Mantle: The Return of the Sha

by Gary Bregar

  A woman from the crowd knelt down by Zander and placed a mirror in his trembling hand. Slowly, he raised it to see his perfect smile. It was beautiful to him, and as he saw it, he smiled even wider. He had found it! He had found the thing that could make him smile again.

  But it wasn’t a thing, it was a child—a young girl who seemed out of place in the crowd. He rose from his feet, wiping the tears that were still rolling from his face, and when he regained his composure, he looked down at Lizabet and said, “How can I possibly thank you, my dear Lizabet Abbot? You have saved my life and I am forever in your debt.”

  “It is nice to see you so happy, Majesty. You looked so grumpy when you arrived,” she answered.

  Lizabet had been told of the king’s affliction, but this was the first time she had ever seen him, so she didn’t fully comprehend the magnitude of what had just happened.

  Zander looked at the others who surrounded them, and turned to the man and woman standing next to Lizabet. “Is this your daughter who has saved my life and our kingdom?”

  Lizabet spoke up quickly, “Sir, these are not my parents, for we are orphaned.”

  “Lizabet!” Bella snapped, “Do not say such a thing!”

  “But it’s true, Bella—we are orphaned. We have no parents, so how can I be wrong to say such a thing?”

  Bella turned to the king and said, “Majesty, it is true that our parents are no longer with us, but my brother Jonattan and I are quite capable of tending to our sister. She has not a want in the world and the term orphan, while accurate, is misleading of our situation.”

  The king hadn’t noticed Bella during the encounter with Lizabet, and he was now struck by her beauty as he had never been before by any woman in the kingdom. Her long gold hair flowing down her back with just a hint of curl, and her bright blue eyes, told him that she was indeed the sister of Lizabet. The resemblance was striking. The brother, Jonattan, didn’t have the light hair of his sisters, but the blue eyes were even more striking against his dark hair.

  Zander, taking all of it in, gave voice to the events, “So I have been saved by a young girl, who’s lost her parents and claims only a young boy and a chicken as her friends!”

  At this exclamation, Zander began to laugh as he had never laughed before. It was a full and hearty laugh, and finally his face showed it. The crowd also began to both laugh and applaud. After all, they were witness to an extraordinary thing, and the village of Terra would forever be known as the place where the king found his smile.

  Not everyone was happy, though. Balki stood at some distance watching the events unfold, and as he approached Lizabet and the king, he was overcome with nausea. His head began to spin and the medallion around his neck began to warm so that Balki, for the first time, understood that something else was with him. The inflock was scrambling to make sense of the force that was countering its existence. It was a force that was so powerfully good in nature that the inflock hid in the darkest corner of the medallion and reeled in agony. In all the centuries of its existence, it had never before felt so attacked. It analyzed the nature of the attack and realized that it was a force of magic, exuding from the young girl, which was inflicting pain on it. Was this a new kind of magic? It wasn’t sure, but it knew that it had never been in the presence of it before.

  Zander, standing among the crowd, looked around at his subjects, who were now fully celebrating his new demeanor, and raised his hand to quiet them.

  “Citizens of Terra, you have given me such a gift as this! I have, in just a short moment, been filled with enthusiasm for our great kingdom. I could not imagine that I would have found it anywhere, and yet here it is, hidden in the magic of a young girl on what would turn out to be the last stop of my tour. Your village has rightfully become the jewel of my kingdom, and I am forever grateful.

  “Although I did not prepare remarks that will be relevant now, I offer you my thanks, and ask that we celebrate together throughout the evening as though I had just become king.”

  Then, turning to Bella, the king asked, “Will you and your family please dine with me this evening before the celebrations? I would very much like to know everything about you, your brother, and of course, young Lizabet.”

  Before Bella could answer, Lizabet interrupted, “Majesty, I would very much like for Dorian to eat dinner with us as well.”

