apologized.
“Is he alive?” asked Heather
“Aye, but most likely either asleep or exhausted. Your majesty,” whispered Groundfirm softely. “Your majesty, wake up. We’ve come ta free ye and take ye ta your loyal subjects.”
They stepped closer and finally got a good look at the Prince as he roused. He was about 5 feet, 8 inches tall, slender, yet broad shoulder, with thick sandy hair, and pale skin that would turn ruddy in the sun. He opened his eyes and stared at what must have been a most strange sight.
He gasped and gurgled out, “Ah, who are you and what do you want?”
LOGOSIAN MEETS THE “SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH’S BAND”
X
It must have been very disarming to see two children, a gnome and numerous mice hopping around in front of the Prince.
Groundfirm made a low bow and replied, “We are your majesty’s servants and these two at my side are the ones sent to answer the poem:
‘In our time of greatest need,
The King shall send two of deed.
Boy and girl to free the land;
Servants of the Most High’s band.’
I am the re gnome Groundfirm and these are your subjects.”
The Prince’s grey eyes widened and he said, “And you’ve come to rescue me?”
“Aye, your majesty. As soon as the keys will open these irons,” offered Groundfirm.
They soon had the Prince free and he managed his wrists.
“Those irons are frightfully hard to tolerate. Thank you for freeing me. Who are these little creatures?” he said gesturing toward the mice.
“We are your humble subjects Squeakmaster, Chirrupp, Cheepipeep, and Nicheep,” answered Squeakmaster their leader.
The Prince’s eyes widened and he exclaimed, “I thought all the talking animals were dead or gone.”
“Nay, your majesty and there be many more to aid you in getting your throne back,” replied Groundfirm.
“I am most honored to meet you kind subjects and thank you for helping free me,” stated Prince Logosian with a bow.
“It was nothing your majesty,” squeaked the embarrassed mice.
‘Oh, we must free the rest of the captives!” exclaimed the Prince.
“There are others?” chorused Edward and Heather.
“Oh yes, at least 15-20 more,” answered Logosian.
They hurried to the other cells and freed 17 more prisoners. They were former knights and lords of the late king’s court and friends of Prince Logosian. There was Sir Goodheart, Lord Battlesby, Sir Knocksworth, Duke Swalesfellow, and others. There was much hugging, laughing, and crying tears of joy.
The group was just getting settled down when several trumpets were heard and a tremendous racket broke out at the top of the stairs.
“The guards have been found!” surmised Groundfirm.
“How will we get out now?” asked Edward anxiously.
“We will fight the knaves!” offered Sir Knocksworth and the other knights murmured agreement.
“Ye’re not in any shape to fight anything,” replied Groundfirm.
“Yes, my good gnome you’re right,” agreed the Prince. “But we can escape through a passage known only to the Princes and Princesses of Logoland. Quickly now! They are almost upon us!”
The company heard the clatter of mailed feet descending the stairs and the shrieks of the Vizier as he goaded his “toadies” onward. Logosian made them swear to secrecy and walked over to the side wall near the key rack. He then manipulated the wall in some way. No one was exactly sure how, though. Heather said that she thought he touched a cleft and Edward said he thought he pushed in a stone. The far wall pivoted on a central axis like a revolving door and revealed a wide passageway. It was wide enough for three or four men to walk abreast and tall enough for a horse and rider. They scrambled to the exit with Groundfirm and Lord Battlesby by the rear.
Just as they reached the door and passed through, the Vizier and his men rounded the corner.
“After them fools, or I’ll have your heads!” howled the Vizier.
The soldiers hurled themselves at the door only to find it slammed before them and a blank wall facing them. The Vizier was beside himself with rage and did everything in his book of magic to open the door but it held fast. The Prince laughed and said the door was enchanted opening to none save the true rulers of Logoland. Just to be safe though, they had Heather play her lyre and put the soldiers and Vizier asleep. Soon all they heard were peaceful snores.
