Queen Amberlynn sat at the window of the war room. Her general and advisors had long since left. The air was filled with the scent of candles that had long since snuffed themselves when they reached the end of their wicks. The perimeter of the castle was lined with the lights of the torches held by the lizardmen sentries. In the morning, as every morning, their troops would assault the walls. They had at least given up trying to burn the town down outside the castle. Now the guard informed her they were piling up random belongings in an attempt to lure people outside the walls. Luckily no one had yet fallen for it. But it showed that they were getting desperate. Angeline had not talked to her in days. She worried her daughter was already in their clutches.
“Highness,” a soft voice called from the doorway.
“Yes, James.” she turned to see her royal page.
“Word from the palace guard,” he said, his tone already telling her the news was not good, “the grain stores were discovered this evening to be spoiled and molding.”
“How would this happen?” She asked.
“The supply master thinks either we had a roof leak or one of the animals we have had to keep in the yard got in and relieved itself on the supplies.”
“Regardless of why, we will not last much longer without it.” She hung her head in her hands with a sigh. “If we don't have a solution to this siege soon…” she trailed off, not wanting to vocalize her fear. The page led her off to her chambers to retire.
“Thank you, James.” She said as she closed the door.
“Oh my pleasure, highness.” He said with a smile.
The sun was setting behind the castle when the group crested the hill. Besides the glow of the sunset, off in the hills beyond the town the sky glowed from a different source. The bonfires of the lizardfolk army burned, as tiny motes of light shined, scattered in the forest and within the town, of torches carried by the night sentinels. The smell of burning wood filled the air even miles away. Much of the beautiful woods she remembered were gone and many of the buildings in the town were burned to the ground. The trade buildings, holding all the surplus food to be sold were inside the castle walls, one of the reasons laying siege to Amberwyben has always been thought of as foolhardy.
“By the gods,” Angeline gasped, as Wogan reached over to take her hand. She appreciated the strong feel of her hand in his.
“It will be alright,” the Kingsblade reassured her, “we can rebuild. We just need to drive them off, somehow.”
“I don't understand what could drive lizardmen this far north.” Said Tina, from the back of Stelletta's horse. “What do they hope to gain?”
“It is not their hopes or ambitions, but those of the sorcerer king.” Answered Wogan. “A human who claims to have the blood of dragons and wields great magic.”
“So he what?” asked Pyre “he subjugated these lizards and now they do what he pleases? Just because he has fire magic?” The pyromancer shot a gout of flame from his hand as emphasis.
“Keep that skite down, or you will alert them to our presence before we reach the castle.” Wogan griped.
“Lizardmen revere dragons.” Said Xerro, to the childed sorcerer, “they believe they are descended from them. Dragons are their gods, that makes this sorcerer king a demigod to them.”
“We still have to reach the castle.” Angeline interrupted the discussion, anxious to get back to her home and check on her mother. “The army has pulled back for the night, but we will still have to avoid the sentinels to make it there.”
“We need to be quick and quiet.” Wogan informed them.
Stelletta looked over at the elf on his horse, putting her finger to her lips, “it's shush time, babe.” This garnered a nod from the elf.
“And keep it in your pants, Pyre,” said Tina, “nothing explodes until we are undoubtedly spotted.”
They made their way down a shallow incline off the hill, to the side of town away from the main road. A sharp eye was kept for the tell tale lights of the torches the lizards always carried at night.
A torchlight forced the group to take shelter behind a shop, still just under a mile from the castle. Wogan dismounted with a surprising amount of quiet for a man in mostly metal armor. He waited at the corner of the building in case the lizard checked out behind it to discover them.
The wait was breathless, minutes went by as the torchlight, visible against the wall of the next building, wandered back and forth. Even in the cool night air here, Xerro felt the sweat running down his back. The light worked its way down the wall toward them again and Xerro heard the soft scrape of the knight's sword pulling along its scabbard. He looked about and found a pruning hoe some gardener had left leaning against the wall they were pressed against. He grabbed it by its five foot wooden handle, and swung it a few times up and down, feeling out the heft of its triangular shaped blade. It could have been a spear if the blade didn't curve down to uproot weeds from the dirt.
As he played around with the tool and the light got closer, Xerro noticed a light moving on the other side of the building behind Brute. Only Tina and Angeline remained on their horses, the rest had dismounted to keep their steeds still and quiet. Pyre was having a harder time as he was the least experienced in riding and Brute was attempting to aid the magic user with his horse. This meant, unfortunately, that he was not watching their back as he was supposed to. Both lights were approaching simultaneously, the back and forth of the first torchlight was them coordinating Xerro surmised. As the first sentry rounded the corner to be unceremoniously beheaded by Wogan and pulled behind the building out of sight. Xerro rushed past the two oblivious mercenaries to swing the hoe wide in an upward arc, catching the next lizard under its chin with the blade of the gardening tool. There was a shriek as the blood sprayed, Xerro was confused as to how the impaled reptile was making a sound until he peeked around the corner to see a third sentry that witnessed the killing.
