Emerald of the Elves

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “I will not be using a staff against Azmet’s men,” declared Wylan. “I have steel and arrowheads for them. I am looking forward to eradicating the disease called Azmet. Anyone who kills women and children without a thought does not deserve to live another day.”

  “I doubt his god Abuud will welcome him, either,” nodded the baron.

  Twerp fluttered down from the trees overhead and landed on the baron’s shoulder. “Mya has fallen today,” reported the green fairy. “King Altaro’s men are moving through the night to reach Klandon by tomorrow.”

  “They will be exhausted by the time they arrive,” frowned the baron. “They will not be able to take part in the battle.”

  “Some will be exhausted,” replied Twerp, “but others left yesterday. The king thought you would need guides for your attack on Klandon.”

  “Excellent,” Baron Timor smiled. “That is really what I was hoping for. I do not think we need the king’s whole force there. You should go back and tell them to set camp. The intimate knowledge of the city that a few men can give us will be enough.”

  “I will do so,” chirped Twerp. “Droplet and I also came up with a plan of our own. We can put the bad guards to sleep at the city gates.”

  “Can you really do that?” asked the baron. “That is all the break we need. Once those gates are opened, Klandon will fall quickly.”

  “Fairies can do that,” beamed Twerp. “I shall deliver your message to Droplet.”

  As Twerp leaped into the sky, Tedi and Natia approached the campfire and sat together on a log. Natia looked depressed.

  “Tedi!” exclaimed Bin-lu. “I thought you were staying with the gypsies?”

  “We decided to join you on the road to Tagaret,” smiled Tedi. “I wanted Natia to see the city, and Adan wants to know how the gypsies can help Prince Arik. Besides, there are a few of Azmet’s people that I owe a thrashing to.”

  “Well, you are more than welcome in my camp,” smiled the baron. “Between the horses and the delivery of the armor, the gypsies have done a great service. Will you fight with us tomorrow?”

  “I will be joining you for the fight,” nodded Tedi. “I would prefer that Natia remain in camp. I am afraid that she disagrees with me.”

  “I can fight as well as any basta,” Natia declared proudly. “You have no right to exclude me from the fighting. I will join with the others in the sacking of Klandon.”

  The baron’s eyebrows rose as he gazed at the gypsy princess. “We are not actually sacking Klandon,” the baron smiled thinly. “We are liberating it. There might be a crucial part of our attack that calls for people with great stealth. It seems to me that a pair of gypsies would fill that bill.”

  “What task is that?” Natia asked suspiciously.

  “We need a couple of people inside the city to open the gates,” declared Baron Timor. “The fairies are going to put the guards asleep, but we still must get those gates open.”

  “That would be easy,” grinned Natia. “Nobody would suspect gypsies of helping your army. Our presence might incline them to post more guards around their stables though.”

  “Well that works to our advantage, too,” the baron laughed heartily. “At least we will know where their men are.”

  Chapter 11

  Army of the West

  Tedi’s shirt was a maze of color swatches with large billowing sleeves. A broad sash was belted around his waist and a gold earring dangled from his left ear. He had two knives, one in each boot, and his staff. Natia rode behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist. They began singing a gypsy song long before they reached the gates of Klandon. Tedi’s voice was loud and boisterous, while Natia’s singing was interrupted with fits of laughter. A crowd of religious followers gathered near the gates as they heard the gypsies coming.

  The guards blocked the entrance to the city of Klandon. Tedi halted his horse and stopped singing. He looked curiously at the guards standing in his way.

  “What is your business in the city of Abuud?” asked one of the guards.

  “We need provisions,” smirked Tedi.

  “We do not allow loud singing in the city,” scowled the guard. “This is a pious city.”

  “We don’t plan to stay,” smiled Natia. “We just need some supplies. I will keep his ugly voice quiet while we are here.”

  Tedi acted offended, but then he smiled at Natia and shrugged comically to the guards.

  “Make sure that you leave with only one horse,” warned the guard as he stepped aside. “We follow Kartaria law in this city. Any violations are dealt with severely. You may pass.”

