by Bryan Huff
Meanwhile, the airship came about behind her. It flew over the mountain channel again, turning to face out past the cliff, toward the ravine. Then it began to descend.
“monty!” came Stella’s voice from above. “the ladder!”
Both Monty and Hob looked up to see her miming the action of lifting the rope ladder, and pointing at Edric. Hob knew what she meant. Monty, who was lowest on the ladder, would gather up the bottom to keep it away from Captain Fist, and then drop it over Edric when the time was right. Monty gave Stella an exaggerated nod, and began hauling up the rope ladder with a free hand.
“slower!” Stella called up to the ship. “langzamer!”
The ship’s propellers slammed into reverse to fight the wind rushing up the channel behind it. It teetered dangerously as it drifted toward its target.
Keeping her own sword drawn, Captain Fist slipped Edric’s sword into her belt. Then she reached out with her free hand to seize him. “I am sorry, my Prince, but ’zis ends now.”
Edric said nothing. His gaze stayed fixed behind the Captain. The next instant, the airship lurched down over her head, causing her to duck instinctively.
“now!” cried Stella.
Monty let go of the ladder, and it unfurled just out of Captain Fist’s reach. Edric caught the second last rung with both hands and began to lift into the air. He jerked himself up far enough to get one foot planted on the bottom rung, but that was it.
In one motion, the Captain sheathed her sword and lunged, wrapping an arm around Edric’s trailing left leg. She dragged behind him up the wedge of stone—toward the cliff’s edge. Hob saw only a streak of black as she whipped out a small grappling hook from her belt and jammed it into a fissure in the cliff. A strong, thin rope unspooled behind it.
“stop the ship!” Stella screamed. “stoppen!”
The airship’s propellers whirled even harder in reverse, shuddering and screeching.
Captain Fist then looped the unspooling rope around her arm, and—crack!—it went taut. One of the grapple’s steel hooks—barbed and razor sharp—had caught in the fissure and driven itself into the stone.
Thwunk! The whole rope ladder jerked and wobbled as it too went taut. Edric clung to it with all his might, stretched impossibly between the airship and the iron grip of Captain Fist. The Captain leaned out over the brink, feet propped against the cliff’s edge, one arm holding Edric, the other roped to the grappling hook.
The airship’s propellers continued to battle as hard as they could, but they were no match for the wind. They wouldn’t hold the ship in place for long. It began to twist sideways overhead. Together, Stella, Hob, Monty, Edric, and Captain Fist hung out over the chasm, moments from disaster.
Captain Fist stared up at Edric in dismay. “I will not fail you!” she shouted. “Not like I failed him!”
Suddenly, Edric seemed to understand her in a way he hadn’t before. “You didn’t fail him!” he cried, his voice shaking as he fought to hold on to the ladder. “You couldn’t have stopped him, even if you’d known!”
Fist grimaced. “’Zen I could have helped him!”
“So help us now!” Edric replied. “We only fail him if we give up!”
“watch out!” Stella screamed.
Everyone turned to see Carl the Troll burst out of the clouds below. It came charging up the cliff, taking massive, troll-sized strides.
“There they are!” bellowed Carl One.
“Off with their heads!” bellowed Carl Two.
Captain Fist looked back at Edric. “I will return you home,” she said.
The troll raised its mighty axe. “For Carl Threeee!” it howled.
“… even if it means following you to ’ze ends of ’ze Earth!”
The Captain then released her tether, grabbed on to the rope ladder, and swung with Edric and the others away from the cliff!
Consumed by thoughts of revenge, the troll did not even slow its attack. Instead, it lunged at Edric and Captain Fist as they swung away, dropping its axe, and soaring after them with arms outstretched. Its fingers brushed the hem of Fist’s cloak, but couldn’t grab hold. And so, Carl the Troll plunged, empty-handed, into the abyss.
Chapter Nineteen
Welcome Aboard
The ladder and its passengers trailed the airship up between the mountain peaks, until they struck open sky awash with orange and mauve.
Below them, the faces of the mountains gleamed with the warm light of daybreak. And to the east, the entire valley opened up, the cloud sea parting over it. Beyond the hazy patchwork fields and the forests yet in shadow, beyond the distant peaks of the Dawning Mountains, the sun was rising on the Kingdom of Yore.
Its light quickly stung Hob’s eyes and threatened to make him dizzy—a dangerous prospect while on the ladder. So, with one hand gripping the ropes, he used his other to pull his goggles down over his eyes, finding instant relief.
As the ship flew north, Hob turned for one last look at the Riven Gate. From so far above, he could see the vast lake behind it, its shimmering turquoise waters stretching back endlessly through the mountains. Valley Top came into view next, sitting peacefully at the end of its mountain ridge, looking like but a toy model of itself. Hob had never felt so small, and the world had never felt so big.
A chill wind rushed past him, and he shivered. He looked up the ladder, past Stella, to the deck of the airship. The heads of five gnomes peered down over the railing there, beards wagging in the breeze. Stella began to climb toward them, leading the way up the ladder.
