big hunting knife? I know that ordinaries prefer such weapons. Rather childish, but then, one does as one knows." Lamador chuckled, looking around at his staff.
"We are not interested in bows and knives, Lamador," Hilda said. "He asked for judges. Are there any around? We want this cleared, not to be the subject of your jokes."
"Oh. The little witch is barking." Lamador pretended to show fear. "Call for Bregan and Nultos!"
The two people mentioned appeared mere seconds later. Bregan was an ancient classic mage. He sported a long white beard and equally long white hair, proudly wore a pointed hat with stars on it. His black clothes made the white of his hair even whiter. Nultos was a young black woman, a witch. Her short black hair was spikey as it pointed everywhere. She wore yellow robes.
"Here are your two judges," Lamador said, acting as benevolence itself.
William showed them the papers and the two new arrivals declared with loud voices that they had seen the papers, that they had verified the seal of Lamador, and that William, consort of Grimhilda the witch, was allowed to assist her in the challenge. No buts or maybe's.
66. Challenge (1)
The first meeting with Lamador was over. Hilda and William walked through the camp, looking at everyone and everything Lamador had brought with him.
"He surely needs a lot of junk to feel comfortable, doesn't he?", William commented as they passed along all the tents. So far they had seen at least two hundred people, most of them magical. The ordinaries in the camp were of an amazing amount of disciplines. Cooks and cleaners, but also people who could make new reins for horses and at least two blacksmiths.
They thought of their small tent they had used on their visits over here. So much simpler and more convenient.
"It shows how much power he has," Hilda said. "Everyone in the magical trade knows that this is wrong, but he is so powerful that nobody dares to argue with him or point out all this."
"We'll point something out to him tomorrow, Hilda." William now did not hold himself back and put his arm around her. Hilda, in response, slipped her arm around his waist.
The two people from King Walt's country attracted a lot of attention. Despite that, the people in the camp did not feel confident enough to approach to them, or even just say something. So deeply rooted was their fear of the great Lamador.
Only when they reached a large tent where they could eat did people speak to them. Nothing but polite phrases, but at least there was something.
The food was amazingly good. Hilda explained to William that it was probably prepared by magical people. "Lamador won't accept less, I am convinced of that. He wants to be tough and hard, but all that life in the castle with King Herald has made him softer than he cares to admit."
They reminisced about the challenge they had called in the forest. Lamador had not looked very much at ease, and also then he had brought along an amazing entourage to feel at home and comfortable.
After eating, the magical couple retreated to their tent. Resting for the big event of the following day would be the smart thing to do, but the atmosphere around them, the strange muffled sounds and the unfamiliar scents kept them awake.
Hilda cast a spell to make a screen of silence around them but for some reason that did not want to take hold very well. "Crappedycrappy magical garbage that's around here, that's what it is," she muttered, hiding her face against William's chest. "If Gurthreyn was real, maybe he could fix this noise bit for us."
The noise bit remained unfixed, so they heard the sounds of the camp, even though they were not even that close to it. Finally silence descended over the camp. Huge walls moved inside the tall walls of the labyrinth."Go suck an elf."
The man blowing the trumpet did not have a preference for elves. He blew his tune again.
"I hate this part," Hilda muttered.
"Want me to conjure a knife and end this torment?" William asked.
"Does not make for good public relations. But the idea is tempting," Hilda said.
They lay in silence for a while as the trumpeteer had ended his reign of terror.
"Today's the day, William."
"I know, sweetwitch. And we are going to kick some Lamadorian ass."
"Yes. That's the plan. I hope he is willing to let us." She cuddled up to the warm body of her wizard and felt his love flow to her.
"I doubt that he's willing, but we're going to make him. We are two, he is one."
"And he is powerful. The 'great' bit in his name is not just a fancy word, remember that, William."
"I know." William kissed her forehead. "But we have the initial advantage of surprise."
Hilda crawled on top of William. "I hope that will do us good." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Remember, William. Protection, protection, protection. That is important."
