Bearclaw Irontooth and Saturin paired off and took the lead as they entered the Imperial Zoo facility. They ignored their “guide” and entered the grounds walking quickly away on their own, leaving James and Elana behind. Truth be told, it was all that Mage Saturin could do to calm down Lord Irontooth. He was furious and clearly uncomfortable to be in this place. Elana stepped in beside James and politely acknowledged their guide, thanking him for his attention.

  “What is the schedule for the day’s events?” inquired Elana as the three passed between the ornate iron entrance gates.

  “Our best Animalia Wizards will prepare the Chimera for the first ride by our beloved Kaiser! We have been waiting for this moment ever since the reports arrived of the appearance of the beast in the Grey Mountains. It is said that the Kaiser has always wished to possess a Chimera and he dreamed of riding one into battle since he was a young boy. Some say this pairing is preordained!” explained the young acolyte, dressed in the accoutrements of the Animalia order. “There is no prearranged time for the display of the monster, as all care must be taken to ensure the safety of Wilhelm Fredrick, but a band of the Empire’s finest musicians is on hand. When they begin to play, the riding demonstration will be at hand.”

  “We will be listening eagerly for the music, sir acolyte,” replied Elana. “Until then, I wonder if it would be too much trouble for my escort and I,” she said, gesturing toward James, “to peruse the grounds of your wonderful facility on our own?”

  “On your own,” repeated the confused acolyte. “My mentor sought to impress upon myself the importance of providing aid to your party. Have I displeased you?”

  “No, no, not at all,” replied Elana, “Your assistance has been admirable, but my companion and I need to discuss private matters, and this would be much abetted by your return to your regular duties. Please give your mentor my kindest regards.”

  “I will, lord Elana,” responded the young man, and with that he departed in the direction of what appeared to be the administration building.

  Elana took James by the hand and they walked towards the main display area. By this time Saturin and Lord Irontooth were nowhere to be seen. The place was packed with people, including many soldiers in full uniform and armor. This zoo was completely unlike any zoo that James had ever visited. Gone were the large enclosures mimicking the native environments of the animals, that featured largely in all zoos James had ever seen. Instead, cast iron bars formed what looked like jail cells with cement floors and storm drains cast into the middle of the cages. Straw was strewn liberally about and attendants sprayed water from hoses. Everywhere was a viciously strong smell of wet animal fur and manure.

  Sounds echoed off the stone walls, many from the beasts themselves. Lions, an elephant, a tiger and a giraffe all had separate cages. The large cats paced back and forth. Bizarrely, huge stuffed versions of some of the animals were also on display in the area where people strode to and fro. Some looked impossibly huge and James wondered if they were artificially created or if somehow these beasts sometimes grew larger in this Alternate Earth.

  Stranger still were the behaviors of some of the visitors to the facility. Children seemed to be encouraged to taunt and tease the enclosed animals, poking long sticks into the cages and throwing small bits of food. Adults also took a disrespectful approach with the animals that shocked James.

  James was about to raise questions about the scene with Elana, when she pulled his arm to the side and led him through an exit door into the outdoor portion of the Imperial Zoo.

  “I have seen just about enough of that!” commented Elana as they left the building, walking on to a pea gravel walking pathway leading between two large elm trees and into a patch of bright sunlight. “Imagine the discomfort Bearclaw and Saturin must be experiencing! That place is an abomination! And to think that several of those animal wizard lords insist on pretending that this zoo is their ‘College of Animal Magic’. No self respecting practitioner of Animal magic should have anything to do with that place!”

  “It did seem disrespectful of the animals to cage them and taunt them,” responded James. “Why did Lord Irontooth agree to bring the Chimera to this place?”

  “Well, even the most powerful of all mages must serve the Kaiser,” replied Elana. “Oakleaf Gilderwood, the greatest of all Empire wizards also has to obey the wishes of our ultimate leader. As long as we do not openly oppose the Kaiser’s demands, some dissension is tolerated, but when he makes a specific request, we must do our best to obey. ‘Political expediency’ is a term often used in our high council meetings.”

