Chapter 10
Jillian lay on the floor reading for hours. She learned about how Gantailzia was created and about all the famous battles and people in its history. There had been many queens like Lorraliell and many kings too. Jillian read about Lorraliell’s parents and about Horrilen, Lorraliell’s faithful friend. She read about the battle that the real Rix had died in. It all sounded very exciting to Jillian. She wished that she could have been there fighting alongside the Gantailzian. Gantailzia had seen many battles and wars against its enemies since it came into being but there had not been any in many years.
Jillian had just finished the chapter on Gantailzian dances and music when she turned to the next chapter, “Gantailzian Folk Lore and Prophecies”. The title intrigued Jillian and she started reading it right away. The first few stories were all magic tales about fairies and goblins but when Jillian turned the page she saw the most interesting thing she had seen yet. The next story was called “The Starlight Goddess’ Prophecy”. There was a picture below the title of a beautiful, transparent woman who looked like she was made of nothing but sparkling dust and a rainbow mist. Jillian looked at the beautiful picture. It looked just like the woman who had appeared to her right there in that very cave.
“She must be the starlight goddess”, Jillian thought to herself.
Jillian turned the page to the beginning of the story and began to read out loud to herself.
“It is said that the starlight goddess was in being when Gantailzia was created”, Jillian read. “The goddess is not known to many mortals but she communicates with us through the tales, legends, and prophecies that were left for us. This particular prophecy is both much dreaded and long awaited. In a time of great hardship and sorrow in Gantailzia under an evil being a girl, Jillian will enter our world from another and bring back the light to our kingdom. Jillian will rid us of the evil and return what is lost to us. She will see what others have missed and uncover our dark secrets. She will save us all”.
Jillian looked at the book in awe. It couldn’t really be talking about her, could it? Jillian turned the page. Jillian fell on the floor in confusion. On the next page there was picture of a large bejeweled key. It was just like the one that had been in her dreams so many times. Jillian’s head was spinning. Everything that she knew and had ever seen was racing about her mind like a tornado. Everything was a blur and she couldn’t keep her thoughts straight. That key had appeared in her dreams before she even knew that Gantailzia existed. She could tell that there was something she was missing. Jillian jumped up and read the caption under the key. It read “the key of Gantailzia. This key will help Jillian bring us out of our sorrow and bring back the light”.
Jillian knew what she would have to do. The people of Gantailzia were waiting for her help. They had been waiting for hundreds of years. She had to get into the palace again but she didn’t know where she was or how to get back. Jillian looked around for a way out but there was no door anywhere. Then she noticed the wand that was sitting on the table.
“The starlight goddess told me to use this”, she thought. “It could help me get out of here”.
Jillian looked at all of the other items that lay on the table. The old wooden box was still sitting there.
“I wonder what could be in that box”, Jillian asked herself? “She did tell me to open it”.
Jillian reached out her arm slowly and carefully lifted the lid of the box. It was a little hard to open but Jillian managed and she cautiously peered inside. Jillian pulled off the lid all the way in amazement. Lying at the bottom of the box was the key, the bejeweled key from her dream and the book. Jillian took the key out of the box slowly and examined it. It was beautiful. Jillian had never seen anything so lovely.
“This is the key to saving Gantailzia and bringing queen Lorraliell back”, Jillian thought.
