Chapter 21
Grandelyn Now
“Now punch, kick, and throw down your opponent. Repeat! Punch, kick, and throw down your enemy. Repeat!” From atop the high marble podium balcony, Queen Ariyah shouted instructions to her training warriors below. Queen Ariyah, now a full grown voluptuous woman and wise beyond her 25 years, was dressed in full training gear; white rhino-skin made body suit with zitheranium face and breast plate.
“Punch, punch, double punch! Left kick, right kick, and barge!” She commanded loudly.
In the training hall of the Empire, the big open oval windows helped the golden sun to illuminate the whole room, while the cool tropical air helped ventilate it. Where the Queen stood was like an elevated stage to her adoring fans. It was there where she would demonstrate not only all the moves her mother taught her, but ones she made of her own.
“Fold over your opponent and jab him in the back neck region. This should knock him unconscious or kill him. Either way you’re doing it right.” Her thickened sultry yet stern voice spoke as the womanly leader she was. As she instructed her people, many men sat back and eagerly watched. Queen Ariyah was oblivious to their affections for her. The mission was to train all of her citizens. She wanted the people, young and old; child and adult, to be just as strong and knowledgeable as she was.
“Sessions, I want to see each of you execute the staggito, the ryhan, and then we’ll take a chance with something new.” The exhausted Grandenite trainees groaned as they began to pair up. “No, no…none of that. A lazy warrior is a dead warrior, always remember that. Now if you need a drink of water or need to eat one of the fafura slices on the deck then do so, but there will be no complaining,” Queen Ariyah removed her mask. She looked around the room as some of the trainees took a small break to quench their thirst. She looked to Damien, Dalia, and Demetrius who were playfully wrestling each other in the corner.
“Triplets, come.” Ariyah called. Straightening themselves up in their white rhino-skin suits they fiercely wobbled to the center of the padded floor. Ariyah tightened her sweaty hair back as she began to call out.
“Okay, you three are special for many reasons. First, because there are three of you. Second, because you are very athletic. Third, because you all are the biggest of Grandelyn. You have more of an impact. I have a special move I want you three to learn and master. I’m going to simply call it The Steps. Demetrius, you are the biggest so you get down on all fours.” Demetrius did as instructed and got on the padded white floor on his hands and knees. She told Damien to do the same but on top of Demetrius. He was to use his two swords as stilts so that he didn’t fall off of Demetrius.
“Alright, Dalia, as you can see your brothers are in the form of steps. What I need you to do is to stand back and give yourself some running room. Then I want you to run up your brothers backs and jump off of Damien, allowing you to come down on your opponent with your sword and beheading him.” Ariyah could see that Dalia was confused so she demonstrated. Ariyah could also see that Demetrius was struggling to keep his heavy 550 pound brother on his own 600 pound back, so she wanted to make this quick. Ariyah stood back and was getting into sprinting position, all of the students now watching attentively. She drew in three deep breaths and took off running full speed ahead; one step pouncing on Demetrius’ back, the next foot on Damien’s back and jumping off with her rod to show the cutting off the imaginary opponent’s head. There was a thunderous applause echoing in the hall. Dalia looked in amazement at what her Queen did but she lacked the confidence to do so.
“Okay, Dalia, show me.” Ariyah gave Dalia the steel rod and stood back to watch her attempt the move. Dalia removed her mask so she could see better. She began to sweat with fear. She stumbled trying to get into sprinting position.
“Can you hurry this up? My back is killing me!” Demetrius complained.
“Shut up, Deme! I’m bloody nervous, alright?” Dalia whined aloud. Ariyah placed her hand on Dalia’s shoulder in assurance.
“You can do it. Just try.” Dalia drew in a deep breath and zipped out quickly. She pounced on Demetrius’ back but tumbled trying to step on Damien, causing all of them to crash down to the floor. The hall rang out with laughter causing the triplets to hang their heads low in embarrassment. Ariyah didn’t like that. She waved her hand in the air and all became quiet.
“There is to be no laughing at the failed attempts of anyone here. We are to encourage one another. And always remember each of us has failed at something. Uplift each other.” She helped the triplets to their feet and hugged them tightly showing her pride in their trying. “Ok sessions are over. You are dismissed.” The warrior trainees each hugged their Queen and left out of the Empire hall. After hugging her last student, Ariyah looked over to the hall entrance and saw Orraco standing there with a smile on his handsome chubby face. She took off her mask and sweat dripped profusely down her smiling face. The trainees all greeted Orraco who walked over to the marble steps where Ariyah was struggling to remove her breastplate.
