As always, this work is copyright to me, Sue McCaskill, writing as Susan McCaskill. Any unauthorized use will be prosecuted.

Book TwoPenelope Parker: Chaos and Light

As she regained consciousness, she gradually became aware of her surroundings, and the first thing she noticed, was that she was warm and comfortable. The second that the burning winds were gone, as were the howling taunting voices that had torn at her sanity. Those sounds were replaced by the quiet murmur of voices. Surely she knew those voices? One voice rose over all;“Penelope! Penelope! You’re safe!”She recognized Prudence’s voice, and valiantly tried to open her eyes and reply. As she opened her eyes and gazed around her, she saw Paddy and Morna, her Aunt Matilda, her father, and...Mum!“Mum!” she croaked. “You’re Okay!”“Hush, darling. I’m fine. You need to rest and get your strength back.”Penelope tried to raise her arms to give her mum a big hug, but they felt strangely heavy. Looking down, her eyes widened as she took in the two sausage-like appendages she assumed were her arms. They were swathed in bandages from her shoulders to the tips of her fingers. She looked up at her mum, her eyes full of questions.“Penelope,” came another voice. Daddy! “Much of your skin was burned off by the Chaos winds, and it has taken the Healers weeks to start the healing process.”“Weeks? How long was I unconscious?”“Over a month,” said her father.“What? I can’t have been unconscious for that long!”“What is the last thing you remember?” asked her aunt.Rummaging through her scattered memories, she thought.“I remember Prudence’s voice. It helped me shut out the voices and go into my safe place. Then I remember Hec’s voice telling me they were on their way.Bolting upright, she gasped, “Hec! Where is she? Is she okay?”“Took you long enough girl.” Came a tart voice,Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw Hec perched on the end of the bed.“Hec! I heard you! I knew you would find me!”“Of course I did, silly girl. There was no doubt.”Penelope fell back on the pillow, exhausted by the sudden excitement. Suddenly, she felt arms around her and realized it was Prudence. She returned the hug as well as she could given the multitude of bandages on her arms.“Oh, Penelope; I thought you were going to die! I don’t think I could have stood it if you had.”“I’m okay, Prudence, thanks to you. If you hadn’t been there for me, I don’t think I would have survived.”“Ah, ye’re a tough one, lassie!” sounded a booming voice.Looking over, she saw Paddy’s beaming face and Morna’s scowling one. Laughing in spite of herself, she put her arms out for a hug, which Paddy gladly gave.“Where is Jacob?”Paddy said, “He had to get back to the village to look after his livestock. What with one thing and another, he was gone much longer than he planned. He will be here as soon as he can.She sighed with relief, on learning that Jacob was all right, and that nothing had happened to him.“Thank you all for rescuing me! You’re the best family anyone could ever have!”As she spoke, she realized what she said was true; they were family, all of them, even Morna.Looking up at her aunt, she asked, “When will I be able to come back to school? I’ve missed so much.”Laughing in spite of her worry, Matilda said, “First things first. You must heal. You won’t be much good in school with those arms!”Penelope chuckled, even though she was impatient to get to her studies.“Prudence can help me catch up as much as I can right now. Please, Daddy? I can’t just keep lying here like a lump!” She looked at her father pleadingly.Her mother looked less than happy when her father agreed.“Alright, but only an hour a day for now. It won’t do you any good if you get over tired.”“Hmph.” Came a voice from the foot of the bed. “And what about me, pray tell? Am I to be ignored after I risked life and paw to rescue you single-handed? Is this the thanks I get?”Looking towards the voice, Penelope saw Hec sitting there looking distinctly miffed.“Oh, Hec, of course not! I can’t do it without your help, you know that. Come and cuddle next to me. I want to feel your warm body and your fur next to me, even though I can’t hug you properly right now.”However, Hecate was not going to let Penelope get off that easy. She sat there glaring at Penelope, doing her best imitation of Grumpy Cat, and failing miserably as she realized how close she had come to losing her forever. Giving her already immaculate fur another lick or two, just for good measure, she sighed and snuggled down next to Penelope.“Land’s sake, girl, don’t you ever scare me like that again! My old heart couldn’t take it. Now Gwyddion, don’t you think young miss has had enough excitement for one day? And don’t you think that some real food should be on the agenda soon?”Shaking his head in amusement, Gwyddion had to agree with Hec.“Hec’s right, everyone. Penelope needs her rest if she’s to heal. Say goodbye for now, and let’s leave her to rest. Hec and Prudence may stay.”“Gwyddion,” protested her mother.“No, Eleanor; you will have plenty of time together soon, when she is a little stronger. Come on now, all of you.”So saying, he strode out the door, leaving the others to follow. Eleanor looked at Penelope and stooped to give her a quick hug, which she bravely returned. Paddy winked and raised his hat as he followed Gwyddion and Eleanor out the door, leaving Morna and Matilda to follow.“Get well soon, Penelope” said Morna gruffly, and stomped out the door, lighting her pipe as she went.As Matilda was leaving, she turned to Penelope and said, “I will have your missed lessons put together tomorrow, and Prudence and Hec can help you with them. This will just be your regular subjects, none of the physical part. Oh, and you have also earned your second robe, something no other student has ever done in their first year.”
As Penelope gaped at her aunt, she swiftly left the room, closing the door behind her.