by Ian Rodgers
“Water to ice,” the king intoned, solemnly removing a carved block of ice from the box. He placed it into the bowl, which had been put in front of the icon of the withered crone. The ice had been carved to resemble an avian. It looked like a chicken perhaps, or maybe a swan?
“Ice then turns to water. The seasons change. Life gives way to death and in turn becomes more life. The cycle is unending. We are blessed to witness it.”
“Gaea watches with all four heads.” The crowd spoke along with the king, words coming to their lips. We all watched as the ice dripped and melted.
To my surprise and shock, the statue of the crone began to melt and run like wax, much like the frozen offering in front of it! I extended my senses towards the two objects, but quickly retracted them.
They blazed with piercing light, too bright for me to even glance at while using my magical sight. The shining energy felt calm, peaceful and benevolent though. It meant no harm to anyone, and thin wisps of this power drifted off of the two objects and infused themselves into some of the people around us.
Curious, I examined the people who’d been ‘touched,’ and found that their body had taken on some new qualities! Small wounds and afflictions, like a cough, a few bruises, or sore joints, were slowly eased away and healed by the altered mana that had been gifted. I looked carefully but saw no evidence of danger. Relieved I turn my attention back to the event going on, and see that where the icon of the old woman had been, now there was a new one, slowly appearing from the shifting material.
A young girl in a simple dress, bare foot and with vines woven into her hair. A playful smile on her face beamed out at the devoted mass, and I felt a surge of magic well up. The small ice sculpture finished melting into the bowl, and it glowed with white and then green light, flashing and filling the entire room with a spectacle.
Through some manner of divine blessing, the water had become imbued with potent properties. Mainly of healing and plant growth, but if it so much as touched the flesh of a being saturated in curses and dark magic it would burn like acid. I had just witnessed the creation of Holy Water!
Reverently, King Tiberius held aloft the bowl now filled to the brim with what was essential a high grade magical potion. Showing it to the crowd, he then placed it back onto the altar in front of the morphed icon. It would probably be collected later, if the vials I detected in the lead box was any indication. For now though it was left alone, and the king of Varia turned to the statues of the Divine Family.
“Mere words cannot express our thanks, oh mother of mercy,” Tiberius said, bowing his head to the golden statue of Cynthia.
“So instead we offer up our actions of the year to prove that we have lived properly according to the Tennent’s of you and your family. We strove to be kind, courteous, respectful, lawful, and worthy of love and further blessings. Please, see to our safety in this coming year. We are your servants, now and forever more. Praise be to the Five.”
“Praise be to the Five,” intoned the mass, and I thought the words aloud in my head alongside my owner’s more verbal response.
Once more ethereal, blinding light poured out of the statues, unseen by all save myself. I was ready this time, and quickly looked around the room for some other effects to occur.
Again, thin tendrils of magic swept out, briefly caressing the people in the chapel but instead of healing wounds, as the first light had done, this one instead bolstered the various wards and protection spells that were layered on everything. From the secret entrance of the royal catacombs to the personal enchantments in the clothes, there was a faint but still noticeable improvement to them. I smiled to myself as I saw the wards around my owner grow stronger.
‘Thank you,’ I thought, pleased that the one person I cared about the most was even safer.
“You’re welcome.”
I tensed in Liliana’s lap, looking everywhere for the source of the voice. There! At the statue of Cynthia!
Before my ‘eyes’ the light that filled the room condensed and took on form. From the icon she stepped forth, shedding the confinement of the mortal material that was her likeness and stood before me in radiant beauty. Awed, I could only stare as Cynthia herself appeared.
Skin like liquid gold. Hair like the magenta sky of twilight. Clad in robes of endless, shimmering white. And looking upon me with eyes of dancing, swirling cosmos and full of love and affection and forgiveness that was wider than the world and deeper than the oceans. This was a goddess. This is what it meant to be blessed by that which is divine. All I could do was stare. In shock. In disbelief. In awe. In reverence.
“You have struggled and suffered greatly in your short life, noble Ooze,” the Goddess of Light said softly, gazing at me with adoration and respect and love.
“For your owner, your benefactor, you have endured harshness most men would break from. Selflessly you have thrown yourself into danger, never expect or wanting reward for your actions. As long as Liliana was safe, nothing else mattered.”
Cynthia stepped forward, daintily stepping off of the platform and walking over to me with collected and measured footsteps. Out of the corner of my ‘eye’ I saw that the world seemed to have frozen in time. Nothing moved, not even a single mote of dust.
I returned my gaze to the Patron of Humanity as she stood in front of me, my body still clasped in Liliana’s lap. To my shock she squatted down, her dress shifting like moonlight on the surface of a lake. Once she was level with me, her beatific smile faded somewhat.
“But beneath that selflessness, there was self-destruction. Everything you’ve done was enacted with a desperate desire to repay what you see as a debt. You believe that you owe your life, your mind, and your soul to Liliana Augustine Roan. That there is no chance you can repay this impossible gift. Not even with your life.”
Tears gathered in Cynthia’s eyes, and she smiled sadly at me. I dared not breathe. I dared not move. Her words cut deep into me, but I did nothing.
