“Let’s have a little fun. I am in a randy mood.”
“My Queen,” Anderley said aghast, “Not here. You know I cannot do that here.”
“What are you afraid of, SIR?” she sarcastically jabbed.
“It is not about being scared, my Queen, it is simply a matter of not being stupid,” he responded.
“Oh, so now I’m stupid, am I? I believe I know what I can and cannot do in my own castle, thank you.”
The Queen was really irritated now.
Fine, if he will not do it I know where to find men who are not craven.
After she revealed her desire to Anderley, he looked like he was going to cry. He agreed to her plan as always, but this time he put up more of a fight to try to talk the Queen out of it. Her handmaidens had the Queen nearly dressed while Anderley waited outside the room again. She wore a small black dress that didn’t cover very much of her short figure, along with a matching dark veil. She threw on a long black coat that touched the ground and totally hid her scanty clothing. She opened the door to see Anderley, still angry, but she didn’t care.
I gave you the option and you forced my hand, so don’t pout about it.
It was almost a full moon and it seemed like half of Falconhurst had set out to enjoy the city night-life. After a fifteen-minute horseback ride, they arrived at a building on the outskirts of town. Neither had spoken a word to the other since the Queen had told Anderley about her plan. King Ali-Stanley had not satisfied the Queen in over ten years, ever since she gave birth to the castaway son.
Anderley and the Queen had sex quite a few times so she thought he was only jealous. They approached the building and entered to talk to the owner. The man sat behind a desk, counting gold. He shot a quick look at them as they came in.
After Anderley had briefed the owner about the Queen’s plan, he said, “I would like to help you but we do not use little girls here. So sorry, Sir.”
“This is no little girl. I can assure you of that. Do you recognize this?” Anderley pointed to his King’s Guard pin. As the two argued, the salacious Queen opened the coat to expose herself in the tiny dress. Despite her height, the owner recognized a womanly body and reluctantly agreed to the deal. The totally bald, obese man led the Queen and Anderley into a small room at the end of a narrow hallway.
When they walked in the room, the Queen started having second thoughts. There was a bed in the small room but that was it. Even with little light in the room, the Queen could tell the mattress hadn’t been cleaned in a long while. She rubbed her left nipple to get back into the mood. She started getting excited again. There was a door leading outside that Sir Anderley slipped out of without speaking a word to the Queen. She could hear him pacing outside the room as she nervously waited. After only moments, someone entered the room.
“Hello,” the man said in a gruff voice.
“Hello, there,” said the Queen in seductive tones.
The odorous man stripped his clothes off and moved toward the Queen. He tried to unmask her but she stopped him.
“Some things must remain a mystery,” she said.
As the large man mounted the Queen she could hear Anderley vomiting outside the brothel.
Edburgh
Ed finished packing the last of his items from the room at the inn. He still had one thing left to do before he left Falconhurst. The King had given Ed his answer yesterday, or was it the day before that? The days were beginning to blend together seamlessly for the sleepless Edburgh. He was still having nightmares about Caroline. He now tried to always stay awake, only to drift off and wake soon thereafter. He would rise, sweating and clutching his chest from the dreams.
Ed hoped that once the King approved the plan, he would finally be able to get some rest.
He could not.
He left the inn and took off on horseback in an attempt to solve his problem of insomnia.
Edburgh was not sure how long he would be on this trip, but he was under the King’s orders, so he should have felt safe.
He did not.
He seemed to be even more nervous after the King had accepted his offer. The plan was just an idea in his head but now reality crashed down on him. He had to execute the plan precisely or it would be his head and that began to scare him. The King gave Ed a crew of four men to carry out his end of the deal. He was to set out on the morrow.
Ed had already had enough of the Capitol. The retribution that had engulfed his mind just weeks ago drifted away like the sleep he was chasing. Ofttimes he was so delirious, he couldn’t even remember what he was doing in Falconhurst. Ed thought about going back home, but quickly dismissed that notion. He had put his neck on the line and knew that the King would have him killed if he tried to back out now.
