The Summer Vacation
Chapter 32
Written by rachel76m
Edited by Don Kaufman

We wake up in the morning when the morning light show sweeps across the landscape. The morning sunlight comes blazing into our room. I open my eyes and stretch my limbs in bed. I tilt my head and see Amber and Cobalt snuggled up to each other. I can hear them whispering to each other. I smile at the scene, it reminded me of the times when I saw mom and dad together in the bed like that.

“Okay, it’s time to wake up. We have the morning repast at the second mark. I think the King will have something for me to do today.”

“Okay, we’re getting up.” Cobalt throws off the little covers. Amber and Cobalt then take the pillows and cloths over to the top of the dresser.

I walk over to the dresser and pour some water into one of the cups there. I set the cup aside for them to clean up. “This is for you to freshen up, Cobalt and Amber.”

“Thank you, Richard.” Amber walks around behind the bowl and disrobes. She stays behind it. Cobalt then takes a small cloth and dip it in the water. Then Cobalt rubs it on the bar of soap. He gives it to Amber to use first. Once she gets done, she gets dressed. They switch positions and do the same thing.

I take off the night shirt and shorts and put them in the dresser drawer. I bring out the ranger outfit and lay them on the bed. I then pour some water into the basin. I proceed to wash myself down with the soap and water.

“I’ll need a proper bath either today or tomorrow.”

“Yes, Richard. I know we could to do it ourselves here, but you need a larger tub or do it in a small river.”

“That’s true.” I put my undershorts and put my handkerchief in place. Then I put on the shorts, socks and T-Shirt. I put the padding back on the breast and back plates like before. I put it on and latch it into place. I then put on the ranger outfit and the boots. I sling my satchel onto my shoulder. “Are you two ready?”

“We are, Richard.”

“I still have some dried fruit in the satchel from the battle on the star ship. We’ll need to eat that up soon. I still have the two small cups in there. One of them is from the room Sir Halgren and I were in the night before we were taken on board the star ship. The other one is mine.”

“That’s fine, Richard. I’m sure they replaced those cups by now. Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, Cobalt.”

Cobalt and Amber fly over to sit on my shoulders as I walk out of the room. The door glows green as soon as I walk out of the room. We acknowledge the knight on duty in the hallway.

“Good morning, Richard.”

“Good morning, Sir Knight.”

Amber and Cobalt hum a soothing melody into my ears as we make our way down the stairs to the main floor. We enter the main dining room and see most of the guests already there. I put my satchel on the table with the others there. Some of the larger satchels are on the floor near the table and against the wall.

“Good morning, Richard.”

“Good morning, my King.” I look at some of the Castle Lords, “Did everyone sleep well last night?”

“I know we did, Richard. It’ll be good to be back in our beds tonight.”

The door opens we see the rest of the Castle Lords and Ladies walking in to join us for the morning repast. We all take the same seats we had last night.

Renard gives the morning thanks as always. The servers come out and deliver our first plate. It has some cooked grains and slices of fruit on a bed of greens. It is spiced with one of the groupings I put together the last time I was here.

When we get done with that, the servers come back in to remove our plates. They come back out with the main dish. We see that it is grilled fish with vegetables, mushrooms and a light sauce on the side. We all enjoy the dish very much. The servers top off our mugs and cups with what we want.

After that the servers come back in to remove our plates. They come out with the fruit dish. We see the fruit is cut and arranged to look like a flower arrangement. On top of it, Beharn drizzled some honey and a spice on it. This time everyone gets the same thing. We again enjoy the meal immensely.

When we get done, Beharn and the kitchen staff comes out to receive our thanks. They get huge claps and roars of accolades from us.

“Thank you very much, friends. Take these memories of aromas and flavors to remember the time you are here. May we all we have good dreams as we sleep each night.”

We clap and cheer again. The kitchen staff bows again. Then they enter the kitchen. The servers remain to clean up and rearrange the dining room back to normal.

King Tierion stands up to speak. “Take care, my friends. See you all at our mid-summer festival. We’ll be touring our kingdom a day or two after the star ship leaves finally. So, make your plans accordingly. We look forward to hearing good news as we rebuild our kingdom.”

The women and children all hug each other. The men put their hands to each other shoulders as they smile at each other. Some of the women hug me as well.

“Thank you for being here, Richard.”

“You’re welcome, my lady.”

