Faun and Games (67 page)

"Only to be returned to my home elf village, where they have no idea of

my career after departing."

Forrest looked at the two women.
 
"Are you amenable?"

"Yes," they agreed, almost together.

"Then I leave the premises in your charge, Jfraya, provided you will see

to Ghina's trip to the blue face, the Gray Elf's safe return to her

village, and any visits elsewhere that other members of this household

desire."

"Gladly," Jfraya said.

"True," Polly said.

He looked at the twins and Imbri, who were standing on the wall.

"Then let's return to Pyramid."

"But will you visit?" Jfraya asked.
 
"I haven't known you long, but it

has been thrilling."

The twins exchanged a glance.
 
"We'll try," Dawn said.

"Now that we know how to do it."

"But that requires the Good Magician's bottle of soul dissolving

elixir," Forrest said.

"We didn't need it to return from Torus," Imbri reminded him.

She was right; he had never thought of using the bottle.
 
They had just

expanded.
 
So it seemed it was needed only for the "up" loading, not the

"down" loading.

"I'll leave the bottle with you," Forrest said.
 
"Since it seems that

Imbri and I don't need it to return to Xanth."

Then they held hands and touched Imbri, and expanded their substance,

diffusing into vapor and thence into spirituality.
 
The castle shrank

around them, and they drifted out through its substance.

The world of Ptero was below them, or rather, around them, shrouded in

night.
 
They headed for it, expanding as they went.
 
Pyramid became a

triangle-faceted world behind them, and the monstrous outline of Ida's

bead became apparent before them.
 
They were more experienced at this

than they had been, and quickly zeroed in on the star-like candle that

Princess Ida had set out to guide them.
 
There were their bodies, in

repose.
 
He was surprised to see that Imbri's was in girl form, until he

remembered that this was all that she had mass for, here.

They went through the somewhat unpleasant business of reentering their

bodies.
 
Forrest wondered briefly what would happen if anyone tried to

enter the wrong body by mistake.
 
Would he find himself in Dawn's body,

or would Eve be in Imbri's?
 
He hoped not. Surely there was some magical

safeguard against it.

He opened his eyes and sat up.
 
The others were doing the same. He

glanced at the Tapestry, and saw that no lines were marked on it. "Well,

we're back," Dawn said.

"Which means the faun will soon be moving on," Eve agreed.

"Now that our mission with him is complete."

"So we had better get to our other business before he escapes."

The two of them stood, somewhat unsteadily, and converged on Forrest.

"But we don't yet know the outcome," he protested.
 
It wasn't that he

objected to the sort of dalliance the girls had in mind, but that this

did not seem like the proper place for it.
 
Fauns normally chased nymphs

in pleasant glades, not castles.

"There is an outcome," Ida said.
 
"Follow me." She stood and walked to

the door.

They did so.
 
They went down the stairs and through the hall to the main

ballroom.
 
Ida opened the door.

The room was packed with people.
 
"Thank you!" they cried in one mighty

voice.

Forrest, Imbri, and the twins stood amazed.
 
Then the twins made twin

shrieks of delight.
 
"Everyone's back," Dawn said.

"Daddy!" Eve cried.

They ran to embrace their father, Prince Dolph.

"You see, your Service was for the Good Magician," Ida said. "So none of

the incidental beneficiaries owe you exchange services. But they are

nevertheless most grateful."

King Ivy approached.
 
"The rescued folk wish to meet you and thank you.

Perhaps we should form a receiving line.
 
This way."

They followed her through the crowd to the stage section of the room.

Forrest and Imbri stood there while the line formed.
 
He still was

having trouble getting used to her as a small dark woman, rather than a

dark horse.

King Ivy snapped her fingers.
 
There was immediate silence.
 
"Forrest

Faun and Mare Imbrium will meet each of you in turn.
 
Please introduce

yourselves as you approach, and do not dally unduly.
 
They are surely

tired from their unusual journey.
 
There will be a banquet at-" She

paused to look at her left wrist, where a collection of eyes resided.

