Mantle: The Return of the Sha

by Gary Bregar

  Jonattan and Lizabet, now confused by the king’s remarks, watched as Zander and his company rode down the road toward central Terra. They both turned to Bella with looks of curiosity, when Bella said, “Let’s go inside and I’ll explain.”

  ****

  Bella explained what she could without letting them know the limited information she had about problems in the Outlands. Zander hadn’t told her what she could or could not say to them about the current situation, so she leaned on the side of caution and made only general statements.

  There is a matter which requires the king to be at Obengaard. The king is communicating with the other kingdoms.

  She would let Zander explain the details if he chose, and she thought it best to avoid a long conversation about potential threats to the kingdom. They needed to prepare for their departure. Bella had explained, with Jonattan and Lizabet reluctantly agreeing, that Bella and Lizabet would depart with Zander to Obengaard, while Jonattan remained in Terra to manage the farm.

  In the meantime, while Bella was packing up cases, Lizabet was quickly on her way to Dorian’s. She had to tell him the news of the engagement, but more important—she had to say goodbye. That would not be easy. He was her best friend, other than Carlotta. He would understand, but there would be such sadness. Obengaard seemed a long way from the village of Terra.

  ****

  Lizabet’s visit to Dorian’s would need to be short, so when she arrived, and Dorian stepped outside to greet her, she immediately pulled him in for a long embrace. Dorian knew immediately that something was wrong. He couldn’t quite determine if it was bad or good, though, which was unusual for him. Dorian had an intuition that bordered on that of a fortune teller. He always knew.

  Now, he gently pulled Lizabet away from him, seeing her cry for the first time. He had seen her sad, lonely even—but he had never seen her cry. It was upsetting to him.

  “What’s the matter?” asked Dorian, ready to cry himself. It seemed that joy was not the only emotion of Lizabet’s that could be infectious.

  “It’s just that everything is changing!” exclaimed Lizabet.

  “What do you mean?”

  But he suddenly knew the answer, even as he asked it.

  “You’re going away, aren’t you,” he said, not quite as a question, but matter of fact.

  “Yes, how did you know?”

  Dorian only looked at her with an expression that seemed to say, Really? Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?

  “Of course you know, you always know.”

  “So tell me everything then. Why are you leaving?”

  So Lizabet told him everything, at least as much as she knew. She began by telling him the wonderful news of Bella’s engagement to the king. Dorian was thrilled beyond measure, until Lizabet continued with her story, leading directly to her moving to Obengaard. He was conflicted by this news, since it would obviously be great for Lizabet, but it would also mean the absence of his best friend and the introduction of his own loneliness. Even though Dorian was two years older than Lizabet, they had become friends almost immediately. She was, after all, far more mature than her age. It would be difficult for him to gain a new companion.

  When Lizabet had finished her story, Dorian stood from the bench in front of his home, and looked down as Lizabet looked up at him. Her tears had dried by then, and she begun to slowly smile. Dorian wasn’t about to give in so easily, though. He was upset and wasn’t ready to see the bright side of things.

  But Lizabet was determined. “You know, your father visits Obengaard sometimes. You can go with him, and I’m sure I will come to visit. This is still my home, after all.”

  “I suppose you’re right. You usually are about things like this,” Dorian said as he surrendered, returning her smile.

  ****

  Lizabet walked back home at a slow pace. She still needed to make her goodbyes to the animals of her farm, but she didn’t run home as she had run to Dorian’s. Now, the depths of the changes in her life were becoming more and more real, and she found herself analyzing every aspect. New home, new friends and her sister, the queen—it was a lot to take in.

  When she arrived back home, she went straight to each of the animals and personally said goodbye. Some she talked to for a little longer (even though they couldn’t understand her), and to some she simply smiled and gave a light pet. The animals didn’t make noise, or cry openly as they had when Roni had died, but they became uncomfortably silent, as if depressed. Lizabet assured them that they would all be taken care of and that she would visit if possible, but it was a sad time for them nonetheless.

  By now, Bella had prepared for their departure—as much as she could, that is. The king and his party would be along shortly, and then they would leave Terra for Obengaard, only to return in some far-off distant future. The whole thing seemed rushed to Lizabet and Jonattan. Bella, with plenty of other things on her mind, seemed to put no thought into their uprooting. The realization of their move would hit her at some point, but for now she was perfectly content to keep the stress of it locked safely away in the back of her mind. She was destined for bigger things, and if that meant leaving her home, then so be it. She had spent her entire life in Terra. She had the fond memories of her parents, Aunt Roni and Uncle Tore—but she also had the bitter memories of each of their deaths. She would welcome a change—a new beginning.

  When Lizabet neared the cottage, she stopped before turning to open the gate that led up the scattered flat stones to the front door. She saw that the Dallie flowers had turned their buds toward the road, signaling that King Zander would be appearing from around the corner momentarily. The Dallies, it seemed, had put the final seal on her destiny and, although a bit frightened now, she would be happy for it soon enough.

