Chapter 13

“Mark ... Wake up, my dear. You’ve slept for ten hours. If you don’t get up you’ll feel overslept.”

Mark opened his eyes and smiled up at the lovely elven face that was smiling down at him from six inches distance. He slowly raised his head to kiss her, then at the last moment, gave her a quick peck on the tip of her nose. “Good morning, Dalia.” he laughed.

“Aww! How did you know it was me?” Dalia asked with a playful pout.

“Since the spell of Laylas chapel, I always know where Talia is. And right now, she’s hiding below the foot of the bed.

“Good morning Love.” he called down to her with a chuckle.

“I didn’t think you could sense my location so precisely.” Talia admitted with a blush as her pretty face popped up at the foot of the bed.

“Oh? And how long would you have let your little jest continue?”

“Just long enough to find out if you were fooled by our similarity.” Talia laughed as she bounced onto the bed.

“I see. I had to wonder, seeing as how Dalia here is completely naked. As are you, my lovely wife. Delightfully so. And I have to admit that the two of you are incredibly enticing. But I have to wonder what Bezedil thinks of you being here like this. Especially considering that beneath this sheet I’m equally naked.”

“I’ve noticed.” Dalia commented as she and Talia shared a giggle. “After all, we are cuddling you rather closely. And I’m here with Bezedil’s encouragement. You are about to fulfill the command of a goddess.”

“I am? How so?”

“You were instructed by Visinniria to allow her people to thank you in their own way, and I believe you agreed to it.”

“Ah, I see. And how do elves thank someone for whatever it is you’re thanking me for?”

“Don’t diminish what you’ve done for us, please. This is too important.” Talia told him, being pleasant but serious. “I will thank you for the life of my sister. You have returned her to me, and there is no greater service one can do for another than to save the life of a loved one. Accordingly, we elves believe that there could be no more appropriate way to express our gratitude for such an act than with the gift of love, as expressed in the most beautiful and direct manner possible. Thus, though we will always enjoy many occasions of love-making, this morning is my gift to you of my service in the acts of love, as my way of thanking you for returning my Dalia to me, for she is half my soul. And also, to thank you for saving me from the curse.”

“And I will gift you with the same, to thank you for the life of Bezedil, my destined love.” Dalia murmured with a naughty little smile. “And of course, for saving my own life.”

“I see. What time is it anyway? It looks like it’s still dark out.”

“It’s about two hours past midnight, local time. Late morning in The Nine Valleys.”

“Now we know you have some inhibitions in these matters, and so we’ve altered the traditions to make you more comfortable, and to deal with the sheer numbers of the thankful.” Talia explained with a matching smile. “Normally everyone who loves Dalia and Bezedil and who wished to thank you for their lives would be in here right now, and you could choose between them at your whim; males or females, or both at once, or everyone all together. As it is, Dalia will be with us for one hour, then Alilia will join us for one hour to thank you for Bezedil’s life, then Nemia to thank you for Dalia. I think three per morning should be about right. Mind you, there are many females who love Dalia and Bezedil and wish to express their gratitude, so if you should find that you are eager to continue after three hours per morning, we will certainly extend the activities. And I will be with you always, to lessen your fear that I may become jealous.

“Of course, we recognize that men like yourself prefer that love between males be expressed in friendship and camaraderie, and in the sharing of ‘manly’ activities. Accordingly, our males have arranged an occasion in your honor, to take place at your birthday party this afternoon.

“And by the way, happy seventeenth birthday, my love. I still find it amazing that you are so young, yet so mature and accomplished.

“Now then, you are of course under no obligation to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, since we are completely at your service. But we do intend to entice you, by exchanging kisses and caresses with one another. And should there be anything you wish of us, absolutely anything, you will find us willing and eager.”

“And we do mean anything.” Dalia added with a subtle leer.

“Well then, entice away!” Mark laughed. “Perhaps I’ll resist your enticements, and simply enjoy observing your performance!”

As it turned out, his resistance crumbled before four more minutes had passed.

