Rauph roared his anger to the world, his eyes blazing, chestnut hair matted, covered in the detritus of the swamp and dried blood. He looked around the room, his chest rising and falling with the effort of fighting his way this deep into the palace, before his eyes fell on the figurehead of his mother.
“Poisoner!” he snarled, stepping threateningly towards her. A guard rushed in from the left, only to have his helmet crushed by a vicious swing of Rauph’s sword, leaving the unfortunate Minotaur to drop senseless to the floor. Karlar sighed deeply from her position on the floor, dropping the head of the guard she was comforting to gaze at the raw unbridled strength of Kristoph, Prince of the Taureans.
“He’s so dreamy!” Shuesan gasped from her lounger, drawing a look of sheer venom from Karlar.
“Kristoph, how wonderful to see you here.” Mora stated, as if a crazed Minotaur bursting in to her private chambers was an everyday occurrence. “What can I do for you?”
“Ives is dead because of you.” Rauph shouted, stepping closer, shoving an ornate urn decorated with griffons out of his way, its delicate shape shattering into a thousand pieces on the tiled floor. “Weyn is badly injured and you even tried to poison my captain.”
“I don’t even know who Ives was, let alone had anything to do with killing him.” Mora stated calmly, her hand gripping the hilt of her stiletto tightly for reassurance. “The name of Weyn means nothing to me either. All I know is that you class them as your friends and therefore I must protect you from them and remove you from their corrupting influence.” Mora paused in mid speech.
“What do you mean tried to poison your captain? He’s dead; no one can escape the kiss of the Nirschl.”
Rauph parried a halberd strike and smashed the guard to the floor before the Minotaur had space to draw breath, then strode forwards purposefully, one of his long swords held firmly in his massive hand.
“You have no right to interfere in my life. No right to choose who I can and cannot have as my friends. They are more a family to me than you have ever been.” Rauph snarled. “How dare you try to hurt them.”
“Oh I will do more than hurt them.” Mora replied quietly. “I intend to kill all of them.”
Rauph roared in anger, swinging up his sword, preparing to bring the blade down upon his mother’s head, only for his blade to be stopped in mid-swing by a blade of darkened worn steel. The force of the blow vibrated up the blade, as Rauph turned towards the interloper determined to inflict his wrath upon them.
Aelius stood his ground, his apparent age hiding a strength created by will alone.
“I cannot allow you to do this.” The captain of the guard grunted, the muscles of his arms bulging at the force it required to stop Rauph’s blow from landing. “The matriarch is under my protection.”
“Then you have chosen your side and I respect you for it.” Rauph groaned. “I shall try and kill you quickly.”
“Better Minotaur than you have tried.” Aelius replied. “Yet you forget, I am the one who trained you.” The captain performed a Moulinet parry followed by a circular cut, twisting his blade around Rauph’s weapon and lunging forwards, smashing the hilt of his weapon up under Rauph’s jaw, knocking the navigator back and away from his mother with a cry of pain.
“Mother I could not find Kristoph or Ashe Wolfsdale.” Drummon shouted from the doorway of the room, his voice dropping away when he saw the dazed guards lying about the floor. “What is this?”
The black Minotaur charged into the room with a roar, knocking servants and guards alike from his path as he moved to defend the Matriarch from his brother.
“Kristoph what are you doing?” He screamed. Slamming into Rauph and knocking the dazed Minotaur further away from his goal.
Rauph pivoted, swinging his sword in a deadly arc that shaved the top of Chane’s orange mane and decapitated several gilded lilies in an ornate display. There was a shriek of shock from Chane, followed by the titter of several members of the female ruling elite who witnessed what had happened.
Aelius stepped back, dropping his guard, his personal honour not permitting him to continue to fight the young prince now that Drummon had joined the fray. Weapons clashed together as the two brothers turned on each other. The deafening sounds echoed throughout the room as the Minotaur thrust and parried, feinted and disengaged, trying to find an opening in each other’s defences.
