Chapter 2 Triphon

When my father, King Triphon, set out on his quest for a new world the title “King” was not part of his name, he was merely Triphon, youngest of fourteen children born to his parents. As each of their children came to an age of maturity, they were sent out to find a world of their own, a place where they could make their own fantasies come true. As my grand-parents saw it, each person must make his or her own happiness, and one planet could never hold all the dreams dreamt by their children in a single night, much less in the almost ageless lifespan of their eclectic brood. So off they each went to start a new life, on a far away planet, where their minds could explore the deepest realms of happiness and fear to create their own paradise. Father went with a few of his less gifted friends in search of the perfect canvas to paint his dreams; this is how my father became King Triphon.
When they first came upon Ryzald, father was struck by the beauty of the twin planet system he saw in the distance; a small glowing moon with two planets of almost identical size in a perfectly synchronized orbit. Ryzald looked much like the iridescent crystal marbles he had played with as a child, and truth be told, still plays with to this day. Zhetascha resembled a clay ball with deep blue-green water masses covering large areas. The Sun of the solar system looked small against the backdrop of a black velvet sky, but the heat it generated created the perfect atmosphere on both planets to suit his dreams, and even he could never conceive a more beautiful place to conjure up the world of his vivid imagination.
Triphon reached out though space to see if he could feel intelligent life on either planet. He found that Zhetascha was filled with very intelligent elemental masters. They took great pride in their ability to master the elements, and he found them to be fascinating. As they traveled the remaining distance to reach Zhetascha, a distance that took several weeks to traverse, he was in almost constant contact with the planet. For the first time in his life he felt humbled by the abilities of others. My father and those of our race are masters of illusion, this race though were truly masters of the physical world. Each master who spoke to him had a different area of expertise and they were absolutely proficient in their abilities. By the time they reached Zhetascha, my father was both eager to form an alliance with them as well as a bit star struck by the men and women he had linked his mind with.
The elemental beings were magnificent. Fire was a toy to be played with and manipulated as if it were no more dangerous than simply releasing a butterfly. Water became a pliable mass that could be molded just like clay in the hands of a skilled potter, or a wave of controlled beauty that could be enjoyed and simply put away for another time. Father especially enjoyed the earth masters because he could add to the spectacle of their elaborated mosaic and listen as the audience marveled at the incomprehensible display of life in motion. This was a very happy time for Triphon, and in the early years of his stay on Zhetascha he could envision himself growing quite old and satisfied in years there. It was only after he had become a regular fixture on Zhetascha that he was able to see the true nature of this wonderful planet. An air of civil unrest and out right prejudice permeated the air and caused a physical reaction in Triphon that can only be described as a disease. He spent day’s sick in bed, unable to breathe the heavy air his lungs refused to inhale smoothly. As they trusted father and the others more, the meticulously built walls in their minds were lowered just enough to allow a glimpse of the anger these wonderful beings felt for one another, and any attempt to play diplomat was met with such strong negativity that he had attempted it only a couple of times before he gave up trying. It was his sensitivity to the emotions of others and his deeply entrenched belief that life is to be, not merely lived but celebrated that caused him to look to Ryzald as an alternative home. He could never leave the extraordinary masters he had come to call his friends but he had to go to a place where he could continue the quest his parents had sent him on, to find a world where all his dreams could come true. As intriguing as Zhetascha was, his dreams were much more whimsical and much less structured then his elemental friends could allow him to fully explore.
Triphon had been to Ryzald many times and he thought it was a beautiful place. It had a small population of two very different species; the Whimlings and the Trovelians. It had been obvious that the Trovelians were the more astute group; they had been the ones whose minds father had linked with, and they were the ones who welcomed any visitors to the planet. Father asked for a meeting with the Chieftain of the Trovelians in order to ask for their permission to use Ryzald as the foundation of his dream world. They welcomed the idea with open arms and soon were making preparations for the new population of fanciful beings that would soon brighten the somewhat boring days on Ryzald.
