Tickling the Dragon's Tail

  Nevin put his hands gently on her shoulders and asked. “What did he mean, ‘Don’t hold back’?”

  “I guess he means I should tell you about the ring.”

  “The ring?”

  “King Lucan entrusted me with this ring.” She pulled out a large gold ring with a hexagonal face. One large red stone was surrounded by several smaller stones, also red.

  “That is quite a piece of jewelry. Are these stones rubies?” When Corissa indicated she did not know, Nevin asked, “Is there some significance to this ring?”

  “There must be. The King said it had been in his family since the days of Adel and has some sort of prophecy or augury associated with it.”

  “Like what?”

  “Lucan said that it was supposed to be used if Adel’s sons ‘fell to enmity.’ It has something to do with ‘enhancing the light of day’ and ‘opening the door of communication between his sons.’ I do not think he knew more than that.”

  “Who was this Adel?”

  “He was a great ruler, some say more than a king, who supposedly practiced high magic. In his time, Antrim and Gilsum were one land. The land was eventually divided for rule by his two sons, who were the forebears of Lucan and Meire.”

  “You mean that these kings are related?”

  “Yes, but nothing is made of it. What do you think about the ring, Nevin? Do you think it has magic properties? Can we use it to help us?”

  “Well, I hope you’re not disappointed, Corissa, but I don’t think it is much more than a pretty piece of jewelry. The stones are large and they may be rubies, but they are not very bright; they look more like industrial quality stones. I would guess that Lucan gave it to you as a token to verify your role as his emissary. Like a letter of introduction.”

  “I suppose you are right, Nevin. Lucan only said to protect it from loss and use it when it seemed propitious.” Corissa took the ring back and heaved a sigh, “What are we to do now?”

  “Like Hillister said, we have plans to make. Let’s find Orris.”

  Chapter 11

  Rescue

  “There’s the boat,” Nevin whispered, “Just where Hillister said it would be.”

  Nevin scrambled down the riverbank and examined the rowboat. In the pre-dawn dark, it was difficult to see how seaworthy a vessel it was. Orris and Corissa soon joined him and threw their parcels in bow of the boat.

  “Do you think we can handle this craft, Sir Nevin?” asked Orris.

  “It’s built for two oarsmen and there are three of us, so we should be all right,” answered Nevin. “As long as it doesn’t leak.”

  “Do you think we can trust that High Mage not to lead us to a leaky boat?” asked Orris suspiciously.

  “Come on, Orris. I don’t know what to make of Hillister, either, but I think he is trying to help us the best way he can. What do you think, Corissa?”

  “I think we will know more about his trustworthiness when we reach the middle of the river.”

  The trio discussed their strategy to get the boat quickly away from the shore and let the current take them further downstream. When the current slowed to a manageable pace, they would make for the far side well away from the army encampment. Corissa asked about the danger from rocks, rekindling their memory of how the Gilsum rafts were wrecked the day before.

  “You’re right, Corissa, we need to be careful. Orris and I will row and you station yourself in the bow and guide us away from any rocks or hazards. When the current gets slow enough, the two of us should be able to row fairly quickly to the other shore.”

  “Sir Nevin, what is next after we reach the other side?”

  “I plan to offer both of you my thanks for a job well done. Other than that, I have no plan except to find Anson and get on our way. Shall we go?”

  Together they pushed the heavy wooden rowboat half into the water. Corissa got in and seated herself in the bow, followed by Orris who took the first set of oars. Nevin gave the boat one last push, unsuccessfully attempting to keep his feet dry with his final lunge. He tumbled into the boat as the strong current dislodged it from the shore and quickly sent it downstream, swirling and bumping off submerged rocks near the shoreline. Nevin quickly used an oar to pole them out to deeper water, but no one was yet in control of the boat as Nevin took a seat toward the stern. They pitched and spun about in the swift current, bringing water over the sides as the craft turned.