  Just then the military band struck up the beginnings of the Imperial anthem. The display of the Chimera was about to take place.

  “Do you want to go back and see the Chimera?” asked James.

  “That is the last thing I need to see, Lord James,” answered Elana. “The zoo wizards will have the creature drugged to high heaven. The Chimera will barely be able to walk, much less fight the Kaiser. I don’t need to see such a public display. The Kaiser has his new pet. That is good enough for me. I am interested in this next building, here, over on the right.” Elana pointed toward a glass enclosed, metal framed structure. “The Imperial Atrium. They have plants from around the world, even some that do not appear in the gardens of Taubra. Would you like to accompany me?”

  Elana was going her own way, just as Saturin and Lord Irontooth had. James felt a sense of independence growing within him and thought to himself that this just might be an occasion that he could set off and explore a bit on his own. The grounds of a public zoo seemed safe enough. “I think that I will have a look around on my own, if you don’t mind” replied James.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “Suit yourself,” said Elana. “We can all meet back at the main hall in a couple of hours or so. Don’t get yourself into any trouble,” she added, with a grin.

  “Don’t worry, I will be careful,” responded James.

  It was freeing to set off along the trail, as he watched Elana enter the Atrium. Chirping bird sounds emitted from inside the gigantic greenhouse. The grounds of the zoo were extensive and seemed to extend for a mile or more towards some low hills. There were very few visitors on the pathways at the moment, presumably since most everyone was cheering on the Kaiser’s attempt to tame the Chimera. James walked past several smaller versions of the main display hall. One building housed small mammals like badgers, beavers, wolverines and coyotes. Another held reptiles and amphibians. There was a series of ponds with different kinds of fish. At one point the pathway descended below ground level and it was possible to see fish swimming around under water. There were several large carp and an alligator gar fish. At one point in the walk, as James was realising that the trail was looping back towards the main hall, James saw two large eagles in the distance behind some trees. There didn’t seem to be any way to access that part of the park, but the birds were intriguing. James couldn’t be sure, but they seemed unnaturally large, even for eagles. Huge, in fact. He would ask about those birds from Elana or Saturin when he saw them again.

  Just before James made it back to the main exhibit hall he saw yet another display building. This one was rather small but held a remarkable inhabitant. Two children and their mother were looking at a cage occupied by what looked like a small human! ‘That can’t be right,’ thought James.

  But it was. Curiously, the two children were taunting the small bearded man, and throwing pieces of food at him. It looked for all the world like a small person was being displayed as an animal! James watched with his jaw dropped. A small sign explained that the occupant was a ‘gnome’, captured from an iron mine in the central part of the Empire, from the province of ‘Middelheim". The family seemed to tire of their abuse of the gnome and the mother gathered up her children and made off towards the next display building. James stood stunned as the small fellow, not more than three feet tall, sized him up.

  “What are you going to throw at me, son,” inquired the gnome.

  “Nothing! I assure you sir! I would never do such a thing,” responded James. “You shouldn’t be inside a cage! You are a person!”

  “Ah well, there is that laddie. They took me out of my home in the mountains and blew it up, minin their iron. Probably made these here bars from that very iron!” he said, pointing to the metal bars of his cage. “Stuck me in here five years ago. At first it was a jail, but pretty soon, they let me do as I pleased, so long as I spent a few hours a day in the cage for the kiddies,” he turned towards the back wall of iron bars and turned a handle, walking out onto the trail beside James. “See, I can be free when I please. The zoo provides food and a bit o’ money. I give them another ‘beast’ to display. It’s a living.”

  The gnome stuck out his diminutive hand towards James to shake, “Blink Millybonk, at your service!” stated the gnome.

  “James Blair,” responded James.

  “Maybe we should have a look at how old Freddie is doin with that there Chimera beast?” queried Millybonk. “I hope it hasn’t et the old geezer! The last thing the Empire needs is havin to search out fer a new Kaiser!”

