. From the corner of their eye, they noticed Madelyn looking in their direction. Huh? Did she just say something to me? They had no idea what she’d said. Oh no, I’ve been quiet for too long; I better say something and contribute to the conversation! They mused.

Ashley: “The trees are breathing!”

They mumbled. Ashley felt eyes on them. Madelyn’s laughter reverberated through the air. Did I just say that or think that? They’re all looking at me funny, so maybe I did?

Ashley: “I totally did just say that.”

They said it as if they were answering a question nobody asked.

Madelyn smiled and laughed at Ashley.

Madelyn: “You totally did just say that!”

She calmly fixed her gaze on the flowers, fiddling with them as she formed a daisy chain.

Juniper sat calmly watching the others. Madelyn was mellowed out, playing with the flowers, but Ashley had grown unusually quiet, absorbed in their surroundings, their attention fixed somewhere beyond the picnic rug. Blake, meanwhile, seemed unusually animated, pacing around the picnic rug, outwardly rattling off ideas.

Blake: “Couldn’t you cast a spell on her to hypnotise her to unlock it?”

He gestured as he spoke.

Madelyn: “What, you mean like Makayla?!”

She laughed bitterly.

Blake: “Yeah, get her to play her stupid song and hypnotise Nari to unlock it!”

Madelyn: “Hypnosis is taboo, dude.”

Her laughter died on her lips.

Blake: “So is locking people out of their houses!”

He huffed.

Ashley sighed, keeping their focus locked on Madelyn’s daisy chain.

Ashley: “We’re all connected like a daisy chain…”

Their voice trailed off, and their staff lit up, casting a shimmering light around the daisies, causing them to expand, along with the grass around them. Blake was snapped out of his bickering and turned to Ashley.

Blake: “Ashley? Are you okay?”

He asked.

Ashley: “Oh, I’m mellow as a marshmallow!”

Blake picked up Juniper’s pouch and examined the golden flecks in the herbs. His expression changed.

Blake: “...Is that Majique Marijuana?!”

They all looked at him. Juniper looked surprised.

Juniper: “You know what that is?!”

Blake: “Yes.”

He grumbled.

Blake: “You gave us Majique Marijuana?!”

He threw his arms up.

He then froze when his eyes darted to the fireman calendar on the picnic rug.

Blake: “...I think I know what to do.”

He dropped the pouch of herbs and turned on his heel toward the manor.

Blake: “I’ll be right back!”

Ashley: “Wait, where are you going?!”

They turned to Blake.

Blake: “I’m going to deal with that damn gate!”

He stormed off through the trees. Ashley tilted their head.

Juniper watched Blake disappear along the path, then turned her attention to the manor. Whatever he had planned for the gate, Nari still needed to be dealt with.

Juniper: “I’ll go talk to Nari.”

She rose and dusted herself off.

Madelyn: “Ooh, you thought of a spell?”

She smiled up at her.

Juniper: “Majique isn’t going to resolve this...”

She sighed and headed towards the manor. Madelyn and Ashley followed behind her.

~

Back in the manor library, surrounded by green walls and the chill of a cold, disused fireplace, Nari sat at her typewriter with a glass of Pinot Noir. Only the sharp clatter of keys broke the quiet as she focused intently on the text taking shape under her fingers.

Nari: “She was no ancient monster nor spectre doomed to haunt the crumbling halls of a dying world. Her porcelain skin was cold, yet fragilely beautiful, and her eyes shone like amethysts in the moonlight. The centuries fell apart between them as they shared a longing kiss. Her beauty had become something almost unbearable in death—”

The manor’s door swung open behind her, jolting her from her reverie. A chill crept through the library. She glanced through the archway and saw what looked like Juniper standing in the grand entrance, dressed in a crimson medieval dress. Nari gave her an incredulous look.

Nari: “Juniper? What are you doing back here?”

She rose from her seat and emerged from the library, approaching her in the grand entryway. The redheaded woman turned toward Nari, wearing a grimace she had never shown before. Nari recoiled slightly, taken aback.

Nari: “Look, I had to protect us from the Sole-Wielder!”

The redheaded woman’s expression shifted to bewilderment.

Redheaded woman: “A Sole-Wielder, huh?”

She smirked, stroking her chin. Nari blinked at her.

Nari: “Great, you’ve succumbed to that fat imbecile’s reefer again!”

She sighed exasperatedly. The redhead let out a short, amused laugh.

Redheaded woman: “...I sure have. So, please refresh my tiny brain… what is this about a Sole-Wielder?!”

She leaned forward with intrigue. Nari’s eyebrow rose.

The door swung open again, and Madelyn marched into the grand entranceway.

Madelyn: “Come on, Nari! Stop this madness! Let them back in!”

She stamped her feet. Then she paused, gaping at the redheaded woman standing beside Nari.

Madelyn: “Wait… how the hell did you change your clothes so quickly?!”

She eyed her crimson dress. The redheaded woman looked down at Madelyn, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. Before anyone could answer, Juniper entered the house and froze at the sight of a dark mirror image of herself standing beside Nari and Madelyn.

Nari: “Juniper?!”

Her jaw dropped as she stared at her in the doorway.

Madelyn: “What the hell is going on?!”

Madelyn and Nari both looked between the two tall redheaded women.