  ****

  For the king and his men, the trip from Terra to Obengaard was uneventful—quite boring, in fact. But to Lizabet and Bella, it was amazing, and Bella couldn’t help but wonder how many times she would be caught gawking at things that would be ordinary to everyone else on their journey. At first, she was most fascinated by the smoothness of the ride on such a bumpy and ill-maintained road. A coach had been provided to her and Lizabet (and Carlotta) for the journey, and the maids who accompanied them had explained that it was the magic of the Sovereign wood that created the illusion. No matter what it was, she was impressed.

  She found out quickly enough, though, that her impression of the method of her journey would be trivial compared to what lay ahead. Their travels took them over a mountain pass that was just high enough in elevation for them to get a glimpse of Obengaard. They had stopped to let the horses rest, and Bella had stood gazing out at the site of the great city. Lizabet, by her side, had only gasped and then whispered, “My goodness.” It was far in distance, but the fact that they could see it at all had leant to understanding just how vast the city was. It was surrounded by a dark wall, and sat atop a slight hill overlooking a great open green space. The open area outside the walls of the city seemed to be dotted with dark objects that they couldn’t quite make out from the distance. Once the shock of seeing Obengaard faded, they realized that an entire forest lie between them and their destination—a full two days’ ride yet.

  ****

  Those final two days proved uneventful, other than an odd occurrence in which hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of chipmunks had emerged from the forest and stood on hind legs along both sides of the road. At first, this had made Bella and Lizabet nervous, but they soon realized that they had no ill intentions, but instead seemed to only be paying their respects to the king and his traveling party as they passed.

  As they came within a few miles of Obengaard, they were met by four Royal Guards who had been assigned watch on the road. Zander’s directives to his generals meant that Obengaard would be on alert, which also meant an increased security presence. Zander only briefly exited his coach to greet the men.

  Once they had begun moving again, it wasn’t long before they tur
ned the corner that would reveal the full view of Obengaard. It was massive, and Bella suspected there to be even more on the backside that was out of view.

  Now they were able to clearly see what could not be seen from their resting spot on top of the mountain pass. The city consisted of a castle in the center that seemed to soar above the city, with tall spires that jutted from the top in six places. Each spire proudly displayed two flags; the top was the flag of Forris, and the lower flag displayed the royal family crest over the dark blue and forest green colors of the king.

  Some of the structures that connected to the castle were obviously newer, and Bella suspected that the additions had been made by Zander himself at some point. The figures which stood in the open space in front of the city wall were rows of topiaries. They were of animals in playful poses, and between each of the carefully groomed animal figures were statues of all the past monarchs of Forris. There seemed to be dozens of them, and Bella silently stared at the statues as they passed.

  How strange it would be, to have statues of your family just outside your own gate! she thought.

  The entire complex made up the single largest thing that Lizabet and Bella had ever seen, and they both lost their breaths when first looking at it.

  The main gate of the city had looked relatively small until they arrived at the base of it. It was nearly twelve feet high, and the front was covered with an elaborate engraving of a Sovereign Tree. The engraving looked so lifelike that it appeared as though it was actually growing in front of the gate—guarding the city with nothing other than intimidation.

  On both sides of the gate were cavern-like entryways, and as their caravan approached, two giant men emerged from the caverns. They were completely bald with grayish skin and overgrown (but hairless) brows that seemed to be providing a good deal of shade for their pitch-black eyes. They looked nearly eight feet tall.

  At the sight of them, Lizabet pulled her head back into the coach, and reached for Bella’s hand, looking to her for reassurance.

  Bella asked one of the maids, “Who, or better, what, are those men?”

  “They are the king’s outer butlers,” replied one of the maids.

  The maid went on to explain that the giant men come from a long line of creatures known as Lopers. The Lopers had always served the king as outer butlers, and it was seemingly their only mission in life from the moment of their birth until their death. They weren’t the brightest of creatures, only having the intellect of a child at times, but they were dedicated to their work. It was simple enough, really; the outer butlers would move large objects, open the city doors and so forth.

  They would be no good in battle, though. Although very large, they were as calm and innocent as mice, and their feelings could be hurt quite easily. This last piece Bella thought amusing, but the maid had been very clear that the outer butlers should never be spoken with. You never knew what might set them into a depression or a fit of sobbing. She noted that, while it could be comical at times to see them going on as children, it was not productive and it was always best to keep clear of them.

  Although they didn’t know it, at the same time, both Lizabet and Bella were imagining the giant gray Lopers crying like small children. It was a strange mental picture for them both, and Lizabet was compelled to put her head back outside the window of the coach as they rode by them. She smiled to the butler on the left, and his grin widened broadly into a toothless smile. Even with the Loper’s overbearing appearance, Lizabet thought it was the sweetest thing that she had seen so far.

  Dorian would think this some magical power. I don’t think such things—when was the last time someone actually smiled at them?

  As they rode through the entrance, they came into a square surrounded by small shops. The square itself was massive. Bella thought immediately that one of their entire cabbage fields would fit nicely in the square, with room unused, and she felt a slight twang of homesickness which she brushed easily aside at once.

