Key to Chroma

by Piers Anthony

  Throe nodded. “Sire.” Then he set about it.

  "Observation,” Mneme said. “You have established a reputation for radical competence, fair mindedness, and generosity to those you deal with, thus inspiring extreme loyalty. These are aspects of your select brood, but it is impressive to see them in action."

  "I am what I am, and do what I must do,” Havoc said. “Extreme power was never my ambition."

  "That is why we entered your name in the competition for king. We did not know you would seek to fathom the mystery of the changelings."

  "One reaps what one sows. Carry on."

  "Sire.” She made her way elsewhere.

  "So she was responsible for the way we were ripped out of our village and thrown into the horrors of civilization,” Gale said.

  "And brought us a wider perspective and new friends,” he agreed. “Do you want to return to Trifle Village?"

  "Only to see my family and friends. We could no longer stand that life, after what we have experienced."

  "Agreement.” He kissed her. “Next we marry."

  "Next we marry!” She drew back slightly and looked him in the eye. “Havoc, I want a baby."

  He laughed. “I'll give you three, in due course."

  "I'm serious. I'm removing the wire now."

  He realized that her experience with the baby in the baby caravan had made her urgent. She had worn the wire that prevented conception so that she could indulge in no fault sex, but now she intended to conceive as rapidly as possible. He had not considered this aspect before, partly because he had thought he couldn't marry Gale. Now he realized that he wanted it too. “Our baby, soon,” he agreed, and kissed her again.

  Throe returned. “Processes have been set in motion, Sire. I am ready to conduct you back to Triumph.” He paused. “But a question, if I may: since you are now Glamors, why don't you merely conjure yourselves there?"

  "Three reasons. We wish to preserve our accession as a secret, and the demonstration of Glamor powers would ruin that. We also wish to travel long enough with you to organize new protocols for dealing with other people, including other Glamors, considering your advice. And we have not yet learned how to do much Glamor magic, such as conjuring."

  Throe tried valiantly not to laugh, but it was threatening to make him burst. “Permission,” Gale said quickly. Then they all laughed. It was a relief.

  * * * *

  On their arrival at Triumph, they had an early private meeting with Ennui and the Lady Aspect. The two women did not try to conceal their relief at the safe return. Quick hugs were exchanged.

  "Is it now over, Havoc?” Ennui asked. “Is everything safe at last?"

  "Negation. There is another power we must locate and nullify."

  "So the risks will continue?” the Lady Aspect asked. “You will be traveling and getting into your barbarian brand of trouble?"

  Havoc smiled. “Agreement."

  The two exchanged a glance. “Relief,” Ennui said. “Life will continue interesting."

  "We love you as you are,” the Lady Aspect said.

  "We'll try not to overdo it, however,” Gale said, shooting Havoc a cautionary glance. She did not like him taking undue risks.

  "But we will be most annoyed with you if you get yourself injured or killed,” Ennui clarified.

  Havoc laughed, then turned serious. “Gale and I mean to marry as soon as feasible. But first we have something for you."

  "Abeyance,” the Lady Aspect said. “I have something for you, Lady Gale.” She walked to a small wooden chest, opened it, and brought out a tiara. It was set with ten bright gems. “This is the protective crown I wore when I was queen. It must now be yours, as you will be the next queen."

  Gale was surprised. “But I would not deprive you of what is yours."

  "It was never mine. It is the queen's.” She put it into Gale's hands. “Just as the crown is the king's. I am sure you will wear it with grace and honor."

  "I—I will try to. When I am queen.” Gale was clearly daunted, never having thought of herself as a queen. But of course her marriage to the king would mean that.

  "Now for what we have,” Havoc said. “These are not gifts but trusts that we feel the two of you are best equipped to handle. Ennui because she is my oath friend and most acquainted with my business, and the one I trust most to see to my welfare."

  "You owe me nothing,” Ennui said. “You saved my life and gave me marvelous adventure. Of course I support you."

  Havoc smiled and continued. “The Lady Aspect because she is the former queen who understands responsibility and discretion, and has been kind to both of us."

  "Echo: You owe me nothing,” the Lady Aspect said. “You gave me an honorable position when my world was shattered, and were I younger and more foolish, I would be in love with you. You need no rationale to ask anything of me."

  Havoc ignored that too. “When we became Glamors—"

  "Did you really, or was that a clever ruse?” Ennui asked. “You can tell us."

  Havoc glanced at Gale. Then both of them glowed and floated off the floor. “We really did,” Gale said. “Our abilities are limited because we haven't yet learned how to fully invoke them, but that will come. We are working on it."

  Ennui stared. “Apology for doubting."

  They sank back to the floor and let the glow fade. “This is about as much as we can do at present,” Havoc said. “Gale can heal, because she practiced that before, and I was able to make a tree grow explosively because I understand and relate to trees. But we want to keep it secret, so ask you to help us do that. It is enough just to be king."

  "Agreement,” the Lady Aspect said fervently.

  "When we became Glamors, we formed our ikons,” Havoc continued. “We are unable to touch them ourselves, but they make us vulnerable. If they are removed from nonChroma territory, we may lose our powers. So we want them kept safe, by those who will be discreet. Therefore I want you, Ennui, to keep mine."

