The Surpen King - Part 2 - Rise of the Elves Read online

  “Mom,” Crystam began her voice quavering. She sniffed and closed her eyes.

  “Sweetie? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

  Crystam nodded. “It’s just. Latsoh and Erfce have been discussing their wedding a lot and it’s making me… sad.” She started to cry and rushed the rest of the way down the hall to the room that had been reserved for them.

  “Oh, honey. I’ll be right there.”

  “No,” Crystam choked out, closing the door behind her. She was relieved to see that no one else was using the room. “No. Don’t come. I’m fine.” She sniffed and wiped at her tears, while walking over to one of the cots. “Really.”

  “Talk to me,” Chara said softly. “What is it about their wedding that has you so upset?” She had an inkling of what it could be and prayed she was wrong.

  “I… I guess it’s that I… I mean Tgfhi and I still don’t have a date for our wedding.” She made a wounded animal sound and pressed her palm to her eyes.

  “It’s easy to fix that Crystam,” Chara said. “You are in control. It’s up to you.”

  “I know,” Crystam wailed.

  “Baby girl, what’s going on? It’s not like you to be upset over something like this.”

  Crystam didn’t know where to start. “It’s just a feeling, Mom. Every time I think I’ll set the date, I get a… feeling.”

  Chara felt chills race down her arms. No, she thought, it’s too soon. Crystam shouldn’t be getting her powers until after she graduated from the University. Every fifth generation of Ventarian princesses was cursed with powers so strong that they couldn’t live with anyone. If a person were to look at them, they would die. Chara hadn’t known about her daughter’s fate until after she’d given birth. It was a closely guarded secret; one that was passed down solely through the queens. Any records of the previous princesses, who’d had Crystam’s fate, were destroyed.

  Chara needed Crystam to marry and have a daughter as soon as possible. If Crystam didn’t have a child before she got her full powers, their royal line would die and Ventar would be vulnerable to any planet with a military force. “Crystam,” Chara said. She waited until Crystam had finished blowing her nose and was looking at her. “I will set a date and plan your wedding. There’s no need for you to stress over it.”

  “No, Mom.” Crystam wiped at her nose again. “It’s okay. I want to do it.”

  Chara forced a light smile on her face. “It’s not a problem, baby girl. I’m happy to take care of it.”

  “No,” Crystam repeated forcefully. “I’ll do it.”

  It appeared her daughter had gotten control of her emotions. Too bad. Chara would have set the date for tomorrow if she could. “Fine. But, if you change your mind, I’m here to help.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby girl.” Chara disconnected and leaned back in her chair. How long did Crystam have? Would she be able to carry a child to term before her powers overcame her? Standing up, she walked over to the window for some air. She loved Tgfhi. He was a sweet boy, but sometimes she wished he’d take control and force Crystam to set a date for their wedding. Chara wondered if she should ask Tgonar to press his son into setting a date. No, she thought. It’d be better not to get Tgfhi’s dad involved. She’d say a prayer to the Genister Gods. Hopefully, they would listen.

  ***

  Naci marched through the Fire Elf castle’s drafty hallways towards his office. He threw open the door and stepped into the room, closing it quickly behind him to keep in the heat from the burner his wife had running. Reman looked up from her computer. She was about to tell him that she’d finished the accounts for the month when she noticed the frown on his face.

  “Do you know who I just spoke to?” Naci began, as he paced back and forth in front of the heater to warm up.

  Reman held her tongue. It had clearly been a rhetorical question. She pulled on her gloves to keep her fingers warm. The soft fur lining on the inside felt good after the coldness of her keyboard.

  “The Supreme.” Naci paused, his face turning red. “The Supreme told me that I had to disinherit Latsoh.”

  Reman shivered. She hated The Supreme. The elves’ scriptures had worked well for centuries. The previous Supremes had been easy going, but the newest one’s religious interpretations were much too conservative for her taste. She knew a lot of other elves who agreed with her. The only reason why there hadn’t been a rebellion against the current Supreme was because the Thestran royal family had restored the elves’ homes and made their lives comfortable again. Compared to the living conditions she and Naci had grown up with, back when they’d had to hide from the human Thestrans, they were now living in splendor. Things were great. Once her children became rulers, though, Reman was sure things would change. Her children’s generation already expected more than hers did. They would grow tired of the direction in which The Supreme was taking them and put an end to it. She was sure of it.

