Chapter 10 Unwelcome Surprises

“Well I love to hear stories all day, but work must be done. Now help me spear some fish while the iron melts in the fire pit. Then I will continue my life story.” began Alaric.

The students waded along the river to find the fish. They eagerly awaited the coming of Alexis and his sailors to begin hunting with Alaric. As they prepared the fish to preserve in jars, Alaric continued his story after the Elf War and being married to Empress Athena.

In a day after the peace treaty is carved, Alaric receives an invitation to Elmo’s wedding. It will take place in the siren-infested lake his mother lives in. He responds that he is nervous about being unwelcome in his mother’s residence. His stepfather hates him with a vengeance. Elmo replies that Iris shall pick him up as he escorts Princess Boudicca to Akaiyah. Alaric answers it will be pleasant to ride next to Iris. Empress Athena’s legions march back to the coastal city Laurel as elves, centaurs, fauns, sprites, and Lotans return to their home villages. Once they reach the Black Hills, a light shined bright on Bear Tower. Iris had come down with her fire horses.

“One moment, I must announce my departure so they do not look for me.” answers Alaric.

He told Athena he would be back in a few days. She nods her head. He knew she was upset not being invited since only immortal beings were allowed, but there was nothing he could do. Alaric then eagerly steps upon the platform of Iris’s chariot. She whips her horses and flies above the mountains. Alaric holds on tight with all his strength. Somewhere over Atalissa, Alaric falls off when they hit a bump in the wind. He could hear Iris shouting at her horses. Soon, Alaric plops back into the chariot underneath him. He kneels down as he clings to the railing around the inside of the vehicle. Iris’s gown flaps in his face as they ride on.

“Alaric! Look below you. It is the lake and the sirens are swimming about!” orders Iris.

Alaric peeks over the edge and views the lake from a great height. The mermaids were quite small. Closer they came to the lake and Alaric grips tight for the sudden impact. Whoosh into the lake the horses race to the fortress at the bottom. The chariot horses reach a cavern where the holy animals and vehicles are tended. Alaric rolls out from the back of the chariot onto the hard sand.

“That was the worst journey of my life,” Alaric comments to Iris.

Iris laughs at him. They are greeted by Elmo and the mermaid Iceni.

“I am so glad you are here, uncle. I waited ten years for this day.” Elmo greets his hero. “This is Iceni. I met her on one of my trips to the afterlife.”

“She is a great beauty,” reacts Alaric

Alaric and Iris enter the great hall where the other godly guests congregate.

“Father!” hollers out the young child Eurick. Alaric’s heart stopped.

“Eurick, you are so big from when I saw you last.” whispers Alaric to his son.

“Yes I am big. Iris took good care me in Nakia. She taught me a lot of magic and gave me this bronze sword.” bragged Eurick.

He picks up his son and embraces his daughter Kalulah. His son Kiko followed with his betrothed Amber from the village of Oakleigh. He found her visiting the Temple of Eris and impressed with her elf magic. Her mother was a priestess who sent her away to warn the other elf villages of Modred’s attack. Alaric’s village had her hide up on mountain with the others who could not fight. Lanie and Alani rush to his side. Gilda’s children Max and Toralyn are introduced. Gilda proudly informs her brother that her children are well skilled in plants and magic. In a moment, the wedding ceremony commences. Alaric sits beside Iris. Music begins to play. The bride Iceni arrives alone with a bouquet of coral. The great god Alano conducts the ceremony. He blesses the couple and sprinkles faerie dust on them. Music goddess Callisto gives a concert of joyous tunes. Shells are offered to the love goddess Ishtar. Then the vows of loyalty are spoken.

The marriage contract is read to the guests. At the sealing of the marriage bond, the couple departs down the aisle to the reception tables. Music plays most of the night. Iris and Alaric dance together. He relays how disappointed Athena is at not being invited, she is his wife. Iris confessed that was her doing. She wanted him alone to tell him something, but now the moment is here and she cannot speak of it. Alaric answered that she can tell him another time and walks away with a smirk. He walks over to the banquet tables and selects his meal. Soon, he runs into an admirer. A little goddess stares up at him in awe to ask why he is here, he fights in a war. He explains to the child that the war is over and his beloved nephew invited him to his wedding. He awaits for another question wondering how this girl knows so much about him. She walks away to the crowd and Alaric continues lusting over the good food. He hears the little girl’s voice asking someone behind him, “He does not know me.”

