The Flying Gargoyle Bus

In a stumble out of the dinette both me and Zander were shocked, especially for Zander himself I could see he still couldn’t comprehend what happen.

Most creatures would be happy and not ask any questions but when you’ve lived our life the life of being tucked away in a castle for pretty much your entire life when things start changing like now.

Finally going outside, going to school, having a bodyguard that is not a stranger, it's weird in so many ways, but it’s something I myself have waited for, and the moment is here, so I must take it.

When we walked out chest risen and splinting headaches from our thoughts. Daisy was on the opposite side of the door playing with her wand enchanting her hair into different colors. As the door shut that was when she snapped her head up and gave a frown.

Not her usual faced frowns but a true frown.

“So, are you to going to tell me what just happened in there.” Daisy asked, casually placing her wand in the center of her scattered ponytail.

“Well Zander I think you should tell Daisy. " I whispered looking over at Zander whose face was turned to the skylight.

“When we go to Utopia I’m going to be Lavenders bodyguard.” He said keeping his gaze at the light.

“Bodyguard?” Daisy repeated, she stops and gets in front of Zander in a questionable look.“I’m sorry, did you just say bodyguard” Zander nodded, I gasp.

“Potions and Beetles pardon my language— my gosh, Zander Griffin is finally putting on him big boy pants.” She's gasp hitting him on the shoulder.

“Wow, you know you have a lot of responsibility on you know” She laughed at him at first then crossing her arms to show respect. Then she shifts to a Griffin herself.

Big, strong but feminist and powerful.

“But let me just tell you this if you get her hurt OR put her in danger in any way. You better say goodbye to those lovely wings of yours.” She went all over in his face up in his face in protective mode and making sure he knows what he’s getting himself into.

He rolled his eyes bringing up his right claw, having the other on his heart.

“I, Zander Sky Griffin, promise to protect the Lavender Jewels with all my power, to be there with her at all times. To guard her with my life and above all whenever any danger is put to be her first protection.” He said with every word he looked straight into Daisy eyes making sure to not show any weakness or fear that he is holding in.

Daisy stared at him observing to see if any lie was told. She scouted around him finally stopping in front of him in surprise, brining one hand out for a shake, Zander looked down at the shifter shaking their hands in agreement.

Lavender sat on the edge of Daisy’s bed looking at the tremendous mount of clothes she had in her suitcase, she was trying and reason saying that they have everything they need.

But Daisy is the same as Lavender.

Always thinking she requires more than she does.

A girl thing no man will ever understand.

They both knew that if they are going to be at a place for an entire year that they need to be prepared.

“You may think it’s a lot, but you never know when you need these things, they could save your life.” Daisy stated. Which I could understand, but most of the stuff she was packing was clothes or shoes, so now I'm wondering if I have brought to battle the conquest of high school.

“Ok give your opinion you like this one,” She showed me a shimmery purple dress.“ Or this one.” showing a long black dress with a cut on the side and lace at the top. I looked at both of them wondering why would we need those types of dresses at school.

“I guess the black one. " I said pointing to the one on the right, she smiled imaging Lavender in the dresses she had out.

Yes for me.

“Why did I know you were going to pick this one?” She muttered, folding it in the stuffed bag.

“You can bring both of them if you want, you said it your self it could save your life or may be a young girl with no fashion sense.”

“Oh god please don’t you're giving me the worse headache ever, just imaging a girl wearing shoulder patted, anything.” Rubbing her temple on how what she just said.

Yep total fashion stylist right here, ever since she was little she would dress herself. When she grew older she started making her own clothing just so as she said it “not like everyone else”. Why do you think she's a fashionista, which make scene she only goes out on the weekends?

I sat back down giggling at Daisy’s temper, stopping when I look up at Zander. He was in his reading corner, which he has in all of our rooms. With his earbuds on and reading a book, The Beast Must Die by Nicholas Blake, He had the face as normal, but I looked closer, and he looked peaceful.

I stood up waking over to Zander sitting down in front of him just as he did when he was little, watching. He flipped the page, noticing the scar from before,I brought my hand up to it brushing is to help heal in the process.

Zander has always had some type of scar on, if it’s not on his face it will be on his arm or leg, I’ve always asked him on how he gets them, but he just tells me not to worry.

