by L. EE
Cadfael pulled Andy aside and said, “Come see me tomorrow. I’ve got something for you.”
Merk, adorned in his royal blue tunic and leggings, ran up to Andy and head-butted his full stomach, nearly knocking the wind and his dinner out of him. He left a blue mark on Andy’s black T-shirt. “Great seeing ya!” he roared.
“Thanks,” Andy managed to cough.
“Thought I’d dress for the occasion!” Merk informed. From his balding head to his hairy feet, the dwarf had colored himself royal blue. Around his neck he wore a noisemaker.
All he needs is a white hat and he’d look like a Smurf, Andy thought.
Hans walked up and greeted, “Welcome back, Prince Andrew.” He smiled and Andy laughed. The healer’s tone turned serious. “That must mean a lot to you. I know how much you love the King.” Words escaped Andy, so he just nodded.
“And speaking of the King,” Hans added.
The King waltzed over to the castle staff team with Mermin in tow. “You’ve got your ace sponger back! That ought to make you feel good. Good luck tonight!”
“It sure does,” Ox cut in, arriving just in time to start the match.
The King and Mermin climbed into an elevated spectator box not far downfield. Cool, they’re on the sidelines now!
“If everyone would move off the field, we can start tonight’s match,” came a familiar voice. Andy looked up to the castle porch and saw Hannah holding the cone she always used to amplify her voice as she announced the proceedings. Next to her stood Razen, straight-faced, unmoved by the goings on.
Both teams walked out to meet Max, one of three referees, in the middle of the field for the coin toss.
“Max, Henry, and Oscar still have their jobs as refs, huh?” Andy remarked to Alden.
“Yeah, they haven’t made too many controversial calls lately.” Alden smiled. “Impartial gold weavers, gotta love ‘em.”
Max addressed Ox, refocusing Andy’s attention. “Since you lost the last match, which side of the coin will you call, king or castle?”
“Castle,” Ox replied.
Max tossed the coin up and it flipped several times before coming to rest on the ground with the image of the King’s face up.
“Cavalry wins the toss,” announced Max.
Hannah echoed the result over the crowd, producing a cheer and mad flag waving from the bright green throng of cavalry fans.
“So much for having Prince Andrew to help you!” whooped one cavalry fan.
Andy laughed and headed for the sidelines with the rest of the team.
“And it looks like Private Boingderban will be throwing the lurk to start the first game,” commentated Hannah, causing raucous hooting to erupt from the green side of the field.
The private waddle-ran with the wobbly white lurk lofted to shoulder height, releasing it just before crossing the fallow line. Looks good. He didn’t cross into the egg white, Andy translated in his head. It stirred up dust as it bounced erratically, finally wobbling to a stop nearly in the center of the flump. Again, a roar went up from fans on the green side of the field.
“Well done, Private!” Hannah complimented.
“Cadfael and I will throw the bumpers,” Ox announced to the team on the sideline.
Ox, Cadfael, and the two cavalry players lined up on the edge of the field, each wielding a blue sphere the size of a medicine ball. At Oscar’s whistle, the four players rushed the flump. Before the egg yolk! Release it before the egg yolk! Andy urged silently.
Ox and Cadfael made spectacular throws, both landing close to the lurk on the cavalry side of the field. The cavalry throws were less spectacular, landing short and nearly kissing Ox and Cadfael’s bumpers.
“Yeah, we’ve got Prince Andrew alright!” a blue-clad fan shouted. The comment was deflected by boos from fans violently waving green flags. Andy glanced over and saw the King jumping about, cheering wildly. He really gets into this!
“No flags. All bumper throws are good!” Hannah informed the crowd.
Ox returned to the sidelines and appointed Andy, Hans, Emmadank, and Gwinny to throw the first round of spongs. Alden gave Andy a fist bump as he grabbed a green spong the size of a soccer ball. Cavalry team played with the red spongs tonight.
