by Alex Archer
“What did they do, Father?”
“They took all that they knew about living in harmony with nature and the universe and found a secret valley—this valley—hidden between two massive mountains. One that is always visible to the outside world and one that remains hidden from view. They retreated into this valley and set about turning it into the lush paradise of their past greatness.”
Vanya smiled. “And they succeeded. Within a generation, they had created a marvelous kingdom, shielded from the outside world and prying eyes. No one knew that our people existed here. The way the two mountains come together forms an almost impenetrable descent that would be too risky for anyone to attempt, if they even knew where to look.”
Tuk could see that Annja was dying to say something. “What is it, Annja?” he asked.
“I’m just wondering how that is even possible? I mean, we’ve got satellites in space that can peer anywhere on the planet. Wouldn’t they be able to discern the presence of two mountains and a secret valley?”
Vanya smiled. “While I do not know what these things called satellites are, I can tell you that the universe acts in ways that have thus far enabled us to live without molestation from the outside world. Once we retreated into this valley, our lives became a constant wonder.”
“It’s just incredible,” Annja said. “And it honestly strikes me as impossible. But I can’t argue with the fact that we’re standing here.”
Tuk looked at Mike, but found him still paying attention to everything being said by his mother and father.
Vanya kept smiling. “Every once in a while someone finds their way here, through the portal or just outside of it. We take care to extend to them the utmost courtesy and respect, but for some reason, none of them ever sees fit to tell of the place they’ve seen. We remain safe and secure.”
“Except for that one time,” Guge said to his son. “When you were taken from us and brought to the outside world, that man was punished by the universe for his transgression. Otherwise, we have never had any problems.”
“But what about the reason we seem to be so much smaller than other races?” Tuk asked. “Is it because of our isolation?”
Vanya nodded. “Apparently, yes. In some ways, we believe that evolution has altered us in this fashion. This valley might not support our population if we were all normal-size humans. But small as we are, our people are perfectly sustained within this environment. We don’t use what the earth cannot replenish when we need it. And as such, we make it a point to never overindulge or otherwise create something that would destroy this place and all its beauty.”
“What about the tropical environment?” Annja asked. “How is it that immediately outside this place it is freezing cold and yet, in here, there are plants and birds that would usually grow in a much more equatorial climate?”
“We are positioned directly over a series of hot springs and vents that feed a luxurious warm air current up through the soil,” Guge said. “The air here is what nourishes this place and the hot springs help us irrigate the entire valley, keeping it in optimal growing conditions.”
Tuk looked at Mike again, but still the big man didn’t speak. He seemed utterly enraptured with everything that was being said.
Annja, for her part, still seemed mystified. Tuk supposed that was because she was a scientist and naturally cynical about stuff like this. Of course, there was a difference between being skeptical of a legend and actually witnessing the legend itself.
“I can’t explain it all away so easily,” Annja said after another minute. “But the fact remains, we’re here and this place is absolutely amazing.”
“And most importantly,” Vanya said, “our son has returned. Now he can assume his rightful place as heir to the throne of Guge.”
Tuk looked at his mother. “I’m to be the king of this land?”
“That is how it is written, my son, yes.”
Tuk looked at his father and saw now that time had aged the old man terribly. Tuk couldn’t even begin to calculate how old his father was.
Guge smiled at him. “We have been waiting a very long time for your return, my son. I am a tired old man. And your mother is tired, as well.”
Vanya laughed. “Not nearly so now that my son has returned. But we are weary of ruling. It is time for a new generation to take over and guide our people onward through time and history.”
Tuk couldn’t believe it. Yesterday, he’d been a small man of no consequence who worked as a tracker for criminals and spies. Today, he was to be the king of a legendary kingdom.
Annja bowed her head. “Congratulations, Tuk.”
“Thank you.” Tuk frowned. Life certainly was a strange thing. “I still have a lot of questions about all of this,” he said to his parents.
Guge held up his hand. “In time, my son. In time. For now, the people of your kingdom are excited to see you again. And they have prepared an elaborate feast in your honor.”
“Already?”
Mike smiled. “I kind of mentioned you to them when they brought me here. Once I saw how small they were, I couldn’t help but let them know about you.”
Vanya nodded. “And I believe they have been working steadily ever since it became apparent that you might finally be coming back after all these years. It wouldn’t do to disappoint them now.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Tuk said. But he felt bad that the people of this place worked so hard for the likes of him. It didn’t seem right somehow.
Guge patted Tuk’s thigh. “I can see the trouble in your face, my son. You haven’t put anyone out, if that’s what you’re thinking. This is a time of celebration and as such, the work that goes on is not considered toil as much as a chance to revel in the fact that you have returned to the kingdom.”
“I guess so.”
Vanya nodded. “A feast is being laid out down below.” She turned to Annja and Mike. “You are, of course, more than welcome to join us.”
Annja bowed her head again. “Thank you very much.”
Mike nodded. “I could eat a horse.”
Vanya looked horrified. “Why would you do a thing like that?”
