Chapter 13
The kid with the bad costume

Rahool had to grip onto a chair to keep from falling over when he laid eyes on Silane and Luka. They were spruced up like little girls before a dance recital. They had been squeezed into grotesque green and white dresses. The skirts stuck out harshly to the side like tutus and the sleeves were excessively puffy. Their hair was up in two buns on opposite sides of their head with ribbons tied in them. "I would like to see how much you would laugh if you were in this," Silane growled.
"I don't know Silane. Don't you think they're flattering," said Luka, bending over showing a frilly pair of undergarments.
"Could someone just tell me why we are dressed up like this," Silane pleaded pathetically.
"You're going to participate in the fertility celebration," said priest Forti's from the doorway.
"Fertility?" shrieked Luka.
"For the harvest," he added. The girls gave a loud sigh. "I tried to warn you."
"Well I guess it's not so bad," Silane said as she shoved the skirt down.
"I like the stuff on your face," Rahool smirked. He stuck his finger at Silane and she bit at him nearly tagging the tip.
"I told them that green eye makeup doesn't look good on me. But did they listen?" The parade of women came out in the exact same outfits.
"How can this get any better?" Rahool laughed. He sat back on the floor and held his sides.
The large woman came up and put her arms around the girls. "I'm so glad that you'll join us in this blessed occasion."
"Our pleasure," Luka said trying to remain joyous.
"When the king arrives you'll dance with us the dance of fertility and harvest." Silane and Luka were speechless. Rahool was turning blue in the face in attempt not to laugh.
"Oh, go ahead," Silane groaned. Rahool keeled over in laughter. Even Collin snickered a little.
"Darien would have loved to see this," Rahool slipped out. When he realized his mistake, it was too late. Luka was on the floor bawling like a newborn baby.
"Puppy!" Silane shouted angrily. The women attacked Rahool. They cuddled all over him swooning, petting, scratching, and kissing. "Hey, don't think you'll get off that easy, Man." Rahool got a tiny whine in before the change. Following soon afterward were gasps of shock and astonishment. A sheepish laugh could be heard in the middle of the group. "You might want to get a head start while there is still time," Silane said irritably. Rahool ran out of the room followed by nine angry women. Luka couldn't help it. Her tears soon turned to laughter as she heard Rahool's desperate screams.
The women returned after a few minutes. They were flustered and fluffed up like angry chickens but tried to return to the excitable mood they were in prior to the Rahool incident. Luka got up and wiped her eyes. She felt a lot better releasing all her pent-up emotions.
A group of men entered the large dining hall. The woman bowed low as they entered showing their frilly posteriors. Rahool came timidly back into the room after coming across some decent attire and hid behind the girls for protection. Silane and Luka were the only ones left standing. They didn't see a king. "Which one is the king?" asked Luka in a whisper.
"I don't know. He must not like to dress up in all the robes."
Luka walked up to the guards. "I know what this is. It's a test. They want us to find the real king in disguise." She looked at all the men in the group. "It's this one!" she cheered. "He's the only one without a mustache."
"You're a genius," Silane said sarcastically.
"Actually, I'm the king here," came a voice below Luka. She looked down to see a child no older than twelve.
"Real cute kid. What a great costume! I bet your dad lent you his crown, right?"
"Luka," Silane scolded as she recalled a thought. "Don't you remember what Priest Forti said? The king here is-"
"What? Can't you see I'm trying to humor the kid? I think he's a little." Luka tilted her head from side to side.
"Luka," Priest Forti said firmly. "I would like you to meet King Ruggeri." He stepped behind the child. "I told you about him. The rebel force is making an attempt to overthrow him. He's not an incompetent child."
"Huh? The kid !" She dropped down to her knees and bowed down. "I'm so sorry!" Rahool coughed at the frilly sight and Silane punched him in the chest to silence him.
The king smiled and bowed to Luka. "No offense taken my lady. You are certainly not the first to make that misunderstanding. Nevertheless, I do not like to be angry before lunch it's bad for digestion. Would you care to join me?"
The tables were arranged in a horseshoe shape with the king in the very center. Silane and Luka dug through trays of boar, pheasants, fruits, cheeses, and deserts. The king watched wide-eyed as Silane ate. "The lady does have an appetite. Quite a compliment to cook."
"Take it easy on the fish," scolded Luka. "You'll eat the whole population before the night is over."
"That brings a thought to my head. I hear rumor that trade is not doing well, Your Majesty. Something about the fish market?" Priest Forti asked.
"Yes, usually at this time of year the streams are overflowing with fish on way to spawn upstream. For a strange reason the number of fish this season is half as large as it was last year. I don't understand what would cause such a dramatic change in them. I had scouts search the streams but they never found anything unusual that would prevent the fish from making their journey upstream." The young king leaned on his arm. "This whole rebellion is not only hurting the government. It's hurting everyone, civilians, families, I refuse to let my people come to harm over this power struggle."
"Is it possible that the rebels are poisoning the fish?" Luka asked with a bit of food hanging from her mouth.
