Naci and his guests were now staring at the lanterns. They were just as surprised by them as Rhen. Fire that burned downward?! Naci snorted. He was happy that the lanterns were finally working but to have them as another tourist attraction, well, that was something else.
“Alright, last question,” Ceceta said. “Wait, I don’t have it. Crystam what’s the last question?”
“Hang in there Rhen,” Tgfhi told him. “You’re almost done.”
“Here it is,” Crystam said, lifting up her magazine. “How many people did you have sex with before you got married?”
Rhen and Ceceta both started to chuckle.
“Right,” Ceceta said. “I guess we’re done.” She grabbed Rhen’s hand and pulled him up the stairs.
Naci greeted them when they entered his castle. Molten lava was now flowing through small, clear pipes in the castle’s walls and floor. It lit up intricately etched markings that had never before been visible. Fire lanterns lit the walls and passageways at every turn. Naci gestured towards the lava that poured down the wall in the front vestibule of his castle. “So what do you think?” he asked Rhen.
Rhen paused. He hadn’t realized the photo session was over. He hoped Naci hadn’t been waiting for them for long. “I’m surprised. I’ve been near a lot of lava, but I’ve never seen anything like this. This lava doesn’t smell, nor does it bubble or explode. Your lava provides you with heat and light, and it’s beautiful.”
Naci agreed. “I think it’s perfectly amazing.” He chuckled to himself as he removed his coat. He was actually warm. “Yes, perfect and amazing.”
Naci led Rhen and Ceceta to the main dining room, he hesitated at the entrance as Ceceta gasped beside him. At the opposite end of the room from the main doors was an enormous stone fireplace. A roaring fire was burning in its massive hearth, which could easily fit two jetbikes end to end. Flames from the fire lit up designs that had been carved into the stones by their ancestors.
“That’s magnificent,” Rhen said. Naci beamed with approval as he showed them to their seats.
During the meal, Latsoh asked Rhen to sing her and Erfce a song. As Rhen adjusted the microphone, a pentar appeared in his hands.
“Oh, no.” Erfce winced when he saw the oblong instrument. Latsoh gave him a look, so he explained. “That’s an instrument that our ancestors used to play. It sounds absolutely awful, like nails being scratched down a sheet of–”
“I get the picture,” Latsoh interrupted.
Erfce’s father leaned over towards them. “I thought he was a good musician. Why’s he holding a pentar? Does he want to give us all headaches?”
“Perhaps he’s trying to bore everyone so he can go home,” Erfce’s cousin remarked as he passed by their table.
“Tgfhi, Crystam, Ceceta, do you want to help me?” Rhen asked through the microphone. They shot out of their chairs and ran up onto the stage. “Alright,” Rhen said, when they were settled with the instruments they wanted to play. “I thought it’d be nice to sing you some songs in Pontish using one of your cherished instruments.” The Pontoians clapped with hesitation as Rhen lifted up the pentar. Latsoh squinted to see it better. It looked like a cross between a violin and a science experiment. The pentar was shaped like a violin but it had two silver triangles on the top and bottom with ten strings between them. Rhen laughed at the Pontoians reaction as he adjusted the tightness of the magnets located on the strings. “Yeah, most people can’t play it very well. Let’s see if I can change your opinion.” He kicked the band into action, using his powers to move his friends’ bodies as they played. When he was ready, Rhen tilted the pentar, cradling it to his chest so he could play it with both of his hands.
Latsoh laughed with surprise when she heard it. It didn’t sound anything like what Erfce had described. The pentar’s notes were light and airy. Occasionally, Rhen would do something with his fingers to make the notes sound richer, but for the most part it produced a blend of notes that made you want to dance. “Sounds better this time, doesn’t it?” Rhen asked his audience, when the song ended. He then proceeded to sing four love songs in Pontish. When he was finished, he thanked everyone and stepped off the stage.
As he was walking towards his seat, Charlie yelled, “Hey, you showed off the pentar but you didn’t do anything for the elves. Isn’t this an Elfin/Pontoian wedding? Are you just going to forget Latsoh’s heritage?” Rhen hesitated by his chair. “You know you want to,” Charlie added. “You know you can’t resist the beautiful harmony of elfin women’s voices.”
