The Elven Tales: The Company of the Rose

by Fabi Ghittoni

  "Prudence! Watch out!" Skuld shouted at the exact moment that a Hammerhead was heading toward her.

  The beast swayed over her and lifted its heavy arms with clenched fists ready to crush her. Dedric ran to Prudence and jumped in front her, determined to take the blow for her instead. He knew it was useless, but there was nothing else to do. He knew he was going to die. Time stopped at that moment, and the eyes of Skuld, Genuss, Dunhill and Nefyyd watched Prudence and Dedric in horror. But then, in front of them, a cloud of dust swept over them. Inside was a man covered by a cloak which waved behind his back. Kotal Cavendish had come to their rescue and he was wearing a transportation cloak. Just in time, Kotal covered them with his cloak and before anyone could blink, they vanished from view. The ground cracked under the Hammerhead's fists, but beneath them there was absolutely nothing.

  CHAPTER 18

  Prudence was torn from Dedric's grip and they both fell to the floor. It was no longer night. Instead, sunlight streamed timidly through windows, illuminating a large empty hall.

  “Where are we?” Prudence asked Kotal, who was standing next to them. Her head was swimming and she was completely lost in space and time. They both struggled to their feet.

  “We are back in Borghild, my dear Prudence,” he said, reaching out a hand to help her.

  “But why?! Why did you take me back here? I could not leave. I did not want to leave. I have to be there,” she protested. “Skuld and Genuss are still fighting the Azarias! I can’t leave them alone! What about Dunhill and Nefyyd? What will become of all of them? Lord Kotal, please, take me back!” she cried.

  “I can’t do that. I’m afraid the endeavor is over for you, my lady. I could scarcely get you out of there in time to prevent that gigantic Hammerhead from crushing your head. We cannot afford the risk of losing you.”

  Prudence kept silent, trying to get her thoughts in order. There were tears in her eyes. She was furious that she had been snatched away from her friends. She felt so much helplessness and remorse at being safe and far from the fierce battle that was being unleashed within the walls of Arkana. They were about to beat Alanel, they had been so close, and now all that had vanished.

  She raised her eyes to meet Kotal's gaze. “I have failed you. I have failed everyone. We lost Arkana. I lost the air rune. I could not stop him,” she lamented.

  Kotal smiled.

  After all that had happened to them along the way, Prudence gazed with deep sorrow at the outcome of their journey.

  “Do not despair my dear Prudence, since this world is not made for the tender. The battle has come to an end for you, but not for the rest. The elves are excellent warriors, the best that may exist. They already repelled the invasion of the Azarias many years ago.”

  “Nothing ensures that that will be the case this time. Besides, the king is gone, and so am I. I cannot simply sit here and wait for the arrival of what I fear will be bad news.”

  “You've been very important on this trip. Even greater opportunities will come. You will find your second chance,” Dedric said, as he knew how Prudence must have felt. He had been by her side throughout the entire experience, which he was sure had been the most terrible of her life. In fact, he was very proud of her.

  “Here,” Kotal said and took off the cloak he was wearing. “This is my gift to you. Skuld told me about your desire to possess an appearing cloak before you left on the road. I did not have time to give it to you before, but I think you have earned it. Use it wisely and it will be of great help to you. That’s why I collect them. It doesn’t cease to amaze me how useful they are on the most of necessary occasions.”

  “Lord Kotal… is this for real?” exclaimed Prudence, too surprised to formulate any other question. “It's the best gift I've ever had. I could not thank you enough! This is amazing!” she said enthusiastically.

  “Now try it,” said Lord Kotal, smiling.

  Prudence looked at Dedric and he smiled back at her. Dedric walked over and helped her remove the old coat she was wearing. Suddenly, something hit the ground with a dry sound. A piece of paper had fallen from her pocket.

  “What is this?” asked Dedric while he bent down to take it. Prudence's eyes suddenly widened at the sight of that little piece of paper.

  “The map!” she exclaimed with a mixture of astonishment and relief. “I completely forgot about it! It had been in my pocket all of this time. I thought I couldn’t get it back, since the last time I saw it, it was completely wet and it was starting to fall apart,” she explained to them. “But how is it possible that now it is back on one piece again? And in perfect condition?” she added.

  Kotal smiled. “It should not surprise you. I thought I already warned you that the rules of your world do not apply in this one, my lady. Otherwise, I think by now you will have figured that out for yourself.”

  “I found something very interesting about this map, although it was by pure coincidence.”

  “Do not lessen your merit. This is how big discoveries often happen,” Kotal exclaimed.

  Dedric handed her the map.

  “Before the Entheas was boarded by the Azarias, I was studying the map and the ship made a big turn and I accidentally spilled tea on it. Then I took it, and the light of the moon illuminated it from behind. What was revealed was this…”

  She showed them that the text had practically vanished, and instead a map had been drawn. But when she stopped and took a moment to look at it closer for the first time, she was struck to see she was familiar with it.

  “Oh wow,” she murmured. “This is so strange… this location. I think I've been here before.”

  Prudence searched inside her, surprised by her finding, trying to remember where the familiarity of the image came from. Then it hit her.