In the time they had spent on Zhetascha many of his friends and chosen mates and begun families. Also father hadn’t been the only one to form friendships with the elementals and he wasn’t sure how many of his original group would join his dream on Ryzald; so he simply touched the minds of each and conveyed his plan with a warm mental hug that made clear his understanding if they chose to stay. He had instructed those who wanted to come with him to meet him on the moon in three days; he felt it would be best to present the whole group at once to their hosts to show them his conviction to making his dreams come true on Ryzald. Their were only two who told father right away they would come with him; Atrilos, his best friend and Mykah, the beautiful sprite who had captured both of their hearts. On the designated day the trio said their good-byes to the elementals that came to see them off, and set out on the short hop to the moon. It was with a heavy heart that he brought his ship down at the meeting place; no one was there. Out of the roughly two hundred he had brought with him to Zhetascha, was he to bring only two with him to his dream? Atrilos let out a deep chuckle; it was his way of acknowledging disappointment without letting it show. Mykah soothed Triphon’s mind with a warm whisper of support and she began to sing a song that always made him laugh, but the sadness he felt lay heavy on them even as they joined her in the silly choirs of the song.
They decided to wait a while on a grassy hilltop over looking a beautiful valley filled with flowers. They trudged up the hill and tried to fill their thoughts with the exciting future they were soon to begin building. As they neared the top Triphon felt a restless wiggle touch his mind; and he heard the voice of a small child asking, “How much longer do we have to wait?” At almost the same moment they reached the top of the hill a wave of love hit the three friends so hard that it nearly knocked them over. On the backside of the hill he saw a sea of happy faces, and he instantly knew they were all here. Every one of his core group were their along with dozens of children who were impatient to start the party they had secretly planned to mark the beginning of their new lives on Ryzald. Happy tears ran freely down their faces, and father showed his appreciation by treating the crowd to a spectacular display of lights and colors that soon took on physical shapes and motions that told the story of their journey and let them see a glimmer of the future he planned for them all.
By the time they reached Ryzald the energy of the group could hardly be contained. Triphon had always felt that the entrance his group made on that day was a spectacle the Trovelians neither expected nor appreciated, but they accepted it as the only drawback to their new alliance.
Triphon and the others immediately went to work on their new home. The small huts the Trovelians lived in were the sad product of minds devoid of imagination, they were eyesores that the creative newcomers could not tolerate, but trying to find an image in the minds of these serious beings was difficult at best. Illusions of colors and buildings were slowly placed in from of the Trovelians in hopes that they would come up with something that the people of this planet liked and that would fit in with Triphon’s dream. It was with a bit of surprise that a building style was agreed upon, small individual homes that were elaborately painted with a kaleidoscope of colors, for the first time a sparkle was felt emitting from the Trovelians and a twinkle of happiness soon gave way to the awkward sound laughter; something that was foreign to them. Some of the larger structures that were used for community meetings were decorated with a bit less whimsy but still with much more style than anyone thought possible. It took a long time to get used to the sight of the dull little creatures with potbellies, as they came and went from the fancy little huts they now took great pride in keeping up. Eventually, as they practiced, they even came up with a sound that somewhat resembled laughter, or at least joy.
The Dreamers, as they started calling themselves, made homes of sleek white rock, very cool and clean, with extensive gardens and courtyards where dreams could be displayed and viewed in private before sharing them outside. Triphon had chosen for himself a wooded hill for his home, the beautiful white castle he built could be seen for miles around and from his balcony he could he could touch minds with just about everyone. The one great mystery of the planet was the Whimlings. Triphon could tell from the conversations he had with the Chieftain and more importantly by the feeling of dismissal given at the mention of them that the Trovelians found the Whimlings to be of little or no consequence. But Triphon could feel their presence, and for some unknown reason, he always smiled when he could feel them near. He knew the creatures were watching him and that they were even more curious about him the he was about them. One day he was walking
through the woods near a lake and as he stepped over a large fallen tree, a small branch broke under the weight of his foot, immediately a strong odor of swamp and decay filled the air. As he turned to retreat from the stench he tripped over a small furry creature with enormous eye and a black button nose, a Whimling he instantly knew. The little guy trembled as he began to back away from Triphon, it was at this point that he realized the smell was coming from the cute little creature, and he had to smile at the thought of the large nosed Trovelians trying to suffer through any contact with these stinky little things. He allowed a breath of sweet spice to surround him as he touched the mind of the Whimling to find out how intelligent he really was. At first father was devastated to read only thoughts of fear and what seamed to be a small prayer for safety. He sat down, crossed his long legs and pulled a piece of fruit from the folds of his coat. As he sat he began to mentally scratch the creatures head, and soon found his name to be Nog. As he cut the piece of fruit in half and offered a piece to Nog, father could detect the sweet aroma of berries fill the air. He left the spicy smell he had created and came to realize that Nog, the one who only moments ago smelled of rotten food, now had a very pleasing odor, father was enchanted.
