“I hold the Cane of Hollax and the Knife of Clarr.” He was muttering to himself, and not to Yaark. “I am the Lord of Clarr and I command the weapons of Clarr. Protect me. Protect my family and friends. Don’t let them die. But destroy the Meteor star Yaark and show me what I should do.”
Hearing him, Yaark flew down close, hovering just above Nathan’s forehead. The fire from the star’s blue glittering arms was like pulsing flame in Nathan’s eyes, and for a moment he was blind. Yaark roared. “I shall rip your eyes from your head. As you stumble, dazed and staggering in agony, I shall crush your nose and force the pieces into your mouth. Then I shall rip out your tongue.”
Yaark was almost spitting into Nathan’s face, so close that Nathan stretched out with his knife. And then, just as he thought he was on the brink of death, the cane snapped from his hand, its wings and claws grabbing at the knife, and the thrust it so wildly into the star’s fat blue centre that it emerged from the other side, its point bright blue from the star’s body. Falling back, Nathan saw what was happening, almost as though he could not believe it. For the cane and the knife together were slashing at Yaark, one arm was sliced through and fell twitching and curling onto the carpet. Nathan did not even hold the cane or the knife any longer, they worked together. But Nathan willed them on, standing with tremendous concentration, focussing on what happened.
Another of the star’s arms flew from its body and the body itself was bleeding thick blue slime from the gaping hole in the centre. Yaark began to groan, choking and finally howling. The terrible cry was so loud and so furious that it woke Granny. She sat bolt upright, staring around her. And then one by one the other people in the room began to move.
Stamping hard on both the severed arms, Nathan then ran to Poppy and called to his mother and father. They all sat up, rubbing their eyes, and staring, utterly confused.
Yaark screamed. The cane smashed into the blue circular body and its shining sparks went out like turning off the television. The remaining creature flashed, spinning as it dashed wildly across the ceiling. But the Knife of Clarr, now brilliant with gold and silver light, and in that dazzle Nathan could see that Yaark had lost four of its six arms and all its force. The blue sludge leaked from two huge cuts in the body, and the last two arms were limp.
It tumbled to the carpet beside its dissected arms, and lay half dead, but twitching as it croaked hatred, anger and threats. But it could not act on those threats. Within three minutes, Yaark was dead.
The cane and the knife returned to Nathan, firmly tucking themselves into the grip on both his hands. Everyone began to wake now. Bayldon sat up with a cough, and Alfie rolled from the back of the chair and shouted, “Where was I?”
The last to wake was old man William. He shook his head, whispering, “Have they gone?”
“Yes. All gone,” said Granny, staggering to her feet.
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t want to bring them. Inside my head, they forced me. I couldn’t think. It wasn’t me anymore.”
“That’s alright,” said Nathan, his voice weary. “They’re never going to bother us again.”
Having woken with a jolt, Brewster said, “Muddle pie and please don’t die. First cursed by the one, then knocked out by the other. I’ve done little to help, I’m afraid, but have been saved by my greatest friends. Thank you both for such a miracle. You are brave and remarkable. The country will love you for all your lives.”
“I need to go to bed,” muttered Nathan. “And I might sleep for a week.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nathan woke with the shattering sounds of cheering and people calling his name. Bewildered and still half blurry with sleep, he rolled off the bed where he had lain, in his pyjamas, for almost one full day, and crawled to the window. Outside was such a crowd of people, he couldn’t see any of them clearly. He thought he saw Zakmeister and Sam with their brilliant contrast – Zakmeister with his rich chocolate brown skin and black hair, and Sam with his very pale skin, big blue eyes and short silver hair. Nathan also thought he recognised Ferdinand and his wife, Ninester with little Smudge the puppy cuddled under his arm, and others he had met in Peganda, Pickles and Bymion.
It was too much and seemed overwhelming and he really just wanted to crawl back to bed, but then Poppy and Bayldon burst in, and Poppy yelled, “Get up, Nat. You’re wanted. In fact, I think you’re wanted by the whole of Peganda.”
“In my creased pyjamas?” said Nathan, embarrassed.
“Who cares,” said his father, most unexpectedly. “You are the hero of Lashtang, my dear boy. The great and illustrious empole. The man who had brought the Octobr family back to the throne, and freedom to the people. Come out and wave to your people. Your mother and Granny are already out there.”
First he managed to wave from the window, but then when he saw how many people had come all the way to the cottage to cheer him, he began to feel excited and ran outside. The cottage had been cleaned up after the destruction of the stars. The meteor had still not come down to collect the glass jar of squashed and broken pieces, but there was no hurry. Everyone else was wildly delighted, and celebrated for long months.
