by F. P. Spirit
“Yes, Gelpas,” Gryswold answered grimly. His hard expression softened somewhat as he stared at the faithful Captain. He reached out and placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “I appreciate your concern, my friend, but these devils are threatening my daughter!” Gryswold turned away and began to pace. “I will not have any of them get away to just try again later.” The Baron spun back around. His face was red with anger and he slammed his one fist into his other hand. “I want them all dealt with in one swift blow!”
“I understand, your Lordship. It shall be as you say,” Gelpas saluted the Baron.
Gryswold saluted him in return. His anger faded and he suddenly looked very tired. He sat back down in his chair and took a deep breath. At that moment, he appeared less lordly and more the aging family man.
Lloyd had been quiet until then. Now he stepped forward and knelt in front of the Baron. “Your Lordship, I swear to you, I will give my life if need be to protect you and your family. No one will hurt Andrella while I live and breathe!”
A smile spread across Gryswold’s haggard face. He reached out and laid a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “I know you would, young Lloyd. You are a Stealle through and through. Your father would be proud.”
“Thank you, your Lordship.” Lloyd stood up and stepped back next to the others.
“Thank you, my friends,” Gryswold smiled at all of them, though he still appeared quite weary. “Go now. Do what must be done.”
Lloyd and Glo both bowed and left the Baron with Gelpas. Back in the throne room, they found Andrella still conversing with the knights from Penwick. As they exited the side room, her eyes flickered toward them questioningly. Lloyd stopped briefly to talk with them. “I am truly sorry, but something extremely urgent has come up. I would very much like to continue our talk later, if possible.”
Sir Brennon appeared concerned. “Is there anything we can help you with, lad?”
Lloyd’s expression was grave, but thankful. “Thank you, but no, it is a task that the Baron assigned to my companions and me. We must handle it ourselves. But I truly appreciate the offer.”
The three knights all nodded their understanding. “Well then, good luck with whatever it is,” Sir Duncan added. “And remember, Penwick folks stick together. If you’re ever in need, we’ll have your back.”
Lloyd gave them an appreciative nod. “Thank you. That is comforting to know.”
Andrella’s eyes shifted from Lloyd to Glo, an eyebrow raised as she studied the duo. Yet the young woman continued to play the consummate diplomat in front of her guests. She did not question them any further. Glo and Lloyd left the throne room and walked down the castle hallways side by side. He heard the young man murmur under his breath, “No one will hurt Andrella. No one!”
“No, Lloyd, we won’t let them,” Glo agreed. He reached out and placed a hand on his friend’s broad shoulder. Lloyd peered at him and nodded, a grim smile on his lips. The two of them hastened down the hall and out into the courtyard.
Aksel was in Maltar’s tower when Seth found him. He had rummaged through the mage’s things, looking for the props he needed for tonight. Strangely enough, there were still a lot of Maltar’s belongings here, even though the wizard had abandoned the tower years ago. Seth briefly told him what he had found. It was a stroke of luck that he had stumbled onto the Serpent Cult. It was even better that he had done so without them knowing. Aksel was concerned at first with the idea of letting the cultists come to them. After careful consideration, he found himself agreeing with the plan. If the Baron also approved, then they would indeed lay a trap for the Serpent Cult from which there would be no escape.
Seth and Aksel found Martan on the top of the tower. The archer knelt by one of the parapets, gazing out over the front of the keep. Seth related his story once more to the archer. Meanwhile, Aksel gazed out over the hilltop. The entire entertainers’ campground could be seen from here. The myriad of tents and wagons stretched almost across the entire hillside. Aksel could barely make out the wagons farthest from the road. Only their tops were visible from here. There was no way of telling if anyone was moving around down there.
“Keep an eye out,” Seth told Martan. The halfling handed the archer a small oblong object. “If you see any movement at all, throw one of these off the top of the tower into the courtyard below.”
“What is it?” Martan asked. He inspected the object in his hand.
“It’s a smoke bomb,” Seth replied. “When it hits the ground, it will break open and let out a cloud of white smoke. It should be visible clear across the yard.” The archer nodded, looking quite impressed.
