by V. M. Sang
Pettic sighed. 'I don't pretend to understand what it was all about, but it seems obvious the person we're seeing as Torren is, in fact, an imposter made to look like him by sorcery.'
The princess looked into Pettic's blue eyes and her brown ones looked worried.
'I think you're right in this, Pettic,' she responded. 'I think it's time we went back to see Blundo, don't you?'
She ran her fingers through her brunette hair and she sat down. 'If what you say is true, then we must find Torren and expose this pretender. We must also find out who the magician is. Is this Dilrong in charge or does the magician want to gain power through him? Too many questions need answering and we need to think hard. Blundo will help us in this, I know. He always liked Torren the best of all of us, I think, and will want to help free him.' She paused and looked up at Pettic. Then she said, almost whispering, 'If he's still alive, that is. This man could have killed him.'
'I'd had that thought too, Lucenra,' replied Pettic, equally quietly, 'but I refuse to even think about that yet.'
'By the way,' the princess brightened a bit, 'Father gave Torren a severe dressing down for missing the concert the other night. He told him it was very rude of him, and he wouldn't have expected him to act in that way. Of course, the real Torren would never have done so even if he didn't like the music.'
'I think he was with that girl, you know, the daughter of the Duke of Kroldor. He managed to wangle a seat next to her at dinner, and she didn't appear at the concert either.'
'Oh, no! I hope that he hasn't compromised her virtue. Torren would never have done so, of course, but this Dilrong? Who knows?'
The pair left the room and went to find Blundo. Unfortunately he was not in his tower, and his assistant had no idea as to his whereabouts so they left a message. They both returned to their own apartments to wait for a note saying Blundo had returned and could see them.
Cledo was delighted to see his master return and he jumped around like a puppy until Pettic laughingly told him to go and lie down. Just then, the door opened and there stood Torren.
'I've decided I've been neglecting you,' he told Pettic as he entered uninvited and sat down on one of the chairs. 'I think we should have a game of cards. Get yours out. I didn't bring mine.'
Pettic had to remind himself that this was not the prince. Torren would never have entered uninvited, nor spoken to him like that. Pettic felt like a servant and not a friend. Still, he bit his tongue and went to get his cards.
Cledo began growling again as soon as Torren entered and Pettic thrust the dog unceremoniously into his bedroom. When he came back with the cards, Torren had arranged the card table in the centre of the room and placed four chairs round it.
'Are we expecting someone else?' queried Pettic. Torren had said nothing about anyone else coming.
'Yes,' replied the other. 'It's always more fun with four. I've invited that pretty daughter of the Duke of Kroldor and her friend to join us.' He laughed. 'I think the girl likes me—what's her name—I must remember before she arrives. Oh yes. Zoila. I'm hoping I can get to know her much better.' Here he winked at Pettic.
'Oh dear,' thought Pettic. 'I think he may be thinking about, how did Lucenra put it? “Compromising her virtue.”'
The girls arrived, obviously flattered to be asked to play cards with the Crown Prince. They giggled as they entered Pettic's apartment and sat down around the table. Pettic asked what game the girls would like to play and then Zoila took the cards and shuffled them before dealing them out to the others.
Half way through the game, in which Torren insisted they play for real money, a knock sounded on the door. Pettic excused himself and went to answer it. It was Lucenra.
'I've just had a note to say that Blundo's back and can see us whenever we want,' she said.
The voice of Torren came from behind . 'What do you want to see Blundo about?' he demanded.
'Oh, Torren,' Lucenra said, 'I didn't know you were here.' She thought quickly and said, 'Pettic and I have been having an argument about magic, what it can and can't do, you know? We went to see Blundo to ask which of us is right.'
'Oh, is that all. I wondered if one of you were thinking about taking it up. A bit old though, both of you. I believe you have to start very young and what's more, have an aptitude for it. Anyway, Pettic can't come with you now. We're in the middle of a game and I'm winning.'