  Tedi smiled at the guards as they passed. The crowd inside the gate parted, their voices murmuring excitedly.

  “I see a problem,” Natia whispered to Tedi.

  “What?” questioned Tedi.

  “Look around,” warned Natia. “This is not a city. It is a garrison. There are no women or children. Only men.”

  Tedi looked around at the people on the streets. He frowned as he observed that Natia was correct.

  “We should leave right away,” Tedi mumbled under his breath. “Or better yet, you could leave with the horse. That would be my excuse for remaining behind.”

  “Don’t even think about it,” scowled Natia. “You are a pig. I am as good a fighter as any man.”

  “In a fight,” Tedi sighed, “you are as good as any man, but to me you are worth much more than all of the men put together. Why do you insist on putting yourself in danger? You know what it does to me.”

  “It is exciting,” giggled Natia. “Show me a gypsy who does not like excitement and I will show you a gypsy who has never lived. One thing that you must learn is that I am not a porcelain princess. I can handle myself.”

  Tedi sighed in resignation, and halted the horse near an inn. Natia immediately slid to the ground and tied the horse to a post while Tedi dismounted. A dozen stares greeted the gypsies as they entered the inn and sat at an empty table. A man in an apron immediately came to the table.

  “We would like something to eat,” declared Tedi. “And can you tell us where we can buy supplies for the trail?”

  “Show me some coins,” demanded the innkeeper.

  Tedi reached into a pouch and produced a gold coin. He placed it on the table. The innkeeper went to reach for it, and Tedi swiftly scooped it up.

  “You did not say how much the meal was,” Tedi said.

  “I don’t make change,” scowled the innkeeper. “I can give you some supplies for the road. It will be worth your gold.”

  Tedi nodded and opened his palm exposing the gold coin. Suddenly, he looked over at Natia and grinned. He promptly closed his fist again as the innkeeper was reaching for the coin.

  “I would assume that meals come with a room,” grinned Tedi. “I am suddenly feeling very tired. I will give you the gold for a room and some supplies for the trail. I am sure it is more than enough.”

  “We do not allow overnight stays in Klandon,” advised the innkeeper. “Try again next month. Maybe the rules will have changed by then.”

  “Then we will not stay overnight,” grinned Tedi as he opened his palm again. “We would not want to break any rules. We will leave when the inn closes.”

  Tedi winked at the innkeeper. The man looked around the room shiftily and then reached for the gold coin as if expecting Tedi to close his fist again. Tedi held his palm open, and the innkeeper snatched the gold coin. He disappeared into the kitchen, and Tedi rose.

  “I will stable the horse and get our pack,” Tedi said softly. “Be right back.”

  Tedi gazed at the other men in the common room and halted with his hand on the door. All of the men were watching him leave, and he felt a tremor of apprehension course through his body. The innkeeper emerged from the kitchen and placed two plates on the table. He looked at Tedi and then at the other men in the room. Tedi opened the door and hurried outside. He untied the horse and took it around to the stables. He hastily secured it in a stall and grabb
ed the pack off its back. Carrying the pack and his staff, Tedi moved swiftly through the rear door of the inn. He loudly dropped the pack on the floor as he saw three men crowding around Natia. All eyes in the room immediately turned to Tedi.

  Tedi held his staff tightly as he approached the table Natia sat at. The innkeeper appeared in the doorway of the kitchen with two mugs in his hand. He halted when he saw what was going on.

  “Leave the gypsy woman alone,” demanded the innkeeper as Tedi reached the table.

  “They are infidels,” growled one of the men. “Do not tell us how to behave.”

  “You will obey my rules or you will leave,” retorted the innkeeper. “You should preach to them about Abuud if they are infidels. Somehow, I don’t think that is your intent.”

  “Mind your own business, you old fool,” snarled one of the men as he reached for Natia.

  Natia’s hand came up so swiftly that the man did not understand what had caused the pain in his wrist. He pulled his hand away quickly as the blood from his wrist dripped onto the floor. Natia held a bloody knife in front her as if to ward off the other two men. The wounded man stepped further back and hastily wrapped a cloth around his bleeding wrist. The other two men drew long daggers from their belts.