Everyone picks up their own satchel and gather their children together. They walk out of the dining room and exit the doors to the court yard. Everyone pairs up with their own wizard and sorceress for the trip back to their own fiefdoms. The rest of us in the courtyard start to wave our hands as the Mystic Order recite the transport spell. They wave back with their free hand. They smile widely as they disappear one group at a time in the blink of an eye.

“Richard, you need to see Sir Trenton. He is in the dining hall. There are still some knights who are still shaking from the fear attack.”

“I understand, my King. I will go there to help them out.”

“Thank you, Richard.”

“You’re welcome, my King.”

We bow our heads at the same time. I turn around to start walking to the dining halls on the back side of the castle. Cobalt and Amber are sitting on my shoulder and humming a merry tune as I walk back.

“We’ll probably have to do something similar to help them out Amber and Cobalt.”

“We understand, Richard. We’ll help them out and bring a smile to their faces.”

“Perhaps some of the knights have some talent in playing a musical instrument or two. That will help them when I’m not here.”

“Yes it will, Richard.”

We see most of the knights and dwarf warriors cleaning up the training fields. They are also dismantling the mock up star ship level as well. They are loading the good timber and wall partitions onto the carts. Then haul them away to a storage area in a cave under the mesa behind the castle. The rest of the broken pieces of wood are piled up in neat stacks near the training field. They will be used for bonfires and other uses by the knights and warriors in the training fields. There is a group of knights and warriors making repairs to the obstacle course and other stations that are permanent in the training fields.

I walk up to the doors and open one of them up and walk into the dining room. I see several hundred knights sitting at the benches. Sir Trenton and several wizards are sitting in chairs before them. They get quiet when Sir Trenton sees me come into the dining room. He stands up as I get near him.

“Thank you for coming, Richard.”

“You’re welcome, Sir Trenton. King Tierion told me you needed some help this morning.”

“Yes, these men are the last of the knights here that need some help. Please, have a seat with us.”

“Thank you, Sir Trenton. I will probably need a cup of water while we talk and for Amber and Cobalt as well.”

“That is no problem.”

A squire gets up and walks over to a table nearby and retrieves a cup and fills it with some cold water from a pitcher. He hands it to me. He walks into the kitchen to retrieve two smaller cups for Amber and Cobalt. He comes out with them, then he pours some water into each one. Amber and Cobalt fly over to it and sit down near it.

We begin to discuss the fear attack while I was on the star ship. The knights begin to understand how it started and how the fight ended. I explained Evrat’s part in turning the fear generator off. Once they hear that, we replay the fight scene that was recorded on the crystals. They can see the helmets really worked in muffling the fear attack. Most of them put their hands to their ears as they remember the pain. They wished they had had those helmets as well. We reminded them that they must stand firm and remember who they are.

“I remember you saying that, Richard. I forgot that when the fear attack came.”

“How can we sleep better? The pain still screams in my head.”

“Yesterday, I was meeting with your Castle Lords and King Tierion. We discussed it as well. The wives and the children were affected as well. Some of them were disturbed by it. I was asked how I dealt with it.”

“How did you deal with it, Richard?”

“First, I must recognize it that it does exist, but I don’t let it rule my thinking or my emotions. Second, I must find good memories and use those instead in my thinking.”

“I see, Richard.”

“The good memories can come in many forms. Listening or playing a song on a musical instrument. The song must be joyful and bring a smile to my face. Foods or meals are another good one.”

“Yes, I remember having those grilled meals, Chef Beharn made some very delicious meals.’

“I like that too, Richard. I liked those grilled fruit treats he made.”

They begin to smile as they remember the meals.

“Another good thing to do is read books or watch good recordings that have a good ending. There might be some conflict, but the story must lift your spirits up.”

They nod their heads up and down with a smile.

“Here is something you can try. Your Lords and Ladies have tried it. Close your eyes now.”

They close their eyes.

“Now remember the fear attack pain in your mind.”

Their faces change as they remember it.

“Now reach out with your hand to push a button or recite a mental spell to turn down the pain volume in your mind.”

They think real hard. Some reach out to push a button. Some recite a mental spell to turn down the volume. Slowly Sir Trenton and I see their faces change. They get a smile on their faces.

“Now open your eyes and tell us what happened?”

“Yes, Sir Trenton. It seems to work, sir. I no longer hear it.”

“Yes, it is no longer ringing in my ears.”

“Same here, sir.”

“That’s good, men.”

“The important thing to remember if it comes back, seek out a friend to talk about it. You are not alone. Your friends went through it too. Seek others who are stronger and was able to withstand it.”