  When they came to a stop in the center of the square, Zander exited his coach and went around to personally open the door of the coach that Lizabet and Bella had been riding in, brushing aside the young attendant who was already prepared to do the same. As Lizabet stepped out of the coach, she saw that the ground in the square had the shine of glass, or possibly marble. Her eyes immediately went wide, and she paused briefly before setting her foot on the shiny material. Zander noticed her hesitation.

  “The floor of the square was created by the stonecalls, using the finest shifting stones. Do you like it?” he asked, realizing that, while he might have taken the beauty of the place for granted, she would find many wonders at Obengaard that would amaze her. The stone flooring of the square was only one of many.

  “Yes, I like it very much,” Lizabet replied. “It’s quite amazing.”

  Once she got a closer look, she realized that the stones had been shaped in a way that made them fit together perfectly. They had been shined to the extent that it almost appeared to be one continuous feature. The stones were not smooth on the top, however, as she had originally thought. The flooring was actually rough (as stones should be), but somehow it didn’t appear so.

  Once Bella, Lizabet, and Carlotta had exited the coach, a short gentleman with oily hair and an equally oily mustache that curled at the ends approached and bowed to King Zander.

  “Welcome back, Majesty. I hope that your travels have been kind.”

  Zander had intentionally refrained from smiling, and had worn the previously sour expression that those at Obengaard had known. Now, he slowly looked around at the residents of Obengaard that had quickly lined the square and balconies of the upper levels, and smiled broadly. There was a uniform gasp from the crowd, and almost instinctively, they put their hands to their mouths in shock as if they had rehearsed the choreography of it beforehand. Then an eruption of applause ran through them immediately.

  After the applause had lasted nearly a full minute, Zander raised his hand and the crowd immediately became silent as if they had been barn animals that had just received their daily ration. At least Lizabet thought of it in such a way.

  “Yes, as you can see, my travels have been very kind…very kind, indeed.”

  Now Zander noticed the man with the curled mustache looking at first to Bella, and then to Carlotta, who stood at Lizabet’s feet, tied to her string and shaking her beak in quick left-to-right motions.

  Zander turned around to Bella and took her hand, gently directing her forward so that she stood next to him.

  “Arthur, I would like to introduce Bella Abbot and her sister Lizabet of Terra,” Zander said, his expression changing to one of excitement. “My dear Bella, this is Arthur Steed. Mr. Steed manages Obengaard.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steed,” Bella replied, as she gave a light curtsey.

  Lizabet also approached and curtsied, “It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Steed. This is my friend, Carlotta.”

  “Yes, please pardon my manners. Arthur, young Lizabet and her friend, Carlotta, are responsible for my improved state of affairs. They should receive any accommodations that they might require.”

  Arthur bowed lightly to Lizabet, and said, “Yes, Majesty, I will see to it that Miss Abbot and her friend are well taken care of.” Turning now to Bella, Arthur continued, “How long do you plan to remain at Obengaard, Miss Abbot?”

  Zander’s face brightened as he replied for Bella, “Mr. Steed, please allow me to re-introduce Miss Abbot properly, for I believe that I may have misled you. I would like you to meet my love and future queen, for we are to be married.”

  Arthur’s eye’s widened as large as two moons, his mouth opening to a perfect oval. And while Zander did not make his announcement in a particularly loud voice, those who were standing at the inner edges of the crowd had heard. The news began to quickly pass one by one until whispers could be heard rolling throughout the crowd, eventually making its way to the upper balconies. Finally, a few cheers broke out here and
there until there was a rumble of applause and verbal cheer. The acoustics of the square made the sound deafening at its peak, until Zander held up his hand to signal that he would like to speak.

  “Yes, it is true,” Zander exclaimed, now in a louder voice that seemed to bounce from every wall of the city. “Bella Abbot has agreed to marriage and is to be my queen.” He then lowered his head in thought for only a moment before raising it to continue. “My beloved subjects, I have misspoken; Bella Abbot is to be my wife…she is to be your queen.”

  Another eruption of cheer broke out, which Zander allowed to continue this time. While the crowd went on, he leaned over to Arthur’s ear and said, “Instruct your senior maids to prepare quarters for both Bella and Lizabet; give them anything they need, for I owe everything to them. Then assemble my full council immediately.”

  “They are already assembled, Majesty. I relayed your earlier message, and they are prepared to meet with you forthwith.”

  “Thank you, Arthur.”

  “Yes, Majesty,” Arthur said as he bowed. He then bowed to Bella and held out his arm to motion to her. “Please come with me, Miss Abbot.”

  As they began to walk away, Zander quickly turned back toward them. “Arthur, wait, there is something else.”

  Zander turned back toward his traveling party and motioned for Balki to step forward. In the excitement of his announcement, he had forgotten Balki entirely. But Balki hadn’t forgotten, and he had already been filled with white hot rage when it appeared that the king had skipped over his introduction.

  “Arthur, I would also like for you to meet Balki Touro, son of Tate Touro. Balki will be joining us at Obengaard, and I believe his advice may prove useful. Provide him with anything he might need, before sending him along to join the council. I would like for him to have full knowledge of our situation. He may provide fresh eyes where others might be stale.”