Episode 7: Church (Talise)

Talise shut the door to the hallway. She made her way back to the bedroom and set her hands to her hips. With a big grin, she said to Niels, “They’re making me go.”

He moved his head to flop the tuff of blue hair that hung in a curl over his forehead back and stretched his arms across the span of their bed, as far as he could, “No one said I had to.”

Talise rolled her eyes, “Uh huh. Enjoy dad duty.”

What could go wrong with Niels, three four year olds, an almost three year old, and two year old twins. Probably everything.

Jo would come back with blue hair too. Or maybe just one deep dark streak of blue that also stained her skin. 

“I’ll get the kids ready,” he said as he got out of bed. 

The younger twins would be able to sleep in, unlike them. The rest.came to the breakfasts. Spence, father of her two sets of twins, was out of realm graduating anyway. Her twin, Ach, was going with Spence. Johanne and Valdemar were notorious for waking up if they left the apartment, even with Spence or Ach or someone else nearby. Jo liked to say she had nightmares, but everyone who paid attention knew that a nightmare for her was waking up from the most enchanting unicorn dream and having no one who would compensate for reality with fruit filled unicorn pancakes, complete with an icing horn and icing hooves, to share it with. Jo was Niels’ spunky daughter. She had long brown hair she was going to start tripping over within a year. She already struggled to not sit on it.

Their nursery keeper, Thesper, never accommodated Jo’s strict unicorn breakfast demands.

Talise pushed Niels back, at the mention of showering. If she showered, he would follow. If he followed, he would see the not yet destroyed evidence of her pregnancy test on the vanity. As the crown heir to the dragon throne, part of her job was to have lots of kids. She wanted to get it out of the way while she was not ruling, since she had already started. 

Instead of showering, she rained down on them.

“Guess I have spare time,” she said to his recommendation as to how she should use the last few minutes she had before it was time to be Talise, Princess of the Dells and Heir to the Dragon throne, daughter of Maelchor, server of all things breakfast and delivered of messages of hope. 

Niels heated his skin so each droplet sizzled against him.

“It’s your birthday,” he said between kisses. “I have eighteen different surprises hidden in your day.”

She couldn’t resist the line he had fed her, “Is in a hint?”

Her lips trailed away from his and found his neck, and the line of where his skin turned from stubble to smooth where he couldn’t resist being touched.

True to form, he moved her back to his lips, on top of him, “Is this how you want to spend your last few minutes of sleep?”

“My dad’s in the hallway; this is how I want to make him wait,” she replied. She let her robe fall behind her and resumed kissing him.

His hands slid below her waist, “and what would you like, birthday girl?”

“I want…” her cheeks betrayed her. She had planned to share the news of the twins that morning, but he had eighteen gifts for her and a plan formed; to give him two last gifts at the end of the day. Two more amazing children to add to their family. Their first children together.

  “This is good,” she tried to finish, but he didn’t believe that was all she had to say so he sat up and pulled her onto his lap, his lips still kissing hers between sentences. 

“You want want?” he asked.

She scrambled for something, and landed on a plot to keep him distracted all day, to her benefit. “Eighteen times before you…” she said sheepishly, but with a little grin. 

“Really?” Niels asked.

“Come on Niels. It’s my birthday. We can torture you a little,” she added.

He kissed her, then worked down her neck, “We’re not doing this when you’re a thousand.”

It had worked, which left her with only all of the day, over twelve hours, to keep him away from her own surprise for him.

“Will you get Jo, Fort, Emma, and Val?” she asked. “I’ll head down and get everything set up.”

“I’ll see you there,” he replied with a kiss.

Talise locked herself in the bathroom and made sure all evidence, which had been shoved into a drawer, was incinerated in the trash. When she looked in the mirror, she saw the reflection of a dress hanging off of the back wall. It was black with thin straps and printed orange and red flower petals that danced like flames when the fabric moved. She squealed in excitement, then took a deep breath and walked over. There were matching black heels and she couldn’t wait to put it on.

As she suspected, the fabric felt light against her body and it fit perfectly. She left the bathroom with a too-big smile on and saw Niels with their Jo and Emma on either hip. Fort sat on the bed waiting.

“I love you. So much,” she said. She did a spin for him and Val clapped. She loved when he clapped, even if it was at the most inappropriate times such as when Fort fell or Ella puked in her hair.

“Gorgeous as always,” Niels commented. He kissed her, and as he pulled away she stole Emma from his arms.

“No, it’s my turn,” Jo said. Talise looked at her amused. Her straight brown hair had blanketed her face, but what was visible included a closed eye. She was flush against Niels and Talise rubbed her back for a moment.

“Why?” Niels asked Jo, “We’re going to win, your mom’s in heels.”

Niels took off out of the apartment and down the hall. Meldrick almost spoke, but shook his head instead. 

“See you at breakfast?” she said as she swooped over Fort, added him to her collection, and took off after Niels. She was going to beat Niels even with the heavier boy. Her pace wasn’t as fast but she knew there was a balcony around the corner she could meet Alojiza at. She called to her, and as they left the trail Niels and Jo had set, Alojiza floated above the balcony. Her white dragon let them on and swooped to the closest door to the church. Talise slid down the wing, Fort held against her chest and Emma clinging to her arm, and Alojiza lifted it just enough so they would land on their feet.