“He has not seen you since you were a baby,” answers an unfamiliar voice. The small goddess approaches Alaric from behind.

“My name is Amalia. I love you.” claims the small goddess.

Alaric shakes and drops his plate. He has not heard his mother’s name in years. Sensing the situation with Amalia is too awkward to handle, he runs down the hallways to escape Amalia’s screams of distress. Trembling in sweat, Alaric spots Iris following him.

“Who was that?” asks Alaric.

“Just a goddess you do not need to worry yourself about,” responds Iris.

“Was that what you wanted me alone for? To tell me you found another lover and had a goddess with him.” observes Alaric.

“Something like that,” answers Iris.

“And now you cannot speak of it fearing you will break my heart. You needn’t worry yourself over my heart.” asserts Alaric.

They return to the great hall to spy Amalia pointing to him and saying “Father”. An unfamiliar face tells her that he can see Alaric coming. Iris and Alaric walk around the reception. After a while, Alaric saddens because he cannot share his joy of the war ending with Nix.

“It has been eternity since I have seen her, Iris. I ended the war for Nix. I wonder if she still wants to return to life now that I married Athena.” confides Alaric.

“Why not ask Alani’s betrothed Manda for assistance, she is the daughter of the afterlife goddess Isis?” questions Iris.

“Alani is betrothed to Hato and Isis’s Manda? My many things have happened during that long war. Anything else happen that I should know about?” inquired Alaric.

“No, nothing else you should know about.” answers Iris.

Alaric takes her advice and seeks out underworld goddess Manda. She pulls him aside and furnishes him a magic shield to make himself invisible to the demons. He learns to use a magical mirror also provided by Manda so Nix can travel between places. Through a large looking glass inside Manda’s guest bed chamber, Alaric enters the netherworld. The passageway to Roanoke is acutely silent. Alaric hides from several demons walking by. He finds he cannot open the gate to the happy afterlife. A soul floats to the gate with a candle and Alaric sneaks in after the spirit. In the foothills of the dead, he reveals himself to Nix.

“Alaric, what are you doing her? I thought you were immortal.” squeals Nix in a peculiar voice.

“I was about to ask you the same question,” answers Alaric. Nix does not answer, but simply looks away. “I know it is beautiful here, but the living world is lovely too. The war is over so you are safe to come back.”

“It is so peaceful here; no pain, no hunger, no sorrow.” Nix states. “There will always be another war and another reason to weep.”

“Have you no sorrow not being with me on Lotan?” questions Alaric. “And our son, Eurick.” Alaric shows a medallion of an etching of Eurick that Iris had made for him.

“I am sorry for not communicating. I thought you would forget me and marry someone else in your grief.” responds Nix.

“I have married someone else. I married Athena because you refuse to come back. We had two daughters, Annica and Kynthia. But someday, she will die and our daughters will die. I did not ask for this. I always loved you and always will. I have been waiting for your return for ten years now.” declares Alaric. “I could stay here for eternity, but I do not belong here, Nix.”

“I do not wish to come back. Dying once like that was bad enough. I am sorry you do not understand that.” claims Nix.

“I do understand your fear, but I do not agree with it.” retorts Alaric.

He leaves behind the magic mirror with Nix to visit the living world whenever she wished. He leaped into the mirror himself to come out in Manda’s bed chamber. He said Nix refuses to ever come back because dying once was bad enough. Iris comforts him as he drifts off to sleep. When he wakes, he asks to be taken back to Athena. He arrives as she is swimming in the River of Nix. Alaric looks around and views his home valley.

“You return to come peeping at me. I am still miffed at you for making me sign that treaty for only two cities.” observes Athena.

“I did not realize you would be in a bath when I arrived,” apologizes Alaric. “Allow me to finish your bath for you.”

He washed her back and hair. Then caressed her. He held her tight to kiss her. He covered her with great passion like a blanket upon the river bank. He glanced up at a noise of rustling grass to find Rurick holding fish on strings and a basket of rice.