Suddenly the sentry exploded in a ball of fire.
“Great,” Tina said to the pyromancer, “any of them that didn't hear the scream is sure to have seen the explosion!”
The alarm was raised and the whole of them would soon be upon them. The people on foot swung into their saddles and cracked the reins, and were off in a rush. Stealth was done, now it was a race for the gate. As they raced out into the main street, lizardmen began to pop out of buildings, trying to rush to the horses or when too far behind, hurling javelins at retreating group.
Wogan parried stone axes from the back of his horse, Stelletta kicked a lizard in the head when it got too close, and at the back Brute cleaved any enemies who got too close with his ax. The best Xerro could manage was to poke at them with the hoe still clutched in his hand.
The barbarian elf caught a shaft through the back of his left shoulder. “Brute!” Screamed the lithe, leather clad warrior.
“Fine, go!” He grunted. The thick, dull speech patterns seemed strange to Xerro coming out of the fair featured elf.
As the group entered the clear area between the town and the castle gate, Brute racked his ax and pulled out his shield. The barbarian luckily held it behind him just as a javelin pierced an inch through the wood. His luck didn't hold as another pierced his right thigh.
“Open the gate!” Screamed Wogan as the castle loomed closer every second.
“Who is it,” Corbin asked as he approached the gate's night watch.
“Riders approaching, sir.” Was all he replied.
Most of the people on the horses Corbin did not recognize, but the rider of the white charger with the golden locks of Angeline was unmistakable. “Open the gate! Quickly! Sir Wogan and the princess approach!” He cried, and the soldiers scrambled to obey.
The gates stood there like a mountain made of wood, sheer and unmoving. They were a dozen paces out and still going full speed. They couldn't slow down however, lizards, it turns out, were fast. Not as fast as a horse but just barely not as fast. There had to be three dozen now in pursuit, even after killing enough of them on the way that the whole party and their mounts reeked of the sharp, metallic tang of blood.
The head of Wogan's horse nearly collided with the gate just as it began to open. Its head cleared the gap but the thicker body slammed into wood forcing the gate open and throwing soldiers still pulling on it to the side.
Pyre gestured behind him and a wall of flame erupted across the ground between them and the reptiles. Many didn't even slow, paying no heed to the bite of the flames as they jumped through them, propelled by blood lust and a prey just within reach. Others hesitated at the sudden, unexpected bright light that flared up before them and slowed, only to be impacted by their allies behind them and pushed, face first into the fire. They screeched as flesh bubbled and seared from bone.
As soon as he cleared the gate, Wogan slid from his steed and stood at the threshold as the other riders thundered past around him, so close a leg or two around the heavy equine ribs glanced off his armor.
As soon as Brute's horse rumbled past he called out, “close! Close the gate!”
As the soldiers struggled, the singed and voracious lizards rushed at the opening. The closest dived for the closing crack only to meet the sword of the Kingsblade straight down its throat. He impaled, pushed back against the two hundred pound reptile man and pulled his blade back inside just as the gate closed. As it was trained, the black war horse galloped back to the gate and fell against the wood, holding its eight hundred plus massive body against the pounding of the lizardmen on the other side as the three massive bolts the diameter of a man were pushed back in place.
“Loose!” called from the ramparts above the gate, as archers and crossbowmen peppered the lizards from above, forcing a retreat back to the town.
Brute slid off his horse and hit the ground like a sack of wet flour. “BRUTE!” Stelletta screamed, and ran immediately to him, fearing she was about to lose him once more.
“Xerro.” Called Tina to the lad, holding her arms out and flexing both hands repeatedly. Quickly getting the gist, he grabbed the little lady gnome and helped her down. She ran over to the warrior couple and looked the elf over. “He'll be fine,” she consoled, “pull them out so I can close his wounds.” the small priestess held her hands over the wounds and prayed. A warm glow appeared between the two and the puntures began to shrink. Xerro stood there watching as he ran a fingertip over one of his scars, thinking how good it would have been to receive magic healing for one of his previous injuries. To not have to keep remembering the pain of them even after the scar appeared.
Wogan strode over to the white horse and lifted the princess off. “Thank you Wogan.”
“Always, my lady.” He said, looking into her eyes with an uncharacteristic smile.
James, the royal page, descended the marble steps and ran across the courtyard. “Your highness, welcome home,” he cried.
“Where is my mother?” Angeline asked him, confused as to why her page was greeting her and not the queen herself.
“She has retired to her room already, she was exhausted from meeting all day with the war council.” Was his curt reply.
“I appreciate you meeting me promptly but you are a page Jimmy, your responsibility is to inform the queen of important matters, the arrival of her daughter not being one to be ignored.” Angeline was seldom brusque with the castle staff, but she had known Jimmy for six years as a page, from the time he was thirteen, and he has never been known to break protocol. “Now go. Let her know I am home.” She finished with a smile to hopefully let him know she wasn't angry.
