Nearly Witches

Chapter Fourteen

Alysanne felt numb as she looked at the crying huntress; Callisto, the princess putting her arms around her round stomach. When they joined her group, she made all of them take vows on the river Styx. That was something she couldn’t do anything about, and Styx never took kindly to those who broke them.

If she didn’t do something about it, then Styx would, and it would be much harsher than anything that Alysanne herself could come up with. The punishments were harsh enough that even Helios had wanted to avoid it, allowing his son to drive the sun without the boy having any training in how to do so.

“I’m sorry Lady Artemis, I was tricked,” Callisto cried dropping to her knees as tears went down her face.

“You should have told me as soon as it happened,” Alysanne told her, she could have done something then. “All of this could have been avoided, I could have done a number of things to help you and yet, now it is too late.”

“I didn’t know I was with a man, he changed himself to look like you.”

Alysanne just looked at her, she could only think of one person who would do something like that and not lose a wink of sleep afterwards. Zeus, her dear father, she should have made him vow that he would never touch her huntresses, like she had done with Apollon and Hermes. After this, she would, and she was sure that Hera would help her on this.

The one of the few times they would agree on something, or she could shoot him in the nuts and neither of them would have to worry about him having s*x with anyone else.

Or she could turn him into a deer, refusing to change him back until he agreed to take said vow and again, she didn’t think Hera would mind. At least no one would have to worry about her temper, Hermes might have a small break from being pulled in two different directions by them.

And no one would have to worry about Hera killing them because they were tricked into giving birth to Zeus children or another sibling for Alysanne.

“Callisto, fate is now out of my hands and this punishment is the kindest thing that could happen to you,” Alysanne told her, glad that none of her other huntresses were around. “Hera and Styx aren’t people you want to face.”

“Please, Lady Artemis, forgive me,” she begged on her knees, but Alysanne pointed her finger at her and soon a tree stood in her face. A baby boy falling from the middle, Alysanne caught him before any harm could come to his fragile body. 

“Hello, baby brother,” Alysanne said as she held the infant in her arms gently, she could only hope that Hera was happy with his mother’s death and would leave him alone. Or that she had gotten to her before Hera even knew what had happened.

The woman didn’t catch everything, no matter what she thought.

“Arkas,” she whispered as she slowly made a fire, it would be the safest way to talk to Aunt Hestia and she would know what to do. “Don’t worry, sweet thing, Aunt Hestia will know what to do.”

Arkas couldn’t stay with her, it wouldn’t be safe for a baby to be in her hunt or live in the woods in general. It also didn’t help that she had random Gods and Goddess stopping by to either pick a fight or talk with her.

--

Alysanne was coughing into her elbow as she sat on Rosalie’s bed, grabbing the glass of water that had been left next to the table for her. She was a bit nervous about meeting Tribe outside their normal settings and outside the costumes. The longer she stayed awake and staring at the purple wall, the faster she could her heartbeat and breath going. Soon enough it would feel like the little she had eaten was going to come back up and re-join the world in a way that would leave her feeling gross.

“You’re up,” Rosalie said as she walked into her bedroom, her school bag over her shoulder and her sports bag before dropped next to the door. “And still looking a bit red.”

“I’ve been up for half an hour,” Alysanne told her. “And you’re a bit sweaty.”

“Couch Johnson and Captain Smith put us through our passes.”

“Maybe you should have a shower?”

“Tribe is going to arrive soon; he had to finish something for his dad and then he’ll be free to make his way here.” 

Alysanne nodded her head, before Rosalie handed her a folder and when she looked at her daily homework, along with any classwork that she had missed. Picking up her history homework and a pen, as Rosalie went to her bathroom.

“You’re doing homework, while sick?” Rosalie asked as she walked back into the room, sitting down next to her and grinning as she looked at what Alysanne had completed. “You and Tribe will get along, you’re both smart.”

“You’re smart as well,” Alysanne told her. It was rare for her to do nothing and she didn’t think she would be well enough to go tomorrow, at least, she’ll have something to do besides sleep and stare at a wall.

