“I'm afraid that won't be necessary, my lord,” Randolph said, smiling up at the duke.
Before the gate finished rising, the King’s Royal Guardsmen began pouring out onto the battlefield. These were not the battle-weary villagers who had formed the duke’s militia, but trained knights and soldiers. Their armor and weapons were polished steel that gleamed in the sunlight. Some were on horseback and others on foot. On the wall above them, the same number in archers took position, and aimed their arrows at the ogres.
“Duke Daring!” The captain of the guard called out, as he rode up on a large quarter horse. “I thought I might find you here. My men will take over this fight, now, sir.”
“Thank you, captain," the duke said. “But how did you overcome the sleeping spell? Was it my wife?”
“This might sound strange, but we were awakened by faeries,” the Captain answered. “I’m afraid I have not seen the duchess.”
“It has been a strange day, captain.”
As the Duke turned to go, the captain lined up his men and ordered surrender from the defeated ogres. The day was won, and The Shining City was safe once more. There was only the matter of his wife and daughters. He knelt down in front of Randolph where he could speak face-to-face.
“Randolph, where are my daughters. Tell me everything!”
“Hmmm,” Randolph replied scratching his chin, "everything? I can tell you everything, but that is really a long story! I suppose I could start with the missing sweetberries, did you know that sweetberries make the most excellent pies? Wait of course you do, the only thing more legendary than Duke Daring's noble adventures is his love of sweetberry pie! But where was I? Oh yes, the missing sweetberries! We the forest gnomes had started on a noble quest of our own to track down the missing sweetberries when we ran right smack into the Daughters Daring and a whole slog of goblins. Can you believe that!”
“Tell me where they are!” the duke yelled in frustration.
Randolph was confused. Humans were definitely not the most logical beings! Didn't the duke realize that interrupting him would only make his story longer?
“And so,” Randolph continued, “once the goblins were routed we made proper introductions.”
“Father!” a familiar voice called out.
Over the years Duke Daring had fought many battles. He had faced ogres, giants, and slimy creatures that hide in dark caves. It was said that he was the most fearless man alive. But now, hearing his daughter’s voice, Duke Daring felt the hope of a father. For fathers always love their children, and value their safety more than anything else.
The duke turned to see the duchess, Emily, and Elizabeth standing before him. They were alive!
“Children!” the duke rushed forward and scooped them up in a great, fatherly hug. The duchess wrapped her arms around them, as well. Some of the townsfolk stopped to watch the family reunion, and even Randolph stopped talking, for a moment.
“Father,” Emily said, “we fought the witch; she turned into a spider!”
“And I rescued the faeries and put warnings in the pies!" Elizabeth added excitedly. “I couldn't have done it without Emily. She saved me from the witch, too.”
“We rescued each other,” Emily said, with a smile, then hugged her sister, again.”
“Then you are both heroes who have helped save the kingdom,” the duke said. “I am very relieved to see you safe.”
“Our girls were very brave today,” the duchess said.
“What became of the witch?” the duke asked, concerned there might be another attack on the city.
“Gone,” she said, then added, “for now.”
Epilogue
Several days later, after cleaning efforts were underway, King Lamont held a royal court. Iris and Azalea of the faeries were invited, but declined to attend. Faeries still did not feel comfortable in crowded public settings. Randolph and even Periwinkle were present, along with an entourage of Forest Gnomes. The King would have liked to have had the witch there for a public trial, but a company of soldiers sent into the caves had found no trace of her.
The hall was filled with nobles and relatives of the king. His Royal Guard was well represented, along with their captain, and the entire Knight’s Council. But of all the guests, there were none so welcome, and important that day, as the Darings. The duke, duchess, and, of course, their beautiful daughters. Tales of their heroic deeds had spread throughout the kingdom, and the king wanted to publicly award them for their uncommon bravery.