Corbin ran down the tower steps to meet the Kingsblade, “sir” he panted, attempting to wrangle back his breath, and saluted. “I hope you bring good fortune, sir.”
“Good to see you, Corbin, and indeed,” the knight said with a smile. “Where is your father?”
“The war council adjourned before sunset so, the general would be in the usual place sir.” The young soldier gave a wink.
Wogan knew precisely where he ment. “I assume you can deal with protocol, my princess?” He whispered in Angeline's ear.
“Yes, Wogan. You need to brief Magnus.” She replied softly, pausing when she realized how close their faces hovered from each other when she turned her head, “go.” And he was off, with her heart aching more than usual for some reason.
Angeline turned to her traveling companions, “come,” she said as she waived over some servants, “follow me to the grand hall. We shall await the queen there.” The servants took the horses and led them away as the group walked to the palace stairs.
The usual place happened to be the royal wine cellar. General Magnus was indulging in his favorite hobby of oversampling the wine stores. No one could complain seeing as how most of the vintages were his creation. Wogan felt the damp air and smelled the fermenting grapes and now he finally felt home.
“How is the twelve thirty two?” Asked Wogan as he walked down the steps.
“Not maturing as fast as it should.” He remarked off handedly before even realizing who had spoken. “Sir Wogan,” he cried as his eyes widened. “You are home, my boy. The princess?”
“Alive and well, awaiting her mother upstairs.” He walked up and embraced the man.
“The legionnaires?” He asked when they stepped back again.
“No, and the why is a long story.” The Kingsblade took a wooden cup from his commander, sipped and winced. “You are correct, it is not maturing.”
“I fear it is the grapes. That was a bad summer after all.” He eyed his soldier, “you did not return empty handed I hope?”
“No, and that is part of this long story.” Wogan sat down, letting out a long sigh. And the Kingsblade told him of the last few weeks.
The palace servants brought cheese and bread, along with wine, and minstrels played music as they waited at a long table. Xerro nibbled at the hors‘d'oeuvres, as Brute ripped chunks of bread and swallowed cheese without seeming to chew.
“Brute!” Tina snapped, and then through clenched teeth and hushed tones, “these people are under siege. Their resources are limited, don't be a glutton.”
“It's alright, Tina.” Angeline smiled, “we are the suppliers of food for the majority of the continent, we had more than enough supplies in our store houses to last years.”
“Not necessarily,” drifted a voice from the staircase.
“Mother!” Cried Angeline, as she rushed from her chair to embrace the queen. Xerro could see how much she looked like the princess, older but an older sister look rather than one of matronly age. The princess inherited many of her features it seemed, same eyes, noble bearing, and strength. A strength he could tell was weaning in this conflict. Angeline practically supported her as she made her way to the head chair. “What do you mean, mother? We had the store houses full, ready to sell, just before the lizards attacked.”
The queen sat, and Xerro noticed she nearly slumped forward on the table before she righted herself to sit up straight, hands in her lap. “We have lost much of our supplies, too many to be accidents as they appear. I fear we are being sabotaged from within.”
“Who in our kingdom would betray us to the lizard men?” Gasped Angeline, “our people love us.”
“You can be as benevolent as possible, but you are rich and most of your subjects are not,” Pyre offered suddenly, everyone looking at him with surprise as he was tipping back his cup of wine. “no matter how wonderful you are, highnesses, and I can see you are wonderful people, no doubt, but being a have-not can skew the morality of good people easier than you haves will ever realize.” Tina was starting on giving the magician one of her withering stares, “case in point we were willing to take payment not too long ago to kill you princess.” Tina's indignation fell immediately as her cheeks attempted to match the cherry red of her hair.
Queen Amberlynn looked at her daughter in shock, “what is this? What does he mean Angeline? Who are these people you have brought among us?”
Xerro was attempting to pass through the back of his chair. This arrangement was his doing and now he worried he would lose his head.
However, to his fortune, Tina stood up in her chair to better be seen, “apologies, your highness, I am Tinamaria Trisskellion Saphiremoon, priestess of Alyssa and leader of this troop of mercenaries. This is Stelletta and Brute, our warriors, and Pyre our pyromancer.” She indicated them as she gave introduction, “And if you pardon his indelicacy, yes we did formerly accept a contract from the lizards to terminate the princess. Which I assure you is no longer in effect. We are, as it turns out, now under contract with your daughter to bring an end to this siege of your kingdom.”
Amberlynn looked at her daughter with a stare that made Tina proud. But the princess was stalwart in her refusal to shrink. “Angeline, you brought your attempted assassins into our midst? What are you thinking?”
It was the princess's turn to stand for emphasis, “I turned enemies into allies. Is that not the point of diplomacy, mother?”
The queen looked over the rag-tag group then replied, “These four people are supposed to get rid of an army?”
