We must tell you Prince of the huphins, the dolphin Mindtalked. It is the little Princess. She is in grave danger from the grey sharks.
You must be wrong, the Prince questioned. My daughter will be in Learning School now, within the confines of the huphin city. She never comes out of the city alone. What tale is this and where has it come from?
It comes along the sea bed, Prince of the huphins. The dolphin was quite adamant that his news was correct. You must follow us. She is to be ended if you do not come with us.
Forgetting his present company the Prince began to swim swiftly after the dolphins. His only thoughts were for his little girl. How could this be? What had she done?
Heather struggled to keep up with the speed of the Prince and the dolphins but she had overheard and fully understood the language that the dolphins had spoken to Prince Gadon. She would not leave him. He had been kind to her, now she would help him with his quest.
Chapter 16 The Chase
The water was rapidly becoming murky as the seabed stirred up at the frenzied movement of the sea creatures. Princess Bryley was unable to see where the sharks were hovering. She swam into the midst of the dolphins, sensitive of the danger to their young if she lingered here too long. It was selfish to make them so vulnerable so she decided that the best course of action, for the safety of all, was to make a quick dash for freedom. She broke free from the protective school of dolphins and headed towards an old shipwreck on the ocean bed. Neither the dolphins nor the sharks realised that she was gone. With the greatest of patience, the sharks continued their predatory circling dance around the dolphins, gradually tightening the circle until they were almost within the centre of the dolphins’ patch.
We no longer want the fat blubbery whale babe, they said to the dolphins. We won’t even eat the dolphin babies either, just give us the huphin child and then we’ll be gone.
I was always taught never to trust the word of a shark, the mother whale replied to their request.
You have been lucky so far, mother whale, one told her.
We are to let you go, another said.
Better to leave while you still can, the final warning came from the largest and deadliest looking shark, he had a portion missing from his upper fin, a sure sign of ferocious battle.
The mother whale looked into the eyes of the guarding dolphins.
I must leave while my babe is safe, she communicated. Where is the huphin child?
What is that you say whale? One of the sharks had overheard her Mindtalk to the dolphins.
A sudden gush of stirring water pushed the sharks a little further away from the dolphins. The mother whale, realising the young huphin was gone, decided that this was the right time to make a dash for it with her babe. The sharks did not follow her. Instead, they entered into the dolphins’ territory without fear. They peered closely at the young, threatening to attack if any should try to stop them. The dolphins came to realise the huphin was gone and dispersed only to reform their little group as they swam away from the threatening sharks. The sharks remained, plotting the next move in their hunt. The Master’s voice in their minds had decreed that they must capture the huphin child.
Princess Bryley swam as fast as she could with the knowledge that she did not have much of a head start and there was still quite a distance yet to go. Not daring to glance behind, she kept her young muscles moving achingly, an adult huphin could easily out-swim a shark but she had not yet reached maturity. The shipwreck was not in sight but surely, it should be by now. Fearing that perhaps in her panic she may have gone off in the wrong direction, she longed to surface and take in some air. She would not be able to endure this speed much longer. If she did not find the shipwreck soon then they would surely capture her. Her father would be so angry when he found out she had let him down in such a way. She would never be able to explain to him that she had just wanted to save the baby whale. That she truly believed the mother and baby deserved a chance.
Slowing down the exhausted little Princess dared to glance behind. Wishing she had not done such a foolish deed for she could see small dark spots increasing in size as they headed towards her. Struggling with the need to breathe air and the need to find the shipwreck on the ocean bed, she could not decide which direction to take. Looking in front, she noticed more dark spots swimming speedily towards her. Had the sharks craftily split up to take her from the front and behind? Why did they want her anyway? She could not keep this up, she had to breathe, she just had to. Both black dots were now taking shape. There was nothing she could do; her life was to be forfeit for her little friend the whale calf. At least she could swim to the surface and take one last breath of air.
Surfacing the warm water, she looked up to the hot sun and enjoyed her last view of the open seas. In the distance, she could see frolicking dolphins leaping out of the sea but she knew they could not help her. They were no match for the sharks that wanted her so badly. If only she could have reached the shipwreck, she could have out-waited them there. They would soon have forgotten why they were circling the ship. But, this was not to be. She waited expectantly for the large jaws to open up below her and imagined the pain she would feel from the rows of the scissor sharp teeth that would pull at her legs and shred her tiny body. She felt the fast pounding of her heart. Fear sank in the pit of her stomach. There would be no escape, not this moonwake.
The sharks, on their part, could think of nothing else but capturing this young huphin because the Masters voice in their minds told them they must not lose her. They could not devour her tender meaty body either. Their instructions were to round her up and take her to a small bay; there a human was to collect her. They had not forgotten the meal they could have had from the young whale’s carcass and they felt angry with her for denying them this morsel, so they cared not what her destiny was to be. In their eagerness, they had eyes only for their victim.
Suddenly Princess Bryley felt a tug at her waist. Something had grabbed hold of her. But that could not be a Shark. Looking down to see what creature assisted the sharks in their endeavour to capture her, she saw a female huphin surface, and smile at her. This was not a huphin that she recognised. This beautiful young female was her rescuer. The sheer joy and relief at the sight of her own kind was overpowering in her little heart. She was saved.
