The Changeling Princess (2 page)

CHAPTER 2

At two o
’clock, my parents and I were seated in the living room for the family discussion. Missy had finally made it downstairs and was curled up in front of the fireplace.

“
I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” said my dad. “Feel free to ask us anything.”

My mother spoke up.
“That’s right, Janis. Your father and I will answer your questions with complete honesty. As a blood member of the Vascadon Clan, you have the right to ask any question that enters your mind.”

I paused.
“I’m not sure where to start. I guess I’d like to know how Changelings got their powers.”

“
No one knows the true origin of the Changeling Clans,” my father answered. “There is no written record of how we got our powers.”

“
But there must be some kind of theory relating to our origins.”

“
Actually, there are a couple of theories. One is that the Earth was bombarded with meteors when the first humans appeared. Some Changelings believe the meteors had magical powers that were absorbed by the humans who came in direct contact with them.”

“
Wow! That’s pretty farfetched. It sounds like something you’d see in a science fiction movie.”

My father laughed.
“Yes it does. Another theory is that explorers from another world traveled to Earth and took pity on the human species. It’s believed that they gave some of us shape-shifting powers to ensure our survival against vicious predators.”

I smiled.
“Still sounds pretty far out.”

“
A lot of Changelings believe in that theory,” my mother said.

“
If that’s the case, I guess I should think of myself as really special.”

“
Special, but not better.”

“
I second that,” my father said. “We believe every creature on this Earth is special. We try to be respectful of each and every one of them.”

“
Is there a limit to the abilities I might acquire?”

Both of my parents nodded their heads.
“Yes, but you should be able to alter your appearance to the point where you can fool your friends,” my mother said. “It remains to be seen just how good you’ll be at it. I wish you could have seen your Grandmother Pauline when she was in her prime. She was amazing.”

“
Age makes a difference?” I asked.

“
Yes,” my mother replied. “It’s a fact that Changeling powers fade with age.”

My father interrupted.
“There is a story that’s been passed down from generation to generation you might find interesting. As the story goes, approximately once every five hundred years, a Clan member from a Changeling or Witch Clan is endowed with special powers. These powers include reading people’s minds, morphing into animals, and controlling objects through the use of telekinesis.”

“
That’s fantastic! Does this Clan member have a name?”

“
Yes, the chosen one is called an Ivarr.

My eyes lit up.
“I’d love to be an Ivarr.”

My father tried to conceal his amusement.
“To my knowledge, there’s never been an Ivarr in the history of the Vascadon Clan. Your Grandmother Pauline would know more about that. She’s been doing extensive research on the history of Changelings for the past forty years. She has data dating back to the ninth century.”

“
And I thought Grandma was just a bookworm.”

“
Let’s just say she’s a very special bookworm.”

“
Is there such a thing as a Werewolf?” I asked.

“
That’s a good question,” my mother replied. “The term ‘Werewolf’ may have come from early Changelings who assumed the form of wolves. I’ve never heard of a modern day Changeling who could change into an animal.”

“
What about Witches?”

My mother spoke again.
“It’s my understanding that some of the early Clans developed a unique ability to make special potions from plants and animal parts. These potions were especially useful for healing the sick and disabled. As their knowledge increased, these Clans were said to have discovered how to make potions that could control human emotions. In today’s modern world, these potions are commonly referred to as ‘spells.’”

“
Are Witches evil?”

My father answered quickly.
“Some are, some aren’t. Witches who turn evil are called ‘Warlocks.’ The sad thing is that the bad Witches get all the attention. An example of a good Witch is our neighbor, Mildred Wilson.”

I gasped.
“Miss Wilson is a Witch? 1’ve always like her because she’s so sweet.”

My mother laughed.
“By the way, after midnight tonight, you will have the ability to sense when you come into contact with a member of another Clan. You might not know if they’re a Changeling or a Witch, but your senses will tell you they’re gifted.”

I paused.
“I know I’m awfully young to be asking this, but what about marriage? Do I have to marry someone from a Changeling Clan?”

“
Of course not,” replied my father. “The only drawback is that your children’s powers will be reduced by one-half if you marry an ordinary human.”

“
Like a mixed marriage?” I asked.

“
That’s right. Just remember that all the Changeling Clans will eventually be absorbed by ordinary humans. You can’t stop the process because you can’t control who you fall in love with.”

