Part 2 (1/2)

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Since I wasn't quite ready to be on my own I decided to take Kitaya up on her offer to stay the night in her palace. She informed me that we didn't require sleep, so I figured this would be a good time to push for answers. I gathered she knew the condition of my memory and I hoped we'd be able to spend several hours discussing the questions plaguing me, questions like: who am I, who are you, and why don't we need sleep? why don't we need sleep?

She left me in what she called her ”living chambers” while she attended to her nightly routine, so I looked about and took in my surroundings. In the center of the large room was a huge stone fireplace, magnificent, though apparently unused. I circled the enormous structure. All four sides opened like insidious mouths complete with teeth running across the tops and bottoms. An immense chimney reached to the ceiling high above.

The rest of the room reflected the artistry and earthy motif of the village. The walls were alive with vines and vibrant flowers. A small stream gurgled along the base of one wall, emptying into a fountain in the corner. At the far end of the room thick gla.s.s doors stood slightly opened, revealing a balcony. The doors merged perfectly with the surrounding walls as though finished gla.s.s were a natural part of an outdoor scene. It was nature with structure, a work of art, and I wished to compliment the artist.

A servant brought a platter of delicacies for me to sample. I thanked him, he departed, and once again I stood waiting. I was anxious to find out what Kitaya knew about this world. I thought back to what Sajin had asked of me. He wanted to meet with Gaza because he thought Gaza could stop the war between Rath and Armadon. I wondered if Kitaya would agree. I also wanted to find out more about Rath. He was obviously unstable and apparently had a particular interest in me. This did not settle well in my stomach.

Kitaya entered and my thoughts evaporated. Again I tried desperately not to stare. She had changed into a thin silk evening gown with iridescent fabric clinging gently to her small curves. She gestured and I turned to see two comfortable chairs next to a crackling fire.

Impressive.

We settled in and I gazed at her radiance, desperately trying to bring my mind back to the questions at hand. She raised her arm slightly and began making a circular motion with her finger. Presently a cup and saucer materialized in her gentle grasp. The smell of sweet tea reached my nostrils, so I decided to make a cup of my own. First I visualized a cup and saucer, the threads formed the frames. I then added material, black porcelain with gold tr.i.m.m.i.n.g. And finally the tea, Earl Grey, hot.

Kitaya spoke. ”Are you feeling any more relaxed?”

”As relaxed as possible under the circ.u.mstances.” I took a deep breath. ”I've been tense since I awoke-- but somehow in your company...” I gave a warm smile. ” I feel much more at ease.”

”That is good to hear.” Her eyes lit up. ”You must have questions.”

”Indeed. Unfortunately they all fall into the same category of urgency, I hardly know where to begin. I guess, first and foremost, I'd like to know who I am.” am.”

She frowned slightly. ”I am afraid I cannot help you there but I do know what the people of this world call you.”

”And that is?”

”Sam' Dejal, the G.o.d of reason.”

That's odd, I thought, I thought, the butler at the mansion called me Tardin. the butler at the mansion called me Tardin.

”What's your t.i.tle?” I asked.

”I am Ki' Janu, the G.o.ddess of the wood, or more accurately, the G.o.ddess of nature.”

”That is fitting. You do seem to love trees.”

”You mean because of the village? I created this village more for the people's sake than for my own. Trees are wonderful and I like nature and all, but I would not consider myself connected to it in any way.” She shrugged and took a sip of her tea.

I studied her a moment. Then spoke again. ”Do you remember anything from before this place?”

She shook her head. ”I do not.”

”Then you must have been as confused as I was when you first awakened.”

”Hmm. Probably not. I did not have time to be. Rath was on me from the beginning.” She tilted her head. ”But that is a long story, you probably would not want to hear it.”

”On the contrary, if you wouldn't mind telling it.”

”Very well...” She sat up straighter and furrowed her brow. ”Well, when I first became aware, I was in a large, lavishly furnished tree house.” She paused and her eyes took on a distant look. ”I was reaching into a kitchen cabinet to get something but I could not remember what. what. I felt strange and everything looked so I felt strange and everything looked so funny.” funny.” She paused a moment, then gave her head a little shake. ”Anyway I heard someone knocking so I found my way to the front door and looked out. Just outside standing on a large branch was this She paused a moment, then gave her head a little shake. ”Anyway I heard someone knocking so I found my way to the front door and looked out. Just outside standing on a large branch was this magnificent magnificent looking man in dark gla.s.ses. When I opened the door he greeted me with a bow. I was instantly taken in by him, he seemed harmless enough, so I invited him in.” She looked at me and smiled. ”After all I had a lot of questions. looking man in dark gla.s.ses. When I opened the door he greeted me with a bow. I was instantly taken in by him, he seemed harmless enough, so I invited him in.” She looked at me and smiled. ”After all I had a lot of questions.

”But listen to this. He convinced me he was a genie genie and that I had called to him in my dreams. At first I thought he was nuts, but then he took off his gla.s.ses, and, well I think you can understand why I believed him. He wove this elaborate tale about how he was genie to the throne and how his search for a bride had led him to me. He said he did not want to be too forward but he wished to court me. It would be a long courts.h.i.+p and in the end, if I was not completely taken with him, he would return me to my planet with whatever riches I desired.” She raised her eyebrows. ”That sounded like a good deal to me.” and that I had called to him in my dreams. At first I thought he was nuts, but then he took off his gla.s.ses, and, well I think you can understand why I believed him. He wove this elaborate tale about how he was genie to the throne and how his search for a bride had led him to me. He said he did not want to be too forward but he wished to court me. It would be a long courts.h.i.+p and in the end, if I was not completely taken with him, he would return me to my planet with whatever riches I desired.” She raised her eyebrows. ”That sounded like a good deal to me.”

