A/N--------Hey all. How's life? Life's good. Anyway.here's the fourth installment of "The Secret of Char." We suddenly realized it should be "The Secret of Simon," because Char's only secret is he's dead.
Planning his next move was the hardest. With the late Lady Eleanor, Simon only needed a smile, akind word to charm her with. She was a grown woman, experienced. Nevertheless, he was somewhat
attracted to her daughter. Although she was but a slip of a girl, Simon could tell she had some intelligence.
It would be difficult learning how he could win her over.
Simon had to interrogate the royal cook to learn all of Ella's habits. "Well," the cook had said. "Taste this first." She shoved some soup down his throat. After he complimented her, she disclosed the keepers at the royal menagerie saw her there quite often.
Immediately, Simon knew his next move.
It was no chore having to visit the menagerie. As a child, Simon had been enchanted by the exotic animals. Even though most of his time was occupied with royal duties, Simon still found time to slip away to visit the
dragons and centaurs.
He waited by the centaurs for nearly two hours. Knowing that the king and queen would be looking for him, Simon had to prepare to go. When he had given up hope of seeing Ella that day, she appeared, silently creeping near the centaurs. She had throw a piece of cheese into the fire and was gazing intently on the centaur.
Simon opened his mouth to greet her, but realized she hadn't seen him yet. He didn't want to startle her and scare the animals when she jumped in surprise at seeing Prince Charmont, her Prince! She took some more cheese and held it out to the centaur.
Her stupidity was astonishing him. Everyone knew better than to feed a centaur a dairy product! It was common knowledge that their lactose-intolerance lead to stomach problems of a gaseous nature.
Without thinking, Simon held out an apple. "Here," he said.
Ella turned. She appeared quite surprised to see the Crown Prince Charmont offering her fruit. She
looked at him quizzingly. "Thank you," she said, taking the apple.
Holding out her hand, she edged closer to the moat, behind which the centaur was. The centaur's nostrils flared and he trotted towards her. She tossed the apple. Two other centaurs galloped over as Ella's centaur caught the treat and started eating, crunching loudly.
Ella sighed. "I always expect them to thank me or to say, 'How dare you stare?'"
Simon pointed at them. "They're not smart enough to talk. See how blank their eyes are?" Simon felt dumb. Of course she knew that.
"If they had words," responded Ella quickly, "They wouldn't be able to think of anything to say."
Simon looked at her oddly. After a moment, he began to laugh. "That's funny! You're funny." He had a brief flash of memory of her mother. "As the Lady Eleanor was," he added respectfully. Ella's face paled slightly and she looked away. "Sorry. I didn't mean to remind you."
"I think of her often," Ella said simply, turning away from the playful centaurs.
They walked around the edge of the moat.
"Would you like an apple?" Simon offered her, taking one for himself. She looked at him and pawed the ground with her right foot and tossed her head as though she had a mane. Opening her eyes as wide as they'd go, she stared stupidly at Simon and took the apple.
She certainly was a refreshing change from the older Lady Eleanor, thought Simon. He laughed at her impression of a centaur. "I like you," he revealed. "I'm quite taken with you."
As we walked, the Kyrrians all bowed deeply. Simon was used to it, so he was able to give them a brief salute while still walking. Ella looked unsure of what to do. Finally, she settled on a smile and a deep nod.
They came to the parrot cages soon. The keeper of the birds seemed to know Ella. He greeted her first, not seeing the prince. Horrified, he corrected his mistake and bowed low. Then he returned to feeding an orange bird.
"This one's new," he said. "Speaks Gnomic and doesn't shut up."
The parrot gazed at Ella and made a comment. She repeated the comment in the tongue. Simon was thunderstruck.
"You speak Gnomic?" And I thought her simple, thought Simon.
She shook her head. "I like to say the words. I only know what a few words mean."
The keeper looked up. "She does it just right, doesn't she, Highness?"
Highness. Even after three years, the word never ceased to thrill Simon. Simon tried to make the sounds also.
"Fawithkor evutk brizarry." he began. "It sounded better when you did it." He flashed her a charming smile. Soon, she'd be his puppet.
Simon and Ella stayed with the birds for a considerable amount of time. After they saw each bird, Ella had to go around and bid them farewell in their own tongue.
As they left, Simon and Ella passed the ogres garden. Ella attempted to teach Simon some Gnomic.
After a few miserable tries, Simon shook his head. "If they ever heard me, the elves would never let me stand under a tree again."
"The gnomes would hit you over the head with a shovel," agreed Ella flippantly. Simon was startled about how quickly she had accepted him as a friend. She didn't treat him as her better, she treated him as her equal. How interesting.
The real Char would have been furious. However, Simon was actually enjoyed flirting with someone close to his age, instead of a woman twice his age.