“Your love is touching. But it is poisonous too. You harm yourself and Liliana with it. You give and give, and that is not healthy. That is not what she wants. And you know that. Yet you persist.”
Reaching out Cynthia picked me up, somehow moving me from Liliana’s lap into a cradling hug in her bosom. If I had been a man, I would have been suffering from a severely embarrassing biological reaction being so close to her chest. Hells, even if I’d been a woman I’d have issues! She was perfection incarnate, in every meaning of the word.
“It is alright to live for yourself. It is alright to be selfish. You have earned that if nothing else. You do not have to stop loving and serving Liliana, but do not destroy yourself doing so. There is still much for you to see and to learn. You have only just scratched the surface of the wonders that this world holds.”
She planted a single kiss upon me, and a tingle of energy traveled through my core. I felt magic of some kind, searing with divine intent, suffuse my being. Her smile became one of understanding and acceptance, and she returned me to my place in my owner’s lap.
“Do not be discouraged, do not give in to the fear and hate you will face. For your sake, and for Liliana’s: Live. Live and do not regret a single day. After all, you are important to more people than you can possibly imagine.”
Her piece said, Cynthia rose and returned to the statue, giving me one final smile before she sank back into the precious metal, her divinity fading and her presence dissipating. The unearthly magic that had been in the air returned to whence it came. Before the last of the magic vanished though, I saw another figure of light watching me, in the shape of Nia. She waved shyly at me with a soft smile before vanishing along with her mother.
I could have also sworn that I saw the statue of the barefoot girl wink at me, mouthing the words ‘you lucky dog!’
For some reason I felt that the best option was to ignore Gaea’s manifestation and not her give any reason to continue teasing me.
Time resumed and the world reasserted itself. I sig
hed to myself and snuggled closer to Liliana, barely listening to the rest of the ceremony.
I had been given a divine revelation. Cynthia herself had sought me out, and given me advice. I felt… odd. Honored was too weak a word for it. Reverent was too zealous. She had wanted to help me, and so did, forcing me to confront the truths I had been trying to hide from and ignore all this time.
I was too devoted to my beloved princess. Even medicine can become poison in a large dose, but I had refused to see that. That said, I would not stop caring for her. But, I would start to try and live for myself as well. Moderation in all things. Balance being the key for a successful life.
It was time to change. But how? Perhaps the answer would come to me in time as I explored my options and the world. For now, I wanted to spend the rest of the day basking in the warmth of my dear owner.
“Love you, Liliana.”
…Um, why had it gotten quiet? Why was the queen staring at me with bugged out eyes? Why did Orleen just faint? Why did King Tiberius just face palm so hard that the people in the back row could hear the impact? Most importantly, why was Liliana staring at me with a mixture of shock and joy?
“Jelly, did you just talk?”
Wait, what?
“Talk? Jelly, talk?”
Hold on, was that me? Was that tiny, childish voice… mine?
“Talk? Talk! I can talk! Lili, look! I can talk!” I began to excitedly bounce up and down in my seat in Liliana’s lap, and a grin that lit up the world broke across my princess’s face.
“You can talk! This is amazing!” Liliana jumped to her feet and began to spin me around, hugging me close.
As I rotated past the statue of the Mother of Mercy, I felt a whisper of familiar intent brush across my mind.
‘Happy belated birthday, Jelly. I hope you enjoy the gift from myself and Nia.’
If I could have smiled, I would have. This was a present more wondrous than I could have ever hoped for! I started to laugh in sheer exhilaration and Liliana joined in. Her joy radiated out and embraced me, and I embraced it back.
I was going to live my life for two now!
Chapter 23: A Promise of new beginnings
Several days had passed since the Winter Solstice and my ability to talk was obtained. To say that people were shocked would be a gross simplification and understatement. Petrus was almost foaming at the mouth in his desire to examine me and find out how and why this had happened. Sir Blaine had the look of a man who’d found a new, valuable asset or threat to palace security. Orleen was completely flabbergasted and kept her distance, unsure of how to deal with me now that I was marginally more human-like.
Julius was amazed and eager to play with a new friend. Queen Amdora was surprised and annoyed that I had undergone yet another change. King Tiberius just seemed like he wanted a stiff drink. And more than a few of the serving staff had worried looks, since now that speech was possible, the next logical question was “how long has that slime been able to think? And how much gossip has it overheard?”
Oozes were stupid. Incredibly so. An ordinary Ooze would just keep moving forward in search of food. They did not stop unless they detected prey, or something blocked their way. In many cases, they’d tumble into pits, even over cliffs and just stupidly roll their way into danger and thus death. Larger, more specialized Oozes had more instincts, such as lying in wait for prey and using ambush tactics, but they could be easily tricked or avoided. My kind could be dangerous, and many a person had underestimated us to their detriment. But in the end, an Ooze was barely cognizant and aware.
So when one of them suddenly can not only talk, but do so in sentences with mostly proper grammar and form coherent thoughts and beliefs, it would only be natural for people to wonder when exactly I had become so smart.
