1
The Empress Kiki sat alone on the grassy hills, which spread themselves behind her families' palace. With a deep sigh, she propped herself up on her elbows and watched as the sun slid down the sky, leaving a trail of warm colors, slowly disappearing over the horizon.
Watching the other children chase each other in the high grasses and flowers below her, it occurred to the Empress that she had never been more bored in her entire life.
2
It wasnt that she had nothing to do, on the contrary, her life was filled with all sorts of things. She had parties to attend, constant schoolwork, and endless palace functions to name a few. Yet she had absolutely no control over her own life. When Kiki was a young girl, she enjoyed the attention and splendor of being the only daughter of the Emperor Vladimir and his Queen, Memsarina.
Now, she had no time to herself and no say in what she did. Looking down at her beautiful dress was just one more reminder. She did indeed like the smooth silk gown with its long skirt and jeweled collar, but she would have liked it more if it had been something she had chosen.
With the setting sun, came the distant blasts of trumpets.
Twilight had come.
3
Dinner in the Orchid Palace was never a quiet affair. At the head of an enormous V-shaped table, carved from ivory and glass sat the Emperor and Queen. They were dressed in rich crimson velvets, embroidered with intricate silver patterns. Their silver crowns were simple in comparison and adorned with fire opals and blue sapphires. Seated next to the old Emperor was his son, Prince Lor.
Lor was in good form, carrying on a conversation with the Duke of Winters Crest while avidly tearing into a leg of goat. Kiki sat beside her mother picking at a bit of seasoned sea fish. No one engaged her in small talk and she made no effort to seek any. It was a night like any other, the hall was packed and the air was filled with intoxicating smells and cheerful music.
4
To Kiki, it seemed that everyone was talking at once and was much relieved when her early childhood friend, the Master of Entertainment called for silence. The Master of Entertainment was an always-smiling young man named Gregory, who took great pride in presenting new amusements every night to the royal court.
With so many curious eyes on him, Gregory stepped into the light, and flung his cape over his shoulder and called out "A good evening to you all! Most especially to our gracious Emperor and beloved Queen. For your viewing pleasure, I have crafted a wondrous performance consisting of acts that have come from places both near and far to delight your eyes and move your very souls.
Prepare yourselves, my noble audience, to be amazed!"
Even Kiki had put down her fork and found her self leaned forward for a better look.
5
At first, there was only quiet. Then a tall scarecrow shambled into view and bowed deeply, losing its head in the process.
The hall erupted into laughter.
Gregory began to announce. "This elaborate puppet was created by the small folk who dwell in the valleys of Lull. As you can see, it is constructed of copper, wood, and cloth: and of course, it has no strings. Who controls it, you may well ask? Why, no one.."
The scarecrow lurched into a funny routine of trying to pour wine with its clumsy fingers and balancing plates on its pumpkin head while juggling expensive glasses. What interested Kiki most, was when it took off its hand and replaced it with another. Hanging from strings attached to the new hand was a miniature version of itself, which joined in the routine by mimicking the scarecrows movements.
6
After much laughter and some well placed ooohs and ahhhs, Gregory ushered the scarecrow off the floor as the next spectacle was wheeled in.
On a rather plain looking cart sat the statue of a shiny cobalt steel lion. Its eyes were the only difference in its make, which were two dull looking rubies.
"This," Gregory said in a showman's voice "is a gift to his majesty from the Fishing Lord of the Magenta Coast. It was found caught in the nets of a fishing vessel last summer and after careful study has been identified as a lost artifact once belonging to the king, Halawin. As we all know, King Halawin was an old god who kept watch over the stars and placed the moon in the sky for all creatures to see by at night."
"Most impressive." said the Emperor.
"That alone is indeed impressive, my lord. What makes it powerful, however; is that it grants a true wish once every one hundred years. Our friend the Fishing Lord has given it to you, your majesty, as a sign of trust and friendship." Gregory replied.
"Trust and friendship. A worthy gift to be sure. As for wishes, I have everything I need or desire. A loving wife, beautiful children, and a kingdom finer than any monarch could ever ask for. No, I do not believe I could wish for more." Emperor Vladamir told them all. "Instead, we shall keep it safe and use it perhaps to defend the kingdom should the need ever arise. A fine gift indeed."
