Reprise (Chapter 29) [Frozen/Tangled/TLM]

CHAPTER 29: A Nice Place to Visit

"It says he died about two hundred years ago," Rapunzel whispered.

"The one guy. The ONE guy who could have helped us." Elsa began pacing. "We've been searching all over for him and he's been dead for two centuries already. He was our last chance and we finally found where he is."

With a grunt, she kicked the gravestone. "I am tired of this stupid goose chase. I'm so far away from my family, my home." She kicked again and again. "My country's at war. And I can't do anything about it!"

The last kick cracked the stone. It toppled like a playing card. Elsa shirked back. "Oops."

"What's this?" Rapunzel asked. "This writing down below."

The bottom of the stone contained faded glyphs, obscured by the thick wildgrass until now. "These... these look like the same glyphs on Arcius's island. Remember? At the altar-thing?" She rubbed sand away from the letters. "Maybe it's a clue. If I-"

Something hummed, like insect's wings. Their teeth rattled.

A blue light appeared on the pathway alongside the graveyard. It grew high and thin, reaching through the trees. The area around it rescinded, like a sinkhole in the middle of the air.

"Looks like a... a..." Rapunzel said.

"A portal!" Ariel finished.

The barrier opened only a dozen feet wide, but what they saw defied explanation. Beyond the veil lay a magnificent castle, with copper minarets and marble walls so white they glowed. A small staircase led to the grand double doors.

The skies of both their world and this one matched. The trees around the castle mirrored those in the forest nearby. Whatever magic kept this place off the map also rendered this palace invisible. It did not exist in some other world, but here and now.

"Should we go in?" Rapunzel asked.

"I think so," Elsa said. "Something tells me Lowther isn't as dead as we thought."

They passed through. Ariel looked behind them. The magic barrier was gone--it only worked one way. Whoever lived here must have been in isolation all its existence.

Their first steps took them on the short road to the palace gates. Past the archway, they saw the first signs of life--gnome-like men, not more than four feet tall, with large noses and stringy hair. They wore threadbare robes and dull, saggy expressions. Each was either carrying something or getting something to carry. Their steps were slow, with no hurry and no spirit.

"Who are they?" Elsa whispered.

"No idea," Ariel said. Not even the local folklore could help with this one.

"Excuse me..." Rapunzel bent down to one hauling a box on its back. "We're looking for... um, hello? Could you help us?"

The gnome passed by, never saying a word. Rapunzel stepped in front of it. It trudged around her, never looking up.

"They're like... slaves," Ariel said.

"I wonder if Lowther created them," Elsa said.

The three of them kept walking, avoiding the creepy gnomelings by staying on a straight line to the palace.

"No guards," Ariel said.

"You don't need guards if no one can find where you live," Elsa said. She knocked. No answer.

Elsa pressed her ear to the door. "I guess we go in." She pulled back on the door. The three of them slipped inside.

The door opened onto a hallway dedicated to decadence and hedonism. Beautiful diamonds and jewels lay in glass cases for display. Gold coated the floor and ceiling while red velvet covered the walls.

"Wow," Rapunzel said. "He certainly is living well."

Giant intricate murals painted hallway walls. Many of them depicted scenes of grotesque violence and nudity, enough to make them blush. Further down, the main entrance hall was a mess of gold coins, gems, and coffers. Piles of riches lay on each side of the staircase. A porcelain rivulet of sparkling water ran from west to east in a small in-floor aqueduct.

"This is insane," Ariel whispered. "And where is everyone? Does he live alone?"

"Is he alive at all?" Rapunzel added.

"Ravir and Arcius were long-lived," Elsa said. "And I think those workers would stop working if they didn't have anyone to work for.

The three girls split up, searching the giant hall for the castle's resident. Thick buttery smells like chocolate and roasted meats permeated the carpet. Ariel knelt closer to the indoor stream. Thirsty, she took a handful of the sweetest, most delicious water she'd ever tasted.

Rapunzel scrutinized a curvaceous statue, deciding whether it was artistic or vulgar. Then she noticed some others and realized it was a matter of comparison.

"Wait, I think I heard something," Elsa said. She was near the west hallway corridor.

The two others ran beside her. They heard it too--a woman's voice. Maybe many women. They continued on, listening for the next chuckle or cough, until reaching a door at the end of the hall.

