The Inner Realm

by Dale Furse

  Cornel’s leg stiffened against Mike’s shoulder as the king examined the arrow, then pitched it into the scrub. It looked like an ordinary arrow to Mike, but something about it made the group tense—all but Ludo. He covered his smirk with a frown when Mike glanced at him.

  Nothing more was said. Noor held the reins out to Mike.

  “I can’t ride.” Mike refused to take the reins from Noor.

  “We will walk and my horse is well trained. He will follow the horse in front of him,” Noor said without emotion in her words or tone.

  “What if he bolts?” He had seen horses bolt in movies.

  “He won’t bolt,” Noor said, with an impatient shake of her head. “All you have to do is keep the reins slack and let him follow.” She pushed the reins at Mike. “Now take them. I would have thought you man enough to follow a simple instruction, but if not, I can lead you and the horse.”

  Vala mounted her horse and extended her hand to take the reins. She bent forward and spoke close to Noor’s ear. “You help them mount. I will look after the children.”

  Mike snatched the reins out of Noor’s hand. “I can handle it.” He thought he saw a slight half-smile on Noor’s face before she bent and offered him cupped hands.

  “I’ll give you a leg up first,” she said. “And I’ll put Terni behind you.”

  Vala shrugged and moved her horse behind Mike and Terni.

  While they walked, Mike wondered about the banished prince. Derek was the king’s third son, and he would have been heir to the throne without his older brothers available for the role.

  Terni tugged on the back of Mike’s jacket. “The wall, Mike, I want to go home.”

  Mike was so caught up with Cornel’s injury, he had almost forgotten about the wall of doors. “Your Majesty,” he said. “We need to see if the wall has come back?”

  The king peered at Cornel. The hunter nodded and moved his lips into what he must have thought was a smile, but was more like a wince.

  “We will ride the plain awhile. Perhaps the wall will make itself known to us before we turn into the forest.”

  Prince Ludo narrowed his eyes.

  Mike hoped the wall did appear. Although he didn’t want to fight the king, he had no intention of going too far from the site of their arrival on Zandell. He had also decided he did not like Ludo, whether he was his uncle or not.

  “Father,” Prince Ludo said. “The forest is alive with bandits.”

  “I’m not stupid, boy, but it’s the fastest route to the palace.”

  Following the king’s lead, the group climbed the hill away from the stream. Once on the grassy plain, Mike kept looking for any sign of the wall.

  As they neared the pink forest, he worried about going too far from the wall’s location. He still did not know how long the wall was. It might have ended where it met the forest. He and Terni should wait for the wall to return.

  “A mist,” Terni cried.

  He was right. A white-grey mist swirled no more than twenty paces in front of them. A jolt of excitement ran through his chest. The mist might mean the wall had reappeared. They could go home.

  As soon as the group entered the cloud, Mike couldn’t see his own horse’s head, let alone anything else. While he waited for the mist to rise and reveal the wall, he hoped the horses could see where they went.

  They hadn’t traveled far when shouts sprung up before them.

  “Get him,” a man’s voice yelled.

  “Which one?” another yelled back.

  “There’s four or more of ‘em,” still another shouted.

  Terni clasped his arms tighter around Mike’s waist. Mike could just make out the horse’s rump in front of him. The mist was fading.

  “Aim high,” a man’s voice boomed.

  The king’s horse sidestepped in front of Mike. The glint of an arrowhead bounced off the back of the king’s saddle.

  “We’re under attack,” Cornel said with a grating voice on Mike’s right. “Group together.”

  Mike nudged his horse alongside the king’s mount as the last of the fog disappeared.

  A line of bandits, heads covered in black cloth, moved around the group, encircling them.

  “It’s the king,” someone yelled.

  “So it is,” the man closest to the king’s party, said. He pulled off his head cover. “My apologies, Father.” He grinned. “We have had trouble with a band of bandits from the north. We thought you were them.”

  “Derek,” Noor gasped, close to Mike’s ear.

  The breathless way she had said his name told Mike she had feelings for him.