“Need some help?” he asked.
“It would be nice.” She answered. He helped remove the thick zitheranium plate from her soaked body suit.
“So, my Queen, what is on the agenda today?” “Orraco, you know you don’t have to call me your Queen. You are my brother. There is no need for that.” She began carelessly undressing as she peeled the sticky rhino-skin suit off of her now bare body. This created a very uncomfortable position. Orraco, who was turning red, tried to look away as she continued to speak. “Today would be a good day to do our monthly cleansing in the Sea of Amethyst. What do you think?” Orraco couldn’t answer as he tried desperately to look away. Elai, who was perched on the balcony window, covered his eyes with his wing. Orraco’s face was beet red. Ariyah turned around as she finally put a robe on. She could see his uneasiness.
“What’s wrong with you?” She chuckled.
“You were naked.” He said with a nervous laugh.
“So? You’ve seen me like this many times.”
“Yes, when we were children and you didn’t have… those.” He pointed to her exposed breasts. Ariyah looked down and began to laugh at his embarrassment. “
Orraco, my dear, I would’ve never known you to be so bashful.” She threw her wet clothes in his face and ran out of the door. He began to chase her. They ran laughing from The Empire all the way to the Crystaria Palace, with Elai flying high behind them. In front of the palace entry water walkway, Orraco caught her and wrestled her to the ground but she managed to break free and ran inside. The two passed all the guards and children running the hallways. They stopped.
“All hail Ariyah. Queen of the Grandenites!” they shouted out of breath proudly to the Queen.
“Afternoon, children, but no running in the halls. We don’t want to break anything, do we?” She kindly scolded. She looked them over with a smile and said, “Oh forget it. Run all you want. Be free.” And she began to chase them. Afterwards she and Orraco walked back to her room where she could get a bath and change her clothes.
Ariyah’s room was extravagant. There was a king size pillar columned bed with purple satin sheets. There were oval glass windows and a large balcony of gold trim décor on the ground work. White roses adorned her room in various vases and plants. The bathroom in her room was golden and decorated with the work of Grandelyn’s greatest painter, Meesa Ortegal. .
Her assigned bathers got her daily bath water ready with pink bubbles already inside. She kindly dismissed them and turned to say, “Orraco, would you do the honors of bathing me?” Ariyah asked sentimentally. Once again caught off guard, he gulped heavily.
“Why not the bathers, Queen?”
“Because I need to talk to you. Some things have been bothering me.” She removed her robe again. Orraco turned his head respectfully and allowed her to get inside the claw foot tub. He sat on the side of her golden tub with the high back rest. She handed him a soft sponge with vanilla scented soa
p oil on it and he began to scrub her back.
“What’s on your mind?” He asked.
“I have a deep burden on me.” She confessed. “Lately I feel like something devastating is going to happen.”
“To whom, Queen?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s going to happen to my land or to me, but something bad.”
“Nothing could happen to you, Queen. You are the strongest, most skilled warrior I know. You single-handedly taught a nation of people to defend themselves masterfully. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
“Yes, but even a skilled warrior is mortal. I just wish I could see the future.” She became quiet as she sprinkled the warm water on her glistening brown skin. She looked at the medallion necklace wrapped around her wrist and became sad. “Also mother hasn’t been active lately. She doesn’t seem to be there anymore. I speak to her but it remains silent; no vibrations or anything.” As Ariyah spoke Orraco couldn’t help but to look at her smooth wet skin and want to kiss her. He saw her as perfect other than that terrible SK scar scorched into her skin. But he would never want to overstep his boundaries. He was her best friend and she trusted him. Besides he was still with Phyliscia and they had been going strong for the last nine years. But what Phyliscia didn’t know was that Ariyah unknowingly still had his heart. He loved and cared for her deeply. He was there to listen to her and uplift her when she was down, which wasn’t often.
“I’m sure everything will be fine. Even if there is some kind of threat, you have prepared us diligently. We’re ready.” He eagerly leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, just as Sheevar barged into the bathroom. The two became startled as Ariyah ducked into the bath water.
“Should I leave you two alone?” Sheevar giggled teasingly. Orraco, a little disappointed, got up from the tub ledge. He walked towards Sheevar with a scowl.
“No” he said and threw the wet sponge in her face as he walked out of the bathroom.
“He’s such a waste” Sheevar huffed, straightening her now wet hair. She looked at Ariyah, who was quietly caressing her medallion. She couldn’t help but to see the saddened look on her face. “What’s wrong, Queen?” Ariyah gave a quick frail smile.