"That is unlikely. They need the fish for food as well. If they poisoned the fish, they wouldn't have enough to feed themselves. I have not heard any news of a poison in my kingdom either. Had they poisoned the fish, surely someone would have become sick from eating one. A few fishes were caught in the stream to run tests on. We put them in the aquarium in the next room. My priests watch them for any strange behaviors that might suggest a disease or poisoning but so far they seem perfectly normal."

A knight dressed only in green came into the room. "Excuse me, your highness It's high noon."
The king clapped his hand together as the procession of ladies bustled into the center of the room. "Excellent. I look forward to this each year. Hopefully our goddesses will look upon this in favor and grant us a better harvest this year. Not to mention a wife."
"What? At your age?" Luka asked nearly choking on a piece of fish.
"Of course. I am nearly thirteen I must be married before I turn a year older."
"So you dance?"
"Every year on this day at high noon all the maidens dance as an offering to the goddesses for the hope of a good harvest and for the ability to produce healthy sons."
Luka stood up in defiance of what the king told her. "Pardon me, I'm not dancing this. I do not approve of a child marriage. Put on the dress, all right, dance for the harvest, fine, but dance for sons, I don't think so. Who wants sons? They just turn into trouble later on."
"This tradition has gone on for thousands of years. How dare you try the patience of the goddesses."
"Yea I'll show those girls a thing or two when they get here."
"Luka shut up and dance," Silane said. "We don't want anymore enemies, especially someone whom we may need help from."
"Fine, fine. I will dance. I don't know why, but I will."
The women got into a large circle and did a series of kicks and turns. Rahool and Collin seemed to be enjoying it much more than anybody else. Silane and Luka messed the whole flow of the dance. Since they were unaccustomed to the moves they had to copy everything a fraction after it happened. The dance was quite repetitive though and was easy to follow most of the time. Silane and Luka ended up next to each other on the far end of the room apart from the group.
Luka grabbed onto Silane's arm and pulled her close. "If we're going to do this, we're going to have to do it right. When we were changing into these things I saw something that might be a bit more. promising."
As the dance ended, Rahool stood up to clap and looked through the mass of women. "Where is Silane and Luka?" The torches in the room slowly died and went out. Since the room was deep inside the castle keep, no sunlight reached the chamber.
"Somehow I just know those girls are responsible for this," Priest Forti moaned into his hands.
The king had not heard Priest Forti. "Guards draw your swords," he whispered. "I ca not believe the rebels would try and attack on such a day." The king squinted in the darkness but couldn't see any forms.
A soft glow of light came from the doorway and tinkling of tiny bells could be heard. The guards quickly shifted positions toward the door. Priest Forti and the others had no knowledge of the silent bodyguards, which waited by the door with poised swords . A lone flame traveled through the door into the middle of the room. The guards followed it with their eyes as it moved closer and closer to where the king sat until it ultimately stopped and hung before him. Suddenly the room burst with light. Silane and Luka stood on either side of the king. "How's that for an entrance?" Luka asked with a gleam in her eye. The guards dropped their swords in astonishment. "Well, I guess that's a good sign."
Silane stood in an elegant position beside Luka. Her outfit was a long and flowing with tiny colorful stones dotted over the top making her shimmer when she moved. She left her hair in the buns but placed white flowers in them, making it appear a little less childish. Bells adorned her ankles and hair. The slightest movement brought a chorus of rings to sound.

Luka stood with two large red fans covering her body. "Now we'll show you the dance of the goddesses."
Priest Forti clapped his forehead with the heel of his hand. He knew he should have kept a closer eye on the two.
Luka dimmed the torches in preparation. She shifted to the side while spinning the fans above her head. As she span, the torches went out a second time. The room was cast in darkness. Suddenly the fans burst into flames. Luka could be seen in their light as she circled them over her head. Sparks danced off the fans and Luka stuck them in the air like red fireflies. She twisted the fans close to her clothing so that the thin ribbons and tassels caught fire. She began to appear like a flaming Phoenix before it was burnt to cinders. She flicked her wrists and the fans extinguished. She dropped them on the ground before her and stepped gracefully over them. Luka approached the young king and took down her hair in a dramatic flip. It fell down to her waist and hung in smooth waves. "My buns were giving me such a headache." She giggled tossing her hair back. It burst into a grand blaze. She twirled about the room like a flame, her hair and clothing bright with the orange and red tongues. She leapt backwards to retrieve her fans from the ground and lighting them once more, whirled around in a brilliant fiery gyre. There was no way of telling what was what. The lights returned to normal finding Luka sitting on the floor with the fans unfurled behind her like a peacock tail. Her hair and clothes showed no sign that fire had ever touched them. The room was silent. Luka stood up bewildered why no one seemed to have enjoyed her performance in the least bit. Rahool fell sideways out of his chair causing a chain reaction of noise. The group rose from their chairs in a standing ovation. Luka turned in a tight circle, bowing.
