Shadow Helm of Glory

by Elizabeth Klein

‘So, the Vagabond King returns to claim his throne. Sadly, you are too late.’ She raised her arms towards him.

  ‘Look Witch!’ he hollered and then lowered Melenor onto the floor. ‘See what your sorceries have done? Your own flesh and blood lies at death’s door because of them. Your own daughter, Elimas.’

  Dougray’s jaw dropped as he stared at him and then at the girl. Melenor! Elimas’s daughter? Belle shot him a surprised look. The Magic Woman froze when she saw Melenor and lowered her arms. Ignoring the crowd of intruders, she rushed to the girl’s side with a loud, lamenting voice.

  ‘How? How did this happen?’

  She wrapped her arms around the unconscious girl. At once, she started to chant. Rory unsheathed his sword and pressed the tip to her throat.

  ‘Enough! Get up!’

  Elimas stopped chanting, lifted her head and snarled at him, her face twisted in fury. Her eyes glowed like live coals. ‘You will pay for this—with your lives! Guards!’

  At once, dozens of women dressed in leather armour and silver masks appeared and surrounded them. Dougray had never seen an army so well-honed as these women warriors. Joining them were Elimas’s priestesses in long, white, flowing gowns.

  The sorceress snarled at Rory. ‘You shall remain the crownless king, leader of nothing.’

  Her arm swept up and a tremendous arc of power struck Rory in the chest and flung him back across the floor, his sword clattering onto the tiles. In the blink of an eye, Belle’s sword was a whir in her hand as she leaped towards her. But the mystic’s magic was too swift even for the Elf girl and she was also thrown across the floor. The ferals shrieked and Mouse stumbled back in alarm.

  Seeing such power, Dougray froze with uncertainty and self-doubt.

  Elimas ignored him and resumed her chanting, rocking back and forth as she held her daughter. The ring of priestesses clasped hands and joined in the chant, their voices growing louder and louder, building with power. Belle and the white-haired girl crumpled to their knees and grimaced in agony. Something invisible—untaming magic—was at work, grinding them, pummelling them down.

  ‘Do something!’ yelled Robbie as he writhed on the ground, his pain-filled eyes pleading with his brother.

  Seeing the misery on their faces, Dougray slid his sword from its sheath and took a step towards the sorceress. He halted as Elimas stopped chanting, gently lowered Melenor’s head and stood up. Her priestesses continued in a low drone. Red eyes blazed and Elimas’s fingers curled into talons as she faced him.

  ‘Do you think a sword is enough against me, fool?’

  I seriously hope so, he told himself and raised it to confront her.

  Heat stirred within the blade and had engulfed his hand and arm when a harsh, barking cough made him spin around. A huge, formless mass of darkness moved into the hall.

  ‘Oh no’, he groaned and knew he wasn’t ready to confront Morgranus.

  Despite its massive size, the demon was black as pitch and difficult to see in the shadowy hall. Terrified, the ferals dived for cover. Mouse scampered after them with a tight grimace. Soundless, the demon sprang forward on limbs so swift Dougray barely managed to move out of its path. He lifted his sword just in time. Fire lanced through him, flinging Morgranus back against the wall. It picked itself up, smoking from the fiery impact, and leaped towards him again, its black limbs clawing at his throat.

  Dougray lifted his sword as he stumbled back, blinking sweat from his eyes. Without slowing, Morgranus ploughed into him again with the force of a sledgehammer. Dougray rolled over on the tiles for several dizzying seconds, unable to keep the demon in sight. From somewhere, a consuming fire rose like a shield around him. He shook his head to clear his vision.

  Morgranus circled in silence, seeking an opening.

  Dougray clambered to his feet, dizzy with pain. He sensed a weakening in the power as his confidence waned.

  Then all the lights blinked out in the hall and Morgranus vanished into the blackness. Grappling with fear and confusion, Dougray swung his sword about.

  ‘Belle, your light stone!’

  The Elf girl didn’t answer.

  From somewhere came Elimas’s hollow laughter. No time to think. Where did it go? He could barely see anything. A chink of grey light oozed down from high windows. The sound of the demon’s wheezing breath seemed to echo and taunt all around him as he wheeled about, striking at the empty air. The hall echoed with sounds, of feet scuffling over the tiles and terrified voices. He tensed.

