Throughout the years Lytyr was a member of the “Map Creator’s Club” on the Eastern Magix Plateau, the royal elf worked well with her “Creation” partner, Nomo Duprix; together, they worked to develop the skills she did not have, and they honed the capabilities she was born with. Since there were twenty-five years between them, the royal one was looked at as a little sister, and the citizen had not been anything more than her partner in the club.
After Lytyr’s eighteenth birthday, the royal elf had a meeting with Chancellor McCall to let the school official know that she was of the age when she was legally an adult, and the young one asked to be added the roster of faculty members; though she would not be an educator, the work she performed as a “Map Creator” was vital to the students on the Eastern Plateau, the royal one could now be paid for her services, and her living situation changed. Instead of her home being the Afertin citadel, she lived in her own hut on the Eastern Magix Plateau, and she was responsible for only herself. The royal one’s best friend joined the elite “Map Creator’s” club a few years before, she had a private hut on the plateau, and the elven friends visited each other on the weekends; they did not have any schoolwork on Saturdays and Sundays, and neither of them discussed things that had anything to do with the Academy, unless it was about boys.
One Saturday morning, the two friends met at the library closest to their individual huts, and they traveled with Savoy to East Zeerk for a day of shopping; the royal one had grown a great amount in the past few months, and she needed a new wardrobe. Cassandra went to keep her friend company, the citizen was on a budget and could not shop, but she went for moral support.
When the dragon landed at the first store, the friends placed him in a public stall, and Lytyr gave the beast fruit pieces from her pocket; the elves went inside, but promised the Royal Dragon they would not be long.
As they shopped, their conversation turned in a direction the royal one had not been expecting; generally, the friends talked about what the citizen was doing with herself after graduation, but this time, she turned everything around to find out what her royal friend had planned.
“To be honest, I’ve really got nothing important to do until ‘Inheritance Day’, and with no special males in my life, I cannot even say if I’ll be married or not. Why do you ask?” The royal elf inquired.
“Because we’re always talking about my plans, but we never talk about yours,” the citizen said.
“Or, you’ve got some kind of idea in your head that you know the ‘perfect’ elf for me, but you don’t know how to tell me. Or something, I know you’ve got some idea in your head,’ the royal one accused.
“What do you mean? I don’t have any kind of anything going on,” Cassandra said.
“Yes, you do, and stop saying I’m wrong because I know you, I know that look on your face, ‘Misses Romanticist’, Lytyr insisted.
“What look are you talking about? I think you’re crazy,” her friend replied.
“Alright, fine, don’t tell me, but if you keep it to yourself, you cannot come over for dinner, ever again”, the royal one said.
“That’s not fair, you know I cannot cook, how could you say something like that? You want me to starve?” Cassandra asked.
“You will if you don’t tell me,” she threatened.
“Alright, already, I’ll tell you. Just don’t ban me from dinner,” she pleaded.
“Spill, now,” Lytyr said.
“I happen to know that your “Creation” partner has been looking at you like the grown up, adult female you are, and I think you two would be an adorable couple,” her friend said.
“Really? Well, I happen to know, from personal experience, that he treats me like a little sister, and I don’t know anyone yet who wants to marry his sister,” the royal one said.
“No, of course you don’t. I don’t know anyone who wants to marry his sister, neither, but I know what I see in his eyes whenever he sees you walk by. Especially these days,” Cassandra said.
“I happen to think you’ve hit your head somewhere, because I’ve practically been throwing myself at him since my birthday, and he’s not interested,” the royal elf said.
“Try a different tact, and trust me, he’s interested,” the citizen told her friend.
“Would you like to tell me how it is you know this?” Lytyr inquired.
“I see the way he watches you whenever you cross his path, he cannot keep his eyes inside of his head, and he damn near breaks his neck whenever you walk by. Trust me, he’s interested,” she told her friend.
“Yeah, well, if he’s so interested, why hasn’t he ever said anything before? I mean, we’ve been working together for twelve years, and he’s never said one word to me like that. Oh, he’s frustrating,” the royal one said.
“Have you ever stopped to think that the reason he’s never said anything is because he’s been an adult this whole time, but you have not? I mean, come on, be reasonable, and think about it,” Cassandra said.
“No, I didn’t ever think about that, I guess that makes sense. Has he ever said anything to you about me?” Lytyr inquired.
“Not exactly, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” the citizen said.
“We’ll see about that,” the royal one said.
“What have you got going on inside that head of yours? I want in on whatever you’re thinking,” she told her friend.
“I’m not exactly planning anything, I’m just thinking of what I can do to be sure he’s interested. That’s all,” she said.
“Are you sure that’s all? You know I’ll help you if you wanna make a plan to do that,” Cassandra said.
“I’m positive, you and I both know that we cannot use magix to have an influence on freewill, he has to be interested in me on his own, and you know it,” Lytyr said.
“Yes, I know that, but no one ever said it was fair,” the citizen said.
