Chapter 3
I stood in the middle of a plush, shiny bedchamber. I felt like I was on the moon. Everything was either silver or a shimmering white, sometimes so glittery I had to look away. The bed I was to sleep on had a silky silver coverlet thrown over the top, with star shaped pillows tossed over. Flowers adorned the walls and bedposts, which climbed to the ceiling. The floor was like ice, but it wasn’t slippery. There was a claw-foot tub in one corner, but the feet were enormous, like the Gkantrolt that had been on King Eathay’s finger. I walked over to it and grazed my finger along the white and gray marble. It was smooth, cold and hard. I clacked my fingernails on it. It reminded me of my spiral staircase.
“You may want to take a bath before meal, Majesty.” A voice came like foaming bubbles, leaping out of the sea and onto the shore. I turned around to find the skinniest Elf I’d seen yet, standing at a graceful attention. She had long wavy hair, the color of gold, and it looked wet. Her skin was pale as cream, but metallic. Her eyes were emerald, creating contrast from her skin and white ankle-length dress. In her hands she held a blue, fluffy towel, and dozens of corked bottles. In the bottles there were dark purple liquids, dark blue liquids, clear and pink. She started walking towards me, her long, narrow, bare feet silent on the frosted floor. “Lunui gen toj! What is your favorite scent? Cintapink has always suited me, but you look like a Grapen.”
Grapen? Cintapink? What was that supposed to mean? “Uh, I prefer to smell like… blue.” I pointed to the bottle with the blue fragrance. The bottle looked broken; the way it was designed, it bent over in the middle.
The Elf girl laughed. It sounded like somebody shaking a glass full of ice and bells. “Bluz? It might become you.” She set the fragrances on the side of the tub. “I’ll have a servant bring up some warm water. Yee-gots.” The Elf girl stopped with the towel in her arms, just staring at me. But not a rude stare. She seemed to be figuring me out. Her brow was slightly creased in concentration, her eyes squinted in a way that made her look both intelligent and beautiful.
Suddenly a servant entered with two buckets full of steaming water. Her shoulders slanted from side to side with the weight of her load, sweat brimming her nose and chin. She set them down them down by the tub, then turned and looked at the Elf girl. It was like a stare-down. Then the Elf servant smiled, and so did the Elf girl. And then the servant left.
“How did she know to bring it? You hadn’t even left the room to request the water yet!” I bent over by the Elf girl as she poured the water into the tub. “And why do you just stare at people like that?”
The Elf girl laughed as the steam rose into our faces. I felt condensation forming on my face. “Silly Tenyjo! I am not staring at them! I am talking to them. If you were at peace of mind, or if you would have at least listened, you would have heard when I was talking to you.”
I straightened my back and put my hands on my hips, trying to figure her out. “Yes. Well.” I squinted my eyes in concentration. Could she really speak through her mind? And if she really could, could I? “Do you think you could try again?” I asked. “I’ll really listen this time.”
She turned and smiled at me. Her eyes looked mystical. You’re a brave Queen Layla, brave and bold. I heard a voice in the back of my mind. I started getting excited. I tried to talk back to her: And you’re beautiful. What’s your name? But she didn’t seem to hear me.
“You’re not an Elf,” the girl said. “If you are trying to talk to me I cannot hear you.”
I sighed, “Oh.” I looked over into the bathtub, which was now full of bubbly water. Pink bubbles. Why pink?
“Meal is in an hour.” With a graceful bow, the Elf girl turned the leave the room.
“Wait!” I called. “What’s your name?”
“Unstacia.” She left, shutting the door behind her.
Unstacia. I took off my gown and slipped into the silky water. It was the perfect temperature. A beautiful, unique name, Unstacia, and it fit the Elf girl very well. I took a giant sponge off the shelf next to me. It changed colors as it soaked up the water. I squeezed it over my arms, rinsing the grime of a weeks journey. The water was cloudy, but not from dirt. It was like bathing in a fresh rain cloud.