  The air grew heavy with its stench. Something moved out of the corner of his eye. He swung around, unprepared for its cunning attack as it dropped from the ceiling. It smashed into him and he went spinning back, the sword clattering from his grasp onto the tiles. His head struck something hard and he struggled against blacking out. Waves of fire rippled through his body, only to be quenched by a vast shadow that fell on top of him. Chilling words from the faceless demon filled his head.

  You are mine.

  He gazed up into nothingness. It was swallowing him as it had Navarre and countless others. Pinned beneath its icy substance, he couldn’t fight against its immense power. His life force was draining away. He was melding into it.

  Then the unexpected sound of singing made the demon shudder. As loud, sweet songs flooded the hall, Morgranus’s trembling increased. Voices inside its blackness shrieked as it began to thrash about. Something was happening to it, a weakening. Dougray tried to scramble out from under its massive weight, but it did not want to give up its prize. It clawed at Dougray’s face and neck, pinning him down again.

  The singing grew piercingly loud until Dougray’s own ears hurt. Morgranus’s black limbs flailed about as a wild struggle took hold of it. At last, it fell away like a black leech rubbed with salt. It writhed on the tiles. Black slime oozed from its shapeless body and gummed on the floor. On hands and knees, Dougray scrambled away from it. He leaped to his feet and lunged for his sword.

  With a last, desperate charge, Morgranus moved to intercept him. But it was too late. White light exploded from the sword as it came up to meet it. Its power blasted into the demon, sending a red-hot flame shooting up from it that licked the ceiling. Dougray stumbled back from the intense heat. Morgranus thrashed in agony and all the voices of those it had consumed screamed in pitiful, fading echoes as if they were dying all over again.

  The singing stopped. Nobody moved as they watched Morgranus vaporise in a cloud of red smoke. All that was left of it was the blackened tiles where it had stood and a patch of blackened ceiling overhead. Dougray glanced about for Elimas, but she too, had vanished along with all her priestesses, and so had Melenor. He didn’t know whether their disappearance was linked with the destruction of Morgranus. He suspected it was.

  Torchlight shimmered as women hurried to light the torches around the hall. Rory hastened to the white-haired girl as she lay on the cold tiles. Pulling a knife from his belt, he cut her bonds, and then gathered her into his arms and kissed her brow. She looked up at him, confused.

  Who is she? Why does Rory pay her so much attention? Dougray didn’t ponder the questions for long. He hurried to his brother slumped beside the queen’s throne and severed the ropes about his wrists. He choked back tears and hugged him. Belle appeared at his side; concern mirrored in her eyes.

  ‘You are all right, Robbie,’ she whispered. ‘You are free now. It is over.’

  Robbie looked up at him and Belle. ‘I’m free, but the queen isn’t.’

  ‘How dare you come uninvited into my court? And armed! I will not have it!’ shouted the queen. ‘Guards! Arrest them!’

  Dozens of silver-masked guards surrounded them in moments. Rory, Dougray and Belle held their ground in a tight circle, weapons raised before them, causing the guard to falter. The women had seen what Dragon Slayer had done to Morgranus, and also to their spiritual leader who vanished without a trace, not able to withstand its power, and they were nervous.

  ‘Vanesal!’ roared Rory. ‘We will n
ot surrender! Stop this nonsense at once!’

  The queen lifted her chin. ‘I am queen. How dare you address me as some commoner?’

  ‘I am sorry, my queen,’ he replied, lowering his sword. ‘You are anything but common. Do you honestly not recognise me, your own husband? It is I, Rory.’

  The white-haired girl gasped and stared at the large man who had cut her bonds. Tears trickled down her cheeks. A great silence descended upon the hall and the guard lowered their swords in confusion. But the queen shook her head as a fresh wave of darkness overtook her.

  ‘No!’ she cried, ringing her hands before her. ‘He died. The king died in battle long ago. Elimas said so.’

  ‘Elimas was wrong! Vanesal!’ Rory said in a voice full of confidence as he sheathed his sword and stepped towards her. He reached out with his gloved hand, but she stepped back, eyes full of sudden fear.

  ‘No, you are not him!’ she cried emphatically, shaking her head. ‘I remember he wore a great crown of gold. You do not!’

