Suzerain of the Beast (Vision Dream Series Book 3), page 24
“She must be exhausted from flying all the way here,” said Jeela.
“Yes. And it would seem she trusts us completely to let herself sleep so deeply,” added the wizard.
Princess Swevladilia rose and walked over to the sleeping dragon. She began to look it over carefully.
“They are fairly large creatures,” said the princess.
“Actually this one is among some of the smallest of the dragons,” replied Nermindar.
“Small enough to handle, yet she is large enough to…say…carry a young dragon,” wondered the princess.
“There are stories of such things,” agreed the wizard.
“You are not suggesting that we…” started Jeela, horrified of the scheme she was sure the princess was hatching.
“Fly her to Swevladiliona?” said the princess, smiling. “What a great idea, knight!”
“Fly upon that creature? Have you taken leave of your senses, Your Highness?” exclaimed Jeela. “I am not getting on that thing! And neither are you. I have your safety…and mine to consider.”
“In the past there were wizards who actually flew dragons,” added Nermindar.
“Do not humor her,” said Jeela, glaring at the wizard.
“But it is not our decision,” said Nermindar. “It is the dragon’s on whether or not she would be willing to carry us.”
But before Jeela could protest this folly further, Princess Swevladilia put two hands on the dragon’s head and shook it.
“Wake, dear dragon! Wake!” yelled the princess. “We need to ask thee something!”
The dragon began to shake its head as if shrugging off sleep. Jeela instinctively placed a hand on the hilt of her pink Jacker-hide gripped sword. Its eyes snapped open, and the dragon began to rise slowly. Princess Swevladilia stood before it unmoving. It tilted its head and silently regarded the young Princess.
“How are you ever going to ask this creature anything?” asked Jeela, shaking her head.
“Perhaps I can help there,” offered Nermindar. “While I cannot speak to this dragon directly, I can feel its moods and maybe this will give us a clue to its answer.”
“Can you send an image to her mind?” asked Swevladilia. “I can sometimes get flashes of images from Dareldin’s mind if I concentrate hard enough.”
“I have never done that,” said Nermindar, sounding intrigued. “But I shall try.”
“Dragon, will you show us if you are going to the north just as we are?” asked the princess.
Nermindar came over and stood close to the dragon. He placed his hand on it and closed his eyes.
“Can you see anything?” asked the princess.
“I…I can see…Princess Angelterra,” said the wizard, looking lost in a scene that seemed thousands of miles from here.
“Does the dragon know where Her Highness is?” asked Jeela. She was getting caught up in this.
“No…but this dragon is searching for her. I feel that strongly from it,” said the wizard.
“Why?” wondered Jeela. She remembered how the dragon had saved the princess from Jeela’s twin sister, Syveela’s wrath.
Was Princess Angelterra in trouble now?
“I cannot tell. Something has summoned the dragon to find the Palzintinian Princess,” said Nermindar. “But I do not know who or what.”
“Tell her we must ride her, right away,” said Jeela. If this dragon was going to where Princess Angelterra was, then Jeela was going there too.
“I sent her an image of the three of us upon her back, flying,” said Nermindar. “And I feel joy from her at this idea.”
He opened his eyes.
“She seems willing take us to Swevladiliona,” declared the wizard. “And I think she is pleased not to be traveling alone in these unfamiliar skies.”
❖ CHAPTER 22 ❖
“DOGGY!” SQUEALED SELKEEDA delightedly. The girl pointed at the massive snarling white wolf that barred their way, the only way out of the clearing.
Angelterra wanted to celebrate the first words uttered by the poor blonde child in her lap, but there was danger all around them. To the princess’s surprise, she saw a brown rabbit hidden in the thicket near the white wolf. The little rabbit seemed unaware of the danger just steps away from it, while the white wolf paid the close juicy morsel no heed.
There is something wrong here.