7
Act after act poured in and were ushered out by Gregory as the night passed on. There was the Amazing Otter Troupe who built incredible shapes by balancing their bodies on one another. A toad with a tiny hat sang in the richest baritone voice to ever be heard in the great hall and received a standing ovation after he had sung his last song. For the final performance, a swarm of different colored pixies flitted into the room, each one glowing like a tiny flame.
They began to dance and twirl to the rapid notes of a wooden flute.
Everyone in the great hall watched in wonderment.
8
As the pixies spun and flung their bodies through the air, the Empress Kiki was finding it hard to pay attention. Her mind kept wandering to the lion statue that was no doubt to be locked away in the vaults deep beneath the palace. Such a waste, she thought to herself.
"I know just what Id wish for. A bit of excitement." she muttered to herself.
Her mother touched her arm and leaned towards her. "What was that, dear?"
"Nothing, mother." Kiki said, managing a weak smile. By the time Kiki's mother had turned her head, Kiki had already made up her mind.
9
Long after everyone had gone to sleep, the Empress Kiki slid out of bed and crept into the dark corridor outside her room. Earlier, Kiki had discovered that the metal statue of the lion had been placed in her father's study, along with the scarecrow and other gifts that had come that night.
The old Emperor was a very studious man who was very curious and easily fascinated by all things scientific and magical. His study was proof of this, and as Kiki made her way into the study, she was grateful for the moon to help her not trip over any of the odd gadgets or strange objects littering the room.
Then she saw it.
Nestled in the moonlight and shadows in a far corner was the statue, draped by a gauzy sheet. The strange light and awful stillness of the room gave the steel lion a ghostlike appearance. Slowly, she approached it and removed the covering. Even in the soft light of the moon, the ruby eyes remained dull and lifeless. She reached up and ran her fingers over its cold, smooth surface. She marveled at how much more it seemed like polished glass rather then steel.
She cupped a hand to it's ear and leaned close.
10
"My dream," she whispered in a low voice, "is to live a life filled with adventure." At that very moment, the lion began to hum from deep inside its chest and Kiki's uncertain eyes widened as she backed away from the statue. At first the humming had been faint but now it filled the moonlit room as the twin rubies of the lion's eyes burst to life and threw a bright red light onto all of the curious gadgets in her father's study. As if it were a living thing, it started to move towards her.
It drew to a stop and reared back on its powerful haunches giving a mighty roar as it slowly boxed the air in front of her. The great lion dropped to all fours and shook itself, as if it had just leapt out of a pool of cool water.
Its eyes flared even brighter for an instant, then dropped to a low, steady glow. In a deep, rich voice, a tone of thunder so loud and near that it made her skin almost crawl right off, it proclaimed, "It is done."
Kiki's head began to feel quite dizzy and tiny white specks swam in and out of her vision. She wove back and forth on her legs and as the light of the lion's eyes dimmed back into dull lifelessness. Kiki fainted.
11
Dawn had just touched the land.
When next the Empress opened her eyes, it was to the violent shaking of her brother Lor trying to wake her.
"Lor?" she winced, gingerly touching the back of her head, knowing well that she must have hit it on the flagstones of her father's study when she fell. "Lor, what is the matter?"
"What are you doing in here? This room is strictly off-limits to us!" he scolded her in desperation. "But never mind that! Father sent me to find you. We must escape the palace, sister. We are under attack!"
He swiftly pulled her to her feet, grabbed her hand in his, and with the other, unsheathed his sword and led them from the room out into the corridor.
12
As they made their way through the hallways that lead to the many lower courtyards in the back of the palace, Kiki became overwhelmed by the amount of chaos unfolding before her. Everywhere were the sounds of people yelling and trying to evacuate. Palace guards were shouting orders to each other while men and women alike were arming themselves with whatever they could find; small children were wailing and everyone was running as fast as they could.
"Lor! What's happening here? Where are Mother and Father!" Kiki cried above the din.
"Not now, sister," he said in the calm voice he used when he was hunting or after he had completed his daily combat lessons. "Right now, we have to reach the catacombs."
They separated from the rest of the fleeing crowd and darted into a set of huge, open-aired gardens that were walled off from the lower courtyards. Hand in hand, the pair sped through the leafy garden, full of vibrant greens and flowers so colorful they could shame a rainbow.
