Lea Waterborn stepped in front of Ben and led the way to the door that would take him back to earth. When she opened the door there was a stone wall. Ben walked towards the wall with his eyes closed. He hung in the air for a moment and then fell about three feet into water that closed over his head. This time it was not a sea, but a deep, square pool made of concrete. It was not large and a few kicks brought Ben to the side of the pool. He threw his gym bag out and prepared to lever himself out of the water. “Why is there always water?” he grumbled, not expecting a reply.
“To keep you from spraining an ankle or busting a leg, for one thing. Now you know why it is important that you learn to swim, Ben Taylor. The water also makes sure you do not bring any germs or bugs that we do not already have on earth back through the portal with you. This water has special cleansing powers.”
Allison Sims was sitting on a chair by the wall.
“What are you doing here?” Ben asked, as he wiped the water out of his eyes.
“Waiting for you. Well, not for you especially. I am watching for anyone who might arrive. Someone is always here watching, and now that you are a chosen you will take your turn.”
“You’ve been to another world?”
“Not yet, but I will go one day…who would guess that your first trip would happen on the very day you were tested, and that you would be sent to a world full of water? I worried about you when I heard what world you went to and that you had not been given the ability to breathe underwater.”
The thought that Allison worried about him filled Ben with joy.
“If I hadn’t had my gym bag, I would have died in the first ten minutes,” Ben said. “But this thing is amazing. It held air until Charla found me.”
"Charla?" Allison queried.
"A Lushakan mermaid who saved my life more than once."
“I can’t wait to hear all about Lushaka and what you did there, but you must go to the Watcher now. You need to change into dry clothes first,” Allison instructed, pointing to a wooden change house that had been built onto the side of the castle.
Ben dressed quickly. When he was ready, Allison told him how to find his way to the principal’s office. When Ben arrived at Mariah Templeton’s office, Mrs. Topp sent him right in.
Mariah Templeton sat at her desk, a cup of tea in her hand, which dropped onto the desk when she saw Ben. There were two people in the room with Mariah Templeton. Someone was sitting in the leather chair that sat in front of Mariah Templeton’s desk, and Andrew Taylor sat on one of the chair’s overstuffed arms. He was holding a cup of tea. Andrew Taylor had his back to the door and did not immediately see his son.
“I wouldn’t drink that tea, Dad. It does strange things to a person,” Ben said softly.
Andrew Taylor deposited the tea unceremoniously on the desk, leapt from the arm of the chair and enfolded his son in a bear hug. When Ben opened his eyes he noted that the occupant of the leather chair had stood and was standing beside Ben and his father. The woman had shoulder-length red hair. Her eyes were closed. Tears were flowing from beneath her eyelids. The woman’s eyes opened and Ben tensed. He knew instinctively who she was. The eyes were a brilliant grass green. They were exactly like his.
Andrew Taylor drew back from his son and reached out his arm to draw his wife to his side. “Ben,” he said, “this is your mother.”
Ben did not know what to say or do. This woman might be his mother, but she was a stranger. “Um…er…hello,” he said lamely and put out his hand so his mother could shake it. The woman ignored his hand. She stepped past it and wrapped her arms around Ben. Ben stood there with his arms hanging down for a few seconds and then slowly put his arms around his mother to return the hug. His tears joined hers. Andrew Taylor put his arms around the two of them. It was several minutes before any of them were willing to let go.
Meanwhile Mariah Templeton poured a fourth cup of tea. Ben sat on the other overstuffed chair arm, beside his mother. As Mariah Templeton pushed the tea towards Ben, she said, “It is not the tea that does strange things, Benjamin, it is the chair. The tea is perfectly safe. It is just plain, ordinary, old-fashioned tea.”
Mariah Templeton paused and took a sip of her tea. “I have been very worried about you - more worried than I have been in 100 years. It was against my better judgment to send a boy so young, who was terrified of water, to a world of water, without the gift of being able to breathe underwater.” Ben could see that Mariah Templeton looked more tired than she had when he left five days ago.
“Before you came through the door Andrew and Zinder were about to tell me what they are doing here in my office together.” Mariah Templeton stressed the word together. “From what I have just seen and heard it seems that you are part of their story. We will hear what your parents have to say and then you will tell us all about what happened on Lushaka. Andrew. Zinder. Please proceed.”
Andrew and Zinder looked at each other to see who would begin their story. Andrew finally said, “Zinder and I met on Mellish, the second world. We were both far from home for the first time. We knew the rules about not getting involved romantically with someone from another world, but we were alone together for a long time. We fell in love and pledged ourselves to one another. Shortly after that we were separated. We did not see one another for the next three years. Ben was born after Zinder returned to Zargon and I did not know I had a son.” Andrew paused and looked at his wife.
“I kept Zenjamin’s birth secret from my family and friends. I went and stayed with an old she-dragon I knew who would keep my secret. It is usual for my people to be born in their dragon form, but when Ben was born, he was born human. I lived with Zeemaron for nearly three years, waiting for signs that Zenjamin would be able to transform. He had the green eyes of a Dragonborn but there were no other signs. No smoke when he got mad. No tiny wings sprouting when he wanted something just out of reach. I knew the Dragonborn would never accept a son of mine by an Earthen father who could not transform. I also knew he would find no acceptance among the humans on Zargon because of his green eyes. Only the Dragonborn have green eyes on Zargon. Zenjamin’s life would always be in danger.” Zinder paused to lift her son’s hand to her cheek and hold it there.
