Dancing Through Dreams

by S K Wee

  Rhiver was a prince of the Soo Jin sect of elves. He knew that the elf couple was not of his sect and assumed they were part of the Hi-lotti sect, which resided west of Rhiver’s people. The couple had never claimed ties to any sect, though. Rhiver and Huhana were prepared to travel to the forest and try to get any information they could. Rhiver had expressed his sorrow and held himself partially to blame for bringing the couple with them to Port Devdan to begin with. He told Conny he was very surprised when they asked to come along as they had never shown much interest in any of the events in either Mandalay or Bhaelor before.

  When Conny turned to pace back toward the door, she found her husband standing there. He had the same haunted look in his eyes that she was sure was mirrored in her own. As he came to her and hugged her close, she could feel him shudder. He was as scared as she was.

  “No news yet?” Conny whispered. She could tell there wasn’t but still had to voice the question.

  “Sorry, no. I feel so useless. I wish I could be helping them locate her but I know they will have better luck than I could. We’ve got the very best team out looking for her.” They stood in their embrace for a few more minutes. Conny was trying to draw some support through the contact while giving back all she could. It didn’t seem to be near enough.

  None of the family had slept through the night. Dankal was seated on the sofa and had his eyes closed but Conny knew he wasn’t asleep. Seisyll was outside waiting for any word. He was too impatient to be caged indoors to wait. The coronation was to start soon and most of the people that were to attend hadn’t been to bed yet. Conny felt a moment’s pity for young Kappy. This awful event would be forever tied to his big day.

  There was a small commotion outside the door and Conny looked over to see that Darby had returned. He did not look happy, but then again, he never did. Conny looked beyond him to Sylly following behind and saw the look of disappointment clearly written on his face. They did not find her. Conny would have fallen to her knees had her husband not held her up.

  “Sorry, Conny, Ekky. We believe they may have boarded a ship. Twig has checked for any sort of magic but found nothing at all. According to witnesses, there was a small vessel on the south end of the pier he may have used. It was not registered because it carried no freight. The ship set sail sometime during the early hours before dawn and was said to be headed toward the south. There is no known port to the south but Rosie has sent several of her fleet in pursuit. We also went over Sarala’s body more closely and found this.” Darby handed Conny a thin piece of material. She knew immediately that it was a piece of Dianna’s lavender gown she had been wearing.

  “It is hers. The lavender gown she loved. Oh, dear Sar, where is she? I have to believe that he means to keep her alive for whatever reason. I just have to.” Conny broke down into tears. Ekky helped her from the room and up the stairs to their guest rooms.

  *****

  The news was not what she had wanted, but Frankie knew the show had to go on. The trail had grown cold, but she knew they would not stop looking until they found Dianna. She had the task of preparing her half-brother for his crown. Fortunately, Aunt Rose had everything prepared ahead of time. All she had to do was make sure that Kappy was dressed and ready to go.

  When she had first entered his room earlier, she was shocked at the transformation in him in just one night. Her scared, insecure brother had miraculously changed into a confident and able young man. When she questioned Rose about it, she found out what prompted such a change. Though she had questioned Rose’s tactics, she couldn’t find fault in the outcome. Frankie would have sat him down and explained the birds and the bees to him. She was sure she could have made him realize what was normal and what was not, but Rose’s solution had worked quite well and she would accept the process.

  The fact that their dear Aunt Rose owned and operated all the brothels in town was not something that Kappy was privy to as yet. Rose wanted him to be a bit older and wiser before he learned more about all the resources she had available for him. She felt that he was not quite ready to use those resources wisely. Having been involved with Kappy at the Academy for the last five years, Frankie had to agree with her. Kappy didn’t always make the best choices.

  When she got back to Kappy’s room, she noticed he seemed ready to go. The coronation would take place in the throne room and then he would be escorted to the cathedral for the Honorable Mallory’s blessing. With most of the palace in an uproar over the disappearance of Dianna, Frankie wanted the ceremony a little lower key and a whole lot shorter. They had chosen to eliminate much of the pomp of the ceremony and just maintain the required elements of the ritual.

