Chapter Eight: Castor's Plan

Chapter Eight

Castor’s Plan

        The first rays of sunlight were peeking over the top of Stonegate Mountain, lighting up the leaves on the trees, and dappling the forest floor in light. The nocturnal creatures that lived in the wood shuffled back into the shadows, and deep in the mines Castor puzzled over how to approach the elves. The plan was complete, but it could not be put into action until the elves were in agreement.

        “Alright, that’s it. I have to go to the duel tomorrow. They hate him as much as you do, don’t they?”

        Almost at once had Castor found a loophole in the Lion Prince’s request. He had said any one weapon of his choice, and no human being could accompany Castor. The obvious solution was to go to the dwarves and the elves. They were not human beings. Morin had convinced Gamling easily to help him, and he had convinced the other dwarves while Castor and Morin planned. But the elves, the most vital part of their plan, were going to be harder to convince.

        “Exactly. They don’t want to be stuck with him for all eternity. What have the humans sacrificed for them? Why should they make life better for you people?” Morin replied.

        “Well we’ll never know if we don’t try. I’m going to go ask them,” Castor said briskly, and marched out of the mines. Arriving back at the base of Stonegate mountain, he turned again to the magical map. Counting over to the third oak on the elves side, he pushed the large knot and a curtain of vines fell away, leading him into a beautiful wonderland.

        A clear blue stream gurgled through the soft, mossy ground. Sunlight shining through the trees dappled the forest floor with leafy shadows. Birds sang and a light breeze rustled the branches. Three tall beings approached him.

        “Shadowheart,” Castor bowed in respect.

        The tall figure would make you think it was human, until you looked up and saw that it’s ears were pointed. And if you looked carefully at its clothing, you could tell that they were wearing long branches and leaves.

        The king of the elves bowed to Castor in turn. He was flanked by Everstone and Everglade, brother elves.

        “Castor,” Shadowheart greeted him. Everstone and Everglade nodded to Castor, keeping their eyes down. They had shared many inside jokes with the quartermaster, but it would be inappropriate to laugh in front of their leader.

        “What brings you here today?” Shadowheart asked in his deep voice.

        “I have something to ask of you. A kind of favor,” Castor chose his words carefully, seeing how Shadowheart’s face had become more guarded. “The Lion Prince-,” the elves scowled and scoffed at the name,”-he requested a duel with me.” Castor waited for their reaction.

        Everstone and Everglade merely snickered, knowing the Prince would stand know chance, but Shadowheart lifted his chin defiantly.

        “I do not see how this concerns us. We are not fighters. We have taught you what we know.”

        “Of course!” Castor was nervous now. “You are not fighters - and that is very noble. I am not here to ask you to fight. I am here,” he coughed,” to ask you to stop the fighting. Stop the Lion Prince. Come with me to my duel, take him prisoner so that none will have to fight him again,” he looked up at the tall elf hopefully.

        “Very well,” Shadowheart answered slowly, “We will consider your request.”

        He nodded and the three of them turned away. Castor knew this to mean he was dismissed. He walked back out and the veil of vines hid the secret of the elves once again. Going back to the elves quickly, he told them of the encounter and they began to prepare him a weapon.

~

        Ange left Robin with the six children to ride into town and find Castor. The night before had been interesting. They had learned that Melina and Moreno had been the Lion Prince’s personal slaves, and Robin was right in thinking they would need to hide them.

        “We heard many things. They fetched us back every time we tried to escape so we couldn’t let any of his secrets slip,” Melina had said.

        Ange had sent Hawthorn to Lia and Camden to tell them they were leaving, and all about Prince Calleo. Lia had come at once to say good-bye, and explained that she would stay in Modet so if their was any news of the Lion Prince, the travelers could hear it.

        Now Ange was riding towards the Taining Folk’s camp and she saw Fablen, Mabel and Firethorn talking. She could see the love sickness in Firethorn’s eyes even from here, but Mabel was oblivious to it. She rode up to them.

        “Have any of you seen Castor?” she asked. “I need to talk to him about something.” Now she dismounted her horse.