The usually listless old Marthleea suddenly reared up at the wolf, trying to trample it to death. The horse’s protective instinct had possessed it, waylaying its fear. Then Marthleea charged straight at the wolf, snapping its huge teeth. Momentarily stunned by the unexpected ferociousness of the large horse, the wolf darted out of the way at the last second.
“Keep going, old girl!” screamed Angelterra, and she kicked Marthleea hard to keep the horse moving.
Her mount plunged through the opening in the thicket and raced off, weaving in and out of the trees just like an agile young horse. Glancing behind her, she saw dozens of white objects bounding between the trees taking up the chase.
A wolf pack!
They reached the main road, and Angelterra turned towards Munkenira. She was not sure that the old horse would last much longer at this pace, so she slowed it to a walk to let Marthleea catch her breath.
“Well done, girl. I do not think Snowball could do any better,” complemented the princess, as she patted the old horse gently on the neck. Her father’s majestic and powerful warhorse flashed into her mind. If she could not have Snowball with her on this journey, she was beginning to believe that Marthleea was the next best thing.
They had been walking for sometime now, and there was no sign of the wolves anywhere behind them. Angelterra was not sure whether to feel relieved or even more apprehensive. It seemed odd that the wolves would give up the chase so easily, but everything about those animals seemed odd, thought the princess. They traveled on for a full turn of the hourglass without incident. Angelterra finally began to relax a little. She wanted to stop and rest all of them, but she dare not. A little longer and perhaps she would. Ahead she saw a sharp bend in the road, and there was something large and white in the middle of the road just before the bend. At first it looked like an undulating snowbank, but as the three of them drew closer, Angelterra realized exactly what it was…wolves!
But how did they get in front of us? And how did they know to lay in wait for us here?
She halted Marthleea in the middle of the road, wondering what to do next. Angelterra knew she did not have much magic without her Concera, her being of First Magic. And if she turned around and tried to outrun this pack, the lighter more agile wolves would surely overrun the old, tired horse quickly.
Fire! She would try fire.
Angelterra closed her eyes and pictured a ragging fire before her. She made a quick gesture with her hands and a wall of blue fire crossed the path and went into the woods on both sides. Snow covered everything and the blue fire of magic had nothing to ignite into a real fire. Instead of cowering from the flames, the wolves calmly trotted right through the blue blaze to stand again before her.
Magic does not seem to affect these wolves.
With her concentration gone and nothing to use as fuel, the fire of magic quickly dissipated.
“Doggies!”
“Yes, Sweetie,” whispered Angelterra. “And those doggies are getting a bit too close.”
She needed something. Not something of magic, but something real.
Angelterra felt her small lady’s dagger hidden within her cloak and pulled it out. She then concentrated on the blade as hard as she could.
Longer. Grow longer, she willed the tiny blade.
In response, the steel of the blade began to glow a faint blue. Slowly it started to stretch and stretch until she had a fairly large blade in her hand.
Not quite a full sword, but it will have to do.
As the wolf pack neared, it bunched up on her side of the road. She noticed a gap in their line of the opposite side of the road, and she took it. Kicking Marthleea hard, she held Selkeeda tight and jerked the reins towards the gap. Marthleea bolted toward the opening. Just as Angelterra thought they were going to make it a wolf latched on to her leg, momentarily. Searing pain shot up from the spot where the wolf’s teeth had imbedded itself in her leg. Instinctively she swung down with her blade upon the wolf’s head, slashing its eyes. It let go of her instantly. Yelping in a high-pitched scream of agony. Marthleea raced past the others. But it was no use. She glanced back and saw that the pack was catching up to them effortlessly with their almost graceful strides.
Suddenly about ten men in chain mail and heavy cloaks passed right by her, charging their mounts directly at the wolf pack and brandishing their lances and swords.
Knights!
“Run, Doggies! Run!” wailed Selkeeda, mournfully.
Several wolves yelped as they were skewered upon the lances or sliced by the swords. Angelterra put her hands over Selkeeda’s ears.
“Shhh, it’s all right. Shhh,” said the princess into the distraught child’s ear.
