Along one wall of the cave were baskets and baskets of sweetberries.
There seemed to be three groups of goblins. One group was mashing sweetberries in wooden bowls, while another was mixing in what Elizabeth identified by its scent as valerian root. Finally, the bowls went to the last group who mixed in sugar, then carried the bowls to a doorway leading to what had to be a kitchen.
“Valerian root is used in sleeping potions,” Elizabeth said. “I read it in one of Mother’s books.”
“Then they’re making pies with the sweetberries to put people to sleep,” said Emily. “But who are they for?”
“And who is baking the pies?” Elizabeth added. “Goblins aren't known for their tasty desserts. Someone else must be in that kitchen.”
“Look, there,” Emily whispered, pointing.
As one of the goblins delivered a bowl to the kitchen, an even smaller creature, suspended in air, took the bowl and flew back inside. The small, winged creature was glowing weakly, but with a mesmerizing light.
“Of course!” Elizabeth exclaimed in whispered delight. “Faery Folk!”
“Faeries?” Emily questioned, “Why would they help the goblins?”
“They must not have a choice,” said Elizabeth. “Did you see how weak that one looked? I think someone has captured them and is forcing them to do this."
“Probably the witch,” Emily said, gripping her staff. “We need to free those poor Faeries and make her pay!”
“Not yet, Em,” said Elizabeth. “We still need to find out where the ogre king and that nasty witch are.”
A sudden commotion spread across the cave as the ogre king stepped into the main cavern.
“There he is!” Emily said, her eyes wide.
“Shhhhhh,” Elizabeth cautioned. “Someone will hear you!”
Goblins were scattering out of his way. One stumbled in front of him. The huge brute kicked the goblin like a stone and sent him bouncing across the cave, crashing into one of the sugar mixers, causing another commotion as these goblins argued over the mess.
The girls were stunned at the sight of him. The ogre king was huge; he was taller even than their father and some of the tallest knights in the kingdom. He was also thick like a burled tree trunk, with skin that looked almost like bark. He tossed crates around the room and bellowed about being hungry, while goblins skittered in all directions. Finding nothing but sweetberries, he threatened to start eating faeries.
He stopped, when an icy voice sliced through the din from above. “Oafish fool!”
Emily soon realized the sound came from an opening in the cave ceiling. She could see strange lights, and spidery webs there.
“You will not touch the faeries,” the voice continued. “There will be plenty to dine on when the king is under our control and you sit upon his throne.”
The ogre king grumbled and went back to the room where he had been sleeping. The goblins quickly returned to their work, not wishing to draw the attention of the witch, who was clearly watching them from her chamber, above.
"OK Liz," Emily whispered, "what's your plan?"
“One of us needs to get to the kitchen and find a way to free those faeries,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll go, because I'm smaller and look more like a goblin. Stop giggling.”
“OK, and what should I do?” Emily said, barely containing herself.
“When I give the signal, you cause a distraction.”
Elizabeth walked past the first row of goblins, who were busy mashing the sweetberries. She could smell the delicious berries and really wanted to reach out for a handful, but she knew that was a bad idea. The cave was brighter than the tunnel they’d come through, and she feared these goblins would get a better look and realize she didn't fit in. To her surprise, the goblins seemed to ignore her as she walked past them. There were goblins everywhere, busy with myriad tasks. To them, she was just another busy goblin.
After passing seemingly endless rows of goblins, Elizabeth had almost reached the kitchen when a goblin suddenly stepped in front of her. This goblin wore several beaded necklaces around her neck. She wore them with an air of importance, and the others seemed to shy away from her. Elizabeth guessed she must be a chief.
“You!” the goblin chief growled, pointing at her. “Where you going?”
“To kitchen, need supplies.” Elizabeth spoke in a low and grumbly voice. The goblin cast a suspicious glance over her, looking her up and down. Elizabeth tensed, believing she’d been caught, and her plan had failed.
