Chapter 7: The Faerie World
They were standing on the lower part of a mountain slope, so they had a good view. The valley was a great bowl, surrounded by high blue-gray mountains. The trees, of which there were many, were decked in the bright colors of autumn. A wide river, a ribbon of pale blue, wended its way across the bowl from north to south. A collection of domes and towers, shining in rainbow colors where they were hit by the light of the setting sun, grew out of the far mountain slope as naturally as the trees in the forest, impossibly delicate constructions of spun-sugar stone. A gentle breeze picked up and a swirl of bright leaves danced past.
Crono looked down at the road they were standing on. He followed it with his eyes, down into the valley, across an arched bridge over the river, and to the gleaming city backlit by the sinking sun. He remembered the first time he'd seen the Kingdom of Zeal – but what he was seeing now surpassed even that.
"What's that city called?" Lucca asked. Her voice was hushed, but it was enough to bring everyone back to the here and now.
"Kalvalen," Ketiya replied, in a similar tone. "And it still hits me right here every time I see it." She sighed. "It looks even more spectacular by moonlight. But we can't stay here and marvel, I'm afraid. We're expected. C'mon." She started walking down the slope, expecting the others to follow. They did, although a little reluctantly.
Well, three of them did. Jack was looking around carefully, as if he were expecting something bad to happen. "There are no guards here," he observed. Crono, Marle and Lucca stopped and looked around as well. He was right – they should have noticed before.
Ketiya stopped a little farther down the hill and turned around. Jack looked at her questioningly. She smiled in an irritatingly enigmatic way. "There are indeed guards. Just not of the species that you're expecting." Crono heard a rustling of leaves that sounded very much like a suppressed chuckle.
Lucca was the first to get it. "You mean the trees are…" The rustling of leaves grew louder, although the strength of the wind had not changed.
"They're not exactly trees," Ketiya explained. "They're sort of like trees. But they're a lot more mobile." She looked around thoughtfully. "When they want to be, I mean. Usually they just act like your average tree." A maple beside her rustled agitatedly. "Okay. Not average trees, then. You know what I mean." She shrugged her shoulders and turned back toward the city again. Crono exchanged glances with Jack, Lucca and Marle, in that order, shrugged his own shoulders, and jogged to catch up with Ketiya.
~***~
Even as the sky darkened, they still had light to see by. Slim white pillars topped with glowing spheres, each about seven feet high, flanked the road at regular intervals. Lucca looked carefully at them – no evidence of a wire element inside, so they certainly didn't run on electricity. She thought of asking Ketiya how they worked, but figured that she probably wouldn't know either. After all, such things were not in her area of expertise.
"It's kind like going Trick-or-Treating," Marle remarked, looking up at the branches that reached out over the road.
"Trick or what?" Ketiya and Jack said simultaneously. They looked at each other, then at Marle. She had to explain the whole concept to them.
"That bears little resemblance to Halloween as I remember it," Jack remarked afterwards. "Except that it is just as bizarre." That got a laugh out of the others, which Jack seemed to find rather puzzling.
"It used to be a lot different," Marle admitted. "I don't know how the whole costumes-and-candy thing got started. I only got to do it once, anyway. I had to sneak out because my Dad wouldn't let me go." She grinned. "I got in a lot of trouble, but it was worth it."
Ketiya peered at her. "Why weren't you allowed to go out?" she asked.
Marle sighed and rolled her eyes. "Because my Dad is the King of Guardia and he wanted me to go with an escort of guards." Ketiya was obviously very surprised by this (and, Lucca thought, she deserved a bit of a shock, after all that business with the trees), but Marle didn't pause to let her recover. "I said no. How can you Trick-or-Treat with a bunch of soldiers hanging around? So he wouldn't let me and I had to sneak out." She shrugged and looked down at the road in front of her.
Ketiya was looking at her carefully. "You're a princess? You never said." They had not explained their whole story to her.
"Sorry. It's just…not really something I like to talk about." Pause. "Just forget I mentioned it, okay?"
Fortunately, they reached Kalvalen at that moment, stepping out of the trees and up to a tall gate that looked sort of like wrought iron – except that it was gleaming white, just like the rest of the city. It was also invitingly open, though there were guards flanking it. Ketiya exchanged salutes with them as they passed through. As in the places they had been before, the people here watched them curiously, although they did not approach them.