The ladder wobbled uncomfortably as everyone ascended, but Hob managed to keep his grip. Before long, he was waiting at the top behind Stella, as the five gnomes helped her over the railing.
Hob didn’t recognize any of the numbers on their hats from the meeting at the inn. And when they saw him waiting at the railing, they scurried back a few paces, and huddled together, staring suspiciously. They must have known he was coming, but they didn’t trust him.
Stella helped Hob aboard instead. He slid over the railing, and stood for a moment on wobbly legs. Then, struck by the fullness of his exhaustion, he nearly toppled over.
Before he could, Stella knelt down and wrapped him in tight hug. “you made it!” she exclaimed.
Hob winced. With their heads side by side, her unnaturally loud voice made his ears ring.
“oh! sorry!” Stella proceeded to give three booming coughs into her fist, and then continued at a normal volume. “It’s a voice amplification spell.”
“It works!” Hob confirmed, rubbing his ears.
Stella laughed, releasing him, and straightening back up. “What do you think?” she said, gesturing around the deck of the ship. “In Common Tongue, it’s called the Windfarer. Isn’t it wonderful? No airships like this are thought to exist anymore, not even in the East. That’s why the gnomes are so secretive about it. They believe humans would go to war for a thing like this. And they might be right.” She paused. “Luckily, they’ve agreed to help us now. I think Eldwin hired them specifically for this ship. I think he felt it was the only way to finish our quest in time!”
As Stella spoke, Hob gazed around at the Windfarer in awe. It was by far the most fantastic thing he’d ever seen. The deck, where he stood, was long and flat in the middle, but rose up at the prow, where the bowsprit jutted out, and at the stern, where an upper level was built over a block of cabins. It possessed all the standard ship’s trappings—hatches, barrels, and coils of rope—but, instead of a mast at its center, it had a steel furnace, which piped blazing hot air up into the great canvas balloon. The balloon stretched overhead, as did the countless creaking ropes that rigged it to the ship. Dozens of tiny gnomes climbed all over the rigging and scuttled about the deck. There was open sky on all sides, and the wind ruffled hat and hair.
“It’s amazing!” Hob agreed.
He could have spent ages soaking in every last detail, but he soon got distracted by the ar
rival of Monty, Edric, and Captain Fist at the top of the ladder. With the gnomes still keeping their distance from Hob, the newcomers got no help climbing the railing either. Monty fared worse than Hob, huffing and puffing and flopping flat onto the deck, while Edric and Captain Fist hopped over with ease.
Upon seeing the Captain standing at the railing, her black cloak billowing in the wind, the five gnomes, already cowering from Hob, squeaked and drew their little swords. They had witnessed the Captain dueling with Edric on the rock below, and didn’t seem to understand that anything had changed.
“Run along!” Edric told them. “She’s with us now. And so is Hob. Friends!”
The gnomes exchanged skeptical glances, but lowered their swords and slunk away.
“So, you’re really coming with us then?” Stella asked Captain Fist. “What about your orders to take Edric back to King’s Rock?”
“Aye! What about them?” growled Monty, his own distrust made plain with every twitching whisker of his mustache.
“My first oath will always be to protect ’ze Crown and Kingdom of Yore,” said Captain Fist. “And, after tonight, I no longer believe my orders to be in service of ’zat oath. My Prince was right. ’Ze goblin army’s attack on Valley Top has proven his quest just. It has proven my King’s quest just. If ’zat was but a fraction of ’ze total force coming, and if ’ze Sorcerer is indeed back in command, ’zen finding ’ze Sunflame is truly our best hope. ’Ze Council may disagree, but ’zey have not seen what I have seen.”
Stella nodded thoughtfully.
The Captain then knelt before Edric, drew her sword, and presented it to him. “My sword is yours, my Prince,” she vowed. “On my life, I will see your quest fulfilled, and you returned home safely. And, if fortune wills it, my King returned home safely as well.”
Hob could hear the affection, the loyalty, in her voice. This was the first time it had sounded anything but cold and hard.
“Your sword is welcome,” said Edric, placing a hand on Captain Fist’s shoulder, “as are you.”
Captain Fist rose, sheathed her sword, and looked to Hob next. She drew his little sword from her belt, and turned its hilt toward him. “I believe ’zis is yours, goblin.”
“His name’s Hob,” Monty cut in, as though he’d never once called Hob anything less than friendly. “And he saved Edric from that army back there.”
“Hob,” Captain Fist corrected herself. “And so he did. He kept his promise.”
Hob took the sword, admiring it proudly, even if he’d done very little with it. “I doubt my rescue would have worked, if not for this ship,” he admitted. He turned to Stella and Monty. “How did you find us?”
“That was all Stella,” Monty said.