Silane stepped to the side butting Luka out of the picture. "You've had your fun. But now it's my turn." She drew her hands together forming a ball before her. She grabbed the very tip of the sphere and carefully unwrapped it like a ball of twine. It unfurled into long ribbon of water. She danced and leapt across the room all the while bringing the ribbon with her. The chiming of the bells marked her flocculent movements. As she danced, the young king could not remove his eyes from her. She met his glance and winked at him. Silane wiped her ribbon to the side and latched onto Luka's arm, pulling her back it. The ribbion condensed and reformed into a perfect clear sphere. It rose into the air like a bubble and popped, sending tiny drops of water to fill the room. Luka lit a fire and closed her hands around it. She opened her palms and blew out over them. Sparks fled from her hands and hung by the water. The girls gave one more final bow before extinguishing the lights and replacing their forms with sparks and a sprig of water.
The men rose in a thunderous throng of hollers, whistles, and claps. Even Priest Forti couldn't help but to show some support. The only ones who were displeased by the display were the women. They were annoyed with the untraditional dance. "How could you allow them to do that, your highness?" asked one woman as the lights grew to their normal intensity. "Those outfits are used for the day of mourning. They represent ravaging fire and flood. Because of them our crops will fail without a doubt. I hate to think of what kind of children will come of this."
The girls skipped merrily back into the room and bowed low once more. King Rugerri stood up and walked over to Silane and Luka. "I approve of their dance. It was quite entertaining." He smiled at Silane and offered his hand to her. "Come with me. I wish to hear about your journey so far. I'll show you our tank as well. It is the largest in all of Nadia."
Silane pranced ahead while Luka grumbled behind everyone. "Great, fish. I'm so excited."
Rahool walked up beside her and put his hand on her head. "Nice show, Luka. You're going to have to do that for Darien, when we find him. I know that he'll enjoy. I can't wait to see the look on his face." Luka nodded grievously. He brought her in close. "I'm sorry for making you cry earlier."
"That's alright. I'm sorry that Silane exposed you."
Rahool laughed sheepishly. "Those ladies sure do run fast."
The room, which held the fish tank, was about twice the size of the dinning room. It had a one obscure window near the ceiling that let the sun form a natural spotlight on the tank. The king put his hand against the glass. "It fills the entire next room. The tank is filled with nearly thirty different species including the fish from the streams." Luka pressed her face against the glass so that the nearby creatures jetted away from her. The stream fish were very plain, brown with dark green stripes. The others in the tank were ornate and unusual. "Each species in here is edible and used for our trade and commerce."
The king continued to speak about the fish but Luka had tuned him out long ago. She pulled Silane over to her. "Can't you talk to those stream fish and see what the deal is about all this?"
"Sometimes you amaze me, Luka. That just might work." She leapt up toward the tiny opening at the top, normally reserved for dropping in food, but Silane was unsuccessful in her trial to reach it. "Give me a leg up." Luka made a step with her clasped hands for Silane to push off from. She was able to grab the very edge of the enclosure.
The king looked over and noticed the girls trying to get in the tank. "What are you doing? You'll scare the fish." Luka dropped her hands, leaving Silane hanging from the rim. A few guards walked over to pull her off.
Luka had to create a diversion until Silane got in. She burst into flame. Her whole body was engulfed in it. She fizzled out leaving only her hair blazing. She screamed and ran around the room. "It won't go out. Help! Somebody put it out!" Several men attempted to tackle her to the floor but each was unsuccessful at pinning her down. The plan had worked and Silane was able to roll over the edge. "Get me too," Luka yelled. "I want to get in." Silane stuck her hand from the tank. Luka stopped before she took Silane's hand. She turned to the guards and extinguished her hair. "Oh good it went out." She laughed as Silane pulled her up into the tank.
The king was furious. "I demand you get out of there this instant. You are putting our whole industry in jeopardy by being in there." Luka did a backflip in the water just to mock the fuming king.
Luka swam back into the tank where Silane was perched on a large stone. Three of the stream fish were gathered around her. Luka noticed a guard being pushed up to the tank. She had to stop him so that Silane would be able to figure out the problem. She stuck her head out over the top, looking the guard in the face. She spat the water out at him and pushed him off balance. She bit her lip when he fell into a hard wooden chair, breaking it. She traced the top of the tank with a hot fire to discourage the soldiers from attempting to get in again and swam back to Silane. "Hurry up. Did you find out anything?" The guards were climbing up a second time. They dumped water buckets on the flames to put them out. Luka growled and rushed back. She was too late; a solider had already entered the tank. In his alacrity to enter the enclosure, he had absentmindedly forgotten to remove his weighty armor which caused him to sink to the bottom and remain there. Luka could have easily gotten away from him but she couldn't bear to see him struggling helplessly to the surface. She shoved him up to the top where he could get a handhold on the tank. She tried to get back away from him when he reached the top but he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her out. She spat the water from her lungs out on the floor at the king's feet. The soldier quickly removed his heavy armor and went in after Silane. Luka tried to scramble back in but two guards pulled her down and held their swords at her throat.
"It is quite pitiful when a situation like this seems normal and almost expected," Luka sighed. The guard threw Silane out and followed afterward. Luka saw the plight they had created for everyone; Collin and Priest Forti were tied down and gagged while they had Rahool pinned in a corner with three soldiers at ready with spears. Luka and Silane were backed up against the tank with swords at their throats.