“Ah, Rurick. Let me start your instruction how to be a great emperor. Lesson today is when you love your woman properly, she will always be loyal to you. Now go fetch our robes so we can dry off.” blushes Alaric.

“Yes, Master. Grandma, Treynor and Athar have found some apples and chestnuts. Alexis says he can make the chestnuts into bread and make apple fritters for our journey to Whitefield.”

“We are going to Whitefield?” asks Alaric.

“Yes, we are. I wanted to see your home and the temple Nix died in.” answers Athena.

Alexis had showed where everyone in the village lived and the caves where they stored food. The valley had been taken over by centaurs and a few elf farmers devoting much of their food to the Priestess Tatiana. Alaric guided the group up the mountain to the Temple of Eris. Laeos was still insane with visions and failed to recognize Alaric or Alexis. They carried on to Sylvania and meet Hariem’s wife and son. His wife Kali was an elf shield maiden who doesn’t turn into a werewolf as humans do. Their son Enki appeared as an elf with dark hair. Kali welcomed the travelers and the group watched the sky as a blood red lunar eclipse occurred. Enki was most happy to hear stories about his father being a scout and befriending the vampire Balor who returned to the caves of Glacier Mountain when the war was over. Intrigued by humans, Alaric agrees to take Enki to Illium to educate him. In Whitefield, they said prayers at the temple. Alaric took the party around town showing all the places he traded and places of the battle where he was named “The Great”. He made a point to say the human Adar village across the river came to being during the famine years. Athena found a beggar walking around asking for food with a blindfold to cover his scars across his eyes. He said his family from Ryeburg on the Plains of Julia and came to Brightsburg for food. While they were trading, soldiers attacked the village and his friends guided him across the mountains out of fear his home village would be next to be attacked. His friends said they would return to take him home when it was safe. They never came back. The beggar returned to the temple where he sleeps and entertained Athena with stories of his childhood in Ryeburg along the shore of Lake Nahuatl on the Plains of Julia. Once Alaric returned to the temple looking for Athena, Alaric froze in shock. Alexis flinched too. Casually, they allowed the beggar to finish his story of a harvest game where he won an iron dagger in the spear hurling. When they beggar seemed out of stories for Athena did Alexis and Alaric draw their daggers to stab the blind beggar in a rage Athena had never seen before.

“That was for Nix, you demon.” declares Alaric.

“That was for Myra, you villain.” declares Alexis.

The beggar groaned in pain and in a moment, he silenced. Alaric turned to gaze upon Athena’s stunned and horrified face.

“That was Modred,” speaks Alaric as he leaves a sadden Athena.

