Chapter Twenty-Five: To Be Or Not To Be

  ‘To be or not to be. That's not really a question.’-Jean-Luc Godard

  The Orb of the Dragon felt cold to the touch, a block of ice that just wouldn’t melt. Other than that, though, Elijah felt no effects: no dizziness, no sudden fainting, no Guide in his ear telling him he was doing it wrong.

  You’re doing it wrong.

  Okay, there was one effect.

  After what felt like a few minutes of touching the Orb and feeling nothing, Elijah decided it was time to open his eyes and ask Einar what was going on. But, as soon as he did, he cursed, looking around as he realized that not for the first time, he was not where he had started. This time, though, everything around him was completely white. No water beneath him, nothing above or below, only pearly white the color of the Orb he had touched.

  “Godsdamn it, did I get transported to another Gráfa?” He asked as he felt familiar panic clawing its way into his heart and roosting there like a parasite. “Guide? GUIDE? Are you here?”

  Relax, Guide Amanda replied in his head. This is perfectly normal, not a Gráfa. As far as I know, this is all part of the ritual of looking after the Orb.

  “As far as you know? I need reassurance here, Amanda,” he replied, his chest heaving. “Please tell me you have a reason for thinking this.”

  I’m here, aren’t I? I wasn’t there when you went into Faría’s Gráfa, so the logical conclusion is that this is not a Gráfa.

  “Or maybe you were also taken into the Gráfa this time!”

  What about the Orb?

  Looking down, Elijah was pleased to find the Orb was still in the same place proportional to where he was, and thankfully, that assuaged him a little.

  Oh no, maybe the Orb came with us into the Gráfa! That’s what you sound like right now, Elijah.

  “Ha ha, very funny,” he replied.

  Welcome to my realm, a voice sprang from the air, causing Elijah to curse and spin around rapidly, trying to locate the sound. Unlike the Gráfa he had been in, though, the voice was coming from nowhere. It was also impossible to place the gender or age of the voice. Who intrudes the sanctuary?

  “My name is um…Amanda Gold, the Princess of Advantia. Are you the Orb of the Dragon?” He asked.

  No, I am a God ready to smite you unless you answer my riddle.

  His breath catching in his throat, Elijah yelped at his voice and he shuddered, trying to maintain his composure but failing—miserably, really.

  “Are you really a God?”

  The voice laughed then, a thunderous noise that would’ve shaken the heavens and the earth if there had been heaven and earth to shake in this realm.

  Of course not! I am, in fact, the Orb of the Dragon. At least, I am its consciousness, considering I do not, in fact, exist yet.

  “What does that mean?”

  You should know if you’re here, the voice replied, confused. No one stumbles into the Orb by accident, you are here for a reason. I assumed it would be about the bond.

  It’s about the bond! Guide Amanda exclaimed. Make sure he knows.

  I don’t know what I’m doing here, Guide, help me out please.

  Fine, follow my words and you’ll get out of here safely.

  “Yes, I am here about the bond. What must I do to bond you to me, oh great Orb?” Really, you had me say that? He thought to himself, earning a chuckle from the Guide.

  A sign of respect, I appreciate that in a Bondmate. Well, Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia, all you must do to be my Bondmate is to prove you’re worthy.

  Not this shit again! He groaned, but following his Guide’s words, he spoke back to the Orb in a deferential tone, making sure to make the Orb want him to bond with. “And how shall I prove to you that I am worthy of your grand bond?” I hate you, Guide.

  Guide Amanda chuckled again, and Elijah imagined flipping her off, causing her to only laugh harder and say I am metaphorically sticking out my tongue to you. Can you feel it? Ahhhh.

  Proving you are worthy and willing to be my Bondmate you must spend time with me telling me of your life, and I mean all of it. You may not hide a singlet detail of who you are from me, or I shall not accept you. When you have proven that you trust me, then I shall prove to you that I trust you. After that, we shall complete the bond, and this Orb shall be yours, Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia.

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  Well, that doesn’t sound too hard.

  Think again, alien boy, his Guide said. You weren’t originally the Princess.

  Elijah blanched, but quickly hid it, nodding slightly and biting his lip to tell the Orb that he was in deep thought. He’ll never know.

  Don’t be thick, the Orb will know that you aren’t telling the truth.

  He’ll never know, Elijah repeated stubbornly and casting his eyes back on the Orb he bowed slightly.

  “I accept your offer, oh mighty Orb,” he told it.

  Thank you, Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia.

  “You don’t have to say that every single time, you know.”

  Say what, Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia?

  “That. You’ve said it like five times already, my full name and title. It’s unnecessary.”

  But isn’t that your name?

  “What’s yours?”

  I have no name as of yet. For now, I am simply an Orb and that is all I am known as, although Oh Mighty Orb sounds fairly nice. But you are avoiding my question Aman—er, you.

  “Well, my name is Amanda Gold, and I am the Princess of Advantia.”

  So your name isn’t Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia? The Orb asked, confusion in his tone as he desperately tried to understand what Elijah meant.

  “No, it’s not, it’s my title, because I am the heir to the Advantian throne. You thought of was my fourth name?”

  I’ve heard crazier names, I just thought you were eccentric, the Orb responded defensively. Can you really blame me?

