Chapter Nine: Party

It was the last day of July, and Artemis left to look for Kifka herself on one of Kifka's frigates. Now it was too hot in the castle in the middle of the summer with nothing to do. Kifka, Drekore, and Darad sat around the table in the Prince's garden.

"Drekore's birthday is tomorrow," Darad informed the group idly it took a couple of minutes for this to settle before Kifka jumped up from his seat, exclaiming that this was what they had been waiting for.

"Picture this," he said, spreading his arms before him as if creating a picture, "It's the Royal Cousin's birthday! The Castle throws a party! We invite all the beautiful women in the lads! We dance! We par-tay!" Drekore squirmed at that suggestion. Kifka blinked at him. "Don't tell me you can't dance!" Kifka exclaimed at the Guard.

"On no, he's quite good," Darad saved Drekore. "He's just afraid of women."

"My Prince!" Drekore protested. He waited for some insult from the Wizard, but to his surprise received none. Kifka just nodded in comprehension. They were set on throwing the party. They were going to invite every rich, prominent, and of course beautiful woman in the lands. Even the Elves and Centaurs from Crescent Continent. After talking among each other, Kifka and Darad decided that they would also invite Artemis, Sennymay, and their new partner, Chestnut.

Kifka had his squire call on Joysie and send out the invitations. He knew Senny couldn't resist a good party. He also knew that she wouldn't dare start a fright during such an event. If he were lucky, he would get to dance with her. If he was the luckiest man in the world, he would get to … well … Kifka crossed his legs.

*                 *                 *

Joysie was having a hard time locating Sennymay. She only had three days until the invitations would become absolete. The Messenger flew over the forests, again finding nothing. There had never been a time when Joysie had failed to deliver a message, and this was not going to be the first. Then her intuition told her to look in Trader's Landing.

She decided to look through the invitations on her way to Athena's Isle. She flipped through half of them with a smile. Then it slowly began to fade as the letters decreased in number. She almost fell out of the sky as she got to the last envelop. There was none for her! Everyone who's everyone was invite… except her! She had thought that Drekore liked her! Joysie burst into tears and began to lose altitude with every sob.

She was now walking down the Landing, her little face all wet. Everyone gave her sad looks as she rose her mournful pretty eyes at them, and a little Elven girl gave her a soft handkerchief. Joysie's whole meaning of life was now blah! The only person she ever cared for didn't care back! She screamed and ripped the ribbons from her hair. Golden curls fell everywhere. Joysie walked into the Honeydew Bard.

Sennymay was sitting at one of the tables with a mug in her hands, hiccuping from time to time, a drunken bard lying facedown on the table across from her. Joysie sat next to her, her pretty little nose pink from sobbing. Senny looked up at her with a dazed look.

"Message Guild," the rogue managed to say before she, like the bard, passed out, hitting the table with a hearty smack. Joysie took out the three invitations and shoved them into the unconscious Rogue's hand.

*                 *                 *

Senny opened her eyes. She was blinded by something big and yellow. "What is that bright, round thing in the sky?!" she screamed.

"That's what we call the 'sun,' Senny," Chestnut replied, opened the curtains to the Rogue's protest. "I hate to tell you this, but that party is this evening," she said. Chestnut was a Dark Elf from Star Light's Great Apple Tree. She was half Senny's height, with short black hair and green eyes. She always wore black, and something resembling a dragon collar around her neck. A silver pentagram hung from her neck.

"What party?" Senny groaned. She yawned and could smell the stench of ale wafting from her mouth. She winced.

"That party at Capital Castle is throwing in honour of Sir Drekore's birthday! We're invited!" Chestnut exclaimed. "You have to get ready! It is a long way from here to the island!"

Senny got out of her bed with a groan and shuffled towards the closet. After rummaging around for a couple of minutes, she pulled out a white costume with a lace-up front and a scarlet cap[e. After sniffing at it quietly to make sure it didn't smell like the rest of her leather outfits, she tried it on. It fit perfectly! A grin and a blush wondered onto her face as she imagined Kifka asking her to dance…

She was ready. Artemis had given the Rogue her hangover elixir, curing the shooting pains in Senny's head. The Rogue was extremely thrilled about the party, although she did not show it in the least bit.

