‘Not far off four thousand,’ said Landon.
‘That’s a good number.’
Karris looked across the fire. ‘Lord Alex, you are quiet.’
‘He’s plotting something,’ said Claire.
‘He won’t tell us what it is,’ said Michelle.
Alex smiled at them. ‘You just don’t trust me.’
Claire raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, what are you plotting?’
‘I won’t know until tomorrow.’
‘That’s such a cop-out.’
Nester leant back with a drink in hand. ‘You should always work a plan out before you disclose it.’
‘He already has,’ said Paige.
Adair narrowed his eyes at Alex. ‘There will be trouble if we wake up in the morning and you have gone to take on Alderon’s army on your own.’
Alex laughed. ‘No chance of that, Carrie knows when I wake up.’
Claire shook her head. ‘You can tell that?’
‘Yes, his breathing changes and it wakes me up,’ said Carrie, and leant her head on Alex’s shoulder.
‘That’s just too weird.’
‘My wife is always waking me up,’ said Earl Karlson. ‘It’s her snoring, I’m used to the noise she makes, but the tiles have started rattling now when she does it.’
‘Does Lord Alex always plot?’ Dart asked.
‘Yes,’ said Claire, ‘he invited us to a party at his house, and the next day we all gave up our homes and moved into his.’
‘That’s impressive,’ said Landon.
Alex picked up a drink. ‘It wasn’t my party it was theirs, and I wasn’t even invited I just lived there.’
Claire shook her head. ‘You had planned it for months without telling anyone.’
‘But it’s such a nice home.’
‘So bloody nice, we even offered to work for you.’
Dart smiled. ‘That makes me feel so much better about tomorrow.’
‘I can’t imagine you being worried about fighting,’ said Nester.
‘No, just King Fulton.’
‘Are you worried about losing your head, Kai?’
‘No I’m frightened of losing Evanthe.’
Thistle kissed his cheek. ‘That will never happen.’
Alex rubbed eyes. ‘Neither will happen, and you will both be fine.’
‘You sound very sure about that,’ said Dart.
‘I’m very sure, so stop worrying.’
‘And what about the battle ahead?’ said Karris. ‘Just how sure of victory are you?’
‘The outcome is in no doubt, I do worry about certain other things though,’ said Alex. ‘After the battle I will be going to the dragon world in a race to stop a blood devil from getting the egg of a golden dragon.’
‘Are you some sort of hero?’
‘No, I’m a father and a friend, and I will do anything to keep them safe.’
It is done, said House.
‘Thank you,’ said Alex. ‘It’s time for me to go to bed.’
‘What’s done?’ Claire asked.
Alex stood as did Carrie. ‘Goodnight.’
‘You’re not going to tell us are you, House?’ said Claire.
Sorry, but I did promise.
James also stood. ‘A promise is a promise.’
‘Do you know what it is?’
James shook his head. ‘I’ve no idea, but I can’t wait to find out.’
Landon looked up and shook his head. ‘Do any of you not worry about the battle tomorrow?’
‘Alex saw him and Carrie on the dragon world,’ said Paige, ‘and the rest of us were there but couldn’t go with them.’
‘How does that show the outcome of tomorrow’s battle?’
‘He will not leave here until we have won.’
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Well that was a Big Let Down
Carrie was already getting changed when Alex woke up. He looked at her for a moment and closed his eyes.
‘You can’t go back to sleep,’ said Carrie.
Alex hadn’t slept well. ‘But it’s so comfortable.’
‘You went hot again.’
Alex rubbed his forehead. ‘I know, and most uncomfortable too.’
‘What are you going to do about it?’
Alex rolled over. ‘Nothing, I’ve got too much to do at the moment.’
Carrie smacked his backside. ‘Then you better get up.’
‘If I did that to you this tent would wobble,’ said Alex, and Carrie jumped on him.
‘Are you OK in there, children?’ said Luella, from outside the tent.
