by Tim Flanagan
‘Stay here. Me and Raelyn will go and find food and fresh water.’
‘Is there anything I can do?’ Edgar asked.
‘Find two stones and grind the milfoil leaves up, then put them near the fire to dry. When I return with the water we can make an infusion to feed to your small friend.’
Edgar didn’t argue; he hadn’t realised how tired he had been until they had rested within the cave. The aroma of the milfoil plant had made him even more relaxed and all he wanted to do was sleep.
Scarlet sat down next to him and leant her head against his shoulder; together they fell asleep.
By the time he opened his eyes again the smell of roasting meat filled the cave. For a moment he was slightly confused: there didn’t seem to be any daylight entering the cave from the entrance; in fact there didn’t appear to be any entrance at all. Ralphina was sat peacefully turning sticks of meat in the flames of the fire with Raelyn curled up beside her. On the floor was a small collection of brown furry animals that looked similar to small rabbits but with rounded ears. Occasionally the sizzle and spit of fat dripping onto the flames below could be heard and it was beginning to make Edgar’s mouth water with hunger.
‘Good evening, knight of Arthur,’ she said.
‘Evening?' he replied confused. ‘Have I slept that long?’
‘We have collected some small mountain pikas for our dinner and found water in a small pool along a path further up the rock face.’ She tossed a leather canteen over to him. Edgar withdrew the small cork in the neck of the canteen and sniffed the contents cautiously.
‘It’s safe to drink,’ Ralphina said guessing what Edgar was thinking, ‘we’ve both had some.’
Edgar took a long swig of water and passed it to the half asleep Scarlet who also took several swigs.
‘I’m sorry I fell asleep,’ apologised Edgar to Ralphina.
‘Don’t worry. You have had a long journey, but the one ahead of you is longer and you will need all the strength you can find.’
‘I didn’t get chance to grind the milfoil leaves, I’m afraid.’
From beside her feet Ralphina lifted up a small stone that had a shallow hollow in the centre containing a fine green powder. She had already ground the leaves. Scarlet handed the canteen back to Ralphina who filled the stone hollow with some water and stirred it. She passed the skewers with the pika meat to Scarlet, then moved over towards the peaceful figure of Joe who had not moved from the spot he had been put in that morning. Very carefully she moistened his lips with the infusion. Instinctively he lightly closed his mouth and took a dry swallow. Ralphina then tipped a slightly larger amount of the liquid into the small gap between his lips and waited patiently for him to show signs of swallowing before repeating until there was no more left in the stone hollow.
Edgar noticed that the entrance to the cave had been blocked by a barrier that Ralphina must have made out of flexible sticks interwoven with thin leaves to provide a shield for their home from the wind and weather. It also prevented any donestre patrols sailing along Pollwiddon Cove spotting the light from their fire.
Over that night and the following day Ralphina took up the role of nurse to Joe, continually feeding the infusion to him, keeping him warm and washing his face.
After recovering from their journey Edgar accompanied her on a hunting trip the next day and they returned with more pikas as well as a couple of monitos, small mouse like animals that Edgar had caught climbing up a tree. On their way back they saw the fearful sight of three donestre rafts gliding across the Cove moving south to join the port of Morgan's Landing.
By the second evening Joe had started to improve. His skin no longer looked pale and waxy and he took the milfoil infusion more readily, consuming larger amounts each time Ralphina poured some into his mouth. The time waiting for Joe to improve had given Scarlet time to think about her actual role in the journey. She had become so swept away in their adventure to find the Silver Bough that she didn’t really know what her place in it all was. Joe was the chosen one that the Silver Bough would respond to and Edgar was their guide who wielded the magical sword Ethera, but she and Max seemed to be just going along with them. With Max gone, Scarlet felt more alone and separate from Joe and Edgar. Even Ralphina had a role and was caring for Joe like a mother. After silently eating a chewy chunk of monito meat Scarlet went out towards the entrance, pushed the barrier aside and slipped out to sit on the cold stone ledge outside the cave.
