by Joanne Durda
The seven riders bowed their heads to Theo. Theo respectfully bowed his head in acknowledgment to the arrival of his other Brothers, addressing each by name as he bowed his head towards that Monk, and that same Monk under that name, bowing his head in respect towards their ruler and leader.
“Octagon, Onion, Imbecile, Alme, Xnug, Pentangle, Ebrix,” Theo stated respectfully, pausing only slightly before saying the name of Imbecile.
Octagon stepped forward and bowed his head in acknowledgment towards his other Brothers in the main castle hall, addressing each by their name as he bowed his head towards that Monk, with that same Monk under that name bowing his head in respect towards Octagon.
“Theo, Uhl, Meek, Emm, Oxon, Radish, Sicar, Asp, Bean, Sooth, Musk, Oog, Algee,” Octagon stated respectfully.
“The hour is late. What befell you?” Theo asked suspiciously.
The Monks in the room set aside their work with the herbs as they all listened intensely with curiosity.
“The Kingdom of the Sacred Mushrooms was discontented to see our kind there. The sacred mushrooms were pulled with much resistance and took time and all of our strength,” Octagon replied.
Meek took a deep breath and remarked, “Afraid of what we might take from their kingdom, I see.”
“No! Afraid of what us ancient Monks and Shamans are capable of concocting with what we take from their kingdom!” Theo corrected Meek.
Meek bowed his head with respect to Theo, making known he acknowledged the correction for fear of Theo’s wrath by the simple statement made by himself.
The fearless Alme chuckled. “After all, are we not known for our unusual magic, alarming rituals and rites that we perform from time to time?” Theo walked over to the coarse, brown cloth bags. He opened a bag. Instantly, menacing steam rose from the opening of the bag. Theo curled up his nose at the evil stench.
“The bags are filled with amanitas – most with the death angel,” Octagon warned Theo.
“So, best not smell too deeply, my Brother. Or we shall have to spend the night bringing you out of your silent, poisonous oblivion,” Oxon added to the warning.
Theo snickered sinisterly as evil intent filled the air of the castle room.
“Now, what was the purpose of this mission for you, my Brother?” Onion asked Theo with apprehension rising in his veins.
Theo stepped away from the brown bags and the stench. “We all have been discontented, dissatisfied with our own dreary, bleak Kingdom of Thorns. We planted, grew and cultivated the Tooth Warrior Army for the Tooth Fairy Princess for herself and her Kingdom of the Calcified Structures. I redeem it is our time to grow our own Warrior Army and take on a more beauteous kingdom.”
Oxon, earnestly cutting in as he bowed his head with respect to Theo, corrected him. “Worthy of us Monks, Brother.”
An angry Meek jumped at Theo with words. “But that’s absurd, Brother! Our past ancestors are from this kingdom. Our roots belong here! This is where we were taught, groomed in our ancient magic and healing rituals.”
“Really, Theo, who cares about beauty?” Pentangle smirked. “It’s power that we should go after! What with our skilled minds, we should be able to take on any kingdom!”
Octagon was flabbergasted. “But what of the innocent? What of the slaughter that will follow? Think of the nightmares that will come thereafter, forever to linger and haunt!”
“The innocent can protect themselves, Brother. Remember that,” Uhl warned all.
Emm was annoyed by the words being spoken amongst themselves. “Speak of no innocence here amongst us. All are guilty of some imprudence or vainness within the kingdoms that dwell in this Domain.”
Pentangle, agreeing with Emm spoke out. “Emm is right. Speak of no innocence within this kingdom.”
“We would bring shame upon ourselves,” Oog quietly stated with his head down low, feeling shamed already.
“Man has shamed himself since the beginning of time,” Algee remarked with boldness.
“Is it possible that a wise man can live with shaming oneself?” Radish questioned.
Sicar snorted at Radish’s question. “Or do you really mean a wise Monk?”
Again, Theo chuckled sinisterly, seeing that he had stirred up his Brothers to capture a more beauteous kingdom. I must keep egging them onwards, he thought maliciously to himself. “Our skilled minds are not enough to capture a kingdom – any kingdom!”