In the middle of the garden stood a gigantic circular fountain, crafted from smooth, pinkish quartz. In the middle of the fountain sat an ancient oak tree on a tiny island of thick grass. Kiki was quite out of breath when she and Lor began to wade to the small island. Standing next to the tree, Lor's gaze was serious as he explained, "We must climb to the upper branches. We dont have time for explanations right now. Besides, I'm not exactly sure what is happening myself. You'll just have to trust me and watch carefully where I put my hands and feet." He nodded his head once and turned from her to search for the first set of hand and foot holds in the oak tree.
With a slightly trembling hand and the sounds of commotion just on the other side of the wall (and still in her pajamas!) the Empress reached up and took hold of the shallow indentation in the bark where her brother had just stepped. As they steadily climbed upwards, she did her best not to look down.
13
As they neared the high, hidden canopy of branches and leaves, they could both see over the tops of the high walls that sectioned off the Palace, which was the size of a small city. The large shapes of spiders with riders could be seen scurrying after people and pouncing on them, spinning them into cocoons and leaving them to find their next prey.
A pair of soldiers rushed to step in between a mother, clutching a small child to her chest. One of the soldiers attempted to flank the arachnid while the other distracted it. Alas, the spider moved with preternatural speed and managed to pin one to the ground with two of its spindly iron-like legs, while wrapping the other in a thick veil of crystalline silk. The trapped soldier cried out in helpless frustration as the spider brought its many-eyed face to bear on him. He spat in the spider's face, which the eight-legged monster returned with a spray of web that instantly numbed its victim into paralysis, his face frozen in torn anguish and fury. The woman with her child had not moved, but remained transfixed in fright. As if all energy was drained from her, she dropped to her knees and clasping the small girl in her arms tighter, she murmured, "Please do not hurt my baby."
At this, the goblin sitting on the spiders back threw his head back and laughed loudly as the spider bore mother and child into the air with its front legs and enveloped them in its sticky web. All of the strength in Kiki's body began to fade as she witnessed the terrible scene below. Her fingers began to slip.
Luckily, Lor had been watching her reactions closely and reached down in time to clutch her wrist.
"Its all right, Kiki, Ive got you." She dangled for a moment and, with her free hand, caught the side of the trunk and reclaimed her position. Lor let go and called to her, "It isnt much further."
And it wasn't. For not too far above them, she could make out a door wedged into the crux of the huge, old oak. Momentarily putting aside all other thoughts, she concentrated on making it to the door.
*
Down below, the spiders were moving too quickly for anyone to escape. Sitting astride the foul creatures were horrible little goblins, each one uglier and more ill tempered than the next. They were having the time of their lives.
Hooting and hollering at each other as they rode people down, laughing loudly in evil glee as the spiders spun their victims into huge balls of web. One goblin, a particularly loathsome little thing called Tick, rode up next to a comrade, who was throwing small bombs at a glass sculpture, and prodded him with the end of his lance.
The nasty little bomb-thrower had gray, peeling skin, matted black hair, and a stubby nose and he twisted around abruptly to gaze at Tick with a frown and a grunt.
"Stop sticking me, Tick!" he said in a mean and rasping voice.
Tick smiled a rotted, toothy yellow smile and gestured with his lance towards the top of the oak, which loomed closely. At that moment, the Empress was dangling from her brother's grip and the goblins on the backs of their hairy spider mounts watched ravenously as Kiki righted herself and continued after her brother into the upper branches.
Tick and the other goblin looked at each other and nodded. Bringing his gnarled fingers to his lips, he gave a short, sharp whistle that summoned two other goblin riders. In unison, they kicked their mounts into action and headed for the tree.
14
Without stopping to catch his breath, Lor produced a strange key made of twisted brass and opened the small wooden door which led into the thick trunk of the tree. To the Empress's surprise, the tree was completely hollow and a small wooden elevator lift of sturdy ropes and stone counterweights began lowering them down and down and down, through the trunk and deep into the earth.
"All right, will you now tell me what this attack is about and where everyone is?" Kiki asked.
"Yes, of course," her brother replied. "I was asleep in my room when Mother burst in and ordered me to dress quickly. She said that a goblin army had made its way through the borders of our lands and were invading the palace."
"How could anyone get past our border guards?" she said.