“We are quite talented, your highness.” Tina smiled, giving a flourishing bow, “besides highly skilled combat experience we bring magic to the table. You are facing the armies of a sorcerer, would it not help to have magic on your side as well?”
The queen was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time when, rather than answer Tina, her gaze now fell on Xerro, “so what is this one's story?”
The back of the chair was still unyielding in his attempts at using it as a means of escape. Angeline, however, didn't pause, “he is my friend. Mother, this is Xerro, he has already saved my life countless times. I trust him completely.” She didn't mention his curse, which would have nothing but fortified her argument against her mother. She was confident in just their friendship to define his value.
“If he is another sellsword, he sure does not look it.” The queen scoffed.
“A tactician actually,” the princess retorted with a smile, “Xerro has an uncanny ability to assess a situation almost instantly.”
The queen eyed him critically, “Really?” she leaned forward at him with a doubting smile across her lips, “so what does your intuition say about me?”
Xerro looked at her, attempting to judge where the line was between impressive and offensive. “Your name Amberlynn tells me you were named for the kingdom, meaning the late king married into his title and derived all his power from you. Which you still hold after his passing. In fact your daughter takes after you more than she does her father. While he was the warrior I believe you were the negotiator. She has your eyes, the platinum of your hair that it has since silvered from. She has your bareing, your quick-witted mind and your strength. A strength that is waning in this conflict. You fear sabotage and that Pyre's assessment may be right, but you did not consider they have a sorcerer on their side and rather than having turned one of your people they may have replaced someone.” Amberlynn was becoming more and more enraptured in his assessment now. She began leaning forward across the table. “You have confidence in the abilities of your daughter but are afraid to let her act on her own lest she end up like her father. You wouldn't have let her go on her little adventure if she hadn't already been outside the walls when the siege began.” The queen was now close enough to brush the perimeter of Xerro's field. Tiny lines and wrinkles began to appear around her eyes, her mouth. Normal, expected lines of a beautiful woman who has laughed, worried and lost much in her years. The lids below her eyes were darkened and puffy. She had been crying often since this attack began and wasn't done yet. He did not reveal this directly to the queen. Angeline's eyes screamed to him, please be nice, worried for him if he incited her ire. He leaned closer himself, whispering just loud enough for only he, the queen and the princess to hear “and you've recently taken to bolstering your beauty with magic.”
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The queen's gaze caught her own reflection in one of the sterling centerpieces on the table, she gasped and sat back. She quickly and as discreetly as she could checked her face in a small mirror she kept up her sleeve. It was quickly returning to normal. Or the normal that the magic of the tonics she used kept it outside her bedchambers. The look she had ten years ago. Pulled away from Xerro's effect, the magic was reasserting itself. When it settled she locked her gaze once more on the lad seated next to her daughter. “Impressive.” She commented her cold gaze warming with a smile. “And how do we discover our saboteur, be they traitor or imposter?”
“I would identify anyone who has been acting strangely but don't approach them, question those closest to them to see if there is a reason they are acting out of character.” he answered immediately.
“Well, sounds logical to me.” boomed the voice of Magnus from the doorway.
He and Wogan entered and Angeline immediately ran up to the general and hugged him, “hello Uncle.”
“Greetings peach pit,” he smiled at his niece, “I'm glad my former student here kept you safe.”
“As always. I am never in safer hands than his.” she replied, showing the general to the table and sat him opposite her, on her mother's left side.
Wogan made Xerro move to sit next to the princess. This forced Xerro to sit next to the general. The older man looked the lad over, “where did such a keen mind come from, I wonder?”
“Surviving on the streets since before I can remember, a dash of paranoia, and a sprinkle of observing people from a distance.” Xerro answered, that aforementioned paranoia peaking at the man's questioning. “The princess is the first friend I can remember having.”
“A good recipe for baking a spy.” The general laughed.
“And a horrible way to live.” Snapped Angeline.
“I meant no offense, peach pit.” her uncle replied, trying to quench her ire at evaluating her new pet, as he saw it. She often formed strange attachments to the most random of people Magnus had always felt.
Xerro looked over at Angeline, “I bet that pet name has a story.” He smiled teasingly, as she gave him a scowl at first, only then softening into a smile of her own.
But the general's attention had already moved on, fascinated by the band of mercenaries they had brought. “Elven fighters? I have read so much about the martial proficiency of the elves. Leith, fast and precise. I look forward to finally seeing it in action.”
Tina looked over at Stelletta and Brute, and altho half elf was highly skilled with a blade, she was well aware Stelletta was schooled by a sect of demonic assassins rather than the elven side of her lineage. As for Brute who was, before being reincarnated an elf, born to the savage barbarian tribes of the frozen north. His style was to make sure his opponent expired before he himself bled out. Something she could attest to having healed him more often than any of the others. So the gnome gave a wry smile and a quiet chuckle that got a responsitory giggle from the leather clad warrior while the barbarian stared, slack jawed at his now unfamiliar reflection in the centerpiece.