  Mike looked the marauder over. His dark hair hung around a square face. His muscular body was distinct through a thin, white shirt. His grin had a childish quality like Terni’s—almost mischievous. The other riders kept their hoods on. Derek’s horse was the only colored one. It was black and white.

  “This is how you deal with trespassers?” the king demanded. “By shooting arrows at them?”

  “Now, Father, you heard me tell my men to aim high. I was trying to scare them, not kill them.”

  “I felt an arrow hit the back of my saddle,” the king insisted.

  “If that is true, then the arrow didn’t come from me or any of my men.” His eyes glanced past Cornel to Noor, but flew back to Cornel. He kicked his heels and his horse jogged beside Cornel and Noor. “What ails you, Cornel?”

  Noor narrowed her eyes at Derek. “He was shot this morning.”

  Derek checked Cornel’s wound. “Where did this happen?”

  “Beside the first stream,” Noor said, her tone ice, as she waved her hand behind her. “As if you didn’t know.”

  Derek threw his head back and laughed. “I don’t mean to laugh at your father’s pain, but Noor, how can you think such a thing? I would never hurt Cornel.” His eyes shone. “He was to be my father at one time, do you not remember?”

  Red blossomed in Noor’s cheeks. “I remember,” she said. “Now let us pass.”

  The king moved his horse forward. “You will follow us back to the palace, Derek. I have a need to talk at length with you.”

  “No, Father, I will not. I left the kingdom and I no longer bow to your rule.” Derek gave a sideways glare at Ludo. “I fear the palace is not a safe place for me.” He kicked his horse toward his brother and stooped close to his ear, but Mike heard him whisper. “The day of judgment is near, Brother.”

  Derek hauled his horse around by the reins. Galloping towards the mountains, he called over his shoulder, “The answer lies in your heart.”

  Mike wondered what answer, and what Derek meant by the day of judgment.

  Cornel groaned.

  “Come,” said the king. “We must hurry Cornel to the healer.” He kicked his horse forward and Mike heard him mutter, “I will talk to you again, my son.”

  Chapter 8

  The king’s group, joined by Mike and Terni, entered the forest. Every cell in Mike’s body warned him not to venture far from where the wall once stood. He hoped they rode in a direct line to the West and not turn South or North until he thought of a way to return to their arrival area.

  At least traveling parallel was some comfort but once they began to meander through the thick of the forest, he might lose his way.

  After a half hour of riding, Terni began to squirm and complain. “My bottom’s sore,” he said.

  “So’s mine,” Mike snapped. “Stay still.”

  Terni stopped moving and Mike felt bad for being so short with him. He patted Terni’s leg. “We’ll rest soon, kid.”

  Another fifteen minutes passed before they came to a crossroad. It was going to be a long walk back. Mike bent forward and patted the horse’s neck. He wasn’t so bad, and Mike’s balance had improved. Maybe he could take the horse. Terni might complain, but he would whine a whole lot more if he had to walk all the way.

  The path the king chose veered south. Even if the wall had continued deep into the forest, they would still be l
eaving behind their one chance to go home. Mike had to choose the right door and that door was a long way behind them.

  Mike pulled the reins back and the horse halted. “Sire… um, Your Majesty, we can’t go with you. We have to wait for the wall of doors to come back.”

  “I’m sorry, Mike,” the king said as they neared the forest, “but the wall might not come back.”

  “That’s because there is no wall,” Ludo snorted. “There never was one. These boys are working for Derek, Father. He has installed them in our midst as spies.”

  The king looked from Mike to Terni. “I don’t think so, Ludo.”

  “Neither do I,” said Noor. “Although I’m still unsure about their claim of a wall of doors, I believe they think that is how they happened to find themselves in Zandell. There will be an explanation for all. Children cannot keep lies up as adults can. We would know soon enough if the little one had lied.”

  Vala said, “Yes, neither of them could fool us for long.”

  Mike scowled at the implication. She was even younger than he was.

