BOOK II OF III: The Reign of the Sultan (46 page)

“Right, my love,” Baltor said with a small
smile. Glancing over to the mirror, he observed that she had gotten
every last drop of blood off his face. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied, giving him a
quick kiss on his lips. With that smile still on her face, she
asked, “So, I must know…how did you get the Vispano Knights to
rally to our cause?”

Nodding his head affirmatively, he answered,
“Well, I’d really like to answer that question, as well the
question of how the entire Province now belongs to the Sharia
Empire, at the victory celebration, whenever that is…if that’s
okay.”

Though very shocked to hear this news, she
answered with a question, “Are you serious?”

“Yup…”

“Well, we have the celebration scheduled
tomorrow night at nine p.m., as there is a ton of food that needs
to be made,” Brishava answered with a smile of her own.

“Perfect!”

Brishava said, “I have a question that can’t
wait until the victory celebration—I saw you guys traveling through
a magical portal, even if it was but for a second as I had arrived
just in the nick of time… Yet King Cheo said that you alone should
answer this question of how teleporting came to be?”

“Well,” Baltor said, “simply put—the moment I
slayed the dragon, I acquired all her magical powers. One of those
powers happens to be teleportation, as well telepathy, though there
are dozens of others to be sure.”

Squinting her eyes ever so slightly, Brishava
said, “Hmmm…”

Seeing the strange look upon his wife’s face,
Baltor countered, “It’s true!”

“I believe you, Baltor, but it’s still very
shocking to me that magic actually exists—even after having heard
about from enough people, and seeing with my own eyes, this
teleportation portal. After all, all I’ve ever been told about
magic since I was a little girl is that it’s a myth and not
real.”

Well, it is very real and definitely no myth.
I have become an extremely powerful magic user!

It was only because Brishava had been looking
directly at Baltor’s face that her mind realized that he had been
speaking telepathically. Once shock had been overcome, perhaps
thirty seconds later, she finally exclaimed, “Wow!”

“Don’t worry, Hun,” he said verbally. “I’m
not going to probe into people’s thoughts, including yours, unless
they want me to, or I have to for some emergency situation.”

“Okay,” she said.

“By the way, I’m planning on teleporting to
retrieve Chelsea later tonight.”

“Why is that?”

“So that I can relay the news, as well so she
can be a part of the Humonus’s funeral, as well the victory
celebration. Well, on second thought, maybe she won’t want to
celebrate very much?”

“You really are a very thoughtful person,
aren’t you, my husband?”

Baltor cocked his head to the side as he
said, “I try to be.”

“Well,” she replied, “as she is also our
ambassador, she must doubly know. Moreover, who better is there to
comfort her when you tell her about your mentor, your ruling
general, and your best friend?”

“You’re right.”

“So are you ready to take a bath, so that the
servants can get you dressed? I need to take one, as well.”

“Is there any blood on my face?”

“Nope.”

Baltor nodded his head, and said, “Okay, but
once I’m ready, I’m going to immediately go retrieve Chelsea. I
shouldn’t be gone too long. I love you!”

“I love you too, but I might not be around as
I have tons and tons of affairs that need my attention for
tonight,” Brishava said, just before she gave her husband one final
kiss, and entered the pool to bathe. He followed after her.

Once their baths were over, she exited the
room in her shower robe, so that her handmaidens could dress her in
her dressing room.

Meanwhile, Baltor, who had just finished
putting on his underwear, walked in front of the mirror, and called
out, “Assistants—you may enter.”

His six assistants entered the room from the
walk-in closet, while pushing the portable closet on wheels. After
a bow, they began the process of grooming and dressing their Sultan
into comfortable-yet-elegant attire that consisted of a sky-blue
suit and boots that all had thick, gold-laced trimming, as well
putting on his Sultan’s crown and rings.

Once the assistants had left, Baltor mentally
conjured up the image of Chelsea upon the world map. The second he
got her location, he drew the teleportation rune into the air,
which caused a portal to open up in front of him—he walked through
the portal.

Chelsea, who was just about to enter her
bedroom in order to retrieve a book, almost had a heart attack upon
seeing the prismatic portal!

