Princess Ruby of Tamworthia

by Phil Armstrong

Chapter 9: The First Night

  The Mystical Forest, Skipton, Yorkshire, England, 1545.

  Ruby had been successfully protected from the fierce battle raging through the night. She was quickly moved to a safer part of the forest, a heavily guarded section, and deep within Tamworthia. If Tamworthia fell, the forest would be lost. Ruby could not comprehend the extent of the fighting that occurred each night. She heard the growls, snorts, shouting and cries of pain echoing through the dark mist of the night. As daylight broke, the sounds had changed to the moans of the wounded and the screams of the beasts being scolded by the rays of the Sun. The forest's protectors returned, exhausted, covered in blood, and carrying the wounded. As the wounded gathered, Ruby could not believe her eyes. Badgers of all sizes had assembled. Family members treated wounds, made splints for broken limbs and mourned for the dead. Shallow graves were being prepared; the younger Badger cubs collected wild flowers to honor the brave dead warriors.

  Ruby walked through the clearing as the Sun's rays delivered its welcome warmth. She turned to look at a female Badger nuzzling two young cubs as her loved one laid motionless. He'd suffered deep wounds; scratches from a giant clawed paw ran the length of his body. She was strong and proud, she wanted to show the cubs that their Father had fought bravely.

  "We have to make their sacrifice count," said a small voice from behind. Ruby turned to see a Wood Sprite, lean and looking like an upright twig; he was raised onto his hind legs.

  "Ranger isn't it?" Ruby kneeled to get to the same level as Ranger's eyes.

  "Ranger Oakmoss at your service again Princess Ruby. We need you to come with me. We've a lot to discuss and the elders need your help. We'll explain everything, but you're an important key to helping us win this fight. The daylight is our safe time, but only from the underworld beasts. The Witch and the Black Fox seem to be growing in power. We all have a deep-rooted fear that they'll cast more spells; they intend to keep us busy with fighting during the daylight hours. Princess, please follow me, so we can start to prepare."

  "I will, but how's my friend Joseph doing?" Ruby felt guilty for not asking earlier.

  "He's still sleeping, but the Fairies tell me he's healing. He's been treated with some powerful herbs; they'll aid his recovery, but it's going to take some time. He's not awake yet, but I'll let you know when he is. Now come with me, we don't have the day to waste."

  Ruby followed Ranger into the forest. She'd no idea how to help these valiant, but seemingly beaten, mystical creatures. She knew her Mother and he Father was depending on her. The day was spent with the Elders; Fairies, Badgers and Wood Sprites all explained their stories of suffering. Each species addressed her as Princess Ruby; she liked that. She heard their tales and could understand their worsening worries. The Witch was growing stronger and more powerful under the tutelage of the Black Fox.

  The Elders knew they would have to kill both the Witch and the Black Fox, but how? They were convinced that Ruby, the Human Stibmit, sent to them by fate, held the key. She was destined to play an integral part in the Witches downfall. They looked to her to provide inspiration, hope and a plan of attack. Ruby was a nine-year-old girl. She had no clue how she should direct the creatures of the forest. She wished her Father were here, he would know what to do. The Elders had tried to capture the Witch before, but she would always conjure up spells and use magic to avoid capture.

  They seemed disappointed that their last hope turned out to be a young, insecure girl, with no experience or plan. Ranger sensed the disappointment but still had faith. Princess Ruby was young, but she was a Stibmit, a rare Human being. She'd been sent for reason; they just had to find it. Ruby had a chance to visit Joseph; he was now conscious and healing quickly. Ruby tried to explain to Joseph. She introduced the concept of mystical creatures, their relationship with her Father and the fact that he couldn't see them.

  After hours of frustrating conversation, trying to design a plausible plan, the light had started to fade. The forest canopy seemed to close in and block the welcome rays of the Sun. The night air cooled as it swirled around the forest floor, causing an eerie fog to cling to the ground. It wasn't long before the creatures started to organize. The activity level heightened and the sense of anticipation and urgency was palpable. Ranger approached, his movements seemed erratic. "Nightfall approaches Princess. Soon the forest will be overrun with the sounds of battle. We need to get organized to defeat these beasts. They'll come for you; they'll try to kill you. You'll need to be prepared. We'll protect you, but you'll need to be ready to fight.

  As predicted, that night's battle was fierce and ruthless. Ruby fought with the mystical animals. The Wortenhogs and Snaggles were sent in droves and they took their toll. The Badgers fought valiantly, but the casualties were recorded at a record high. As Sunrise dawned across the forest, the impact became clear. The Badgers had been hit hard. They'd defended with all of their might, but the Snaggles were bigger and more powerful. The Badgers had defended their territory and their families. Most of the men were either killed or badly injured. There was one more night before the Wyvern returned; could they last one more night?

  The Badgers were the fighters. They were ferocious and fast, cunning and brave. The Fairies were small and the Wood Sprites slow. Surely, without the might of the Badgers, they were a spent force. What reception would the returning Wyvern face? It now seemed like it would be the Witch, the Black Fox and an army of Wortenhogs and Snaggles.