  "Your ikon!” Ennui exclaimed. “I never thought of that. Of course there would be one. But surely I'm not the one to hold that. I—” She broke off, catching Havoc's look. “I well serve the post, as desired."

  Throe had been standing behind them, so quiet it was easy to forget his presence. That was the way he preferred to be, to do his job. Now he stepped forward, holding the tree ikon. He gave it to Ennui.

  She held it. “Oh, it tingles! Like the loom. I wonder—” Then she flushed, for she had been remembering the sexual power the loom ikon had given her, her thoughts unguarded.

  "Welcome to find out,” Havoc said. “It may be safest on your body. Do not let any other person know you have it, or what it is. Don't leave it lying around next to the sink."

  "Oh! I would never—” Then she realized that he was teasing her. She put it in a breast pocket. “I will protect it with my life.” She was not joking.

  "And I want you, Lady Aspect, to keep mine,” Gale said.

  Throe turned to face the Lady Aspect, bringing out the second ikon. She accepted it. “I will serve the post."

  "Appreciation,” Havoc said. “Curiosity: Can I embrace you?"

  She smiled. “You may, but I think you can't."

  He stepped toward her and tried to take her in his arms. But the moment he touched her, his hand stopped. There was no apparent repulsive force; he was simply unable to proceed further.

  The Lady Aspect smiled. “I think you and I could never be lovers.” That of course was true for several significant reasons, which she had the grace not to state.

  "Will you try me?” Ennui asked.

  Havoc tried to embrace her—and could not even touch her. He fought to close the distance between them, but simply could not. It was his own ikon she carried, and that repelled him more than Gale's ikon did. Neither was touchable.

  "Of course you could set the ikons aside,” Gale said wickedly. “Then your only concern would be the problem of being knowingly close to a Glamor."

  "But we hugged
before,” the Lady Aspect said.

  So they had. “But you did not believe,” Havoc said. “You thought it was a clever ruse. So it was unknowing."

  She nodded. “Perhaps it is just as well. We can not touch you, and you can not touch us. But our relationship remains."

  "The respect remains,” Havoc said.

  "Now we need both of you to plan our wedding,” Gale said.

  "That we are equipped to do,” the Lady Aspect said. “I think you will want two, or perhaps three ceremonies."

  "Two or three?” Gale asked blankly.

  "There will be the royal wedding, of course, attended by all the leading functionaries of the planet, and hideously complicated.” The Lady glanced at Havoc. “And no, you may not skip it. This is an official kingly function, done for the benefit of the masses. But there should also be a private, and perhaps more feeling wedding, at your home village of Trifle, for your parents, siblings, and friends."

  "Our families!” Gale said. “Oh yes! It's been so long."

  "And because you are now both Glamors, and the first to marry other Glamors, the other Glamors may want a separate ceremony."

  "Do they care about that sort of thing?” Havoc asked, surprised.

  "It seems they do. Stevia—the Red Glamor—paid me a call. She indicated that once you are married, you will need a formal mistress—"

  "Symbol!” Gale said very firmly. Havoc smiled.

  "So I informed her,” the Lady Aspect said equably. “But I would be wary of traveling again with that particular Glamor, now that you are, as it were, able to relate."

  "I don't see the problem,” Havoc said, teasing Gale.

  "When you travel with Red,” Gale said warningly, “I will travel with Green."

  Who had indulged fifty times in succession with Symbol, once she figured out how to do it. “Suddenly I see the problem.” Then they all laughed.

  As it happened, the first ceremony was at Trifle Village, because the Royal Wedding took longer to arrange with all its glory. They were welcomed by their parents, siblings and friends, as foreseen. Throe was there with guards, protecting the king, but he did take a moment to make a formal apology to Havoc's mother for the way he had treated her the prior time they had met. She had forgiven him long since.

  After the tears and reminiscences, they gathered in the central circle, where the Village Elder supervised the ceremony. Its heart was simple. They stood before the witnesses—the entire village—and spoke their vows.

  "I, Havoc, make this oath of willing bondage to this woman Gale, my beloved, to sire or support four children by her and treat her always with respect."

  Gale faced him, her eyes overflowing.

  "I, Gale, make this oath of willing bondage to this man Havoc, my beloved, to bear or support four children with him and treat him always with respect."

  Then they gave each other metal rings which were nominally enchanted to keep them always true. Whether it was possible to make such rings was doubtful, and in any event the backwoods Village Trifle did not acknowledge the validity of magic, so it was merely symbolic.

  Then they kissed, and the children cheered. It was done, and they adjourned to the wedding banquet, followed by the wedding cabin for the night.

  "Oh, Havoc, it was lovely,” Gale breathed. “It was just what I always wanted."

  "Ditto. Now let's have sex."

  She laughed. “Try again."

  "I always wanted it too. I love you."

  "That will do. But we are not going to do it fifty times in an hour."

  "Awww."

  She kissed him avidly. “Maybe after we learn how."

  Taken as a whole, it was a great night.

  About the Author

  Piers Anthony is one of the world's most prolific and popular authors. His fantasy Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list 21 times. Although Piers is mostly known for fantasy and science fiction, he has written several novels in other genres as well, including historical fiction, martial arts, and horror. Piers lives with his wife in a secluded woods hidden deep in Central Florida.

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