“Yes, Richard. That is important. Amber and Cobalt can you sing us an uplifting song?”

“How about one of your victory songs?”

“Yes, that can work. Men, let’s sing The Day is Done.”

They all smile. “Yes sir!”

The day is a toil
The day will be won for all.
We fight to bring peace to our soil
We will win the day for our souls.

The day, the day is done!
The day is our victory!
The day, the day is done!
Let the day be our victory!

Amber and Cobalt fly around in front of their faces. They smile widely as they see them fly around. Some begin to chuckle a bit as they fly around and dance in front of them. They continue with the song and with the other two verses. After singing it three times they end the song by standing with a shout.

We all stand with them as they stand up and shout.

“That’s very good, men. How do you feel now?”

“We are much better, sir. Thank you, Richard, for the insight.”

“You’re welcome. Just remember who you are. Stand firm in your beliefs. Remember the good times. It is alright to mourn for the loss of loved one. That can’t be avoided. Remember the good times with them to keep their memory alive. I must do that all the time so I won’t forget my family.”

“That’s right, you lost your family before you came here.”

“That’s right, Sir Trenton. I must have hope that I will find a girlfriend so that we can share our lives together. It is not good to be alone.”

“That is right again, Richard.”

The men all gather around to hug each other or put a hand to our shoulders. We all have smile on our faces.

The rest of the day proved to be typical around here. The next day all of the wreckage from the air fighters has been collected from the forests, the towns and underwater. The pieces and left over fuel are returned to the star ship by the wizards.

The star ship leaves our orbit to do the survey of Twainor’s star system. We continue with the repairs to the buildings and getting life back to normal. After two days from their leaving, the star ship returns. As promised, they delivered the Nefelim star ship to an island. All of the land and sea dragons gather around the island. The rest of us are looking at it from our contact crystals.

“I remember that star ship now, Richard. There were many that flew in the skies above Earth. Some of the people thought they came from the Maker to help us.”

“But they soon learned it was an invasion, Avel.”

“Yes, Richard.”

When Eingana sees it, she remembers the Nefelim star ship very well. “Yes! That is what came to the skies above Earth. I remember them clearly. They brought great destruction to Earth. Dragons, destroy that Nefelim star ship!”

“Yes, mother Eingana!”

Then all of the dragons take aim at the star ship. They blast flames, lightning, and water streams at the star ship. The star ship explodes before them. Despite the fuel removed from the star ship, the fumes still remained in the tanks. They roar with anger as they destroy it.

After a half-mark, the star ship is now a pile of smoldering rubble of metal plating and frame work. They calm down on their own when they see the results. Then they fly back to their own kingdoms and disappear underwater. The star ship uses the tractor beam to lift the ruined Nefelim star ship into the air and into space. They hurl the wreckage towards the sun where it finally disintegrates and melts into the molten surface of the sun.

We look at our crystals one more time as they broadcast the news of their survey. Captain Dar-re speaks to us.

“People of Twainor, I wish to give you good news about your star system. You have all of the basic elements in your star system. There are two sub-worlds that have their own life. Each one is unique to itself. There is one near the multi-colored striped world. The other one is near the blue colored world.”

“On Twainor itself you have all 92 basic elements as well. Use them wisely as you discover your world around you. Your Evenshard stone and the Ethereal Space ore are unique to your world from among the star systems we studied along the way. We thank you very much for delivering us from the control of the Nefelim. For this we count you to be a friend among us. We look forward as we contact the rest of the worlds in your Local Group. We will look out for each other as time goes on.”

“Peace unto you, Captain Dar-re and to your crew.”

“Unto you peace, King Dryden and Twainor. Peace unto you, Outside Helpers and to you, Richard especially.”

“You’re welcome, Captain Dar-re. Hopefully Earth will be counted soon among the members of the Local Group.”

“We hope so too, Richard. We thank the Master, the Creator, the Maker of the Universe in providing you to help us achieve our dreams. You will be remembered in our stories forever.”

“That’s fine Captain Dar-re. Just as long as it is the truth. Then it won’t become mythical.”

Everyone laughs when they hear that comment.

“We will, Richard. We will refer to you as the Omega Unicorn until the time is right to reveal who you are and where you come from.”

“Thank you for your concern, Captain Dar-re.”

“Farewell, Twainor, until we need each other for help.”

“Farewell, Captain Dar-re.” Everyone shouts at once.

