Heart of the Staff - Complete Series

by Carol Marrs Phipps

  “Your Majesty!” called out Bernard. “You might want to come have a look at this grisly thing!”

  She found him kneeling before a lady's hand in the new May apples. Suddenly it was black as night and with a ping and a shriek, Neron ran away into the blackness.

  “Aah!” she gasped, struggling for her balance.

  “My word!” said Bernard. “Are you all right? I didn't realize that the sight of this would...”

  “You did the right thing, Captain.”

  “But, I daresay you surprised me, Your Majesty. Could you possibly have recognized...?”

  “Why yes, actually. The ring on her finger. My father gave it to her...”

  “I'm sorry, but I'm altogether lost here.”

  “Demonica, Captain. That's Demonica's hand.

  “Well, if you're sure you're all right, I'll see how the men are coming in their search for survivors.”

  “No need. No one here remains alive. The Elves who were not taken prisoner by the trolls have escaped down the magic river.”

  “Why, that is indeed most likely, Your Majesty, but please forgive me, for I am most bewildered. And please forgive me for saying this, for I would not think of challenging your judgment, but I don't for the life of me understand how that you could possibly have seen enough to come to that conclusion.”

  “Captain Bernard, if you ever see fit to question my judgment, by all means bring it to my attention. You earned that right long ago. It is I who should apologize. I keep in your trust my two acts of magic on this mission, but I've neglected to tell you everything. Please keep this to yourself as well, but have you ever heard of such a thing as antesight?”

  Chapter 124

  On the evening of the second long day of travel through the vacant and gently rolling grasslands south of Ash Fork, Herio, Hubba Hubba and the sparrows began seeing scattered trees and soon found themselves coming to the gravelly crossing of a river.

  “Hey!” said Hubba Hubba, springing into the air from Herio's shoulder. He swooped right back down. “There are a couple of tents and some guards right up yonder.”

  “I'm not surprised,” said Herio, stopping Gwynt to peer under his hand. “Didn't used to be, but then there was the massacre at Ash Fork...”

  “So the border to Goll runs along the river? Is that the Loxmere River?”

  “That's the Loxmere all right, but it crosses north out of Goll right there, instead. Well, I'd reckon we'd better get moving...”

  “Whoa! We're not going to cross here, are we?”

  “Why not, Hubba?”

  “You heard me say 'guards,' right? I know we'll have to get along with Gollians, Gollians, Gollians soon enough, but these are different, Herio...”

  “How?”

  “These Gollians will be watchin' us come in out o' Niarg.”

  With that argument, they decided to avoid the border guards by crossing the Loxmere a good league to the south. Once they were across, well away from the sight of anyone, they spent the night without a fire in a grove of cottonwoods.

  At the first light, Herio shared dried apples and currants with Hubba Hubba, Chirp, Tweet and Squeak as he saddled Gwynt, and with very few words, set out on a determined ride across utterly empty grassland.

  “So Herio,” said Hubba Hubba as they paused briefly at the top of a grassy swell near a gathering of chattering bobolinks, swaying in in a thicket of last year's cockle burrs, “I know where we've been. Do you know where we are?”

  “Yea, I think...”

  “You think? So where's that?”

  “Gollmoor. I'm right sure about that, and I'm guessing that if we just keep going, we ought to begin seeing some of the farms which surround the town of Castlegoll and Castle Goll. At least if we start seeing people, we can ask.”

  “Goody! How far?”

  “I have no idea...”

  “Hey, you need feathers. What if we fly around some?”

  “I'm all for it. Just don't lose me.”

  By noon, Hubba Hubba and the sparrows returned from one of their sorties with news of farms in the distance.

  “Well fellows, if that be the case,” said Herio, “I'd allow that we'll reach Castlegoll well before sunset, unless we camp or find a tavern with empty beds between here and there.

  “Hey, do I look uncivilized or what?” said Hubba Hubba with a thorough shake of his feathers. “Pebbles and I put our first clutch in an apple tree, but you ones notice that we've got our last one in Razzmorten's tower. And the boys here come from generations of stuffing filthy straw and feathers in sheds...don't you?” he said with a clack of his beak, turning to them with a ruffled head.

