by L. EE
An ominous feeling filled Andy’s gut as a random thought meandered through his mind: Is the bellicose really gone?
CHAPTER TEN
Not Ducks
Andy woke the next morning to a booming clap of thunder reverberating against the stone of his room. He hadn’t slept well, for his mind ruminated on the translucent, swirling sphere, stirring up the guilt he felt for being unwilling to die in place of his mom when he broke the curse. A quick succession of three brilliant flashes of lightning lit up his dim surroundings. He gazed out the window to the left of his bed and saw heavier than usual fog forming a gloomy curtain as torrential rains poured down.
Lovely day to begin our quest.
He’d packed the bare essentials for the trip the night before: three changes of clothes, matches, and a blanket. After dressing in scratchy leggings and tunic and buckling his weapon belt in place, he added a rain poncho and his cell phone to his provisions. Never know when you’ll need a compass. Uh, right…no bars. He checked the pouch around his neck for the gold key. Right where it should be. He slipped on his soft-soled leather boots, shouldered his backpack, and headed out the door.
“Off on another quest, Prince Andrew?” squeaked the two-foot-tall Sir Lancelot statue just outside his door. The miniature knight still held Clarence the barbarian under his foot as he had since Andy first met him.
“You’ve heard.”
“Of course. Congratulations! I love it when you’re around with the gold key!”
Andy smiled.
“Fare thee well, lad! Subdue those uncivilized rogues.”
Andy chuckled and replied, “Okay, I will.”
Andy reached the dining hall where he found several people congregated. Among them were Cadfael and Lucee with Hannah, Charis, Larissa, and Ro; Hans, Alden, and Marta; and three men he’d never seen before. Larissa chased after Ro, trying to keep an eye on him.
“Please, everyone, sit!” Marta clucked. “You need a proper breakfast before you head out into that weather.” As if to reinforce her point, the storm let loose another clap of thunder that echoed through the hall.
“So your parents are letting you come?” Andy asked Hannah, sliding into a space on the wooden bench next to her and Alden.
Hannah smiled. “My parents had a long discussion about it, but Dad finally won.”
“Who are those guys?” Andy questioned, motioning with his head to the group sitting down the bench from them.
“The one in the brown tunic is Sergeant Albin,” Alden responded. “The guy in green next to him is Sergeant Gavin, and the other guy is Captain Ladilas. From what I hear, the regents and viceroys put up a fuss when your father told them he would be traveling for a few days. They wanted him to take the usual platoon of fifty soldiers. As I understand it, the King refused since such a large group would attract a lot of attention. I guess these three are their compromise.”
Andy was surprised at the sight of his father entering the dining hall dressed in a way he’d never seen, though he immediately understood why. A plain gray tunic came to just above his knees, and a sword and dagger hung from the leather belt that circled his waist. Black leggings and coordinating leather boots completed the ensemble. He carried a black cape over his arm.
He made his way to Andy who stood and exclaimed, “You look different, Father!”
“And good morning to you too, Son.” The King pulled him close in a hug. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Medrick and Henkel interrupted with, “Your Majesty.” They both bowed before continuing. “You asked for a letter of introduction. Here you are, sir. That should prove your identity.” Medrick handed the King a sealed parchment.
“Thank you both. As I mentioned, I don’t know if we’ll need it or not, but since I’ve never met your king in person, it’s best to observe proper protocol and be prepared.”
“Our king is a great dwarf, fair in all his dealings. You’ve corresponded with him before, and I’m sure he will welcome you and give safe passage through our lands as soon as you prove who you are. He is fiercely loyal to his friends, be they dwarfs or other races,” Medrick assured.
“The fact that you’re here aiding our war efforts assures me that what you say is true. I’m looking forward to meeting him. And rest assured, my report concerning your work will be one that brings dignity to you and the dwarfs.”
Medrick and Henkel puffed out their chests at hearing this.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Safe travels to you,” Henkel added as they turned and headed out to their work.