“
Jeez, the only Changeling boy I know is Jimmy Brown, Sherri’s younger brother and he’s a little creep. You and Mom don’t have any brothers or sisters, so I don’t have any uncles or cousins.”

“
That doesn’t mean there aren’t other Clans in Charlotte we haven’t come in contact with. I’ve sensed their presence, but it was always in a large crowd. I can’t even say for sure they were members of a Changeling Clan. They could have been Witches or Mists.”

“
What’s a Mist?”

“
Mists have the ability to turn themselves into light fog. It’s thought that the early tribes used them as guides because they could scout up ahead without being seen. I’ve never met a Mist, but I’m sure they’re out there.”

“
That really blows my mind! So what happens if I marry a Witch?”

“
As I said before, marry a normal human and your children lose half of their power. If you marry a Witch, your children will be completely stripped of their powers. When you add up all the different ways a Clan can lose its power, it’s easy to understand how they’ve diminished down through the ages.”

“
Jeez, that’s kind of sad.”

My mother
’s lips tightened. “Yes, it is, but who’s to say these restrictions haven’t been placed on our Clans for our own good? Maybe nature intended it to be this way because we’ve served our purpose. The special skills we possess are no longer needed for our survival.”

“
I have one final question. “What about Vampires?”

My father spoke up.
“Sightings of Vampires were probably nothing more than a Changeling trying to scare someone. On the other hand, a deranged Changeling with exceptional powers could grow fangs and kill someone if he or she wanted to. That would really be sick, but who’s to say it hasn’t happened.”

I was overwhelmed.
“I can’t believe how involved everything is. I’ll just take it one day at a time and try to do my best.”

My mother nodded her head.
“Of course, that’s the way it has to be.”

My father jumped to his feet.
“It’s time for everyone to get some sleep before your grandparents arrive. I told them to be here by eleven o’clock at the latest.”

“
All of my grandparents are coming?” I asked.

“
Yes. It’s customary for the grandparents from both sides of the family to be present for the ceremony.”

“
I’m not going to be able to sleep, Dad.”

“
Sure you will. Set your alarm for ten o’clock and concentrate on falling asleep.”

Missy followed me up the stairs to my bedroom. She took her place at the foot of my bed as I set the alarm clock for ten o
’clock.

I thought about reading something to try to relax, but decided against it. I loved books of all kinds, especially the Nancy Drew mystery stories. When I was little, I imagined myself solving mysteries and being a heroine.

My mind was racing as I climbed into bed. I tried to imagine what the night had in store for me. I had always had exceptional concentration, so I closed my eyes and focused on falling asleep. The midnight ceremony was going to be one of the most important moments of my life, but I had no concept of the world that was about to open up to me. My wildest fantasies were about to become a living reality.

CHAPTER 3

I woke up at ten o’clock when the alarm went off. I remembered my mother’s instructions. “Dress as plain as possible and don’t wear a drop of makeup.” I put on a pair of jeans and a plain shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror and giggled. I certainly wasn’t dressed to please the boys.

Mom and Dad were waiting for me when I entered the living room. We had been making small talk for about fifteen minutes when the doorbell rang. The first of my grandparents to arrive were James and Pauline French. My grandfather owned a large architectural firm in Charlotte and my dad was the vice-president.

“Are you excited about tonight?” asked Pauline.

“
I sure am. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“
Just don’t get your hopes too high.”

“
Maybe I’ll end up being an Ivarr.”

Pauline lifted an eyebrow.
“I see your father’s been telling you stories.”

“
Do you think the Ivarr is a silly story?”

“
I didn’t say that. My research has convinced me they existed, but the last one I researched lived a thousand years ago.”

“
Maybe I’ll get lucky.”

“
That’s what I’ve always like about you,” said my grandfather. “You have a positive attitude and you don’t discourage easily.”

“
Thanks, Grandpa. You’re as sweet as you are handsome.”

Pauline laughed.
“Janis, you don’t need the power of an Ivarr to wrap your grandfather around your little finger.”

