The Queen and the Mage

by Wilma van Wyngaarden

  “It does. We know our way around the forest but still…” Coltic’s voice died away. He was suddenly on the alert, staring down the road out front.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “I thought I heard hoofbeats, but I see nothing yet… Men!” He strode toward the arched doorway and leaned inside. “Soldiers… on the double! Visitors!”

  “Do not worry,” Scylla said when he re-emerged. “Is that not Chancellor Mako’s horse in the lead?”

  The approaching troop was larger than Coltic’s and travelling fast.

  “Aha!” said Coltic, tension leaving him as his three guards spilled from the open door. “As I hoped! I sent word back to the chancellor last night that we had misplaced you, and would start the search from this end this morning. They’ve made good time.”

  “I hope they won’t mind riding so hard only to find all is well.”

  “Not at all, Princess! They can bury these bodies or burn them on a pyre, and the lodge… we must decide whether to repair the damage or torch the place!” He raised his arm in a reassuring wave.

  Mako and his company slowed their pace as they approached. Their startled eyes took in Queen Scylla, Coltic, the grounds—and the two corpses still lying where they had dropped. The blood had begun to darken and seep away.

  Mako was the first to speak. “Captain, I see everything is under control! Are the lodge and grounds secure?”

  “Queen Scylla had all under control before we arrived, Chancellor. I cannot take the credit,” said Coltic cheerfully. “My men have been searching the interior, but they could use some help.” Several of the guards vaulted off their horses, and went inside with Coltic’s men. “The rest of you can tend to our horses and your own.” He indicated the four horses, grazing in the clearing while still wearing their bridles and saddles.

  Mako dismounted. He loosened the girth and handed the reins to one of his soldiers.

  His grim gaze turned to Scylla. “Princess! I presume you have returned the trellet to the forest?”

  “I did. He has gone back to Gryor via a passage through the mountains.”

  Mako’s gaze riveted upon her just as Coltic’s had when he heard the words. “A passage! What do you mean… a passage?”

  “I do not know. As you may suspect, I and the boy Jay lost our way after Keet left us.”

  “Where is yon boy Jay?” Mako asked pleasantly, but with a hard tone underneath.

  “Yon boy Jay is due another gold coin for his excellent service to me,” Scylla returned, deciding it was time to remind him who was queen. “He is now catching Queen Maris’s dog, who has been living in the forest. It ran out and distracted that man…” she pointed at the corpse near the forest edge. “Jay hit him from behind, and I was able to dispatch him.”

  “Ah,” said Mako. His expression was unreadable. “And did you also dispatch that… Good Goddess, is it Soler? It looks like the high priest’s robe, even as dirty and torn as it is.”

  “It is Soler. The other is the priest that Lady Sorrell pointed out at the coronation, the one with the bandaged hand. Soler was very weak—skeletal—but he was crushing us with his magic. I planned to run him through with my sword, but another creature was faster.”

  “Another creature,” Mako repeated cautiously. “Is this something I don’t want to hear?”

  “Apparently there was a talking green cat—a large one,” said Coltic with his irrepressible grin. “One of the creatures the girl Axit warned us of. Unfortunately, my men and I missed it by minutes! The cat has taken the trellet off our hands and has left us with a message.”

  “A message…?”

  Scylla said, “I quote, or close enough… ‘Destructive power contaminates the one who casts it,’ and also this: ‘in our lands, we are preparing for a much larger battle… Ours is not near finished…’ He said we may feel the sting of it. And he wished me a long and interesting reign.”

  Mako winced. “Well, I do hope it is a long reign, Princess. As we see, it’s already shown itself to be interesting!”

  “It was a forest cat, quite beautiful. I did not ask his name,” Scylla said thoughtfully. “Till we meet again, he said.”

  “What’s this?” said Coltic, turning his head. Jay had emerged from the forest with something blonde and furry in his arms.

  “It’s the queen’s other dog!” Scylla said in surprise. “They must have escaped to the forest the night of the murders. I suppose no one thought to look for them.”

