The Adventures of Sir Roderick, the Not-Very Brave

by James O'Loghlin

  ‘So he is asleep. But it’s not night, and he only sleeps at night. So he cannot be –’

  ‘Chester!’ Ruby interrupted firmly. ‘Help me sit him up.’

  Together they eased him into a sitting position, his back resting against the trunk. Ruby squatted in front of him. ‘Ganfree. Ganfree.’ Gently, she slapped the old man’s cheek.

  ‘Is he a person who is all right,’ Chester asked worriedly, ‘or is he a different person from that? Oh I do hope he has not become a person who is not all right.’

  Ruby hoped the same thing.

  Roderick leapt behind one of the few trees at the bottom of the valley as Grynaldeen swept around and past him, chasing a group of Nareean soldiers. She slashed out with a leg and one fell, screaming, blood spurting from his arm. Roderick drew his sword, not because it would help, but because it made him feel like he was doing something. His sister was only metres away, but those metres were filled with a snarling cockroach.

  At the back of his mind he could feel something. A faint signal trying to get stronger, someone trying to haul themselves out of a deep pit. He tried to latch on to it but another fearful roar pulled him back to the chaos. The roach was coming for him. The Queen wanted to get him. Roderick turned and ran uphill. His foot hit a tree root. He stumbled, fell, hit the ground and looked over his shoulder. Grynaldeen towered above him. She lifted up her front legs, ready to rake them over his body. He would be ripped apart. He froze. I’m dead, was all he could think.

  The roach paused, front legs hovering over Roderick. He felt the Queen’s command: Kill.

  He looked up at the cockroach. Their eyes met and for a moment time stopped.

  He realised Grynaldeen was trying to resist the Queen’s commands, to give him time to escape, but that she would not be able to do it for long.

  Roderick scrambled to his feet and ran. An instant later Grynaldeen’s front legs smashed down where he had been. She started to follow him, but a flurry of arrows bounced off her side. The Nareeans had got their archers organised. The arrows themselves caused her no damage, as far as Roderick could tell – only a direct hit in the eye would harm Grynaldeen – but the Queen was vulnerable. She turned Grynaldeen and charged her towards the archers.

  Roderick backed away up the hill, wondering what would happen if the Queen was able to permanently harness the cockroach’s power. Surely she would become virtually unstoppable, even without the Baronian army behind her.

  As Roderick watched the back of the cockroach chasing the scattering Nareean archers, he had the beginnings of an idea. The cockroach’s sides were steep and smooth, and any sort of approach from the front was madness. However, her back was less steep. If he took a run-up, he might be able to scramble up onto it.

  Again, Ruby slapped Banfor’s cheek.

  ‘Are you hitting him?’ asked Chester indignantly. ‘I cannot see you because I cannot see you, but the sound is like hitting. That is not how this person usually wakes up. He doesn’t usually wake up from hitting. He usually wakes from non-hitting.’

  ‘It’s a very deep sleep, Chester,’ said Ruby. ‘He needs some help.’ She slapped him again.

  Banfor moaned and his eyes flickered open. His hand went to his forehead, then he held it in front of his eyes.

  ‘Some sort of . . . strength-sapping ointment . . . rubbed on my head.’

  He looked down the hill, where the cockroach was still running amok. He frowned and then closed his eyes again.

  ‘Is he a person who is asleep again?’ asked Chester anxiously.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ said Ruby. ‘I think that he’s concentrating very hard.’

  Below, the Nareean soldiers valiantly tried to defend themselves, but anyone who got within reach of the cockroach had no chance. Next to it a giant oak tree stretched to the sky.

  Ruby had an idea.

  ‘Chester! Take care of him. He is thinking very hard. Don’t let anyone disturb him.’

  Ruby started running down the hill.

  Chester’s words followed her. ‘I will try to do what you say, as much as a bear like me – in fact, a bear exactly like me – can turn a person saying things into a bear doing them.’