As they continued the conversation, they neared the ogre hut. Normally, Ella would not have been allowed near there. But the guards must have assumed she was a guest of the prince and let her pass.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a soft, lisping voice.
Ella stopped short. "Did you hear that?"
"Doesn't sound like and ogre." Simon turned around. "Where did it come from?"
The voice repeated itself, with a trace of tears in the voice. A gnomic toddler poked his head out of
an aqueduct a few feet away from the hut. Simon noticed him at the same time as Ella. The ogre was going to eat the little boy! Normally, Simon wouldn't really give a damn. Gnomes gave him the willies. But Ella would never speak to him again if he let the boy be eaten. Simon immediately snatched the boy.
"Give him to me," said Ella, holding her arms. She scooped up the child and hugged him close to her chest.
What Simon would give to be that child. He briefly imagined a short respite in those arms and then brushed the obstructing thoughts begone.
Actually, nothing, thought Simon after a moment. I wouldn't give anything to be that child! Then I wouldn't be rich and powerful and handsome and going to be the king when my father croaks!
The ogre came out of his hut and hissed something at Simon. When he saw Ella, his expression changed. He said something to her. Ella began trembling. After a moment, she took a step forward.
The ogre hissed again. Ella stepped towards him once again with the child in her hands.
What the hell is she doing? thought Simon furiously. Now is not the time to sacrifice a small child to the sun god or whatever.
"Where are you going?" Simon cried.
"I must," said Ella in a dead, monotone voice.
"Stop! I command you to stop!" said Simon without thinking. Crap, he thought. His mother hated when he commanded her to do something. Of course, he usually wasn't commanding her to stop.
But Ella didn't seem to mind. She stopped in her place. The guards now pointed their swords at
the ogre and he returned to his hut. Simon was gaping at Ella. "Why did you listen to him?" Are you suicidal and mental? he added silently.
The gnome child was being a terror. He was pulling on his beard and wailing. "He's frightened," said Ella simply, patting him reassuringly on his head.
Simon wasn't distracted. "Why did you listen to him, Ella?" Ah, he thought. The first time I've used her name. He called her mother Lady Eleanor until the day she died. To make things more eerie, he realized, the daughter was also Lady Eleanor.
"His eyes," said Ella. "Something about them. I had to do what he wanted."
I'm jealous, thought Simon. "Have they found a new way to bewitch us?" he cried instead. "I must tell my father." Like he'll care.
The child howled, thrashing at the air. Ella repeated the words she learned a few minutes earlier to the gnomic child. His sobs subsided and he smiled.
"His parents must be worried," commented Ella. Simon took her hand and the child's and led them to the home of the gnomes.
An old gnome recognized the child. She cried his name and than covered his face with kisses. After a moment, she peered at them and recognized Simon.
"Highness, thank you for the return of my grandson," she said formally.
Simon coughed, almost embarrassed. "We're glad to bring him back, madam. He was almost an ogre's lunch."
"Char-Prince Charmont-saved him," said Ella.
The woman bowed. "You have the gratitude of the gnomes. I am zhatapH."
She was the oldest thing Simon had ever seen. Absolutely ridiculously old. Ella curtsied towards the woman, wobbling
slightly. "I'm Ella."
More gnomes came and surrounded them. "How did you persuade him to go with you? He would not go with most humans," said one.
Well, most humans did not have the lovely creature she had for a mother, Simon wanted to say. Instead, he responded. "Ella spoke to him."
"What did you say?"
Ella hesitated, than repeated her phrases. "No wonder he came with you!" said zhataphH.
The gnome child squirmed and wiggled. A younger gnome came and took him . "Where did you learn to speak Gnomic? I am his mother."
Ella explained about the parrots. After that, it got a bit boring. At least until an old gnome woman told Ella a part of her future.
She gazed at Ella. "He will not be the only one you will save. I see it."
Who will she save? Thought Simon. Will she save my empty heart, frozen at the thought of love, only wanting women for their bodies?
I hope not, he recollected. It's more fun that way.
"Gnomes see no detail," the old gnome said. "What you will wear tomorrow, what you will say---
these are mysteries. I see outlines only."
"What are they?"
"Danger, a quest, three figures. Those closest to you, but they are not your friends." The woman
put her face up to Ella's. "Beware of them!"
On their way out of the menagerie, Simon surprised himself. "Tonight I shall triple the guard around the ogres. And soon I shall catch a centaur and give him to you."
Embarrassed by his proclamation, Simon walked her home in silence, wondering if this girl was truly her mother's daughter.
A/N-Thank yo for reading. We'll have the next chapter soon. Please read and review!
Submit ReviewReport Possible AbuseAdd Story to FavoritesAdd Author to FavoritesAdd Author to Author Alert 1. Default Chapter2. A Tossle in the Hay3. The Death of a Mistress4. The Sacrificing of a Small Gnomatic Chil...5. Centaur Fun and Nymphs6. Incest and Seduction