Ebrix stepped forward and looked at all in the room. “Theo is right, Brothers! We do deserve a more beauteous, a more powerful kingdom!”
The rest of the Monks and Shamans in the room slowly started to openly agree, some with reluctance. Theo’s eyes swept the positive responses within the room. He was quite pleased. Only Octagon and Imbecile remained quiet and emotionless. Theo smiled, and then frowned at his displeasure towards Octagon. Imbecile, he did not care about. But he knew deep inside the very essence of his soul that Octagon could be powerful and that he, himself, should be wise to be careful where Octagon was concerned. I do not care to lose control of my kingdom to a Monk whose heart was more powerful than his innermost essence of his own soul, Theo thought to himself, with apprehension mounting inside him.
Oxon broke into Theo’s thoughts. “Tell us, Theo, what plans do you have for a Warrior Army for our kingdom?”
“We gather all the various thorns within this kingdom. We shall mix them with the sacred mushrooms. We will plant, grow and cultivate our own Thorn Warrior Army,” Theo explained with firmness.
Shadows cast from the bluish-rose flames of the violet candles danced angrily on the castle walls at Theo’s spoken words. The candles flickered angrily for several seconds, showing their disagreement and displeasure with the Monks as excitement overtook the Monks within the room, except for Octagon and Imbecile. A frowning Imbecile looked distressed, but knew he could do nothing about what Theo had planned. I d-d-do not d-d-dare speak o-o-out for fear of T-T-Theo’s displeasure, Imbecile thought to himself.
I must be silent and wait for what is to come, Octagon thought quietly to himself, knowing that nothing could be done until there was something to be done with. “Yes, best be silent,” Octagon mumbled quietly to Imbecile, knowing that the distressed Imbecile did not like what he had heard, either.
“And our thorns will not be defeated!” an excited Pentangle exclaimed to all.
The discord that filtered within the room by some of the Monks was not felt by the others, so great was their joy. Only Octagon felt the disquiet, which he shrugged off. He knew the worse was yet to come. He bowed his head, dismissing himself, and left the excitement of the hall behind him. He retired to his cozy room, warmed by the fire set by one of the lesser Monks, for the night. He lit and burned passionflower cones of incense to aid in his sleep and to soothe his troubled mind. After a short while spent contemplating his own inner thoughts, he fell into a deep sleep, with the frightful nightmares of what was to come. The nightmares made their appearance anyway, the incense not being powerful enough to drive them away.
The Scheming Agitator – The Keeper of the Special Heart
The gorgeous Tooth Fairy Princess and the handsome Savagio strolled together among the pink sandstone walkways surrounding the ponds. The princess was attired in a long, flowing, light lavender gown with matching ribbons wrapped around the bottom of her bosom to her waist. White ballet slippers graced her delicate feet. A white diamond hung down from around her ivory neck on a lavender ribbon. Lavender ribbons were interwoven among her long, braided white hair. Savagio was attired in a blousy white shirt tucked neatly inside his black leather pants, with rust-colored soft leather boots made from the finest of skins, worn just above his ankles. Both looked so elegantly clean, with shining affection glowing from within them.
From time to time, Savagio would pick a calla lily for the princess, giving it to her as he sweetly kissed her hand. The princess would giggle and smile shyly at this most wondrous man, who was so gentle and kind to her and all her attendants within
the castle and its grounds.
Two pairs of pastel green snake eyes, with Goldest’s golden eyes between the two pairs of snake eyes, peered out from a tree branch at the edge of the pond that the princess and Savagio was approaching. All three pairs of eyes were watching the princess and Savagio.
“Humph!” Goldest croaked indignantly. “I can see that Savagio is infatuated with the princess.”
Her two snake buddies, Meta and Methna, hissed and sputtered in protest against Savagio being so smitten with the princess.
“She belongs to Ushi, and not that flamboyant fancy pants,” Goldest remarked to her two buddies. The snakes hissed in agreement. The three sat quietly in their hiding place as they watched, listened and spied among the two coming towards them.
