Thronegarden

by Andrew Dickerson

  The princess, fresh from her revelation, realised her companion was correct. The copse had turned into the wood from Wintergarden, and bloodcurdling howls were carrying on the angry wind. Pairs of red eyes began glowing as a horde of Baywolves ridden by merciless Sprites emerged from the woods.

  “Oh no, not again,” Buttons cursed.

  Damselfly ran as the Sprite army broke ranks and gave chase. Buttons bounded into the princess’s arms for safety.

  “I want to wake up now,” he stated.

  As the wolves drew closer, Damselfly fluttered her fairy wings and took to the skies where the Sprites could not reach them.

  “Now we just need to find a way out of this place,” Damselfly narrated.

  “I don’t see a gate anywhere,” Buttons sought.

  “There it is,” Damselfly cried as one appeared immediately before them as sometimes happens in dreams.

  They landed gently amidst a rising fog which threatened to obscure the gate and their only chance of escaping the Dreamgarden. As they both ran towards the gate, a figure materialized from nowhere and stood between them and freedom.

  It was Death.

  Damselfly stood frozen in place, unable to venture forward while Death barred the way. From beside the old king came Gregorian, his faithful companion and gatekeeper.

  “To pass you must overcome your greatest fear,” he proclaimed.

  Death stepped forward, pointing his scythe at Buttons who suddenly found himself alone in the clearing with no Damselfly and no gate. Even Death and his loyal companion had disappeared, leaving the frightened rabbit in isolation. While Buttons suffered his own test, Damselfly was next, with Death showing her greatest fear in the form of her mother lying in state. The sight momentarily stole Damselfly’s breath away; for so long she had been fighting to stop this outcome, and seeing it materialize before her eyes was torturous. The princess had not come this far without showing significant courage and again she rose to the challenge. Her deal with Death had stated that Queen Etherelle would only pass over if Damselfly took a second to retrieve the valued timepiece. As no time had actually passed since they last spoke, how could this be real?

  Damselfly’s stubbornness contradicted her senses as she pushed aside the chilling revelation and dismissed it.

  “My mother is not dead,” she cried. “I am going to save her.”

  The terrifying apparition disappeared, allowing Damselfly to view the gate along with Buttons writhing on the ground. Running towards her companion, she shook him.

  “Buttons, it is me.”

  “I’m all alone,” the rabbit whimpered.

  “My mother said that I was never alone as long as someone loved me, and I love you, Buttons,” Damselfly proclaimed.

  “Can we go home?” the tired rabbit asked.

  “We have to go to Shadowgarden,” the princess explained.

  Buttons turned away from Damselfly and the fear of continuing their dangerous journey.

  “Phoebus risked everything to show us the way,” Damselfly remembered.

  “I promise if we do not find what we need in Shadowgarden we will go home, whatever the outcome.”

  “You promise?” Buttons checked.

  “I swear,” Damselfly vowed.

  Buttons reluctantly returned to his feet, leaning against the princess for support. Together they staggered towards the gate, leaving Dreamgarden behind.

  “What is so important about Shadowgarden?” Buttontail questioned.

  “Phoebus said the bell was stolen from my crib by a shade. He can only be referring to the Shades of Shadowgarden.”

  “Are they demons?” Buttons imagination ran wild.

  “They are just like us,” Damselfly placated as they reached the gate. “It is the oldest story of them all: The Shade and the Scorpion.”

  Damselfly produced the skeleton key crafted by Bakka before opening the gate to the Shadowgarden and, with Buttons by her side, stepped through.

  The Shade and the Scorpion

  Before giants stomped,

  Before Death called himself King,

  The Dragons had only just slept,

  Three tribes in the east were battling.

  One would rise to power,

  One must fall to ignominy,

  The third would swear loyalty on their honour,

  While waiting patiently for an opportunity.

  The ruling family were named Shade,

  At their head was gallant warrior Byron,

  Claiming power by blood and blade,

  To become the chosen one.

