RHEN

by Charity Kelly

  When the Nosduhs had cleared the hallway, Rhen and Ceceta made their way outside. As Rhen walked out into the warm sunshine, he felt himself relaxing. In the distance he could see the Wood Elf Castle. Its tallest spires peaked out over the top of the Wood Elf Forest. “Does Reed live in that castle? Is that the Wood Elf Castle?” Ceceta asked.

  “Yes,” Rhen answered. He had asked one of the servants in the Thestran Castle about Reed and had learned all about the Wood Elves. It appeared the four elfin tribes were having financial problems, so the Elfin Royals spent most of their time with the Thestran Royal Family in the hopes of receiving favors from them. The Wood Elves were the richest tribe, since their princess had married the son of the ruling family. Rhen felt bad for the elves. According to the servant he’d spoken to, during the time of the Genisters, the elves had ruled Thestran. The Genisters had taken a liking to the elves, so they’d given them powers. After Themrock disappeared, the elves’ powers had waned until they were gone. Once that had happened the Thestrans had persecuted them until they’d nearly become extinct. When Kate gave birth to Reed, she decided to help the elves. She worked to bring the elves back by giving them stipends, outlawing discrimination and recognizing them as political allies. Rhen wondered how much his Dad knew about the elves. He’d have to mention them the next time they talked.

  “Where are we exactly?” Ceceta asked.

  “From what I remember of the map I saw in the Thestran’s Castle, we’re maybe a quarter of the way across the planet. There’s a large ocean between here and the Thestran’s castle and in the middle of the ocean was a dot that indicated the Water Elf Castle.”

  They walked down the path to their right. “Look,” Ceceta said, bumping into Rhen’s back.

  Glancing over, Rhen saw Charlie sitting under a tree smoking cigarettes and drinking with his friends. When Charlie waved to them, Rhen returned the gesture hesitantly. He heard Ceceta giggling behind him. “Was that painful dear?” she teased.

  Rhen laughed and turned around, picking her up in his arms. “Absolutely,” he said, kissing her and placing her back on the ground. “Actually, I didn’t mean to wave back. It was kind of an involuntary reaction.” Ceceta smiled and took his hand. They walked over to a row of apple trees and sat down to watch the other students.

  “I assume everything checks out?” Ceceta asked, when Rhen pulled her up against him.

  “Yup.” He nuzzled his face into her hair.

  “There aren’t any other Surpens at the University?”

  “Nope. No Surpens, no Convention members, no Loreth and no annoying Genisters.” He chuckled into her hair and the heat of his breath sent a shiver of desire down Ceceta’s back. She considered asking him to phase them away to a secret location where they could get intimate but changed her mind. There was too much to see at the University and she didn’t want to miss it. She’d spent her entire life in the Surpen Palace and now she was out. She couldn’t get over all of the strange species of people that existed.

  As they watched the other students, they noticed that most of them were wearing shirts or carrying bags that had pictures or drawings of the Black Angel on them. A bunch of kids also had shirts that said Black Angel Club on them. “Who knew the Angel had a Club?” Rhen remarked. He appeared to be quite the celebrity which Rhen and Ceceta found amusing.

  “Can I hear some music?” Ceceta asked, after they’d been sitting in silence for a while.

  “Sure.” Rhen used his powers to transmit the song that was playing in his head to her.

  “Oh, that’s beautiful.” Ceceta closed her eyes to focus on the melody. “You always have the most beautiful songs playing in your mind.”

  “Beautiful to you, annoying to me,” he grumbled. He lay down on the soft, green grass to watch the spacejets. “That’s one power I could do without.” Ceceta patted Rhen on the arm and lay down beside him to watch the sky.

  “You probably wouldn’t mind it as much if music was allowed on Surpen,” she told him softly.

  “Perhaps,” Rhen answered, pulling her in towards him.

