Chapter Eleven

“She’s going to kill you once this wears off, Tam,” I heard someone say through the mist that hung around my mind.

“Orenda, don’t be ridiculous; she’s a reasonable girl,” retorted Tam.

I giggled immaturely. “She’s right,” I slurred. “Where am I, anyways?” I garbled. I rotated my head around to get a look at the room I was in.

“Home base,” said a black woman with a noticeable African accent.

“Can I get up?” I queried.

“No, but I’ll tell you when I can. Although, I guess that’ll be when the lovely little concoction I managed to get past your lips wears off.”

“I thought you had to do a few other things,” I stated.

“He did them while you were out,” explained Orenda.

“Orenda! You weren’t supposed to tell her that!” interjected Tam sharply. “I’d rather not have another Cora, especially after what she did when she got out…” His voice trailed off, lost in memory. He winced and shook his head. “I had to get help from ten more people more than usual.”

“She doesn’t know how to use magic, does she?” asked Orenda.

“I can do a few card tricks,” I added.

The both laughed. “Can’t wait to see what she’s like when she isn’t halfway out of her mind,” said Orenda.

“It’s his fault that I’m all doped up,” I mumbled crossly.

“I told you not to get  up, and I warned you about what I would do if you didn’t follow directions.”

“Sorry Dad,” I shot back.

“Be sorry. Do you feel fine?” he asked.

I nodded.

He paused, then undid the straps.

I waited patiently, not wanting to blow my only chance to get up off of this stupid table. Nothing was more annoying than being held back, for me, at least. “So, what happens now?” I asked, stretching the so.

“Follow me,” said Orenda. She turned to the door of the sterile white room.

“Us,” corrected Tam.

“No, actually; as the current Apollo, you have no reason to be in a strategic council. Come, Stella. We have important things to discuss.”

Tam looked like he was about to burst. Orenda noticed, and spoke again. “She is our pick for the contest, not your’s.”

“Contest?” I questioned.

“Contest,” confirmed Orenda. She opened the door without waiting for me. I looked back at Tam, who looked a little heart-broken. My eyes lingered for a moment. “I-” I looked down, bit my lip, and looked up again. “Thank you,” I managed to get out.

Tam smiled genuinely. “Go,” he urged gently. “And please, don’t get into too much trouble. Though if you get hurt while you’re at it, or just want someone to talk to, you’re welcome. Just ask for Apollo Tam.”

I nodded. “I’ll do that.” I waited a moment too long, the farewell lingering in the air unpleasantly. My eyes cast to the ground shamefully, and I walked out. Right before I left, I looked over my shoulder to see Tam wrapping unused bandages with a wistful almost-smile that made me want to sob.

My footsteps were hurried and muted as I tried to leave and ignore the hollow ache in my heart. Orenda was a fast disappearing down the modest hallway. My legs pumped hard, trying to catch up before I was completely lost. “Wait!” I shouted, cupping my mouth with my hands.

“Hurry up, child!” shouted back over her shoulder. “Do not be a slow-poke, then!”

I rolled my eyes and ran faster. By the time we were even, I was out of breath and still had to match Orenda’s pace. “I’m in shape and I still can’t catch up; what the hell?” I asked petulantly.

“In shape by your terms or my terms?” she asked cryptically, a grin gracing her full lips.

“Uh, mine,” I said sardonically.

“So you are not in shape,” she retorted.

Finally, I was getting enough air in my lungs to actually say something. “Guess we’re going to have to fix that, aren’t we?”

Orenda shrugged. “Okay, let us start.” She took off faster than a rocket headed for the moon.

“Oh, come on, Orenda! I was kidding!”

She didn’t look back.

I swiveled my head to the right, then to the right, my eyes briefly drinking in a truly beautiful scene. I had come to a large platform over-looking twisting corridors, dotted with staircases and platforms similar to mine at every level. There was a huge glass dome that let in the sun’s rays, while the darker corners were dotted with golden brazzers. The doors were all bright colors, standing out against the glowing white walls.

When I finally woke up from the trance that the view had entranced me in,

I stayed about twenty feet behind her the whole way there, wherever the hell there was. When I got there, Orenda was waiting calmly, not a speck of sweat to be seen. “What took you so long?” she asked innocently, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

“You,” I retorted snarkily.

“So ready to blame your problems on someone else when you have no one but yourself to blame.” Her gaze leveled me in the worst way possible, paralyzing me and simultaneously making guilt bloom through my chest like a poisonous flower.

“That is what I thought. Come, child.” She walked away, and I bored small holes into her back that I really hoped she felt. What right did she have to judge me? A trillion snappy, caustic comebacks sprang into my mind as I trailed behind like a lost puppy.

After climbing endless stair cases and silently walking behind Orenda down a multitude of bright hallways, we came to a monumentally magnificent room that was shaped in a half circle. Almost. (More like someone only cut off the top third of the circle, with the huuuuge door at the narrow end.)

Imagine a lemon wedge- you have the actual fruit, and then the rind/skin. The rest of the room was set up a bit like that, except the ‘fruit’ was an empty floor, (probably for speakers), and ‘rind’ was set about five feet above the ‘fruit’, complete with a set of stairs in each end of the ‘rind’ and thirteen thrones. They were plain, the same glowing white as the rest of the palace, with more gold and silver trim.

On the center throne was an arrogant, older man, who was probably in his early fifties, possible late forties. Even before his eyes swept over me blindly, I hated him. He looked at Orenda like she was a fresh cut of meat. “You have brought someone,” he observed.

“The one that they specifically requested,” spat out Orenda.

He smirked. “Well, come up here so I can make your day a bit better, my lady.”

She laughed coyly. “Only if you request it, my majesty.”

As she tried to walk over to the staircase while looking sexy I finally realized what was going on here. So they had a fling or whatever? What was getting at me was that he definitely seemed her superior in rank, and that he might just be using he for pleasure.

Orenda sat on his lap and kissed him passionately. After a moment, he pulled away. She pouted playfully. “I want to taste you, my love,” she said, right before me.

I considered clearing my throat, (and definitely would have), had he not spoken. “I’m sorry,” he pompously. “I am the king of the Olympians, and you can just address me as your majesty.”

I looked at him and started laughing. The nerve of this guy! He looked at Orenda, and she looked daggers at me. After a few moments, I got a hold over myself. “Sorry, well actually, not sorry because I can’t take you seriously, but, uh, yeah, that isn’t happening. I don’t really belong here in, what is this, Fableland? Is that was this place is called?”

He didn’t answer, his nostrils flared.

“I asked you a question, dumb-dumb. Whatever; I’ll just assume that this is Fableland or whatever. But, I’m catching the gist that you’re not the only one that runs this ship. Am I right?”

“Fableland is cut up into different kingdoms,” he said spitefully.

I ignored his tone. “Right, but since I’m not from here, I don’t have to listen to you. I know you like being supreme ruler, but that isn’t happening. Okay? Okay.”

Lighting spewed from the ceiling, and I realized my error.

Author's Note

Orenda and 'his majesy's' actions and Stella's thoughts on this is NOT racially related- I just wanted it to be about a younger woman and an older man, not a black woman and a white man who holds a higher position in society. If I happen to offend anyone, please don't take it personally! I don't mean this offensively, and I didn't mean that event in that way either. Again, I'm sorry if I make anyone mad. Thank you so much for reading, and it would be greatly appreciated if you reviewed my piece- I really need the feedback! :)

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I liked his chapter. Meeting the head people and showing no respect. Could end-up in a bad place. A entertaining chapter. Thank you for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote