by L. R. W. Lee
Chapter Five
A Clue!
Over the next two days, Andy, Mermin, and the King fixated on the note, trying to decipher its meaning. They understood they needed to search someplace that sounded a lot like the Forest of Giants based upon the reference to a leaf. But what was the True Guide? And what did “the soul of a birch” mean?
They explored many fuzzy rabbit trails but found only abandoned burrows that led nowhere.
“We’re so close,” the King moaned two days later. “If only we could figure out this clue.” He brought a fist down hard on the table, making both Andy and the wizard jump. An instant later he raised his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. Pardon my outburst. I know things should be exactly as they are, but even monarchs get impatient from time to time. What could we possibly be overlooking?”
Three days later, over a breakfast of eggs and bacon, the King mulled aloud for the umpteenth time, “‘Rely on wisdom, learned, now dear.’ That’s. What. It. Says.”
Andy and Mermin met the King’s gaze.
He held up his index finger. “What if—? Andy, we’ve been thinking about this from your perspective since the note is addressed to you. What if it’s speaking to me?”
Mermin raised an eyebrow.
“Hear me out. The letter says ‘rely on wisdom, learned, now dear.’ Over the years I’ve had to learn a lot about myself. I’m a much different person, much wiser I would say. While I didn’t enjoy the process, I prefer who I have become. So, if we look at this from my perspective, what might it mean?”
He read the lines again:
In a room full of knowledge, give careful search,
To find a True Guide, the soul of the birch.
One single leaf, two covers conceal,
The keys that bring life, to you reveal.
“In a room full of knowledge,” began the King. “To me, that’s Mermin’s library. It’s full of books with knowledge spanning many subjects with which we’ve unsuccessfully tried to break the curse.”
“Wait a minute!” Mermin interjected. “I wemember a folk legend about the soul of the birch. I have a book about it upstairs in my libwawy.”
The trio quickly devoured what remained of breakfast and charged up to the library. Once there, the wizard led the way to the folklore section. He waved his finger at a shelf up high. “It’s up there!”
The mage glided a moveable ladder over and the King surged upward, quickly scaling the ten rungs to his target. “Which book is it?”
“The blue one to the wight of your hand, sir.”
The sovereign read the spine: “Princesses and Frogs: A Beginners Guide. Are you sure?”
“Twy the one next to it.”
“Training Your Therewolf in Three Easy Steps. Mermin?”
“Let me have a look, sir.”
The wizard cinched up his generous robes and the pair switched places. Andy held his breath, remembering the man’s recent wobbly ascent.
“How Faiwies Found Their Home. A Histowy of Twolls. The Legends and Lore of Methuselah.”
“What about the gold book next to that?” interjected Andy.
“Gold one? Where?”
“There, to your left.”
Mermin looked again and frowned. The King tilted his head.
“I don’t see the gold book you’re wefewwing to, Andy.”
“It’s right there, by your left hand. Here, let me get it.”
Mermin tottered down and Andy bounded up the ladder. He immediately grabbed the book and held it out for them to see. “See? This book.”
The King and Mermin exchanged glances as Andy headed back down, book in hand. He walked over to the big table, cleared some of the clutter, and laid it down.
“Ready? What? What’s wrong?”
“Andy, we don’t see anything. We can’t see your book.”
“Really?”
“Really,” confirmed the King. “But why don’t you open it and tell us what you see.”
Andy slowly lifted the cover to reveal white velvet lining the inside. He reached to feel it and the King and Mermin’s eyes grew wide.
“Your hand!” the King exclaimed.
Andy jerked it back. “What?”
Seeing his appendage reappear, the pair gasped. “Your hand disappeared for a second,” the King explained.
“It did?”
To the pair’s bobbing heads Andy exclaimed, “Awesome!” He beamed and proceeded to repeat the trick several more times until Mermin interrupted.
“What else do you see?”
Andy ran his hand across the fabric. It felt soft to the touch. A sweet floral scent escaped, reminding him of his grandma. He remembered snuggling next to her reading books when he was little. He narrated his findings as he migrated through the gold tome. “There’s only one page in front. It’s blank. And there’s a compartment behind that.” Andy pulled on the matching white, looped handle to open it. “Cool! There’s a gold key.” Lifting it out, he showed it to his compatriots.
The sovereign recited, “‘One single leaf, two covers conceal, The keys that bring life, to you reveal.’ The single leaf, I’ll bet that’s the blank page. Two covers conceal…one cover is that of the book, the other is—the cover of invisibility. Yes, that’s it. That has to be it!” A smile bloomed over the King’s face. “The keys that bring life—Andy has one key, but it speaks of more than one. What else is in the book?”
