Faun And Games Part 45

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 ma.s.s 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 grat.i.tude.

"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 ill.u.s.trated 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 friend 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 embarra.s.sing 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 Bra.s.sier" 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, tomorrow. If they could carry us some of the way-"

"I'm sure they would be glad to," Misty said, moving on.

A dusky youth stepped up. "I am Chaos, son of D. Metria after she discovered how to summon the stork effectively. I turn things transparent."

The line continued, until Forrest lost track of all the names and talents. The folk were all duly grateful, but he wished that this could just end, so that they could go to the banquet, and then be on their way.

Then, suddenly, the end of the line came. There were two handsome young princes. "We are Mourning & Knight," one said.

"The sons of Prince Naldo Naga and Mela Merwoman," the other added.

"We don't have talents as such, but we are extremely virile princes."

Something jogged in Forrest's tired mind. "Have you met the princesses Dawn & Eve?"

"We haven't had that pleasure, but we did catch a glimpse of them from across the room when the four of you entered. They look lovely."

"I will send them a dreamlet," Imbri said.

It was effective. In a moment the two princesses came up.

"I thought you might want to meet Princes Mourning & Knight," Forrest said. "The sons of-" He broke off, because they were no longer paying him any attention.

The two princes were gazing at the two princesses, and steam was starting to rise from them. The two princesses were glancing at the two princes, and little hearts were floating out from them. In about three quarters of a, moment, the four linked hands and walked away together.

"I think we won't be seeing them again," Imbri murmured.

"But we were going to-that is, the girls and I-"

"Did you really want to?"

"Yes! That is-"

"Do you really feel you should?"

"No." And he realized that along with his disappointment was a significant admixture of relief. After all, they were princesses, and he was just a faun. Their parents surely would Not Approve.

Imbri took his arm. "It's time for the banquet."

"I'll leave the bottle for them, so they can visit Pyramid again if they want to," he said.

"Princess Ida will surely keep it safe."

"Indeed I will," Ida said, taking the bottle.

The banquet was formidable, but Forrest was distracted. He remembered that all this was but a diversion from his main mission, which was to find a faun for his neighbor's tree. He wasn't sure how much time had pa.s.sed in Xanth, but surely a fair amount. He needed to get on with it.

"Of course," Imbri murmured, understanding his concern. "The giants are waiting outside."

So they were. They were invisible, but Imbri located them by their minds. The two of them climbed into Gim or Gine's hand-it was a bit hard to tell the brother giants apart-and were lifted high.

"To the faun territory," Imbri told the giants in a dreamlet. "Or as close to it as you can go."

"Our territory borders theirs," a giant boomed. "But it will take a few hours, because we must step carefully in human territory, lest we squish somebody."

"That's all right," Forrest said. "I need some rest anyway." For after meeting all the people, and the banquet, he was quite tired.

"Sleep," Imbri told him, sitting down and taking his head into her lap.

"I will send you sweet dreams." She stroked his hair.

Her dreams were very nice, and he reveled in them. This was the way to travel!

Then the trip ended. "We are too old to take you farther," a giant said. Indeed, his hand was wrinkled. "But immediately To is the faun section. We wish you success."

"Thank you," Forrest said, sitting up and sliding off the huge old hand.

He felt much refreshed; Imbri's lap and dream had helped greatly. When his hoofs touched the ground, he turned and reached up to help Imbri down. Her slight girl form was pleasantly light.

They heard the Shudder of the ground as the giants departed. Immediately west was a comic strip. Oh, no! If only the giants had been able to set them just beyond it.

There was nothing to do but plow through it. They braced themselves and did that. The first part of it was a paved section that looked deceptively innocent, but as soon as they stepped on it, there was a horrendous barking, as of dozens of fierce dogs. They jumped back, and the noise stopped.

"But I don't see any dogs," Forrest said.

Imbri explored with her dream mind. "There don't seem to be any." So they tried again-and the barking resumed. No dogs, just the sounds.

"It's a barking lot!" Imbri cried, catching on.