Just then, a small round rock smashed into a mixing bowl of sweetberries, mere feet from the two of them. The goblin mixing the berries squealed as crushed berries and juice splashed over its head, right onto the goblin chief. The chief immediately began yelling, beads flying, while chasing the poor mixer goblin around the cave, shaking her fist and threatening all sorts of nasty punishments.
“Thanks, Sis,” Elizabeth mouthed the words quietly as she hurried on into the kitchen.
“You’re welcome,” Emily whispered back. From her vantage point, she could see that her sister had been in trouble. She also was able to make the perfect shot to create the necessary distraction. Now she would just have to wait for Elizabeth's signal.
Watching the scene intently, Emily noticed movement at the edge of the cave. But when she looked closer, she saw nothing. Then, before she looked away, she saw it again. There, in the dark corner of the cave, was a small creature, moving slowly into position near the goblins.
It was a gnome!
As Emily looked around, she started seeing more gnomes. They were coming down from the ceiling on ropes, and coming in from small cracks in the walls. They were wearing dark clothing, and carrying more ropes and weapons over their backs. They were surrounding the goblins and getting into attack formations!
Oh no, Emily thought, if they attack now they'll ruin everything! Liz will be trapped!
Meanwhile, Elizabeth had successfully reached the kitchen and was face-to-face with a faery—an honest-to-goodness, real, live faery. She had read about them, but never thought she’d actually see one. This one was enchantingly beautiful, but under the circumstances, very sad. It only gave off a weak light. It was as if these poor creatures were shackled in sorrow and despair. Their lights seemed to be going out! But that would soon change, if Elizabeth could help it.
This faery was hovering, perhaps a foot from the ground. She had to be only about a foot tall, if that. Her wings, normally described as looking like a butterfly's, now more resembled a dull, brown moth's. The faery looked up at her and cast an odd glance. “You're a little tall for a goblin, aren't you?” The faery asked sluggishly.
“No,” Elizabeth answered, pulling back her hood so they could see her face, “I'm Elizabeth Daring and I'm here to rescue you!” She quickly surveyed this new cave room. It had been fashioned into a kitchen, with a row of wood-fired ovens and tables covered in sweetberry pies. There were a dozen more faeries, all acting as confused and groggy as the first one, making and enchanting pies in a tired, disheartened manner. None of them were smiling or glowing as in the books she had read.
Elizabeth was beginning to feel drowsy, herself, when she noticed a strange orb hanging from the center of the ceiling. It was melon-sized, and its appearance changed from glass to stone, then back to glass. Dark energy and smoke roiled within it like vapors in a teapot, waiting to burst forth. Elizabeth found that the longer she stared at it, the less she cared about the faeries, or her sister, or anything.
Elizabeth decided that this must be the source of the strange spell that hung over the Faeries, and could sap her will, too. She reached into her quiver and found the arrow with the strongest broad head. This one was steel, meant for a more dire purpose than her training arrows.
She nocked the arrow and drew the bowstring back, stretching it to its limit. She waited to aim until the last moment, not daring to look too long at the orb, lest it capture her will. Even now, it reached into her mind, comp
elling her to relax and surrender. It was sapping her will and her arms trembled, but all she had to do was let go of the string.
Elizabeth's arrow flew true. It smashed into the orb with a loud cracking sound and bounced to the stone floor, below. The orb broke open and the dark energy inside flowed, snakelike, around the room before flying out the doorway. Elizabeth felt her strength and resolve return as soon as it left.
“Thank you,” the first faery said. Her color was already returning, along with her glow. “What was your name, again?”
“Elizabeth Daring.”
“Daring?" Another faery asked, flying over to them. “Oh my, yes,” she said. “You look so much like your mother!”
“I’ve been told that,” Elizabeth said, “But how do you know my mother?”
An angry, venomous scream pierced the moment’s calm.
“The witch!” exclaimed the Faeries.
“Come on,” Elizabeth said, “We have to get you out of here!”
One of the faeries pointed to the corner “There’s a venting tunnel that leads outside!”