Pettic shrugged and mouthed 'Sorry' to the princess. Then he said aloud, 'Why don't you go and see Blundo? You can tell me what he says about our problem and let me know. I promise I'll believe every word you say, even if you tell me he said I'm wrong.'
With that, he closed the door as the princess walked despondently away and he turned back to the game.
'I know,' laughed Torren, 'Why don't we have a game of strip poker?'
The two girls looked worried.
'I don't know how to play poker,' said Zoila.
'Don't worry,' the prince reassured her, 'It's easy. You'll pick it up in no time.'
'I'm not sure about this, Torren,' Pettic said. 'The girls haven't played before and are certain to lose.'
Torren grinned and winked at Pettic, mouthing 'Of course, that's the idea.' Then he said aloud, 'Come on, it'll be great. Just a bit of harmless fun. What's wrong with that?'
The other three continued to argue until Torren lost his temper.
'I'm the Crown Prince. I'll be your king some day. You will obey me. I want to play strip poker, so we'll play strip poker!'
With a sigh they gave in and played the game. Soon the girls were down to their undergarments and nearly crying. Torren called for another hand. He was still fully dressed and Pettic had only lost his jacket and shirt.
'No more, Torren,' said Pettic. 'Can't you see the girls are upset?'
'Oh, tosh. They're only pretending. They're enjoying showing off their bodies. All females enjoy being looked at and admired, and how I'm admiring these two!'
At this point, Zoila's friend stood up and gathered her clothes.
'Crown Prince or not, my future monarch or not, I'm not playing any more. I'm going to put my clothes back on and so is Zoila and we're leaving. I cannot believe that the man we were told is so honourable and gallant would do this to us.'
She strode off, pulling Zoila with her into the bedroom.
As soon as she opened the door, a grey streak shot past her and leaped on Torren snarling. Pettic dragged the dog off and sent him back to the bedroom while picking up the prince.
'That animal is dangerous. I'll have one of the guards sent up here to put him down. In the meantime, he mustn't be allowed out of your quarters. If I see him around the palace, I'll have you banished.'
Torren strode out of the room, leaving two crying girls and a very angry Pettic.
It was much later in the day that Pettic and Lucenra managed to get to see the court magician. Pettic had been much upset by the threat to his dog, even though he knew intellectually this was not the prince, the imposter was so like him it was hard to put it into context. He was also annoyed and upset by the treatment of the two girls.
He spent a lot of time talking to Lucenra about the earlier events and then a few hours in the stables finding someone to look after his dog, somewhere away from the palace. One of the stable hands agreed in the end and Pettic smuggled the animal out and the lad led the reluctant wolfhound away to his home. The dog had whined as the stablehand led him away, making Pettic feel guilty.
The time arrived to visit the magician in his tower. Pettic and Lucenra climbed the stairs quickly and knocked on the door to Blundo's rooms. They entered when the magician called out to them.
'Sorry we're late,' Lucenra said. 'We were caught up in something. Actually, it has to do with Torren. His behaviour is becoming more bizarre and unpleasant. But first Pettic must tell you what he's found out.'
Pettic began his tale and told about how he had followed Torren to his meeting with the mysterious magician in the woods and what he heard and saw.<
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Blundo rubbed his chin, thinking, and then said, 'It sounds very much as if what you suspect is true. What you saw, is a remaking of the spell on the gem that holds the illusion true. It seems Prince Torren has indeed been abducted or killed and an impostor put in his place. I sincerely hope he hasn't been killed. We must assume he's imprisoned somewhere and work on that premise.'
Lucenra thought for a few minutes and then said, 'Perhaps if we followed the impostor again when he goes off by himself we can find out something about where the real Torren's imprisoned. We can then tell father and he can send troops to rescue him.'
'Woah there,' cried Pettic. 'What do you mean by 'We'? It might be dangerous and if Torren is dead, which heaven forbid, then you're the heir to the throne. You can't be put in danger!'