  The king glanced at Cornel and sighed. “We can’t tarry, and I won’t leave you out here by yourselves. You will accompany us to the palace where I will contemplate your return to this place.” King Horace smiled. “Cornel is my priority. Follow.”

  “Are you saying we don’t have a choice? That we’re prisoners?”

  The king’s eyes hardened on Mike. “If that is what it takes, then yes, you are our prisoners.”

  Prince Ludo scoffed, “I’d let them go. They’ll be safe enough. I’m sure Derek is waiting for them.”

  King Horace rubbed his face. “Enough, Ludo. I’ll not hear anymore from you.”

  “But I want—,” Terni said.

  The king’s jaw set—his face, tense and immovable. “I’ll hear no more.” He turned and kicked his horse forward. “Keep an eye on those boys.”

  Noor stroked her bow.

  Mike followed Noor’s hand. Prisoners! That is what they think.

  As they rode, Mike racked his brain for a way to get back to where they came to this land. It was hard to make a plan and concentrate on staying on the back of the stupid horse. All he could think was, the wall might return. He knew he was well past the time he should have sought help for his thigh injury. Adding to the pain in his leg, his head ached almost continually. Even if whatever Cornel gave him worked last time, there was no guarantee it would work again. There were no real doctors or hospitals in the king’s land.

  He did not want to think about what could happen if he didn’t get medical attention. He had to get home before it as too late. Terni squirmed again and Mike remembered he had to get the kid to his home somehow too. The only way home for both of them was through the wall of doors.

  After some time, he began to settle into riding. Horses weren’t so bad. He had worked out the balance thing and his legs held on tight. He was sure he could stay on and as soon as he saw an out, he was going to take it.

  “Get moving,” Noor said. “Vala, stay behind them. If they so much as look like trying to leave, shoot them.

  Great. Mike hadn’t noticed Vala carried a bow or arrows. He twisted to the left and looked back along the side of Vala’s horse. Nothing there. Tentative, he pulled the reins a little to the right. The horse obeyed and veered enough to the right to allow Mike to check along the other side of the horse.

  Vala glared at him as she rested a small bow against her right thigh while using her other hand to pluck an arrow from a small quiver hanging on her saddle.

  Mike frowned. If he was too slow getting the horse to move, he might find out what an arrow in his flesh feels like.

  He thought his best move would be to instill trust in her, put her off her guard. Throwing Vala a quick wink, Mike turned and tried to appear as relaxed as he could.

  More shrubs grew in and around the trees. Some encroached on the well-trodden path that soon turned into a furrow. They had to twist and turn their horses through the maze. The distance between the horses grew, and he realized his breathing had quickened. He would never find his way out. Although he couldn’t see the royals ahead, the sound of their horse’s hooves clodding along the hard, dirt rut told him they weren’t far ahead.

  Mike rounded the bend and his heart jumped. The tracks widened and he noted some sort of crossroads further on. It might be his last chance. He glanced behind. Vala had moved closer, but he noticed she had both hands on her reins. That was a good sign.

  Once at the crossroads, the three horses and riders ahead spread out.

  Vala screamed.

  Mike swung his head back as Noor spun her horse around so fast Cornel almost fell off. “Sorry, Father,” she said.

  A long vine, Mike hadn’t previously seen, hung from a branch across the path and wound itself around Vala’s chest, pinning her arms to her side.

  “What is it?” The king asked as he and Ludo went to investigate.

  Noor kicked her horse toward Vala, raising her bow at the same time. The vine had twisted around her throat, and her face turned from red to blue.

  Mike hesitated. No matter how they had treated him, he hadn’t wanted her to strangle to death. He sucked in a breath. This could be their only chance. He could not wait to see if they rescued Vala. He turned and drove his heels into the side of the horse. The horse obeyed and Terni screamed as Mike flopped backward, almost sending the kid over the horse’s rump. “Hang on.” Mike regained his seat and leaned low over the horse’s neck. He hoped Vala was all right.

  Terni’s small arms squeezed around Mike’s waist. “I’m scared.”

  ***

  Hankley and the Shanks sat forward as the Shanks gasped in unison.