Marthleea came to a stop. Angelterra looked back again and both wolves and knights had disappeared.
“Hurt,” said Selkeeda, tears streamed down her tiny face as the girl stared towards where the wolf pack had once been.
The child seemed to think these were pets coming to play. And now these men had come to hurt them.
“They were…just sending the doggies home, Sweetie,” said the princess. “The doggies will be all right when they get to their home. Just like you will be when we get you to your home.”
“Hurt,” repeated Selkeeda in barely a whisper.
Angelterra lifted her traveling dress over her wounded leg to pull down her boot. There on her leg were several teeth marks and a little blood, but the marks were not deep. It would seem that her boot took the brunt of that doggy’s fury.
Soon, the knights returned from around the bend and trotted up to Angelterra and Selkeeda.
The back portion of the lead knight’s long dark hair was in a tight braid, while the rest of his hair fell upon his shoulders. His nose was broad and his smile infectious.
“How do you and your daughter fare, My Lady?” inquired the lead knight.
“We are fine now, Sir Knight,” replied Angelterra. “Thank thee and thy men for our rescue.”
The princess realized by Selkeeda’s glares that the young girl was not thankful at all for the men’s intervention. She hoped the girl’s aloof demeanor wouldn’t offend their rescuers.
“You are most welcome, My Lady,” said the lead knight. “Do you live near these lands?”
“No, but we are traveling to the village of Munkenira,” replied Angelterra.
“That village is but an hour’s ride from here,” said the lead knight. “I will have two of my men see that the two of you get there safely, while we hunt down those beasts further.”
“Do you believe they were rabid?” wonder Angelterra, thinking about her wound.
“I do not believe so,” answered the lead knight. “They are a strange pack that do not seem to act out of instinct. These wolves move with some special purpose and with great cunning. They have been plaguing Munkenira for sometime. Though we were just passing through that place, the elders of that village pleaded with us to chase away this menace.”
“I am glad to have news that they are not ill,” said Angelterra. “One of them bit me.”
“My Lady, you should have a healer there look over your wounds,” advised the lead knight. “Avineld, Ecordar, escort this lady and her daughter safely to the village Munkenira.”
“Aye, My Lord,” said one of the two men who moved out of rank from the others.
“Thank thee again, My Lord,” said Angelterra.
The lead knight nodded, signaled to his men with a look and they all rode off after the wolves, leaving Angelterra and Selkeeda to follow their new escorts.
❖ ❖ ❖
They entered the village at dusk. Her two escorts said little the entire ride. And that was all right by Angelterra. She was a little overwhelmed by their encounters with the white wolves and did not feel much like conversation. Even though the pack could have overpowered her and her escorts, she still felt comforted by their presence.
“Where is it that you wish to go, My Lady?” asked the one known as Avineld.
“To a place called The Fat River Inn,” replied Angelterra. “Do you know of it?”
“Are you sure?” asked Ecordar, sounding shocked. “It has a reputation as a seedy place, My Lady.”
She looked down at Selkeeda who was leaning hard upon her arm, nearly asleep. Her usually vacant eyes were mere slits.
“Yes, if the innkeeper still be a man called Hopper,” said the princess.
“Aye, he still runs that place,” said Avineld.
And the knight gently nudged his horse off the main street into the village and down a narrow alleyway that smelled of sewage. After a time they emerged on a street that was not much wider than the alleyway. It was lined with rickety wooden shacks all huddled together against the cold evening. Even in this brisk weather, there was a group of men congregating outside one of the shacks, smoke pouring out of its tiny chimney. Seeing the knights, the men turned away, pretending not to notice the four of them passing. All the men except for a tall, lanky man who kept his eye on Angelterra and grinned sinisterly at her. Avineld put his hand on his sword hilt, causing the leering man to look away along with the others. Further down, there was a building, which was far larger and far less rickety than all the rest. An oval, hand-painted wooden sign hung from one of the four posts that held up an overhang at the entrance.