The night was still and the sky was clear. Across to the south a red glow lit up the sky above the volcano which continued to erupt its rolling tower of smoke upwards into the sky. Crackles of white lightening shot out erratically from the plume of smoke into the hidden folds of the clouds above. Every time the electricity fizzed into the sky Scarlet could see the silhouette of the tall Redwood trees in Firewood Forest and if she looked carefully, she thought that she could make out a small clearing towards the top of the Forest on the horizon. She was sure that this was the spot where they had arrived after coming through the portal from the faerie ring. She hadn’t really thought then about this world and what it may hold; she just assumed that it would be safer than the world she had left behind, especially now it was infested with Moon Stealers. Would they ever return to their world and if they did what would be left of it? Her life before meeting Max and Joe had been a simple one, but a safe one. She thought back to happier times when her life didn’t seem so complicated. She remembered riding on the back of her dad’s tractor as it bounced over the uneven fields, gripping tightly to metal bars as her bottom lifted off the seat and into the air. She would laugh so loud that her eyes would be crying with joy, and even then she would shout over the loud roar of the engine for her dad to drive faster. She remembered spending the night in one of their barns, snuggled amongst the warm yellow straw waiting for her dog to give birth and then holding a soft velvet skinned pup as it wriggled in her hand, gently licking at her fingers. She wanted to go back to her parents and their farm but part of her knew that it would never be the same again anyway. The Moon Stealers had changed everything. Despite the fear she felt, she trusted Edgar and knew that although they had to find Peter, they also needed the help from the people in this world to defeat the Moon Stealers. She would go with Edgar and do what she could to help the people of the Underworld defeat their faerie queen so that they could also cleanse the endless night that suppressed her own world.
Scarlet suddenly became aware of Raelyn who had silently padded on his soft feet to sit beside her. He sat on the ground with his head turned towards her and his penetrating eyes staring past her flesh and into her head. Scarlet wasn’t sure if he was getting ready to attack her or not, but she felt a strangeness inside her that she had not felt before. She closed her eyes but all she saw was herself running through trees, the trunks flashing past her so quickly they became a blur. She glanced around her; she was surrounded by other wolves, their tongues hanging down from their mouths, panting heavily. At first she thought she was being hunted by the wolves, being chased through the forest, but she noticed that she seemed to be at the same height as them and running far faster than she thought was possible for her to do. Looking down at the ground made her feel dizzy, but she saw the thick padded paws running beneath her as she continued to run forward at great speed. She realised that she was not seeing herself as a human, but as a wolf running with the rest of the pack.
Scarlet opened her eyes and stared back at Raelyn. Although there was silence in the night air, she became aware of a very deep slow breathing that seemed to be coming from inside her head rather than outside of her ears.
Don’t be afraid, said the voice from within her. She suddenly felt panic shiver down her back as she quickly looked around her for the source of the voice.
I was right. I felt sure there was a connection with you when we first met amongst the ruins of the Golden Hall.
Scarlet turned sharply back to Raelyn.
‘I can hear you,’ she said confused
but surprised.
Yes, replied Raelyn’s voice inside her head. His voice was deep and rough as she expected it probably would be, but there was also a gentleness about it that had a calming effect on her. There is a part of you that is in tune with nature. You have an understanding of animals that I had heard most humans from the other world did not possess. We heard stories that you treat wolves and other animals as servants to be slaughtered at will when they no longer serve a purpose. In this world, a lot of the higher thinking animals work together. No one race is greater than another and that is what makes us stronger. That is where the queen is going wrong. She does posses some strong magical qualities, but all her power comes from fear.
‘What do you mean?' asked Scarlet, the immediate surprise having passed.