“Why were you looking for Ashe Wolfsdale?” Rauph snarled, snapping his blade hard against Drummon’s forcing the weapon out to one side. “You stay away from my friend.”
“Ashe Wolfsdale is no longer a concern.” Mora stated as the two brothers clashed, causing Rauph to pause in his attack and allow Drummon to bring his sword back in line again. “He was hung an hour ago.”
“What?” Rauph turned in shock, without thinking, leaving his side dangerously exposed. “What do you mean hung.” Mora smiled slyly, noting Drummon drawing back his weapon to deliver a crushing blow.
“Hung by the neck until dead.” The Matriarch gloated. “A suitable end to a disgusting little thief.”
An urn crashed into Drummon’s back, making him stagger and miss his opening, the lunging blade of his weapon glancing off Rauph’s horn with a shriek that set everyone’s teeth on edge.
“Your little thief is hung high; Ives and your captain are dead and your Weyn is injured. How many more of your friends do I need to kill before you realise you have no choice but to obey me?” Mora continued, trying to hide her confusion that her son’s attack had failed. Her eyes scanned the dazed figure of Drummon who had turned in anger to look at a high pedestal behind him as if it had become animate and suddenly attacked him. The urn had apparently fallen from its peak, something that was impossible without a violent earth tremor and Mora knew no such tremor had occurred.
All of the fight had left Rauph, he stood dazed. Drummon shoved him hard in the back, sending the navigator down upon his knees to sprawl before his mother.
“Now that is so much better.” Mora stated. “You are back where you belong at last, penitent before me repenting your sins.”
“Listen carefully Kristoph as I do not like wasting my breath.” She continued with a voice as sharp as the dagger she held within her robes. “I will take great delight in killing every one of your friends, every member of the El Defensor’s crew unless you toe the line and do as I command. Do you understand me?” each word of her final sentence delivered with the finality of a coffin lid being nailed shut. Rauph moved to lift his head only to have it pushed back down towards the floor by Drummon.
“I’m going to kill you in the maze.” Drummon wheezed in his ear. Rauph looked up dazed not sure what his deranged brother was on about.
Mora turned to the games master cowering in the corner.
“Two days and the celebrations start.” The Matriarch ordered. “Do not fail me.” The games master swallowed hard and paled as she rose from her throne and walked about the room taking in the destruction about her. Her robes swept about her as she turned to offer her thunderous gaze towards Kristoph.
“In two days you shall take part in the Labyris tournament and fight to the death in the labyrinth. If you do this, I shall spare your crew until after the contest and then we shall see where we stand. You no longer have leave to depart the palace. You shall live here, locked away from your friends and their corrupting influence. Any attempt to contact them will result in serious penalties for your friends. I have given you a two-day reprieve for those friends that remain living. My generosity will not last for long.” The Matriarch moved towards the exit her hand finally coming out of her robes, holding the slender dagger.
“Two days then I can kill you.” Drummon laughed getting to his feet and pushing Rauph’s head back to the floor again, bouncing the navigator’s horns painfully on the marble. “This time I’ll do it right and you shall stay dead.”
Mora turned at the doorway and gestured to the servants hiding in numerous places about t
he room.
“Make sure this is all cleaned up before I return.” She ordered, taking in the shocked faces. “I’m moving to my bed chambers to rest, all this excitement is simply draining. So keep the noise down.” Mora swept from the room in a rustle of material. Drummon sauntered after her, chuckling to himself, snatching up a delicate cake as he walked by and taking a large bite before laughing through a mouthful of food.
“Two days, brother.” He laughed. “It’s all over in two days.”
Rauph remained prone on the floor for what seemed like an eternity, his mind churning with the revelations just made to him. Ashe and Ives were dead, Thomas poisoned. How many more of the crew would suffer from being able to call him friend?