When Alilia gently slid in among them an hour later, and soundly kissed him with a technique as advanced as her dancing, and murmured; “I thank you for the life of my son.” he saw no reason to send Dalia away. Nor did he see any reason to send either of them away when Nemia joined them, and thanked him for the life of her daughter. And when Nemia’s hour had passed, still none of them were ready for their activities to end, and so they continued for another two hours after that. At that time, Mark was lying on his back and fell asleep in mid-activity. When the ladies realized this, they decided that he more than deserved a nap for the fine quality of his performance, so they made some effort to keep from waking him as they rode his continuing rampancy for another twenty minutes in total, until they were all sated.

He dozed for more than ninety minutes, and awoke to the bright sunlight of a clear tropical morning streaming through the window. He opened one eye a bit, squinting at the brightness, but then the Optical Attenuator spell activated and reduced the glare to a comfortable level. He couldn’t help but chuckle at this as he got out of bed. He was going to wash up when he realized that he was perfectly clean, and guessed Nemia’s cleaning spell had been used on him as he slept. This gave him another chuckle as he got dressed and mentally called to his wife.

“Good morning, my loving husband!” she psionicly returned. “You’ve just missed the dawn, but it’s a beautiful day! We’ve been given our privacy for a while, and as you doubtless realize, I’m out here on the patio, where I’m making brunch.”

“That’s perfect my love, as I’m ravenous! What’re we having?” he asked, switching to vocal speech as he emerged from the cottage.

“Talia’s Special Omelet, grill cakes with maple syrup from Sweettower, cold mare’s milk and fruit juices, and hot willow tea with buckwheat honey.” Talia proudly reported. “All natural ingredients, with all magical preparation.”

Indeed, all the pots and pans floated before her in mid-air on magic flames, as if she were using an invisible stove. Beside her a table was set with simple stoneware, steel cutlery, and crystal pitchers glittering with condensation from their magically maintained chill.

He seated himself on a low retaining wall beside her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, not wanting to break her concentration by giving a more thorough greeting. At that moment she was guiding the grill cakes as they turned themselves over.

“It smells delicious. And it really is a beautiful day.” he murmured affectionately.

He gazed downslope past the lawns and bare rock to the jungle that covered most of the island, the palm trees lightly swaying in the breeze, surrounded by black sand beaches. Reefs formed an irregular dotted line around the island a short distance out, acting as a natural breakwater, and marked by the foam of the sea waves crashing upon them.

“And this is a beautiful place, and you’re beautiful, and I love you.” he added.

“And you are beautiful, and I love you.” she giggled in return as she gently leaned against him without looking away from what she was doing. “This will be done in a minute.” she assured him, and when it was, she carefully served it onto their plates and poured the tea by Movement, then Translocated the pans to the kitchen.

“All right, let’s eat!” she laughed as she relaxed from her efforts. “But first a proper kiss good morning!” She floated up and kissed him very pleasantly, which he returned most earnestly.

“Whew! That’s enough of that for now, or I’ll have to drag you back to bed!” Talia giggled. “And that wouldn’t do at all, since I feel half starved!”

“My feelings exactly.” he smirked as they seated themselves.

They ate without interruption, with the exception of a few heartfelt sighs of gastronomic appreciation, for it was a delicious meal.

“So my love? What shall we do today?” Talia brightly asked when she laid aside her utensils.

“I’m not sure.” Mark mused as he leaned his elbows on the table and considered. “What time will everyone get here for my birthday party?”

“At noon. It will be late for them and early for us, but I think it’s the best compromise. That’s about five hours from now. I expect the event to last three or four hours, five at the most, since that will be two hours past midnight in Finitra and The Nine Valleys.”

“Ah. Well. Until then we should work on some spellcraft. And I’d like to work on my conventional combat skills as well. Since I haven’t worked on them in over six months, I’m not sure I have enough of those skills left to avoid embarrassing myself.” He chuckled a bit before he continued.

“Sometime today I’d like to tour the constructions and see how they’re coming along, as well as getting reports from Sheramiv on the state of our holdings and from Somonik on the state of world affairs.”

“Don’t forget that the alliance meeting on diplomacy with Serminak will be held at four hours after midnight, Hilian time.” Talia reminded him.

