“Shush,” Brandalfr told her, as he gazed at the warriors before him. “Duck down and try to get around them,” he whispered so low she almost didn’t hear him.
“Halt!” one elf called. “You will return to the castle with me.”
Maezy stood frozen, searching the trees behind her as Brandalfr put up his hands in surrender. “You got me,” he told them. “I’ll come peaceably.”
“Where’s the princess?”
“I don’t know. Why would I care?”
Poking him in the back, Maezy ducked low and made her way around some bushes. She slowly circled around the archers. Hoping this would work, she watched the ground for any sticks. Stepping on one right now would be a very bad idea.
“We were alerted you both escaped,” the one in charge shouted.
“She escaped without me then. Not surprised. You know, she’s fierce. I’ll give her that much. Probably her fault you all found out I escaped too, though,” Brandalfr grouched, and Maezy shook her head at his acting.
The archers stayed at the ready, but Maezy sensed their skepticism and confusion. They began to eyeball each other. The lead guard, who was speaking, looked around the area before turning his gaze back to Brandalfr.
He lowered his bow just a little and frowned. “Do you know which direction she would head?”
“I don’t know. She doesn’t come from around here. Remember, this is my father’s realm. I don’t even know if she’s aware of where the door is located.”
Maezy shook her head and kept placing each footstep with care. Several times she paused to reassess her footing and get over a pile of crunchy leaves or a stick. Holding her breath, she wondered how long before they heard her. Their ears were sharp. The fear of being found had her moving slower than she wanted.
“You didn’t tell her?” the lead mocked.
“Why would I tell her? I didn’t want her to escape. She was supposed to help me. Until the king came, she was going to do exactly what I wanted.” His words were convincing.
This had Maezy pausing once again. Was he saying all of this to distract the guards, or did he say it because it was true? Had she fallen for his act once again?
Dang it! She had to stop believing people.
“We won’t waste any more time,” the lead elf told the others. “Two of us will take him back to the castle. You all will stay on the lookout for the princess.”
Hearing this, Maezy decided to confront Brandalfr later and save their skin now. Before she had a chance to spring forward, though, she was being dragged backward in a tight, skin-pinching hold.
“Who’s there?” the archers shouted.
“What’s happening?” another called.
“Someone’s there!”
“Look!” the calls continued.
“Holy tree sprouts!” Brandalfr’s voice reached her ears as she fought against the scrapping grip.
Sword clattering to the ground, hair in her face from being jerked backward, Maezy reached up to grab the offender’s scratchy hands. It was then she realized who her captor was, and Brandalfr’s shout made even more sense. She was being picked up and hugged to a tree trunk. The arms holding her were two thick branches.
“I don’t think I’m getting out of this one,” Maezy muttered as the archers seized Brandalfr and came thrashing through the undergrowth to stop below her. “Stupid tree,” she mumbled and fought against the bark.
“King Ingvar will be pleased,” the lead archer shouted.
“Yippee,” Maezy mocked. “Let me go!”
The tree squeezed her harder, and the archers laughed. Maezy felt her face turning red, and she slumped against the trunk in defeat. They should have known they’d never escape her father. The Seekers were working with him, and they were some of the most powerful elves in the world.
“Go tell the king,” the lead archer told another, who left in a hurry. “Okay, soldiers, let’s get her down. These two need to head back to the king. And the dungeon.”
“I don’t think so,” Maezy grumbled, but she couldn’t think of a plan as the lead archer held his bow steady in front of her face.
Two guards held Brandalfr in their grasp, one with a knife at the ready, and the other had his hands wrapped around Brandalfr’s arm and neck. Maezy knew he’d be no help with his lack of powers and no weapons.
The fourth elf held his arrow directed at her chest. He was too far away, she calculated. She’d miss him by a foot when the tree released her. If the tree let her go. Instead, the limbs tightened around her, squeezing so tight she couldn’t breathe. The tree didn’t seem as if it was about to drop her any time soon. The archers were wondering the same thing.