  After The Battle in the Long Grass, the regent,

  Byron set his heart on marrying fairest maiden, Elays.

  A daughter of rival tribe Scorj descent,

  The union was meant to bring peace for many days.

  The Shades ruled from Nowan Tor,

  A kingdom born upon the waters of a great lake,

  Crowned by an imposing high tower,

  Even from such heights the rulers could not see danger wake.

  Farren Scorj led a coup,

  Starting a bloody rebellion,

  In the end these insurgents were too few,

  Due to his poisoned blade, Farren earned the moniker of Scorpion.

  The Scorj rebels were bitterly pursued,

  Though they managed to flee beneath subterranean tunnels,

  Thus, began a bitter feud,

  For generations they would fight over who rules.

  The Shades worshipped Vaxlesh, a water spirit,

  Who had fallen from grace due to pride,

  For all who remained faithful to him would benefit,

  By standing at King Byron and Queen Elays’ side.

  The Scorj worshipped Falchard who represented the earth,

  Depicted as a dwarf wielding a giant hammer,

  Who created their home Mount Duskenside at birth,

  Capable of rending land with one single glower.

  After a generation of conflict,

  Peace was sought again by matrimony,

  So all may profit,

  From the young couple’s harmony.

  Prince Harcourt Shade had ascended to power too soon,

  He shared Vaxlesh’s prideful weakness,

  Praised as the Knight of the Blood Moon,

  His youth left him vulnerable to beauty and avarice.

  For her part the Princess Ariadne was as beautiful as Queen Elays had been,

  She enchanted men with a single smile,

  Crowds would gather for a glimpse of their new queen,

  Lining streets for mile upon mile.

  Prince Harcourt soon grew jealous,

  Of his bride’s popularity,

  He put down his lance for faith and grew ever more pious,

  On their wedding day he accused Ariadne of planning treachery.

  The prince sought to drown Ariadne in the holy font,

  Many say Vaxlesh refused to take the princess’s life due to her beauty,

  Whatever the princes want,

  His sins would result in catastrophe.

  Princess Ariadne not only survived, she became a legend,

  Prince Harcourt could not sleep for fear of the woman he was supposed to marry,

  While the prince’s star fell his betrothed would only ascend,

  As she became known only as The Lady.

  Finally, crowned King Harcourt found a new partner,

  A pretty young girl ‘The Lady Wexley’,

  The king sought to marry his new lover,

  A year after his previous betrothal’s anniversary.

  The Lady was so angry,

  She brought the high tower down,

  Killing hundreds including those about to marry,

  The king was lost along with his crown.

  Chapter 12

  Dangerous Times

  Red Eye cursed his misfortune as he walked alone across the scorched plains of the Shadowgarden. Above, the sun was setting in the west, producing
long shadows (which was why it was known as the Shadowgarden). The land was so dry with not a breath of wind; it remained hot and relentless. The ground was scorched as Red Eye crossed the open tundra on his cursed mission. Thoughts of their recent excursion to the Wintergarden and a cold climate made the Sprite’s mood worse. Everything had started to go wrong since he first encountered the girl on fire. With her bright red hair, they should have realised her appearance was a bad omen. For her to reappear now when they were so close to success was inauspicious, and Red Eye had shrunk while giving his report to Jinx, the leader of the Sprites. Surprisingly, Jinx had taken the news relatively calmly; no doubt his growing army of Baywolves, Sprites, Goblins, Ogres and even an actual Giant had bolstered his confidence. Red Eye had felt momentarily happier, thinking that he had given the girl’s arrival too much significance and everything would be well after all. That was until Jinx had ordered him to visit the Lady and gain her support in ridding them of this fresh challenge. Red Eye was so absorbed in his misery that he almost fell into the lake. There were no clear signs and the bare earth simply dropped away into a large pool of water. Normally on a hot day (every day was hot now time had stopped) a weary traveller would have reveled in the refreshing water provided by this seeming oasis. Unfortunately, this was The Lady of the Lake’s realm where even being this close to those foul waters could be fatal. Red Eye was terrified of the Lady just like everybody else. However, his position as chief scout was important as it afforded him certain privileges and he was not willing to surrender those because of a little fear. Gratefully, the Lady was not interested in a lone Sprite wandering around her boundary and received Red Eye with indifference.