  Tedi’s staff instantly swung into action. He raised the end off the floor and hit one man’s dagger wrist from the bottom. He swiftly leaned forward and brought the staff down on top of the other man’s wrist with a resounding crack. Both long daggers fell to the floor. One of the other men in the room raced out the door, and the innkeeper uttered an oath under his breath. A soldier appeared in seconds. Natia slid her knife into its sheath.

  “What is going on?” demanded the soldier as he drew his sword.

  “These three were accosting the infidel wench,” reported the innkeeper.

  “They attacked us for no reason,” complained the man with the cut wrist.

  “Everyone return to your tables and sit down,” ordered the soldier. “I will determine who is at fault here.”

  The three men returned to their table, and Tedi sat down opposite Natia. The soldier looked around the room and shook his head knowingly.

  “So these two gypsies attacked you way over there?” smirked the soldier. “That is why three of you were standing over here holding your wrists? I don’t suppose that these two daggers on the floor belong to the gypsies, do they?”

  The soldier turned to Tedi and glared at him. “It seems the gypsies are the only ones who don’t have a story to tell yet,” he sighed. “What is your story?”

  “We are not looking for trouble,” Tedi said hesitantly. “There were some unfortunate mistakes made by some of the men in the room. We seek no punishment for them. I am sure that they are sorry already.”

  “I asked what happened,” the soldier stated sternly.

  “They tried to touch my wife,” shrugged Tedi. “I knocked their daggers from their hands with my staff. Nothing more.”

  The soldier turned and glared at the three men with the wounded wrists. “Get out of here before the gypsies change their minds,” he bellowed.

  All twelve men rose and fled into the street. The soldier bent down and picked up the two daggers. He saw the blood trail on the floor. He rose and glared at Tedi again.

  “You said you struck them with your staff,” accused the soldier. “Why is there blood here?”

  “I did that as one of them was reaching for my body,” confessed Natia as she slowly drew her knife and held it up for inspection. “I did not want to embarrass the men by stating that in front of them. We only wish to be left alone.”

  The soldier nodded slowly and left the inn. The innkeeper hurried over with a rag and wiped up the blood. He rose and glared at Tedi.

  “You must leave,” he declared. “You have ruined my business for tonight.”

  “But we did nothing wrong,” protested Natia.

  “Then why am I wiping up blood from the floor?” retorted the innkeeper. “Do you know how much those men would have drunk tonight?”

  “We only want some time alone,” insisted Tedi as he placed two more gold coins on the table. “We do not mean for you to suffer because of us. I fear that we must stay the night now. I think those men will be waiting outside for us.”

  “It is not allowed,” the innkeeper shook his head as he eyed the two gold coins.

  “Then get us up at the latest possible hour that is allowed,” shrugged Tedi. “Hopefully those men will be drunk by then, and the streets will be safe for my wife.”

  The innkeeper grabbed the two gold coins and nodded. “I will only knock once,” promised the innkeeper with a nod. “It is your responsibility to get up and leave. You should think about joining the Army of Abuud. Your talents could be used.”

  “I have heard the prophet speak once,” smiled Tedi. “He is a most persuasive speaker. I was hoping for the chance to see him again.”

  “Really?” smiled the innkeeper. “Then you should do so. He is on his way to Mya. Perhaps you can catch him there.”

  “We will certainly try to,” grinned Tedi. “May we take these plates to our room?”

  “I don’t see why not,” nodded the innkeeper. “Take the room right at the top of the stairs. The key is inside the room.”

  “Thank you,” smiled Tedi as he rose.

  Natia rose and picked up both plates. Tedi left the mugs and took his staff. He picked up his pack on the way to the stairs. When they entered the room, Tedi tossed the pack onto the bed and leaned his staff against the wall.

  “Now that was exciting,” grinned Natia. “You handled it very well.”

  “Gypsies and their excitement,” Tedi shook his head. He opened his two breast pockets and let Droplet and Twerp out.

