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                               Sangrelysia

                          by Vivian Darkbloom

Healing the Empire

   Looking up through the clearing framed by leaves and branches I
   saw only open expanse of sky, off into the infinity of space. The
   dragons had departed, once more leaving behind wonderings and
   daydreams about the mystery of their existence.

   "Never seen a dragon slice someone up quite like that," I said.
   "A bit disturbing."

   Clarissa laughed grimly. "Whoa yeah. Not the older ones so much,
   but if you get a little one all riled up like that, they do have
   claws."

   "It seemed certain that we were the ones it wanted to protect."

   "Sylvia," I said, "I'm sorry you had to witness all that
   unpleasantness."

   "I'm fine," she replied, tossing it off.

   "Yes Wizard, why did my daughter need to be there to witness all
   that? Why did you not conjure the dragon yourself?"

   "I, um. . ." I stammered.

   "Couldn't remember all the words," finished Sylvia for me.

   "And besides, how could I even hope to compare with the beauty of
   her voice?"

   Facing the father's silent frown, I did my best at a sheepish
   grin.

   The silence began to fill with murmurs and quiet commotion, as
   the true Sangrelysians began to filter in to the vacant places
   left behind by the vanished intruders.

   "What happened?"

   "Bloke `oo was standing right `ere next to me just up and
   vanished!"

   "Where did they go?"

   "Dragon's Fire," I said.

   Queen Megan wandered over. "Sylvia, you'll have to introduce me
   to your little friend here."

   "Mom, this is Clarissa. Clarissa, mom."

   "How do you do," said Clarissa, shaking hands.

   "My, what a charming young girl," said the Queen.

   I attempted to suppress a laugh by coughing. Clarissa slapped my
   shoulder.

   "What?!"

   As the crowd filed in, chattering began to fill the air. I kept
   hearing the question: "What happened to them? They just
   vanished!"

   "Dragon's fire," I repeated.

   "Louder!"

   I cleared my throat nervously. I'm notably not a public speaker.

   "Ladies and Gentlemen," I said, in my best magically amplified
   oratory voice. "The dragon's flame is a mysterious and powerful
   force. For the creative and pure in heart, it heals and purifies
   from fear. As opposed to the ones without imagination, those
   driven solely by lust for power, the tedious paper-pushing
   bureaucrats who delight in suffocating the life force at every
   opportunity, who walk around terrified of anything new or
   different. Them, the mysterious fire sends out of the magical
   world, back to the places whence they came."

   "God help the poor sods who have to deal with them there!"
   shouted a voice from the back.

   The crowd burst into trickling ripples of laughter, ripples that
   widened into a rushing torrent as they realized that the
   nightmare was over, that the dystopian hypocrisy had ended, and
   that the kingdom was theirs again, once more a haven for creative
   artistry and love and magic. A home of gaiety and laughter.

   Throughout the amphitheatre, people set about immediately tearing
   down the hideous mockeries of the Sangrelysian flag, and lighting
   them on fire. Soon, bright orange flames of purification were
   flickering all around, accentuated by the smell of burning
   fabric.

   I kissed Sylvia on the cheek. She kissed me on the lips, and we
   savored the innocent purity of our love, at last unfettered from
   the terrible shackles of unjust tyranny.

   Gwen was whispering in the King's ear. He signalled to a page,
   dressed brightly in the magenta, green and red of Sangrelysia,
   who was carrying a long royal bugle. He was joined by two cohorts
   with similar horns, and they sounded a brass call to attention in
   three-part harmony.

   The King spoke out boldly in a commanding tone. "I hereby decree
   that all political prisoners be released from the dungeon.
   Immediately!"

   Roderick happily set off with a contingent of the guard, to carry
   out the order.

   Hieronymus continued: "The events of the past year are a sign
   that though it is good to be creative and carefree, we must also
   be mindful of darkness. For it is not by denying evil that its
   effects will be neutralized, but by coming to terms with it, both
   in ourselves and the world around."

   The crowd cheered abundantly.

   "Eloquent speech," I commented, "considering that you weren't
   around for all the mayhem."

   Hieronymus shrugged. "I'm a king. Eloquent speechmaking,
   typically on that about which I know nothing -- comes naturally."

   A woman approached, clad from crown to toe in cream-colored
   white. Wrapped about her head, she wore a plain white shawl with
   her hair tucked up under it so that none was showing.

   She bore straight in the direction of King Hieronymus, not
   swiftly, but with solemn determination. She arrived and stood
   before us, and when she looked at me, enormous steel-grey eyes,
   clear-thinking and calm, gazed deep into my soul.

   She addressed the King and Queen: "It's so wonderful to see both
   of you back. Like a dream. You can't imagine!"

   Hieronymus glanced at me questioningly. "Sheila Cyndham," I
   introduced. "Her son died in the Clymerian war."

   "A what?! War with Clymeria? Oh, for crying out. A man can't take
   a simple ride in the afternoon anymore. Couldn't you stop it?"

   "I wasn't prepared to," I said. "Caught completely off guard."

   "But you did prevent the war with Valeplysia," said Sheila,
   smiling gently.

   "Well, I, um, did my best." I stammered.

   "Promised them all good sex if they went on a peace envoy,"
   chirped Gwen.

   Hieronymus slapped his thigh. "Damn if that's not a great idea. I
   hereby decree that a peace envoy to Clymeria be dispatched
   immediately. Heck, I'll go along personally."

   "Thoughtful of you," said Queen Megan.

   Sheila rejoiced calmly. "The healing has begun. It's not about
   vengeance, but about restoring the sense of understanding and
   trust."

   "And," added the King, "with two dragons patrolling the border,
   we ought to be secure. For a little while, at least."

   There came an accusative voice from the crowd: "King Hieronymus,
   I think the Wizard is having an affair with your daughter!"

   The King considered for a moment, then looked up at us.
   "Congratulations! It's about time! The way the two of you have
   been mauling each other for a couple of years now, I was
   wondering how long before you would finally just get on with it."

   "Years?!" I replied. "Dang, I gotta pay more attention."

   Queen Megan looked sternly at Sylvia. "You're being nice to him,
   I hope."

   "Yes, mom."

   "I'm warning you, if you give him the slightest bit of trouble,
   you are so grounded!"

   "Yes, mom. I know, I heard you."

                                                          Chapter 31

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