        “We don’t know where he is. We haven’t seen him since the Lion Prince sent messengers to request a duel,” Mabel said apologetically. “Why?”

        Ange stepped down off her horse and told the story of the prince and princess.

        “And Castor is the best person to go to to appeal to the creatures and find a good hiding place,” Firethorn finished for her. Then he turned to Mabel. “My stories were right then! Told you I have a reliable source!” he teased.

        Mabel rolled her eyes playfully.

        “Well it has been three days. Castor should be back after the duel,” Fablen pointed out.

        “The duel,” Ange said. “I thought I heard that if Castor didn’t go, the prince wouldn’t be set free. Well does he know that our prince is here, safe and sound?”

        “No one knows where he went. No one could send a messenger,” Mabel pointed out. “All we can do is wait for him to come home.”

        So much waiting.

        “Well, thank you for your help. I guess I should go tell Calleo, and then go home and help Robin,” Ange remounted her horse, and with one last smile, she rode away.

Chapter Seven: More News for the Lion Prince

The Lion Prince was pacing back in forth in front of his throne. At the other end of his hall stood Asher, Rojo, Apoldo, and Leuf. They were staring at their master in fear, breathing hard from the run back to the fortress.  Castor and his bride had escaped their clutches. Behind them had run a young girl that Asher thought he recognized from one of the villages he prowled around on night watch. Losing yet another who had once lived in the shadow of the Lion Prince’s castle did nothing to ease his anger. “How-could-you-let them escape?!” he bellowed. “M-my lord-” Asher stuttered. “Silence!” the Prince yelled. “Now leave me, while I try to figure out how to fix your abhorrent blunder. Wait in the entrance hall. You will be punished.” His voice shook with anger and his face was a deeper maroon than his throne. The four men turned and walked hurriedly out of the room, closing the door behind them. From their secret hiding place above the window in the throne room, Melina and Moreno exchanged a smile. They had been dismissed when he men showed up, and had ran outside to where they always went when they thought they would hear something important. They climbed the stone on the wall, familiar with the places where there could be footholds. Above one of the throne room windows was a crevice; thin enough so they could shimmy in and not be seen, and deep enough for them both. Then they could hear what was going on inside. Prince Calleo had escaped. It was finally time for them to succeed in the same thing. ~ This time Ange entered a quiet house, she checked and her daughters were sleeping peacefully. All except Sage. Her brownie, Hawthorn, was lighting the candles on Sage’s desk when Ange came in. “She can’t talk. Her voice is gone. I think we need Robin.” Hawthorn said this as Ange came in. So that was why it was so quiet when she came in. She went over to Sage. And felt her forehead. She had a fever. “I’m hot mama,” Sage whispered. “Shhhh, sweetheart, I know. Robin’s going to come and make you all better.” Then she looked at Hawthorn. “I need you to go to Robin’s. Try any way you can to wake her up. Don’t leave until she will come with you. Tell her Sage was coughing, now lost her voice, and has a fever. Tell her she had colts foot. Can you do that? We need her, you’re right.” Hawthorn nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said. And scurried out the door. For the next couple hours Ange fussed over Sage, bringing her water to drink, putting a cool cloth on her forehead, but nothing helped. She hoped Robin would be there soon with a cure. ~ Hawthorn slipped under Robin’s door and ran, breathing heavily, to her bed, and climbed up. First he tried slapping her hand to wake her, which wouldn’t hurt because he was so tiny. When that didn’t work, he pinched her nose between his little hands, and her eyes flashed open. He backed away. “Hawthorn! What are you doing here at this hour? Ange knows all the herbs, she knows to help herself,” Robin said in that beautiful voice. Hawthorn relayed his message. By the time he was done, he was on Robin’s shoulder