Suzerain of the Beast (Vision Dream Series Book 3), page 11
“I love thee, My Lady,” said Jeela. “You and the constable have been like my Palzintine parents.”
“We love thee too, our little hazelnut daughter,” replied Mardarila. “Now, you go find the princess and get back here as soon as you can.”
“I hope you were not planning to leave without a last goodbye, young knight?” asked Constable Jerrandal, as he walked up to the two of them.
“Never, my Constable,” said Jeela. “And I will be back as soon as I find her.”
“Follow the North road out of Rosverdar. It will take you towards the mountains,” explained Jerrandal. “If she has crossed the mountains on that flying skeleton, I do not know if you will be able to…”
“I will find her,” promised Jeela firmly. “Mountain or not.”
“Here, take this. It is my favorite,” said Constable Jerrandal. He handed her a small sheathed dagger. “Keep it tucked safely in thy boot.”
“Thank thee,” she replied. She was touched by the gift. She gave him a hug, touched Mardarila’s hand one last time, and then led her mount out of the small courtyard. At the edge of the courtyard, she came close to a large hibernating oak tree where she suddenly heard someone call out her name.
“Knight Jeela, Knight Jeela,” whispered the voice, loudly. A small figure wearing a cloak trimmed in white fur with a hood pulled down over the figure's head stepped out from behind the tree. “Knight Jeela, please take me with thee.”
“Who are thee?” Jeela replied, putting her hand on her sword.
“Someone who has a great need to go north,” replied the figure in a high voice.
Jeela then recognized that voice.
“Princess? Princess Swevladilia?” asked Jeela.
Why was she here? She was the one who stole the affections of the prince of Darus away from her Princess Angelterra. Jeela did not trust this daughter of the Rosverdarian royal family, even if Princess Angelterra did.
“It is me,” confirmed the princess, momentarily pulling back her hood and then returning it. “You must take me with you to the North.”
“To the North? Where in the North?” asked Jeela, puzzled.
“I must get to the kingdom of…Swevladiliona,” said the princess.
“Swevladiliona!” exclaimed Jeela. Was this girl mad? “That is so far north that…no one is quite sure where it really is. It is said to be beyond the top of the world.”
“But I know how to get there. My mother is from that land. It is not as far…well, it is very far, but it is not unreachable,” replied Princess Swevladilia.
“Too dangerous. Besides, I do not understand why would you leave the comfort and safety of your home keep just to trudge through the snow all the way to the top of the world?”
“I…cannot tell you my reasons,” replied the young Princess. “But I assure you that it is important to our war with the sorcerer. And though you are right about it being dangerous, I figured that if we traveled together it would be safer…for both of us. So I ask you, please let me travel with thee as far north as you go.”
Jeela knew that if she allowed this Princess to accompany her on her journey she would run the risk of angering the king of Rosverdar. It was obvious from this clandestine plea that Princess Swevladilia was sneaking off without her father’s blessing. Jeela, as a knight of Mora the Pink, could have no part of this. Besides, it would just slow her down on her true mission which was to find and bring home Princess Angelterra.
“No,” said Jeela pointedly. “Go back to your father’s keep and be safe. I have important business of my own and respectfully, you would just be in the way.”
“You are wrong, Knight. I would not be a bother to you or slow you—”
“No!”
Jeela led her horse past the pleading Princess. And Jeela did not look back when she heard the young Princess again beg the knight to take her north, sounding even more desperate.
What could she possibly want at the top of the world? She had everything her heart desired here at her father’s keep, including Prince Dareldin. Yet why did she sound so unhappy? wondered Jeela, as she walked out of the castle gate, mounted her horse, and headed for the North Road.
❖ ❖ ❖
Felly stood off to the side of everyone else who was gathered in Lord Minegreisel’s tent. She stared at the warm fire in the wide copper brazier used as a hearth, while the rest of them discussed the meaning of her counsel.
“We cannot go there. I believe that Prince Dareldin meant for us to go south and join up with him in Rosverdar…as we agreed,” said Jesdoril.