  “The nerve of him. Telling me to disinherit my child,” Naci fumed.

  Reman sighed. She missed Latsoh. If only her daughter had fallen in love with someone from the Fire Elf tribe. Naci would soon be looking to her for advice. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any to give because she didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t go against The Supreme without angering his people. Reman was sure that Naci wouldn’t want to take that route, which meant he’d probably have to disinherit Latsoh. Her heart ached just thinking about it.

  Naci paused in his pacing to scratch his chin. “As far as I know, elves aren’t forbidden from marrying out, right? It’s not actually written in any of the scriptures. It’s just that nobody does it.”

  Reman nodded. She’d read the scriptures many times and there was nothing in them about having to marry within the race, let alone the tribe. If any elves had married out before, there simply weren’t any records of it. With all of the powers Themrock had given the elves, their ancestors had lived glorious lives. As far as Reman knew, none of them had lowered themselves to marry a regular Thestran. She wondered how she might stay in touch with Latsoh once Naci disinherited her.

  “Screw him,” Naci hissed.

  Reman frowned and tilted her head. Screw who? Themrock?

  “I’m not doing it,” Naci added pulling a throw from the back of the chair by the burner and wrapping it around his shoulders. “I’m mad at Latsoh. She should have married a Fire Elf, but I refuse to disinherit her.”

  Reman gasped. “Really?” Naci nodded. Jumping to her feet, Reman ran over to hug him. “Thank you,” she said. She hadn’t thought that Naci would take a stand against The Supreme. His actions indicated that he loved Latsoh more than his position as king. Naci would have trouble with some of the elves, but it seemed he was willing to fight for his daughter.

  Reman squeezed her husband harder. If Naci was going to fight for Latsoh, then perhaps she could get the two of them to forgive each other.

  Chapter 9

  Hospital Room – Thestran Royal Palace

  Rhen sat up and yawned. Something had woken him. Glancing about the room, he noticed that Sarah was the only other person awake. He eased himself off his bed, making sure not to wake Ceceta, then walked over to the couch where Sarah was reading.

  “Morning,” she said as Rhen sat down on the chair across from her. Rhen nodded. He pointed at her and then over at Aaron. “What?” Sarah didn’t understand what he wanted. Rhen repeated his motions, but this time he finished by pointing at his wedding ring.

  Sarah blanched. Somehow, he knew that they were married. “Please, Rhen. Don’t tell our parents. They’ll be furious. Aaron and I will work it out. We just need more time.”

  Rhen held a finger to his mouth. He wouldn’t tell. Although, he wasn’t sure how anyone could miss it. Aaron and Sarah were always together, stealing glances and touches. It was obvious they were madly in love. Their relationship reminded him of his and Ceceta’s. He couldn’t help but feel a connection to them. Not only were they madly in l
ove, but Sarah’s family was loving and supportive, like Ceceta’s had been, while Aaron’s dad was extremely difficult, just like his dad had been. Rhen hoped everything would work out for them like it had for him and Ceceta.

  It occurred to him that if no one knew they were married then they’d probably never received any gifts for their union. Deciding to rectify that he held out his hand. A small box wrapped in blue paper and tied together with a silver ribbon appeared on his palm. Lifting his arm, he offered the box to Sarah.

  “A wedding gift?” Sarah asked hesitantly. Rhen nodded. The shiny silver ribbon sparkled in the early morning sunshine coming through the windows. Before Sarah could take the gift, one of the dragons jumped from the back of the couch, its jaws clamping down on a piece of the ribbon. Rhen caught the dragon as it dangled from the gift by the ribbon. He put the present on his lap and pried the ribbon out of the dragon’s mouth then placed the dragon on the floor and patted its hindquarters, shooing it away. The dragon glared at him before taking two steps and disappearing under the couch.

  Sarah couldn’t believe it. Themrock was giving them their first wedding present. She wanted to run over and wake Aaron up to tell him. “Thank you.” She took the small box with both hands. “I’ll cherish it always.” Rhen tilted his head curiously and Sarah laughed. “I’m sure I’ll love it, no matter what it is.” She felt a tug and almost dropped the present. Glancing down, she found the baby dragon pulling on one of the dangling pieces of silver ribbon. It had crawled up onto the couch when she wasn’t looking. Rhen reached past Sarah and scooped up the dragon. He held it on his lap, stroking its back.