and Robin and May were mounting their horse. “Colts foot?” Robin asked as she lifted May up behind her. “All the colts foot in my garden died. Where did she get it?” “The palace gardens,” Hawthorn squeaked. Robin nodded. They raced down the dark streets so fast that Hawthorn, clinging tight to the fabric of Robin’s dress, was practically flying along. His hands clinging to her dress were the only part of him still attached to Robin’s shoulder. They were almost there when May said, “Mommy, stop! Look!” She pointed with her little finger at a shadowed, skinny alley way, where to children were cowering  with fear in their eyes. Robin set a disgruntled Hawthorn down on May’s shoulder, and went to them. “Who are you?” she asked. When they backed away she said, “I won’t hurt you. But you shouldn’t be out at this time of night. Where did you come from?” The boy spoke up. “Olvia,” he whispered. “We were slaves- for him.” The girl nodded, and pulled her brother forward, towards Robin. “We heard-that your prince escaped. We did too.” “Calleo? He escaped?” Robin asked, shocked. They nodded. “What are your names?” she asked. “I’m Melina, this is Moreno. Will you help us?” The girl again. Robin nodded. “I’m going to visit a friend. I’m a healer. You can come if you’d like. I can get you all cleaned up.” When they nodded and thanked her, they mounted the horse with May. This time Robin stayed on the ground, leading the horse to Ange’s house. When she got there, she helped them all down and knocked. “Oh Robin, thank goodness you’re here! Sage needs you, she’s so sick, I don’t know what to-” The flow of Ange’s words stopped as she saw Melina and Moreno. She looked questioningly at Robin, but said nothing, just ushered them all inside. Melina and Moreno looked at the room in awe, as if they had never seen anything so wonderful. It was sparsely furnished and not very large, but this had never mattered to Ange and didn’t seem to bother the two of them either. “I don’t mean to be selfish, but Sage really is very sick. Robin, if you could tend to her first-,” she turned to Melina and Moreno, “-you two wouldn’t mind would you?” When they shook their heads, Ange nodded in thanks and led Robin up to Sage’s room. “I wouldn’t have sent Hawthorn to you, only she’s gotten worse and I don’t know what else to do.” When they entered Sage’s room, she was laying in her bed with the covers kicked off, and  her face was flushed from the fever. Robin opened the small saddle bag she had brought with her. She handed Ange a small sprig of mint. “Give it to her when she wakes. It should help cool her off a bit,” she said still looking into the saddle bag. “Make sure she always has cool water to drink, and though she’s hot she’ll need to stay under the covers and get plenty of rest.” Ange nodded as put the mint on Sage’s bedside, then lifted her back into the bed, tucked her in, and brought water. Robin replaced the compress on her forehead. “That should be all she needs for the fever. If it’s normal it will run itself out and she’ll be better. When she wakes up, find out how her throat is and call me. Then I’ll see what I can do.” Ange nodded. “Who are the children downstairs?” Robin closed the door. “I found them in an alleyway on the way here. Their names are Melina and Moreno. They said they were slaves for the Lion Prince, and escaped when they heard Calleo did. Did he?” Ange nodded again. “I saw him. He’s staying with Ameline and Solin. They have a beautiful baby girl and a maid from Olvia. They won’t be here long. In fact, I was going to ask you to watch the girls while I went to find Castor; he’ll know where to hide them and the Prince can’t go find him himself, but with to more on your hands-” Robin held up her hand. “By finding a hiding place good enough for a Prince, you’ll be doing me a favor in return for watching all of them,” she said. Ange cocked her head, looking puzzled. “Well with two of the Lion Prince’s escaped slaves I can’t stay in my house can I? They could just barge right in and find them. I’ll ask Prince Calleo if I could accompany them. I’ve helped him before, I’m sure he could use a good healer.” “If you go, I go too. You’re my best friend, we go together. Now, let’s go get those two cleaned up.”