Jillian stood silently for a moment and looked at the key. Suddenly there was a gust of warm air. Jillian went blind for a moment and she could only feel the rush of a million colors whizzing by her. She could not see the colors but she could feel they were there and she could see music in the silence. Jillian could not describe the feeling. It was like she was completely weightless and not completely there. Her consciousness was dead but her mind still spun out of control. Suddenly the rush stopped and Jillian could see again. Everything around her was cloudy and white but in seconds it had turned to a deep purple and lightning zinged through the air, if there even was air. Jillian felt as if it was just her mind that was alive and her body was nothing more than a place to sit. Slowly a familiar face emerged from the dark clouds. It was Loukraiza but Jillian could feel that she too was not really there. It was all in her own mind. Loukraiza walked forward. Jillian could feel the witch’s emotions raging and her own had begun to bubble. Jillian knew that she had to stay strong. Loukraiza lifted one arm and hurled a gust of flaming light and Jillian. Jillian ducked and the attack missed her. Loukraiza hurled another flaming ball and the fight was on. Jillian surprised herself by creating her own ball of light and throwing it at Loukraiza. The witch did not duck fast enough and she was hit but she was not hurt. She stood up and threw yet another flaming ball at Jillian. This time Jillian was hit but she was not hurt either. Back and forth they went hitting and missing each other but neither one was ever hurt. Jillian became frustrated and made an even bigger ball of light that knocked Loukraiza back against the clouds. When Loukraiza stood up again the clouds where she had fallen separated to reveal a large key hole. Jillian stopped for a moment. Her mind was spinning. The key, where was the key? Loukraiza hurled another flaming ball at Jillian and she ducked just in time. Jillian ran back into the clouds where Loukraiza could not see her.
“I have to get to that key hole with the key”, thought Jillian. “Where is it”?
Jillian fumbled in her pockets franticly but could not find the key. Loukraiza had begun to hurl fireballs everywhere in order to find Jillian. Jillian made a ball of light and came out from behind the clouds.
“What the matter Jillian”, asked Loukraiza? “Are you looking for something”?
Loukraiza pulled the key from her pocket and held it out so Jillian could see it. Jillian dove on Loukraiza and threw her ball of light. Loukraiza fell back but was unharmed. Jillian couldn’t understand it. Why weren’t their fireballs hurting each other? Jillian puzzled for a moment and then realized something.
“This is my mind”, said Jillian. “Loukraiza isn’t really here. I’m just fighting with myself. I can have the key if I want. It is mine”.
Jillian walked towards Loukraiza slowly. Loukraiza threw fireball after fireball at Jillian but her body just deflected them. Jillian kept walking forward, her hand outstretched. She walked right up to Loukraiza and took the key from her hand. Loukraiza went into a fit of fury and began hurling flaming balls in every direction. Jillian tried to get to the key hole but the fireballs kept knocking her out of the way. Jillian ducked to the ground and pulled herself across the ground. Eventually she reached the key hole and she reached up and placed the key in the hole. As a last try Loukraiza threw a fire ball at the key hole but it was too late. Jillian had already turned the key. Loukraiza and all of the dark clouds vanished and everything was completely white again. This time however Jillian was not alone. Across the way Arabesque sat comfortably on a cloud.
“Arabesque”, cried Jillian, “I was so worried. Are you all right”?
“I’m fine”, Arabesque answered calmly. “How are you Jillian”?
“I’m all right”, answered Jillian. “I have been in a cave for hours, but where have you been”?
“Jillian you know that I am not really here”, said Arabesque.
“I do”, asked Jillian?
“Yes Jillian”, said Ara, “I am just in your mind”.
“Oh, I see”, said Jillian, “but why are you in my mind”?
“You want to know the secret”, answered Ara.
“The secret”, asked Jillian, “you mean the secret of Lorraliell”?
“Yes Jillian”, answered Ara, “you are looking for the secret”.
“Yes of course I am”, said Jillian. “Everyone is. Everyone wants to know what happened to the queen. She disappeared without a trace and there is no evidence that she is alive or dead”.
“True”, said Arabesque, “it is intriguing, but what are looking in this place for”?
“What place”, asked Jillian? “I don’t even know where I am”.
“You are in the cave Jillian”, answered Ara. “You have not left it”.
“Oh, I see”, said Jillian, “I am just in my own mind”.
“Yes, you are Jillian”, said Ara, “but what are you looking for”?
“Looking for”, asked Jillian? “I don’t know”.
