Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A small room was made ready with soldiers by the door guarding its occupants while King Salsern issued orders among the workman inside his daughter’s castle and outside the town. Lady Gwin tends to her son seeing him properly dressed, deciding on the blue coral waistcoat and light white dress shirt, with silver edges and golden opal buttons on the sleeve and along the middle. Which would match his creamy white pleated knee-high pants and silver slippers dressed with a little crescent moon buckles?

She combed his soft greenish blue hair deciding whether to put simple droplets of pearls in his hair realizing his hair was not quite long enough for a stout manly ponytail. She sighs letting her son Prince Orin decided as he shakes his head telling her there was no way he was ever going to wear such a monstrously as pearls ever in his hair regardless if royal personages wear them.

They both agreed and compromised on a long elegant golden chain with rubies and green gold coral orientating at the center. It seemed heavy, but his Mother insisted he wears it especially when she introduced him to her father King Salsern.

With a quick kiss on the cheek and little tug here and there she was satisfied. Lady Gwin took her son by the arm begins the walk down the long hallway off the side of the main atrium. “Stand up straight son and look him in the eyes when you talk to him,” his Mother said as she walked with his arm draped over his little shoulders.

People bowed as they passed, she would nod back as they respected her giving her the right away. EJ took notice of the richly furnishings and old portraits of kings and soldiers orientating the wall, his mother schooling him of who they are and what they are famous for. At last, they reach the King's chambers hearing voices inside the room.

Prince Orin nervous; for this is the first time in his life he was actually going to meet a King and especially one that supposed to be his grandfather. He hasn’t had one since his real one died when he was almost 8 years old in his mortal life. Now he looked like was that age again, and was told in wizard years he was close to the age of 30, even though his mind has yet to mature beyond the age of 13 in his mortal self.

Lady Gwin nods to the bearer for the introductions and waits as she and Prince Orin are announced and given permission to enter. With a final tuck here and there she walked calmly into the room and curtsied; whispering to her son to take a knee letting her eyes gaze about the room.

She quickly notices two images of her father standing together side by side and the strange woman known as the Lady of the light sitting next to her father on his lift side doing some needlepoint. She looks up and continues on with her stitch. The question is who is who? When she gazes between them and Jaydan standing on his far right. 

The man in the middle that looks like her father coughs taking charge of the room as he sends all the servants and soldiers away. Even he has changed, as she remembers him to be quite older, and from her sister, frail, then and aged. Yet she hasn’t really seen him in nearly 3 centuries, being as she rules this part of the world and her sister another part and him smack dab in the middle. They had never really seen eye too eye, and she blames him for her boys and last husband’s death, feeling they were too young to go to war during the last wizard war over 200 centuries ago. Leaving her and him and no one to descend the throne.

She had lost to urge to remarry, find very few prospects of royalty that can assume the power of living water. Thanks to Morgan and his master Hess and others that had taken his place, to ensure that never happened, because of their involvement in the war against the shadow, to the point of total extinction, every child born has been killed by some strange illness or accident.

Now neither she nor sisters are able to bear children. And her father too has yet to bear a child to the throne, even after centuries of trying. It truly seems that she and her people are destined to fade away into extinction. Has that changed? Has the Whitmore’s found a way to reset the clock? As the healer of worlds, and the illness that should kill you, and wounds that should never heal. Like the prophecy has foretold after all these many centuries of waiting…?

“Take a seat my daughter,” King Salsern said as he points to the table. Made of sturdy mahogany with swords crossed along it sides indented in the wood, with maps of the world laid open on the table.

Lady Gwin quickly curtsies again with a simple nod and does what she is told. “Yes father, father my I first introduce you to my son Prince Orin,” she said with a final curtsy.

 

“Yes, yes if you feel that it is necessary my daughter, but I intrigue you to sit with the boy momentarily until the rest of our company has arrived. For it is I that must give council regarding his strange lineage and to the family in which is upon our shores.”

“Yes father,” she nods to both men and another quick nod to Jaydan. Thinking how is it possible that Jaydan and this other man that looks like my father enters this side of the kingdom. Is it not forbidden for such a man as he to be allowed in? And all deceptive or hidden images are seen here which cannot remain hidden or has all things known as the art of magic fallen or degraded. “Yes father,” she said taking Prince Orin by the hand guides him and her to a chair as she waits.

She didn’t have to wait long as a gateway opened in the room with Kollie and EJ’s family enter the room with Kollie’s boys and their mother Rena right behind them. The person that she thinks is her father nods pointing to chairs around the table. Jaydan checks to make sure the room is sealed against listeners with a ward of silence then nods to King Salsern to begin.

King Salsern nods motioning too his other two colleges, the strange man in light silver armor the likes she hasn’t seen more than age… to take a seat at the table. Martha and Wayne smile seeing their son as his two sisters giggle seeing how cute he looks in his princely clothes.

His brothers and his Uncle Richard feeling little out of place as they sit in their boxers shorts along with his Pa giving his boys a quick glance at their mother telling them that everything’s fine or was it? She and hers and Lady Gwin eyes meet.

