The Unwilling Ambassador (Book 3)

by Heidi Willard

  He shoved them out into the hall and shut the door behind them. Fred and Ruth glanced at one another, and Pat pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is going to be another long journey with him," she grumbled.

  CHAPTER 4

  Reluctantly they followed Ned's advice and found out the whereabouts of Canto. He stood outside the gate to the castle checking Fluffy's saddle and collar. When the youngsters came around the corner of the gate he scowled at Fred. "Haven't ya enough sense to take care of yer cantankus?" he asked the boy.

  Fred stopped in his tracks and blinked. "Um, yes?" he guessed.

  Canto pointed at Fluffy's saddle. "Ya see what's wrong here?"

  "Um, no?" Fred replied.

  The old dwarf rolled his eyes. "If yer not riding the beast than why is he carrying that saddle around on his back?"

  Fred shrugged. "Because it's comfortable?" he suggested.

  Canto lifted the saddle and showed sore spots along the skin. "Does that look comfortable to ya?" Fred cringed and the girls looked aghast at the raw skin. "Ya have to get his saddle off once in a while and rub him down with-"

  "-a brush?" Fred finished.

  Canto raised an eyebrow. "Aye, a brush. Most any will do, but it's best to use an-"

  "-old one?" the boy added.

  The dwarf folded his arms across his chest and glared at the young man. "Is there something ya know that yer not telling me?"

  Fred dug into his pockets for five minutes before he found the brush. He held it out to Canto, who took it in hand. "I got that from an old woman who said it could be used on cantankus, and Ned said it was enchanted."

  Canto examined the brush and nodded. "Aye, and they're both right. This is an ancient dwarven cantankus brush used when the beasts were still the steeds of war." He pointed at the bristles, and for the first time Fred noticed there was a pattern to them. "This tells what spell is attached to the brush."

  "Which spell is attached to it?" Pat asked him.

  "Speed. Brush any creature's skin with this and it'll make them much faster for a short period of time," Canto replied. "But it works best on cantankus because they don't have much hair to slow them down in the first place."

  "So it's safe to use this brush?" Fred wondered.

  "Aye, but not until he's healed a bit." Canto released the saddle strap and grabbed the saddle. He hefted it off the animal and into Fred's arms. The young man nearly collapsed beneath the weight. "Otherwise you'll just hurt him more. Don't forget to take that collar off him like ya do yer own. Those can scrape the neck and give them some bad sores."

  Fred blinked, and crossed his eyes when he glanced down at his own collar. "I can take this off?" he wondered.

  Pat narrowed her eyes at the young man. "Wait, are you telling us you haven't taken that thing off? What about when you've taken a bath?" she asked him.

  "What bath?" he replied.

  Pat shrank away from him, and Ruth covered her mouth to stifle her giggle. Canto chuckled and patted Fred on the back. He fell over atop the saddle. "That's a fine warrior. Baths are for the weak and the women."

  Fred cringed and Ruth stepped away from Pat. Pat's hands balled into fists and she glared at the dwarf who stood nearly a foot shorter than her height. "Did you just compare women to weaklings?" she questioned him.

  Canto folded his arms across his chest. "Not all women. Dwarven women are a robust lot and Ah'll admit elven women can fire arrows with the best of 'em, but human women are frail creatures."

  Pat rolled up her sleeves and marched up to stand toe-to-toe with the dwarf. She growled through her grinding teeth. "Would you care to test my skill against yours?" she challenged.

  Canto raised an eyebrow. "My ax against yer sword?" She nodded. "Very well. The first to draw blood wins, but no attempts at mortal wounds," he scolded. "Meet back here in ten minutes?"

  "Agreed," Pat replied. She spun on her heels and marched toward the castle. Ruth rushed after her and Fred sat back on his haunches to glare at the dwarf.

  "Why are you fighting? We're supposed to be on the same side," Fred reminded him.

  "It's a matter of honor," Canto calmly replied. There was a mischievous smirk on his lips. "And there might be something more on her mind. Has she always been this short-tempered?"

  Fred shook his head. "Yeah, but she never wanted to fight somebody to the death because she was mad at them."

