The Crumbling Brick - Book 1 of the Land of Neo Trilogy
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village if you don't mind," Ward requested calmly.
"You can try," shrugged the Ob, "but they are terribly unfriendly. I doubt a one will speak to you."
"I'll take my chances." Ward lifted his head even higher.
"That's one of their houses over there." The Ob pointed to a home on the edge of the town. "If the rest of you would like to come with me, we are having a grand time in the town hall." The Ob smiled an evil grin and led the troop into the hall as Ward walked towards the monkey's home. No one saw Teneo slip down Ward's tail and enter the town hall with the others.
When Ward reached the home, he called loudly to those inside.
"Go away!” came the bitter reply.
"Please, I come as a friend. I simply want to talk to you."
"Never!" screamed a hysterical voice. "You will never get into our house."
Ward remembered Torqueo's story of inviting the Obs in and began to understand the monkey's fear. He tried a different approach.
"I am Ward, the unicorn, friend of Kosmeo. I desire to tell Princess Onyma of the terror the Obs are causing. I need your help."
The voice answered more calmly now. "How do we know that what you say is true?"
"I'll come to the window. You will see my face and know I bring you no harm."
When the monkeys saw Ward's noble face, they breathed a sigh of relief and quickly opened the door, shutting it just as rapidly when he was safely inside.
"Thank Kosmeo you have come,” said the female, gratitude flooding her voice. “We have been waiting so anxiously."
"Tell me, what has happened?" Ward asked with compassion in his voice.
"So much, so much in a few days," sighed the head of the house. "Almost none of our friends are left. All have fled in poverty."
"These Obs have come in large groups to our little village. Many of the monkeys opened and lost everything. The lucky ones left with their lives.”
"So it is as Torqueo said," Ward said under his breath.
"Oh yes, Torqueo was one of the first to leave. The takeover occurred rapidly after that. Nothing can stop them now."
"Nonsense!" Ward stated with a snort. "I will carry the news to the Princess. She will gather her army together to drive these Obs from our country."
As Ward continued to encourage the monkeys, Teneo was learning much more in the town hall as he hid in the corner behind a bucket.
The Ob who had greeted them on the street proudly introduced Paschein and his men to the group of fifty or so Obs gathered in the hall. Immediately after the introduction, both parties broke into a round of laughter.
"The plan is working beautifully," Paschein shouted with glee. "Tell me, how many of you Obs are there in the country now?"
"Oh, they can hardly be counted," answered a particularly ugly fellow. "I'd say at least a thousand of us."
"Yes," chimed in another, "we have almost completely taken over this village. Of course, it was one of the easiest because of the silly nature of the monkeys. However, we have comrades working in two more villages at this very moment. It will not be long before we have a complete takeover."
At this statement the who1e group burst into excitement, dancing and singing in the most grotesque manner.
Fortunately Teneo was close enough to Paschein to hear his continued conversation as one of the Obs quizzed him. "How are things going at the castle?"
"Extremely well,” Paschein sighed with satisfaction. "Our Prince Malus has pleased the entire kingdom. It won't be long before the Princess belongs to him and he will rule freely here."
Teneo sucked in his breath. “So Malus is in on this, the scum! I've got to tell Ward. We must warn the Princess."
Teneo slipped from behind the bucket and squeezed out the door. As he turned to run toward the monkey's house where he knew Ward to be, he ran directly into a leg of matted fur.
FIFTEEN
THE RACE
"Hey, you little rodent! What were you doing in there?" The large, ugly Ob tried to grab Teneo before he could run on, but Teneo's size came in handy again. He slipped through the Ob's legs and ran as fast as he could toward the monkey's house to notify Ward.
The Ob, alarmed at the urgency with which Teneo ran, rushed into the town hall to inform the others that there had been a spy among them. Paschein quickly understood the situation and commanded his men to capture Ward at once.
As they began to collect their weapons, Teneo reached the monkey's cottage and screamed for Ward. He came out immediately, warning the monkeys to keep their home secured while he was gone.
Teneo only began to tell Ward the story when a great crowd burst out of the town hall, screaming and waving their swords as they rapidly approached Ward.