  “Oh indoors. Yes, yes,” chirped Tweet.

  “Filthy straw under rafters, that's us,” tweeted Squeak.

  “Every time,” squeaked Chirp.

  “I'm not sure how filthy I want my bed to be, but I'd bet you all would enjoy supper that wasn't scorched for once.”

  “Reasonable consensus,” said Hubba Hubba. “So, if it suits you, we'll just wing it on ahead and hunt for accommodations.”

  “Good idea,” said Herio. “Maybe we'll find a tavern where we can hear talk about the castle.”

  “Righty-o!” cawed Hubba Hubba as he sprang aloft with the sparrows. “Busy tavern, comin' up!”

  Herio sighed and gave Gwynt a rub down the neck and a pat for a full stop as he watched them fly out of sight. “Let's go then, ol' boy,” he said. He studied the swells in the sea of grass. “I'm hoping more than anything in the world that I manage to get the chance for to avenge King Hebraun's death for my wonderful queen! Ye reckon I will?”

  Gwynt gave a snort and a toss of his head.

  “My! That must've been an answer, but I don't understand a single word of unicorn,” he said, giving Gwynt another pat on the neck. “Anyway, thanks for listening, old sport.”

  The path had become three tracks in the grass for quite some time, and they were seeing many more isolated bushes and trees. Quail called. Soon they came to two gate posts in a rail fence. An upland plover took flight from one of them as they approached.

  At the next pair of big posts, two boys about Cefnogi's size stepped into the road with corn knives, followed by a gangling freckled girl about his age, brandishing a pick. “And who might you be,” hollered out the girl, “a-comin' up on the back of our place?”

  “Good afternoon,” said Herio, doffing his hat. “I'm merely passing through. I had no idea at all that I was trespassing. I'm on my way to Castle Goll, but beyond that I have no idea where I am. I'd be mighty obliged if you could tell me the best way to get there from here.”

  “Yea?” said the girl. “Why would you want to go to the castle?”

  “Why wouldn't I? My mom died last winter and she might not have, had my dad and my older brothers not been killed at Ashmore. I don't know what else to do but offer my services to the queen and hope to get a chance to avenge Dad and my brothers.

  “Our dad got kilt there, too,” she said, putting down her pick. “'Bout everybody's dad died there.”

  “Same where I'm from...”

  “And where might that be?”

  “Clear across Gollmoor, the far side, near Cyclopsia. It's pretty empty down there. We ran cattle...”

  “Then what are you doing, coming onto our place on this side?”

  “I'm on my way back from Ash Fork and Cwm Eryr. I went to have a look.

  “My word! You're the first one I've ever talked to who's actually gone there. Nobody we know has been able to go all that way to see any of it because of the man shortage. Anyway,” she said with a shy little curtsey, “my name is Sophie and these are my brothers Benjamin and Timothy, and we are right pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  “And I'm most pleased to make yours,” he said as he quickly dismounted to shake their hands. “My name is Herio.”

  “Herio,” said Sophie. “We had a cousin named Herio, but he died at Ash Fork, too.”

  “I'm sorry to hear...�
�

  “Thank you of course, but it seems that's all we hear these days, isn't it? Well, the road you want is a good piece west of here, and Mom will probably let us show you, if you let her have a look at you for a while, first. She's just made pies, so you might enjoy meeting her, and we'd really enjoy hearing news from clean across Goll and back.”

  Herio didn't know how to reply until he realized that the birds would probably recognize Gwynt outside, while he was inside eating. “Oh, I'd love any kind of pie.”

  “Wonderful,” she said. “You two run ahead and tell Mom that I'm on the way with company. Herio and I will be along directly.”

  ***

  “Stay sharp boys!” cawed Hubba Hubba as he climbed higher to have a good glide. “Let's make one more big pass of the countryside, just to be sure we haven't missed something. I can't believe there's not a tavern, inn or anything from where the farms start, all the way to Castlegoll.”

  “There are a slew of farmsteads, though,” squeaked Chirp as he bounced along in a mad flutter to keep up. “One of them might put us up...”

  “That's ground work,” chirped Tweet. “We can't ask around from the air.”