The king scowled at the girls. "What were you thinking? You have turned this critical tank into a swimming hole. The fish will no doubt die of fright and you will have caused the downfall of my kingdom just like that. Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throats right here and now. I should have guessed that you were spies from the rebel force. I'm a fool for not testing you properly."
"No, really we were trying to help," cried Luka.
"Be silent while the king is talking," A guard said, pressing the blade harder on her neck.
"Please listen to us. We aren't who you think we are."
"I've heard enough. Kill the fire demon." The guards swung at Luka. She dodged to the left so the sword only cut her sleeve. It fell open showing a dark scar on her shoulder. She covered it rapidly but the king saw it in time. "So it is true. No dignified person would wear such a mark. Kill them all." Silane ducked down and kicked a guard out of the way. She formed a hard shield around Collin and his father. The guards had underestimated Rahool and he crashed through the guards to stand by Luka. Three men would have been enough to contain one man but not a horse-sized wolf. He snarled at the men and positioned to attack, but Luka held him back. His wolf form held strength beyond measure yet he was still mortal. There was no way he could defeat all the guards in the room without getting hurt substantially, if not mortally.
Luka and Silane began to glow gently. Silane spoke up to the hostile guards, "Put down your weapons. We mean no one any harm. We are here to serve his majesty and have come out of our way in order to help him concur the opposing force."
"How do I know that this is not more of your trickery?" asked the king.
"We are not magicians, priests, or other types of illusionists we are the goddesses of Ceryto. I apologize for the abrupt intrusion of the tank. You see, I spoke to the fish of the stream. I know whatis happening."
The king glanced back at the tank and at Silane, who was glowing a polished blue. "Guards put down your weapons." They reluctantly obeyed but stayed close with their hands flicking eagerly to their weapons at each sound.
"What did they tell you?" the king asked, approaching Silane.
"The rebel forces have set barriers at the mouths of the streams. They can't be seen and they cover the entire area so as not to let a fish through. They congregate like mad around the blockades and at night the men return to scoop out all the fish. They are easy to catch when they are so instinctively driven and grouped together in a tight area. The few that you found in the stream either got in before the barriers were in place or were able to struggle free from the nets."
The king turned to one of the guards. "Send out a team and check to see if what she says is true. If it is how she says, post six guards at each stream. Destroy the barriers and kill the men who come with the nets." When no one moved he yelled, "Get out of here before I kill you all." The guards ran from the room at the threat. The king sighed heavily. "Stay in here. I want to be sure that what you say is true before I let you roam freely." He left abruptly, followed timidly by his bodygaurds, who kept their distance regardless of the fact that their leader was no taller than mid chest. The room fell silent as a sturdy bolt was slid into place before the door.
Luka rushed forward, testing the lock with her weight. "What if Darien needs my help? I won't be able to get to him."
Silane pulled her back and sat her in a padded, velvet chair. "Stay put. We don't want anymore misunderstandings. They'll let us out tomorrow. We'll look again later." Luka pulled Rahool into her lap for comfort.
"Sleep," he said, pressing his nose under her chin. Feeling comforted by his mix of affectionate humanity and charming appearance, Luka curled up around the dog and slept better than she had since arriving to Nadia.
Early in the morning, the doors were thrown open with fervency so that the hinges screamed and cracked. The gentlemen of the room bolted to alertness Their hars treatment the day before had left them in a charged and combative mood. Luka simply rolled over, shoving Rahool from the chair so that he hit into the ground with his chin. Silane lifted her head to see the young king walking gallantly up to her. "Welcome goddesses of Nadia."
Luka tumbled out of her chair half-asleep. "Where? Where are they? Nice ta meet cha."
"Silane, Luka, I am proud to be the first to officially welcome you to Nadia." He took the girls' hands and kissed them. "Forgive me for not believing you. I am still a foolish boy."
"Wait. Hold on. I'm lost. Where are the other goddesses?" Luka said, twisting around to see the whole room.
"What other goddesses? You are the only ones here. The guards went to the rivers and everything was exactly as you said. I am overjoyed that you will help us to peacefully resolve this rebellion."
"Are you quiet certain it's us? I mean I'm sure lots of girls come through here," Silane remarked.
"Yes, we're quite sure of the findings. The prophecies were all meet."
"Not more prophecies," Luka groaned .She flopped back into the chair and covered her face with a pillow.
The king smiled and took a scroll from his priest. He unrolled it so that it bounced down the few steps, rolled across the floor struck Rahool in the side. He growled at the paper and leapt upon it. Luka laughed and pushed him from it with her foot. The king scanned over the old writings. He stopped at a spot, read over it three times, then shook his head and read on.
"May I take a look?" the king's priest asked. King Ruggeri handed him the scroll and within only a second the priest located the message. "Aha, Found it. It is written that two foreign maidens will come on a joyous day of celebration. One will have hair like that of a burning fire and will wear shame upon her. The other will help to resolve a plague, which covers the land. She will also steal the." The priest paused and read over the writing again. He scratched at the paper to be sure no dirt had stuck to the writing. He rapidly rolled it up and tied the string to bind it.
"Steal what?" Silane questioned.
