Fantasy Kingdom XXI

by Lisa Anne Nisula

  Sir Amertious did not look chastened as he watched the three guards follow Phichorian and Charles.

  * * *

  With fewer people to get through the doors, the multiple trips through went much faster. Princess Melissina did not seem pleased when Sir Amertious showed her the wagon. No one offered her a horse. Charles didn’t think that anyone else noticed her reaction, until he turned and saw Phichorian approaching her.

  “I’m sorry for the less than heroic transport.”

  Princess Melissina smiled back at him. “I understand. You didn’t know what state you’d find me in.” She ignored Sir Amertious’s outstretched hand and climbed into the wagon herself. As she balanced with one foot on the axle and one in the air, she stopped, just close enough to Phichorian so only he and Charles could hear her whisper, “I know you’d give up your horse if you’d brought one.” Then she swung her other leg up to the wagon and disappeared inside.

  Phichorian motioned for Charles to follow him to the front of the wagon. As Charles settled in, Phichorian turned and spoke to Princess Melissina through the opening. “Would you like to ride outside?”

  Princess Melissina looked longingly at the outdoors, but said, “It’s probably safest if everyone we pass doesn’t run out and say the princess was seen traveling on the King’s Road with a company of knights.”

  “You’re probably right.” Phichorian turned his attention to the horses.

  Now that the princess was safe, Charles was feeling better. The sweater seemed to be important to the larger battle, but the most pressing problem had been rescuing the princess, and that was done. Bobble would make a new sweater and they’d have it in six months. He could go home with a clear conscious. He hoped so anyway.

  In any case, the ride back was a lot more fun, and, as the sun came up, Charles started to pay attention to the land they were traveling through. It was a lot like the world of Fantasy Kingdom XXI, without the giant rats, killer spiders, and various half human things running out to attack from behind every bush and under every bridge.

  * * *

  The sun had been up for hours when they rode into the village surrounding the castle. Charles had barely acknowledged its existence when Glorf had brought him through or on the way to rescue the princess, now he could pay attention. He hadn’t even seen that there was a second stone wall surrounding the main town, like Necorious’s fortress, only this wall was in good repair and much less scary.

  The first thing Charles noticed about the wattle and daub houses outside the wall was a strong smell of smoke. He sniffed the air again, then turned to Phichorian. “Do you notice anything strange?”

  Phichorian looked around, then sniffed the air himself and shook his head. “Just cooking fires. Unless you noticed something else?”

  Cooking fires. Charles had forgotten about those. Of course they wouldn’t have stoves here. He tried to recover. “I guess I’m not used to being somewhere that’s in the middle of an attempt to usurp the king.” He was proud of himself for remembering the word “usurp,” although he wasn’t sure that he’d fooled Phichorian.

  Charles kept his mouth shut for the rest of the trip. Instead he watched the small houses as they rode by. As the small band passed the doors, heads peered out and Charles could tell the moment they realized the knights served King Regulous and not the usurper. The relief in their faces was obvious. Then they scanned the figures on horseback, and their faces fell. After the eighth house, Charles understood. They were looking for the princess, but she stayed inside the wagon. The guards stayed close, so she probably couldn’t have been seen anyway. A few villagers came outside and wandered alongside the road, following the company through the first set of gates into town while trying to look like they weren’t.

  Then they were at the castle gates. The guards on the walls were looking too, searching for any sign of the princess. Phichorian smiled up at them as they rode through. Charles could see the guards relax.

  In the courtyard, the guards on duty stood very straight while those in the practice yard found things to be done on the edge closest to the wagon. Phichorian hopped down as soon as someone had grabbed the horses. Charles followed him around to the back of the wagon.

  The guards were already pushing the gates closed when Princess Melissina stood in the back of the wagon, framed by the opening, visible to the town for a moment before the gates closed. Before the gates slammed shut, Charles saw the townspeople who had followed the wagon running back with their news while several guards scrambled to help Melissina down. She didn’t bristle as she had when Sir Amertious had tried to hand her in.

  Chapter 5

  When the small party entered the throne room, the king was still on the dais, surrounded by the same advisers. Charles had the feeling none of them had moved since he’d last seen them.

  Princess Melissina acted the princess as she entered the throne room, dignified and silent, but, as soon as she was through the doors, she wove through the guards, pushed past Sir Amertious, and ran to the dais. “Father!”

  The counselors moved out of the way, giving their king plenty of room to greet his daughter as she ran up the steps.

  By the time the reunion was over, Charles and the rest of the party had reached the dais. The king turned to Sir Amertious as he approached.

  “You brought her back to me.”

  “As was my duty, my liege.”

  “Father, it was Charles who found me.”

  “Charles, my boy, maybe I misjudged you.”

  Charles felt his face go red again. “It was Phichorian’s plan.”

  “Then there is much praise to go around. Sir Amertious, what of their defenses?” King Regulous and Sir Amertious bent over a map spread out on a table near the throne.