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The Prince’s Story

Glandias rode the whole way home clinging to Ange’s shoulder. Almost as soon as they set out, they had crossed paths with another. Lia had nearly crashed into them, and set Ange’s heart beating fiercely.
“I’m sorry!” Lia had said when she got her breath back. “You said you would send a brownie when you got home safely, and when you didn’t I just had to come check on you!”
“Oh!” Ange put a shocked hand to her mouth. “I completely forgot! Glandias here was waiting at home with a message for me. I can’t tell you here what it was, but it’s good news, very good news! I promise, tomorrow my brownie will be at the castle kitchens asking for you and I’ll explain everything.”
“You better. Or I won’t wait, I’ll come looking for you myself again. Now I must get back to Castro.”
She turned her horse and rode the other way. When they arrived, Ange knocked on the door and it was opened by a nervous looking Solin.
“Oh Ange, come in, come in.”
“Why so wary looking?” Ange asked as she handed him her cloak.
“We’re housing the Prince. If one of the Lion Prince’s men came knocking...”
He shuddered.
“This way.”
He ushered her in to the next room, where Castor, Evette, Devon, Rachel, and Amaline were sitting. They were talking and the the clothes on the royal family were dirty and torn up, if she didn’t know better, Ange would think there was no royalty sitting there. When she walked in, they all looked up.
“Ange! It’s so good to see you!”
Ameline stood up off her chair and gave Ange a hug.
“Ange.”
Calleo greeted her. They had met in the castle when she was working.
“This is my wife Evette, our baby daughter Devon, and Rachel, who came from a village by Luan Manor. She’s Evette’s maid.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ange nodded at each of them.
Rachel nodded shyly, and Evette smiled warmly at her, and stood up to let Ange get a better look at baby Devon. To Ange, the way they treated Rachel made it seem like she was a daughter, not a maid. She even seemed to be dressed in clothes from the castle Calleo had smuggled her, like Princess Evette herself. Glandias walked onto Solin’s palm, and he sat him down on the desk next to a small bowl of milk.
“Have a seat, Ange. Calleo and Evette were just explaining to me what happened on their way here.”
Ange sat on another chair in the room, across from where Calleo and Evette were sitting in the couch. Solin pulled up a chair next to Amaline.
“So what happened? Why are all your clothes so dirty and torn up?” Ange inquired curiously.
“Well we were telling Amaline and Solin,” Castor began, “About how we had a little run-in with a troll on the way here.”
“It was awful. We were almost across the little rickety bridge that the troll lives under when it snapped and I almost fell in. Rachel saved Devon; she caught her when she slipped out of my arms. Castor saved me. They were both wonderful,” Evette looked at them with love in her eyes. Rachel looked down and blushed, but Ange could see her smile. Castor caressed her cheek lovingly. Then he continued.
“And it all would have been fine if the troll hadn’t been angry that we woke him up. He made all sorts of noise and the Lion Prince’s men came after us. I fought some, and we ran, but now he surely knows of our escape.”
Suddenly everyone was quiet. Evette motioned for Rachel to sit on the couch next to her, as if closer together they could be safer. Glandias stopped licking milk off his fingers. Solin pulled Amaline closer to him, and Ange started thinking.
“So you’ll need a place to hide. I think we all know who to go to for that one.”
Calleo, Ameline, and Solin looked at Ange.
“Castor,” they said in unison.
A look of comprehension came to all their faces, while Rachel and Evette looked confused.
Ange nodded. She turned to Amaline and Solin.
“You explain. Get them ready. I’ll go check on my daughters, and when morning comes I will find Castor.”
She got up and left.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The Brownie’s Message