She sees to it the poor man has a proper burial. He gave the name Lison to all the inhabitants in the towns, so that is how he was mourned. They continue on to Litsy and step onto a ship to arrive home to Illium. The Empress’s guards parade to the palace and Alaric drives the Empress’s chariot. Lagash and Sieva greet the guards with Anneth and Kia. Soon Anneth is crowned Queen of Akaiyah. Lagash and Sieva are crowned as monarchs of Atalissa. Also Princess Kia is betrothed to Prince Jonathan so he may inherit Akaiyah and Prince Xerxes will inherit Atalissa. Pippi and Enki settle into the palace enjoying the luxury of servants and everything they need so nearby. Iris sent Eurick to the palace as promised and enjoys visiting the temples to shares stories with those who live there. Since the humans are uneasy with a creature with a deer head with an elf body, Alaric uses his magic to transform Eurick to look like a Lotan elf with sparkling brown eyes and honey colored hair. He seems to enjoy a handmaiden of Athena’s who was a ward. The handmaiden’s father killed her mother in a drunken rage to be hung for his crime. Athena ordred the orphan to be educated at the temple until marriageable age where she will become a handmaiden for her majesty. Eurick asks her how she liked living in the temple surrounded by holy gods and goddesses. Sadly, they do not speak to her as they do the priestesses. Rurick was most eager to know the handmaiden sent to the Prince Regent to learn healing. He got in an argument with Eurick and suddenly began keeping his distance from her. Eurick also speaks of a girl named Amalia that Iris gave birth to during the war. Alaric knows he is not the father because he never turned into a bear like the other two times Iris had his kids. Alaric takes his pupils around the city visiting craftsmen, coin minters, viziers, and temples. Soon, Alaric gets restless and wishes to sail again. He takes his pupils to the South Sea countries to trade with kings and merchants. Rurick was intrigued by the King of Nubia and his war with neighboring Aferdia. It is said Aferdia’s rivers lead to the small sea where the sea winds bring ships from Sheba carrying incense, blue lapis stones, and spices. The king enjoyed stories of the Elf War and Rurick enchanted the queen with a tale about his grandfather defeating King Nib to take his crown off his head. The King of Ithaca was pleased his daughter Anneth was now Queen of Akaiyah and with an adopted daughter. He sends colonists to the elf cities Laurel and Litsy to increase trade. Alaric rode a horse further away from the capital to find his relatives that left during the famine years. They had settled along rivers smelting metals and lived a good life. He requested a dragon pendant made by his sprite cousins to give his wife and traded two lapis stones for it. Upon their return, Alexis was setting up shop in Illium with his sons to buy a warehouse. He also bought an inn down by the docks to service his sailors. Althalia stayed behind in their home in Laurel. Myra and the Amazons returned home to their valley to become notorious for trade and raids. Kadacians and Ithacans came to settle in colonies granted by Athena along the Anasazi Mountains separating Kadacia and Blythe. Soon Athena orders the construction of a theater and tons of limestone blocks are carted to the city from the coastal cliffs. One evening, Iris arrives to announce the coming of a new pupil who greatly admires his courage in battle. Alaric’s pupil came during the morning lessons as he taught geography of the empire. A gust of wind opened a terrace door and a small child appeared. Everyone turns to her in astonishment.

“I thought you knew I was coming. Mother said you did.” speaks the goddess.

She snaps her fingers and a cushion materializes next to the pupils. She claps her hands and a trunk appears behind her. Noticing her odd gown stands out from the other pupils, she opens her trunk and places a yellow robe over her dress. She pulls a kitten out of her pocket. The goddess declares that her mother apologizes for the interruption.

“Iris said a pupil would arrive today, but not who or why.” replies Alaric.

“Do you not know you are my father?” answers the goddess. Alaric drops his scrolled maps and grows white in shock.

“Come sit by me,” requests Eurick

Amalia sits between Rurick and Eurick. Alaric interjects to dismiss the class. Rurick, Enki, Eurick and Pippi leave to show Amalia the palace. Alaric overcomes his shock to switch into rage.

“Iris!” he scowls. “Come out here, you fiend!” Iris the kitten meows from a corner and comes forward.

“And just how do we have a daughter I knew nothing about?” requests Alaric. “I never changed into a bear like when you became pregnant with Kalulah and Kiko.”

“You were busy fighting the war and then got Athena pregnant. I didn’t wish to distract you from your duties.” begs Iris. “My brother Rurik deduced you were her father and neglected to change you into a bear.”

“You had no intention of telling me about our daughter. I thought you were my friend. I was mistaken. You performed a good job embarrassing me in front of my pupils, Iris.” the scorn father pauses in his rage to gaze at Iris’s guilty face. “Amalia can stay as long as she likes, but you are not forgiven. Go play your tricks on someone else. Now be gone.” orders Alaric.

Iris transforms into a bird and flies out the terrace doorway. Alaric strolls into Athena’s bed chamber where she is ordering palace servants in their duties. He sits in a daze next to Athena and begins to weep. Athena is oblivious to his presence until he wipes his tears away in disgust.

“Iris’s pupil just arrived. She sent our daughter Amalia to live with us. She failed to inform me of her birth because I was busy fighting the war and getting you pregnant. How is your day?” speaks Alaric as if he had the wind knocked out of him.

“That would explain a lot,” observes Athena.

“Explain what?” inquires Alaric.

“Why she despises me so and not allow me to come to Elmo’s wedding,” answers Athena.

“I should be getting back to class,” shrugs off Alaric.

“Pupils are supposed to say that,” giggles Athena.

Alaric returns to his classroom numb in emotion.

“Greetings, Your Highness.” recite the pupils.

“Did I do it right?” whispers Amalia to Eurick.

“Yes,” replies Eurick.