  “Of course I’ve been there. That is the River Cam! The second rune is in Cambridge!”

  Prudence arrived to this conclusion with horror, for now those in danger could be Maddie, Doreen, Bram and Carter.

  “This means the Azarias might go after Maddie and her family, won't they?”

  “It is certainly possible. They've been there before, looking for you, and they found you. I’m afraid you must go there and set this affair in order, my dear Prudence.”

  “I will. And I’ll search for the rune,” she exclaimed.

  “But where?” Dedric questioned. “Cambridge is a big city. It could be in hundreds of places.”

  “I have the feeling that I know exactly the place where we should go in search of something like this,” Prudence answered gleefully.

  “Where?” Dedric asked eagerly.

  “The grubby looking little antique shop whose owner has that very rare name. You once said he was one of you,” Prudence described.

  “Do you mean Methodius Hintz?” Kotal asked.

  “Yes, precisely. His shop is near the Percivals' house. There I bought a present for Maddie the night I was attacked by the Azarias. That jewel was something out of the ordinary. It was magic. It suddenly began to shine and it was the first time I felt the call to my powers. He has all sorts of magical items in his shop. Maybe he knows something about the rune.”

  “Please, send my affection to Methodius. And tell him that the Council will not delay in sending him compensation for his valuable services,” Kotal pleaded.

  “Aren’t you coming with us?” Prudence questioned.

  “You should do this alone. I need to go back to Arkana. The battle isn’t over yet and they need me there. But you can still make a difference finding the second rune. If you do, all this sacrifice will not be in vain.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll go with you,” Dedric said as he approached her.

  Despite the fact that she didn’t have Kotal’s presence to escort her back to the human world, Prudence could not avoid feeling safe. That was how she felt around Dedric.

  Kotal bade them farewell with a hug each and then left. They set out immediately.

  “I don’t even know how to use this thing,” P
rudence said as she studied the transportation cloak.

  “Just cover yourself in it. Then close your eyes and visualize where you want to go, just as you did in the small chamber before,” Dedric responded.

  She did as she was told. Dedric hugged Prudence and they were both covered by the cloak. Then, after closing their eyes, what felt like a strong swirl of wind quickly wrapped around them. In the darkness behind their closed eyelids, the floor seemed to vanish beneath them, and then there was a loud shake. When they opened their eyes, they were already in Cambridge.

  They felt the support under their feet and moved away from each other. Then they looked around. The street was deserted except for a little black cat wandering the sidewalk in front of which they had appeared. They had not been seen.

  "Let me see where we are," Prudence mused. "The Percivals’ house is a few blocks from here. We should take the street from the corner to the right. Then, we have to go around the square and walk two more blocks," she said after observing the signs that indicated the names of the streets.

  It was afternoon in Cambridge and the sun was about to start setting. A pleasant breeze was blowing. After walking a few blocks they arrived at the antique shop, but to their surprise, it was closed. The door, which they tried to open, was locked. The window was covered by curtains and the lights were off inside.

  “Great!” Prudence snapped. “Just what we needed.”

  “We must find a way in. There must be some way,” Dedric said as he examined the front of the store.

  “Of course there is: invading private property and committing a crime!”

  “Then we have no choice but to wait,” he said, resigned.

  And they waited. Night fell on Cambridge, and Prudence realized that the stars shone in a special way that night. They both sat down on the porch of the house across the street. The minutes turned into hours and Prudence began to fall asleep, with no sign of Methodius. Then, something unexpected happened: lights clicked on inside the shop.

  “Prudence!” exclaimed Dedric, pushing his elbow onto her to wake her up. “Look! There is light inside the shop!” he said excitedly.

  “Surely they were on before, and we did not notice.”

  “No! Look at the window. Look at the curtains!”

  To Prudence's surprise, she realized that a shadow was moving behind the curtains. And she recognized the figure of the little old man who ran the shop.

  “He is there!”

  Prudence sprang up and ran to the store. She crashed into the door, causing great noise. Moments later, Methodius peered out of the window. He looked up at Prudence in amazement. A voice echoed through the door.

  “Just a minute, please, just a minute...” he said with a trembling voice.

  They heard the sound of the door unlocking and before they realized it, the little man was in front of them, wrapped in a robe and holding a blanket in his hands. He seemed to be drowsy, as if he had just risen from a long sleep. His hair was disheveled and his beard considerably grown from the last time Prudence had seen him.

  “Good night, sir. I regret the inconvenience of my visit at this time, as your store is closed to the public, but my reasons are urgent and I need to talk to you,” Prudence apologized.

  “I closed the shop a long time ago, just after the incident with, well, you know, the Azarias. I was afraid they would come back for me,” he explained. “I was waiting for you," the old man said in his soft voice.

  He let them pass immediately. The store was as messy as the last time Prudence was there.

  “-but I must admit that I am deeply surprised by your promptness, Your Highness. I knew who you were the first time you came into my store.” He closed the door behind them and directed them into the shop. He pointed to some old-fashioned fluffy seats for them to sit down on. They looked a little bit dusty, but they were indeed very beautiful.

