by Maria Burke
‘What about my sister Kerry and Pod the owl? Do you really think that Niamh and I can get into the dungeons and rescue them?’
‘It’s worth a try. There are many good eagles working in the Abbey. They are forced into slavery under Red Beak but remain friends to us cave dwellers. We have sent word to them about you through the freebirds. When the time comes they will help you. But now Niamh has volunteered to go back to the dungeons with you. She has a detailed knowledge of the cave system under the Abbey. And she will take you straight to their cell.’
‘I’m ready to go whenever you are, Niamh,’ said Simon.
‘Then I’ll go and prepare for the journey,’ said Niamh.
During the morning Browdan introduced Simon to Cian, the leader of the lake clan. Cian was a young, fair-haired man, strong and friendly with intelligent eyes. He took Simon on a tour of the caves, showing him the homes of the lake people, their schoolrooms and workplaces. Simon saw how the network of cave dwellings were linked together by passages and tunnels. Cian also provided him with food and some camouflage for the journey.
Before they set out for the Abbey, Browdan took Simon aside. ‘When you find Kerry and Pod, get out of the Abbey as fast as you can. Niamh will lead you to the sea caves near the village of Coracle. She will bring you to our hidden town by the underground lake. From there we will get you off the island. Also, I have confirmed that the freebirds of the island have sent word to the good eagles in the Abbey, to tell them you’re on your way. They will be watching out for you. Many of the eagles inside the Abbey are tired of Red Beak and his tyranny, but are too frightened to leave him. They are willing to help you. You will not be alone in there. So take heart and be courageous.’
CHAPTER 14
Niamh
Simon thanked Browdan, Cian and the lake people for saving his life and giving him shelter. It was still early when he set out on his journey back to the Abbey with Niamh. He followed her along the riverbank back to the waterfall where he had fallen the previous day. The lake people had given them broad-brimmed hats covered with twigs and leaves for camouflage. Wearing these they stayed close to trees and large scrub so they could take shelter if they sighted marauding eagles.
Soon they reached the waterfall. Simon stood for a moment watching the majestic sight of the river bursting from the cliff face and plummeting into the lake below.
‘How did I survive that?’ he gasped.
‘You must have nine lives,’ said Niamh.
She beckoned for him to follow her and showed him how to climb the rocky precipice at the side of the falls. Sticking their feet and hands into little crevices in the cliff face, they climbed closer and closer to the mouth of the waterfall. The roar of the plummeting water was deafening and the rock was so slippy that Simon feared he would lose his grip. At last Niamh stopped at a wide crack in the rock. Here she entered the cliff face. Simon followed her inside to a low and narrow passage. They crawled on hands and knees for a while but soon it widened and rose in height making it possible to walk upright. Simon saw that Niamh was an expert at finding her way through the underground caves. She told him how as a young girl she had discovered the layout of the Abbey while playing with her twin brother, Coleman.
‘The whole Abbey is riddled with underground passages linking one part to another,’ she said. ‘Coleman and I played up around the Abbey all the time when we were little. We were fascinated by the high walls and ancient buildings. And the monks were very kind to us. They didn’t seem to mind us snooping around. One day we stumbled upon a secret passage leading into the Abbey. Coleman literally fell into a hole in the forest floor outside the Abbey walls. Later we discovered that the hole was an entrance to a network of tunnels that spread under the entire island. We kept coming back here and found more and more passages every day. We discovered that many of them led to the ancient Abbey library. Coleman and I would often creep in there when the monks left for vespers. We discovered that the library was filled with priceless manuscripts. And our father told us that monks came here throughout the ages from all over the world to study the art of manuscript illumination. They say the library has the largest collection of original manuscripts in the world.’
‘I’ve never heard of it,’ said Simon.
‘Oh the monks didn’t publicise this fact. The existence of the library was a well-kept secret among scholars. We loved to look at the beautiful hand-drawn pictures in the books. They weren’t all spiritual books either. There were books on all sorts of subjects. Coleman fell in love with the place. He began to borrow books and copy them at home at night-time. By the time he joined the order when he was thirteen he was the best illuminator in the Abbey; probably the best they ever had.’