"Thats just it. I have no idea how they got through; they are the finest patrols in all of the kingdoms. I wanted to join in the fray, but father insisted that I take these..." he stopped to draw from his leather shoulder pack the slim, silver crowns of their parents and handed her the one worn by their mother. "...and find you. Then they made me promise to see to your safety. When you were not in your room, I was sure you had been taken. It was only by chance that I saw the door to Father's study open and looked in. What were you doing in there?"
"Nothing." she replied, regretting the lie as soon as it had passed her lips.
The Prince gazed at her dubiously for a moment then went on. "Whatever the case, I know the catacombs like a hawk knows the winds. There are two sets, actually. The first is the tunnels and drains that service the palace, which are all dead ends. Then there are the catacombs that we are headed to. I dont think anyone even knows that they exist."
"Then how did you find them, or for that matter, know how to reach them through the tree?" she asked, chewing at a tendril of hair she had twined between her fingers.
"When I was ten, I shot an arrow into the air because I had always been told not to and I wished to see where it would land. Stupid really, but I my let curiosity get the better of me that day. The arrow flew far above the walls to stick high into the trunk of this old tree. At first I was going to leave it, but the fletching of the arrow are my colors and anyone would be able to tell it belonged to me, so I climbed up to it and that is when I saw the hidden door. I made the key myself and, much to my surprise the lift was in perfect condition. I've been down here many times since, and if you follow the main tunnel for a couple of miles, it leads to the Living River."
"What of Mother and Father?" Kiki asked again.
"I do not know," he replied in a small, quiet voice. "We can only hope that they made it out safely. I've never seen so many goblins at once in my life and they were not alone. Trolls and Minotaur were with them. They were destroying everything..." Lor cut himself off as the lift gently landed to a stop.
From his sack, the Prince fished out a crystal globe, which fit easily into the palm of his hand. After giving it a good shake, the globe began shining with a weak light, which grew in intensity as the two of them picked their way over the rock outcropping and down to the path below.
15
Prince Lor and Empress Kiki did not hear the banging followed by an explosion, which destroyed the door at the top of the tree. Nor did they see the four goblins riders, atop their hideous spiders, pour into the shaft of the tree and clamber down the sides to find them.
*
They had been walking for quite a while now, each lost in their own thoughts. For Kiki, all she could think about was the disaster she had brought upon her family and the people they had sworn to protect. Fighting back tears, she reached out for her brother's hand, working up the courage to confess the awful truth of her wish.
It was at that moment that Lor stopped abruptly and held a finger to her lips, motioning for her to listen. As she strained her ears past the sound of dripping water on cold stones, she heard what she thought was a faint clicking. It was drawing nearer.
"I dont know how," her brother whispered urgently, "but they have found us! "
He tugged on her hand and together they ran down the gloomy tunnel and past strange carvings on the walls, which were coated in spots with thick moss and the stains of brackish water.
16
Soon, the pair came to the end of the tunnel. The water they had been following emptied into a large hole, which was positioned over the surface of a rushing underground river.
Lor took off his leather satchel and swung it over his Kiki's shoulder. Reaching inside, he pulled out his father's crown and placed it on his head.
"You must dive in! This is one of the sources that feed into the Living River-- it will take you beyond the reach of the invaders. You must go to the Oracle at the Burning Glade, for she will know what to do," he explained in a hurried tone, pulling his sword from its scabbard.
"But, Lor! I cannot!" she tried to protest, the clacking sounds of spider's hairy limbs growing louder. She could hear the barking voices of their pursuers and knew that they would be soon upon them.
"As long as one of us lives, there is hope for our people." He placed his free hand to the side of her face and kissed her forehead. "Be well, sister." his words echoing with a calmness that startled her for an instant. With that, he pushed her into the flowing river.
The water was shocking, and as her head broke the surface, she saw Lor turn to face the goblins as they swarmed into the light of the globe that he had set on the ground.
The current began pulling her and she felt a surge of pride for her brother as he cut down one of the spiders, its pain- riddled screech almost deafening.
Taking a deep breath, she let the cold, dark water carry her where it would.
17
After drifting along the steady pull of the coursing waters and trying her best to avoid smashing into the rocks hiding below its surface, the darkness finally emptied into daylight and she paddled to a grassy embankment which ran parallel to the river.