The images disappear above our crystals. We all go about our duties today. The finishing touches for the tour of Thryson Kingdom continues through the day and tomorrow. The word is sent out of the schedule to each of the fiefdoms. We plan to stay two nights in each fiefdom. We have the horses outfitted with saddlebags to carry some equipment.

There will be two carriages brought along with us for the royalty to be comfortable. We are bringing along two pages and two ladies in waiting to assist the royalty. Duke Traylor and his family are joining us along with Prince Teliesen, son of King Tierion.

There are three carts filled with tents and other equipment we’ll need for our knights to stay in. On the fourth cart, Chef Beharn makes sure the portable kitchen is stowed away carefully and secured. He makes sure the dry goods are well protected from the wind and rain. We learned storm clouds are brewing and a front is coming from the West. It will arrive the day after we leave the first fiefdom. He also brings at least four boxes of frozen produce, fish and bird along just in case. He will get the rest of the meats and produce from the local markets or fresh fish from a stream or river nearby.

We’ll be bringing two Healers with us. The Mystic Order will have four wizards and four sorceresses to help us to do the transportation through the Ethereal Space. They have their own cart filled with various herbs and healing ointments. Plus some medical equipment if someone gets injured along the way. The items are secured and covered to keep the rain and wind out. They can set up two beds on the cart if needed. They can also set up an awning to keep the sun off of them.

All of the carts and carriages will be horse drawn. There is no need to bring the tranelles this time. This tour is designed for a light touring schedule.

The horses in the stables sense the excitement building, especially Swiftwind who gets a chance to see all of the fiefdoms for the first time. He gets some training from the horse trainers on how to act in a parade line with the other horses.

The dwarf ambassadors get themselves ready as well. They will be bringing the ideas we put together from the Under Kingdoms. They will do a presentation for the Castle Lords and their leaders. Also most of the healers, village and town leaders, will be present as well to hear the news and the improvements that will be happening in the days and years to come.

Drenan and Praxor are also getting ready with their presentations as well. They will get together with the various officials to make sure their needs are being met along with the repairs to the storefronts of buildings and goods being transferred from the caches scattered throughout the kingdom.

I even found the time to take a bath in the military dorm building as before. Amber and Cobalt also take advantage to get clean as well with the help from the pages assisting us. They set up a small curtain around a table for their own privacy. They put out two small bowls filled with water. They put some hand cloths and some small pieces of soap nearby for their use.

The fifty knights and ten warriors coming along with us make sure their armor is shining brightly like the sun. I do the same thing with the pages help. This time I won’t be wearing the ranger outfit outside the armor. It is time to look good for a parade and inspection by King Tierion, the Commanders and the Castle Lords. There also five squires as well to assist the knights and dwarf warriors. The Lieutenant Commanders are staying behind overseeing the security of Thryson Castle and the rest of the activities there.

Rosella was able to make two different kinds of corsets for me to wear before we left. I wear the lightest one underneath to start getting used to it. They were able to make it easy so that I can pull it tight and tie it off by myself. Rosella also made two additional outfits. One is for the evening repast, the other one is for everyday use. Thomas agrees to be our tailor for the trip. He brings along a box that contains everything he needs to mend our clothes. He can always go to the nearest town to purchase additional items if he runs out of them.

Rosella also put a box together of threads and leftover pieces of cloth. Amber and Cobalt oversee it to make sure it is a good selection of colors and patterns suitable for outdoor wear and being in the forest. Rosella also gave them the opportunity to make their own clothes for the days ahead. The tailors marveled as they see them make the clothes with their hands. Rosella also gives them two small pillows and a small square piece of embroidered cloth to use as a covering to sleep under. Once done, they put them in small wooden boxes so that I can carry them in my satchel. Rosella also gives me two spools of thread to replace the ones that were used on the star ship.

I also put in the satchel another bag of nuts and small fruits that won’t be messy for Amber and Cobalt to eat along the way. By this time I finished the dried food I received before the battle on the star ship. I refill my food bag and water skin as well. The second satchel I carry contains my clothes and second corset. Rosella also made sure the satchels I have are rain proof so the water won’t soak the items inside them. In one of the saddlebags on Swiftwind contains a waterproof blanket for him to stay dry and warm. The other blanket for him is a spare. There are two brushes in the saddlebag for his mane and coat as well. In the other saddlebag is my own raincoat in case we need it. It also has some tools to pitch a tent or do repairs to some leather work on the saddle with extra straps. My bedroll is attached behind the saddle.

