by T J Trapp
Erin thought for a moment and then said, “It is a good plan. Let’s do it. The only thing I don’t like is that I cannot be in two places at once to help you free Mother.”
“Maybe you can, maybe you can,” Alec said.
✽✽✽
“Let’s ride,” said Erin, calling to Ferd, the bright morning sun cutting across her bustling campsite. Erin and a tall man who looked somewhat like Alec took the lead, followed by Ferd and an escort party of twenty riders. The group rode along the River Ryn towards Freeland City, greeting other travelers and loudly hailing the residents of the next village as they passed. Erin was satisfied that their passage was noted; word would quickly get to any spies in the area.
As they rode, Erin instructed her riders. “Some of you are new to Freeland City, my home. In the center of town is Justice Square, and within the Square rests the Stone of Truth. We are going to the Stone so that I can show my people who I am – their Princess. Justice Square is a distance from the royal Residence, so we should not encounter Amelia. If we do, I will handle her.
“Remember these are our sisters and brothers. Treat everyone with respect.”
They encountered no opposition as they reached the gates of Freeland City. The people watched with excitement as the royal procession marched through the town. Some waved to Erin, and then quickly looked around to see if their indiscretion had been noticed. Erin could sense a feeling of awe from the crowds towards her, and an underlying dislike of Amelia and her capricious decisions.
Erin led her procession on a long route circling through town, announcing at every opportunity that she would make a proclamation at Justice Square. Her group reached the entryway to Justice Square as the sun reached midmorning; two of the five moons hung low in the morning sky. A crowd had assembled on the Square in anticipation of Erin’s proclamation.
Justice Square remained unchanged since Erin last visited it; the black half-sphere of the Stone of Truth reflected a thin line of sunlight over its platform. At least Amelia hasn’t removed the Stone, thought Erin darkly, if even she were able to.
One of the riders unfurled the Princess’ banner and led the way into the Square, followed by Erin, the tall rider, and Ferd. The crowd parted for them as they crossed the pavement. Two of Amelia’s guardsmen were standing in front of the platform. Erin motioned for her force to dismount, and she walked up to the guardsmen. They stared past her.
“I am Erin, princess of Theland. I come to the Stone of Truth to show my people the rightful truth.”
One guardsman looked at her and replied, “Her Majesty Queen Amelia does not permit any to step onto the platform without her permission.”
Erin focused through the tricrystal in her sword. She sensed the lines clear and strengthen. It wasn’t the crispness she had when Alec supplied her dark energy but it was enough. She twisted the lines of energy, and both guards collapsed, falling to their knees. Two riders grabbed the men and slid them out of the way; Erin stepped onto the platform. Erin walked up to the Stone and touched it.
The Stone brought back memories. Erin had walked on this platform ever since she was a child, sometimes standing by her mother as she coaxed color into the Stone, sometimes with her mother as she sought justice. The Stone was cold in the morning air, but Erin’s touch brought a feeling of warmth.
Responding to her touch, the Stone slowly began to change color, then rapidly turned from black to solid white. Erin pushed on the Stone, like Alec had taught her, with dark energy. The Stone continued to change until it was crystal clear; now she could see through it, and she expanded her senses into the Stone. She suddenly felt herself soaring in the air. She was looking down on the world as she floated freely. Below her were forests and fields. She sensed an unsuspecting drunglet wandering somewhere below, and thought of swooping down on it. Then her sense of the present returned, and she was staring at the clear globe.
Erin could hear the cheers from the people in the Square. She let them go on for a while and then motioned for quiet.
“I am Erin, Princess of Theland, daughter of Queen Therin, and I have returned from the War on the Grasslands.” As she spoke, the stone changed from its clear color and glowed with a golden hue. Erin stopped and used the Stone to sense the feelings of the people standing before her. Her senses expanded, and she could feel their hopes and dreams – most wanted peace and a chance to live their lives and raise their families without fear; but most were very apprehensive. Erin could tell that the crowd did not like Amelia, but feared the results of any confrontation.
Erin continued, “I intend to avenge my Mother’s treatment. I will seek out and deal with those who have usurped the throne and abused their power, and I will assume my rightful role as your Princess and ruler to help my people.” The stone continued to glow with a golden hue.
Many of the people assembled before her cheered, but she could also hear the people muttering among themselves and could detect the anger in the crowd towards Amelia. Then she saw a commotion at the far entry to the Square. Several guardsmen were whipping people and pushing them aside to open a corridor. Behind the guards were two sedan chairs, each borne by four people with long poles yoked across their shoulders. Erin could sense that Amelia was riding in the first sedan chair and another woman was in the second. A cadre of additional guardsmen and courtiers came along behind the chairs.
Erin stood on the platform in quiet anticipation. She had not planned to face Amelia today, but she was ready. The crowd understood that a confrontation was coming and opened a pathway for Amelia and her entourage to approach Erin. The people carrying the sedan chair brought it to the front of the platform and knelt.