  Canto pulled at his whiskers and hummed. "Ya may want to have Ned here in case things get out of hand."

  The young man nodded, picked up the saddle and hurried off to inform his master. He went to Ned's room and knocked on the door. Ned opened it wearing a nightcap and his usual garb. "What's the matter?" he asked his apprentice.

  "Canto and Pat are going to duel in ten minutes, and Canto thinks Pat might be serious about hurting him," Fred hurriedly told him.

  Ned's sleepy eyes shot open, he whipped the cap off his head and stuffed it into his cloak. "I take a short nap and find the world is falling apart," he grumbled as he passed by Fred. "Come along, and leave the saddle in the room."

  Fred tossed the saddle inside and darted after Ned. The old castor could walk swiftly when the need arose, and they soon reached the courtyard to find Canto just inside the gate with the head of his ax against the ground. He leaned against the handle and nodded to Ned. "Good morning," he greeted.

  "Not from what Fred tells me," Ned countered. "What do you intend to achieve by challenging that girl to a duel?"

  "She challenged me," Canto argued. "And Ah intend to find out what has her feathers ruffled."

  Ned raised an eyebrow, but at that moment Pat stepped through the doors with Ruth behind her and her sword at her side. The scabbard glistened off the early morning sun as she faced off against her adversary. Ruth slipped over to Fred and forlornly shook her head. "I tried to talk her out of doing this, but she wouldn't listen," Ruth whispered to Fred.

  Ned stepped between the two duelists and held up his hands. "A moment of clarification, if you will humor me. Who is in the wrong?"

  "He is."

  "She is."

  Ned's face drooped. "I see. Well, under the circumstances the differences of opinion must be settled by this not-so-deadly combat. You both agree not to kill each other?" They nodded, and Fred and Ruth were aghast that Ned was allowing this to happen.

  "What are you doing?" Fred hissed at his master.

  "The combatants need silence," Ned scolded his apprentice. "Let me tell you the rules of such a duel."

  "We know the rules," Canto insisted. "We're not to kill, and the first to draw blood wins."

  "Ah, but what about the backwards rule?" Ned countered. Everyone in the company stared at him in bewilderment. "Didn't think so. That is a rule where you must both fight while walking backwards, to ensure a fair fight if one has a greater skill going forward." Canto rolled his eyes and lifted his ax. Pat followed suit and pulled her sword from its sheath. Ned dropped his arms to his side and sighed. "Very well, duel to the blood if you must, but don't go whining to me if one of you loses a limb." Ned shuffled over to the pair of watchers and shrugged. "I did the best I could, but they're both too stubborn to listen to reason."

  "That was reasoning?" Ruth wondered.

  Canto let out a battle cry and Pat pointed her sword toward him. The combatants charged each other and their weapons clashed and clanked against the other. Pat had the superior speed and reflexes, but Canto was a seasoned veteran of countless fights. He swung his ax without wasting a movement, and before long he had the upper hand. Pat blocked and parried, but each swing of his mighty ax brought her closer to fatigue. Canto swung down and she blocked his blow, but the heavy force brought her to a knee. The dwarf twisted his ax head and the curved extended edge grabbed her sword. He swung his ax over his head and pulled her sword from her hands. Pat fell to the ground and Canto pointed his weapon at her head.

  "Do something!" Ruth pleaded with Ned.

  Ned frowned and stepped toward them. "Canto!" he called ou
t to his friend. "She's lost! Let her be!"

  "In a moment," Canto insisted. He dropped his ax to his side and knelt in front of Pat. "What bothers ya, girl?" Pat turned her head away, and Canto frowned. "None of that now, girl. What's bothering you that you want to prove yourself in this foolish duel?"

  "What do I have left to prove? My destiny's fulfilled," she grumbled to him.

  "Is it? And not even in yer twentieth year," he quipped.

  Pat whipped her head back at him and glared at the dwarf. "Don't mock me. I've trained my entire life to lead the army of Galaron, and now the city is ruined and the battle is done. What have I to do?"

  He nodded at the three spectators. "They might need yer sword. Ya would be better with more training, and Ah can provide that," he promised her.

