Chapter 18
I got tired of pacing around outside, and left Hank to his own devices. I decided I was going to see if there was anything I could do. I knew I wasn't trained in this, but still, there had to be something!
I found my servant, and told him to take me to where the Princess had Darla. Nodding, he led us off. Five minutes of walking found me outside the door to tThe Princess's chambers.
Two very 'no nonsense' guards were guarding her door. I looked at them. They looked back, not budging. Ok, my practiced look of intimidation was not working. However, these guards had a pretty good look going, themselves. I would have to work on copying that look.
"Announce to the Princess that her brother, Paul, is waiting," I said to them.
One guard tapped on the door lightly. A servant opened the door and my message was passed inside. Shortly my sister was at the door. She was a little worried looking.
"Paul. Now is not the time to interfere. Things aren't going well. I think she is having a bad reaction to something in the potion she drank. I am doing the best I can, as is Marald's healer. There is nothing you can do. If you know a prayer, you should say it. I am not sure she will survive this."
With that, she shut the door. I was shocked! This could not be happening! I would not let it happen. I had my servant lead me to my rooms. I went quickly to my bed and lay down on it.
Never had separation from my psychical body been so easy or happened so quickly. I went back to the room I knew Darla was in, and tried to enter it. I was blocked! It seemed shielded somehow.
I put more and more power into trying to penetrate that barrier, but it withstood everything I had. I went back to my body and sank into it. I sat up in bed and thought, 'What the hell should I do now?'
I went out to the sitting room, and sat in that comfortably overstuffed chair. I made a fist, and smashed it down on the arm of the chair. With a groaning sound, the arm broke away from the chair.
I stared. Now how had I done that? I knew I was a little stronger and faster than normal people, but this? I closed my eyes. What was it Mirwanna had said? Pray? So, I prayed. I sent a silent plea out to whatever God or Gods were in this land. I pled for Darla to be healed.
I felt a far away query. I looked around. Whatever it was, was rushing at me, as if from a far distance. It sped towards me, getting closer, and more powerful seeming. So powerful was it, that I could not see who or what it was!
I jumped to my feet and threw up a shield. I saw GREEN. My whole world was reduced to, GREENESS. I felt something enter me. It was vast, powerful, and amused.
"You wanted help. I have come to grant you that help," a voice in my head said.
"Who are you?" I asked, a bit terrified. I could feel it inside me.
"I am She who is known as the Goddess of Nature. I will help you," the great voice said gently in my mind.
I felt control of my body leave me. I was not in control! My body breathed in, deeply.
" Ah. It has been long, since I have had a physical body," the voice said.
I watched as my body walked out the door and made it's way through the Keep. I/we went back to the room Darla was in. This time when I/our body stood before the guards, they did not react.
I/we went inside. My sister came in though another door. Then she saw me.
"Paul? What are you doing... " she stopped. Her eyes widened as she FELT the presence.
"I have come in answer to a prayer. I will heal the little one," the voice said with soothing power. I could feel it flowing out of me, even as it spoke through me!
I watched as my/our body went into the other room. We went over to the bed, and I watched in awe as the being that was in me focused a part of its vast power on Darla. I SAW what was happening to her.
I watched as little buds of power that were in Darla's body and mind were adjusted. I saw her lifeline lengthened a great deal. I saw her healed of the illness that the potion had caused. I saw other things I did not immediately grasp. I heard my sister gasp, as she too watched what was happening inside Darla's body.
Finally, it was done. With an amused thought, and a feeling of love, I felt like my whole body was being stroked. I felt a change in me, also! The being reached into Mirwanna, and did something to her, also. I SAW the power of my sister flare greater than before, settle at a new level, and then fade to normal.
With a last amused 'goodbye', I felt the being leave. I sensed it rush into the distance and then it was gone!
"Gods! Was that who I think it was?" my sister asked in an awed voice.
"I don't know who you think it was, but She said She was the Goddess of Nature," I said, still shaken.
"How did this happen?" Mirwanna asked me.
"Well, I prayed," I answered her simply.
"Gods! Did you feel it, though? The power! The feeling of presence! I haven't felt anything like that since, well, never!" Mirwanna said excitedly.
"What's going on?" Darla asked yawning and stretched.
"Darla! How are you feeling?" I asked her.
"I feel great! What am I doing in bed, here? Last I remember, I was downstairs,." she said with a slight frown.
So we took turns telling her what had happened. Her eyes got large when we told her about the Goddess. She found it hard to believe. But she had to believe, because of the abilities that her newly awakened body and mind now had. She was ecstatic!
While Mirwanna and I went into the outer room to let Darla get dressed, we discussed what had happened. She told me that my aura had flared very brightly in her sight, briefly, then had settled back to a normal look. I told her I saw the same thing happed to her. We were both stymied as to what that might mean.
She said that as far as she knew, this had never happened before; at least, not in her lifetime. There were stories and legends of people 'God touched', but those never agreed twice as to what that meant.
"All I can say is, I was terrified at first. I mean, this power came rushing out of nowhere, and the next thing I knew I was playing host to... Her!" I said, almost breathless with excitement.