As soon as she saw Baltor walking through,
her nerves quickly abated as she greeted, “Hi Baltor—I mean, my
Sultan! How on earth did you make that happen?”

Baltor smiled as the portal closed behind
him. He next said, “Hi Chelsea—long story I’ll tell you about in a
bit. Let me first say that you are definitely looking
pregnant!”

“Yes, I still have quite a few more months to
go though.”

“Really?”

“Yes—Humonus will be so surprised when he
finds out himself. Where is he?”

“Well,” Baltor said with a pause. “I think
you should sit down when I tell you this.”

Chelsea gulped, but took a seat in her room.
After Baltor closed the door, he said, “Humonus did an outstanding
job as the ruling general of my army. Most sadly, he was forced to
sacrifice his life in order to save everyone else’s. He died a hero
death fighting against the dragon. I’m sorry! There was no way we
could save him, though I tried.”

Chelsea asked in shock, “What?”

Tears began to pour down her face, while
Baltor fought back his own tears. A moment later, her body
collapsed—she would have crashed onto the floor, but he had caught
her and held securely on.

Baltor said, “I’m sorry Chelsea, I really
am!”

With tears continuously pouring out of her
eyes, she stammered, “I—I can’t believe it!”

Baltor explained, “You must Chelsea…it’s
true! His last words to me were to tell me that he loves you! I was
there when he died.”

For a long while, Chelsea cried … Baltor
remained patient and continued to hold her.

When the crying finally abated, nearly thirty
minutes later, Chelsea looked up into Baltor’s face, with tears
still running down her eyes. She asked, “So is this the reason you
have come here tonight? To tell me that he died?”

After a sigh, Baltor answered, “I wasn’t
going to tell you until tonight, but because you asked, I had no
choice but to answer. The reason I actually came here was to bring
you back to Pavelus with me, so that you can attend his funeral and
burial tomorrow morning, as well be a part of the victory
celebration tomorrow night. After all, had it not been for Humonus,
we would not have won this war! He is a hero.”

“How can I celebrate? My husband’s dead, and
my unborn child is without a father!”

“Chelsea, I know just how much of a hard time
you’re going through right now. I know that I’ve said it before,
but I’m going to say it again…

“When I was but a young child, both of my
parents were murdered. I heard them die and barely did I escape
with my life. Soon after, Humonus came along and taught me
everything I know—he made me into the man that I am today!

“I promise you that I will do my best to help
godfather your child—that is, if you’ll allow me the honor…”

“Baltor,” Chelsea said with a crackling
voice. As her left hand gently caressed his cheek, she added,
“Humonus respected and loved you so very much! He bragged about you
so often to me—I know that you felt the same way about him. Yes, I
will allow you to be the godfather of my child, and Brishava can be
the godmother.”

Fighting back his bloody tears once again,
Baltor softly replied, “Thank you.”

Not fighting her tears whatsoever, Chelsea
wept, “No, thank you, Baltor!”

“Will you come back with me to Pavelus?”

Upon regaining a control of her emotions,
nearly a minute later, Chelsea replied, “Yes. However, I must first
let Queen Calitta know that I will be departing. Will you allow her
to come with us to Pavelus as well, if she can?”

After delivering a very warm smile, Baltor
answered, “Of course, Ambassador Chelsea, Queen Calitta is most
welcome to come along.”

Chelsea rose to her feet, and asked, “Will
you come with me? I’m pretty sure that she’d like to meet you,
although she has no clue that you’re here.”

“Sure.”

With Chelsea in the lead, the two exited the
bedroom, and began walking down the hallway.

A few hallways down, they came across a guard
who was standing against the wall—she asked that guard, “Will you
please let Queen Calitta know that I need to speak with her as soon
as possible? It’s very important!”

The guard answered, “Yes, Ambassador
Chelsea.”

He escorted Chelsea and Baltor down several
more hallways until they reached the entryway leading to Calitta’s
bedroom. There stood eight more guards outside the double
doors.

The guard who had done the escorting, said,
“Major Balski, Ambassador Chelsea said that she needs to see the
Queen. Is she perchance still awake?”