“I must go back to my daughters. Thank you for all your help,” Ange said as she rose to leave. She was now much calmer, and thanks to the young maids working in the kitchen, her pocket was full of coltsfoot.
“I’ll go with you,” Lia said. “I need to get back to my husband.”
“It’s too far. You can’t go that far by yourself.”
Lia sat back down.
“Thank you. I’ll send a brownie messenger when I get home.”
She smiled unconvincingly and turned to leave. Ange hurried out so they wouldn’t see her tears and hear her heart pounding. She left her daughters at home n this of all nights. The Lion Prince’s men were roaming in the dark. The Prince was missing. She ran to the stable an retrieved her horse, mounted and spurred it on, taking the shortest route she knew.
“Mama, mama!” Ange had just  burst through the door, and she sagged with relief as her daughters came running up. Sage coughed. She looked paler and weaker than before. Ange scooped her up an went into her bedroom.
“Mom-my,” Sage coughed.
“Shhhh. We’re gonna get you all better.”
“But-”
“Mommy!” Delphina yelled. “Glandias is here. Solin’s brownie! He has a message for you.”
Jenna held out her hand. A small thumb-length creature dressed in rags was sitting there, panting.
“Glandias! Whats wrong? Are Amaline and Solin okay?”
Amaline and Solin were some of Ange’s other friends that lived in Modet. Solin earned his living as a scribe in the market place. It was typical for him to have brownie to stir his ink, and tend his candles when he stayed up late at night finishing letters.
“It’s the Prince! Prince Calleo! He’s with Amaline and Solin. So are his wife, her maid, and their daughter. They decided it isn’t safe to go back to the castle. They will hide with the  Taining Folk. Only a trusted few will know!”
“Thank you for coming straight away!” Ange said. “Would you like some milk?”
“Yes please, thank you m’am.”
Ange returned with a few drops of milk. Glandias licked them up greedily.
“I must tend to Sage, then I can take you back.”
“Oh mommy, mommy! Can’t we come to? I want to see the baby!”
“Maybe next time Jenna, my darling. I’m sure now the Prince and Princess are very tired. They probably don’t want guests right now. Now run along back to bed, you too Delphina, and go back to sleep I’ll be back soon.”
Jenna’s face drooped, but she nodded and ran down the hall to her room with Delphina. Sage coughed again and climbed into bed, chewing the herbs her mother had brought back. Ange fussed over  Sage and tucked her in. Kissing her forehead she said, “If you need more colts foot, it’s on your desk, as well as a glass of warm milk. Try to sleep.”
Sage nodded sleepily and put her head down on her pillow, eye lids already drooping. Ange turned once again to Glandias, who was now sitting on the desk. Hands on her hips, she sighed.
“Shoulder or pocket?”

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The Prince’s Escape

In a rush of black with not even the moon to guide the way, Prince Cand his new bride Evette darted around another corner. She stopped to catch her breath though he was still practically dragging her along.

“We mustn’t stop Evette. He’ll send his lions after us. And surely you know about the manticores.”

“I need to check on my baby, Calleo. If she starts crying they’ll be after us for sure,” She whispered back. “Come here Devon,” she cooed to the little baby and carefully took her out of Rachel’s arms.

Rachel was the young girl Calleo had rescued from the harsh villages around Luan Manor. She had dark brown hair, with light blonde highlights running through it from all the hours in the sun. She had green eyes that had a mysterious sparkle about them and the bridge of her nose was dappled in light freckles. When she smiled her teeth were near perfect.

Evette shook her red hair away from her face as she looked down at Devon’s face and smiled. You could see the love painted onto every inch of her face. Evette had a beauty that had a way of making people look at her and smile. Her eyes, surrounded by laugh lines, seemed to dance. The tips of her mouth were always twitching, as if they wanted to smile all the time.

Calleo came up behind her and was about to say again that they needed to move, but then he looked down into his daughter’s face and stopped. He tickled her belly and kissed his Princess’s cheek, and went over to whisper to Rachel.

“We’ll let her hang on to the baby a bit longer. You’ve been wonderful, but a mother gets attached to her child.”

He took the lead once again, moving more quickly this time to ensure they got out safely. When they had slipped around the last corner and the fortress was a silhouette behind them, Calleo allowed everyone a short break to breathe. They still had to work their way through the grounds, and tread carefully through the Wishful Wood before they made it into Modet, and then to the castle.

Rachel took Devon back into her arms, right after giving Princess Evette a slight once over to make sure she had no cuts or scratches that needed to be taken care of.

Then they were off again. Once they entered the Wishful Wood, Calleo turned to be sure they knew to be quiet. While the wood was beautiful, the side nearest the Lion Prince’s land was quite dangerous for young travelers at night. Evette took Devon from Rachel once again, and held her fiercely, so that Rachel could take care of herself. Evette had come to love Rachel as another daughter, and would protect her as much as the beautiful baby in her arms. Devon had clear blue eyes like her father, they were like rivers with millions of secrets swimming in them.