Once on dry land, and scouting a bit to make sure no one was about, she settled against a thick cropping of redberry bushes. Wrapping her arms around her knees and reflecting on her cruel twist of fate, the Empress Kiki buried her face in her knees and began to weep uncontrollably.
18
Sitting upon the grassy banks of the Living River, she must have fallen asleep. A gentle prodding of the shoulder and the quiet voice of someone speaking her name awakened her. At first she could not remember her situation, yet it all came back quickly as she realized where she was. Her eyes felt sandy and pinched from the dried tears of earlier. The sky had turned a sour gray and the land smelled of an approaching storm. She turned slowly to see her old friend Gregory crouched down beside her. His clothes were torn and burnt in some spots, and he strained a smile from a face that told a far sadder story.
Seeing the misery on her own dirty face, he held his arms out to her and she fell against him, afraid she might turn to sobbing once more.
"Their, their, dear Empress. I'm so glad you are safe. You must tell me how you came to make your escape from the palace."
"Oh Gregory, I'm afraid I have brought ruin to my family's house." she said in a low voice.
"Now, why would you say such a thing? Twas not you who brought the enemy host across the plains and to our doorstep-- it was that beast from the Northwesterly lands with his spiders and goblins."
She shook her head and looked to her feet. "No, I did not bring them, yet a made a wish that may have."
And the young empress told Gregory everything - of the cold steel lion, the wish for adventure, escaping with Lor, and finally, Lor's instructions to seek the Oracle of the Burning Glade. When she had finished, Gregory stared at her for a long moment, as if making up his mind.
"Well?" she said dimly, fearing that if he hated her for what she had done, he would be in the right.
"Well, it is settled." he said.
"It is?" she replied, as dimly as before.
"It is." he echoed. "For starts, you must stop blaming yourself for what has happened. You wished for excitement, not the destruction of your home or the capture of your family."
"They live?" she said, her face brightened.
"Aye, so they do. I saw them with my own two eyes. That does not mean they are not in danger though. I have some friends in the ravine below that I managed to escape with, together we shall find this Oracle of yours and see what we can do about rescuing your family."
"Oh, Gregory!" she exclaimed, and gave him a hug that knocked the breath from him.
"Oof! I'll not be of much use if my ribs are all broken, your highness." he squeaked, chuckling a little.
As they made their way to his friends, Kiki felt a wave of hope for the first time in what seemed forever.
19
At the bottom of the ravine a make shift camp with no fire had been set up. Huddled in plain, no-color blankets were the refugees of the castle that continued to burn a ways in the distance. Some she recognized, the others she did not. She saw a fat otter from the troupe she had witnessed the night before, his black eyes skittered here and there and his once glossy and sleek fur was now matted and filthy. Next to him was a small pair of faerie that seemed to be bickering with one another. On a rock a few feet away, sat a worn-out looking gnome or very small man, of which she could not be sure. His clothing was rumpled and he appeared to have a sore leg, which was being tended to by a matronly woman of dwarven descent. The little old gnome was complaining enthusiastically while she scolded him for whining. Off by her lonesome, and beneath a tree, a young cat-woman, or Bastillian, sat cross-legged with her eyes shut, her soft tail twitching back and forth at the tip.
All and all, they were a very sad looking group.
20
As Gregory and Kiki entered the camp, Gregory cleared his throat with a short cough and the others looked up in unison from their assorted going ons. They rose to their feet and bowed to their Empress, some with awe and some with a bred sense of duty.
"Thank you." Kiki said, giving them a brave smile.
"My lady, we are all so sorry." the motherly dwarf said as she walked over to the girl. "My name is.."
"Eloise, the laundress." Kiki concluded for her. " I see you in passing. Your smiles are always genuine and sweet. Your daughter, I see her with you often... where is she now?"
A look of grief came across Eloise's face, and Kiki knew the answer.
"They took her." Eloise replied in a voice that trembled.
Kiki reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We will get her back; I promise."
"I believe you. We must not give up hope." Eloise said, managing a tight smile.
"No, we mustn't." Kiki said, looking her into her eyes.
Gregory stepped forward and summoned his ability for introduction. "If it pleases everyone, I'll introduce you all to her majesty."