After I was done I kept my hand there for a minute taking in the heat from his cheek, Daisy always has her room freezing cold because she hates the heat, but I hate the cold it’s dark and lonely. So I got under his book and got into the jacket he was wearing, still saying nothing I looked up at him only to see a smirk.

We lock eyes as we do he disconnects by closing his book and taking his earbuds out, then wrap his arms around me brining in more heat. As he does, I put myself closer into his chest, feeling warm and fuzzy. We stayed there a bit, not saying a word to each other. All we heard was the movement of Daisy packing in the closet.

“Flower, are you sure you just want to stay here all day. It is your last here." Zander whisper in my ear.

I looked up almost forgetting that we leave today, sitting up having I thought about how was I going to spend the rest of the day here.

Yeah, I will miss being home, but home is always going to be here no matter what there was one thing I wanted to do before I left, but I put it on the back of my mind wanting to listen to what Zander wanted to do.

“Zander is there anything specific you would want to do, since it is your last day here as well. " I asked, he chuckled with a smile getting up from his feet holding his hand out for me.

“Oh, Flower, you don’t understand.” He chuckled, again. I gave him a confused look pondering I mean it is his last day, I was just trying to be nice.

“What don’t I understand.”

“Love, no offense but I can go anywhere I want to and visit here anytime I want to.” He said making me realize that he’s right, he can leave the gates of the castle at any time he wants.

“Apologize’s I forgot.” I looked down at my feet, embarrassed for not thinking right.

“Flower it’s ok how about we go down to the garden I bet they can need some more water don’t you think,” He said lifting my head up.

“The rose is the flower and handmaiden of love – the lily, her fair associate, is the emblem of beauty and purity.”

Dorothea Dix said that which is one of the reasons I love gardening and flower, simple but profoundly beautiful, delicate but has its thorns. They can be look beautiful but can be the most dangerous, or vice versa the can look deadly but can be sweet and cure life.

I took small steps to each section admiring the beauty of all, I smiled but also frowned in beneath knowing that when I leave that it will be a very long time until I see them all again.

As I was watering the cucumeria’s I look over to Daisy who is just staring at the Dancing Girl Impatiens bringing her finger up to them, but before she did, I took her hand away, I shook my head indicating not to touch them.

“Are they actually dancing?” Daisy asked, staring at the spinning Impatiens.

“Of course they are, why do you think they call them Dancing Impatiens?” I said starting to water the Impatiens to show her, once the water hit the soil the ballerina like flowers started spinning up to our view level.

First the three came started doing the dance of Swan Lake, their white tut’s swirled, they leaped, and ran proving to Daisy that they can dance. For the finally they finally leaped into the lake breaking the spell showing true love at the end. All 3 of us clapped for the performance as we did they went back to their stems continuing to twirl.

“What did I tell you, they do dance.” I grinned crossing my arms, proving to her that I was right.

“Well it was beautiful.” Zander said pretending to whip off tears that has form, following throwing roses at the Impatiens in the back of us.

Daisy still had her mouth open still not believing what she just saw. She looked at me but looked back at the flower I laughed, I don’t know why she was so shocked it is Ciepa. A wonder like many other places we know of.

I looked up at the sky seeing that it was already fading away, time goes by fast especially in our world.

“Zander, when are we leaving again.” I asked.

“At 7 why?”

“I want to see the sunset before we leave is that ok.’’ I said as water started forming on my eye’s, I always wanted to leave this castle, but something is holding me back to go even thought something it is telling me to stay. I keep going back and forth, my mind telling me no, but my heart is telling me yes, placing down the watering pot down on the cart, grabbed both Zander and Daisy hands leading them the way out of the garden.

Processing to the hidden door that appeared from the brick wall, I looked back at my favorite spot, my childhood, still thinking if I should stay. I could but if I do, I will never have the experience to live.

With an arc of my neck I was about ready to take my next steps. When I did and walked out the door that lead us outside the garden, I knew that I did make a good decision, breathing in the fresh fruity air and taking it out.

I looked at Zander and Daisy, offering them a race to the Oak tree. They agreed racing to the tree and of course Zander winning it, well he cheated by flying.