It was late summer when the coronation took place. They planned a glorious affair, and everyone was involved. Messina was carried to the throne room in Peganda’s newly built palace, riding on Trakken’s back. Poppy rode Ralgia and Nathan rode Gilden. Riding a tiger was not the most comfortable journey, for the great and beautiful animals loped fast in their elegant strides, and the humans had to hold to a soft collar they wore around their necks.
Brewster rode a huge black llama, no saddle, but covered in a rich scarlet and embroidered tapestry rug. Sherdam, Bayldon, Alfie and Zakmeister also rode grand and soft skinned llamas while Hermes flew above, carrying the pearl and platinum collar of royalty which would later be presented to Messina. John, Alice, Peter, Sam, Tryppa and Granny all sat in very luxurious carriages drawn by well-trained llamas, waving at the crowds as they passed.
The whole of Lashtang and Sparkan seemed to have turned out to watch. The small dragons flew above, Epilogs took up shadowed space even though they could not be properly seen, and while Quosters had changed into people so they could walk and stand, so did the lava wolves, not wishing to frighten anyone or be attacked themselves, took on their human shape even though it meant they could not speak. They could only wave.
Bright coloured banners hung along the streets, blowing in the light wind, and Peter and Tryppa who shared a carriage, were both playing their lutes. “You know your playing already carries great magic,” smiled Tryppa. “I must tell you that in a few years, this magic will be as strong and perhaps stronger than mine. You may even wish to go back to medieval England, and play your music in times of trouble. And here, of course, if danger ever returns.”
Old man William had not been invited to join the coronation procession, but he stood at the front of the crowd near the palace, and Tansel stood proudly at his side, waving madly. Granny had restored William’s eyesight, and now he lived quietly with his granddaughter in the city.
As Empress Messina Octobr sat comfortably on the large throne and smiled beneath her crown, no one could imagine the time and worry she had gone through to win back her true title and the leadership of her beloved country
The palace in the heart of Peganda was a large and spacious home with additional halls for parties, official visits and important meetings. But after all the noise and special clothes, parties and concerts surrounding the coronation, Granny had insisted on staying at the cottage. Not sure where they wanted to stay, Nathan and Poppy had gone with her.
“My home, my choice,” she said abruptly when Messina tried to talk her into coming to live in the new palace. “And I shan’t ever change my mind, so don’t bother trying. I shall look after the animals, welcome visitors, do my own cooking, and get Jellywop to clean up for me.”
The large glass jar of water still stood on the kitchen table with the floating rema
ins of the stars. “Be careful of that,” giggled Poppy, “and don’t go mixing it into a cake by mistake.”
Granny shook her head. “I wish to forget that Clebbster and Yaark ever existed,” she said. “I want a peaceful and happy life. You two may stay whenever you like the idea, but sometimes you may want to live at Clarr. That whole tower must be rebuilt, you know, except perhaps for the library, and for the Chamber of the Key. But you should have your own wonderful homes there, which of course you can decorate yourselves.”
“I still think of Hammersmith as home,” sighed Poppy. “Will we all go back there sometimes?”
“Why not?” said Granny. “Everyone likes holidays. You may even like going back to medieval London, as I’m sure Alice and Alfie will from time to time.”
“And go sailing with John to discover new lands,” grinned Nathan.
“Well, long weeks at sea can be dangerous and uncomfortable. There’s that monster octopus, even though I admit it did help you once. Most strange. And Christopher Columbus is a very serious explorer, you know.”
“Well, I’m a prince and Poppy’s a princess. Empole and empola. But we’re just the same people, aren’t we! I mean, we’ll go on doing good things and daft things, and now Mum’s the empress, she’ll be even quicker to tell us off. It seems crazy, but it will mean lots more adventures too, won’t it. I want to explore that old castle too at Fibilink.”
“Brewster wants to rebuild that,” interrupted Poppy. “He wants to make it beautiful and then go and live there.”
“I think we should help.”
“I’d say Brewster deserves quite a lot of help,” decided Granny, putting her hands back in her apron pocket. “But I’m hungry. So Jellywop and I are off to the kitchen to make roast chicken dumplings and chocolate with caramel cake.” She stood, laughing. “Do you both want to help? Or are you too important now?”
“Oh, much too important,” grinned Nathan. “But I’ll help if you let me lick the bowl after you melt the chocolate.”
I hope you’ve enjoyed following Nathan, Poppy and their friends. They will be back…
But that’s another series for the future.
Also by Barbara Gaskell Denvil
Bannister’s Muster
Book One: Snap
Book Two: Snakes & Ladders
Book 3: Blind Man’s Buff
Book 4: Dominoes
Book 5: Leapfrog
Book 6: Hide & Seek
Also available in Audio and soon to be Spanish editions too
For more info, please go to https://bannisters muster.com
Hide & Seek Page 36