“I must confess I am not familiar with the mystic arts,” he continued, unabashed by the reaction of the two ladies if he indeed even noticed it, “so I am not exactly sure what you can provide in aid to our efforts.’
Xerro watched the change in the conversational battle plan at the table. The general was now probing the defenses of the group while the queen watched for weaknesses or flaws in their stories. Thankfully Tina was obviously accustomed to these tactics, volunteering no information by contradicting the general. “Truthfully general,” Xerro pushed to divert the discourse, “while Pyre is versed in the mystic arts, Tina is a holy woman. She brings the power of the gods.”
“We have a high priestess of Amon at the castle.” Amberlynn added dryly, just before taking a sip of her wine. She was trying to undermine Tina's value.
“I'm sure she is well versed in healing and ceremony,” Xerro continued in this verbal sparring match, “but Tina has been an actual battlefield cleric. Also, she is not a priestess of Amon.” The lad gave this point a shove and watched as the queen's eyes widened. Tina smiled at Xerro catching on to his stratagem.
“That is right,” the queen remarked, “you said you served Alyssa. So how does a servant of the Divine Harlot aid us in our fight?”
Tina's face was of amused satisfaction as she tapped her staff on the floor, once again causing the peal of thunder as it did when she and Angeline sealed their contract. The sound echoed through the hall, silencing everyone at the table before she continued.
“I hate when she does that,” murmured Pyre before Tina continued.
“As the goddess of deals and contracts as well as love, Alyssa offers healing and comfort and also protection in battle. Pyre is a pyromancer, he specializes in fire magic, but this sorcerer king you face may not be so specialized. He could be using magic to spy on you, rot your food crops or hamper you in other ways to speed your surrender. Under the contract I hold with your daughter, I can protect, undo or even reverse these effects.” Tina shot Xerro a quick glance and gave him a wink before returning her attention to the queen. “You said before your food stores had spoiled with no explanation, can you show them to me?”
“Y… yes.” The queen replied, caught completely off guard. She stood up and stepped from the table. “Follow me.”
Tina hopped off the chair and followed. The whole table, with the exception of Xerro, Pyre and Brute, stood as well. When Angeline looked at him questioningly, he mouthed, “I'll stay here” and flared his fingers to remind the princess of his curse.
Angeline nodded and mouthed, “probably for the best.”
The stench of rotted wheat from the grain silos was repulsive from a hundred yards out. Most of the group couldn't bear to walk a step further under the olfactory assault. Tina didn't even slow, walking up to the doors and already preaching, “fertility is more powerful than you imagine. It is the power of life itself. Its domain encompasses not only people but animals and plants. With Alyssa's grace I can purify food and drink, neutralize poisons as well as cure sickness and injury.” Once again the white staff of the little gnome struck the ground. The heart shaped jewel on top glowed with a soft pink light that spread across the ground in all directions. Instantly the stench of spoiled grain vanished and the aroma of fresh wheat wafted from the silo again. “Thank you Alyssa, may we ever be thankful of the bounty you supply our bellies.” She prayed.
“It is a miracle!” Gasped the queen.
The general bent down to the gnome, whispering, “how are you with grapes?”
Angeline turned to her mother, “and that is just the beginning. Pyre is a walking siege engine, Stelletta and Brute can show our soldiers how to fight against savage opponents, Tina will keep us safe and healthy and we haven't even scratched the surface of how useful Xerro can be. We can turn the tide of war, mother.”
“Yes,” Amberlynn agreed, with a tear in the corner of her eye. “Come my new friends, we shall find you rooms for each of you and tomorrow we shall be very busy.”
As the queen and the entourage departed, Tina eyed the princess, “Xerro's secret is not ours to tell.”
“I never said how he can be helpful.” Angeline replied to the diminutive priestess, “besides it was he who delivered you and your friends to us. I believe he is so much more than anyone thinks, but no one else seems to see it. Least of all himself.”
Tina was suddenly very serious. This change in demeanor gave Angeline the chills. “Fate hangs over that boy like a falling moon, threatening to destroy him and everything with him.” the tiny woman grabbed the hem of her skirt at the thigh with a trembling hand. “I've seen the darkness that follows him. Heard its voice in my head, and Alyssa help me, whatever it is, it is old and powerful and like nothing I have ever experienced. I am afraid for him. I'm afraid for us all.”