  An hour before dinner, Professor Dewey arrived. Rhen and Ceceta rose to their feet as the Headmaster apologized to them for taking so long. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you to your apartment before we go to the auditorium for the opening remarks. You won’t have to stay in the students’ dormitories. Since you’re married, we’ve placed you in the Teacher’s Residence Hall.” They followed the Headmaster down the path to the left of the main school building, mounting the cement stairs of the first brick building they came to. Professor Dewey walked up to the second floor and opened the first apartment door on the left. Rhen and Ceceta followed him. There was a small, walk-in kitchen located immediately to their right. Professor Dewey flicked on the kitchen’s fluorescent lights to show them the refrigerator, dishwasher and white, laminate cabinets. The kitchen’s left wall, in front of the sink, was open, so they could look through to the living room.

  Walking down the hallway they noticed that the other side of the half wall had been made into a bar area – there were four stools lined up underneath the counter. Rhen walked over to inspect the wooden bookcase on the left side of their living room while Ceceta touched the tired looking blue couch and chairs that were set in a semicircle around a brown coffee table on the right side of the room. Beyond the couch was a worn looking oak desk where they could do their homework and above the desk were two windows. Rhen opened the door next to the bookcase and nodded when he saw a bedroom and bathroom. Their bed was already made with white sheets and a white comforter. The apartment itself was painted in white and most of the furniture in it was a dull brown color. Ceceta smiled at the bland décor.

  “The University’s staff will take care of any dishes, laundry and cleaning that needs to be done, so you can focus on your studies,” Professor Dewey told them. “Please note that even though you have a kitchen, you are required to eat your meals with the rest of the students, so you can make friends and form study groups for your more intense courses.” He handed Rhen their course schedule, which Rhen passed over to Ceceta. She scanned the page and nodded. “Great,” Professor Dewey said. “Will you please accompany me to the main auditorium for the opening remarks?”

  As they walked out of the apartment, one of the University’s employees arrived looking flustered. “Sir, Rhen’s ‘slaves’ have arrived with their things.”

  “Oh,” Professor Dewey said, sounding surprised. He turned to Rhen. “Would you mind not using your slaves while you’re here at the school? We require the other students to leave theirs at home.”

  Rhen didn’t care for slaves. He’d never liked the way they hung over him, so he nodded that it would be fine. “You’ll find our staff can do everything your slaves do, sometimes faster and better,” Professor Dewey assured him as they walked into the school building, while the frazzled employee ran off to send the Surpen slaves home.

  When they entered the busy auditorium, the room became silent. It appeared word had spread that Kate and Henry’s youngest son was going to the University. The students were eager to see Max. Not a lot was known about him. They leaned over the balcony railings and stood up in the tiered seats to get a better view of him. Professor Dewey walked Rhen and Ceceta over to some seats in the front of the room and indicated to them that they should sit down. When they were settled, he moved over to the podium to welcome the students. He promised them a fun-filled academic year with many new challenges. He introduced the new teachers and talked about the special events the University would be hosting over the upcoming year.

  Bowing his head towards Rhen, Professor Dewey introduced him to the student body. “It’s an honor to include in our enrollment this year the youngest Thestran Prince and… Surpen Prince as well, of course,” he added. “Kate and Henry’s eighth child, Rhen. Rhen is now 16.” Professor Dewey noticed that Rhen was now frowning. He hesitated. For some reason, the boy looked furious. “Right,” he said. “Rhen will be joining our st
udent body as a freshman. He lives on Surpen which makes him and his wife our very first Surpen students. They’ve been kind enough to offer a course on Surpen for any interested students.”

  The room became noisy as the students whispered among themselves. No one could understand why the Headmaster had called Max, Rhen; why a 16-year-old would be allowed to enter the University; or why a member of the Convention would be allowed to attend a Thestran place of learning.

  When Professor Dewey saw Rhen’s hands clench, he brought the meeting to an abrupt end and strode across the stage towards him. “Are you okay?” he asked Rhen. When Rhen nodded, he added, “I understand you have a special diet. Your planet’s food arrived this afternoon.” He paused and glanced up towards the balcony to wave at some students who were calling out his name before looking back at Rhen. “You’re not the first student to require a special diet. Would you mind sitting in some pre-arranged seats for a few weeks, so the staff can learn who you are and the students can get used to the foods you eat?” Rhen nodded again. “Don’t worry, it’s only for a few weeks. After our first break you can sit wherever you want.” Rhen didn’t respond but stared at him with a blank expression that the Headmaster found unnerving.