“That’s all, sir.”
“It can’t be. There must be more,” insisted the King.
Andy looked back at the book. “Oh, wait! The first page has writing on it now.” He read:
“A recipe for disaster,
Of the curse, you are to Master.
Collection of ingredients,
Requires diligence, obedience.
Think not to improvise,
But hold true to each noble prize.
For only with integrity,
Will you achieve for all to see.
Of the first, by you pursue,
Impenetrable covering, hard and true,
Of dragon fierce, from whence it flew,
One portion, red, from you is due.”
“Interesting,” said the King, rubbing his chin. “Sounds like we are to gather several ingredients in order to break the curse. And no substitutions are allowed. The first is a scale from a red dragon. It says it has to be red, so that means it has to be from an adult male.”
“Red d-d-dragon?” Andy stammered.
“They are the warest of dwagon breeds, and only the adult males have wed scales. Like most dwagon species, the females and young are gway to help hide them fwom danger. It is said the wed dwagon is the fiercest of all dwagons, which is why their scales are the most valuable.”
The King glanced over at Andy. “What’s wrong? You’ve battled dragons before. I’ve seen you. You’re very good.”
“When did I ever battle a dragon?”
“In your house, Andy. You used that box with the strange weapon. I was very impressed.”
Andy thought back. “Wait! You saw me playing my Dragon Slayer videogame? How’s that possible?” His mouth opened and closed.
The King and Mermin exchanged glances before the former replied, “That would be the work of the Appearo Beam.”
That again?
“You’re weally good!” interjected Mermin.
“There’s a big difference between playing a videogame and real life!”
“It’s all battling dwagons. I don’t see a diffewence.”
“With a videogame, I’m just having fun!”
“Is not the purpose of what you call a ‘videogame’ to equip you with the skills you will need to survive?” the King clarified. “Your training in tracking and stealth is very rigorous. Andy, you are displaying instincts only the best dragon slayers possess, and at such a young age. It is truly a gift. In fact, I’ve asked Mermin to see about getting these units for our soldiers.”
How can I explain? I was
only playing.
The King leaned in as Andy’s mind vacillated. He looks so hopeful. He really believes I can do this. That message sphere did say I was supposed to be a leader here, but get a dragon scale? As in battle a real, live dragon? I don’t know… Andy’s palms grew sweaty and he exhaled.
“You could single-handedly change this land’s future,” the wizard intoned.
Andy’s eyes ping-ponged between the two. “All right, I’ll get a scale from a red dragon for you,” he sighed. I’ve no clue how—
“Excellent! Thank you!” The King patted Andy’s shoulder. “Well then, we need to find a red dragon!”
“Mewodach, the dwagon master, will be at the festival. Andy can ask him where the wed dwagons are this time of year.”
“An excellent idea, Mermin! Andy, Merodach is a seasoned dragon master. He’s worked with these creatures longer than anyone I know. He will definitely know where to find them. But you must ask him carefully, so as not to arouse curiosity or suspicion.”
“You’ll be there. Can’t you ask him?”
“I’m sorry, Andy, but I won’t be. Neither Mermin nor I can leave the castle. It’s part of the curse.”
Andy shot a questioning look and the King raised a hand. “I didn’t want to burden you with this, but did you wonder why we are so old when everyone else in the castle is young?”
“Actually, I hadn’t thought about it, sir.”
“Well, I am 509 years old, and Mermin is 507.”
Andy coughed. “Did you say you’re 509?”
“That’s right. Because I’m responsible for bringing the curse upon Oomaldee, I have unending life. Through no fault of his own, Mermin shares my fate. We are not permitted to leave the castle.”
“You can’t go anywhere?”
“That’s right, Andy. My greatest desire is to restore the land to its former greatness by breaking the curse. After all these years, it seems you have been brought here to accomplish this. I have every confidence you will succeed.”
“As do I,” Mermin echoed.
“I can’t imagine—” Andy pondered aloud. “I mean, what could you possibly have done to cause the curse?”
“I will explain in due time. Our primary concern at the moment is to find a red dragon.” The King paused and gently lifted Andy’s chin in the palm of his hand and their eyes met. “I will tell you…when the time is right.”
Andy nodded.
“Why don’t you ask Alden to help you. You two seem to have hit it off. I’m sure he will be a great asset to the success of this mission.”
Andy gave a weak smile then put the key back in the book and closed the cover. He returned it to a lower shelf in the same bookcase for safekeeping.
How in the world am I going to get a dragon scale?
Chapter Six
Where Be Dragons?