  Roderick was behind the cockroach who moved left and right, lashing out with her legs at any Nareeans she could get close to. Roderick wanted to hesitate, to delay, to run away, to do anything other than what he needed to do. Instead he took a deep breath and ran down the hill as fast as he could towards Grynaldeen. When he got to her he leapt high up her back. He made it halfway, and desperately scrambled his legs and arms for holds. He found a bump on her back he could grab and clung on to it. He had hoped that the noise made by Grynaldeen and the panicked Nareeans, as well as the concentration it would take the Queen to direct the cockroach, would give him a chance of getting up behind the Queen without her noticing. So far, so good.

  He wedged his foot into something. He realised it was Grynaldeen’s bottom. He now had a secure, if not very pleasant, foothold, but there was no way he could get from where he was up to where Grynaldeen’s back broadened and flattened out.

  Grynaldeen twisted sharply and Roderick’s legs flew up and out. His left hand lost its grip and the other was slipping off. Suddenly he felt a force steady him, then physically lift him up higher onto the level part of the roach’s back.

  Banfor!

  Roderick was now only about eight steps behind the Queen, but Grynaldeen was bucking so furiously that it may as well have been eight hundred. He was lying face-down but if he tried to stand, walk or even crawl forward he would surely be thrown off immediately. Then he felt another force, a calming wave similar to what he had felt on the Queen’s balcony, but this time directed solely at Grynaldeen. It was Banfor again! He was trying to calm the cockroach! Grynaldeen’s frenzied movements slowed as she was soothed by the old man’s thought waves. Roderick saw the Queen’s shoulders tense. She had felt it too. She looked around, trying to locate the source.

  Ruby reached the bottom of the oak tree. She took a deep breath and grabbed a branch.

  ‘Don’t look down,’ she told herself as she started to climb. Her hands shook. Every last part of her wanted to stay close to the ground, but she forced herself to pull and push her body up the tree. Eventually she reached a branch that was higher than the cockroach’s head. She started to crawl out along it in the direction of the cockroach. Then she made a mistake. She looked down. She gasped, and then froze, eyes clenched shut. Being up this high was too much.

  She forced herself to open one eye, then the other, and then somehow made herself inch further out along the branch. Then she stopped. The cockroach, with the Queen, Sonya and Roderick all on its back, had slowed its bucking and twisting and was now directly below her.

  Now that the cockroach’s movements had slowed, the soldiers on the ground had time to get out of her path. The Queen stared around, searching for Banfor.

  Roderick tried to think. The Queen and Banfor were both trying to control the cockroach. The Queen was driving her to attack while Banfor tried to hold her back. But what would happen if Banfor reversed his tactics?

  Roderick tried to reach out to the old man with his mind.

  The Queen spied Banfor at the top of the hill. She raised her knife and held it above Sonya’s back, staring defiantly up towards him. The implication was clear. She would bring the knife down unless Banfor released his grip on Grynaldeen.

  Suddenly a vast surge of energy flew into Grynaldeen, who instantly went from slow motion to another frenzy of bucking. The Queen was thrown sideways. Roderick desperately clung on. Another buck threw the Queen further over the side of the cockroach’s back but, just as it looked like she was off, she found a handhold where Grynaldeen’s head met her body. She steadied and hauled herself back up. Once again, the Queen raised her knife.

  Roderick desperately clung to Grynaldeen. He had to
reach the Queen. He scrambled to his knees, kept low and propelled himself forward along the cockroach’s bucking back. He took two steps; on his third the cockroach lurched to one side. Roderick was thrown off his feet. He pulled himself to his knees, planted a foot and flung himself forward as Grynaldeen bucked again. He landed on his belly, a couple of steps behind the Queen. As he pulled himself up again, she started to bring her arm down to plunge the knife into his sister’s back. He threw himself forward and grabbed the Queen’s wrist.

  Sonya was still lying face-down across Grynaldeen’s back, with no idea what was going on behind her. ‘Sonya, get off!’ he screamed, but his sister did not move. He realised Grynaldeen’s shrieks were drowning out his voice.

  The Queen suddenly stopped trying to force her arm down towards Sonya, and thrust it back. The knife handle crashed into Roderick’s nose. He yelled and fell back. The Queen wrenched her arm free as Grynaldeen twisted, throwing Roderick backwards and sideways. He threw his hands out to grab something, but he was off balance and they pawed uselessly at Grynaldeen’s smooth back. Slowly, inevitably, he felt his centre of gravity shift until he knew he was beyond the point of recovery. He toppled off Grynaldeen and fell to the ground with a dull thud.

