by Jeff Norton
Hadn’t any of them heard a word he’d said? Henry looked over at the Rex and held his hands out, palms up, to show he had no weapons. Keeping his eyes trained on the dinosaur, he motioned to the others.
“Put your weapons down,” he whispered.
They each looked at Lord Harding for permission. He hesitated, then gave a small nod. Reluctantly, they each crouched to slowly place their weapons on the ground.
The T-Rex snorted, nostrils flaring. If he was going to attack, it would be now. But he didn’t make a move. Henry slowly gestured for Rex to sit and the giant creature lowered its flanks. He understood him!
Henry looked into the dinosaur’s yellow eyes, forcing himself not to blink. He felt his heart beat slow down.
“That’s right, Rex,” said Henry, never breaking eye contact. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
“Incredible,” said Harding.
“I told you,” came Lady Anwyn’s voice from the carriage. “He has a gift.”
Henry called back to the group. “You see, he means you no harm.”
“Those teeth are telling me different,” said Ellie.
The T-Rex lowered his head to Henry’s level and let out a strange, low sound – almost like a purr. Henry reached out to stroke the animal’s scales, just above his jaw. His hide felt rough and weathered beneath his hand.
“My word,” muttered Lord Harding. “But…but I thought tyrannosaurs were untameable.”
“So did I,” admitted Henry. “But this one, well, he seems to…respect me.”
Gally snorted with derision. “A stable boy?”
Henry felt his cheeks flush with anger. What was wrong with being a stable boy? As if sensing Henry’s anger, the T-Rex raised his head and growled at Gally.
“Careful, Gally,” said Ellie. “This stable boy has made a powerful new friend.”
“More than one,” said Lord Harding, walking to Henry’s side. Lady Anwyn climbed out of the carriage to join them.
“You saved us, Henry,” she said. “Do you know what this means?” She glanced over at the four others, who’d watched helplessly as Henry had mastered a T-Rex, all on his own. “You must join the Dino Knights.”
Henry looked from face to outraged face. He could not believe his ears. He felt a swell of pride and began to open his mouth to thank her ladyship, when—
“No doubt,” Gally said, “the beast smelled the funk of its own kind on this boy. Stable stench does stay with one.”
I’ll show them, thought Henry. He motioned to the T-Rex to kneel down and then clambered up his tail and onto his back. The carnivore rose on his hind legs and Henry looked down at the others from a great height.
“It would be an honour to serve you,” said Henry. He’d join the Dino Knights, whether they liked it or not.
Lord Harding stared, open-mouthed. No one had ever ridden a T-Rex before. He caught the satisfied look on the face of Lady Anwyn.
“Oh, very well,” Harding said. “I will allow him to train.”
The other knights shared glances, their cheeks reddening, but they knew better than to defy Lord Harding.
Henry smiled. “So, I’m going to be a Dino Knight?”
“If you have what it takes,” said Torin. “But right now, we have a mission to finish – to escort the lord and lady to the peace talks.”
Henry looked over at Bounce.
“Run on home, boy.” Henry said. He knew Bounce liked to feel useful, so Henry gave him a job. “I need you to look after the rest of the herd now that I’m gone.”
Responsibility! That did the trick. Bounce lumbered happily back through the woods as the knights gathered their weapons and climbed back onto their dinos. Henry reached to tug on the T-Rex’s right side, and the creature turned towards the Dino Knights. He was learning quickly! Then, together they escorted the carriage along the highway, trotting south towards the Swamp States.
Riding on the T-Rex, Henry felt powerful and nervous at the same time.
Torin moved to ride alongside him. “Well played, lad,” he said. “You may be riding a carnivore, but don’t forget, I’m still leader of this pack.”
“Of course,” Henry said. He wasn’t here to pick a fight – he just wanted to help.