The dirt road led up to a rickety wooden bridge. In many places the wood appeared rotten, and the stench coming off the water was unbearable. This was because of the trolls that lived there. They had hair and beards like dirty moss, and long curved nails with dirt embedded under them.

Calleo stepped forward with his sword out. Slowly, he walked forward, motioning to the others to do the same. With no trouble, they began to cross the bridge.

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Waiting

The abandoned streets of Modet now held limp streamers lying on the cobblestones. The prince had not yet returned. Darkness had fallen and turned the market tents into strange shapes and shadows in the night. Down in one house a small child was coughing. Candles created a warm glow as Sage called her mother into her bedroom. Ange hustled to her youngest daughter. Delphina and Jenna were asleep in their room, and Sage needed tending to. Stopping in the herb cabinet on the way down the small hallway, she saw they had nothing that would clear Sage’s chest. Entering her room, she saw Sage sitting up with tears streaming down her face. Though young, Sage already had long, black hair. Her green eyes were like whispering grass, and her skin was normally a smooth olive shade, though now pale and splotchy. Sage was only six, Jenna ten, and Delphina twelve. Delphina and Jenna had the same color hair as Sage, the difference being theirs was in curls. They had pretty, delicate faces, similar to china dolls, but much more lifelike, with a slight flush in their cheeks, and dimples that showed when they smiled.

“Hush, sweetie. It’s going to be all right. We’ll get you all better. Go and wake your sisters. Tell them to watch you until I get back from Robin’s,” she said as she fussed over her youngest daughter.

Sage sniffled and nodded as she ran down the hall wrapped in her oversized quilt. After one last look around the room, which contained a small bed, now missing the worn quilt, and a chipping wooden desk tucked in the corner, which was covered in scrap fabric of the prettiest colors that Sage loved to look at, she was off. Picking up a lantern on her way out the door, Ange climbed on her horse and rode down the lane.

Robin had been Ange’s best friend for as long as she could remember. Robin was a healer who lived in the fields around The Castle of Modet. She had cropped brown hair, short so that it wouldn’t get in her way when she tended the gardens. Her chocolate eyes were always bright and full of life. She had a young daughter, May. She looked just like her mother, and acted just like her too. She was even learning her way around the world of plants.

Ange saw that the coltsfoot was not growing by the door as usual. Robin had shown her the plants growing in her garden, and told her what they could do. She had told her to help herself when she needed to, but if none was left, the only other place to go were the palace gardens. She sighed, and remounted her horse, galloping off back into Modet.

Ange’s heart was pounding as she turned the corner towards the castle. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt hands pulling her off her horse. She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered and she was pushed back against the nearest cold, hard wall. She could not see her attacker, but his smelly breath was in her face as he growled,

“Where are you going this time of night? Don’t you have children?”

The moonlight glinted off his chest and she caught a glimpse of the golden manticore on his chest.

“N-no”, she stammered and gulped, trying hard to breathe.

He shoved her away roughly, and she fell onto the ground, whacking her cheek on a stone. She sat up gasping, and gingerly feeling her hurt face as she watched him ride off.

Ange scrambled up and tied her horse to a nearby post. She was right outside the servants entrance to the castle. She had some friends who could help her get cleaned up. Still shaking, she walked in and collapsed into a chair.

“Ange!” Lia shrieked when she saw the red marks on her neck, and the bruise on her cheek. “What happened?”

A young servant girl that Ange had never seen before rushed up with a bag of ice and Ange pressed it gratefully onto her face.

“Sage is sick. I needed coltsfoot from the gardens, and I was attacked by one of the Lion Prince’s men. I don’t know why they’re here. I don’t know how many, I only saw the one.”

All movement in the kitchen stopped, and everyone stared. Lia swore under her breath, and Ange looked confused.

“The prince and princess were supposed to slip back in tonight. We were all preparing for it, but they must have been found out somehow,” Lia explained.

