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.”