Nature and Blight

by Matt Rogers

  Chapter 16: One Law To Reign Supreme

  Two Journeys Become One (The Land of Lawlessness)

  The two Midglings found themselves walking a very fine line. They were skirting the boundary of the Land of Lawlessness. Lawlessness was actually somewhat a misnomer for it did indeed carry one law which held sway over all; there were to be no laws.

  “Stu?”

  “Yes. Wort?”

  “I think I lost my amulet.”

  “Oh no.”

  “Uh-huh, uh-huh, that’s exactly what I thought.”

  They discussed returning to look for the magical device but decided scouring an entire forest was a bit much for ones such as them so agreed one amulet would need to suffice and continued their journey.

  The Land of Lawlessness came about from the decision of a princess who found herself in a predicament; everything she loved was forbidden by law. Her father, the greatest ruler Tranquility had ever known was called King Archy. Tranquility, Lawlessness’ previous name, was ruled as it had always been with one principle, one grand idea which the King would dictate and the subjects agree to follow. There were other laws for the land had been ruled for millennia but since he was King, whatever he decreed became the greatest law of the land. Since his name was Archy and his power supreme his law became known as the Overarchyng Law for it was like the umbrella and all others fell under its command. He chose “Peace for all’ and the subjects rejoiced.

  “What is that, Stu?”

  “It looks like a dust cloud.”

  “Why is it moving this way?”

  King Archy had a wife, Queen Serenity, and a picture formed in their subject’s minds of a land filled with tranquility and justice for all under the guide of the King’s law. Life was grand and the population pleased for none had ever heard of a ruler so just, a Queen so kind and a realm so satisfied.

  “Um, it’s getting bigger.”

  “Uh-huh, and it seems to be making sounds.”

  There was a festive atmosphere, more giddy than most, for the Queen was due to give birth and the King at her bedside. The entire countryside was in attendance. Those who arrived early were inside the castle’s walls while those who weren’t staked down tents and waited to greet the heir of their beloved Monarchs.

  “Okay, um, I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this.”

  “Uh-huh, uh-huh, me too! Except I’ve had a bad feeling for a while so I’m not exactly starting.”

  She arrived with the breaking of the dawn and the crowd rejoiced. Parties sprung to life and dancing was everywhere. Inside the Queen’s bedchamber the mood was no different.

  “She is perfect, My Queen.”

  “Yes, I believe she is, My King.”

  The populace was in a frenzy awaiting the sight of the new princess but an important ritual had to take place before she was brought into the public eye.

  “What shall we name her?”

  “I don’t know? She’s so cute an’ bubbly an’ pink an’ adorable an’…”

  “I’ve got it!”

  The trumpets blared, the minstrels sang and the peoples gathered as the future was held by her mother on the balcony for all to see. The father was beaming with delight, reveling in the glory and appreciative of his servant’s joy.

  “May I present the heir to the throne, the guiding light for all to see, your future Queen, Princess Ann!”

  The festive atmosphere lasted for months and the population around the castle grew to resemble a make-shift city surrounding the palace. Everywhere one looked people were setting up shops, playing games and beginning to consider building a home to remain and reside near the golden capitol.

  “Stu?”

  “Yes, Wort?”

  “I think those are horses.”

  As time passed and the population grew a few problems emerged because, when those who previously lived apart no longer did, the necessity for compromise rose its head.

  “This is my land!”

  “No it’s not! I bought it from Farmer Smith!”

  “Well, I bought it from Rancher Joe!”

  New laws were passed in order to reinforce the King’s grand decree and people began thinking of better ways to design their city.

  “No walking on the left side of the road!”

  “Says who?”

  “Says the new ordinance! Now move to the right!”

  As the Princess grew she was reared in the middle of it all. She wasn’t necessarily encumbered by any restrictions but her parents felt she should abide by what their learned citizens employed. They hired tutors and informed her of the ways people wished others to act.

  “I would like to go horse riding, please.”

  “Not without a helmet.”

  “But it’s just a pony.”

  “Ponies are known to be skull-cracking enthusiasts.”

  So Princess Ann was raised in a household led by two of the greatest rulers of their time. She had the best schooling, food, housing, security and wardrobe in the realm. Unfortunately she was also very, very bored.

  “Um, okay now I’m getting really worried. People appear to be riding them, Stu!”

  “I believe you’re right, Wort!”

  One day when Princess Ann was in her teens King Archy went out hunting. She begged and pleaded with him to take her along but he replied he couldn’t.

  “The citizens outside have decided hunting is too dangerous for girls. I am sorry, precious one, but sometimes a ruler needs to respect the wishes of those he governs.”

  The King returned later that day with a deer, boar and slight chill in his bones. He said he was weary and went to bed early. Queen Serenity watched over him as he slept.

  “I don’t think those are people, Stu!”

  “I don’t think those are horses, Wort!”