The duchess and her daughters wore the finest of dresses, sparkling radiantly in the light of the court. Even the duke and little Joseph—beaming with pride at his sisters—wore formal attire, for it wasn’t everyday one was honored by the king for bravery. The Darings had much to be proud of.
It was truly a day of celebration, with plenty of food and music. Musicians played on flutes and harps in the background, while servers brought out platters of fine meats and cheeses. Annie Whipperpeel was there as well, arranging an assortment of baked goods for more servers to feed the celebrating crowd. Elizabeth watched her intently, sure that something with Annie was amiss but unable to put her finger on it. She was just starting to feel hungry when the trumpets sounded the king’s arrival to call the court into session.
A captain stepped forth and called the duchess forward.
“Your Majesty,” she said, as she curtsied before the royal throne.
“Cousin!” the king greeted her, heartily. “I am told you are responsible for the faeries giving aid in our time of peril.”
“I merely asked them,” she said, modestly.
“Nonsense!” the king retorted. “Your diplomacy saved us all. Had the faeries not revived our soldiers when they did, I shudder to think what would have happened to The Shining City and all of Highcynder.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she answered. “You honor me.”
“But your actions, and the faeries’ absence today, points out that we must strengthen our relations with them. I wish for you to become my ambassador to the Faery Folk, in hopes that our people and theirs can establish a new friendship. Will you accept this task?”
“As you wish,” the Duchess answered. “I would be delighted.”
The audience cheered and clapped. The promise of a new friendship between humans and faeries was something to celebrate, indeed!
Then the captain called forth the gnomes. Randolph stepped forward, unsure of courtly ways. Periwinkle was nowhere to be seen.
“Um, hello, Your Majesty.” Randolph said, while fingering his tall gnome hat, nervously.
“Randolph of the Forest Gnomes,” the king said, in all seriousness, “are you the leader of your people?”
“Well”, Randolph started, “we don't actually have titles of authority, but I am the “unofficial” leader as it were. It all started one day when the Gnomish High Council got together and realized that we had no official leadership. Even the high council was just a gathering of any gnomes who chose to show up to meetings – usually the ones who weren't already engaged elsewhere.”
“AHEM.” The king interrupted.
“Yes?” Randolph asked, looking a little annoyed at the king.
“I have called you here,” the king continued, “to answer for the activities of the gnomes in recent days and decide on your fate. Was it or was it not you who delivered the poisoned pies, placing our kingdom in terrible danger?”
The room went silent as the audience was clearly stunned. Emily shook her head, ready to shout her defiance, but her father cautioned her with a stern look, then stepped forward, himself.
“Your Majesty,” he began, “the gnomes aided us in our moment of peril. This one personally helped me defeat the ogre king!”
“Duke Daring,” said the king, “your bravery is well noted, and I appreciate your words on behalf of the gnomes. This is why I have decided on banishing instead of imprisoning them.”
“But Your Majesty!” the duke exclaimed.
“I
'm sorry,” the king said, raising a finger to silence the Duke. “Is there anyone else here who would speak on behalf of these gnomes before I declare judgment?”
“We will.” Elizabeth said as she and Emily stepped forward. “The Daughters Daring will speak on behalf of the gnomes, Your Majesty.”
The king hid a smile and winked at the Duke. This had been his plan.
“Very well, Daughters Daring,” the king said. “I will listen to your arguments, but know this. If you do not convince me of their innocence, you will forfeit whatever rewards I have planned for you today. Do you still wish to stand for them?”
Everyone watched silently, waiting for the girls to reconsider. Why would anyone give up fame and fortune for some pesky gnomes? The girls stood their ground next to Randolph, and did not budge. The duchess stepped forward, as well, to be by their side with the duke.
“All right,” the King sighed. “What can you say in their defense? These gnomes poisoned my guards, putting the city in peril. One act of heroism cannot erase an act of treason.”