“Right. And we need to make sure someone is working on the research into the nature of divinity, and how to achieve it.”

“That’s already taken care of.” Talia smiled as she floated around the table and settled into his lap. “Everyone who was there when our unexpected visitors arrived yesterday is spending some time on that, except us, Hilsith, and Kragorram. Dalia and Bezedil have taken it upon themselves to co-ordinate the research and to correlate the findings, and are working on it full-time.

“They feel they’ve returned to a very different world full of important happenings, and they wish to make a meaningful contribution to the cause of a secure and prosperous future, as they put it.”

“Ah. And how are they doing?” he asked as he lightly hugged her and enjoyed her affectionate cuddling.

“Very well, both as researchers and as new lovers who are recent victims of a trauma. Their love is helping them to deal with the horror of their memory of death, as is the distraction of the work. And as they are both highly trained, thoroughly educated, and very intelligent professionals, I doubt it will be more than a few days before they have neatly summarized all that is known on the subject. Of course it helps that they have the complete and discreet co-operation of The Just Alliance, which gives them unhindered access to any resource, including the surviving writings and priests of the religions that flourished before the gods withdrew. Though that was thirty thousand years ago, two clerics of the unicorn gods still live, as do most of the clerics of the dragon gods.”

“You’re right, that’s well taken care of.” he smiled and nodded. “So first, we might as well go to Focus Mountain, since I figure it’s past dawn there, and I’ll get a recharge. I don’t really need one, but it’s pleasant, and we should go there to work on battle magic anyway. Then, we should work on battle magics and physical combat skills at the same time. If we can combine the two arts effectively, we’ll be far more dangerous than we’d be if we tried to use just one or the other.”

“Good thinking.” Talia agreed. “And while it’s past dawn at Focus Mountain, we do have a bit of time before the sun shines down into the crater. So I’d like to go home to The Nine Valleys for a few minutes first. The wizard’s power field is strongest there, and I could use a recharge myself. Hilia’s stone is only of average quality that way.”

“That makes sense.” he nodded. “So let’s choose some weapons to practice with, and get to it!”

“Um, I have to admit I’ve lost track of things.” Talia admitted as she thought for a moment. “I know all our things have been brought here from The Living Palace. Here to Hilia, that is, but I don’t know exactly where.”

She cast a Speaking to their administrator with an effortless thought.

“Sheramiv, could you pass me our wedding album?”

“Certainly. Just one moment.” was the prompt reply, and then the book appeared on the table.

“Is there anything of significance to report?” Mark asked, sharing the Speaking through his Link with Talia.

“We are financially ahead of schedule, Your Highness.” Sheramiv replied, and chuckled. “You have already returned to profitability, and the rest of your planned constructions are fully paid for.

“Unfortunately, the fortifications and military emplacements for your properties are behind schedule, due to a shortage of certain military materiel. Since the Wards around Venak were raised, Yazadril has brought The Just Alliance to a state of military readiness for a large and extended conflict, and the Alliance forces have requisitioned much of what is needed for those projects. Of course, the Alliance’s improved defenses, which have caused the shortage, also make the fortification of your individual properties much less pertinent.

“All else is proceeding apace. Would you care to review anything in greater detail?”

“No, thanks.” Mark chuckled. “Just concentrate your fortification and armament efforts on here, The Queen of Waves, and Winghoof Estate. The rest can wait till the shortages end.”

“Understood.”

“Will you be at the party, Sheramiv?” Talia asked.

“I wouldn’t miss it!”

“We’ll see you there then.” Talia told her, and ended the Speaking.

“Now then, let me see...” she murmured as she opened the album and flipped ahead to the inventory pages. “Ah. Our stored possessions are in the Royal Hall of Hilia, which is, I’d guess, the cavern below the cottage where the wounded were treated.”

“Ah. If you’ll allow me, I’ll take us down there.”

“Give me a moment first.” Talia cast three spells with three quick glances. She cast a Preservation on the leftovers, cleaned the dishes with a spell that powdered the food and drink remnants and spread them on a nearby flower bed, and finally Sent it all to the kitchen.

