The Summer Vacation
Chapter 30
Written by rachel76m
Edited by Don Kaufman

We dream dreams of being everywhere. We see ourselves helping Earth to see the truth. However, we realize it takes time to change people's minds.

I see myself back in college and with my friends. I sense Amber, Cobalt and some of my fairy children nearby while I'm in my classes.

Then some scenes change that my fairy family gets tested together with me. We find solutions to get out of the trials and tribulations that we experience. We become more confident in our callings.

I see my loving wife with us. She gives birth to two sons and two daughters. Some of them grow up to be leaders in their communities. Some become doctors. They all get married and have children of their own.

We see Earth slowly evolving and becoming what the Maker intended for his Creation. If you want to know what is, you'll just have to read on and enjoy the story. I'm writing down these events as best I can from memory, as they happen. Hopefully someday it will be published and be accepted as a historical series.

~~~000~~~

We wake up in the morning slowly. We open our eyes and see the break of dawn. Then all of sudden the colorful light show is among us as we lie there. Our bodies begin to glow golden again.

Our eyes become wide open. Then we try to close them.

“Wow! That is bright, Richard.”

“This golden color will definitely wake up our brains in the morning, Amber.”

She giggles. “Yes it will, Richard.”

We yawn and stretch while lying down.

We look up and see the leaves on the lean-to.

I try to remember some of the dreams from last night, but they slowly fade from memory.

“Sigh . . . those dreams will make sense later.”

“Yes, Richard. They escaped our memory as well. They will make sense when we see it happen.”

“Look at the leaves, Amber and Cobalt. They're dry underneath.”

“We see that, Richard. That is a good design for the leaf roof.”

“It's also nice and warm under here.”

“Yes, we can feel the heat from your body Richard. It kept us warm all night.”

Then the light show leaves us and moves westward. We then hear some hooves coming down the trail and a voice shouting out loud.

“Come on you sleepy heads, it's time to wake up.”

“We need to get you to Thryson Castle by the Third Mark.”

“We're awake, Lyonair and Baltor.”

“That's good. I can see that your shelter worked, Richard. The leaf roof is completely wet and yet you're dry underneath it.”

“Okay. We'll be out soon.”

“You better, or I'll send the fairies here to drag you out.”

We hear Baltor snickering on that comment.

I answer back, “Hah, hah, very funny, Lyonair.”

We start laughing and giggling under the lean-to.

“Come on Richard. Let's get up before my kin get here.”

“Okay, Cobalt.”

I push the leaves off of me. Amber and Cobalt get up and step away from my head. I turn around and get on my knees under the lean-to carefully.

I then back out of the lean-to carrying my satchel with me. Amber and Cobalt flap their wings a bit. Then they take off flying in the air around us.

Once I am out of the lean-to, I stand up and stretch my limbs some more. Amber and Cobalt do the same thing as they fly around us.

I put on my satchel and walk over to the lean-to and pick up my water skin.

“Would you like a sip of water, Amber and Cobalt?”

“Yes, that would help, Richard, to start the morning.”

“Okay.” I take the cap off the water skin and carefully pour some water into the cap. I let it sit flat on my hand.

They fly over and land on my hand. Amber takes a sip of water and hands it to Cobalt for his turn. “Thank you, Richard.” Once they are done drinking, they take off from my hand and hover around me.

“You're welcome.”

I take a sip of water myself. I cap the water skin and put it in my satchel. Then Amber and Cobalt fly over to me and sit on my shoulders. They start humming a merry tune to lift all of our spirits up.

We walk down the trail and back to the glade. Once we enter the glade, we see everyone else there. We see the fire ablaze, already. We see three centaurs walk into the glade carrying the morning catch of fish. The fish is already gutted, cleaned and ready to cook.

“How did you sleep, Richard?”

“I slept really well, Sar-rellna. The bed was really comfortable. The fairies did an excellent job in building it.”

The fairies cheer when they hear the Omega Unicorn slept well.

“Green Eyes, I would like to give a personal thanks.”

Green Eyes flies over to me and hovers in front of me. “Yes, Omega?”

“Thank you for finding those extra large leaves. They were just right to cover my body and keep me warm.” I smile at him.

“You’re welcome, Omega.” He smiles at me.

Then I do a quick puff of air in front of him.

He spins in the blown air merrily, “Thank you, Omega.”

“All right my fairies, its time to collect the morning repast and cook the fish.”

“Yes, Avel.” They all shout together. They all fly off in many different directions, including Amber and Cobalt.

The adult centaurs skewer the fish onto the green sticks. Then they hand them to the three younger centaurs who have knelt down before the fire. They place them around the campfire propped up on the stones.

I take the bag of vegetables and open it up. I take the rest of them out and place them on the stones to start warming up. I put the empty bag back where it was on the tree branch.

I see some of the centaurs cut a fruit in half. Baltor cuts out the fruit carefully and eats some of it. He saves the seeds by letting them drop onto a large leaf on the ground.

“Like this, Richard?”

Baltor shows me his half cup with some loose fruit still in it.

“Yes, Baltor, like that. Here's mine that I made last night.” I show it to him.

“This should taste really good when it's done.”

“Yes it should be, Baltor. When it's filled with some fish, you can place it on the stones to finish the cooking. Just be careful in picking up the fruit cup. You don't want it too hot or burnt.”

“Of course Richard, now we can eat like the Upper Kingdoms out here.”

“That's true. There is another bonus with that half cup Baltor when you're done with it.”

“What is it, Richard?”

“Set it back on the stones. Let it slowly dry out.”

“Okay.”

“When it’s all hard, then crush it to a fine powder. Then you can sprinkle that on top of what you like. It will also have the flavor of the fruit as a spice.”

“That's great, Richard.”

“Or you can mix it with your regular spices for a different combination.”

The centaurs start laughing.

“I love it, Richard.”

We see the fairies bringing the fruits, nuts, greens and roots for all. I walk over to the stack of leaves and take two of them. I place them on the ground where I have been sitting the last two repasts.

Amber and Cobalt place their four tree nuts on the leaf.

“Father.”

“Yes my son.”

“I think the fish is almost done.”

“Good. Bring it here, let's see if we can flake some of that fish into this fruit cup.”

He smiles, “Yes father.”

He brings it over to him. Baltor takes his knife and carefully flakes some fish into the cup that is in his left hand. He mixes it up carefully to keep the chunks whole as much as possible.

“Now for the other cup.”

They repeat the process. The young centaur puts the skewered fish back the way it was on the stones. Baltor then hands the two cups down to him. He places it on the stones to finish cooking.

“It smells great already, father.”

“Well, let's finish cooking the fish. We don't want to under cook it.”

“Yes, father.”

Soon we see more fruit cups filled with fish around the campfire that is set on the stones. There is one cup for each centaur. I use the cup I made last night. I put some fruit pieces that I saved from eating this morning along with some fish meat chunks.

“What will you do with the lean-to that I slept under last night Avel?”

“Well, we can see how long it lasts before the vines and leaves dry up. When it does, then the fairies can take it apart.”

“The long branches can stay nearby or used for another purpose if someone gets creative.”

“That's true, Richard.”

The fairies have a smile on their faces when they hear that.

“I'm guessing when I visit the Castle Lords, I will be staying in one of their extra rooms. That's if I'm spending the night there before going to the next Castle Lord.”

“It will probably happen that way, Richard.”

“The knights who will be escorting with you will probably put up tents in their training fields nearby.”

“Yes, I can imagine that, Caltron. I was told it will be planned out this week. We have to take care of the star ship first and getting the wrecks back to them.”

“We don't want those wrecks in the forests. They can injure the animals unexpectedly.”

We pause for a moment. Then we hear one of the young centaurs.

“Mother and Avel, the fish are almost ready to eat.”

“That’s very good, my daughter.”

“My friends, let us give thanks to the Maker this morning.”

“Yes Avel.” Everyone responds in one voice.

Caltron speaks up, “Maker, we just want to thank you for another day that begins here on Twainor. We thank you for Richard who is now the Omega Unicorn on Earth. Be with him and protect him, give him guidance as he helps others. We thank you for this food that we are about to eat. Let it give us strength to do your work today. Thank you, Maker.”