It made her feel weird, made her went to something and complete something. Maybe, they could continue their English project and she could do the rest of her homework tomorrow as she didn’t want to sleep another day away.

Her dreams were getting stranger.

“Did you get my email?” Alysanne asked her.

“I did,” Rosalie told her before sitting next to her. “I’ve typed up most of the essay, you’re the one who did most of the research, I think I can do the writing part.”

“Can I read it?”

“It goes towards both our grades, of course.”

Alysanne just raised an eyebrow at her words. “You are quite smart; you’ve been pulling B’s since elementary school.”

“And Tribe finished high school while we were in middle school.”

“Yes, but he’s scaringly smart, but I have a feeling he’s people stupid.”

“I am the one who tells with the people.”

Alysanne just looked at her, before shaking her head and watching as Rosalie got her laptop. They would complete it, they had as much information that Alysanne could find without being able to sit down with her books.

“Rosalie, Alysanne,” Violet said as she opened the door, smiling as she looked at them. Alysanne blinking from looking up from her math textbook and her homework sheet. “Your friend is here and is talking to your Papa.”

“Mama tell Papa to leave my fake boyfriend alone,” Rosalie told her.

“Fake boyfriend?” Alysanne asked.

“Yes dear,” Violet told her smiling at her daughter. “I’ll come up with you him, so your sisters leave him alone.”

“Rosalie, your father is terrifying and you’re doing homework,” Tribe said as he walked into the room, Violet leaning against the door frame. “Alysanne, your have more colour in your skin than the last time I saw you.”

“You know how to charm a girl,” Alysanne told him.

“He’s the worst at it,” Rosalie told her. “Dominic, the fake love of my life.”

“How’s the homework?” Dominic asked them.

“We’ve finished an English project,” Alysanne told him. “Along with Maths and history homework.”

“I hate history,” Rosalie told her. “She’s better at dates than I am.”

“And you’re better with maths, none of this s**t helps in the real world.”

“Unless you’re a math teacher,” Dominic pointed out.

“Alysanne’s helping me with history and I’m helping her with math,” Rosalie told Violet as Dominic sat next to her.

“I can help with any science related homework,” Dominic told them. “Thank you, Mrs White, I’ve left something for you in the kitchen.”

“Dominic, it’s Violet,” Violet told him before walking out of the room, Dominic watching the door with dark brown eyes.

“Turns out Alysanne also has Spanish heritage,” Rosalie told him.

“You’re Spanish?” Alysanne asked him.

“What about it?” Dominic asked her.

“Just an interesting fact, I’m Irish and Spanish. All it is, is my heritage and doesn’t tell anyone anything about me.”

“Wish other people thought like that.”

“I’m French, people think I eat snails,” Rosalie told them.

“People think I drink until I’m wasted,” Alysanne added.

“Stereotypes are a pain,” Dominic added.

“True that,” Rosalie agreed.

“If people judge you on them, it’s their lost and your gain,” Alysanne said. “No one needs that negativity in their lives.”

“Is that why you don’t talk to people?”

“With a last name like Byrnes? It also helps that I’m interested in talking to the wildlife than people.”

Rosalie just snorted before shaking her head. Alysanne looked at her with a raised eyebrow before going back to her math homework.

“Dom, I don’t think she knows who you are,” Rosalie said.

“That would be a first and a blessing,” Dominic stated.

“What’s a first? And is it a blessing?” Alysanne asked them; taking her eyes away from her homework to stare at them like they had grown another head. “Do you know how many people are named Dominic?”

“I’m Dominic Abeyta.”

“And?”

“My parents run Ryans Industries.”

“That just explains the camera-less phone.”

Dominic just looked at her before grinning, lying down against the wall with his hands behind his back and a giant grin on his face. Alysanne just looked at him before looking at Rosalie, she didn’t know why he looked like someone had handed him the moon.