  “Lizabet, you can have anything that you like, and if it is the company of your friend that you seek, I will certainly not object. That is, if young Master Dorian is able. Is he orphaned as well?”

  “Majesty, I am not orphaned,” Dorian spoke up. “My mother and father are here.”

  “Then I would very much like to meet them.”

  At that time, Dorian’s two young parents made their way through the crowd and bowed before the king. “Majesty, we are Joni and Forrest Bellows, parents of Dorian.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Bellows, I would like to congratulate you on producing such a fine young man as Dorian. Clearly, he sees in Lizabet what others have missed. Please, won’t you join us this evening for supper?”

  “We would be honored to join you, Majesty,” said Forrest Bellows.

  Bella stepped forward, and with a light curtsy, said to the king, “Majesty, we will be honored to join you as well.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Zander said. “Mayorgovern, what arrangements have you set for me and my traveling party?”

  The mayorgovern, still wiping away tears from his eyes, said, “Majesty, we can accommodate you and your men in the inn, which has been prepared for your visit. Your squires may prepare your quarters at your convenience.”

  “Thank you, Mayorgovern, that is greatly appreciated. Would you please summon the Grey Eagles to dispatch messages to the villages of Forris, advising them of my good fortune?”

  “Right away, Majesty,” replied the mayorgovern, who turned to his assistant with a gesture to prepare a dispatch by the Eagles.

  The Grey Eagles, being the only animal that are native to all three of the friendly kingdoms, had long been employed as the means of communication among the kingdoms, and within each. Their ability to adapt to every language spoken in Mantle, along with their ability to travel long distances without breaking, was impressive. But their strongest power lay in their ability to find any specific location in Mantle. No one was ever quite sure how they accomplished this feat. They could find nearly anyone, anywhere in Mantle, no matter the locale. One needed only to tell the volunteering eagle who the message was meant for and they could be counted on to deliver. A volunteer eagle was the key to this success, though. No eagle would make a trip without first volunteering to do so freely. This could sometimes prove frustrating, but eventually one of the great birds would offer its service.

  While the mayorgovern tended to the king’s business, Zander made his way through the crowd, greeting each of his subjects one by one. Each time the king was offered a hand, he shook it, and each time he was offered the name of a small child, he knelt down with a smile and offered his own. This went on for several hours, with Lizabet and Dorian following close behind the king, which pleased him greatly.

  Balki, on the other hand, was not pleased. He made it a point of avoiding the king so long as Lizabet was present. It was slowly becoming clear to him that the medallion that hung from his neck would not allow him to get any closer, and this would obviously present problems. The inflock understood this as well, and it needed to move to another home if this agony continued. It could possess a person’s body, but that body would deteriorate quickly, being kept alive only through the black magic of the inflock itself. It would wait for a better opportunity.

  So Balki made his way to the mayorgovern to ask if he might retire to his quarters early, explaining that he was feeling out of sorts, due to his travels. The mayorgovern, knowing that Balki had only just joined the king recently, became concerned that he might be ill, and gladly showed him to the inn so that he could rest.

  When the king had finished greeting the peop
le of Terra, he left for private meetings with the mayorgovern and his staff. For a few hours at least, the village would clear out in preparation for the evening’s events. All but the workers who had been tasked with setting up for the party went to their homes to ready themselves.

  Lizabet and Dorian walked to their homes, also to prepare for dinner with the king. Along the way, Dorian nudged Lizabet and smiled, saying, “I told you that you had magic. And it’s the best kind of magic.”

  “Why is that the best kind? I only smiled at him—don’t be silly.”

  “No, you didn’t just smile. Just being there was enough to give the king his smile back. You don’t even have to do anything special, except to smile. That’s the best kind of magic.”

  Lizabet laughed at this, and turned to Dorian, “I’m not sure it is magic, but I’m glad that the king is feeling better.”