The Fat River Inn.
“Ecordar, bring My Lady’s horse around back while I help them get settled in,” said Avineld.
Avineld dismounted and then held out his arms to take the dozing Selkeeda from Angelterra. Once the princess dismounted and retrieved her satchel, Ecordar took Marthleea’s reins and walked her and their two mounts around to the back of the inn. Selkeeda stirred and in a moment seemed wide awake. She stared at the inn saying nothing.
“We will be staying here for the night, Sweetie,” whispered the princess, and she pulled out the girl’s two dolls and handed them to her.
Selkeeda took the dolls emotionlessly and said nothing. Then the young girl started to walk towards the old wooden door of the inn.
“Here, little lass, allow me to open that for you,” offered Avineld. He pulled opened the heavy door for the child.
Selkeeda kept on walking without giving him a second glance, while she still clutched hers and Hollybee’s doll, Master Marn, close to her chest. The knight glanced over at Angelterra, puzzled.
“She does not speak much,” explained the princess. “She has seen some troubling things as of late.”
Avineld nodded, empathetically.
Inside, there was a small tavern in the front part of the inn. Most of the tables were empty. And there were just two patrons in the tavern room, each sitting at different tables. Only one of the two men at the near table was eating a meal of bread and meat upon a rough-hewn wooden platter. But each had a mug of warm wine that steamed even in this toasty room. Against the largest wall was a wide mouthed stone fireplace. A large fire roared in it, making the room seem bright and almost welcoming. Selkeeda stood staring straight at the man with the long dark beard at the nearest table, who was devouring an oversized piece of meat enthusiastically. He soon became aware of the child’s unwavering gaze and smiled at her with his eyes, but the girl made no acknowledgment of the gesture. She simply continued to stare at him, holding her two dolls.
“Come, Selkeeda, let the man finish his dinner,” said Angelterra. “She is very tired from the road.”
“I understand. I have three daughters myself. Mysterious creatures they are,” laughed the man.
Angelterra smiled. She wished with all her heart that Selkeeda would break free of that protective emotional shell in which the girl had barricaded herself. The princess would give anything to relieve Selkeeda’s inner suffering. But soon she would find the young child’s parents. And perhaps they could bring the little girl some peace.
Avineld held the chair for Angelterra and then helped the little girl into a child-sized chair that he had found leaning against a wall.
“Thank thee so very much,” said Angelterra to the knight. “And thank your lord for me as well.”
“Tis my pleasure, My Lady,” said the knight bowing his head to her. “My lord is a kind and just lord. Gestures such as this are much in his character.”
“I am saddened that I will not be able to know more about him,” said Angelterra.
“I shall give him that message, My Lady,” said Avineld. “Now we must return unless there is something else you require.”
“No, we are quite fine now,” assured Angelterra. She pulled out several gold coins and tried to offer them to him, but he put up his hand as if the money was tainted.
“No, No, I cannot accept that,” he said. “It is not our tradition to do so.”
“I understand,” replied Angelterra. “Then my thanks will have to do for you and your lord.”
“It is more than enough,” said Avineld.
Behind Avineld and tucked away at a corner table, Angelterra noticed an unkempt man with a scraggly beard and wrapped in a ragged cloak, huddling over a single mug of hot wine. He watched her intently as she put away the coins. Then Avineld nodded to her, turned, and headed towards the door. After the knight left the inn, Angelterra glanced back at the man in the corner, but to her surprise, his seat was empty and his single mug of hot wine was still steaming.
“Well, well, what be this in my good inn?” said a booming voice that sounded none-too-happy.
Angelterra glanced up at a burly man in a stained blue apron and a short white tunic shirt that showed off his massive muscular arms. Arms that were folded in disgust and that went along with a round face below a shiny bald head that scowled at her. Next to him was a heavy woman in a work maid’s dress who was wearing the same accusatory scowl upon her chubby face. She held a rolling pin in her hand.
