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GrahNaarg: Prince of
the Island
Chapter 5: Complications
The day was blisteringly hot. Most sane creatures,
reptillian or not,
were inside in front of fans and gulping any and all cold treats
they
could find. However, Aaron and Annabel were not. Lately, Annabel
was
constantly cold, even when sitting ON the wood stove! They were
outside on one of the hottest days in the history of Albia in
hopes of she being able to warm up. Sitting on some outdoor
funiture, wrapped up in several thick and warm blankets and
clutching a large mug of nearly atomic temperature hot chocolate,
Annabel seemed to be finally fighting off her monsterous coldness.
"Feeling any warmer, dear?", her worried mate, the
balding Aaron, asked.
"A little bit, yes.", she answered and then took
another gulp of the chocolate. The intense heat barely registered
with her freezing throat. She never remembered ever being so cold
before in her entire life! She looked at Aaron, now balding and
shorter than herself, trying to make her as comfortable as
possible, far from the strapping young Purple Mountain norn she
had met all those hours ago. You're not one to judge, she chided
herself, you're not so youthful looking yourself.
"That's good to hear," he said, tiptoeing and leaning
over and kissing her cheek. Being a Purple Mountain norn, cold
temperatures didn't bother him as much as it did other norns.
However, today was blistering and he tried to hide his discomfort
from Annabel, not wanting to distress her. He was worried, she
had never been this cold before, could be caused by an illness?
He wasn't Goddess, so he couldn't be sure. He wondered where the
hand had been hiding herself for the past six hours or so, he
really needed her help now!
Glory couldn't stand seeing her father standing out there in the
blistering heat, she had to do something. Picking up the tray
ladden with an odd cargo of hot chocolate and ice cold pink
lemonade, the maple norn with a Purple Mountain face marched
outside to her parents.
"Oh, how thoughtful of you, Glory," Aaron said, taking
one of the lemonades and drinking it, desprate to cool down.
"How are you, Mother?", asked Glory.
"A bit better, I think I'll take a nap now," Annabel
replied yawning.
"And you, Papa?"
"A little hot, but I can deal with it. I've even stopped
sweating now, see?" Aaron answered.
A small gasp escaped Glory's mouth. He was showing signs of heat
exhaustion! She had to get him some place cooler and fast! She
looked around in hopes of finding another creature out and about.
Where was that good for nothing brother of hers, Fren? Probably
on the Island, again. Looking back to her Mother, she decided
that she would be safe for the moment it took to drag her father
indoors.
"That's it, you're coming inside! No ifs ands or buts!"
Glory said.
"But I feel fine, really," protested her father.
"You need to cool off and that's that! I'll watch Mom. Now
come inside!" she said, nearly having to drag him indoors.
After leaving her father in the attentive Nanny Grah's care, she
went outside in the oppressive heat and sat by her mother napping
in loads of blankets. Sipping at a drink, she grumbled, wondering
where Fren was.
***********************************
Oozle stirred from his contemplation by the laburnum plant when
he realized that something wasn't quite right. He looked back
toward the observation tower and saw pieces of egg shell in a
pile. What could have hatched here, of all places? Unthinkingly,
he looked down and inspected his claws. What he saw weren't the
twisted, yellowed and grime incrusted talons he had had since
reaching adulthood. What he saw were the perfect, clean, white
and tiny claws of a baby grendel. With a sinking feeling, he knew
what had hatched here, him.
Crawling over toward the cannon, he looked down at the sea. The
reflection of a baby male, orange, grendel looked up at him. He
had been reincarnated? This was going to take some getting used
to. Memories of how he used to look ran through his mind as he
investigated his reflection. Strange, he thought, if I'm a baby,
how come I can remember all the things I did as an adult in my
past life? He shrugged and went about seaching for some food to
ease his hunger pangs.
There were certain advantages to be had by having a new form. No
one would recognize him. He would have a new chance at life,
start all over. Then, he remembered his pact with the demon. He
would have to pay off that debt first before he could go about
starting over. He sighed. After gobbling the stray carrots he had
found, Oozle went in search of other creatures.
*******************************************
The dungeon corridors were cloaked in darkness, save for the
occasional torch on the earthen wall. Umaumaarg carefully made
his way through them, clinging to the darkness to avoid discovery.
He carried on like this for what seemed like a great while. He
was beginning to harbor the thought that he might escape this
place without being seen when his acute eyes saw the form of one
of the guards, a pure grendel, coming his way, no doubt going to
relieve the one he had knocked cold. He steeled himself for a
confrontation. The guard bend down to adjust an anklet he was
wearing when Umaumaarg came from behind and knocked him cold.
Quickly, the orange grendel stole the armor the guard was wearing
and put it on. He hoped no one would note that the guards in the
dungeon where yellow and magenta and that he was orange. He
paused a few moments to ease his racing heart and then assumed
the guard's gait and made his way out of the subterranean tunnel
and into daylight.
He bumbled his way to the barracks, which were the empty at the
moment because the other guards were away at a training class. He
rummaged around and found a map of the castle. He noted the
location of the Prince's quarters. Heart in throat, he made his
way, hoping to see his son.