1988-2018

I turned Thirty today.

To be honest, I can't say that I feel much different from when I was Twenty. I like to think that I have become wiser and more mature since than, but who knows? At the same time, it feels rather unreal to realize that I actually have reached this stage in my life: The Roaring Twenties are over and a new age dawns in the life of Yours Truly. How similar or different it will be from the previous one remains to be seen.

The day itself was a good one, I was surrounded by friends and family. There was a good food, good wine and good company and really, what more could one want for one's birthday.

Be seeing you, Dear Reader and if today was your birthday as well, I hope you had a pleasant one.

Chapter 31

While Jeraddin was fighting on the battlefield, seeing friend and foe alike come to a grisly end, his children and their friends were witness to another battle; one  taking place on stage. It was the duel between the hero Selvano and his arch-rival Zarkudo, one of the signature scenes of the play. The actors portraying the two characters took full advantage of their surroundings, climbing the rigging and swinging from the masts with practiced ease to the astonished murmur of the audience. When the play was over, the entire ensemble bowed, as thunderous applause filled the air.

After the play was over, Hieronymus went up to Eramus and started chatting with him. The two old friends were soon deeply engaged in conversation, with the faun telling the platypus about the things that had happened in the World since they had last met, when two of Hieronymus' guests joined them.

"Where are my manners?" The Doctor said, shaking his head as though astonished by this apparent lack of decorum. "Allow me to present Risha and Merees, who are staying with us for the moment. There are also  two boys, but I can't seem to find them, or Amelia anywhere. Perhaps they left the ship.."

He looked around and soon spotted three familiar figures playing on the beach. His mind at ease, the platypus returned to the conversation at hand.

"I have met one of the ladies already, actually" Eramus said with a smile. "Hello, Risha."

"Hello."

Having  exchanged greetings with Risha, Eramus turned to Merees and bowed.

"Hello to you too, Princess. I must admit that when I noticed you among the spectators, I was surprised. Its been awhile since we had actual royalty in our audience."

"I'm sorry", Merees said, somewhat taken aback by the faun's greeting. "Have we met before?"

"No, but I know from talking to Risha here that you are from Vinoli and since the only dragons living there are part of the royal family, I simply reached the logical conclusion. I did have the honor of performing for your father, some fifty odd years ago, though. Tell me, how is King Sharan?"

A pained look passed over Merees' face.

"He's gone" she said in a low voice.

"I see, you have my condolences. I did not know your father well, but my impression of him was that of a great ruler; one who truly cared for the well-being of his subjects."

"He was."

At this point, Eramus decided to steer the conversation onto a different direction.

"So, tell me, what did you think of the play?" He asked. Being an artist, he was naturally eager to hear what others thought about his work.

"I thought it was great", Risha said, her eyes shining with unbridled enthusiasm. "It was even better seeing it performed by real actors than just reading it."

"Thank you, that is very kind of you to say. And what about you, Your Highness?"

"Please", Merees said, holding up one of her claws. "There's really no need for titles. Just call me by first name, everyone else does."

Eramus looked at he was contemplating this proposition for awhile, then nodded.

"Very well. So, Princess Merees what did you think about the play?"

"Well, I've seen it before, but I must say that this was easily the best performance of it I've seen. Of course, I'd be lying if I said that the company didn't play a huge part in my enjoyment."

As she said that, the dragoness glanced tenderly at Risha, causing the other girl's cheeks to turn red.

"Ah, young love", said the faun, clasping his hands together. "I remember the first time I felt that way. His name was Marsala, he was a poet. We used to lie in bed together and he would recite his work for me, or make up new poems on the spot."

Here, the old actor got a wistful look in his face and he gazed up at the sky.

"That's so romantic", Risha sighed. "How come you don't improvise poems for me?" She asked her girl-friend, teasingly.

"I could ask you the same thing", Merees retorted. "Anyway, you don't want to hear me try to compose verse, trust me."

"How long are you staying this time?" Hieronymus asked.

"Oh, a week or so. The troupe has earned a bit of relaxation and what better place to relax on than this island?"

"Where will you go next?"

"To Tiraliros, its been awhile since we were there and the people who live there have an appreciation for the finer arts."

Upon hearing this, Risha and Merees exchanged looks. Both of them having had the same idea.

"Say, Master Eramus..." The older of the two began.

"Just, Eramus, if you please. After all, there's no need for titles between us", the faun said with a wink.

"Eramus, would you consider to take on a few passengers on your ship?"

"What's this?" Hieronymus said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you planning on leaving us already?"
The Lynx and the dragon looked at their host.

