“I didn’t either,” swallowed Tedi. “I just got lucky.”
“I don’t believe that,” Natia smiled broadly as she picked up Tedi’s magic staff. “Why didn’t the magic work for Caroom?”
“The magic is only when I use the staff,” answered Tedi. “The mage said it was tuned to me. I guess he was right.”
“You mean you weren’t sure?” she said as her eyes widened.
“I never had the opportunity to try it out,” chuckled Tedi as Natia handed him his staff. “We need to go down and make sure that they are dead.”
“Then we are going home,” nodded Natia. “I have had enough of the trail for a while.”
* * *
“You wished to see me,” curtsied Sheri.
“What is your name, lass?” asked Queen Marta.
“Sheri, Your Highness,” answered the gang leader.
“I thought as much,” nodded the queen. “Come sit beside me. I have things to discuss with you.”
“With me?” gulped Sheri as she hesitantly rose and sat next to the queen. “What about?”
“About your gang,” answered Queen Marta.
“My gang?” Sheri echoed nervously. “What do you mean?”
“You know full well what I mean,” the queen responded sternly. “It is not polite to deceive your queen.”
“I am sorry,” Sheri bit her lip nervously. “We won’t do it any more. I promise. We had to feed the people or they would starve. There was no other way. Please have mercy on me.”
“Funny,” the queen said with a puzzled frown, “I thought you would be obstinate and deny it.”
“I would have before the past few days, Your Highness,” sobbed Sheri. “I understand now that not everyone in the city is causing the problem. We did not know that before. I suppose we stole from some who did not deserve it. How did you find out about me?”
“Arik told me,” smiled the queen.
“So he is the prince,” brightened Sheri. “I knew he was special. I did not think he would turn me in though,” she said sadly. “I guess I am naïve.”
“Hardly,” chuckled Queen Marta. “You show a remarkable sense of understanding for one so young. Not to mention your courage and devotion to the people of our city. Arik would never have mentioned it to me if he thought it would bring you trouble. The fact is, you have been doing good deeds. Without your help, many might have starved to death.”
“Then you approve?” Sheri asked with elated surprise.
“I approve of your compassion,” nodded the queen. “Your methods, while acceptable under the conditions existing at the time, should not be continued.”
“Of course not, Your Highness,” beamed Sheri. “I will disband the gang today.”
“I think not,” grinned the queen. “In fact, I want to involve your group in dispersing food. You seem to know the neighborhoods well, and are familiar with those who need help more than others. I think your gang, as you call it, can be very helpful.”
“It would be a great honor to be in your employ,” smiled Sheri.
“There are other things that you can do to help Tagaret in its troubled times,” continued Queen Marta. “We need a lot of labor to fix the ills of this city. While I feel confident that the Red Swords can motivate the adults to pitch in, I think the children are best motivated by one of their own. Do you think that you could organize the children of the city into groups of helpers?”
“I am sure that I could,” nodded Sheri. “What type of labor do you need?”
“The list is endless,” sighed Queen Marta. “Picture a city that is well defended and in need of no repair. That is the goal we are aiming for. I imagine that most of the able-bodied men of Tagaret will be involved in strengthening the walls and other defenses. That means that shops will need to be run. Deliveries need to be made. Even some of the crafts will need helpers. While some of your group may be rather young for apprenticeships, I think rules can be broken during these trying times. Do you think the children can be enticed into being involved?”
“I am sure of it,” grinned Sheri. “Belonging to the group has been the best thing in many of their lives. Many of them are very talented and intelligent. I will organize an army of helpers for you. There are few things that adults can do that we cannot accomplish. All of the children of the city will become helpers of the queen.”
“The Queen’s Helpers,” mused Queen Marta. “I like the sound of that. Very well, you are to lead the Queen’s Helpers. You will report to Councilor Markel on a daily basis. I will meet with you once a week along with Lord Markel. I shall expect a report detailing what the Queen’s Helpers are doing, and what obstacles you are running into. If you need supplies, Lord Markel can take care of that. He will also coordinate with you on food deliveries.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” smiled Sheri. “I will not let you down. You will be proud of the Queen’s Helpers and what we accomplish for Tagaret.”
