Dreams and Dramas

That night Clee slept, and dreamt.

He dreamt he was in a forested glade, with a busy brook bubbling over rocks with a happy sound. He was enveloped by a sense of peace and contentment.

“I often come here in my mind, when I want to think,” said Ignatius.

Clee turned and saw the priest reclining under the roots of a tree.

“How do you come to be here?” asked Clee.

“We’re always with you,” said the priest. “It just happens that while you’re asleep we have a little more influence on what goes on. Don’t begrudge us some simple pleasures, please. It’s little enough we can enjoy, being dead.”

“Yeah, don’t wreck it for us, boy,” called Danan. Clee turned and saw the sorcerer leading what looked like a small safari to a shady nook. The servants unpacked a seventeen course picnic lunch.

“Not bad, Danan,” said Pelena, walking over swinging her arms. “Ah, to feel again! You must sleep in every day, Clee.”

“Yes, do,” said Danan.

Naked men walked into the brook. They were athletic and oiled, and they began to wrestle.

“Whose dream is that?” asked Clee.

“Mine,” said Pelena dreamily.

“You’ll confuse the boy,” said Danan with his mouth full.

“There’s no reason you two can’t enjoy yourselves here,” said the priest, standing up. “I’d like to talk to Clee, if you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead,” said Danan. “There will be other nights for teaching. I’m getting in touch with my self again.”

“Yes, run along little boy,” said Pelena, as two wrestlers came over and began to massage her. “You and the priest go for walkies.”

“Let’s go for a stroll,” said Ignatius.

“Do dragons sleep?” asked Clee.

“Hadn’t thought. Never heard anything about it,” said Ignatius. “Why?”

“I can learn while I’m sleeping. I wonder if they do it,” said Clee. They turned into a pleasant little forest, with ferns under great trees.

“You dream vividly,” said the priest.

“Do you?”

“I don’t remember my dreams,” said the priest sadly. “I suppose they were normal. A person doesn’t really control their dreams, do they?”

“I guess I don’t at all,” said Clee.

“We hadn’t really been acquainted before you ensorcelled me,” said Ignatius. “I’ve been thinking hard on it, and I think the only good I could do here is through you, if that makes sense to you.”

“You mean convert me,” said Clee.

“That might be a bit much to hope for,” said Ignatius. “At the very least I can help stop others from corrupting you. Like those dragons.”

“I stood up to them,” said Clee.

“Good for you,” said Ignatius. “You know that business about identity being relative is balderdash. I was very glad when you hesitated to use the name, Necromancer. You’re Clee.”

“I don’t know what that means,” said Clee.

“It’s something the best of us work on very hard,” said the priest. “But to say you’re free from all influences, to say your identity has no tie to the past, to make up a false name and say, ‘I am free to do what I will’, well that’s almost always the start of great evil. I think that is why those dragons were so keen for you to do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well in life, we do start new things, we do take on new roles,” said Ignatius. “But we must always remember that our eternal soul remains constant. We must always keep a sense of shame.”

“What’s that?”

“To me, it means walking upright in the sight of God. But even if you don’t believe God is watching you, you could at least refrain from bringing disgust and hatred of the name “Clee”,” said the priest.

“You believe God is always watching you?” asked Clee.

“Is that so hard to believe? After what’s happened to you these last few days?”

“What’s your God want with Orvma?” asked Clee.

“I’ve been thinking on that. I think he wanted Orvma to make way for the Xee,” said Ignatius.

“So we defeated the will of God?” asked Clee.

“Not possible,” said Ignatius. “And that makes me wonder what happens next.”

“You won’t get me to stop helping humans fight the Xee,” said Clee. “It’s what I’m meant to do.”

“You may be meant to try, as confusing as that is to me,” said Ignatius. “On that subject, I think you can use the help of the others.”

“This whole muddle must be against your God,” said Clee.

“It’s not what I’d have chosen,” said Ignatius. “So we must make the best of it while it lasts.”

They found Danan and Pelena both reclining under a great oak tree, with a sated look on their faces.

“All right, you’re just pretending to be overwhelmed with pleasure,” said Ignatius. “And that’s overdoing it. The least you can do is give the boy a lesson in courtly table manners. He’s going to need it.”

“Don’t lecture me, priest,” snapped Pelena.

“What else is there?”

“He’s got a point. Let’s get the dishes set up correctly,” said Danan. “Now, we start with small dishes, such as nuts—“

“Don’t skip the entrance. An earl must make an entrance,” said Pelena.

Clee sighed (without actually breathing) and sat to listen.

Clee was awakened by a crowd of servants.

“I am Stannak, the royal butler, my lord,” said a fat man with a greasy smile.”His majesty is out for his morning ride. He begs you to join him for breakfast.”

“I’d be glad to,” said Clee.

“His majesty asked me to offer my suggestions to you, being new to the nobility. The usual form is to ask the butler to convey your compliments to his majesty, and your gratification at being asked.”

“You’re an earl now,” thought Pelena. “Don’t forget it.”

“Thank you, Stannak,” said Clee.

“His majesty asked me to provide you with suitable clothes for your breakfast, and to have the royal tailor assist you in choosing a wardrobe.”

“Violet,” though Danan, “The arcane color of death, and blue-green for the color of magic.”

“Something in violet and blue-green, I think,” said Clee.

“Indeed my lord?” said Stannak with brows raised. He paused, then said, “Very well my lord.”

“I’ll want a veil too,” said Clee quickly. “Always a veil.”

“Indeed my lord? That is hardly fashionable.”

