Chapter 5: Zavier's Discovery

Thunder shook the beams of the Inn and bright flashes of lightning lit up the sky. Tori whimpered softly and buried her head in her mother's skirt.

Lady Ann bent down to pick up Tori. "It's okay, little one," Ann assured her. "You're safe."

Tori looked up at her mother with wide blue eyes. "St-storms are s-scary," she stammered as another roll of thunder rumbled through the house.

"Oh please," scoffed Zavier, who had his father's old aviator cap and scarf on, mementos given to him by his father after he died. "Adventurers like me aren't scared of anything!" he declared as she struck a brave pose with his hands on his hips, his giant cap falling in front of his big brown eyes.

Lady Ann muffled a giggle and said, "That's right, Zavier," as he struggled to push his hat off of his face.

Once Zavier had regained his dignity, he exclaimed, "I'm going exploring!" as he rushed toward the door.

"Wait, Zavier!" protested his mother. "You'll catch a cold in this type of weather."

"Explorers never catch a cold," said Zavier impatiently. "Now can I go? Please?"

"Fine," Ann sighed.

Zavier flew through the door as fast as he could. A gust of wind shut it with a loud bang.

"What am I going to do with that boy?" she wondered. "He's just like his father."

Outside, the rain poured down in sheets. Zavier stood under the wooden awning, sheltered from the rain as he tried to decide where to go first. From the corner of his eye, Zavier saw a flicker of movement. He squinted through the gloom and saw a small figure crouched in the corner of the porch covered by the awning. Water poured like a waterfall off the awning and splashed onto the ground inches away from the figure. It shivered. Zavier cautiously crept forward. As he drew closer, he realized that the figure was a drenched little girl.

The little girl looked up at Zavier with tears streaming down her flawless face. Her ocean blue eyes were filled with despair and sorrow.

"Are you ok?" he asked softly as he reached out his hand to her. The girl shrank away from Zavier's touch and hid her head in her muddy coat. She shook her head slowly.

It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you," he promised as he held out his hand for her. The little girl tentatively looked up and cautiously took his hand.

"You want someone warm to stay, right?" Zavier asked, pulling the little girl softly to her feet. She nodded and whispered, "That would be very nice."

I got her to talk, Zavier thought triumphantly.

"Do you have a name?" he asked quietly. "Mine's Zavier."

For the first time, the little girl smiled. "Hello, Zavier," she said in her soft calm voice. "I'm Melody."

"Nice to meet you, Melody. Now do you want to go inside?" Melody nodded and began to walk on shaky legs. Zavier slid his shoulder under Melody's elbow to help her out. She looked up at Zavier and said, "Thank you. I guess I'm real tired."

"It's okay," Zavier answered with a smile. He pushed open the door with one hand and called, "Mama, c'mere for a second." Lady Ann came down the stairs and yelled, "What is it now, Zavier?"

"This girl needs a place to stay," Zavier explained as he pulled Melody into the Inn. As he glanced back at the girl to give her a reassuring smile, he held in a gasp. Melody's hair was pink, the pink of a beautiful sunset. Melody gave Zavier a confused look.

Lady Ann rushed over to Zavier and knelt down beside Melody.

"What happened, honey?" she asked Melody in a concerned voice.

Melody's bottom lip began to tremble and she answered shakily, "I don't remember."

Zavier let out a sigh and said angrily, "Oh come on, Mom. I made her stop crying. Why'd you have to start her again?"

Lady Ann ignored her son and comfortingly patted Melody on the back.

"Come sit near the fire," Lady Ann told Melody. "What would you like?"

"Some relax tea would be nice. Thank you, Miss Ann," Melody sniffled as she trudged over to the fireplace in her sopping clothes to dry herself off.

Zavier trotted after Melody like an obedient puppy. He sat next to her on the bench in front of the fire, swinging his legs to warm them. He tugged his giant aviator cap, revealing his sandy blond hair.

"Ugh. Relax tea?" Zavier said, wrinkling his nose in disgust as his mother brought a cup over to Melody.

"How can you drink that?" he asked incredulously as Melody took a long sip of her relax tea.

"I don't really know," confessed Melody. "It's warm so I like it."

Lady Ann let out an exasperated sigh. "Zavier, would you like a cup of hot cocoa?" she asked impatiently.

Zavier's chestnut eyes lit up and he licked his lips hungrily. "Yes, please, and can you put marshmallows in it?"

Lady Ann couldn't help but laugh at Zavier's expression. "Sure," she answered as she ruffled his hair fondly.

Melody looked after Lady Ann with an adoration in her wide blue eyes. "Your mom is really nice," she told Zavier.

Zavier smiled and said, "Yeah. She acts all tough sometimes, but that's the way she shows her love."

When Lady Ann came back with a steaming cup of hot cocoa for Zavier, Melody and Zavier were curled up on the bench. Melody had her head resting on Zavier's shoulder. Lady Ann stifled an, "Aw!" and went up the wooden staircase. Tori heard the creaking and came bleary-eyed out of her room.

"What happened, Mama?" she asked, clutching her worn-out stuffed bunny. "I heard you and Big Brother talking downstairs."

"We're going to be taking care of a little girl about your age for a while," she told Tori. Tori's eyes brightened instantly. "Yay, I get a sister!" she yelled as she jumped up and down on the creaky floorboards. Lady Ann clamped her callused hand over Tori's mouth. "Shhh!" she hissed. "Zavier and her are sleeping downstairs. You don't want to wake them."

Tori nodded and crept quietly back into her room. Lady Ann let out a sigh and tiptoed into her bedroom. Finally, the Inn was silent.