PART FOUR: (Cont'd)
One man's joy....:
The chief healer wrung his sweaty palms together like a nervous wreck, as he waited for the king. He had mixed feelings about this visit. He was glad that the queen was doing great, following her recovery and revealed expectation of a new life. They had gleaned that the excitement of planning and anticipating the 'princess ball' had exhausted her already pre-occupied body. But the reason for her being on the verge of dying, was a mystery that eluded them and they hoped would not recur. Though it was always his ritual to partake in his patient's celebration of a healthy turn around for the better, he was however overwhelmed and burdened down by what he was about to share with the king. Excessive palace protocol had been waived for him prior to getting to this inner chamber, since he was now in the king's personal and 'short-list'. But he was not feeling special right now. In reality, an anguish that grew potent by the minutes was ravaging his insides.
Minutes later, the king ambled into the room with a broad and welcoming smile. "Great to see you again my good healer," he greeted warmly. "I must say those herbal mixtures are helping the queen regain her strength daily and she is filling out beautifully as the baby grows." This the king said with a broad smile. "Now tell me dear friend, what brings you here and what can I do for you? Ask anything you will except for my kingdom of course!" The kings bellowing laughter could be heard all over the palace. "No your majesty, I seek not your kingdom." The healer stated solemnly. "I only seek my son. He left behind his home, wife and two sons about four days ago to inspect some new plants for our infirmary." The distraught elderly gentleman lowered his head as if he were searching for the right words to convey the obvious and subsequent sentence. "He has not returned since then, your majesty...."
Operation contaminate, confuse and conquer:
The fly-lord grimaced as he tapped his hoof on the floor in agitation. "So this is how HE chose to show up right now, huh?" He asked contemptuously, to no one in particular. Every monitor had their heads lowered. None wanted to volunteer for an enervating Q&A referendum, especially when the question could be best left alone as rhetorical. "So tell me, how were you all able to allow a threat such as this come so close? So close it caused so much damage. A girl did this? And is she still breathing.....? I know, I know... the enemy has her heavily guarded, so your hands are tied right?" His chortle was naturally laced with the utmost sarcasm. "Well wrong! You are wrong!" He banged the stony slab, sending splintered debris everywhere. "You will destroy her and you will do it quick. And if for obvious reasons you cannot kill her, then make life so unbearable for her she will do us that honor." His rage was visibly mounting. "Xitus!" That one jumped forward. "Yes my lord...." He appeared to be quaking. "You are the head of human relations, yes?" "I believe so my lord." Xitus' voice was barely audible. "You see this is the problem that I have with you fellow rebrobates. You tend to forget what side you landed on. You do not believe around me Xitus. There is no hall of faith here, just a hell of flame. So do refrain from using those words and digging a deeper ditch than you already are in. Now let us try this again. Are you the head of human relations?" The fly-lord's eyes were spitting flames as he spoke. "Yes my lord." Xitus was now as emphatic as he could muster. "Then get to relating, by defiling and debasing. Who knows, we might get us some new future warriors. That is always the quickest way to recruit and recover lost time and resources." The fly-lord continued. "Heinus!" "Yes my lord," he was the fiercest and most loyal to the fly-lord. "Focus on the girl. I will help you with that." He commanded and offered to Heinus. To the others, he said; "Monitors, let us paint this town grime!"
Two dreams and a nightmare:
Debeh held the baby in her arms and cuddled it for a little while. Then she put it in the ethereal hands that were out stretched before her and knelt down. "Thank you Lord. I know she is the safest with you. Whatever happens I know you will be faithful with my baby. Thank you for the time I had with her, thank You for the honor of being this useful."
Reinah closed the casket, and pressed her lips to the cold polished wood. Before the tears could start streaming from her eyes, she stood up and looked around. A gust of battering wind began to blow, as darkness quickly closed in on her. But just as rapidly as terror submitted, she looked up in time to see the sky crack open to an orchestra of celestial and heralding beings. She had the feeling that everything would eventually be alright.
The young woman folded her outer garments for the upteenth time and propped it up as a support for her head. The bed was narrower and harder than she was used to, but she would endure it for the greater gain that it promised. The beauty, fame and worship, not to talk of the succession of men and women that would be at her disposal, would eventually make all these discomfort seem trivial. She was not a natural beauty, but she had toppled many seductively. What she lacked in looks and wit, she compensated for with the subtle art of manipulation. Now with all the painting and drawings going on in her face, her arsenal was set.
It had been three days that she waited here for the queen mother for further instructions. She still had her emblem of convenant carved across her forehead. Though invisible, the witch said she had the power to lure away any living thing and use them as she pleased. Mark or no, the first assignment she partook in was actually an initiation ceremony. She just was not privy to that knowledge. She was poised to control everything in no time she thought to herself. She was deity in the making.
She wondered about the other girls. They had either been assigned to their purposes, or were waiting impatiently like her also. Either way, she was finding this shoe box room in a secluded hut, hidden deep into the woods quite boring and somewhat disturbing. She would wait one more night and then step out to find out what was going on.
At first the young woman thought she was dreaming, but she could literally and physically feel her environment. When the shadow slipped in from under the door, she saw it. She made to shout, but no sound came out. When her body involuntarily levitated from the bed, she struggled to hold herself down or climb down but could not. When the shadow came on top of her and clamped itself to her, she wrestled to be free also, but to no avail. As she felt everything happening to her, she knew at that moment that her soul was no longer hers. Something was gradually taking over her body like water filling a tank. Sadly she thought; this whole quest for domination may have gone too far. This time, she had tapped into a force so insidious it might be the death of her. This time she may be at the point of no return. This time, the convenanted promise had taken more than it intended to or would ever deliver. This time....
When dawn began to break through, Xitus put on his flesh and walked out.
Boomerang:
The two young maids giggled uncontrollably as they walked away. "What did she say again?" Asked the taller one as she chuckled convulsively. "The Lion ate the snake...." Supplied the other one amidst fits of giggles. "That is all she has been saying since that incident in the queen's chambers." "Oh well...." Continued the taller one. "I am so glad the Lion ate the snake, because I do not like snakes." They giggled some more.
They had just come from attending to Ethia who was now confined to a secluded part of the palace. She had never recovered from the incident in the queen's quarters. She was carried out still clutching her head and screaming while babbling about dead babies. She became physically disruptive and appeared to be an endangerment to herself and others. Seeing the queen seemed to rile her up even more. She would talk all night with people no one else was seeing and then sleep a few hours in the afternoon. Every night, she would be heard wailing and calling out strange names. The previous night, the servants had heard her profusely apologizing to her dead husband.
She had further claimed to be a fly and attempted to leap out of her patio. That was when the king ordered her relocated and watched frequently.
Also the queen was in a very delicate situation with the pregnancy and needed every ounce of protection and her nightly sleep.
To have and to hide:
Rifra and Ashea held the bowl before the elder as he mixed the two liquid substances that would symbolize their inseperable union. As the mixture swirled, the elder began to perform the marriage rites.
Rifra had taken permission from Methus for a couple of days, to go and take care of some family emergency in his war ravished town. He did not think he had lied. Getting married to Ashea was an emergency, considering all the lost and stolen time. The real challenge would be what happens after this day. Where would he take her? What would they do. For now and today, he would celebrate with his new bride. When and if tomorrow comes, there will be another way.
.