Once everything that we need is accounted for. We sleep in our own beds one more night. We wake up in the morning to get dressed and have the morning repast. It is served by the Assistant Chef. Even Chef Beharn eats with us this morning. Once done, we put our satchels on our shoulders and walk out to the courtyard.

We see the knights, warriors and the Mystic Order making sure everything is in order. I find out it will take at least three trips by the Mystic Order to deliver us to our first destination. It is on a road that leads to Lord Granthnel’s Castle. We’ll be on the road for two marks until we arrive at the Castle. We’ll pass through several villages until we arrive there. The town that is near the Castle is on the North side of it.

The Mystic Order put their hands on the carriages and recite the transport spell. They disappear in a flash of light. As soon as they get there, they come back and take some of the knights and the carts. This continues until everyone is there, including the horses. Swiftwind looks to the horses to know what it is like.

What’s it like to fly in the air friends?

It’s a flying experience, Swiftwind. You’ll see everything below you.

Don’t worry about it. Try to remain calm and you’ll get there safely.

Okay, thank you, my friends.

I hear their conversation. I walk up to Swiftwind and hold onto him as I connect to a wizard with Sir Halgren and his horse along with three other knights and their horses. Wizard Gryphon recites the transport spell. We disappear in a flash of light.

You can open your eyes now, Swiftwind. Look around you carefully.

Okay Richard. Swiftwind opens his eyes. This is incredible. I feel like one of those horses in those mythical stories I heard here. The horse who had wings.

Yes Swiftwind. The horse’s name that I know from Earth, his name is called Pegasus.

We have a different name for him. His name is Cloud Dancer.”

Soon we approach the road and see the others there waiting for us. We appear in a flash of light. All of the horses calm down knowing they are on solid ground.

This continues until everyone is here. We get arranged in a long column. The carriages and carts are single file. The horses are arranged in double file. One half of the knights and dwarf warriors are in the front, the other half are in the rear behind the storage carts. Sir Halgren and I are in front of the carriages along with the dwarf ambassadors, Drenan and Praxor, Duke Traylor and King Tierion and Sir Leland. Sir Valmar and Sir Trenton have the lead in front of the line. The ladies and their group are in the carriages. The two princes realize they will get their chance to ride on the horses after the first visit at Lord Granthnel’s Castle.

We begin our ride towards the castle. As we get nearer the first village some centaurs and fairies join us in the procession. When we get near the village we see people cheering us as we walk by them. We wave our hands at them while they wave back.

“Thank you for coming, Richard!”

“We thank the Maker for our Outside Helpers!”

As we leave the village, some of the villagers follow us at the end of the procession line on their own horses and horse drawn carts. Some apparently decided to make a day of it.

This repeats in the next village. More and more people join us along the way. We cross a wooden bridge over a stream before we arrive at the Castle. As we get near it, we see more people there cheering us on.

When we arrive at the gates of the Castle, we some to a stop. Then the royal carriages roll forward to be in front of the gates. We see Castle Lord Granthnel and his wife standing there. There are number of local dignitaries waiting there as well. Everyone gets quiet now. King Tierion and Duke Traylor dismounts from their horses. They walk to the carriages and open the doors to them. They extend their hands as the Queen and the Duchess exit the carriages. They walk arm in arm to the Castle Lord. They all bow their heads to each other with smiles.

“Welcome, King Tierion, Queen Shiranna, Duke Traylor and Duchess Clarienelle. Please come, you are welcome in our fiefdom.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Granthnel. Let our time here be a time of glad tidings and good will these next two nights.”

“Please come into my castle grounds. Your knights, dwarf warriors and the rest of your retinue can set up tents near our training fields.”

“Thank you,Lord Granthnel. We’ll have meetings with your local leaders today and tomorrow and discuss what we can do to help your fiefdom.”

“That is most appreciated King Tierion. Please come in and make yourself comfortable.”

Then everyone erupts into cheers and accolades.

Sir Trenton and Sir Valmar then leads the group into the Castle courtyard. He then turns right at their stables, down a worn path that leads to their training grounds. I follow along with them. When I get near the Royalty, King Tierion gets my attention.

“Richard, as soon as you and Sir Halgren have quartered your horses, please come here.”

We respond together, “Yes my King.”

We continue to follow the parade line to the training fields. When we get out there, we see simple shelters put up for the horses.

“It looks like Lord Granthnel was thoughtful for the extra horses here, Swiftwind.”

Yes Richard. It will be nice to have a roof above me while I sleep.