"Doctor", Risha said. "We are very grateful for everything that you and Amelia have done for us, but..."

"I understand perfectly", replied Hieronymus. "Just know that you're always welcome back here."

"To answer your question", Eramus said. "I would have to introduce you to the troupe and get their approval. After all, I am the leader, but that does not mean I make all the decision without consulting the others. As far as I'm concerned though, you're welcome aboard."

"Splendid", said Hieronymus, slapping his flippers together. "And I just got an idea: Why don't we throw a farewell party before you all leave?"

Everyone agreed that that sounded like an excellent idea. Of course, there was still the matter of telling Leorin and Luke about all this and so, Risha and Merees excused themselves and headed to the beach. Hieronymus and Eramus looked at them.

"You do realize that there's one member of the troupe that will be wildly opposed to this, don't you?" The Platypus asked.

Eramus gaze wandered over to a part of the ship where three of the actors were amusing themselves playing dice.

"I know who you mean", he sighed. "Still, as long as the others are for it, he'll just have to accept it."

Edge of Darkness

I came down with a bit of a sickness recently. It doesnt' happen to me often, in fact, its been several years since the last time I was sick. Anyway, during my convalescence, I took the opportunity to revisist a show I hadn't seen in a long time: Edge of Darkness.
For those of you not in the know, Edge of Darkness is a 1985 British mini-series written by Troy Kennedy Martin and directed by Martin Cambpell. It tells the story of Ronald "Ronnie" Craven, a policeman whose daughter Emma is gunned down right in front of him. As Craven tries to find out the truth about Emma's death, he soon finds himself caught up in a murky conspiracy, that stretches to the highest levels of the British government. A conspiracy which has something to do with the nuclear storage facility in Northmoor. A facility that a group of activists, among them Craven's daughter, broke into.

I won't go into further details regarding the plot, since doing so would risk giving away too much and Edge of Darkness is one of those shows that a first-time viewer is better knowing as little about as possible. Suffice to say that the writing for this show is truly excellent; the British have always had a knack for these type of intelligent conspiracy thrillers and Edge of Darkness may well be the gold standard of the genre. Its plot grows steadily more complex and involving as it progresses and the characterization is top-notch, with even the minor characters coming of as memorable and believable and being well-portrayed by their actors. Mention in particular must go to the Bob Peck, who gives a touching and very intense portrayal of Ronald Craven  and Joe Don Baker, who absolutely steals the show as Darius Jedburgh; the shady, but immensely likable  CIA agent, who becomes Craven's closest ally during the course of the series.

One particular interesting part of Edge of Darkness is the ambiguously supernatural aspect that permeates the plot. Emma Craven, though she dies in the first episode remains as a ghostly presence and the show leaves it open as to whether she's a real ghost or merely a hallucination of her father's. In the end, The viewer is left to decide for themselves which interpretation is the correct one.


Since it first aired, Edge of Darkness has been highly regarded and its easy to see why. Its a true masterpiece, one that deserves to stand among the very best works that the medium has to offer.

Chapter 30

Seated on her throne, one leg over the other, the Queen of Vinoli gazed down at the figure prostrating itself in front of her.

"Arise".

Ursula, the female rabbit obeyed; grateful that she no longer had to remain in such an uncomfortable position. She looked up at the throne and the person occupying it, wondering why she had been summoned.

"Do you know why you're here?" The Queen asked.

"No, Your Majesty, I was only told to come."

The Queen shifted in her seat, the throne was not very comfortable today and she wondered if she shouldn't have asked for an extra cushion.

"You are aware, We trust, of the fires that have devastated a large part of Our city's oldest neighborhoods?"

"I am, Your Majesty."

"As you know, some of the houses there dated back to the beginning of the old king's reign. Unfortunately, the fire consumed them all. A great loss for Our city, wouldn't you agree?"

"I do, Your Majesty. Not to mention all the people who perished in the fires."

The Queen nodded solemnly.

"Indeed and We can't help but feel somewhat responsible for their fate. As monarch, the death of any of Our subjects weighs heavily on Our conscience." Here, the Queen paused and turned her head sideways.

"Still", she continued, resuming her old position. "There's no magic that can bring the dead back to life, at least not to my knowledge and in any case, that is not why you are here."

Rising from her seat, the Queen took a few steps until she was so close to Ursula that their noses almost touched. The rabbit suddenly felt very small, she swallowed down a lump in her throat.

"There's no need to be nervous", said the Queen, squeezing her subject's shoulder. "We are not going to eat you; not in any way." She relaxed her grip. "No, you're here because We are going to offer you a job: You are one of the Kingdom's most promising young architects. We want you to rebuild the parts of the capital that were destroyed by the fire."