  “I will have a look with you,” responded James, and with that both of them set out along the pathway back towards the main exhibit hall. As they approached groups of people started to emerge from the building in large numbers. Blink Millybonk soon sorted out that the show had been successful, but was now over. The Chimera had been returned to its enclosure and the Kaiser had boarded his Royal Carriage and was heading back to the Grand Palace.

  “Well, we can have a look at the lions if you want,” suggested the gnome. He had a high pitched voice for someone who looked like a man in his fifties.

  “Sure,” said James and they walked forward towards the iron bars of the lion cage. James could now see that the cages all had two parts. One part ws connected to the inside of the display hall, which James had seen earlier. But each also consisted of an outdoor portion. Like the indoor cages, there was little more than cement, iron bars and straw for the animals, but at least they could be outside. James took up an observation location next to the gnome, and watched the lion pace back and forth on the cement floor. It was sort of hypnotic to watch such a powerful beast move rhythmically back and forth in such a repetitive motion. James could actually see wear marks on the cement where the beast always turned. Sad really.

  Then the lion stopped and his eyes caught something intriguing. James couldn’t quite see what it was at first, but presently a young woman emerged from the group of zoo goers and caught the full attention of the incarcerated lion. She had thick black hair and brightly colored clothing entwined with bits of jewelry and gemstones. The young lady looked for all the world like a gypsy, but that was not what had caught the attention of the lion. The focus of the lion's attention was the furry domestic cat in the arms of the gypsy. Left, right, up, down, wherever she moved with her cat, the lion focused all of his attention.

  “I can’t tell if that lion wants to eat the cat, or make love to it,” commented Blink Millybonk dryly.

  It really seemed crazy to James that behaviour like this was tolerated in this zoo. Surely somebody would get hurt treating animals like this? However, James’s thoughts of dismay quickly dispelled when the beautiful young gypsy turned her attention towards James, casting a warm smile in his direction, then extending a finger towards him and pointing it towards a pathway leading away from the lion’s cage.

  “I think she likes you, James boy!” observed the excited gnome. “Go ahead and follow her! I know I would”

  Against his better judgement, James took the advice of his newfound gnomish friend and walked off down the trail after the gypsy. Soon the trail opened up into a clearing with a oval cart track. On the track was a small wooden carriage with several children on board, pulled by a beautiful black miniature horse with a braided mane. Beside the track was a small ticket booth beside which were all the mothers of the young children aboard the horse cart. Nothing dangerous here, thought James. Just a ride for the kiddies! Then he looked at the driver of the children’s cart.

  It was the gypsy girl! More beautiful than ever, and staring directly at James. With those irresistible penetrating eyes. The gypsy pointed at the ticket booth.

  James hesitated.

  The gypsy beauty pointed once again at the ticket booth. Very forcefully.

  James trotted over to the booth and bought the ticket with one of his British one pound coins. Everyone seemed to accept those coins. He took the paper ticket and walked towards the horse cart. No seats left! Little kids occupied every one of them. This was embarrassing, as all of the mothers of the little kids seemed to be staring at him.

  The gypsy girl slid sideways in her riding bench and pointed to the seat next to her. James was going to be sitting next to the gypsy girl!

  Aboard he was, and she shook the reins to encourage the horse into action. “Clackity clak”, the horse’s hooves danced across the pavement. For a short moment James thought it was going to work out fine and be an incredibly cute experience.

  The thought didn’t last.

  Suddenly a pair of greasy tentacles emerged from the sides of the wooden cart and instantly wrapped themselves around James’s legs and waist. The seats occupied by the children on the sides of the wooden carts tilted upwards, spilling the crying children onto the ground. Giant scaled wings emerged from the sides of the rapidly growing horse. and in a couple of frightful seconds the horse transformed into a winged lizard. The cart, with James attached to it, became airborne. Terrified, James looked sideways towards the beautiful gypsy. Her beauty had diminished. Significantly diminished. She was now a hideous demon and James was being kidnapped!