Then she looked at her right wrist, where a pack of tiny dogs were

sitting.
 
"At dawn, according to my watch band, and my watch dogs," she

concluded.

The first in the line was a young woman.
 
"I am Wigo, daughter of Hugo

and Wira.
 
My talent is draining magic, but I could not prevail against

the margins.
 
I am so grateful to you for doing it and rescuing us all!"

"Uh, sure, thank you," Forrest said, taken aback by such gratitude.

"We were glad to do it," Imbri said in a dreamlet.

The next one approached, a very small woman.
 
"I am Glitter Golem,

daughter of Grundy and Rapunzel.
 
My talent is the sparkle."

She illustrated by issuing a shower of sparkles.
 
"Thank you so much for

saving us!"

"Uh-" Forrest began.

"It was so nice meeting you," Imbri's dreamlet said.

Next were two young folk.
 
One was a handsome young man in a gray suit.

"I am Prince Grant, with the talent of reading minds," he said.

The other was a young woman with green eyes and brown hair, in a green

dress.
 
"I am Princess Isabella Emily Carolyn, with the talent of

borrowing talents, for an hour," she said.

"We are children of Grey and Ivy," Grant added.

"But aren't there already-?" Forrest began.

"There are many of us, in this realm of might-be," Isabella explained.

"And my 1riend Arien has a similar talent.
 
Might-be covers a lot."

Oh.
 
Of course Forrest knew that.
 
How stupid he had been to forget.

"No, we understand about the difference in your world," Grant said.

"We would be similarly confused, there," Isabella agreed.

"Uh, you two remind me of-"

"Our cousins Dawn & Eve."

"So nice to meet both of you," Imbri's dreamlet cut in.

The two laughed and moved on.
 
Forrest realized that Imbri had a much

better notion of how to meet people than he did.
 
She was preventing him

from hopelessly embarrassing himself worse than he already was.

A child approached.
 
"I am Nora Naga, daughter of Nina Naga and Briskil,

son of Esk Ogre and Bria Brassier" she said.
 
"I am twelve years old and

my talent is to teleport folk or things anywhere.
 
I wish I had someone

to play with.
 
Maybe now that everyone is back, I'll find someone."

The next one came up, a grown man.
 
"I am Trenris, the son of Magician

Trent and Sorceress Iris, following their rejuvenation."

"But they were rejuvenated only three or four years ago," Imbri said,

this time speaking directly in her surprise.
 
"How can you be full

grown?"

"Well, of course I can be, on Ptero, where geography is time," he said.

"But I take it that you mean I should be no more than about fourteen

years old at this particular site.
 
And the answer is that I am

fourteen, but that I age rapidly, because they are both actually much

older than they look.
 
My talent is that of reversing the effect of

other talents, thus making illusions literal or magical spots on the

wall fade. But I wish someone could reverse my aging, before I become

decrepit in my youth.
 
However, that is neither here nor there; I came

to congratulate you on the success of your mission, and to thank you for

saving all of us from the dread marginalization."

"Wait," Imbri said.
 
"Have you met Surprise?"

"I have been surprised by many things."

"No, I mean Surprise Golem, daughter of Grundy and Rapunzel. She has

multiple talents, each of which she can use only once.
 
Maybe she would

change your rate of aging, if you helped her in some way."

"This sounds interesting.
 
I will look for her."

"We met her sister Glitter," Forrest said.
 
"She should know where to

find Surprise."

"I do know Glitter," he said.
 
"I will ask her.
 
Thank you for something

more."

"You're welcome," Imbri said.

A severe looking woman approached.
 
"I am Misty Meanor, a curse fiend,"

she said.
 
"I come to thank you not merely for myself, but for two who

cannot be here directly: Gim and Gine giant, the children of Girard and

Gina Giant.
 
They are too big to enter the castle."

"But I thought the marginalization affected only the regular human

section," Forrest said.

"The giants happened to be within it, and were caught.
 
Now they are

free, and hope to return a favor to you if they can."

Forrest looked at Imbri.
 
"We will be traveling west, that is, To,