Because of the positioning of the bumpers, the eight spongers, four from each team, crowded on the castle staff side of the field. Andy jostled shoulders with two burly bird-men, one on either side. He noticed his teammates not getting the same attention.
Out of the corner of his eye, Andy saw Merk approach. His small stature didn’t betray his speed, for quick as lightning, he snuck up behind one of the overly aggressive bird-men and relieved him of his leggings. He just pantsed him! Or did he just legging him? The guy’s ferocity melted instantly with his clothing now laying around his ankles. Andy burst out laughing. In the ensuing chaos, Merk proceeded to do the same to the other three cavalry players, much to the crowd’s delight or horror, depending on which side you rooted for. Merk finished his prank just as Henry blew the whistle.
At the sound, all motion around Andy slowed and he shot forward, launching his spong ahead of the others. As soon as he’d released it, action resumed its normal pace and he heard the cavalry players roar in outrage, attempting to restore their modesty. Merk rolled on the ground, laughing uncontrollably.
Andy’s ball barely missed disqualification as it rolled to a gentle stop within an inch of the lurk, while the other three green spongs halted not far away. The cavalry players threw wildly after the distraction, and all four of their red spongs landed well out of contention.
It was a no-brainer, and Hannah didn’t wait for confirmation before proclaiming, “And the first point goes to castle staff!” sending the wave through the fans in blue. Andy caught the King and Mermin awkwardly participating and cracked up.
And the chant resumed:
No need to make do,
Cavalry can’t outdo,
Castle staff will subdue,
Since we have Prince Andrew!
The refs cleared the field and Ox appointed Hans to throw the lurk, which he did, landing it on the castle staff side of the flump.
“Nice throw, Hans!” Hannah broadcast.
Emmadank and Merk lined up on the opposite side of the field from two cavalry players to throw the blue bumper balls. At the whistle, they ran through the fallow to the edge of the flump and heaved the heavy spheres.
“Oh, there’s a flag!” Hannah intoned.
Max strode to one of the bumpers thrown by the cavalry team and removed it from the field, at which boos resounded from the green-clad fans.
Andy, Hans, Alden, and Cadfael took their positions near the edge of the fallow on the castle staff side of the field. The cavalry players remained on their side this time based on where the bumpers had settled, but Andy noticed three of the bird-men stared at him rather than at the lurk. Oh boy.
The whistle sounded and Andy got his spong away quicker than the rest thanks to everything shifting to slow motion. As he anticipated, no sooner had he released his ball than he glimpsed three red spheres hurtling toward him. He ducked as they collided above his head, ricocheting.
“Look out!” Andy yelled, alerting his teammates.
A chorus of boos filled the air from the castle staff side, but none of the refs threw a flag.
“Refs! Did you not see that?” Hannah scolded.
“It’s not against the rules,” Max defended from the middle of the field.
“Point goes to castle staff. The score stands at two-zip, castle staff.”
Play continued and castle staff took the first game seven-zip, shutting out the cavalry team.
To say the bird-men of the cavalry team were upset at this result would be an understatement, and they intensified their intimidation tactics during the second game. But Merk frustrated them further when he blew a noisemaker loudly behind two of their players during the fourth point, causing their throws to careen off course into the cavalry fans.
If looks could kill, I’d be dead, Andy thought after surveying his opponents. Their two best throwers locked eyes with him from across the field. I better duck quick.
Max blew his whistle and Andy aimed his green spong precisely, as motion around him slowed. No sooner had he released it than things resumed their normal pace. But this time a translucent tail streamed from Andy’s spong as it raced toward its target. The tail slowed and swirled in place, forming a ball twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, just as he had seen a few hours earlier in Razen’s office. Andy froze as his mom’s voice posed the same question: “What would you give to save me while still breaking the curse?”
Andy felt the crushing impact of two spongs smash into his face and he fell to the ground, blood gushing from his nose. A collective gasp rose from the crowd and a woman screamed, “It’s the prince, you fools! How could you?”