‘I take it that an illuminator is an illustrator,’ said Simon.
‘Yes, the illuminators are artists and experts in calligraphy. They draw pict ures to illustrate the script they are writing and they decorate the script with beautiful colours.’
By now Niamh and Simon had entered a maze. Simon was impressed at the way Niamh picked her way through the complex layout of passages and caves. As they zigzagged their way through an intricate mesh of intersections and forked junctions Niamh never hesitated over which path to choose. She seemed to know exactly where she was going. Before long they had arrived at the dungeons. They made their way through a corridor of empty cells until Niamh stopped at a burned-out door. Two empty cages were all that remained inside.
‘They’re gone,’ said Niamh.
Simon looked around the cell for some sign of what had happened.
‘Look at this,’ he said, ‘it’s one of my matches. And here’s another one. Good for Kerry. She must have used them to burn the locks off the cages. And then she burned down the door. Clever girl! They managed to escape.’
‘But where did they go from here?’ said Niamh.
They searched around the dungeons looking for clues and footprints but the ground was paved with hard stone and they couldn’t tell which direction Kerry and Pod had taken.
‘We’d better get out of here,’ said Niamh. ‘Red Beak may not have discovered that they are missing yet. The eagles could return here at any moment and they’ll be angry to find this mess. Red Beak will raid the whole island when he finds his prisoners missing. We could all be in great danger.’
They hurried down the corridor that led out of the dungeons. Niamh paused to examine the markings on the junction walls. She pointed to an X scratched out on a tunnel entrance.
‘These are fresh markings,’ she said. ‘Kerry and Pod made these while they were trying to get out of here. They must have been going around in circles for quite a while. I don’t think they are too far ahead of us. If we’re lucky we might catch up with them.’
As they followed the passages, the ground became soft and earthy, and Kerry’s footprints appeared from time to time. From these details Niamh was able to tell the way they had gone. Their tracks led them to the underground river. Here Niamh stopped to study the ground.
‘I can see Kerry’s footprints all over this path. It runs along the river edge all the way back to the Abbey. I know the river path well. It goes under the lib rary to the kitchen cellars.
They’ve headed straight into danger.’
‘We’ve no choice but to follow them,’ said Simon.
‘But we could be killed.’
‘There’s got to be a way to find them without the eagles catching us. Think about it, Niamh. You know all the secret passages.’
‘Well, there was a tiny, secret passage leading from the kitchen cellars to Red Beak’s Great Hall. It was built inside the walls themselves and runs through the main rooms in the Abbey. It was very old and crumbling when I was a child and it may have fallen in by now. But it might be worth trying to find it. It would be a very safe place to hide out, that’s if we managed to get in there. I’ve heard that Red Beak holds most of his conferences in the Great Hall with his guards.’
‘It sounds like the perfect
place for us to spy for information,’ said Simon. ‘We could eavesdrop on one of his conferences and find out what his plans are.’
‘But going back to the Abbey is very risky,’ warned Niamh. ‘We could both be caught. I don’t want to do it.’
‘Oh come on, Niamh! It’s time you people plucked up some courage and took a few risks,’ said Simon. ‘Why don’t you stand up to that eagle beast?’
‘You don’t know what Red Beak is capable of. You haven’t seen him in action like we islanders have.’
‘Look, Niamh, I know you’ve gone through a rough time with those eagles. But what was the point in coming all this way for nothing, can you tell me that?’
‘I’m scared Simon. Red Beak’s guards have widened the passages under the Abbey. So they can fly around most of them. And I’ve heard they’ve blocked up the smaller tunnels that they don’t use. The place is crawling with guards and it would be almost impossible to escape them. We’d be heading straight into their lair!’
‘We’re all scared, Niamh, but we’ve got to think of the others. You’ve led me into the dungeons and through the maze to here. It’s obvious that Red Beak hasn’t blocked up all the passages. If he had we wouldn’t have got through. You know the Abbey like the back of your hand and your instincts are spot on. You’ve taught me how to free climb a cliff face and I’ve seen the way you followed Kerry’s tracks. If anyone can find Kerry and Pod, you can! Please, Niamh. Their lives are at stake and I can’t make it in there without you.’