“I am sure that I will,” smiled Queen Marta.
Chapter 29
River of Fire
“So this army is really heading to Tagaret?” questioned King Devon.
“I am sure of it,” nodded Alex. “Sarac must stop the Prince of Alcea from ascending to the throne. The only thing that puzzles me is why he is coming through Tor. He must know about the Castle of Man. His losses will be enormous.”
“If he gets through at all,” retorted King Devon. “I plan to see that his army is destroyed.”
“I hope that you can do just that,” nodded Alex. “Still, I do not think Sarac would attempt it unless he felt he had decent chance of success. His choice of Tor Pass indicates that he is in a hurry.”
“Maybe he is,” shrugged the king. “Where is this Prince of Alcea? Perhaps Sarac hopes to strike before the prince is crowned.”
Alex stared through the king for a long moment before nodding.
“Of course!” Alex exclaimed. “Sarac thinks he is in Lanoir. He hopes to seize the city or destroy it before Arik can get there to rally the people.”
“I take it that this Arik is the Prince of Alcea?” inquired King Devon.
“Yes,” nodded Alex. “King Devon, this does not bode well for your people. Sarac is going to throw whatever it takes to tear down the Castle of Man. I suspect that there are tens of thousands of troops on the other side of the pass.”
“Even if there are,” replied the king, “the Castle of Man has never fallen to an enemy in thousands of years. I certainly will not rule over the first time it happens. The Castle of Man will repel them.”
The door to king’s spartan chamber opened, and Lieutenant Montbalm entered.
“The attack has started,” the lieutenant informed the king.
“We will be right up,” nodded the king.
Montbalm gazed quizzically at the king and then looked at Alex and shrugged. He closed the door and left.
“It would be good to know what will be coming through the pass,” frowned King Devon. “I am beginning to believe that your logic is correct. We have isolated ourselves a bit too much. I guess it is too late for such thinking though.”
“Not necessarily,” offered Alex. “There is one among us who can show what it is like north of the pass.”
King Devon’s eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. “Even a skilled mountain climber would take days to cross the mountains,” he declared. “Or are you speaking of magic? I hope not because magic is strictly forbidden here.”
“Prince Arik has many allies,” explained Alex. “One of them is Prince Midge. He is one of the fairy people. They have the gift of flight.”
“A fairy?” asked King Devon. “You are full of surprises, Alex. Will this fairy agree to the scouting expedition?”
“I am sure that he will,” nodded Alex.
King Devon pulled on a rope and the door opened almost immediately.
“Bring the prisoners here,” commanded the king. “They are not to be molested.”
The soldier nodded and closed the door.
“I think it is time to officially meet your party,” declared King Devon. “I trust they are all honorable as yourself and will not cause problems for me?”
“They are all honorable,” nodded Alex.
Within minutes the door opened again, and the Rangers cautiously entered the chamber.
“This is King Devon,” announced Alex. “Please introduce yourselves to him.”
Magic is forbidden. Alex mind spoke to Jenneva as the Rangers introduced themselves.
“Arik?” mused the king. “Are you the Prince of Alcea that Alex spoke of?”
“I am,” Arik replied hesitantly as he looked at Alex.
“So Sarac is not as clever as he thinks,” chuckled the king. “Certainly you are not in Lanoir. But where is this fairy that I have heard about?”
Alex nodded to Arik, and the prince opened his pocket. Prince Midge poked his head out and gazed around the room before his eyes settled on King Devon. A smile spread across the king’s face.
“But he is so small,” chuckled King Devon.
“Size does not a great man make,” chirped Prince Midge as he shot up to land on Arik’s shoulder.
“I guess it doesn’t,” laughed King Devon. “Can those wings carry you over a battlefield safely?”