  “Let's just go back now,” said Hubba Hubba. “If that's all that's left, we're wasting time. I hate to think of another night of Herio's scorched beans, or nothing at all like last night.”

  “Couldn't be that bad,” tweeted Squeak. “Those folks down there look pretty hard up. A little money would surely get us what we want...”

  “Yea?” said Hubba Hubba. “And it could be right risky if they thought Herio was well-to-do. A young fellow by himself?” He clacked shut his beak with a shake of his head. “Someone might try to rob him...or worse!”

  “Worse, master?” squeaked Chirp.

  “Hey, I remember arrows and meat cleavers and ugly manners of all sorts out of people on the ground who weren't even penniless and desperate. And don't you dare call me master! Aren't we chums these days?”

  “Oh I forgot, you being a crow and all...”

  “Crow! Well, I can't hide from that, but reminders of the Ugleeuh days give me a headache...” And with that, he collapsed into a headlong fall.

  “Hubba Hubba!” squeaked Chirp, diving madly after him. “What's wrong? Tweet! Squeak! Help!”

  ***

  “I never had pie made from dried cherries before,” said Herio after a polite swallow, “but this is the best slice of pie I've had in months and months. I sure appreciate you all inviting me to have some, Mrs. Gweld.”

  “Why thank you, Herio. That earned you another piece, if you'd like.”

  “Oh, that would be wonderful, ma'am.”

  “I love hit when you bring in nice boys like this, Sophie.” she said with a smile as she dished out the pie.

  “Herio looked up to find poor Sophie beet red.

  “Nay. Truth to tell, Herio, you're the first boy Sophie ever brought to the house. And if you're the kind of young fellow she's going to start dragging in here, I'm right pleased.”

  “Mom!” said Sophie.

  “I'm sorry, Sophie. Love is teasin'. I know I went and put my foot in it. You're a good girl, and I like this young man.” She threw a cloth over the pies and studied Herio as he ate. “Herio,” she said, just as he was beginning to grow self conscious, “I know this is none of my business, but while I'm putting my foot in things, have you really thought through your plans about offering the queen your services?”

  “I have indeed. Hit's the only way to avenge the death of my family...” he said, startled by having to struggle with his feelings at unexpected recollections of his mom and Cefnogi in the midst of his lie.

  “Oh, don't I know the feeling,” said Mrs. Gweld, reaching out to give his arm a light touch. “It's just that our queen uses up soldiers, don't you know? Oh my! I mean, hit's hard to loose a husband...” She paused to work the quivers out of her chin. “Everybody's bloomin' husband, if you know what I mean. Well I hope to Fates you aren't figuring me to be some sort of traitor by now, 'cause I'm right loyal to Goll, but you know, there are lot's of folks who think hit's more the queen's judgment than Niarg as kilt all the men.” She put her hand to her bodice and caught her breath. “Now I've gone and said 'way too much, but surely you wouldn't go and tell her since I fed you ones pie.”

  Herio knew just how she felt, but had no idea what to say. “I just need to check for my birds outside,” he said, abruptly standing up from his chair and hurrying to the window. “I know I'm a total stranger, but I'd never tell. Everybody all the way from my end of Gollmoor has the same thing to say as you. Besides, your pie's too good.”

  “Now, 'birds' you say?” said Mrs. Gweld, looking gratefully relieved. “Falcons?”

  “No, but every bit as trained...”

  “Well, why don't we all sit out front while you finish your pie?”

  “Actually I'd be relieved if we did. I was watching for their return when I wandered onto your place.”

  Soon they were seated on a pair of benches along the front of the cottage in the afternoon sun, eating pie and listening to doves calling back and forth. A queue of thirsty cows arrived at the nearby tank for a drink.

  “I'm going to send you two to draw water when we're done with our pie,” said Mrs. Gweld to the boys.

  “Does everybody, where you've been, look like their daddies have been kilt?” said Sophie as she knitted her brow at the clover head she was dismembering.

  “I'm not sure I know what you mean. Most of the men are gone everywhere I've been...”

  “No, I mean... Is everyone as... Well all right, is everyone as poorly as we are, other places?”

  “Sophie!” said Mrs. Gweld. “What a question!”

  “I'm sorry, Mom...”