  “What do you want?” she sneered.

  The Lady always looked different each time you saw her. Today she was a youthful beauty with golden tresses, blue eyes and a simple red dress that seemed to float against her desirable figure. Such excesses were completely wasted on Red Eye, so the Lady revealed her true visage: she was drenched from head to foot with water dripping from her hair, nose and clothes. The Lady had dark knotted hair that hung like a pall around her shoulders, leaving her pale face exposed and giving her guest a terrifying view of her bloodshot eyes and twisted teeth. She smelt of sour water in a blocked storm drain, and even Red Eye’s accustomed senses recoiled at the smell.

  “Jinx needs your help, Oh Great One.” Red Eye bowed nervously.

  “I have no interest in aiding you simpletons,” the Lady snapped.

  “There is a girl with red hair who tamed a Peritwinkle and rallied the villagers against us in Wintergarden,” Red Eye related. “She is here now, when we are so close to achieving our ends, and need Your Greatness to make sure there is no delay.”

  The Lady appeared to have forgotten Red Eye as she searched amongst the river bank for something no one else could see.

  “A girl.”

  Red Eye almost missed the words for they were spoken under the Lady’s breath like an escaped thought.

  “None of us will be getting what we want unless that great monster is defeated,” the Lady cursed.

  “Together we can both get what we want,” Red Eye ventured.

  The Lady turned a wrathful eye on the quivering Sprite who knew he had gone too far.

  “Do you think I need your pitiful assistance?” she said, dripping venom.

  While the truth may have been one thing, Red Eye was quick to say the other. “Of course not, Your Greatness.”

  Snatching up a handful of loose stones, the Lady scattered her detritus into the lake. Red Eye who had been expecting the missiles to fly in his direction breathed again as he witnessed a face appear in the disturbed water.

  “A girl,” the Lady repeated, staring at a vision of Damselfly revealed in the magical waters.

  “Perhaps I will help you after all,” she murmured. “Thank you, Wise One,” Red Eye scraped.

  “For this task I will send my personal favourite.”

  The Lady revealed a necklace hidden under her unkempt hair; it was decorated by six precious gemstones although three were blackened beyond recognition. Plucking a vibrant fragment of jade from the chain that hung around her neck, she carelessly tossed the treasure into the lake. Red Eye could barely watch for fear of the Lady’s dark magic. If her power did not chain her to the lake, there was no doubt that she would be ruler of Shadowgarden, and perhaps beyond. A green glow emanated from beneath the water as the Lady’s disciple answered her summons. Slowly, a figure emerged from the depths, and Red Eye shrunk away in terror. A woman, wasted away by the water’s touch, stood before them with shining green eyes in a face made of clay. She swayed like a puppet, her body little more than a vague form of humanity.

  “There you are, my beauty,” the Lady boasted. “I have a task for you.”

  The figure waited breathlessly for her instructions, only those gleaming jade-green eyes revealing any sign of cognizance.

  “Find this girl with red hair and bring her to me,” the Lady ordered.” Let’s see how she handles a member of my Clay Legion.”

  Red Eye was already fleeing from the scene on legs that were barely strong enough to carry his lean frame; whatever evil he had loosened from those mysterious waters was best left far behind.

  Damselfly and Buttontail felt relieved at leaving their dreams behind as they passed through the Garden Gate into the Shadowgarden. The princess immediately noticed the heat as she looked up at the setting sun, and Buttons almost jumped out of his skin when he caught sight of his own giant shadow.

  “I don’t like this place,” the scared rabbit prophesied.