Ursula's heart skipped a beat: A job and not just any job, but a commission given from the Queen herself! This was it, her big break! On her head, her long ears twitched; something they always did when their owner became excited. With an effort, she calmed herself. Play it cool, act humble.

"Your Majesty's confidence in me is flattering", she said, lowering her gaze modestly. "But surely, there are others who are more worthy of this honor than myself?"

The Queen tilted her head sideways and crossed her arms.

"Are you questioning Our judgment?" She asked, a hint of danger in her voice.

Ursula hurriedly shook her head, putting her paws up in a disarming gesture.

"Not at all, Your Majesty. I am grateful for this opportunity. I just wondered: Why me?"

The Queen shrugged.

"We have seen some of the buildings you've designed and found them to Our liking, that is all."

"I understand, and Your Majesty does not wish for me to simply dig up the old plans and re-build the burnt-down parts as they used to be?"

"Absolutely not. Those parts are gone forever, they belong to the past now and one should not try to reconstruct the past. Instead, turn your eyes to the future and envision a new, more beautiful city, rising from the ashes of the old."

As she spoke, the Queen wrapped her arm around Ursula's slim waist, while making a sweeping gesture with the other.

"Can you see it?" She asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty" Ursula replied excitedly, contaminated by her ruler's enthusiasm.

"Good."

The Queen went back to the throne and sat down. Something told Ursula that the audience was over. She bowed and left the throne room, her heart swelling with pride and happiness.

Left alone, Argath felt a rumbling in her stomach.

Be Quiet! She thought. I fed you not three hours ago.

The rumbling continued, this time louder and more insistent.

The Dragon Queen threw her hands up in exasperation.

Fine, you win. I give in to your demands.

She called out to one of the servants standing by the door:

"You there, go to the kitchen and tell them that We crave something to eat."

"At once, Your Majesty."

The Servant was just about to leave when he stopped.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but what shall I tell them to prepare for you?"

"Tell them to surprise Us. Oh, and tell them to deliver it to Our quarters."

At that moment, the door opened and another servant peaked in.

"Forgive the intrusion, my Queen, but there's a messenger here to see you."

"A messenger? From where?"

"From the north, my Queen."

Argath leaned forward excitedly.

"Show him in."

The servant gestured to a person that had been waiting in the hallway and the messenger stepped inside. Argath looked at the messenger, surprised to find that "he" was actually a female: A hedgehog, clutching a scroll to her chest, while her eyes nervously darted back and forth.

"Y-Your Majesty", she stuttered, kneeling before the Queen's feet. "I have a message to you from..." She swallowed. ...."General Jeraddin."

With that, she handed over the scroll. Argath took it, unrolled it and began read. As she did, a wide grin gradually started to spread across her features.

"Oh, this is a marvelous", she chuckled and turned her eyes toward the messenger, gesturing for her to stand up.

"You've brought Us some really good news", she said. "I think that deserves a reward of some sorts. Here."

As if it had been conjured up, a gold coin appeared in the Queen's hand. The messenger gazed in awe at it, having never seen one before.

"Your Majesty, this is really too much", she said.

"Nonsense", the Queen replied jovially.  She looked at the young soldier, whose clothes were covered in the dust of the road.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

The Hedgehog nodded timidly.

"Tired as well, Your Majesty. If I have your permission to be so?" She added hastily, thinking that it seemed the appropriate thing to say.

"Go to the kitchen than and tell them to feed you. If they refuse tell them its a royal command. As for sleep, I'm sure we can find a bed for you to rest in, before you head back."

Her well of generosity depleted for the day, Argath dismissed the messenger with a wave of her hand.The hedgehog bowed deeply and left the throne room in a hurry. Later, as she sat in the kitchen, dipping pieces of bread in a bowl of cabbage-soup, she realized that the Queen had never asked her about how many died during the battle.
As for the Queen, upon finding herself alone, she rolled out the scroll and read it from top to bottom again, savoring every word.

Why, I do believe its time to summon the Royal Council and share these news with them,but first: Dinner.

As she left the throne room, the Queen took a few dance steps, while whistling merrily. The Melody she whistled was that of a ballad, which had been popular during the last war between Vinoli and Frigonia.

Chapter 29

To the General of the Vinolian Army:

As King it is my duty to inform you that I reject your offer that my uncle brought back from you. Frigonia has been a free and independent nation ever since my ancestors founded it and I shall fight for it to remain that way. Its true that you Vinolians have defeated us in the past, but keep in mind that those times, you had the homefield advantage and we were the invaders. Now, the roles are reversed and my soldiers and I will fight to the last to defend our home. 
Frigon IV, King of Frigonia

Having read the message that the Frigonian envoy had delivered to him, Jeraddin let out a deep sigh, before crumpling the message into a tiny ball, which he tossed into a corner. Very well, if this is how it was going to be. He put on his helmet and left the tent; time to address the troops.