“But your orders do not specifically say that, Sir Jesdoril,” reminded Lord Minegreisel. “And now that your royal commission has been fulfilled, I am in command here.”
“Then we shall follow my niece’s vision?” asked Settrellidur. “Her visions have served us, and they have not been wrong yet.”
“You know that I would much rather go and fight in Darus. But the enemy has control of it. And they would bring all they had to bear upon us,” said Jesdoril.
“Tis true, Jesdoril. Unlike in Palzintine, many of the enemy’s forces have remained outside the walls of the city of Darus, and we cannot be sure how many are taking lodging in the other towns and villages,” agreed Lord Minegreisel.
“So we will go to Rosverdar then?” asked Jesdoril.
“I am just not sure what to do. Perhaps we will just stay here and consider the matter for a few days more,” said Lord Minegreisel. “After all, I have the safety of my people to consider. It is just as dangerous in the winter season to make the trek to Rosverdar as it is to knock upon the front gates of Darus.”
Felly too was torn. She always trusted her visions, but she did not want to put people in danger. In the past, her dreams always pointed away from the enemy, giving them all hope, but this time, her dream was leading them back to the arms of Venordaladians. And then there was that awful part about Lair. She told no one, not even Lair about that. Perhaps if she did nothing about it, it would simply vanish.
Where was Lair?
“Stay here and think it over as long you wish, My Lord, but I am returning to Rosverdar to learn what His Highness wishes us to do next,” said Jesdoril. “It is not like I could get him to traipse all the way up here to lead us.”
“Hmm. That actually may not be such a bad idea, Sir Jesdoril,” said the lord, rubbing his chin as he considered the ramifications. “Bringing him here would not risk the lives of the women and children on a long winter trek. And if I decided to go to Darus while you were gone, you and the prince could easily follow our trail…if the prince even agrees to come here with you.”
“That is if I can convince him. He has fought at sea against the enemy, and he consults with the leaders of all the kingdoms on how the war should go,” said Jesdoril.
“Ask him to come and to help us follow Felicidara’s vision,” said Lord Minegreisel. “If he will not, then send us instructions.”
“So be it, My Lord, I shall ask him for you,” said Jesdoril, sounding resigned to the idea that no one would be going to Rosverdar with him.
“It will be difficult to get through the mountain pass without alerting—” started Captain Settrellidur, who was cut short.
There was a loud commotion outside the tent and after a moment, the Ardenon wizard entered like a whirlwind, holding up a scroll over his head and waving it around.
“It is all here. We must go! We need to leave now! This very minute!” exclaimed Lair excitedly, and he pointed to the scroll in his hand as proof they should leave.
“And where are we going in such haste, my young wizard?” asked Lord Minegreisel.
“To the Abbey!” replied Lair. Everyone, including Felly, looked at him puzzled.
“To the what, where?” asked the lord again.
Lair sighed. Felly knew he was prone to getting frustrated easily when no one understood him immediately.
“To Darus! We must go to Keystone Abbey in Darus. At once!”
Lair placed his scroll on a small nearby table and unrolled it flat. Felly moved closer to stand behind the others who were now all crowded around the table. It was a strange map filled with many odd names for otherwise common places. She did recognize the lay of the land depicted in the map as being that of her beloved homeland, but that was about all she recognized.
“This appears to be a very ancient map of Darus, back when it was known as Darusseona before the time of the empire,” remarked Jesdoril. “Some of these villages marked here have long been abandoned. Where did you get this?”
“I brought it here with me all the way from Ardenon,” said Lair, proudly. “I found it locked away in an old cabinet for hundreds of years. After Felly…Felicidara told me of her dream, I decided to scan it again and that is when I saw it.”
“The abbey?” wondered Lord Minegreisel.
“Not just an abbey. Tis a wizard’s abbey,” said Lair. “And according to this map, there used to be an old fortress and keep known as the Keystone Abbey. The wizard’s Abbey of Darusseona.”