“Is it going to let her go?” the lead asked.
Thunder pierced the air around them. Everyone jumped. Maezy jerked back and her head hit the rough bark. “Ouch!”
“Yes. It’s going to let her go. Right now, in fact,” the voice droned, accompanied by a rumble of thunder.
Maezy closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. Things were about to get messy.
5
Maleficent was a fan of the dramatic entrance. Hood up, her long red hair peeked out along with her glowing green eyes. Waving her hand forward once, thunder echoed, and the archers dropped without a peep.
Maezy rolled her eyes a second before she, too, dropped to the ground. Gravity won the round as she crashed into dirt, grass, and roots. Hands braced her fall only so far and caught her from bashing her face into the solid surface. A whiff of the terra firma reached her nose.
“Thanks, mother. Do you think you could have tried a softer landing?”
“Sorry, dear. I’m a bit miffed. You were supposed to return.”
“So you set out to get yourself caught again? How do you have your powers?” Maezy asked as she stood and dusted off her clothes. “I want a bath, by the way.”
“I’m sure you’ll get one soon. Now,” she looked back and forth between Maezy and Brandalfr. “Who wants to explain what has been happening here?”
“Well,” Maezy shrugged and looked between her mother and Brandalfr. “Brandalfr helped set me free. We escaped. We had just arrived here for him to get something when father crashed the party.”
“Really.” Her mother’s tone didn’t indicate she was asking a question.
“Yes. Oh, and he’s on his way. Father, I mean. The Seekers are with him. So, how do you have your powers?”
“It was easy to disable the bands and recharge after someone let go of their curse.” Her eyes stared at Brandalfr.
He stared back, not once looking away. Maezy found this impressive. More often than not, people were afraid of her mother and with good reason. Then she realized what her mother just said.
“You let go of the curse?” she turned to Brandalfr and asked.
“Well, yes. I mean, why would I keep it active once we were free?” His eyes shifted to the ground.
Maezy felt free to smile. Until she glanced back at her mother. The smile dropped off her face as fast as the tree had dropped her. Maleficent’s eyes were narrowed. She didn’t look pleased.
“It’s a good thing he did, or I would have missed saving you. We need to leave. Now.”
“Agreed,” Maezy told her mother, peeking at Brandalfr out of the corner of her eye.
“The door is right over there,” he pointed.
“I have another way out.” Maleficent’s tone didn’t allow for argument.
Both Maezy and Brandalfr nodded. The thunder’s rumble was lighter now even though the clouds were dark. The distinct sound of footfalls came closer, and Maezy paused to pick up the sword. Brandalfr also paused to pick up a bow and quiver. Their eyes met before they rushed to catch up with her mother.
“HALT!” a voice charged them.
“Seekers!” Her father’s cry reached her ears.
“Mother!” Maezy panicked.
Her mother had advanced far ahead of them. She raced to catch up.
“Brandalfr doesn’t have h
is powers, and they put a spell on us so we can’t leave here! I don’t think your door is going to help us right now. Do we stay and fight?”
“What?” Maleficent turned with flames in her eyes, and the thunder crashed and banged around them.
“You see –” Maezy tried to get out.
“I don’t care! Of all the stupid… Never mind! Brandalfr!”
“Yes?” He’d reached their side and stood with an arrow pointed toward the ground.
“Is it true? Did he place a spell to keep you both here?” Maleficent turned her flame-bright eyes toward him.
“Yes.”
Muttering, Maleficent shook her head and heaved a large sigh as the thunder echoed and crashed around them. Her lips continued to move, but they couldn’t hear what she was saying. Maezy turned to Brandalfr and shrugged. His lips were tilted up on the right in a half smile.
“Why are you smiling?” she shouted and leaned closer to him.
“I’m smiling because your mother is about to break your father’s spell!”