Rhen’s eyebrow raised. How did Charlie know that? He shook his head and sat down. He didn’t want to monopolize his friends’ wedding.
“I guess Rhen doesn’t like you as much as he likes Erfce,” Charlie told Latsoh in a loud voice. “Or perhaps he doesn’t like your family.”
“No, it’s Aaron I don’t like,” Rhen told Charlie, as the people around him laughed.
Latsoh leaned forward to catch Rhen’s eye. “If you wouldn’t mind, we’d love to hear you play a song using one of our instruments.”
Rhen nodded and rose to his feet. He mounted the steps to the stage and stared up at the wall in front of him. Displayed around the room, like artwork, were several ancient elfin instruments. Rhen lifted one down from the wall and blew into it. It sounded like a modern flute. He swung his hand out and all of the instruments flew off the wall. They hovered in the air next to him as he inspected them. When he was finished, he returned to the microphone. “I’ll play some traditional songs for you, but I’m not singing. I don’t like the sound of my voice in ancient elfin.”
Ancient elfin? The elves twittered with excitement. Was Rhen going to use his powers to make someone sing in ancient elfin? Naci glanced over at Latsoh’s wedding recorder to make sure that he was getting everything. He wanted Rhen’s performance to be recorded. If they could get ancient elfin on tape, then perhaps their linguists would be able to decipher it and they would discover the basis for their language as well as learn what the many symbols on their castle and temple walls meant.
Grinning, Rhen said, “I nominate all of you to sing instead.” The elves gasped and looked back and forth amongst themselves. They couldn’t wait. Rhen began to play the string instrument he was holding. It made a haunting sound that gave them chills.
“Weird,” Aaron whispered to Latsoh. “I hadn’t expected our music to sound so… mournful.”
Rhen chuckled to himself at their expressions. He was freaking them out on purpose. When tears began to form in some of their eyes, he decided to stop tormenting them. “Sorry about that, I was just having some fun. Here’s something more appropriate for a wedding.” A cheerful melody filled the room. Using his powers, Rhen manipulated the elves’ bodies, making them sing. The music was lively and the guests wanted to dance. When the song ended and the next one began, they rushed out onto the dance floor to celebrate. Rhen got caught up in their excitement. Using his powers to keep the music going, he jumped off the stage to dance with them.
Six swirling vortexes of different colors appeared in the air above the dance floor as the Genisters flew into the room to join Rhen. They danced alongside him, matching his every move with their own, in a dance that looked like it had been choreographed centuries ago. The tempo on Rhen’s songs became faster and faster until the Genisters were moving so quickly that light burst forth from their hands. Each Genister released a colored, except for Rhen, who was glowing white. The Genisters’ colors made patterns in the air as they danced.
“What a magnificent show,” Plos told Naci as they watched. When the song ended, the Genisters were howling with laughter.
Rhen felt he was taking over too much of Latsoh’s wedding, so he walked back to his seat. The Genisters followed him to his table.
“Congratulations on your nuptials,” Thellis told Latsoh and Erfce, his green form bowing before them.
“Mind if we crash your wedding?” Thestrst asked, his orange powers forming a halo over his head.
Naci couldn’t have been happier. Genisters at his daughter’s wedding? It would be spoken about for all eternity. “Can we get you anything?” he asked them.
“No,” the turquoise Genister said, her eyes landing on Rhen as he tipped his head back to get the last drop of liquid from his glass. “We have everything we need.”
“I want some more elfin music,” Thamber announced. She was dressed in an elaborate golden gown with matching make-up. “We haven’t heard it in a thousand years. More!” she demanded, while tapping Rhen on his head with her fist.
Rhen glanced over at his friends. “Only if Latsoh and Erfce want more.”
“Yes, please,” Latsoh said. She’d had a blast watching the Genisters dance.
Rhen sighed and stood up. “Okay, five more songs.”
“Fifty,” the silver Genister yelled, her powers flaring with excitement.
“Five,” Rhen repeated, as the music started. Immediately, the Genisters flew out onto the dance floor.