  Quietly, so as not to wake the others, Sarah opened the box. Inside, there was a seed the size of a raisin on a white satin pillow. Sarah was dumbfounded. Why would Rhen give her a seed?

  Before she could say anything, she heard Ceceta say behind her, “Oh, look. Rhen gave you a Giy flower seed.” Ceceta yawned and leaned down over the couch, her blond hair cascading around her face. “You can grow over a thousand Giy flowers from one seed. Plant it in elfin soil and poof, up come your beautiful elfin flowers.” She went over to the cabinet for Rhen’s shot. “When you’re done with the flowers, dig up the seed and keep it. You can plant it over one thousand times.” Returning to the couch, she added, “It’s a nice gift. You can have flowers whenever you want them.” Ceceta quickly gave Rhen his shot then wandered back to their bed to sleep.

  Sarah closed the box and held it to her chest. “Thank you,” she said, fighting back tears. It was the perfect gift.

  Rhen grunted, glad she liked it. The dragon squirmed on his lap, so he reached out for the used paper and ribbon. Crumpling them into a ball, he tossed it under the coffee table. The dragon jumped from his lap in hot pursuit.

  ***

  Erfce sat down next to Tgfhi on one of the chairs by the back wall in Rhen’s hospital room. His friend had been quiet lately. He would have left Tgfhi alone, but they needed to talk. “I’ve been getting a bad feeling–”

  Tgfhi interrupted him. “Stop eating the spicy food they serve us and it’ll go away.”

  Erfce laughed. “No. I’m serious, Tgfhi. I’m sensing something bad is coming to–”

  Tgfhi nodded towards Latsoh’s father, who was standing by the bathroom, waiting for Rhen to come out. “You’re probably just sensing Naci’s presence.” Naci had been glaring at Erfce and Latsoh ever since they had announced their engagement. Tgfhi turned when he felt Erfce’s hand on his shoulder.

  “Tgfhi, stop interrupting. I’m not talking about Rhen’s future. I’m sensing yours.”

  Tgfhi swallowed. He’d been having his own bad feelings lately. He couldn’t understand why Crystam wouldn’t set a date for their wedding. He was angry with her for drawing out their engagement for so long. For some reason, she kept coming up with reasons to postpone it. Now she was telling him that she couldn’t possibly set a date until after Rhen was out of the hospital. “I know, Erfce. I’ve been having the same bad feeling.”

  “No,” Erfce said, but he stopped talking because Jack, who’d basically adopted the two baby dragons, had just walked over, interrupting them, so he could ask Erfce to hold down one of the dragons to clean its snout. Behind Jack, the door beside Rhen’s hospital bed opened and Bosternd and Nk walked into the room. “I’ll help you,” Erfce told Jack, “but we’ll have to do it next door.”

  Jack nodded, his head turning towards Bosternd, who was just telling everyone that it was time to leave the room. Every morning the Surpen generals would empty the room to discuss Surpen’s business with Rhen.

  Erfce lifted the dragon into his arms. He watched as Tgfhi left the room without Crystam. He needed to talk to Tgfhi about his vision. He didn’t know exactly what was coming, because whenever he was close to Rhen his visions became vague, but he could sense that Tgfhi would soon be in danger.

  ***

  Rhen was spinning a ball attached to a string in circles over the heads of the baby dragons. He laughed as they tried to catch it with their mouths. The larger of the two dragons grew bored with his game and trotted over to a coffee cup someone had left on the table. It leaned in to drink the remaining coffee then lifted its head and snorted, sending a cloud of coffee smelling smoke into the air. Rhen reached out and snatched the smaller dragon into his arms. He lay back on the couch and pretended to wrestle with it, letting it bite playfully on his arm as he grunted as if the dragon were attacking him.

  The door beside Rhen’s bed burst open and James ran into the room panting. His hair was disheveled and his cape had come undone. “The Vivists are back. Their spacejets just landed by the stables. Rhen, you need to go out there in your Black Angel outfit to show them you’re okay.” Rhen shook his head and pointed at the floor. “No, Rhen,” James said. Themrock had warned them that the Black Angel had to meet with the Vivist King or there would be a massive battle that wouldn’t end well. “You have to go out there as the Black Angel.”