“These wings can do whatever the Bringer desires,” declared the fairy prince.
“I have been telling King Devon that Prince Midge could fly north of the pass and determine the size of the army that descends upon us,” explained Alex.
“That he can,” nodded Arik. “If you would, Prince Midge?”
“It is always a pleasure to do the bidding of the Bringer,” chirped Prince Midge.
Alex stepped back and opened the door. Prince Midge launched himself off of Arik’s shoulder and darted out the door.
“Most amazing,” King Devon shook his head. “He is so small. You could have sent him in here to spy on us, and we would never have known.”
“Quite true,” agreed Alex. “That is the point I was trying to make earlier. Just banning people from coming to Tor does not guarantee that your secrets are safe. All it accomplishes is isolating you from potential friends.”
“I learning much from you, Alex,” nodded the king. “May I see this Sword of Heavens that you spoke of?”
Arik drew the Sword of Heavens and extended it hilt first to the king. The king frowned as he held the sword.
“It is vibrating,” stated the king. “Is it supposed to do that?”
“You are facing south,” offered Arik. “It vibrates when you are pointing towards the gem it seeks. Try facing a different direction.”
The king turned slightly and smiled. “Amazing,” nodded the king as he turned towards the south again. “Clear evidence of the truth of your words, Alex. I must admit that your story left me with a feeling of your dishonesty, but it just shows how isolated I have been. The Sword of Heavens does not lead you to this shield you seek though. What makes you believe that it is in Tor?”
“Ancient scrolls,” answered Arik as he took the Sword of Heavens and slid it into its sheath. “They tell a tale of its bearer losing his life in this castle.”
“In this castle?” questioned the king. “I can assure you that the Castle of Man has never been breached.”
“The shield was carried by a dwarf,” stated Alex. “The scrolls indicate that he was captured and sacrificed to the dragons.”
“Oh,” frowned King Devon. “You are speaking of very ancient times. The dwarves were annihilated ages ago.”
“What of their armor?” asked Jenneva.
“Their armor was stripped and thrown into a storage bin,” answered King Devon. “Our smiths would draw upon the armor to melt it and utilize the metals. I am afraid that the shield you seek was melted down long ago. You have made a long journey for nothing.”
Arik sighed and slumped into a chair.
“Let us go up and see what this battle looks like,” suggested King Devon. “You shall see the wonders of the Castle of Man.”
The Rangers followed King Devon up the narrow stairs. The sounds of the trebuchets firing echoed down the stairway as they climbed single file. On the roof of the Castle of Man, King Devon stood and waited for the all of the Rangers to ascend. Then he strode purposely towards the battlement. Alex lagged behind as he scanned the rooftop. Dozens of trebuchets, hurled loads of rocks into the pass below. Alex looked towards the lift area and saw new loads of rocks being delivered.
Alex hurried across the rooftop to a crenel and peered down at the battle. He was unable to see the base of the Castle of Man because the lower battlements blocked the view. What he could see were goblins riding yaki towards the base of the castle. He watched as catapults and trebuchets tore into the goblins. With each level of the Castle of Man aimed for a different distance into the pass, the barrage was devastatingly effective.
“Here come your ogres,” pointed King Devon. “They do move slowly as you said they would.”
“How will you know if the lower castle is overwhelmed?” Alex asked.
“Horns will sound if that happens,” answered the king. “Each level has their own signal of horns to keep the entire castle apprised of the enemy’s advance. The only time the horns have ever sounded has been for practice.”
“Does the pass side of the castle mirror the town side?” questioned Alex.
“Totally symmetrical,” nodded the king. “In actuality, the pass goes straight through the Castle of Man. There is no way around the outside of it.”
“Look!” shouted Arik as he pointed northward.
“It’s a dragon,” added Wylan.
“I would not have expected to see one until the battle is over,” frowned the king. “They will feast on the wounded, but they do not care for corpses. I wonder if it is wounded. Look how erratic it is flying.”