"Nothing. It must be a different prophesy." The priest rushed out calling for his assistants. The king stood proudly rocking back and forth.
"Luka, do you know what this means?"
"Yep, It means we're not only goddesses in Ceryto but here too." She danced joyously around Silane.
"No! , but not only that. It means that we are down to only four goddesses that will assist us."
"I don't understand," Luka said puzzled.
"There was supposed to be six other goddesses. If we are the goddesses here then that means we're down to four."
"Four is fine. Don't you think?"
"I hope so."
"Now my ladies. I hear that you are in need of some help finding a member of your party."
"Yes, your majesty," Luka said leaping up in a fountain of determination. "He is the heir of the Ceryto throne. We lost him in Jux bay after the storm. It would mean so much to us to find him again."
"We will do all we can. That storm was quite horrendous but I assure you, if he lives we will find him."
At the beach, three boats were sent out to search over the area, some guards rode on horseback down the coasts, while others went directly into the waters. Silane and Luka accompanied the swimming soldiers. Luka went about checking the deep crevasses or holes that were hard to get to without taking a breath.
Silane was having a difficult time questioning the creatures. The larger fish were rude and difficult to talk to and the smaller ones were too excitable to get an understandable word from. She checked the tiny slow life at the bottom of the bay. They were helpful but never traveled enough to have any information that was of use. She trudged from the water and sat back on the beach. Luka came out a few minutes later.
"Anything?" asked Luka. Silane shook her head slowly. Luka sighed looking over the sea. "We'll come back tomorrow and look again. For all we know he might be back at the castle right now waiting for us." Luka straightened up at the thought and took off down the road at a run.
"Where are you going?" Silane called.
"I'm going back to the castle."
Silane, upon returning to the palace, found Luka wrapped in a blanket, sitting in a chair and hugging her knees. "He isn't here yet," Luka sighed. Silane sat next to Luka and tried her best to cheer up her friend that was never accustomed to being depressed. Luka sneezed and shivered holding the blanket closer.
"Did you run all the way back her in your wet clothes?" Luka looked up at her Silane and wiped her nose. "You're sick. I'm going to get Priest Forti."
"No! If I'm sick, he won't let me go to the beach tomorrow."
"This is for your own good. We have plenty of people looking. I'm sure it wouldn't matter if you took off one day."
Priest Forti bustled in after a few minutes and bobbed around Luka. He pumped her with medicine and sent her to a bed. The next morning she was worse. Her fever had increased in temperature. Priest Forti wouldn't allow her to get out of bed. He made Rahool stay behind and guard over her to be sure she didn't try to escape.
Luka threw a huge fit as they left. "Why can't he just do the healing power on me and get it over with!"
"You're acting like a child," Silane scolded. "He can only heal cuts and the like. Its up to you to get better. Go back to bed and wait till we return. I made a bowl of soup for you to eat. If you don't have a fever later you'll be able to join us on the next search but for now you have to stay here. Doctor's order."
"The doctor is senile. I'm fine." Luka let out an all-powerful sneeze, which startle Rahool from his daze.
"Yhea, you're fine." She patted Luka's head and left.
Luka continued to sulk the whole morning. Rahool had to be constantly on his toes to prevent her from leaving. He was completely worn out by the time the troops returned. He was quite a sight to see. He had burns on his face and fingers and to many bruises to count.
"Luka sure did a number on you, that she did," Collin laughed.
Rahool mocked Collin's girlish laugh and snorted. "I would like to see you try to keep a sick angry goddess in a place she doesn't want to be. I wonder how long you'd last."
Silane stepped into Luka's room. Luka bounced up from the bed. "I know what you're going to tell me so don't say it. It's best to keep hopes high. I feel great. I have a really good feeling about tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, Tomorrow. Have you ever thought of where it will end?" Silane fell face down on the bed. Tears rolled from her cheeks and hit the blanket making tiny spots.
"What are you talking about? It ends when we find him. I know the odds seem hopeless but we can't loose faith."
"When we go out again, it will only be the two of us. I doubt others will come with us."
"Why not?"
Silane lifted her head and gave Luka a hug. "They just have tired of the search." Silane wiped her eyes and left without another word. Luka slept soundly, content with the hope for the next day.
For two weeks Silane and Luka rode out to the beach. They scoured the sand, cliffs, rocks, hills, and crevasses. At dusk they would return exhausted in body and spirit. Luka did her best to keep everyone happy, including herself, by performing cheep tricks and corny jokes.
At the end of the second week, the thin thread of hope seemed and was in the most part unexistant. The whole gang sat at the king's table with depressed faces picking through their food. "Cheer up men. I really really think we'll find him tomorrow," said Luka with a smile spread over her face. She was the only one with an appetite and alone was making a large dent in the amount of food.
Priest Forti cleared his throat and touched Luka's hand. "I can't stand doing this to you. This false hope will just make it harder to accept."
Luka jerked her head up and dropped the knife she was using to butter a roll. "What? Is there something you have been keeping from me? I don't have to accept anything." She pushed out of her chair and sat down in the closest corner.
Silane bent down beside her. "I'm sorry," she cried throwing her arms around her friend. "We didn't want to tell you, but we should have. He's dead."