“That means you’ll like me for me, not for my money or my family’s business,” Dominic declared even as Alysanne continued to stare at him like he was scary. Rosalie giggling into her hands as Alysanne looked at her she was crazy. “Or for my father or mother, you won’t compare them to me and find me lacking.”

Alysanne didn’t want to think about his words, thinking about it to much made her want to stick as many bears and wolves on them as she could.

“Thanks for the health insurance,” Alysanne told them before he could get more upset. “You didn’t have to, but I hope you know, that I’m still avoiding the hospital like my life depends on it.”

“That’s fine; Rosalie and I can just take you once your knocked out,” Dominic told her before he blinked and looked sheepish. “I hope you’re not dating anyone.”

“I’m not.”

“Good, I had to lie to Dad and tell him that you were my second girlfriend.”

“Cheater!” Rosalie mockingly told him, before laughing as Dominic and Alysanne just looked at her with raised eyebrows. “I’m dating a man-w***e!”

“Your letting your family think you’re dating two girls?” Alysanne asked him.

“Mum knows, but Dad doesn’t understand that I’m Asexual and doesn’t understand,” Dominic told her. “Or he doesn’t want to understand, I love him, but he’s closed minded.”

“He’d rather you be a Man-w***e instead?” Alysanne asked him before pinching her nose, sighing, she quickly packing away her homework. “Or in a polymerous relationship.”

“As long as it carry on the family name.”

“I don’t like your Dad.”

“Most people don’t.”

“I already offered to carry his child when we were older,” Rosalie told her. “He doesn’t have to know how the child was born.”

“Guess I can do the same,” Alysanne added. “IVF is getting better with more study and better equipment and technology. If not, there’s always the turkey gun and no one needs to know.”

“As long as I don’t have to have s*x with anyone, I’m down for anything,” Dominic told her with a grin. “You and Rosalie are pretty, but in the sense of a sunrise or a painting.”

“How long have you two been fake dating?”

“Two years, three in two months,” Rosalie told her. “It keeps guys away from me, I’m just not into them, but some footballers think I should date them because I’m a cheerleader and blonde.”

“Point them out to Sakura then,” Alysanne suggested as she looked at the bedroom door, hoping that saying her name didn’t summon her. “She looks like someone who could scare teenager boys with medical talk, along with telling them how easy it would be to remove their balls from their bodies.”

“Her sisters are scary, one said she’d remove my voice box if I hate her,” Dominic informed her shuttering at the thought. “You won’t have that shovel talk.”

“My sisters are the best and no one can tell me otherwise,” Rosalie informed them. “My father continues to give him shit.”

“He always finds new threats.”

“You know you respect him.”

“I’m saving some of them for my future children’s partners.”

“I didn’t find Sakura that scary,” Alysanne mused as she leaned against the wall, stretching out her legs.  

“That’s cause you’re cute and harmless,” Dominic informed her. “And sick. Cute and sick, Sakura wasn’t about to scare a sick girl who just lost her parents and animal babies in the same week, not she’s that heartless.”

“Dominic,” Sakura growled as she walked into the room another blonde hair female walking behind her as she was giggling into her hands. Sakura glared at Dominic as her sister moved to sit next to Alysanne’s leg, leaning against the wall.

The corner was next to them both, she smiled at her before watching Sakura as she crossed her arms at them. Dominic was looking around the room, almost as if he was trying to find the closet and safest exit route.

“What did I say about upsetting my patient?” Sakura asked him.

“Not to,” Dominic answered.

“And what did you to?”

“Reminded her of her lost.”  

“Sis, go to work. I can deal with rich boy over there,” Rosalie’s sister told her. “Baby sister, I know how to deal with colds, heavens knows I used to help you with yours when you barely reached Mama’s hips.”

“Mama and Papa have gone to their musical,” Sakura told her. “Primrose, keep an eye on them and make sure she has liquids and food.”

“Go to work,” Primrose told her.

“I thought I was going to lose my balls,” Dominic told them as Sakura left the room.