Talise stood at the door, Emma on her hip, until Niels showed up a full two seconds later. 

“You are evil,” Niels said with another kiss.

“Only fifteen left,” she teased. They opened the doors and the entire room was decorated in purple and white balloons and streamers. 

“Only sixteen surprises left,” Niels said from beside her.

She took it all in – the balloons and streamers. The white plates and purple napkins. The runner on the tables. There were thick bouquets of purple verbena, a symbol of affection and well wishes. Lavender sprigs adorned the podium, a symbol of devotion and a perfect message for the speeches that would be given and from Niels to her, and as she took it in, Niels tucked a single clematis behind her ear. It was either a complement to himself for being amazing with his gifts, or he was calling her stunning. She smiled and felt her stomach fill with butterflies. Every last detail had been tailored for her. 

“You forgot about Ach,” she uttered. She was, otherwise, speechless.

“Ach who? His favorite color is argyle; flowers don’t come in argyle.”

Talise laughed, “Once again, Niels Poulsen, you amaze me.”

She meant it too. She had been afraid to date him, of the deep passion he felt in life and the way he made her crawl out of the rosy prison of her cheeks and shine. He had come along at the end of her we-got-married-too-young relationship with Spence, who really liked her twin more but had gotten her pregnant. Spence had dated her as a therapy, because his home realm was anti-gay. In the end, his parents didn’t subscribe to that belief and loved him. She had four cool kids from it and an extra dragon and Niels. She had no regrets. Sometimes it was weird that her twin was with her ex, but like all things in life, she was just happy everyone ended up happy (especially, selfishly, herself. Niels made life extraordinary and bright, Spence was okay).

“Good,” he said with yet another kiss. “Besides, he helped.”

Ach also amounted to the best brother in history. She couldn’t have asked for a more perfect twin. 

As they walked around the room, she noticed there was even a sweet cake on the buffet table, covered in lavender and pansies, another symbol of love. It was one of her favorite things to have on her birthday – the cake would have hints of lemon and lavender in it. A thin layer of frosting and the flowers would complete the flavor. It would be the best breakfast cake ever.

“Do you want to tell me if the frosting tastes okay?” Talise asked Val. 

Val’s eyes lit up and his finger dipped into a small pool of frosting against the side of the pan. He licked his lips and smiled, “It’s great!” he exclaimed. 

She looked over at Jo, who was asleep, and they kept walking.

“If you make it all the way through eighteen, I’ll show you how much I love this,” Talise taunted. 

“Yeah? Because I’m turning twenty-two soon,” he replied.

“I think I may regret this game starting after today,” Talise joked.

“No regrets,” he replied. A sentiment that he had echoed throughout their relationship. It was their thing. That no matter what happened, good or bad or crazy, they would never regret it. It echoed some of her dead dad’s last words to her mom.

Niels probably knew her too well; knew that she was likely to dwell on ways she could have done things better. With two simple words he pulled her out of any possible mental drowning she invoked upon herself. He was there, he wanted to be there, she wanted to be there, and she was having the best birthday. 

She didn’t even feel sick, which was exciting given the wide range of smells that filled the Maelvish breakfast. 

Jo and Emma took off once they made it back to the main doors. Val went to play with kids, but stayed close. Fort stood side by side with Niels and Talise as guests filed into the room. Most had travelled more than a day to be there. Every week guests filled the rooms of the palace to await Maelvish. The church session itself was entirely for the people. She couldn’t think of one person within the royal house that believed all the words that were said on Maelvish. The villagers believed her dad was a god. He was her hero, and he had sacrificed himself for the Dells, but he wasn’t a god. 

As they stood there and shook hands, Talise noticed Niels was drawing the number fifteen on her back. She laughed and glanced at him, his eyes full of dreams she wanted to bask in significantly more than everything church, but at the same time this was the cornerstone of the kingdom. Religion, in the end, was about coming together. They’d have all afternoon to be together.

Once every last attendee had  entered the hall, she led Niels to the lectern at the front. Her mom and dad had filled the dozens of pitchers and lit the flames for each griddle.

Niels kissed her cheek and left her to the hall.

“Hail the new day,” she said, her voice echoed through the hall as a hundred or two conversations came to a whispered close.

“Hail the new day, and the new sun,” she repeated. The church hall had open arches spanning its sides where light could filter in. The canopy was full of skylights trimmed into the foliage that coated the lattice ceiling. As the sun rose, sometime during the speech, the room would begin to glow.

“With the new sun comes new opportunity to spread kindness, health, and bounty.”

The words rolled off her tongue, memorized as part of the essential script of being heir and future queen.

“We thank you for joining us today: to feast upon a meal born of the fire that gives us warmth and the water that gives us life; to bring home lasting prosperity for your village.”

