Day Three: Trio – by Elizabeth Averay
Once upon a time, in a land far away, there were three sisters. Each one beautiful and very different. People would flock to their little town just to see them.
The sisters were each a year apart, with similar names: Gina, the oldest, was blonde, blue-eyed, and lightly tanned. When she danced joy filled the hearts of all who saw her.
Middle sister Mina came next with firey red hair, emerald eyes, creamy skin with a smattering of freckles. She could play any instrument she put her hands to, making the sweetest music any had ever heard.
Tina was the youngest, with black hair, sapphire blue eyes, and alabaster skin. She was gifted with making remedies from plants and roots. All people and animals far and wide would come to her with their ailments.
Word of the three sisters spread across the known land until there was a constant stream of people and animals crowding the little town, making it impossible for the locals to move around, or even work, due to the crushing swell of visitors.
The locals reluctantly asked the sisters to leave, as nothing good was coming from their presence. For years the siblings travelled from town to town, only staying a short time before being asked to move on again.
Finally coming to a city on the edge of a jungle in the last settlement of the known lands, the three girls were welcomed with open arms. The ruler of the realm had heard of the beautiful and talented trio and wanted to meet them, but would never leave his lands.
So happy was he that he gave them free reign of his ‘home’ – more the size of a palace than anything the humble sisters were used to.
He organised a schedule so that only those who purchased tickets could enter the city. This worked well for the older sisters, but for Tina it was heartbreaking, watching the sick and injured being turned away for lack of ticket or money to buy one.
Tina took to roaming the jungle, treating the wild creatures. Gina and Mina spent ninety percent of their time dancing and playing music, barely seeing their little sister. The ruler demanded daily performances for his pleasure, as well as that of the wealthy crowd.
Tina ventured deeper and deeper into the jungle until she found a cave that could be turned into a home. With the help of her jungle friend she moved all that she owned to this cave, creating a large garden nearby for her medicines, and there was a small lake just up the path from the cave. The animals kept her safe from the rulers’ men, and also brought the sick to her. Apart from missing her sisters she was very happy.
After a time, Gina became ill, unable to get out of bed because of exhaustion and nausea. The ruler became very displeased, and was planning Gina’s demise. Mina continued to play, all day, every day, until her fingers bled and her lips chapped, but she kept on playing – especially since Gina had mysteriously vanished in the middle of the night.
The ruler was angry that she was gone, and informed Mina that if he saw Gina or Tina he would have them killed on sight.
So Mina kept changing the instruments she played to let her fingers heal and keep the demanding ruler happy. But she missed her sisters, and was wasting away with longing for Gina and Tina.
One evening, the ruler was out in the grounds while Mina played away. All the ruler did was complain that Mina’s beauty was fading and her talent was waning. He had limited her food and sleep in punishment for this, and had recently resorted to hitting her with a whipping cane covered in barbs to force her to keep playing when she pled exhaustion.
This evening was calm and clear.
The jungle in the background seemed to shine and sparkle in the evening light, and Mina, barely keeping her head up, played so sad a tune in remembrance of her sisters.
The ruler was not happy with her haunting melody, so grabbed his vicious cane and lunged for her. At the same moment a great roar erupted from the trees, and the jungle came alive with all kinds of creatures – even the plants seemed to move, as if the flora flowed over the perfectly manicured lawns and gardens, racing with a rage toward the ruler and his servants. Ripping, tearing, slashing, their way through them all until the ruler, broken and bleeding, lay before a startled Mina. Striding out of the jungle, bags laden with medicines, came both Tina and Gina, flanked by a pair of panthers reluctantly acting as pack mules for the rest of the supplies.
Tina ran straight to her sister and carefully set her upon the ground to administer treatment while Gina stood over the ruler, bestowing upon him a wicked smile. She snapped her fingers, and jungle vines flowed out toward her and wrapped tightly around the fallen ruler…
Months passed. Gina and Tina nursed Mina back to health; while the former ruler was placed in a cage and made to entertain anyone who came to visit.
The skeletons of his minions were displayed for all to see, and the jungle flora and fauna reclaimed the palace where the sisters lived once again. Anyone who dared try come between the sisters were food for the jungle.
They would be eaten alive in front of the former ruler and those that broke the rules set down by the siblings.
No one now could come to the city for fear of the wrath of the three joint rulers who had become one with the jungle and the magic contained within it.
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