The mood in the kitchen was suddenly frigid, as if even the dishes were on edge. Everyone nervously sat or paced, because all they could do was wait.

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

News for the Lion Prince

Melina stared at the dirty floor with hatred, as if it could inflict those feelings on its owner when he walked over it. The Lion Prince sat eating in the corner, her brother standing next to him with a tray of delicacies. They had the same brown hair and fair skin. She dunked the sponge again into the soapy water, and kept scrubbing, though her hands were sore and raw. Asher walked in. She hated him almost as much as the Prince, as he liked to be called, though no real royal blood ran through his veins. He ruled through fear, only through fear.

“My Prince,” he said.

The Lion Prince glanced up and beckoned him closer. He threw down the meat that could have fed all of the poor towns around his fortress, and waved Moreno away like a fly.

“Calleo was seen riding in this morning. Our spies have said he was going to the closest southern village to take his bride away with him.”

“Yes. I heard he has been visiting her for quite some time now. Seems our noble counterpart thinks he is invincible. Let him go. I’ll get my revenge soon enough.”

Asher nodded and turned to leave when the Lion Prince called him back.

“Asher. You’ve always hated Rojo. Wouldn’t want him to wind up with more authority around here than you, would you? Being bossed around by the same man who once followed you around like a puppy.”

And with that he summoned Moreno back to his side to resume stuffing himself. Asher walked out hurriedly with his head lowered, and it was all Melina could do not to make him slip on a few suds as he marched past.

Asher looked up with malice in his eyes. Rojo. Curse him. He slunk up behind him, unsuspected in the dark, and put a knife to his throat.

“Don’t get any foolish ideas in your head, you hear me?” he whispered menacingly into Rojo’s ear. “Or I might have some ideas of my own.”

He roughly pulled his knife back and shoved him out of his way.

~

Castor walked over to Mabel, Fablen, and Firethorn. Firethorn laughed at the expression on Castor’s face.

“You don’t get tired of beating him, do you?” he asked, cuffing him on the shoulder. “You may come off slightly grumpy, but you like it.”

“That’s enough outta you,” he said to Firethorn, and shook his head. I just don’t understand. Why is he always knocking at my door so much?”

“He just wants to make a name for himself, they all do,” Mabel said. “Beating you is the best way to do it.”

They were silenced by hoof beats thundering through the air. The clanging of swords met their ears, and tremors of fear went through their hearts as they realized who was riding into their square.

Asher, the Lion Prince’s right hand man, was looking down at them from his majestic horse.

What a shame that something so beautiful had to be a ride for someone so horrible, Fablen thought.

Asher was flanked by Rojo, the best knife thrower in the Lion Prince’s service, and Aria, who was the most handy with a sword. Rojo unrolled a scroll, and it was apparent from Asher’s face he did not like that he wasn’t the one to deliver their master’s important message.

“This is the Lion Prince’s request. A duel with the quarter master of Modet, the best that Boreal has to offer.”

He looked pleased with the reaction, though Rojo always seemed smug.

A hush had fallen over the crowd that had been laughing excitedly just a minute ago as they watched just that, a duel. Only that duel had been for fun, just between friends.

“He will be waiting at dawn, in three days, on the bridge leading to Olvia. Castor is to come alone, no human being may accompany him, with any one weapon of his choice. Come, or never see your prince again.”

With one last look around, the men-at-arms turned and rode back towards where they had come. Fablen turned to Castor before realizing he wasn’t there. Slipping away like the wind was something else Castor was good at, though he never did it in a time of danger. Castor was the opposite if a coward, not one to run away from a fight.

Fairies fluttered along the edge of the wood, turning the lime green leaves into a rainbow. Fairies were fascinating between the way they could remember a name or face for years, and were among the smartest of all, though some thought them to be quite vain. They lived near the pools and Wishing Wells in the Wishful Wood. They could spend as long staring at their reflections as they could remember a person’s features.

The pools they would sit by looked as if you could jump through them into another world. The tall grasses seemed to whisper to you, lure you in towards the rocks piled on the sides that were rich shades of red.

