Chapter 51
Orion remained in the wheel chair during his birthday celebration the next day, preparing to impress everyone during dinner by standing and giving a speech. The entire time, Tanya stayed by Orion’s side. The day lasted extra long as Orion grew impatient to get out of the chair and stand up. Finally, everybody was seated at the tables for Orion and Joshua’s birthday dinner. Orion tapped his glass loudly with a spoon, and the guests all fell silent. The silence was broken with excited whispers as Orion stood up.
“He’s standing!”
“The prince is on his feet!”
“But I thought he was paralyzed?”
“How is this possible?”
Orion held up his hands for silence, but it took a while. Finally, everyone settled down, although low whispers could still be heard.
“My people,” Orion began, surveying the staring crowd, “While it’s true that I was completely immobilized from the waist down almost a year ago, it is also true that I’m standing before you. That’s right,” he smiled, “I am not an illusion.
“I’m sure you’re wondering how I did it,” he paused, looking down, “Hard work.” He looked up and spoke louder, “Hard work, and perseverance, even though there were times when I wanted to give up. When I first found out that I’d never walk again, I believed it. I had given up hope. Thankfully, my brother,” he gestured to Joshua, “Prince Joshua, didn’t. With his help, I overcame what was thought to be impossible. And I’m telling you, if you’re ever faced with a difficulty that seems too big, look again.” The aroma of roast pork, and grilled steak filled the room. “Smells like it’s time to eat!” He exclaimed as he sat down. The wheel chair had been replaced with a normal chair.
The feast lasted long into the night, with the last guests leaving just before midnight. Exhausted, Orion made his way up to his room and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He didn’t even notice when Star jumped onto the bed and started wrestling with his long braid. He was already asleep.
The next day, he began his training again. Orion’s friends were there to help him. He had to relearn everything now that he couldn’t use his legs the normal way, but his determination to become a warrior again pushed him to his limits and beyond. Nearly everyday, Orion would play tawttuwy ball with his friends. He wasn’t nearly as fast as he used to be since he was still getting used to using levitation to move around, but he got better each time he played. Tanya would often sit on the sidelines and watch, not interested in joining in. Orion showed lots of progress in his training as the days passed. At first, Orion was weak enough to train with all of his friends, but he soon became too strong for anyone but Alex, the way it was before Orion had broken his back. He and Tanya would go flying often, and Orion would point out the cities to her. Alex, as Orion’s bodyguard, always accompanied them. After only a couple more months, no one could tell that Orion had ever had ripped his spinal cord in battle.
Orion concentrated on beginning a training class for his warriors, who would protect his new kingdom. Orion figured that, as soon as he became king, there would no longer be a telblec kingdom or a lunimorf empire. He would join them both as the jisbae kingdom. He also rationalized that, since both the telblecs and lunimorves descended from the same jisbae ancestry, they both should be able to ninmisn and fysimae with the proper instruction. Orion wasn’t going to name anyone a warrior who couldn’t do both. That meant that all of his father’s telblec warriors and all of his mother’s lunimorf warriors would lose their warrior status unless they passed Orion’s training class.
Orion hadn’t expected all of his parents’ warriors to understand or comply with his wishes, but more agreed than Orion had anticipated. Guards, too, wanted to be a part of Orion’s training class, to try to become warriors. Orion opened the doors to the class to anyone who wanted to join. The class was in the morning, so that it wouldn’t interfere with Orion’s personal training schedule. He and Alex lead the class, teaching them all about what it means to be a warrior, and fitting them with weighted steel gauntlets, just like the ones Orion and Alex wore. Joshua joined some lunimorf teachers and taught the telblecs fysimae, and a few telblec teachers taught the lunimorves ninmisn. Orion planned on changing the schools, adding ninmisn to the lunimorf curriculum, and adding fysimae to the telblec curriculum, so that he wouldn’t have to worry about that during the training class in the future.
