I’m definitely not anymore completely myself at this moment, the colourful drinks and the information overflow is making me dizzy. After our arrival, magically fountains of alcohol popped out of the tables, and invisible servants placed everywhere big trays with exotic food. Or exotic for me. Giant Mussels with funny shapes. Transparent colourful little spheres, fish eggs I believe. Fried insects looking like still alive, with their open wings. Mushrooms, truffles, berries, and very delicate moon-shaped breads. Super tasty little sausages. I ate and drunk like there was no finale, while following Hakim as a cat does, looking for his approval but silent. Beautiful and smart, I hope.
Oddly enough the hall seemed to adjust itself on size according to the people coming. Now it’s as big as a football field, not that I play football, but I have the concept of that size in the way I know the Moon is not a eye in the sky that is staring at us, but a satellite. Fun fact, I seem to remember also that there were humans landing on it. I stare at one of the water spikes that act as trees on the field, partially covering a group of tables with a changing filtered sunlight. I think everything must be controlled by fields. The same fields that the Shadows are using to hide, maybe. Then, where’s the energy source? Is it the cascade itself? Yes, a waterfall can generate energy. But how they pipe it this way?
– Hakim. – He looks at me. He’s certainly sad. Maybe he was forced to live outside the Court, or maybe this celebration is bringing him back to his past. He sips from a gorgeous glass and smiles me back, waiting for my question. So I ask. – What are we going to do after this is over? – HisĀ faceĀ contorts with sadness first, then with rage, I believe.
– What do you mean after it’s over? After all that I’ve given you! Of course we’re going to come back and continue our lives. Or maybe you are not coming back… – his eyes suddenly show a dark light that I never saw before on hom. Or did I? – maybe you will choose one of these… puppets…instead of me. Do you have the guts to do something like that?
– Stop Hakim, you’re hurting me! – His grip relaxes somehow. He grabbed me at the end of his last sentence, and for a moment, I thought he was going to throw me to the floor. But he didn’t. People around us (isn’t that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs?) seem to show interest of how our fight is developing, and my lover seems to realize it.
– Sorry Kris. – He grabs another glass of something blueish, and in a second the liquid is gone down his throat. He suppresses a burp, but I see it. I know him. Or I think I know. He hesitates for a couple of seconds just to take after yet another drink, as I was expecting. – I think I’m drinking too much. I hope you will understand why later. And I’m not able to clean my system without help as before… so… will you come with me to help me to release some liquids? Or will you stay here with Mr. Important Ministry of Something? – The alluded ministry, that was following our fight with puppy eyes from the closest table, suddenly seems to be offended and leaves the table making some muffled sounds and murmuring. And I’m happy he’s gone.
– No, of course I accompany you. I wouldn’t be here without you, and you know it.
At that precise moment, instead of running one over the other, we need to turn our heads. The wedding procession starts to arrive to the hall, and the hall itself expands, it changes, tables sliding out of the central part that seems to be slowly growing up, devoid of people. We were, at this moment, two groups, one to the left, one to the right. In the middle, a wide water passage, like a low catwalk, is forming. We are very close to border of it, so good news is that I will manage to be very close to Him/Her, to our God, to our Leader, to our Emperor. I wonder if I will survive it.
