Speaking Now to Break the Peace

Trapped! King Eulerich told me that it wasn’t possible for me to go back home. For the time being they put me in a room while they discussed what to do next. I thought it less a room and more a prison. They, the wardens, were kind enough to provide me a cell with one companion: a salamander. He lay motionless on the window sill. I was impressed he climbed up here. It wasn’t an easy feat.

“Can you get me back to my world?” I asked him, but he gave no response. If this was a world where owls and cats could talk, then why couldn’t a salamander?

With no conversation partner and nothing to do, I paced around the room. But the longer I was there, the smaller it became. The walls shrunk, turning dark, eating any and all light of memories. My life back on Earth disappeared into a void beyond reach. I laid down on the bed while invisible faces swirled around me with mocking voices.

“What will happen to your apartment? There were still so many books you wanted to read; video games you wanted to complete; films you wanted to watch.”

The voices grew darker and louder. I closed my eyes and covered my ears, shouting at the voices to leave me alone.

“What are you to do about work? When you don’t show up on Monday, it’ll cause trouble for a lot of people. What about your friends and family?”

Slowly, the voices faded and the room grew quiet once again. I exhaled. When I opened my eyes a shadow had swept over the room. One face loomed over me. It was mask-like, stiff and wooden, with sallow skin and soulless eyes. It projected a voice into my mind that spoke with frenzied honesty.

“If you knew what had to be done, would I be here? If you did what had to be done, would I be here?”

Tap tap

The apparition disappeared and the heroic light returned, victorious. I stood up from the bed.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open slowly but there was no one at my eye level. I looked down to see Luna.

“Her ladyship has prepared the north wing balcony for your meeting. Follow me,” she said.

I followed her, deciding it was best to do what she said. We walked through the hallway: Luna with a strut and I with a languid step. We climbed a flight of stairs and reached a balcony. A vast expanse of trees of many colours covered all the way to the horizon, where they clashed with distant mountains. Lady Marisa instructed me to sit and had tea brought to us.

“Now Bernhaas, I grasp that you are unlearned about this world and lack a great many knowings. I will share what is within my duty as your future wife,” said Lady Marisa.

“Cool, but I never agreed to any marriage,” I said.

“Cool? If you find the weather to be cold I shall have one of my maids fetch a warm coat for you.”

I had found myself in new situations so frequently that I never realized we were not quite speaking the same language—similar, though otherworldly.

“Sorry, it’s slang from my world. I mean I agree because I have many questions.”

She smiled and gestured for me to continue.

“First, I would like to know why I can’t go back home. Why can’t I wait for the next rainbow?”

Lady Marisa tilted her head in thought. “How shall I say… It is for truth you cannot return, but our knowledge of how the rainbow bridge functions is inexact. We believe it is when the lunar cycles of our two worlds fall into line, for records show it to be once in 2’000 years.”

“Two thousand!?” I slammed my hands on the table, shaking all our tea cups.

“P-Please calm down, Bernhaas. It may be less time. The King has sent his scholars to the archives to learn more.”

I took a sip from my tea, focusing on its sweet aroma that wafted around me.

“… So, when the stars align the rainbow becomes magical and transports people to this world?”

“Yes, in a way. The barrier between our two worlds is weakest at this time, thus allowing for humans to cross over”—Lady Marisa paused to take a nervous sip of her tea—“For our part, a ritual is needed to ensure the right human is brought over. If only one party is willing, the bridge leads nowhere.”

“Well, I didn’t want to come here and I didn’t perform any ritual,” I said as I crossed my arms.

“You did not? How strange.”

She gave me a quizzical look.

“Luna, you did lead him to the house at the end of the world, yes?”

“I did, your ladyship,” responded Luna.

“So, Bernhaas, it is as Luna says, you performed the ritual when you passed through the house at the end of the world.”

What kind of ritual was she talking about? I didn’t remember performing any prayers or lighting incense.

“That house wasn’t actually for rent? Then whose house was it?”

“Luna had made ready the grounds until a willing bridegroom appeared.”

The more answers I got, the more questions I had. But, none of this mattered. I needed to make it clear that I wanted to go home and had no intention of marrying anyone—human or undine.

“Listen, I don’t know why you need a groom, but it doesn’t concern me. Like I said, I have no wish to marry anyone.”

“Oh dear, how irksome this matter is, indeed. I can offer no boon to entice a turn of heart?”

“No.”

The High Priestess pouted at my answer, but Luna stepped in, waving a paw, to draw away my attention.

“Your ladyship, I have a thought: why not tell tell him of your purpose for seeking a bridegroom?”

Lady Marisa clapped her hands once with childish jubilation. “Yes, Luna, what a wonderful thought. Oh please, Bernhaas, will you not hear of my purpose?”

I struggled to say no. I was eager to at first, but it felt cruel to say it bluntly. Though, I knew it wouldn’t change my mind whether I heard her reason or not.

“Do you mind if we end this talk for today, Lady Marisa? This has all been a lot for me to take in and I’m feeling overwhelmed. Presently, I don’t believe I would be able to truly appreciate your situation given where my mind is at.”

“I guess it cannot be helped. Very well then. It is a heavy burden placed on your mind, no doubt, Bernhaas.”

Free now from further obligations, I looked one last time out to the great forest as the sun began to set on the world, smoothing the roughness of the forest into a unified autumn blend, unashamed that it had before been divided into four distinct colours.

Luna led me back to the room they had put me in earlier and told me to not leave until someone would fetch me for dinner.