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Connie needed to find work to help support her family. So Connie found work at a mansion that was owned by a Brandon Banks. She worked there after her own work from five to seven.
One day, she finished working in the gardens early and wanted to go look at the roses. She went and picked a rose that was on the ground. "Do you like it?" Connie spun around and looked at Brandon in the face.
"Why, yes. I do," she answered.
"Why don't you come with me? I'd like to show you around, if you don't mind."
Sensing something, she decided to go with him, against her better judgment. Brandon led Connie around the grounds and finally stopped at a large bedroom inside the mansion itself. "And this is your room."
She looked back at him, bewildered and found him staring back. "What do you mean my room?"
"Well, I was just thinking that you wouldn't mind living here as a thank you for all the work you do here."
"I don't see you just giving it to any person though!" She protested. "There are other people here who have worked longer than me and deserve it. You know I already have a home of my own."
"I know, but I'm telling you that this is your room! I picked you because I love you. I loved you ever since I laid my eyes on you."
"You're crazy!" Connie started backing towards the door, afraid of the hungry look that had appeared in his eyes.
"So what? Are you going to get a doctor for me?" He smiled, laughing at her. With that, he shut the door behind him. He raised a hand and a wind blew about the room before shutting the window behind her as well.
"How'd you do that?" Connie asked.
"Stop pretending. I know who you are."
Connie's eyes grew wide. Now she knew what she had been sensing earlier. A Nica stood before her. Why couldn't she have known earlier!? She watched as he came closer, trapping her in a corner. He laid his hands on her, dropping his face down to kiss her. She struggled to break away. "Don't you understand? I'm married!"
Brandon broke away to look strangely down at her. "To who? Him?"
Connie watched as the door once again opened. This time, one of her fellow workers brought in a struggling Eddie. He'd been gagged and his arms were bound behind his back. The servant tied him to a post in one corner of the room and left. She felt tears swim across her eyes as she cried out to her husband. "Eddie!" She choked out, trying to go to him. She yelped in pain when Brandon shot an Energy beam, hitting her and pushing her back into the wall.
"You have to fight me to get to him," he snarled.
"Fine by me." And with that, she gathered her strength and fired at him with her own Energy. For a while, it seemed like a tug of war, but instead of tugging, they were pushing each other trying to get to each other by shooting their beams at the opponent. Their beams crashed together in the middle, sending light everywhere. After what seemed like hours though, Connie began to fail. Realizing what a lost cause it was, she jumped out of the way, letting Brandon's beam hit the wall where she had stood against, making a dark, burnt spot. Connie wasted no time and ran to Eddie, hugging him and loosening his bonds. Brandon shot another beam though, and it hit her back, making her fall at Eddie's feet. Brandon picked her up and put her in bed. He called for the servant, who then took Eddie outside. Brandon soon followed them out, making sure that the door was locked behind him.
Knock, knock, knock. Connie found herself in bed wondering what had happened. She slowly got up, feeling a sharp pain on her back as she moved but going on despite it. Knock, knock, knock. There it was again. Hold on. I'm coming, she said in her head. She opened the door and found Eddie there. "It is time for dinner. You will be joining Brandon shortly," he said. He had a strange look in his eyes and she couldn't read the expression on his face. She followed him downstairs and into a dining room to eat. However, during dinner and afterward in her new room, Connie's mind was in a totally different world. Eddie. What is wrong with you? She went to sleep.
The next day, Brandon came in and found her asleep at the window. He woke her up gently and gave her breakfast. Then he took her outside and made her work in the garden. Eddie was there too, but he was kept tied to a tree. He had a good view of her though, and kept his eye on her. Connie finished her work quickly and went over to Eddie to be with him before they could give her another job to do. She had a small pocketknife on her so she cut him free and they embraced each other.
"What are you doing?" shouted an angry voice behind her. Brandon was walking over to them. "I should punish you both right now-"
Before he could get too close, Connie turned back to Brandon. "For what!?" Brandon was taken aback by her remark and couldn't find anything to say. "Look, if it's going to be that way, why don't you just let Eddie go? He won't tell anyone what happened, I promise you that. And with him gone, you'll have me for yourself and not have to worry about Eddie coming after you."
Brandon was still too surprised and looked away, trying to search for something to retort back. The couple took the chance then and Eddie teleported himself out of there after a final hug. By the time Brandon realized what had happened, it was too late. Afraid to get the brunt of his anger, Connie brushed past him and ran to her room. She started crying at the window and kept looking out, hoping to see something that would cheer her up.
After an hour's worth of crying though, she thought of a plan to get her out of there. Quickly, she opened the window and looked over at the distant hills. Chastising herself for not thinking of it sooner, she created an open mind link, calling to anyone nearby to hear her. Sure enough, a chorus of voices answered her and she asked for their help. A plan was developed, and they awaited her signal. Happy now, for the first time in a couple of days, Connie went to take a walk in the rose garden.
There, she felt someone following her and knew that it was Brandon. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn around. She broke away though, turned herself into a blue jay, and flew up to the roof. Brandon hurried to get to the roof but before he could even touch her, she flew back down into her open bedroom window. The signal was given, and the waiting began.
Brandon went to Connie's room and found that the window had been closed and the room was dark. Connie was there, kneeling in the middle of the room crying. Surprisingly, she didn't resist when Brandon held her in his arms. He was amazed when she started crying into his shirt. She looked at him. "Why did you have to do it this way? Didn't you know that you could have joined the Lhaam if you'd just asked?"
Brandon's eyes grew wide. "How'd you know? I never told anyone what I felt."
Instead of answering, Connie held his wrist and led him outside. There, the Council was already waiting, and Connie led him to the middle of the circle before stepping out to let them do their work.
Quinn held out her hands and a soft, white ball of light formed. She threw it into the sky and there it hovered. Each of the others had their own respective colors to make: blue for Casta, red for Hyam, green for Li, and yellow for Melisenda. Their glowing orbs joined Quinn's in the sky and united to make a rainbow of Light. The rainbow shone brilliantly and soon it came down, enveloping Brandon and cleansing him. The light faded and disappeared. Brandon was now of Lhaam. The celebration began.
Connie hung back and watched awhile before going back onto the roof to think over what had just happened the past couple of days. The celebration had been going on a long time before she felt a presence behind her. "Hi, Brandon."
He sat down beside her. "Hi. I guess I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have done all those things to you. It was wrong and-"
Connie interrupted him. "It's alright. You're one of us now. No more need for apologies." She smiled at him and he relaxed. "Come on. Let's go join the rest of them down there." And with that, she turned into her signature piece, the blue jay, and flew back down to join the others.