He gently rubbed the T-Rex’s back, causing him to slow down, and Henry took up the rear behind the carriage. Henry squared his shoulders as he glanced around at the hills and valleys of the kingdom stretching away to the horizon. He liked the view from up high. For the first time in his life, riding alongside the Dino Knights, he felt part of something. Something big. Something thrilling. Something dangerous…
CHAPTER THREE
HENRY GAZED AROUND a giant clearing in the forest. His limbs were tired but his face was flushed with excitement – riding a giant T-Rex was the best adventure he’d ever had. The two of them had quickly learnt how to move together and understand each other’s signals.
After travelling south for hours, the group had finally arrived at the agreed meeting place between Brecklan and the Swamp States. It was a clearing in the forest, a long rectangle where trees had been felled. Henry would never have found this place on his own.
“Why are we meeting in the middle of the forest?” he asked, gazing around. “There’s nothing here.”
“Exactly,” Lord Harding said from his carriage. “Neutral ground. Or, at least, that’s the theory.”
At the far end of the clearing, Henry spotted a pair of huge, wooden seats facing each other. Etched into the wood were creatures of the forest. The seats looked almost like thrones. They were guarded by a warrior woman wearing a necklace of razor-sharp raptor teeth. Her armour looked as though it was made out of tough dino skins. Over one shoulder, she rested a club fashioned from a dinosaur’s leg bone.
Henry shuddered. She looks terrifying!
Lord Harding climbed out of his carriage and leant on his cane as he walked over.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Krilla, Chief Guard of the Swamp States,” she said. “You’re late.”
“So is Neville Avingdon,” said Harding, looking around.
* * *
The Dino Knights steered their dinos to surround the meeting place, protecting their master. Henry and Rex held back. Henry peered off between the trees, unable to shake the feeling that they weren’t entirely alone.
“He will be along shortly,” Krilla said. “Sit.”
To Henry, it sounded more like an order than an offer, but Harding took a seat on one of the huge wooden thrones.
From above, Henry heard a whoosh. He looked up to see a large bird circling. As it flapped its wings and let out a screech, Henry quickly realised it wasn’t a bird at all.
“A Pterosaur,” he gasped.
“I’ve never seen one so close,” he heard Iyla say.
Pterosaurs were wild, migratory beasts that lived to the far east of Brecklan.
The creature glided lower, its massive wings casting a shadow over them. She had a long beak and skin that looked mottled and grey. As she descended along the length of the clearing, Henry saw the silhouette of a man riding it, his legs astride the Pterosaur’s neck.
The animal swooped down, down, down… She looked as though she was going to crash into them, but at the last moment she swerved off to land beside the thrones. The Pterosaur dug her claws into the ground, bracing her legs, so that the rider nearly tipped over her head onto the ground.
“Neville Avingdon really does like to make an entrance,” said Torin.
Neville’s face was hidden behind a pair of dark goggles, and a red scarf wrapped jauntily around his throat. He wore a fitted brown jacket made out of soft dino hide. As he climbed off the beast, he slapped her on the beak. “You call that a landing, Zia?”
The animal let out a meek whimper.
“Ah, you made it,” Neville said, removing his goggles and pulling down his scarf to reveal a thin moustache and a broad smile. His eyes ranged over the group before pausing on Henry’s T-Rex. �
�My goodness, you Brecks must have cultivated some powerful new berries to tame one of those.”
He strode over to the empty throne and sat down opposite Harding. “Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
“It read more like an ultimatum,” replied Harding. “What do you want, Neville?”
Neville’s fingertips drummed on the arm of his chair. “I’ll get straight to the point. The other provinces are demanding your seeds. They want to grow their own Brecklan Berries.”
“Never!” Lady Anwyn called out from the carriage.
Neville didn’t flinch. “If you don’t hand them over,” he warned, “we’ll take them for ourselves.”
“Our berries don’t grow outside of Brecklan soil,” said Harding, looking his opponent in the eye. “Everyone knows that.”
“Then you should hope,” Neville replied with a cruel smile, “that the other realms don’t invade your land.”
Henry felt a shiver of fear race through him. Invade his province? The only home he’d ever known? He couldn’t let that happen!