But they were all – with the exception of Ketiya – looking around the city just as curiously. The buildings were like nothing Lucca had ever seen before. They looked delicate, like lace, but they were made of stone or something very much like it, as Lucca confirmed for herself by tapping on a braided pillar. There was writing carved on some of the walls, but Lucca couldn't read it.
They came to another, smaller set of gates; these were closed, at least until they approached. When Ketiya led them through and into a paved courtyard, there were some people waiting for them, all dressed in flowing white garments that shone like rainbows under the light of the moon and more of those glowing spheres on poles.
The tallest of them, a gaunt aiewan with long obsidian hair and an intricate golden torc about his neck, stepped forward to greet them. He placed the palms of his hands together and bowed. "Maigan dal Ellewyn," he said in a cool, placid voice. The attendants behind him bowed as well.
Ketiya returned the bow and the greeting – although, Lucca noticed, she bowed lower than the man had. Lucca and the others followed the obvious protocol and bowed as well. Their host stood up again, and they did the same.
"I am Lord Illyn, Governor of Kalvalen." He looked them over with shining amber eyes. "I am honored to meet you." Ketiya introduced them, which was a good thing because Lucca had no idea how she ought to behave.
"I know you are tired from your journey, but the Lady wishes to meet with you as soon as possible," the Governor said. "Please follow me." He turned smoothly and walked – glided, really – toward a vine-covered arched doorway. The travelers followed him, with the servants forming an escort around them.
Lucca would have loved to examine the carvings in the halls they passed through, or to have explored one of the many gardens, but that would have to wait. She tried to imagine what the Lady might look like, or what her throne room might look like, but both of these defied her expectations.
Lord Illyn led them to a set of double doors carved with runes and geometric designs – rather unusual, since most of the carvings here were of plants, animals or people. He stood aside as two of his servants opened it. He bowed and gestured for them to go through. "The Lady awaits."
They stepped out onto a cloistered walkway surrounding a circular courtyard, after which the doors were shut behind them. There were no glowing spheres here, but the full moon provided more than enough light to see by. While most of the other open spaces in the palace contained elegant gardens, there was not much in this one. Only a grassy knoll, with a very large, old-looking oak tree in the center.
Lucca was confused for a moment. Then she looked at the tree and smiled to herself. Of course.
She was right behind Ketiya when the Ranger walked up to the tree in slow, reverent steps instead of her usual stride. When they were right under the tree, she looked up into its branches. She could feel it – or her, rather – looking right back.
"Touch her trunk, so she can speak to you," Ketiya said. They moved to form a ring around the trunk. Ketiya was the first to put her hand on the bark of the tree. The others seemed a little hesitant. Lucca decided to be the adventurous one and be the second to touch the tree.
She reached out her hand, palm open, and put it on the trunk. She felt, suddenly, as if someone else were sharing her head with her, and she almost jerked her hand away – but it was a friendly, comforting presence, so she didn't. She sensed Ketiya too, in the same way that she sensed the mind of the tree, but it was more removed from her. "It's all right," she assured Crono and Marle. "Go ahead." Marle put a hand on the tree, and her mind appeared in Lucca's senses. Crono took a deep breath and put his own hand on the tree. And finally, cautiously, as he looked questioningly into the branches, Jack put his hand on the tree trunk. Now they were all part of the network.
The Lady spoke, her words going into their minds without using their ears. Welcome, children, she said. She was, Lucca understood, addressing Ketiya and Jack as well as Crono, Marle and Lucca herself. I have been waiting for you. I know what you seek; I can help you to find it. But before I can do that, I am in need of your help.
"What…do you want us to do, exactly? If you don't mind me asking?" Marle inquired. The Lady seemed to smile gently at her.
I will start from the beginning, the Lady announced. As she began to speak, images and impressions flooded Lucca's mind, immersing her in the history that the Lady related to them.
~***~
A long time ago, this valley was not hidden as it is now, outside the time and space occupied by the rest of Earth. It was part of that world, the center of a great kingdom, some of which still remains – you have traveled through it. It used to be vast, so vast that it would take you a month to walk straight from one edge to the other. There were many other cities like Kalvalen, many more intelligent trees and magical beasts of all kinds. But that was before the demon came.