  “Orris! You row straight and I’ll use my oars to steer!” shouted Nevin. Once the two men synchronized their oar strokes, they gained control of the boat and kept the bow facing downstream. Corissa could barely see well enough in the dark to guide them around obstacles, not always succeeding, but the current soon slowed and she directed them toward the western shore.

  They reached a calm wide area of the river. Landing the boat on the Gilsum shore was not difficult, except by this time it was leaking profusely from the hard knocks it had taken. The extra weight of water in the bottom made it too difficult to pull the boat up on shore, so Nevin held it steady while the other two climbed out with their belongings. Once the boat was unloaded, Nevin pushed it away to drift downstream where it would not betray their arrival in the morning light.

  Inexperienced as they were with boats, the two men were relieved to be standing on dry land again, though all their belongings were wet as well as themselves. Corissa gave no sign of her feelings about returning to her homeland.

  Silently taking up their parcels, they headed inland to find a place of cover and discuss the next step in their plan. The terrain was upland, covered with scrub and patches of small trees, mostly aspen, alders and other birches, and some scraggly hawthorns. The rolling terrain made for a lot of uphill walking, but the breaking light of dawn and the memory of the much more difficult terrain through the Elvenwood stifled any complaints. They selected a place to stop in a coppice of bushy shrubs.

  Orris produced some food, a sampler of root vegetables and dried legumes, and one of the two water bags provided by Zael. He reminded them there could be no fire, but no one objected to the lack of warm food or drink. They ate a hasty meal with little conversation until Corissa spoke, “We cannot walk aimlessly. We must have a plan. If neither of you objects, I have some thoughts.”

  Nevin and Orris looked at each other, but neither had thought this far ahead. Nevin said, “If you have a plan, by all means tell us about it.”

  “Yes, My Lady. This is your land and neither of us has been here before,” added Orris.

  “I was born in Gilsum, Captain,” Corissa responded sharply. “But I do not claim it as home, nor do I think King Meire looks upon me as a subject. Antrim is my land and Lucan is my King.

  “Er...yes, Madam. My apologies.”

  Nevin was a little startled at her tone, but he understood that this was a difficult situation for her. He started to say something to smooth over this little confrontation but she stopped him with a wave.

  “We must get to business. My plan has three parts. First, we must find Anson and help him as best we can…if it is not already too late. We know that he has gone to the main Gilsum camp, probably to seek the King’s general.”

  Nevin frowned a little, as much for her abruptness as the implication of what she said about Anson. She saw his reaction. “You need not give me that look of disapproval, Nevin. I do not believe he went there as a traitor, and I am sorry if you find my tongue sharp. There is a time and place for niceties. Right now, we have no plan of action, we will be killed if we are discovered, and time is growing short. Shall I continue?”

  Nevin softened his look and nodded for her to go on. Orris looked at both of them and smiled, keeping his thoughts private.

  “After we collect Anson, our second step is to make for Taunton, the capitol city. The third part of our plan is to gain an audience with King Meire, but we should wait before setting those details. The terrain alone will make for a difficult journey, worse than traveling in the elves’ wood I am afraid. And that is aside from per
il at the hands of Gilsum folk.

  “What sort of problems will we have travelling,” asked Nevin.

  “The way is due northwest, over a series of hills until we eventually reach the mountain city of Taunton where their king resides. The journey will seem always uphill and will become rockier and more arid. We have seen the last lush green of forest and meadow. Our water will be precious, perhaps even priceless, and we will need to conserve it.”

  “Let’s take the first step and not tarry figuring tomorrow’s plan,” said Orris, with a hint of impatience. “I fear for Anson. If even one Guardsman sees evidence that he is a mage, they will deliver his head for bounty. We should move fast before he is killed.”

  “Corissa, why are they so quick to dispose of anyone they think is a mage?”

  “Because, Nevin, there is a long standing prophecy that the King of Gilsum will suffer a fiery death at the hands of a man with special powers who is not born of Gilsum,” Corissa answered. “But, come. Let us move. Orris is right. We need to find Anson as soon as possible if he is in the hands of...”