King Salsern coughs to get everyone attention as he slowly gazed about the table. “Now that I have everyone's attention, we may begin these proceedings.” He replied as he started to pace before them. “As to my guests, my name is King Salsern king of all living water. In which I have been informed by my dear friend Jaydan in which I have given permission to stay and be part of these proceedings, even thou unlike most of the old masters of light he has demonstrated through loyalty to me and has fought by my side. He has yet to master the living waters which now flow through him.”

He replied with a strong slap on the back of Jaydan as he tries to remember to breathe without choking. “He has also made it possible from old and forgotten magic for me to live and maintain a life on land through a rebirth of brotherhood of the light through my dear brother Nathaniel. Even though he looks like me he is not me which I assume we will fix. For there can not be more than one King of living water.” King Salsern said with a chuckle.

Lady Gwin’s eyes popped as she looked at the other man. Did she hear right? As she looks at both men one is which is her father and Jaydan pulled this off, very curious indeed.

Nathaniel nodded around the table watching their eyes as they studied him in a new light as he soon coughed holding the back of his hand to chuckle as they watched the transformation take place with a simple shake of the hand a nod between the two. Nathaniel once more became himself taking in deep breathes of water to fill his lungs. For he to like Jaydan were not quite use to it.

EJ studies his family around the table seeing colors of glass blurs become solid once again around his family. He chuckles watching Will and Robert make faces at him as they press against the bubble-like glass making their heads larger, Ma whispering. “Alright boys, behave your selves.” Which in turn made Salsern chuckle himself resting a warm smile and father like sympathy upon her.

Knowing full well this is the first time they have ever meet a King and especially a King like himself. He pauses only a moment before standing behind his daughter and her claim to be her new son. “As I was saying things here stand in great council in this room when times are indeed dark.

“We need friends and family among us to pull us through these dark times. Including new kings or soon to be kings like Rolen, the man you see before you, who is a great warrior like his father and a very powerful wizard who has fought by my side and has sworn to protect my family, while he trains our soldiers for the battlefield that is sure to come.

“For this, I have extended his hand in friendship and giving him full access to our water realms as steward and a possible family line to the throne, while he rebuilds his father’s lands. I consider him a son, and will send out a proclamation in that regards.”

He paused for a mere moment looked upon the small table with wine and goblets lain forth on the tray. With a single nod, the tray slowly moved towards them as each goblet lifted off the tray was placed in front of the Downing family.

King Salsern taking a goblet himself from the tray as it floated empty back to the table. “Each of these has been filled with my living water in which to fortify yourselves to me.   In which I hereby grant you and welcome you the same as Jaydan and my brother Nathaniel, and my new son Rolen, life in this realm as part of my family. No other can say or deem differently as I so order.”

King Salsern said as his eyes glowed with his staff in hand waved it above them as a blue transparent light of crystal light covers them then disburses. Each lifts their goblet and drinks the sweet waters of his living water. Their eyes shown with a bright light as each takes a deep breath feeling the water fill their lungs for the first time.

Lady Gwin slowly watched the clock on the wall as the minutes count down watching the hour pass quickly. “A hum’ she coughed. “Father thank you for being so understanding regarding my sons family, but how do we proceed with hours being so short, until his coronation?” She replied as meek as she could. Trying very hard not to anger her father for he has been known to have a very short temper.

“Yes my dear daughter,” he said as he turned towards her with a quick glance towards the boy seated next to her than gazes towards the boy’s family.  “I, in turn, agree with you my daughter in accordance with your letter that you have sent to me, but disagree on when it should be known.” He replied rolling out the map of Quratsa placing large decorative dragon shapes made of glass crystals to hold the map corners in place for all to see.

“According to the last reports from my dear brother Nathaniel, that Hess and his Dark Prince are on their way here and most likely will be arriving no sooner than on the morning tide.” King Salsern replied pointing to the map of the sea and across the land in his territorial home.

However, he did not mark the spot where New Downing is at, at this given moment as his and Jaydan eyes meet. Knowing some secrets should remain secreted if at all possible. “After the boy’s coronation my dear brother, I insist that you return there as me once more while at this present time I remain here. I implore you to take as many men as you need to hold them off.

“Too give Jaydan time to transport the town of New Downing according to Glen to the eastern shores of Galena for safe keeping. After Glen returns from this place known as middle earth from henceforth New Downing came from.” He said picking up the floating pitcher of chilled wine passing it around the table and some peach mint for the children. Ma whispered. “Sorry Julie, wait till you get little older,” passing the chilled wine to Wayne as he declines taking peach mint himself.

King Salsern noted the time on the wall watching the hourglass of green sand filling the top of the hour. Stands up with a wave of his hand as the maps roll up and move towards the other end of the room where the rest of his maps lay in holding. “Now my dear Downing family we need to fit you for some clothes and I have readied your rooms as close to your son as possible. Yet you must understand he must remain apart from you as my daughter has counseled I am sure.  For now, he is his mother here in this realm, but you will always be his regardless if it is in secret.