‘Yes, Mother,’ they both said.
Alex dressed and left the tent, he saw his mother sit down.
Aileen sat eating her breakfast. ‘Problems?’
Luella looked up at Alex. ‘I think we might need a stronger potion.’
‘No, Mother, I can manage without one.’
‘It didn’t sound like it ten minutes ago.’
Alex took a bowl of porridge and sat down and whispered to them. ‘I love her too much to even think about that.’
‘Added to the fact she’s gay,’ said Aileen.
‘Yeah, but she seems to like me holding her.’
Aileen grinned. ‘I do love you, nephew.’
‘I love you too, Auntie,’ said Alex, as Stormhook came over to them.
‘What strange people you are.’
‘Strange, in what way?’
‘You call these beautiful women mother and auntie, yet they look no older than you. Your uncle looks like he should be your brother,’ said Stormhook, which got a smile out of the wizard.
‘My mother and aunties are all twenty-one, but my uncle is five million years old.’
‘What about Ayan?’ said Luella, before Adair could reply. ‘She’s sixty years old.’
‘I know, but I’ve never seen a healer in a relationship,’ said Stormhook. ‘I’ve always felt that was a shame.’
Aileen glanced up at him. ‘We’re never lonely, Captain, if that’s what bothers you.’
Stormhook nodded. ‘I know as there are creatures in the healer’s forest the great ladies are fond of.’
‘What creatures?’ said Daralis.
‘Little blue ones, and others I could never see,’ said Stormhook, as Alex put his bowl down, stood, and vanished without saying a word.
~~~~
Dart looked startled. ‘Where did he go?’
‘He knows what they are and had to see them,’ said Luella.
Daralis glanced up. ‘As do I, House.’
I will take you shortly, but Alex needed to go alone, said the spirit.
‘Do you have them on your world?’ Ayan asked.
Luella nodded. ‘Yes, and James will tell everyone all about them.’
Claire glanced over at him. ‘We best wait until we’re riding as he will make it last for hours.’
James raised an eyebrow. ‘It has to be told properly.’
~~~~
Alex appeared in a clearing in the forest. There were many bushes moving as if something had jumped into them. Animals with yellow eyes started to appear, and then he saw them, their tiny heads popping up out of the bushes.
Alex grinned. ‘I think you better bring the great ladies and the wolves, as they might be a little upset.’
I will, but I thought you should have a few minutes, said House. I have told them.
‘Why’s that?’ Alex asked.
They will come straight out to the great ladies, but will they come out to you on your own?
‘An interesting thought,’ said Alex, as he watched the animals move closer and the pixies jumped out of hiding. He soon had four on his shoulders inspecting him.
Hello,’ said a pixie gently pulling on his hair. ‘Who are you?’
‘Hey, I’m Alex,’ he said, bemused by it, and guessed they were trying to work out if he was friend or foe.
‘Do you want to hold my son?’ said another voice behind him.
Alex turned to see the ani
mals had become pucas, with one holding a baby up to him. He took the baby off her. ‘Thank you.’
‘Leave them be and get out of our forest,’ said an old woman, as she approached with a stick.
Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘You may have noticed they jumped on me, and may I say that’s a rubbish scare tactic.’
The woman raised both eyebrows. ‘Why do you insult a poor old lady?’
‘Old maybe, but a lot more beautiful than you look right now.’ Alex glanced at the pixies on his shoulders, and they all looked away innocently.
The woman shook her head. ‘This is not right, why are you covering him.’
The pixie who spoke rubbed Alex’s forehead. ‘He sparkles, I think it’s fairy dust.’
The old woman put her crutch up to Alex and light came from it. She moved it as if scanning him. ‘Is that really fairy dust?’ she said, and changed into a younger woman.
Alex shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea as I’ve washed many times since they did it to me.’