  “Perhaps they’ll have something new to eat,” Damselfly teased.

  “I am famished,” Buttons added predictably. “Even my shadow is practically fading away.”

  Buttons’ complaints were shortened as he realised that a band of Sprites had been travelling towards the gate just as they had arrived and were now surrounding them.

  “I definitely don’t like this place,” Buttons insisted.

  Damselfly considered whether they had enough time to escape through the gate before their enemies could stop them. Unfortunately, there was nowhere else they could go that would allow them to continue their mission. The war band was made up of six Sprites, all wielding makeshift weapons. One carried a spear made of two separate pieces of wood tied together by rope and another a rusty knife. Damselfly grabbed Buttons who instinctively flinched and attempted to fly away using her magic fairy wings. Unfortunately, the lead Sprite thrust his spear at them, and although the princess dodged the blow, it did not stop the sharpened point from tearing her right wing and effectively grounding them.

  “Don’t kill them,” a Sprite with one red eye interrupted. “Jinx will want to question them.”

  Damselfly was frightened although she tried to put on a brave face for Buttons, who was shaking in her grasp. Then they all felt the ground shake and from over the ridge a dozen cavalrymen charged downhill, scattering the surprised Sprites in all directions. One rider caught Damselfly’s attention as he rode the most magnificent white horse with grace and strength, leading the charge fearlessly. Once the Sprites were chased off, the soldier slipped from his mount and came to check on them.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Yes, we’re fine,” the princess replied.

  “Speak for yourself,” Buttons argued.

  The soldier appeared unsure what to make of the talking rabbit before laughing heartily at Buttons’ tirade of woes, and Damselfly found herself instantly warming to him.

  “My name is Delridden,” the soldier introduced. “It means Rider from the West.”

  “I am Damselfly and this is Buttontail,” the princess responded without thinking.

  “Princess Damselfly?” the soldier queried.

  Trapped by her slip of the tongue, Damselfly nodded shyly, hoping she had not misjudged the stranger.

  “Perhaps we should keep your identity between ourselves for now,” he suggested
kindly.

  The other men were different in almost every way to Delridden; their skin was natively darker although little was visible as they all wore a headscarf, balaclava and long black tunics, which reached all the way to their cured boots. They sat upon squat ponies rather than the beautiful white stallion that Delridden claimed, and they seemed content to speak amongst themselves, excluding Delridden. The young soldier, who was perhaps thirty, had a noble face with a strong jawline, long straight nose and surprisingly warm eyes. When he smiled his eyes seemed to join in, and Damselfly felt safer than she had since leaving home.

  “What is your horse’s name?” she enquired.

  “Winter,” Delridden spoke with obvious pride.

  The pure white stallion was at least two hands bigger than any of the other steeds, his mane was immaculately kept and his eyes seemed to show a sign of understanding that was almost human.

  “He is beautiful,” Damselfly proclaimed, stroking the horse’s head.

  “Does he bite?” Buttons quizzed.

  “Did you arrive through the gate?” Delridden questioned.

  Their conversation was interrupted by the other riders who spoke in an unfamiliar tongue. It seemed clear though that they wanted to move on, and Delridden decided it best to acquiesce.

  “You can both ride with me,” he added. “Winter can easily carry all three of us.”

  The horse neighed, protesting slightly at the assumption, and Damselfly laughed nervously as Delridden lifted them onto the mount’s back.

  “Are you sure this is safe?” Buttons posed, unhappy with the increased distance to the ground.

  “Quite sure.” Delridden shared a secret smirk with the princess before digging his heels in and sending Winter into a quick canter.

  Although the young princess reveled in her first horseback ride, she did feel sorry for Buttons who would almost certainly have jumped out of the saddle had he not been scared stiff.

  A short ride later they made camp, finding some shade under a series of large rock formations. The other riders, who had not spoken to them since they departed, broke away and formed their own group, leaving Delridden to look after the new arrivals.