“Now where were we, ah, yes, the many lakes of Lotan for our geography lesson.” responds Alaric.

They continue with news of trading with the Varrick villagers. These people follow a geometric design on their pottery while Lotans and Blythans make more realistic pictures. Alaric had the pupils make objects out of wax and coating it with clay to make molds. After the molds were fired and wax figures melted, they poured in melted crystals to make glass figurines. Alaric poured pewter into his mold and later presents Athena with a set of pewter goblets for her Midsummers gift. The pupils took their glass and clay figurines they made and passed them out as gifts. Rurick was ambitious and painted a sea scene onto a clay vase to have it sent to his betrothed in Akaiyah for Midsummers. Princess Boudicca sent back a stone vase carved with a floral garden. They move on to practice writing with silver pens onto wax covered wooden tablets. Each symbol learned represented a word, while lines and dots represented numbers. Next is learning music with harps, drums, and pipes. The last of the day is always dancing to practice for festivals. Amalia finds mortal humans and elves most interesting creatures. Tomorrow she wishes to visit the market place. Enki takes an interest in her and often accompanies her on excursions. Amalia enjoys the peddlers in the market place and returns with a basket full of goodies. As days pass, Amalia enjoys visiting temples, shops of craftsmen, and homes of merchants. Alaric gives his pupils an education in manners and traditions of humans in Illium since he has spent much time with them. He continues to profit from his ships and enjoys a visit from Alexis with his sons returning from Kadacia with cottons, mead, wine, opals, crystals, pearls, incense, gold nuggets, iron axes, brass coins, and silver bracelets. One day during Amalia’s stay, Eurick heard singing coming from one of the halls. He investigated the unfamiliar song. He found Amalia floating in the air sitting upon a broom handle with sprite wings curled up. She remained floating when Eurick interrupted her voice.

“I was wondering who was singing. I never heard that song before.”

“I heard a woman in the kitchen singing it while she was kneading dough. I thought it was pretty. Our father is a strange creature. Mother said he is an amazing and gentle elf full of love and medicine to give. Yet, he has none for me.” responded Amalia.

“You have to forgive him. No one told him about you. He will eventually lighten up. We are fond of you, Amalia.” declared Eurick.

“I know. You like to tell the story how you held me for the first time and promised to always protect me as a big brother does.” admitted Amalia.

“Would you like to come shoot arrows with me, sister? We have no classes today.” invited Eurick.

“I’d like that,” answered Amalia.

She fluttered her sprite wings into a descent and glided to the floor. She set the broom aside and followed her brother to the practice grounds. Eurick showed her a trick he learned from a visit with Alani to guide the arrow right to the target.

“That is how father never misses, he cheats.” gloated Eurick.

“He is so much like mother,” exclaims Amalia.

Spring becomes summer and the arrival of King Dylan with Princess Boudicca and Princess Kia come as the harvest festivals are planned. Treynor also arrived with his new wife from the South Sea elf city of Avaris. The king’s parade reaches the palace in full pomp and circumstance. Athena throws a grand ball for the royal visit. Eurick and the ward spend the days together. Even more so since the ward was attacked by a guard. The Empress insisted she will only provide a dowry for her if she remains virtious, which Eurick respected. But a guard tried to take her virtue by asking for a private conversation when she was carrying a pitcher of water for the Empress. She was saved by another guard who heard the pitcher break. The guard shouted to get out of the guest chamber and the handmaiden took off up the servant stairs. Eurick heard her weeping behind his door and offered to heal her bruised face. The empress ordered the guard banished from the palace. Eurick would walk with her and invited her to ride in his chariot to the marketplace. She walked behind the empress during this royal visit and Eurick danced with her at the ball. Lotan athletes for the games are presented and occupy two more guest houses. The king entourage take up one guest house while the royal visitors stay in the guest rooms in the palace. The monarchs promise to have a combined Harvest Games every five years. King Dylan also presents a bow, axe, and sword to give as prizes. Enki is excited to meet the Lotans until it is mentioned by Athena to King Dylan that Enki is the son of werewolf Hariem. She forgot to mention he was born from an elf mother and never changes during the harvest moon. Fearful of little Enki, a group of Lotans attack him while he explored the festivities with the other students. Amalia reveals her magic in front of a market place full of mortal humans to protect Enki. After the murder in the market place where four guards lost their lives, Amalia decides they will leave Illium. Amalia takes Enki to her home Nakia until he begins an apprenticeship. The Lotan guests were honored by a concert in the theater where dancers, acrobats, and musicians told a series of stories. A grand parade marched to the Temple of Athena where a sacrifice of a bull was made. The chariot race was first event ran through the streets of Illium and followed the outer walls giving the charioteers a tour of the nearby villages. King Dylan presented a bow to the final winner. Boudicca presented an axe to the winner of the spear hurling contest. Kia presented a sword to the raft race winner. After celebrating the gala at the end of the games, Alaric disturbed Rurick’s bed chamber when he failed to appear during the morning meal to say farewell to his betrothed. He found he was not alone. He recognized Kia’s auburn curls and demanded she leave. He slapped his royal student for bedding with his brother’s betrothed. He neglected to tell Athena what he saw and wished the departing guests a good journey home. The ships set sail for Lotan and Rurick whispered apologies to Alaric who refused to accept them.