“I have invited some of the gypsies to dine with us tonight, and to share their musical talents with us so that we might dance,” the princess informed Savagio.
“Sounds like a festive, entertaining evening with a very beautiful princess,” a smiling Savagio replied.
The princess giggled delightfully as Savagio handed her a cream-colored rose after he had gently kissed the rose. They strolled passed the gardens of lilies and roses and then came upon the gardens filled with the French tulips.
“I have grown quite fond of you, Princess. I hope you share some of your feelings for me that you have for Ushi,” Savagio quietly informed the princess.
The princess smiled back at Savagio. “I, too, am fond of the both of you, and I consider myself blessed to have two warriors guarding and protecting myself and my kingdom.”
A delighted Savagio, after hearing the princess’s spoken words, walked over to pick a pink amaryllis, watched by a distinctive golden eye from the turquoise pond’s edge. Goldest nudged the two snakes. The two snakes hiding up above in the tree on a branch at the pond’s edge slithered down to Savagio’s back and pushed him into the pond.
Goldest snickered from her hiding place on the branch. Fancy pants and his flowers, a haughty Goldest thought to herself, with disdain towards Savagio.
At that instant, Ushi, riding Niciu, his gifted black stallion, out for their normal morning exercise, came trotting into the pond area. His keen eyes caught Savagio falling into the turquoise pool. Ushi directed Niciu over to the water’s edge. He quickly dismounted and gave Savagio his hand and helped him up out of the pond. A frowning Ushi, at the corner of his eye, caught Goldest jumping down from the tree. Ushi watched Goldest hop away with her two pastel snake buddies slithering along with her, one on each side of her, as if the snakes were trying to conceal her. Anger welled up inside Ushi to see that Goldest was still up to her sneaky, conniving ways in order to embarrass Savagio in front of the princess.
I know she is trying to protect my heart from being broken, but she should not be meddling between three hearts, Ushi quietly thought to himself The princess will have to decide for herself which heart the core of her heart belongs to, or which heart the secret recesses of her heart favors more above the other.
Savagio pulled himself together as a distressed princess pulled herself together. Neither the princess nor Savagio saw Goldest jump down from the tree limb or hop away. Ushi noticed the flowers the princess had in her hand and instantly knew that Savagio had given her each flower after he had kissed that flower. He had seen Savagio do this every morning as he took his usual morning ride on Niciu.
A thoughtful Ushi mumbled, “Escapade partners, I see,” referring to Goldest and the two snakes as he watched them disappear into the distance. Ushi snapped back to the present with the approach of the princess.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Savagio. I know my pastel snakes did not mean to come down so hard on you. They must have wanted to go in for a swim at the same time you picked the flower,” the distressed princess told Savagio.
She always aims towards the good thought and not the bad, Ushi thought to himself, with a smile.
An embarrassed Savagio cleared his throat. “I need to go inside and prepare myself for tonight anyway, Princess.” Turning to Ushi, he remarked, “Thanks for your helping hand. Are you going to dine with the princess and me tonight?”
“Of course I am. I dine with the princess every night. You already know that, Savagio.” A suspicious Ushi turned toward the princess and asked, “What is so special about tonight, Princess?”
“I have invited Savagio to dine with us tonight because I have formally requested some of the gypsy musicians to dine and play for us.”
“Please save some dances for me, Princess.” Savagio bowed and took the princess’s hand and kissed it gently. “With that I take my leave.”
Ushi noticed how fondly the princess smiled at Savagio. Savagio strutted off without another look back at Ushi, back inside the Cuspid Castle. Ushi shrugged off Savagio’s kisses from her hand and smiled at the princess. They both turned and walked together amongst the ponds, with Niciu obediently standing in wait.
“Flowers?” Ushi remarked with a smile.
A light pink blush rose on the princess’s checks. “Savagio has grown quite fond of me.”
“I have taken notice. It’s hard for any warrior not to.” Ushi thoughtfully paused. “Allow me to ask – are you as fond of him?”