“The day came,” Zinder continued, when I realized Zenjamin would be better off with his father. I went to see Morton and told him my secret. Morton agreed that the best place for Zenjamin was with Andrew. Morton allowed me to send a message to Andrew by a Chosen who was coming to earth. I wrote and told Andrew that a package would arrive in twelve days. He was to arrange to be the one watching the pool near midnight.”
“Well, I never heard of such a thing,” Mariah Templeton snorted. “Morton should never have kept that a secret from me. And what about you, Andrew Taylor, why have you kept this secret from me?
“The night B…Zenjamin arrived I was watching the pool. I traded a shift so I could be there that night. My shift was just about over when there was a splash. I looked up, but saw nothing. I waited, but no one came out of the water. Then just under the surface I saw something. I went into the water and grabbed hold of the bundle. It was dark and I could not see that well. It wasn’t until I lifted the package out of the pool that I realized it was a child. Ben had been floating face down in the water. I heard my replacement on the steps and I raced down the stairs past him with Ben under my arms. I ran to the healer's quarters, but she was not there. I stayed there and resuscitated Ben. He was terrified and cold. I took him to a room at the far end of the castle. The next day I planned to come and tell you about Ben, but I just did not know what to say. Ben and I left for my mother’s house the next day. I didn’t tell mother where Ben came from, just that he was my son. I think she guessed, but I never confirmed her suspicions.”
“So that’s why I had those bad dreams,” Ben interrupted. “Tell me, does Zargon have two moons?”
“Yes,” answered his father.
“In my dream there were always two moons,” Ben said.
“Now that you kn
ow why you had the dreams, it is very possible that you will not be troubled by them again,” Mariah Templeton stated.
“I think you might be right. And after surviving Lushaka I’m really not afraid of water anymore.”
“Benjamin, it is time for you to tell us what happened on Lushaka,” Mariah Templeton said, “but first let me pour some more tea for everyone.”
As Ben told his story he saw pride in his dad’s eyes. Ben was so glad that he had not returned to earth that first day without trying to help the people of Lushaka.
“You are Dragonborn after all,” his mother said. She squeezed Ben’s hand, which she had been holding all this time. “Morton said you had defeated Zork, but I could not imagine how you did it.
“Poor Morton,” Mariah Templeton sighed. “He was an old man when I was a young girl in training. He has longed to lay down the burden of caring for a world for quite some time.”
“Three times a new watcher was chosen and began training, but each time the struggle for power between the Dragonborn families led to that person’s death,” Zinder added. “Each clan wants to have the next watcher come from among them. There are times when I am very ashamed by my people, Zenjamin. I hope you have inherited some of your father’s good sense.”
“Miss Templeton, I would like to take my son away from the school for a few days, if I may,” Andrew Taylor said. “I would also like Zinder to come with us.”
“I am supposed to be on Mellish,” Zinder said. “I do not know how desperate the situation is there.”
“Quiet, please!” Mariah Templeton said. She cupped the Medallion in her hand and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she said. “Zinder, you can stay with Andrew and Zenjamin for two days and then you must be on your way to Mellish.”
“We will go to Campbell River and rent a cottage," Andrew stated. "Zinder and Ben have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Fine,” said Mariah Templeton. “I hope you will have more time together in the future. Ben, I will see you at the beginning of next week.”
“There is something I wish to say before we go,” Zinder said. “Zenjamin must go to Zargon for training. It is imperative that he go there as soon as possible. The transformations can be difficult and dangerous without training. When I finish my assignment on Mellish, I will make arrangements for Ben to come and train at our school. He has been lucky so far, but his luck will not continue. It might be best for Ben not to transform until then.”
“Yes. I agree. Ben should go to Zargon for training,” Mariah Templeton replied. Andrew Taylor nodded slightly in agreement. The thought of his son going to another world to live did not please him, but he knew there was no choice.
“One more thing,” Mariah Templeton said, as they were leaving. “Please do not discuss Ben’s ability to transform with anyone else, not even other Chosen."
As Ben went to his dorm room to pick up some clothes he passed Mr. Tanner who said, “Glad to see you back, Ben. Your swim test has been rescheduled for Monday morning right after breakfast. It would be wise to bring a swim suit that fits this time.”
“I will, for sure,” Ben replied.
**************
Monday morning at 9:00am saw Ben in the pool. Phil Tanner, his parents and the students from his class watched as Ben slid into the water and swam the length of the pool. Ben had no trouble passing the swim test which surprised every grade nine student except Allison. Water no longer terrified Ben. Perhaps it was his time on Lushaka, and perhaps it was the knowledge that he could fly, breathe fire, and if necessary, lift the roof off the building that gave Ben the confidence he needed.
Ben’s class cheered when he passed the test. Afterwards, Ben and his father watched as Zinder walked towards a brick wall that would take her to another world.
Denzel knew Ben had a secret, and that the secret had something to do with his ability to pass the swim test, but no matter what Denzel tried, he could not pry the secret out of Ben. Ben simply said, “Next year - you will know all about it next year.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
At one point in Dianne’s life she believed that people grew up and when they did they stopped reading Fantasy. She discovered that life without Fantasy was soon out of kilter. She never planned to be an author, but a chance week at a retreat centre dropped the idea for a story into her head. When not writing fiction, Dianne spends her time writing non-fiction, and seeking to help people discover the treasure of their own true selves so they can embark on their own hero’s quest. Dianne lives with her husband Doug, his three cats and her beloved dog Thomas.
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