'Torren isn't dead,' the princess retorted. 'I can feel it deep down inside. Anyway, there may be times when you can't follow him. I can go then.'
'What about recruiting the younger princess and princes? Could they help?' suggested Blundo.
Both Pettic and Lucenra cried out together. 'No, It's too dangerous.'
'No doubt they'd like to get involved,' Lucenra went on, 'but it's not going to happen. They must know as little of this as possible. Nothing if I have my way. They're all too impulsive and would no doubt put themselves at risk trying to solve a mystery.'
'Just a thought,' Blundo apologised.
They left it at that. Blundo was to do more research and he would also try to find out about any magicians who had recently moved into the area. Lucenra and Pettic would continue to follow Torren whenever they could.
Sitting in his apartment in the palace, Pettic thought about the past few months and tried to decide exactly when Torren had started behaving oddly. It was, he decided, after he had been crowned as Crown Prince. This always took place on the eighteenth birthday of the heir to the throne and gave him some more responsibility. He or she was gradually taught how a monarch should govern. Torren had been excited at this and about being able to take some of the responsibilities of the crown.
On the day of the birthday that the two friends shared, the coronation of the Crown Prince took place followed by a formal dinner. Pettic got dressed in his best, and made his way to the chapel where the Archbishop was to perform the ceremony.
He expected to be seated at the back, as a commoner, but to his surprise the usher guided him to a seat just behind the Royal Family. He queried this and the usher told him Prince Torren himself had insisted Pettic be seated there. He told the organisers Pettic was his best friend and he would not countenance him being anywhere but near the Royal Family. He had, after all, been brought up in the royal nurseries and was like a brother to Torren.
After the coronation, Prince Torren stepped forward to take the oath, which he did in a strong voice. Then, against all precedent, he stepped forward and called Pettic to come up. Pettic looked around, surprised, but the king waved him to do as Torren said, and so Pettic stood and slowly walked up to the prince.
The prince turned his friend to face the crowd of people in the royal chapel. He then announced to them all that, with the agreement of the King, his first act as Crown Prince was to endow his best friend with a title. The Earl of Flindon had recently died without any heirs. As he was the last in line to that earldom, Prince Torren had asked the king if his friend could take on the role. His father readily agreed and Pettic had been duly crowned with the small coronet that made him an Earl. Torren was himself at this point. The false Torren would never have thought of this, Pettic was sure.
Three days after their visit to Blundo, the two young people had not needed to follow Torren, as he had not gone off alone. The prince kept to his rooms or went out and about with some new friends from the guards. He seemed to have forgotten about his threat to Cledo, but Pettic did not dare to bring the animal back to the palace because of the dog's perpetual growling whenever Torren appeared. This would no doubt remind the prince of his threat, and probably get Pettic banished from the palace, if not the capital, for disobedience.
The day for the next meeting with Blundo arrived and Lucenra and Pettic met on the way to the magician's tower quarters. ('Why do magicians always live in towers?' Pettic asked one day, but no one seemed to know the answer to that question.)
On the way they met Torren.
'You two seem to be spending a lot of time together these days,' he said, scowling. He turned to Pettic. 'I hope you don't have designs on my sister. She's a princess, you know, and can't possibly marry a commoner, so forget it.'
The princess looked at her brother, eyes flashing.
'Pettic's not a commoner. Remember, you yourself raised him to an earldom. This makes him part of the nobility.'
'He was born a commoner, and will remain a commoner no matter what titles we give him. Nobility comes with birth,' he sneered.
With that, he strode away down the corridor leaving the pair staring after him in amazement.
When they arrived at Blundo's quarters, they found him in a state of excitement. He had found something exciting among the papers left by his predecessor, he told them.
'It was a book about different planes of existence,' he said. 'It seems that there are four other planes besides this one corresponding to the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This plane is a combination of all four. I suppose that's why our world is called Fusionem. A fusion of all the other planes. There are ways of passing between these planes if you know how.'