“You both are so protective, kind and good to me. I favor you both,” the princess responded carefully, not wanting to offend either wooer of her heart. She was enjoying this delightful game of courting and was not yet ready to put a finish to such a charming pastime. She did not see herself as being a tease, but rather as a woman enjoying the male companionship of two very masculine warriors, vying for her hand.
“Ah, I see,” Ushi remarked lightly. They continued to walk in silence for a while amongst the ponds, each enmeshed within their own feelings and private thoughts.
I must quieten my aroused heart, keep it at rest, until I decide when the right time has come to make a choice between these two mighty warriors, the princess thought to herself. I am in no hurry to make my decision at the present. I am enjoying the attentions and affections of both of them at the same time, the princess giggled to herself.
I do miss the King and Queen of the Willows, the little Princess Augean, as well as my fellow warriors, thought Ushi, with a slight tinge of melancholy. But I am now obliged to stay, and give the princess time to make her decision of who she wishes to spend the rest of her life with. I have watched over the King and Queen and the Kingdom of the Willows for many, many years. The time has come for me to watch over my own family. And there is no one more beautiful and more special than the Tooth Fairy Princess who happens to be the holder of the sum of my heart. And as for Goldest? She will have to build a life for herself, but will always be welcomed in any kingdom that I and my family may dwell in. Goldest is Goldest, and there is and will always be only one Goldest.
Ushi made his farewell to the princess and collected his obedient stallion, who patiently waited for him by the turquoise pond. Niciu had a special liking to his master, who treated him well. Ushi trained him to be patient and obedient at all times in any given situation. Before giving Niciu to Ushi as a special gift, the princess had warned the stallion that he would be sent away if he did not give Ushi the same respect that he had given her. Niciu took the princess’s words seriously. But it was his trust and fondness for the both of them that caused the result of his obedience.
Ushi approached Niciu and affectionately rubbed his head. “It is time you and I finished our morning ride. You need to be exercised every day to keep you in shape for whatever may befall us.” Ushi mounted him and rode him away from the Cuspid Castle, out to gallop up and down the many hills on the eastern side within the Kingdom of the Calcified Structures.
Captain Cuspido, Spade, Enam and some of the other teeth from the Tooth Warrior Army were soaking in wooden tubs over hot fires filled with boiling water and baking soda. A wine barrel filled with mint fluoride paste was within reach with scrub brushes. One of the molars, Molanari, was scratching an itch on the back of his calcified
structure using dental floss. The teeth were relaxing and enjoying the aromas of the orchards.
Enam noticed his close friend, another Tooth Warrior named Gaylord, was approaching them. “I wonder if Gaylord has come to soak and cleanse himself with us today,” Enam wondered out loud.
“What’s that pink sheen ‘fancy roots’ has all over his calcified structure?” Spade asked with startling curiosity.
“It’s bad enough he struts around on his pink roots like he’s the cream of the crop, and now, he has a pink sheen to him!” another Tooth Warrior soaking with them stated with a laugh.
“He’s been painting his structure with pink polish lately,” Enam explained to the other Tooth Warriors soaking.
“Now, whatever for?” Cuspido asked. The Tooth Warriors stared at Gaylord as he approached them.
“Has pretty tooth come to soak and cleanse with us today?” a nervy Spade asked him.
“No, I only soak every other day now. I do not wish to dull my pink shade,” Gaylord replied, as if it was normal to be pink all of a sudden.
“You know General Molar is not going to be happy to find out one of his favorite warriors is a pinkish shade now instead of bright, shiny white, and that tooth is not soaking every day as he should be with the others,” Cuspido warned Gaylord.
“Better be careful you don’t decay underneath all that pink,” Spade told him as he held his mocking laughter in check.
“Stuff your jealous laughter up your roots, Spade. I’m not anyone’s problem but my own, and I can take care of myself,” Gaylord responded.
“Okay, pinky,” Spade replied back. With that, Gaylord turned on his pink roots and pompously walked away from the layout of soaking warriors in hot tubs.