  Rhen signed, I promised Ceceta I wouldn’t leave the hospital. I’m not going.

  “Rasack’s whore,” James swore when Ceceta told him what Rhen had signed. “Do something,” he told her imploringly.

  Ceceta’s complexion had paled after seeing Rhen’s signs. She hadn’t realized the situation she’d created by making Rhen promise not to leave the hospital room. Stepping over to the couch, she banged lightly on the top of it. The vibration caused Rhen to look up at her. “Love, you have to go. If you don’t the Vivists will attack. We can’t defeat them.”

  Rhen shook his head. No, I don’t break my promises.

  Ceceta was frightened. It was true. Rhen never broke his promises, but she had to get him to go. “Please, Rhen. We need you to meet with Nirs or he’ll attack.”

  “What makes a room?” Charlie asked loudly, when Rhen refused Ceceta’s request a second time. Rhen cocked his head as Charlie sauntered over towards him. “Is it the air, the walls, the floor, the ceiling?” Rhen shrugged and pointed around him. “So you’re saying the walls make the room?” Rhen nodded. Charlie turned to Thellis, who was floating in the air by the back wall. “Thellis, take the hospital room walls and move them outward so they aren’t visible to the Vivists. Make sure they surround Rhen at all times and they move with him so that he never leaves the room.”

  “Done,” Thellis said.

  Rhen glanced around. The interior walls of his hospital room were no longer present. He could step right into the hallway and the rooms on either side. The outside wall, with the windows, was completely missing. In its place, Thellis had made a mirage that looked exactly like the original wall. Rhen nodded with appreciation and sat up. Thellis had done a nice job. Using his powers, Rhen popped his Black Angel clothes on and turned to James. Ceceta, find out if James wants me to accomplish anything in particular.

  “No, just get rid of the assholes,” James said, after Ceceta had translated Rhen’s signs.

  Rhen smiled underneath his black scarf at James’ profanity then bent down to kiss
Ceceta on the top of her head before flying up through the ceiling.

  Outside on the lawn, Bosternd and Nk were waiting for Rhen with several battalions of Surpen troops. James had notified them the minute that the Vivists’ ships had broken through the planet’s atmosphere. The Black Angel flew down and landed beside Bosternd. Without thinking, Rhen reached out and smacked Bosternd on the arm in a gesture of friendship. Bosternd groaned. He’d been telling everyone that he didn’t know the Black Angel’s identity. It had been a coincidence that the Black Angel had fought with Surpen. But now, after the Black Angel’s greeting, Bosternd knew that no one was going to believe him. He wondered how long it would be before they realized that Rhen was the Black Angel and consequently Themrock, too.

  The Black Angel strode out across Thestran’s great lawn, stopping at the halfway point between the two armies. He remained there, waiting for the Vivist King to close the distance between them. The Vivists, with their large grey scorpion like bodies covered in short black hair, were spread out from the edge of the Thestran’s lawn to the forest beyond. One Vivist alone was a threat, an entire army of Vivists was death. Rhen noted that the second set of eyes on the tails of the Vivist soldiers were trained on him. He was glad they couldn’t shoot their poison; if they could, he’d be dead.

  When Nirs, the Vivist King, reached the Black Angel, his tail shivered with excitement. He knew the Angel had been poisoned, but he couldn’t tell how the poison was affecting him. As expected, the Black Angel remained silent, so Nirs spoke in his clicking language. “I hear from my friends that you’ve been in the hospital. Feeling poorly are you?” The Black Angel stepped closer to Nirs so that the hem of his cape was in the king’s lower, front eyes. Nirs backed up to remove the Black Angel’s clothing from his face. “It’d be a shame if you were sick.” Again, the Black Angel stepped forward so that his cape was brushing against Nirs’ face, forcing Nirs to step back. “You do realize that it’s wrong for you to take sides. With your Genister powers, you must remain neutral. Your attack on the Rasacks, in support of the Surpens, and then here in defense of the Thestrans was against the Genisters’ Code Book of rules.”