Part XXI | Mermaid Dreams | Bavaria
~
It was mid-afternoon, sunny and bright skies shone above the pink and peach blossoms of
the Bavarian Flower Garden. Madam Pink Tea [1] was waiting patiently for her guest to arrive. Tala, the Blue Sorceress was due any day now and Madam Pink Tea decided to pass the
afternoon drinking slightly sweetened,
pink Hibiscus tea at the garden's little
table. Victorian ladies dressed in varying
shades of pink stood chatting in groups or
strolled leisurely around the garden with
their parasols, admiring the spring
blossoms.
Tala arrived just as Madame Pink Tea finished her second cup of Hibiscus tea. Madam Pink Tea closed the book she was reading and glanced up to see the Blue Sorceress in the tea room entrance with a suitcase in one hand and a few roses she had picked from the garden's luxuriant blooms in the other.
“Tala! It's so good to see you finally!
We've been expecting you for many
weeks now!” Madam Pink Tea exclaimed
as she jumped up to greet her exhausted
guest.
“Let me take those roses from you before the thorns prick your fingers.” Madame Pink Tea headed inside and came back a few minutes later with a flower vase for the roses.
“What beautiful roses Tala! How was the trip? You must tell me about your journey.” Madame Pink Tea was very anxious to hear what had happened on the way to Bavaria, but Tala had just barely arrived!
“I know. Why don't you get some rest first and put your belongings in the small guest room off of the parlor. I'll make us an early supper and bring it in to eat at the little dining table in your room with our other guests.”
Tala dragged her suitcase into the small
room off the parlor and went back outside
to bring in the rest of her luggage from
the coach. When she had settled in,
Madam Pink Tea brought a light supper of
garlic roasted pheasant, herb potatoes
and greens. They each drank a small glass
of white champagne and toasted to new beginnings in Bavaria. After dinner was cleared,
Tala and Madam Pink Tea sat down next to the cockatiel-pillows [3] on the sofa, and began
to discuss all of the most important events of the past few years.
Tala recounted her dream about the Temple of Anubis and the Judgement of Odysseus and Circe. She remembered not locating Merlin the Magician after leaving Italy and heading north toward Bavaria. Madam Pink Tea opened the large, turquoise Mermaids of the Pink Lotus book sitting on the coffee table in front of them to the last page and the two women saw a picture of a small wizard with a staff and a pointy hat in an icy turquoise hall surrounded by rows of carved, stone dragons [4]. Merlin was at the Palace of the Ice Dragons!
The Palace of the Ice Dragons
The Ice Dragon's Palace shone a thousand different glittering shades of blue, turquoise and
silver. The purplish-blue stone dragons shimmered in the eerie, aquamarine light, made of
captured starlight and silver dew. The dark ocean surrounding the palace's exterior reflected
the dancing light at the palace base. Lamps that had been left burning orange and yellow at
the dragon's claws now glowed an icy blue. [5]
“Merlin!” Tala exclaimed. “What is Merlin doing at the Palace of the Ice Dragons?”
Madam Pink Tea shook her head, “I was hoping you would know, Tala. It seems the Magician is up to something, but I don't know exactly what.” Tala took a sip of her champagne and remembered the small, dark cavern where the Blue Lanterns were kept. Perhaps these were what Merlin needed as part of the Judgement, and he might have been looking for a way through the Ice Palace's secret entrances and locked doors.
“I think he is looking for the Blue Lanterns
kept by the Black-Robed Fairies.” [7] Tala
closed the last page of the mermaid's
colorful book.
“Maybe he will return with news of the Ice Dragon.” Madam Pink Tea finished her last sip of champagne.
“You're probably right, Tala.” The Madam stood up and yawned. “I don't know why I'm so worried these days. Merlin is surely old enough to look after himself, isn't he?” Tala shrugged her shoulders and put the Mermaids of the Pink Lotus book back in the guest room's bookshelf, next to the rest of the mermaid books.
~
Notes
[1] Victorian Harrison Fisher ~ purple lavender digital download
[2] Victorian Edwardian Ladies vintage print on RedBubble
[3] Cockatiel Pillow
[4] Merlin at the Palace of the Ice Dragons by Anja Kostka
[5] The Ice Palace by Jan Patrik Krasny
[https://www.photowall.co.uk/the-ice-palace-poster]
[6] Ice Wing Palace
[7] Mandos Cavern ~ The Simarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
[silmarillion_mandos_cavern_by_daswhox_d7ygfkm.jpg]