As he slept, once again he was forced to watch the others through his bars as he burned, she melted, he turned to stone, and he was eaten alive. The ground fell out from beneath him and he was swallowed by writhing black tendrils, slithering across every inch of skin. Once again tentacles pushed up his nostrils, down his throat, wormed their way behind his eyes, invading every orifice. That mind like a looming mountain pushed itself down on his consciousness, “I will have my subject back. My experiment will be completed. My masterpiece, my ultimate weapon. I am always with you, there is no escape, my project Xerro. We will begin this procedure examining the salinization of the antimagic at the cellular level…”
The oppressively heavy voice droned on. It was right. There was no reprieve. There was no escape. But then he remembered, he did escape. In body at least, but finally in mind as well, once. Deep in his nightmares, he remembered her. He remembered laying next to her. Sleeping peacefully. The monstrosity couldn't reach him. The voice receded “no. What is happening? What are you…?” And the wrenching, grasping, covetous tendrils fell away. He pictured her, lying in the curve of his body, soft, warm, sweet. The smell of her hair filled his memories, calmed his soul, and built a wall that kept out Kerkakelmak, and silenced that horror from his mind. He focused on her. Her memory, her love, and the beast could no longer worm his way in.
The next morning was busy, especially for Tina. The Priestesses of Amon had been seeing to the wounded soldiers that were rushed from the battlefield, but the little gnome attended citizens, livestock and even food stores, purifying and preserving food and water. Somehow she even found time to counsel those who lost people in this battle. All while the Kingsblade walked Pyre along the ramparts of the wall, showing him the areas of their defenses the lizards had been focusing on. The young mage delighted in dropping gouts of flames on the lizards attempting to scale the walls. In the meantime, Stelletta and Brute drilled the soldiers not actively skirmishing with the lizardmen. Magnus was shocked to watch three of his men knocked over by one swing from the club of the fur clad elf.
Before noon a young girl approached Tina. All smiles and glossy brown hair, she knelt before the gnome while she was arm deep in birthing a new baby lamb.
“I hear you are a priestess of Alyssa?” She practically squealed, “I am Abigail, Jimmy and I were set to be married by our regular priestess, but if you could see time to perform the ceremony, I mean having the actual blessing of Alyssa herself, well, that would mean our union would be extra special, right?”
Tina was unsure how the girl ended that tirade with any breath left in her. But she smiled back, covered in seminal fluid and nodded. “I'm sure I could find time. But I need to meet with you both first and weigh your love. Amon may marry just anybody, but a bond under Alyssa requires proving your love.”
The lamb slid out of her mother as the girl nodded enthusiastically, the smile on her face practically reaching each ear. “Of course, I am not worried for a moment, Jimmy and I loved each other as long as we can remember, we will pass any test.” The girl kissed the slimey cheek of the gnome before running off to find her fiancée, giggling like a maniac.
The little gnome priestess handed the lamb to the herdswoman. And wiped at the blood and fluids as she made her way to the pail of water. As she splashed her face and rubbed at her hands, someone handed her a rag. As she cleared the gore from her face, her vision cleared to see Xerro.
“You were right.” He began. “I had the nightmare again, but I thought of Melodie and it went away. The nightmare evaporated and I slept dreaming of her.”
She gave him a knowing kind of smile as she finished cleaning her arms. “Love is so much more powerful that anyone gives it credit. Love, when used right will move mountains, fell armies, and bring empires to the ground. It's why we live. It's what keeps us going when we have nothing left.” She tossed the dirty rag back to him, with a wink, “one day you will see. One day you will really experience what it is capable of.”
“Well it sure works well on bad dreams.” He said, with a half-hearted smile as they walked.
The concerned look that frightened Angeline returned to her eyes. “I worry those are not dreams, Xerro. I worry it is trying to find you. Find your mind and pull you back.” She took his hand in her tiny hand and placed the back of it gently on her forehead, “be careful my boy.”
“I have been careful.” The lad replied. “I have spent half my life being careful. And paranoid, and running. And she was the closest thing to a feeling of home I have ever felt.” His smile faded as the ache of her absence returned. “And now she is gone. So much for your prophesied one.”
Tina gave a small snort of a laugh, “prophecies are never simple, or clear. They are obtuse and contradictory until they happen and then they are too late to stop. I have seen many predictions in my years and many a person go mad fretting their details.”
Xerro's smile returned, “my many years.” He teased, “I know you never ask a lady her age, but how many years can that be Tina? To look at you, someone would think you to be a child.”
Her tiny, bell-like laughter peeled from her throat, “oh, sweetie. I have at least fifty years on you.”
The arrival of Tina and her troop of adventurers had been so beneficial to the kingdom the queen threw a feast when the sun set. Xerro watched from the ramparts as the lizardfolk pulled back to the town long before the sun touched the horizon. It reminded him of how he would move from a village long before he was discovered. They ran from night, like he ran from the wizard. Staying as far ahead of it as they could. Why? Pyre lobed balls of fire at the retreating lizards from further down the wall. At least he was enjoying his part.
Minstrels played while food and drink were everywhere. Xerro wandered the booths, it reminded him of the carnival in Adelphi where he and Melodie had danced. In fact many of the people here at the feast danced. It was disorganized and chaotic in stark contrast to the choreographed dancing at the carnival, but to Xerro it seemed even happier.