We hear the other horses whinny and shake their heads up and down as well.

We follow the lead group in front of us. One by one our horses are quartered under the shelters. We see a feed trough there as well for them. It is already filled with sweet grain. We also see some hard roots and fruits lined up on a shelf ready to be eaten.

This is great Richard, we are treated with great kindness here.

Yes you are, Swiftwind.

Sir Halgren and I undo the belts on the saddles. We remove the saddles and set them on a railing on the side in each of the stalls. We then remove the bridal and reins as well. Soon, the horses feel the freedom again.

“Now just relax now and enjoy the day, Swiftwind, with your friends here. Sir Halgren and I are joining the royalty.”

Swiftwind and the other horses nod their heads up and down and give a quick snort.

Sir Trenton, the Commanders, Master Chef Beharn and the Mystic Order quickly agree together on the layout of the tents. In the middle are the kitchen tents and the healers tents and carts. Soon the other tents are brought out and set up on both sides of them. Everyone lends a hand to help set up the tents. I also see cots are brought out and unfolded. That is nice. They will be off the ground if it should rain.

Sir Halgren and I walk back to the courtyard to see the royalty there still talking to each other. Amber and Cobalt fly around us as we walk back. When we stop in front of them. They turn to us. We give a quick nod of our heads up and down. Amber and Cobalt then sit on my shoulders.

“We have a room here for you and Sir Halgren to share in the castle.”

“Thank you, Lord Granthnel. That is appreciated. What is first on the list of things to do, my King?”

“Once everyone has settled in their rooms, we will have our first meeting at the First Mark after the noon repast. It will be in the main hall where Lord Granthnel has his seat. He has his own dining room, but it can hold only fifty people at the most. So, it will be just royalty, the commanders, the ambassadors, Praxor, Drenan, their wives and you there Richard and Sir Halgren. Tomorrow’s evening repast will be held in the main hall.”

“I see, my King, that makes sense. Don’t forget Amber and Cobalt are with me.”

Lord Granthnel smiles, “We won’t forget them. They are invited as well.”

Amber and Cobalt thank him at the same time, “Thank you, Lord Granthnel.”

We get escorted to the castle by several knights. The castle is four stories high. My room with Sir Halgren is on the third floor where most of the extra rooms are located. We enter the room and see two separate beds in the room. We put our satchels on the bed we want. I take out Amber and Cobalt’s two boxes and set them on the dresser I will be using. I put my clothes into the drawers and place them neatly there. We see there are extra cushions and two chairs in the room. There is a small room adjoining the main room for waste disposal. The room is similarly decorated like I have seen in the other castles where I have stayed at.

I leave with my primary satchel on my shoulder. Amber and Cobalt then sit on my shoulders as Sir Halgren and I leave the room. We see the door glow green when we close it and fade away.

We walk down the hallways and stairs to the main hall. We get directed by several people which direction is the dining room. We find it on the far side of the main hall.

We enter the dining room and see everyone there. We take our seats where we wish to sit. The royalty and the Castle Lord and Lady are sitting together at a long table.

The local wizard gives the thanks to the Maker. The food that is served is typical that I have eaten before. However, there are some new vegetables and fruits that I see on the plates. It is all very delicious. I am told tomorrow night’s meal will be grilled and seasoned with the spices that I gave to Chef Beharn.

Once we get done with the meal, we exit the dining room and enter the main hall. We see the chairs and tables have been rearranged to accommodate the seating for about two hundred people. Up on the dais is the seating for the royalty. On either side of the Castle Lord’s chair are the seats for King Tierion and Duke Traylor and their wives. This meeting will last two marks for the first session. After this time is spent, they will walk down the streets in the local town and survey the damage done by the wild herds as they stampeded through the area.

There are representatives from each of the villages and towns in the fiefdom. We hear their stories and the damage done to each one. Some had no wild herds stampeding through their community, but still their own flocks and herds bolted in fear and tore down the fences. The centaurs and the fairies helped where they could, this included the people who came back from the mountains. Some communities fared better than others. The air fighters were quickly destroyed once their shields were turned off by me. They all gave me a good round of applause in helping them defeat the true enemy, the Nefelim.

Duke Traylor, Drenan and Praxor took notes to know which community needed the most help in rebuilding. The dwarf ambassadors gave their presentation on some of the improvements that will come their way. The ones who had no wild herds stampeding, didn’t want the stone walls around their village or town. But they agreed to the other ideas proposed of creating safe buildings in case of severe storms when they happen. They also agree to send their healers and mystic order members to the castle here to get updated on the latest information in taking care of the people better.