  “In fact, it was me who alerted the Company of the Rose to come to your aid. I had already seen signs of Azarian presence hanging around the neighborhood. And I knew you were in danger. Since then, I have been waiting for your return, as has the rune. It had been in my custody for many years, and I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever come to pick it up, or whether it would sleep forever in the false bottom of my desk.”

  “I see then I do not need to introduce myself. Thank you for guarding the rune so cautiously all these years and keeping it safe for me. Especially thanks for calling the Company and saving my life." Prudence smiled over her shoulder at Dedric and gave him a quick glance. “I would have died if it had not been for you. I will be forever indebted to you, Methodius.”

  “None of that, Your Highness. It was a deep honor to have served you. It will take me a few moments to get the rune. You know, age does not give breaks, and we become slower and slower.”

  “Take as much time as you need.”

  Then he came back and sat down next to them. He handed her the rune wrapped in a soft cloth of blue velvet.

  “I never break a promise, you know?” he said. “I swore to your mother when she came to me, that I was going to help her hide this rune until you came for it. I never said a word — not even to my friends at the Council. They didn’t know a thing, otherwise they would have snatched it from me a long time ago. Things have been done to stay with their owners. That’s what I believe.”

  “Thank you,” Prudence managed to say, since words got lost in her mouth before she could speak further.

  The time came for them to say goodbye. Soon, they left the store and were back outside.

  “We better get back to Borghild now,” Dedric exclaimed, but Prudence wasn’t ready to go yet. She had something in her mind that she wanted to do.

  “I want to go to the Percivals' house.”

  “To do what? You know that ifthey see you, you won’t be able to explain your absence. At least not with explanations that they can understand. Don’t forget that they are humans. They are not like us.”

  “I just want to watch them through the window at least, only for a moment. I really miss them a lot. I promise they will not see me.”

  Dedric thought for a moment, but how could he deny Prudence after all that she had lost? “Fine. Just a minute, okay?”

  They made their way to the Percivals’ house, which was only a few blocks away. When they arrived, Prudence noticed that the lights were on. She went up the steps that led to the front door and stretched to look through the window. She wistfully watched Doreen setting the table for supper with Carter’s help. She didn’t see Bram, and that worried her. She wondered how his recovery would have turned out after he was attacked by the Azarias that night, when he came out in her defense.

  “Prudence?!” a shrill voice was heard behind them. When they turned, Maddie was standing there. Her groceries, which she had suddenly dropped, were scattered all over the floor. “Prudence!” Maddie ran and hugged her dauntlessly. “Where have you been?! I mean, we thought you had been kidnapped. My mom even joined the group of parents of kidnapped children that was formed in town. Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Maddie examined her.

  “Calm down, Madeleine. I’m fine!” Prudence snapped. Then she gestured Maddie to lower her voice. “I promise to tell you everything, every detail, even if you cannot believe it, but please, calm down and do not raise your voice. Your parents cannot see me.”

  Then Maddie stopped her eyes on Dedric. He felt some discomfort at the way she observed him.

  “Oh, I see you're not alone. Who is he?”

  “Maddie, meet Dedric. He is my friend.”

  “He is your friend? OK, now you need to tell me everything.”

  “Okay, but we should go somewhere we cannot be seen. And you must hear everything first without speaking. Otherwise you'll think I'm crazy.”

  “I will listen to you without uttering the slightest sound, I promise. I always thought you were a bit crazy, so it won’t make any difference…”

  “I'm not kidding, Madeleine. You have no idea..
. I'll tell you the truth about where I've been all this time, but it should be taken very carefully. If I came back, it was to make sure no one in your family was in danger. You must know that we are not safe. Not here, nor there. There are dark powers lurking around.”

  They got out of the Percivals’ driveway and walked near St. Andrews Church. On the way, Prudence began her story. That was how Maddie knew where Prudence had been, and she listened to it from start to finish with her mouth open and her eyes wide.

  “I want to go there. Please take me with you! I don’t care how dangerous it is.”

  “Have you lost your mind? You can’t go there.”

  “I knew something strange was happening to you. And I began to doubt that you weren’t kidnapped. Well, something very strange happened after you were gone. A little trunk came to our door. When we opened it, it was full of gold objects and there was a letter in it addressed to each of us by our names. In it we were thanked for our hospitality, warmth and care to you. The sender was not detailed. Your grandparents received the same trunk in the Cotswolds.”

  “It must have been a matter of the Council, for sure.”

  “Please allow me to go with you.”

  “You know I would love to, but I can’t. I cannot expose you to so many dangers.”

  “You would not expose me – in any case, I expose myself. I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions, and it's to go with you, no matter what.”

  Prudence was silent. Then she looked at Dedric who shook his head in discrepancy and finally she agreed to Maddie's pleas.

  “I'll say goodbye to my parents right now,” Maddie exclaimed after a burst of happiness.

  “Absolutely not. They cannot know. When you come back, and if you trust that they can believe what you will then have to tell them, you will decide whether to do it or not. But now it would not be appropriate to do so. Just go get some clothes and some necessary belongings and we will wait for you here.”