SEA MONKEYS part 3

Copyright (c) 2019 by Randall R. Peterson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This is a work of fiction. All persons, locations and actions are from the author's imagination or have been used in a fictitious manner.

SEA MONKEYS

Part 3

By R. Peterson

When Benny woke up he was in a kind of travois being dragged along the ocean floor by two Eiriol he had never seen before. “Where’s Tanwen?” he moaned.

Benny had wondered where the light came from and because he was on his back looking up he could tell. The entire ceiling of the Continental Plate shelf was covered with millions of Tresto. They were obviously aware of the attack on Tenellis. The light they projected had a red glow that reminded Benny of sunsets in his other life.

            “I’m Glayelda,” the first Eiriol spoke to him. “You were unconscious so Tanwen hid you in a ticket of kelp while she carried her sister back to our city. She sent us back to find you.”

            “I don’t know what good you are to us,” the other Eiriol complained. “You don’t even have a tail. It’s amazing that you can swim at all.”

            “I’m sure the princess has her reasons for bringing this human here Lagene,” Glayelda said. “Someday Tanwen will be queen. If you want to earn her trust you should do everything you can to help her.”

            “Well she’s not queen yet,” Lagene grumbled, “and if the Groma find a way inside our city we will no longer have a royal family to rule over us.”

            “I’m sorry,” Glayelda whispered to Benny as she struggled to pull the travois by herself. Lagene had lingered behind examining the ruins of a small underwater house and barn. “We’ve lost so many fighters in the war with the Groma, we have to use whatever help we can get.”

            “How many Eiriol live in Tenellis?” Benny asked.

            “At one time, we numbered more than a million,” Glayelda said. “Now we are less than three-hundred thousand.”

            “Why have you lost so many?”

            “The Groma are ferocious and they come at us in endless numbers,” Glayelda said. “Thankfully only a few are able to fight their way through the tidal wall. If they ever discover our secret entrance, we won’t be able to hold them back.”

Lagene appeared leading what looked like a string of large grub-worms. “What are those,” Benny gasped.

            “Boons,” Glayelda said. “The Eiriol who lived in this underwater farm kept them like humans keep cows.”

            “That’s right,” Lagene said. “Since the farmers are either dead or have fled to safety, these boons belong to me!” She smiled. “I can already taste the milk.”

Glayelda shook her head. “Let’s just try to make it back to the castle.”

Just before they reached the castle walls Benny noticed the reddish glow faded and the underwater colors returned to normal.

-------2-------

Glayelda blew on the long stem of an underwater flower and Benny could feel the vibrations pulse through the water. Seconds later a large metal portcullis was lifted and heavy double doors opened.

A hundred Eiriol mounted on sea horses were just inside the gate. Tanwen placed her kenograt behind an ornate saddle and dismounted. She wore a flowing gown of white that reflected the colors of a rainbow. Her long green hair streamed around her face like emerald grass and Benny thought she had never looked more beautiful. “We fought off the last wave of attackers and were ready to come looking for you,” she scolded. “What took you so long?”

            “Lagene found these boona in a ravaged barn and knew how hungry we’d all be,” Glayelda said.

Lagene turned her head so that Tanwen couldn’t see and scowled.

            “Thank you so much. That was very thoughtful,” Tanwen said to Lagene as the boona were led away.

Lagene was now all smiles. “It’s a good thing I went along,” she said. “Glayelda always forgets to think of others.”

Benny was led through countless chambers formed like gigantic bubbles into what looked like a huge flower bed. Stems and petals from stunning underwater plants wound themselves around him much like a blanket. He found that he was getting groggy. “Relax,” Tanwen told him. “These plants can sense your injuries and they will heal you.”

Benny could hear distant music playing and singing but the words were in a strange language and the melody seemed to be drifting and hypnotic.

Just before Benny fell asleep he could taste peanut butter in his mouth. Where did that come from? He thought. I never eat peanuts … I’ve never liked them.

-------3-------

Benny awoke to the sound of underwater drums and distant music that was different this time. “What’s going on?” he asked the Eiriol female who was gently pushing back the underwater plants that blanketed him.

            “It’s a parade to honor Lagene,” the girl said. “She left early yesterday morning with just a handful of warriors and brought back rescued hostages and enough food to last the city for a month.”

            “How long was I asleep?” Benny still felt a little woozy but he still managed to climb out of the flower bed.

            “Three days,” the girl said. “I’m glad that you are well. I don’t want to miss the ceremony when Tanwen makes Lagene the general of all our armies.”

Benny followed the girl named Tuttle into a crowded area in front of spectacular royal palace. The entire sea floor was carpeted with flower petals.

 The crowd cheered when the Queen of the Eiriol appeared in a glistening conch shell being pulled by eight butterfish. Tanwen rode at her side.

            “This is a glorious day for all Eiriol,” the Queen addressed the crowd. “We have beaten back the latest attack from the Groma and the brave and noble Lagene has rescued many of our warriors from the Groma and supplied us with enough food to last into the next moon phase.”

The crowd cheered.

 “It is in recognition of her daring and unselfish acts that we have decided to make her general of all our armies. I can rest easy in my flower beds these last days of my life knowing that my daughter will succeed me and that my people are in good hands with Lagene’s leadership.”

The crowd cheered again.

Benny was just one face in a crowd of thousands but Tanwen made eye contact with him just before Lagene was given a special head-piece that showed she was in charge of the armies. “Meet me in the grove of kelp plants just outside the castle walls just after third watch tonight,” she whispered.

-------4-------

            The celebration went on for hours. Afterwards Benny lay in his flower bed thinking about all the things that had happened since he’d followed Tanwen into the sea. The Eiriol blew on water-trumpet vines to signal the start of each watch. When Benny heard the third bast he crept from his bubble chamber and made his way outside.

            The Tresto must have been sleeping the water was a soft blue color that faded to purple in the shadows. Tanwen was waiting behind a clump of Milfoils. “I’m glad you came,” she whispered. “I’ve been to the beach and I’ve learned many things from the birds.”

            “You were on the land?” Benny was astonished.

            “Just in a tidal pool,” Tanwen told him.  “The gulls told me that when you followed me into the sea, you left your real body in your upstairs bedroom. You’re suffering from an unknown disease in your other world and unless you go back you’ll die there and be stuck in this world forever.”

            “But I like this world,” Benny argued.

            “Imagine how hurt your mother would be if you died.” Tanwen whispered. Benny thought she might be crying but it was impossible to tell underwater. “I want you here too, but you must return to your land city … until we can find out what’s going on.”

-------5-------

Tanwen kissed him just before they parted and Benny could still feel the pleasant sensation on his lips as he approached the tunnels that created a secret way into Tenellis. The sound of many voices speaking in whispers caused him to hide behind a grove of cabomba. Benny saw a flash of red that was quickly extinguished.

            Lagene emerged from the tunnels leading about two hundred warriors. They all carried bundles of dead Tresto that had been stripped from the tunnel walls. Lagene was speaking. Don’t worry the plant guards on the ceiling are too far away to provide any kind of warning. In less than an hour we will conquer the entire castle and the Eiriol will have a new leader.”

Benny gasped. Behind the warriors came thousands of Groma; each one of the tail-thrashing black insects was armed with one of the stinging scoona sticks.

Lagene was betraying her own people … to make herself queen!

TO BE CONTINUED …