A bellowing roar echoed through the cave. It was louder than any goblin.
“Oh no, the ogre has awakened!” The faeries fluttered about in alarm.
Elizabeth turned her attention to the vent. A crude grate covered the opening. The ogre’s advancing steps seemed to shake the whole room. Elizabeth kept her mind on the vent and managed to pry the grate off. The faeries quickly flew into the tunnel.
“Come with us,” the last faery said, beckoning to her.
“I can't fit,” Elizabeth stated, “and I won't leave without my sister.”
“We will try to send help,” the faery declared. Then, looking at the tables, she added, “Don't eat the pies. They'll make you sleepy!”
From out in the main chamber, Elizabeth could hear a great commotion. She moved to the doorway to see what was going on out there. To her surprise, she saw gnomes mixed in with the hundred or so goblins. Tables were overturned, bowls were broken, and a slick of sweetberry goo was everywhere. She wondered if she could get through that mess to warn everyone. She had an idea and, pulling her journal from her backpack, she started writing as fast as she could.
Looking around the make shift kitchen, Elizabeth tried to discover a way to escape. There was an open cupboard against one wall. She pulled on it, hoping it concealed a passageway to freedom. As it tipped forward she could see only a solid wall behind it, and something clattered off one shelf. Spectacles. She hadn’t seen anyone wearing them, but picked them up and tucked them into her pack to keep them safe.
“Attack!” Randolph shouted from the walkway above the open cave. His gnome force suddenly appeared, surrounding the goblins, and pelting them with stones from every direction.
Emily was only a few feet from Randolph, and had tried to stop him before he yelled. Too late. Confusion erupted, below, as goblins and gnomes went after each other with the tools at hand: spoons, bowls, axes, table legs, and rocks. The gnomes had brought weaponry and the element of surprise, but the goblins had an ogre.
The ogre king burst into the open cave roaring and throwing little people out of his way. His roar was like thunder echoing through the caverns. His long arms swept both gnomes and goblins aside without care. Several gnomes tried forming a ladder, standing on top of each other’s shoulders, to challenge him, but a swift kick sent them all flying.
“Gunners!” Randolph yelled to his men. “Fire on the ogre!”
The gnomes had set up two of their mechanical rock shooters on the upper walkway beyond where Randolph stood. They were strategically placed where they could fire on the whole area, below. Anyone wanting to attack them would also have to make their way up the narrow path, and past Emily.
“Firing!” The gunners yelled.
The gunners delivered a hail of rocks with amazing precision, hitting the ogre, over and over, in the head, body, and arms. It was an impressive onslaught and the ogre roared in pain. Trying to advance on them, he was tripped up by ropes crisscrossing the cave floor. The ogre king hit the floor hard as more rocks rained down on him. Not even stunned, he stood up, cursed at them. “You haven’t stopped me,” he bellowed, and lumbered from the main cave.
A group of goblins tried to climb up to the gnome gunners, only to run into Emily. She could easily defend the narrow path, as they couldn't surround her. With her height, strength, and staff, she kicked, pushed, and threw them off the ledge. Randolph grinned his approval. The battle was clearly going their way.
Just then, a loud shriek echoed through the cave. Goblins cowered in fear and even the gnomes stopped at the sound. From above, a woman in black lowered herself down on what looked like a thick strand of silk cord. Her skin was pale, and as white as the cord she held onto.
“The witch!” Randolph yelled. “Gunners!”
The witch heard him, and turned her attention on the gnome firing machines. Dark energy flew from her fingers, blasting both of the machines to pieces. Wood, rocks, and gnomes flew in every direction. Emily ducked for cover behind some large rocks.
More gnomes tried to rush the witch, but she pushed them back with a dark power emanating all around her, knocking them off their feet. From a shadow at the back of the cave, a small, hooded figure ran past the witch. Like lightning, the witch’s hand grasped the figure’s goblin cloak. The cloak slipped free, revealing Elizabeth. She kicked and tried to wiggle free, but the witch had her ensnared with more dark magic.