  “I see you’re ready for your grand entrance. I believe that the stage is set for you in the throne room. How are you holding up, Kappy?” Frankie wiped off some lint from his robe thinking he made a striking figure—tall, handsome, and commanding.

  “I have to admit, I’m a little scared. But I just want this over with so we can focus on finding Dianna. Have you heard anything more? Did Darby make it back?”

  “Darby is back from town. I’m afraid the elf must have had a small sailing vessel available or stole one. They are still questioning the townspeople but it seems there is little more we can do for now. But you’re right; we should get this thing done so we can concentrate on rescuing her.” Frankie smoothed out his regal robes and then brushed his shaggy hair out of his face. They were ready to march.

  Once they entered the throne room, everyone stood while Kappy made his way toward the front of the chamber. There were three steps leading to the dais where the throne sat. To the side of the throne sat a table and on it sat the ‘Atef Crown.’ This was the crown used for millennia for all the Amirs and Amiras of the country of Bhaelor. Also alongside the throne itself was the ‘Staff of Concord.’ The staff was rumored to be blessed by Sar himself. Fortunately, Rose had made it back to the palace and was in place as she ushered her nephew up the stairs to stand before the assembly.

  *****

  It seemed like Rose was going in ten different directions throughout the long night and into the morning. She was hoping that nothing else could go wrong. As she led Kappy up the steps, she felt reassured that at least he would no doubt become the Amir everyone needed. Yes, he still needed to grow up some more, but he already had shown moments of brilliance. Rose knew that his heart was in the right place and he would thrive in his new role as the ruler of Bhaelor.

  Frankie had shown some of her more protective side when Rose explained about procuring one of her ladies for Kappy. Frankie always put her faith in her ability to know what to say when any sort of problem arose. Rose knew, without a doubt, that Kappy’s main problem was his tremendous fear he may turn into a monster resembling his father if he let loose any of his sexual desires. The surest way to resolve the issue was to find the perfect tutor and Rose had known just which one would be the best qualified. Even Frankie had remarked that it seemed to have worked.

  With everything else going on, Rose knew she could do no more to help locate Dianna, thus she centered all of her attention on Kappy and making sure the coronation went ahead without any problems. Kappy looked regal in his robes and Rose could see how much he resembled his father, at least in his looks. Kappy’s heart and soul held none of the darkness that took over Mohana, thank Sar. But Kappy certainly inherited the very best traits from both of his parents. He was handsome to an extreme, charismatic, and most importantly, caring and kind.

  Rose was awarded the duty of reading from the ancient tome, describing the duties Kappy was to undertake and vow to uphold. The list was extensive and took nearly a whole hour to go through. Frankie helped by placing the crown on Kappy’s head at the designated time and handing the precious staff to him at the end of his vows.

  After this portion of the ceremony, Kappy was required to greet as many of the people as possible along his route to the cathedral where the Honorable Mallory would meet them for his prayers entreating Sar’s bles
sings on the new Amir. They originally planned to hold an entire service but in lieu of Dianna’s disappearance, they asked Mallory to only perform the parts that were necessary, thus the whole service was completed in less than an hour and they were back inside the palace by mid-day.

  The celebrations were, of course, muted due to everyone’s worry, but Rose had hired some entertainment and they played their soft music out in the garden while everyone just quietly milled around.

  Chapter 6

  Aboard a Sailing Vessel on the Porthos Ocean, South of Port Devdan

  When Dianna came to, she was immediately sick to her stomach. Taichi was there by her side to help her to the railing to empty her belly. Though she tried to pull away from him, he clung to her tightly.

  “What do you want with me? Where are we going? You’ll never get away with this, never!” Dianna was confused when she first awakened; she didn’t remember anything, but now the events of the previous evening were coming back to her and she was terrified.