“Remind me to thank Povon again, for her advice on holding my power continuously!” she laughed. “It’s really making a very big difference! That would have taken me five times as long a week ago!”

“It was well done! And I tell you, the thought of never having to wash dishes ever again impresses me as much as any use of magic I’ve seen!”

He let loose a mighty laugh of sheer youthful exuberance, stood with his tiny wife cuddled in his huge arms, and Translocated them to the bottom of the stairs in The Royal Hall.

At first glance, the place seemed to be a chaos of bedlam and cacophony, as some two hundred construction workers from every race in The Just Alliance were busily going about their tasks within the huge cavern. With a moment’s study, it was seen to be a smoothly coordinated bustle of activity, apparently directed by a gargoyle who steadily rotated while hovering twenty feet in the air above the center of the floor, keeping an eye on everything. The floor below him was marked with a glowing blue circle for incoming Translocations, wherein materials and tools for stone working appeared in a steady stream, sometimes accompanied by additional personnel.

When the hovering gargoyle spotted them, he bowed to them in mid-air, and loudly called out in a magically augmented gravely baritone; “All hail Prince Mark and Princess Talia, Monarchs of Hilia, Keys to The Just Alliance!”

Over the next four seconds everyone there stopped what they were doing and bowed to the newly arrived royalty.

“Please, don’t bow to us. We’re not that kind of people.” Mark chuckled as he and Talia waved to the workers. Then he chuckled again when he realized that Talia had already cast Field Orders on both of them, and his voice easily reached everyone in the room.

“You people are doing some amazingly fast work, and it’s obvious how beautiful this room will be when you’re finished. We are honored by the quality of your artistry and your craftworks.” Talia told them as they straightened, and then they straightened a little more with pride at her words.

She waited a moment while some there who didn’t speak Trade Common received translations, some via spells, the rest from co-workers.

While the stone of the cavern had been left as it was; a huge natural bubble formed by gas trapped in hardening black lava with an artificially flattened and polished floor, it was being artistically re-enforced. Slim white marble fluted columns with delicate orange veining now ringed the room twenty feet in from the perimeter of the black obsidian hemisphere, placed every twenty feet. Atop the circle of marble columns was a ring of the same stone set tight against the dome, and atop that were six marble arches intersecting at top center, also placed tight against the underside of the obsidian dome. The need for this additional support was obvious, as six huge arched doorways had been built on the side of the room closest to the center of the volcano. From the number of workers who had been going to and from the corridors beyond those doorways, it was obvious that other large rooms had been excavated adjoining this one.

“Actually, we’re here because our inventory informs us that our personal goods have been brought to this chamber from our residence in First Valley.” Talia stated conversationally to the gargoyle supervisor. “If you could direct us to them, we’ll shortly be out of your way.

“Princess, most of your goods are there, beyond that stack of scaffolding, beneath those gray tarpaulins, which are used to protect them from the dust of constructions.” the gargoyle said as he pointed with an index finger. “Some of your possessions were moved only a moment before your arrival, into the rooms adjoining that corridor. May I inquire as to exactly what you are looking for?”

“We plan to get our exercise today by practicing with a few of our new weapons.” Mark told him with a smile.

“Tools of combat, that is; armors and armaments, remain in this chamber. They are scheduled for transport into your new armory adjoining your new gymnasium in eleven minutes. They are there.” The gargoyle said as he pointed, and caused one of the canvas mounds to glow blue by means of a spelled ring he wore.

“Thank you.” Mark nodded, and he and Talia made their way to the indicated place, where a black-haired man, a female gargoyle, a blond giant, and a white polar elf were carefully rolling back the huge tarps, revealing rows of weapons cabinets and armor stands.

“It is an honor to speak with you, and all of us were honored to be invited to take part in this wonderful work.” the supervisor stated. “We are proud to report that we are seventy-one percent ahead of schedule, and that we foresee achieving completion within four hours.”

“Excellent!” Mark grinned as they reached the armaments. “Would that be the completion of this room, or of this complex of rooms?”