The conversation they were able to have was simple but actually very deep. By using his ability to feel emotions and convey the same, they had a true meeting of the minds. Triphon found out that the Trovelians make the Whimlings nervous, not intentionally but the effect is the same, the bad odor. It is a defense mechanism and they have no control over it; father couldn’t help the boyish grin that came over his face. Nog liked him and trusted him completely so father was asked to come and meet some of the others.
As they approached the little village the smell of berries filled the air and a look of happiness and pride came over Nog’s face that could not be mistaken. Father could feel the energy of hundreds of happy souls, skipping and playing as well as working and teaching, it was the feeling of a completely carefree lifestyle that few in the universe are able to enjoy. Father found himself lost in the simple desires of the minds he secretly touched; a sweet cake, another nuzzle from a parent, finding the perfect flower to complete a present intended for a young males true love. The simple beauty of such thoughts and the overwhelming power they convey were a surprise to father, he was in love with these little critters.
Nog motioned for father to wait while he went in to announce his unexpected guest. Father could feel curiosity fill the air as Nog began to tell the others about the friendly giant he had met in the woods. They had many questions and Nog tried to answer with what little information he had. Finally Nog told them that he had brought the giant to meet them. Instantly the rotten smell filled fathers nostrils and made the thought of breathing suddenly very unpleasant. The Whimlings began to make a trilling sound and again he could detect small prayers for safety, his heart ached for these lovable little things. With a gentle wave of his staff the air became tranquil. He stepped forward into full sight of the Whimlings, while at the same time creating a filter of soft green to shade the sun. He reached out with his mind and touched each of them with a warm tap of reassurance, and his unconditional love for them. The sweet little Whimlings were slightly confused but complete awestruck by the gesture. The air slowly began to return to the sweet smell of berries he knew was a sign of contentment on their part. He walked over to a grassy spot in what looked like a town square and in one smooth motion sat down with his legs crossed and simply waited to see what would happen. He continued to coax them with small touches and feelings of trust and love. Before long they were coming close, some of the more daring young males would run forward and touch; first his lose fitting garment, then his long hair, and finally his hand. As each one touched father he would reward them with an encouraging pat on the back.

Soon the whole populations of Whimlings were sitting around father and as he sat with them he answered their many questions. He also told them of his desire to make Ryzald his fantasy planet, and to make their lives good. He knew the latter of these was of little use to the Whimlings, because they were already a happy and content race, but when he mentioned the Trovelians, he detected a bit of rot in the air and quickly explained his desire to make them friends. An uneasy murmur went though the crowd that father soothed with a warm hug and a mental image of the Trovelians frolicking through a field of flowers, the genuine giggles from the little ones told father he had eased a bit of the anxiety he had caused by mention of the Trovelians. Father spent most of the day with his new little friends and found a measure of the same joy and contentment they enjoy everyday.
It was with a bit of sadness that he finally left the village the Whimlings call simply Ot and as he walked back to his castle he thought about what it would really take to make Ryzald his fantasy world, so that he too could be as happy as the Whimlings are all the time. He produced an image of Mykah in from of him, and simply stared into her beautiful green eyes as he slowly walked along the narrow path through the woods behind his castle. He knew that in her secret heart of hearts she loved him best, but she was afraid to hurt Atrilos by choosing, and until now Triphon was comfortable with the intricate dance the three of them had been engaged in for many years. But no more, it was time for him to take a mate and have a child; he felt these were both necessary in order to find his paradise. He knew that no one else would do as his mate, Mykah was his match, in every way, and he would have made his choice known long ago if Atrilos hadn’t fallen in love with her too. He would talk to Mykah first and make his intentions known to her, and then they could go to Atrilos together and gently let him know, and reassure him that the three of them would always remain the best of friends.