Angeline found him at a booth serving honey mead. She was dressed in a long blue dress that moved like it was completely composed of strips of silk, each flowing its own way when she turned and twirled. Her long white-blonde hair flowed mostly loose behind her, kept behind her ears by only her tiara. She looked more natural with it on than she did hiding it, pretending to not be a princess but just an impossibly beautiful girl wearing expensive clothes.
“Xerro!” She said as she practically bowled him over in a hug. “I've not seen you all day. I missed you.”
“Imagine how hard it will be when this siege is over and I have to leave for good.” He teased as he handed her a wooden cup with the mead.
Angeline pouted at his comment, taking the cup and sipping, sister Margriete had broken her completely of the quaffing of alcohol ever again, “Don't say that! You can stay as long as you like. You will forever be welcome in the kingdom of Amberwyben.”
“No, princess, you know I cannot.” He touched her chin, sad to be making her beautiful face droop, “The nightmares have returned, the wizard is still after me and I will not bring that monster's attention onto your kingdom.” He hugged her and felt her softness, so like the softness of Melodie. “The sooner we repel the lizard tribes the sooner I can move on and the safer your kingdom will be.”
“Fine!” she retorted, with her eyebrows raised as she took the cups and set them down. She took his hand in hers and walked away pulling him along. “While you are trapped here, you will at least dance with me.”
She dragged him into the dance floor and put his free hand around her waist. Her eyes burrowed sharply into his as she began to sway them both to the music. “Are you going to lead or will you be the lady for this dance?” She mocked.
Xerro rolled his eyes before hastening his steps until he was properly ahead of hers. And they danced and spun until their annoyed looks to each other became genuine smiles. And as her eyes softened and read his, she asked, “you miss her terribly, don't you?” His eyes fell away from hers and he nodded slightly. She laid her head on his shoulder as they moved, “Then you have my permission to imagine I am her, and feel again how you did in the holy city, dancing with my little soul sister.”
Wogan stood on the outer edge of the dance area. He was sipping on Magnus's coveted eleven ninety-seven the general had pulled out for the feast, and watching Xerro and his princess dance.
“If I didn't know better I'd think your claim was in danger.” The slight voice of Tina said from the area of his knee. She fluttered her lashes at him as he looked down at her. “You could at least offer a lady a drink.”
Wogan poured a cup of the eleven ninety-seven as she looked over at her other lovebirds at a table where Stelletta sat on the lap of Brute, tearing off chunks of food in her mouth and passing them to his with a kiss each time.
The Kingsblade handed her a cup and returned to watching Angeline. “Just go and dance with her already. What are you afraid of?” She said after a sip.
“I will not betray my oath.” Was his stern reply.
“Well, for six silver I can be her for a night.” She offered, nearly causing Wogan to choke on the wine. “I have a spell that will make me indistinguishable from her. It is one of the services in my repartee.”
“No… um thank you no.” He coughed out.
“Xerro didn't take me up on my offer either,” she pouted mockingly. “A girl can get insulted by so many rejections.”
“Tinamaria, you are very pretty,” Wogan began with a smile before again returning to stoicism, “but I could never do that to… her.”
“Then go to her. I promise you it is Alyssa's will.” She replied with the softness of a mother giving her son advice, “stop fighting it Wogan. Even Amon knows better than to get in my lady's way.” When he still seemed unmoved she doubled down, “for Alyssa's sake, how could you be any more motivated to protect her than 6if you are open and honest in your love for each other? Love is the greatest armor, and the most motivated defender. Trust me.”
Wogan closed his eyes. As always her image was burned into his vision like he stared at the sun. She filled his every thought, his every dream and his every waking moment. He sat down the cup and strode across the dance floor toward Angeline.
As he left a familiar girl ran up to Tina with a boy in a page's uniform in reluctant tow.
“Miss Tina, this is my Fiancée Jimmy.” Abigail said breathlessly.
Tina took both of their hands as Jimmy protested, “is this really necessary, I mean we already have the wedding arranged…”
Tina looked up at the couple as she listened for the song of Alyssa. “I can feel your love child, it is so strong.” But the smile faded as she looked at the lad. “But yours I can barely feel?”
Abigail was already on the verge of tears, “Jimmy, you don't... still… love me?”
“No child,” Tina interrupted, “it's there. Strong but buried under something. An enchantment of some sort.” Jimmy pulled his hand away, looking as if ready to bolt, “his love is screaming for you, but something strangles it.”
Wogan put his hand on Xerro's shoulder, when the two stopped he asked Xerro, even though eyes on Angeline, “may I cut in?”
Angeline's cheeks flushed immediately, trying to reach the color of Tina's hair, “Wogan?” She gasped, “what are you doing?”
Xerro smiled as he stepped away with a bow. Wogan took her hand and replied, “something long overdue,” as he pulled her to him.
The music suddenly stopped and trumpets sounded, followed by her mother's voice echoing across the yard from the steps of the castle. “Can I have everyone's attention?”
Wogan winced as the princess muttered, “no mother please, not now, not yet.” But both turned with a sigh to the queen and clapped with the crowd.