Orion wandered down into the courtyard one early autumn afternoon, with Alex right beside him. He breathed the crisp, cool air deeply as he strolled through the garden. The sun was shining brightly on the colorful flowers, and reflecting a small rainbow off of the water splashing down the fountain. This is what it means to be alive, he thought, allowing his senses to soak up everything around him. He spied Tanya and Lee around a bend. Tanya was bent over picking a bouquet of red and yellow tulips. There was an ugly stream of yellowish smoke coming from Lee’s hand.
“I don’t know what in the world you would want with that nasty thing,” Tanya said to Lee, not looking at him.
“Come on, Tanya,” Lee said, exasperated, “It’s fun. It gives me a real rush. You aughta try it.” He offered her a stick of rolled up leaves that was emitting smoke from one end.
“Get that stinky thing away from me!” Tanya yelled, pushing Lee’s hand back and stepping away from him.
“What’s going on?” Orion asked, trotting up to them. A horrible smell wafted towards Orion, causing him to scrunch his face and hold his nose. “What is that awful smell?”
“It’s Lee’s new habit,” Tanya said disapprovingly. “He’s taken up smoking some nasty leaves filled with this icky brown stuff.” Tanya frowned.
“So what’s wrong with having a smoke now and then?” Lee sucked on the leaves. “It makes my head tingle.”
“That’s because it’s killing your brain cells, stupid,” Orion commented, backing up and trying to fan the smell away with his free hand.
“Those leaves are from a majaka plant, and the brown stuff is crushed up majaka roots.” Alex said, glancing at Lee, who just stared back blankly.
“It’s poisonous, you idiot!” Orion exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air, “It’ll kill you if you keep smoking it!”
“Eh,” Lee shrugged, sucking on the leaves again. “It feels good now,” he said, blowing yellowish smoke out of his mouth as he spoke.
Orion made a nasty face as he turned away from the foul smoke. “You know, that’s the same stuff that was put into the beestripe tea that time Tanya and I got real sick, don’t you?” Lee shrugged again. Orion sighed, “Tanya, would you like to take a ride with me?” he asked.
“Sure. Anything’s better than breathing in that smoke.” She turned to go. “By the way, these are for you,” she said, handing Orion the flowers.
“Thanks.” Orion smiled at her, losing himself in her eyes. Pink eyes, he thought, it’s so amazing that anyone could have pink eyes. They made their way up to Orion’s room where he set the flowers in a vase and gave them water. He then took Tanya down to the stables. “Uh, Alex?”
“Yea?”
“Don’t you have something better to do than follow us?” Orion looked hopefully at his bodyguard.
“What could be more important that protecting my prince?” Alex crossed his armed and frowned.
“Here you are, Majesty,” a stable hand walked over with Orion’s stallion, Steel, and a mare named Buttercup. “I’ve packed the saddlebags as you requested.”
“Good.” Orion mounted his large horse. It had been easier to learn how to ride again than he thought, and was riding well in only a few weeks. “You do know how to ride, don’t you?” he turned to Tanya.
“Oh, I’m not sure,” she said sarcastically, already mounted and ready to go. “I’ve had lessons,” she said to Orion’s blank stare as she and Buttercup trotted off down a path.
“Please, Alex?” Orion begged as he watched Tanya trot off, “Just t
his once?”
“Fine,” Alex said, still frowning, “but don’t you go getting attacked or it’ll be my neck,” he crossed his throat with a finger,” and then I’ll come back from the dead to kill you.” Orion chuckled as he steered his horse toward the trail.
“Don’t worry Alex!” Orion called over his shoulder as he galloped Steel to catch up. Not tonight, he thought, Tonight’s going to be perfect. Orion laughed as he passed Tanya. She galloped with Buttercup, each horse going faster, until they were running at top speed through the forest path. Rounding a corner, they came to a stop in a clearing near the edge of a cliff.