“Fair or not, it is the law of our craft, and we cannot go around messing with things like that, you know what would happen,” the royal one said.
“I know, we’d have our asses kicked by all the Magix Elders,” she said.
“Not only that, but we’d have to answer to their higher power, the P. T. B. Elders. Those are some characters I could go my entire life without meeting. Besides, you know as well as I do that things would never be right in a relationship that starts off with a magixical influence” the royal elf replied.
“Unfortunately, I know you’re right about everything you said,” Cassandra said.
“Just because we cannot involve magix, doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to use other means to find out,” Lytyr said.
“See? I knew you were planning something,” the citizen said.
“I wasn’t, at first, now I’ve got something rattling around in my head, and it’s your fault,” the royal one said.
“Oh, it is no such thing,” her friend replied.
“Well if you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t be so goddamned curious, so it is your fault, and I could use your help, after all,” the royal elf told her friend.
“Really? What do you have in mind?” The citizen asked.
“I’m not sure about the details, but we’ll discuss this more over dinner. We promised Savoy that we would not be that long,” Lytyr said.
“Yeah, it’s about time to go,” Cassandra said.
After visiting a few more stores, the friends had their transportation take them back to the Eastern Plateau where their packages were unloaded, and Savoy was placed in his private stall. As the elves prepared for dinner, they discussed ways for the royal one to ensure her “Creation” partner was capable of seeing her for the adult she’d become; she wanted to get married one day, not become a spinster with a large amount of cats at the end of her life.
“I’m not planning on spilling myself out of a skimpy top, and hope that Nomo is paying attention. No, the best approach is the direct one, I’ll just ask him,” the royal one said.
“I don’t see any harm in that, but what if I’m wrong?” The citizen inquired.
“If you’re wrong, it’s no big deal, I’ll know where we stand, and that’ll be the end of it,” she told her friend.
***************************************************************************
A few weeks later, as the “Creation” partners poured hours into the newest map, she decided to find out how the citizen, Nomo felt about her, and she asked, “When you see me, these days, what goes through your head?”
“Where is this coming from? We’re in the middle of trying to create this map, and there’s no reason to allow our personal stuff to distract us,” her partner said.
“I understand that, but I need to talk to you about this,” the royal one said.
“These days, all I think about is you,” Nomo replied.
“Why haven’t you said anything?” She inquired.
“There’s twenty-five years difference in our ages, and I didn’t think you’d be interested in someone that much older than you,” he answered.
“Well, you’d be wrong, because I am interested in you. I’ve had a crush on you for a long time,” she said.
“Since we both like each other, would you like to go out some time?” The citizen asked.
“Sure, I don’t see why not, let me know the details whenever you’re ready. For now, we need to put our attention back on the task at hand”, Lytyr said.
“You’re right, we can talk later”, Nomo replied.
Over the next several months, the royal and the citizen went out on several dates, and they began to realize there were more feelings between them than either of them had been aware of; she invited him to join her on a trip to the Afertin citadel to meet her parents, and the rest of her family. In turn, he took her to meet his parents, and six brothers on the continent of Apoel; that Saturday afternoon was when she learned what caused her “Creation” partner to wind up so far away from home, and what it was that kept him on the Eastern Plateau.
“From the time I can remember, my grandfather talked about the wonderful work he’d done on the plateau for the students, and I was fascinated, to say the least. So, when it came time for me to begin school, mamma took me to Chancellor McCall, and I joined the “Map Creator’s” club. Since then, that’s what my life has been about, making maps for the students, and that’s it. To be perfectly honest, there have been other females that have tried to get my attention, but I wasn’t interested in them. Then, from out of nowhere, the next thing I know, my “Creation” partner sprang-up into this gorgeous adult, and she has caught my interest” the citizen explained.
“It’s nice to know that you’ve taken an interest in someone, but it’s even nicer to know that someone is me,” the royal one said.
“I’m extremely glad to hear that my son has an interest in someone, no matter who it is because I’d like to be a grandmother, one day,” his mother, Yelena said.
“Mamma, nobody is talking marriage, here”, Nomo replied.
“Maybe not right now, but I know you wouldn’t have brought her to meet us if you weren’t getting serious”, his father, Salvotor said.
“We’re just going to see how things go one day at a time, there’s no reason for either of you to send out wedding invitations. Lytyr, I’m sorry they’ve jumped to conclusions,” he said.
“I think your parents are adorable, they’re not bothering me,” the royal one said.
“Now, I know she’s a keeper, she thinks we’re adorable, darling,” his mother said.
“I heard her, but she’s the one who’s adorable,” his father replied.
“Now, it’s time to go, I love you guys, but we’ve got to get up early to finish the map we’ve been working on,” the citizen said as he escorted his guest to the front door.
“It was really nice meeting the both of you, maybe we can do this again, when we’ve got more time,” Lytyr said.