Alaric’s fear was realized months later when Princess Kia arrived in Illium vastly pregnant. Athena demanded to know who caused this condition when her betrothed was too young. She refused and was whipped for her insolence. Quickly, Rurick came forward as the father and begged for forgiveness. Kia went into labor that night and in the morning held a baby girl she named Tatiana. Alaric suggested his friend Alexis raise the child when the wet nurse had weaned her. Athena accepted the advice. After the birth, Kia was returned to Akaiyah where Jonathan had arrived to ask her to go hunting with his new falcon. He has learned to drive a chariot and Kia practiced her archery. He also presented a turquoise ring set in gold from his mother. Queen Sieva was thrown from her horse and had died the next day. Kia wore that ring every day for the rest of her life. The boy prince was received by Queen Anneth in the great hall to have the evening meal with guests of distinction. He returns home to Atalissa to mourn at his mother’s funeral.

As Rurick grew into a man and completed his adult ceremony, the Prince Regent changed into chief advisor and guided the young emperor in his duties. In the Temple of Athena, Rurick received his crown, scepter, and ring from the Prince Regent. Empress Athena refused to curtsy to Rurick stating she will never lower herself to her grandson for they are equal in status. She remained in the empress chamber until Boudicca arrived and continuing her empress duties to help her grandson transition into the great emperor he was to become. The young warrior spent most of his time with soldiers training in the arena and oversseing ceremonies in the temples. Once Eurick completed his adult ceremony, he was appointed bodyguard of Rurick to find himself escorting a new priestess to emperor’s bed chamber. Eurick and the ward were granted a betrothal by Rurick. Then the household shunned the ward for betrothing herself to an elf saying he must have bewitched her like his father bewitched Athena. They married in Athena’s chamber and moved out into a shop near Alexis’s inn. The ward hired orphans to be seamstresses of the fine fabrics ships bring in. Royalty often came by to order robes. A son was soon born followed by a daughter. Once Boudicca completed her adult ceremony, the wedding plans were in place. She sailed to Illium from Laurel and paraded to the palace when she arrived. The wedding week was filled with festivities, races, and plays. During the celebrations, Alaric’s nephew Alani got married to the afterlife goddess’s daughter Manda. He was granted the realm of rivers and lakes. As river god, he protected the birthing mermaids. Athena was happy to be invited this time and presented the gift of new iron plate armor resembling fish scales. It was the latest development in iron making and copied the bronze fish scale plating seen on wealthy men’s armor. Boudicca stayed in the Lotan ambassador’s house enjoying all the attention she deserved. They held a ceremony in the Temple of Aphrodite where Rurick gave her the title of Grand Princess along with a few of his mother’s jewels. In a sudden twist, Rurick demanded she prove her virtue. She approached him, placed her hands on his broad shouders, and kissed him. The gesture displayed was so awkward that he announced she has not been touched by a man. Boudicca in turn accepted the title and knelt to accept the diadem and ring from Rurick. Games began in the arena with spear throwing, sword fighting, and archery. The finalists were presented to the royal seats. The night before the wedding, Athena moved out of the empress chamber and into Alaric’s chamber.