The Elixir of Life

Chapter 3

The Gipus Curse: This was the curse that the witches of Gipus kingdom had cast over the immortals of Green kingdom. It reduced them to half-mortal and half-immortal making them unable to live forever. The original Greens, Terese and Bingy-White were forced to sacrifice a few of their lives to save their son and granddaughters by doing this the latter became immortal.

When they sacrificed some of their years, Terese and Bingy-White, their bodies could no longer exist on earth so they varnished into the land of Immortality to sustain what had remained of their souls. This sacrifice was the only deal they could make with the witches of Gipus kingdom to have them quit practicing dark magic after their land had been destroyed by the Greens.

The Elixir of Life: A drink that was made by the Silver family who were considered the healers in all the land. It was the drink that sustained half-immortals giving them a few extra years. The Green kingdom made an arrangement with the Silver kingdom having conquered the witches of Gipus kingdom, that since they were respected for their strength in fighting dark magic, they should hold the celebrations of the Elixir of Life as a form of gratitude to the Silver family but also as bait to ensure that the witches of Green kingdom never practiced dark magic ever again.

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An elixir is a clear, sweet-flavored liquid used for medical purposes, to be taken orally and intended to cure one's illness.

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From his mother's words to the events laid before him Pink-White fought hard to bring himself back to reality. She had said calm before the storm, even when he did not want himself to think about it, the thought nagged at him. Pulling himself out of his head, he got up from where he was seated watching Shinja and walked towards her.

"You are so beautiful, my dear. Today is a great day and we shall celebrate it for its greatness."

He kissed her cheek and gazed openly at his other daughters. They could not contain their excitement. He was elated for them. He looked at her and, in her eyes, he could see her; his mother. Shinja had the loveliest eyes, brown like her grandmother. She had taken a little white streak on the left side of her hair. To be the youngest but the most reliable and mature had not been much of a choice to her.

Her sisters were reluctant in taking on tough responsibilities so her empathetic nature made her engage in activities beyond her age. She understood her father's plight and always went out to help him. She always noticed when his mind had traveled far off, like today, he was not alright but she could see that he was trying too hard to keep them. He could tell that in her, his mother Terese-White had been reincarnated.

He had not lost her completely. Her love for him was with him always. He had his wife, Evalene-White to thank for his beautiful daughters that kept his mind grounded on all the good in the world. Them. Each of the girls had picked a feature from their mother, it was those features that kept him grounded when he felt she was not around.

If today morning had meant anything, he knew that his mother was watching him and this day of all days was significant in their lives.

After fifty years a banquet that lasted for days on end was hosted by the Green kingdom at the end of the fiftieth year to celebrate the Elixir of Life. Many families from different kingdoms visited Pink-White's family, the Green Kingdom at such a time. They had learnt that the Elixir of Life had the ability to give you half-immortality and they wanted some of it.

On this unusual occasion an elixir was drunk instead of other drinks like wine and whisky. It made them live longer since they were now half mortal and half immortal. This time round the Silver kingdom family was to grace the occasion, word had gone around that it would be so. Of the twenty-one families that were to be in attendance of the banquet, one was most emphasized and to it a lot of importance attached, the Silver kingdom.

The sisters were elated by the news that the Silver kingdom would be in attendance this time, a time when they were also allowed to attend the banquet. Everyone in the castle, even the servants knew about the tale Terese-White had always told the girls about the silver prince, they could never go a day without discussing it, even after her mysterious disappearance that had been explained to them by their father. It had become ritualistic for them to go over it after dinner.

The tale that their grandmother, Terese told them years ago had stuck with them. They would not keep quiet about the little boy with silver eyes or hair, it did not matter, his arrival was highly awaited. Shinja had taken over possession of the charm book that her grandmother had left behind. She had used a little of the knowledge gotten from Terese and her own intelligence to learn how to use it. They were much needed times when it came in handy.

The sisters went around ensuring that everything had been done right. The palace maidens and maid servants had already cut flowers, built the tents and laid the tables. The princesses dressed gloriously surveying the servants' work, instructed here and there but otherwise all was good to go.

The first royal family to arrive was the Brown kingdom from East Shadey, known for their expertise in making armory. Next was the Yellow kingdom from Southern Carolina who were in charge of maintaining the balance between sadness and joy. More families kept until the second last, the twentieth family arrived and that was the Diamond family; in charge of the largest source of wealth and riches.

The last family to arrive, the Silver kingdom made the twenty first family. Nothing was to begin without their presence because of them being known as the chief Healers, they held the power to health. That meant they were the makers of the Elixir of Life.