“It acts more like a bird of prey chasing something,” mused Tanya.
“Prince Midge!” shouted Arik. “The dragon must be chasing Prince Midge.”
“Will the men up here be safe from the dragon?” asked Alex.
“Mostly,” frowned King Devon. “The wings on the merlons protect us from the dragons. On occasion a dragon might decide to toy with us for a while in the hope that one of the men will slip and make a mistake, but they normally do not have the patience for it. Of course they can spit fire if they get angry. We try not to antagonize them.”
“It is Prince Midge,” confirmed Jenneva, as the fairy and the dragon got closer. “And I think he has the dragon fairly angry already.”
“Oh,” frowned King Devon. “That is not good. If your fairy prince returns to you, Arik, the dragon will belch fire for sure. Can you warn Prince Midge away?”
“No,” scowled Arik as he pulled an arrow from his quiver, “but I think I can dissuade the dragon from hanging around.”
“No,” argued King Devon as he placed his hand on Arik’s arm. “We never attack the dragons.”
“Even if they grab one of your men?” asked Sydar.
“Even then,” nodded the king. “The dragons used to attack the Castle of Man and the city of Tor quite regularly. Our people then decided to make our homes dragon proof. You can see from the scorch marks that this did not persuade the dragons to leave us alone. What we did discover though, is that it frustrated them. When we stopped fighting back, they eventually ignored us and moved on to easier kills. Since that time, we never strike out at the dragons.”
The dragon belched fire at Prince Midge, and the fairy darted to one side. The dragon banked sharply, his nostrils trailing a stream of smoke. Prince Midge rose vertically and the dragon tried to follow, but it could not perform the same acrobatics as the diminutive fairy. Just as the dragon focused on the fairy again, Prince Midge threw himself into a step dive. The dragon flipped over and dove after Prince Midge.
Prince Midge became hard to see from the castle as his tiny body spiraled downward. Alex pulled his elfin scope out of his pouch and brought it to his ey
e. He scanned the area below where he had last seen Prince Midge. When he located the tiny fairy, Alex open his other eye so he could see the dragon chasing Midge.
“It will be close,” Alex said tensely. “Midge’s best bet is the army moving through the pass. The dragon will have a hard time keeping the fairy separated from everything else moving below.”
As if reading Alex’s mind, Prince Midge dove almost to the ground. He abruptly changed course and darted through the legs of the approaching ogres. The dragon hovered over the army as he searched for the little acrobatic fairy. An ogre growled as he passed underneath the dragon and threw a rock at it. The dragon instantly responded with a stream of fire. The ogre started burning and emitted a ghoulish howl. The advancing army stopped and turned their eyes towards the dragon. Half a dozen arrows streamed into the air from goblins and the ogres began throwing rocks.
The dragon screeched loudly and sprayed fire down on the army. The arrows bounced off the plates of the dragon, and the rocks only succeeded in angering it. Finally, the crazed dragon swooped down and seized an ogre in its claws. Its huge wings created dust swirls as the dragon labored to carry the large ogre up into the sky.
Prince Midge darted over the castle wall and landed on Arik’s shoulder. “Dragons aren’t much smarter than ogres,” chuckled the winded fairy.
“Perhaps,” laughed Arik, “but it ended up with a larger meal. I was worried about you.”
“The Bringer does not have to worry about the fairies,” grinned Prince Midge. “We would not let a dragon interrupt our mission.”
“What does it look like beyond the pass?” asked Alex.
“It does not look good,” frowned Prince Midge. “What you see in the pass is only the vanguard.”
“Only the vanguard?” echoed King Devon. “That can’t be possible.”
“There is more,” Prince Midge continued. “They are building massive siege engines.”
“With an army that size,” warned Alex, “you will not be able to keep enough rocks coming up those lifts to ward them off. Undoubtedly they will end up at the base of the Castle of Man. Only your lower catapults will be able to hit them.”
Dwarven Ruby Page 37