After my fingers had wrinkled and the I felt like a goddess. I stood up. Water trinkled off my body. I took the fluffiest towel I had ever seen (surprisingly not silver, but a frothy white) and dried my body. As the towel glided over my arm, I began to shimmer. Glow, even. I slinked my clothes on then stepped in front of a body-length mirror. I looked like the ocean at sunset, minus the blue. I went to towel my hair and realized it was already dry. So I brushed it. My dark, shiny tresses fell over my shoulders like tarnished bronze. Looking in the mirror, I wrinkled my nose. I hardly looked like myself. I contorted my face and snorted. I still acted like myself. With a giggle I wheeled and ran out the room, stopping at the staircase. There, three Elf menservants were waiting for me. Two of them linked arms with me and the third held up the train of my skirt. They ushered me to move forward, down the staircase. My shoes clacked down the stairs as my eyes wandered around, studying the banquet hall and the hundreds of Elf guests. The ceiling over the one-hundred foot long table was a glass dome, and light spurted into the glittering room. High-backed chairs surrounded the table, each of them owned by one long, slender hand placed upon them. Suddenly I jumped, taken aback by roaring trumpets. One would think they would play flutes or something to announce someone, since they were so graceful in every other way.
“Presenting her Majesty, Queen Layla!”
I smiled as I always did when I was proclaimed aloud, which was forced, but cheerful. I rolled my eyes, at the word Queen, hoping no one would see. It was still so new. I was almost at the bottom step. I could smell roasted hog, broiled fish, and–
“Brye!” I screamed. I didn’t smell him, but I saw him. A million times better. He was at the bottom of the steps, grinning and looking important, waiting for me! My mouth melted into a sincere smile as I picked up my dress and ran down the last two stairs. I surprised the Elves beside and behind me. I looked behind me at them, making sure I hadn’t hurt them. When I turned my head back around I stepped on my dress and fell. Into Brye’s arms.
“I don’t think you’ll ever change,” he said into my hair. I started laughing, my head against his chest. He gently lifted my off of him and stared into my eyes, with a half smile. “You hungry?” he asked, nothing on his face moving but his mouth.
“Famished,” I whispered. He took my hand and led me to the table. Since Brye was now the king of two kingdoms, he sat at the head of the table with me at his right. The Elf King sat at the foot. Silver platters full of steaming food was placed in front of us, and we watched it eagerly until King Eathay lifted this fork and nodded for us to start eating. I plunged my knife into a fish steak, juice oozing from the hot filet. When I brought my fork to my mouth, I stopped, realizing Conrad was staring straight at me. He was sitting four seats down from me, with Adda beside him. He looked strangely angry, his jaw set and his eyes fiery. I forced myself to look elsewhere and put my fork in my mouth. I turned to Brye, who was turned to me. He opened his mouth to say something, but the Duke of Grangen from across the table started talking to him.
“How are the Dreidans taking the drastic change? I mean, two rulers can be sort of confusing.”
Brye replied, telling him that he was only a ruler while he was in the kingdom. It was complicated, hard for some to understand. Usually when a prince got married (or almost married) he stayed prince until his father died, or resigned, then becoming king. But it was different in our situation. Brye had betrothed the princess of a kingless kingdom, therefore having to take up responsibility there. It was a whole mess of laws and rules that hadn’t been touched in centuries. Most of the time I just pretended to understand.
“Layla,” Brye said. I realized he had finished his conversation with the Duke. I came back from my wonderland of thoughts and responded with sharp, “Hmmm?”
> Brye took a swig from his goblet and sat it down gently. He opened his mouth to speak once more, his lips formed around the words. But he sighed, closed his mouth and said, “I’ve got all the men we’ll ever need. Dreidan militia and Tentaleighen. Even some Calvary.” He paused and wet his lips with his tongue. “Have you spoken to the Elf King yet?”
“I only just arrived a few hours ago.” I could feel my heart flouncing in my chest. I was so excited to have Brye sitting right next to me again. I wanted to tell him everything that had happened since we were separated, but at the same time I wanted only to sit and soak in his presence. He had a hindered sparkle in his eye, and a smile on his lips. I felt like laughing, but I stayed silent.
“Yes, I know you haven’t been here long. I haven’t either.” Brye leaned forward, his voice deeper and softer. “I was just inquiring.”
“Do you think he’ll tell us what we need to know? I don’t know much about him, if he is selfish or not. He may want to keep the secret for himself, you know.” I spoke from the top of my head.
Brye laughed a little knowing laugh. “I can’t be sure, but he might be anxious and ready to get rid of the evil creatures.”
I hadn’t really kept my mind on the subject. Why wouldn’t King Eathay be more than glad to give us the information we needed to eradicate the Colies? It only made sense.
“I’ll arrange it, and we can speak to King Eathay during noon meal tomorrow.” Brye had his hand on his fork, but he didn’t lift it off the table. I looked at his plate. He hadn’t eaten a thing. I looked up at his face and started laughing. I couldn’t help it.