“Nothing much. I just have a lot on my mind. Fretting about the future I guess.” Sheevar, never one to be down for long and very optimistic, rushed over with a ready towel.
“Well the Queen mustn’t worry for nothing. Now come.” She helped Ariyah get out of the tub and walked her back into her bedroom. Ariyah’s usual turquoise jumper and silver crystal sandals was laid out on the bed ready for her. “Ok we are supposed to do our monthly bathing in the Amethyst. Do you want us all to wait for you or shall we continue on?” Ariyah sat at her vanity and stared in the mirror solemnly. She looked deep into the mirror, past her own reflection, and into her mind which was severely troubled. She couldn’t shake the feeling of imminent trouble brewing.
“Queen!” Sheevar shouted startling Ariyah out of her thoughts. “What do you want us to do?” Sheevar asked getting flustered.
“Go on. Begin without me.” Ariyah turned back to the mirror. Sheevar couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her dear friend, but she couldn’t make her feel better so she left her alone.
Ariyah’s mind began to race with many thoughts. Some of worry and some were pleasant. Though her heart was heavy, she took pride in knowing that she personally made her people strong and courageous. She was not the average Queen. She was active. She didn’t just sit on her throne and let people cater to her. She was out there among her people. She ate with them, worked with them, let them stay in the Crystaria Palace with her, played with their children; she was her people. And for that they loved her. They all took pride in their land; Grandelyn. Grandelyn had come a long way from being the isolated deserted mass of land it was upon discovery. Grandelyn was now a very rich and successful land. With the success of businesses like Cori’s salon, RedCore’ and Mr. Edward’s Bakery as well as the farming trade, Grandelyn was probably the most rich land in all of Mandune. Ash City was no longer the big ball of tar and ash but now a beautiful shiny clean city with the shiny gold Empire sitting high on top of Mount Edgemoore and the fortress of the Crystaria Palace blazing high on Ribbon Rock. This land made the others quite envious. Others wondered how a city of fat people could have such success. After all aren’t fat people lazy? And don’t they eat all the time? How could they be so productive? That was the perception of other lands. They couldn’t grasp that these people didn’t just lie around and eat. They thrived, were smart and skillful.
The jealousy and intrigue brought others to try to come to the city and see what the secret to their success could be. Each and every intruder was shocked when they tried to get through the gates, allowing the trespassers only to get far away envious looks into the city. Some small armies from distant lands even tried to invade Grandelyn, but the site of the Siamese Twin Dragons breaking apart to attack always sent the intruders scurrying away. Grandelyn, the forgotten land, was now the epitome of greatness and even more appreciated because it was lead by a young woman. No one knew that this land had a deep dark secret attached to it that only Crystaline knew. Eventually the secret would reveal itself.
Ariyah stood on her bedroom balcony peacefully as she watched her people crowded around and swimming in the Sea of Amethyst. They were all smiling and laughing, playing and embracing each other. This brought a smile to her face. She knew she needed to bathe in it as well but she didn’t feel like being bothered and she really needed to meditate. Maybe if she did she could shake the gloomy feeling off.
She held her medallion to her face once more to see if Crystaline would move, but there was nothing. She sat in lotus position in the middle of the balcony stage floor, sat up straight, put her hands together, bowed her head, and her mind went blank. She took 3 deep breaths and began doing a straight hand stand. She held it. Her long hair covered her face as her arms shook trying to hold the weight of her heavy body. She straightened her legs and pointed her toes allowing the blood to rush to her head. This position felt good to her. The rush of the blood flow allowed her to relax. Her arms stopped wobbling as they strengthened to hold her still. She then began to fold her legs backwards so that her feet were above her head, something that she couldn’t do before. Her toes were touching her head and she began to chuckle.
Then all of a sudden the memory of that ripped picture of the young king came back to her mind and she fell over with a thump. Her rhinestones popped off her scalp and she scraped her elbow on the harsh pavement of the balcony. She shot up from the floor and ran to her dresser. She opened it and searched through her jewelry box, seeing the edge of the picture she had hidden there. She looked at it and studied the picture again. This handsome man, creamy tanned colored, deep black hair, well dressed with his crown. She had always wondered who he was and why was his picture in what was now her home?
As Ariyah studied the photo, she felt a quick jolt from her medallion. She was shocked. She hadn’t felt Crystaline for weeks, so the jolt kind of frightened her. The vibrations were very strong, almost frantic, but Ariyah didn’t know what her mother was doing or trying to tell her. She just put the picture back into her dresser and walked out to the courtyard to get escorted out to the Sea of Amethyst. The vibrating stopped.