The fairies were not the only fascinating creatures in Boreal, however. There were brownies, trolls, giants, dwarves, philly phantoms, and more.

The brownies would sometimes live in the wild, but usually they lived in peoples houses, in old fairy nests, or crooks and crannies. They would stir ink and tend to the candles-lighting them, putting them out, trimming the wick.

Brownies were no larger then mice. They were about as tall as one of your fingers and could stand in the palm of your hands. They wore patchwork clothes, made out of whatever they found while they were working.

Scribes would usually own brownies. They would have them stir their ink, sharpen their quills.

They were known for their sarcastic attitudes, and they were always trying to get food out of their families- they loved what wasn’t good for them. Brownies were also talented spies, as they were barely noticeable, and could slip under doors and cracked windows unnotticed. They would also send messages, they just had to be careful because they were so tiny.

The dwarves lived up in Stonegate Mountain, where they could mine without being disturbed. They had abandoned their old caves long ago, when people began to inhabit Modet. Now they stayed far north of all the life; the only other creature they were close to was the elves. The elves lived in the valley below the mountain, and they were scarcely ever seen. You could only find their home if you knew where it was, it was not the kind of thing you just stumbled upon. They lived on the more welcoming side of the Wishful Wood, and this was where Castor was headed. He would need the dwarves help, along with the elves.

He reached the stone gate at the foot of the mountain. He knew from his years of training with the elves that this was just one of their camouflage tricks. They were very solitary creatures.

The gate appeared to be crumbling in some places, and vines and moss had began to take it over. Castor knew that if he murmured the right words, he would be able to pass through and see everything the way it really was. If he said the wrong thing, he would turn around wondering what he was doing there. A few whispered words and he was through, turning around to see a magnificently carved stone gate. It was adorned with stone flowers and fairies and the symbol of the dwarves on one side and the elves on another. To those who knew how to read it, this gate was a map of the world inside the mountain.

Where the dwarves’ symbol lay was the direction to the entrance of their caves, hidden almost as well as this map. The symbol next to theirs showed a pile of rocks with one disguised crevice that would lead you inside.

The other direction would take you to the elves. The symbol on their side showed an aging tree, which to the inexperienced eye would think matched all the others, but had an exaggerated knot that could reveal all to you if pressed the right way.

Even these were not given to the person who could pass through the gates. No, they were secretive, the elves especially. They were disguised with leaves and branches, carefully placed by the elves to look like decoration, hiding the intricate map that the dwarves had created in their mine. It was an effort of teamwork, but nothing could fool Castor, who had been there when it was built.

He had been a young boy when his parents died in the fire that burned down their silversmiths shop. He had run away from Modet, promising his younger siblings he would come back one day able to defend them from anything. He had had the instinct to find the dwarves, who taught them all they knew, and from there had gone to anyone who would teach him anything. Now he was the quarter master of Boreal, friend of Prince Castor, and respected by all who knew his name. So different from the day he had watched wide eyed as they had assembled this masterpiece.

He quickly turned left, towards the caves. After pushing his way inside, Castor navigated through the tunnels almost as well as the dwarves themselves.

“Ah. Castor. The great and revered quarter master of Boreal. Whose stone spear heads can survive anything.”

“Morin!” Castor wheeled around and his face broke into a relieved grin. He ran towards the dwarf who had been like a father to him after the accident.

“No, no. I haven’t changed. Keep your human hands to yourself, I won’t even shake it.”

Castor let his hand drop.

“So how have you been?” he asked, studying the stubby beard and friendly smile lines.

“Oh, fine. I’ve heard the Lion Prince has been getting more ambitious. A duel, with you? Hah, let him try,” was Morin’s contemptuous response. The Lion Prince was hated by all, far and wide.

“But that’s just the thing. If I beat him, it will only infuriate him more. He doesn’t like being humiliated.”

“I see, you’ve come for advice. Or help. Which is it?”

“Both. I have a plan that I think can work, but I need your help. And the elves.”

Morin sighed and turned to look Castor in the face.