(10)

The Tetop throne room was just as I remembered it! Very bright and shiny! Great Banners of Yellow hung from the ceiling. It was very lavish and ornated with gold. Domino led us to the twin thrones, where they were both seated.

Katerose descended the short marble stairs and hugged us.

“I hardly recognized you,” she said to me, “Your face has been busted!” And it had! That bastard block of ice had shifted my face into a crooked mess. I thought the whole thing comical, for truly, who in this day can blame an ice punch for such deformity?

“We fled the North, my Majesties. I must introduce you to her Royal Highness--”

“Gabriella,” Queen Katerose said.

“Yes, my friend, yes!” I shouted with over-excitement.

“We welcome you to the Tetop Court,” Queen Katerose announced with a sudden hug.

“Thank you...you are all too kind. I am afraid, though, that I do not come with good tidings,” Queen Gabriella mustered. Mact stood up and approached, the whole place went quiet.

Katerose looked to me. “Kyelot?...”

“It’s true, and it’s only a matter of time before Those of the Ice come for us,” I choked out.

Domino approached and put his arm around his Queen. “Well, then we must celebrate this night and deal with this in the morning,” he suggested. The court erupted in cheers and smiles. We were surprised by the outburst, but soon joined in the infectious laughter.

Mact approached, bearing a grin, and said, “He’s right! Tonight we celebrate your arrival!” The party all headed for the back entrance, where a great pool was housed. Just as we began to follow the herd, Katerose turned back, noticing Davidio, and asked, “Who the hell’s this?”

“Davidio” he said, with a chest pat. She grinned and pulled on one of the many feathers in her hair. “Welcome, my new friend.” Queen Gabriella was in shock, I’d say, by this warm hospitality, especially in that moment when all the world seemed to be collapsing. She looked ahead, to where Mact was leading and conversing with a man in golden armor. Just as she was admiring his face, Katerose hugged her shoulder, “I love the red!” Gabriella looked with a smile.

We were led out to the great pool, where I have a great many memories. And there, just on the edge of the pool was Laurp! It had been awhile since I had seen her, yet she still looked the same. She was alone, chugging a bottle of mead. She snapped over, raised the jug, and screamed, “Hellooooooo, New York!” right before slipping into the water. Back then, no one had ever heard of such a place, but like I mentioned awhile back, she was a lady of Premonitions. Anyways, we all laughed, and it was no time before we were all splashing in the water. It was nice to see my Red Queen laughing for under the circumstances, it had been a rarity.

Hours passed, with us still in the warm water. The man I spied Gabriella looking upon earlier in that hallway turned out to be Sethictus, and he was a general in the Tetop Army. Mact introduced the Red Queen to him, and the two shared a private conversation on the edge of the water. We had drank much, and I pulled aside the Twin Royals and Domino as well. I had to warn them the gravity of the situation. I told them of the bird curse, of the attack on those snow fields, and that I was certain they would return. I knew the Queen would not stop until her sister was destroyed.

After some giggles and another Laurp shout, “Charlie Chaplin!” (it would be years and years and years before such a name existed), we developed a plan. I forgot to mention a small piece about myself...I was a man of disguise and foolery. I had (for my own reasons) an embarrassing collection of wigs and costumes. With my face somewhat unrecognizable, the addition of a wig and wardrobe change would surely shield me. The plan was for me to return to the North Royal Palace just to see what was going on (for remember: although in this account, I tell about the North’s activities, at the time I had not known such valuable information). It was decided, and all I had to do was convince my Queen of Red to grant permission. We all turned to her, just as she shared a quick kiss with the general! Just afterwards, she turned away and gripped her shell necklace. I’m sure that water couldn’t have been good to my Queen either, reminding her of her first love Kyok.

Still, we had a plan! In the morning, I would ride with my best wig, and gain some much-needed intel.