"I ken introduce me own self, sonny." the little gnome called as he clamored off his rock and limped over to the empress. "Yer ladyship, I'm known as Lumpit, of the Lull Valley gnomes." He held out his gnarled little hand, which Kiki took and he stood on tiptoe and kissed hers with a loud smacking noise. She couldn't help but notice the beautiful rings of different styles he wore on his stubby, yet powerful fingers. Some were of dull metal with rough unpolished stones and others were of precious gold and strange-hued silvers beset with rare gems.
"Pretty things, eh?" he gave a rough little laugh and brought them up to show them off to her. "Made most of em' I made meself, each one potent with its own uniqueness, dontcha know. And that shy little guy," he continued, pointing to the rock "is me familiar and 'prentice, lil' Jem."
Lumpit frowned. "Awww, c'mon out Jem, don't want to be offenden' her grace, I taught ye better than that."
Kiki was unsure if he was speaking to the rock or what, when a little scarecrow head popped out from behind the rock and shyly stepped out into view. Lil' Jem gave an awkward bow she immediately recognized and she curtseyed, suppressing a giggle. The scarecrow was no taller then the length of a mans hand, and he sat down heavily against the rock, removed his wide-brimmed hat and set it across his outstretched legs. There was a smudge of soot beneath his tiny quartz eyes.
"I best see to the lil' bugger." Lumpit said, and hobbled over to his companion.
There was a smirk on Gregory's face which lightened to a smile as he gestured to the two faerie who, as if given a cue, pranced into the air on wings that made Kiki think of luminescent butterflies, and stopped to hover in the afternoon air before her. She could see that they had perfect features and, though they seemed exhausted, and maintained a brilliant radiance that mesmerized her.
"The male is called Laurelasi and his sister is Oshiana."
Laurelasi gave off a pale green light that seemed to fill Kiki's mind with a strange intensity, and he flew towards her and gave her quick kiss on the nose. The kiss spread over her face and through her body. She felt incredibly light-headed and the air around her filled with the smells of freshly baked sweetbreads. He flew away in a spiral as Oshiana delicately breezed towards her and whispered into her ear a language Kiki could not understand. Tingles raced all over her skin like unseen fingers on a harp as Oshiana's lavender glow filled her head with the same sensation as before and the fragrance of new spring grass and lilies rose all around her.
"Pst! Enough of that!" remarked Gregory sharply and shooed them with a wave of his hand. The faerie laughed in tiny yet clear voices that sounded like wind chimes as they darted to a nearby plant and settled lazily into lounging positions on its broad, curved leaves.
The otter, which sat in the grass watching, dropped to his side and rolled like a log towards the empress and Gregory.
"And this is Chooks, leader of his troupe." Gregory said.
"Ma'am." Chooks responded, with a tip of his head. His shiny black eyes conveyed a sadness that she easily understood. Kiki couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of guilt, though she knew that technically, she wasn't the cause of his pain.
His eyes began to well up and his little nose started to shiver, causing his long whiskers to twitch. She dropped to her knees and gathered the creature into her arms, where he began to give over to long sobs. From across the way, Eloise looked over briefly and shook her head as she returned to binding Lumpit's leg, while he was working on his little straw chap.
Chooks pulled away, leaving behind a mess of snot and tears on Kiki's gown.
"Er, jeez. Very sorry, ma'am." Chooks chirped, looking embarrassed and pawing at his wet snout.
"It's not a problem, really." she said, giving him a warm smile. He curled into a tight ball and rolled a few feet away to where he stayed.
Kiki's eyes moved to the cat-woman who sat aloofly, some yards away. Their eyes met.
"And this beautiful lady.." Gregory began, before the bastillian lass cut him off.
"Oh, Gregory." she said slyly, and gracefully rose to saunter over to them. "I," she said in a soft and velveteen voice "am September of Bastillia. At your service, madam." She gave an exquisite curtsey in her tight fitting violet gown.
"How do you do, September?" replied Kiki, returning the curtsey.
"All things considered, I suppose just fine."
"September, that's a name I've not heard before." the empress said to her.
"Ahhh, it is not a name from this world. It was a gift from a friend." said the gray furred bastillian softly, looking away. "Enough of introductions."
"Yes." Gregory agreed looking about the group.
"What's to be done, then?" Lumpit asked.
