Part 60 (1/2)
Kepler lifted his nose in the air and sniffed. ”What are we here for?”
George pointed to one of the trees. ”Take us under that branch.”
The cat did as he was instructed.
George reached up and plucked a single piece of fruit. It was shaped like a pear. He placed it inside his tunic and then reached up to pluck another one. ”These should come in handy. Let's get out of here.”
”What are they?” the jaguar queried.
George smiled. ”They're life.” Before another word could be said, the trio vanished and after a fair series of moments, they reappeared outside the gates of Brandor and entered following a brief conversation with the guards.
Kepler held his head high as he walked through the city toward the castle. The people who were unfamiliar with the demon and the prophet moved to the far side of the street as they approached. It did not take long before someone recognized George. The man's belly was round, he was hunched over and looked weathered for his seasons. His hair was long, and it was pulled back into a ponytail. The rancher called out as he hobbled toward them, ”Wait! Prophet! Prophet! Please stop!”
George commanded Kepler to stop. The warlock smiled as he leaned over to converse with the old man. ”What can I do for you?”
”Have you come to bless us? My herds have become too fat after the bounteous harvest, and I no longer have the strength to move them from field to field.”
George reminded himself that he needed to play the part of a giving being. ”What's your name, sir?”
”My name is Modain, Prophet. What must I do to solicit our lord's a.s.sistance?”
George lifted his staff. ”All you need do is ask. You are a child of Lasidious. Stand still, Modain, and receive your blessing.” The warlock placed the gem at the top of his staff against the rancher's forehead and whispered, ”Psolema ente ne wano, orsay.” The gem began to glow, and after a short series of moments, its light enveloped Modain.
Kepler was forced to close his eyes and look away. When the light finally dissipated, the jaguar found that he was standing amidst a crowd.
George's magic had produced a dramatic effect on Modain. The rancher's appearance was significantly altered. His seasons had melted away, and he no longer looked old. Further, the way Modain was now standing suggested that his youthful vigor had also returned.
The prophet spoke. ”When you return to your pastures, you will have the strength to tend to your herds properly. I caution you, Modain, do not waste this gift. You must also share the words of your lord: peace, love and unity.”
The crowd shouted praises as they closed in. Sensing the need for more generosity, the prophet showered them with Yaloom coins and proclaimed that they were loved.
Kepler was enjoying the attention, right up to the moment when the children began to touch him, pulling at his fur, and shouting out their calls of ”Kitty! Kitty! Mommy, look, it's a pretty kitty!” Despite his hatred for this kind of attention, the demon-cat allowed the children their enjoyment. For vengeance, the jaguar lowered his head and licked their faces with a ma.s.sive, extra-s...o...b..ry tongue, pus.h.i.+ng them to the ground.
With some children giggling and others crying, the prophet led the crowd toward the castle. As they approached, the gate opened. Sam and Shalee were waiting on the other side.
George waved. ”Hey guys! I've got something I want to share with you.” With the gate shutting behind them, George showered the crowd again with more Yaloom coins.
Sam could only stare as he watched Kepler approach. Shalee had told the king of Kepler's new appearance, but he had not been able to imagine how distinguished the demon would look until now.
The king shook off his surprise. ”I'm glad you're here, George. I have a million questions.” Sam took note that George was carrying a baby. ”Who do you have with you?”
Kepler stopped and lowered to the ground so the warlock to dismount. Once his feet were planted on the cobblestones of the courtyard, George pulled the baby's blanket clear of Joshua's face. ”I wasn't sure if I should bring him or not, considering everything you guys have gone through. I wanted you to meet my son, Joshua. He's the main reason I decided to make a fresh start. If you want me to take him home, I can come back without him.”
Shalee was quick to respond. ”Don't be silly. Life has to move on, right? Besides, Sam and I would love to share this moment with you.” The queen reached out and took the baby into her arms. ”Goodness-gracious, Sam, look at him. His hair is so soft, and he's cute as a b.u.t.ton.”
George stood next to Sam. ”I know you're wary, but I wanted to share my happiness. I hate the fact I acted like a jack-a.s.s.”
Sam frowned. ”It's what you do best, George. I expect nothing less from you.”
George grinned. ”I kind of figured you'd say something like that. So ... to show you that I'm sincere about patching things up, I brought you guys a gift. I'd be willing to wager my life on it that this will fix things between us for the long haul.”
