Chapter XXI
Sandstorms, Caravans, and Prophetesses
"Now what, fearless leader?" Anselm asked angrily. They had gotten to the place where Bergljot swore she saw water, but there was only a shriveled skeleton. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, but only got it sweatier. His hair had long ago lost its spike, and it was now plastered against his scalp.
"Well, I thought it was water. Everything in this desert looks wet from the waves of heat," she gasped. "I say we rest and think."
"You should have left me there," Sephiroth sighed. He sat in the sand heavily.
"I told you before that we don't leave anyone behind. That's not the way this team works."
They sat in the sand and tried to think, but the heat and fact of no water resulted in nothing. The babies began crying.
"Do you guys mind? I need to…" Bergljot said bashfully.
"What are you talking about?" Sephiroth asked. Anselm whispered something in his ear, resulting in the reddest blush any of them had seen. He chuckled a little, rubbed the back of his head, and began moving away as he said sheepishly, "I'll be over here."
The men turned away from her and the children and discussed the situation.
"I noticed that we haven't seen any Heartless," Sephiroth pointed out, the red leaving his face.
"Don't jinx it," Gwandoya hissed. "We should hurry and try to find the town."
"Agreed," Anselm nodded. "But how?"
"Follow a caravan," Sephiroth said, standing up and gazing out into the hot sands.
"Great plan. And how do you propose we find a caravan?" Bergljot asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"I see one over there," Sephiroth pointed. They turned and saw a large wagon pulled by two strange animals, the likes of which none of them had seen, but could not get a good look at. It was a good distance away.
"Let's go before we die of thirst," Bergljot hurriedly muttered, struggling to replace the babies on her back and the shirt. They covered only five yards when they noticed that the wagon had disappeared.
"I know I saw it," Sephiroth insisted. He knelt on the ground and pounded it. "Damn this heat. I'm starting to see things."
"Do you hear that?" Gwandoya whispered suddenly. He signaled for them to silence, and they heard a great roaring behind them.
"Oh, shit," Anselm gasped in a voice that was barely audible. Thick, dark clouds of sand were heading right for them.
"Sephiroth, give me six of your feathers," Bergljot ordered suddenly.
"What? Ouch!" he cried. She plucked the long feathers without waiting for his reply.
"I'm making tubes," she explained. Bergljot stripped the feathers, cut off the tops, and blew through them. "Good, they're hollow."
"What the hell?" Anselm panted. Bergljot was tearing five strips of fabric from the pouch on her back. She handed one strip and 'straw' to each of the men and lay on the ground, fiddling with Gemini and Genesis.
"Lay face-up, close your eyes tight, tie the fabric so it covers your mouth and nose, and put the feather in your mouth, but make sure the fabric is between your mouth and feather. The fabric should catch the sand and you should still be able to breath through the feathers."
"You're a loony!" Anselm exclaimed, but he followed her orders.
They lay on the ground just as the storm hit them. Bergljot had one arm wrapped around the twins while she gripped her husband's hand with the other. The men clasped their hands together as the storm swept over them. Not a minute after they hit the ground, everything went black.
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"Momma! Momma! Sticks in the sand!"
"Oh, they must have gotten stuck in the storm, the poor dears. Go get your father."
"Yes, momma," the child called.
"Oh, my," the woman gasped as she dug up the team. They had all gone unconscious.
"What's wrong?" came her husband's voice. He saw the people buried in the sand. "Well, I guess we'll take them to town with us."
He lifted the people, on-by-one, and laid them in the shade of the caravan. He and his wife stared at Bergljot's face.
"Do you think she could be…" the woman asked quietly as they continued to the village.
"Queen Rhiannon will know. If we can get them an appointment with her, that is."
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Bergljot is standing backstage with her band. Black Phoenix is waiting for its turn to perform at Battle of the Bands. Anselm approaches Bergljot.
"So, if you win, you get a record deal?"
"Yeah. The thing is, they don't tell you the results until the next day. I'm not going to be on the phone at all tomorrow, so don't call."
