by B. C. Morin
"Excellent.” Kaleb marveled. “Fly back to the King. Tell him of what has transpired. My father will more than likely be on his way as well, with the information of what happened at Talom."
"And you my Lord?" Greer asked although he knew what the answer was going to be.
"I am going to look for her" Kaleb said, turning toward his horse.
"And I." Tristan added approaching the horses, his arm still around Evyette ensuring she could walk steadily.
"And I." Evyette echoed, Tristan looking at her in disbelief.
"But you might be in danger as well."
"Then it is good that I will be with you and Kaleb." She retorted stubbornly, standing firm.
Kaleb turned again to Greer.
"Tell the king that this was Maligo's doing. There was an attempt on my life as well. My father will inform you."
"Yes, my Lord" Greer glanced at Evyette. “My lady, your father…”
“My father.” Evyette interrupted. “Will understand that I have to help find her.”
“As you wish.” Greer said bowing slowly before turning and going on his way.
Kaleb turned to Tristan and Evyette who were already getting on Tristan’s horse.
"Are you sure you two want to come?"
Tristan looked at Kaleb "There was never a question my brother."
~ Chapter 10~
Where could he possibly be taking me? Alannah thought to herself.
She cursed him for flying high within the trees so that it would be difficult for her to see where they were headed. Saros’s grip on Alannah had tightened. Once he felt her moving about he knew he would have to contain her himself.
The more she tried to move, the more he would tighten his grip on her and leave her practically breathless.
Slowly he began to tighten more and more although she had stopped hesitating.
"What are you doing? I am not resisting you!" The princess yelled gasping for air but could not find it, and fainted.
Saros knew his master would not be pleased if Alannah knew where she was so that she could attempt an escape. He increased in speed, his large wings old but strong flapped faster. Quickly he passed the clearing in an attempt to not be seen.
He ducked in and out of ravines and caverns until he stopped just outside of what seemed like a castle in the very midst of them. The castle looked like it had been centuries since anyone had occupied it.
Until now.
The over sized wooden doors to the castle began to open, the creaking and rumbling echoed throughout the empty mountains. Saros dropped the princess to the hard stone floor. The floor was hot and began to burn her skin which woke her instantly. It was as if evil lived and breathed this entire place. Cautiously, she lifted her head fractions of an inch from the ground to get a better view of the castle.
The mortar on the walls were cracking, it looked completely unstable, but at the same time horribly solid. The larger towers in the distance beyond the castle walls caught her attention. If I can get up there she thought I can see where I need to go to get out of here.
A dark figure began to step through the doorway, drawing her attention away from the distant towers. The trolls guarding the doors bowing their heads at their new master.
Shakily, Alannah got to her feet, trembling slightly from head to toe. The long dark robe, the sorcerer’s hood, the long white beard …. I know him, she thought. “MALIGO!” she yelled recognizing his intense dark eyes. “You did this?”
Maligo simply smirked raising an eyebrow.
“My father will find you and kill you for what you have done.” She said to him solemnly.
Maligo towered over her, a leering smile twisting his dark face.
“You would have to consider yourself lucky if you ever see your father again. Even if it is while he watches me take your life.” He snarled, allowing a haughty smirk creep across his face.
Alannah stood speechless. She wanted to hit him, she wanted to say so much. But she didn’t have much energy and now was not the time.
She felt a grip on each of her arms and turned to find two more trolls had come up behind her.Allanah turned her face, trying to escape the putrid odor coming from their mouths. Having never seen a troll in person, she found that the physical aspects were not as unnerving as the look of disgust and hunger that loomed in their eyes. Her eyes traveled over their face, stiff deep wrinkles gave a permanent look of anger. Their pointy ridged ears sticking out two or three inches from the side of their heads, so different than hers.
Yellow, hollow eyes looked her over as one grasped her arm pressing his ridged skin to hers, his long nails digging their way into her skin. She felt the warmth of her blood dripping down her arm but did not acknowledge it. “Walk!” he demanded as he motioned and pushed her arm forward.
They walked her through the castle gate doors. Again she looked at the towers hoping they would put her there, but Maligo’s laughter behind her interrupted her thoughts.
“Do you really believe that I would be ignorant enough to put you in the tower? I know you better than you think I do.” He walked around the trolls and turned to face her once again, his robe brushing against the dusty floor. He leaned down inches from her face, until she could feel his hot breath on her skin.
“Oh yes Princess. I know all about you. How you sneak away from your home. Abhor the constant over protectiveness of your father, even your pathetic feelings for your prince. Or should I say, he who would have been your prince.”
Alannah’s eyes widened.
“Oh, I suppose you wouldn’t know now would you? Being that it probably happened while on your journey here. By the time the moon aligns with the top of the sky this night, your prince will be dead.” He turned to walk and didn’t look at her again as he continued. “That is, if he is not dead already.”