Everyone responds together, “Thank you, Maker.”

The fruit and fish cups are handed to the centaurs and me. I take the wooden fork. I take a bite to savor the combination of flavors. I can see the expression on the centaurs faces they are enjoying it as well.

“This is great, Richard. Thank you for this idea.”

“You’re welcome, Baltor. You can even try it with the farm birds as well.”

“Of course Richard, I wish we could keep this idea to ourselves. But I have a feeling it will spread throughout Twainor quickly like what you did the last time you were here.”

“I do have a couple of more ideas from Earth. But, I'm not a professional cook like Master Chef Beharn. I do have some cook books that have taught me some better recipes.”

“Well, at least it shows you're trying to eat better meals.”

“That's true, Lyonair.”

We continue eating our morning repast. Once I get done with the fruit cup. I reach for a skewer of fish. So do the other centaurs. This variety of fish is a little smaller than yesterday. I see they planned it that we each receive two skewers of fish each.

Once I get done with that, I eat the last of the vegetables on the stones. Amber and Cobalt continue eating the nut meats. I'm surprised by how much they eat. They must burn it off really quickly. Have you ever seen a fat fairy? I didn't see a single fat fairy anywhere on Twainor while I was there.

When we get done eating the meat and vegetables, Amber and Cobalt fly over to the pile of fruits. They grab a large yellow skin fruit and bring it over to me.

“Thank you, Amber and Cobalt.” I smile at them.

“You’re welcome, Richard.” They respond back with smiles.

Then they both fly back over to the pile to get their own fruits. They pick up a dozen red-skinned fruits. They are still attached to the vine. That looks like a cluster of grapes to me. Once they take a bite into it, I see a blue pulp inside. They put the small seeds on the large green leaf.

I look at the fruit that was given to me. I take my knife and cut into it carefully. I see the pulp is yellowish with one large seed in the middle. I cut a section off and begin to eat the pulp off the skin.

It has a wonderful flavor unlike anything I ever had before.

“This fruit is delicious. Thank you, Maker, for providing this one.”

“Richard, that fruit you’re eating is unique to Thryson Kingdom only. It grows wild in the forest. The local villagers here have had trouble in the past planting it in groves. The flowers can't take direct sunlight.”

“That's unusual, Baltor.”

“Yes it is. Therefore they plant the seeds in the forest and harvest it from there.”

“Do they keep watch over it? I'm sure there are other animals after this fruit as well.”

“There are, Richard. The farmers plant about twenty of these fruit trees near their village just inside the forest. They put up a very strong wooden fence and gate around it to protect it.”

We finish eating our morning repast. We clean up the campsite by putting the skewers near the campfire ring.

“The skewers are still good for another day Richard. The leaves we used as mats will need to be taken the woods. The insects and other small animals will eat the food off the leaves.”

“Okay, Baltor.” I pick up the mats and hand them to Baltor.

He takes the leaves and walks into the forest some distance from the glade. He scatters them in several locations. He walks back to the glade when that is done.

We walk down to the stream to clean ourselves like we have done before. Once we get done with that, we gather in the glade to discuss my trip back to the Thryson Castle. Amber and Cobalt are sitting on my shoulder like they always have done.

Just about we were going to say another word. Some fairies fly into our meeting.

“Avel, there are some villagers coming up the trail here.”

“Did they say why?”

“They did, Avel. They heard the excitement up here yesterday.”

“They wanted to know what was going on. Also, if we are okay as well.”

“Where are they now?”

“They are standing near the stream on the other side, Caltron.”

“Do you want to meet them, Richard?”

“It might be best, Baltor. It will satisfy their curiosities. Not only that, they can send word to the other villages and towns when I visit the area.”

“That's true. The Castle Lord will then have confirmation of the rumors what took place here yesterday.”

“Okay, let's see them. It will only be for a short hello. I'll stay in the background until announced.”

“That's fine, Richard.”

We all walk to the stream. I stay behind the centaurs as Avel takes the lead. The fairies fly all around us. As soon as we make the turn in the path we see about a dozen people on the other side, including some children and young adults.

“Greetings Avel, Fairies and Centaurs. We're sorry to intrude.”

“We heard a lot of noise yesterday. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine, Elder. We had a surprise visitor yesterday.”

“That's good, Lyonair.”

“We discussed it up here. Richard, please come forward.”

“Richard is here? Our Outside Helper is here?”

The other villagers look at each other with wonderment. Then they begin to smile when I step forward between the centaurs and stand next to Avel.

“This is an honor to finally meet you, Richard.”

“Or should we call you the Omega Unicorn?”

“Please call me Richard. The Omega Unicorn is just a title. When I go back to Earth next year, only a few people will know me.”

“I hear you have to prepare your world for the arrival of the Emissaries.”

“That's right sir. It's going to take time to get them to stop fighting and having wars.”

“We understand that very well.”

“Just to let you know, we'll be touring through Thryson Kingdom one of these days after this week. King Tierion is contacting your Castle Lord to make the arrangements.”

“That's great to hear. We look forward to hearing the announcement from him. We'll make plans to be there.”

“How will you travel about, Richard? Do you know at this time?”

“It's not finalized at this moment. It will probably be a mix by horse travel and magic.”

“To cover our Kingdom, you'll have to do that.”

“Will you be at our festivals?”

“I’m planning to be in attendance at your midsummer festival and the Grand Gala in the fall at least.”

“That's wonderful, Richard. You'll have a grand time there. We'll have several booths set up at the arenas. It's an opportunity to earn some coin with our wares and our fruits that we grow here.”

“I had one of them this morning. It was the large yellow skinned fruit. It was very delicious.”

“That fruit is called the Morning Glory fruit. The flower, the skin and fruit are bright yellow like the sun in the morning. It brightens up the forest immensely despite growing in the shade of the forest. ”

“Then I look forward in finding your booth and see how you serve it up different ways.”

“Thank you, Richard. Take care until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again. Well, it's time for me to leave. I have to go back to Thryson Castle by the Third Mark.”

“Until then, Richard. See you at our Lord's Castle.”

We turn around and go our ways. You can hear the excitement in the villagers when they return to their homes. They start talking among themselves as they make plans to be there.

We walk back to the glade and gather around to discuss my return trip back to Thryson Castle. Lyonair offers his services to take me back.

“I'll be taking you back, Richard.”

“Okay, are we going to take it easy through those bushes? We don't want to ruin the fairies good work on my clothes.”

Some fairies fly near us. “We can clear the path for you, Omega.”

“You can do that my fairies. It has been some time since it was trimmed back last time.”

“Thank you, Avel!”

Then about twenty fairies fly in together. They have their knives out and ready to use.

“Now fly safely my fairies. I know you want to help. Once you're done then fly safely back.”

“We will, Avel.”

“We'll escort them all the way to the castle. Then we can fly back with Lyonair.”

“That's a good plan, my fairies.”

“This is not a final farewell, my friends. I'll see everyone as we tour during the days ahead.”

“No, it's not, Richard. Take care. Amber and Cobalt are with you now.”

“That's right, Caltron. We'll try to keep Richard out of trouble.”

“That might be so, Cobalt, but let's hope you two don't find trouble as well.” I smile at Cobalt.

“We're with you now, Richard. We'll look out for each other.”

Then Avel steps closer to me. “Amber and Cobalt you have begun a new journey with Richard. You'll sense a part of me with Richard always.”

Amber and Cobalt fly off my shoulders. They fly over and hover in front of Avel.

“We'll see each other from time to time, won't we Avel?”

“You will, Amber and Cobalt. I don't know when that will happen. We have to trust in the Maker. This is new for all of us. You'll be doing some new things there as well. We know that you will learn a lot about Earth and how Richard interacts with it. If you have questions, ask him. He's a good teacher.”

“Yes, Avel.”

Then Amber and Cobalt fly closer to Avel, they hold onto his mane and smell it to remember his scent. They hold it close to their face.

“I'll see if there is a way to get a picture made of you, or even a group picture to take back with me.”

“A painting can be done, Richard, with no problems.”