“Uh, Prince, pardon my inaccurate speaking. I refer to the completion of all constructions and modifications on the island of Hilia that are planned at this time.”

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Mark laughed. “I wouldn’t have believed so much could be done in a little more than a day!”

“More than a million tradespersons from throughout the alliance volunteered for this work when the call came from The Atoning.” the supervisor proudly revealed. “Thousands of the most skilled and capable were chosen to take part, the greatest number that could participate without getting in each other’s way. We are determined that this will be an achievement of construction that will remain unequaled for eons to come!”

“Most excellent!” Mark responded as he looked around the huge room. “And to make sure that credit is given where it’s due, it should always be known whose achievement it was. If there isn’t something like this already planned, I’d like you to have a plaque made with the name and trade of everyone who’s worked on the improvements here on Hilia, and have it mounted on the wall by the stairwell there that leads up to the cottage.”

“Ah! That is most thoughtful of you, Prince! But you realize that for the name of every worker to be listed in lettering large enough to be easily discerned, it would need to be a very large plaque?”

“That’s all right, it’s a very big wall.” Mark chuckled.

“True enough. And of what material should the plaque be crafted? Brass perhaps?”

“No, make it a gold plaque. It wouldn’t do to have it tarnish.” Talia laughed, giving them all an infectiously bright smile.

“As you say. We are most honored.” The supervisor gave a toothy gray grin and bowed in mid-air again. “Shall the names be listed in order of seniority?”

“No, list them chronologically. Let the first name be that of the worker who first started the work here, and the last the person who finished the final task.”

“It shall be done.”

“Let’s have a cheer for Prince Mark and Princess Talia!” a male human-sounding voice called, and suddenly the huge room was loud with the strange sounding cheering of many races. They clapped and stamped and whistled and made every kind of vocalization imaginable.

The supervisor let it continue for twelve seconds, then called a halt to it with a laugh and a loudly commanding tone. “All right, back to your tasks now! We’ve lost almost four minutes to the other crews, and I intend that we make it up!”

With laughter and banter, the workers returned to their tasks with gusto.

“Prince and Princess, with your permission I will share my memory of your visit with the other construction crews?” a tan unicorn carrying a load of tools in a freight saddle psionicly asked.

“Certainly, that is most considerate of you.” Talia replied, then spoke with Mark over their Link. “Now then, what weapons shall we practice with?”

“Well, we should use our regular swords so we become more accustomed to them. Beyond that, we should take shields, daggers, and bows. And arrows of course, and archer’s gauntlets. That’ll give us more than enough to work on today.”

Soon they had a number of items selected and set aside.

“Let’s take these upstairs and get Ria and GrimFang.” Mark suggested. “We’ll leave the rest there while we go to The Nine Valleys, then stop back here to get them on the way to Focus Mountain.”

“Agreed.” Talia nodded. She Translocated them back to their bedroom, where they strapped on their swords before she Translocated them again, catching him by surprise.

They appeared miles in the air above the center of Laylas Valley. The opening in the trees at the top of the chapel where they were married was barely visible below them.

“Now that was a very quick Translocation!” he chuckled as the cold wind whipped their hair around their heads and caused their clothes to flap like flags. “You almost gave me a heart cramp!”

“Thank you. It was somewhat spontaneous. But in a combat situation it would be a valuable skill to be able to Translocate with only a fraction of a second’s thought.

“Now, I was thinking that if the wizard’s power is radiated from the stone in a direction that is mostly perpendicular to the surface, there should be a point above the center of a hemispherical impact crater that intercepts most of the radiation, and is therefore analogous to the focus at Focus Mountain at high noon. I chose Laylas Valley because it’s the largest and has the strongest field. And I think I was right! Feel that! I’ve never felt the power so strongly before! This is likely the most powerful place for wizard’s power on the entire world of Kellaran!”

“Mmm, that does feel nice!” he agreed. “It was definitely smart to come here. I was surprised we didn’t go to First Valley to see your family.”

“They are all at Hilia!” Talia laughed. “Dalia and Bezedil took the first completed hotel suite on the island, and my parents, Hilsith, Bezedil’s parents, and Balen are staying with them for the time being. And they absolutely insisted on paying full price for the rooms!

