Through Another's Eyes_Keeper of the Lost Cities

Dinner With the Council

      Keefe was securing the clasp to his cape. It was a plain silver clasp that was noticeably not the Sencen crest. Half of Keefe was glad that he didn't have to identify with the rest of his family in that way; they were rude and treated everyone like they were lesser than themselves. He didn't want to have anything to do with that. 

           But a small part of Keefe was sad that his father didn't think he was worthy enough to identify as a part of their family. It was the only family the boy had.

           He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. His cape was completely lint free. His slacks were perfectly pressed. His dress shirt was tucked it and spotless. His sleeves were all the way rolled down. His shoes were free of scuff marks. He could hardly recognize himself. The only thing about his appearance that had not been "nobilitized" was his hair. His hair was exactly as it normally was, in all of its breath taking, wind blown glory. Keefe clung to that one piece of normality as he stepped out of his room and walked to join his parents at the Leapmaster. When Keefe reached his family, he didn't even bother to complain about the strict dress code his father had enforced. He, for once, agreed with it. He understood the circumstances perfectly. As a part of the Sencen family, he had been invited to dine with all twelve of the councilors.

           Keefe took his mother's arm and Lord Cassius took her other and together, looking like an actual family for once, stepped into the swirling crystals.

        "Eternalia!"

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        Keefe had only seen the bejeweled turrets of shimmering city once before. He had leaped there as a dare. He still had the handful of sand that Fitz had dared him to take, in a glass jar in his room. The dazzling beauty of the capital city seemed to have grown in its magnificence. The sun was setting and the colorful rays refracted through the buildings, causing amazing shadows. As the trio got closer, Keefe realized that the shadows were moving picture of elves dancing around bonfires, elvin  armies marching to victory, and the councilors themselves standing erect and glorified.  It was quite breathe taking.  

       When they reached the city's edge, the found a dwarf in a tailored suit waiting for them.

       "Lords and Lady," the dwarf bowed. "My name is Juacko and I shall be escorting you to the dining hall."

        Juacko turned on his heel and took off down the bedazzled streets.

       "Man, those tiny legs have some speed!" Keefe mumbled. His father ignored him. "Keefe, tonight, you must act like a Sencen. My future depends on the outcome of this night! Our future! I don't want you to mess up my chance to be on the council, Keefe. No funny business, do you understand?" Lord Cassius glowered at his son. Keefe wilted. "Yes sir." Lord Cassius looked suspiciously at his son before turning forward again. Juacko was waiting for them at a corner.

         "This way please." He gestured to the glass stairs leading up to a skyscraper. Lord Cassius took the lead and up the stairs they went. Through a velvet lobby and up a another set of glass stairs he led them.  Finally they came to a set of enormous doors. These doors were easily eighteen feet tall and so intricately carved one had to stand very close to make out the images. Examining them closely, Keefe realized that they portrayed the entire elvin history. Keefe reached to touch a particular carving of goblin being stabbed by an elf but his mother swatted his hand away.  "Stand up straight."  She hissed in his ear.  Juacko knocked once on the doors and they slowly opened, revealing a glorious sight.  

          Keefe had thought that the doors were impressive but the were nothing compared to what lay behind them.  For one thing, the room was huge.  Easily the size of an amphitheater.  Three of the walls were completely covered in mosaics.  The fourth was entirely made of glass that looked over the glittering city and the beautiful countryside surrounding it.  In the middle of the room was a long mahogany table.  On the table was enough food to feed the Lost Cities for a week.  Giant platters of dwarven harvested goods, mountains of fruit as tall as Keefe himself, and fountains of chocolate that looked like mini Niagra Falls were just a few of the dishes in the splendid array.  The smell along made Keefe's stomach grumble and his mouth water.