It was a big room and poorly lit. Inside were women, all kinds of women wearing bustiers, tassels, lace, and other skimpy outfits. Some lounged in giant soft cushions, smoking hookahs from an end table. Others sipped green liquid out of wine bottles. But most lay sleeping,  draped on the floor or arms splayed, left in whatever narcotic ecstasy they were in. Most had distasteful expressions on their faces and slept comatose.

"What kind of place is... Oh..." Elsa said.

"What?" Ariel asked.

"The seclusion, the decoration. This is a pleasure-palace," Elsa said.

"That's what all this is?" Ariel asked.

"I guess if you had ultimate power and not many morals, this is what you'd do: live a life of luxury," Elsa said.

"He couldn't use his power to help other people?" Rapunzel asked.

"I don't think he's the sort of guy where that would cross his mind. He's used all his magic for self-indulgence. He uses women for carnal pleasure and slave creatures for servitude. And there's no one who could tell him otherwise."

The women must have seen them, but were too intoxicated to care that three people never seen before had walked in. Maybe the first in hundreds of years. Assuming these were actual people, not simulacrums. The power of Temeris must have had limits, didn't it?

"Excuse me," Elsa said. "We're looking for, uh, ah..."

The woman, who had tan skin and a two-piece lingerie set, wobbled as she glanced sideways. She gave a little smirk then walked away.

"Does anyone know where we can find Lowther?" Rapunzel asked.

"Or the king of this castle? Or whoever's in charge?" Ariel asked.

The women stirred, hovering in stupor. Ariel shuddered to think what they did when they weren't in this room.

The door opened. A single gnomeling stood outside.

"Master requests three," it said. "Three who haven't been seen in a while."

"Us," Rapunzel said, raising her hand. "That's us. It's been a long time since we've seen... the master."

The gnomeling looked them up and down. Rapunzel realized it was staring at their clothes. She and Elsa were still in the drab laundrywoman garb and Ariel's dress was ripped and muddy.

"We need to change though," Rapunzel added. "Give us a minute. We were..."

"We were cleaning," Ariel said. "That's it."

The gnomeling shrugged.

Rapunzel pulled Elsa and Ariel by their shoulders to the back of the room. They ducked behind a long dressing screen hidden in a dark corner. Discarded clothes lay in giant pile. The three of them tossed items to each other.

"Does this fit me? No. This one? No. This one?"

"Hurry up, hurry up."

"Where are the pants that go with this?"

"No. No. Ugh, no. What is this? Is this something you're supposed to wear?"

"Ergh, too tight."

"The snaps go on like this... Pull this down. There."

"Watch your elbow."

"Here, try this blue one. It goes with your hair color."

"This is just a sheet."

"That's nothing. Look at this. It's just one square inch of fabric."

Ariel walked out from behind the screen first. While the others kept searching for something that would preserve their dignity, her people had no qualms about bare skin. She had chosen little green panties with a transparent skirt. It showed off her legs and reminded her of the ruff around her waist as a mermaid. Her bra was red instead of purple, for something different. But for modesty's sake, a plain infinity scarf wrapped around her neck and chest.

The problem was she couldn't keep the trident strapped to her back with such skimpy clothing. And leaving it behind was not an option. Then she saw a discarded grass skirt on the ground. With a little quick weaving, she fastened it to the trident's tines. Now it looked like a palm-leaf fan she could carry around.

Rapunzel peeked out, unbraided golden hair spooling behind her. Hopefully, Lowther wouldn't recognize her as a magical artifact. Her purple and pink one-piece bodice covered her torso, except for the lacing, which exposed the skin from breastbone to navel.

"This feels so weird," she whispered. She clutched a gold necklace that looked pretty, unaware how it drew attention to her neckline.

"It looks good," Ariel whispered back. "Watch your stockings."

Rapunzel rehooked the white lace stockings that stretched to mid-thigh.

The gnomeling was still waiting for them in the doorway. The two of them posed and grinned.

"Elsa?" Ariel asked through gritted teeth.

"I am not coming out," she whispered.

"You've got to," Rapunzel said.

"No."

Rapunzel leaned behind the screen. "It's not that bad," she said.

"It's demeaning."

"It's okay. We all look like this. It's just another disguise. No one who matters is going to see you."