“A wizard’s abbey in Darus? I have never heard of such a thing,” said Lord Minegreisel, intrigued. “But how is this old map of yours going to persuade me to put everyone in danger once more to follow Felly’s visions and go traipsing into occupied Darus? ”
“Look closer, My Lord, at the drawing of the wizard’s abbey,” replied the Ardenon wizard.
Felly pushed through the others crowded around the map for a closer inspection. The drawing of the abbey placed it on a small hill. A hill called Key Mountain. Felly felt in her heart that this indeed was the place that they were to go. Glancing up at Lair, she saw him smiling at her. He believed in her and in the power of her visions. With all her might she bit down hard in order to keep herself from telling him the horrible part he played in that same vision. She wanted his comfort, but she would not let herself have it. Finally, she rested her slender finger upon the ancient drawing of the wizard’s abbey.
“This is the place where you must lead us, My Lord,” she said quietly.
“Remember, the mountain passes will all be guarded,” warned Captain Settrellidur.
“There is a pass on this map that I have never heard of,” said Lair. “Perhaps one of you from Darus might know of it.”
Lair pointed to a mark on the mountains indicating a place called Friendship Pass. Everyone around the map all shook their heads no. Felly too had never heard of a pass by that name, nor was their supposed to be a pass in that area. She saw the eagerness in Lair’s eyes and knew that if she blessed the idea of going to find this pass, they would go to find it. But if the pass was closed or did not exist, she realized that they could be stuck or worse. She held their fate in her blessing.
We have to try.
“I believe finding this pass is part of my vision, My Lord,” said Felly.
“Very well,” said Lord Minegreisel. He turned to Captain Settrellidur and the other men. “You heard, Felicidara, turn everything around. We are going home.”
❖ ❖ ❖
Ahead of him, he saw the captain and his men dismount and examine signs on the trail. He had traveled deep into the forest before he finally stumbled upon them. He did not like the odds of finding her this deep in the wilds…and this far away from the ridgeline of the battle.
“Any sign of her, Captain?”
“Rozdardon, I knew you would show up, gold and fame or not,” said Erlerwin to the former Prelandidarian thief who sat in his saddle looking down on the Palzintine captain. “Back a ways, we found a bramble that we believe she used to hide in for a time. But the snow is making it difficult to pick up a trail of any kind. We have resorted to following every little deer path we come across to see if we can pick up her trail again. We need to do this methodically. She cannot have gone very far.”
“Methodically? But that will take forever. I am going to ride ahead for a while and see what there is to see,” said Rozdardon, impatiently.
“No, you might disturb valuable tracks and—”
But Rozdardon kicked his horse off and headed down the narrow deer trail. He could not comb the forest inch-by-inch like Erlerwin. That would drive him crazy. Rozdardon knew that his sister wouldn’t just sit around helplessly in hopes of getting rescued. She could fend for herself, and she would have kept on the move. And so would he.
I am coming, Sis!
As he rode on, Rozdardon scanned the woods, half expecting to be struck by a snowball from his sister hiding behind one of the trees like they used to do when they were younger.
Methodically! Was that captain of hers crazy? Or maybe he did not feel as strongly for her as he led her to believe.
Then Rozdardon dismissed that thought. Erlerwin was crazy about her. Methodically was the only way those soldier types could make sense of the world when things got too wild or unpredictable. Erlerwin was trying every trick he knew to find her, Rozdardon assured himself. It was just that, as a former thief, Rozdardon had a few new tricks to add to the search.
Something on his left side caught his eye as it whisked by him and into a bramble hedge. He pulled up his horse.
That couldn’t be…?
This time, off to his right, he saw several dark objects darting in and out among the trees of a nearby grove of pines. And this time they made no effort to cover up the sound of their horse’s hooves on the snow-covered forest floor. He supposed that they counted on the snow to give them stealth. But they were wrong.
Pulling out his bow, he quickly nocked an arrow and aimed it about where he thought the strangers might be hiding in the grove. He let the arrow fly. Someone let out a short cry and then was silent.