‘Come, Princess Bryley,’ the strange female huphin spoke. ‘Your father will sort out your attackers.’
‘Poppa is here?’ Princess Bryley shouted in her excitement. ‘My poppa has really come for me?’
‘Yes, Bryley,’ the female said. ‘Did you think he would let anything happen to his little Princess? Come, we must swim away from here, one of the sharks may escape from the battle below.’
The Princess obeyed her new friend and followed her away from the place where she had thought her life would surely end. Swimming on the surface, a school of large male dolphins surrounded them as an escort to ensure they were truly safe.
Frizzle’s wet nose twitched at the scent of his mistress returning and he quickly lifted his ears. Content that all was back to normal he raised his back leg to itch at his irritating ear. Leon lay with his back to the sea so he did not see her walking away from the shoreline. Heather walked a little unbalanced at the changes from sea to land. Just as she had expected, she pictured her own image and she was back in her own figure. It was so easy, why did her father make such a fuss over this Changeling skill? She would never understand the questioning behind parental reasoning. Invigorated by her adventure, she longed to see her father and tell him everything that had happened. Happy that the huphins were her new and trusted friends, she skipped frivolously towards Leon.
Catching him just awakening from his lazy slumber in the hot sun, she giddily jumped on him. Frizzle quickly joined in his mistress’s frolicking, never one to miss a good game he leaped up and down barking loudly.
‘What the ...?’ Leon yelled at the large heavy weight that promptly landed on top of him, rolling him over into the du
sty sand. Wrestling half-heartedly with Heather and Frizzle he just about survived the attack though it took only a little of his strength to stand up and escape the onslaught. Shaking the sand from his hair he looked at Heather, relieved to see her safely back on dry land, the pit of his stomach sank to his knees.
‘Thank the lucky stars that you’re back,’ he said, attempting to remain composed. ‘I was beginning to think that you had drowned your silly head.’
‘Well, thank you for your support, I think not,’ Heather retaliated. ‘I happen to have been swimming in the deepest depths of the ocean whilst you lazily slept. I swam with dolphins, saved a huphin Princess from vicious sharks, visited a huphin city and then swam with a Queen whale, who was so grateful to little Bryley for her saving her babe that she decided she could not leave the little mite to her fate. Then ....’
‘Stop!’ Leon yelled, his composure now somewhat unsettled. ‘Just stop right there. I don’t think I want to know all this. What were you doing with the Princess and what is this you tell me about killer sharks? Had I known Gadon would put you in such danger, I would never have allowed you to go.’
‘Well, just who do you think you are that you could stop me young Prince Leon,’ Heather glared back, annoyed at Leon’s lack of enthusiasm of her adventures. ‘I’m going home, alone, I don’t wish you to escort me. When I tell my father, he will be very proud of his daughter. Goodbye. Come along Frizzle.’
The droopy-eared dog lay on the sands between the two arguing humans, his tail down between his legs, he licked Leon’s hand in a farewell gesture. Leon was one of his most prized members of his imaginary pack and he wanted to impress upon him that he still loved him, even if his mistress had the sound of battle in her voice.
‘Go on boy,’ Leon ordered him. ‘I will forgive her eventually. We’ll just see if her father is pleased at her story. I expect he’ll blame me.’
Leon watched as girl and dog clambered back up the steep sandy path, he saw Frizzle burst into a run, diving off into the inviting fields of yellow blossoms, but Heather steered a straight course up the hill. Eventually they reached the top and she did not even bother to look behind to say she was sorry to him. He wondered just how dangerous her adventure really had been. It must be true, Gadon had not accompanied her back to the shore. Climbing the steep slope with long strides, he reached the top quickly and headed in the direction of home. Passing the willow tree, he heard a shuffling sound and thought for a moment that perhaps Heather was hiding and waiting to surprise him. He did not bother to look and marched straight passed. If she was there, let her suffer her sulky mood. If she wasn’t then it was probably just an animal skulking around.
* * *
A weary Fedros dragged his weakened legs back to the barracks where he was determined to get some sleep. He had done his Master’s bidding and spent his moonwake spying on the Prince. Positioning himself under the very willow tree that the Prince had spent such a long time waiting for the young mage girl, he had found a perfect spot for spying. Not understanding much about sea life, he had watched with interest the huphin creature that the two youngsters had met with. The young girl had then disappeared into the sea but he was not sure how she had managed to stay under the water for so long, it must have been a mage spell. He had nodded off then, as he watched the Prince and the dog resting while they waited for the return of the girl. The most interesting thing, he thought, was the bone whistle the Prince used to call the huphin. Now it was time to seek food and rest before his guard duty started. One more duty he wished to do was to introduce himself to the plump little maid who he had seen attending to the Prince’s grandmother. This would indeed be a clever way of getting his mother into the palace to attend to the grandmother’s pains.
* * *
Morte-Bielz closed his thoughts to the feeble-minded Fedros.