Kiki sat down hard in the cool grass. She looked up at Gregory for a moment, then to Lumpit and said, "There is no other choice before me. I must go after them."
Sitting upon the grassy banks of the Living River, she must have fallen asleep. A gentle prodding of the shoulder and the quiet voice of someone speaking her name awakened her. At first she could not remember her situation, yet it all came back quickly as she realized where she was. Her eyes felt sandy and pinched from the dried tears of earlier. The sky had turned a sour gray and the land smelled of an approaching storm. She turned slowly to see her old friend Gregory crouched down beside her. His clothes were torn and burnt in some spots, and he strained a smile from a face that told a far sadder story.
Seeing the misery on her own dirty face, he held his arms out to her and she fell against him, afraid she might turn to sobbing once more.
"Their, their, dear Empress. I'm so glad you are safe. You must tell me how you came to make your escape from the palace."
"Oh Gregory, I'm afraid I have brought ruin to my family's house." she said in a low voice.
"Now, why would you say such a thing? Twas not you who brought the enemy host across the plains and to our doorstep-- it was that beast from the Northwesterly lands with his spiders and goblins."
She shook her head and looked to her feet. "No, I did not bring them, yet a made a wish that may have."
And the young empress told Gregory everything - of the cold steel lion, the wish for adventure, escaping with Lor, and finally, Lor's instructions to seek the Oracle of the Burning Glade. When she had finished, Gregory stared at her for a long moment, as if making up his mind.
"Well?" she said dimly, fearing that if he hated her for what she had done, he would be in the right.
"Well, it is settled." he said.
"It is?" she replied, as dimly as before.
"It is." he echoed. "For starts, you must stop blaming yourself for what has happened. You wished for excitement, not the destruction of your home or the capture of your family."
"They live?" she said, her face brightened.
"Aye, so they do. I saw them with my own two eyes. That does not mean they are not in danger though. I have some friends in the ravine below that I managed to escape with, together we shall find this Oracle of yours and see what we can do about rescuing your family."
"Oh, Gregory!" she exclaimed, and gave him a hug that knocked the breath from him.
"Oof! I'll not be of much use if my ribs are all broken, your highness." he squeaked, chuckling a little.
As they made their way to his friends, Kiki felt a wave of hope for the first time in what seemed forever.
19
At the bottom of the ravine a make shift camp with no fire had been set up. Huddled in plain, no-color blankets were the refugees of the castle that continued to burn a ways in the distance. Some she recognized, the others she did not. She saw a fat otter from the troupe she had witnessed the night before, his black eyes skittered here and there and his once glossy and sleek fur was now matted and filthy. Next to him was a small pair of faerie that seemed to be bickering with one another. On a rock a few feet away, sat a worn-out looking gnome or very small man, of which she could not be sure. His clothing was rumpled and he appeared to have a sore leg, which was being tended to by a matronly woman of dwarven descent. The little old gnome was complaining enthusiastically while she scolded him for whining. Off by her lonesome, and beneath a tree, a young cat-woman, or Bastillian, sat cross-legged with her eyes shut, her soft tail twitching back and forth at the tip.
All and all, they were a very sad looking group.
20
As Gregory and Kiki entered the camp, Gregory cleared his throat with a short cough and the others looked up in unison from their assorted going ons. They rose to their feet and bowed to their Empress, some with awe and some with a bred sense of duty.
"Thank you." Kiki said, giving them a brave smile.
"My lady, we are all so sorry." the motherly dwarf said as she walked over to the girl. "My name is.."
"Eloise, the laundress." Kiki concluded for her. " I see you in passing. Your smiles are always genuine and sweet. Your daughter, I see her with you often... where is she now?"
A look of grief came across Eloise's face, and Kiki knew the answer.
"They took her." Eloise replied in a voice that trembled.
Kiki reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We will get her back; I promise."
"I believe you. We must not give up hope." Eloise said, managing a tight smile.
"No, we mustn't." Kiki said, looking her into her eyes.
Gregory stepped forward and summoned his ability for introduction. "If it pleases everyone, I'll introduce you all to her majesty."