The King pulled a pouch like Andy’s from under his tunic and added the letter.
“You’re not wearing your ring,” Andy observed.
“I want us to look like a group of peasants traveling, which is also why we won’t be taking horses or any other beast. Should trouble befall us, my ring would betray us.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” Andy replied, smiling.
“I’m sure we’ll find that’s not the case, but Mermin and I did as much planning as we could. Unfortunately, this storm will make our journey more difficult. If it weren’t for the unicorns planning to leave so soon, I’d wait a day until the weather clears and the woods dry. But we’ll make do with the situation we find ourselves in.”
Mermin entered the dining hall. He also was dressed out of character. A plain brown tunic came to just below his knees and was cinched with a leather belt about his waist. A tan cowl encircled his neck, resting on his shoulders under a coordinating brown cape that flowed behind him. He carried no weapons.
“Are you weady to be ducks out in these elements?” he joked as he approached.
“Quack, quack,” quipped Alden.
Hannah giggled, to which Andy rolled his eyes. This could get old really fast.
Razen hustled up to the King as everyone finished breakfast.
“Sir, I have tasted all the food in your provisions. May it not be so, but should you encounter troubles, it will not be from that which nourishes you.”
That’s cheery, Andy thought.
“Thank you. I appreciate your efforts,” the King replied
Razen glanced around at the group members. When his eyes reached Andy, he raised an eyebrow before moving on.
What’s that supposed to mean?
At last, Razen declared, “I wish you all safe and speedy travels. We will be anxiously awaiting your return.”
Marta stopped swooping about and came over to give Alden a long hug. Cadfael and Lucee did the same with Hannah. Andy got a hug from Marta and a bone-jarring pat on the back from Cadfael.
Hans came over to Andy and commented, “It’ll be nice for you to have your father along.”
Andy nodded. He’d thought about that and looked forward to spending time with him on this trip.
With goodbyes completed, the group of eight picked up their packs, now laden with food, and headed to the castle door.
“Everyone ready?” the King asked. Receiving no comments to the contrary, he added, “Then let’s move out.”
As he said it, a clap of thunder protested.
They walked over the drawbridge and raindrops immediately assaulted Andy’s face. He pulled his poncho further up, then glanced back. Hans, Marta, Cadfael, and Lucee stood waving from the portico between the barbican and the portcullis. Andy didn’t see Razen. What’s he up to? his thoughts accused.
Father, who walked next to Andy, pulled him close. “I’m glad we can take this trip together.”
Squinting through raindrops, Andy looked up into his face and replied, “Me too.”
Several minutes into the walk the group stopped under a clump of trees with dense foliage; it felt good to get out of the downpour. The King turned and addressed the group.
“I didn’t want to disclose our plans until now to avoid any leaks.” As he said it, the King looked up and chuckled, then added, “You see how well that worked out.”
Laughter rippled through
the group.
“We’ll be heading toward Mount Mur Eyah. If the fog ever thins, you might be able to see it ahead in the distance. We’ll travel through the land of the dwarfs. I’m hopeful we can reach their lands this afternoon. If they grant us safe passage, we should be able to get out of this downpour and walk underground. We’ll travel to the southernmost tip of the troll’s territory and begin a northerly trek in search of our objective: three unicorns.”
Hearing this, a roar of excitement erupted, even from the disciplined army officers. “Unicorns?!”
“We have two weeks to find them and get a horn, if they’ll allow it. Unicorns don’t like men. They’ve been hunted down and killed by ruthless rogues, so it may be that only Hannah has the privilege of meeting them. She’s got a big job ahead of her.”
Everyone glanced at Hannah, who wore a surprised look.
“Really?” she questioned, curiosity quickly taking root.
The King looked directly at Hannah and replied, “As we journey, Mermin, you, and I will work through what we believe you can expect when we reach these beautiful creatures.”
Hannah nodded, a twinkle in her eyes.