  “Look!” Orris started, drawing his sword.

  Several feet away stood the slight figure of a woman, her hands at her side. Nevin motioned for Orris to put away his weapon and walked over to her. She was very slender and wore a long grey robe, sashed at the middle with a white rope belt. Her face was also somewhat familiar, sort of roundish and framed by dark hair cropped short. Like Hillister, it was difficult to estimate her age. Despite the impassivity of her stance, her face conveyed emotion.

  “I take it you are Zamora,” Nevin said, remembering their conversation with Hillister. “I am Nevin, this is Corissa and Orris.”

  “There is no time for talk. Anson is in danger and held captive. He has been bound to a tree and beaten. If you are to save him, you must hurry.” Zamora’s voice was labored and her face grim, as if she herself was suffering.

  “Well, so much for introductions and polite conversation,” Nevin said as he gathered two parcels. “Let’s go! I figure we have less than an hour before sunrise. Are you going to join us, Miss Zamora?”

  Zamora nodded nervously. “For now. Please hurry.”

  * * *

  They already knew approximately where the Gilsum camp was located, since they had seen it across the river the day before. By crossing the river in the pre-dawn dark they did not know how far downriver they had gone, nor how slow their return by foot would be. Orris set a good pace, which they all equaled, and it was barely an hour before he waved anxiously for them get down. The rising sun had not yet appeared to east.

  “The camp is just ahead. I can see one sentry. He seems like a nervous lad.”

  “The first thing we have to do is figure out where they’ve got Anson,” whispered Nevin.

  “I can tell you where they have him,” said Zamora.

  “Well, that’s good news,” Nevin replied with a hint of sarcasm. “We would like as much help as you can give. Maybe you could chime in with a spell so we could just walk in and cut him loose?”

  “You have already been told twice that we cannot cast a spell to aid you. You have also been told that you have powers among you. Look to yourselves and not to others to meet your needs,” Zamora replied sternly.

  “Nevin, to us you are the one with high skills for spellcasting.” said Corissa. “It was you who caused the King’s reception room to go dark during mid-day.”

  “To tell you the truth, I didn’t know what I was doing. I only know the words to a few spells and I don’t—”

  “Please, Sir Nevin. Do what you can. Anson’s life depends on our action.” said Orris.

  Nevin thought their expectations for him were unfair, but he had to admit that he had been successful at creating what appeared to be magic spells even if he could not totally explain it. He knew the words for the spell of indifference, which, if it worked this time, could keep him from getting noticed. Intuitively, that seemed like a bad idea. It would be too risky for him, perhaps the largest human in the land, to march into a camp with a thousand pairs of eyes and expect no one to raise an alarm. Still, he thought, if the indifference spell had at least some affect, perhaps he could walk around the perimeter until he could locate Anson. That was as good as a plan as he could think of.

  “OK. I’ll try it. I need something to cut his ropes, if he is still tied—”

  Before Nevin could finish his sentence Corissa handed him her dagger, leaving no doubt that the next step was his to take. It was still stained with blood, which left him chilled. He sidled a few feet away to better isolate himself and kneeled to gain his concentration. He took a few deep breaths and recalled the words that Anson had taught him. After a moment or two, he recollected the pattern formed by the words and focused his mental acuity. He felt a slight twinge. When he looked back at his friends he saw them watching intently, and he heard Orris regret letting Nevin go in alone. Corissa answered by saying that he would come back safely and not to worry. They looked and talked as if he was not still kneeling there only a few feet away from them. Then he caught a look from Zamora, who broke a faint smile and nodded for him to go on.

  Nevin moved out swiftly but carefully, trying to stay as hidden as possible in whatever cover was available as he neared the camp. He remembered it was important to maintain concentration or the spell would lapse. Once he got close to the first sentry, it would be evident whether the spell was working—or not. If so, then he would circle the camp. If not…he would not let himself think of that eventuality, except that he realized he did not have the staff that served him before. He was unarmed except Corissa’s dagger, a weapon which he could not fathom using.