He set his sights on the kingdom, for it was full of magic and he coveted it. He sent hordes of demons and his own mortal armies to invade it. The land and its people fought his armies, the aiewan and the trees and the other good creatures of the kingdom, and they kept the demon's horde from the valley. But the price was high; countless were lost in the war, and the other great cities of the kingdom were destroyed. I could not protect the entire kingdom with my magic, only the heart of it and some of the surrounding lands. I used my magic to hide this valley, the center of my kingdom, in a realm away from Earth. I have managed to keep this valley and some of my old kingdom free from the taint of the demon, though he has tried to invade it many times.
After a few centuries, he ceased his attempts to take over the rest of the land, and left me and my people in peace for a while. But only because he was building up power for a much greater assault, which he is now launching on the northern border of my kingdom. I do not have enough soldiers stationed there to drive out such a great force, and I fear that if they are not stopped, they will destroy all that remains of my kingdom beyond this valley – and then the demon will be able to strike at Kalvalen itself, and take my magic to use for his own purposes.
But I am preparing to strike back. In a few days, my own armies will go north to fight the demon. Even that, however, may not be enough. That is why I need you – you, who my loyal retainer has brought to me, are the greatest warriors on this world. With your help, the demon's army can be defeated, and my people will be safe. I know that what I ask of you is difficult, but if you give me aid, I will be able to help you find your way home.
~***~
What say you, then? the Lady concluded.
Jack had already made his decision. "I will help you."
"And so will we," Marle added. "But we have some problems…"
I know, the Lady interjected, Your magic is not this world's magic. I can give you access to that…but it will hurt. Such things do not come without a price.
Crono nodded. "We can handle it." There was a pause, while the Lady considered this.
Very well. Ketiya, Jack, step back from me. Jack removed his hand from the Lady's trunk – he was disoriented for a moment when he lost contact with her and the minds of the others. Ketiya came around to him from the other side of the Lady, where she had been standing, took his arm gently and turned him so that he was facing away from the tree.
He looked at her, wondering why she had felt it necessary to turn him away. "You don't want to see this," she told him softly. She even went so far as to walk him farther away from the Lady.
They were in the cloisters before it started. Jack could not see or hear what was happening behind him, but somehow he could sense it. He knew, without being able to explain how, that something terrible was happening behind him. His instincts told him to turn and face it, to fight it if he could. Ketiya tried to keep him from doing so, but she was not strong enough to prevent him; he whirled around to face the tree, and the terrible feeling screaming in the back of his head intensified as he did so.
The three youths were still touching the tree, all of them obviously in a great deal of pain, but keeping the contact despite it. Crono was surrounded by a bright aura of crackling lightning, Marle by a swirling cloud of snow and ice, Lucca by dancing flames. The leaves of the Lady were shaking as if being blown around as if in a violent tempest, but there was no wind here other than a soft breeze.
Suddenly, it was all over. The leaves settled into calm again, and the auras that had surrounded the young ones winked out. They collapsed, gasping and shuddering, to the ground. Jack ran up to Lucca, who was the closest, and helped her to her feet, while Ketiya attended to Crono and then Marle.
"Are you all right?" he asked. Lucca looked up at him and blinked, as if she were looking into a blinding light.
"I will be, soon enough," she answered, her voice sounding a little hoarse. "Thank you." She stood up straight and automatically adjusted her glasses before putting her hand on the Lady's trunk again. Despite his worries over what had just happened – whatever it was that had happened – Jack did the same. The minds of Ketiya, Crono and Marle appeared in his awareness a few moments later.
Now you will be able to use your magic, the Lady said, her thoughts feeling the same way that Lucca's voice had sounded a minute ago. You should rest now. Tomorrow, we must make other preparations. Until then, my servants will provide for all your needs. Be well, my children.
That was obviously the conclusion of the audience – everyone drew back from the Lady and prepared to leave. Jack bowed to her respectfully, even though he felt a little foolish in doing so. She was, after all, a queen, and protocol demanded it.
Illyn and his attendants were waiting for them on the other side of the double door. They were escorted from there to a small courtyard garden with a fountain in the center. Glowing spheres set high on the walls provided a good deal of light to see by.