With great delight, the witch said, “Gnomes! Cease your attack! I claim this human girl as my prisoner!”
Emily wasn’t about to abandon her sister to an evil witch. She readied her biggest stone and sailed it toward the witch’s head. The stone flew straight and fast, but was deflected by the invisible barrier.
Furious, the witch launched a bolt of energy at the rocks, mere feet from Emily’s location, scattering rubble around her.
“Gnomes!” The witch repeated. “Have you no leader? I demand your surrender at once, unless you wish to see this one killed.”
Emily would have rushed forward, had not Randolph’s hand held her back. He touched his finger to his lips, urging her to remain quiet.
“I am here, witch!” Randolph said, while stepping out from the rocks. “Do not harm the girl. I surrender.”
“Tell me, what do you care for a meddlesome human child?” the witch asked, mockingly.
“This girl is under my protection.” Randolph said, walking closer. “We gnomes are not seekers of violence. We do not wish harm on any creature.”
“Why then, little one, have you and your gnomes attacked my workers?”
“We believe you are conducting evil magic here, dark one, and we have come to put an end to it!” Randolph answered with bold conviction.
“Evil magic?” the witch asked, innocently. “Surely you are joking? My workers have been baking pies as a gift to the king and his people.”
“The pies are poison!” Elizabeth screamed. The witch put a silence spell on her, but she continued to struggle.
The witch continued, “I have been troubled with how to deliver my treats to the king. Goblins aren’t known for their baking skills, and no one would want to eat pies delivered by them. So you will be the bearers of my kitchen’s abundance.”
“We would never,” Randolph started indignantly.
“You will,” the witch answered, pointing at Elizabeth while dark energy crackled at her fingertips. “And the king will never know, because you’ll all look so innocent, under my spell. Deliver the desserts to the humans, or I will make this girl a treat of my own!”
Randolph sighed in defeat. He knew the pies meant trouble, but he could not let the witch hurt the daughter of Duke Daring. The gnomes would have to comply. Under her spell, they had no choice. An opportunity to make things right would come; it had to. He only hoped that the witch would not discover Elizabeth’s identity before his return.
“Very well,” Randolph
answered, “we will do what you demand of us.”
Chapter 8
Emily paced the forest floor. “You can't be planning to help her?" she said.
“Don’t you see, I have no choice,” Randolph explained with a sigh. “She has your sister. What else can I do?”
Emily threw her hands up in frustration. How could this have happened? The witch had Elizabeth, and would have likely had herself, as well, had Randolph not convinced her to boldly walk out of the cave in her goblin cloak along with his men, who were now loading poison pies onto carts to be delivered to the castle guards, all under the goblins’ watchful eyes. But even now, hidden behind a cluster of trees, she had to keep her voice down to avoid detection.
If she went with the gnomes and tried to warn the guards, the witch might find out and harm Elizabeth. The thought of staying behind to try freeing Elizabeth also seemed dangerous and difficult. What chance would she have against the witch? Magic blocked any attempt to attack her.
Elizabeth was always good at coming up with a plan. Emily was better at the physical side of things. A group of goblins she could whack with her staff! But she couldn’t handle this with just her staff. She needed a way to send a warning to the city while finding a way to free Elizabeth. She knew she couldn’t be two places at once; she was going to need help, but who? The gnomes had already tried a direct assault with no luck. She needed something more cunning.
It was as if Randolph had read Emily’s thoughts. “You can't come with us," he said. “The goblins will be everywhere watching us. If you wait here, I will come back and demand your sister be freed."
Emily was growing impatient. “I can’t just wait here while you and the other gnomes go commit treason. I will find a way to free Elizabeth myself.”
“She’s being held by a dangerous witch.” He hesitated a moment, as if he wanted to give her advice. “Be careful, young Daring.”
The Daughters Daring (The Daughters Daring & The Enchanted Forest Book 1) Page 4