  “Don’t expect anyone to rescue you, little dove. They will never find us. I have learned enough of the future to know this. You are necessary to fulfill a prophecy. You are the Oveestra, the champion, the savior. I am just the means to bring you toward your destiny. I am your servant, as are all the MinSu tribe.” Taichi bowed before her in deference even though he still had a firm hold on her arm.

  “MinSu tribe? I’ve never even heard of them. Is that part of the Soo Jin sect or what was the other one . . . the Hi-lotti, I think?” Dianna began to wonder how many sects there were.

  “No, my Oveestra, the MinSu are a long forgotten sect. We are proud of our heritage but the humans tried to wipe us out many centuries ago. We were living quite prosperously to the west of the Hi-lotti, what is now a barren desert called the Grand Sands. The land had once been a lush paradise filled with vegetation and life. Once home to the towering kol-da trees, which were a sacred tree we believe the humans destroyed and thereby, destroyed our way of life.”

  “I don’t know anything about any of that. I don’t see why you think you need me. I’m only a quarter elf and that quarter was from the Soo Jin sect.” Aunt Huhana had taught her the history and lore of her father’s ancestors. Dianna felt she had little in common with the elves. She evidently looked very much like her mother’s side with the exception of a slightly pointed angle on the tips of her ears, which was barely noticeable.

  “Yes, that is true. It was written in prophecy and seen by myself and many others of our tribe. You are the one, the one to repair what has been broken. The Oveestra.”

  “You murdered Sarala! Why would you do that?” The image of Sarala being overpowered by Taichi as they fought over her came to mind.

  “Sarala started pulling you in the wrong direction. For many years, I believed she was my partner in all matters, but her true mission was revealed. It was unfortunate, but I had no other choice. All our actions have consequences and her’s cost her life. At least she removed you from the palace grounds before her treachery was discovered.” Taichi seemed upset by Sarala’s actions. “Here, have some cider to settle your stomach.” Taichi handed her a canteen, which she took a swallow from. She tried to wash the bitter taste in her mouth away, but the contents of the canteen were equally as bitter. Within minutes, she could no longer keep her eyes open. The last thing she remembered was Taichi easing her away from the railing and to a blanket lying out on deck.

  The next few days were similar. She would ask questions of Taichi, but he would just smile at her and tell her that all had been foreseen and they were on the path they were meant to take. Whatever was in the canteen helped her sleep through most of the day and all of the night. She believed it was the fourth day out when they came to shore near a secluded area. Dianna felt very weak from being ill and having little food but as she wobbled forward, Taichi took hold of her and carried her ashore. The two men that sailed the small vessel soon left them behind.

  “Where are we? I don’t see any towns or people. Are we still in Bhaelor?”

  “This is the gateway to the desert. Just beyond those hills, we will find a small settlement. They are all that remains of the once mighty MinSu. There are a few of us scattered here and there awaiting your arrival. But the seer will know that we have arrived on shore. She knows all and will be your mentor while learning what your duties are comprised of.”

  “Duties? Do you honestly believe I will willingly help you out after you kidnapped me from my family and forced me here? I will never be your Oveestra!”

  “It has been seen throughout our dreamscape, little dove. You are our savior whether you wish to be or not. It has been seen. Now come along, I can’t carry you the whole way.” Taichi set her down on the sand, it was daylight and Dianna took the time to look over the entire area hoping to see some means of escape. Soon Taichi was pulling on her arm, impatient to continue their journey.

  As they trudged through the sand making their way ever south, Dianna lost her slippers and fell many times. The sand was scorching her feet and the sun had her drenched in sweat. The next time she fell, she chose not to get back up. This was just too much for her to handle. She began to cry, but the sun seemed to suck up even the moisture from her tears.

  “Please, Oveestra. It’s not much farther. Once we arrive, you will have water and food. Come along, I will help you.” Taichi did not lie. Just over the dunes was a small settlement. How they could survive the dry heat of the desert was remarkable. Dianna had never been so thirsty in her life by the time Taichi practically carried her the remaining distance.