  “I don’t care much for traveling in the dark like that,” stated Twerp. “Do we have a window?”

  “We have a window,” chuckled Tedi as the two fairies fluttered to the bedposts. “Now all we have to do is wait. Why don’t you fairies go and check out the gate. It is dark out already.”

  “I will go,” giggled Droplet. “I think Twerp is afraid of the dark.”

  “I am not,” scowled Twerp as Droplet flew out the window. “I just don’t like to be blinded when there is fighting going on. Tedi could have fallen on us or something like that.”

  Natia laughed as Twerp flew out the window. She moved the pack off the bed and slid onto the covers. Tedi locked the door and reclined next to Natia. Within moments, he was asleep.

  It was six hours later when Twerp flew in the window and landed on Tedi’s ear. Tedi’s hand flew up to his ear reflexively, and Twerp laughed as he leaped into the air to avoid it. Tedi’s eyes popped open. He sat up and shook Natia.

  “It is time,” declared Twerp. “All of the men on the wall are asleep except for the two at the gate. We will put them asleep while we are waiting for you.”

  Twerp flew back out the window, and Tedi opened his pack. He extracted a long coil of rope and looped it around one of the legs of the bed. He leaned out the window and looked both ways before tossing both ends of the rope down into the alley. Tedi grabbed both strands of the rope and lowered himself to the ground. Natia leaned out the window and tossed the staff down to Tedi. The pack immediately followed it. Tedi leaned his staff against the wall and kicked the pack out of the way. He held one strand in each hand and waited for Natia to climb out of the window.

  When Natia climbed out of the window, Tedi felt a tug on one of the strands. He quickly grabbed that strand with both hands and held it while Natia climbed down the other strand. As soon as she was on the ground, Tedi pulled the rope until it all tumbled at his feet. He scooped it up and put it in the pack. He grabbed his staff and ran lightly to the stables. He put the pack onto his horse and emerged back into the alley. Natia was waiting for him.

  The gypsies stole down the alley to the wall. Tedi peered towards the gate and saw the two guards prone. He grabbed Natia’s hand and led her to the gate. He proppe
d his staff against the wall and pulled one of the bodies away from the gates. Natia moved the other body.

  “Twerp has gone to inform Baron Timor that the gates are open,” reported Droplet. “Better make sure that they are.”

  Tedi and Natia each took an end of the beam holding the gate closed. They lifted it free from the gate and slid it into the slot in the wall where it was kept. Tedi cracked one of the gates open and peered out. He couldn’t see anything, but he heard the sounds of the approaching army. He waited until he saw the forms of riders approaching the gates. Tedi swung one gate open while Natia pushed the other one back. They moved to the sides as the Army of the West poured into the city.

  After about a third of the army had entered the city, several riders moved out of the column and halted next to Tedi. The riders dismounted and tied their horses to a rail.

  “You did fine, lad,” congratulated Baron Timor. “You and your lass. You make a good team.”

  “Tedi? Isn’t it?” asked another rider.

  “Yes it is, Reese,” nodded Tedi. “I am flattered that you remember me.”

  “Flattered?” chuckled Reese. “Anyone who rides with the Prince of Alcea is special to me. I shall never forget you or Wylan. I still praise the day you three river rats descended onto my docks.”

  “Have you retaken Cleb?” asked Tedi as the first sounds of combat filtered through the air.

  “We did,” frowned Reese. “These crazy buggers are fanatics. They refuse to surrender, even when it is obvious that their cause is lost. We lost some fine men retaking Cleb by giving the scum a chance to give it up. We will not make the same mistake here in Klandon.”

  “They are told that they will go to a special place in paradise if they die in battle,” shrugged Tedi. “You cannot reason with people like that.”

  “Well,” smiled Reese, “you did a fine job opening these gates for us. You saved a lot of lives tonight. Maybe that evens us up with the losses at Cleb. Did you have any trouble?”

  “Not with the gates,” answered Tedi. “The fairies took care of that for us. We had a minor problem at the inn, but it turned out all right. I suspect the only prisoners you will get tonight are the ones that the fairies put to sleep.”