  The young woman looked up into Canto's eyes. They were serious. She glanced beyond him to her three companions. Ned smiled and gave a nod while the other two waited with baited breaths. She sighed and shrugged. "What do I have to lose?" she asked them.

  Canto chuckled. "What indeed?" he agreed. He held out his hand and she grudgingly took it. Canto helped Pat up and Ruth came up to them with the warrior girl's sword in her hand. Pat smiled and took the weapon back. "That's a fine sword ya have there," Canto complimented her. "Who was the maker?"

  Pat sheathed her sword. "An ancestor," she replied.

  Ned sniffled and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "What a beautiful ending to a duel."

  Fred turned to him with a frown. "No thanks to you for stopping it..." he mumbled.

  "But Pat wouldn't have found new meaning in her life," Ned countered. He wrapped an arm around Fred's shoulders and pulled the young man against his side. "And speaking of life meaning, we are very behind on your studies."

  Fred shrugged. "That's what happens when we fight dead armies all the time," he pointed out.

  "We'll soon remedy your deficiencies along this journey," Ned promised. "In the meantime rest is needed. The journey starts tonight."

  CHAPTER 5

  The companions, excluding Ruth who didn't need to sleep in any of her forms, slept the day away and awoke shortly before evening. Lord Tramadore had packed them a great deal of supplies for their long journey into the world, and their horses were at the ready when the gargoyles awakened at nightfall. In keeping with the secretiveness of their mission there was no fancy sendoff by the populace. The adventurers met at the destroyed entrance to the cavern. They included Percy and Deadly Sins, Canto on his noble ass, Ned and Pat on horses, and Fred on Fluffy. Ruth flew above them with her family, but would ride Fluffy during the daylight hours. In one of Ned's pockets was the special box with the coconut halves. Hawkins, Captain Spalding and Lord Tramadore were their farewell party. The traveling companions were on their steeds with the three on the ground before them.

  "I was hoping for fewer dry eyes," Ned quipped at the three serious men.

  Tramadore chuckled. "Perhaps we're glad to be rid of you and the trouble that always follows you," he replied.

  Ned smirked. "We'll be sure to make enough out in the world that never a day will go by without your hearing of us."

  Tramadore patted Ned on the leg and nodded. "Perhaps I'll look forward to those posts."

  The adventurers turned their horses away toward the road except one. Hawkins moved over beside Pat's horse and looked up to his captain with a worried expression. "Are you sure you won't have me with you?" he insisted.

  Pat smiled at the captain. "The fewer there are the safer everyone is, and the people of Galaron need a good leader to care for them."

  Hawkins saluted her. "I will care for the Galaron army while you are away."

  Pat shook her head. "No, I give you back your army, Captain Hawkins," she told him. "Perhaps it was always meant for you."

  "Lady Lamikan?" he asked her in surprise.

  "No, just Pat," she replied. She held out her hand and he shook it. "Now keep care of everyone while we're gone."

  "Will do, Ca-Pat," Hawkins corrected himself.

  Pat smiled and galloped off to join the others. Spalding came up to the reinstated captain and laughed. "It seems we're on equal footing. What a horrible thought," Spalding teased him.

  "Not quite," Hawkins countered as he turned to the other captain. Spalding raised an eyebrow. "My men and I are still superior to yours."

  Captain Spalding smirked, and the three silently watched the adventurers disappear into the distance.

  The adventurers went on their journey, destroyed all the stones and Canavar himself, and returned to Tramadore within a week. Or rather, that's what Fred wished would have happened. Instead they galloped along the creek with the gargoyles overhead and reached Salaron before sunrise. It was rather an uncomfortable trip, at least between Canto and Deadly Sins, and Percy and Fred. The dwarf and assassin didn't trust one another, and Percy stared at Fred quite often.

  "What is it?" Fred asked him after catching the older boy shamelessly looking over him for the fifth time.

  "I don't recall your having that jacket before," Percy commented. "The cut is very becoming, and I was wondering where your tailor acquired such fine material."

  Ned shot Fred a warning glance, and Fred shrugged at Percy. "I just picked it up somewhere because it matched my hair," he replied.