He arrived at his destination, hopped off his horse, and tied the mare to a tree. The silver in his pocket clanked as he hit the ground. He glanced up at a full moon as he entered. A fat, bald man greeted Ed. He wore a mauve robe and had a red tie wrapped around his neck.
“I require the services of a woman, my good man,” Ed said.
“Well, what kind of girl are you looking for?” the owner said in an uncaring tone.
“A faceless whore really, nothing particular,” said Ed, looking at the ground.
He had never been in one of these establishments before.
“Well then, I think I have the perfect girl for you,” chuckled the owner.
Edburgh wasn’t sure if that laugh was a good thing or not.
The owner looked at the red-headed hostess, “Raguel, please take this gentleman to Room Twelve.”
“Of course, my Lord,” she responded immediately with a smile and led Ed down a grungy hallway.
Is all of Donegal going downhill? Even the brothels are filthy. This woman better be worth it.
Raguel led him up to a door, “Here we are, enjoy yourself but don’t disrespect the lady.”
Still smiling, she gestured to Ed to enter the room.
“Thank you,” Ed said, as he entered the barely lit room.
Ed thought he heard a man crying in the next room. The whore was lying on the bed wearing nothing but a veil as far as he could see.
Perfect, no face to even look at.
Ed stripped off his clothes, suddenly questioning this move. Fully nude, he apprehensively approached the silent woman. The tiny woman welcomed him with open legs, still reddened from recent activity. He settled on top of her and rubbed himself on her warm vagina. She writhed under Ed for a moment or two; she seemed ready to go and Ed was too. He looked at the black veil and pictured Caroline’s face, hoping to make it disappear from his nightmares as he inserted.
After he had worked his manhood fully in, the whore moaned, “Ooh, you are a big boy.”
That voice rang like a bell in Ed’s brain. But where was it from? After a minute or so, his mind flashed back to the royal wedding.
There is no way it could be her.
Caroline’s face disappeared as he opened his eyes again and the face Edburgh Etburn saw belonged to the Queen of Donegal. As she writhed in the throes of passion, her veil slid off of her face and exposed her identity.
What in the Hells is the Queen doing? Is this treason? I had no idea before I started. This is mad.
After Ed finished inside the Queen, he rose without a word and dressed himself while the Queen remained on the bed. He badly wanted to speak to her, but he wondered if the Queen even remembered him. The room was very dark and the Queen had appeared quite drunk when they met at the wedding. It didn’t seem likely after thinking about it because it was only a brief introduction from the King. He left the brothel expecting to sleep like a baby that night.
He did not.
Ed slept the same as he had for the last few weeks, terribly. He met his travel companions the next morning and took off on his journey.
A THRONE OF SORTS
RUSSELL
“So you are saying that not only do you have to find the Pearl of Wisdom, but you must be
the chosen one. Well who chooses?” Russell asked the wizard.
“You are correct about the Pearl and I believe it is the dragons that choose whether the holder is worthy. I apparently, was not worthy.”
“What do you mean?” an intrigued Russell asked.
Dragon-Eyes had a happy look on his face as he stated, “I once held the Pearl in these very hands, or at least I thought it was the Pearl. It was nearly as big as my fist.” He held a closed hand up to show Russell. “It was white, like a normal pearl, but it was also speckled with gold particles that seemed to float throughout it. It had a rare iridescent luster that glowed when looked at in the proper light. But the fact that most people do not understand is that it can only be used to defend, not conquer. I found this out the hard way.”
“I have heard it has magical powers, from the stories about Rockarius, that is. He fought off Damian Doome and his legion of demons with it. Count Tisdale also said that many men hunt it so they can take over the world,” Russell added.