During a brief pause after the third song, Rhen leaned over the edge of the stage and asked Thellis where the Fire People were. “I thought you said they were friends with the Fire Elves. Shouldn’t they be here at the wedding?”
Thellis hesitated. He wasn’t sure what to say. It was true. The Fire People were friends with the Fire Elves, but Themrock hadn’t made it possible for the two groups to meet yet. The Fire Elves still didn’t have their powers yet.
Charlie stumbled over towards them. “Well,” he slurred, while leaning onto the stage. “You know they never come to the daughters’ weddings. They’re kind of sexist that way. You’ll see them at Aaron’s wedding.” He lost his balance and fell to the floor.
It was a fantastic lie. Naci and Reman only had one daughter, so after today, Rhen could never claim that they had lied to him.
Giggling, Charlie crawled up onto the stage. “I want to play with you,” he said, rolling across the floor towards the drums. Rhen hesitated. The Genisters would have to be happy with the four songs he’d sung. He needed to help his brother. Walking over to Charlie, Rhen lifted him to his feet. “Let’s take you for a walk.”
“I don’t want to walk,” Charlie whined. “I want to play.” He stumbled and Rhen caught him. Jet appeared beside them to take Charlie’s other side and together they left the room.
Aaron led them down a corridor into a sitting room, where Charlie proceeded to vomit onto the rug. Rhen made the vomit disappear as soon as Charlie was done. “Thanks,” Aaron said with relief. “My Dad loves that rug. He’d be furious with Charlie if he ruined it.”
A few seconds later, the other guard elves arrived in the room along with Lilly, Mary, Tgfhi and Crystam. “Hey, are you guys exploring the castle?” Tgfhi asked.
Aaron’s eyes widened. They could take Rhen up to the Ancestor Room now. The wedding was practically over. It was the perfect time. Latsoh would have nothing to complain about, if they went now. “Sure,” Aaron said. “I’ll help with Charlie.”
“No,” Rhen said as he and Jet picked up Charlie. “We got him.”
“Lead on,” Shno said. They couldn't wait to see what happened when Rhen put his hands in the sculpted handprints. Ceceta entered the room just as they were leaving. She hurried to catch up to them. Walking alongside Rhen, she said, “So, I hope you haven’t forgotten about our little questionnaire.”
Rhen rolled his eyes, when Tgfhi glanced over at him. “No, love.” They walked up a staircase. “I haven’t forgotten. Why do you bring it up?”
“Well, I was wondering about several of your answers. One answer in particular keeps coming back to me. Do you know which one it could be?” she asked, sounding sweet and innocent.
“No.” They walked through a room that had doors that led to nowhere.
“Did you fall in love at first sight?” Ceceta repeated the question for Rhen.
“If I remember right,” Rhen told her. “I answered that one correctly.” He helped Jet carry Charlie through a small door then they passed through another room that had doors that opened to a stone wall.
“Yes, you did, but,” Ceceta began, while pulling on Rhen’s sleeve to make him stop. “You hesitated. You hesitated, because you were lying. You’ve always told me that you fell in love with me at first sight, but now I find out that you didn’t. So?”
Rhen grinned down at her. “You’re beautiful when you’re upset. You glow this deep blue that sets off the golden color of your hair.”
Ceceta stomped her foot. “Don’t change the damn subject.”
Rhen felt Jet pull on Charlie, so he stepped through the doorway into the Fire Elves’ Ancestor Room. He and Jet placed Charlie down onto the wide stone bench that ran around the circular room. Turning, Rhen took Ceceta aside. They talked for a few minutes, but instead of things getting better, they got worse. As Ceceta stepped away from Rhen, the elves could see that both of them were now angry.
Rhen marched over and sat down on the bench next to Charlie. He crossed his arms over his chest and didn’t even bother looking around the room while Ceceta sat down on the opposite side of the room stewing.
Aaron saw his chance for success slipping away. His father had ordered him to bring Rhen to this room after the wedding, but Ceceta was ruining everything.
“Ceceta, what are you doing?” Jack whispered to her. “We need Rhen to put his hands into the handprints.”
“You’ve got to stop fighting with him,” Aaron begged.