With a very suspicious look upon his face,
Balski asked, “Who in the hell is that standing with the
Ambassador, Corporal?”

The corporal, feeling quite stupid for not
having asked that question earlier, looked back at Chelsea and
Baltor.

Just before the guard could ask the question,
however, Baltor answered in the language of Thorium, “I am Sultan
Baltor Elysian of the Sharia Empire.”

Though Chelsea fervently nodded her head in
the affirmative, every last guard continued to look suspicious.

A few seconds later, Balski was the first one
to ask, “How did you get past all our security? And where is your
escort? And why did you come unannounced? And how do we know you’re
not imposters—the both of you?”

Baltor answered with a nonchalant wave of his
hand, “You must trust me. I bring great tidings! The dragon and the
army of dark gnomes have all been destroyed. Our shared continent
is now at peace.”

Again, Chelsea fervently nodded her head in
the affirmative.

Now looking convinced, Balski pointed his
index finger up into the air, and said, “Hold one minute, and I’ll
see if she’s still awake.” He turned around and knocked on the
door.

A moment later, he heard the queen’s slightly
muffled voice ask from inside, “Yes?”

“Your majesty, Ambassador Chelsea and her
Sultan of the Sharia Empire, who has just unexpectedly arrived,
wish to speak with you. They’re right out here in the hallway with
me…with us. Are you still sleeping?”

“No, send them in immediately.”

Balski said, “Yes, your Highness.” He opened
the door, and allowed the two to enter.

Baltor and Chelsea walked into the room. They
saw Calitta sitting at the far end of the royal bedroom behind a
desk—a book was lying open before her.

Looking up from the book, Calitta said with a
friendly smile, “Greetings to you both, and most especially to you,
Sultan Baltor Elysian.”

Bowing his head respectfully, Baltor replied,
“Greetings Queen Calitta. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure is just as much mine… So, what can
I do for you?”

Baltor answered, “I came to bring great
tidings! The war against the gnome army and the dragon is over—we
are victorious! The main reason I have come here is because I’d
like to invite you to our victory celebration in Pavelus.”

With a thoughtful look on her face, Calitta
said, “I was wondering why my lands were attacked only once by the
dark gnomes…congratulations!”

With a bow, Baltor simply replied, “Thank
you.”

Chelsea added, “Your Highness, I should let
you know that my husband Humonus died while valiantly fighting
against the dragon. Sultan Baltor Elysian informed me that we are
also to have a memorial service for my husband tomorrow morning
before sunrise. Would you like to attend?”

Looking real sad herself, Calitta answered,
“I’m so sorry to hear about your loss! Humonus was a good and
honorable man who literally saved my life many years ago. Of course
I will attend, but how in the hell are we going to get to Pavelus
by tomorrow morning?”

Baltor’s mind had been thinking about her
second statement, and so he didn’t answer her question. Instead, he
snapped his fingers just before said, “That’s right! Humonus once
told me long, long ago when I was but a child on how he saved the
life of a princess…but I did not realize that the princess was you
until just now, Queen Calitta!”

“Many years ago when I was a young girl—he
did,” Calitta replied. “Nevertheless, I’ll never forget him! Of
course, I will come to the funeral and the victory ceremony, but
you never did answer my question how we’re going to get to Pavelus
by morning.”

“Well, Queen Calitta, as a result of my
slaying the dragon, I have acquired magical powers. It will only
take us a few minutes to get back to Pavelus through a magical
portal I will create.”

With a whole lot of shock, Calitta asked,
“Really? No way!”

“Yes way,” Baltor answered with a nod. “I
promise you on my word of honor all I have told you is nothing but
the truth.”

“Well then,” Calitta said, “I’ll have to have
my servants prepare my luggage, and also my armed escort. Will that
be okay that I bring them along?”

Baltor answered, “You can bring as many
people as you wish, Queen Calitta.”

“Say two hours?”

“Two hours it is then. Meet us in your throne
room, and from there, we’ll depart?”

“Sound perfect,” Calitta said.

“Very well.”

Baltor and Chelsea headed back to her room.
There she began to pack all her belongings.