The doorbell rang again, announcing the arrival of my mother
’s parents, George and Martha Greer. George Greer owned a construction company and Martha looked fifteen years younger than her age. She was the talk of the Clans because her powers had only diminished slightly with age. I didn’t see anything wrong with using your powers if you wanted to look younger. Sometimes my parents would go out dancing and they’d shave a couple of years off their age just for the fun of it. I was just the opposite because I wanted to look older. I was only in tenth grade and I felt like a dork around the juniors and seniors.

“
This is a very special night,” said George.

“
I know, Grandpa. I hardly slept last night.”

“
Everyone goes through the same thing,” said Martha. “I remember when I had my ceremony, but that was a long, long time ago.”

“
Aw, come on, Grandma. You don’t look a day over forty and you’re a beautiful woman. I bet you had so many boys chasing you when you were my age, you had to carry a big sick to beat them off.”

“
There she goes with the compliments,” said George. “She’s a real charmer.”

“
Don’t you dare tease her,” said Martha. “All women love flattery, especially when they know someone’s telling the truth.”

My grandmother managed to keep a straight face until everyone burst out laughing. I was surprised at my grandmother’s sense of humor. She was the serious type who usually didn’t joke around.

Everyone was making small talk until the clock read five minutes to midnight. My father stood up and made an announcement.
“It’s approaching midnight and we should take our places at the dining room table.”

My father dimmed the lights and placed a box containing the red Vascadon Stone on the table. Every Clan had its own ceremonial stone that was used to celebrate when a member reached the age of maturity. This was my time in the age-old tradition of Clan acceptance. If I married and had children, my children would go through the same ceremony when they reached their sixteenth birthday.

My father removed the Vascadon Ceremonial Stone and placed it directly in the center of the table. When the minute hand of the grandfather clock approached twelve o’clock, everyone at the table joined hands. When the clock struck twelve, my father began the ritual that had been passed down through the ages by members of the Vascadon Clan who had preceded him.

“
We, the remaining members of the Vascadon Clan, have gathered together because the time of rebirth is upon us. We welcome Janis French to her time of maturity and we rejoice in accepting Mother Earth as our spiritual leader. It is our hope that this ceremony will open Janis’s heart to the traditional teachings that have kept our Clan intact. We implore the spirits of our Clan to accept this newest member and gift her with all the power and love you have to offer.”

The lights suddenly dimmed and the red Vascadon Stone began glowing. The glow was faint at first, gradually growing brighter until everyone seated at the table was spellbound. My instincts told me that no one seated at this table had ever seen the stone this bright before.

A beam of light shot out from the stone and hit me directly in the chest. My entire body was glowing and the light surrounding me was as bright as the ceremonial stone itself. I turned transparent, but only for an instant. Suddenly, the glow was gone and everything returned to normal. No one spoke at first, unsure of what had just taken place.

“
Has anyone ever seen anything like this before?” asked my father.

Everyone appeared speechless as they shook their heads.
“What I really find intriguing is that Janis’s entire body took on a red glow,” said Grandpa Greer.

“
Yeah, that was really something,” said my mother. “It has to have a special meaning.”

Pauline stood up.
“There’s only one way to find out. We have to have a test. Janis, please join me in the center of the living room. Everyone else, please be seated in the living room and make yourselves comfortable.”

I stood motionless as Pauline made a circle around me and looked me over. She paused and then asked,
“Janis, please try to make yourself invisible.”

I concentrated as hard as I could, but all I could do was make myself transparent. It was the best I
’d ever done, but I wasn’t invisible.

“
Okay, Janis, concentrate on reading my mind. What am I thinking right now?”

I went into deep concentration, but I couldn
’t hear any thoughts. “I don’t hear anything, Grandma.”

“
Okay, try to change your appearance by looking ten to fifteen years older.”

I did the best I could, but I only aged a year or two.
“I guess I’m not doing very well, Grandma.”

“
Don’t be discouraged. It may take several days for your new powers to improve.”

Pauline
’s right,” said Grandpa French. “It took me almost two weeks before I received my full powers.”

“
I went through the same thing,” said Grandmother Greer. “It takes time, so hang in there until your powers blossom.”

I put on a fake smile to give the impression everything was okay. I was disheartened, but perhaps tomorrow would be better. I hugged everyone and thanked them for coming to my ceremony.

I was lucky to have family members who cared about me. My mother had always told me that family and friends are your most valuable assets. As I would soon learn, my mother was a very wise lady.