The clearing was beautiful, but the view off of the cliff’s edge was breathtaking. Looking down, they saw a river cutting a path through the trees, and reflecting the sun. Clouds played in the bright, blue sky as their shadows traveled over the forest below. Orion dismounted and tied Steel to a tree. He fiddled with the saddlebags as Tanya followed suit and dismounted. Orion pulled out a bright red tablecloth from one of the bags and spread it out on the ground. He then proceeded to pull containers from the bags and set them gently on the tablecloth.
“What’s going on, Orion?” Tanya asked, watching Orion.
“I thought it might be nice to have a picnic,” he replied, not stopping. “I’ve got a roasted chicken in here,” he carried a covered pot to the tablecloth, “along with mashed potatoes, creamed corn, applesauce, and vanilla pudding. Have a seat,” he gestured to the ground beside him as he sat down. They watched the sun set as they ate, basking in it’s warmth.
“It’s so beautiful here. How did you find this place?” she asked, taking a bite of chicken.
“When I was little, I rode horses all the time. I eventually found an overgrown trail and followed it. That trail brought me here, but I couldn’t find my way back home. It was really late by the time I returned. After I got back, I had some people take care of the trail so that I could come back here without getting lost,” he scooped some corn into his mouth, dribbling it down his chin. Orion blushed as he wiped his mouth. Tanya giggled. They ate the rest of their meal in silence.
Slowly, the moon rose to shine down on the valley below. One by one, the stars began twinkling in the darkening sky. Orion watched as Buttercup neighed softly when Steel nudged her. Tanya sighed and scooted closer to Orion. He held his breath as Tanya laid her head on his shoulder.
“Well,” Orion said loudly when he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, “I’d better start cleaning up!” He began piling the dishes on top of each other. The glass clinked noisily as Orion hefted it back into the saddlebags.
“What’s wrong, Orion?” Tanya asked, getting up, “You’re acting really weird.”
“Huh?” Orion turned to face her, lost his concentration on levitating, and stained the knees of his pants on the grass as he fell. “I- well, um,” Orion stuttered, blushing as he got up. He took a deep breath and pulled a small box out of his pocket. It’s now or never, he thought as he walked over to Tanya, looking down. “Uh, Tanya?” He asked, hiding the small box in his right hand on his hip as he nervously squeezed the base of his braid with his left.
“Yes, Orion?”
“I, uh,” he paused, searching for the right words. “I, I was kinda, sorta wondering,” his voice trailed off.
“Yes, Orion?” Tanya was getting curious. She couldn’t remember a time when Orion seemed so nervous.
“Well, I was wondering, um, if you, uh,” he looked into her eyes, her ravishing pink eyes. He took a deep breath and got down on one knee, presenting the little box to her. “Will you marry me?” he asked, opening the box and revealing a sparkling diamond ring. He was sweating, although it had gotten chilly, panting, and shaking uncontrollably.
“Oh!” Tanya gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as she stared at the ring. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized what was happening. “Yes,” she heard herself say, “Oh, Orion, I will!” She sobbed as Orion got up and put the ring on her finger. He was still sweating from nervousness, but grinning from ear to ear. She stared at the ring, and gazed into Orion’s good eye. For as strong as he thought he was, a tear was threatening to fall. Overwhelmed by the rush of emotion, she fell into Orion’s chest, throwing her arms around his neck and crying into his shirt. They stood there, each wrapped in the other’s embrace until the neighing of the horses brought them back to reality.
Darkness had settled in the clearing as the last rays of the sun said their goodbyes. Orion and Tanya walked the horses back to the stables, with the moon shining down and showing them the way. After taking care of the horses, Tanya insisted they tell her parents. Her mother cried almost as much as Tanya, and her father clapped Orion on the shoulder, beaming at both of them. They spent the rest of the evening with Tanya’s parents, finally saying goodnight and falling asleep together in Orion’s bedroom.