“How?”
“I’ll tell you later!”
Maezy nodded and felt a jolt sizzle through her body as if she had been struck by lightning. The world tilted, she was thrown off balance. Brandalfr reached out his hand and grabbed her arm, keeping her up and steady. The heat fizzled out of her body, and the rumble of the thunder continued to reverberate around them. Shouts and screams resonated in the distance.
“Let’s go!” Maleficent waved them forward and quickened her pace.
“What did she do?” Maezy asked.
Brandalfr shook his head. “Later.”
Sighing, she picked up speed and kept pace with them both. Soon, all three careened through the woods and further from the castle. Crashing through the underbrush and avoiding large rocks, Maezy felt as if she was running a marathon.
Side beginning to ache, Maezy wanted to ask how much further they had to go but couldn’t talk. Her heart hurt with every slam against her chest, and her lungs were so tight, she couldn’t breathe. Veering off the right, she noticed Brandalfr slowing.
Pulling back, she put out her hands to indicate, “What’s going on?” since she couldn’t ask.
“Headed toward the cliffs!” he shouted.
“Cliffs?” Maezy screamed in croak. “Mother!”
Maleficent ignored her scream. Instead, she called back, “Keep following!”
Then, they watched as she swerved around the trees, aimed straight for the edge of the cliff, and jumped right off.
6
“Mother!” Mae screeched, speeding up and then wind-milling to a stop before she too fell over the edge. “Mother!”
Waves crashed below, hitting the rocky edges of the cliff. Maleficent was nowhere to be seen. Staring down, she kept searching for a sign of her mother, but nothing popped out of the water.
“Brandalfr, what did she do?” Maezy turned to him and grasped his arm. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know!” His eyes glanced back and forth trying to find any sign of the witch. “She can’t…” He cut off and shook his head.
“She can’t what? What were you going to say?” Maezy gasped.
“Why did she jump?” He ignored her questions and asked one of his own.
“Brandalfr, what do we do?”
Staring at her, he shook his head again. “I don’t know what to do. Did she fall?”
“I didn’t see! She was here one second and gone the next! What do we do?” Mae turned back and looked into the trees behind them. “Do you hear that?”
The thunder had subsided, and the crashing waves were the loudest in his ears. Straining to hear what Maezy heard, he looked in the same direction. The sound was louder, closer this time. Shouts, the snap of twigs and branches, and the feeling of a presence slammed into him. He could see Maezy felt it as well.
“Seekers! They’re coming!” He didn’t state the obvious, that her father and his army were also on their way. Looking around, he tried to think of what they could do, even as he felt the heat of a spell creeping into his bloodstream.
“What do we do?” Maezy asked him again, her eyes wide. “Fight?”
He saw her shoulders square and her chin lift. Bringing up her sword, she smiled. “Shall we take a few out?”
“We can.” He smiled back. “Or we can leave before my powers are taken again.”
“Leave? How?”
“Well, we do what your mother told us.” He grabbed her hand and started walking in the direction of the oncoming warriors.
“What did she tell us? Are we going to fight then?”
Several feet back, he stopped and turned to face her. He shook his head. “No, Maezy. We aren’t going to stay and fight. Even if it sounds like a fun plan.”
“Then what are we doing?” she beseeched.
“We’re doing what your mother said,” he told her, again, as he switched sides, turned around, and took her hand again. He had them facing the direction of the cliff once more.
“Brandalfr?” Maezy’s voice held a warning. She was beginning to catch on to what he was telling her.
“She said, ‘keep following’. That’s what we’re going to do. Run!” He yanked her hand forward and dragged her with him. He headed toward the cliffs at gaining speed. They didn’t stop.
7
“Brandalfr!” Maezy screamed, unable to rip her hand from his as they leapt off the cliff and into the air.
There weren’t many things Maezy was afraid of or afraid to do. Take a large spider outside? She could handle them.