Luka pushed Silane off and got to her feet. Her throat tightened and she couldn't speak. The whole room looked to her. She covered her mouth and screamed. "You're lying. I won't believe it."
"Luka stop it! There is nothing that can be done. The whale found him and pushed him to shore during the night weeks earlier. Others creatures had seen him there as well. We searched. We looked where the whale left him and everywhere else, but he's nowhere."
"Wild creatures patrol the shores at night. I hate to say it but Darien could have easily been taken by a number of things," the priest said as gently as the topic could be suggested.
"How long did you know about this?"
"About the third day of searching," the priest answered.
"You just now decided to tell me this?" Luka flashed a quick color, turned pale, and ran from the room tripping over chairs and people. Silane ran after but couldn't keep up. A horse was waiting outside and she rode down to the beach at a mad gallop. The day was bright and beautiful but Luka hated everything about it. She didn't wait for the horse to stop before throwing herself off. She hit the sand hard and just lay there, crying. The storm played over and over in her head, searing it into her memory. She lifted her head, as another horse could be heard approaching. Soft footsteps came down the sandy slope and stop behind her. "We should have gone back in the storm and searched. If we went back, --"
"Don't do this to yourself. You didn't know he was in the water. You did everything you could."
"And it wasn't enough." She buried her face in her knees and sat there silently. Silane wrapped her arms around Luka and led her back to the castle.
The entire group walked in a slow procession to the beach at dusk. Luka walked at the front with Silane at her side acting as a comforter. King Ruggeri had brought a traditional urn but without the body, it was frivolous. They stood in a line facing the bay. The wind had picked up, making the trees sway and creak as if they too were in mourning. Priest Forti spoke up against the wind, "I never thought I would ever be cursed with having to do this. I had always hoped I would go before, but now he must face the journey alone and without instruction. We grieve for the loss, which the sea has so cruelly taken from us. He would have made a great man and a great king. We must now go on our new journey. We must live on. That is what he would have wanted. No man lives forever but a man who dies in honor of his country, his legacy will live until the last man joins those that came before him. The prophesy spoke true and shall hang in our souls like a heartsore bell. Fare the well, Majesty." He conjured up a white lily and tossed it into the water.
Collin handed each person a flower and one by one they threw it into the water. Luka held the flower tightly until the stem became limp and unable to support the bulb. After everyone else had gone she step up to the water. The sand shifted delicately under her feet. Her heart pounded in her ear like a viking drum that continued to beat harder and faster with each step that she took toward the water. She knew this was not right. She watched the flowers drift farther and farther out to sea and out of her reach. They were drowning like little children, bobbing in the water as the waves swept over them. She couldn't stand to watch them be devoured. She ran against the waves and scooped up all the lilies she could before they were gone. Silane ran out to Luka and pulled her away .
"No, don't! The flowers, I have to save them."
"Let them go," Silane said holding her back. Luka's legs gave way and she fell back. Rahool caught her and carefully carried her back with him. Luka didn't resist him. She hid her face in his shirt, ashamed of the sanctity of her tears..
The dinning table seemed staked with an abundance of food when the girls were not present to eat most of it. Silane was doing her best to console Luka at the moment.
"We must return to Ceryto shortly," Priest Forti announced. "His majesty wishes to have a more formal funeral there. The entire land has gone under a state of depression. The king has refused most of his meals and Katrina has locked her door and refuses to come out under any circumstances. We have no other choice but to return and continue with the quest at a later date."
"I hate to hear you say that but I respect and understand your decision." King Rugerri motioned to one of his guards. "Prepare three ships for departure in a few days. I want you to follow them in the third boat to be sure they make the trip across the bay safely." The guard bowed and left the room.
Silane ran headlong into the room crashing into the exiting guard. "Oh good Silane. It's nice to see you've got your appetite back," said Collin.
"That's not why I'm here. I can't find Luka anywhere. I left her in the room about an hour ago to wash up but when I came back she was gone."
"Guards are posted at the gate. She won't be able to get out at least."
"I pray she hasn't gotten into my medicine," Priest Forti said in alarm. "Surely she wouldn't be that grave."
"What about the swords?" Rahool added.
"We can't panic. Let's just split up and look for her." Silane spun around to face Luka who had been standing behind her, just out of sight. "Luka! Where have you been?"
"Of course darling," Luka said. She had a strange slur in her speech that confused Silane.
The priest came up to Luka to check that she wasn't hurt. He reached behind her and pulled a large bottle from her hand. He sniffed the mouth and put it down. "You've been drinking, haven't you?"
"No!" Luka stated. She walked around him and picked up the bottle again. "Yea food, I'm hungry." She plopped into a chair and fell over to the side. "Dumb chair. It broken." Rahool studied the chair but found no flaw in it. "That's alrighty. I jus stand."
"That's good. Giving her food should help balance her out a little better," Priest Forti sighed.
"Are you telling me she's drunk?" Silane asked.