Hit one! Luck is with me!
A group of about five riders emerged from behind the grove and barreled down on him. He nocked another arrow, pulled back hard on his bow, and aimed at them.
“Let that arrow loose, fool, and it will be ya last,” ordered someone behind him.
Rozdardon turned his head long enough to see three riders with their arrows all trained on him. Rozdardon slowly released tension on his bow string. Though he kept his arrow still nocked, he pointed it and his bow towards the ground. The five riders ahead of him began spreading out around him, and Rozdardon soon found himself completely surrounded.
Where was that captain when you needed him?
“What you lookin’ back at? Have some other friends back there, does ya?” asked the one who must be their leader.
“No, No. Just admiring how you managed to trap me,” replied Rozdardon, sounding as lighthearted as he could.
“He kilt Sazmon,” said one of the five new arrivals. “Shall we guts him here?”
“Maybe,” said the one in charge. “First thing, just who be ya?”
“Me? I be just a traveler passing through these woods,” said Rozdardon. “No one of any importance.”
“Name, what be ya name?”
“Ah..Frankirwin.” Rozdardon said the first name that popped into his head.
“Ah, Frankirwin is it?” asked the leader suspiciously. “Sound a lot likes the one we be lookin’ for. He be a nave called Erlerwin?”
“Erlerwin. Erlerwin. Erlerwin?” asked Rozdardon, looking up in the air as if trying to remember the name.
“That be what I said,” replied the leader. “The king wants him bad.”
The king! Kazzbeird’s men.
“Sounds familiar, but it is hard to tell. Frankirwin, Erlerwin, they are all very common in Palzintine,” said Rozdardon. “Did this Erlerwin happen to have a…woman with him?”
“Ya, that be the nave,” said the leader. “So you knows where he and his wench can be found, do ya?”
They have not run across Roseverinda. That was good. But they have me surrounded, and that is not as good, thought Rozdardon.
“Well, not exactly,” said Rozdardon. “It has been so long since I last laid eyes upon him that I cannot be sure he is the one you are searching for. This Erlerwin you seek was he very…rotund. An older round gent?”
“I thinks ya be lying to me, Frankirwin…or whatever ya name is,” said the leader. “I thinks we be taking ya back to see the king. He will make ya talk. Though ya might lose a few fingers for troubling him.”
That Captain is sure late to this little party.
“Now, now. There is no need to go bothering your king. Let me think about the last place I saw old Erlerwin,” stalled Rozdardon.
“Ya best think fast,” growled the leader.
Suddenly, three of the thieves who surrounded Rozdardon fell backwards off their horses, dead, with arrow shafts protruding from their chests.
“The rest of you, throw down your weapons and dismount,” commanded a voice behind them.
The thieves tossed down their bows and then their swords, and got off their horses.
“Now, which one of you is looking for old chubby Erlerwin?” said the Palzintine captain, as he jumped down from his horse, leaving the rest of his men to keep their arrows trained on the thieves.
“Ya knows him?” asked the leader.
“Knows him? I am him,” replied Erlerwin, and he walked up to the leader and stared at him.
“The king wants to see ya. Wants to see ya real bad,” said the leader, with a grin. “He will not stop till he has ya in chains…with some fingers missing.”
“I am attached to these fingers, so I am sending you back to tell him that,” said Erlerwin. “And while you are there, tell him that his pet snake, Snederburry, has failed in his scheme and is now dead. And I have the antidote for the poison.”
“I’ll tell him, but it matters not. He will still be hunting ya,” said the leader.
“Perhaps,” replied Erlerwin. “But he’s about to get some house guests. The Prelandidarian army is planning to pay him a visit as soon as they get back. Which will be in a few weeks. And then he will be the one hunted.”
“They’ll never find us,” said the leader.
“I was kind enough to tell the general exactly where to find Kazzbeird,” replied Erlerwin.
“He’ll kill ya for that,” spat that leader.