“But a series of heroic deeds can save the day,” Elizabeth said. “The gnomes were forced to deliver the pies by the witch. She held a terrible ransom over their heads, which they could not ignore.”
“And what, young Daring, would that ransom be? A mountain of socks?” The audience chuckled at the king's joke.
“She had my sister!” Emily Daring said sternly. The audience went quiet again.
“Your Majesty,” Elizabeth continued, “In our rescue of the faeries, I was captured by the witch. She threatened me and demanded that the gnomes deliver her pies. Randolph could not allow any harm to come to me, so he did as she demanded.”
The king paused and looked at Randolph.
“Is this true?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Randolph answered, the hat now still in his hands.
The king sat quietly for a moment, contemplating their report of events. If it were true, there would be no justice in banishment, and he believed himself a wise and just sovereign.
“Randolph, leader of the gnomes,” the king said, solemnly, “in light of your heroic deeds, as reported in this hall, and for so valuing the life of one of our own precious heroes, I declare you forgiven, and welcome you to share in a treaty of friendship with our kingdom!”
The audience cheered, relieved that the little gnomes would be spared. Still, there were some in the audience who were sure that the gnomes were responsible for their missing socks.
Finally, the Darings were called forward. The duke, duchess, Emily, and Elizabeth all stood before the king. Joseph held his mother’s hand, and played with the ornaments on her gown.
The king stood, which gave even greater import to his words. “I am pleased to honor Highcynder's bravest hero, and especially the Daughters Daring, our newest heroes, who faced great danger yet stood in loyalty to their kingdom. Without them, the battle against the invading ogres surely would have been lost.
You have shown not only great courage in the face of danger, but courage to stand up for what you believe to be right, even at the risk of annoying your king. You are all to be awarded with medals of bravery, your deeds shall be recorded in the royal library, and a tournament of knights shall be held in your family's honor!”
The assembly cheered again. They threw confetti in the air and shouted for Highcynder and The Shining City and, of course, for the Darings. The Daughters bowed and curtsied, and helped themselves to some of the fine treats that were served, while their father held the noblemen enthralled with only slightly embellished stories of his battle with the ogre king.
The kingdom was saved, and the mystery of the sweetberries was solved. But most importantly, Emily and Elizabeth learned a valuable lesson. They had learned not only to value each other, but also that the love of one family can make the difference against the greatest of odds, and standing together with family was what being a Daring was all about.
The End
Character Profiles
Emily Daring: The oldest daughter. Brave and athletic, but also compassionate towards others, especially animals. Emily would rather be outside participating in swords or horseback riding, if only her mother didn’t insist on her wearing those bothersome dresses!
Elizabeth Daring: Emily’s younger sister. Elizabeth is witty and sharp with a craving for knowledge. Sometimes stubborn, Elizabeth likes to be in charge and do things her way. Whether she admits it or not, she draws courage from her sister and her family, and when the going gets tough she stands up for what is right.
Joseph Daring: The youngest of the Daring family. Joseph is also an adventurous young lad who may someday have great tales of his own.
Duke Daring: Father and hero of the Daring family. The Duke was not born of royal blood, but instead was awarded his title for great deeds of heroism. Now a bit older, he hopes to use his notoriety and influence to help shape a new kingdom while also trying to keep his adventurous children out of harm’s way.
Duchess Daring: Mother to the Daring children and favored cousin of King Lamont. What Aryanna Daring lacks in physical brawn she makes up for with a potent knowledge of the magical arts. Like her husband, she believes strongly in a new direction for their country while hoping these efforts don’t distract her from the protection of her children.
King Lamont: A wise and just king, but also tired and lonely. Lamont wishes to move his kingdom towards a more representative form of government but has underestimated the dangers that lie ahead. He still grieves for the loss of his queen.
Annie Whipperpeel: Annie is everyone’s favorite baker of delightful goods. It is said that Duke Daring would storm a castle full of ogres for Annie’s sweetberry pie! But is Annie hiding a secret?