“Richard, please get on your knees. Amber and Cobalt please fly over and sit on his shoulders.”

“Yes, Avel.”

I get on my knees before Avel. Amber and Cobalt fly over and sit on my shoulders like before.

“Just as you have energized Amber and Cobalt Richard. I will now breathe on the three of you at the same time. You have been blessed by the Maker already. Now it is for me to do it personally.”

Avel breathes in slowly a big breath of air. Then he slowly blows it toward us. He does it several times to cover us all.

The three of us now feel very alive and bold with a purpose. We smile as Avel breathes on us.

“You have my blessing Richard, Amber and Cobalt. Stand firm in your callings. You have a lot to learn in the year you are here. There will be new lessons when your fairies come forth, Richard. As you represent Earth here Richard, you represent us back on Earth. We know you have a lot of work to do. Being discrete about your activities will be easy in the beginning. It will be harder for the people to lay down their weapons as time goes on.”

“Avel, I remembered from my readings that true peace won't actually come until a thousand years from now.”

“That's right, Richard. You have to get their attention somehow that there is life on other worlds besides Earth. It's a slow process, be patient.”

“That viewpoint is held by a small minority among the scientists, astronomers and some people. They are speculating it is possible. It's the rest of Earth that needs convincing. There are groups who want peace . . . ”

“And there are groups, leaders and nations who still kill and murder. It is no different in my time as it is in yours. This will be your hardest test. You said efforts are being made to keep the peace. The enemy will work just as hard to keep their old ways.”

“I...”

“I know we can talk some more, Richard, and we will before you go. Now may the peace of the Maker rest upon you always.”

“Shalom Aleichem, Avel.” I smile at him.

Avel smiles, “Aleichem Shalom, Richard.”

“Thank you, Avel.”

“It has been a long time since I heard those words, Richard. We are now brothers Richard and you have sisters here.”

“You might say my family has been restored to me.”

“Yes, your original family was taken from you. Now you have a bigger family. Go Richard. We’ll talk some more.”

I stand up. “Yes Avel, my brother. We'll keep in contact.”

Lyonair comes up to me. Amber and Cobalt take off from my shoulders and hover nearby. I take a step back with my left leg, then I step forward with my right and leap up swinging my left leg over Lyonair's back. I almost make it over. I get my body flat on his back. I squirm and move forward then I sit up erect on his back.

“That's not bad, Richard. With more practice you'll get a better spring in your legs.”

“Yes, Lyonair.”

“See you all later my friends and extended family.”

“See you later, Richard!”

“See you again, Omega!” The fairies shout.

Then twenty fairies take off flying down the trail. They trim the bushes back quickly. Lyonair takes off and gallops down the path.

The branches that tore my pant legs didn't this time. Getting under the low branches slowed us down but we made good time to arrive at the stream. We stop for a moment for Lyonair to catch his breath and get a quick drink of water. He crosses the stream and continues along the path. It takes another quarter-mark to reach the main road. The fairies gather around us as they put their knives away.

“That was great, fairies. The branches didn't tear my pants. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Omega.”

The fairies fly around us while Lyonair continues galloping along the worn road. It takes a half-mark to arrive at Thryson Castle. Some of them rest on my shoulders or Lyonair's shoulders. The guards snap to attention as Lyonair slows down and crosses the drawbridge. We enter the courtyard. Lyonair comes to a stop near the sundial. I slide off his back. Amber and Cobalt fly to me and sit on my shoulders like they have done before.

“Thank you, Lyonair and Fairies of Avel. Take care until we meet again.”

“The same to you, Richard. Take care until we meet again. Which should be sometime next week or the week after?”

“Yes Lyonair.”

Then the fairies circle around us a few times. “Thank you, Omega for everything in delivering us from the Nefelim.”

“You’re welcome, fairies.”

Then Lyonair turns around and trots back out of the courtyard and leaves the castle. He then gallops at an easy pace while the fairies fly around him.

I turn around and walk up to the sundial to see what time it is.

“Well, it's a quarter-mark till the Third Mark, Amber and Cobalt. Let's see who is up and about.”

Then we see the double doors open. We see the Chamberlain walking toward us.

“Good, you're here early, Richard. Come to the King's Council Chamber. There are some things that need to be discussed. The Castle Lords are here.”

“Okay, Sir Drexton. Sir Drexton, Amber and Cobalt are with me now and forever. Master Chef Beharn will need to set up two additional place settings at the dining table.”

Drexton looks at me and the fairies. “Is this true, fairies?”

“It is, Drexton. Our hearts are now tied to him. All will be explained while Richard is here for a year.”

“Okay, what are your names again?”

“My name is Amber.”

“My name is Cobalt.”

“Very well Amber and Cobalt, I'll inform Master Chef Beharn of the changes at the dining table.”

“Thank you, Sir Drexton.”

I follow Sir Drexton to the castle. The two knights open the stone doors for us as we enter. We turn left and walk down the foyer area. We then ascend the stairs to the second floor. We walk down the hallways until we get to the double doors. Sir Drexton opens the double doors and walks inside.

The people in there see Sir Drexton walk inside and get quiet as they turn to him.

“My King and honored guests. I present to you Richard Moore, Outside Helper to Thryson Kingdom.”

I walk inside and walk past Sir Drexton. I come to a stop and do a quick bow with my head. I see some new and familiar faces quickly except for a dwarf dragon and a centaur.

“Good morning, my King.”

“Good morning, Richard. Please have a seat with Renard.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

I walk over to Renard and Trianna's table. I stand next to him. Another page walks up and stands behind my chair.

We all clap our hands together. I look around and see who is here. I smile at each one as they smile back at me.

I see Drenan, Praxor, the dwarves’ male ambassadors and all eight Castle Lords are in attendance. Their wives and Trianna must be with the Queen elsewhere in the castle. Duke Traylor, Sir Trenton, Sir Valmar and Sir Leland are here as well.

King Tierion sits down first. Then the rest of us sit down. The pages help us move the chairs in closer to the tables.

“Well, from the way you appear, Richard. There have been some changes with
you.”

“Yes there are, my King. The reason for the sudden call to reach Avel yesterday is because of Amber and Cobalt. They are now more heart connected to me than Avel. They felt my absence when I went to the star ship yesterday morning.”

“I see. Already your family is growing.” He smiles at me.

The fairies and the rest of us giggle and laugh as well.

“Also, there is some more good news to tell.”

“What is it, Richard?”

“Cobalt, you have the honors this time.”

“Thank you, Richard. The Omega Unicorn is pregnant!”

Some have a look of astonishment. Some have smiles. Some begin to cheer.

“Congratulations, Richard!”

“That was fast, Richard.”

“What does this mean for you?”

I speak up, “It means there will be times I will have to slow it down. There is a six-month break between pregnancies. It's an ongoing process from the Maker. I know it is new to me. I will figure it out as time goes on. The period is still the same for birth. It is nine moons. I was told they will be fully formed when I give birth.”

“That's incredible, Richard. What about your training?”

“I will learn to work around it Sir Valmar. I would like to get a new breast and back plate made. It will be smaller to cover my lower areas like a corset.”

“Our smiths can do that with no problems.”

“Also you need to see Rosella so she can make several sets of clothes for the year ahead.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Castle Lords, please introduce yourselves. I'm sure Richard has not met all of you.”

“Of course King Tierion. My name is Lord Hamlin. My fiefdom is our southern coastal area.”

“My name is Lord Randson. My fiefdom is to the northeast of Lord Hamlin.”

“My name is Lord Brannen. My fiefdom is west of Lord Randson to the mountains.”

“My name is Lord Granthnel. My fiefdom is west of here and to the mountains.”

“My name is Lord Hershson. My fiefdom is to the north.”

“My name is Lord Eralian. My fiefdom is to the north of Lord Granthnel of here and near the mountains.”

“My name is Lord Belthar. My fiefdom is to the east where our main port is, Marseby.”

“My name is Lord Beryllian. My fiefdom is north of Lord Belthar and south of Lord Hershson.”

“If there is a tie in the voting. What's the next step?”

Duke Traylor speaks up, “Then Praxor, Drenan and I have a vote, Richard. Rarely has a vote ended in a tie. There were some measures that were even voted down without our say.”