“Now then,” he added, addressing the group again, “while I don’t expect any difficulties beyond the challenges the terrain and wildlife will present, we must all be alert for danger at every moment.”
Andy shifted on his feet and put a hand on the holster in which Methuselah rested. Can anyone say “bellicose”?
“The terrain is mountainous and will demand stamina from each of us. With these rains, there is also potential for landslides, so listen for rumblings.”
The King surveyed the group. “We’ll all be spending quite a bit of time together, so let me introduce our armed guards, Sergeants AlbinSergeant and Gavin, and Captain Ladilas.”
The three soldiers each nodded in turn.
“Does anyone have any questions?” he concluded.
No one did, so the King turned and led the way back into the wet unknown.
Andy quickly realized the King’s briefing had not included an explanation concerning why they would be collecting the horn from a unicorn.
As they set off, Andy watched the three officers split up. Sergeant Albin walked to the left of the group, Sergeant Gavin to the right, and Captain Ladilas brought up the rear.
The King, Andy, and Mermin took the lead; Alden and Hannah followed behind. Whether from reverence for the task ahead or the continued downpour, no one said much as they slipped and slid along the muddy path. Squelch, squerch, squelch, squerch, Andy’s boots sounded with each step. He listened to the harmony of everyone else’s footwear in the mud.
The trail looked familiar to Andy for he had walked it many times on the way to the festival when he first visited Oomaldee. Except then he had not heard waters raging off to his right.
Father noticed Andy tilt his head toward the roar and informed, “It’s the Crystal River. Our path runs not far from it. With all this rain, no doubt it will be swollen.”
“I hope it doesn’t cause a pwoblem with the bwidges,” Mermin added.
The King nodded. “I wondered about that, too. We’ll know soon enough.”
They approached a grove of dense trees off to their left. Andy couldn’t help grinning as he spotted a herd of goats holed up, nibbling the scrub bushes. The herding-challenged boy he and Alden had encountered twice before was bundled in a tarp and sat with his back against a tree, cowering from the elements.
Andy dropped back to joke with Alden. “Look,” he nodded toward the sight. “Remember?”
Alden glanced over. Smiling, he drawled, “Oh, yeah!” Then he proceeded to recount the details of their past run-ins with this boy and his goats, much to Hannah’s amusement.
“Well, they won’t be bothering us today from the looks of things,” she commented.
The path forked--left led toward the festival grounds, right beckoned to adventures unknown. They went right. Large puddles formed in deep ruts and merged into miniature lakes as they ventured on. Pasty mud tried its best to remove their boots with each step. And still the downpour continued, punctuated periodically by a duet of thunder and lightning.
Late morning brought them to the city limits of Oops, and an hour later they arrived at the first test of their journey: Entente Bridge. The river had crested its banks and the fast-moving current spilled around the legs of the overpass, making it an island.
“The bwidge looks stable, but getting to it could be a pwoblem,” Mermin observed, voicing everyone’s thoughts.
“Suggestions, anyone?” Andy asked.
“I brought rope,” Alden offered.
Everyone smiled at Alden as he pulled it out of his pack and handed it off.
“Good thing someone’s prepared,” Captain Ladilas quipped.
“I’ll go first,” Sergeant Gavin volunteered.
When no one objected, the group passed the rope to the soldier. He tied it tightly around his waist and handed the end to Sergeant Albin and Captain Ladilas.
“I’ll secure the line to the bridge, then one-by-one you can use it to steady your steps as you cross,” Sergeant Gavin instructed.
Sergeant Albin and Captain Ladilas braced themselves as Gavin stepped carefully into the raging waters. Despite his meaty frame, the force against his legs caused them to buckle. He fell backwards in the oncoming rush and the line immediately went taut. Sergeant Albin and Captain Ladilas strained to control the line in the tug-of-war against the river. Andy and Alden rushed to grab hold. As they pulled, their side of the contest slowly hauled the flailing officer from the torrent. As the weary man crawled back onto the bank, a clap of thunder boomed overhead, as if celebrating the river’s victory.