  Nevin finally approached the first sentry. The guard looked about, occasionally pacing several steps around his designated post. Nevin took a deep breath and walked on tiptoe past the guard without suffering any notice. Struck by the guard’s inattention, Nevin stopped as he stood next to him. The guard failed to acknowledge him, even as Nevin walked a circle around him. Buoyed by this success, Nevin continued around the perimeter of the camp until he came to the far end where the large general’s large tent was located. His heart stopped when he saw Anson nearby, bound to a tree but slumped over. Anson could have been dead for his appearance, but Nevin would not think the worst.

  A lone sentry stood near Anson, but there were also two other guards stationed by the large tent. Nevin pulled out Corissa’s dagger, hoping he would only need it to cut Anson’s bonds. He sighed at this predicament and muttered that he could use some help. As he took a few more moments to screw up his courage, that help appeared. The wind picked up. Nevin must have failed to notice with the light of morning that the sky was overcast. Drops of water started to dapple the dusty ground. At first a drizzle, it quickly increased to a steady rain. Men who had been milling around or doing working assignments headed for their tents. Soon, the only person immediately visible in the now pouring rain was the lone sentry guarding Anson and the two avoiding the rain in the general’s tent.

  It was now or never. Nevin made straight for Anson. The sentry ignored him, though he apparently did see him. The guard looked puzzled and shook his head, then continued his circular walk around his post. Nevin ignored the soldier and looked after his friend, gently lifting his head. Anson was unconscious but still breathing. After quickly cutting the ropes, Nevin hoisted Anson over his shoulder and sprinted for the closest cover past the camp perimeter. After a glance back, he took off in the direction of his other comrades.

  Once Nevin was well away from the camp, he set Anson down and checked him over more closely. The rain seemed to have some therapeutic effect as Anson stirred and let out a moan. They were still close enough that someone might hear the cries, so they had to move farther away before properly tending to Anson’s needs. This time Nevin hauled the mage piggyback style for a better distribution of weight, so they made good time without having to stop. It was not long before they met the others. By this time, the rain was letting up. N
evin gave a silent thanks for the fortuitous weather.

  Nevin set Anson down once more, but it was Zamora who moved quickly to check the condition of the mage. She knelt over him, touched his face and held his head with a tenderness that caught the others by surprise. As far as they knew, Anson and Zamora had never met, so this level of solicitude was unexpected.

  Orris whispered a concern about being discovered, but Nevin brought a finger to his mouth to hush the soldier. Without knowing why, he felt they had to wait for Zamora.

  After several minutes Zamora sat back and sighed deeply, her face showing relief. This time, as she spoke, her voice did not waiver and she conveyed a tone of confidence and authority very similar to Hillister.

  “Anson will live, if you tend to him. He has been badly hurt but his spirit is still strong. He has shown you how far he would go to serve your mission. To prevent the taking of a life, he nearly sacrificed his own.”

  Zamora carefully removed her hands from supporting Anson’s head. Standing to face the others she said, “I must leave now, and you must go on with your plan.”

  Nevin studied Zamora until their eyes met. She smiled at him and nodded, as if approving—of him, or them, or what he didn’t know. Yet, he felt a sense of confidence radiating from her and it raised his spirits. She stared at each of them in turn, clearly evaluating them and looking pleased. As Anson stirred, she bent down again to comfort him. When she rose again, the strange woman surprised them all when she said, “I wish I could remain with you to help restore Anson to health, but we are pleased to know that he will be cared for by those who love him as we do. He will recover quickly with his knowledge of herb medicines, if you provide what he asks.”

  Anson cried out sharply, drawing their attention. Orris, Corissa and Nevin all rushed to his side. Nevin looked back to ask Zamora a question, but she was gone.

  Orris urged them to leave before the soldiers sent out parties to look for Anson, knowing he was in poor condition and would not be far off. Nevin slung Anson on his back as before, and with Corissa in the lead, they hurried off toward the northwest.