The look King Tiberius gave me when I first spoke said that he’d had his suspicions the whole time. He wasn’t the only one, come to that. The queen, her personal handmaiden-slash-assassin, Sir Blaine, even Julius to a degree! Petrus as well, once he stopped twitching with research-gasms, had that same understanding look.
My owner had been the only one not to show surprise in any way shape or form. In my opinion this was because she was a forgiving and understanding soul. Or it could be due to the bond she had made with me when she blessed me with my soul and thus had always known to a degree. Either one was likely.
But for all the whirlwind of commotion I had caused business continued on in the same fashion as before. Governance of Varia had to be done, learning was required, and the palace needed to be kept clean. In that vein the rest of winter passed. Only as it drew to a close did activity kick back up.
The first day of spring, the 1st of Thaw Month, was the day my owner was born. It was the time the snow and ice began melting, but this close to the north and backed up against the mountains Varia and its capital of Sanc Aldet rarely started to be free of winter until the next month.
Still, the weather was warmer and travel became easier, and several guests arrived for the princess’ big day the day before. Among them was the largest human I’d ever met.
Varda Ornleif, the Royal Headsman, Warden of the Tower of Chains. A massive mountain of muscle and scar tissue, who’d served as a highly placed member of the Dire Swords before his elevation to his current vaunted rank. It was his duty to manage the largest prison in all of Varia, the infamous Tower of Chains, and to execute any and all traitors to the crown.
An ordinary commoner, Varda had saved King Tiberius from an assassination during the young king’s own coronation parade, and later risked his life to save Liliana and Julius from an act of arson, barreling into a building awash with magical flames and suffering countless burns to rescue the two. This selflessness earned my respect and him several rewards including a surname and honorary nobility status, and the moment I saw the love and concern for the royal children I knew he was an ally in my own quest to keep my owner safe.
When he arrived the massive man was greeted by the wide smiles of Liliana and Julius, and King Tiberius who treated the shaved bear of a man with a cheerful clap on the back. Queen Amdora gave a demure smile of fondness as well for Varda as he bowed and kissed her hand in fealty.
“Varda! It is wonderful to see you again!”
“It is an honor to be in your presence once more as well, my queen,” Varda rumbled, his voice rough and heavy.
“Come now, old friend, no need to be so stiff! Or do you want to make my darling children sad?”
At a prompt from their father the prince and princess stood in front of the Headsman and began to pout, lips trembling and eyes water.
“Apologies for my rudeness,” Varda said slowly before sweeping up the royal brood into his arms, giving them a crushing hug.
“We missed you, Varda,” Liliana whispered into his shoulder, and a multitude of emotions cascaded from him.
“I as well, my little Lily and brave knight,” he said softly before returning them to their feet.
I stood close by, looking at with awe at the man. I still could not get over his size! While I stared eyes flickered over to me and appraised my position next to my owner
With a slow blink of his eyes he shifted his gaze away from me and towards some of the Dire Swords, giving a salute to Sir Blaine who returned it. I was floored.
No curiosity, no wonderment about how an Ooze was a pet for a princess. Nothing at all. He just accepted it, apparently shrugging it off as more Roan Family eccentricities. It seemed he knew the royal family intimately if he could just consider me as another part of their oddness, which was both galling and hilarious. Not even my childish voice could surprise him.
“I’m sure you remember Baroness Bluemont, Varda,” King Tiberius said motioning to the elderly woman behind him. The tower of human flesh and muscle nodded politely.
“A pleasure to see you again,” Varda intoned, to which the ancient tutor smiled lightly.
“Oh, indeed. I am so glad you could come to the princess’ birthday
. It means the world to her.”
“I’m honored.” Those were the final words on the matter and attention turned to the baroness who’d began to fuss over the children and myself.
Rene Bluemont had never left. After the ball she continued to come by, still teaching Liliana and Julius etiquette but with less frequency. Apparently the Bluemonts had a manor in Sanc Aldet where she had stayed the winter.
“Is there anyone else coming today, or should we shut the doors?” Rene inquired as she pet me on the head. She gushed over me, cuddling and fondling me like I was a toddler ever since I had started to speak. I tried to protest at the treatment but to no avail. From the sympathetic looks King Tiberius and Prince Julius gave me, it didn’t matter to Lady Rene how old you were; everyone was a child in need of pampering to her.
“We are waiting on one more guest,” King Tiberius said, his wife nodding in agreement. I perked up. It was a lot of fun meeting new people.
Before anyone could ask who exactly it was that was coming, a faint argument could be heard from beyond the hallway. It quickly drew closer, revealing an elderly man, stooped with age and supported by an old, unadorned wooden staff.
His robes were creased and starched yet showed their age in the frayed edges and bleached grey look that could only come from countless washings. He wore his beard short and neatly braided in the dwarf style. The same went for the hair on his head; It was tightly done up in a style identical to that of his beard.
A herald ran in front of the advancing man with an annoyed glare before clearing their throat.
“Introducing Archsage Arnolt Cantos, Lord of Magic and Headmaster of the Royal Varian Mages Academy!” As he entered his very presence filled the room with overwhelming magical power that pressed down on my senses and nearly blinded me the first time I took a peek at him.