“You okay, man?” Captain Ladilas inquired, checking on his officer.
Sergeant Gavin nodded as he coughed up water.
Once he had recovered, the sergeant offered, “The current is stronger than it appears and there’s a hole in the riverbed that I stepped in, right there.” He pointed at a spot approximately four feet from shore. “If it wasn’t for that, I think I could have made it across.”
“I’ll try, Captain,” offered Sergeant Albin.
The tall, wiry soldier tied the rope securely about his waist and stepped into the current. Sergeant Gavin, Captain Ladilas, Andy, and Alden braced themselves on shore, anchoring the line. He inched his way through the torrent, avoiding the pitfall his cohort had discovered, and soon grabbed the railing of the bridge. Heaving himself out of the water, he secured the line to the platform.
“Okay, who’s next?” he yelled over the din.
“Hannah, you go,” the King commanded.
Hannah bit her lower lip as she stepped toward the rope.
“Put your arm over the rope to hold on as you cross,” Captain Ladilas suggested.
Hannah nodded and stepped into the current. She immediately lost her footing and let out a scream. All those on shore gasped. Seconds later, she regained her wits and began inching her way across, hand over hand, dangling from the line with her feet surfing the top of the water. The sergeant grabbed her and hauled her up, standing her on the solid structure.
“Next!” the officer yelled.
One by one the travelers made their way to the bridge at the center of the torrent. Captain Ladilas went last. As the anchor for everyone else’s crossing, he now had no line to pull himself along. The group huddling on the bridge held their breath as he stepped into the rushing water and immediately lost his footing. The river claimed him and began sweeping him downstream. Thankfully, the line tied about his waist held tight. As it stretched to its limits, Sergeants Albin and Gavin, and Andy and Alden played another game of tug-of-war against the river. This time the travelers won quickly and the captain joined the rest of the party.
“Halfway there,” encouraged the King, to which several gave weak smiles.
They made their way to the middle of the span. Just as they reached it, out of the corner of his eye, A
ndy caught sight of an enormous tree rushing toward them. He guessed its trunk measured four feet in diameter. No doubt it had stood on the riverbank for an eternity.
By the time he turned to get a better look, the trunk had neared to within five feet of the bridge.
He warned, “Look out!” as the massive log slammed into the footings, shaking everyone loose.
Andy barely grabbed the railing in time, but Hannah, who had been standing to his right, didn’t enjoy the same fortune. She screamed as the impact propelled her over the side. Without thinking, Andy grabbed after her and connected with her arm. He looked down as Hannah dangled there, kicking and shrieking, trying desperately to hold on.
“Stop moving!” Andy demanded. “You’re making it harder to hang onto you.”
Despite his wet hands, adrenaline kicked in and Andy managed to pull Hannah up to where she could grab the railing and climb back on. As she reached safety, she looked up at Andy. Their eyes met and they exchanged a meaningful look neither of them expected. Unknowingly, they held it until Alden raced over.
“Are you okay?” he exclaimed, clearly shaken.
Hannah turned toward Alden, raising her hands to her cheeks.
“Your cheeks are flushed,” Alden observed.
“Are they?” she questioned, glancing quickly at Andy.
Andy looked away, feeling his face grow warm in response.
“I suppose it’s the exertion,” Hannah offered.
“We need to move! This bridge can’t stand against the pressure of the tree,” shouted the captain. To underscore his point, the wood groaned under their feet.
What just happened?
Alden put his arm around Hannah as the three of them ran across the rest of the span and caught up with the group.
One by one they made their way to the other shore using the same method as before. Sergeant Gavin, Sergeant Albin, Alden, the King, and Mermin anchored the rope on the far shore as Andy set foot in the current. That’s when he saw a second uprooted tree come barreling down the river.
“Captain!” Andy cried out.