  The cockroach was directly under the branch. Ruby tried to will herself to jump. And failed. She just couldn’t.

  She slapped the branch in frustration. It was just like what had happened back at the waterfall. She knew what she had to do, but she was too scared to do it.

  As Roderick fell from the cockroach’s back, Ruby’s disgust at her cowardice finally overcame her fear and she pushed herself off the branch. She landed heavily on the beast’s head, and nearly bounced straight off to the ground. Somehow she clung on. Sonya was right in front of her. As the Queen stabbed her knife down towards Sonya’s back, the still-invisible Ruby dived at Sonya’s legs, grabbed them and pulled Sonya off the cockroach. The Queen’s knife sliced through the air where Sonya had been and plunged into Grynaldeen’s back. Ruby tumbled to the ground and an instant later Sonya crashed down on top of her, knocking the wind out of her.

  Up the hill, Banfor sent a surge of energy into Grynaldeen. She roared and bucked ferociously and the Queen was thrown sideways and off.

  As the Queen fell, Banfor sensed her hold over Grynaldeen weaken. He was almost spent, but he concentrated all his remaining energies on soothing and calming the cockroach. His face strained, veins stood out on his neck and sweat ran down his brow as he caused the knife to lift up out of her back and fall harmlessly to the ground. He sent waves of peace at Grynaldeen, and persuaded her to wander away up the valley and lie down in the shade of a large tree. As she settled herself, Banfor let out a long, wheezing breath and collapsed backwards.

  Roderick rose unsteadily to his feet. Sonya was sprawled a few steps away. He didn’t know it, but Ruby was next to her, struggling to suck air into her lungs. Near them the Queen was hauling herself up. She had lost her knife, but her sword still hung from her belt. Slowly, she drew it, and leant on it for support. Soldiers stood about, still wary of the retreating cockroach and unsure what to do. Sir Drayshus still lay unconscious. The Nareeans stood back, waiting to see what would happen.

  Roderick went to draw his sword. It wasn’t there. He looked around, but could not see it. He pulled out his knife instead and held it in front of him, facing the Queen.

  The Queen stepped slowly towards him, her sword held limply by her side. ‘Roderick,’ she said, ‘that’s not a very nice thing to point at your mother.’

  Roderick stopped. What?!

  She took another step.

  ‘Stay there,’ he said. He lifted the knife, holding it by its point. ‘You’ve got a sword, but I can throw this knife.’

  She laughed. A ragged laugh, not quite hysterical. ‘You’re not going to throw that at me, Roderick.’

  Another step.

  ‘Because I’m the Queen. And because I’m your mother.’

  ‘You’re not. And I will.’

  ‘You won’t. And I am. Look at my nose. It’s the same shape as yours. And look inside yourself. Use your mind and you will see it is true. I’ll tell you the whole complicated story.’

  ‘Stop talking,’ said Roderick. He raised the knife, ready. ‘I’ll throw this. Banfor will –’

  ‘Die soon,’ interrupted the Queen. ‘He will, Roderick. That last effort sapped him. He’s got nothing left. He’s gone,’ she said softly but without any hint of concern.

  Roderick searched his mind. There was no sign of Banfor.

  ‘You see,’ she said. ‘He can’t help you. Your mother is right.’ She took another step. She was just a few paces from him now. Was she tightening her grip on the sword, or was he imagining it?

  ‘Your parents are not who you think they are,’ she said. ‘Your father is Banfor and I am your mother. And you could be more powerful than both of us, if you join with me and learn what I have to teach you. But right now, Roderick, you aren’t strong enough to defeat me. You know that, don’t you?’

  He felt an overwhelming desire to agree with her. He was so tired. He didn’t want to throw a knife at her, of course he didn’t. Especially if she really was his mother. Besides, he’d probably miss.

  He dropped the arm holding the knife to his side. Suddenly he felt a powerful message in his head. THROW IT! Without thinking, just obeying, he raised his hand and with all his might, threw the knife.