"Girls, he's waiting," Ariel whispered, eye contact still on the gnomeling.

Elsa emerged walking tall and courtly, wearing a two-piece arctic blue lingerie bikini. The top was covered with glittering sequins and trimmed with white fur. The bottom, also furred on the hips, attached to sheer blue stockings that ended in high heels. She stood beside the two other girls and tried grinning.

The gnomeling sighed and turned, making a slight tug of the shoulder to say "come on"

They followed him across the palace to the western wing, through more monuments to decadence--replicas of long-forgotten art, sculptures, lithographs. Magic flowers emitted pungent smoke. They could hear a waterfall from behind one of the doors.

The tour ended in the solarium--a tiled room with three glass walls so warm sunlight could shine through. Four meagerly clad women stood around a porcelain tub, two of them massaging a pair of porky feet.

The tub was full of sweet creams and oils, mixed together in a greasy mess. Rapunzel resisted the urge to pinch her nose. Only the head and feet of "the master" stuck out, but that was enough to frighten them about what the rest of his body looked like.

Lowther's face was grotesquely fat, pocked with zits, glistening with tallow and sweat, especially in the folds in his neck. His blotched, red cheeks quivered as he spoke.

"About time. Oh, you do look new," he uttered. "That glamour spell is finally providing some range." He squinted. "Slight builds. But easy on the eyes."

Lowther's body rose out of the cream bath, using magic instead of his own muscle. His feet touched down on the white tile as light as a feather. Milk and oil dripped off him like whey.

Ariel, Elsa, and Rapunzel tried their best to look away without looking like it, although his monstrous bulk covered any of his privy parts.

With another flash of magic, the residual milk evaporated off his body. One of the women slipped a thin bathrobe over his shoulders.

"Well, it's been a while. You can choose. Should we go out to the island or watch a tournament?"

The three of them eyed each other, knowing every millisecond that passed would gain suspicion.

"Um, what tournament is it?" Rapunzel asked.

"You know, the daily tournament of souls and freaks? My fancy's wandered to the disfigured as of late. How do they fight? I was thinking next should be people with no arms versus no legs. Should be interesting to watch."

Elsa swallowed, suppressing her urge to vomit. "Let's do the island."

Lowther cocked his head. "Very well."

He raised his hand. The glass walls separated and melted away, opening a hole to walk through. Lowther headed outside as gnomelings rushed forward, laying down swaths of carpet in his path.

Ariel, Elsa, and Rapunzel followed him down a grassy hill to a river bank. At the bottom lay a small dock with an unusual tied-up boat. Instead of being a bladed shape, it was a rectangular platform on two steel barrels welded end-to-end.

Lowther hoisted his bulk into a pile of red velvet pillows in the center. He must have been using magic to keep his heft aloft, because there was no way he could move on his own. A dish of cheeses and grapes appeared to his left, a bucket with wine in cold water on his right.

"Red, you drive. You ain't got much on the balcony, but a big enough garden. And I like having a keen view on the way." He turned to Rapunzel. "I'd ask you, but your hair's a better door than a window. Better trim that back. There's such a thing as overdoing it, you know."

Lowther curled his fingers to Rapunzel in a "start feeding me" motion. Rapunzel plucked off a grape like it was rotted and pressed it into his mouth. This was like feeding livestock.

Ariel clenched her teeth and walked up to the steering column. She searched for a rope or sail release. Suddenly the boat started off.

She looked over the side, expecting the boat to move on its own. But a neat line of oars stuck out from holes, turned by tiny rowers beneath them.

"Are those gnomelings?" Ariel asked, momentarily losing herself.

"Huh?" Lowther's piggy, glazed eyes glanced to Ariel's viewpoint. "Oh, the little slaves. Of course."

"Did you create them?" Elsa asked.

"Of course. Are you new?" He looked alarmed, like he was about to figure out the jig was up. Then he settled. "Ah, you're flattering me. Got it. They're remnants of the townspeople. I've transmuted and resurrected them so many times, the bodies have become somewhat... mangled. That's what happens over... I don't know. Two hundred? Three hundred years? Ah, who cares. Anyway, I didn't 'create' create them. That's divine power. But I do seem to have found the perfect form. Strong enough to work hard, small enough not to be a threat. Not that it matters anymore--their minds are attuned to my needs." He scratched at one of his boils.