“What have you done!?” Alannah screamed, trying for the first time to free her arms from the troll’s vice-like grip throwing herself forward and yanking at her arms. She threw herself forward, yanking at her arms, but their grip simply got tighter and their nails dug deeper into her skin, calling on more blood.
“I wouldn’t concern myself with that now my dear.” He smiled to himself, proud of how well his plan was coming to fruition.
Alannah caught the smile as he glanced ever slightly over his shoulder. She was disgusted at his pleasantness with killing others. She was hurt at the thought of losing Kaleb, but most of all she was concerned for her Kingdom. What plans could he have? What else could he have already done? Alannah thought desperately to herself, frightened by the possibilities.
Maligo continued to the main building of the castle, with the trolls and prisoner in tow.
Another subservient troll opened the doors to the main building and closed it behind them.
He led them through a large sitting room full of chairs and small tables. Alannah’s stomach lurched at the smell of rot and decay. Quickly, she was pulled along through a large set of rusted doors to the right and down two or three sets of rickety flights of stairs, descending no doubt, to the dungeons below.
They reached the bottom and proceeded down another corridor stopping at an area that had a number of cells on each side.
“Welcome to your new home ….. Princess” Maligo said, giving a mock bow as the trolls shoved her into her cell. “I’d go through the effort of enchanting the lock, but you don’t even have your powers yet do you? … Such a waste.” He tsk’d and shook his head, as he put the lock on the door and the key in his pocket.
“What do you want with me?” She shouted, throwing herself at the bars.
“Right now, nothing.” His arrogance and aloofness infuriating her more. “But soon you will be invaluable to me. However, there is no point in telling you more now, it might ruin the surprise.” He turned to walk away but glanced at her once more … “I will be seeing you again soon.”
Very content with himself he threw his shoulders back and walked a little taller. She listened intently a
s his footsteps echoed up the stairs and through the sitting room overhead. Maligo pushed open the door and walked in to the dark room. He uttered some words under his breath and waved his arms for a moment, causing all the candles in the room to spark ablaze.
The room was laden with old maps, tables and planning tools, and in the corner, his apprentice. “You have arrived.” Maligo said, unfazed by the sudden appearance of the fae.
“Yes my Lord, I apologize for the delay, but I wanted to take extra precautions to ensure that I was not being followed.”
“Well done. Our guest is put away safely in her dungeon, and I will be leaving tomorrow.” Maligo walked over to the table and began rolling up two of the maps and tucking them into the large satchel at his waist.
“You are leaving Sir?” The apprentice asked, standing abruptly to his feet and walking over to stand by Maligo.
“Yes. It is time to begin the second phase of my plan.”
“Second phase?” The apprentice questioned.
“Yes, I will not underestimate the Kings and Queens of the surrounding Kingdoms and their armies.” Maligo said turning to the map and with his decrepit looking fingers pointed to a barren land deeper into the mountains. “I must retrieve my army.”
~ Chapter 11~
Stopping by the armory in the forest of Meira seemed to have taken ages although it was only a few moments in which Kaleb and Tristan worked together to arm Evyette.
“Evyette!” The deep familiar voice was full of concern as it called to them from the shadows.
“Father!” Evyette ran to her adoptive father and put her arms around him. “Father, there was nothing we could do. It was an ambush and she was taken.” She stopped, noticing that the king was looking at the armor and weapons they gathered.
“We are going to find her, Father.” She put her head down.
“Absolutely not. I will let you do that.” He spoke decisively, his voice cracking slightly with fear and concern.
“Papa, you know I cannot wait here for news about her. You stay here with mother and keep her calm. We will go ahead. Surely this is the work of Maligo and he will of course be expecting you and your army. But there is no way he will be expecting us.” She looked at her father for a long moment, awaiting his approval.
“Your points are valid, but I am not inclined to risk losing another daughter.” King Cavalon said, looking solemnly at his daughter.
“Sire,” Kaleb interrupted, “Tristan and I will be going in search of Alannah. Should you allow Evyette to join us, we can keep you abreast of our journey and results as we are well acquainted with the communication spells used with mirrors. We will find and rescue your daughter, sire.”
“Of that, I have no doubt.” He said with a slight smile, resting his hand lightly on Kaleb’s shoulder reassuringly. Before walking over to Evyette. “Evyette, I need you here. Among your mother and I, among the guards.”
“Papa, I will have two guards of my own,” her arms raised in the direction of Tristan and Kaleb. “I love you Papa,” she walked closer to her father, looking deep into his already tired eyes. “I need your blessing. I cannot wait here and do nothing.” Her voice had filled with determination and resolve.
“It is with a heavy heart that I allow this Evyette.” closing his eyes momentarily, then watching her smile at him as she walked to her horse, mounted and waited for him to come closer.
She reached out and touched her father’s face as he approached her, his beard, soft against her hand. “I will be careful father.”