Annja elbowed Mike. “It’s merely an expression meant to convey extreme hunger, Your Highness,” he said.
Vanya laughed again. “Oh, I see. Very well.” She looked at Guge. “Shall we descend and join our people?”
Guge held up his hand and pointed at Annja. “You had a question a few minutes ago. About the yeti.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’d like to see them again if that’s possible.”
“Of course it is possible,” Guge said. “They are here with us now.”
Tuk turned on his throne and Annja and Mike followed his gaze. Guge clapped his hands twice, and from the back of the pavilion, two shambling furry creatures wandered over.
In the sunlight, the yeti didn’t look nearly as horribly matted. Their fur shone like a luxurious coat. They didn’t smell, either. Tuk marveled at them standing as tall as they did, which was nearly two feet taller than Mike.
Mike whistled. “That is amazing.”
Guge smiled. “They help us keep track of the outside world. And in some cases, they are used to ensure our survival here.”
Annja seemed disappointed by that statement. “You keep them here as slaves to do your bidding?”
Guge recoiled. “Certainly not. The yeti are not slaves. They are part of our kingdom and our people.”
Annja’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?”
“Just what I said,” Guge replied. “The yeti are part of us and we would never do anything to harm or otherwise subjugate them.”
“I don’t see how you can say that about them and then ask them to serve you.”
Vanya smiled. “No, it’s apparent that you do not see. But, of course, that is because of your perspective. And from where you stand, you see only one aspect of the situation instead of the other.”
Annja’s frown stayed locked in place and Tuk
worried for a moment that she might draw her sword and try to do something rash. But instead, she shook her head. “I am trying to understand.”
“Then look,” Guge said. “And understand.” He turned to the yeti and nodded once.
Instantly, the yeti moved and each creature reached up, and then they heard a series of clicks. In a second, the yeti separated and became two parts, an upper torso and a lower torso.
And concealed inside was one of the Guge people.
“A costume,” Mike said. “Incredible!”
Guge smiled at Annja. “You see now?”
Annja smiled. “I do.”
Vanya continued. “The yeti were once real creatures that walked these lands. Their legends have come down to us for thousands of years, but human encroachment eventually led to their extinction. We have found them to be useful in helping us preserve the sanctity of our kingdom. So we use their legend to keep us safe. We don’t think they would mind if they knew.”
“I don’t think they’d mind, either,” Annja said.
“Now that that’s settled,” Guge said, “perhaps we can go attend the feast. I, for one,” he said winking at Mike, “could eat a horse.”
18
Annja watched as the Guge people entered the long field carrying huge elaborate trays of fruits and vegetables that had been prepared in every conceivable manner. Big bowls of steaming white rice adorned the simple tables that had seats for hundreds of people. Annja realized with a start that she was desperately hungry. Her mouth watered and she fought to restrain herself.
Vanya and Guge seated themselves at the head table. Tuk, Annja noticed, chose to remain close to her and Mike. She smiled. It was a touching gesture of friendship. They were all placed at the head table.
A plate was put in front of her and platters of food were passed around. Annja helped herself to the meal and ate and drank her fill of peppers, carrots, rice and strange and wonderful-tasting plants and fruits she’d never seen before. She drank out of a cup filled with a fruity wine that quickly relaxed her and allowed her mind to open to the wonder of the scene before her.
The Guge people seemed genuinely ecstatic that Tuk had returned to his homeland. They kept approaching him and talking to him about his adventures in the outside world. Annja noticed that there were several women who made it apparent they thought he was quite handsome.
Mike sat next to her, eating his way through plate after plate of food. Annja looked at him. “Aren’t you full yet?”
“Not even close. I’m famished.”
“You’re healing. Your body knows it needs fuel for the repair process.” She glanced down at his torn pants. “How’s the leg?”
“Feels great. After they stitched me up, they put some type of balm on it that I think acts as a pain reliever.” He reached for another helping of food and looked at Annja. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s great,” she said. “I guess I’m just a little bit in awe of this place. It seems almost too amazing to be true.”
“I know what you mean. I’ve been here longer than you two and I’m still in shock.”
“Not that it’s affected your appetite,” Annja said with a laugh. “Apparently.”
Mike held up his hands. “I’m a growing boy. I need to have my strength, you know.”
“Yeah, I got that.” She looked at Tuk, who was talking with his parents again. “He looks so happy.”
Mike nodded. “Orphan suddenly finding out that his parents are still alive and that he’s going to be the king of some long-forgotten land? Yeah, I’d bet that would put a smile on my face, too.”
Annja nodded and reached for her glass of wine. Mike nudged her.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You sure you’re okay?”
Annja sipped the wine. “Yeah. I don’t know. I’ve never known my own past. And I guess it’s kind of being brought up again seeing Tuk find his way back to his family. But I’m still searching for the answers I need.” She sighed. “Maybe I’m just jealous.”
“Anyone would be,” Mike said. “This is a pretty damned amazing thing to have happen. But I guess we’re lucky to be here, right?”