  ‘That’s because Elimas overthrew my kingdom with her magic and took my crown,’ Rory said. ‘I was banished, remember? Along with all my advisers. Later, all the men were ousted from the kingdom, replaced by women…and Elimas, who secretly ruled in your stead. You were her pawn, Vanesal.’

  The queen gave a loud moan and clutched her head in her hands. Elimas’s magic was failing. Then Dougray watched as his brother clambered to his feet, hurried over to her and thrust the twisted crown off her head, making the queen cry out in anger and surprise. Robbie stumbled back as the crown rolled across the tiles to the astonished observers. The enchanted metal bulged and writhed. People gasped and cried out in horror as it transformed into a golden snake with ruby eyes that vanished in a puff of red smoke.

  The queen’s shoulders sagged and her proud features softened. Looking up as if she had just woken from a long sleep, her blue eyes found Rory’s. Surprise, or recognition, flickered in their depths. Slowly, she walked towards him. Reaching up with her hand, she stoked his face gently and smiled.

  ‘There you are, my love. Too long have you been away.’

  Rory gave her a tender look and clasped both her hands in his. ‘I have returned now and I will not lose you again, my sweet Vanesal.’ They embraced with a long kiss.

  The ferals clapped and there were tears of joy in Belle’s eyes. Mouse looked dazed and Robbie’s sad gaze drifted to where the dusty cloth covered the second throne.

  ‘Robbie, what is it?’

  Dougray’s words made Rory look in his direction.

  ‘I hear the song in my head, of many golden days blessed by the Morning Star—for the king and his people,’ Robbie said as he walked towards the throne. ‘This is the king’s throne…so it must have his crown.’

  Rory released the queen and strode toward him. He grasped the cloth and pulled it away, letting it fall onto the tiles. There stood a magnificent throne of deep red wood, clad in purple velvet and gold trim. But there was nothing else there, no crown, just the empty throne.

  Robbie gasped and stared at it in disbelief. ‘No,’ he muttered.

  ‘I remember,’ said Rory, crestfallen. ‘This is where I left my crown. Elimas must have placed it somewhere, out of sight.’

  Looking despondent, he sat down on the throne and sighed.

  ‘There!’ Robbie said excitedly and pointed to something. ‘Can you not see it, Dougray? Belle?’

  Yes, there was a shadow crown on Rory’s head. Queen Vanesal gasped.

  ‘Your crown, dear king!’ she cried and kneeled before Rory, kissing his hand.

  As they all watched, the crown solidified and became a great crown of yellow gold that glittered with white jewels on seven raised points. It appeared bright and new, as if it had been cast that very day by the royal jewellers. Stern-eyed, Rory removed it from his head and stared at it.

  ‘It is my crown.’

  He turned it about and looked at the jewels. As he lifted it and was about to replace it on his head, Belle gasped.

  ‘Look!’ she said.

  Chapter 36

  New Day in the Kingdom

  Robbie started as Belle pointed to a shimmering yellow object on the crown. It was one of the Morning Star’s crystals! She was about to step forward and reach for it when her hand froze mid-air, as if remembering Rory. She stepped back from him and glanced at Dougray and Robbie.

  ‘I cannot touch it. The earth will quake again.’

  ‘You cannot touch it because it’s mine,’ Rory said and glared at her.

  Robbie looked at the large man who had spoken, the one Elimas had called the Vagabond King. There was a dangerous gleam in his dark eyes that Robbie didn’t like as he gazed at the crystal. Rory adjusted the furs around his shoulders.

  ‘It will remain where it is,’ he said sternly.

  Anger stirred in Robbie. ‘It’s not yours to keep, no matter who you are. It’s one of the seven crystals that belong to the Morning Star. They were separated and hidden by Morgran long ago and we’ve been searching for them. This is the fourth one.’

  Caiwen slipped her arm through her father’s. ‘Then they must have it, Father. It is plainly not ours to keep.’

  For a moment, Rory looked as if he might argue, but then his face softened as he gazed at his daughter. ‘So be it, Caiwen. I have all I can hope for with the restoration of my family and kingdom.’

  ‘Robbie, the earth will quake if you remove it,’ Belle reminded him again.