“The eight Castle Lords discuss and argue among ourselves. We realize our vote is for the good of all. It has worked very well for us.”

“The main reason for this meeting is to start laying out what needs to be done in each part of the kingdom. Captain Dar-re is still with King Thranton this morning. He will then be visiting Ringol Kingdom later this morning. The first question is the status of the air fighter wrecks. How are we doing in collecting the pieces Castle Lords?”

Castle Lord Randson speaks up first. “We have three wrecks in my fiefdom. One is near a town. The other two are in the forests near my castle. The wizards and my knights are removing the wrecks as best as possible. We should have them crated by the end of the day.”

“It is the same here, my King. We have five in my fiefdom. There are two in the water near our port. There are two more near my castle. The fifth one crash landed near a farm building. The fences are torn down and the flocks have scattered. The repairs and collecting the wrecks are happening as we speak this morning.”

“Did any of your food stores get damaged, Lord Hamlin?”

“The farm building received extensive damage Praxor. We are moving the good bags of seeds and grains to other buildings in the town until the building is replaced. About a third of the food there was burned up.”

“Will you need replacement?”

“I don't think so my Lord. That crop was destined to go to the merchants and farmers as part of the regular rotation. We do expect another good harvest this fall. Hopefully it will replace what we lost.”

“That's good. Are there any other reports? Perhaps more dire than Lord Hamlin?”

“It's my fiefdom, King Tierion.”

“What's the damage, Lord Brannen?”

“We had five air fighter crashes in my fiefdom. Two of the fighters shot metal pieces at us. They literally shredded several buildings before Ryujin sent lightning bolts at them.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“Not directly, Richard, a building did collapse on several people. They hid in the basement of the building. They had built a stone wall basement before the building was put up a long time ago.”

“I see, so it did save their lives.”

“Yes it did, they just had to be patient while the debris was removed. A wizard was able to transport in there and get them out when enough room was made for him. They had a few scrapes and bruises.”

“That's good. What was the other damage in your fiefdom?”

“Our main town suffered the most damage, which is near my castle. The air fighters fell out of the sky in the third wave of attacks. Ryujin was elsewhere to fight the air fighters. Our wizards tried their best to protect the town. They elevated and moved large boulders at the air fighters. It helped some, but not completely. Two of our three food storage buildings are totally destroyed when they crashed and caught on fire.”

“But no one is hurt?”

“No, my King. That is a good sign. The fifth air fighter crashed into a resident building. Fortunately no one was in it either. Most of the town folk fled to the mountains for refuge. I was told they will be arriving back tomorrow.”

“Do they know of the damage done, Lord Brannen?”

“Some know already.”

“Do you have enough artisans for the repairs and rebuilding?”

“I will need some builders. I'll have tents and some food for the workers for one meal a day. They will be paid. If they need more food, they will have to provide or buy it themselves. Perhaps a release of food from the hidden caches will ease the burden. The residents will stay in the two inns.”

The dwarf ambassadors quickly put their heads together and discuss it quickly. When done, Telgon speaks up first.

“We can provide the workers, Lord Brannen. There is a dwarf enclave not far from your fiefdom.”

“They will be glad to help out. They do owe a bit of thanks for allowing them to set up some of their shops in the town.”

“That's great, Telgon and Durlond. That's greatly appreciated. I will have to check my treasury to be sure there are enough gold and silver to purchase the materials.”

Then Duke Traylor speaks up, “You don't have to bear the full burden Lord Brannen. I think we can do a collection of say one hundred gold pieces from each of the fiefdoms in the kingdom. Any extra coin that is left over, and we’ll set it aside as an emergency building fund.”

“That can work very well, my brother. Do the Castle Lords agree to that?”

Then all of the Castle Lords assented by saying “Aye.” They all smile at each other on coming to an agreement.

“Duke Traylor, you will need to set up the transfer of food from the hidden caches for Lord Brannen.”

“Yes, my brother. Praxor and Drenan, I will need your help with the distribution.”

Praxor and Drenan write more notes on some sheets of paper of what needs to be done. “Yes Duke Traylor.”

“Are there any other fiefdoms in trouble?”

Lord Granthnel speaks up, “I have five in my kingdom. Fortunately, only a few air fighters crashed near some buildings. The dragons did an admirable fight with them. They took them all out. I know it will take time to get the air fighter wrecks collected. My question is this. Once a bin gets full, can we go ahead and deliver it to the star ship right away?”

King Tierion looks at me, “Richard, do you know anything about this?”

“Yes, my King.” I look at Lord Granthnel. “You should do that, Lord Granthnel and everyone else here. The cargo bays up there are filling fast. The bins will be stacked at least two bins high. Captain Dar-re said all of the wrecks will fit in them.”

“What about the fuel that we find?”

“Put that in a separate metal container that doesn't leak. Then put it in the bin. They will deal with it later.” Speaks up Sir Valmar.

“We were told they will be here seven days before they leave. So have it up there as quickly as possible, especially getting the air fighter wrecks from the port bays.”

“I'll make sure it happens, Richard. Thank you.” He writes some notes on a piece of paper to remind himself.

“You’re welcome, Duke Traylor.”

“What about the additional resources they might need, Richard? Are they going to seek it elsewhere?”

“They are, my King. Captain Dar-re said he will not get it from Twainor itself. He will do a scan of your star system to make sure. He thinks it can be done. Also, he said he'll provide a complete survey of the planets and sub-worlds that he found around the gas giant planets.”

“There are sub-worlds in our star system?”

“We have the same set up with the Sol System where I'm from Lord Randson. It seems to be very common with star systems that we found elsewhere near us with gas giant planets.”

“Could they support life, Richard?”

“Anything is possible with the Maker. If you want to visit those sub-worlds, you'll have to build space craft to get there and back safely.”

“That's right Richard. Our Ethereal Space only extends to our Twin Moons,” confirmed by Durlond.

I look to the dwarf ambassadors, “That will be a new challenge for the builders and designers.” I smile at Telgon and Durlond.

Telgon smiles, “Yes it would be, Richard. But I think we better focus on making sea craft that can go underwater.”

“That's advisable Telgon. Then Twainor has the knowledge how to build independent transportation vehicles. The electrical demands are different inside the vehicles. To travel in outer space will be an extension of that. Back on Earth, we were able to build a self-supporting base on our moon a few years ago. We also built two space stations that orbit Earth. We ferry people and equipment using manned rockets.”

Everyone smiles upon hearing that good news.

“How about you, Sir Trenton? Is everything okay with the military? How did they hold up under the pressure?”

The three commanders look at each other quickly. Both Sir Valmar and Sir Leland grimaced slightly.

“Some of the knights did panic. This was a new experience for all of us. The ones who were more aware are the dwarf brigade, the leadership and some individual knights which are about one-quarter of our forces. I say about one-quarter of the knights panicked severely. The rest of the forces were slightly stressed.”

“That was true in our fiefdom. Sir Callahan really stood out to help the knights stay focused. However, his two friends didn't show much iron will and resolve. After the crashes ended and the final mind assault, all of my knights helped where they could despite their nerves being shaken.”

I smile when I hear that from Lord Brannen.

“Your punishment that you gave Sir Thalstead and Sir Orslond did get their attention, Richard. They have been trying very hard to do what's right this time. They did confess to me they took advantage of Sir Callahan's strength and tried to profit off of him.”

“That's good to hear. Sir Callahan told me they were into shipping and selling goods before they enrolled with your knights. That might be a useful talent for your fiefdom to assist your quartermaster for example.”

He smiles, “Yes, that's a good suggestion, Richard. I'll look into it.”

“Just make sure the prices are fair and advantageous for both sides.”

“Also the goods must be of high quality. What's worst is having a weapon or tool fail in your hands when you need it or the food is spoiled before you eat it.”

“Of course, Durlond and Telgon.”