"Good luck," he whispers. The announcer is heard on the stage.
"Next we introduce a local band. They will be performing the song Enter Sandman. Ladies and gentleman, we bring you, BLACK PHOENIX!"
"You'll be fine," Anselm assures her, kissing her softly.
"Ooh!" the group hoots. She glances at them with a dirty look, picks up her guitar, and goes out onstage with them.
"We are Black Phoenix, and we are here to ROCK!" she yells into the crowd. The crowd applauses and screams loudly as the group begins to play the song.
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The group woke up to cold water being splashed on their faces. Bergljot spluttered as she sat up. She looked around frantically when she realized that her babies were no longer with her.
"Gemini? Genesis?" she cried with a panicked tone.
"They are right over there, sleeping safe and sound."
"Who are you?" Anselm asked.
"My name is Siv," the woman replied. She was sitting by the opening of the caravan. "You are very lucky to have survived that storm."
"I'm Baako," the child next to her replied. He was holding a small jug with a few lingering drops of water in it. Siv stood with difficulty as the Caravan trembled and approached the twins.
"Here are your children, safe and sound," she repeated. Bergljot took Gemini and Genesis and held them close.
"Thank you. Where are we going?" she asked.
"To the palace of Queen Rhiannon," a man said, turning from the reigns. "I'm Posis."
The group was silent for a while. The caravan was filled with goods from salt to cloth to nectar. Posis was sitting in front of a small window, reigns in his hands. He was protected from the sun, and everyone noticed a difference in temperature. Two large animals pulled the wagon. They had six legs, no fur, a long neck, long ears, a long tail, two large horns, and what looked like large boils on their backs, necks, and stomachs.
"They are called bakrs. They are the only animals that can travel through this desert without fear of death. The boils on their bodies retain water, and they eat only salt to help absorb it. Their horns, ears, and tail are large so the heat can escape through them," Siv explained when asked about them.
"How long until we reach the palace?" Gwandoya asked finally.
"Only a few more minutes. I can see it now," Posis told them. They all gathered around the window and saw a grand building a short distance away.
"Put these on!" the small child begged, pushing garments into their hands.
"Those clothes are not suitable for those presenting themselves to the queen. Put these on instead," Siv explained. "We shall arrive when you are ready."
The men were given dark green, baggy pants and white, tunic-style shirts. They were made of a thin material. Sephiroth had difficulty putting his shirt on because of his wing. Baako took out a pocketknife and approached Sephiroth.
"Stay away from me!" he yelled, ready to draw Masamune.
"I will not hurt you. Just show me your back."
Sephiroth reluctantly turned and allowed the boy to slice a hole in the shirt so his wing could slip through.
"Why does she get such beautiful clothing?" Anselm asked when he saw what Bergljot had been given.
She was wearing a long dress with wide sleeves that sagged when they reached her wrists. It was deep blue with a trim of silver on the wrists and along the edges. The dress wrapped around her body instead of slipping over her head and was pinned shut from her left waist to her knee with five jeweled brooches that where shaped like the heads of the bakrs. The highest two were clipped by the head, but the rest clipped by the horns, making her show a little of her thigh. The 'collar' was gathered just under her breasts and covered just enough to keep her from showing anything.
"Perhaps you will understand after speaking with her majesty," Posis whispered.
"Put on your shoes and we may go," Siv ordered, tossing each of the men a pair of leather sandals and giving Bergljot a pair of silk slippers. They listened to Posis talk to the guards and watched as they checked the back. Anselm thought it odd that they stared at Bergljot the way they did. They spoke to her, ignoring the three men.
"Welcome to the palace of Queen Rhiannon of Prapat, Lady Ramla," the head guard said to her.
"Who's Lady Ramla?" Bergljot asked Siv when they were allowed to pass through the gates.
"You are, milady," Siv said with a note of surprise. "Rather, you are her reincarnation."
