“Yes, here we are. I’d like you to meet my sister Alice and my brother William. These are my friends Princess and Kedrigern. Wizards, both of them. They’ve been absolutely wonderful,” said Louise, beaming, as they exchanged greetings and embraces with one another.
“Am I correct in assuming that the lady on the floor is cousin Wanda?” Kedrigern asked, pointing to the motionless figure.
“Poor Wanda. She never could take roughhousing. I imagine she’ll be out for days,” Alice said.
“And she’ll have a bad bruise on her ribs, too,” Louise observed, holding her own side. “Rokkmund had a powerful swing.”
“Where is he? He was right at the center of . . William began, and then they noticed the toad sitting stupefied near Wanda.
It was a large toad, almost the size of a cat, and of a green so dark that it was nearly black. It took one unsteady bound toward them, landing clumsily and nearly falling. It turned its gaze full on the group and loudly croaked, “Grugump!”
“How wonderfully appropriate!” Alice said, clapping her hands. “Oh, thank you, Princess!”
“Nicely done, my lady. It shows excellent judgment,” said William, taking her hand and raising it to his lips.
Princess acknowledged the compliments with a secretive smile. Louise squeezed her hand in appreciation. Kedrigern caught her eye and winked, and she quickly averted her gaze.
“Where is Shanzie?” Louise suddenly demanded. “We’ll need someone to prepare meals and fix up our chambers and get this place into shape. There’s lots to be done. Whatever became of the lad?”
“I’m sure he ran off when he saw Rokkmund and his men coming,” Princess said. Turning to Kedrigern, she asked, “Did you happen to pass a little boy, very colorfully dressed?”
“No, but there’s no need to worry. You’ll have no trouble finding all the help you’ll require. Rokkmund’s men will be looking for employment, and I’m sure they’ll behave themselves after seeing what happened to their master.”
The toad seemed to understand. With one last defiant grugump, he turned and hopped it for the stairs.
“We’re well rid of him. He was beastly to us,” said Alice with a shudder.
William nodded grimly. “He certainly was. He threatened to pound me into foil if I didn’t go along with him.”
“William, you never mentioned that!”
He laid a comforting hand on Alice’s. “I didn’t want to upset you. I was afraid even to think of what he might threaten to do to you.”
“The swine! The absolute swine!” Alice hissed.
“Absolute toad, actually,” Kedrigern corrected her. “And I think Rokkmund is literally just that. Considering the amount of concentrated magic that went off here, he’s certain to be a toad forever, absolute and unchanging.”
Pleased smiles were exchanged all around at this professional opinion, with which Princess concurred. “Reassuring news indeed,” said William. “And now, if you will excuse me, I will see about offering a place in our service to such of Rokkmund’s men as I find suitable.”
“Look for one who can cook. We all need a good dinner,” said Louise.
They enjoyed good dinners that night and the next. Princess and Kedrigern took their leave on the third day. They were well attended during their stay. Rokkmund’s
Kedrigern in Wanderland Page 20