She took a moment to let the speech sink in, to see all the faces that made up her kingdom. Many were wearing tattered clothing. Each step forward was still less than where many realms were. The last line was for them, to equalize everything that was unequal – but it was fortune that made her heir and fortune that allowed her to serve.

“It is our honor to serve you in this as in all things,” she completed. And it was. A tedious, way too early, honor.

Talise sat for the next part, and her Uncle Nell stood to read the prayer that he had written.

“Maelchor,” he boomed.

In this case, the prayer was to her dad because everyone suspected he was a god, but it was also to the god that everyone believed in beyond her own dad.

“We pray to you, on the day of your children’s birth, that you bless us with another year of your generosity. That you will forgive us for any divide we may have and unite us as one under your guidance.”

Nell spread his arms and moved with his words, as though he was moved by them, and Talise wondered if her dad had ever had a closer friend. Nell must have been it.

“Thank you Maelchor, for your children and for the prosperity we have continued to enjoy since your death. Praise Maelchor.”

“Praise Maelchor,” the crowd repepted.

“I love you, Dad,” Talise mouthed on her way back to the front. And I hope you find this god thing amusing, she thought.

Again she took in a deep breath at the captivated audience which sat ready and eager to be inspired.

She opened up a book, not the book, but her own book, and read: “He reached his hand down onto the bloodied grass, his brother fallen in their warfare, and lifted him up to stand beside him. Where famine and fear had divided them, their love for one another prevailed. Together they cleaned their wounds and sharpened their swords, prepared for another day and another battle. They promised each other, by the stony dark halls, that they were not the enemy – to themselves nor to one another. Their morning ended with a feast brought from the famine of another. Though not their brother, Maelchor saw all people as his family – his children – and he ate only what custom insisted.”

Talise looked back to the crowd, “Maelchor does not forget or abandon his people. Nor should anyone here forget or abandon not only their family but also their community and their kingdom. Though we once stood as a divided kingdom, it is fitting to remember that his sacrifice and our births were the rebirth of this great kingdom as one. You sit side by side with members of both halves of the Dells, with villagers from places you’ve seen and places you may aspire to visit. I hope you will take time to know one another, and to work together, as we do.”

As she finished, and let the group think for a moment, she turned to sit again. Instead of her mom or Meldrick standing to make the closing prayer, Niels stood. Talise grazed Niels as they traded places. The sun had just begun to shine in the room as it peered over the horizon; a perfect setting for his first time at the lectern.

Niels stood tall and poetically prepared, composed like in all performances, “Let us close with a prayer. Maelchor, you returned from the dead to reunite your beloved kingdom and to ensure that its people thrived. We ask you to take a moment today and bless your heirs on their birthday, as they continue their journey of leadership and giving. And we ask you to look down on us today with the same love you have for your own children: We ask for a benediction of strength, that we may better serve our communities and families; we ask for a benediction of endless bounty, that we may look to the future with confidence and hope; we ask for a benediction of health, that we may continue to thrive and grow in all that we do; and we ask for a benediction of love, that we may accept one another into our lives and ever remain one kingdom, one purpose, one heart.”

He looked at her on the last word, and she smiled back, her body warm and excited with the beginning of the day. It had to be another of his presents – each one filling her day with reasons to love him more than she already did. It was an impossible task only Niels Poulsen, God (of Rock), could accomplish.

From the moment he gave her his card, in the theater lobby in New York, she knew he would become her everything. She had spent that night not only fixated on the play but eager to hear what Konrad thought of him, eager to learn more about him, eager to know him and his kids and to show him her world.

He was just as eager.

Now she kissed him and teased, “Has anyone ever suggested you do something like public speaking?”

“No one can stand my voice,” he replied.

His amazing voice was the one thing she definitely couldn’t stand. It distracted her from work, from it’s pitchy accented speech to the low tones that built from inside him as he sang. He could carry a mood and envelop you in it with his voice.

She definitely couldn’t stand it.

As griddles began to sizzle and voices began to fill the space, Jo ran up. She was an amazing mix of childhood at these events; always able to keep herself busy until they were free and then wild and entertaining.  

As she ran past Talise, she scooped her up and spun in a circle, then hugged her. “How is your day going?”

“I like breakfast,” she replied, even though whatever game she was playing involved avoiding tables and plates.

“But?” she asked.

“But nothing. Why is it so early? Who makes breakfast beat the sun?”

Talise loved how full of words Jo had become. She had met her as a two year old that was just beginning to make sentences and play games.

Niels placed his hand on her back. “She has a point.” He guided the three of them toward the table. “But you’re going to have to start school this fall. You can beat the sun with me while Mommy sleeps in,” he said. Talise bumped against him and freed herself from his hand, to set Jo down, then let his arms wrap around her. “I wake up plenty early,” she replied. Plenty early and plenty of times during the night. 

“Yeah, but I usually sleep through it so I have no proof,” he teased.

Amused, Talise used the edge of her fork to cut a slice of crepe. Today, she was having vineapal preserves, it’s deep purple color and the peels of flesh mixed together to coat the silky crepe.

Val reached down and grabbed the entire roll and picked it up,crushing preserves between his fingers as he stuffed it into his mouth.

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