Once the meeting is over with, we left the castle and walk down the streets to see the damage and rebuilding going on. A lot of the storefronts still need repairs. They see inside the stores where they broke through and caused damage there as well. The store owners appreciated us coming out to see them. They expressed their thoughts and dismay that some items are broken beyond repair in using the reassemble spell. These are the wood carved fixtures found in most homes such as tables, chairs, shelves, boxes, etc.

We found one of the air fighter crash sites. We see a group of trees smashed into pieces. We told them, it is important to trim back the trees that are still rooted firmly and put a seal on the trimmed branch. This will help protect the tree from a potential blight entering into it and cause problems for the other trees. The tree will sprout new branches in time. The trees where they are totally up- rooted need to be cut up and used where they wished. I did explain to them, that forests do take care of themselves when left alone naturally.

It took two marks to see what is needed to be done. The leaders of the villages and towns who came here will take the information we give and take it back to help their own communities. Once that was done, we walked back to the castle to have our evening repast. When I walk into the courtyard, I’m greeted by a centaur and the stable master for Lord Granthnel’s stable.

“Richard, can you please come into the stable here. Therson, the centaur and I have been trying our best to calm down the horses.”

“Yes stable master, I’ll be glad to talk to the horses.” Sir Halgren, Amber and Cobalt follow me and enter the stable.

“Thank you, Richard.”

I walk up to the first horse. I see he gets wide eyed when he looks at me.

Hello, my name is Richard.

Hello, Richard. I heard you are the Omega Unicorn. My name is Slash-Quick.

Hello Slash-Quick. Yes, I am the Omega Unicorn, that is just a title to me right now. I’m sensing the stable here is still tense from the fear attack.

We are, Richard.

Are you tense when your riders or help come here try to calm you down?

We try to calm down, but we sense their own fears. Some of them haven’t calmed down either. It adds to our own.

I understand now Slash-Quick. Excuse me while I speak with Lord Granthnel and the Stable Master. Try to stay calm. Tell that to the other horses here to be calm as possible. I put my hand to the side of his face. He whinnies and nods his head up and down. I turn around and look Sir Halgren and the others.

“I know what is going on here now. When you come to help calm them down, they are sensing your own fears that you haven’t calmed down from the fear attack. You must get your own fears conquered before you approach them again. Your fears are adding to their own.”

“Oh my, so that what is going on. We need to get together and get ourselves in order and calmed down. Can you help me for the night with my stable hands, Richard? Then we’ll get hold of the knights tomorrow.”

“That is no problem Stable Master.”

“Thank you.” The Stable Master turns to one of his stable hands nearby. “Go and get the others who are doing the night shift quickly, Brandt.”

“Yes, Stable Master.” Brandt turns around walks up into the small office that is in the stable. He gets several crystals from there and sets them on the table. He contacts all of the stable help, he tells them what is going on. They agree to get there quickly as possible.

About a quarter-mark later all twenty of the stable hands are together. It is a mixed group of men, women, boys and girls who help out in the stable. We gather together just outside the stable. Lord Granthnel and the others are seeing what is happening. They smile that something is being done positively for their horses.

I go through the same ideas that we have done ourselves already. They agree to the ideas being heard. They close their eyes and imagine they are turning down the fear volume in their minds. They breathe slowly as they open their eyes. They are smiling widely now.

“It worked, Richard. I don’t hear the horses screams in my head from that night.”

“I do too. It is great the ringing is gone from my head.”

“We’ll need to remember this. Thank you, Richard.”

“You’re welcome. If you feel a relapse is coming, just try to remember the ideas we gave you. You are not alone in this, seek out friends who are stronger. But you need to get yourselves calmed down before you are near the horses again.”

“Yes, I think we can go in there now.”

“Do it slowly as you approach each one and speak softly to them. You can touch the side of their heads or necks to reassure them all is okay.”

“Okay, Richard.”

The stable help all walk in carefully and quietly. They approach each one carefully. They speak soothing words to them and touch the side of their heads or necks. Soon the horses have calmed down. They leave the stable, Therson and I walk in to talk to the horses get their thoughts on the experience.

It helped, Richard. Thank you very much.

You’re welcome, Slash-Quick.

Be sure to tell our riders the same thing, Richard.

I will, Slash-Quick. Take it easy now and enjoy the day everyone. Have a good night’s sleep everyone.