“Primrose is just as good with sharp things,” Rosalie reminded him, Primrose grinning as she put her hand on Alysanne’s forehead. “She makes and designs clothes, helps with Indie films every now and then. Be warned, she might turn you into a model.”

“Models are meant to be beautiful, not weird looking,” Alysanne informed them.

“Sakura and I are going to deball the person who told you that,” Primrose informed her, removing her hand from Alysanne’s forehead. “I’m sure I can get the others to help as well, they like bullies as much as we do.”

“You’re in for it now,” Rosalie warned Alysanne.

“In for what?” Alysanne asked her.

“Baby sister, I’d wait for her to get over her sickness. Have faith,” Primrose told her as she grinned, even as her cheeks went light pink. “I don’t even have her measurements; if she’s caught in the same lie as you are. Then she’s going to need some fancy dresses and I know what he’s pick and over my dead body.”

“My sense of style is amazing,” Dominic told her.

“In terms of casual clothing, yes, along with ball wear with man. For woman? No.”

“I don’t want to know,” Alysanne told her.

“He tried putting me in some black thing, it was shapeless thing,” Rosalie told her. “Thankfully, Prim had already made me a beautiful navy dress, slim and form fitting, giving an illusion to craves that I don’t have and might never have.”

“Unlike your new girlfriend, who has a classical hour-glass figure,” Primrose pointed out, poking Alysanne in the side as she felt her face heating up. “Girl, you have to learn to rock what genetics gave you, Rosy, why haven’t you tried getting her onto the cheerleading team? Wasn’t Emily looking for a new member?”  

“Now you’ve ruined my plans,” Rosalie told her, putting the back of her hand to rest against her forehead. “My grand plans of having my girlfriend on the same cheer squid as me, as someone who can actually dance.”

Alysanne just looked at Rosalie and Dominic, before looking at Primrose and rolling her eyes and leaning against Rosalie, putting her head on her shoulder. Even as Primrose and Rosalie started laughing at her reaction.

“What have I agreed to?”

“To fake date some of the hottest people in this town,” Dominic told her.

“Alysanne and Rosy then,” Primrose told him without missing a beat. “And look there’s you in the background.”

“Okay, I’m dating the hottest girls in town and they’re dating the most handsome devil,” he shoot back with a smile. “Maybe the most wanted male in this state.”

“Why do I have a feeling that his ego needs its own house,” Alysanne told them.

“That it does,” Sakura told her as she walked into the room with a glass in her hand. “Before I leave can you finish this.”

“Agreed,” another voice said as she walked in behind Sakura, Alysanne just looked at her as she accepted the glass.

“Sakura, Lily, how you make my heart bleed by your words,” Dominic told them.

“We could break it,” another female said.

“Rosemarie! I feel gained up on by the White sisters.”

Alysanne was starting to notice a naming pattern; they were all named after some kind of pant, mostly flowers. Not that she could say anything about their names or why their parents had picked them, she was named after the Good Queen in the book series A Song of Ice and Fire and she hadn’t been mentioned a lot until Fire and Blood.

“Poor thing, I think he’s ego has taken a hit,” Rosemarie said as she sat down next to Primrose, Alysanne looking at her as she finished her drink and handed the cup back to Sakura. “Poor Dominic.”

“Poor Dominic had to face Papa,” Lily said as she sat down next to Rosemarie.

“Remember to eat dinner,” Sakura told them before leaving, muttering something under her breath as she did so.

“Sometimes she forgets that I’m the oldest,” Primrose stated.

“She overworks herself,” Lily added.

“One day she’s going to crash,” Rosemarie commented.

“We’ll deal with it when it happens,” Rosalie added.

“Anyway, we’re going to order pizza,” Lily told them after a few minutes of silence, a smile on her face as she looked at the door. “While Mama, Papa and Sakura aren’t the house to stop us, don’t want poor Annie to get sick of soup; which will happen at some point.”

“Already there, I’ve never really liked soup,” Alysanne told them.

