The three of them stood there, mouths agape, as the golden chariot disappeared.
“There it goes!” they heard some people in the crowd say.
“Are they abandoning us?”
“Quick!” Terry said. “Get to the castle, now! We have to stand on the balcony that faces the front!”
They dashed in through the back gates and ran through the abandoned rooms. There were no ladies in waiting, no squires, no pages. It seemed everyone had either been killed or were in hiding, away from the flying wraiths. Terry dashed up the stairs and quickly saw the room that she was looking for—the same as in her home castle, on the second floor, to the front.
“Come on!” she said, and threw open the shutters, stepping out so the people could see her. They began to cheer again.
“Three cheers for the warrior princess! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!”
It was a wave of noise, made more powerful by the genuine feeling of relief and joy that the city dwellers were feeling. She had truly saved them from the horror of the flying wraiths, and the wizard who controlled them.
“My people,” she shouted. “The war is not yet over. But today, we have shown the wizard Zyzzyva that we will not bow to his evil will! We have taken back our city, and we will take back our country!”
The crowd cheered madly.
“Hooray for Princess Terry and her Golden Chariot!” they cried.
“Uh-oh,” Gregor mumbled. “I guess they think she just dropped you off.”
“Hooray for Gregor, the Wraith Destroyer!” Terrry shouted. “Hooray for Maurice, the Cleric with the Power of a Wizard!”
“That’s a little awkward, don’t you think?” Maurice whispered.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Terry said from the side of her mouth.
They waved to the cheering crowd a bit longer. “Thank you for your wonderful greeting,” Terry said. “We must go back to the hard work of fighting the wizard! Our kingdom will reign forever!”
Then they backed into the room and closed the shutters, collapsing on the regal furniture.
“Somehow, that was more exhausting than the chariot ride,” Gregor said.
“Get used to it,” Maurice said. “You’re a hero.”
“I am, aren’t I?” Gregor said, then, “Hey!” as the plush sitting room chair cracked underneath him, unused to carrying so much weight.
Terry laughed. “You better sit on the couch, Gregor. You’re huge now!”
“Heroes need couches,” Gregor said, grinning. “Did you see? I kept my eyes open the whole way. I think I’ve conquered my fear of heights!”
“Let’s celebrate with a meal,” Maurice said. “Do you think there’s any food around here? I’m famished.”
They retired to the royal kitchen, and found a repast waiting for them in the cool, dark cellar—leftover venison, an endless supply of delicious apples, and yellow cheese from the royal farms. Maurice ate even more quickly than usual, then wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
“I must get to the abbey,” he said. “I need to find out how they’re surviving.”
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“Be careful,” Terry said. “Just because we knocked out those flying wraiths doesn’t mean there aren’t more nasties guarding the city. I’m going to look around the rooms, see if anyone is still here, hiding,” Terry said. “Bring back Hemdale, if you can,” she added. “We need to plan.”
“Without Arabelle,” Gregor said.
“Yes,” Terry said, and sighed. “What a mess. And now everyone thinks we have a flying golden chariot at our disposal!”
“We should keep that idea going as long as possible,” Maurice said.
“Oh, yeah,” Terry agreed. “She’ll be back tomorrow, as far as anyone else needs to know right now. We have to show solidarity in front of the people.”
Maurice left for the abbey, and Gregor stretched his newly giant body on the royal couch and feel asleep. Terry decided to search the castle for any inhabitants. While she had never been there, the layout of the castle was similar enough to her own home, and she knew where to look for the royal chambers. She walked quietly around the castle. Everything was in disarray—clearly people had run out in a panic. The royal rooms were in chaos—papers and even jewels were strewn on the floor, along with clothing, as people desperately packed what they could and got out. She wondered where they all were, then she as she approached the Duke’s chamber, she heard a soft sobbing.
She walked in the door, and saw the dear, elderly duchess, sitting in bed in a little nightgown and nightcap, crying her eyes out.
“Oh, no!” Terry said, and rushed to her. “Auntie!” She embraced the elderly woman, who burst out with fresh sobs.
“Everyone’s dead or disappeared,” she cried, and put her head on Terry’s shoulder.
Terry comforted her as best she could. “Do you have food? Water?”
“No,” the duchess confessed. “I don’t remember the last time I ate.”
“Wait here,” Terry said, then rushed downstairs to gather up some provisions and bring them back to the duchess.
“Now, eat and drink,” she said, and the duchess gladly sipped at some water and nibbled at a crust of bread.
“What happened?” she asked Terry.
“I was about to ask you,” Terry said. “I left the city on the day the flying wraiths attacked.”
The old duchess squinted her eyes at Terry. “Who are you, my dear?”
“I’m—I’m warrior princess Teresa, daughter of the king,” Terry said, a little awkwardly. It was different saying it to just one person than a crowd. “I know we’re related—I’m not exactly sure how. Mother would know.”
“Ah, your mother. Yes. I see her in you! Well, I am your second cousin, once removed. You’re right to call me Auntie—it’s close enough. And you were here that terrible day? What were you doing here? What brought you so far from your father’s castle?”
“It’s a long story, Auntie,” Terry said. “You first, please. Tell me where everyone has run away to. They did run away, right?”
“Oh, yes,” the old duchess said, and shuddered. “They ran as fast as they could. A lot of good it did them—the flying wraiths snatched them out and flew them away to suck out their life force and then dash their lifeless bodies on the rocks below. Perhaps one out of two actually made it to the forest to hide. And then—that horrible army of the undead!”
“What happened then?” Terry asked.
“They attacked the city. We thought the city walls would hold, but they were too strong, and we were too weakened. They burned what they could, although because we are a city of stone, the damage they could do was only so much. Also, the people were already scared and scattered by the flying wraiths—the army did not have much left to attack, other than the buildings, and those made of stone seemed too much for their bony warriors. So they went on their way, leaving us under siege by those terrible flying creatures.”
“Well, they’re gone for now,” Teresa said.
“I’m so grateful, my dear,” the old duchess said. “But my heart is truly broken.”
“Because of the duke?” Terry said.
“The duke—pah,” the old duchess said. “He was trying to poison me, you know. Trade me in for a new model. He’s got an illegitimate son in the city somewhere—or he did—that he wanted to make legitimate by marrying his filthy mother.”
“Oh,” Terry said. “I’m, uh, sorry to hear that.”
The old duchess sighed. “It’s a lot to take in, and I’m sorry to burden you with it. I’m not sorry he’s gone.”
“Just stay in bed and rest,” Terry said. “I’ll try to find someone from the city to look after you.”
As Terry descended the stairs, she saw Maurice bring in Hemdale by the wide front entrance.
“Hemdale!” she said, rushing down, then stopped. Hemdale was wearing a bandage that completely covered his right eye.
“What happened?” she asked. “Is the abbey all right?”
“We’re safe for now,” he said, grimly. “The army of the undead could not penetrate our abbey walls, and while they tried to set fire to the abbey, the stone construction made it impossible to catch. But any structure made of wood in the city is gone.”
“And what about the flying wraiths?”
“Oh, they were going to starve us out, for sure, but we hadn’t run out of food or supplies yet. It’s a miracle that you were able to find a flying chariot. More wraiths are surely on the way, and without it, we don’t stand a chance.”
Terry and Maurice looked at each other, not sure what to say.