  Ruby could sense the fear. It appeared that all was lost, yet they had this unfounded hope that the Stibmit would some how save them! What could she do? She had to do something, but what? Ranger appeared, "We need to talk, the council needs to see you immediately."

  Ruby followed Ranger obediently to a secluded part of the fortified compound. A small gathering awaited her. Giselle was perched high upon a hanging branch. Ranger scampered to the relative safety of a large tree trunk, still shaken from the night before. Acron rested, nestled within the stem of a vine, at the base of a tree. Ruby sat and faced the leaders.

  "We have to face the truth." Ranger started the conversation with a desolate statement, "With our current forces, we're not likely to last the night. Belver's army is badly injured, his troops fought valiantly, with many losses. They're outnumbered and outmuscled."

  Giselle flapped her wings impatiently. "Ruby, we have a more serious problem. The Witch does not seem as interested in the battle. We found that to be strange. When the battle appears to be tipping in her favor she should be working hard to press home her advantage; yet she seems distracted. I wondered why, so I've been tracking her, watching her actions." Giselle extended her large wings and pushed herself from her high perch. She glided down to the ground effortlessly; she landed in front of Ruby. She was magnificent. Her large round eyes settled on Ruby's face, piercing her with her unwavering stare. "We need to hold them back tonight, and that is where we'll need your help. The following night, the Wyvern will return, and we'll need your help again. You're very important to us young lady. You need to be strong and brave. Listen carefully; it's a real possibility that we face extinction. I know what the Witch and the Black Fox are planning. I know why she's so distracted."

  Giselle stretched her impressive wings before folding them into her plumage. "The Witch has a spell that sends a damp fog crawling across the forest floor. The forest is covered with Blue-bells, White-bells and a variety of flowers. The most rare of these flowers is the Yellow-bell. This Yellow-bell rings; it makes the noise of a small bell when it gets wet. The Witch dampens the forest floor and searches for the distinctive noise that the flower makes. Once she locates the flower, she removes the whole plant, ensuring that its return is prohibited. She's wiping clean the existence of this flower from our forest."

  "Why would she do that?" inquired Ruby, still not understanding the importance of the Witches actions.

  "The Yellow-bell flower is more important than you realize. We have to meticulously follow a carefully planned ritual to invi
te the Wyvern back to our world. It has to be a full and clear Moon, that's the night after tonight. We need to form a circle of power, three leaders at the base of the pond, lined up in a straight line.

  Belver wiIl be placed on the left, Ranger Oakmoss will take his position on the right; you'll join us in the middle. The middle position is reserved for a Stibmit; we're fortunate to have you. This is why the Wyvern asked Ranger to risk his life to contact your Father. He knew he couldn't return without a Stibmit present. The Witch will do everything in her power to kill you tonight. We know she's cunning, that's why she has another plan. She knows we'll do everything we can to protect you tonight. The Yellow-bells are her key to victory, her second plan."

  "I don't understand," interrupted Ruby.

  "Shhhhh," replied Ranger, somewhat annoyed at the interruption.

  Giselle continued, "A Yellow-bell must be thrown into the pond as the Moon reaches its highest point. The Yellow-bell will get wet and start to make a shrill noise like a small bell. The vibration through the water, will guide the Wyvern to the pond's surface, from the dark abyss below. Do you understand now? No Yellow-bell, no Wyvern. She's trying to prevent us from allowing the Wyvern to return. We must find a Yellow-bell or the return ritual will not complete."

  "Then we must find one today," Ruby glanced at the leaders individually.

  "It's not that easy." Ranger climbed down from his trunk. "We've had the Fairies scouring the forest and they've found nothing. The Witch has burned the plants she's removed. We've not found a single remaining Yellow-bell. The Witch has us distracted during the day; we're looking for this flower when we should be planning for the nightly assault. If we don't find the flower, it could be all over. Even if we find a flower, we have to survive the night, and that will be difficult."

  Ruby felt her shoulders shrug with the weight of responsibility. "Then I guess we'll have to get organized." Ruby turned to see the most welcome sight she'd seen in a while. Joseph's large frame was a booming welcome presence. Standing next to Joseph was Belver, his snout covered in blood and a patched wound running the length of his torso.

  "You can hear us?" Ruby was confused.

  "Yes, temporarily. I'm not a Stibmit, but the herbs they used to heal me are still coursing through my veins. This allows me to see and hear you. It will fade and eventually I'll return to my normal state. I'll question myself later, is this all real or did I imagine this from the effects of the herbs? For now, I'll assume this is all real."

  "It's real Joseph, trust me." Ruby was relieved to have her soldier companion back in her life. If a battle needed to be waged, Joseph would be her first choice to plan a battle.

  Joseph stepped forward. "Let's get the Fairies organized. They can fly and cover a lot of ground. They'll need to search for the Yellow-bells. We've got a lot of work to do today, if we're to stand a chance tonight." The leaders glanced at each other.

  "We don't take orders from your kind; you're not a Stibmit and we've no reason to trust a Human." Giselle fidgeted her feet, in sheer annoyance.