The pixie looked at his hand, disappointed he had none. ‘You can never wash it off. You’ve been honoured and if another sees you he will know you to be a friend. Not that I’ve ever met any, where did you see fairies?’
Alex saw his mother and other great ladies appear. ‘On the Elf World.’
‘Will we get to meet them?’
‘Soon as we’ve sorted the trouble out here, I’ve no doubt you will be meeting them.’
The pixie beamed. ‘I told you it was fairy dust, and he’s here to help.’
The woman nodded. ‘If these ladies are his friends, then I have to believe it.’
They stayed for twenty minutes, and Alex only had the baby puca for a minute after the others arrived.
~~~~
Duke Alderon was not happy, in fact he was angry. The blockage through the mountain had delayed him longer than he wanted. He knew it was no coincidence and the wizard was responsible. He should be on the throne in Calberon now with Princess Evanthe as his wife. The previous night he found out that the portal could no longer be used and would get no more clones. The wizard Bryn must be responsible for that too, but did he really have that much power?
‘Why couldn’t they find the damned wizard? Yet, he seems to be ahead of us and behind at the same time,’ Alderon snapped, he was a tall thin man with an air of cruelty about him. He wore a long black cloak over a black tunic and trousers.
‘They believed he was hiding at Wizards keep or in the Forest of Healers,’ said a soldier in the black uniform of the elite guard. He was a big man with a long scar down the side of his face from a knife fight he had with his former captain. Alderon had watched the fight with interest. He was only a baron at the time and hungry for power. The captain had accused his sergeant of cheating at cards. He had cheated but it was an excuse to challenge the captain in combat. The fight lasted just a few minutes with the sergeant allowing the captain to slice down his face as it gave him a chance to slip another knife from up his sleeve and drove it into the captain’s neck. Many of the others there demanded he should be executed for what he had done, but Alderon refused and made him captain. It was the start of his elite guard.
‘Well they were wrong, Brook, and I would have punished them if they were not so important right now.’
‘We won’t need them for much longer, my lord,’ said Brook, as a tall demon in a black hooded robe approached.
‘Rothgar, how long is it before we can march into Calberon?’ Alderon demanded.
The demon stood in front of them with its hands clasped together. ‘A couple of hours, I have removed all the big rocks your men could not.’
‘What was the point of this? It’s only delaying the inevitable. I will have the throne and the princess by the end of the day.’
‘They were hoping for help like they got from Blackwood and Lexworth.’
‘I allowed you that mistake, as it will save us time going after them later.’
‘That was your mistake,’ Rothgar hissed. ‘You did not inform me about the wizard’s power.’
Brook stood with his hand going to the hilt of his sword. ‘Watch how you address his lordship.’
Rothgar stared down at him. ‘And what will you do about it, little man?’
Alderon put his hand on Brooks shoulder to calm him down. ‘The dwarves didn’t need the wizard to stop your demon.’
‘No, and that surprised you too,’ said Rothgar. ‘That is why I sent more down south.’
‘Are you sure those armies are still contained?’ Brook asked.
‘The watchers would have returned if there had been any change.’
‘What of those that you sent to watch the ambushes, why have they not returned?’
‘They will wait until one side is defeated.’
Brook stared into the distance. ‘How fast can the wizard travel?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ said Alderon, ‘why do you ask?’
‘Well if it was him who destroyed the portal there would be no way he could go south to aid the others, unless he’s found a way to travel fast.’
‘He could have tried to use the portal,’ said Rothgar, ‘which would have killed him.’
Alderon grinned. ‘I like that theory.’
‘I don’t . . . the wizard is part of our bargain.’
‘I’m quite sure the others at wizards keep will have the information you want.’
‘I cannot get into the keep, it is protected.’
‘When we win this battle, we will pull its walls down.’
~~~~
The Army rode north to battle in high spirits. They believed victory would be theirs. It had nothing to do with the amount of soldiers, but the wizards they had with them. None of the soldiers feared a fair fight, but the demons didn’t fight fair. James told them about the pixies and pucas, and with a quick spell from Adair the whole army could hear it.