“They’d have to go through us,” said Iyla, shifting in her saddle.
“The Dino Knights,” scoffed Krilla. “So patriotic. It’s adorable.”
Harding stood up to leave. “I’ve had enough of this.”
“Wait,” said Neville. “I agree. Invasions are so…unpleasant. First, why don’t we try to decide this with a tournament? Krilla’s best athletes to compete against your Dino Knights. You can even host in Brecklan if you wish.”
“We’d crush them, my lord,” said Ellie.
“Challenge accepted,” said Lord Harding. “Come to us in two days’ time.”
“Forty-eight hours to prepare?” Neville rubbed his hands together. “I do like a challenge.”
But as Harding climbed back into the carriage, he whispered to the knights. “He’s up to something. I don’t trust him to play fair.” He raised his voice, calling over the clearing. “We ride…”
“For Brecklan!” the knights cried.
“For Brecklan!” Henry joined in, pressing his feet against the T-Rex’s sides.
Together, they charged back into the woods to take the dirt highway north to their home. Henry dared a final glance back over his shoulder. The silhouette of Neville’s Pterosaur hovered in the air above them, casting a black shadow. Neville and Krilla stood alone in the clearing, their heads close together as they talked. So why did Henry still feel as though they were being watched?
CHAPTER FOUR
HENRY ROLLED OVER, half asleep. Usually the mattress rustled with straw beneath his body as he moved. His body stilled. No rustle. Something was different.
He patted the sheet, feeling his fingers sink into the soft, squidgy surface. Soft? Squidgy? He felt beneath his head. A pillow. A plump, feather pillow. He was definitely wide awake now! He elbowed himself up and gazed around the room. There were long velvet curtains and a chandelier. His clothes were folded up neatly on a gilt chair.
Then he remembered. I didn’t sleep in the stable last night. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. Well, Dino Knights didn’t sleep in stables and… It all came flooding back!
‘I’m going to be a Dino Knight!’ He sprang out of bed and quickly got dressed in the new clothes laid out for him: dark riding trousers and a knitted shirt to wear under armour. Henry felt a wave of pride as he pulled the shirt on. It was embroidered with the crest of Brecklan, a coat of arms held aloft by two raptors.
He walked down the stairwell, passing the steward, who threw him an evil look. Henry had heard Arthur was taking over stable duties. He emerged into the courtyard. It was a cool morning, shrouded in mist.
“I’m going to be a Dino Knight,” he said again. Then, louder: “Me, a Dino Knight!”
A laugh came from behind him. It was Gally. “It takes a lot more to be a knight than taming a T-Rex and impressing the boss.” Then Henry strode out of the courtyard and onto the training field.
Rex bounded up to Henry from a different stable, one large enough for a T-Rex, and gave Henry a sticky lick that smelled of sausages. Henry followed Gally to the training field where Lord Harding was waiting for them.
Harding addressed the Dino Knights: “Let’s get on with the training, shall we?” On the journey back, he’d decided that the temptation to lure Neville’s knights back to their province and defeat them was too much to resist. Neville might not be trustworthy, but they’d be on safe ground in Brecklan. Wouldn’t they?
Each knight took the reins of their dinosaur. Gally mounted his perfectly preened Ornithomimus. The dashing Torin climbed onto his Nothronychus. Ellie leaped onto her Styracosaurus.
“CONKER! COME BACK!” Iyla yelled as her dino meandered towards the manor house. She ran after her Ankylo and led him back, pausing beside Henry. “We weren’t properly introduced yesterday. I’m Iyla!”
She held out her hand and Henry hesitantly took it. Dirt was rimed beneath her fingernails and stained her fingers. She shook his hand, pumping up and down hard, but when she released it, Henry had to fight the urge to wipe his hand down his trousers. “Sorry about that!” she added, noticing how much grease had transferred from her hand to his. “I was just tinkering with a weapon I’ve been designing.”