"I ken introduce me own self, sonny." the little gnome called as he clamored off his rock and limped over to the empress. "Yer ladyship, I'm known as Lumpit, of the Lull Valley gnomes." He held out his gnarled little hand, which Kiki took and he stood on tiptoe and kissed hers with a loud smacking noise. She couldn't help but notice the beautiful rings of different styles he wore on his stubby, yet powerful fingers. Some were of dull metal with rough unpolished stones and others were of precious gold and strange-hued silvers beset with rare gems.
"Pretty things, eh?" he gave a rough little laugh and brought them up to show them off to her. "Made most of em' I made meself, each one potent with its own uniqueness, dontcha know. And that shy little guy," he continued, pointing to the rock "is me familiar and 'prentice, lil' Jem."
Lumpit frowned. "Awww, c'mon out Jem, don't want to be offenden' her grace, I taught ye better than that."
Kiki was unsure if he was speaking to the rock or what, when a little scarecrow head popped out from behind the rock and shyly stepped out into view. Lil' Jem gave an awkward bow she immediately recognized and she curtseyed, suppressing a giggle. The scarecrow was no taller then the length of a mans hand, and he sat down heavily against the rock, removed his wide-brimmed hat and set it across his outstretched legs. There was a smudge of soot beneath his tiny quartz eyes.
"I best see to the lil' bugger." Lumpit said, and hobbled over to his companion.
There was a smirk on Gregory's face which lightened to a smile as he gestured to the two faerie who, as if given a cue, pranced into the air on wings that made Kiki think of luminescent butterflies, and stopped to hover in the afternoon air before her. She could see that they had perfect features and, though they seemed exhausted, and maintained a brilliant radiance that mesmerized her.
"The male is called Laurelasi and his sister is Oshiana."
Laurelasi gave off a pale green light that seemed to fill Kiki's mind with a strange intensity, and he flew towards her and gave her quick kiss on the nose. The kiss spread over her face and through her body. She felt incredibly light-headed and the air around her filled with the smells of freshly baked sweetbreads. He flew away in a spiral as Oshiana delicately breezed towards her and whispered into her ear a language Kiki could not understand. Tingles raced all over her skin like unseen fingers on a harp as Oshiana's lavender glow filled her head with the same sensation as before and the fragrance of new spring grass and lilies rose all around her.
"Pst! Enough of that!" remarked Gregory sharply and shooed them with a wave of his hand. The faerie laughed in tiny yet clear voices that sounded like wind chimes as they darted to a nearby plant and settled lazily into lounging positions on its broad, curved leaves.
The otter, which sat in the grass watching, dropped to his side and rolled like a log towards the empress and Gregory.
"And this is Chooks, leader of his troupe." Gregory said.
"Ma'am." Chooks responded, with a tip of his head. His shiny black eyes conveyed a sadness that she easily understood. Kiki couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of guilt, though she knew that technically, she wasn't the cause of his pain.
His eyes began to well up and his little nose started to shiver, causing his long whiskers to twitch. She dropped to her knees and gathered the creature into her arms, where he began to give over to long sobs. From across the way, Eloise looked over briefly and shook her head as she returned to binding Lumpit's leg, while he was working on his little straw chap.
Chooks pulled away, leaving behind a mess of snot and tears on Kiki's gown.
"Er, jeez. Very sorry, ma'am." Chooks chirped, looking embarrassed and pawing at his wet snout.
"It's not a problem, really." she said, giving him a warm smile. He curled into a tight ball and rolled a few feet away to where he stayed.
Kiki's eyes moved to the cat-woman who sat aloofly, some yards away. Their eyes met.
"And this beautiful lady.." Gregory began, before the bastillian lass cut him off.
"Oh, Gregory." she said slyly, and gracefully rose to saunter over to them. "I," she said in a soft and velveteen voice "am September of Bastillia. At your service, madam." She gave an exquisite curtsey in her tight fitting violet gown.
"How do you do, September?" replied Kiki, returning the curtsey.
"All things considered, I suppose just fine."
"September, that's a name I've not heard before." the empress said to her.
"Ahhh, it is not a name from this world. It was a gift from a friend." said the gray furred bastillian softly, looking away. "Enough of introductions."
"Yes." Gregory agreed looking about the group.
"What's to be done, then?" Lumpit asked.
Kiki sat down hard in the cool grass. She looked up at Gregory for a moment, then to Lumpit and said, "There is no other choice before me. I must go after them."
Section 2 – the Oracle of the Burning Glade...
