Luna and Kouper welcomed Lytyr Raylynne Garrick to the royal bloodline two years after their fifth daughter. The little one was much like some of her older siblings in that her eyes were colored amber yellow, and her hair was chocolate brown; she resembled neither father nor mother, and this irritated the queen. From the time she was able to walk, the sixth royal daughter was as independent as she was different, and the young elf did many things on her own. By the time she was old enough, the newest royal family member found herself being escorted to the Eastern Magix Plateau where she met the sorceress, Tylinia who took the child under her wing, and showed her the ropes around the campus.
By Friday of the first week of level one at the Magix Academy on the Eastern Plateau, the royal one had been invited to the Chancellor’s Office. Not capable of recalling any bad behavior in which she’d displayed, the young elf was nervous about accepting the invitation, but in trying to keep a positive outlook, she entered with a smile.
“Good afternoon, little one, I’m Chancellor Peabody McCall, and I’d like to take a moment to welcome you to the Academy. Welcome. I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve asked you to come here, let me assure you that it’s not a direct telepathic connection to one of your parents type of meeting, but instead, I am curious to find out if you’d like to join the elite and exclusive ‘Map Creators’ here on the western plateau. Of course, there’s a valid reason for extending this offer to you, and that’s because I’ve never seen a student learn their way around our campus as quickly as you did. Honestly, I believe you’d be a fantastic asset to the group,” the school administrator explained.
“What would I have to do?” Lytyr inquired.
“Help the club members create new maps for the Southern Plateau, assist students in getting around the campus until they’re familiar with it; things like that,” she responded.
“When would you like me to start?” the royal one asked.
“Next Monday, you would have to make your rounds in order to greet fellow ‘Map Creators’, help anyone you can to make it to their class on time, and you would monitor the halls after class begins for stragglers. Basically, as a ‘Map Creator’, you will not have regular classes, but you will get credit for every week and semester and school year that you choose to be a ‘Creator’. What do you think?” Chancellor McCall inquired.
“That means, in order to accomplish the goal of creating new maps, I’ll have to become a permanent fixture on the campus,” Lytyr said.
“If you choose to stay on-campus for your entire life, you would join the payroll, and every month your bank account would receive a deposit for services rendered. You’d automatically be covered by health insurance, life insurance, and full benefits. Of course, as a faculty member, you will receive the best of everything we have to offer,” the school administrator explained further.
“You mean to tell me that as a child I can go on payroll?” Lytyr asked.
“I know your mother, do you need to know anything else?” the chancellor inquired.
“Sometimes, I forget who it is I actually am. Please forgive me, but I’ll eventually be a queen myself. What am I worried about?” The royal elf reasoned.
“It is easy to forget who you truly are, but that’s the great thing about being a “Map Creator”, nobody has to know you’ll be queen one day unless you tell them,” the school official said.
“For now, I can only dedicate my youth to this establishment,” the royal one said.
“That’s reasonable,” Chancellor McCall said.
“Where do I need to be next Monday?” Lytyr inquired.
“I have to make the student announcements, but when I’m done, I’ll take you to where you’ll report on Monday,” the school official said.
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When she’d made it home that Friday, the royal one found her mother in the library on the third floor of the Afertin citadel, and she politely requested the seat beside the queen. Nulandia relinquished the chair next to her friend, and left them to talk alone. The young elf sat down in the empty place, and waited for her mother; Luna had been reading when her daughter entered the library, and she was putting the novel away in order to give her undivided attention.
“Hello, mother, I hope you had a good day. I had a wonderful one, myself, and I have come to tell you what the chancellor offered me,” Lytyr told the queen.
“Would you like for your father to join us?” Luna inquired.
“No need to look for Kouper, your highness, I sent for the king before she came in”, the manservant Mortimer told the queen.
“You are a saving grace, Morty, thank you,” Luna said.
“King Kouper Garrick, madam,” the manservant announced when the king entered.
“Hello, darling daughter, Lytyr. How was your first day at the Academy?” The king asked.
“I had a great day, and I wanted to talk with you and mother about something,” the young elf said.
“Mortimer told me you needed to speak with us, but didn’t give any details about anything. So, what’s going on?” Kouper inquired.
“Father, the chancellor made me an offer today, and I’d like to see how you and mother feel. I’ve already dedicated my youth to the idea because I will get credit towards graduation for participating, no matter how long I choose to do it,” Lytyr said
“Do what?” Luna asked.
“Be a ‘Map Creator’ on the Eastern Plateau,” she told her parents.
“What does this entail, my child?” Kouper asked.
“If I dedicate my life, up to the point where I become queen, I can be placed on payroll, I’ll have insurance and benefits, but I’ll have to become a permanent fixture on-campus in order to fulfill the duties, properly,” she told them.
“When are you supposed to start?” Luna asked.
“Monday,” she replied.