********************************************************************************
The next few years were filled with many assignments of creating maps for the students on the Eastern Magix Plateau during the week, and over the weekends, the “Creation” partners spent time getting to know one another. On Sundays, instead of the royal one cooking dinner alone, the citizen shared the responsibility, and Cassandra always cleaned the kitchen when everyone finished eating.
When the new addition of “Lawrence Hill Dormitories” was completed, Chancellor McCall placed several “Creation” teams together, and they worked diligently for five years to make the maps for the new dorms. During those years, visiting home was a rare occurrence, but they were granted time off for the holidays; every other year, Nomo would take the royal one and her best friend home to the seventh continent, and the other years, they would go home to the Afertin citadel with Lytyr.
**********************************************************
Early one summer morning, two years after the dormitory maps had been done, a telepathic message came in from her father, and daughter answered him, immediately; the king needed to see his daughter for a one-on-one visit, there was news he wanted to share, and Kouper requested they be alone whenever he stopped by later that day at noon.
The royal one woke her friends with fresh bacon and piping-hot kettle-coffee and perfectly timed over-easy eggs, she’d never had to make them leave before, and wanted their stomachs to be full whenever she told them that they had to go; she promised to be in contact after his highness’s departure, and both her friends helped clean up the place in preparation of royal company. They agreed to wait at Cassandra’s for the royal one to send a message letting them know that father had left, and it was alright for the two elves to come back over.
They’d been gone for only a few minutes when Lytyr heard the distinct sound of Ringo’s hooves contacting the brick-laden ground of “Raylynne Street”, where she’d moved to nearly fifteen years ago; Chancellor McCall granted the teenager permission to rename the road, and the royal one broke ground with a bottle of “Non-alcoholic Spritzer”. When her father dismounted the stallion, he handed a student the horse’s reins, and the king continued up the walkway. She did not have the patience to wait for a knock to announce her father’s arrival, and the elf rushed to open the front door, the whole time they were both smiling. It had been the end of the previous year since these royals saw one another last, hugs were a requirement before their visit could formerly begin, and they squeezed each other tight.
“Beautiful daughter of mine, I’ve missed you so much,” the king said.
“I know, father, it’s only been a few months, and I miss you more every single day,” she replied.
“As you know, I cannot travel anywhere on this planet alone, therefore, I had Mortimer accompany me, and he should knocking, any minute now. Besides, he was the one who had a future-seeing vision involving you, and I figured he could better explain what the manservant foresaw” her father explained.
Then, there was a knock, just as the king had said, and she answered the door to the elf on the other side. She invited him to come inside, they’d been anticipating his arrival, and their meeting was dependent upon the information he possessed. The servant entered, found a seat next to her father, and asked for some water in which to drink. Politely, the royal one filled the seer’s request, and the king nodded in approval of her good nature and impeccable manners.
“Thank you, sweet girl, my mouth was awful dry. I know you’ve been waiting for me, and I apologize for the delay. Let me get started right now, you should know this right away, but there’s no appropriate way to prepare you, so find a way to ‘brace for impact’ in case the news is upsetting. Grab a chair to take a seat, or hold yourself steady while you’re standing there, or maybe your father might lend his broad shoulder if in the moment the support is necessary,” the manservant explained.
“Should she need me, I’m right here, she can lean on me, that’s my job as her father, and she knows what to do if she feels ‘faint’,” King Kouper said.
“I know I can reach out for you father, should I need your support, and thanks for the verbal approval, it means a lot,” Lytyr replied.
“Alright, the way that is easiest for me to deliver a message that has come from the future is to engage you in a conversation that will eventually lead us to what it is I’ve had bestowed upon my thoughts, and all you have to do is respond to my questions. Does that sound easy enough?” The manservant inquired.
“Yes, seems simple enough for now,” the young royal elf responded.
“Are you Lytyr Raylynne Garrick, daughter of planetary royals, Luna and Kouper?”The future-seer asked her.
“Yes, I am,” the female answered.
“Do you live in the Eastern Magix Plateau?” He further inquired.
“Yes, I have lived here for quite some time now,” the royal one said.
“Alright, the connection needed in order to gain access to the message has been made, and this is what it says:
'In the early morning hours, right before dawn, in this summer season, there will come two strangers who know you by name, do not deny them entry, they'll be here to help you, and neither of them will ever turn away. So, welcome your visitors, make sure you're aware, once they have made it here, there's no turning back'", the manservant told the king's daughter.
"You were not given at least one name?" Lytyr asked.
"I didn't say that, 'I don't know their names', because I actually do, but it's not my place to tell you that information. I have delivered the message the way I was instructed, and that's all I can do. The rest is left to be revealed by the two strangers who will come to visit," Mortimer told her.
"That's kind of what I figured, thank you Morty for the information you were allowed to give, I'll try not to drive myself crazy wondering who they are, but can't make any promises," the young elf said.
© P. L. Watson-Atwell