The navigator staggered to his feet and collected his blade from the floor before he made a slow exit from the room and turned towards his lodgings in the west wing. As soon as he left the room erupted in gossip behind him as the female Minotaur judged the raw animal strength they had just seen.
As the excited discussion rose and the servants started rushing about the room tidying up the damage from the fight, Aelius walked out from behind the pedestal, looking perplexed as if he were busy investigating the mysterious toppling urn,
* * * * * *
“Now are you sure you are up to this?” Thomas asked, staring into the inky darkness where the steerage chain had dropped into the bowels of the ship. “It’s going to be a long way down.”
“I could ask you the same question about your ability to be up and about captaining the El Defensor when you were near death’s door with a fever a few hours ago.” Rowan replied, her hands frantically tying her hair back with a headscarf and pulling it clear from her glowing face. “Commagin tells me he sends Barney into the workings of the ship all the time to make repairs where he can’t reach. I work in engineering so it is my job to step up and do something to earn my keep on this ship. I trust Colette and will be back before you know it.”
Commagin huffed and puffed behind her, clearly upset about the mention of his lost friend as he set about sorting through a huge sack of tools.
“That will do it,” he grumbled, hefting a huge wrench over towards her as if it were as light as a feather.
“What am I expected to do with this?” Rowan asked, grunting as she took the weight of the wrench.
“You need something to protect yourself with if there is a problem and you might need a lever of some sort if the chain is snagged.” The engineer replied, removing his thick glasses and polishing them on a dirty rag.
“Problem… What sort of problem?” Thomas spluttered.
“He’s only kidding.” Rowan replied, determined to show she was not as anxious as she actually felt. It was just like going on her first solo flight, where she had to depend on her own ability rather than that of her instructor. She swallowed hard; come to think of it her first flight was not her greatest. Maybe it would be better if she did not recall this situation.
“It’s just the magic I’m worried about.” Thomas confessed. “I don’t understand it and I can’t control it. What if something goes wrong?”
“Thomas Adams you have never worried about my magic wielding abilities before, so why would you worry about them now?” Colette teased. “Why don’t you just admit it’s different when you have a personal interest in the item being magicked.”
“I don’t feel this way about it when you cast magic upon the ship.” Thomas blurted in response. “And I have a personal interest in her.”
“Is he comparing me to this barnacle coated antique?” Rowan winked at Colette, pretending to be insulted. “I should be the only woman in your life and don’t you forget it buster, especially after what we just did in your cabin.” Thomas turned scarlet and ran his hand across his forehead.
“That’s not what I mean. It’s… You know…”
“I am touched you are concerned. Now let me do my job.” Rowan stood on tiptoe and kissed Thomas lightly on the cheek. “Besides if it does go wrong, I’m not worried. I always wanted to lose some weight; I will be just like James Barrie’s Tinkerbell and you can be my Peter Pan. You never know you might look good in green tights.”
Thomas turned, scanning the deck for something to focus on to stop his concerns from showing and ruin his image as a gruff captain. He noted Commagin untangling a long spool of thin chain across the deck, the engineer’s hands feeling each link, checking for damage and leaving it positioned so he could feed it down into the hole. It was a job that Thomas knew he could not help with, even though he wished to intrude and double check the Dwarf’s meticulous work. There was so much at stake here.
He looked over to Colette noticing her fishing in her pouch for a gemstone to cast her spell and scowling at the small stones she held in her hand. What if the jewel Colette used did not hold enough power within its clear core, making the spell fizzle out whilst Rowan was still trapped in a space too small to regrow? This whole situation was nightmarish!
“Everyone stand well back.” Colette warned; her scowl still clear on her tired face. The ship’s mage closed her eyes in concentration, muttering under her breath as she concentrated and prepared to cast her spell. A cold wind blew across the harbour, lifting her golden curls creating an illusion that Colette was using her skills to tame the very elements swirling around the ship, as the pulsating energy from the shattered gemstone snaked up her arm.