Henry liked this girl and her friendly manner. “I know who you are,” he said, smiling. He looked around. “I know who all of you are.” Everyone in Brecklan knew about the Dino Knights, but Henry had never expected to be one of them.
“But what about you, stable boy?” asked Ellie, as they led their dinosaurs across the field. “What’s your story?”
“I’m, um…” Henry began to stutter. “I’m just Henry.”
“But where did you come from?” said Iyla.
It was a question Henry wished he could answer. His earliest memories were of living in the loft of the stables, helping other stable hands clean out the muck until he was old enough to do it himself. Lord Harding and Lady Anwyn had provided for him, but they weren’t his parents. He never knew his real parents and tried not to think about them because it only made him feel alone.
Lord Harding spoke up. “Henry has been here since we found him, and now he is to train with you lot. That’s all that matters.” Henry threw him a grateful look.
“Welcome to training, kid,” said Torin.
“Just don’t mess up,” said Ellie.
“Or make us look bad,” added Gally.
“WHEN YOU’RE QUITE READY!” bellowed Lord Harding, leaning on his cane. Iyla and Henry quickly mounted their dinos. “In two days from now, Avingdon and his knights come to face us in a tournament. They’ll be determined to defeat us. You all know the price we’ll pay if they do.” He gazed around at the Dino Knights.
“What price?” Henry wondered.
Iyla leaned over to whisper. “Harding would lose control over Brecklan; he’d be forced to cede it to Avingdon.”
“But that’s crazy,” scoffed Henry.
“That is the Panterran way.” Lord Harding began to hobble up and down. “The stakes are high, so we must be ready for anything. I need you to work as a team. We have two days to train. Your challenge today is to devise a system to capture the flag.”
Harding pointed to the far side of the training ground where a large, wooden tower topped with a red flag hid in the mist. The flag hung limp in the still air, about four storeys above the ground. Henry noticed that there was no door or steps on the structure.
“Easy!” said Iyla. A grin spread over her face. She pulled out a notebook and began to scribble in it, muttering to herself. “Just need to calculate the trajectory…multiply the weight by the force…”
She clambered off her dino, Conker, and ran over to a pile of building materials that lay beside the tower. She pulled a long plank from the pile. She was strong for someone so slight and Henry made a silent vow never to pick a fight with her.
“Conker,” she said to her Ankylosaur, “a tree, please.”
The squat dino lumbered into the woods
and swung his club of a tail. A giant evergreen tree cracked…and groaned…and creaked…and began to fall. Right over Henry! He scrambled out of the way.
Crash!
The tree trunk exploded into the ground in a shower of splinters.
“You could have warned me!” Henry cried.
Iyla shrugged. “Part of being a Dino Knight is to expect the unexpected.”
Conker pushed the fallen tree until it ran alongside the tower. Then Iyla carefully balanced the plank over the giant log. She stood on one end, weighing it to the ground, and waited. The opposite side stuck up like a seesaw.
“Conker, would you do the honours?” she said.
“Iyla, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” said Torin.
“It’s fine! I’ve done the maths!” She donned her helmet and waited for her dino. “I’ll have that flag in less than ten seconds.”
Conker trundled over and swung his tail into the air, then smashed it down on the plank.
The force of the blow sent the other end of the plank leaping into the air and Iyla catapulted into the sky. She flew up towards the flag with a whoosh! until her body smashed into the wooden structure and began to fall. Was she about to splat into the ground?
CHAPTER FIVE
“REX!” CRIED HENRY. “We need to save her!”
The carnivore sprang into action. He leapt towards the tower and reached out his long neck to neatly catch Iyla neatly in his mouth. Then he lowered his head to the ground and swung open his huge jaw so that Iyla rolled off his tongue, covered in sticky saliva but very much alive.
She rose to her feet and tried to shake off the spit. “Thanks, I think.”
“Bad luck,” Lord Harding said as she walked back to the rest of the Dino Knights.
“My turn,” said Gally. “The aim is to be the one holding the flag, yes?”
Lord Harding raised an eyebrow. “If that’s how you interpret the challenge.”