Ceceta ducked her head. “Sorry. I’ll try to think of a way to get him to do it.”
“Oh,” Charlie moaned. He rolled and fell off the bench onto the floor. Lifting his chin up, he glanced about the room. “How did I get here?”
“We carried you,” Rhen told him.
Charlie rubbed his cheek against the stone floor. “Thanks… I guess. Remind me to put my hands in Themrock’s handprints before we leave. I want to see if they’re different here than in the other castles.”
That was it! Ceceta took Charlie’s words and ran with them. She placed her hands in the handprints and said, “They’re smaller here than in the Water Elf castle. See, my hands fit.”
Rhen scoffed. “They’re not smaller. Your hands don’t fit.”
“Of course they do,” Ceceta snapped. She turned towards him with her hands on her hips. “My hands fit perfectly.”
Rhen marched over and placed his left hand into the carved-out handprint. “Then how’s it possible for my hand to fit as well? Your hands are too small.”
“It totally fit my hand, you Rasack fart.”
Rhen laughed incredulously. “How can you say that when you see it fits my hand?” They argued for a little while until Rhen tried to walk away and found that his hand was stuck. He jerked his arm, trying to pull his hand free from the print, but it wouldn’t budge. Ceceta and the elves tried pulling on his hand too, but nothing worked.
“Oh, for the Gods’ sake,” Rhen bellowed. Jumping, he put his feet on the wall so he was standing on it then jerked at his hand but it just wouldn’t budge. He dropped to the ground and pulled again, but got nowhere. Drawing out his sword, he handed it to Ceceta. “Just chop off my arm.” It’d hurt like hell, but a new one would grow back, thanks to the healing powers Layla had given him. He crouched down to give Ceceta a better angle.
Ceceta raised the sword over her head, but instead of aiming for his arm, she was focused on Rhen’s neck. Their fight was all Layla’s fault. She wanted to frighten Layla so that she’d leave Rhen’s body.
Before the guard elves could move, Ceceta brought the sword down towards Rhen’s neck. Aaron bumped into her just in time to change the angle of descent and the sword cut harmlessly through the sleeve of Rhen’s tunic, missing his shoulder.
“Themrock!” Jack barked, pulling Ceceta away from Rhen. “What the hell, Ceceta?!”
“Nice,” Rhen said with dripping sarcasm. “Remind me not to take you into battle. That was pathetic. Really Ceceta, if you wanted to kill me, you know how to do it
.”
Ceceta started to cry. She reached out for Rhen, but Jack held onto her until Rhen gave him a nod. Ceceta curled up against Rhen sobbing into his black tunic. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.” Rhen bent down to kiss her head. “Ceceta,” he whispered into her hair. “I honestly did fall in love with you at first sight, but it wasn’t when you think it was. That’s why I hesitated. You see, I saw you getting off the landbus, when your family arrived at the Neptian royal palace. I watched you walking across the courtyard, as your parents went into the palace to apply for an audience with your king. I fell in love with you then. The only reason why you saw me in the palace at all was because I positioned myself in such a way as to make sure that you would notice me. I was in love with you before you even knew I existed.”
“Oh, Rhen, why didn’t you tell me this before?” Ceceta sniffed and wiped at her nose.
“I tried to, but you weren’t listening.” He held his hand out to Aaron, asking for his sword. “Now,” he said, when Aaron handed it over. “Do you want to try chopping off my arm again? Or my head, if it’ll make you feel any better?”
Ceceta chuckled and took the sword. She held it over her head then brought it down on Rhen’s arm but it bounced off as if it were made of rubber.
“Crap!” Rhen barked, struggling once again to break free. “This stone must be spelled.” The Genisters would know how to free him. He glanced around the room but of course there weren’t any Genisters present. “Typical.” They followed him everywhere these days, but now, when he needed one, they were gone.
He glanced over at Charlie, but his brother was still passed out on the floor. Rhen wondered if he was faking it. “Charlie?” Nothing. Maybe he really was drunk. Rhen leaned backwards to look at the stone pillar. “What’s this thing made of?”
The Surpen King - Part 2 - Rise of the Elves Page 35