  “Princess! This one answers to Cuddles. The other one won’t come, it’s back there.” As Jay crossed the grass, giving the priest’s body a wide berth, a dirty white shape dashed out of the bushes. It snapped and growled at him as if it were ten times its size.

  “What is the white one’s name?” asked Coltic. “Come here, you!”

  “Hmmm… was it not called Sparky? Sparky, come here!” The small animal ran over to Mako and jumped up against his knee, then returned to yap at Jay again.

  Jay placed the blonde dog on Scylla’s lap. She recoiled but did not push it off. “Oh, it’s quivering… and so thin. Because they’ve been fending for themselves, I suppose.”

  The other now barked at her.

  “Do stop, Sparky!” she ordered. It crouched, its eyes riveted on its companion. “It’s protecting this one, I think. Is there any food in the lodge for them?”

  “Or for us,” said Mako promptly. “My men and I rode half the night! Have you eaten, Princess?”

  “Captain Coltic has given me a slice of seed cake,” she said. She gave a tidbit to the dog on her lap, and tossed Sparky a piece. He snapped it up.

  “More food is on the way,” Coltic said. “I’m told there are some stores in the cellar—some sausage and some cheese. And wine!” He disappeared through the door.

  Mako eyed the dogs critically. “I recall those two were very costly. The king acquired them in a kingdom the other side of Gryor, as a gift for the queen. Look at them now—matted and filthy… half starved.”

  “Sparky has fleas,” Jay noted, as the dog scratched vigorously. “Perhaps yours does too, Princess.”

  “I do not want either of these dogs, no matter how valuable, and certainly not with fleas. Please take it, Jay.”

  Jay picked up the blonde one. “Cuddles is more timid.” Sparky jumped up against him, barking again. “Stop it, Sparky!”

  “No one has missed those dogs or their noise. What do you plan to do with them, Princess?” Mako enquired.

  “The boy… I mean, Jay… can have them.” Scylla ate a little more of the seed cake. It was dense and dry but something to chew on. “I wonder if Captain Coltic could make some tea. I do not want wine.”

  “I’m sure he’ll put a man on kitchen duty… Where did you spend the night, Princess?”

  “Under a spruce tree, in a sheltered spot beneath the boughs. It was quite cozy.”

  “In the morning we found a spring nearby,” Jay said. “Someone built a little pool, with a carving of the Goddess at the back.”

  Mako’s head snapped around. “A spring… What sort of spring?”

  “Ancient,” Scylla said. “Quite pretty, I’m sure, at one time—but neglected now. The carving is cracked.”

  “Neglected,” Mako repeated slowly. “This is the second neglected spring I have heard of in two days. I would like to see it.”

  “The boy can show you.” Jay ignored her. “Jay, I mean. Jay can show you. It’s along the path entering the clearing—there, where we met the first priest.”

  “I think I can find it. It’s not too far,” Jay said with a frown.

  “Lead me to it, but not before we have something to eat.”

  He nodded, dropping to the grass as the dogs swarmed him.

  “I saw another spring yesterday, Princess.” Mako took a few steps and stared across the clearing as if he was viewing something else entirely.

  “Oh?” she responded with a yawn. She wondered what condition the attic room was in—where she and Sorrell
had slept the first night of the hunting excursion—and if she could take a nap before they started back to the castle.

  Mako ignored her lack of interest. “I went with Sergeant Brit to his home village yesterday—Spring Hill village. Brit is the only witness who saw the priests perform their magic.”

  “Oh?” Scylla peered at the open door. Would Coltic never return with food?

  “I am giving you a report—I will keep it short,” Mako said pointedly. “… Queen Scylla.”

  She gave him a testy glare. “Is this a formal report, Chancellor? Should you not wait for the captain to return?”

  “I’ll fill him in later. Allow me to give you the bare details.”

  “Carry on, then!”

  He seemed to have some difficulty forming the words, now that he had her attention. After a moment, he said, “I am told that the village spring has been neglected far too long—and because of that the priests’ faction was able to rise unchecked.”