The duo left Martan at the top of the tower and headed back down to meet the others. They joined them in front of the keep, arriving the same time as Lloyd and Glo. All the companions were now gathered around, sans Martan. Glo spoke to the group, his expression even more intense than usual.
“Gryswold agrees with our plan. It’s all up to us now.”
Lloyd’s expression was also quite grim. In fact, all the companions appeared quite serious.
“That settles it then. We lay a trap,” Aksel declared. “The only question is how they intend to get inside the castle. That snake Seth described is not exactly small enough to sneak through the grass.”
“No, it was not exactly your garden variety of snake,” Seth agreed, a slight smirk on his lips.
Glo gave a firm nod. “At this point, I think that all we can do is watch and wait. We all keep our eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. We know it’s coming, and we know from where.”
Seth’s smirk grew wider. “That just leaves when and how.”
Aksel rubbed his chin vigorously. That was the puzzling part, although the how had him more concerned than the when. “Well, there’s no time left to figure that out. The party will begin in less than an hour. Guests will soon be filtering in.” He glanced over toward the front gate. Captain Gelpas and Lieutenant Relkin were already standing out there in full dress uniform. “I suggest we all get into position. I’ll head over to the front gate now. The Boulder will be ready when we need him.”
“And I’ll head straight to the rooftops,” Seth added, dangling a large brass key in front of him.
“Raven’s already in flight around the castle grounds,” Glo reported, with that faraway look in his eye.
“And we will stick close to the Avernos family,” Lloyd declared, nodding at Glo and Donnie.
Aksel smiled grimly. It would take a small army to get by those three. Ironically, that might just be what they would be facing. “Okay then, let’s get on with the show.”
“Hey, that’s my line,” Elladan said in mock protest.
Birthday Gala
Thier voices blended in exquisite harmony
It was dusk outside, the eastern horizon now completely dark. Stars began to appear in the blackening sky. Over to the west, the last vestige of the sun’s rays peeked over the castle walls. Guards and servants went about lighting the courtyard. Torches lit up the castle walls, except for the stage area. The front of the keep, dining area, and stage were all illuminated by fancy lanterns seated atop tall stands. The show would soon begin. Gryswold and Gracelynn sat in the audience, front and center. Glo had the distinct honor of sitting at Gryswold’s left. On Glo’s other side was seated Qualtan, the town abbot and head cleric. The Lady Andrella sat to her mother’s right, with Lloyd to the right of her.
Elladan waited patiently on stage for the rest of the audience to be seated. He was wrapped in his cloak, hiding his sparkling outfit from the crowd. As the final guests were led to their seats, Elladan disappeared from view. Glo peered around the platform. His keen eyes spotted the bard peeking through the dark backdrop at the back of the stage. Once the last guest was seated, Glo nodded to Elladan. Elladan nodded back. Glo stood up and signaled Lloyd. The young man rose from his
seat and walked to the base of the stage. He picked up his drum and began a soft, steady, rhythmic beat. Glo exchanged glances with Elladan once more, and they both began to cast spells. The lanterns around the stage dimmed. A cloud of fog appeared in the center of the stage. It grew thicker and thicker, billowing out across the platform. It continued to expand until it spilled over the sides. Murmurs rippled through the audience as the scene unfolded.
Abruptly, four balls of light appeared inside the fog. They illuminated the cloud, revealing a dark silhouette in the very center. A musical chord was struck, and then the figure moved forward. As the figure stepped out of the fog, the music grew louder. Sparklers erupted across the front of the stage. “Oohs” and “aahs” could be heard throughout the audience. There was a brief glimpse of a white-clad shape, then the stage went pitch black. The drumbeats stopped altogether, and silence overtook the makeshift theater. As the seconds crept by, the audience began buzzing with anticipation. The tension mounted as they sat there in the inky darkness. The lanterns flared back to life and the entire stage lit up.