“It was just good timing, really,” Stella explained, trying to sound humble, but beaming nonetheless. “For the sake of secrecy, the gnomes had the Windfarer hidden deep inside the old forest. So, after I’d finished inspecting the ship and crew, and we’d finally signed the contract, the plan was to fly back to Valley Top, drop anchor in the mountains as close as the gnomes would allow, and sneak in on foot to pick you up. We were on our way, flying low, using the pass to orient ourselves in the cloud, when we saw that goblin army marching down from the city. It was terrifying. But lucky. The sight triggered one of my visions. I saw Edric standing on that big rock, surrounded by goblins. And we followed the army until we found him in the gorge.” She paused. “I’m so glad we found you too, Hob!”
Edric scoffed. “That sure wasn’t the tone you took with me.”
Stella glared at him sharply. “That’s because you were the one who caused this whole mess. Not Hob. You. You promised to stay at the inn. But, by your own admission, you ran off chasing some girl!”
“Some Lady …” Edric corrected her, as if it made all the difference.
Stella punched him in the shoulder.
“Okay! Okay! Take it easy!” he chuckled.
“Then promise you won’t do anything like that again,” said Stella.
“I promise,” said Edric, solemnly. “No more Ladies.” He smirked. “Commoners are much less trouble.”
Stella punched him again.
“Ow! Now, that one hurt!”
Stella fixed him with her best disapproving stare, but the corner of her lip couldn’t help but twist up into a half-smile. Monty laughed.
Then, Hob collapsed.
A sudden wave of terror, shame, and agony crashed over him. He fell to his knees, dropping his sword. He pressed his hands against his temples, trying to stop the pounding. A far-off voice echoed inside his head.
“you idiots! i told you the prince was important! but you let him slip away! march for shadowguard at once! and do not fail me again!”
It took all Hob had left not to lose himself in the fear, the hatred. Then everything went black.
He came-to moments later, in the arms of both Edric and Stella, as they worked together to lift him to his feet.
“Are you okay?” asked Stella.
“What happened?” asked Edric.
“The Sorcerer’s angry,” Hob croaked. “He knows you escaped, Ed. The crow in the gorge must have regained consciousness and discovered what happened. The Sorcerer uses crows as spies. He can commune with them, even speak through them. I just heard one of his messages.” He rubbed his sore head.
Everyone looked worried.
“If ’zis is true,” Captain Fist said to Stella, “we should get away from here, before ’zis crow flies up and spots us.”
“I agree,” said Stella. “Number One!” she hollered across the deck.
Seconds later, Gnome One scurried up beside her accompanied by Gnome Thirty-Seven. The pair stared at Stella expectantly.
“Give them the first heading,” she prompted Edric.
Edric thought for a moment. “West!” he exclaimed, remembering what Hob had told him by the tree. “We set out west from Valley Top!”
Gnome Thirty-Seven translated. Gnome One nodded. And they rushed off again, Gnome One squeaking orders at the ship’s helms-gnomes.
The helms-gnomes stood one on either side of the great steering wheel at the front of the raised stern deck. On Gnome One’s command, they worked together to spin the wheel, one pushing, one pulling. The rigging creaked and cracked overhead. Hidden mechanisms groaned within the belly of the ship. And the Windfarer swung west.
Valley Top passed by, now off to the south, as the ship and crew sailed out over the Gloaming Mountains. In a matter of minutes, the last glimpses of the valley’s distant green fields and woodlands were sinking below the gray-blue peaks behind them.
A long silence settled upon Edric and company. All thoughts lingered on their narrow escape and the many new perils that surely awaited. Hob picked up his sword and held it proudly once more.
When the Kingdom of Yore was completely out of sight, Edric turned his attention ahead. He led the way to the bow of the ship, followed by Hob, Monty, Stella, and Captain Fist.
“And where are we going exactly?” asked the Captain.
Edric stopped at the railing of the bow, and turned to her. The others gathered around him, Hob at his side.
“To a lost city,” Edric proclaimed, “to steal the Sunflame from the belly of a dragon, and find my father!”
They all looked ahead again, past the bowsprit, out over the Gloaming Mountains, and toward the wild lands beyond. The distant green expanse was barely more than a suggestion on the horizon and a promise in their hearts—that of their next adventure.
Edric placed a hand on Hob’s shoulder and smiled. “Everyone,” he said, “welcome aboard.”
END
Rory Madge
Rory Madge is an artist and writer. He has trained and worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed cereal commercials, and worked on TV shows for DreamWorks. Now, he’s bringing his love for storytelling, both drawn and written, to a series of illustrated novels about a geeky goblin r
ight after his own heart. The Prince and the Goblin is his first book.
You can find Rory somewhere up in Canada, ideally near lakes or mountains (yes, a bit like a troll), and online at roryandbryan.com or https://twitter.com/RoryMadge
Bryan Huff
Bryan Huff is an artist, writer, and pizza snob. After going to school to learn how to draw pictures, he spent a decade working for clients like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Disney. Eventually, he realized it’s even more fun to write stories. The Prince and the Goblin is his debut novel, the first in a three book series.
Bryan lives in Canada with his wife and two little goblins of his own. Visit him at roryandbryan.com or https://twitter.com/Giant_People
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