Strong, warm hands led through the intimidating hallways, and I was comforted by his presence. Rajaka grinned at me for some unknown reason before averting his eyes back to the ground.
The golden doors that lay ahead were not as intimidating to me as they were last time. I wasn’t sure if it was because of some strange new force or because I knew that I wasn’t in danger anymore. But I still had things to worry about, like what if what happened the day before yesterday was just a rare occasion and wouldn’t happen again. Also there was a nagging thought in the back of my head that kept showing me Oliver twitching and screaming on the blood red floors, and I knew that a growing part of me didn’t want to do that to anyone ever again. Not even mentioning all the pain that plagued me throughout the course of his life, for I had felt it all…every last ounce of it and it was taking its toll on me mentally. No, no I would not do that ever again unless I have to.
I don’t need to tell Cyrena that yet though. Maybe the danger she feels like is so terrible that she has to have me there will never come, and then I could merely act as if I would do all that is necessary to protect her…until the day comes she might actually need me. I will not think of that now though, I must just play my part well…for my sister’s sake.
The room was just as it was yesterday, minus Oliver and the nervous feeling that had plagued me before. Even Cyrena doesn’t seem as terrible today; for I remembered clearly the look she had given me yesterday after my “show” and knew that even though she would try to make it seem as if she is in control of me, she is also afraid of making me angry.
Rajaka glided over to his seat and inched his muscles around in the chair and made himself comfortable, as if he knew he would be in for a very long day. Cyrena looked at me and smirked.
“I have named you well, for you clean up very nicely. If your mind powers don’t kill my foe, than surely your beauty will stun them long enough for Rajaka to kill them. He is our best fighter you know.” She suddenly took on the look of a mother who is highly pleased and proud of her son.
I nodded and blushed, taking to heart her compliment, for I doubted that she gives them out often. Still standing by the door, I wondered if I should take the seat on her left or just wait to be told to. Cyrena addressed me again.
“Come stand before me child.” I did as I was told. “Now kneel.” I suddenly wondered if she was going to pull out a sword and knight me. I giggled at the thought, but luckily she didn’t seem to notice. “As God as my witness, I, Cyrena Acantha Herculeno, hear by pronounce you an official high member of my court. Your word is to be obeyed by all, and the only ones above you are Rajaka and I. You may take your seat now.”
I was grateful for the chance to sit, because it felt as if a lot of energy had escaped me. I hoped that it wasn’t because of the duty I had just received, for it would ruin my plans if it was binding. I wasn’t planning on staying her always, just long enough to figure out what to do so I could escape.
The chair that I sat in seemed to ease some of the pain in my mind. As I placed my arms on the arm rests, I felt a burst of energy enter me. Rajaka was staring at me weird and I looked down to see what he was staring at. I almost jumped out of my chair in surprise…I was glowing, and suddenly I could sense everything around me. I could sense the presence of every person in the room: the guards, Cyrena, Rajaka, and a different presence. I had no time to figure out what it was for Cyrena interrupted me with a laugh.
“It would seem that you have made a friend,” she said and I looked at her, uncomprehending, “yes, they are alive, and it seems that particular chair likes you. I applaud you, for it takes a lot to make one of the chairs of Gwydyr like you. It must have found something in you it likes. These chairs were made in Atlantis, which no longer exists, but was a land of great power and was well respected my all. It also housed the greatest craftsmen of all time, and Gwydyr was the best. He made me these for my one hundredth birthday and each of them have the most powerful spirit alive in them. They know all things and can see all things. If one of them likes you all you have to do is ask and it will show you whatever you please. You must be very special, it took four hundred years for this one to like me and none of them have ever shown any preference besides that.”
I stared at the chair in awe for a long time before a question rose to my mind.
“How old are you?” I questioned. She delicately placed her hand over her mouth and giggled like a little school girl, even though it looked all wrong on her.
“A lady never reveals her age, but lets just say I was here before anyone else in the room, and there is only one older than me in all of the world,” her mouth fell into a frown which, I noticed, suited her features much better, “but lets not talk about him, when ever people talk about him it puts me in a terrible mood.” Her face was frowning for a few seconds before returning to the disturbing school girl mode. “Let’s talk about you! Where did you inherit your impressive beauty from?” I blushed again and shifted uncomfortably in my cozy seat.
“My mother,” I mumbled, and was suddenly overwhelmed with a memory.
My dearly loved mother, Salwa, was leaning over me, whispering in my ear. Her short red hair framed a perfectly oval face. Intense blue eyes scanned me over, while her light, perfectly trimmed eyebrows furrowed together in a worried expression. I was a little girl back then and had fallen off a horse when I was trying to ride it. I started crying immediately, out of shock not pain, but my ever caring mother was there beside me, whispering comforting things into my ear to make me stop crying. I had hooked my arms around her neck and was crying out of embarrassment now. She scooped me up into her powerful arms and carried me over to where my father and sister where standing. My sister was genuinely worried for me, but my father looked like he was trying hard to hold back a laugh, not because he was mean, but because he knew why I was crying.
Then I saw my father dressed in black, holding me and Kit so hard to his side like we were the only thing left to hold on to, and if he didn’t hold on to us he would surly be swallowed up by the Earth in all his misery. His strong, always reassuring face was blurred by his tears of sorrow, and he was staring, unblinking at a mound in the ground. The mound had a stone in front of it that read, Salwa Elizabeth Mason Latifah, gentle and kind mother, wife, and friend. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” My father was never the same after Salwa died, he cared about nothing anymore...not even me and Kit.
I was back in the throne room, feeling extremely sad. Cyrena didn’t notice for I prided myself in thinking that it was very hard for anyone to see my emotions. Rajaka noticed though, right away. A worried look crossed his face.
“I think Keeva has had quite of you interrogations for today, Mother,” Rajaka informed Cyrena with a stern look that had some hidden meaning in it, “but since the day is still young, how about I take Keeva for a walk through the gardens.”
Whatever the hidden meaning was behind the words, Cyrena seemed to get it, and she flustered over her words.
“Oh yes, yes, I didn’t realize…I’m so sorry. Off with you two,” she seemed to like the way that sounded, for she smiled to herself before continuing, “have fun.”
My first impression of the gardens was…wow. I had never seen so many different kinds of flowers in one place before. I had seen many flowers of one kind paint whole fields, and I had seen enchanted flowers in my many dreams of Hiram, but nothing like this. I sighed again, thinking of Hiram, but once again Rajaka took it the wrong way and thought it was for him. I was beginning to get annoyed at his selfishness. He seemed to think that everything revolved around him and him alone. Hiram would never do that, he would probably get really curious and ask what I was thinking about; he would never just assume anything when it was about me.
I wondered where Hiram was and how he was doing. I resolved to ask the chair when we went tomorrow.