He opened his mouth toward Elsa and the chocolate dish. She daintily picked up a piece and dropped it on his tongue. To her disbelief, this was making chocolate look disgusting.

"But the women you left untouched," Rapunzel added.

"Well, I wouldn't say untouched. Haw haw." He laughed with a throat full of phlegm. "A glamour spell or two does wonders to keep things stimulating." Lowther accepted a mouthful of grapes.

"You do seem to have created a paradise," Elsa said while he chewed.

With mouthful, Lowther said, "I don't know why anyone with magic talent doesn't do this. Why are they so concerned about establishing power and dominating others? What does it get you? A headache."

"You could have helped your fellow man," Rapunzel said. Elsa gave her a look that shut her up.  

Lowther was oblivious. "Why concern the self with lesser mortals? This is a gift. I earned this. It would be foolish not to take advantage. Hellfire could envelope the world for all I know. Let it burn. I've got my own little slice of heaven here."

The boat lurched forward, sliding across a sandbar. Elsa, Rapunzel, and Ariel jerked. Lowther's fat rippled.

"What was that?" Ariel asked.

"We're here." Lowther hoisted a leg over the pillows and held up his arms. He was gesturing for help.

Rapunzel and Elsa each took an unctuous arm, held their breath, and pulled him up. He waddled off the boat onto the sandy riverbank.

Above the grove of trees, scores of colored birds tweeted and fidgeted. A cherry-red and lime-green parrot hopped from branch to branch. Larks and quails zipped from one tree to the other in complex weaves. Elsa had never seen anything like it. These birds weren't meant to be on the same continent, let alone the same forest.

Lowther turned back his head. "Red! What are you doing? Rope up the boat. You want it to float away?"

Elsa and Ariel sprang to work, tying the boat to a nearby tree. "I can't believe this is working," Ariel whispered.

"He's been in his own private paradise so long, he thinks nothing can get in," Elsa said.

"I don't get it. How is he not miserable? He gets everything he wants. Everything he tries, he wins. There's no adventure."

Elsa shrugged. "Guess he's whittled his needs to simple ones."

Lowther held out his arm and, in a shower of sparkles, a spear materialized. "This'll be impressive. We'll find that Silverwing reindeer today. A hart. I've seen its tracks."

"Silverwing deer?" Ariel asked. "Those are rare."

"Indeed. Excellent sport. And this one's of fourteen tines. Been in the forest a while now. Could be my last one. But I'll take it down."

Lowther stalked forward through the shrubs of the rough land, holding out his spear. Ariel, Rapunzel, and Elsa leaned into each other.

"Eric told me there are no Silverwing reindeer in this land anymore," Ariel whispered. "For hundreds of years."

"He must have seized them long ago," Rapunzel said.

"And he's hunting them for sport?" Elsa asked. She clenched her fist. Rapunzel put a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Ladies! Attend!" Lowther shouted.

The three of them followed in heels and skirts, keeping as far back as they could without being obvious about it.

"Here's my theory," Elsa whispered.

Ariel thanked her stars for something to distract her. He had ordered complete quiet, only speaking to ask for more wine or to wipe the sweat between his folds. Their feet hurt from treading the thick-hewn meadow.

"So Lowther gets his magic from Temeris. Must be the body since Arcius has the heart and Ravir the mind. I bet that's the reason for all his fleshly desires."

"That makes sense," Rapunzel said. "Explains why he didn't take over any countries. He didn't need to take revenge or prove himself."

"He just selfishly created his own paradise," Ariel added.

Elsa nodded. "And he locks it off, so no one else can get in. No one can find him. No one can disturb him. Otherwise, his little illusion would break. He can make it so that anyone even thinking about it forgets right away. That way no one even comes on it by accident. That's why no one knew what you were talking about, Ariel."

"So then... how come I saw it?" Ariel asked.

"I have no idea. But it's a good thing you did. Or we would have never found this place."

Ariel smiled. "I couldn't have done it if you didn't believe in me."

Lowther grunted, as if he had fallen over something. "Where are you ditzes!?" he bellowed. "More wine!"

They skipped up to him. A pink stain ran down his tunic.