The next day father sent for Mykah to come to his private apartment in the castle. As he waited he went over in his mind what he would say, and how he would react to any conceivable response she might give. He found himself unable to produce any of the usual illusions he used for relaxation, or even to remember the simple phrase the Whimlings used as a sort of emotional pacifier. Long before she entered the room he could feel her presence in the castle, and then he could hear the ring of her laughter in the hallway, he could feel the other residence of the castle fill with happiness at the sound of her voice, and he knew she would be very welcome here, not only as a member of the household but as Queen Mykah of Ryzald. She knocked as she entered, a self-assured gesture he found both endearing and irresistible. The room was immediately alive for him as she swept through the distance between them. She approached him with no hesitation and kissed him on the cheek with the same familiarity she always had shown him, but as her lips touched his cheek he could no longer shield his feelings. She felt the flood of love he felt for her and was happier then she ever thought she would be at this moment. Mykah had known for a long time that one day, either Triphon or Atrilos would become bold enough to unshield his heart for her to see and that she would have to decide between the two. She had never allowed herself to fancy one above the other, nor was she surprised to find her heart had made Triphon her definite choice long ago.
The two talked for hours about their plans for the future and what still needed to be done in order to make Ryzald a fantasy world. They had spoken many times of these things but never as mates and the happiness they shared was so over powering and complete that they forgot to shield their emotions to those outside. They had wanted to make a proper announcement and have a party to celebrate, but they could already feel the excitement building around the castle and they knew they had to hurry to find Atrilos before he found out from someone else, or worse, felt it for himself.
They ran from the castle amid jubilant cheers, in search of Atrilos. As they searched they tried to keep there feelings in check, but it was no use, every time they looked at one another they were overcome with the purest love either had felt possible. When they finally found Atrilos he was in his field, checking on the fruit he would soon turn into the finest wine on Ryzald. He had his back to them as they approached and neither could read any emotion from him at all. Mykah reached him first and he looked at her with a crushed silence she could not bare, her words caught in her throat and she crumbled under the weight of his pain. Triphon helped her to a bench at the edge of the field before he approached his best friend to make him understand. As he inched his way closer to Atrilos the pain his friend was in reduced father to tears. He tried to reach out to Atrilos, not sure if he was trying to comfort him or if he needed his friend to reassure him as Atrilos had always done in the past. The emotional wave Atrilos sent out knocked father off his feet and he could only lie on the ground gasping for air as his friend walked away.
Over the next several days no one saw Atrilos, but everyone could feel the pain he was in, and everyone grieved for the man they knew Triphon loved as a brother.
Preparations were being made for a royal wedding and King Triphon had begun to reside over short meetings between the Trovelians and the Whimlings in the hope that the Whimlings would find no reason to be nervous on the big day. He kept reaching out to Atrilos trying to find out if he was all right, but Triphon knew that Atrilos was very adept at shielding and could block even him for as long as he wanted.
When father sent word to Zhetascha about the impending marriage the whole planet of Ryzald was treated to a natural show of the elements, and father was happy to find that the tensions between the elements was to be put away for this one happy day.
Finally the wedding preparations were complete and the Whimlings were no longer nervous around the Trovelians, this fact made the cute little Whimlings very happy, and the Trovelians were merely relieved to be rid of the stench. The wedding would take place even if Atrilos didn’t come, and Triphon tried to comfort Mykah by telling her that Atrilos would come around and all of their fantasies would soon be true.
The wedding itself was a very simple affair; Mykah pledged her love and her devotion to father and his vision of the fantasy world they would make. Triphon for his part looked Mykah deep in the eyes and promised to love her, protect her and cherish her always. Then he took her hand and stepped behind her, introducing her to the crowd as Mykah Queen of Ryzald. The cheers from the crowd made Mykah feel small and yet ready to do what ever she could to make all their dreams come true as well.
The party went on for days and it would have lasted longer if Atrilos hadn’t come back. Triphon and Mykah were happy to see their old friend but very surprised at the change in his appearance. He looked older and his warm green eyes now looked like the emerald green eyes of a cunning snake. He had on his arm a very beautiful girl from Zhetascha and introduced her as Jorn, his wife. He told the crowd in the cold way of a braggart that she was an energy master and he hoped they would soon have a child. The look on her face told everyone present that she would not tolerate any questioning of her or Atrilos. One of the young Whimlings took a step closer to see what was happening and Jorn shot a spark of static at him that sent him end over end across the small path. This action of course scared the Whimlings and so ended the party as everyone ran from the park. Triphon approached Atrilos as they reached the edge of the meadow; “It is good to see you old man,” he said with true feeling and relief at the safe return of his friend. The gesture was ignored and I cold shutter ran through father, as he followed Atrilos’ gaze only to realize that he was staring at Mykah.