On the arrival of the Silver kingdom, the princesses were peeping through the windows of their chambers jumping with excitement. They kept coming to peep and went back almost immediately as if staying in the window so long would have them seen. Each one of them was in her room. They looked down to maybe chance a glance of the Silver prince but was a likely impossibility as he was heavily guarded. The princesses knew that and still tried their luck anyway.

The Silver family was from North Oakland and their kingdom was as obviously seen, the Silver kingdom. They came by means of five chariots that were ridden by five horsemen and ten horses. Prince Silver was in the fifth carriage but neither the princesses nor the people in the castle apart from Pink-White, knew why the Silver family was treated in such high regard.

The servants in charge of hospitality were directing each family that arrived to the grand area of the palace that had been assigned off as venue for the celebrations. They would have first the outdoor celebrations and proceed indoors for the finale of the day's events, drinking of the Elixir of Life. Since the Silver kingdom had been last to arrive, they were settled into their comfortable seats last. As the prince of the Silver kingdom and his family settled into their seats, Pink-White announced that the princesses, (his daughters) had prepared a dance for the guests in honor of the rare occasion. The dance was organized in such a way that the princesses could be visible to each of the kingdoms. The huge tents were semicircular in shape thus they curved in a way that had every person sitting within saw whatever happened before them.

The melodious union of the music instruments charmed the audience as the girls twirled and shook, their bodies trembling in tune to the beat of the tom-tom drums. The audience was enveloped in the beat and twiddling of the string instruments. At every turn their garments shimmered in the sun, their jewelry golden and silver bangles glimmered in the rays. If there had been a flaw in their choreography, the guests did not notice it. They watched the princesses in awe as enchantment washed all over them. When suddenly the music came to a stop, the crowd still wanted more.

"There is more where that came from." Pink-White announced when the girls had finished dancing. The smiles on their faces were wide and satisfied, the audience reaction had been beyond their expectation. Their necks glimmered with sweat, their hearts pumping out of their bosoms. The dip between each girl's throat pulsed as adrenaline pumped through their system. It was partly for the dance but mostly for the prince from the Silver kingdom that their BP peaked so high.

Pink-White's comment, had the crowd bursting into laughter amidst their applause. It had taken them a moment to come back from the world they had been transported to during the performance so their reaction had been quite delayed.

While dancing the princesses had caught glimpse of the Silver prince. He was magnificent. His hair was not silver but his eyes were gray, they made a mental note of that to be discussed later. He had the most piercing gaze. His eyes shone with appreciation. He did not clap enthusiastically as all the other guests had done but he was pleased, they could see it in his eyes.

On their way to the dressing room, the princesses were met by their father who had passed on his role of emceeing the event to a servant so that he could meet his daughters briefly to thank them.

"Dad, are you not meant to be talking to the guests?" Shimi asked, still panting, her eyes shot up in question as she pushed back with her hand the wisps of hair that were sticking at the front of her forehead.

"I will get back to that in a jiffy my dear. I wanted to appreciate you girls for such an outstanding performance."

"You are welcome papa. We enjoyed ourselves the most and also caught a glimpse of the Silver prince," Shimpi told him and winked earning a slap from her little sister Shinja.

"What...? We all saw him. He is so handsome papa. Grandma's tales did him no justice. Wow!" Shimpi's eyes were enthralled so were all the other girls even though they were less vocal about it.

"I see..." Pink-White said in thought about the comment made by Shimpi. "If you girls behave, I will make a formal introduction of you to the prince."

"P-papa... no! You do not have to do that." Shinja shyly put out her slender fingers playing with her bangles. She noticed that her comment had come out quite rushed so she stopped herself wishing that nobody had heard her but it was too late.

Knowing his daughter, Pink-White scratched his chin thoughtfully then said, "Actually on second-thought I already did. You girls are going to serve the Silver kingdoms all the days this banquet is going to happen."

“What?! Papa, that is so awe-inspiring!" Shinka exclaimed.

All the other girls except for Shinja, were jumping up and down hugging each other excited about the news. They forgot their father was there with them and started talking about what each of them was going to do to keep the Silver family entertained during their stay at the Green kingdom.

They walked away to the dressing room to change into more workable clothes. Their dance attire was not going to do the job. They needed to get into character, that character being charming. Their father noticed this and smiled until he realized that his youngest daughter had not moved an inch from where she stood.

She was fidgeting with the ends of her blouse, her fingers messing with a loose strand.

"Is there a problem Shinja? If you do not want to do this, it is alright I can have a servant assist your sisters."

"No papa. I am okay. Thank you," she hesitated as if on the verge to say something then she changed her mind and smiled at him shyly and ran into the direction that her sisters had taken.