“How did everyone fare against the fear attack from the Nefelim?”

“That was the most nerve wracking, Richard. We have never felt anything like it.”

“I'm sure it was.”

“But you were right in saying that we must stand firm in whom we are. It helped ease the pain somewhat.”

“We saw the wild herds invaded the villages and towns causing more damage than the air fighters.”

“That's true, Amber. A lot of the store fronts received a lot of damage. That's easy to repair. The flocks and herds on our farms ran in fear as well. It will take time to get that back to normal.”

“Let the fairies and centaurs help you there in gathering them back Lord Eralian.”

“I'll do that Cobalt. Thank you for the suggestion.”

“Richard, I just heard from Duke Traylor this morning that you can talk with the horses. Is this true?”

“I can, Lord Eralian.”

“Please do that, Richard, when you visit. Some are still skittish with fear in my fiefdom. The boxes where they are kept in the stables are damaged as well.”

“When I visit your fiefdoms, I will speak to your horses to calm them down. If I'm not there, have a centaur talk with them.”

“I'm sure it happened everywhere Lord Eralian. No one was spared from that onslaught on our minds.”

“It was even felt in the Under Kingdoms, but the mountains did shield some of it.”

“That's good to hear, Durlond.”

“The centaurs and the fairies were able as best we can to lead the wild herds away from the villages and towns.”

“Thank you Cobalt, that is greatly appreciated.”

“If there are any more wandering in places where they shouldn't be contact the First Ones in your fiefdom.”

The Castle Lords look at each other and nod their heads up and down in agreement. “It will be done, my King.”

“Are there any more fiefdoms with damage?”

“Nothing we can handle ourselves King Tierion, we didn't get any air fighters above us. The only damage was from the wild herds stampeding through our towns, villages and ports.”

“Castle Lords, are there any walls or fences surrounding your population centers?”

“Not all them, Richard. Some prefer not to have them.”

“If I remember from my readings on Earth, there is a wall style that might work for you.”

“What is it, Richard?”

“Where did the herds enter in most of the time when they stampeded?”

“Most of them came down the main roads or alley gaps between buildings.”

“The style that I'm thinking of is a short wall of fifty paces for example. It is offset with gaps with other walls. This will allow people and carts to pass through.” I demonstrate with my hands.

“But when approaching to the village or town, it looks like a solid wall.”

“That's right, Lord Beryllian.”

“We should use stone walls for strength and durability. Wooden walls can catch on fire too easily. A well-built gate on the roads can allow for easy passage of people and goods.”

Telgon speaks up, “I agree, Lord Hershson. Also, we can check your basements to see if there enough safe rooms for the people. The safe room doesn't have to be under a building if you can't do it.”

“I agree, Telgon. I'm sure the storms here can be just as bad where I'm from on Earth. We have twisters or tornadoes that can spin off the storms and create a lot more damage than the storm itself.”

“We do have that here, Richard.”

“Then within the safe room, you can keep some food supplies that can keep well. In addition have a water tank and a waste box. It will be important to have extra crystals for communication and lighting there as well. If the building is separate, you can have half or all of it in the ground.”

“That's an excellent idea, Richard. So, Castle Lords, do you agree to this safety improvement for your fiefdom's?”

Then all of the Castle Lords look at each other and smile. They agree to the improvement measure by saying, “Aye.”

Telgon and Durlond smile widely at each other when they hear that. They just created another opportunity for their Under Kingdom to earn some coin. This will keep a number of their people busy for at least a year or more in several kingdoms.

“How many air fighters were sent to Twainor, Richard?”

“There were three hundred sent, Lord Randson. I estimate about twenty-five to each kingdom. I know the first two hundred was divided up among the kingdoms almost evenly. The next one hundred probably didn't have to time to do anything. I turned off the barrier shields quickly before any more damages took place on the surface or the fight with the dragons. This was done not too long after Sir Halgren and I were taken.”

“Ah, that's what happened. I understand from my knights who went on the star ship, the Nefelim did everything they could to regain control.”

“They tried, Lord Hershson. The training they received here and on the sea ships ensured a positive result. We tried to think of the most difficult scenarios to get them to think clearly and calmly.”

“Thank you, Sir Trenton and to your commanders.”

“I hear you also provided help to the squads and wings to solve some difficult problems on the star ship. Thank you, Richard, you really exceeded your talents.”

Then everyone in the room claps their hands and cheer. Amber and Cobalt fly into the air, singing and dancing to add to the atmosphere.

I put my hands up to quiet them down, “Thank you, thank you and you're welcome.” Amber and Cobalt then fly down to me and stand on the table. I take my satchel and put it on the table for them to sit on.

“Thank you, Richard.” They sit down and make themselves comfortable.

“There was an excellent suggestion made by Richard to help with the recognition of our efforts yesterday.”

“Is that true, my King? What is it, Richard?”

“This is for everyone involved, this way the focus is not entirely on me and the knights who went to the star ship. I'm sure there are many who helped while the air fighters and wild herds did their damage. Perhaps some awards like ribbons and medals, advancement in rank to some knights for example. Or even the town people, wizards and sorceresses who stayed behind in the villages, towns and ports. Perhaps some First Ones who went above the call to help.”

“That's a great idea Richard. I can think of several already who need to be noticed for their heroics. We can have the awards given when you tour through our fiefdoms.”

Everyone smiles in the Council Chamber.

“I agree, Lord Brannen. Don't forget to take a good inventory of the damage done. We also need a good count of the air fighters that crashed.”

“Oh, I just remembered one more thing that was discussed on the star ship while I was up there yesterday.”

“What was it, Richard?”

“It's the Nefelim star ship itself.”

“What about it, Richard?”

“Captain Dar-re doesn't need the ship anymore. He knows the groups of survivors doesn't need it. I made the suggestion for him to take what he can off the ship and has it sent to your sun to be burned up.”

“That's a good idea Richard.”

“Or perhaps the sea and land dragons can have one more chance to destroy something big to get their anger out and do something new.”

We all begin to laugh on that remark.

“That's true, then once its finally in pieces it can be sent to our sun to burn up.”

“Captain Dar-re did mention about half of the survivors want to start over on their new worlds.”

“That's right, Duke Traylor. He also said he is still looking for a world for his own to start over. Some of the survivors still want the knowledge on the star ship and stay there.”

“So, there are choices that have to be made up there.”

“Now we come to the next part of the meeting, Richard's tour of our Kingdom and with the rest of Thryson.”

“I think we should do Thryson first, my King.”

“I agree, Lord Beryllian. It should be a circuitous route that begins here and ends here.”

“The entourage should spend at least two nights in each fiefdom. That gives a chance for each of the villagers and town folk to see Richard.”

“I suggest we make it clockwise on the sundial. We'll start with Lord Granthnel and end with Lord Brannen.”

“At what pace should this occur? We have about forty-five days until our midsummer festival.”

“Can we do two kingdoms before that?”

“Since Eirecann Kingdom is smaller, perhaps do that one next before the midsummer festival.”

“That's a good suggestion Lord Hershson. Then he can do Ringol Kingdom right after that for about fifteen days. Then King Thranton's Under Kingdom.”

“This will give the other kingdoms on Twainor more time to get ready.”

“My king, just to be fair, I need to stay with your midsummer festival only, instead of trying to attend all of the others. It would cause a delay in theirs.”

“Yes it would be, Richard. Touring through their kingdoms will be enough high honor for them. Then everyone can focus on the Sea Gala Festival at its right time.”

“If they want to see Richard at a midsummer festival, they could use their contact crystals when he is at our arenas. But the ideal time will be at the Grand Sea Gala Festival.”

“That's a good idea, Lord Randson.”

“How many arenas are used during the festival here?”

“We have three arenas in our kingdom Richard. These are the Northern, Central and Southern Arenas. Each arena holds a set of contests. Some are the same. Some are different. Our main port to the east here hosts the Sea Gala portion of our festival with the Central Arena.”

