Zirconium Cauldron

Chapter Four

“Are you ready to meet the other fairies in the garden?” Cat asked Fuchsia.

“Yippee.” Fuchsia flew out of her dollhouse and perched herself on Cat’s shoulder.

"I wanna come, too," Connor said.

“Of course, we always do everything together.” Cat beamed, excited to introduce Fuchsia to the fairies.

The twins ran out of the house and into the backyard. The beautiful English garden greeted them. Ten-foot-tall ligustrum hedges hugged the perimeter along the fence. A white gazebo dominated the center of the garden. Surrounding the gazebo, beautifully manicured boxwood shrubs formed intricate patterns. Red and pink roses bloomed between the various boxwoods.

Cat climbed up the steps of the gazebo and sat on the bench. Bright pink bougainvillea covered much of the gazebo.   

“Well, where are the fairies?” Fuchsia asked, impatiently.

“Relax. The fairies only appear if they choose to. And they only appear in the presence of true love,” Cat explained.

“Oh, yeah. That’s why we appeared to save Tommy from the siren in Neverland. He and Victoria are true loves,” Fuchsia rehashed the tale.

“Maybe they’ll come if we hold hands,” Connor suggested, then grabbed Cat’s hand.

With a perplexed expression, Fuchsia asked. “But I don’t understand. How will the fairies appear without true love?”

“True love comes in many forms. There is romantic true love, like my parents have. There is also platonic true love, like with a parent and a child or, in our case, twins.” Cat smiled at Connor and squeezed his hand.

Several petals on the bougainvillea moved, but it wasn’t the petals, it was the fairies appearing.

The queen’s protector, Gabriel, flew down and landed on the white rail of the gazebo. With his bow drawn, he surveyed the area to ensure it was safe for Queen Cordelia.

"Hello, Gabriel. We have a new member of the family." Cat nodded to Fuchsia.

“Hello.” Fuchsia flew to the rail and landed next to Gabriel.

“Wow, you’re beautiful? Gabriel bowed, then kissed Fuchsia’s hand.

Blushing, she said. “My name is Fuchsia. What’s yours?”

Also blushing, Gabriel said, “My name is Gabriel.”

The mutual attraction between fairies wasn’t lost on Cat. She felt as if these two were destined to be together. Which was a miracle considering that just a few days ago, Fuchsia was in another dimension.

"It's safe, Your Majesty," Gabriel hollered.

Cordelia, the Queen of the fairies flew down and hovered in front of Cat.

Cat instinctively held out her hand, and Cordelia set her feet down on Cat’s open palm.

Bowing their heads, Cat and Connor said in unison. “Your Majesty.”

“Greetings, Lady Catherine and Master Connor,” Cordelia said with a raspy voice. A gold and diamond crown topped her pure white hair. Over four hundred years old, Cordelia faced her final years.

The queen’s daughter, Princess Esmerelda, landed on Connor’s open palm. “Hello Master Connor, Lady Catherine.”

“Your Majesty.” Cat and Connor bowed again in unison.

Esmerelda wore a silver and emerald crown which topped her platinum-blonde, curly hair. Her emerald-green camisole and short skirt matched her beautiful emerald-green eyes.

Fuchsia bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesties."

Esmerelda and Cordelia studied the new fairy. “Hello. Where did you come from?”

“Long story, but we saved her from Neverland,” Cat explained.

Esmerelda waived her hand and gestured towards the beautiful garden. “Welcome to the Manchester Garden. It is very serene here.”

“Thank you, Cat and her family have been very kind,” Fuchsia gushed.

“Well, are you going to tell them, or not?” Cordelia asked with a condescending tone.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, Mother. I got distracted with the new fairy,” Esmerelda said.

"Tell us what?" Cat asked with a curious tone.

“I have a prophecy for Catherine and Connor,” Esmerelda said.

“Oh, goody. I love prophecies.” Cat grinned and sat on the edge of her seat excitedly.

“You twins will each find true love. Your soul mates are also twins. Although they have not been born yet. But they will be born this year to a distant Manchester cousin.”