  ****

  When Lizabet arrived home, Jonattan and Bella were scrambling to prepare themselves for dinner. Once Lizabet had tended to the animals, she made her way to Bella’s room, and sat on the bed, watching her prepare for the evening’s events. Every hair on Bella’s head was being moved this way and that, until every strand and every curl was perfectly in its place.

  “Why do you enjoy watching me?” Bella finally asked.

  “I don’t know, you’re just so beautiful. And I think that the king thinks you’re beautiful too,” Lizabet said with a giggle.

  “Oh hush, Lizabet. Whatever would make you think that?”

  “I could see the way he smiled at you,” Lizabet said.

  “He just got his smile back after so many years. He’s bound to smile at everyone, I should think.”

  “Maybe,” Lizabet said, “but it seemed like his smile was a little brighter when he looked at you. Do you think you’ll court the king?”

  Bella began to laugh, and said, “Lizabet, the king doesn’t court, he marries!”

  “Well then, do you think you’ll marry the king?”

  Bella began to blush at the thought of this. She had never thought of the possibility before, and now she felt somewhat arrogant for thinking about it now. “Lizabet, the king will marry, but he will have his choice of any available lady in the kingdom. Surely, he would not ask me. Now go get dressed so we won’t be late.”

  ****

  Dinner with the king was rarely a private affair. On this occasion, there were more than twenty people at the king’s table to celebrate the end of his royal tour. Among them sat Dorian, his parents, and of course, Lizabet, Bella, and Jonattan. Lizabet had made sure that Carlotta was given a special place on the floor beside her. After all, there might not have been such a joyous occasion to celebrate had it not been for her, and continuing to be overtaken by Lizabet and Carlotta’s unusual friendship, Zander was happy to welcome Carlotta to his table.

  Throughout the meal, King Zander told stories of his trip, highlighting some of the more interesting visits to the villages. Bella sat listening intently, wishing that she too could travel. She imagined each of the villages that the king spoke of, and each of them seemed, in her mind, to be far out of reach. To her, they seemed like tales of folklore handed down from generation to generation. But they weren’t fables or myths; they were true stories of places not far from Terra, and Bella wanted to be part of it all.

  When the king spoke of the Spiers, Bella was struck by curiosity. She had heard of the Spiers, but had never heard anyone talk of them as friends of the Fories. She was realizing that there was a whole world of wonder that was just out of her reach.

  And when the king spoke so affectionately about the fairies, Bella was on the edge of her seat. Zander, sensing her interest in the subject, brought in the staff that the fairies had gifted to him, and Bella lit up at the sight of it.

  She realized, quite clearly, that the king was indeed focusing his attention on her more than any other guest. Now, she wondered if Lizabet could be right to think that the king had taken a liking to her. She tried to dismiss the thought as a girlish fantasy, but it seemed to be true nonetheless. Why shouldn’t I be flattered? she thought. After all, he is incredibly handsome, he’s kind, and I shouldn’t forget that he is also king. Bella felt she was becoming flush at the thought of sparks between herself and the king, so she took a sip of wine and lowered her head in order to prevent herself from inadvertently blushing while her gaze was set in the direction of Zander. She didn’t want to make herself appear so obvious in her own attraction.

  What Bella hadn’t realized was that Zander had been watching her even more than she thought. He had devised a way to study her face by directing the conversations of the table to those who sat either directly to the side or behind her. Each time he would turn his attention to those around her, he could discreetly look at Bella without making a spectacle. By the end of the first course, he had memorized every line and curve of her face.

  ****

  After the feast had concluded, the dinner party made its way to the village square, where the festivities were now in full swing. Upon hearing of the king’s good fortune, Fories from outlying villages had also joined in the celebration, and more from farther distances were expected to join as well. Terra had now been recognized as the place to be in Forris. The king couldn’t be happier with the influx of revelers, and now that he had regained his expression, he couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

  Although Terra did not possess the most lavish treasures of Forris, it did know how to throw a party. Fireworks were displayed throughout the night, as was the custom in most parts of Forris during times of celebration. And the skies lit up with the buzz and lights projected by fairies who had quickly made their way to Terra after hearing the wonderful news. They danced in the night sky at a great height, orchestrating the unique choreography that the fairies were known for.