Randolph of the forest gnomes: The unofficial leader of the gnomes, Randolph is older and known for his wisdom among the gnomes. He and the other gnomes of the High Council have seen the danger facing their human neighbors in Highcynder and seek to help, even at risk to themselves.
Periwinkle: A garden gnome who is much smaller than his forest cousins. No one knows for sure how Periwinkle came to be in their company, but Randolph seems to have taken him in. That is, until Periwinkle decided that Emily’s backpack made a great home from which to tag along on her wonderful adventures.
Iris of the Faeries: A childhood friend of Aryanna Daring. Iris knows the dangers facing the faeries and wants only to keep them safe and away from the kingdoms of men. Iris feels hurt that Aryanna has been away for so long.
Azalea of the Faeries: A brave follower of Iris, Azalea meets the Daughters Daring when they rescue her from the evil witch. She wants only to return the favor.
Hairy Foot and Stink Eye: A pair of goblins now working for the witch. Goblins are small, like gnomes, but crafty in the ways of hunting and warfare. Many an adventurer has fallen prey to the goblin’s traps. The Darings likely haven’t seen the last of these two.
The Ogre King: A fierce and enormous creature. Ogres stand taller than men and he is bigger than his brethren. The Ogre King’s only desire is to lead his army against the kingdom of Highcynder and crush the humans once and for all.
Evelyn the Spider-witch: Evelyn despises King Lamont and believes him to be a weak ruler, and her past with Aryanna Daring remains a mystery. A master of dark magic, Evelyn seeks the downfall of Highcynder and the heroic Darings. She sees in Elizabeth Daring a kindred thirst for knowledge and power, but she will let nothing stand in her way. With an army of ogres and goblins at her disposal, she may yet prevail.
Acknowledgements
Let me start by thanking you, the reader, for stopping to glance at this page before jumping into the main adventure. As a reader I can’t tell you how many times I’ve skipped the acknowledgements to get right to the story. Now that I’m speaking as a writer I have a new perspective.
Books aren’t easy to publish. They’re downright difficult. It can take months to a year just to write your manuscript. Then you go to editing,
illustrating, cover design, distribution options, marketing, etc. The list goes on and on. The writer learns that it’s not a fun process if you try to go it alone.
Fortunately there are people out there who can help. People like Lynn Tosello, my editor. There’s Steve Ferchaud who did the wonderful illustrations so meticulously. There’s Alter Ego Costumes in Chico, CA, that provided the dresses worn by my cover models (my own courageous daughters). Then there’s Cindy Grundsten, a digital artist in Sweden who finished the cover design along with Cedar Creek Publishing in Paradise, CA who designed the title print. Thanks also to Marci Shadd of Click & Bloom photography for making me look good in pictures.
I owe a lot of thanks to the North State Writers, a chapter of the California Writers Club. It was through monthly meetings at this club that I met many of the people who helped me finish this book. It was also at these meetings that I found the inspiration to keep going when I was ready to trash bin the whole project. Special thanks to writers T. E. Watson and Ken Young for all of their encouragement.
Thanks also to all of my fans who supported my Gofundme campaign to raise funds for getting this book off the ground. I’m blessed to have so many generous friends and family. Thanks to all my battle buddies in my army reserve unit for believing in me. Drill Sergeants lead the way.
Most importantly I need to thank my family. There are my daughters, the inspiration of my title characters, Emily & Elizabeth Daring. These were characters we made up when my girls were little and still demanded bed time stories from their dad. They are both brave and adventurous and full of eagerness for life. I hope they, and their little brother, never lose that.
Finally my wife Angela, for helping me with book design and pushing me to write when I just wanted to camp on the couch. Angela is an Army wife who has had to put up with dirty combat boots and a Drill Sergeant in the house for eighteen years now. She knows the burden that is so unique to military spouses and I owe her so much for never giving up on me.
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