"For lack of a better word, yes." Silane snorted and formed a water blast in her hands. Priest Forti stepped in front of her. "Don't bother her yet. She'll get her punishment later. For now let her eat." Silane went back to her seat and ate with a constant eye on Luka. She was quite a bizarre drunk. She would go through drastic mood swings at the drop of a hat. This became so much clearer when they brought out a large cooked bird to feast upon. At first, Luka found it something of great hysterics and continued to laugh at it for a period of several minutes. Without anyone saying a word, she stopped and burst into tears, yelling all the while, "It's so cute, but why doesn't it sing?" She poked at the bird several times, burning her finger on the pan. She became furious and tore at the bird, reducing it to mere scraps of shredded meat. From this she turned to a mixture of laughing and crying that not one person could distinguish which was which. Silane was about to quiet her, but Luka settled on her own and ate her food peacefully as a nobel woman would without making any noise and looking up to smile periodically.
Priest Forti took the moment to announce their departure. "Ladies, we are returning to Ceryto. The king wishes our presence there."
"What about the the rebellion?" Silane asked.
"That will have to wait. King Rugerri will be able to hold out till we return."
"I don't wanna leave," Luka whined. "I think the king is cute." She dragged out the last word, putting the emphasis on it.
"It would be fine with me if the goddesses stayed here for your absence. I have quite enjoyed the company of Silane." The king smiled at her innocently. She smiled back apprehensively.
"What 'bout me? Huh? You like me too?" Luka asked breaking every contraint of personal boundries.
"Sure," he lied. "You're .fun?"
Luka giggled and danced around the room singing, "I'm fun. I'm fun."
"You kindness is most welcome, highness, but we must decline. It would be best for all of us to return ," responded Silane as struggled to keep hold of Luka.
"If that is what you desire. I will count the days untill we meet again." He knelt before Silane and kissed her hand as no boy, or man for that matter, had ever done before. She pulled back timidly and patted him on the head.
Luka popped up behind the king. "That'so cute. He gotten a crush on you."
King Rugerri's head priest slammed his fist on the table. "Is this true your highness?" he yelled. The veins in his forehead bulged making him look quite fierce. The king nodded his head enthusiastically and jumped up and down like a child being told he could pick out any toy from a store. Luka was inspired by the king and joined him in his blissful dance. The king's priest began to cry with great whooping wails as if he had just dropped a heavy object on his toe. Luka saw him and also began to bawl all the while jumping around exuberantly. Rahool was so baffled by the others behaviors that he could not distinguish who was crazier. The king's priest wiggled out of his chair and took Silane's hand, shaking it violently.
"I am so pleased that finally we have found a bride worthy of the king?"
"What?" Silane screeched. She stumbled back into a table upsetting a bowl of fruit. "That is very flattering but I don't want to marry you. I don't want to marry a little kid."
"But I love you," the king whimpered crawling to her on his knees.
Rahool turned to Collin and nudged him in the ribs. "Looks like the kid beat you to the punch." Collin, about to put up a fight, pushed his seat back.
Luka looked at him dizzily and tackled him. "Darien!" she chimed. "I missed you a whole whole lot. I mean a really lot." She sat on his chest and giggled with joy.
Rahool lifted her off of him and set her on the floor. "Sorry to tell you but that is not Darien. You're going to have to snap out of this."
"Darien!" She latched onto Rahool's arm. He decided it was no use and he didn't fight her off.
The parade of women rushed in through the door. "We're here to prepare you for the wedding," the hefty woman commented politely. They began to shove Silane down the hall immediately as if they had been prepared for this all along.
"What is with you women?" Silane screamed. "You are the bringers of all evil." Silane clutched onto the king's legs to prevent from getting dragged away.
"Look, she can't bear to be away from your honor even for a little while," Luka giggled. "And I thought I would be the first to get married." After contemplating this she sat on the floor and cried.
Desperate for a hiding spot, Silane ran behind Collin. Luka stopped howling for a moment to yell, "Get away from my man, Silane. You can have the king."
Silane poked her head out from around Collin. "Since when has he been 'your man?'"
"Since infinity."
"That makes no sense."
"Oh yeah? Well, you're an idiot." It was no use fighting against Luka this way. They would get nowhere. The women grabbed Silane and yanked her toward the door. "I can't wait to be the maid of honor. I'll sprinkle flowers everywhere and be the cutest one there."
"Don't you mean the flower girl?" Silane grunted
"Yeah that's what I said, the maid of honor." The parade succeeded in shoving Silane out of the room. Luka followed until they bustled into a room and shut the door behind. She stood there a while, admiring the constructs of the door but making no real effort to enter. She turned around and spied Collin again. She skipped up to him and stared up at him with a large goofy smile. "Lets get married after them Darling." She wrapping her arms around his stomach, squeezing him tightly. "Oh no! I have to get changed." She spun about, and threw herself into the bridal room. The men could only stand about, assessing the damage.
Luka hadn't seen a more hideous dress in her whole life. She had thought the green frilly dresses were bad but this was ten times worse. Luka stared blankly at Silane in the purple wedding dress. It took everything a while to register in her head, but she soon was on the floor laughing uncontrollably. Silane dumped a mess of cold water all over Luka. It didn't make her stop laughing. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not going to marry the king."