  “Oh?”

  “Lady Zara of the village tells me the Goddess’ spring must be tended by young maids. Her own girls outgrew the task. They and her son Brit left the village—for a better life, he says. I cannot blame them. Only Zara, her husband, and two other men remain. Oh, and also Brit’s Granny, whose mind wanders although her feet cannot.”

  Scylla studied him. “I see you’ve had an interesting trip, Chancellor.”

  “Almost as interesting as your own, Princess. The village is impoverished, and their only horse has died. My soldiers aided in burying the horse and bringing the hay down from the hillside.”

  “I see. So… in this impoverished village are only old people, with no children to tend the spring of the Goddess. Thus, evil has begun to swirl throughout the land… if I may quote the trellet. Is that correct? And what are your thoughts, Chancellor?”

  He shrugged defensively. “Now I hear that you and the boy…”

  “Jay,” she interjected.

  “… have found another neglected spring. I inspected the village spring. A spiral pool lies around it—also ancient—and the carved head of the Goddess stands at the back.”

  “Jay put the cracked stone back in place and left a coin for the Goddess. The Goddess did not seem to object, although he is not a girl.”

  Jay had been listening. “The queen looked just like the Goddess when she was reflected in the pool,” he offered. “With pink flowers trailing from her hair, and a gown of green leaves!”

  “I am beginning to be surprised by nothing.”

  “And yet, what young girl will tend the Goddess’ spring here?” enquired Scylla, with some sarcasm. “How many neglected springs are there in our lands… and how are we to find them?”

  “If someone had told me any of this a year ago… the trellet, the priests’ magic, the springs of the Goddess, and even King Tobin’s betrayal and murder… I would have said they were mad,” Mako admitted. “Our people seem to follow the priests and their teachings… more or less.”

  “Less, in recent times—except by Queen Maris and a few others.”

  “Yon wicked Queen Maris sits hand-in-hand with the priests—those were the lady Zara’s words.”

  “Yon wicked Queen Maris,” Scylla repeated with a start. “I like that! I shall have those words carved upon a stone and set it on her grave!”

  “Could we discuss that another time? The priests mouthed pretty words about the Goddess, but did little more. I am told they had unsavory habits, and there is a general cynicism about our formal religion, although lip service is paid! We confiscated all the books from the priests’ house. Some are very odd. I wonder how the faction’s activities could have gone unnoticed. Or how, in Lady Zara’s words, they were able to rise unchecked.”

  “My father and all you soldiers were too busy riding horses and going hunting,” Scylla pointed out. “Within the castle, there was yon wicked Queen Maris carrying on with the priests under my father’s oblivious nose. For years!”

  “Now I find that more than a few citizens still worship the Goddess of the forests and know all about odd creatures such as the trellet! Apparently the old forest ways have continued, in secrecy due to persecution by the formal religion that replaced it.”

  “I do not recall hearing of persecution—do you?”

  “In earlier times there was, but not recently. I must look into our history. As you say, King Tobin gave no importance to the priests or their teachings. And not nearly enough attention. I never heard him mention the old ways either. If I had not seen the trellet myself, and if I had not seen the castle wall…” He shook his head slowly. “And now you tell me a talking green cat has defended you against yet another attack and I see evidence impossible to ignore…”

  “Shall we proclaim an end to the priests’ formal religion? As it became rooted in self-interest and turned to something twisted and destructive, there should be no issue. The Kingdom of Rellant returns to the old ways… the springs of the Goddess! I pronounce it such—have that drawn up into a writ when we return to the castle, Chancellor.” She turned her head as Jay stared at her in worshipful awe. “I, however, am not the Goddess, Jay!”

  “Our dear Goddess! It will please her that you, the queen, have opened your eyes!” Jay breathed, his face glowing.

  “And this,” said Scylla, without missing a beat. “This, Chancellor, shall be our new high priest. There is no one more devout than Jay!”

  Jay rolled his eyes in exasperation, giving her statement the importance it deserved. “I’m hungry and so are the dogs! I’m going to see if the soldiers have found any food.” He got to his feet, the two dogs scampering after him as he started toward the kitchen door at the back of the building.