He took her hand in his, as she gave him a reassuring squeeze. King Cavalon turned his gaze to Tristan, and before the King could utter a word Tristan began,
“Your majesty, on my word, I will allow no harm to come to your daughter.”
Evyette turned her face to Tristan in astonishment, but he did not take his eyes off of her father. If he was intimidated, he showed no signs. His chin was lifted and his shoulders squared he faced the king with fortitude.
King Cavalon glanced at his daughter quickly then returned his gaze to Tristan. “I will hold you to that Tristan of Talom.” With that, the King took a few steps back and nodded his approval for their departure.
* * *
“How are you going to know where to go?” Tristan asked in a worried tone.
“We will ask” Kaleb said confidently. “This forest is full of creatures. Someone had to see something.”
“Kaleb ! I know where we need to go first.!” Evyette shouted, motioning to Tristan to follow her.
“Where are we going?” Kaleb yelled snapping the reigns on his horse so that it would catch up to Evyette.
“To see Tritious! He must know something!” Evyette shouted over her shoulder.
Eagerly trying to get off the horse even before it stopped, Evyette began to slide off and even lost her footing while dismounting. Tristan held out his hand and grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. She stood quickly and ran to the mouth of the cave.
“Tritious…” she called into the cave. She paused for a moment, listening to her echoing voice.
“Evyette!” He responded almost immediately. “Thank the God that you are alive!”
Evyette ran and hugged him before he even got out of the cave. Deep humming sounds resounded from his throat . Kaleb and Tristan stood back and watched him smile.
“Tritious, they took Alannah.” Evyette said, stepping back to be able to look the dragon in his extraordinary eyes.
“I know, I was just told. I feel it was Saros.” Tritious said baring his teeth.
“How did you find out so quickly?” Evyette questioned, arching her eyebrow in curiosity.
“There are many animals in this forest, and news travels quickly among them.” Tritious verified.
“Tritious, do you know where they went ?”
“No Evyette. I do not know exactly where they went, but I know that they traveled south. Toward the mountains. You must be careful though, there are many obstacles in the way.”
His gaze and words landed on Kaleb. “Keep your wits about you son. Lead with your mind in this forest and always be weary.”
“Yes Sir.” Kaleb responded, bowing his head.
“Go now. You must use whatever daylight you have left to begin your journey.”
“We will have to double back through Meira.” Tristan said turning his horse in the direction from which they came. The journey seemed to take longer as anticipation and determination set in. Soon, the night began to fall and the darkness edged over them slowly.
“We should rest.” Kaleb said as he began looking around for shelter, and then heading to a large tree with branches low and full enough to serve as a roof. Evyette and Tristan followed Kaleb over , dismounted and began preparing the area for sleep and to make a fire.
The trio settled in reluctantly, knowing though that if they did not rest today, they would be useless tomorrow.
The King and Queen of Talom arrived at Meira surrounded by their guards, all of which were on the highest alert. Trained in hand to hand combat, spell and incantation combat, and stealth, there were guards around them that were not even seen.
“Welcome Alcander.” King Cavalon’s voice was strong, but being a father as well, King Alcander sensed the anger, hurt and frustration in Cavalon’s voice.
“Cavalon, I am here as your friend, whatever you need from me, I will gladly give. My son has already left to try and find her and I have no doubt that he will.” Alcander said, patting Cavalon on the shoulder.
“Alcander, I have much faith in your son and I trust that he is on the right path. However I can’t help but think that this is not a kidnap for ransom and I have sent out spies to find out more.” Cavalon said looking seriously at the other King.
King Alcander raised an eyebrow in question.
“Alcander, as I was about to mobilize my army to charge to the possible location where we think she may have been taken to, I began to wonder.” Cavalon raised his hand to his face grabbing his
chestnut beard, smoothing it down. “If he wanted to kill her then he could have very well done so in place of taking her. I would venture to say that if he wants something from me. Or from Alannah although I cannot imagine what he could want from my daughter. No. Maligo is planning something. I fear that sending in my armies will endanger my daughter.”
“I fear you may be right my friend.”
Listening somewhat vaguely to what their husbands were talking about, the Queens sat on some nearby chairs, silent tears were rolling down Nalani’s face. She felt the fear and frustration her daughter was experiencing.
“Nalani, let me make you some tea. Perhaps if you can become more calm Alannah will feel that as well.” Etana said kindly putting her arm around Nalani.
“Thank you Etana, I would appreciate that greatly.” Nalani said softly, wiping her face.
Etana helped Nalani up from the seat and they began to walk toward the kitchen, years of not seeing each other mattered not at this time.
Suddenly, the front doors of the palace burst open and a tall, heavily armed guard came rushing through, stopping only long enough to bow at the two Kings.
“What have you found, Silas?” King Cavalon turned with hope in his heart.
“I am sorry sir. We searched every inch of the cave and the waterfall and there was no indication that anyone has been there for days.” Silas answered nervously, clearly not wanting to have been the one to deliver that news.