  The elves were dark-skinned, probably from the amount of sun on their bodies. All were painfully thin and wore scraps of cloth—the coarse fabric a light brown or tan color—placed here and there. While the men and boys wore only a loincloth, the women somehow wound the cloth around their bodies and then tied into a large knot. With various pieces of extra cloth, some had covered their heads but hanging down the sides, which Dianna believed might protect the head and face from the relentless rays of the sun.

  There were five huts in somewhat of a circle. When they arrived within the circle, an older woman directed Taichi in a foreign tongue and he then brought Dianna into the largest of the huts. After some conversation between the two, Taichi finally turned back to Dianna.

  “Oveestra, please sit. Our seer’s name is Natsuki and she is much revered in this tribe. She does not speak the human tongue so I will be your interpreter while she speaks with you. First, I will get you water and bread.” Taichi left the hut and Dianna looked over at the seer. The woman looked to be over a hundred years old with dark, wrinkled skin resembling very old leather. She looked back at Dianna and seemed to study her in return.

  “Here you go, Oveestra. Don’t drink too fast—just a small sip at a time—or you’ll throw it back up. That’s enough, now take a bit of bread, there you go. You look better already. Just take it slow.” Taichi watched her carefully as she finished the bread and took another couple sips of water. All the while the other members of the tribe stopped near the door of the hut to look inside at her. She felt like the prized pig at the fair.

  After finishing the last of the water, Dianna looked back at the seer. Natsuki was humming with her eyes closed and swaying back and forth. Dianna sent a questioning glance to Taichi. “A vision,” he whispered back.

  They sat in silence until Natsuki finished with her performance at which time she went on and on in her discussion with Taichi. Dianna could only sit there and watch the conversation between the two. After what seemed like hours, Taichi finally turned to her.

  “Tonight, you will sleep here; tomorrow, you will begin your training.” She couldn’t believe that with the length of their conversation this was all that was said.

  “Huh? What training? What will I be learning?”

  “Tomorrow will be soon enough, Oveestra. Get some sleep because we will be traveling to the fortress tomorrow and it is quite a distance.” As scared as Dianna was, she had n
o trouble sleeping the night through. There was nothing else she could do. There was nowhere she could run to, even if she did get herself freed. She would need to follow along with these people until an opportunity arose. Dianna was certain people were looking for her. She just had to bide her time until she was rescued.

  *****

  When she had first seen the Oveestra, Natsuki was shocked. Her visions of the girl were uncanny. She was definitely the One. Their salvation. After all these years of waiting, she had finally come. She was beset with another vision while the girl was eating.

  The Oveestra stood atop the plateau, arms opened wide as she held the scepter made of wood from the sacred kol-da tree. In her other hand, she held the most famous of all gems, the fiery golden diamond. Wrapped around her torso was the largest desert viper that Natsuki had ever seen. With the power of the gem and scepter combined with the venom from the viper, the Oveestra was beyond invincible . . . she was immortal.

  After experiencing such a vision, Natsuki knew what needed to be accomplished. They would have to bring the Oveestra to the ruins of the temple. It was the known lair of the desert viper. In this sacred place was where the Oveestra would commune with the greatest of all creatures. She would either die from its venom—as those that made the attempt before her—or become a goddess.

  Chapter 7

  City of Uttara, Gateway to the Silvanas Forest, Eastern Coast of Bhaelor

  Walking around the house, Sylly found a few memories that had remained hidden from him. Memories brought alive by revisiting the home he and his parents once lived in. Though the house belonged to his father’s employer, they had come to live in it as a family before Dianna was born. Sylly was only six at the time, but he could vaguely remember his mother, pregnant with his baby sister, coming out the back door and yelling at him and Dank for something. He remembered her smile mostly. Even when she was yelling at them to stop their horsing around, she still always had a good-natured smile on her face. Seldom did he remember his birth parents anymore. That was so many years ago.