“There are many prizes and awards at each arena. When the last one is held, there is a declaration of whom the overall winners are. Awards are given for those who place first through fifth.”

“We can have as many as twenty-five people trying to compete on a single contest.”

“Have you done it in stages or smaller groups?”

“We have, Richard.”

“The scores have been very close every year. It's great to see each fiefdom rally together.”

“Do the dwarves participate in the festival or do they stick to their own in the Under Kingdom?”

“They do both, Richard. King Thranton has his own festival before the Upper Kingdoms. It allows us to select the best for Ringol, Thryson and Eirecann Kingdoms.”

“There are certain contests at each festival for everyone. Dwarf against dwarf, dwarf against knight, cooking contests, harvest contests, flying contests with the fairies and dragons, centaurs against knights, archery, jousts, spear, sword, ax throwing and chopping. Did I forget any?”

Everyone chuckles.

“There are a few more. We even have contests for the kids and teens. It's a really festive atmosphere. There will be plenty of booths for eating, goods and wares.”

“How long do you stay at each arena?”

“It's a three-week process. We are in the Northern and Southern arenas for four days each. At the Central arena it is a full seven days with our Gala Sea events. Then two days are spent moving to the next arena. At the last arena, another day is spent giving awards to the overall winners.”

“We switch between Northern and Southern Arenas who starts first. The Central arena is always in between the two. The Northern Arena starts first this year.”

“What about the Grand Gala Sea Festival?”

“That one is for the Sea Captains and Navies of Twainor, Richard. It's an opportunity for them to see who is the best. There are races in several categories for everyone. The Sea Captains have a weight contest to see who can bring in the largest sea catch, individually and as a group.”

“I've seen such races on Earth. They can be a lot of fun. Usually the inns are brimming with people everywhere. Sometimes they had to set extra seating and tables outside the inn.”

Some of them laugh.

“There are cooking contests, art displays to buy and sell, wares, side show games for all ages.”

“That's great, Richard.”

“There is also live music by musicians, story tellers for the children and stage production plays for the adults and families.”

“Well, it looks like we can add a few of those to our festivals.”

“I'm sure we can, Lord Randson.”

“To make it affordable, the prices can be reduced a percentage. What is your smallest coin?”

“It's the half-silver, Richard.”

“I know the inns and the merchants still need to make a profit. But sometimes, the people coming together makes up for that in enthusiasm and what they spend.”

“I agree, Richard, breaking even is still very good business. It keeps the people coming back for more. We can show new tools, wares and other goods that will get their interest to purchase at a later date, then we can make a profit at that time.”

“Is there anything else we need to discuss while we are here together?”

“I have one, my friends.”

“Yes, Richard?”

“Is there a winter festival?”

“Not really, Richard. Are you saying you have those on Earth?”

“We do after a fashion. This might take time to develop. There is always a sporting event of some sort at a given moment during the year. Some are designed for indoors. Some are for the outdoors. We have winter games to take advantage of the ice and snow conditions.”

“The people will need warm clothing, not everyone enjoys it.”

Sir Hershson smiles, “In defense of Richard, I beg to differ, Sir Hamlin.”

“What is it, Sir Hershson?”

“We do have some winter games in my fiefdom. I know they are not popular, because it is very seasonal. I would not be surprised there are similar events on Earth as it is here with the northern fiefdoms and kingdoms.”

“Or the opposite in the southern kingdoms.”

“Of course, Richard.”

“What do you have, Lord Hershson?”

“We have sled races down the slopes, cross treks across the landscape for distance, races on the ice lakes and rivers when they are frozen over.”

I begin to smile and chuckle.

Everyone sees my reaction.

“So, do you have some of that as well, Richard?”

“We do my King. We came up with a few more to get more people involved. The first one is ice skating. These are special lightweight footwear with a metal blade attached underneath it.”

Sir Hershson smiles, “We have that, Richard.”

“Good, there are several events for that. Races at several distances for men and women and in teams. There is also ice dancing for men and women separately as well as paired together.”

“Does that include music to play along with the ice dancing?”

“Yes, Sir Granthnel. The time should last no more than a third of a quarter-mark on the sundial.”

“Maybe we can use those time pieces from the dwarves under kingdom to help there.”

I look to Sir Trenton and smile quickly before I look at Sir Beryllian. “That would be helpful, Lord Beryllian.”

“What are some of the other events, Richard?”

“There are two kinds of cross treks. One is the pure distance. The other is the distance and a weapon involved. It is called a biathlon on Earth. It stems from the wars we had during the winters a long time ago. For the weapon here on Twainor it should be archery. Have five targets in an area so they can be judged fairly. The distance loops around and back to the targets. Points are accumulated for each ring on the target. That gets added to the overall time. After the last set of targets are shot then it's a sprint to the finish line. The quickest time is the winner.”

Sir Trenton smiles, “I really like that, Richard. How do they travel from target to target?”

“It's done on long narrow pieces of wood that clips onto the boots. They are called skis. Running in the snow will tire them out too quickly. The total distance should cover about a half-mark on the sundial.”

“I'm sure there are other events using those skis, Richard.”

“There are, my King. It just takes some imagination. For the sledding, there are various races. There are races for one, two and four crew members. It is on a fixed track that can be iced down. It will have high bank curves and straight runs. It is advised to have no more than fourteen curves. This is a critical timed event to make it the fastest time. You better wear helmets for safety. I've seen crashes and people get hurt.”

“Hmm . . . we'll have to take that one slow. We've had injuries with our sled races.”

“It sounds like a lot of individual sports, Richard. Are there any for teams?”

“There is, it involves the ice skates. The game is hockey.”

“What is that?”

“That's a little hard to explain. You have two goals and two teams. You have five members skating around with sticks that are moving a little hard disk about so big.” I demonstrate with my hands. “The object is to get that disk or puck into the opponents netted goal. There is a goal tender there trying to protect it.”

“Won't the players get hurt?”

“That will happen, especially if a hit is too hard from a player. Tempers can flare and fights can erupt. There are time penalties involved for the one who caused it. The entire game lasts no more than one mark on the sundial. It is divided into three periods with a short rest period between two of them.”

“We'll have to see that one played out.”

“I agree, Sir Hershson. Well, as much we like to see your world, we'll wait until the Emissaries invite Earth to the Local Group. Hopefully, by that time, attitudes will change there for the good.”

“I agree, my King. Which region has the Grand Gala Sea Festival this year?”

“As soon as our Mid-Summer Festivals are done, the planning for the Grand Gala begins in earnest. It is being held here Richard. The four kingdoms have been meeting once a moon period until now.”

“Have the rooms been counted near the arenas for the extra guests?”

“There are more inns being built near the arenas and the sea ports Richard this past year. Of course they need to be evaluated again because of this Nefelim attack.”

“The largest port is in Ringol Kingdom with its large ringed in bay. They are planning other races and fishing contests outside the bay as well. King Thranton is enjoying the challenge in getting his Under Kingdom ready as well. He has the dwarves there making more inns for the additional influx of people as well. He agreed to host five of the contests there as well in Harsten.”

“We traveled to Angathorn Kingdom to see how they did their planning. They have at least two arenas that can hold fifty thousand. Our largest one is the Central Arena that can hold forty thousand. Ringol and Eirecann each have an arena that can hold fifty thousand.”

“Is there anything else that needs to be discussed before we break for the noon repast?”

“My King, when I came in this morning, I noticed Trianna isn't here. Then I thought she might be with the Ladies and the Queen.”

Some of the Castle Lords look downward in sadness.

“They are Richard. They are discussing some issues themselves. Some of it overlaps with what we discussed here. Some of them faltered and fainted when the Nefelim fear attack swept throughout Twainor.”

“I see, so they're trying to help each other recover through the emotional distress they felt.”