Fear can drive people and animals to do unexpected things. I felt your fear just now and heard some of the happy memories from your home. It would be easier for you to turn around and go home but you are stronger than that. Your fear of what lies ahead of you is great but your sense of what is right is greater. Many of the kingdoms and civilisations that live in my world have heard of the terrible things that the queen has done to others and are constantly in fear of her and the donestre. But fear also unites people. The time has come for the Council of War; the fear that we all feel has brought us together and will give us all the strength to fight for our freedom once again.
‘But if she has magical powers why would she need to use fear? Don’t her powers make her stronger anyway?’
We all have magical powers of some sort, even you and your little friend that is ill. How does his body know how to heal itself? Surely that is magic? But most of the queen's magic comes from Pendreich's Bane, a magical runestaff of power that she carries with her at all times. The old knight that you came with also possesses a similar magical object, the ancient sword he carries.
Scarlet remembered the magic that Edgar’s sword had performed when it protected them at the faerie ring on top of the hill above Parsley Bottom. Edgar had said that the magic was in the sword itself not in the user; he was just the person who held it.
‘So an object contains the magic?' Scarlet asked.
Yes, but the right person has to use the right object. The Bane is an evil runestaff that once belonged to the fearful King Pendreich who lived many centuries ago. His reign was too long and all the lands became wasted and dark under his rule, but eventually when Mount Fury, the Volcano you see to the south of here, cast everything in a layer of ash, his reign ended. He died in a cloud of rock dust that burnt his flesh and choked his lungs. Many years later, after the portals to your world had been closed, the Bane was discovered by Lord Greyshadow, a cunning old man who traded in spies and secrets and whose small Kingdom bordered the queen's. He was unaware of the significance of the old burnt runestaff that he had found, but he knew the crystals that were embedded along its shaft and the ancient runic carvings would be of interest to the queen. At a winter gift exchange ceremony, the runestaff was presented to the faerie queen by Lord Greyshadow who in return asked for the barren lands to the north which he believed the queen thought would be worthless. Although the northern lands could not be lived in, the queen had long been mining the gold and diamonds that lay beneath the Mountains, despite making the ground dwellers that had lived there for many generations homeless. She agreed to the exchange and received the staff eagerly as she could feel the power it contained hidden from everyone else and recognised some of the runic markings as that of the ancient kings of the Underworld. But the queen was not prepared to give up the northern lands to the cunning Lord Greyshadow who had tried to trick her into giving up valuable land. Greyshadow’s complete body was never returned to his Kingdom which the queen then claimed under her own banner. They say the queen still drinks wine out of Greyshadow’s skull at ceremonies to intimidate and remind others what happens to those who are greedy and attempt to trick the queen out of wealth and power.
‘Then to beat the queen, Pendreich's Bane must be destroyed?’ said Scarlet.
Yes, Raelyn’s voice said inside her head. It will not be easy, but when you are presented with the opportunity, you must take it no matter what the consequences may be.
13. The Queen's Bastille
‘Did y' see the elves from the volcano? Think they’re so much better than the rest of us, they do. Well, I suppose they are better than you and me anyway; after all, they’re not stuck inside the queen's bastille waiting t' be sent t' the Twisted Tower for sentencing, are they? But maybe they’re not better than some others. The donestre for example. I would always put my coin on the donestre winning against the elves. The elves are all style an' class, but the donestre are powerful and fearsome. And taller. But you’d know that anyway wouldn’t you? Looks like you’ve spent some time with the donestre. Always think it’s a shame they look so sad.’
Max had been quietly lying on the straw massaging the feeling back into his fingers and hadn’t realised there was someone else in the room with him. He had noticed the young unicorn sitting on some straw in another cell, but saw no one else until the fat jailer brought him a plate with some hard flat bread and mashed apple to eat. But after he had gone, Max thought he was alone again. He sat up and looked across at the unicorn wondering if the voice had come from there.