“As did I. About two hundred and forty years ago, I lusted over it as I wanted to use it to slaughter all those who laughed at me so that I could rule the world. But I learned that it only existed to even the odds in the eternal war against evil. It is said to be the great equalizer, but it cannot be utilized for non-pure motives. That is why only Rockarius has been permitted to use the dragons. It is reserved to fight off the demon hordes of Damian Doome that can coexist with us as normal men in disguise. They are going to launch a new attack soon like they did five hundred years ago. And the Pearl and dragons will resurface to defend us. I am pretty bullish about it.”
Russell butted in, “Bullish?”
“Yes, bullish. Confident, stubborn, stern-minded, unwavering, headstrong, adamant. Get the meaning now?” the little man asked.
“Yes, except for ada-what?” Russell laughed.
“Adamant, it means bullish. Now if I may continue. Most men do not realize that the Pearl can only be used for the most important of tasks. That is why wars are being waged in the Pearl Islands and beyond. Everybody wants to ride the dragon that sets fire to the world and claim a throne of ashes.”
It was mid-afternoon in the Frozen Forest as Russell and Dragon-Eyes neared the cave that apparently contained the proof of a dragon and the wizard’s belongings. Flurries flaked down on their heads as they continued their conversation. Russell noticed that, for the first time, the Imp shook from being cold and shivered as he went on.
“I have fought on many sides of many battles in my illustrious lifetime to secure the Pearl of Wisdom. It was two hundred and forty years ago that I searched for the prize on the Pearl Islands. It was said to be in the possession of a rival company. Well, we ferociously attacked and thanks to our ruthless band of Prograggers, we drove them back into the Sea of Green. The man with the Pearl jumped into a boat and before we could sink it, the vessel had already drifted out. Then we all saw the gleam in the air as he hurled the Pearl into the emerald waters.”
“And it has been there ever since,” Russell interrupted again.
“Not in the least, if you would allow me the chance to finish. I can tell patience is something I will need to teach you. So everyone stood flatfooted and watched as I jumped into the choppy waters. I swam out to the area where the soldier had thrown the Pearl. I could always hold my breath for long periods of time so I inhaled and dived deep. I saw turtles, sea horses, blue and red fish as I dropped farther into that olive abyss. I went down about forty feet to the moss covered bed of the sea and I spotted the Pearl. Its brightness hurt my eyes when I first saw it. Then an oyster came out of nowhere and snatched the Pearl from right in front of me. This gigantic oyster was bigger than me but I managed to chase it down. I swam over to the oyster and positioned myself to open it. I had my foot on the bottom shell and my hands on the top. With all the strength of the Gods, I pried it open, kicked it up and grabbed the object as she floated by, finally swimming to daylight. I barely made it to the top before passing out.”
“Wow, that is incredible,” Russell interjected.
“I would probably not believe it if I had not done it myself. But immediately the Pearl grabbed hold of me and I started lying. I told the mercenary company that I couldn’t find the damn thing. I secretly hid it and tried to summon the dragons when opportunities arose. It drove me mad, thinking that every last person was out to get my precious Pearl. I ended up burying the cursed jewel on the beach. It was not until hundreds of years later that I realized you do not find the Pearl, the Pearl finds you. It is reserved for a higher purpose than ruling over the world. I suppose it is funny how a couple hundred years can mellow a man,” the wizard chuckled as he finished.
“Here we are then,” Dragon-Eyes stated while pointing to a small opening in the ice.
Russell wondered why the ice hadn’t closed in that spot and pondered if he would be able to fit through it. He followed Dragon-Eyes into the opening. He barely squeezed through, but it opened up once he got inside. The ground wasn’t frozen; he could feel the dirt move under his feet. A quick flash of fire sprang from the wizard’s eyes, lighting a big torch. Startled, Russell jumped back with widening eyes. He saw the biggest skeleton he had ever laid his blue eyes upon.
“This is your proof that dragons exist?” Russell pessimistically asked.
“What more do you need?” Dragon-Eyes quickly retorted.
“This could be man-made or it could have been here for over a thousand years,” Russell said again in a disbelieving tone.