"Oh yes you are. He has already made his choice. No one goes against his will." The large woman pricked her with a pin in emphasis of her point.
"Nobody can make me say 'I do' if I don't want to."
Luka walked over to the window and peered out. "Hey look at all the Darien's. They're coming for me."
"What are you rambling about?" Silane asked, dragging a few maids with her as she went to the window. A large hand grabbed her around the waist and while another covered her mouth with a cloth to silence her screams. Five other men climbed up through the window by a crudly made ladder and herded the other women, squaking, into a closet. They put an iron rod across the door acting like a lock. The women would have no way of getting out by themselves.
"We've got the queen. Now let's get out of here."
"Queen?" Luka asked, emerging from behind the drapes. "Silane why didn't you tell me you were royalty?"
"You've missed a brat," yelled one scoundrel..
"Just leave her. She looks too drunk to do anything."
"Now that was just rude," Luka cried.
Silane began to form a blast in her hands but the kidnappers knocked her over the head. "Looks like we've got ourselves a little sorceress here. We're going to have to keep a close eye on her." They jumped out of the window and onto their waiting horses.
Luka tumbled out of the window after them. "Don't leave me. I don't wanna be alone. Please I'll be good."
"She's a trap leave her," cried the man holding onto Silane. They left a cloud of dust as their horses galloped away. Luka stood puzzling her problem until she saw a guard's horse was tied to a tree across the courtyard. She untied it and brought it out to the road. The horse was tall and without a saddle it was arduous to mount. She was half on when it started to move after the gang. She was able to slide her leg over as the steed shot off in a gallop. The kidnappers rode short-legged, grizzled ponies, which, although strong and bulky, couldn't run as quickly as Luka's war-horse. She caught sight of them about a half mile up the road.
One of the men turned to see her, running full speed toward them. "Someone is following us. They appear to be alone. What should we do with him?"
The band turned their heads to see the approaching visitor. The hairy man handed Silane to another and rode further out before his band. As Luka rode closer he laughed and turned back. "It's a woman. She's probably a handmaid to this wench," he said looking at Silane. "Fine when she gets here knock her off and bind her. She might be fun." He smiled through his rotten teeth and turned back.
Upon arriving, Luka jumped from her horse before they could knock her down. Three men gathered around the stallion to capture it, but the horse was far to ornery to be kidnapped by such hands. Its ears turned back against its head and the horse bit out at the men. One grabbed for the reins, but the horse spun about knocking the man to the ground with its muscular hindquarters. It ran back toward the castle at a quick speed giving hard kicks with each hoof beat to discourage anyone from chasing after it. The men then turned their attention on the girl. Luka fearlessly walked straight into the mists of them. "Can I come with you?" she asked sweetly. She was met with only cruel laughs and a few toothless grins. "Good! I'll take that as a yes." She mounted a black pony and sat proudly on it. "What are you waiting for? Let's go."
A man yanked her down and threw her to the ground. "I think we should play with her now. We won't have to share her then."
"No," commanded the leader of the kidnap. "Leave her alone. Don't do anythin' to them until we get to the camp. I'd not have Futront come after me. You know how he's about these sort of things." The leader pulled Luka up and laid her over his horse in front of him. They rode for a few good miles into the woods untill they arrived at a large camp sight. The rebel camp.
Rahool sat back in a lounge chair picking food from his teeth with a finger. He had lost most of his money in the gambling, and the card games were getting old. "I'm bored. Where's Luka around when you need her?"
The maids locked in the closet were beating madly against the wall crying and screaming to be let out. Collin leaned forward in his chair. "Those girls are sure making a great deal of noise in there. Are you sure that this is normal?"
"I'm positive. You know how women are with weddings. It's just a mess of crying, screaming and hugging. Happens all the time.
"If you say so."
The priests sat down with the other men in the group and played a few rounds of cards as they waited for the girls to finish with their endless jobs. Priest Forti looked up to the slit of light that poured through the wall. "I had hoped to be leaving tomorrow but by the looks of things I don't believe that will be possible."
"I am siding with Priest Forti on this your majesty," the other priest said. "This comes at a very unorthodox time. I suggest postponing this for a later date. Let the ladies compose themselves and return to Ceryto. This can wait."
King Rugerri hung his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "I will comply. You are absolutely right. Let them go, but I want them to return in no more than six months."
"Does Silane get any say in this?" Collin asked. "Does she really want to go through with the wedding?"
"Is she not getting ready for the wedding as we speak? I believe she will be trilled to have me as a husband."
The soft scuffing of feet could be heard outside the door. No one in the room noticed as a new arrival entered into the room and listened in on their conversation.
"Luka would also be quite welcome to stay here with us. I'm certine we could find a man to tame her down to a well mannered woman," said the king cooly. "I know of a few guards that have taken a liking to her."
Rahool was opposed to the statement of taming Luka like a wild beast. It was true that she wasn't the classiest female but it was her awkwardness that made her character ever more charming. "Never the less, I agree with you to an extent about Luka. It would be nice to let her seek out a love to fill her. It might be the answer to getting her back to normal after the incident with Darien."
The prowler took the moment to express his presents. "Maybe I could be of help for the maiden."