“You are looking for the secret”, answered Ara.
“Yes”, said Jillian, “but didn’t we just go over this”?
“What are you looking for Jillian”, asked Ara again? “What are you looking for to help you find the secret”?
“Oh I don’t know”, said Jillian, “a paper, a hidden door, a sign. I am looking for something to tell me that this is not a waste of time because the queen is indeed alive”.
“Hidden doors and magic signs are in fairy tales”, said Arabesque. “This is not a fairy tale Jillian. You will not find anything like that here”.
“Then what am I supposed do”, yelled Jillian. “I don’t know what to look for but you all still expect me to be your hero. I don’t know what to do”!
“Jillian, you are looking in the wrong places”, answered Ara calmly. “Sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you”.
Jillian looked up and Ara.
“You are the second person who has said that to me Ara”, said Jillian. “What does it mean? All I see in front of me are some strange clouds and you”.
Arabesque stood before Jillian, smiling.
“You”, said Jillian, amazed, “you are the secret. But what do you have to do with it? You have never said anything that would point to you as knowing something about Lorraliell’s disappearance. How are you connected to all this Ara?
Arabesque said nothing. She just stood there looking at Jillian with a knowing look on her face. Jillian stood there silently for a moment staring back at Arabesque and then a thought came to her, something that she had never considered before.
“Arabesque”, asked Jillian, “do you think that maybe Loukraiza never did anything at all to Lorraliell? Do you think that maybe the queen is alive and safe somewhere and she has been for some time, disguised as someone else perhaps”?
Arabesque’s little smile turned to a big grin and she stood there staring at Jillian quietly.
“Lorraliell”, Jillian asked Ara, “is that you”?
“Yes”, answered Arabesque, “it’s me”.
The two girls stood in silence for several moments pondering the secret that had just been revealed.
“Pretending to be other people is popular in Gantailzia isn’t it”, asked Jillian finally? “First Rix and now you”.
“It would seem so”, answered Lorraliell, “and Rix, I mean Velxin, and I have a lot more in common than you know too”.
“Another secret”, asked Jillian, “why don’t you just spill it all now”?
“All right”, answered Lorraliell, “sit down Jillian. This is a long story”.
Jillian made herself comfortable in the mass of clouds and Lorraliell began to tell her story.
“You see Jillian”, began Lorraliell, “Arabesque was a real girl who lived in Gantailzia years ago. As you know the wizard Horrilen was a personal friend of mine and his son Rix was also important in Gantailzian history. As Gobdiron told you Rix was killed in a battle for Gantailzia’s freedom from Loukraiza but before that Rix had an interesting life in Gantailzia. Rix was a very honorable and respected gentleman in the kingdom. He was well known for his bravery and generosity and all who knew him loved him. Menko, Velxin’s father, had another child also, named Arabesque. So you see that is who I was portraying. Rix and Arabesque were relatively the same age and they had known each other since they were young. Later in their lives Rix and Ara had a romantic relationship that lasted until Rix’s death when he was thirty four”.
“What happened to Arabesque”, Jillian interrupted?
“No one knows what happened to her”, Lorraliell continued. “After Rix’s death Arabesque disappeared without a trace and no one has heard from her since. You see Jillian, when the threat of Loukraiza was becoming more apparent to us and her forces were beginning to invade, we had an important meeting. Horrilen, Menko, Rix, Arabesque, Gobdiron, myself, and a two year old Velxin gathered in a small, private room. I was nineteen at the time and making big decisions was hard for me but with the help of my friends we came up with a good plan. Horrilen told us of an ancient magic prophecy that could help to protect our kingdom to some extent in case Loukraiza took over. In order for the spell to work two individuals were required. They would have to enter a magic joining in which they would be inseparable”.
“You mean their bodies would be stuck together”, asked Jillian, disgusted?