  Princess Melissina reached into the pocket of her tunic and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment. She brushed past Sir Amertious and spread the parchment out on the table over the map they were using. “I found this, Father. It seems to be an accurate map of their defenses and their current strongholds.”

  “Sir Amertious, come look at this.”

  Sir Amertious moved back in front of Melissina and began pointing to things on the map.

  Phichorian led Charles around the side of the dais and back to the chairs where they had waited before. “Don’t worry, as soon as His Highness hears the details of the fortress, he’ll start on your return.”

  “I hope so.”

  There was a slight breeze over his shoulder, then Bobble was there, floating in front of them, his knitting in his hand. “So it worked? It got you all in?”

  “It got us in,” Phichorian confirmed.

  “So the mistake wasn’t in that spell. That’s a relief.” He saw Charles’s expression and added, “Not that I thought there would be a problem with it. I would have spoken if there was even the slightest risk. But it is a relief to know. I mean...”

  “Will it go better for you like this?”

  Bobble started to knit. “That is for others to decide, of course, but it does show there is nothing wrong with my magic, so I shouldn’t be banished. And Princess Melissina did say you helped, that should be in my favor.” He flitted back and forth, his needles flying.

  “I’ll put in a good word for you,” Phichorian promised.

  Charles was going to make the same promise when they heard Princess Melissina yelling, “Well someone had to! If we’d kept waiting for Bobble’s sweater, we never would have gotten it.”

  Charles saw Bobble’s face go red. Phichorian reached over and rested his finger on Bobble’s shoulder.

  “I told you he was worthless,” Sir Amertious growled.

  “The sweater got you through, didn’t it?”

  The king yelled louder than either of them, “That doesn’t answer why you, Melissina, took it upon yourself to storm the enemy fortress...”

  “Sneak in, I’m not stupid enough to storm it, and if I hadn’t, you wouldn’t know about the triple layer of defenses or the new layou
t of their forces and we could have lost the town of Lower Sunvale.”

  “Better Sunvale than you.”

  “Tell that to Sunvale.”

  “Princess, your father does have a point. The loss of a princess would be a symbolic loss the people could not endure. Surely there was another way.”

  “And what were you doing?”

  “Waiting for the sweater like a sensible person.” Charles realized Sir Amertious had expected to be given the sweater himself.

  The king raised his voice again. “We are not discussing Sir Amertious. That is for later. We were discussing your foolishness.”

  Charles was feeling sorry for Princess Melissina. It had been bad enough feeling he’d messed up while he was sitting in this corner, she was being chastised in front of the whole court.

  Phichorian pitched his voice to be heard over the yelling without yelling himself. “There is another issue, my liege, which should be dealt with first.”

  The king turned to him.

  Phichorian nudged Charles and hissed, “Stand up.”

  Charles stood.

  “Of course. You need to go home. Let me think a moment.” He sighed. “You say the sweater worked?”

  “Yes, Father, it did.”

  King Regulous looked at Charles again. “Would you mind a small delay in your return?”

  Charles did mind, but he didn’t know how to say that with King Regulous and Princess Melissina looking so certain he’d agree to it. Instead he said, “I guess not.”

  “Excellent. There is a university not far from here. The scholars there might be able to figure out something to help with the sweater. Sir Amertious, you will accompany him to Kirjavale.”

  “As you wish, Your Highness.” Sir Amertious bowed.

  “I’ll go with them, Father. Amertious and I have things to discuss.”

  “Very well.”

  “If it would be permitted,” Bobble spoke up, “if it would, I would like to accompany him as well. Perhaps the scholars of Kirjavale could tell me where I went wrong.”

  “That is reasonable,” the king said.

  Charles turned to Phichorian. He had always explained everything so well; Charles was hoping he would agree to come along.

  Phichorian understood at once. “I’ll go too and keep an eye on Charles for you.”

  “Very well,” the king said.

  Sir Amertious looked relieved.

  “Anyone else joining up? No? Fine, Sir Amertious get yourself prepared.”

  Sir Amertious bowed and left the dais.

  “Come on,” Phichorian murmured. “We’d better get ready ourselves.” He grinned at Charles. “Don’t look so worried. The University is maybe half a day’s journey from here and on perfectly safe roads. Have you ridden before?”

  “Um, well...” Charles wondered if carrousel horses counted.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. I’m not much with horses either. Maybe a wagon again. Then we could rest on the way there.” As he spoke, Phichorian was leading Charles through narrow hallways until he reached the door to his room and gestured for Charles to enter.

  “You can take my bed. Stack your armor on the chair and I’ll be certain it gets packed in wagon with mine. I’ll get some things together and see what Sir Amertious has planned.”

  Charles felt guilty sleeping while Phichorian worked out the details of their journey.

  “Then I’ll kick you out of bed and nap myself.”

  That did it. Charles managed to unfasten enough buckles to get the armor off, then unlaced his shoes and left them by the clothes chest, climbed under the covers and tried to sleep.

  * * *

  Charles was awakened by someone shaking him. He rolled over and saw Phichorian there.