  “Great,” Professor Dewey said. He turned to leave but before he could step away, Rhen grabbed his upper arm. The gesture wasn’t meant to be an attack, but Professor Dewey was frightened, after his talk with Kate and Henry, so he cried out in alarm.

  Most of the students and teachers were still in the auditorium. They turned when they heard someone yell and were shocked to see their Headmaster struggling in Rhen’s grasp.

  Rhen was surprised by Professor Dewey’s reaction. The man looked like a frightened animal, struggling and fighting against Rhen’s grip. Rhen released his hold on the Headmaster’s upper arm and watched as Professor Dewey jumped away from him.

  “I am not 16. I’m 17,” Rhen told Professor Dewey, who was rubbing his arm where Rhen had held it.

  “What?” the Headmaster asked.

  “I am 17,” Rhen told him.

  The Headmaster grunted as it dawned on him that this was the reason why Rhen had appeared angry. “But your parents said you were 16.”

  “Last year I was 16, now I’m 17.”

  “I think your mother would know how old you are, after all….” Professor Dewey began, but the look of hatred that spread across Rhen’s face brought him to an abrupt halt.

  Ceceta stepped forward and placed her hand on Rhen’s shoulder. She stared at Rhen with piercing eyes until he nodded that she could speak. “Right,” she said in Neptian, turning towards the Headmaster. “Kate seems to have lost track of the years. I can assure you my husband is 17 years old. In fact, he will be 18 before the end of this school year. Does that mean you should bump us up one grade?”

  Professor Dewey’s arm ached, and he was having trouble concentrating. He had never experienced someone like Rhen before. Students who planned on entering the military always did so after graduating from the University, not the other way around. Before he could think of what to say to Ceceta, Charlie stood up from his chair at the top of the balcony. “Let’s all raise a glass to Rhen for his 17th birthday, which slipped away before we even got to celebrate it. Happy Birthday Baby Brother!” Charlie raised his drink up towards Rhen then swung his cup downward, hitting the top edge of the chair in front of him and spilling the remains of his drink everywhere.

  For the first time in his life, Professor Dewey was happy to discipline Charlie. Rhen was going to be more of a problem than he had realized. Even though Kate and Henry had warned him about the boy, he had had trouble imagining one of their children as dangerous. Now he understood what they had been trying to say, and he knew he needed someone from the Royal Family to watch over Rhen while he was at the University. Charlie wouldn’t be able to help, since he was inebriated most of the time.

  “Charlie, go to my office. Immediately,” Professor Dewey yelled. Turning back to Ceceta, he said, “You and Rhen are in the correct grade level. All of the students in the freshman year are either 18 or soon to be turning 18.”

  Ceceta nodded and reached out to take Rhen’s hand. “Come, let’s go eat,” she whispered in Surpen.

  Still frustrated (though for the most part at himself for his inexplicable feelings of anger over the fact that his birth mother had no idea how old he was), Rhen grasped Ceceta’s hand and they walked off to the dining hall.

  When Rhen and Ceceta entered the school’s dining room, a University staff member indicated a table in the far-right corner of the room where they should sit. The room looked very institutional with its white walls and white-tiled floor. There were numerous grey rectangular metal tables with benches and several doors that connected the room to the cafeteria, where students received their food. On the right wall was a row of small windows that looked out over the school’s main lawn.

  Rhen sat down at their assigned table; Ceceta sat across from him. The staff placed plates of raw meat onto the table in front of them and disappeared.

  “Well, that’s a blessing,” Rhen said in Surpen when they were gone.

  “What?” Ceceta asked.

  “I was worried they were going to hang over us while we ate,” Rhen told her. Ceceta nodded, even though that hadn’t occurred to her. She ate her meals alone with the Surpen Queen after Andres had finished and left the room. The castle’s slaves never hung around them.