One of the Serpent Riders owed Sennymay a favour, so she summoned him to be their ride to the dance. His was a flying serpent, with blue, leathery wings. Senny, Artemis, and Chestnut piled into the little carriage atop of the Serpent's back, where they stayed for the rest of the trip to the castle.

The sun was setting slowly over Nemain's Sea. As the serpent silently flew just above the waves towards Terrass Isle. Even Senny looked out the window at the coral clouds and purple skies. Sunsets in Etrion didn't last very long and were a rare sight since most of the continents were forested. The best places to view a sunset were from the sea, and … from atop the Star Light Castle.

The serpent arrived at the castle. That same rider was to pick them up next morning before sunrise. The girls were asked to show their invitations and be check by the Crest Graphs. Chestnut shrunk away from them and refused to have her hand checked, for reasons only she knew, and after putting up a big scandal, was allowed to go through without a check of the Graphs.

The whole courtyard was decorated with curled garlands and lights. Carpeted walkways led to the Ballroom while music was playing. The song playing gave the urge for the three to jump up and down, to join the huge, humanoid wave that already rose and fell with the music.

They finally arrived in the ballroom. Senny's eyes searched the crowds. Bingo! Kifka and Prince Darad were in the middle, chatting with the young ladies surrounding them. Ugh! Kifka just smiled at a human woman.

"She's not a real blonde!" Senny yelled in outrage. The girl screamed and soon disappeared in the powder room, followed by laughter from the other females. Kifka rose his left eyebrow in Senny's direction. This now intrigued him and he decided to see how far she would go. He began flirting with the next bleached airhead, knowing that Senny's pride would make her do something … remarkable.

"Senny's pride-o-meter was reaching the "this is war!" marker. She marched towards the crowd, stopped just behind the men, and made a sexy little cough. Just as she expected, they turned and stared at her, their tongues almost rolling out of their mouths.

"I'll show you how it's done," she mumbled to herself and walked forward through the parting crowd towards Kifka.

Kifka was a little appalled. The only outfit he'd ever seen Senny wear, 'sides that time when he saw her nude, was her Drake battle armour. The dress she wore tot he party did not even come close. What stunned Kifka even more was her fan - a gleaming red Fire Drake sign stared back at him from it. The light from the many huge chandeliers mused through her new gold streaks that resided on her lovely bangs. Kifka glanced over at Darad, whose mouth hung slightly open. Yet Kifka managed to keep his cool.

"Good evening, Lord Kifka," Senny said, curtsying slightly. Her heart beat faster and faster as she watched Kifka's mouth form itself into a lewd smirk.

"Evening, Sennymay," he answered and bowed. He then took Senny's gloved hand, leaned down, and kissed it gently. Senny's heart skipped a beat. Even a small touch like this one crumbled her defenses. She yearned for his sweet lips to kiss hers; not her unworthy hand.

Kifka held her hand a little longer, gazing into her eyes. The crowd around them watched the two with jealous eyes.

"It must be love," the spectators whispered among each other. Upon hearing that, Senny jerked her hand away from Kifka. She didn't want everyone thinking that she was in love with him, now did she? She looked down at the floor as she felt Kifka's questioning and disappointed eyes on her.

"Come, Darad," Kifka said somewhat bitterly. "We're obviously not wanted here." With that said, Kifka, Darad, and the little crowd moved to the other end of the ballroom. Senny stood still, her head hung.

"It's hard admitting that you're in love with someone when the whole purpose of your life was to shut out emotions, isn't it?"

Senny turned around, coming face to face with Artemisiana's familiar, understanding face.

"Besides, it would be immoral to be in love with the one who had cast a spell on you and made you belong to him forever," Artemis continued, "Yet isn't the definition of love giving yourself unconditionally to the one you love; being their possession? Trusting them fully with that frail thing that we call our lives?" She paused. "Senny, from what I've seen, you have already given yourself to Kifka. Maybe not yet literally, but definitely emotionally." The Elf ended. She looked at Senny with her big, beautiful eyes, a soft smile on her face. "You know what to do."

Senny didn't know what had exactly happened. She kept telling herself that Artemis was wrong, yet she found herself running down the ballroom into the crowd of people that surrounded Kifka and Darad. She pushed her way through and stopped.

"Where is he?"

