"Ghost!" Ordon, father of Rian and leader of the guard, was searching high and low for the little Gelfling that crawled away from the other guards under their careful watch. He turned angrily at one of the guards. "I can't believe you lost her after one minute!"
"I'm sorry, sir." The guard said. "I had my eye away from her for only two minutes. Then, poof. Guess the Lords named her well." They looked down the hallway and overturned a nearby basket. He shook his head.
"That's the third time she did this." Ordon huffed. "We're lucky that she only got as far as the corridors. There's no telling what would happen if the Lords find her in any of their chambers." He remembered the reactions the other Lords of the Crystal had when Ghost came. The ScrollKeeper went to the guards first to show the little one. The guards and himself were spellbound by her strange looks. Her eyes were like the moon and sun were existing in space and time. Her star-shaped pupils were strange beyond belief. Her smile was weak but held a love that was eternal. They were touched by her plight and swore to care for her.
Before long, SkekVar the General appeared. He was wondering what the guards were doing standing around. Upon seeing Ghost, his eyes widened in shock. Then, he cautiously poked the little baby. He drew back when she simply giggled. "What an oddity. Did you show the Scientist yet?"
The Scrollkeeper shook his head. "No. However, is the Oranmentalist around? I would like to see how he responds."
"No, but you might as well head to the throne room. There's a meeting going on right now."
"All right." SkekOk looked down at the guards. "I'll be right back. We must have the other lords acquainted with the little one." He walked past them as they bowed to him. He chuckled when Ghost tried to reach SkekVar. She seems to be excited, he thought. She'll make a great pet.
He arrived at the throne room along with Skeklach to see the Emperor talking to Chamberlain, Gourmand, Ritual Master and Scientist. As usual, the Chamberlain did his whimper as he listened to the Emperor. He always did that when something was going on in his head. The Scientist looked at them jealous. He and the Chamberlain never got along. Scrolkeeper cleared his throat. All eyes were immediately on the scholarly skeksis.
"Ah," The Emperor spoke. "SkekOk and SkekLach. I've seen that you've returned." He lowered his gaze and tilted his head. "What have you got there?"
"Our latest tithing from Hurrar. You'll find it most interesting." He smiled as all four skeksis approached. He nearly cackled upon the double take everyone did when they saw little Ghost. What surprised him though was when the Chamberlain leaned in for a closer inspection and Ghost let out a wail. He started rocking the baby Gelfling. "There, there. No need to cry." He glared at Skeksil. "Get away from her, you ninny!"
Skeksil arched his neck and backed away. He whimpered again. His brow cocked. The wheels of his dangerous mind spinning. There was something interesting about this child. What fun is she going to bring to the table?
"Gaaaahhhhh!" The Scientist shouted. "Give her to me!" SkekTek grabbed her and had her mere inches of his face. "Stop cry-" To his shock, Ghost immediately stopped crying. She cooed. Her hands gently touching his face and a soft pat on his snout. She nuzzled his face. He flinched as he heard several awws from the group. He was about to hand her back when the Emperor stopped him. "Best hold on to her a little longer, Skektek. She might get fussy again and we still have much to discuss."
Both the Emperor and the Gourmand looked at her bewildered. Ghost's reaction split. For the Emperor, her eyes held a strange sense of curiosity. Almost as if she's trying to read his soul. As for the Gourmand, she simply stuck out her tongue at him. Everyone laughed at that. "Well, would you like to explain how you've come across this child?" Skekso asked. After a full run from SkekOk and SkekLach, he thought for a moment. "All right then. The guards will take care of her. If she survives, she'll become a servant to the castle. If not, well...Let's see what use she can be to us at that point."
A few months later, Ghost proved to become stronger over time. She started crawling toward Ordon's son, Rian who is just about her age. Due to her weak heart, she does tire every once in a while. Her body would always seem to find a way to fight it. She would escape the guards to explore the castle. Most of the time, she would be caught before she would go down a flight of stairs. Today was going to be different. While the guards were talking to some podlings, she saw a few doors open and crawled to the nearest one.
In this room, there were bright, colorful fabrics. Strange items glittered in the box. Her eyes glowed with excitement. She had never seen anything so shiny. She saw a string of white stones and pulled it down. A jewelry box tipped over, spilling everything down. A strange white powder exploded next to her. She sneezed and shook her head. Ghost grabs a bright blue fabric, causing it to fall on top of her. In the darkness, she moved around until she heard someone walking in. "What in Thra?! Who knocked down my jewels?" The voice was high pitched and female. This voice was new. A new friend?
Ghost tried to move forward but she found herself having a hard time moving. She whimpered and growled. She stiffened at a shriek. To her surprise, she felt the cloth torn away. She looked up at the tall figure. It was a Skeksis. Female-like due to the long eyelashes and strange hairstyle. He was momentarily confused, then his expression changed to surprise and realization to who he was seeing.
It was the Ornamentalist SkekEt. "My goodness. You're that little Gelfling I've heard about. No one would think you would survive." He flinched when she reached for him. For some strange reason, he found her cute. Usually he would never find Gelflings cute or beautiful as he. Somehow, he liked her strange look. Especially her eyes. They held a light that belonged to the skies. Her blue eye like a frosty winter and her amber eye like a blazing fire. Normally, he would've wanted to punish any Gelfling and Podling who would dare touch his treasures. This Gelfling seems to have enchanted the Emperor and the others. "You shouldn't mess with my things little Gelfling." Hesitantly, he picked up Ghost.
Ghost began to mess with the pearls that glittered his outfit and the large pendant. Then, cooed when she met his eyes. She was soon on his lap. She noticed that he had a brush in his hand. He daintily brushed her shock of snowy hair. Ghost started to grow content in his arms. She began to close her eyes. Her world drifts as she listens to the Ornamentalist cooing over her. Then, heard Ordon come into the room. She opened her eyes slightly.
"My lord!" He bowed. "Forgive me. My guards got careless." The captain of the guard looked at the tiny mess she made. "I'll see to it that the guards will have some discipline once we get her out of your sight." He was about to pick it up when SkekEt raised his hand.
"No need." The Ornamentalist said. "I was just having a wonderful time making this adorable Gelfling pretty. We must schedule a time for her to be here. She might cause too much of a distraction to the guards if they keep focusing on her instead of the castle."
Ordon bowed. "Very well. We'll have her accompanied by at least one guard when she is with each of the lords. She will stay with the guards at night."
"Just make sure to have the Podlings clean up this mess." SkekEt looked down at Ghost. She was soon asleep in his arms. He smiled and stroked her. "I wonder what sort of dresses would go with those eyes."
Before long, Ghost would be assigned to each of the Skeksis. The Emperor on his lap in the throne room listening to music. SkekVar in his chamber where she would climb on top of him. Watching SkekOk read or having a talk with SkekLach. A few times with the Chamberlain did she only have a staring contest. Listening the reciting rites from the Ritual Master. However, there would be a few rooms that she wasn't allowed to be in with them. Unfortunately, SkekTek would find himself having to secretly take Ghost in his lab and create a special place for her to play since most of the guards were too busy to escort most of the lords to the seven corners of Thra. He would never admit, but her presence seemed to calm his rage and let his thoughts about what the others thought about him. One night, he would cradle her and feed her bottle. Rarely did she cry when he was with him. It seemed to make him at least important.
