Chapter Five: Queen Calla and King Cavin
Buddi sat off by himself, head down.
The city of Gummadoon scrambled about him. But the cub just sat by the edge of
a fountain and thought. He felt so out of place. No one was like him, only
Sunni understood him. If Ursa understood him, she neglected to show it.
A hand fell on the child's head.
Buddi turned.
Sir Plucki looked down at the child
with sympathy. He had seen how different the Barbic Gummies were from regular
gummies and knew that it stung Buddi deeply. He didn't understand why the
Barbics were so stern on the children. He knew the Barbics were tough and stern
but why were they so rough on the children?
"Hey lad."
Buddi mumbled a reply and said,
"What is it?"
"You just looked blue."
Buddi sighed, "I'm alright."
Plucki was anything but convinced.
He almost said more when suddenly, they heard screeching overhead. Looking up,
Buddi spied Artie, Gusto's faithful bird. He was circling trying to get
attention. The Glens and Barbics and Gummadoonians alike raced outside. The
bird flew down at an odd anxious pace. Gusto let him land on his shoulder.
"Hey, what's the rush, Artie?"
"Calla and Cavin need to see you,
pronto, right away."
The glens immediately headed for the
gate to leave. Buddi nearly followed as Cavin was his friend but Ursa clamped a
firm hand on his shoulder and shook her head. Buddi stated,
"But Cavin's my friend."
Ursa gave him a glare that could
have halted an army. Buddi clamped his mouth shut. Ursa said acidicly,
"I won't discuss it here but we will
be conferring about that later, understood?"
Buddi sighed, "Yes Ma'am."
As he watched the Glens race off, he
silently wished that Sunni could come back and tell him what was going on.
* * *
Calla sat at the edge of her bed,
trying not to cry. She was getting married in less than an hour. She knew she
had to and she knew Cavin was someone she loved but she was nervous. She wanted
her friends, she wanted her father.
She was scared.
Suddenly there was a creak and the
wall opened by the familiar door. The glens walked in, Sunni ran to her.
"Calla what-wow! Whatta dress!"
The others swiftly took note.
"Wow."
Calla had let her long blond hair
down and it fell in silken waves over her shoulders. She had her nails shinning
and white high heels, complete with a single strap over the ankle, were slid
over her feet. She wore a necklace of silver and gems around her neck.
But the dress was beyond stunning.
It was a shimmering snow white and
had long sleeves to her wrists and trains of material that started at her
shoulder and went to her elbow and they fell from her arms all the way to lie
on the ground. Before the train of material was a band of golden trim and the
band was present on her other arm as well. Her dress had slightly puffed
sleeves around her shoulders and a low cut collar with golden trim. The same
trim covered the edge at her wrists. A belt of gold was sewn into the fabric
and draped low about her hips. Her dress fell to touch the ground and had a
golden trim about the bottom and a pattern of golden band on the very bottom of
the dress. A train of white, trimmed in gold fell from the back of her waist
and fell at least a good five feet behind her.
"Calla…"
The girl lifted her head to meet
Sunni's eyes,
"it's my wedding dress."
Grammi took in a sharp breath,
"Calla, darling, you're only sixteen!"
The girl nodded, "I know Grammi but
my father…he…was…killed defending his kingdom."
The Glens stumbled back. Sunni
wrapped her arms around her best friend's waist, unsure what else to do. Calla
rubbed the gummi's hair and told herself not to cry. Still sensing they were
absorbing the shock, Calla went on,
"It's my duty as Princess to take
over his duties, I have to marry and produce a heir."
She smiled faintly, "I'm getting
married tonight. To Cavin."
She let them rush to her with their
solaces first before going on,
"Tonight I'll become Queen and Cavin
will go from Page Cavin to King Cavin. We'll have a kingdom to rule."
She turned to Gruffi particularly.
"Please, be there for me. For us. Not only will we have to rule but…but…in time
of war, which is what has been declared, a heir must be produced within a
year."
Cubbi looked at her, "An heir?"
Calla nodded, nervousness playing
with her head. "I..I have to become a mother."
She buried her face into her hands.
Grammi and Zummi climbed onto her bed and gently to not damage her dress,
started to smooth her hair. Gusto answered for Gruffi,
"You know we'll be here Calla."
Cubbi spied something on her bed and
reached for it,
"What's this?"
He held up what look like a ring of
white diamonds. It had lace covering the edge and an extra long length on one
end. Calla slipped it onto her head gently,
"My veil."
She folded the lace over her face.
She went on,
"Please be at my wedding. You can
hide in the balcony."
They nodded and hide just as Sir
Tuxford opened the door,
"M'Lady, it's time."
Calla rose and filled past him
without a word but with as much grace as the greatest queen.
* * *
"Cavin looks good," Cubbi whispered.
Grammi shushed him gently and glanced down.
Her heart ached for the two human
children she had grown to love as her own children. When she had heard of
Gregor's death, she had frozen. She couldn't believe it but then she had
swiftly tried to dull the girl's pain although she knew time itself was the
only cure. She focused her attention downward.
Cavin stood at the end of the aisle.
His hair was styled and swept back. He wore long black slacks, made of velvet
and a black shirt. The sleeves went to his wrists and he had slightly puffed
sleeves at his shoulders. Over the black shirt was a white vest with golden
trim.
Suddenly all heads turned as Calla
entered. She looked like an angel but as she walked down the aisle there was no
emotion on her face, she kept that hidden. By the time she had reached the end
of the aisle she was a wreck but kept it hidden. The words of the minister were
slow and alien to her ears.
Cavin felt nervous and scared. He
had been trained to be a knight not a King. And in any case, it wasn't his
kingdom, it was Calla's. He loved her, true enough, but it wasn't his kingdom
to rule. Yet he would be expected not only to help do that but to lead the war
that had been declared against Igthorn and to become a father at the same time.
Before either teen could think of it
any longer, they were each reciting, "With this ring I be wed."
The words felt odd but then the
minister said,
"I now pronounce you husband and
wife. You may kiss the bride."
Cavin, with shaking hands, lifted
the veil and kissed Calla gently on the lips.
But with that over and the cheering
echoing, their job was not yet finished. The minister bade both of them fall to
their knees and bow their heads. Both consented.
"Young Calla, Young Cavin do you
solemnly swear on your lives and your honor to shield this kingdom, admit just
rules and protect those within its walls as long as you live and to produce a
heir, for once your lives are spent?"
The two replied in unison, "I
swear."
The minister laid Gregor's former
crown on Cavin's head and the crown of Calla's late mother onto the girl's. it
was golden with a single red gem in the center. The edges were decorated with
designs.
"Arise."
The minister turned the two towards
the assembly of people,
"People of Dunywn I present your newest monarchs, King Cavin and Queen Calla."