Amelia looked at Erin from her place on the chair. “Sister, I am glad to see you.” The stone turned from gold to brown. “I am pleased that you have come to worship me. You and your lackeys may come and bow at my feet, and then I will decide your fate.” The Stone turned almost black. “Since you have been gone, we have made a few changes. Opposing my right to rule is treasonous, and carries a penalty of death.”
“Amelia, you are accused of abusing the Queen’s power. In front of the Stone of Truth, how do you answer?”
Amelia looked at the Stone. “I could never make that stupid thing work, and Pequa always told me the truth part was just an accidental capability.” The Stone glowed bright gold. “I cannot abuse my power. I am the Queen! And I can do anything that I want!” The stone turned black.
“Stop that stupid stone trick, before I punish you,” she whined. “I am Queen, oh yes, I am! And we have the writ that says Erin abdicated, don’t we Daddy?” She turned and looked around. “Oh, maybe I had him beheaded. We can ask his head at dinner tonight, but I am sure that he told me I was the rightful Queen.” Amelia quit mumbling to herself and tuned to the other sedan chair. “Pequa, come here and look at all my faithless vassals,” Amelia said, pointing at the crowd.
“Yes, your Majesty, they are faithless and deceitful,” said the second woman.
Now Erin looked closely at the woman in the other chair. “You are an elf!” she exclaimed.
The tall woman stood and started directly at Erin.
“Of course, I am an elf,” Pequa sneered. “I have come to help her Highness Queen Amelia achieve her full glory! I ask little in return, just a small thing – a promise that the Queen will pay a small tribute to the elves.” The stone glowed brightly golden, and the crowd gasped with shock at the revelation. Very few of the citizens of Freeland City had ever seen a known elf, and some covered their faces in fear, peeking at the tall dark-haired woman between their fingers. Pequa looked at Erin, then pointed at the Stone. “You are too stupid to know what you have – what you can do. That is a Master Dragon Stone, and yet you use it for mundane things like indicating truth.”
Pequa looked at the two men following her chair and said, “Kill her.”
The two men stepped forward. Five of Erin’s riders stepped in the way. Pequa’s two moved with precision, and within the bli
nk of an eye four of the riders were down. Erin watched in astonishment. They are anticipating my riders moves. These must be two of Pequa’s
clutchmen. Erin drew her sword and let the two come onto the platform towards her. They moved with coordinated precision, one on each side of her. Erin circled to keep them together, and the fight was on. She attacked, and they blocked her thrust and countered with a blow that barely missed. She relaxed and started feeling their intentions. The normally crisp feeling of anticipation became fuzzy, and she noted the hesitation in her opponents also. Erin continued to fight using her sense of rightness as well as her ability to anticipate. With two opponents anticipating her moves she was rapidly tiring and would eventually wear out before her opponents. She needed to change things to her advantage.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pequa staring intently. Pequa is sensing my reactions and feeding it to her clutchmen. That is how they do this. Erin thrust at one of the clutchmen and then turned her blade. She focused as much dark energy as she could find and made her runes on the side flash. The momentary flash distracted Pequa, and for an instant, the fuzzy feeling of anticipation turned crisp. Erin took the instant and slashed before Pequa recovered her senses. One of the clutchmen was down. Erin turned towards the second as the fuzzy sense returned. I can beat this guy, one on one.
The second clutchman retreated but Erin didn’t let him escape. In desperation, the clutchman launched a frantic attack that almost broke through Erin’s defense. The attack used all the reserve energy of the clutchman. When it didn’t succeed, the clutchman seemed an instant slower. Erin took advantage of the slowing and finished the clutchman.
From her vantage point on the platform, Erin looked across the square. Amelia and Pequa were retreating on the far side of the square. Erin’s riders were still fighting with a few of Amelia’s guardsmen, but they were winning. Except for the four downed riders that the clutchmen had initially taken out, all her riders were holding their own. Erin jumped off the platform to help her riders finish the remaining battles.
36 – The Grotto
Alec and Brun left the riders’ camp quietly before the sun was up, taking Hank and Rhor with them. They looked like a typical team on a dawn patrol; they did not want anyone in the camp or the nearby village to mark their leaving as anything unusual. As dawn came, the quartet headed towards a tributary to the Ryn. This time of year the water was not particularly high, and Brun knew of an upstream ford. The group crossed the river and rode down a small path towards the Evening Mountains.
They rode for most of the morning; the terrain changed from the valley floor to the rolling hills that preceded the mountains. Between two of the hills, they came to a side trail. Brun pointed. “It is only a couple of els further.”
“Will it be guarded?” asked Alec.
“Of course,” said Brun.
“Then it is time to obscure ourselves. We should leave our mounts here.” Alec and Brun dismounted and gave the trogus leads to Rhor.
“I do not expect to return this way,” Alec said to Hank. “Wait here until evening. If we have not returned, then take the trogus and go back to camp. We will meet you there.”
Alec focused, and the world became fuzzy. “Stay close to me,” he said to Brun, “and be quiet.”
They walked silently along the path. Brun motioned to Alec. Alec could see a guard watching the path from an elevated post. They walked carefully forward, and the guard continued to watch the path with no reaction.