The trumpeteer had found more courage and started his racket again.
"I will go out and hurt him," William stated, "public relations or not."
"You can't. I am lying on top of you and you like that better than a trumpeteer. Unless I am very mistaken." Hilda rested her head on William's shoulder. "I love this..."
After a while the trumpeteer started his third serenade.
"Three. We have to get up and prepare." Hilda's voice was flat. "Urgh." She let herself roll off William and got up. The wizard followed that cue.
They had breakfast in their tent; it was delivered to them by two women. After that they dressed for the challenge, placed their brooms on the right side of their tent and walked to the large gates in the looming wall.
"I would not be surprised if the drama-queen is late," Hilda mumbled to William. And indeed, when they were at the gate at the designated hour, there was no trace of Lamador yet. They did not have to wait long, but just long enough.
Lamador was carried to the gates, sitting in a chair. There were six men handling the large and evidently heavy thing, and the sorcerer did not seem to be bothered by that at all. After being lowered to the ground, he got off the chair. "Ah. You are here. The witch and... him."
Hilda wanted to fume and was ready to try and hurt the man, but William's calm disposition and his hand on her arm held her back. She did not like it when her wizard was insulted in such a way.
"Yes, we are here. And you're late," William said calmly.
Hilda looked at him. It was not proper for an alleged ordinary to address a sorcerer like that.
Lamador stared at William, uncertain if he should just reduce him to a heap of dust or let it pass.
William saw the tension in the man's face and was not certain if that remark had been a smart move. He was ready to try and counter a strike by the sorcerer, whatever might happen. But nothing happened.
"It just gave you a little longer to live," Lamador said. He allowed one of his servants to take his long wide cloak from his shoulders. "It looks like you are ready to face your doom."
The judges, Bregan and Nultos, had arrived just in time to hear that remark. "Great Lamador, it does not comply with the rules of a challenge to influence your adversary in such a manner. Officially you should apologise."
William gently squeezed Hilda's arm. "That's quite alright. We have the advantage that we are indeed ready to face our doom. Too bad the great Lamador is not ready to face his."
"How dare you!" Lamador's wand was in his hand before the words had left his lips, and he flashed it in front of William's face.
"I dare because I looked at the rules for a challenge," William said, calm and flooding that feeling through the bond to Hilda. "You are not allowed to hurt a participant of the challenge until the official starting signal. And I have not heard or seen that."
Nultos, the black witch, nodded. "He is correct, Lamador. You are out of line." She did not seem happy to have to say that, but the rules of the challenge were as they were. And Lamador had to swallow that.
The great sorcerer made his wand disappear. His face displayed anger. "Let's get this started then, and let's get it over with. I do not want to be her
e."
William held back another remark. He had prodded the feelings of the man enough, and it was obvious to him that Hilda did not feel good about this.
The two judges asked Hilda and William if they were ready also, and they confirmed that. "Very well. We will proceed to the gates."
The small group started walking. As they approached the solid iron gates, the two doors started opening. It was amazing to see them move, without a sound, as if an invisible giant were opening them.
The judges had their brooms brought to them. "We officially announce the challenge that the great sorcerer Lamador has called against Grimhilda, the witch. As Lamador has agreed, the man William will be allowed to enter the challenge as well, at the side of Grimhilda. Are there questions about this?"
Nobody raised a hand or a voice.
"The challenge will go on to the death. This is mentioned in the original challenge. The Great Lamador has graciously stated to spare the life of the man William."
The three challenge-fighters did not twitch a muscle.
"The people in the challenge are not allowed to carry their brooms inside the walls of the labyrinth. There are no other rules. If all this is clear, the people in the challenge will now enter the labyrinth. The judges will take position over the labyrinth. As soon as the judges are ready, a red flash will signify the start of the challenge."
That was all that had to be said. Bregan and Nultos mounted their brooms and lifted off, as the three contestants slowly walked into the area that made up the labyrinth.
It did not look