  The dance of the fairies could not be outdone, although some Terrans, utilizing the magic of chicken feathers, joined in the dance with them. The dancing of the Fories was at a much lower elevation, but still added to the overall effect.

  Tables had been scattered throughout the village square, and on each of the tables had been placed fountains of chocolate, surrounded by fresh fruits and pastries. The Terrans were known for their produce and fruits in varieties that could not be found anywhere else in Forris, and the pastries that were produced by magic-infused flour and berries could not be matched.

  Zander took his seat to watch the revelers, but his eyes had been fixed on Bella for the better part of the evening. Bella and Lizabet had begun to dance with each other, giggling and carrying on with such energy and excitement that Zander could hardly contain his happiness. He noticed that, every now and then, Bella would crouch down so that Lizabet could whisper something in her ear. She would then lean in to covertly whisper something back to Lizabet, and each one of these transactions was followed by hand-over-mouth giggling. This went on throughout their dancing, and as Zander sat fixated on them, he could clearly envision a future of happiness and contentment if he could only become a part of this world that Lizabet and Bella had created.

  When the music subsided for a moment, Bella decided to rest while Lizabet took her dancing to a group of Spiers who had just arrived for the celebrations. The Spiers desperately attempted to mimic the dance moves of Lizabet. The sight was comical, given their size and their feeble attempts to imitate her.

  Although the Spiers were known to be very short and thin, they were also known to live for many years—in some cases more than two hundred.

  It was said that the Spiers lived such long lives because they had no measurement of time as it pertains to their own age. They do not mark the day of birth—or celebrate it. It was commonly thought that, because of this, they lived their lives without regret and without anticipation of death, which naturally allowed them to live longer.

  So, although their bodies may appear young, one only needed to look into the eyes and face of a Spier to see their age and wisdom. But looking closely into the face of a very old S
pier could sometimes be a bit haunting and, in fact, had been known to drive men slightly away from sanity if they gazed too long.

  As Zander sat watching the festivities, Balki approached and, with a slight bow, said, “My apologies, Majesty, for missing dinner. The invitation was much appreciated.”

  “Are you feeling better, young Balki?” Zander asked.

  “A bit, Majesty, but I’m afraid that I may have caught an ailment. My apologies for becoming a burden.”

  “Nonsense, Balki! You have not become a burden on me in any way. It is only unfortunate that you are unable to join in the celebrations.”

  “Yes, Majesty, it is most unfortunate. May I ask how long you plan to remain in Terra?”

  “My plans may be changing, Balki. I cannot tell you at this moment if it will be three days or a month.”

  “Then I shall retire to my quarters to rest, so that I might feel better if you should decide to leave soon,” Balki replied, as he turned and retreated toward the inn.

  “Yes, please go rest and may good health find you,” Zander said, not noticing that Balki had already walked away. He had already turned back toward the crowd to resume his glances at Bella. Alas, though, she was gone. Zander immediately became panicked at the thought of Bella leaving. A moment later, though, he realized that his reaction was unfounded. Why am I concerned if she leaves or stays?

  ****

  While Balki had begun to walk the distance to the inn, his mind was running at full speed, trying to make sense of the obstacles that had been laid before him in only a few days. He understood that the king was likely to surround himself with the young girl and her menacing chicken. He couldn’t avoid the king too often without jeopardizing his potential position in the king’s court, so he would attempt to present himself to the king whenever the opportunity came around. Being fully aware now of the inflock’s presence, he knew that it would become more and more difficult to speak with the king freely, without interference from the child and her vulgar magic. She was a counterforce to the inflock, and now Balki as well. She must be dealt with, but he would wait for the inflock to take the lead on the matter if possible.