  “That's fine,” said Herio. “That's not a bad question, I don't think. Everybody's hard up everywhere. You folks look as well off as anyone.” He wasn't sure whether his face was flushed, but his ears felt hot, and the topic certainly knocked everyone silent for a good long spell. A burbling flock of bobolinks landed throughout the grape arbor.

  “Hey Herio,” said Timothy, “have you seen any of those weird crystals that the queen uses to talk to everybody with, yet?

  “No, but I've certainly heard tell. And I don't know quite what to think about it, either...”

  “We did!” said Benjamin breaking in with a swagger. “You could really see and hear the queen in hit. What was spooky was that no matter where you were in the square you could hear her just as good as if you were right up next to hit. And no matter where you stand, she's looking right at you. And she's doing that to everyone at the same time, no matter where they're a-standing.”

  “That is spooky,” said Herio. “I'm not sure if I ever want to see one.”

  “Yea, but you won't have a choice,” said Timothy. “Everybody in the castle has to listen. They say anyone who walks away from the one she has out in the middle of the yard when she's talking, has a way of gettin' arrested for treason.”

  Herio stopped eating and looked up. “That doesn't sound very good,” he said.

  ***

  Hubba Hubba opened his eyes to find the ground shooting up to meet him. He began flapping furiously. “Help! Help! Help!” he cawed. “It's too late! Pebbles, I'm sorry!”

  Without warning, something strange was under each of his wings. Suddenly he was seeing stars, bouncing and rolling to a rumpled stop in tall new grass. “Oh, I hate being dead,” he rattled. “Throb. Throb. Throb. That's my stinking head, but why are my wingpits doing it, too? Say! Why am I thinking?”

  “It's not thinking, Hubba Hubba,” squeaked Chirp, “It's just you. Now could you please lift your wing? Squeak and Tweet are under here!”

  “So you ones are dead too, aye?” he said, letting out a yelp from moving his head to peer under his wing.

  “Good grief no!” chirped Tweet, with a ruffle of his feathers. “We're not dead and neither are you!” He gave Hubba Hubba two or three one eyed inspections. “Yo
u sure have a knot on your knitty box. What the ding-dong blazes did you fly into up there?”

  “I have no idea at all, but for some crazy reason it made me think of Ugleeuh...”

  And at that very instant he was yanked out of the grass by his neck.

  “Hey!” crowed a stinky beefy boy with a hateful grip, as he sprang into a dancing pell-mell run through the grass. “I got him! I got him! I got him! I got him!”

  Chapter 125

  Chirp, Tweet and Squeak shot into the air from where Hubba Hubba had fallen and watched in shock from the top of a big walnut tree as the stinky beefy boy made off with him through the grass.

  “They'll get away if we don't get moving!” squeaked Chirp as they all dove into the air.

  “He'd never let someone make off with us!” tweeted Squeak.

  “Let's keep up!” chirped Tweet.

  “Hey!” squeaked Chirp. “Somebody tell me how we're going to save him from a grabby boy a thousand times bigger than we are. He'll pull our heads off!”

  “Go for help!” chirped Tweet.

  “And somebody still has to follow,” tweeted Squeak.

  “Someone needs to find Herio and bring him here, while the other two of us follow Hubba Hubba,” squeaked Chirp. “When we see where the boy takes him, one of us comes back here and the other stays and watches...

  “Yea,” chirped Tweet. “And hope to the Pit he doesn't get et while we're at it!”

  “Don't even think that!” tweeted Squeak.

  “Just for that, you go find Herio,” squeaked Chirp.

  Tweet gave a wide-eyed nod and shot away with a bouncing blur of wings.

  ***

  The stinky beefy boy slowed to a walk with a skip and happily patted his game bag full of Hubba Hubba. Whistling a giddy tune fit for the tone deaf, he left the path through a gap in the hedge to cut across a freshly ploughed field. Chirp and Squeak followed 'round the outside in the tops of trees grown up in the hedge. The boy scampered through new oats, a meadow and a fresh cow pile, pausing to rinse his feet in a gurgling creek before dashing triumphantly across an orchard to a fiery haired woman and two boys, hoeing in a broad vegetable garden.