Elladan stood in the very center, dressed in full regalia, garbed from head to toe in white leather with gold-studded sequins and white tassels hanging from his sleeves. A musical chord was struck, and the bard lunged to the right. He pointed his fingers as if he was holding a blade. He looked like a magnificent swordsman. The crowd ate it up, cheering and clapping. Another chord and Elladan reversed his pose. This time he lunged to the left, exposing the back of his costume to the audience. Across the length of his back, sequins outlined the shape of a gold dragon. The torch light sparkled brilliantly off the golden spangles. It was positively mesmerizing. The crowd clapped and cheered even louder. Glo heard a familiar voice cry over the din.
“Ooh, Ves! Look at that. It’s beautiful.” He turned his head and saw Maya standing on the bench a few seats down. Sitting next to her was Ves and the Druid Almax.
“Maya, get down!” Ves chastised the young girl. She sounded quite embarrassed by her little sister’s behavior.
Anything further was drowned out as the crowd applauded the bard’s dramatic entrance. Elladan waited until the clapping died down, then a lute magically appeared in his hand. The elven bard quickly broke out into a fast-paced tune designed to get the crowd up and on their feet. Before long, folks were dancing in the aisle while Elladan himself glided across the stage. His motions were a cross between dancing and swordplay, his movements a combination of grace and flair. It was not your typical bardic performance. Most bards just stood onstage and sang, but Elladan was a showman. The crowd had never seen anything like it. They were captivated.
At a lull in the song, Glo heard Maya’s voice once more. “I want to dance and sing like that, Ves. Do you think he’d teach me?”
“I’m sure he has more important things to do,” Ves replied in a disapproving tone.
When Elladan finished, the entire crowd rose to its feet. The applause was deafening. During the ovation, Glo scanned the crowd. He observed that not everyone had risen—a group of individuals in the first and second rows was still seated. Predictably, they were all dressed in powder blue. Glo recognized a particular sour face among them. It was Fafnar. Over the applause, he caught a few remarks from the Dunwynn contingent—words such as “vulgar” and “crass.” He then heard Fafnar’s voice, a bit louder than the others.
“What do you expect from a bunch of country bumpkins?”
Glo’s eyes shifted to Gryswold and Gracelynn. The Baron’s face momentarily clouded over, but it quickly disappeared. The Baroness showed no sign of having heard the comment. The Lady Andrella, however, turned her head in the direction of the foppish knight. She immediately spun back toward the stage and clapped even louder crying, “Bravo, Bravo!”
Glo could not help but smile at the young lady’s reaction. The cheering and clapping started to die down. Up on stage, Elladan waved to the crowd. He flashed the audience one of his best smiles. “Thank you. Thank you.”
The exquisite form of the lady bard Shalla appeared on the stage. She sauntered over toward Elladan and stood by his side. The crowd quieted down in anticipation. Elladan nodded to her then addressed the audience. “This one’s for all the ladies.”
Elladan began a heart-wrenching ballad. It was in stark contrast to the energy of the previous number. His superb voice warbled through the lower ranges until he reached the chorus. Shalla then joined in with him. Their voices blended in a perfect harmony. The song was so poignant and heartfelt that some of the ladies were indeed weeping. Glo himself was moved by the melody. When Elladan and Shalla finished, the entire audience sat in silence. Then, as one, they rose to their feet and gave the duo another standing ovation.
The Dunwynn retinue remained seated still. This time Glo overheard snippets such as too flowery and sickly sweet. Strangely enough, Fafnar was silent. Glo stole a glance at the Dunwynn Lieutenant. Was that a tear in his eye? The noble abruptly covered his face with a handkerchief.
Back on stage, Elladan turned to his partner. “How about a round of applause for the lovely Miss Shalla Vesperanna!”
The audience clapped ardently for the lady bard. Shalla curtsied gracefully and then pointed toward Elladan. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the incomparable Elladan Narmolanya!”
The crowd went wild. Now it was Elladan’s turn to bow. When the noise finally died down, he announced, “That is it for us.”
The audience responded almost as one. “Awwwww...”