“Well ladies what took you so long,” He said having both of his hands behind his back, he closed is eyes relaxing under the sunset.

“Wow Griffin you do anything to win.” Daisy said sitting next to him.

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t do it because the two of us know you will, right Flower.” Zander said nudging me. I nodded, knowing that he was so right.

“Oh shut it, you know what you did was wrong.” Daisy said turning away from us, even though she knows she would've done as well.

“So flower I’m surprised from you, I thought you might have wanted to do something crazy like a prank or—”

“A runway fashion show with all the maids and guards dressed up in my own collection walking to“Don’t Call Me Baby by Madison Avenue.” Daisy interrupted Zander we watched as she fell to the ground, fantasizing her on the runway herself.

Her mind flipped and created images with clips of Golda and Enya in beautiful gowns and even Artemis in a tux, Zander looked back at me in confusion wondering why she was like that on the ground.

“Don’t worry, she’s just imagining her dream runway show.” I said giggling at Zander in a whisper only he could hear.

“Oh I thought she had a seizure.” He confessed less worked on the shifter and her behavior.

I slapped his arm both laughing at the small joke, Daisy eventually came back to her senses gazing upon the sunset in awe. It was different shades of pinks and orange with other colors of the coral reef the sun rays were beaming onto us with different colors, I was pink. While Zander was teal and Daisy was a light shade of purple the glow that came on us later stared fading away making it no longer dawn but night.

The sunset was always one of my favorite things about Ciepa they would calm anyone by the warmth of the heat directing on you, or at your lowest point it would keep you from going daffy.

After the sunset the night has come, you could hear chirpers were chirping and the different type of insect and their sounds of nature. The wind was cool with scents of pine and maple when you looked up there were flicking dots staring to form on the sky scattered like moon dust.

I brought my hand up to the sky hoping to hold one but brought it down knowing they star’s will never fall, they were so far away even gods will never be able to touch the burning trinkets.

Then Zander stand up bringing both of his hand out for the 2 of us, Daisy took his right hand while I got his left, helping us up I knew where we were going. I stepped in front of them taking in the view for Ciepa across the hill were mountains, trees twice the size, mammals and so much more. Waiting to be explored unfortunately that was not the journey we went.

It was so close but so fare away, forbidden in a way.

“I’m sorry Love, but it’s time to go.” Zander brought himself up to me holding his hand out leaving me out from high up to the ground.

I stood in front of the castle staring at its exterior in the night the towers stood up tall making it look even scarier than when light shined. The only light came from the windows and the shadows of the curtains, I see all the servants standing at the top of the staircase looking down at us.

Most were waving bye, but the others were just— there to bring the spirit up perhaps. Or to waste time for the night.

I turned back around to see Artemis right in front. A slight look down keeping uphold of with his Alpha figure, but I didn't care and before any words I hugged him tight not wanting to let go. At first, he was hesitant though locked himself into the hug brushing my hair with his paws, blinking hard from the tears that formed on bother of our eyelids.

Not wanting Artemis to see them, I turned back around to whip them off, prior to I was able to fix myself up I got turned around by Artemis. He went down to my eye level brushing the tears with his thumb he hugged me one more time telling she that it was ok and that he would send me letters every week and phone call too.

Lastly I said my final byes to Gigi(Golda), Enya and Remington asking Enya if she could take care of my garden and water the flowers every day. She nodded as her and Gigi already were crying Remington was already holding tissues for them, they took it blowing out on the napkin.

Even though you couldn’t see it I knew Remington was going to miss me he just didn’t want to show it.

I walked up to Zander and Daisy who were already near the carriage, Daisy went in saying bye to everyone putting up a couple of inappropriate signs on the way. One last time waving bye to the creature I love after Zander gave me his hand to get in the carriage picking up my dress, so it wouldn't drag to get on it caught by one of the steps. He helped both me and Daisy in the carriage she sat down next to me, on the outside she seemed calm, but inside I could tell something was bugging her, and big too.

We both glance up at Zander who was already in the carriage, he gave us a soft smile before long the horses started walking, hearing the hooves clack on the ground. I looked out the window waving bye, bringing myself back inside pulling a book from my bag getting ready for the long ride a head.