  As it sped through the air, the Queen narrowed her eyes in concentration. The knife slowed and wobbled, and a hint of a smile appeared on her lips. The smile died, however, as a new force thrust the knife forward again. The Queen’s eyes widened in terror as the knife flew at her neck. When it reached it, it stopped dead and rested lightly against her white skin.

  The knife slowly pushed forward, forcing her backwards up the hill towards a pile of rocks. As the knife continued to close in on her she stepped back, tripped over a rock and fell. The knife zeroed in on her neck again, pinning her to the ground. The Queen tried to roll away, first left then right, but the knife covered her every move expertly, exerting just enough pressure on her neck to stop her.

  Soldiers, both Baronian and Nareean, cautiously crept closer. Roderick sensed Banfor and turned in surprise. The old man was shuffling down the hill towards them, half leaning on and half being carried by Chester. He looked desperately sick, pale and drained of life, but Roderick realised it had been he who had caused him to throw the knife, and he who now controlled it.

  He rushed towards Banfor. ‘I thought you were gone. I couldn’t sense you.’

  ‘An old . . . trick. A bit like . . . hiding behind a bush,’ he panted.

  Roderick saw a knight limp slowly towards them. It was Sir Drayshus. Every step looked like it cost him, but he was alive. Banfor turned to him. ‘You need to understand everything so that you can work out what to do. Yes?’

  Drayshus nodded, pain obvious on his face.

  ‘My soldiers,’ said the Queen, ‘do you not see what this man is doing. He –’

  ‘Silence!’ roared Banfor. Roderick had never seen him enraged before. ‘Or the knife will do its work.’ The knife pressed tighter against her neck, almost drawing blood. ‘Not one word. And not one thought. The knife will hear both.’

  The anger seemed to energise him.

  ‘I need to talk to you all. Baronians, please set up your biggest tent. It would be best if King Melane was there as well. A doctor must attend Sir Drayshus, and Sonya. Ruby, I know you are there. Your invisibility is no longer needed, so we will end it as soon as possible.’ He looked around, as if for other problems to solve. ‘And could someone please build a fire and make me a nice, strong cup of tea? One sugar, please.’

  CHAPTER 25

  GANFREE BANFOR

  Banfor had asked them to come to the great tent that had been erected at the bottom of the valley as the day’s light
began to fail. It was the Queen’s tent, as big as a small house, but she had not been invited.

  Beforehand, Roderick finally had a chance to talk to Sonya. When he told her all that had happened, his sister could hardly believe it.

  ‘But . . . you?! Rescuing someone from cannibals?! Escaping from the castle?! Riding a giant cockroach?!’ She peered closely at him. ‘Is it really you, or has some brave hero taken over my little brother’s body?!’

  Roderick felt both embarrassed and proud.

  He went to find Sir Drayshus and asked him to send word to their mother that he and Sonya were both safe. Drayshus had a nasty bump on his head and a sore shoulder and leg, but had taken command of the Baronians. He had spoken with King Melane, and they had agreed to postpone any decisions until they had heard what Banfor had to say. Meanwhile, the Queen remained where she had been, pinned by the knife and guarded. Each time she tried to speak the knife’s pressure on her throat gradually increased until she stopped. The same thing happened, Banfor told Roderick, whenever she tried to use her mind powers.

  Echoing around Roderick’s head were the Queen’s words, I am your mother.

  Was it true? How could it be?

  He was walking towards the tent when a familiar figure tentatively approached him.

  ‘Roderick,’ said Fromley, ‘I am so sorry for what I did.’ He stared at the ground.

  Roderick put his hand on Fromley’s shoulder. ‘If you had not spoken up today, I would have been lost. People would have been killed. You made the difference.’

  They clasped hands.

  ‘Do you think I could . . . should I . . . apologise to your sister?’ Fromley asked.

  ‘You can try. I don’t think she’s armed, so she probably won’t be able to kill you. Make sure you wear your armour, though.’

  They exchanged smiles. Roderick entered the tent. Inside, Banfor was seated on cushions, looking old and frail. He seemed to have aged even more in the last few hours. Next to him was a cup of tea and a steaming pot. A once-again-visible Ruby sat on one side of him and Sonya on the other. Next to Ruby was Chester. Drayshus, two other senior Baronian knights, and King Melane and two of his knights were also in attendance. Roderick took a seat next to Sonya.