They continued to follow the path as it ran between two low hills; they crossed a small meadow with a large wooded area behind it. At the end of the meadow, the trail ran through a narrow opening between two rocky bluffs.
As they approached the narrow passage, Burn stopped to rest, looking relieved. “The grotto compound is just past the bluff. If Pequa’s guards had noticed us, this is where they would have attacked us.” He gazed up at the rock face. “Just ahead, at the narrows, there is a hidden gate that can be closed to stop riders from going any farther; then they are vulnerable to attack from the rocks above or from the woods on either side. A few well-placed defenders here can protect the grotto against an army.”
Alec looked around. “I see what you mean,” he said.
“There is a barracks about an el past the gate. That’s where the guards will be staying. I think that there are about forty of them, from what I am told, but they will count on sentries to warn them if anyone approaches. That gives them plenty of time to get to their stations, so they don’t need to come this far out here, except when they change the guard shift.”
“What else is over there?” asked Alec.
“My grotto residence is set further back by an old mine pond. Very picturesque. The main mine shaft is on the other side of the pond. Back when this was a working mine, they used the water from the mine pond to rinse and sort the ore. The dungeon I built to hold my captives is near the barracks, carved into the hillside. I suspect that is where the Queen is held.”
Alec looked around. “Is there a clearing near here that we can use, where the guards can’t see us?”
Brun pointed, “There used to be a clearing in those trees, where they harvested mine timbers. I haven’t been over there in quite some time.”
“Perfect,” said Alec. “Show it to me.”
Brun led him through some underbrush to a large clearing. One side was protected by a steep hill and the other sides were ringed by the woods. Alec smiled. “This looks like a good place to stage our riders.”
Alec took off his backpack and pulled out the portal-control hex rod. He created a simple circle, checking to make sure the dimensions were adequate. He motioned for Brun to stand next to him in the center of the circle. “Join me. I don’t trust you enough to leave you here alone.” The world dimmed, went black, and returned. The two of them were standing inside a large circle drawn in the middle of the rider camp. Brun looked around in amazement.
Thom came up to them, carefully staying outside the circle. “The Princess just returned a few minutes ago. I will send a runner to fetch her. The others are ready.”
Erin came up quickly, armed and ready. “Did everything go smoothly?” she asked Alec.
He nodded. “How about with you?”
“A minor encounter with Amelia and her minions but nothing difficult,” Erin replied. Alec could sense that wasn’t the whole truth but didn’t press the issue.
“What should we do with Brun?”
“I don’t want to take him. We would have to assign a rider to watch him, and we will probably need all our people for more important tasks. I will be able to sense Mother’s location, so he won’t add anything.”
Brun looked relieved at the decision. He obviously was disconcerted about his abrupt arrival in the middle of the camp. He cleared his throat.
“Beware,” he said. “There are traps in the dungeon, and Pequa’s workers may have added things that I do not know about.”
Erin glared at Brun, letting her anger sink in. Then she looked at Thom. “You are in charge here in camp until I return. I will honor my word to free him,” jerking her thumb towards Brun, “when I return. In the meantime, keep him in chains. If I do not return, execute him for his many crimes.”
Brun shook his head in resignation, “I have told you all I know, but I don’t think you will return. You have sealed my death warrant.”
✽✽✽
After her step-father was led off in chains, Erin said to Alec, “I will believe Brun, and we will take forty riders with us. Without the element of surprise, we probably don’t have enough riders to recover Mother alive, but if we can surprise them we should be able to easily beat them with even numbers.”
Erin hand-picked the riders she wanted, led by Ferd, and Alec cycled the portal repeatedly until all the riders stood in the secluded clearing near the grotto. Not sure how they had arrived there, they looked around in surprise as Ferd moved them into position.
Erin sensed the area. “Mother
is here, I know it,” she said with elation. “There is no one in the building with her.”
Then Erin turned to Ferd. “Brun told the truth on the number of defenders. Most of the guardsmen are in the barracks, except for a few that seem to be patrolling. I sense some activity; it must be time for a shift change. Ferd, you stay here with the riders. Alec and I are going to get Mother. If the guardsmen start pouring out of their barracks, or if Alec sends a signal, attack them.”
They waited and saw three guardsmen wander down the path. Shortly three other guardsmen straggled back along the path.
They look like they could be drones, thought Alec to himself.
“Are you ready my Dear Wizard?” Erin said, and squeezed his hand.
With a slight bow, Alec took her hand, kissed it, and then created an obscuring field. They carefully walked out of the woods to the path leading to the grotto, and through the narrow passage between the two bluffs. On the far side of the passage Alec saw the substantial gate that was completely out of view from the meadow. They entered the grotto compound and stopped to look around.
“Mother is in the basement of that building,” Erin whispered, pointing across the pond.
Alec responded, “Brun said that is the old mine building. He thought your mother would be in the dungeon on the other side of the barracks house.”
“No, I sense her under the mine building.”
The two of them carefully walked across the open area, shielded by the obscuring lens, to the old mine building. No cries of alarm marked their passage. They came to the door on the outside of the building. Erin pushed on the door, but it didn’t budge. “Your turn, my Great Wizard.”