Niamh sighed and twisted her long black hair into a knot. ‘Maybe you’re right, Simon. Maybe it’s time I faced my fears and took a risk. OK, I’ll take you to the secret passage if you promise that you will do exactly what I say.’
‘It’s a deal,’ said Simon.
Niamh led Simon along the river caves to the cellars under the library. The ground became stoney and they lost sight of Kerry’s footprints. They continued on to the cellars underneath the kitchens. Niamh made her way into a small cellar and rummaged around behind some old wine casks until she found what she was looking for.
‘Here’s the entrance to the secret passage that passes through the walls of the Abbey,’ she said.
Niamh pulled a loose stone out of the way and slipped into the passage. Simon followed and pulled the stone back into place behind him. To their relief, the way was clear. It was narrow and cramped and as they progressed they found that it had fallen in at several places. But they managed to clear the rubble from the steps and passages and make it all the way to the fireplace in the Great Hall. They sat deep in the shadows of the fireplace, hidden by the black, sooty mantle. Time moved slowly as they waited for the eagles to appear. Simon scratched his head impatiently.
‘Where are they?’ he moaned.
‘Be still,’ whispered Niamh. ‘I hear someone coming across the main courtyard.’
CHAPTER 15
Fireworks
In the prison tower the Palace Plucker polished his big, shiny tweezers. With great care he held them up to the light and inspected them. Then he fixed his red eyes on Pod. His gaze was icy as he approached the shivering owl. Just as he lunged at him the door was flung open. Roddick, the chief guard, flew into the room followed by six of his henchmen.
‘Get off him,’ he yelled.
‘But I’ve been ordered to pluck him,’ cried the Palace Plucker.
‘Out of my way,’ ordered Roddick. ‘Queen Kiki wants to see the prisoners. Guards, unlock the cages.’
One of the guards brushed past the Palace Plucker and opened the cage doors. Kerry and Pod were led from the prison tower out to the cloisters. They were escorted past the library, through an arched gateway and into the main courtyard at the front of the Abbey. The guards led the prisoners across the courtyard to the doors of the Great Hall. They entered and were ordered to wait before the two golden thrones for the arrival of the Queen.
Within minutes a dozen eagle bodyguards arrived through the main doors of the Abbey followed by the Queen’s entourage. A golden bugle was sounded to announce her arrival. Queen Kiki came through the doors, perched on a bright red carpet, the edges of which were held in the beaks of eight eagle porters. They laid the carpet in front of her throne. Queen Kiki wore a tiara of glittering diamonds topped with a headdress of long scarlet feathers. She was draped in a cloak of red and white plumes with a flush of royal blue. She glided off the carpet, hopped up onto her throne perch and looked down at her minions.
‘Who are these?’ she asked a tall eagle who looked like her chief bodyguard. He promptly whispered something into her ear.
‘Oh yes. How forgetful of me! It’s the Blue Owl. Very nice feathers! They’ll do beautifully. So don’t try escaping again. We need those feathers. It’s your patriotic duty to stay here and provide me with feathers for the rest of your life.’
‘But how could it be my patriotic duty?’ said Pod. ‘I’m not a resident of Eyrie Island.’
‘Don’t interrupt. And you! Young lady,’ she said turning to Kerry, ‘I want to talk to you about those matches. Guards, bring me the matches. Oh, here they are. Hand me my spectacles.’
The bodyguard handed the Queen a large pair of round spectacles studded with diamonds. She perched them on her beak and started to read from the matchbox.
‘HANDY MATCHES … FOR ALL YOUR RECREATIONAL NEEDS: HOUSE FIRES, TORCHES, DAZZLING FIREWORKS, BONFIRES, BARBECUES AND MUCH MORE …’
‘Can you tell me, my dear girl, do these matches really make fireworks? I simply love fireworks of all kinds. Back home on the Island of Iolathar we had fireworks for every occasion and it was such fun. But this island is so dull. I get so bored. Do entertain me.’