"We must stop the carriage here. You will have to walk to the palace. We must go to our shop, so you will be on your own from now on. The palace is on the other end of the market. You cannot miss it, as it is the grandest home here. Tell the guards that you have been sent by Posis the Trader," Posis commanded as he began unloading his wares. He helped them down and went off to his job.
"Good day," Siv and Baako said together. They followed Posis and left the travelers standing in the marketplace. Bergljot held her twins close.
"Let's hurry to the palace. These people are creeping me out," she said nervously. The citizens were staring at her, pointing and whispering to their friends. Anselm laid a cloth scarf over her head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Ignore them," he whispered.
They walked through the streets swiftly. No one recognized Bergljot right away, for the scarf covered her face. Unfortunately, word had already spread that Lady Ramla had returned, and people shot knowing glances at her as she passed. The group arrived at the palace without being hassled, and passed through the guards easily. A teenage boy met them just inside the gates. He had messy, dirty blonde hair and wore the same baggy pants as the men, but they were black and he donned a tan vest instead of a white tunic.
"Welcome. Please, come with me and Queen Rhiannon will speak with you," he said softly. "Allow me to take your scarf."
"No, please, I would…" Bergljot objected, but he took it away before she could finish. He stared at her.
"So it's true? The prophetess Ramla has risen again?" he asked with joy.
"I'm Bergljot, not this Ramla woman everyone is talking about," Bergljot insisted.
"The prophecy says that you will have no memory of your past life," the boy smiled. "Please, follow me to Queen Rhiannon's meeting chambers."
The boy led them through the palace quietly. The entire building was made of marble and gold. Bergljot stared at paintings and statues that greatly resembled her. Anselm was becoming increasingly edgy as they finally came to the queen's room.
"Her highness, Queen Rhiannon," the servant announced to the group. He bowed them through the door, shut them, and was gone. There was a large fountain in the middle of the room, and a grand staircase was at the back. On top of the stairs was a throne, and in it sat a beautiful woman being fanned by more servants.
"Welcome to Prapat, weary travelers," she smiled as she stood. The woman had tan skin, as all the citizens did, and long, black hair. She wore little clothing for an empress. Her garments could have passed for a bikini. Two pieces of cloth were sewed to the bottom half and covered her legs. Slippers were on her feet, and pieces of firmer cloth were covering her shoulders. A long cape came down from the shoulders, and a large fan framed her head. She began walking towards them.
"Your highness," Gwandoya muttered, bowing before her. The others did the same.
"No need to kneel before me," she explained. Closer inspection revealed her to have heavy, black makeup around her eyes. She stared at Bergljot with a somewhat scared expression. "So you are the woman everyone is talking about."
"Please, your grace, I don't know what your people are talking about. We are from another world, here to free others from the Heartless," Bergljot explained. "They are creatures born of the darkness in people's hearts."
"You are the one the alert was about. A young woman with blue hair sent a message explaining that if any creatures resembling the ones you described arrive, we are to fight them until you get here. I can tell you now, there are no Heartless here."
"Please, enlighten us then. We do not know who this Lady Ramla is," Sephiroth begged.
"Lady Ramla was the last prophet on this world. Shortly after she became empress, the world was in great danger. No one knows what the danger was anymore, but she was the only one who could stop it. Before sacrificing herself, Lady Ramla foresaw that she would someday return. The day she returns is a day which the people of Prapat shall celebrate every year after. She prophesized that she would return when the world was in trouble again, but she would have little or no memory of her past life. After she died, the prophecy was passed from leader to leader. We have been awaiting the day she returns for a long time. You look exactly like her, yet have no memory of Ramla."
"I told you before," Bergljot moaned in exasperation. "We are not from Prapat. We came from a world called Drummond, and we are looking for Heartless."
"There was another part of the prophecy. Lady Ramla shall appear under the sand after a storm accompanied by three men and two babies. One man will be blind, one her husband, and another of the men will be completely different," she added, looking at Sephiroth. "One man will have a single wing on his back, eyes like a cat, and will go by the nickname One-Winged Angel."
Sephiroth took a step back and breathed sharply. He stared at Rhiannon with an apprehensive look. She only smiled.