”So,” I interjected, ”you didn't doubt him at all?”

”No.” She shook her head. ”I did not. He was very convincing and very very handsome.” Her gaze drifted away again. ”--No, I did not doubt him. So we traveled to the castle to meet the 'royal family' to whom, he handsome.” Her gaze drifted away again. ”--No, I did not doubt him. So we traveled to the castle to meet the 'royal family' to whom, he said said he owed his service and loyalty. And of course our means of transportation was a flying carpet. This made me believe him even more. He brought me into a room full of lavish gowns and expensive jewelry so I would be 'presentable' when he announced my arrival. I put together the most exquisite outfit: an elegant silk dress, white gloves, diamonds... When I was ready he escorted me to two enormous doors but before they were opened he gave me a blindfold. He he owed his service and loyalty. And of course our means of transportation was a flying carpet. This made me believe him even more. He brought me into a room full of lavish gowns and expensive jewelry so I would be 'presentable' when he announced my arrival. I put together the most exquisite outfit: an elegant silk dress, white gloves, diamonds... When I was ready he escorted me to two enormous doors but before they were opened he gave me a blindfold. He said said it was customary for the royal family to look upon the bride-to-be before she was allowed to look upon them. it was customary for the royal family to look upon the bride-to-be before she was allowed to look upon them.

”Finally when he opened the doors I could hear the voices of what I thought thought was the a.s.sembled n.o.bility. He led me forward several paces into the room but then stepped away. As I turned to reach for him someone shoved me hard and I landed on my chest with my face pus.h.i.+ng deep into something foul! I slid downward until finally I stopped and tore the blindfold from my head. was the a.s.sembled n.o.bility. He led me forward several paces into the room but then stepped away. As I turned to reach for him someone shoved me hard and I landed on my chest with my face pus.h.i.+ng deep into something foul! I slid downward until finally I stopped and tore the blindfold from my head. Thousands Thousands of eyes were looking down at me from row upon row of a of eyes were looking down at me from row upon row of a huge huge amphitheater. I was amphitheater. I was mortified! mortified!

”What did you do?” do?” I said, feeling shocked and somewhat thankful for my own experience. I said, feeling shocked and somewhat thankful for my own experience.

”I did not know what what to do! Then this man who I thought was my to do! Then this man who I thought was my friend friend announced, 'BEHOLD, THE G.o.dDESS KI' JANU!' I swear the whole arena shook from the laughter. I struggled to my feet in the slippery mess, wiping the crud from my arms, and looked behind me. I had slid down a slide covered with what I think was grease and human waste! Into a pool of manure!” announced, 'BEHOLD, THE G.o.dDESS KI' JANU!' I swear the whole arena shook from the laughter. I struggled to my feet in the slippery mess, wiping the crud from my arms, and looked behind me. I had slid down a slide covered with what I think was grease and human waste! Into a pool of manure!”

”You must have been livid!”

”Oh I was! was! And my anger must have ignited something because all of a sudden the room went dark and all of the voices fell silent-- except And my anger must have ignited something because all of a sudden the room went dark and all of the voices fell silent-- except Rath's Rath's, he laughed louder! But then I noticed that my hands were glowing glowing orange! Now orange! Now I I had to laugh because I thought, had to laugh because I thought, I I am a genie! But I was so humiliated and hurt and am a genie! But I was so humiliated and hurt and angry! angry! I opened my arms and currents of electricity shot out toward him.” I opened my arms and currents of electricity shot out toward him.”

”Did you get him?”

”Yes. But he fell to the floor and just kept laughing, saying, 'Is that that the best you can do?'” She gave me an exasperated look. ”But then the room filled with the blue strings and somehow I knew they were reacting to my thoughts. I thought about the flying carpet and there it was. So I jumped onto it and took off like a flash.” She raised her chin in defiance. ”I never looked back.” the best you can do?'” She gave me an exasperated look. ”But then the room filled with the blue strings and somehow I knew they were reacting to my thoughts. I thought about the flying carpet and there it was. So I jumped onto it and took off like a flash.” She raised her chin in defiance. ”I never looked back.”

”Wow!” I said, shaking my head. ”Did you ever manage to get him back for that?”

”I have tried a few times.” She shrugged. ”But he is extremely smart. He usually finds some way to twist things around to his advantage.”

”Why do you think he's he so cruel?”

”I do not... I honestly do not think he understands he is being cruel. He is like a spoiled child.”

”Do you know what happened when he first arrived?”

”No, I have never thought to find out.”

”--Maybe he had a really bad experience.”

”Maybe-- Hmm. How could we find...” She put her hand to her chin and looked thoughtful. ”Oh!” She looked back at me. Moota!” Moota!”

I gave her a sideways glance. ”Moota? ”Moota? What's a What's a Moota?” Moota?”

”He is a sky searcher.” She smiled. is a sky searcher.” She smiled.

”--Oh, o-kay.” I returned her smile. ”That helps.” I returned her smile. ”That helps.”

She shook her head. ”Let me explain. A sky searcher,” sky searcher,” she annunciated the words, ”searches the sky for fragments of the past, which were put there by what is called... Hold on. I will let she annunciated the words, ”searches the sky for fragments of the past, which were put there by what is called... Hold on. I will let him him explain. Her eyes dimmed and her head tilted slightly to the side. After a short moment she looked up. ”I called him. He is on his way.” explain. Her eyes dimmed and her head tilted slightly to the side. After a short moment she looked up. ”I called him. He is on his way.”

I squinted at her. ”What did you just do?”

”I have a strand attached to those I keep in contact with the most. It allows me to speak to them.”

”Oh. --You'll have to teach me that trick.”