“Andy!” Hannah howled from her perch on the castle porch.
Andy grabbed his face, writhing in agony.
Hans arrived in seconds, narrowly beating the King and Mermin to Andy’s side. The rest of the team quickly surrounded them as Hans pried Andy’s hands away and removed his nose plugs to inspect the damage.
“It’s broken,” Hans reported. “Let’s get him inside so I can stop the bleeding and set it.”
While he didn’t want to, Andy couldn’t help but cry at the intensity of the pain. He felt Father’s comforting hand on his back and heard his reassuring words as he stumbled into the castle.
An hour later, Andy lay in bed with his head elevated, drifting in and out. A cloth hung out of each nostril. Hans had restored his nose to its former shape and the bleeding had nearly stopped, but the flesh around both his eyes shone black from the ordeal.
“Nose injuries always look worse than they are because of all the blood,” Hans reported to the King, who hadn’t left his side throughout his treatment. “He’s lost a lot of blood, so he’ll probably be lightheaded, but he’ll be fine in a couple days.”
“So this is what it’s like to be a parent,” Andy heard the King say to Mermin just before he drifted off to sleep.
Andy woke to the sound of a rooster crowing. The King slept on top of the covers to his left, balled up in a fetal position; it looked like he’d gotten cold while keeping vigil. Andy attempted to sit up to cover him, but his head forbid it, stabbing his brain with sharp pains. “Oh, ouch,” he moaned.
Father roused and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. “How are you feeling, Son?”
“That sounds good,” Andy replied, grinning.
“I can definitely get used to it,” Father smiled back.
A quiet knock came and the King instructed, “Come in.”
Alden, Hannah, and Marta slowly peered around the door. “Is Andy ready for visitors?”
“I think so,” the King replied.
“Hans told everyone Andy would be okay in a couple days,” Marta reported. “What a relief.”
“You’ve got two black eyes!” Alden exclaimed.
“Alden!” Marta scolded.
“What? He does.”
“I can see that, but you don’t need to announce it to the world! Haven’t I taught you better than that?”
Alden cowered and the King laughed, adding, “I’ve much to learn about being a parent.”
“Well, I’m obviously not a good teacher,” Marta joked.
“How are you feeling, Andy?” Hannah interrupted.
“My head still hurts a lot, but I’m actually getting hungry.”
“Hannah, let’s you and me go get the five of us some breakfast. We’ll bring it up here,” Marta suggested.
“Thanks for your kindness, Marta, but I must attend to a few things. Why don’t the four of you enjoy breakfast together,” the King suggested.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit, Son,” the King remarked.
At this, he followed Marta and Hannah out into the hall.
“That must feel good, having the King call you son,” Alden commented as soon as the door shut.
“Yeah, it does.”
“I saved you the spong that landed you here,” Alden informed, nodding toward the green ball resting in the chair next to Andy’s wardrobe.
“Thanks. What a nice souvenir to remember my broken nose.” Andy smiled.
“What happened to you out there on the field yesterday? You froze.”
Andy struggled to reflect, but his memory started coming clear as he thought about the events leading up to the incident. “I remember throwing my spong… Oh yeah! Remember what happened in Razen’s office yesterday?”
Alden nodded.
Andy described what he’d seen, but this time he included what the voice that sounded like his mom said. “You can’t tell anyone. Not even Hannah. She doesn’t know I’m supposed to be breaking the curse.”
“I understand. Boy, I don’t know what I’d do if it was my mom’s life on the line. You can mess with me, but not my mom.”
“Exactly.”
“If it comes back, what are you gonna tell it?”
“I don’t know. When I put the venom vial in the invisible book, it told me not to flirt with temptation. I assume it’s referring to this. But it’s my mom we’re talking about. I’d give just about anything to save her.”
“What would you give to save me while still breaking the curse?” Andy’s mom’s voice questioned once again as a translucent sphere formed from swirling vapor rising out of the souvenir spong.