“Yes, some are still shaken by the experience. So, we'll have to be careful around them as they regain their confidence. Their well being is very important.”

“If that's the case, then there will be more among the people in Thryson and Twainor who stayed behind on the surface.”

“Yes, our healers and Mystic Order will be pushed to the limits to help them recover. We hope it doesn't linger long in their memories.”

“It's too bad that not everyone had the new helmet. That would have helped everyone.”

“I remember a particular incident on Earth. It's recorded in the history books. There is a country that is small. It is surrounded by hostile people around them. They were under constant attack. The enemy tried using various weapons to kill them. One of the weapons was a gas attack. The country decided that each citizen should have a gas mask to help protect itself. There were other measures taken to ensure their safety. That country is still there to this day.”

“Hmm . . . that's a good idea Richard. It will take time to build that many helmets for our citizens and gas masks. They will need to keep them in their own homes and apartments.”

“For the gas attack, there is a simple plan to have a safe room that can be sealed. Usually, the doors and windows are the entry points. I can show you how to do one if you want me to. The use of your barrier shield spell will probably be your first defense. The masks should have filters that can be taken off and on easily. I can draw up some different types for different situations.”

“Thank you, Richard. That is greatly appreciated.”

“We'll need to train more people in each village, town and port to be aware of the dangers. They need to know what they can do to help themselves or others.”

“We heard from the Emissaries that there could be another threat out there trying to make a name for itself. We must be better prepared for our people. Sir Trenton, Sir Valmar and Sir Leland, is it possible to do such a thing to help our people?”

“Anything is possible, my King. We don't know which weapon will be used next time. Besides the helmets, I'm sure there are other ways to subdue us. Isn't that right Richard?”

“Yes there are, Sir Trenton. There are some weapons that are very deadly. A gas attack can disrupt you several different ways besides the air you breathe. There is one that attacks the skin surface and practically burns it like acid.”

“Acid, you're talking about something that is corrosive?”

“Yes, Lord Randson. There is another that is called a nuclear bomb. I pray that one does not come.”

“How devastating is that one, Richard?”

“It's very bad. It's based on several elements that can be found on some worlds. I don't know if you have them here.”

“What are some of the signs for that attack?”

“If I tell you now, it might upset you before our noon repast. Some of the signs are hair fall out and the skin peeling off. Death can be really quick or it can be slow. But the effects can be wide spread. It can linger in the ground for a thousand years. Nothing will grow there. It will eventually become a wasteland. The radiation sources have to be disposed of properly. Sending it to the Fire Mountains might be an answer, then it might not. Sending it to the sun is really the only option. If it can't be removed from the ground, then a large area has to be marked to avoid it.”

Everyone has a look of shock then sadness on their faces.

“Uggh . . . I see what you mean about not wanting to tell us. Is there any protection for it or cure for it?”

“There really isn't. Time is a big factor. It might take five to ten generations before the effects are cured. You have to have fresh water and fresh food from another location that is not contaminated with the radiation. There are certain metals that can block some of the harmful radiation.”

“Is there a way to detect this radiation?”

“There is, Lord Beryllian. I need to see the dwarves’ designers in King Thranton's and King Bnar's Under Kingdom. The Outside Helpers gave them some hints the last time we were here.”

“I remember that now Richard. You were wise to tip them off. Hopefully when we visit them in a few moons, they will have made an attempt to build that detection device.”

“Do you think our detection spell will work, Renard?”

“I don't know, Lord Brannen. Until it is known, I would not know how to word the spell to make it appear in the mist to glow.”

“There is a device we made, that when the radiation is detected a 'clicking' noise is sounded out. It allows us to zero in on the source as the clicks increase in number, even though we can't see it. That's the idea I gave to the dwarves’ designers.”

“If that's the case Richard, a visual detection might obscure our view. It will appear as a glowing cloud.”

“But it's still useful for general scanning of objects and people.”

“That's true, Lord Hershson.”

“There is one other thing I remember about this. It might be true of any world. If the dangerous elements are found here on Twainor, then the Maker has provided the protection and cure as well. I'm sure there are plants here like there are on Earth that help neutralize the radiation. There are some metals that are good blockers of the radiation. There are also some elements that are useful as well to neutralize it.”

The men smile when they hear that.

“We have been able to find plants and foods that help neutralize this radiation in the body. There are some leaf teas that help the body as well. They help reduce the time to cure the body to one year. The body needs to be washed periodically with soap and water. Collect the water and dispose of it to be burned. The tub can't be used for anything else.”

“I like that, Richard. So we need to know our world more and more each day. So hopefully, by the time this new threat arrives we'll be better prepared.”

“For your forces, Sir Trenton, it might require a change in armor and padding to a different element combination that will provide better protection.”

“Yes, that will have to be figured out, Richard. Thank you.”

“Well, I think we talked enough. It is time for the noon repast. We'll need to check in with the Ladies to see how they are doing. Hopefully they are well enough to eat right now. The meeting is now ended.”

We all get up from our chairs. Amber and Cobalt fly off my satchel. I pick it up and put it on my shoulder. They fly around while we walk out of the King's Council Room. We walk down the hallways and the stairs to the main foyer area. We look out the windows. We see the ladies out there walking among the gardens taking in the beauty and aroma of the place.

We open the double doors. The knights on guard there see the doors open. They open the doors all the way to allow us out into the courtyard. We gather near the sundial waiting for a signal from one of the ladies.

Queen Shiranna and Trianna see us there. They walk toward us.

“How are they doing, my love?”

“Most are better than they were this morning. There are two left that still need help this afternoon. They are Lady Cheryl and Lady Twylis. I'm sorry, Lord Brannen and Lord Belthar.”

“That's okay. I know my wife is in good hands here. If they have to spend the night here that is okay as well.”

“Same here, Queen Shiranna. Lord Brannen and I understand it very much. They need a full recovery. Hopefully when the repairs are done to our fiefdoms, the repairs to their soul and spirit will be well it's on way.”

“Thank you, Lords. That is greatly appreciated.”

“Richard, I just want to thank you for your help as well with the Ladies.”

“How was I helpful with the Ladies?”

“Your flower book was very useful. I was able to translate it and copy it to our crystals. The Ladies greatly appreciated seeing there is beauty else where in the Maker's Creation.”

“You're welcome, Trianna and my Queen.” Amber and Cobalt then fly to my shoulders to sit and rest.

“Your ranger outfit, Richard, has a very pretty design. Who did that?”

“The fairies did Queen Shiranna. When I entered the forest to find Avel, the bushes slashed and tore the lower part of the pants.”

“They did a beautiful repair.”

“Yes they did, my Queen.”

“Are they well enough to have the noon repast with us?”

“They are my love. Not only were they spent emotionally, they had not eaten well either. I implored them to have the noon repast today to help build up their strength.”

“That's good.”

The Lords smile when they hear that.

“Can we walk up to them and hug them?”

“Yes you can, my Lords, Ambassadors and Governors. That will help reassure them that you still care for them.”

“Thank you, Queen Shiranna and Sorceress Trianna.”

The men walk into the gardens to find their wives. They walk in without saying a word. The women see them walk down the paths. They smile as their husband approach them. Once they are near each other. They hug each other tightly and kiss each other on the check or mouth to mouth.

Some cry together as the emotions are released. Some of the pairs look for a stone bench to sit down to drink in each other presence. They whisper to each other to assure the other is okay.

The ladies all agree they need to spend another night at the main castle to help the other two ladies who are having the most trouble. This is especially true when they sleep at night.