  “The more they leave us alone, the better,” Rhen added. He forked a large chunk of meat into his mouth.

  Ceceta disagreed. Although she couldn’t wait to spend some time alone with Rhen, she wanted to get involved in life at the University. She hoped to meet the Thestrans and learn more about them. She had forgotten much of her earlier life before Surpen, and she wanted to know what she was missing. Her eyes glowed with excitement as the students came off the cafeteria line and headed towards their table. It appeared most of them were eager to meet the youngest Thestran Prince, but as soon as they caught sight of what Rhen and Ceceta were eating, they groaned and turned away.

  Rhen finished his meal feeling quite content as Ceceta picked at the remains of her dinner. She hadn’t expected the Thestrans to turn on them quite so fast and was beginning to have doubts about her school experience.

  Chapter 13

  Surpen Palace – Throne Room

  Andres drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne. Loreth would be arriving any minute. He was worried about what his advisor would say when he learned that Rhen had enrolled at the Elfin University on Thestran.

  Loreth had helped Andres further Surpen’s goals. Together, they had conquered countless planets using Rhen’s skills. Loreth’s temper was notorious, though, and Andres feared he had made a mistake in allowing Rhen to stay on Thestran.

  Andres shuddered at the memory of his last disagreement with Loreth as he rose from his throne. His right hand would never be the same. Granted, Loreth had healed the bones he had broken, after Andres had apologized for disobeying him, but his joints still ached from the wounds Loreth had inflicted.

  Andres strode over to one of the open windows and looked out over the military barracks. Rhen had asked him to appoint his friend Bosternd to be Military Commander in his absence, and Andres had followed his wishes. He liked Bosternd. The man was loyal and obedient. He would serve Andres well until Rhen returned.

  A splash startled Andres. He turned to face the room, searching for Loreth. Andres leaned to his left to check behind the massive stone columns that supported the vaulted ceiling. As far as he could tell, he was still alone. He walked towards the main entrance, passing several arched openings, and paused by the small, sunken pool in front of his throne. The beige stones at his feet had dark circles on them. One of the fish that Rhen had given to him must have splashed water onto the floor. Bending down, Andres gazed into the pool at the four orange and white fish that were swimming before him. It was quiet in the room. The setting sun basked everything with a golden light.
He smiled as one of the fish paused below him, looking for a handout; its tail fin fanned the water beneath it. How peaceful, he thought to himself, before every muscle in his body clenched in pain. Andres dropped to the ground beside the pool, whimpering in agony.

  “Where’s Rhen?” Loreth asked, materializing by Andres’ throne.

  The pain was so intense that Andres couldn’t speak. Loreth smiled and regarded his nails with bemusement. He left Andres on the ground for a good five minutes before releasing him from his powers. Andres gasped for breath and crawled onto his hands and knees. He knew he needed to respond to Loreth right away or Loreth would punish him again. “He’s… he’s trying to learn more… by… by spying on them longer,” Andres said as Loreth waved his hand in Andres’ direction, making Andres forgot about the pain he had been feeling.

  Andres stood up and approached Loreth, stopping five feet away to bow. “He doesn’t trust the elves and is enrolling at the Elfin University to learn more about their armies,” Andres informed him.

  “Armies,” Loreth asked with mirth. “The elves don’t have armies. They’re pacifists.”

  “Rhen felt that might be a front. He wants to investigate the elves further. They may have hidden armies at Thestran’s disposal,” Andres said.

  Loreth laughed. He gazed down on Andres, who was still bowing before him. “I know elves. I know them better than anyone. Elves are pacifists. Rhen’s on a fool’s errand. Tell him to return home at once.” Loreth wanted Rhen on Surpen so he could prepare their military to attack Thestran.

  “Yes, sir,” Andres said, standing up to go. As he walked towards the exit that would take him to Surpen’s portal, he bumped into an invisible wall blocking the doorway. Loreth had done this to him before, so Andres knew the drill. “Was there something else,” he asked, turning towards his advisor.