Beat another warrior through the one-mile obstacle course? In five minutes and seventeen seconds.
Hold her own in a sword fight? She had started giving lessons.
Meet a crazed father with an army of elf archers and ancient Seekers? Give her a sword, and she was good to go!
This, was none of those things.
Screaming at the top of her lungs, Maezy didn’t let go of Brandalfr’s hand or stop squealing until the waves almost engulfed her. The air rushed around them. Waves crashed beneath and reached up to grab them as they hurtled toward it. Maezy shut her eyes and held her breath, until the next instant she was slamming into something very hard.
“Ouch!” she cried out as her arm, then her whole body hit an unyielding and compact surface.
Opening her eyes, she didn’t see the ocean water but the swirling black of an elf door. The sword skittered away into the darkness, but her hand hadn’t released Brandalfr’s.
“We’re in the door!”
“Let’s go before we have visitors,” he told her and helped her up.
“How’d you know?”
“To follow your mother?”
“Yes,” Maezy nodded her head.
“She told us to keep following her. Your mother doesn’t strike me as someone who would want to kill you. She said there was a door. I believed her. Do you want to lead us to her realm? You know where it is.”
“Sure.” Maezy nodded but didn’t move.
“Maezy?”
“Yes?”
“We aren’t moving. There is the possibility they’ll follow us.”
“Oh, right.” Maezy shook her head and began walking forward.
Her hand tucked in Brandalfr’s still. The feeling was nice.
Concentrating on the realm she’d taken her mother to earlier, had it been today? Maezy focused on getting there and not how wonderful it was to hold Brandalfr’s hand. She still needed to retaliate for his previous blunder in believing he could kidnap her.
The black encompassed them. It was inky, and she couldn’t see anything. Maezy had to focus very hard on her mother but gripped Brandalfr’s hand tight. She couldn’t see him, but she could feel him and hear his steady breaths puff into her ear.
It was minty, somehow, and was pleasant as it blew against her neck and cheek.
Stop it! She scolded herself. Mother. Think of mother. Maleficent. Picture her with grumpy eyes and a snarl on her face.
Yep! Looks exactly like her. Now, see the castle she took me to in the background. That’s it. Focus. I’m headed there.
Black tendrils spiraled around them and evaporated as the sunshine broke through, and they tumbled to the ground.
“Ouch!” Maezy cried as the firm, solid ground met her once again. This time, bright sunshine blinded her as she turned onto her back and groaned.
“It took you both long enough. What part of ‘follow me’ did you not understand?” A husky voice reached Maezy’s ears, and she recognized her mother’s sarcastic tone.
“I think it might have been the part where you jumped off a cliff into crashing waves covering sharp, pointy rocks. Of course, it could also have been the lack of explanation.” Maezy was pulled to her feet by strong hands wrapped around her wrists. She, in turn, clutched the wrists pulling her up.
Closing her eyes for a few seconds and steadying herself, neither let go. Maezy knew it was Brandalfr and not her mother who had assisted her up as soon as she came to her feet. His smell lifted to her nostrils. The scent reminded her of being encircled by pines with a cup of apple cider. The image was strange, and she dismissed it while pulling her hands free.
“Thanks,” she smiled.
“Welcome,” he breathed, and the minty smell blew in her face once more.
Inhaling deeply, Maezy wondered when he could have had time to brush his teeth. Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, she turned to her mother. Maleficent’s expression told Maezy her mother knew exactly the thoughts running through her mind.
“Are you two ready? We have to get to the castle and begin reinforcing the protection spells I’ve already put into place.”
“Did you do it by yourself? Have the Collective arrived?”
“Yes, they’re here. I brought all of my people to this realm as soon as you left. We have been shielding the realm from the Seekers. I’m hoping young Brandalfr will be able to help reinforce the spells already in place. Especially since I know what he can do firsthand.”
The Four Tales Page 79