~~~000~~~

“Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?”

“I know I'm ready for you now. The other ladies will have to decide for themselves Hershson.”

“I'm thinking those two experienced the most because of the crashes and the fear attack that came later.”

“Yes, that's right, Hershson.”

~~~000~~~

“We'll see if we can get the repairs started as quickly as possible in our fiefdoms.”

“That will take time, Beryllian. But at least we know the repairs can be done.”

“I realize the emotional ones will take time. That includes our citizens in our fiefdoms. No one was spared from that mind onslaught.”

~~~000~~~

“Eralian . . . ” She looks at her husband with worried eyes.

“Hush . . . we'll talk more about it later today. We had a good talk this morning to help with the repairs. We know the outside repair is just a shell. The inside repairs will continue on.”

“Thank you.”

Lord Eralian and his wife hug each other tightly.

~~~000~~~

“Are you ready for the noon repast, my love?”

“I am Randson. I'm famished.” She smiles at him.

“Good, that's the spirit to have.”

They both get up from the bench.

~~~000~~~

The other pairs make their way to the sundial. They see King Tierion and Queen Shiranna arm in arm. They also see Renard and Trianna holding hands as well.

I smile when I see most of their smiling faces. Some of the Ladies look tired, but they make the effort to join together for the noon repast.

“Amber and Cobalt, can you sing a soothing song while we walk inside?”

They smile at the request from the Queen. “We can do that Queen Shiranna. That's a wonderful suggestion.”

Amber and Cobalt fly off my shoulder. They fly around us while singing a song. The song helped ease our minds and spirit greatly. The two Ladies with most trouble smile easily when they fly in front of them. You can see them have a lighter heart as each moment passes by.

The morning light brings a new day,
let our hearts be remade.
Be thankful that we are loved and not lost,
by the ones they love the most.

Sing to our souls and heal the spirit,
So that we may merit.
Let the Maker knit our souls in solace,
So we can continue to rejoice.

By the time we get to the double stone doors. Everyone is in a cheerful spirit as Amber and Cobalt end their song.

The knights open the double stone doors for us. Amber and Cobalt fly in with us as we walk inside. You can hear the ladies repeating the melody by humming it to keep it in their minds.