“Hang on a moment! She needs a storm lantern.” Commagin spluttered. The dwarf shuffled over and placed the lantern in Rowan’s hand. “To light your way in the dark and find your way back.” Rowan paled and Thomas noticed a slight tremor in her hand.
Colette gritted her teeth, her mind struggling to hold the spell in check, her hand appearing to pulsate with the energies harvested from the depths of the topaz she had used to energise her spell.
“Can we get on with this now?” she growled. Rowan looked more apprehensive, her complexion paling, her cheeks flushed at the unexpected wait, allowing the anxieties within her to surface.
“I love you.” Thomas stated calmly. “I will be right here waiting for your return.”
“You tell me this now?” Rowan choked. “How is that supposed to make me…”
Arcane energies rippled across the deck appearing to wrap around Rowan’s form and then she appeared to vanish with a barely detectible popping sound. Colette carefully walked over and leant down, picking up something from the deck before turning towards Commagin with the delicate treasure secured safely in her palm.
Thomas rushed over, his heart in his throat and stared over the mage’s shoulder to see a tiny miniaturised Rowan standing in the middle of Colette’s hand. Rowan now stood about five centimetres tall, the lantern and the wrench shrunk in perfect scale to her. Commagin shuffled over and held up a long rope that had a small cage securely tied to the end. Threaded through the bars to one side of the door was a large safety pin, the type used in old-fashioned diapers, with a clip that fitted snugly over the end to prevent accidental injury. Fastened onto the safety pin through one of its fine links was the end of the thin chain that Commagin had laid out across the deck.
The engineer eased open the small door of the cage with his stubby finger and rested it against Colette’s hand so Rowan could step inside. Rowan jumped across the narrow gap and then, just before she swung the door closed, she turned and blew a kiss in Thomas’s direction. The captain smiled and offered a smart salute in return, trying not to openly show his emotions and growing sense of pride, as he stared lovingly at the woman that he now realised he wanted to make his wife.
“Now lass, remember when you get down there in the depths of the ship, I want you to locate the end of the large chain that has come free. Then I want you to carefully thread this safety pin and chain through a link near the break and then open the pin and clip it around the thin chain to form a loop. Make sure it securely fastened and then I can pull the whole chain back up above decks to make the repairs to the helm.
I know the slim chain looks as if it will snap but it is enchanted and much stronger than it looks. So cheer up, I know you can do this.” Commagin pushed his glasses up onto the end of his nose. “There’s no time like the present. So let’s get to it.”
Before Thomas could say anything, Rowan backed fully into the cage and Commagin pushed the door closed then moved over to the hole in the deck. The Dwarven engineer carefully lowered the rope into the darkness, taking his time to feed both the rope and chain into the hole and ensuring that the thin chain did not snag or knot as it snaked across the deck.
“Well there’s nothing more for me to do here.” Colette smiled, brushing her hands together to remove the debris of her spell.
“What do you mean?” Thomas remarked. “You need to stay here until she comes back up.”
“No I don’t.” the ship’s mage smiled. “Rowan is quite capable of taking care of herself and I have things to do.”
“Like what?” Thomas demanded, quite angry at the thought Colette was effectively abandoning Rowan.
“Sword fighting lessons with Aradol.” The mage smiled, winking a suggestive coral blue eye. “After all, Aradol doesn’t have a large cabin to play in!”
* * * * * *
“What is the point of having a magical sword that glows like the sun, if it does not produce heat as well? Octavian asked, trying to stop his teeth chattering together. “I don’t know about you but I could really use some warmth, or at least a blanket and a roaring fire right about now.” He stared hungrily at the light bathing his legs and desperately wished the illumination could be as comforting as it looked.
“Be my guest.” Kerian replied stiffly, gesturing across the sands to where their supplies lay, the two stallions now quietly standing as silent sentries above the scattered bags and belongings. “I’m sure as long as you run fast enough you might make it over there without being bitten more than six or seven times!”
The Labyris Knight Page 62