He had learned enough for now. Through this human’s eyes, he had watched the events unfold of the two youngster’s meeting with the huphin. He had listened intently to their words of excitement as she entered the sea and Changed. At last, he knew the identity of the Changeling. This was not a foolish girl but certainly an impetuous one. Her friendship with the Prince was a fortunate one; it would play its role in the plot. Getting Rikka into the palace was not going to be too difficult for the next phase of his scheme to evolve. Chaos would yet play its part in the return of the monshaads to the world of Aarabassa.
Chapter 17 Confessions
The Head Mage Heimarl poured herbal tea into a tiny white delicate porcelain cup and savoured the warm, sharp mint flavour as he swilled it around his taste buds. Traditionally one of his three wives should pour for him but why spoil the peaceful silence of the moment. Should one of his wives find him alone, they would only speak of their worries of family matters and ramble on about the concerns of his daughters. Naturally, his children were his concern but he wanted to focus on only one member of his family at this moment in time.
Pondering over thoughts of his eldest daughter, of only seventeen suncircles, he was troubled over Heather. Whilst she was well educated in the standard magics, she should now be receiving more training in readiness for her first Change. She had always remained a favourite of his six children, but he did truly love them all dearly. Heather was such an adventurer, never in fear of the unknown, a good strong feature for a Changeling. For now, she would need taking in hand before she attempted to Change without the guidance of an elder. It would not surprise him at all if she had already experimented with this gift that she was borne to. No matter, as long as there were no serious consequences of such an occurrence. If he did not know about it then he would not worry about. She was a very headstrong young lady, there was no denying that.
Looking about the gardens, he watched as three small charming birds busily nested in a nearby flowery bush. Chattering with excitement at every tiny twig they had managed to forage and then quickly disappearing to their nests before their neighbours should suspect their magnificent find. He considered listening-in to the bird banter but concluded that the height of their conversation would be on the lines of who had the fattest worms and the warmest nests. A Head Mage should not have time to listen to such tittle-tattle. Still it could not hurt for just a minute. Closing his eyes, he altered his language abilities to enable him to listen in on the tiny birds. But, alas no, this was simply not to be. Disturbing those peaceful moments, his ear drums were almost ruptured with the loud voices wailing through the still warm air, they were obviously in search of him, only the women could shrill that high. The voices intensified to abruptly cease and conclude with a pretty head peering around the thick bushy hedge, where he had discreetly placed a garden chair and table, in hiding.
‘Papa, papa,’ Heather screeched hysterically at finding the head that she had hunted so noisily. ‘I simply could not wait for you to emerge from your den. I just had to disturb you papa. Guess what ... I did it. I Changed.’
‘Yes, I had a feeling that you might. I suppose that’s why I was thinking of you,’ he calmly greeted her. ‘So, dear daughter, despite the fact that you should not experiment with the magic without an elder by your side, you still went ahead and trifled into the unknown. What am I to do with you if you refuse to live by rules?’
‘I’m truly sorry about that papa but when Leon said he had a very good friend who is a huphin, I simply had to do it.’
‘Hmph,’ he exclaimed in faked displeasure, ‘the young Prince Leon also has a part to play in this rebellious behaviour has he?’
‘No, no papa, it was all my doing,’ she babbled, non-stoppable. ‘Please, please let me tell you how I swam with the dolphins and I even saved a huphin Princess.’ She could no more stop her voice from extricating her entire escapade than she could stop her mind from sinking deeper into the astonishing memories. ‘I twirled in the seas, brushing the waves over my head. I dived deep into the waters and saw a whole new world of wonderful and beautiful creatures.
Little bright yellow fishes with orange dot
s on. I even battled with sharks. From a distance of course. Anyway, Prince Gadon dealt with them. You know that he would not have let any harm come to me. He is my new friend and he said he’d take me again whenever I wish to go. What do you think papa, is this not the most exciting adventure I have ever reported to you yet?’
‘Whoa, my little one,’ her father needed a moment for the words to sink into his addled brain. ‘Sharks you say. I will hear more of this. You can only be referring to Princess Bryley. What have you been doing? I am indeed lucky daughter that you tell me all, whether I like to hear of it or not.
‘Ohh pappa, it was so exciting.’ Seating herself on the opposite chair, so she could better see his reactions, the words would not come out fast enough. ‘Poor Leon, he’s gone home with a drip white face. He simply cannot accept that I helped to save the Princess from deadly sharks. Well, actually pappa, I swam to the surface and showed the poor little Princess the escape route while Prince Gadon and the other male huphins and dolphins dealt with the sharks. Did you know that the dolphins are so very fond of the huphins? And of course, the other way around. They are our very closest allies.’
‘Slow down little Heather. You speak your words so fast I can hardly comprehend the tale you tell,’ her father chuckled. Secretly he was very pleased she had managed to get through her first Change in one piece, let alone save a Princess. He would no doubt receive news from Prince Gadon as to the true event that took place. For now, he would let his daughter have centre stage, for a little while anyway.
Finally, Heather reached the end of her tale.
‘What do you think pappa? What do you think of me now?’
‘I think, my little sweetness, that tomorrow moonwake I will arrange for you to be better trained in your Changeling skills,’ he replied with humour in his tone.
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