The man didn't even take time to explain to us, he just took our hands and led us inside the palace--again shutting us off from the world. He pulled us so fast that we didnt even get to look around. I kept a watchful eye on Miriah, though. What if this is the man that killed my father? He led us into a room and quickly shut the door behind us. After sitting us down, he plopped a bit of weird purple gelatin in front of our faces.
"Come now, children. You must eat quickly--for your own safety." He sat down and put some in front of him as well. "Look. I am eating it so its not going to hurt you." Sitting down, his legs came way up past ours. He was a very tall man and needed furnishings bigger than this. His hair was snow white and his eyes shown like the great river. Also, he had chains around his neck and hanging from his ear.
Miriah slowly began to nibble at the stuff and grinned up at me. "Ry! Its good. Taste it!" I hadn't seen her this excited since we found a mouse in father's tomb. I took a bite of the gelatin and pleasure hit my tounge with full force. The sugars races all over my mouth and when the food hit my stomach, it growled at the actuall presence of food. I was so hungry. Both of our stomachs cried for more food and we gave it to them. We ate...and ate...and ate...and ate.
The man laughed when we finished. I don't know just how much we ate, but it felt good. "Okay. You should feel much better now. That was a food the gods call 'cibum de magicis' or 'food of magic.' It was to renew not only your bodies but your spiritual power as well. My name is Xann. I have been looking for the two of you for a very long time my dears. Ryan Itsume and Miriah Itsume correct? Care to tell me where they put you for all these years just for you to show up on the palace steps?" He folded his fingers together and listened as I told him my story, "I understand. I also know how I could never find you. Your father's magic masked you well. They really thought things through...So tell me about yourselves."
Miriah automatically started. "I'm Miriah! I'm 6! and I don't know what else to say..."
I chimed in, "She was young when we were locked away, Sir."
"I see. And what of you?"
"Me?" I asked, "I am Ryan. I am 12 years old and I am the last known heir of my father's throne. I am a genie and a member of the family of Itsume. I do not know my type or power level yet."
He nodded, "Like I said, my name is Xann. I am a genie as well. I also was a good friend of your father's. So you can trust me. I'm am going to take care of you for the next few years...or just til you get stable enough to handle things on your own." He reached a hand towards my face and ran his thumb arcoss my cheek bone and down my face like a tear. It seemed so familiar yet so unusual.
"Brother. I trust him." Miriah's thought entered my mind.
"Yes, So do I Mira. I don't know why though." My thoughts raced back to her. She took my hand under the table. Xann smiled as if he understood.
"Now you guys need to wash up. Miriah, you go first. The washroom is right there. If you need any help just pull on the rope right here. He snapped his fingers and a rope hung from the ceiling. Ryan, follow me. Let's go handle some things." He turned and began to walk out of the room. I tried to protest leaving Miriah, but that didn't stop him so I just followed. We were walking down the corridors of the palace that was etched into my memory. It was the same yet very diffrent. Like the people, the style was strange. Every turn we made people would stop to look at me in awe. As if I was a ghost. Though I would just stare right back at them. It confused me to see genies with shoes on. We don't wear shoes. We sense nature with our feet. Our feet are our most sensitive part of our bodies the thought of shoes was always painful to the people I knew...I guess the times had changed.