  “He, however, knew nothing of trellets,” Scylla told Mako.

  “You’ll be interested to know that it’s a wonderful omen when someone has a trellet. I was told so by Brit’s granny.”

  “Oh?”

  “And that you are likely to have a long and successful reign. She warns that you should do only good, as what you do will be returned to you several times over.”

  “Curses! ... I mean, good Goddess! What of my act in ending the life of the priest?”

  “Was it not self defense?”

  “Not at that exact moment… although he was after us with that sword. One of my father’s.” She looked around. The heavy sword now leaned against the wall beside the doorway. “He was also among those who butchered my father the King and all the others here at the hunting lodge. I believe he was dying—I merely helped him on his way.”

  “Zara said we need all the luck we can find, being up against yon coven of sorcerers in Gryor!”

  “Ah, Gryor…” Scylla sighed. The threat to the Kingdom of Rellant still loomed, even with the rogue priests cut out of the equation. King Tobin was still dead and Scylla was still the unwilling queen—with unpleasant reality staring her in the face. “Yes, there is more to come. I am grateful for the trellet’s help… and hope the Goddess is on our side too.”

  Mako was staring off into the distance again. Coltic returned, balancing plates and a steaming cup, with a wine bottle and two tankards tucked under his arm.

  “Here you are, Princess! And you, Chancellor…” He handed a plate to each of them and the tea to Scylla. “Sausage and aged sheep’s cheese from the cellar stores, and we found a crate of tea unspoiled by the heretics. They destroyed some of the wine,” he added with a grimace. “They drank a few bottles but smashed many more, like a fox in a henhouse. Here is one that rolled away unbroken, Chancellor… if you care to sample it.”

  “Yes, join me in a toast to the long and interesting reign of our queen, as she survives yet another adventure,” said Mako. He dropped to the grass with a sigh and ate a piece of sausage. “A terrible shame about the king’s wine!”

  “It is—that wine could have brought a good price. But do not worry, Princess, much of it is still undamaged.”

  “You cannot imagine how relieved I am!”

 
; “King Tobin stored even more wine here than at the castle,” Coltic said. “Try this, Chancellor.” He handed Mako a tankard of wine and poured himself another.

  “I suppose then we cannot simply torch the place. Or, at least, not before removing the wine.”

  “I suggest not torching the lodge, Princess, even if its future is uncertain. My men are cleaning up, and listing the repairs required. I must assign a caretaker. The previous man’s garden is overgrown but still producing, and there is a henhouse, but no chickens.”

  “I am sure the lodge needs a caretaker,” sighed Scylla, who had little interest in the missing chickens or the repairs to the hunting lodge—even if her father had spent a fortune on it. “Find one! On a more interesting subject, I have declared a return to the old forest ways and the worship of the true Goddess. The priests’ religion is banished!”

  “Good Goddess!” said Coltic, startled. “What did you find in the sergeant’s village, Mako?”

  “A neglected spring. Sergeant Brit’s mother says it is in our best interests to tend the spring—or springs—of the Goddess.”

  “Yet only young maids can tend the springs, Captain… How do you plan to address this situation, Chancellor?”

  Mako hesitated for a moment. “The lady Zara, Brit’s mother, is holding together a village of five—she and her older husband, two elderly relatives, and a younger man who is simple. Meanwhile, three small shacks stand empty. I will send a crew to repair them. Then, as we are aware, there are feral children living near the castle. I will send them to the village, along with food supplies, a housemaid, and a rotating shift of soldiers to help with the work.”

  Coltic and Queen Scylla both stared at him as if he had said he could fly.

  “The girls will tend the spring,” he pointed out. “The boys will be fed and housed and learn useful work. I’m sure more homeless children will turn up as time goes on.”

  Coltic said skeptically, “Have you considered the feral children? They are thieves and can be dangerous. I have seen even a very small child threaten another with a knife. It may be impossible to catch them, much less transport them to the village.”