“Question and fact…”
“What?” Russell interrupted.
“Listen young man, patience. Now, question and fact. Question: What man is going to sneak into this cave in the Frozen Forest to construct that? Fact: I know that until fifty years ago this was not here.”
The Imp wandered around the cave collecting his personal items.
The shimmering light showed the dragon bones, arranged perfectly, like the beast had just sat down and died. When alive, it must have been as big as a small boat. The teeth were half the size of the little man.
The Imp stopped and said, “They were all I heard about growing up. Dragons. Almost all the older men claimed to have helped Rockarius and swore they saw the dragons. Every story and book told the tales of either Rockarius or the dragons, or both. Every single person back then undyingly believed that dragons existed and only a few of them ever saw one in the flesh. Dragons.”
“How did it get in here?” Russell questioned.
“I do not know that. I am just happy I wasn’t present when it was here or I would have made for a nice little snack. So Sir Russell, how is it that you can walk away from your vows of knighthood?”
Russell paused for a second, “I am not a true knight, I know that. It was given to me like a gift on harvest day.”
“Oh, I am sure it was well deserved,” the Imp said in a consoling voice.
“Some of it, aye, but Ali-Pari pretty much forced Duke Etburn into it. Now she forces me to do things in return,” he softly said as he lowered his head.
Dragon-Eyes didn’t say a word, but he knew from Ali-Pari’s insatiable reputation what Russell was referring to.
Russell continued, “My life wasn’t meant to guard a family of nobility. I was born a simple man and I shall likely die that same way, but my life was meant for more. I shall serve you proud on a test of true honor.”
The wizard stared at him for a moment and said, “I humbly accept. Do you need to at least go back to the castle to gather your belongings and say fare thee well?”
“No, I have all the things I need and I shall scarcely be missed at Elkridge. I feel that we have met for a reason. You can help me and I can help you,” Russell said with a sudden look of confidence.
“As do I,” replied the wizard with a glimmer of hope in his smile. The Imp kept gathering and packing his necessities for this trip. “Alright, now that is settled, I have to warn you of the sacrifice straight away. You must forget about everyon
e you know and love. You may never see them again. There will not be any fame or someone to crown you at the end of this journey. You may find a woman to love, but it is very improbable. This will be the truest test of who Russell Seabrook really is.”
“Then why me...?” Russell wondered.
The wizard quickly responded, “You need to develop the attitude of ‘why not me’? Why not you, Russell Seabrook? I can generally read a person shortly after meeting him. You have virtue; I could see that plainly and immediately. You showed kindness by sharing food; and patience when following my slow legs around the Forest. I have also seen humility when you denounced a lofty knighthood. I warned you of the drawbacks on our mission and you remain diligent on this quest.”
“Thank you,” said Russell graciously.
“You are certainly welcome. And I have only seen slight sinful tendencies that I can help you break in time. We will be tested by the seven gates of hell. Sin will follow and tempt us at every turn, but we must remain honorable. You must accept what comes our way, good or bad. Some people believe they are smitten by the Gods because they don’t receive every little thing they wish for. Now we need to take you to a small school of sorts. We must make your mind as sharp as that sword of yours. Oh, I nearly forgot my own sword,” he said as he went over to a large rock and reached behind it.
He produced the hilt of a sword.
“What is that?” asked Russell.
“It is my sword. What does it look like?” the wizard asked back with a smile.
“It looks like a sword handle to me,” Russell answered.
The hilt had tiny emeralds and rubies encrusted on the pommel. The grip was black leather bound with golden strings. The Imp Wizard pointed it toward Russell before holding it above his head and shooting fire from his eyes at it. The flaming sword suddenly took shape. It was nearly as big as Dragon-Eyes with a blade of constant fire. The flames were more of a blue-green than the traditional orange and red.
“Hit it,” said Dragon-Eyes as he held it out.
TWO HEADS TWO SPIKES (The Pearl of Wisdom Saga) Page 13