“You will be my daughter’s sister Katlin from Leona Isles. This ring will bear her image as her and this wedding band will portray her husband Lyle with her three daughters Katona (Julie), Tatlina (Anna), Liza (little Jess) and her five boys, Hopewel (Will), Huns (Robert), Dun (Sam), Dane (Ted) and the last Bardon  (Danny). Least not to forget Counties Darien (Grandma) and your son Richard as (Lord Bryan's).

“I believe that’s everyone, my dear daughter.    Kollie and Jaydan can see to their proper arrival I believe. Why you my dearest Daughter have banquet and coronation to plan.” He laughed patting Prince Orin on the head.  “I need to spend some time with my grandson.” He said placing his hands on EJ shoulders with a slight chuckle as he sketches the features of his three parents with his mind's eye, and seeing himself as well.

With that, he nods towards the door placing a hidden shield around the guests in the room with a simple wave of the hand whispering the words (altiz sermis). EJ watched his family blend in with the background as if they were never here.  Gwin watches her father as if she never seen him do this before tries not to look shocked. “ My dear do you mind opening the door. I believe your Royal Taylor is waiting in the hall,” he said.

Taking EJ by the hand going to his throne in the room; slowly picks up Prince Orin placing him on his knee as if nothing was wrong or has changed. Gwin in shock as she watched her father as if he has changed; there is something different about him seeing that extra spark she remembered when she was a little girl. Can it be as she looked at Kollie and his family?

Slowly she opens the door seeing Mrs. Deirkle pacing the hallway. “It’s about time dear. I am a busy woman you know, and have things to do,” she said barging into the room. Gwin quickly closed the door taking one more look around the room, her father just nods with a smile as he talks with Prince Orin.

EJ slowly tells him about the hidden passageway and what was hidden behind it. Watching his new grandfather’s eyes display curiosity as EJ describes the battle and the ring he found pulling it out of his pocket.  King Salsern stares at the ring with its strange blue quartz shaped like a robin’s egg.

Not wanting to scare the boy of what the ring can do or where it came from as he thinks of the man from Dark Isles of Sybril that they found just hours ago. "Could it be?" As he studies the ring in the boy prince hands, he watches the ring glow green when the boy fingers the ring. He slowly whispers in Prince Orin ear that only he could hear putting the ring on his finger then cups the boy’s hand.

EJ feeling a warm tingling sensation move down through his hand than throughout his body. He felt stronger somehow gazing at the ring watching his grandfather nod. He was told not to take it off, for it holds the power of water and images of transformation in which his grandfather will teach him how to use it. “Really, I can keep it?” Prince Orin asked.

“Yes, my son. You won the ring and doing so became its new master,” he said whispering in his ear.

“Mother did hear that?” He asked climbing down from his grandfather’s lap. 

“Hear what son?” His mother asked closing the door with Mrs. Deirkle right at her side with her foot tapping with impatiens.

“He said I could keep the ring mother,” Prince Orin said as he grandfather nods with a chuckle.

“Are you sure father that is a good idea considering where that ring came from?” She asked.

“Come, come, my dear daughter, what harm is there? The ring its self is not evil, the person themselves are the ones using it for evil purposes,” King Salsern said.

“If you say so father,” she replied not liking or convinced by the idea at all. Something indeed has changed within her father as she stares into his eyes. The hardness of steel has been replaced with something else. Something so familiar yet not, something lost long ago as she quickly gazed towards Jaydan and Nathaniel and back towards the hidden guests, watching and listening to her father speak with the Royal Taylor.

“Yes my majesty I swear an oath to my grave,” she said watching her place her hands on his staff. Lady Gwin father nods waving the staff in the air as the guests in the room reappear.

Mrs. Deirkle immediately takes charge picking up her handwoven seaweed basket. “My name is Mrs. Deirkle. I am the Royal Taylor,” she said stepping in front of the Downing family. The Whitmore boys blushing with a smile as she nods to them, “ I see the clothing fits to my standards,” she said as she acknowledges all them and they nod back with a slight blush.

“Thank you Mrs. Deirkle,” replied Rena with a twirl. “The gown and my boy’s clothes are just beautiful. I have never seen them look so handsome,” she replied with a slight curtsy.

Mrs. Deirkle nods. “Well like I said I am a very busy woman so if you wouldn’t mind,” she replied holding the side chamber door room open. “We will start with your boys Queen Katlin (Martha) that is if you don’t mind.” She said tapping her foot at the door waiting for them. Martha nods putting her arms around her two older boys Will and Robert with Pa taking the three little ones and Richard, while the girls all wait with grandma at the table.

Robert and Will take another quick glance back at EJ and the Whitmore boys as they show bright blushes on their cheeks knowing very well what they are going to go through on the other side of the door. Ma whispering, “Boys don’t sweat the small stuff,” as she handed each a dressing gown to each boy with rosy cheeks. After Mrs. Deirkle finished gathering up the leftover boxer shorts for those sharks. Yelled, “next” opening the chamber door, EJ and the Whitmore boy’s chuckle as they watch them return sitting around the table for a bite of lunch.

Reviews

[Miles W.]

Another interesting chapter. Some interesting visuals to start, and a lot of talking towards the middle and end. Some good ideas continuing to build up towards the end. Interested to find out where the story goes from here.