“Thank you,” she continued, waving down the applause, “I must proudly announce we lost no one in today's assault by the lizardmen. All wounded were healed, all spoiled or sabotaged supplies were recovered and we are confident by tomorrow we will have a plan to win definitively and end this siege forever. Now while you celebrate tonight the war council will meet and forge this plan. So before we pull some of them away can we get a round of applause for Miss Tina and her crew for all they have done.”
As the crowd clapped for the mercenaries, Angeline turned with a frown, “she didn't even mention Xerro.”
“To be fair, highness,” he replied, ”I haven't done anything.”
“Still you are a part of this.” She assured him.
“I'm fine with it, I promise.” He said, as he looked back up at the steps. In the blink of an eye, the steps changed from being occupied by only the queen and the musicians to include the hulking visage of General Kuss as well looming behind Queen Amberlynn. “Skite!” Hollered Xerro as he began to sprint to the steps.
The lizardman wrapped his arms around the queen and lifted her from the steps.
“Mother!” Angeline screamed as she now too noticed the sudden appearance of the reptilian general.
As unexpectedly as he appeared, he and the queen vanished from sight, leaving an astonished and quickly panicking crowd.
“Xerro!” He heard a familiar voice scream through the rising panic. Tina held on to a struggling Jimmy as he tried to flee. “Xerro, I need you.”
Wogan and Angeline passed behind him on their way to the stage as Xerro pivoted toward Tina. As he got close to the struggling gnome, the page she was clamped a hold of shook suddenly like he was struck by lightning and collapsed to the ground. Tina looked him over as his eyes fluttered open again.
“What happened?” He screamed, eyes now wide in surprise. “The last thing I remember was that lizard grabbed me when I reached the pile.”
“Jimmy,” wept Abigail, “that was five days ago.”
The gnome shook her head, “he's been under an enchantment. The sorcerer king has been controlling everything he's done. Spoiling the supplies, all the sabotage this whole time.”
“Xerro!” He turned a his name was called again. The four ran to the stage, Abigail supporting a woozy Jimmy, to Wogan who had been summoning Xerro.
The rug on the steps, where the queen had stood, had been pulled away, revealing a complex series of circles and inscriptions. “It’s a teleportation circle,” Xerro grimy confirmed, “I've seen one in magic texts.” He snatched up Jimmy's hand and pointed out the same color wax under his fingernails. “Jimmy here has been under an enchantment, by the sorcerer, for almost a week. He has been sabotaging supplies, defenses and he drew this circle so the sorcerer could pop Kuss in and out, kidnapping the queen.”
“I'm sorry,” pleaded Jimmy, “I didn't want to. You have to believe me, princess. Please.”
“It's ok,” she said sweetly, “I believe you.” she hugged the boy, turning to Xerro and whispering, “I take it your proximity snapped him out of it?” She received a confirmatory nod. “Now what?”
“Look under every rug and behind every tapestry in the castle. Look for any other arcane marks.” He replied.
Angeline looked about at the guards and servants, “you heard him! Go!” She barked, sending the help scurrying.
She turned to Wogan. He could see the pain and the tears barely held back in her eyes. “Let's get you inside princess.” He said taking her hand and placing his other on the small of her back. “And to your room so you can weep out of sight.” He added with a whisper as they walked to the palace.
“Not for too long,” she whispered back, “I need to convene a council, and deal with the abduction of my mother.”
Four figures, barely human, stood by the stone. Light shone from the first as the flames licked about its body. The second stood stoically, towering over the rest. The third wrapped itself around the second like a serpent, laying its end almost lovingly on the chest of the second. The second's arm moved with the sound of stone grinding on stone, to place what passed for a hand on what passed for a head of the third. The fourth simply stood there, a constantly vibrating blurr, buzzing in the dim light cast off by the first.
“Master, we have found it.” The first crackled in a voice like a bonfire.
“Excellent, Primus.” The voice in his head replied, cold and dark and deep. “Bring it to me, immediately!”
“Duos, dig it up!” The first commanded, “and stop that at once!” immediately the third uncoiled from the second, returning to a more humanoid shape with a sound like a running river.
“Apologies, Primus.” The third replied with a bubbling, almost feminine voice that sounded like it was made of the falling of water droplets.
With thundering steps the second strode to the stone and with a swipe of its hand the dirt parted like the sea.
“You know how much the Master hates that, Thrace.” The constant buzz of the fourth rose and fell in pitch to form words.
“Don't you ever feel lonely, Quartus?” The third bubbled.
“Alone?” The fourth buzzed, raising the constantly moving bits that mimicked arms before what passed for its face, “I am never alone!”
The second reached onto the rent in the earth and picked up what was unveiled.
“What the Master wants with such a fragile thing I have no idea,” remarked the first. “Let us be off.”
The four made their way through the wood, burning, smashing, sloshing and buzzing through whatever got in their way, unconcerned with anything other than the will of the Master.