“Now we have to go, before I become overcharged. It’s starting to make me feel a bit dizzy.”

Suddenly they were back in their bedroom in the cottage at Hilia, then just as quickly they and their bundle of weapons were hovering over Focus Mountain.

“Obviously you cast a very fast Translocate as well, my fine husband.” Talia giggled, then hugged him and kissed his cheek.

“Thanks. And did you notice that neither of us had to cast Pure Breath, nor did we have to cast Levitate, either here or at Laylas. The Curse...”

“The Blessing.” Talia interrupted with a giggle.

“You’re right. The Blessing cast them automatically. I think it even Levitated our weapons.”

“It must have if you didn’t do it, for I didn’t either.”

“What are they doing down there?” he asked in a sudden change of subject as he noticed movement below the west rim. “That’s Gran, and Kragorram and Povon, but I don’t recognize the rest.”

“The blue farthest from the rim is one of The Ninety-Nine. I recognize him from the founding meeting of The Alliance. He was in the second group of nine to swear on the Truthstone.”

“You have a sharper eye than I do, my love, and a sharper memory as well.” he told her with a smile. “But I do remember him, now that you’ve mentioned it.”

He looked to the sun, well above the uneven horizon, then to the volcano that had been erupting the last time they’d visited. It still rumbled quietly and smoked tenuously, and its copious outflows of lava and ash had hardened, making it noticeably larger.

“Well the sun’s up, but it won’t shine down into the crater for a while yet. Let’s go say hello and see what they’re doing.”

“I’ll race you!” Talia challenged, and took off like an arrow.

Mark hurried after but had no chance of catching her, since she was very skilled and he had almost no flight experience. He almost failed to stop before slamming into the wall of the crater beside the circle of nine dragons who Levitated just above the slope, their wings making occasional small movements to hold them in place against the slight air currents.

“Whoa! That was close!” he laughed. “Talia, make a note; your husband needs flying lessons!”

“Duly noted!” Talia giggled.

“Greetings Gran, comrades, honored guests.” Mark smiled as they turned to their visitors and moved into the circle between the great gold and the sleek silver.

“Good day Mark, Talia.” Grakonexikaldoron rumbled pleasantly. “You arrived at a fortuitous time. We plan to re-shape four of the pieces of the obsidian that reflects your power. The question is whether that reflective quality is purely a product of the chemical constituents of the glass, or whether its crystalline structure or fine scale surface texture also plays a part. If the former is the case, we simply need to melt the surface of the crater a bit and smooth it as a whole. If the latter is the case, each piece will need to be re-shaped individually, and very carefully at that. The first test piece will simply be reshaped, the second will be re-shaped and its present fine-scale surface texture will be carefully duplicated, while the third will be reshaped and have its crystal structure duplicated. The fourth will be re-shaped, and both its present crystal structure and its surface texture will then be restored to it. We will ask you to take each piece, along with an unaltered piece for comparison purposes, beyond the edge of the crater and its reflection, and to try to ascertain any differences in their reflective qualities.

“I asked Kragorram for his assistance in this, since he is one of our most skilled at using his flame in the crafting of items, and of course Povon accompanied him. These six are astronomers I have worked with who still remember the crafting of large lenses, a skill which is unfortunately in decline since the advent of high-quality magnification spells.”

“There’s no use talking to them.” Povon laughed. “When Kragorram is crafting, the rest of the world might as well not exist. And the concentration of these astronomers is just as intense.”

“I take it they’re examining that piece in preparation for re-forming it?” Mark asked.

“Yes.” Gran nodded. “Kragorram will heat it until it softens just a bit, while the lens-crafters will re-shape it with Movement. It is delicate work, since the heating must be very uniform, and the shaping must be perfectly exact.”

A chunk of the dark blue volcanic glass floated in the center of the circle of dragons, slowly rotating in two directions. It was roughly hexagonal, four to five feet wide and about three feet thick, which was about the average size of the pieces that made up the fractured surface of the crater. The hole it had been excavated from gaped in the slope below it.