‘You think the unicorn’s talkin' do you? You must have something wrong with your head. When has anyone ever heard of a unicorn talking except when they’re going slightly mad? Dear me. Next you’ll tell me the world’s not flat. I wonder what the young one would say if he could talk, though. Probably be the usual - you’ve got the wrong person. It wasn’t me. I’m innocent. Someone put the knife in my hand and ran off. Well, I can’t really use that excuse myself because it was my knife after all that hurt the poor guy. Although I should have known he was one of the queen’s royal messengers really. Shouldn’t have missed the Ouroboros Star on the back of his lovely white gloves, but I did. Everyone recognises the sign of the queen. Although, of course, I didn’t miss the cards 'e kept hidden up his sleeve, the little sneak.’
‘Who’s there?' asked Max bravely to the air inside the room, hoping that he wasn’t actually going mad and hearing things in his head.
The cell in the corner furthest away from the entrance door was cast half in shadow and if he looked carefully he noticed a pair of small glassy eyes looking back at him, reflecting what little light came through the small window.
A small pair of boots stepped into the light. They were black leather with a large silver buckle that fastened them to his white stockinged leg. As he moved further into the light Max noticed a yellow pair of trousers from knee to waist followed by a large hanging red cloak, the occasional patch of alternative material sewn on to hide a tear. His bald head was oval in shape with a large hooked nose and pointed ears, the skin slightly weathered and stretched into a wide grin showing yellow stained teeth. He was slightly taller than Max and considerably older.
‘Allow me t' introduce myself,’ said the unusual looking character. ‘I’m Littleskink, musician and illusionist.’ He bowed deeply until his nose was almost touching the floor, ‘son t' Skimpytoad and grandson of Stubbyweasel. You may have heard of Stubbyweasel, the famous piper of Onissbrook. Once played for four days non stop before anyone realised that he’d actually swallowed the whistle he was playin'. It took several large orcs striking him on the back before he managed to cough it back up. Never walked again after that though.’
‘What sort of creature are you?' asked Max confused and bewildered by all the information coming out of Littleskink’s mouth.
The goblin closed his eyes and held a hand to his forehead in despair.
‘Have you been hiding in the Bog of Gagglestench for a thousand years or somethin'? First you think unicorns can speak an' now you ask me what I am,’ Littleskink said in a stunned voice. ‘And where are the niceties of introductions. Dear me. Let’s try again shall we. My name’s Littleskink. Now you say your name,’ Littleskink sta
rted to talk slowly as if Max was stupid and couldn’t understand what he was saying.
‘Sorry, this is all so new to me. My name’s Max Scott and I’ve come from the other world.’
‘The other world? Didn’t know there was another world. Thought this was all there was,’ Littleskink replied looking around his cell.
‘I came through a magic portal.’ Max tried to remember what Edgar had said when they had first met Ralphina. ‘From the land of King Arthur,’ he continued.
‘I remember my nurse telling me stories about King Arthur when I was a little goblin as she rocked me to sleep. I didn’t realise she was telling me the truth though. Oh well. If you don’t mind me sayin', you do look a bit out of place with those clothes on,’ he shrugged.
‘Do you know what’s going to happen to us?' Max asked.
‘We’ll be goin' to the Twisted Tower of course. I blinded one of the Royal Messengers in a card game so he’s no good to her now. This is the queen's bastille where they hold those who've committed a crime. We’ll be off along the
Shadow Road t' the gate house of the Twisted Tower where her Master of Justice will sentence us. I've done the trip t the gate house once before. What did you do?’ ‘I haven’t done anything. Why is the unicorn be taken to her?’
‘It’s the horn on her head that the queen will want. It’s made from Alicorn and very precious,’ Littleskink said as he subconsciously moistened his lips and rubbed his hands together thinking of the gold he could get if he sold the unicorn at market. ‘Alicorn’s a magical healer.’
‘But why would she want a unicorn so young? Surely the horns of an adult are larger than this little one?’
‘Don’t know.’ Littleskink seemed to lose interest in the unicorn and began picking at his fingernails.
‘What’s the Twisted Tower like?’ asked Max changing the subject.