"Oh, Senny! He left," Darad answered. "I think he's up in the southern tower again."

Senny nodded thanks and again felt her feet take her to she knew not where nor why. She raced up the stairs, two at a time, climbing up to the very top of the stone tower. Flaming torches and cold stone walls passed her.

She was almost at the top. Her heart was in her throat from excitement and fear. As she almost reached the top of the stone staircase, her heel slipped off the step and she left it twist inward.

Kifka whirled around as he heard a muffled shriek outside the door. He walked towards it and almost froze in terror. That voice had sounded too familiar… Senny! He raced out of the room and around the corner to find his love down on the floor, almost in hears, holding on to her ankle.

"Kifka, I'm sorry," Senny stuttered before Kifka could say a word.

"For what?" he asked.

"For everything." She took a deep breath, for oxygen was begging to become scarce as pain mixed with the tears swelling up in her eyes. "And especially for today. I was scared."

"Was?"

"Am."

"I see…" Kifka's gaze stared right through her. Then he remembered Senny's injured ankle. "I'll do you one last favour, Sennymay," said coldly. He lifted her into his arms. Senny watched with tears in her eyes as a white cloud surrounded them, the disappeared as quickly as it came, and she found herself in the Royal Healer's chambers. Kifka placed her on the examining table and looked at her disapprovingly. "You've never disappointed me as much as you have today," he simply said. Before Senny could put in a word, Kifka fogged out of the room.

The Master Healer leaned closer to Senny after putting her hands on the Rogue's ankle and haling it in the blink of an eye, and whispered: "The night is still your, child." With that said, Senny found herself in the Ballroom, her ankle whole and a white cloud disappearing around her.

It was as if Darad and Artemis had some telepathic connection. A simple look from one could send a whole line of thought to the other. Neither needed to talk, and both could see just how upset both Kifka and Senny were.

"I've done my part," Artemis said. "It's now your turn."

"Kifka, this is 'the love of your life' here that we're talking about!" Darad exclaimed.

"Well, obviously she doesn't think so."

"Kifka, you blind bastard!" Darad roared and backhanded Kifka across the face. "Sometimes you're dumber than I can even imagine! Can't you see anything? She broke her ankle coming to see you! Do you honestly think that she'd come to this party for another reason than to see you?!"

"You're the one who's blind, Darad!" Kifka yelled back, wiping the blood from his mouth. "She hates me! She always had, and she always will!"

Darad was too discouraged to even think of arguing. "Brother, find out for yourself. Do you know where she is right now? Do you know what she's doing? Well, I suggest you find out." He took Kifka's arm and shoved him out of the room into the ballroom. Kifka would find Senny and they would finally have their truth.

Only she wasn't there. Kifka looked all over the ballroom, yet she was nowhere to be found. Neither Artemis nor Chestnut had seen her. Suddenly Kifka's legs felt very heavy, and his head very light. Air would have been good right now. He staggered out of the ballroom into the long, red corridor that led the way to his room. And to Sennymay.

She stood leaning on a window ledge, her hair swaying back and forth with the wind. Then Kifka watched with terror something that could have only come from his nightmares.

Senny lifter her right leg and place her foot on the ledge. Then she lifter her left leg and stood on the ledge completely. Her scarlet cloak fluttered violently against the cruel winds. She looked down from the ledge. The she spread her arms as if she was going to fly.

Without giving it a second thought, Kifka ran to the window and grabbed Senny before she could jump. He held her close, his heart beating faster than it ever had before. Then he noticed that Senny wasn't resisting. He looked down at her and saw that she was clinging onto his red cloak, as scared as he. Kifka tightened his grip around her.

"Don't you even do that again, you hear me?!" Kifka said, his voice stern, yet soft.

Senny looked up at him. "Does that mean that you take me back?" she asked.

Kifka's warm smile told her everything. Senny's heart skipped a beat and she felt Kifka put his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Sorry guys, the rest is cencored. ::slaps senny:: Hey, I'm a teenage girl, I constantly think about this stuff. But, due to some complaints, I don't quite think this is appropriate for... anyone, actually. I'm sure you guys can use your imagination on this one.
-- Sennymay.

Back to Gems page.

Back to Main page.

Etrion, "Four Gems," and its characters are Copyright © Sennymay 1997 - 1998.