"I envy, and don't envy you the experience. To be an avatar of a God or a Goddess is a great thing, but frightening. You never know what they will do, and you are helpless while in their power," Mirwanna replied.
"I just wish I had been awake for it! It sounds almost unbelievable to me. I have seen a lot of unbelievable things since I have come to this land, but meeting a God or Goddess would have been great!" Darla exclaimed.
"The problem with that, is that it usually means some serious things will happen in your life afterwards. All the stories agree on that point," Mirwanna said seriously.
"You mean," Darla said slowly, "'Be careful of what you wish for, you might get it'?"
"Exactly!" Mirwanna exclaimed.
"We have a saying from the land where I come from. Well, it is an old curse from an ancient land. It's this: 'May you live in interesting times'," I said.
Mirwanna laughed. "That's very good. I like that. I can go and curse people to live in interesting times!" she laughed some more.
We settled down, and talked some more about what we felt when the Goddess was inhabiting my body. I asked Mirwanna about that avatar statement she'd made. I wanted to know if it meant what I thought it meant.
"Well, long ago, the Gods and Goddesses used to come to the world in their own bodies and forms. Then the Great Creator talked with them. Now the only time they ever show up, is either in spirit form, or when they can inhabit a body. An avatar.
"Avatars are people who supply their bodies willingly, or sometimes unwillingly. You were an avatar to a Goddess, for a short time, Paul" Mirwanna said, giggling at me.
"I still remember that power. It was so, so, immense! It was like it was everywhere, and went on forever! I could see things I never knew were there. I felt the universe beating against my skin, like a heartbeat, almost. I don't know, I am still putting it all into some sort of order," I said softly.
"Well, I don't know about you people, but I am starving! I could use some food. What say we raid the kitchens?" Darla said, and strode towards the door.
Even before she got there, a small shimmering took place at a table in the room, and a hamburger, fries, and a shake materialized on it! I gaped, as did Darla. We both turned to look at Mirwanna, but she shook her head. I could smell it, and I was hungry now!
"Ok, who did that?" I asked.
"Well, Darla said she was hungry, and then I saw her exert a bit of power, and the food landed on the table. This is something that has never happened before... creating food out of thin air," Mirwanna said musingly.
Darla went over and took a bite, then started wolfing it down. I asked her how it was, and she mumbled that it was the best hamburger she ever had. She ate some fries, and then sipped the shake. We watched her devour it, in short order.
"Well, I must say, that was the best 'number 7' I've ever had. I was just thinking about it, when I was saying let's go eat," Darla said with a satisfied sound in her voice.
"What's a 'number 7'?" Mirwanna asked us.
So we explained the concept of fast food to her. She was amazed. She thought it a waste. If you went out to eat, you must take the time to enjoy the experience, as well as the food. She said that when we all got back to Landkur, she knew a good quality Inn that served very good meals. She would take us there.
That brought up the question of when we would be returning to Landkur. Also, Darla wanted to go find her uncle and let him know she was all right. Damn, I had forgotten all about him! What kind of a person was I becoming?
Well, I had an excuse. So much had so recently happened that was totally out of my normal experience! I was feeling a bit frazzled. I watched Darla go out in search of her uncle. Mirwanna and I went to see about feeding ourselves.
As luck would have it, there was plenty to be had. Although it was after the normal time that the Keep ate, the kitchens were manned 24/7, and always had something to eat, just in case late night workers wanted a meal.
Half an hour later, our appetites sated, we returned to my sister's room. I asked Mirwanna how she had gotten to the Keep in the first place. She said that there was a gate located in Belin's workshop, that was synchronized with a master gate located at the Palace, in Landkur.
"Master gate?" I asked
"It's something our great grandfather had constructed. While I, or you, or any number of wizards can construct gates that go from city to city in the world, fewer can do a world gate, going from one world to another. And the rarest gate of all is the Master Gate, which can be used to transfer a person to anywhere they desire to go. One such gate is in Landkur," Mirwanna said.
We decided that we would spend the night here, and return to Landkur in the morning. While visiting Marald was always a pleasure for Mirwanna, there would be a load of things for her to do, when she returned.
She was also excited about introducing me to, and getting me seated on, the council. I was not too sure about this 'council' thing. She was very insistent, though. I told her I had no idea what I was supposed to do, as a council member.
She told me that as Duke De Landkur it was my right, duty, and obligation to learn all I could, and to take my place as a leader of our people. I pointed out I didn't know very much about our people.
"Then it's time you learned. I am sure if you can figure out an inter-world gate, you can figure this out. Now, get some sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow," she said, gently pushing me out the door.
I made my way back to my rooms, wondering what was in store for me as Duke De Landkur. As I entered the room, the first thing I noticed was that the armchair was repaired. Now how had that happened? The second thing I noticed was an amused chuckle. It seemed to come from far far away. Uh oh. I seemed, still, to have the interest of a certain Goddess.
I heard laughter in my mind, as I thought that thought.
Edited by TeNderLoin