Without another word, Ward broke into his swiftest gait, Teneo hanging on tenaciously. They ran for an hour until they no longer heard the horrible cries coming from Paschein and his small army.
They found a shelter and Ward listened carefully as Teneo explained all that he had heard.
“It’s certainly worse than I thought," admitted Ward. "I had no idea all these characters were working together. We need to return to the castle at once."
"This won't be easy, you know," added Teneo. "Paschein will expect us to do just that. They are on their way to the castle themselves by now. We will have to go by side roads to avoid them. Do you think we can beat them?"
"You are right, Teneo. Yes, we have to beat them. We have no choice,"
Ward and Teneo quickly charted a course and began to travel as swiftly as possible.
At the castle, all was merriment and rejoicing. Malus had become a court favorite in no time. The Princess continued to be swept off her feet by him. If only she could get rid of that gnawing feeling inside that something was dreadfully wrong. She often wished she had never laid eyes on Ella. However, it occurred to her that this dire feeling would be within her regardless of what Ella had said.
She now began to prepare for her second suitor's arrival. His name was Prince Arche. She knew little of him other than that he was loved dearly by all his subjects. She found herself wishing he wouldn't even come so she could freely choose Malus. Surely Arche would not compare to the dash and charm which Malus displayed. Onyma soon convinced herself that it would not require much of a decision to choose the future king.
If Ward and Teneo had known what was in Princess Onyma's mind, they would have been wild with fear. True, they were frightened now, but not panicked. Their sense of purpose drove their fear from them as they continued on, untiring.
It looked as if all was well as they began to climb the mountain by a back road. Surely Paschein could not have traveled as rapidly as Ward. They were beginning to slow a little out of sheer exhaustion when they were ascending a particularly steep section.
Suddenly from out of nowhere, a great shout echoed through the mountain trail. Before Ward knew what to do, a huge net fell on top of him as a large band of Obs jumped on him, pounding him to the ground.
They wound the net tightly around him until he could not move a muscle. The Obs laughed with glee as they told Ward how Paschein had suspected such a thing and sent them a message through his raven. They lived at the bottom of the mountain, which would now be their mountain, so were able to set up this trap well in advance.
They dragged Ward to a cave and thrust him in upon the cold, hard floor. After covering the entrance with logs, they went merrily on their way.
Teneo had remained tucked deep within Ward's mane during all of this, and now he nearly suffocated. He began to squirm and tussle until he was able to reach the net. Finding a hole large enough, he squeezed through to freedom. Once out of this prison he began to laugh loud and long.
Ward neighed at him in a muffled voice as if worried that Teneo had lost his mind.
"Don't worry, good friend," announced Teneo. "This is my cave. If I follow it for a mile, I will be home. All my comrades will go with me to tell the Princess the news and then we will be back to rescue you. I wish I could do m
ore for you now. Are you all right?
Ward gave a low whiney, which Teneo took as a yes. He patted his friend's great nose then took off through the cave.
SIXTEEN
PRINCE ARCHE
By the time Teneo left Ward, it was the wee hours of the morning. As the sun crept slowly over the horizon, Prince Arche was making his way up the mountain.
Ella woke with joy and expectancy. Surely Prince Arche's arrival would help the Princess see that Malus should not be her choice. She ran to see Philos as soon as she was dressed, once again donning the green gown she was given upon her arrival. Her face fell when she entered the tapestry room and saw Philos' sad countenance. "What's wrong, Philos? This is a day of rejoicing."
Philos raised sad eyes, "My weaving has been so sorrowful of late. It has always caused me such joy but there is nothing good to put into this tapestry."
Ella stared at the half-finished work of art before her. She understood Philos' feelings as the tapestry spoke to her, filled with foreboding. She wished desperately that her friend could see into the future.
Her turn to comfort and encourage, she spent the morning reading to Philos from the Great Book. As she read, she saw Philos' expression begin to change. Hearing of truths everlasting and getting to know the one who is all-powerful gave sustenance to her soul.
By the time the trumpets sounded announcing Prince Arche's arrival, Philos was humming and weaving. The tapestry began to take on a new glow, as if light were actually being woven in it. Ella tore herself away with great effort from watching Philos. Only her hope in