The Gem Lords

Answers - Part 3

     There was a small crowd waiting on the platform as they banked in for a landing.

     Seeing them there, a cluster of tiny specks in the middle of the immense open space, brought home to Thomas just how huge the palace really was. The petals that cupped the landing field hid the rest of the city from view so there was no visual way of telling they weren't on the ground, but there was something in the air, something cold and sharp, that suggested immense altitude, and indeed they were as high as the peaks of some mountains. There should be snow and ice up here, Thomas thought as the steeds flapped their wings to stall themselves and lower themselves the last few feet. Tak must have spun some magic to take the edge off the chill.

     The steeds settled gently to the ground and the three riders dismounted, Thomas and Lirenna staring around in astonishment. The demi shae awed that such a wonder could exist, and her husband basking in the memories that filled his head. Memories of occasions when Tak had come and gone from this place, to visit the other Gem Lords or explore the outer reaches of his Realm. He knew that as soon as they'd passed within the palace the steeds would fly off to their stables in the tower's lower bulge, entering through the great oval openings that ringed its upper half where they would be looked after by a staff of grooms and servants.

     There were hundreds of steeds down there, almost all of them kept in Eversleep. Only being woken up when they were needed. Such large numbers of steeds were maintained for those rare occasions when the Gem Lords went to war. Not against other Gem Lords, that was inconceivable, but against those inhabitants of their own Realms who'd done something to arouse their anger. A Gem Lord might take a liking to a particular community, for instance, and take up arms to defend them against other communities who threatened them. Being almost gods, they could, of course, simply blast them out of existence with a few well chosen spells, but where was the fun in that? When the centuries dragged past without end, you had to take your entertainment where you could find it, and their enemies might be spared, might even become their new favourites, if they put up a particularly spirited defence.

     Their reception committee walked forward, and Thomas recognised Jasper and Garnet, grinning at him like idiots. The others were people he'd never seen before, but Tak's memories filled in their names.

     "Topaz," he said to a man dressed in blue. "You're Topaz, aren't you?"

     "Welcome to Dono," said Topaz, smiling as he held out a hand.

     Thomas took it and introduced him to his wife.

     "We've been waiting for this moment for centuries," the gem rak added. "This is a great moment for us."

     "Indeed," agreed the dark skinned woman standing beside him, and Thomas was astonished to see that she was actually trembling with emotion. "You are our salvation, Thomas Gown, or so we hope."

     "You must be Lady Jet," said Thomas as he took her hand. "A full Gem Lord with her companion. Coal?" The dark skinned man standing behind her inclined his head, acknowledging his identity. "It's an honour to be greeted by such important, powerful people. And would you be Jade?"

     The green eyed woman hanging a small distance back came forward to take her place beside the others. "Welcome back to Dono," she said, taking his hand. "We were beginning to fear that this day would never come."

     "Thank you," said Thomas, "but I'm not coming back here. I've never been here before. I've come here for the first time."

     "Yes, of course," the green eyed woman agreed, a look of alarm on her face as she glanced at Lord Ruby, as if fearing she'd made a stupid mistake.