“A good choice,” thought Danan. “Appear mysterious and menacing.”

“It’s for my face,” thought Clee.

“Nobody is going to mock an earl,” thought Pelena. “Well unless they’re starting something.”

“A veil, Stannak,” said Clee aloud. “And gloves.”

“Very well my lord.”

Soon he was viewing himself in a full-length mirror held by two servants. He was wearing a black turban with an ostrich feather, a violet robe with a blue-green sash, and red leather slippers. He had black gloves and a black veil.

“Excellent,” said Stannak.

“It will do for today,” said Clee, remembering what Pelena had taught him. “Let us attend his Majesty.”

They walked down the halls of the Palace, to a great chamber. Clee remembered to stand outside while “The Earl of Manach” was announced to the company, then strode in and bowed to those assembled without making eye contact, as was proper for an earl.

“You get the coffee,” hissed a Duke in his ear. Clee nodded.

The King strode in, servants hustling along to towel off his sweat. “Morning all,” he said to those bowing around him, and sat on his favorite pillow. “Eggs! Just the way I like them. Thanks, your grace.”

“Majesty,” said the duke unctously.

“Coffee ain’t hot enough,” growled the King. “Never is.”

“I, Necromancer, son of Adam, conjurer of Eden, summon Sepet, demon of water, to come to me, and coming, obey!” shouted Clee.

A demon appeared before them, to the murmur of the nobles.

“Boil this water,” said Clee, remembering the proper way to reheat coffee at a royal table. “Majesty, it will just be a minute.”

“Nice service,” laughed the King.

“Spoiled oaf,” thought Pelena.

“Oh shut up, you’ll get him in trouble,” thought Danan.

“You’re the earl of Manach, Clee,” said the King. “It’s occupied territory, I’m afraid.”

“Majesty?”

“The Xee didn’t retreat. They just flew south a bit. They’re in Manach, between this city and Gepeth,” said the King.

“I see. Er, Majesty,” said Clee.

“We’ll have to rout them before they get their hives going,” said King Jason. “I won’t cede this valley to the Xee!”

“Hurrah!” shouted all the nobles but Clee.

“You don’t approve, Manach?” said the King to Clee.

“Do I?” thought Clee.

“We’ve got the sorcery for it,” thought Danan.

“Not sure it’s appropriate,” thought Ignatius.

“What’s Gepeth and Konon doing for us? Why haven’t we heard from them?” thought Pelena. “Damned hothead wants to rip up Orvma on his own.”

“What news of Konon and Gepeth?” asked Clee aloud.

“Hmm,” said the King. “I haven’t heard any news. Better have all the help I can.” He slurped his coffee, accepted another cup.

“What of the dragons on the Temple mount, Sire,” asked a noble.

“Yes. I’ll want us all to think on that,” said the King, looking hard at Clee. “In fact, Manach, I’ll want you to meditate on that one particularly hard all day.”

“Majesty? I mean, Yes, Your Majesty,” said Clee.

“What of the funeral for the Queen?” asked a noble hesitantly.

“That can wait,” said the King. “I’ll have to consult with my father in law the chieftain of the Henren on that one. And we’ll need a prelate from Konon or Gepeth to officiate.

While we’re waiting, let’s think about suitable candidates for a replacement Queen. I want all your advice, do you think I should go foreign or domestic? I admit to liking the exotic flavor now and again,” he laughed, and the whole company laughed with him, except for Clee.

“Why that gobstuttering oafbrained ingrate of a pestilence,” thought Pelena. “After all I did for him!”

“You ought have expected it,” said Ignatius.

“Shh, there’s trouble coming,” thought Danan.

“Our new companion, the Earl of Manach, does not share his Majesty’s pleasure,” said a fancy parrot of a noble, arching his brows.

“None of that,” said the King sharply. “Manach has my orders to think first and speak last. I don’t want anybody mocking him for his lack of courtly flair. Especially you, Banas, your wit’s too sharp for a Necromancer,” he said lightly, trying to take the sting out of the rebuke.

Banas bowed low, held it, said, “ I but seek to serve your Majesty.”

“Remove your veil,” thought Ignatius.

“Yes,” thought Danan. “And say “I also serve His Majesty.”

Clee did so, and caused a murmur of sympathy from the nobles.

“Necromancer, you are dismissed,” said the King. “Think on our troubles and give us your –considered-- wisdom this evening.” Clee bowed low, dismissed the demon Sepet, and backed out of the room.

“That Banas is an oily bastard,” thought Pelena. “He was always making trouble for me. I think he has it in for Henren. He’ll be a vote for a domestic choice, probably a relative.”

“Don’t embroil the boy in court politics,” said Danan. “It’s safer to stay out.”

“No it is not,” said Pelena. “He’s under fire and better fire back.”

“Isn’t our best safety in being indispensable?” asked Ignatius.

“Yes,” thought Danan emphatically. “So what does that mean?”

“Dealing with the dragons,” said Pelena.

“Yes,’ thought Danan. “If we can find a way to get rid of them,”

“I think the dragons are likely to have plans of their own,” said Ignatius. “Perhaps its our role to hear what they are.”

“We’re under royal command to sit in our rooms and meditate,” thought Clee.

“That just means you answer to that pig,” thought Pelena. “Leave him to me.”

“He can’t,” thought Danan.

’You know what I mean.”

“Actually, I don’t,” thought Clee.

A breeze stirred the curtains of his room. A persistant breeze. Clee rose to shut the window, saw Argomath loitering outside.

“They want you,” said Argomath.