  “Yes, I can.”

  Whatever, it said, hurt and irritated. Can we just get along with it?

  “Sorry.”

  Apology accepted, as long as you tell me everything about you.

  Elijah, don’t try to fool it, it isn’t going to fall for something like that.

  Come on, Guide, look at how stupid it is, there’s no way it’ll know I’m lying.

  “I guess my story starts when I was born in Advantia—” he began.

  You’re lying.

  Fuck.

  Told you, Guide Amanda said in an accusing voice. If you ignore me, you get fucked in the ass, and not in the pleasurable way either. So just listen to me and tell him the truth.

  But you said to keep this all a secret, Elijah responded, and I’m not in the mood to risk my life here to make an Orb—that I have no idea what it does because you won’t even tell me—happy.

  I understand, but this Orb is yours alone, she responded. Just do it. I promise the reward will be much worth the sacrifice.

  That word sounds like something really bad will happen if I tell the truth.

  Even through his misgivings, though, Elijah decided the Guide wouldn’t be telling him to do this unless she felt he needed to. She liked to tease him—you’re right!—but when it came to something serious she was straightforward and guided him—right again!—so he needed to trust her even if she was embarrassing him—wrong this time, Elijah, you’re the one who’s always embarrassing yourself.

  “I wasn’t always the princess, and I wasn’t born in Advantia,” Elijah admitted softly. “It’s a lie I tell, because the consequences of telling the truth are too much for me to bear: I could be killed or worse.”

  Ah, now we have arrived at the truth. This pleases me, Amanda Gold.

  “Still don’t have to say the full name, Amanda is fine.”

  Well, Amanda, the Orb kept a happy and curious tone as it talked to him to ease his mind and make him feel relaxed and trusting enough to talk to it. I am glad you are willing to reveal to me that which you are unwilling to reveal to others. I feel honoured, and hope that you can come to truly trust me. Do not feel rushed to tell me every secret to have, but the faster you put your complete faith in me, the faster you shall have the Bond.

  “I appreciate that, Oh Mighty Orb,” Elijah teased, the Orb’s willingness to let him take this road at his own pace, a comforting gesture that made him like the Orb more and more.

  It truly does have a nice ring to it. Maybe I should keep that name forever, what do you think, Amanda Gold, Princess of Advantia?

  “I think that’s wonderful,” he responded, chuckling softly, and slowly he began to tell it about his last few days since arriving in Advantia. He skipped his life before, unwilling to talk about it yet, but of his time in the new world, he hid nothing, and thankfully, the Orb simply took it, laughing at the funny bits, gasping at the dangerous ones, and offering sighs of comfort for the more sadder parts.

  It was the most engaging conversation Elijah had ever had—that’s insulting, and now I’m mad at you!

  ---

  A few hours later, Elijah stumbled awake. While he remembered his whole conversation with the Orb, he did not remember how he had transferred back to Advantia, but there he was, laying in Einar’s arms.

  The Ulfír saw she was awake and smiled gently, cradling her head to let her sit up.

  “I was worried about you,” he admitted to her, his radiant grin never leaving his face. “But I trusted you were alright. Thank the Gods you were sitting down, though, because that would’ve been one nasty fall.”

  “It was a strange experience, that’s for sure,” Elijah told him, stretching and cracking his neck, feeling his muscles expand and relax.

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing important,” the princess replied. “Just a lot of nothing.”

  “Aw, come on,” Einar replied, punching her shoulder playfully. “Don’t hide this from me. Amanda, tell me what happened.”

  Guide, should I tell him?

  Do whatever you want, Guide Amanda said in what Elijah hoped was mock anger. I’m not a good conversation piece, remember?

  Oh, come on, you can’t really be mad about that!

  You’re the only person I can talk to, and I talk to you a lot. Can you say that one conversation with the Orb was better than every single one with me? Maybe you should get the Orb to guide you, huh?

  Fine, I’m sorry.

  For?

  For insulting you, because your conversations are great.

  Ha, you’re still so gullible!

  Hey! Elijah protested.

  Aw, don’t worry about it, you’ll learn eventually, his Guide said, condescension seeping through his mind. But, no you shouldn’t tell him about what happened with the Orb.

  “Sorry, Einar,” Elijah said out loud, turning towards the exit and winking at him. “You’ll have to be kept in the dark for now.”

  “I deserve something for keeping you safe every day, even today! I deserve recompense for letting you punch me, your highness,” the Ulfír protested, crossing his arms yet unable to hold the smile that crept on his face. “Best friends don’t deny each other.”

  “You’re right, they don’t.”

  A hopeful expression grew on Einar’s face, but as he watched the princess leave the room it was quickly masked by a playful outrage. Running, he wrapped Elijah up in his arms and lifted him up.

  “I won’t let you go until you tell me,” he said.

  “Oh, you’re threatening royalty now,” Elijah shook his head. “I wonder what the Queen would make of this.”

  “Well, you won’t ask her until you tell me what the hell happened in there,” Einar replied, his grin growing wider, eager to make sure the princess knew he Meant nothing wrong. “I can last forever here.”

  “So can I. Let’s see who cracks first.”

  “Deal.”