"Look at this. I've spilled all over my chest. One of you should be carrying this." He shoved the bottle into Rapunzel's bodice.

"Sorry, sir."

Lowther pointed at the ground. "Tracks. Found him. Just a matter of time now." He treaded forward as stealthily as a beached whale.

They followed the path, with Lowther poking the ground occasionally. Ariel spotted it before Lowther did--a giant stag camouflaged by white-barked trees. With its thick rectangular body and white chest, it looked magnificent.

"Ah," Lowther said. "There. First I'll silence our feet." He waved his hand. Lowther took a step. Instead of the crunch of leaves and grass under his elephantine foot, it made no sound. Lowther continued on.

"Why doesn't he just turn invisible?" Elsa snarked to herself.

"Sh, don't give him ideas," Rapunzel said.

The beast perked up once. For a reindeer, a healthy dose of paranoia attributed to a long life. But Lowther continued regardless. He strafed around the trunks, keeping the reindeer in sight. When he had a clear shot, he repositioned the spear to overhand.

Rapunzel and Elsa relaxed a little. They didn't believe he had the muscle strength to reach his target. With a grunt, the spear launched high into the air.

When it reached the top of its arc, it continued on. Rapunzel and Elsa's jaws dropped. He was using magic to propel the weapon. With a sickening thwack, the pointed end stuck in the deer's midsection. It mooed and dropped.

"Got it." Lowther pumped his fist.

He sprinted to his kill like a baby who'd learned the joy of walking. After a moment examining the body, he plucked out the spear. He stood with one foot on the deer's side like a magnificent hunter. "Remember this ladies. I might want a picture later."

Blood trickled out of the black hole with each labored breath. The beast was still alive. All that magic and he hadn't even made a kill shot.

Lowther took his foot off. "Phew. Now I'm hungry. Hey! Chop, chop." He clapped his hands.

Gnomelings appeared from all corners of the forest and sped toward the clearing. They set a table, chairs, a white tablecloth, plates of food and drink, and candelabras.

As Lowther sat, a gnomeling stuck a pipe in Lowther's mouth and lit it. "Come, girls. Stop looking at that hideous thing," he said as he puffed.

They stood vigil, watching its body heave up and down. Its glassy eyes stared out and its tongue hung out. "You're just going to leave it?" Ariel asked. "You're not even going to eat it?"

"What? No. That's disgusting. I have stuffed goose liver pate right here. Why would I eat that?"

"Not even for your workers?" Elsa asked. "It could be a treat."

"Pfeh. I'm not going to waste it on them. Grain and rice is all they need. Now get over here. There's honeyed fig tarts, oatbread, and lobster caviar. We can have lunch while we watch its life fade."

Ariel and Elsa forced themselves to turn away. The gnomelings pulled out chairs for them at the circular table.

But Rapunzel didn't move.

Ariel turned. "Rapunzel, what are you doing?"

She heaved a big breath.

Ariel didn't know what she was thinking, but Elsa did. "Rapunzel, that's not a good idea," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"I have to." She knelt down to the wounded animal. Rapunzel coiled her hair over the wound. Its head twitched.

"Girl! What are you doing?" Lowther commanded.

She ignored him. Pressing her hand to her heart, she sang. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine..."

The blooming light cast her in silhouette. Lowther leaned back, speechless. When she finished, she stood up. The reindeer propped itself up on one knee.

"Wh- wh- wh- wh- wh- what was that? What did you-"

That was all Lowther could manage. As soon as the reindeer was on all four legs, it made a deep whoofing sound. Rapunzel sprinted out of the way before it rampaged forward.  

Ariel and Elsa dove aside. The gnomelings squealed and returned to the corners of the forest where they had appeared.

Lowther stayed seated and slack-jawed until the monster was only feet away. Then he upset the table and chair trying to scramble away, but only managed a few feet. The reindeer rammed him with both antlers.

The girls never thought such a man could lift into the air, but they were witnesses. Lowther cartwheeled ten feet above the forest floor, then landed with a sickening thud. The reindeer bolted into the forest, disappearing.

Lowther groaned. When the lights stopped dancing in front of his eyes, he focused on the three heads with flinty stares. One was holding a golden trident to his throat.

"Who are you girls?" Lowther asked. "You're not from here."

"No." Elsa said. "We're not."