“No, no”, answered Lorraliell, laughing, “they would only be combined through an invisible magic cord. They would share thoughts, feelings, and several very important secrets and spells. They would be unable to reveal any of their secrets unless they joined themselves using an ancient orb that Horrilen and I had safely hidden below the castle. Being joined in the prophecy would be hard for the two people to deal with and it would be unbreakable but it would greatly benefit the kingdom. Being very patriotic and the best suited for the task, Rix and Arabesque volunteered for the joining”.
“Wait, wait, wait”, Jillian interrupted again, “you said you were nineteen and Velxin was two, but you are sixteen now and Velxin is eighteen. I don’t understand”.
“I was getting to that Jillian”, answered Lorraliell. “Anyway, Horrilen performed the magic rituals and joined Rix and Arabesque in the prophecy. Unfortunately while all this was going on Loukraiza’s forces were closing in rapidly. By the end of the day we had a war on our hands. The war raged for on for years. Rix started a rebellion and went off to fight while Arabesque moved into the western wood where she rallied troops and gathered supplies. Loukraiza’s forces grew stronger and stronger and we began to lose battle after battle. Just days before the takeover we received the news that Rix had been killed and shortly after Arabesque was reported missing. The joining had been broken and our plan was failing. We called another meeting although our party was smaller this time. This time it was only Horrilen, Menko, myself, and Velxin, now eight years old. Gobdiron was away on important business that day. We sat in the same little room in silence. No one was finding it easy to concentrate because of our impending doom and the recent loss of our friends and family. Finally Horrilen spoke up and began to discuss my safety. He was sure that Loukraiza would take over soon and he believed that it would be best if I went into hiding. Menko pointed out that we no longer had the joining to protect us if we were taken over and without me it would be even worse. Velxin had been sitting silently for the past few minutes but suddenly he spoke”.
“Father”, he said quietly, “I heard people talking. They said that Rix and Ara kept their names secret. No one knows who they really are”.
“Horrilen agreed”, continued Lorraliell, “and he suggested that we reconnect the magic bond using the same names. I would become Arabesque in order to ensure my safety but we could not think of another person enter the joining with me. We sat quietly for a while and tried to think of someone. After about ten minutes Velxin slowly raised his hand.
“I’ll do it”, he said. “I’ll enter the joining”.
“We all thought that he was kidding but when we looked at his face we realized that he wasn’t. Menko thought that it was too dangerous but Velxin insisted. We explained to him what it would be like and that it would be really hard. He said that he could deal with it and that he wanted to help the cause that his hero and sister had both been fighting for. After a lot of thinking we all agreed that it was our best option. We did not have to complete the rituals all over again because the bond already existed. We just had to reattach the cord in a manner of speaking. Horrilen suggested that as a precaution we would both be sent back to a younger age. We thought it was a good idea and Horrilen put a spell on us. Velxin was still allowed to stay with his father but I was sent to live with a small farming family safe in the woods. A few days later I received word that Loukraiza had taken over the kingdom. I was too young at the time to really understand the message but deep in the back of my mind I knew that we had put forth our best effort but our kingdom had been lost. Horrilen continued to send secret messages to me for a time but he soon realized that it put me at risk of being discovered and I didn’t understand it anyway. I grew up fairly normally after that except an occasional visit from the starlight goddess. The last message I ever heard about Horrilen was that he had died peacefully in his home. I was only eleven at the time with a new life but deep down I was devastated about the loss of my oldest friend”.
Lorraliell looked up at Jillian. She had tears in her eyes.
“Well Jillian”, Lorraliell said, “that’s my story”.
“Did you ever see Velxin while you were growing up”, asked Jillian?
“No”, answered Lorraliell, “we were aware of each other because of the joining but we never saw each other until you came here. He had his own friends, like Lezt”.
“Oh my god”, Jillian screamed, jumping up, “Velxin, Lezt and Menko are still in the castle! We have to go help them”!
“Of course”, answered Lorraliell. “Let’s go”.