  "Forgive me," said Joseph, with the wisdom of an old sage. "I fully understand your position and will defer to Ruby's direction."

  "Ruby stepped forward, "I will appoint Joseph, as my battle strategist. I agree on the plan for the Fairies, and will approve any suggestions forwarded by Joseph. He has deep expertise in battle planning, and I'll listen to his counsel carefully. Together, we'll defeat our enemy."

  This seemed good enough for the leaders and they reluctantly accepted Joseph's appointment.

  During the day, numerous teams were formed, each with their assigned tasks. Joseph explained the fortification plan; Ruby organized the work groups and explained the strategy. The Fairies broke into groups and searched the forest; they covered every section. The remaining Badgers dug pits, holes and tunnels to prepare for the oncoming onslaught. The Wood Sprites were asked to work with the trees. They collected the sticky tree sap, willingly secreted by their protective comrades. As the day progressed, the smaller animals scurried around to collect food for the teams that worked tirelessly. Waves of Fairies returned from their search empty handed, by mid-afternoon concern was rising; no Yellow-bells had been located.

  The Badgers had managed to complete their assignments, digging deep trenches across strategic locations. The Wood Sprites went to work on their assigned tasks. It wouldn't be long before nightfall fell and the mystical animals were looking tired. How would they fight when they were exhausted from the day's activities? The council reconvened.

  Giselle opened the meeting, "What news from the Fairies?"

  Acron was still absent, still looking. He'd refused to come back empty handed. The Fairies pride was at stake. Some Fairies had been flying for hours and had to return, sick from exhaustion. The whispering trees tried to help, to coordinate the sweep of the forest. They directed the Fairies to the locations where the Yellow-bells traditionally grew.

  A Fairy had been dispatched to the council, to deliver a report. The news was grim. Each section had been covered and no distinctive Yellow flower could be found. Acron had asked the Fairies to keep looking, until they needed to return and fight. Some Fairies had fallen from the sky from exhaustion. Some pushed themselves harder, determined to find the distinctive Yellow flower. "No flower yet," responded Ruby, shaking her head with her eyes cast downwards in a dejected manner.

  Ranger's head jerked to the right suddenly. It was a movement that did not escape Giselle’s keen eyes. "What news from you Ranger Oakmoss?" Giselle singled Ranger out.

  "The trees, they're chattering. They talk of darkening skies; a storm's approaching and it brings rain. The trees will have to cooperate. Normally they would spread their branches, each leaf competing for the welcome moisture. They talk of pulling in their branches and reducing the natural canopy. They want the rain to cover as much of the forest floor as possible. They hope a Yellow-bell will get wet and start to ring. We will need to find it first."

  The meeting progressed with an update on their defensive plan and the state of the various troops available to them. Giselle flicked her head as her eyes changed direction. Her attention had been drawn to a slight noise disturbing the undergrowth, close to the clearing. She rose up, as if to defend the group; she was suspicious of the impending intrusion. Ruby, alert to the danger, spun with a drawn arrow, loaded within her bow. Behind her the undergrowth shook with activity. A large snake appeared and Giselle girded herself, she could swoop down and rip the snake's head off with her strong talons. An oversized crow landed in the clearing and puffed out its chest. The snake tucked in behind the crow for protection. From the other side of the clearing a Red Fox slipped from the cover of the ferns and took up his position. Rabbits, Voles, Moles, Hedgehogs, Dogs, Feral Cats, Weasels, Ferrets, Hares and Stoats all lined up. Each had selected a leader; behind them, a small army had gathered within the forest. Acron fluttered to the front of the group.

  "The Trees had asked each creature to summons an army. Tonight these creatures would put their differences aside. A common enemy binds us all, one that threatens our collective survival, our habitat and our families. We have to fight together, that's how we all win, together. We know the Wyvern can save us but we have to get through tonight, to give him a chance. The leaders of each species have come before you Princess Ruby, to ask your permission to join our ranks. This has never happened before, but we’ve never been under such a threat."

  Ruby looked at the packed clearing. Scales, feathers, fur and hard shells were all represented. Small, minute, tall, sturdy, large, thin, swift and delicate were all represented. The clearing was crowded with creatures and critters of all shapes and sizes, united by a common cause, a common enemy. Would a Mouse be this close to a Snake, would a Rabbit stand this close to a Fox? Not normally, yet they were today. This was historic. "My fellow comrades in arms, we welcome your valuable contribution, no matter how small, we're all in this together. There are no small hearts here today; you've all volunteered to hel
p us win this fight. Your contribution is invaluable and your kind will stand shoulder to shoulder. Old enemies and foe will be together for just one night. We have a common enemy tonight, one that threatens our very existence. Thank you all for this brave act, tonight we will fight as one, and fight for our lives. Yes, you have my permission and my eternal gratitude." Ruby punched the air with her bow inciting an immediate response.

  Ruby's rallying cry worked, screams, squawks, snorts and barks; a chorus of noise rose into the air. It was a galvanized army, cheering aloud, before the battle began. It felt good, but darkness was approaching and there was much left to do.

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