  When morning arrived and neither ruler arose a servant was sent to check on their health.

  “They will not awaken!”

  They were deathly ill, pale of skin and clammy to the touch. Princess Ann began to worry for the medicine employed appeared to do nothing for their symptoms. As her anxiety rose to a fever pitch one of the housemaids remarked on a rumor.

  “I heard there’s a witch who brews healing potions.”

  The Princess ran to the counselors and spoke of what she learned.

  “Magic has been declared illegal, Princess Ann, it promotes suspicion and is therefore against the law.”

  Both Monarchs perished on the same afternoon, lying side by side in the same room, leaving behind the one thing both cherished above all.

  “I am so sorry, Princess, but you are now Queen and must issue your Overarchyng Law.”

  She was in bereavement, anguished beyond words and inconsolable to all. If only there had been no law to prevent the witch’s brew from healing her parents. If only she had been able to hunt with her father maybe she would’ve foreseen the danger he encountered and been able to prevent it.

  “Run faster, Stu!”

  “I am running faster!”

  “Then run fasterer!”

  The occasion was a solemn affair with everyone in attendance. The guards who would pledge their loyalty in formation. The servants who would forever be in her employ dressed in their blackened sorrow. The time had come.

  “All heed the words of Queen Ann Archy!”

  She made her decree.

  “There will be no law!”

  And so the Land of Lawlessness was born. The Queen retired to her palace with her servants and guards while the countryside ran amok with looting, thievery and injustice. The Land became a place for cutthroats, con-men, burglars and worse to roam as they wished without worry of imprisonment.

  “Well, what do we have here?” one of them hissed.

  The two Midglings were terrified. They were literally shaking in their boots.

  “It looks like we’ve got ourselves a couple of wanderers” another hissed.

  “Please, we just want to go to the Lazy River” Stu pleaded.
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  The band in front of them were all the same; tall, green, motley, with bad teeth and a horrendous stench. The beasts they rode were not much better for they were camels bred and raised in Troll fashion so their nasty demeanors were actually worsened on purpose. They were tall, hairy, slobbering mounts and they too carried a smell best described as odorous.

  Neither Wort nor Stu held out any hopes of escape. They were on foot while the Trolls were atop camel-humps. Even if they weren’t the Midglings knew they were in trouble. The hideous creatures, all six of them, stood over seven feet tall and could outrun either Midgling in only a couple of strides. Both remained conscious because of something their kind knew only too well; Trolls would as readily eat a fainted Midgling as an awakened one.

  “Oh no, oh no, oh no.”

  “Mommy, mommy, mommy.”

  Both knew it was only a matter of time before whatever the Trolls decided to torture them with became boring and they would be eaten. As it was, the green creatures were herding them with their mounts and taunting at the same time.

  “Do you taste better boiled or baked?”

  “What goes best with you, wine or ale?”

  The end seemed near and Mother Nature’s task unaccomplished. They were both surprised they couldn’t make it farther than one forest but saw no other outcome. The Trolls were quickly tiring of the herding game.

  “All right. Do we want to keep them alive before cooking or kill them here and take them back?” the one in front asked the others.

  A murmuring for Midgling preference began and it was only with extraordinary willpower neither Wort nor Stu fell over on the spot. After a minute of consultation the choice was made.

  “All right, so we kill them here.”

  The one in front, the one who asked for consultation and appeared in charge, swung his bulk off the camel, removed a battle axe from the saddle and strode toward the trembling Midglings who were too terrified to put up any resistance at all.

  “Which one will it be? Which one will it be?” he repeated while moving forward and swinging his axe the whole time.

  “I believe it will be you” he said indicating Stu with his eyes.

  Neither could do anything. They were a prey species and the Trolls predators. They were caught in the open, away from the safety of their caves and they held nothing for resistance. Wort watched with horror as the best friend he’d ever known, the friend he’d grown up with his whole life, was tormented by a creature of nightmares. He watched with terror as the Troll lifted its axe, stared with comatose fright as it swung the blade high and blinked in astonishment as an arrow split the disgusting creature’s skull in half.

  What came next was a blur of motion as the other Trolls realized they were under attack. From behind, following the same path both he and Stu traveled, Wort saw three men emerge. One was standing still, aiming a bow as the others sprinted toward their location. As he watched, the man with bow let loose another arrow and a second Troll wound up with a splitting headache which would last forever. Wort believed the two running men were on a suicide mission for even he knew creatures mounted were at a much greater advantage then those on ground. What happened next both proved his point and nullified its use. The man with bow, once again, took aim but instead of firing into a Troll he fired into a camel. And then another, and another, and another. In the space of two seconds four camels with riders were down, grunting with annoyance for each had an arrow embedded in a hoof. The four Trolls remaining were on their feet in an instant. The two men entered the fray with a vengeance. Wort and Stu watched with amazement. The rout was over in moments.