Sam looked George in the eyes. He was unsure where to go with the conversation. His contempt for George, and Kepler for that matter, was still at the forefront of his mind. Eventually, the king responded. ”I doubt there's anything you could do or say to ever ease my mind. You're always up to something, so get to the point of why you're here.”
Rather than respond, George patted Sam on the back and moved to stand beside Shalee. ”He's adorable, isn't he?”
Sam spoke over Shalee's response. ”You're stalling. Do you have something to say, or did you come here to rub your kid in our faces?”
George sighed, and then he reached inside his tunic. He removed a piece of the fruit he had plucked from the tree on Ancients Sovereign and tossed it to Sam.
The king caught the fruit and looked it over. ”You brought me a pear? What do you want me to do with this?”
George looked up and found Sam's eyes. ”I think the best name for what your holding would be...,” The warlock threw up his hands as he sang the name of the fruit, ”NASHA!”
The looks on Sam and Shalee's faces were priceless as George enjoyed their surprise. The warlock took Joshua away from Shalee, and he moved next to Kepler. He placed the baby in a cloth and then reached up to tie its ends to Kepler's saddle. To ensure the knots would not come loose, George used his magic to bind the cloth. He made sure the baby was cradled comfortably before he eased Joshua into a hanging position and then propped a bottle up in his mouth.
George circled to the front of the demon. ”Keep an eye on him for me, Kep. I'll be back.”
The jaguar grunted. ”Great ... babysitting again. I refuse to lick the garesh from his backside though.”
George chuckled. ”I'll have one of the guards change him.”
A moment later, the gate lifted and Michael, Sam's General Absolute, entered the courtyard riding his mist mare.
Recognizing his king's visitor, the general dismounted and rushed to the prophet's side. ”My daughter's health has returned, Prophet. Thank you. Lasidious be praised.”
With the king still studying the nasha, George responded. ”You're welcome, Michael. Know that Lasidious will always want the best for your family. Please have your men stand guard, and come with me. I've brought something for your king and queen that I think you should see for yourself. This will be the happiest Peak this kingdom has seen in many seasons, and the celebration we're going to have will be one to remember.”
After the warlock ensured one of the general's men was on diaper patrol, George patted Kepler on the neck and then led the group into the kitchen of the castle. As requested, Chef Thomas produced a ceramic mug and placed it on the counter. The warlock used his magic to squeeze the juice out of the nasha and allowed it to flow into the mug until the last drop had fallen.
The warlock lifted the mug and announced, ”This juice will be what allows us to party tonight.”
Michael looked at George. ”How will fruit juice bring any joy to this kingdom?”
Shalee lifted her hand. ”Just shush, Michael. What are we supposed to do next, George?”
The warlock looked up at the king. ”Where's your son's body?”
The king motioned for the group to follow him. He was so nervous that his legs felt weak as he guided the group to the crypt. A mausoleum had been made out of one of the guest chambers, and it was not far from the king's personal quarters. A constant watch had been posted on either side of the door, and two sentries were to remain on guard during every moment of each Peak.
The king's hands trembled as he fought with the heavy, iron lock that secured the door. Sam struggled to breathe while tears ran down Shalee's cheeks. Both the king and queen's hearts were beating against their chests as the door of the crypt finally swung open and revealed the tiny casket at the far end of the room.
George tried to hand Sam the mug, but the warlock could see the king's hands were unsteady. ”Perhaps I should hold onto this. You don't want to drop it. This juice is our only shot at this.”
With the king nodding, the warlock moved ahead of the group to the far end of the room and stopped next to the casket. He pa.s.sed his hand across the mechanical lock that Sam had crafted and used his magic to pop it open.
Lifting the lid, George leaned forward, and a strong smell of fresh rosemary escaped to fill his nostrils. The king had established a continual rotation for a group of his finest morticians to replace the herb once every seven Peaks to keep the casket fresh.
As George pulled back the cloth Sam had used to wrap the infant's corpse, the warlock realized the baby had been mummified. Its body was bound with strips of vibrant-purple linen, and a number of small containers, each constructed of different materials, had all been placed around the remains. Each container held a vital organ, and they had been designed to symbolize how the king felt the organ should be represented.
Near the child's head, a square piece of pottery contained Sam Jr.'s brain. The jar was glazed to a high sheen, and the picture on it had been painted by the kingdom's most famous and skilled artist. The glyph depicted on its face was a tree that possessed a network of strong branches, and amidst the oak leaves, a number of books hung open with their pages exposed. A small boy was leaning against the base of the trunk, and he was reading the book that had been hanging from the lowest branch.