The Sims Of The New World--part 5

       All the joy that was in the camp for several weeks had dissolved 
as the Orange Fae once again begin to quiver whenever Crystal was 
near.

       And now, the sisters who knew of Marigold's and Dex's secret 
had to be especially careful of their thoughts as not to betray them. 
The men didn't have to worry,  because all they had to do was smile 
at Crystal and she hurried away in the opposite direction.

       However, they couldn't keep the secret for long. Crystal knew 
there was something  going on, just wasn't sure what.  Most of her 
sister's thoughts were clear of anything unusual, but there were 
a few whose minds were jumbled as if they were keeping 
something from her.  And it seemed to Crystal that  Marigold was 
right in the middle of whatever this secret was they were 
keeping from her.

       "Humph! I can't trust you all to behave while I'm away, huh?" 
She was very disgusted. "Well, I have a surprise for you. Yes, one 
day I'll have a little watchdog that will keep an eye on you when I 
can't."

     The very next evening, when she usually retired to her rest area to practice her skills or to the Shrine to pray,
Crystal instead decided to follow Marigold.  She watched as Marigold met Dex in the forest. They hugged, Dex 
kissing Marigold tenderly on the cheek, and Crystal felt a tinge of infuriation.

    "I told him to stay away from her!" Now she was really angry.

      Then Crystal was surprised at what they did next. For Marigold wrapped one arm around Dex's waist from 
behind, pulling him close, and lifted him into the air, flying towards the setting sun. 

                                                                         
                                        Dex and Marigold embrace....      ...then, Marigold lifts Dex to 
                                                                                                      carry him away.

       Crystal hovered for a few minutes shocked at what she had just witness.  
She never expected any Fae to leave their home unless she had sent 
them on an errand, and she couldn't understand why the two of them would 
go to such measures to be together.

       "Wait until I find them!" 

       And with that, Crystal caught up with Marigold as she began to descend 
into the small camp hidden under the ledge of the mountain within the pines. 
Crystal was becoming even angrier as she watched Tangerine give Dex and 
Marigold a loving hug, before she flew away.

       "What! Is this a conspiracy? They will all pay for deceiving me!"  

       Crystal spoke out loud, but no one heard her. She watched hidden high 
in a tree as they cooed over the baby, taking turns playing with her, and 
finally feeding her before they retired in the same nest.  Crystal sat in the 
tree for sometime before she returned to camp. 


       "Yes, sleep well, you two.  I will deal with you and your little one 
tomorrow."

       Early the next morning, after feeding Blossom and themselves, and they 
were ready for a new day, Marigold and Dex was waiting for Apricot to 
arrive when Crystal suddenly appeared in front of them.

       They stood staring, holding each other's hands tightly, shocked to see Crystal.  Crystal acted calm, ignoring 
their discomfort as she walked around them, looking at the chairs and the table that had been created for them, 
touching the blanket that Marigold woved using a thread made from the empty cocoons of the silk worm.

       "Hmmm, very soft, Marigold. You must show the others how you made this," she said politely.

       Marigold squeezed Dex's hand as he wrapped his other arm  around her shoulder, pulling her protectively 
closer. Crystal was acting  too nice and this worried them both.   Then Crystal pretended to notice the bassinet for 
the first time, and Marigold's heart sank.

       "A child?  Why didn't you tell me? Marigold, Dex, this is wonderful!"  Crystal's voice sounded like honey, yet 
the hair on Dex's arm rose as he readied to spring to his baby's side. Crystal can do what ever she wanted to him, 
but he wasn't going to let her harm Blossom!

       Crystal reached into the bassinet and Dex and Marigold shouted simultaneously, "DON'T TOUCH HER!" Dex 
quikly jumped and was grabbing Crystal at mid-arm before she was really aware of what was happening.  He 
roughly pulled her away from the bassinet.

       The most powerful Fae was livid that Dex dared to touch her, but she was able to call upon all of her own
mental strenght to stay outwardly calm.      
       
       "You don't have to get physical," she said as she jerked out of  Dex's hands. "I'm not going to hurt her. Why, 
she's Marigold's baby and, therefore, she's one of us. I wouldn't hurt one little golden hair on her head, if she had
any.   But, she is kind of fragile, isn't she? So, tiny, so defenseless. Well, I just have to take care of that."

