Tamara and Filou had just left the garden when all of a sudden a new visitor showed up. The dolls didn't see her coming. She was just there.
Eternia paled when she saw the woman.

"Good day to you, lady Nareen."
"Oh! Hello Mir! Nice to see you again."
"I do believe you have found my sacred gem, have you not?"

"Oh my!" Nareen gasped. "You're right, I found it two days ago."
"Then would you please hand it over?"
"I'm so sorry Mir, but I can't!"
"Oh, and why is that?" For a moment Mir's black eyes had a dangerous light to them.
"I stored it in our livingroom, but we were robbed yesterday. Everything is gone!"

Mir looked at her as if she was judging her fidelity. Then she lowered her head. "That is very... unfortunate."
"It's such a shame..."
"I'm sure the gem will come back to you one day. Something about you draws it to your presence."

"Until then this unworthy being just has to be patient." Mir turned around and slowly walked away.
"But... hey, wait a minute!" Nareen called after her. "Do you want to come to our Christmas party? Maybe I'll have found your gem by then. And if not... surely you could use some distraction?"

Eternia became white as a wall. She was barely breathing and tried to blend in with the garden wall when Mir looked back.
"A party? You want to invite me to celebrate with you?"
"Of course, why not. We're inviting all our friends!"
"That is very nice of you. I will try to come."

"I just hope we'll have our stuff back by then, else this party will be a catastrophe." Nareen whispered as Mir walked away. "Huh? Eternia, you look ill. Are you okay?"

A cold smile played around Mir's lips. 'You think I didn't notice you, do you?' she thought. 'Don't think you can run from me forever, Tahome.'
Her eyes sparkled like black ice.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! It's Mir!" When they were alone again Eternia almost panicked. She was hysterical.
"Uhm... What's wrong, Eternia?"
"It's Mir! And you invited her to our party!" Eternia shrieked and looked as if she wanted to run away.
Nareen was confused. "Yes, so? She's a friend... May I not invite my own friends?"
"It's Mir!"
"What're you so afraid of?"
"I... I can't tell you. Not now."

Dolltopia Archive 23 <-- # --> Dolltopia Archive 25