“It is a bit plain,” Dominic agreed.

“What do you like on your pizza?” Rosemarie asked.

“I like chicken and pineapple,” Alysanne told her.

“Add mushroom and that sounds like my type of pizza,” Rosalie told her.

“You two can share,” Primrose told her. “And we can ice cream for dessert, or maybe we can order in a New York Cheesecake.”

“Ice cream,” Dominic told her.

“You can buy the ice cream then,” Lily told them.

“I’ll be getting Connoisseur, just so you know.”

“Alysanne what flavour do you like?” Rosemarie asked her.

“Cookies and cream,” Alysanne told them. “I don’t have ice cream a lot, it wasn’t good for wild animals.”

“We can share some of ours, so you can see if you like something better,” Rosalie told her.

“I don’t want to get you sick.”

“Another time then.”

“Hope you like blue lemonade,” Primrose told her. “Calypso is our favourite brand, it’s the only one we buy.”

“They also limeade,” Lily said.

“Never heard of limeade before,” Alysanne told them.

“We can get her a blue and pink one,” Rosemarie suggested to the rest of her sisters, they looked at her before nodding. “Then she can be as hooked as the rest of us; seeing as it’s the only soft drink in this house at any given time.”

“Mama and Papa re going to curse us to the high heaven’s,” Primrose told them before giggling into her hand. “And Sakura, even if she liked them as much as we do and even if she denies liking them as much as we do.”

“I think she doesn’t like how often we get them to be fair,” Rosalie pointed out before sighing and running her hand through Alysanne’s hair. “Along with wondering how none of us are the size of elephants.”

“At least you don’t buy energy drinks all the time,” Dominic commented.

“Well, Sakura can keep wondering the reasons,” Lily told them as she leaned against Rosemarie’s shoulder. “Alysanne, you told Mama you do Irish dancing and Archery?”

“I did,” Alysanne told her.

“What days?”

“Saturday and Sundays, even if my dance teacher wants to me to go Tuesdays and Thursday as well.”

“Why don’t you?”

“Couldn’t afford it.”

“I can drive you; I have a feeling it’s in the same building.”

“Might be, my teacher talks about a student named Lily. When she’ll try to get me for more lessons or trying to get me to join more competitions.”

You must be that Alysanne then; Mrs Black says you’re one of her best Irish dancers and it’s a shame you let your talent go to waste,” Lily told her, grinning as she looked at her. “Said you could be good enough to join River dance or something along those lines. She wants you to join my lessons and try your hand at other forms of dancing.”

“I’m still in school,” Alysanne told her. “I can’t travel all around the country by myself, not during the school terms. It’s hard enough to do that during the holidays.”

“With Lily, Rosalie and Dominic around, you don’t have to go by yourself,” Primrose told her grinning as put her hand on her shoulder. “We might all go to some of them. I can look after your costumes.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know, but I’m sure Mrs Black won’t mind giving me a few patterns to work with. Maybe a dark blue, it’ll be a nice colour.”

“Might make her pale skin, paler and that’s not a good thing on stage.”

“Stage lights already pulls colour from your skin.”

“Fashion later, sis,” Rosalie told them, giggling as Alysanne closed her eyes and wondered what mess she had found herself in. “You have to see if Mrs Black will give you the patterns in the first place.”

“We’ll need to order food in a bit,” Rosemarie agreed. “Along with heading to the store to pick up drinks and ice cream.”

“That’s my job,” Dominic told them.

“We can go shopping for dance supplies when she feels better,” Lily told them. “I’ve seen her dance shoes; they’re starting to wear out.”

“Had them for a while,” Alysanne admitted.

“You’ll going to have to learn ballroom dancing,” Rosalie warned her.

“Why not, should be interesting enough.”

“And she should pick it up quickly,” Dominic said, while Alysanne closed her eyes as she started to drift off. “She’ll know the basic footsteps, the next event won’t be for a while, she’ll have enough time to learn.”