by S. E. Smith
“I have asked myself that same question many times. Then I consider what happened and asked myself, ‘what if I had not returned when I did—or if I had never left in the first place?’ You cannot change what happened in the past, Asahi. Your father was always a headstrong soul, even before my journey to the Seven Kingdoms. It was who he was, and I must believe that my being here would have done little to change his destiny. For whatever reason, whatever force that exists in the universe, I am supposed to be here now—for you. If I had never left, I would now be an old man—if I were even still alive. Your father had many issues, Asahi, but the one thing he did right was having you,” Aiko said.
“My mother didn’t want me—neither did Father. The only reason he kept me was because of Baba. I knew that,” he said in a small, sad voice.
Aiko looked at him and smiled. “You are wise for your age, Asahi. You brought great joy to your grandmother. I saw her love for you in the photos she kept of you. You gave her something to live for—something neither your father nor I could do,” he said.
“I don’t understand why we had to leave everything behind. Why couldn’t we start over in Yachats?” Asahi asked, looking up and peering into his grandfather’s eyes.
Aiko reached over and gently removed Asahi’s sunglasses. They stared at each other for a long time. His grandfather’s eyes reminded him of Baba’s. Her eyes always held a calm understanding in them as if she knew what he was feeling but was waiting for him to figure it out.
“Are you afraid that you might disappear again?” Asahi whispered, trying desperately to understand.
His grandfather sighed again, this time letting out a heavy breath, and handed him the sunglasses. Asahi took them, his attention still on his grandfather’s face. Aiko turned his head and stared out of the windshield.
“Not afraid—but cautious. We fear what we do not understand. I have seen and experienced things others can only imagine,” Aiko explained.
“I don’t understand why we had to leave then,” he muttered.
“You will in time, Asahi. All I can do is ask you to trust me—and listen carefully to everything that I will share with you. I believe my journey to the Seven Kingdoms, and subsequent return, happened for a purpose,” Aiko replied.
“What purpose?” he asked with a puzzled frown.
“My time there has ended, but I believe that yours will one day come,” Aiko said before he shifted the car into reverse and backed out.
Present Day
Isle of the Monsters:
Asahi looked around, studying the forest and the woman in front of him. For most of his life, his grandfather had prepared him to thrive here in the Isles. Aiko had shared all his knowledge, making sure that he carefully documented every vital piece of information in a journal. They had spent many hours studying ancient myths and legends at the library and online.
Aiko had recorded a lot of information about the Isle of Magic, the Isle of the Giants, the Isle of the Sea Serpent, and the pirates. His grandfather also shared what he could about the Isle of the Dragons and the Isle of the Elementals, but very little about the Isle of the Monsters—except that it was ruled with an iron fist and savvy compassion by each Empress.
Nali came to a stop at the edge of a cliff, and he stood at her side. Below was a long and lush valley dotted with houses and farms. The view reminded him of some of the valleys nestled between the mountain ranges in Washington State. He studied the enormous boulders tucked in among tufts of tall, thick blue-green grass.
“The centaurs and manticores live and work here,” she explained.
“Centaurs—I thought they lived at the Palace,” he said with a frown.
She regarded him with a raised eyebrow. “How do you know about my guards?” she asked.
“My grandfather—he visited your kingdom once, a long, long time ago,” he reminded her.
“Ah, yes, and he put it in the journal,” she mused.
“Yes. I added more to the stories he wrote. Little details that he didn’t bother to write down seemed more important when he shared them,” Asahi reflected.
They studied the four large manticores, heavily armed with long, wide swords, as they rode toward them on animals that looked like huge dogs with tusks. One manticore growled something to his mount in a language Asahi didn’t understand, but he knew it was a command. The canine underneath him shook its head, but followed the manticore’s order, slowing to a stop.
Asahi warily watched as the manticore dismounted. Long, thick claws protruded from massive lion paws. This manticore had a tail with foot-long spikes on the end. The others had scorpion tails. Dark brown leather pants covered the Manticore’s densely muscled legs and a tan cotton shirt, open halfway down his chest, was tucked inside them. His head was in the shape of a lion, with a thick, brownish-black mane curling down and forming a vee under his chin.
“Empress, my apologies, but we need to be sure that you are not infected,” the manticore said.
“There is no need to apologize for protecting your people, Reese. I understand. We came to warn you of the danger presented by the alien, but I see word has already reached you,” she said.
“Yes, Empress. Pai arrived early this morning to see if you had passed through the valley yet,” he explained.
“Pai! That is good. It grows dark soon, and we will require lodging,” she replied.
“Of course, Empress. Forgive my inquiry, but who is this with you?” he cautiously asked.
Nali clasped Asahi’s hand. “This is Asahi Tanaka. He is a human from another world. He is no threat—except to the alien,” she reassured Reese.
“Human—we’ve heard of them. The Dragon King is married to one,” Reese said with a nod.
“As is the Sea King, the King of the Giants, Princess Gem, and Ashure,” she chuckled.
“Ashure Waves? The Pirate King is married?” Reese exclaimed with an expression of astonishment.