James turned to Stormhook. ‘Is there a way we can approach the castle without being seen by any enemy scouts from the north?’
Stormhook nodded. ‘Yes, that will be no problem if you let me guide you.’
Alex stared at the captain. ‘I thought you already were.’
Landon scratched his head. ‘Why would you want to be hidden?’
‘So Alderon thinks you’re still trapped,’ said James.
Henrik rode up to them. ‘He will be very confident of victory when he sees King Fulton has not received any help from the south.’
Landon glanced north. ‘Will we get there before the duke?’
By about two hours, said House, they have cleared the pass.
Alex smiled. ‘So, your delaying tactics worked out perfect.’
‘It would appear so,’ said James.
Maybe I should have made it harder for them to get through, said House.
‘No,’ said Alex, as the top of the castle came into view, ‘two hours is long enough to wait, as we have to be elsewhere.’
The castle was big enough to hide an army twice the size they had with them. It had battlements and look-out towers. It would look medieval if not for the vast amount of windows, many of which were being boarded up.
‘That’s one big castle,’ said Claire.
Landon smiled at her. ‘Yes, my lady, and it’s also Calberon City where thousands live.’
‘It sounds like a place to visit,’ said Claire.
James gave her a sideways glance. ‘I’m quite sure we’re about to do that.’
‘I meant in peaceful times.’
‘Are there any taverns?’ Joseph asked.
‘There are many,’ said Landon, ‘and we have passed a few villages which all have them.’
‘I have not seen any villages for a while.’
‘That’s because Stormhook has led the way.’
The captain nodded. ‘It was the quickest but also the most secluded route.’
The gates opened and soldiers rode out from the city, one of them was a dwarf.
‘King Grolt, it’s good to see yo
u,’ said Landon.
The dwarf nodded as his eyes searched the newcomers. ‘As it’s always good to see you, Your Majesty, and it puts joy in my heart that you have brought so many on this grievous day.’ Grolt stared past the king. ‘I am remiss as you have dwarves with you that I do not recognise.’
‘Then let me introduce you to King Verdan, King Laxan and King Korlan from the Dwarf World,’ said Landon, and turned to the others. ‘This is King Grolt.’
‘All three of you are kings from another world?’
Verdan rode forward. ‘Yes, there should have been four of us, but my great-grandfather’s brother Fercel and his dwarves did not go to our world.’
‘My great-grandfather was King Fercel,’ said Grolt, and greeted the other dwarves warmly.
Soldiers dismounted and started putting up tents. They were not expecting a long war, but they knew they would be stopping there the night.
Alex glanced up at the high walls of the city, as others came out of the large gates. ‘Will we be able to ride the army through the city?’
Stormhook nodded. ‘Yes, but it will be slower than going around as we couldn’t run through there.’
‘We won’t need to run through,’ said Alex, as he heard a disturbance to his left.
‘GOBLIN! A robed man shouted, and held up his staff.
‘No, Lord Bryn,’ said Bel, as she stood in his way.
The wizard stared at her. ‘Bel Blueflower, get away from there.’
‘No, he’s my friend,’ she said, as Ayan stood in front of her.
‘Ayan, move before you get hurt,’ a woman shouted.
‘No, Mother, Bel is the Oracle.’
‘What?’ said the woman, and ran over to them.
Alex sat on Bronte, as the stallion trotted over to them, and he stared at the bemused looking wizard. ‘Tell me, do you want to test your powers against a five-thousand year old goblin wizard with the power of the Elders, and there are three of them?’
‘You’re a stranger to this land and you brought goblins here,’ said the wizard, none too friendly.
Alex shrugged. ‘Yes, they’re our friends, and you’re just as grumpy as my uncle.’
‘That’s because Glenbryn was his best student,’ said Luella, as she walked over to them.
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 31