       Crystal moved her hand over the bassinet and it was gone.

       "BLOSSOM!" Marigold screamed moving too slow, the last sparkles of Crystal's magic fading.  Then 
she fainted into Dex's arms.

       "Don't be over dramatic, sister dear. It doesn't become you."

       "You, you…." Dex began to cry as he struggled to hold his  mate up, Marigold sliding out of his hands.

       "Oh, no! Don't YOU start!"

       Despite how much she enjoyed it the first time, Crystal was NOT in the mood to hear all of that blubbering again.  
She put her hands over her ears, then blinked both eyes three times very quickly. 

       Suddenly standing before them was a little girl. She had light golden hair, like JyM's, pulled back and held 
together with an orange band. She wore a sleveless orange top and leggings  that sparkled when she move even 
slightly.  Her eyes were clear blue, her nose like a button, and she had small golden orange wings.

       Crystal had to hold back her temper which was beginning to rise as Blossom fearlessly stood her grounds, 
not flinching one bit as Crystal tried to communicate with her telepathically.

       "That's neither here nor there," Crystal was finally able to say. "Now that you're big enough, and you don't 
need constant care and attention, I think it's time for you to start earning your keep."

       Suddenly, Allure appeared beside Crystal.

       "Take the young one back to camp and start giving her lessons in food preparation."

       "Certainly, Crystal," Allure said without hesitation. 

       Blossom's parents looked on with alarm as  Allure grabbed the child and tossed her carelessly across her 
shoulder.  Since this sister  was very far in Becoming, Dex and Marigold were helpless  to stop her.  Allure
had disappeared as quickly  as she had appeared, Blossom's startled "hey!" suddenly muffled before it could be
heard.

       Marigold and Dex stood in silence, this time too shocked to do anything else.

       Then, Crystal turned to face Marigold. 

       "You have gone against my  wishes. You stopped your vigil at the Shrine of our blessed Mother and you 
allowed Dex to continue to take you away from your duties.   And, now you left your home and your sisters who 
love you.  You've purposefully been deceiving me and your other sisters  for a very long time.  How long were 
you planning to keep your child from your sisters?  Did you really think she did not belong to all of us?"


                                                                
                                                               Marigold faces Crystal, too filled 
                                                                           with grief to argue.

       "What are you going to do to me?" Marigold asked without emotion.

       "It's not up to me. I'm bringing you to your sisters. Let us together decide how you shall repay all of us for your 
transgression. Our first Tribunal, for I believe that at least three of us must agree on your punishment.  That would 
be the fair way.  Whatever the consequence suggested, and at least three agree, THAT is the decision we will all 
abide by."
     
       Then Crystal shook her head, feigning sadness, a forced tear falling slowly down one cheek.  

       "I don't know how you could do this to us, Marigold.  We were happy and we trusted one another. But, you 
have changed everything  for us."  Then she disappeared.

       Dex took Marigold into his arms and held her tightly. "I'm so sorry", he said.  "This is all my fault." 

       He began to cry softly into Marigold's shoulders as she held onto him wishing she could cry.  Then, she too 
disappeared, and Dex was absolutely alone.

   "You know," the little Fae said to Crystal, "you could have let me grow up 
normally, instead of scaring my poor mother and father to death. Besides, I 
really enjoyed being a baby."

       Hearing a child's voice brought Marigold out of her faint and stopped 
Dex's water works. They both composed themselves quickly as they looked 
with loving joy at their daughter.

       However, it was Crystal's turn to be shocked.  She had no idea that 
little Blossom would have such a  BIG mouth once she was able to talk.  
Also, it seemed Blossom wasn't afraid of Crystal, which Marigold and Dex 
also noted.  They were able to stand proud, acting unconcerned, as their 
little girl boldly looked Crystal in the eye.  Nevertheless, Crystal figured 
what she had planned for this child will knock her down a few pegs, and 
Blossom will quickly learn that it's Crystal she better be nice to.

       "Well, little one, you should be grateful to me for relieving you  of all 
of the perils of life that befalls one so small and fragile. Surely  you can 
see that your loving aunt was doing you and your parents a favor?"

       "My mother and father didn't need your help. They were doing just 
fine without you, auntie."