Nali laughed in delight at Reese’s reaction. “Yes, Ashure Waves has finally met his match,” she said with amusement.
Reese shook his head, then looked back at the other three manticores, and motioned to them. They guided their mounts closer and dismounted. Asahi nodded to them in greeting when they looked at him in curiosity and at Nali in awe. He grinned when Reese told the others about Ashure Waves marrying a human. He didn’t know who the man was, but Ashure’s marriage was hilarious to the men.
“I apologize again, Empress. We’ve had a bit of fun betting on whether a woman could ever capture that rogue—I mean—the Pirate King’s heart,” Reese said, wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye.
Nali laughed again. “Yes, believe me, I understand.”
“If you’ll follow us, we’ll take you to the village. The hippogriff will be happy to see you,” Reese said with a wave of his hand toward the village in the center of the valley.
Chapter 8
Isle of the Pirates
“What is it? You’ve been lost in thought and distracted all day,” Tonya Maitland-Waves said.
Ashure Waves smiled when she wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. He should have known that she would realize that something was bothering him. He looked at the woven bracelet he was rolling between his fingers. Originally the three beads were white. Now, one had turned completely red and a second one was half red. The dark red color stood out starkly against his wrist.
“It is Nali. She—had an encounter that did not go well with the alien creature I told you about,” he replied.
“Is she okay?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Tonya walked around the chair he was sitting in and sat down on the footrest in front of him. He gently stroked her cheek.
“I think so. I’m worried though. One bead has turned red and another is partially discolored,” he replied with a worried frown.
“Hey, don’t you have this really cool mirror that will take you to your heart’s desire?” she suggested, b
iting her lower lip and looking back at him with an expectant expression.
“Yes—and no. I told you that Nali thinks it is best that she handles this alone,” he responded in a disgruntled tone.
Tonya sat back and raised an eyebrow at him. “Since when has anyone ever stopped you from doing what you wanted to?” she dryly inquired.
A wave of pride and anticipation washed over him. The indecision and frustration that had been building inside him since Nali returned to her kingdom melted away. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Tonya’s lips.
“Nali’s going to be furious,” he murmured, pulling back and looking into her eyes.
“She loves you. She’ll get over it,” she reassured him with an encouraging smile and a little shrug.
“I love you. I don’t want you to—” he began.
Tonya pressed her fingers against his lips and leaned into him. “I love you, too. I’ll monitor things here. You never know what Dapier might decide to give away. Just… just promise me that you’ll be careful and come back to me safe and sound,” she whispered.
“Always,” he vowed.
Valley of the Manticores and Centaurs
“Pai,” Nali called out when she caught sight of the old hippogriff talking with a centaur.
Pai turned around, his sharp eyes scanning her before he responded. “Empress, it is good to see that you are still in one piece,” he said.
“You sound almost disappointed,” she dryly replied.
Pai snapped his beak and shook his head. “I’m surprised,” he retorted before his sharp eyes rested on Asahi and narrowed. “Who is this creature?”
Nali cast a sharp glare of warning at her old friend. “Pai, meet Asahi Tanaka,” she said with a wave of her hand at Asahi.
“Pai. I saw you in the forest. You helped the injured troll. I hope she is recovering,” Asahi said with a polite bow of his head.
“You saw—How could I miss him? I don’t miss anything!” Pai grumbled.
“If you remember, we were caring for Medjuline and dealing with an alien,” Nali reminded Pai.
Pai shook his head again and glared at Asahi. “I still should have seen him,” he grouchily muttered.
“Let us find some food. It has been a long day,” Nali said with a tired smile.
“If you would please follow me, Empress,” Reese said.
Nali nodded. She glanced at Asahi. Pai had skillfully inserted his immense body between his Empress and Asahi. From the amused expression in Asahi’s eyes, he knew exactly what her second-in-command was doing.
I am centuries old, and Pai STILL thinks I need a chaperone! she thought with wry humor.
“Where were you—in the forest—exactly?” Pai demanded.
Asahi looked at the strange creature. Pai’s eagle-eyes were focused on his face. The sharp beak showed signs of age with hairline cracks and small chips along the edges. The vibrant colors of his feathers on his cheeks were streaked with gray along the vanes.
“To the east of where you were standing, about twenty feet away, behind a tree surrounded by tall ferns. There was a dead tree lodged against it, allowing for plenty of cover from the air and the ground,” he replied.
Pai grunted. “Excellent choice. What did you see before we arrived?” the hippogriff continued.
“I came across the troll approximately five minutes before you arrived. She was agitated and muttering under her breath. I assumed that wasn’t typical behavior. She ran headfirst into a tree, knocking herself unconscious. I saw the alien emerge from her mouth. It is incredible that she survived,” he said.
“Why didn’t you come out when we arrived?” Pai suspiciously demanded.
Asahi stopped and looked at the hippogriff. “If you were in my position, would you have come out?” he asked.
The old guard snapped his beak and shook his head. “No, I would have remained hidden and observed what happened next,” he grudgingly admitted.
