Ben and Lucy: The Sunken Kingdom
Chapter 4 First Night

Charnac led the children down the hallway away from the main door. Ben noticed that the light behind them began to fade away on its own. Charnac lit a candle and used it to light the darkened hallway. Old highly carved wood walls captured the ray of light emanating from the candle. Images flickering as they walked on. Charnac stopped in front of the first door on the right. The door creaked as he turned the door nob and swung the heavy wooden door open.

As the three stepped into the room, Charnac lit the lantern that was sitting on the side table next to the bed. He carefully raised the wick and the room grew alive with the increasing light. All about the room were carvings in deep dark wood. Some were elaborate and some were simple yet elegant. A large bird caught Ben’s eyes. Just above a built in bookcase there was attached a huge almost lifelike carving of Parmesis.

“Ah, you noticed my little hobby.” Charnac continued. “That carving is of course of our dear friend Parmesis, I hope that the carvings do not make you feel uncomfortable in this room. I often come here in the evening and work out my pent up feelings and energies. Quite relaxing if I do say so myself” added Charnac. The old man’s smile creeping across his face.

“ Oh Charnac, please tell us about this beautiful one here.” Lucy had noticed a mermaid sculpture across the room.

“Ah, good eyes my fair child. That is one of the most beautiful creatures in this land. Hopefully one day you will meet her.”

“What is her name?”

“ She is called Eloise. Queen of the sunken kingdom of Glarcorium.”

“Sunken Kingdom!” Exclaimed Ben. “There really is a Mermaid?”

“Ben, we have seen talking birds. Remember that here anything is possible.” Lucy quickly responded to her brother’s statement.

“Oh, that is quite right Lucy. Anything IS possible here.” Charnac emphasizing the truth and restating the presence of magic in this new world that Ben and Lucy now found themselves.

“Charnac, please tell us more about Eloise.” Pleaded Lucy.

Charnac hesitated. He looked Lucy directly in the eyes. His stare was piercing right through here. She turned away.

“Oh my dear child, the time is getting late and you will need your rest. Perhaps in the morning we can readdress this issue. Now you must go to bed. You will need to be alert and have plenty of energy for tomorrow.”

Before Charnac led them out of the study room and back into the hallway, he reached for a big book. Opening the book Charnac stared at a page and then back at Ben and Lucy. All was quiet in the room and Charnac’s stare was electric. Ben and Lucy exchanged glances.

“What is it Charnac?” Ben asked

“Oh, nothing my son.” Charnac quickly closed the book and placed it down on the side table. Lucy glanced at the book. It was decorated in elaborate drawings and embedded around the corner with what appeared to be emeralds. Turning around and leading them out of the room Charnac added. “We will have plenty of time tomorrow to explain things. Now you must get your rest.” Ben was about to resist when he suddenly felt very sleepy. Lucy was already yawning when Charnac directed them to the hallway. A light down the hall led them to the other rooms.

“I think it is best that you two share a room for the first night in this new world. Here is your room.” Charnac pushed a different heavy wooden door open. The door groaned as light from inside streamed outward. There were many candles lit inside. Again the room was decorated in carved wooden designs. This room was cheerier than the study, no sculptured figures were to be seen. There were two full sized beds on either side of the room with large rectangular area rugs under each bed. Candles sticks adorned the far wall, varying in size from two feet tall to one that seemed to be at least six feet in stature. The scent of lilac filled the room. Lucy loved the smell. She took a deep breath in to absorb the nasal sensation. Ben was less impressed.

“Boy, it smells like flowers in here. What’s next a bee hive?” Ben commented.

“Oh my dear boy, you have a great deal to learn. Enjoy and let yourself accept nature in all its glory.” Charnac added.

“Well, ok.” Ben sluggishly answered.

“Ben, look at the covers on this bed.” Lucy had noticed that for each bed the covers had specific designs. One it seemed to match Lucy’s likes perfectly. Depictions of animals filled the cover of the bed on the left. Bright colors of yellow, orange, and red made the cover feel warm and inviting.

“Lucy, take a look at this one” Ben had been drawn to the bed on the right. Scenes of majestic knights and castles spanned the cover. Ben was mesmerized.

“Yes children, these were made for you as you arrived.”

“Charnac, how? In such a short time?” questioned Lucy.

“Lucy, you will begin to understand the ways of this world in due time. Again, many things will delight as well as frighten you.” Charnac continued.

“We will begin your education after a good night’s sleep. Now you will replace all that you need in this room. Please do not wander about the house until I have shown you the complete layout tomorrow. “

Charnac then pointed to a door to the far right of the room, past Ben’s bed. “That is your bathroom. Should you need anything else in the night you can use the bells on the nightstands. I must now depart and leave you so you can rest. Goodnight my dear friends.” As Charnac departed the room, he slowly closed the door with a warm smile on his face.

“Ben, I miss Mom and Dad.”

“Me too.” Ben said quietly.

“How are we going to get back?” Lucy sounded scared and tired.

“I think we need to get back to our bed. Something is special about that.” Lucy added.

“I have had that bed for years Lucy. Remember when uncle Gerry gave that to me?” Ben replied.

“Yes, but did you remember that Dad was not pleased at first?”

“Yeah, but Dad is never pleased with Uncle Gerry.” Ben added with a smile. Uncle Gerry was always interesting to the kids. He was always telling stories of far off lands and their dad did not seem to like his gifts. They always made mom and dad uneasy. Uncle Gerry had to persuade their father to keep the bed, but in the end the fancy markings and elaborate wood work was what sold the bed to Ben and after his plea to keep the bed dad had given in.

“There is nothing special. Why would we travel tonight and not before? There is something else going on.” Ben continued.

“We need to drill Charnac about that. I think he knows a lot about this, more than he has told us so far”. Ben and Lucy were getting tired. The night they traveled they did not sleep and then this new world was beginning to take its toll.

Ben walked to the bathroom and started to get ready. The room was already filled with two toothbrushes and a small jar that looked like toothpaste of some kind. There were no signs of stores or any of the packaging that their modern world had been so filled with. No wrappers, paper boxes baring out the slogans of each item consumed. This world was a step back in time, before the capitalism of the “free market” world had taken over.

Ben began to brush his teeth. Suddenly the flavor filling his mouth made him stop and look at the jar. The sensations burst inside him. This was fantastic, so clean and fresh. Everything in this new world was so vibrant and fresh, he was amazed. After brushing his teeth Ben went back to his bed.

“Lucy, you should try the toothpaste. Unbelievable.” Ben relayed his excitement to Lucy.

“Ben, it must be something if you like it. You always hate it back home.”

“There is something magical here. It is really fun.” Ben replied as he slid himself under his covers. The bed welcomed him with soft smooth sheets. Ben was asleep almost as he laid his head on the pillow. Lucy had already entered the bathroom to repeat the experience Ben had already had.

Lucy returned to bedroom and looked at her brother already in a deep sleep. She walked around the room blowing out the candles as she went. Slowly the room got darker and darker. As Lucy prepared herself for sleep she noticed that there was still light coming from under their bedroom door. She thought that Charnac was still up. Thinking nothing more about it, she slid herself under her covers and blew the last candle out. Sleep came very fast to her as well and the twins fell into a deep peaceful sleep that neither had experienced in quite some time.