“You will get credit towards graduation if you’re a “Map Creator” until you graduate, but will become a paid employee until ‘Inheritance Day’ if you choose to go beyond graduation”, Kouper said.
“Father, if I decide to do it for my entire life, until I become queen, I’ll automatically become a faculty member with full benefits. If you say the word ‘employee’, I cannot get a paycheck until I’m sixteen,” she clarified.
“Or unless I object,” Luna said.
“Mother, please don’t do that. This is a great opportunity for me for so many reasons, and after Ecko’s children take the throne, I’ll have previous experience, which will make finding a job easier. I know that I don’t have to work, but I know me. And knowing me, I will not be able to do nothing after that ‘Inheritance Day’. Please, mother,” Lytyr begged.
“Oh, alright, I won’t object, but do not beg. It’s unbecoming of you, and makes me look bad,” the queen said.
“Thank you, mother. Father, nothing is permanent until I decide to make it that way,” she said.
“So, will you be coming home for the holidays?” The king asked.
“No matter if I am a ‘Map Creator’ for school credit, or permanently, I have to be on-campus all the time. That way, whenever another building is added, I can assist with making the most time-efficient maps for students. If you’ve never been on one of the plateaus, they’re enormous, and the instructors want students in class on time. I know you’d rather I come home for the holidays, but - -” her words were cut short when her father interrupted.
“Don’t worry about me, as your father, it’s my responsibility to ensure your happiness, no matter what. I’ll be alright, it’s not like you’ll be the only one who isn’t here for the holidays. You have to do this, it’s good credit towards your future,” the king said.
“Father, I don’t have to do it at all. It was just an offer,” she replied.
“I know, but I want you to,” Kouper said.
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The Friday before, Chancellor McCall told her where to meet her “Creation Partner”, what the name of the elf she was looking for, and how to identify him once she’d gotten to the bookstore. Early Monday morning, she arrived on the Eastern Magix Plateau with her dragon, Savoy, and after placing the creature in a stall, she went to speak with Chancellor McCall. After talking with the school administrator, Lytyr found her way to “Tell Another Tale”, and was capable of locating Nomo Duprix with no problems. Stepping inside, the royal one wondered what had the citizen’s attention so that he had not noticed her entry, and she sat quietly across from him. Not wanting to disturb his work, she took the novel from her inside jacket pocket, and began reading.
“I like you, already,” Nomo said, eventually.
“Why would you say that? You don’t even know me,” she said.
“You have a personality trait in which I thoroughly enjoy, and that’s ‘punctuality’”, the citizen said.
“I’ve never understood how anyone can have a specific time to be somewhere, and arrive there late. It makes no sense to me,” the royal elf said.
“Good, because tardiness is not in my vocabulary, and that’s why I like you,” he told her.
“What have you been working on? If you don’t mind my asking,” she said.
“The latest and most time-efficient map,” he replied.
“Where does it start and end?” Lytyr inquired.
“It starts at ‘Tannenbaum Towers’, where the students have archery classes, and ends at ‘Quagmire Stakes’ Arena’; the students learn how to spar there,” Nomo replied.
“Got any idea why the place is called that?” She asked.
“Your first extra-credit assignment is to answer that question, yourself, you can get started whenever you like. The best place to start is the library located in Donnovan Hall, and whatever grade you make will show at the end of the semester” her partner said.
“I thought you were supposed to tell me these things in order for me to learn ‘Map Creation, and Chancellor McCall never said you could give me grading assignments’,” she said.
“Things are handled in different ways than in regular classes when you’re a ‘Map Creator’, and I’m standing in for the regular instructor, Sorceress Cordova, who is sick. Therefore, I’m allowed to give you a million assignments, and for credit towards graduation, you’ll do them. Since I’m finishing this map, why don’t you go ahead, and get started on that assignment. It’ll give you something to do aside from sit around and inundate me with questions all day,” Nomo said.
“Where is ‘Donnovan Hall’?” the royal one asked.
“These walls are full of maps for this campus, and they’re in alphabetical order with large wooden letters marking the beginning of each section. Figure it out, I’m busy,” he said.
She pushed the chair back, stood up, and began to look around the bookstore for the first time since she’d arrived. Section ‘A’ began on the wall behind her partner, and ended ten wall divisions down. The entire setup ran counter-clockwise from the front door to the exit located on the opposite side of the entryway. One thing she noticed and appreciated was that not one of the maps on those walls were placed much higher than six inches above her head, and each section had a ladder in order to assist in hanging the maps. When she’d found the one she was looking for, the royal one pulled out the step-ladder, and took it down from the nail in the wall. Anticipating the need for pen and paper, she’d placed a small notebook and inkwell in the satchel that hung from her waist, and they were retrieved from the bag so that she could write down directions to the hall for reference.
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Upon entering the library, Lytyr was surprised to find her best friend sitting at one of the tables, and she quietly went to speak with the citizen elf, Cassandra.
“I wasn’t aware that you’d be attending school, here,” she said in a whisper.