“Pai, if you’ve finished interrogating Asahi, we are going inside for a meal,” Nali said as she stood in the broad doorway of an extensive structure.
“I’ve eaten. The fishing is good in the river,” Pai commented. “I’ll do a flyover of the valley with the manticore guards and meet with you afterwards.”
“Be careful,” Nali said, her voice reflecting both concern and affection for the giant hippogriff.
“You worry too much about others and not enough about yourself,” Pai muttered.
Asahi could see the twinkle in the old hippogriff’s eyes before he trotted away. He shook his head in wonder and looked at Nali. She was silently watching him.
“Pai’s very protective of me,” she defended.
“I can understand why,” he murmured. His eyes connected with Nali’s intense, vulnerable gaze.
“Empress,” Reese called from inside the building.
She blinked, as if coming out of a daze, and turned away. “Thank you, Reese,” she answered.
Asahi released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He understood Pai’s feelings of protectiveness toward Nali. He also recognized that his own feelings were on a different, more primitive level than the hippogriff’s. Pai wanted to protect Nali like a father would protect his child. Asahi wanted to protect Nali as a man for a woman.
He followed her through the door into the spacious interior of an inn. It was easy to understand why each building they had passed in this valley had either oversized double doors or a single large one that was twice the size of those back home. They matched the colossal size of the manticores and the centaurs.
“Can I take your bag upstairs for you?” a young centaur inquired.
Asahi tightened his grip on the strap before he nodded and lifted it over his head, wincing when a shaft of pain ran through his shoulder. After holding out the bag, he watched the boy trot up a wide set of stairs.
“The food smells amazing!” Nali said with a sigh.
He absently nodded. At the moment, he was trying to process and categorize everything he was seeing. Long tables, spaced far apart, had an assortment of bench seats. Some seats were curved, allowing the centaurs to sit down, while others were flat.
Enormous platters, the size of a turkey platter back home, were used as regular dinner plates. He blinked in wonder when he saw fauns moving throughout the room serving drinks or carrying heavy platters filled with food. The noisy room gradually became silent, and a wave of hushed whispers announced their arrival.
As if in slow motion, young and old alike— regardless of what type of creature they were—put down their cups and silverware and rose to their feet in respect for their Empress. Nali stood poised and regal. Her gaze swept over the room as if she silently greeted each creature.
“Thank you for your welcome. The food smells delicious, I look forward to enjoying it with you,” she declared with a smile.
A centaur, his head bald and his neatly trimmed beard gray, lifted a tankard from the table in front of him and held it high in the air.
“To Nali, our Empress! May the Goddess be with her and the Isle of the Monsters!” he proclaimed in a deep, booming voice.
Others swiftly reached for their drinks. Fauns scurried to refill the empty ones as the diners all turned and faced their Empress. Asahi took the cup a female faun shyly held out to him. Reese handed Nali a tankard.
“To Nali!” the crowd roared.
Nali motioned to those before her with her tankard before she took a sip in tribute to her people. Laughter filled the air, and within minutes, everyone was back to enjoying their meal. Asahi moved up beside her.
“Does this happen everywhere you go?” he curiously asked, sniffing the drink in his cup before sipping it.
She laughed and shook her head. “Not everywhere. The centaurs and manticores enjoy their ale. They’ll toast almost anything if it means getting a refill,” she teased.
“If you’ll follow me, Empress, I have a table set up for you and your guest away from prying eyes,” an olde
r female manticore said.
“Thank you,” Nali murmured.
Asahi could sense the curious gazes following them as they weaved their way to a secluded corner. There was a half-wall separating it from the main dining room. A set of double doors stood open to a small patio. There was a large double window that looked out at a walled garden. Their manticore hostess must have ordered the table moved outside to give them additional privacy.
They silently followed their hostess to a table, set for an intimate dinner for two. The sun had set, and the stars were becoming visible. The manticore picked up a large candle, briefly turned away, and blew a stream of fire, lighting it before replacing it in the center of the table with a sincere smile of pleasure.
“My name is Kora. My daughter, Darla, will take care of you tonight, Empress. I will make your room ready while you dine,” Kora explained, holding out a large menu.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Kora,” Nali replied.
“What would you like to drink?” Kora asked.
Nali sighed. “You wouldn’t have any bourbon, would you?” she wistfully inquired.
“Only the finest the pirates had to offer,” Kora chuckled.
Nali laughed. “Then make it a bottle,” she declared.
Kora grinned. “With pleasure, Empress,” she said before turning to Asahi. “Would you like something else?”
“Bourbon is fine,” Asahi replied.
Within minutes, Darla returned with a bottle of bourbon in a large decanter and two glasses. Darla poured the bourbon into the glasses while Nali ordered for both of them since she was more familiar with the cuisine offered. He picked up his glass and sat back.
This was a lot different from their meal and accommodations the night before. Except for brief breaks every couple of hours, they had kept going. Fatigue was wearing him down, and he knew that Nali must be as exhausted as he was, if not more so, after her battle with the alien.