Chapter 19 - Janelle

            Juliana, wearing her Virginia Tech training uniform, stepped into Queen Beryl's room three days into her training. Beryl was seated on her throne, with a sad expression on her face. She held the crystal orb in midair between her hands, and watched it with sad expression on her face. With a pregnant pause, Juliana wanted to get into Beryl's mind, to understand how she felt. This was her primary mission: to take what she could get, and somehow give to the others. Beryl spotted her coming in.

            "Oh, my dear, could you ever know my greatest regret?"

            "What's that, your Majesty?"

            "I had to give up my daughter to set her free."

            Julianne thought of a few other regrets she was sure Beryl could have said. She decided to keep them secret, with a ward sewn into her headband.

            "Maybe we could find her...and contact her?"

            "I don't know if she would understand."

            "Drawing a blank here."

            "She had been diagnosed with Autism...but a very high-functioning kind. She needs to stay away from the Kingdom for now...until its purpose has been fulfilled."

            "What purpose is that?"

            "You will realize soon after training. I want my daughter to be safe, and feel safe in her world. She might not be able to live well if she does not."

            "I see. Part of my college work has been with Autistic children, and I have seen a number of them. They range from practically normal and eccentric, to this one kid who liked to jump naked on a trampoline in his own room." 

            "We need not worry about such behavior with Janelle. Come, see what my orb shows us."

            There was a small girl in a window sill, looking about twelve years old. She wore a thistle-colored sweater and boot-cut jeans. She kept by herself in the library while other children whispered nearby. The school bell rang and she was off to her class, without talking to anyone on the way. Julianne saw an item on her bag that said "Wildemere Middle School Class of 2007," and realized she was fourteen.

            Julianne thought this was a little odd, but not too bad.

            "Your Majesty, what's her name?"

            "Her name is Janelle Tanaka, adopted by a blond and a Toyota auto factory chairman."

            The two women then saw Janelle whiz through her class assignments. She worked through the assignments like a wiz, and Juliana realized Janelle was much smarter than she was at that age. She was in sophomore-level biology and Honors English.

            Beryl then turned off the orb and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief Juliana had not realized she presented to her. Juliana put her arm on Beryl shoulder in reassurance.

            "Between you and me, I hope we can meet this girl someday."