Sarah walked around through Aureum. The town appeared a lot bigger and more complex without Samuel to talk with, an especially without anyone to act as a guide. She knew she could only reliably find the others by their jewels if she became Clover, but if she did that, there was no knowing how the people of Aureum would react to see her in that way.
“You look lost,” a familiar voice said. Sarah turned to see Alfalfa. “Funny thing,” he said, “For some reason, I thought you were already inside the palace. I just took your friend in, so I suppose I should take you in, too. I was really hoping to get back to Bernard, but I’m sure he’s fine, wherever he is. Follow me. We’ll stop by my place and get you a disguise. I imagine you’ll want to use your jewel as soon as possible, but please wait until we reach the inside of the palace. In case we cross paths with Lady Piñole, I’ll find you a very concealing outfit.”
“Your name is Alfalfa Lucerne, right?”
“Yes. As a member of my family, I am a slave to the Medic family, and I report directly to Cecilia and Bernard Medic.”
“How come your great-great-something-grandfather knew about where the jewels were? How did he know the blue jewel was on Earth, and not on the blue planet?”
“I was only five green land years old when my great-great-great-grandfather died. I don’t remember him very well. It wasn’t even a few years later when I was sent to accompany Master Bernard on a journey across the red continent, in search of the red jewel. During the five year search that followed, Master Bernard and I were away from our families. After things settle down, I’ll probably ask my great-great-grandfather and my great-grandfather the jewels, and find out what they know about his knowledge.”
“I can’t imagine being away from my family for five years. Did Piñole send you to find the jewel?”
“Aye. She heard about you and Mister Samuel using the jewels.”
“Wait, it’s because of us that you were sent away for all that time?”
“It’s not your fault, Miss Sarah. She feared what you two might be planning.”
“What would we be planning? We were only little kids back then. I’m still a kid!”
“A long time ago, there was a different ruling family of Aureum. It was believed they used all the power of the jewels, and they were exiled for their frivolity. My great-great-great-grandfather talked about how the jewels were really taken to different planets. Either way, the Seamróg family let it happen, and they were exiled, and the Alsike family game into power. Piñole probably feared you and Samuel were related to the Seamróg family in some way, and hoped to reclaim the throne. Here, families are single entities, so an act of self-preservation by Piñole is to protect the entire Alsike family’s well-being.”
“I’ve never heard of this Seamróg family before. I’m a Cloverfield, and Samuel’s a Seamair. We didn’t even know that Aureum existed until after you and Bernard entered my dreams. If we can talk things over with Piñole, I’m sure we can come to an understanding.”
“Here is my house. We can borrow an outfit from my cousin to get you inside.”
“Her room is over that way, right?” Sarah asked, pointing in a direction of the house after the two were inside.
“Yes, but how did you know?”
“I actually already went through this with Cecilia. But I’ll still need help to get back in there again.”
“Aye, we don’t want Lady Piñole to find you before Lady Alsike is well again.” Alfalfa knocked on his cousin’s room door. Hearing no response, he opened the door. He looked around inside the room, finding no one inside. “Follow me.” Alfalfa picked out an outfit for Sarah to wear over her clothes. “There’s a hood which’ll cover your hair, but you mustn’t transform here. When I provided a disguise for Shamrock, the outfit turned a shade of blue no slave would be seen wearing. He had to transform back into Samuel before travel, and it’ll be the same for you.”
“I understand. Like I said, I’ve been through this once, already. I realize I’ll be safe. I feel I can trust you. I don’t think you want to see anything bad happen.”
After Sarah put on the outfit, Alfalfa took her to the palace. He guided her through a different set of paths from those Cecilia took Sarah through. He stopped not too far from the entrance to the hall of rainbow-colored rooms.
“Just keep down this hall, and you’ll find it again,” Alfalfa instructed. “Any questions?”
“What’s your cousin’s name?”
“That’s a strange question to ask, and at a time like this of all times.”
“I’ve borrowed her clothing twice now. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to get in here, and I wouldn’t be able to help Arle. I’d like to at least know her name.”
“It’s Hayden. After we have peace again, I’ll introduce you to her.”
“I’d like that.” Sarah watched as Alfalfa turned and headed away. She turned, herself, and followed the path toward the rainbow-colored rooms.
