" Immediately crouching down, I rolled out of the entry in order to avoid rough hands I knew could crush my skull.
This technique did not quite achieve the success I have hoped for. As I regained my feet, the tip of a lance was pressing against my throat.
"Neat trick, Human!" Gorrd growled.
He did not like me, only tolerating me for being the consort of his Queen.
Relaxing, he removed the lance, still keeping it pointing at my heart.
"We received your message. She is in the throne room. Walk!" the Giant Earth Faye ordered, indicating a passage that looked more like a soil tunnel dug by an animal, roots hanging from the ceiling.
There was no artificial light, yet we could see due to glowing particles that were suspended throughout the dusky atmosphere.
I could not quite remember what it had looked like last time we went this way when I had been apprehended, tortured and forced to run in front of the two giants that were, once again, walking me to their Queen.
At least they were currently not forcing the pace, allowing me to march briskly ahead of them.
As there did not seem to be any other tunnels leading from this one, we ended up right at the throne room, Gorrd ordering the heavy double doors to open by pointing his lance at them.
We entered a darkened area, the only light in the room playing over the most beautiful creature on Leilaka where she was sitting in a chair that seemed to mould to her form.
It was not a throne at all, more like a chair that could change shape as she wished it.
"Leave!" she ordered and a sudden ignition of colour was followed with thousands of little lights disappearing in all directions to destinations only they knew the entries to.
It looked like a flutter of butterflies or insects that was suddenly dispersed. I stood still until her image became clearer within the isolated blue light shining down on her.
"Come" she requested as I walked towards her, as if in a dream, aware that the Guards had not entered and that the doors had been closed securely behind me.
I stopped in front of the first white and grey marble step leading up to her.
Staring in awe, feeling vulnerable and small like a child, I watched her where she was scrutinizing me, as if unhappy with something I had done.
"You are discontent with life, Han" she informed me, still watching me from her elevated position, not asking me to advance, so I remained standing where I was, analysing her statement.
Was I dissatisfied with this life?
I was thankful and glad that I had been able to save this world for these entities. I knew I felt this in my heart.
Why then would I feel disgruntled with the result?
For selfish reasons, I concluded.
I had accepted the possibility of not getting through this crisis. I had accepted that if I could not save this world that I would perish with it.
Now the unspeakable annihilation did not happen and I had to accept a new truth, a new set of rules, a new path for not only myself, but for the whole of Leilaka as well.
I was discontent with the workload that was still resting squarely upon my shoulders.
The weeks in Hannahushah were but a reprieve, a brief detour from the real work that must still be done.
It did not matter to anyone else that I had worked myself almost to death's door for them. It was of no consequence. They would never know what I do or have done for them.
All people saw was the moody and obstinate King Dameous. Krish had a crisis. Krish acted in his typical childish ways.
Some saw Master Han that had been busy with 'Universal work', returning to them 'not himself', and they prayed to Master Han to return to them speedily.
"Go on" Ariëtte encouraged me to find the root of my feelings, having followed my thoughts.
I had to re-embrace Life before I could move forward with my own, the life I was living here, seen as Master Han as well as King Krish Dameous.
"Can you do so?" Ariëtte asked softly, a beautiful giant suddenly standing on the last step, her body an inch from mine.
"For me and Moira and everyone else who loves you dearly?" she begged, sitting down so her huge form no longer towered over me.
I stared at her. It was seldom that she presented true form in front of me.
"It is because of my love for you, my sadness for you, my distress for you, that I cannot bring myself to embrace you today. I might crush you and I do not wish to do so" she admitted truthfully.
I looked up into her blue eyes, her golden hair flowing over her shoulders, long and curly, tumbling almost to the floor.
"I am here for Leilaka, to guard her with my life" I stated. "This I have vowed from the day of arriving here. I will keep this before me at all times. I will do my duty with honour and contentment.
I will stop being selfish and learn to love life again."
She smiled at me, reaching out towards me with a giant hand, stopping short of touching my cheek.
"Go home, Han" she told me. "Make love to your wife. Ground yourself to our world, for only when you can accept that you are a part of us will you become happy within yourself once more."
My body turned around as if of its own will, which I knew was a strong compulsion from her, for she could not bear the sight of me after her last instruction.
She marched me right out of her throne room, handing me over to her Guards that took me back to the entry-way in the Elwood tree. "
Copyright © H Gibson Chronicles of Han 2009-2017
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