  “I said I’d wake you.”

  “Yeah. Thanks.” Charles stumbled out of bed.

  “Go with Bobble. He’ll take you to the kitchen for food and back here to get me when Sir Amertious is ready to go.”

  Hearing his name, Bobble flitted forward. “Yes, yes, come with me.”

  Charles followed Bobble into the stone hall and down to the kitchen. It was a huge room, with two large fireplaces and many, many people milling about.

  “They keep a cold table through those doors over there. It should be set for lunch already. Go on, you’re considered part of the household.”

  Charles went through the doors Bobble was pointing to. On the other side, he found a small room almost filled with a table. There was an old servant sitting by the door.

  Bobble hovered in front of the man. “This is Charles. He was part of the group who went to rescue the princess.”

  “All right, then help yourself.”

  Bobble gestured to the table. Charles looked at the plates and found cheese, bread, dried fruit, preserved meat, and some vegetables. He filled a plate and brought it to one of the chairs lined up along the wall. Bobble flitted over and sat on the back of Charles’s chair. He made a little wave of his hand and his knitting appeared again.

  “Anyone call you Bob?”

  “Certainly not.”

  That had been the wrong way to be friendly. Charles tried again. “What is this room?”

  “It’s for the servants' midday meals. They all have their various duties and come here when time permits. Old Josh there used to be the head butler, but he’s a bit too — forgetful to do that now. He still remembers everyone though, and he makes certain only those from the household dine here.”

  “I see.” Asking Bobble for information seemed to make the sprite warm up to him. Charles tried again. “What’s this place we’re going to?”

  “Kirjavale? A university. Some of the best scholars in the land are there. One of the king’s old tutors is in charge, and if she can’t solve the problem of the sweater, no one can.”

  Charles separated his carrots from his leeks as he asked, “Can she send me home?”

  Bobble hovered a little closer and his voice became gentle. “That will be done here. You have an affinity for your world; it isn’t difficult to use that, to let it pull you back through the fissure at the place where you crossed between worlds. You won’t have any trouble going back.”

  “Thanks.” Charles finished off his vegetables and considered going back to the table for seconds, but two guards came in just then, greeted Old Josh, and went to the table.

  “Hey, Bobble, Sir Amertious is looking for you and the kid.”

  “Thank you.” He turned to Charles. “Are you done?”

  Charles stuffed the last piece of cheese in his mouth and nodded.

  “Then we’ll get Phichorian and be on our way.”

  * * *

  The University really was less than half a day’s journey from the castle. It resembled the ruins Charles had seen at Necorious’s stronghold, only the walls were all sound and the statues intact. There were no guards in most of the towers, just four standing on the wall above the main gates.

  Melissina pushed her horse past Sir Amertious and approached the gates, calling up to the guards. “We’re here to see Dean Shellwood.”

  “Of course, Your Highness,” answered the guard with the most gold on his uniform. “I’ll have the gates opened at once.”

  Melissina brought her horse back by the wagon. Sir Amertious stumbled back as the gate swung out almost hitting him. Charles stared hard at his shoes so he wouldn’t burst out laughing as Sir Amertious scrambled out of the way.

  “Your Highness,” the guards all bowed as their leader spoke. “The Dean is in her office. I have sent a cadet to inform her of your arrival. If you would leave your horses with our grooms, it would be my honor to show you the way.”

  “Thank you,” Princess Melissina smiled at each of the guards as she rode into the courtyard.

  Five grooms ran up to Princess Melissina's horse, all wanting to be the one who helped her down and took care of her horse.

  Sir Amertious swung down and glared at the grooms, waiting for one of them to acknowledg
e him. Phichorian chuckled as he watched Princess Melissina manage to make every one of the grooms feel like he had helped her. Only then did they notice the other guests and lead the wagon and Sir Amertious’s horse to the stables.

  Sir Amertious did not seem to find this as amusing as Phichorian did.

  * * *

  The captain of the guards led them into the university, through a rotunda, into a long hallway, and finally into the dean’s office. “Dean Shellwood, your highness.”

  The woman behind the desk looked up from her papers as the door creaked open.

  “Oh my,” she stood up and came around the desk. “Very unusual.” She touched Charles’s sleeve. “How did you get this?”

  Charles swallowed. He still felt guilty telling the story. “It was a birthday present from my Aunt Hepzibah”

  “Oh my. Where did she get it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Dean Shellwood leaned back against the desk. “Well, take it off and I’ll see what can be done.”

  No one had suggested that, or seemed so confident that they understood the problem. Charles pulled off the sweater and handed it over. The cold air brought goose bumps under his dress shirt.

  Dean Shellwood draped the sweater over her arm and turned to Bobble. “I take it this is your work?”

  “Yes ma’am.” Bobble kept his head down.

  “Then I’ll want your expertise. Phichorian, why don’t you take, what is your name dear?”

  “Charles.”

  “Take Charles and show him around the campus. Camille is in the library. She’ll know what rooms are empty if you would like to rest.”