Upon entering the round hall, Sarah immediately noticed Shamrock leaning against the green door. “Shamrock? Oh!” Sarah took out her own jewel. In a green glow, she became Clover. “I’m here to help. Arle’s in trouble, and we need to fix that yellow jewel if we want to be able to help her.”
“Is that you, Clover?” Chelia asked through the door.
“It’s her,” Shamrock said back. “We now have the green jewel here. We don’t know if green and blue will be enough, so please try your best with the violet jewel.”
“I will,” Chelia said through the door.
“We need to concentrate our feelings to this jewel,” Shamrock said to Clover, opening a hand and revealing the yellow jewel, with its dark aura surrounding it. “I don’t think we should be putting any specific feelings into it. Just our feelings. Just put who you are into it. Put your real self into it. I believe in the jewel to understand who we are, and what we want to achieve.” Shamrock set the yellow jewel on the ground near the green door. “Clover, you stand on that side. I’ll stand here.”
“And I’m ready right here by the door,” Chelia added. “I can feel your two jewels, but I can also feel the yellow jewel. I know where it is.”
The three touched their own jewels. They focused their thoughts, their feelings, their selves, and their jewels glowed and glittered, sparkling with the essence of the holders. Blue and green glows pulsed against the yellow jewel. Violet lights worked their way through the door, filtering through the green, and appearing as a faint red glow through the other side. The three colors seeped into the yellow jewel. The black aura surrounding the jewel faded out.
“I think that did it,” Shamrock said.
“Let’s show Chelia,” Clover said. She took the brooch from her chest and lifted it to the indentation on the door, causing the door to open.
With the door open, Chelia and Shamrock both looked at the door, then at each other.
“It must have been the yellow jewel,” Chelia said. “The doors locked when you tried to use it to open one of them, right? Maybe this means the jewel has really been purified. We should each go into our own room, now. Clover, you take green. Shamrock, you go into the blue room. I’ll take violet. I expect every room to have a giant Dream Mirror. Let’s all meet up in Lady Alsike’s dream. Just because the yellow jewel is purified doesn’t mean she’ll be better yet.”
Clover hurried into the green room. She looked at the mirror, and placed her hands on the glass. Her hand touched the hands of her own reflection.
“Welcome back,” the reflection said, her mouth a sly grin. “Long time, no see.”
“Something… …familiar.” Clover looked into the mirror as her reflection moved back a step.
“Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t even remember your own reflection. Has it been that long since you last saw yourself? I guess dreams don’t really reflect images very well, so it’s understandable if you don’t remember exactly what you look like. You at least know I’m you, right? See the green hair? And look, we’re wearing the same green outfit.”
“You’re…me?” Clover asked slowly.
“You really don’t remember, huh? I guess you did leave for a long time after the farm incident.”
“What farm incident?”
“You don’t remember that, either?” the reflection of Clover, with a slightly darker hue of green to her colors, asked. “Wasn’t that why you quit being Clover in the first place? Wasn’t it because he died in a dream trying to stop the storm you created.”
“I… I think I remember that. A little…” Clover lowered to the ground, sitting on the side of one leg, and putting her hands on the ground for support. “But, what happened next?”
“What happened next, indeed. Can’t you recall what happened after you woke up?”
“I can’t remember when I wake up.” She looked at the ground. “I don’t remember ever being awake.”
“Oh, too bad for you,” the dark Clover in the reflection said. “It certainly for the better that you don’t know, I suppose. I’d hate for you to remember how Samuel almost dying because of your actions in the dream.”
“He almost died?” She looked up at the reflection looking down on her. “No. You’re lying. You’re lying! There’s no way he almost died.”
“You may not remember now, but one day something special will happen, and you will remember your waking life while you’re dreaming. All your mistakes and failures will come back to you all at once, all in a single rush. You might not be able to contain all your feelings over what you’ve done when that happens. And to continue on now as if it never happened. You’ll regret it for sure.”
“No.” Clover stood back up. “No. I won’t be defeated by your words. You’re trying to keep me here, so I can’t help Arle.”
“Suit yourself,” the dark Clover said. She waved an arm, and Arle’s dream reflected in the mirror. “Just don’t think you’ve seen the last of me.” She faded away.