“And what about Tsing?”
“What about him?”
Annja looked at Mike. “Well, what happens after we leave this place? Tsing is going to want to know how we found our way here.”
“Who says he has to know?”
Annja frowned. “When we come walking back from that plane wreck with little to show for it, I don’t think he’s going to be the understanding type.”
Mike bit into a peach. “Maybe we don’t go back.”
Annja shook her head. “We can’t stay here, Mike. We don’t belong here. This isn’t our home.”
“Home is where the heart is,” Mike said.
“Thank you, Mr. Cliché.” Annja sighed. “Look, Mike, this was never my obsession. I signed on to help you find this place. But I never said I wanted to run away from the real world when we found it.”
“Run away? Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“If you want to stay here, then that’s exactly what it looks like.”
Mike frowned. “Annja, you don’t know everything that’s happened in my life since the last time we got together. A lot of crap came down on me. Not the least of which is my failing health.”
“Your cholesterol? That’s easily taken care of if you simply change your eating habits.”
Mike smiled but there seemed little mirth in it. “It’s not just my cholesterol, Annja.”
“Something else?”
Mike nodded. “I’m dying.”
“What?”
He put a hand on her arm. “This isn’t the time to bring it up. But the fact is, I have a very short time to live. I have an inoperable brain tumor. If they try to crack my skull and get it out, it will just kill me.”
Annja felt her throat swelling shut. “How long?”
Mike grinned. “I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to know. It always seems to me like that’s just a death sentence right then and there. Doctors tell you that you’ve only got six months and, whammo, you drop dead at exactly six months. All I know is the tumor is there and it’s a ticking time bomb. And, eventually, I will die.”
“Eventually, we all die,” Annja said.
Mike nodded. “Granted. I would have liked a little more time, though. Say thirty years or so. Get married, have a few kids of my own. Would have been nice to have those experiences.”
“You could still have that.”
Mike shook his head. “I’m not that selfish. What would I do, go out and find someone to fall in love with me, have children and then crush their hearts when I kicked off? That would really make me something of a jerk.”
“It’s not selfish to want to be loved, Mike.”
Mike took a drink of wine. “However, my time is extremely limited. And personally, I can’t think of a place I’d rather be than here with these people. I mean, if you could choose how you wanted to go out, wouldn’t it be in a place like this? Surrounded by beauty and peace. Everything here is so utterly perfect.”
“I guess it is,” Annja said. “But I don’t want you to stay. I want you to come back with me.”
Mike grinned. “Now you’re being selfish.”
“Yes. I am.”
Mike hoisted his glass and they clinked them together. “At least I’m not the only one.”
Annja took a drink and then looked around the table. The party had lost all of the joy for her. She watched, as if peering in through a window, how Tuk and his people bonded.
Music started as the meal finished. More wine flowed and the people took to dancing all over the grass. Even Guge and Vanya enjoyed a few dances before sitting down again. At one point, Vanya looked over at Annja and smiled. Annja smiled back but she felt no happiness.
The idea that Mike would be dying soon felt like a hole had been torn in her heart. She’d lost close friends before, but this f
elt different. Mike was a different kind of man. He never expected anyone to understand what it was that drove him. He made no apologies for being who he was, and he was utterly comfortable in his own skin.
Annja respected that. And she respected what he had accomplished in his life. Barring the incident with Tsing, Mike had nothing to be embarrassed about. He pursued what he loved and did so with all the joy of a child.
Annja wished she had some more of that mirth in her own life. But that seemed to be a precious commodity. And somehow, the music that played around her tugged harder at her heartstrings than she cared for.
“Annja?”
She looked up and saw Guge standing there. She tried to smile but felt it die on her lips. “Hi.”
Guge’s eyes peered deep into hers. “Perhaps we could walk awhile?”
“Sure.” She rose and followed the king away from the party and back toward the grand staircase.
Guge smiled at her. “I’m afraid I’m not as young as I used to be. These celebrations tend to wear me out.”
“I see.”
“But what’s your excuse?”
“Sorry?”
He turned to her. “You wear the look of someone who has lost a friend.”
Annja sighed. “I guess in a way I just did.”
“Who? Surely not Tuk. He seems to have a genuine fondness for both you and your friend Mike.”
“It’s not Tuk,” Annja said. “It’s Mike.”
“Oh?”
“Apparently, he’s dying.”
Guge said nothing for a moment and then looked at her. “Surely it is not the injury to his leg?”
“No. He has a brain tumor. It’s a disease where something grows inside his head until it kills him.”
Guge nodded gravely. “I see. And there is nothing that the doctors in the outside world can do for him?”
“According to him, no. They’ve told him that it is inoperable. They can’t take it out for fear of killing him.”
“That is unfortunate,” Guge said.
“I don’t mean to be down during such a time of celebration,” Annja said. “He only just told me, though. It’s weird. I was so overjoyed to see him earlier and everything seemed so great. And now I feel like he’s already dead.”