Atrilos and Jorn left that afternoon and no one really knew where they had gone, but father could at least feel his life force and knew he was healthy. Father also knew when the child Atrilos had hoped for at the party was born. A girl they named Taliana. Triphon hoped with his huge heart full of love that the child he and Mykah were expecting would give them a place to start with Atrilos. He wanted so badly to make things right between them and he was very intrigued by the beautiful Jorn he had barely met. Maybe the two children would grow up to be friends and how could any father deny the pleadings of a small child for a friend?
The joy that had started the day of my birth was unmatched anywhere. King Triphon summoned the whole planet to come and welcome his beautiful baby girl, Leyloni. When father tells me of that day his heart always swells with the remembered joy of holding me for the first time and his looking me in the eyes to ask me my name, and the sweet sound of my voice in his heart as I told him “My name is Leyloni.” My mother was weak after my birth and she had to stay in bed but I told father I wanted to see everything. So he packed me around showing me all the wonders of our adopted home world, and introducing me to my future subjects. The mental images I have of those first days are clear and bright, and my father has never again come close to matching the joy he felt at the birth of his only child.
I was being presented to Oren and Moi, the leaders of the Whimlings when father and I heard mother cry out in pain, and her frantic pleas to be left alone. Father touched her mind to comfort her but her fear was too great, and then he could see in her mind Atrilos trying to pick her up and carry her away. Father held Atrilos in place with a mental grip so tight that Atrilos’ mind couldn’t control his body. When we reached the castle chaos had broken out as the residence tried to figure out how to help. Atrilos with his powerful mind had made them uncertain of even where the staircase was much less how to help the queen.
Father would tell me later he always wished he had left me to one of the servants when he ran up the stairs, but at the time he couldn’t bare to leave me out of his sight. So into mothers sleep chamber we ran only to see Atrilos still holding mother and her limp body lying awkwardly over his arms, blood was trickling from her gown. Father mentally forced Atrilos to his knees and took mother from him. He kissed her hair and her cheeks and laid her back on the bed, tenderly he propped me against her and took a picture of the scene in his mind and heart before turning is full attention back to Atrilos.
Father swept the room with a thick cloud of gloom that made it hard for Atrilos to breath; he then released the mental grip he had on his old friend demanded an explanation with the single word, “Why?”
“She was to be mine. You tricked her into loving you; it was only one of your illusions that made her believe it. She was to be mine! I would never have left her here; I would never have given my love to that little brat, I would have loved her more.” Atrilos said with such hatred that father felt every word like a slap in the face.
Father was disarmed for only a moment, but Atrilos took the chance and charged at father. He lunged through the dark mist and tackled father, as they wrestled around I began to cry, mother came to and tried to stand up with me in her arms to carry me out of the room. Father stopped fighting a split second before Atrilos saw what was happening, but it was too late; Atrilos had thrown what had been a baby present for me, a crystal bell with a tiny portrait of the three of us etched in the side, the object hit mother in the side of the head and she was instantly dead. Her lifeless body slumped to the floor and I rolled out of her arms and was suddenly calm with fright. Father turned his full fury on Atrilos and began chocking him with a vicious force that would have killed him if I hadn’t been in room. Father heard my tiny thoughts of cold fear and emptiness and he could no longer maintain the iron chock hold he had on his oldest friend and his newest enemy. He froze time for Atrilos, scooped me up in his arms and knelt beside mother, pulling her up on his lap, he stroked her hair and the emotional shutter that was forced from him brought a simultaneous knowledge to all, the queen is dead.
The next morning we buried my mother Mykah Queen of Ryzald. Every being on the planet attended the ceremony along with a huge group from Zhetascha. She was a much-loved person and a magnificent queen, the grief everyone felt was matched only by the hatred they all felt for Atrilos. Father kept thinking of what would have happened if I hadn’t been in the room? How would that day have turned out? Questions that will haunt him forever. Father banished Atrilos to the moon our planet shares with Zhetascha. Father knew that Atrilos felt a similar pain to his own but could not stand the sight of the man who had killed his beautiful wife, besides he still had his family, such as they were.
It was with this unfortunate knowledge that I grew up, and while I viewed Atrilos as an enemy I always felt sorry for him. Such a tragic way to say good-bye to your hearts true love, and he was banished to think about it for the rest for his life, which is a very long time for the people of my race, for most a blessing, but for one such as Atrilos a curse.