Then all of the horses nod their heads up and down and whinny. Therson and I walk back out to the others outside the stable.

“We need to get the knights and other riders in your fiefdom together, Lord Granthnel. Some could still be nervous from the fear attack.”

“If they are, they are not admitting to it. The horses are picking up their denials as they try to ignore it.”

“If this keeps up sir. There will come a night while they sleep, the nightmares will come back in full force in their minds. Then they will be on edge very much during the day.”

“Yes, we must replay the fight you had with them, Richard. When they hear that sound again it should reveal who is still shaking in fear. We’ll do this tomorrow morning while we have our meetings.”

“Then I will be there with your Castle Commanders to solve this problem.”

“Thank you, Richard. We’ll set it for the third mark in the morning on our training fields near their barracks and dining hall. Our morning repast will be at the second mark.”

“I’ll be ready, Lord Granthnel.”

We leave the stable and go our ways. I follow Lord Granthnel and the others into the Castle. I see several bowls of water near the walls. I see some them washing their hands before eating. I do the same thing to get my hands clean. We have a different meal this time for the evening repast. Once we get done with that we walk out to the courtyard. Some one hands me a toryli to play. I see about two hundred people in the courtyard. This includes, the knights from our group and the Castle Lord’s knights and dwarf warriors. Including some of the centaurs and fairies in the area as well. I guess my reputation is preceding me now. That’s okay, Maker. I like to play the toryli or the guitar.

Then we hear one of the fairies yell out, “It’s coming!”

I immediately play one of my songs that I have done before. Everyone starts to dance and hum along to the tune I created on the toryli. The fairies all dance around in the air. They sing joyfully along with the song. Then the colorful lights is in the courtyard. They see me, Amber and Cobalt have a golden glow around us. They pause to look at me.

“Please keep dancing, it is because I’m the Omega Unicorn now.”

The people continue to dance in the courtyard. We hear the horses neighing and whinny along with the song as well. Even some of the insects gather in the air above us and circle around. They have little streams of light behind them. We see everyone has a smile on their faces.

When the colorful streams of light leave the courtyard, we look westward quickly to the mountains because they are closer for some of us now. The mountain range soon glows like a crown then it disappears. We look up in the night sky and see the stars, the Twin Moons and the nebulae shining brightly in the heavens. We all clap and cheer when see the grand splendor of the heavens shining before us.

I put the toryli on the bench before I get hugged by many people and hands to the shoulder. They thank me very much for being here. Amber and Cobalt quickly fly to me and sit on my shoulders after the last one leaves.

As we break apart and go to our places to sleep. I see their Castle Commander approaching me. We nod our heads together quickly.

“I hear from Lord Granthnel that you encountered a situation with the horses, Richard. My name is Sir Brandson.”

“I did, Sir Brandson. I just had a session with the stable help first in getting their fears calmed down. The horses are sensing this fear from them and your knights. It is adding to their own fears. Right now, the horses will sleep well tonight. We need to get your men together after the morning repast and do the same thing. I think some of your knights are in denial and say they are okay.”

“But they are not if the horses can sense them.”

“That’s right Sir Brandson. Plus, there could come a morning or night some will wake up with a cold sweat on their faces if the nightmares come back in force.”

“I agree, Richard. We need to get this taken care of quickly. I’ll have the recording of your fight with the Nefelim ready.”

“I’ll have Amber and Cobalt with me as well. They will help bring a smile to their faces. We’ll go over the same ideas to help them out and regain their confidence.”

“Thank you, Richard. See you tomorrow morning after the repast.”

“You’re welcome, Sir Brandson.”

We nod our heads again. He turns around and walks back to his own quarters and informs his staff what will happen tomorrow morning.

I walk back to the castle and up the stairs to my room. I see Sir Halgren there getting ready for bed.

“We have a meeting with the Castle knights here after the morning repast. I think some are in denial here about the fear attack. The horses are sensing their tension and fear. It is adding to their own.”

“Hmm... that is a problem, Richard. We’ll be there to help them out.”

“At least you were able to help the stable hands get themselves understood. The horses will sleep well tonight.

I begin to get undressed as well and change into my other pair of shorts and shirt to sleep in. Amber and Cobalt open their boxes and get ready for bed also. They will be sleeping on a pillow placed on one of the chairs.

After we all settle into our beds and under the covers, Sir Halgren turns off the crystal lights in the room. We all have a good night of sleep. Our dreams are nice and peaceful.