****

Two armies stood on the field outside of Friborg, weapons clutched tightly in their paws and other appendages.  In the sky, high over their heads, crows circled; hungrily anticipating the coming feast.
The leaders of the two armies stared at each other from across the field. As if on cue, they both raised their swords high up in the sky, each blade gleaming in the sun and the war begun.
With a deafening roar, the Vinolian and Frigonian rushed towards each other. Soon, the field had become a scene of carnage, the blood of the fallen watering the grass and making it slippery. Never the kind of commander to stay at the back, Jeraddin cut his way through the Frigonian ranks, his sword almost a blur at times. Had his children seen him at that moment, they would doubtless had found it hard to reconcile the image of the demonic warrior with that of their loving father.

Soon, Jeraddin found himself face to face with the King himself. The two men circled each other, neither saying a word and then their blades met.
Frigon IV had been trained since childhood by some of the finest warriors in all of Frigonia, but until now, he had never been involved in a real battle, whereas his adversary was a seasoned warrior. As valiantly as the King fought, he was forced to admit to himself that Jeraddin had the upper hand.

No! He thought, desperately, sweat in his eyes.  I can't lose. I mustn't lose.

Pushed on by the fear he could feel growing in his chest, the King made a thrust, which caught Jeraddin by surprise. But not for long; the lynx quickly regained his footing and Frigon once again found himself parrying the older male's onslaught. Finally, Jeraddin decided that it was time to put an end to this and with one sweeping gesture, he sent the King's sword flying. The blade made an arc in the air, before embedding itself in the Frigonian soil.

****

Far away from the northern lands of Frigonia and blissfully unaware of the blood that was being spilled, Risha took a deep breath and knocked on the door she was standing in front of. There was no answer, the lynx-girl tried the handle.
Locked.

She knocked again, louder this time.

"Merees, I know you're in there! We need to talk, let me in!"

No answer. Doing a very good impression of a deflating balloon, Risha slumped down against the wall.

"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier", she said. "It was immature and insensitive of me to lash out at you like that, especially over some play. You don't have to forgive me, but I want you to know that I'm sorry."

Having said her apology, Risha stood up and made as if to leave, when from behind her, she could hear the sound of the door opening.
Risha turned and saw Merees standing in the doorway. The dragon's eyes were red-rimmed and the lynx could feel the tears welling up in her own simply by looking at her. Without a word, Merees walked up to Risha and wrapped her arms around her. Risha sobbed softly, her face buried in the taller girl's cleavage.

"I'm so, so sorry", she mumbled, while Merees gently stroked her on the head.

"It's OK, I'm sorry too."

Surprised, Risha lifted her head.

"You are?"

"Of course I am. I won't lie, when I got home I was so angry at you that I could barely think straight: I thought you had acted selfishly and inconsiderate and part of me wondered if I would ever forgive you. I locked myself in my room and blew off steam by punching the walls. I'm afraid I left some dents in them. Then, as I lied on bed crying, I realized something."

"What was that?"

Smiling, Merees touched her girlfriend's damp cheek.

"That you were right; I shouldn't let Argath control my life, its just that..." The Princess paused and Risha waited patiently for her to continue.

"...I used to really look up to my sister. Its not that long ago that we were really close, but after everything that has happened between us, I fear that her treachery have tainted the good memories I used to have of her. Including when we watched that play together."

"I understand that", Risha said. "I just wanted to share something I like with the girl I love.

"You will, let us go and see the play."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, I want the memory of seeing it with her, be replaced by that of seeing it with you."

Locked in an embrace, the lynx and the dragon stood there, gazing into each other's eyes. A wave of relief washed over them. It was so strong that they both couldn't help themselves, but began to laugh.

"I can't believe we had our first argument", Risha said. "Do you think there'll be others?"

"I'm sure there will be." As she said that, Merees got a glint in her eye. "Hey, Risha?"

"Yes?"

"When an arguing couple have resolved their differences, do you know what inevitably comes after, as night follows day?"
Now it was Risha's turn to smile mischievously.

"Oh", she said. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

As their tongues grappled, Risha let her fingers travel down the length of Merees' back, until they reached the end. Gingerly, the lynx lifted up the dragoness' skirt and gave her bottom a firm, yet affectionate squeeze.

An action which was promptly returned, much to her pleasure.