‘My brother invented them,’ replied Kerry.
‘Well, demonstrate, my girl, before I lose my patience. But don’t damage anything, for heaven’s sake. I don’t want my beautiful palace going on fire.’
‘It’s an abbey,’ corrected Pod.
‘Stop interrupting, you rude owl.’
‘Those are not my matches,’ said Kerry, ‘and I don’t know how to make fireworks.’
‘Nonsense, I order you to demonstrate now. If you don’t do what I say I will lock you in the tower and leave you in solitary confinement, without food and water for a week.’
Kerry slowly stepped up to the throne, took the box of matches and opened it. There were only two matches left in the box, one white and one red. All the green matches were gone. Kerry racked her brain. She knew the white matches were for light but what did the red stand for?
‘These white matches are torches,’ said Kerry, lighting it for Queen Kiki and holding it before her.
‘That’s not very interesting,’ said the Queen. ‘Light a different one.’
‘The last match is red,’ said Kerry. ‘If you give me a piece of wood from the fireplace over there I’ll see what I can do.’
One of the guards handed Kerry a log from the grate. She held it in her right hand and studied it for a few moments, her mind working on all possibilities. Then she lit the match and set fire to the log. The log lit up in an instant and burned like a torch with a bright yellow flame. Kerry threw the log high into the air above the eagles’ heads, hoping to frighten them away. As it soared towards the ceiling the flames changed from yellow to green. With a mighty crack the log exploded and the eagles shrieked. A torrent of pink sparks burst from the log’s core. They cascaded slowly down into the room like a sparkling pink waterfall. The glittering sparks landed in a pool on the floor and with a flicker they were suddenly gone.
‘Wonderful,’ cried Queen Kiki, jumping up from her throne with excitement. Her surprised entourage immediately joined her in cheering the display.
‘More,’ she cried. ‘Show me more!’
Suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, including Kerry’s, the sparks flared up again swirling like a tornado in the centre of the room. They shot high up into the air and converged in the shape of a dazzling star, which spun and twirled across the ceiling. It ci
rcled around the flocks of fascinated eagles. Then it burst into a sizzling ball of fire, spraying showers of multi-coloured beams outwards in fountains of light. They faded and reformed into a multicoloured rainbow, which extended as an arch over the entire length of the room. It shimmered and glowed for several minutes. Gradually, it faded away.
‘Marvellous!’ Queen Kiki again rose from her throne in delight and flapped her wings. ‘That was absolutely wonderful. Do another trick for me now, I command you!’
‘But I have no matches left – they’re all gone!’
‘Well get them!’
‘But I can’t get them.’
Queen Kiki screamed and stamped her claws in rage.
‘Where did you buy them? I’ll send my eagles to get them. You must tell them where to go.’
‘But they’re not on sale. They are my brother Simon’s invention. Only he knows what ingredients go into those matches.’
‘And where is Simon?’ demanded Kiki.
Kerry shrugged her shoulders.
‘I want those ingredients,’ cried Kiki who was almost dancing with rage. ‘Guards, make her tell me where Simon is.’
An idea suddenly flashed into Kerry’s head. She thought of the laughing gas recipe she had seen in the great library with Pod. She strained to remember the list of ingredients. Just as the eagles rushed towards her she found herself raising her hand.
‘Stop,’ she said. ‘Maybe I can remember Simon’s ingredients. Wait. Let me think … Half a cup of fine ash from a fireplace … Two teaspoons of strong white pepper …’
‘Write this down,’ Kiki ordered her guards.
When Kerry got to the end of the list she added two extra items – a pair of gas masks.
‘What do you want the gas masks for?’ asked Queen Kiki.
‘Making Handy Matches is a dangerous procedure,’ said Kerry. ‘My brother always wears a gas mask. And now for the method. What a pity I can’t remember how Simon made them. I will have to start from scratch and experiment. I’m sure it will all come back to me if you give me a stove to work on and a large saucepan.’