"Your quarters are the rooms surrounding this garden," Illyn said, gesturing towards the courtyard. "I have assigned a servant to attend to each of you. Dinner will be served here within the hour. Be well, and if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask." He bowed to them, and they returned his bow respectfully. The Governor left with some of the attendants, but five of them stayed behind, three women and two men – the servants assigned to them.
It was not often that Jack got a decent meal and a real bed to sleep in, so he appreciated this hospitality very much indeed. It was hard to believe that a place like this could exist in a world ruled by Aku. Perhaps when he returned home, he would send explorers to see if they could find the Lady in his own time…
But that was a long way from the here and now. He would enjoy his stay in this place while he could.
~***~
Ketiya usually stayed in much simpler quarters when she was here, but since she was assigned to work with Jack and the others, she got to stay in a nice guest room near them. Well, guest apartment, since it had a front room and a bedchamber in the back. That was good, but the personal servant was a bit much. Upper-class aiewan folk usually had a servant to help them bathe and dress, but Ketiya was human and about as far from upper-class as one could get. She chased the servant away as politely as she could so she could take her bath in privacy in the tub beside the bedroom fireplace.
When she got out, she found that her clothes had been taken for laundering. Instead, there was a blue-green silk dress waiting for her – hmm. She wondered if the others were getting new clothes, too. That got her to wondering what Jack would look like wearing trousers instead of a robe; then she gave herself a mental slap for thinking about it.
She felt that it would be a crime to wear her hair in its usual braid with this dress, so she put it up in a half-ponytail instead. She took a look at herself in the mirror and was a little surprised by her own reflection. It bore very little resemblance to the self she knew…
"Dinner is ready, Ketiya-jiya," her servant informed her. Ketiya thanked the woman and went out into the courtyard, where a carved wooden table and folding chairs had been set up. The smell of the food made her stomach rumble, but she would have to wait until everyone else was ready. Manners didn't mean very much to her, but they meant a lot to other people.
Crono and Marle were already outside, sitting on one of the stone benches beside the fountain and holding a whispered conversation between themselves. Crono was now in fine a blue tunic and leggings, Marle in a pale green dress of the same style as the one that Ketiya was wearing. As she approached, Crono looked up at her and his eyes widened. Marle turned to look at her, seemed surprised for a moment, and raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?" Ketiya asked. She didn't know what the problem was, but it became even more confusing Marle jabbed her elbow into Crono's ribs. He winced and rubbed the point of impact with his right hand. Marle smiled innocently at Ketiya, then whirled on Crono and narrowed her eyes threateningly. Crono held his hands up defensively. Now what was that all about?
"Good evening everyone!" Lucca called as she emerged from a door to Ketiya's left. In a purple dress and without her helmet on, she was pretty enough to turn a few heads, though her glasses spoiled the effect to some degree. "Wow, Ketiya, you look nice."
"Thanks. So do you," Ketiya said with a smile. Now she knew why Crono had been staring at her and why Marle had thumped him for it. The knowledge gave her some measure of pride. What would Jack think when he saw…for some reason just thinking about it made her uncomfortable. She wondered if she could get a Ranger dress uniform instead, before he arrived.
But she didn't have time – Jack stepped out of his room a moment later, dressed in an outfit like Crono's except that it was white and gray, like the robe he usually wore. The clothes didn't make him look much different from usual. He bowed to greet them, but when he straightened up and saw Ketiya, he stopped suddenly. The look in his eyes made her feel very strange, although not necessarily in a bad way.
Marle's giggle broke the spell. For some reason, Ketiya didn't feel like glaring at her for it. She deliberately avoided meeting Jack's eyes as she turned to the table.
"All right," she said, "We're all here. Let's sit down to dinner."
~***~
Late at night, in a small moonlit courtyard in the palace of Kalvalen, a man and a woman were sitting on a stone bench beneath one of the trees. The sword that the man usually wore at his hip was leaning against the side of the bench. He and the woman were having a quiet conversation. It was a conversation filled with a lot of awkward silences, a lot of lowering of the eyes, and a nervous smile or two.
At some point in this conversation, when the woman was looking down at her hands folded in her lap, the man gently took those two hands in his own. She looked up at him, surprise evident on her face. He spoke her name, and three words.
She just looked at him for a moment, not really believing what she had just heard; then she smiled.
They shared a kiss in the moonlit garden, while leaves fell around them like spring blossoms.