  Percy smiled and nodded at Fred's waist where lay his staff. He didn't trust himself not to lose the stick in the bottomless pockets. "May I see your staff?"

  "I guess," Fred grudgingly agreed.

  Percy pulled back so they rode side by side, and Fred handed him the stick. The young man examined the weathered leather and the wood. "How very unique. I've never seen such a simple object become such an incredible weapon."

  "It's not really a weapon so much as a tool for protecting people," Pat corrected him.

  "Doesn't the wielder decide how to use his magic?" Percy countered.

  Pat looked Fred over and rolled her eyes. "If that were completely true then the staff would only use escape spells," she teased Fred.

  Percy smiled and handed back the stick. "And even his escape spells help other people, as it did us in the valley."

  "Where did you go after that, anyway?" Fred spoke up. He hated being the center of attention in this strange, flattering conversation.

  "That was when my father led me away to conquer Tramadore," Percy explained to the pair, though everyone in the group listened in on their talking. "He met the man in white along the mountain walls and was given that ring to use against the city. We returned to Tramadore and he unleashed the army on the city. I was ashamed beyond words, and enlisted Deadly Sins help to travel to Galaron for help."

  Pat's eyes dodged over to Sins, and she dropped her voice to a whisper. "How did you convince the assassin to betray your father?"

  Percy shrugged. "He has a strange moral code for an assassin."

  "Any moral code for an assassin other than not get caught is strange," Canto quipped.

  Sins didn't even flinch at the insult, but Percy shook his head. "That's not true. Sins agreed to help me because he couldn't stand the slaughter, either. Without his help I would never have gotten out of the city. My father would have stopped me and branded me a traitor."

  "Weren't you?" Ned spoke up in an offhand manner.

  "Not to my people," Percy countered with a smile.

  The travelers rode on and at Salaron it was decided a portion of them would scout the trail ahead, and the rest would stay with the gargoyles and protect them. Canto, Ruth and Pat opted to stay, while the other four, the two young men, Sins and Ned, went forward. A few sputtering columns of smoke told them there was still activity in the city, and the view from the top of the hill confirmed it. The undead still roamed the streets, but in less number than before.

  Percy was confused by so few undead. "Have there always been this few attackers?" he asked them.

  "No," Ned replied. Their eyes focused on the glowing stone in the square around which congregated the greatest concen
tration of undead.

  "So this will be easier than we expected?" Percy guessed. "All we need do is clomp the coconuts within hearing range of the stone and it will be destroyed?"

  In answer to his question Ned raised his staff and a tiny sparkler emerged from the tip. It gently floated over the ruined city and within twenty yards of the stone. The shining rock came alive as the pulsing light ignited and a column of brilliance shot into the sky. Undead creatures jumped from the column and grabbed at the sparkler. Their clawed, decayed hands sliced and tore the sparkler into dust, and the light was extinguished. With the threat destroyed the column of light disappeared, but the number of undead didn't diminish.

  Percy's face paled. "I stand corrected, but was that wise to alert them to our presence?"

  Ned nodded at the stone. "Would you have appreciated that surprise on us rather than on that small bit of magic?" he countered.

  Percy smirked. "I suppose not, and it seems even from the air we have the disadvantage." He turned to Sins. "Have you any suggestions on avoiding that detection mechanism?"

  Sins dark eyes glanced over the city, and they stopped on a particular group of undead. These ones shuffled around in circles on the outer ring of the city. Sins nodded at the undead. "They will provide us the cover we need," Sins told them.

  Fred looked at the assassin as though he was insane. The young man suspected he wasn't too far from the truth. "How are they going to help us?"

  Ned pulled at his beard and nodded. "That may work," he agreed with Sins.

  "What may work?" Fred asked him.

  Percy's eyes lit up and his smile slipped into a smirk. "That is very ingenious, even for you, Sins, but how are we going to use the undead without destroying them?"

  "What's ingenious?" Fred yelled at them.

  Ned wrapped an arm around Fred's shoulders and grinned at the boy. "How would you like another new outfit?"

  Fred blinked. "Um, no?" he guessed.

  "But you might look becoming in undead," Ned insisted.