  “Hankley, what did you do?” Shank Two yelled. “That girl’s dying.”

  “Yeah, Hankley what did you do? Stop it and help her.”

  “No need,” Hankley said as Noor raised her loaded bow and fired an arrow, slicing the vine tentacle in two.

  “Ludo, help me get this thing off her,” the king ordered.

  Ludo moved to the other side of Vala and began unfurling the vine. Once the vine’s tendrils released her, she fell forward, gasping for air.

  “Poor thing is close to unconsciousness,” Shank Two said.

  “Yeah, nearly unconscious.”

  “I wouldn’t have let anything happen to her. Anyway, Mike and Terni escaped and that was the main idea.”

  “What do you mean, main idea?”

  “Yeah, what do you mean?”

  “I mean the boys can’t go too far from the wall. We need to get them home.”

  Shank Two narrowed his one good eye. “We can’t interfere with the mortals. Oln said—”

  “I know what Oln said, but I can’t help thinking the boys are way too young to be without their parents. They need to get back to their respective home worlds. As sick as I am going against Oln’s orders, I cannot leave them stranded. It is not their fault they are in this predicament. It is ours, or at least, the Gods’ fault. Gart’s in particular.”

  Shank Two hit Hankley’s upper arm. “If the Gods hear you talk like that you’ll be in worse trouble than you are already.”

  “Yeah, and us too.”

  “He’s right,” Two said. “You’ve put us in a bad way.”

  “Yeah, a bad way.”

  “Oh, stop whining. You two don’t want to leave the boys either, go on, admit it.”

  Shank Two shook his head as he dropped his chin toward his chest. “You’re right, I guess.”

  “Yeah.” Shank One grinned. “We want to help the boys. They’re cute.”

  “Well, for whatever reason, we’re in this together. Deal?”

  “Deal”

  “Yeah, deal.”

  Hankley pointed to the scene below. “See? Vala has her color back and her breathing has returned to normal. I think she panicked. That’s what took her breath away.”

  Vala nodded to the king to let him know she was all right before kickin
g her horse into action and racing down the path on the right of the crossroad.

  “Vala,” Noor shouted.

  “Where’s she going?” Shank Two asked.

  “After the boys is my guess,” Hankley said. “And by the look on her face, she’s not too happy with them.”

  “Does she think they hurt her?”

  “Yeah, does she?”

  “I don’t know,” Hankley said. “Maybe not. She might be angry they got away from her.”

  “Yeah, she’s angry all right.”

  “Shh,” said Hankley.

  “I’ll go after them,” Noor said. “Sire, can Ludo look after father?”

  “Leave them,” the prince sneered.

  “The boys are strangers in this land,” Noor said. “They know nothing of the Mashki, or what plants to stay away from. And there are bandits everywhere north of the King’s Forest.”

  “Ah, so it’s the bandits you want to save them from?” the prince snorted. “Perhaps you want to meet with a single bandit once again.”

  “If you were not my prince,” Noor said through gritted teeth. “I would fight you this minute.”

  “Now, now,” the king interrupted. “That will be enough. Vala can bring them back.”

  “Vala is still a child. She has never been without aid in these parts.”

  “Perhaps Vala is also a spy. Either way, Derek is sure to find them.”

  “Ludo,” the king admonished. He gazed at his son as if studying him. “Swap places with Noor,” King Horace peered at Cornel. “If Cornel is happy for his daughter to go after the boys.”

  Cornel nodded to the king and smiled an encouraging smile at Noor. “Don’t worry about me, Daughter. A little arrow won’t stop me for long.”

  Ludo did not move.

  “Now,” the king bellowed at Ludo.

  Ludo mashed his lips together and jumped off his mount.

  Once Noor and Ludo swapped horses, Noor bowed to the king. Without a backward glance, she turned onto the northern path.

  Shank Two laughed. “I thought the prince was going to continue to argue.”

  Hankley smiled. “Not even he is that stupid.”

  “Yeah, not even him.”

  Hankley waved his hands and the scene below shifted. The three servants returned their attention to Mike and Terni.