“Let’s go outside so we can talk,” her friend said.
The two elven females stepped out of an exit which was by the table, and hugged each other as soon as they could. Though they’d seen each other over the weekend, their excitement stemmed from knowing there was a familiar face on the Eastern Plateau.
“Yeah, I had no idea my parents were going to send me to school here, I’d been hoping they would, but we both know how moms and dads can be,” she told the royal one.
“I know exactly what you’re saying, my parents are the same way, stubborn,” Lytyr said.
“Mom and dad waited until last night to inform me that my dream of attending the Academy here on the Eastern Plateau had come true, and I would have sent you a message, but by the time I found out, my curfew to use my telepathy was already enforced,” the citizen said.
“Don’t worry about it, I had to get here early this morning in order to meet up with my ‘Map Creation’ partner, and I’m not allowed to use my telepathy after eight, anyway. So, I probably wouldn’t have been able to answer if it was any later than that,” the royal one said.
“You’re one of the elite ‘Map Creators’?” Cassandra inquired.
“Today is my first day,” she told her friend.
“I need to get back inside before the mistress comes looking for me,” the citizen said.
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When she’d been invited to join the “Map Creation” club, Lytyr thought about all of the great opportunities that would be afforded to her in the future, but she had not considered what it would be like to live on the Eastern Magix Plateau, alone. Though there were elves everywhere, even after nightfall, not having the ones she’d lived around for the last six years of her life, took some getting used to; many nights, she soothed herself by singing, and then, she could drift off to sleep.
Once a week, the royal elf met with Chancellor McCall in order for the school official to get an update on how everything was developing for the royal one, and they ate lunch in the office.
“I want you to know, you are not obligated to stay here on the Eastern Plateau, it does make things easier, but I know you’re having a hard time adjusting to life here, especially at night,” the chancellor told her one afternoon.
“I can be here every morning at six o’clock,” Lytyr replied.
“Make it seven, classes don’t start until eight,” the school official offered.
“I’m sorry, I thought I could handle being here overnight, but it’s a lot harder than I could’ve imagined it would be,” the royal one confessed.
“Don’t think another minute about it, some students are alright with being away from home at your age, and some are not. You’ll still get credit towards graduation, as long as you’re here by seven every morning,” Chancellor McCall said.
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Savoy slowly began his descent onto the grounds of the Afertin citadel, and her mother’s servant, Cryer, took the creature to his stall. Castle security guard, Kerlen had been waiting for the royal one to dismount from her Royal Dragon, and she stopped the young elf before she made it to the steps leading inside.
“Lytyr, your uncle said he misses you, and he would appreciate it if you could stop by for a visit, soon,” the citizen said.
“When is a good time for me to come by? With you guys being dark elves, it’s hard for me to remember when it’s safe,” the royal one responded.
“He’s the dark elf, not me. I’ve adjusted my lifestyle so that I’m mostly awake overnight, but sometimes, I cannot sleep during the day. So, I go for a walk this afternoon, in order to unwind, and what do I see when I step outside? My wayward niece flying in under the radar, like she’s too good to say, ‘hello’, or something,” the citizen teased.
“I’ve never thought I was too good to say, ‘hello’, I didn’t see you until you stopped me here. I’ve got a lot on my mind these days, and I just wasn’t paying attention,” the royal one said.
“You have a lot on your mind these days? What are you, seventeen years old, already, or what?” Kerlen inquired.
“No, I’m only six,” Lytyr clarified.
“You’re awfully young to have a lot on your mind, these days. Your uncle won’t mind if you wake him up, but he cannot leave the castle until after dark. You two need to take some time together,” the security guard said.
“We can try to go fishing on the weekends,” the royal one offered.
“I’ll tell him what you said, and I’ll help get a day and time setup for y’all to go fishing; you both need a trip out to the water to forget about things. Can I have a hug before you rush off?” she asked.
Inside:
Lytyr found Luna and Kouper in the throne room, it was the time of day that normal daily functions were beginning for the adults, and her parents were barely awake. Being the child she was, the royal one climbed up into her father’s lap, and kissed his cheek.
“My child, what brings you home?” The king asked.
“I’ve been having a hard time adjusting to life after nightfall, and Chancellor Peabody allowed me to come home. She wants me on the plateau every morning at seven, but I can come home at regular hours,” she explained.
“That’s great news! I mean, I’m sorry you had a difficult time adjusting, but that only means you were not ready to be away from home, yet. You wanna know something?” Kouper inquired.
“What’s that, father?” Lytyr asked.
“Just because you found difficulty in adjusting to life away from home, doesn’t mean you’re not as strong as your sisters before you. I know how you are, you think that if you cannot prove you’re just as tough as they are, that you are less than them, but that way of thinking is not right. You are just as good as they are, you’ll never be seen as less than they are, and we love you, no matter what,” the king told his daughter.
© P. L. Watson-Atwell