“Alden, it’s here again!” Andy exclaimed. This time, however, he had a question of his own: “What would you have me give?”
Before the swirling vapor could respond, Marta and Hannah returned bearing a wide assortment of breakfast goodies.
The sphere evaporated.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Golden Goose Egg
Andy pondered the sphere’s question for the better part of the afternoon between visits from Father, Mermin, Alden, and Hannah. What would I give? he kept asking himself. When he thought about giving anything less than his life, he felt guilty. Surely she’s worth more than things, but am I willing to give my very life to save Mom? I don’t want to die! Andy’s struggle went on with no resolution. His inneru remained quiet, seemingly content to let him puzzle this out for himself.
Hans stopped by to check on his patient in the late afternoon. Andy’s headache had disappeared, and except for two black eyes, a bulbous nose, and a conflicted mind, he felt much better. After a thorough examination, Hans declared, “Looks like you’re on the mend. Your nose will be sore for a few days yet, so take it easy.”
“Hans, what does horn of karkadann do?”
“In its powder form, it’s powerful in counteracting poison. Why do you ask?”
“Do you keep track of how much you have?”
“Of course, Andy. It’s very expensive.”
“Have you had any shortages of ground horn of karkadann?”
“No. I keep it locked away. I’d know if any of it went missing, I can assure you. Why all the questions about horn of karkadann?”
“I’d rather not say just yet.”
Hans laughed. “All right, suit yourself. I’ll let you know if I find any missing,” he promised as the door closed behind him.
Andy ventured out to see Cadfael in the foundry of the Cavalry Training Center later that afternoon. He heard the distinctive ringing of hammers on metal and saw a dozen men working at benches.
“Andy!” Cadfael welcomed, wiping his hands on a nearby rag. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. Nice shiners you got there.” He chuckled.
“Thanks, I guess.” Andy smiled, then added, “At the game yesterday, you told me to come see you.”
“That I did. I have something for you.”
He walked to a metal chest sitting against the wall, lifted the to
p, and gently pulled out a bundle wrapped in burlap. He brought it over to the table he’d been working at and cleared a spot.
“Hannah told me everything that happened getting back from Sometimes Island. She said you threw every weapon available at those vulture-guys to fend them off and save her. I’m most grateful. And so I made you new weapons.”
He removed the wrappings and stepped aside, inviting Andy to inspect a shiny new dagger and a practice sword with an intricately carved handle.
“They’re beautiful, Cadfael! Thank you!”
“Least I could do. I tried to balance them for your size.”
Andy assumed his ready position and took a practice swing with the wooden sword.
“It feels great!”
“You’ll be needing to learn how to use the dagger, I reckon. I’ve been teaching Alden and Hannah. Why don’t you come first thing in the morning and I’ll give you a private lesson.”
“Thanks! I appreciate it.” He stowed the dagger in the holster of the belt he’d taken to wearing.
“I need to practice with my sword, too.” He almost added, It doesn’t extend at home, but thought better of it lest he raise questions he wasn’t prepared to answer.
“We can exercise your sword fighting skills as well.” He paused and Andy could see he had more he wanted to add. “Say, Andy, my wife and I have been talking. I don’t know where you’re from or why you seem to come and go so suddenly, but that doesn’t matter.”
Andy shifted, trying to understand where he was going with the conversation.
“You first came on Curse Day a couple years back, and now we find you are the son of the King. I’ve lived in Oomaldee my whole life, and so has my wife. We’ve seen Abaddon make trouble before. He usually attacks and then runs, but not this time. Turning citizens into vulture-people is a new twist.” He sighed. “We’re worried, Andy. The problem feels bigger—darker—than ever before. We have a bad feeling things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. I’m not sure how you fit into the picture exactly, but we want to help you in whatever way we can. This will be your kingdom one day, and we want to make sure there’s one here for you to rule.”