  He shook his head. ‘Not this time, Belle.’

  ‘How do you know?’ she asked, looking at him curiously.

  ‘The Morning Star told me there was nothing to fear.’

  ‘And you have faith in him?’

  Dougray won’t like my answer. With a shy glance at his brother, he nodded. ‘I’ve always believed in him.’

  He started when Dougray placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. ‘Then if it’s all right with you, Belle, I think the honour should go to Robbie.’

  Belle grinned. ‘What are you waiting for then?’

  Robbie turned and looked at the glittering gold crystal that had lain hidden for many years within the shadowed crown of the king. How dreamlike it all seemed as he reached out and pulled the precious object away as he might fruit from a tree.

  He held his breath when the walls gave a slight shudder. But then silence descended and all became still. Dougray and Belle grinned at him. He let out a long breath as the tension in his shoulders drained away. A smile flickered across his lips. He hadn’t expected to feel as elated as he did.

  ‘It is over.’

  He handed the crystal to Belle, who eagerly took it and examined it. ‘I think it is the most beautiful of all the crystals so far. I wonder what this one can do?’

  Removing the crystals from her satchel, she held up the golden one beside them. She gasped as it pulled the other three to it like a lodestone, joining them together. The four arms flashed like a tiny, brilliant star. The crystals had never done that before and Robbie stared at them in awe. He thought he glimpsed Sojourn’s face on the surface of the green one, smiling up at him in admiration.

  Just then, Caiwen gave a loud cry and clutched the side of her face. Her eyes were bright as she burst into laughter and stroked her cheek.

  ‘Look at this miracle!’ Queen Vanesal cried in a loud voice. ‘Look at my beautiful daughter! Look at her face!’

  Robbie’s jaw dropped. The terrible scar that had marred Caiwen since childhood was gone! A sudden cry burst from Belle.

  ‘It is the crystal! That is what its power can do. Its beauty has restored you. Elimas’s magic is destroyed.’

  Rinkle took a reed pipe from his pocket and began to play. The joyous sound set the rest of the ferals dancing and singing in their high, sweet voices. The music filled the early morning air and some of the soldiers came to look. Robbie noticed them drifting from shadowed doorways to see the commotion. None tried to stop them.

  No doubt the
y are wondering why Elimas is not here to stop us. Or perhaps they no longer feel her chains of enchantment.

  Robbie knew he should feel joyful, too. They had won another battle and discovered the fourth crystal. Caiwen was healed of the terrible disfigurement inflicted by Elimas. Queen Vanesal was in her right mind and Rory, the Vagabond King, had his kingdom restored once again.

  Gnawing his bottom lip, he gazed at the pale glimmer in the east as something niggled at the back of his mind. The thought fell away as Caiwen approached, her face glowing. Her joy was infectious and he couldn’t help smiling at the one who had shared the perils with him.

  ‘Robbie, I need to thank you for all that you’ve done for us. For me.’ She placed her hands on his cheeks, rose onto her toes and kissed his brow. His face heated despite the brisk wind. ‘We will have a breakfast banquet in the garden for you all. You are weary and need to rest.’ She smiled at him. ‘I shall be honoured if you sit beside me, Robbie.’

  The queen gave Robbie a sheepish look. ‘I apologise, young man, for all the ills I know I caused you.’

  ‘It was not your fault, Queen Vanesal. Elimas was a Magic Woman and her powers were too strong to fight against.’

  ‘I seem to recall some very...undignified moments—’

  Caiwen’s arm snaked about her waist. ‘Elimas is gone, Mother. She will trouble us no more. Soldiers will be sent after her and she will be brought to trial for all the evil she has committed.’

  If you can find her, Robbie thought but said nothing.

  Rory doled out looks to all present. ‘Come to the palace. There you can rest and refresh yourselves.’ His stern eyes fastened on Dougray. ‘And since apologies are in order, I am sorry for taking your sword. I know now it rightfully belongs to you, though I know not the mighty power you wield through it.’

  With a wry grin, Dougray gave the king a brief nod. ‘What will you do now that you are king again?’

  Rory looked solemn. ‘Many sorrows have pierced the hearts of the men in my kingdom. Those enslaved must be set free and their lands and families restored. Those wrongs must be set right at once.’