'What's this got to do with Torren?' Pettic asked.
'Ah! I've not finished. Have patience young man. I also found a diary. It was my predecessor's diary.'
He turned to Lucenra. 'I believe your father banished my predecessor. Am I right?'
'Yes, for treason. Father found he'd been in touch with some people who were plotting to overthrow him.'
She gave a little laugh. 'He denied taking part in the conspiracy, of course, saying he didn't know why these people wanted the spells he prepared for them. Father was reluctant to take action against him because he'd been with us for a great many years and had become a friend. However, Father decided he had to banish him just in case. Father said that he should have found out what the spells were for in any case, if he were innocent.'
'That explains why he seemed so bitter in his diary. He must have forgotten to take it when he left. He'd hidden it though, behind some other books. In it he rails about his banishment and says he'll get his revenge somehow.'
Blundo picked up some books on the table in front of him. 'Later on, he says he's found a way to pass to other planes. He mentioned these books. I looked at them and I think I know what's happened.'
The two young people leaned forward expectantly as Blundo paused for dramatic emphasis.
'Go on,' Pettic urged.
'Well, these books say it's possible to pass to another realm by walking through the arches in the Standing Stones outside the city. The moon must be shining through, and be full. Then you pass through to one of the other realms.'
'So you think that Torren's in one of these other planes?' said the princess.
'No. What I read leads me to think that Prince Torren is imprisoned in what Hellom (that was his name, wasn't it?) in what Hellom called a mini-plane, or a 'Bubble'. It's one created by a magician for his or her own purpose. Hellom wrote at length about creating one. I think he's put the prince in that mini-plane.'
'So what's all this about the other realms then?' Pettic asked. We just need to find out how to get into this 'Bubble' and get Torren out.'
'Ah, it's not so simple. There are four keys created by Hellom and he's hidden one in each of the elemental realms. Anyone wanting to enter the Bubble needs all of the keys.' He opened one of the books at a page he had marked. 'They are all precious stones relating to the elements and set in some kind of artefact. The one relating to Terra, the realm corresponding to the element of Earth, is an emerald. Aeris, or Air is a diamond, Aqua which is the water elemental realm, a sapphire a
nd Ignis, or fire, is a ruby.' He closed the book and put it down on the table.
'Unfortunately, we don't know what they're set in. Equally unfortunately, whoever goes to search cannot return without them. They are the keys to the return just as the moon is the key to getting there. Further, although it's the gems that are enchanted, for some reason they will not work to enter the Bubble unless they're in the artefact and worn by the person trying to enter.'
The pair looked at each other.
'It'll need a brave person to take this task on. Whoever goes might not return if they can't find the artefact with the gem in it,' Lucenra said.
'I know,' replied Pettic. 'Since we're the only ones who know about this, and obviously you can't go, it seems it must be me.'
They argued a bit about this, but eventually Lucenra realised that if she disappeared, her parents would be asking questions, and so they agreed Pettic would go.
'There is one more thing,' said Blundo. 'People there in those other worlds will speak a different language. I can make an amulet that'll allow you to understand others and them to understand you. It won't be ready for a couple of days though. I'll send for you as soon as I've got it ready.'
The pair left Blundo then and went to wait impatiently for his summons.
Three days later, Blundo's assistant knocked on Pettic's door. He told him the amulet was ready and he could pick it up as soon as he wished. Blundo also sent a message saying the moon would be full and shining through the arch at six minutes after midnight in two days' time. After that, the next chance would be a full month later.
Pettic decided he was as ready as he would ever be. He admitted to being a little afraid. No one knew what lay beyond the arch–not even what world he would be going to. What if he could not get back? What if it were the world of the element of fire and it was just that—fire and nothing else. Or even water, come to that. He could not breathe if there were no land. Still, he had taken on this task to help to rescue his friend and he would see it through.