Elladan flashed a bright smile. “But don’t worry, there is plenty of entertainment to follow, and the lovely Miss Shalla and I will be back at the end of the show!”
The crowd cheered once more. When the applause died down, Elladan introduced the next act. He and Shalla then exited the stage. Things had gone remarkably well thus far. All the guests had arrived. Each entertainer had been checked at the gate. The guards had been warned to look for telltale serpent tattoos. Every cultist they had encountered so far had one. Therefore, it was a safe bet that no Serpent Cult member had made it into the keep. Further, Aksel and The Boulder watched the gate. Martan stood vigil from atop the tower. Seth roamed the rooftops. Finally, Raven circled high above the keep. There was nothing more they could do for now. They just needed to stay alert.
The entertainment went on for almost two hours. Elladan continued to emcee the show. He talked with the audience while the stage was set, then introduced each act. Jugglers juggled. Acrobats tumbled. Dancers danced. Clowns made the audience laugh. Magicians did magic. Other bards sang. Except for the entertainment, all was quiet. There was no sign of Serpent Cult activity.
Glo grew apprehensive. Just what were they waiting for?
When the last performer was done, Elladan and Shalla took the stage once more. The crowd cheered at the return of the duo. Elladan’s voice boomed over the audience. “Thank you, my friends. This is a little number we cooked up to keep you entertained while you are escorted to your tables. Servants will be coming around to guide you, so please wait for them. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy the finale!”
The two bards launched into a fast-paced duet. They twirled around each other as they sang, just as the first time Glo saw them on stage. The bard and bardess took turns with their individual vocals. When they reached the chorus, their voices blended in exquisite harmony. The duo continued to flirt with each other as they sang and danced. The chemistry between them was electrifying. The audience ate it up.
As the first chorus finished, servants began escorting the guests to their tables. Gryswold and Gracelynn were seated first. Glo remained by their side. The rest of the head table was filled next. The others seated there included Andrella, Lloyd, Sir Fafnar, the Druid Almax, Ves, Maya, Abbot Qualtan, and Sir Brennon. Directly across from Gryswold, next to Sir Fafnar, sat a middle-aged gentleman. He was dressed in a blue doublet decorated with extreme finery. The gentleman was tall and thin, with dar
k hair, a pencil thin mustache and a goatee. From his heraldic, Glo could only assume this was the Duke of Dunwynn. The pair was turned sideways, facing the stage. They continued to watch the performance, whispering back and forth to each other. The Duke maintained a neutral expression. Fafnar, on the other hand, wore that same smug look he had when they first met him.
Up on the stage, Elladan and Shalla brought some of the other entertainers up to join them. The stage filled up as the last number expanded into an encore for the entire troop of performers. As the mega finale went on, the other tables filled up. Donnie was seated next. Along with him was Haltan the merchant, Sir Duncan, Sir Calric, and two knights Glo had never seen before. The first was a stark-featured man. He had black hair, a neatly groomed beard, and a thin mustache. The second was a statuesque woman with a striking head of fiery orange hair, bobbed short at the shoulders. Both wore bright white tabards adorned with a single pale red flower over a shining suit of silvery chain mail.
Glo leaned over and whispered to Gryswold. “Who are those two?” He nodded his head toward the new knights.
Gryswold whispered back, “That’s the Dame Alana and Sir Craven. They are Knights of the Rose.”
Of course, the famous Knights of the Rose! Glo should have recognized their symbol. He had come across the name many times in his studies. They were a holy order dedicated to Cormar, the God of the Winds. A force for good, they had been around for centuries. The Knights of the Rose had even participated in the battle against the Thrall Lords some hundred and fifty years prior. Their ancestral home was the Wind Tower. It was a huge, three-hundred-foot tall tower surrounded by a small town of the same name. Glo vividly remembered passing the tall structure on the caravan ride to the east coast. That was the same fateful trip where he, Seth, and Aksel first met Lloyd. Glo noted that both the Dame Alana and Sir Craven had swords strapped to their sides. That bode well. If it came down to a fight, which he suspected it would, two Knights of the Rose would be handy allies.