"Some say that her return shall bode unwell for the people. I do not believe such nonsense. Please, accept my hospitality and feast with me this night."
With that, she turned and left to go to her chambers. The servant that took them there came back, led them through the palace again, and took each of them to their rooms.
"Is there anything I may do for you, milady?" the boy asked Bergljot when he came to her room.
"No thank you, um, what is your name, anyway?"
"I don't have one. None of us do," he shrugged.
"Well, thank you, but I need nothing except privacy," she said, emphasizing the privacy part. The servant left. Bergljot sat on the bed and sighed heavily. A small tiara on the small pedestal next to her bed caught her attention. Bergljot put it on. The crown fit over her head and dipped deeply to between her eyes. It was made of gold and decorated with what she supposed were very precious gems. The babies began crying.
"Okay, I'm coming. So much for privacy."
"Bergljot?" Anselm called into the room.
"Yeah?" she replied over the crying. "I'm kind of busy if you haven't noticed!"
"I just wanted to let you know that Queen Rhiannon wants to see you in her private chambers. Sorry for disturbing you, Lady Ramla."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she yelled. Anselm didn't reply. She laid the children gently on the bed and, looking into the corridor, Bergljot saw him go into his room. She lingered in the corridor. The children were only sniffling now. She found herself hoping that he would come back out. She turned to go back to her babies.
"Milady!" a guard called to her. "Come with me immediately to Queen Rhiannon's chambers!"
"Allow me to feed my children first."
"No. You are to come to her highness' private chambers now."
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"Anselm, are you okay?" Sephiroth asked when he came back into the room.
"No. I don't like all the attention these people are paying to Bergljot," he confessed. "Since they told her what they think, I think she's starting to believe it. I didn't help, either."
"Go apologize, then," Gwandoya shrugged.
"I think I will."
Anselm was barely out of the room when he heard his wife talking to a guard.
"Allow me to feed my children first."
"No. You are to come to her highness' private chambers now," the guard growled. He grabbed her wrist.
"Let go of me," she ordered, pulling her arm away.
"You are to come with me," he yelled, trying to get a hold of her.
"Someone, help!" she began screaming. Anselm barely moved when the guard pulled a small club from his belt and struck her over the head. Bergljot fell to the floor in a heap. The guard picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.
"Leave my wife alone!" Anselm yelled, running towards the guard and drawing his staff.
The guard smiled, pulled a small vial from the belt, and threw it on the floor. Smoke filled the room as Anselm reached him. When it cleared, the guard and Bergljot were both gone. Gwandoya and Sephiroth stood by the door.
"What has happened?" the young slave asked as he ran up the corridor.
"Take us to Queen Rhiannon's chambers immediately," Anselm ordered.
"I am sorry sir, but she has required that all persons avoid the corridor in which her chambers are contained until midnight tonight," he said regrettably. "Any persons seen in the corridor shall be killed on sight."
Sephiroth grabbed him by the collar on his vest and slammed him into the wall. Faces inches apart, he hissed at the servant.
"She has Bergljot, or, as you would call her, Lady Ramla. Seeing as how the guard that is taking her there had the nerve to knock her unconscious, Queen Rhiannon can't be doing anything good to her. If you value your life, you will take us to her by any means possible," he hissed. Sephiroth drew Masamune and held it between them at the boys' throat. "I will say this once and only once. Take us to her now."
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Me: The only disclaimer I have to make is that I do not own Enter Sandman. The song is by Metallica. Again, this is the last update for two weeks, so make it last! I'll try to write while I'm gone so I can update once I get back. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Sephiroth: Man, I'm a goody two shoes in this one… You love torturing me, don't you?
Me: Yeppers.
Sephiroth: 'Yeppers'? slaps forehead Oh, brother…
Me: Don't make me get Lulu and Vivi to turn you back into the plushie.
Sephiroth: Hahaha… smiles meekly Got to go! runs back to closet
Me: I'll take care of him later. smiles happily Thanks again for reviews!
NINJA MAGE