In the dark passage, there was no light yet none of them noticed this peculiar circumstance until the Duke Swalesfellow exclaimed, “By the Star her lyre is glowing!”
It was true. The reason they hadn’t noted the gloom was that Heather’s lyre was glowing softly with a golden-bluish tint. The floor took a gentle and gradual downslope. The walls were dry and there were no traces of foul odor or dampness. They hurried on their way and the floor turned to the right. The party rounded a bend and noticed a door on the left-hand side of the passage with a bright star of gold on a field of blue.
“I wonder what this is?” asked Edward.
“It be the Bright Star’s,” added Groundfirm.
“I think we should investigate your majesty,” stated Sir Goodheart. “If I may be so bold sire, I will open the door for you.”
“By all means my good knight,” graciously responded the Prince.
Sir Goodheart opened the door slowly and had Heather shine the lyre inside. Their eyes were dazzled by the display of armour, shields, tunics, swords, and mail.
“Why, it is a veritable storehouse of arms!” gasped the knight. “It is full of knightly things your Highness. We will not be ill equipped against our enemies.”
The Prince entered the room and his eyes shone, “Then it is true that there is an armoury for our time of greatest need,” whispered the Prince.
They soon outfitted themselves with swords, gnome-mail of the strongest and brightest steel, tunics of bright and royal color, and finally all took shields of bright blue with a single gold star in the center.
“Now, we are truly knights of Logoland and the Bright Star!” announced Lord Battlesby with triumph.
Thus equipped, they once again continued down the passageway with Heather’s lyre in the front. After another ten or fifteen minute walk they came to a second stone wall. The Prince stepped forward and scrutinized it.
“I have never been this far. In fact I only had practiced on the first door and that, long ago. This door I have been told about and how to open but my mind fogs.”
The company rested and most of the men rested on their shields. They were all very starved and out of condition. Most looked as though they might not make it very far after all.
Just then, a small voice spoke to Heather, “Play for them my child.”
She started and said, “Edward, did you say something?”
“No, of course not,” answered her brother.
“Play my child,” said the voice. Suddenly Heather knew who was speaking. It was the Bright Star! She began to slowly stroke the lyre and the sweet strains wrought a wondrous change in the company. Backs became straighter, shoulders squared, men sat up, they came off their shields, and their eyes brightened. Edward said the music made one thick of flying, soaring, and running at top speed all at once. He said you felt like you could run for hours and not get weary. Most importantly, the Prince’s brow cleared and he reached out and touched the stones. There was a deep rumble with a creak and the stone wall swung open, outward.
Before them, in the dim moon light, ambled the river at the castle base. This was not the bright First Moon of Logoland. Instead, the dim and hazy Second Moon was shining. It threw enough light to guide your path but not enough to see much beyond thirty to forty yards. The fresh air came rolling in and the captives gulped it like tonic. The soft, heavy scent of the new cut grasses and the warm fishiness of the river wafted into their noses. Overhead the
castle bustled with activity and trumpets sounded in the distanct turrets. Lights began to appear everywhere and the spell was broken.
“Now what?” asked Edward.
At that there was a soft whir of wings and a voice called out, “Toowhoo, toowhoo travelers.”
Instantly, every sword was drawn and the company faced the direction the sound had come from.
OF OWLS AND RABBITS
XI
A dark shape began to appear and Grounfirm growled a warning.
“Dinna come any closer or weel do ya in!”
The figure stopped and hailed them, “Toowhoo, it is the owl friends. We have awaited your escape anxiously, since yesterday. We thought all was lost when we received word of your capture from a nightingale in the garden. I have been sent to guide you to the trails across the river and to the moors. From there you must travel fifteen miles to the mountains and hid tomorrow. You will camp at a friend’s house. A rabbit will bring you word of where to meet the friend. Enough of this chatter. We must go.”
With that, Twittlefeather, the owl, waddled off with that peculiarly rolling gait of a bowlegged sailor on land. The company sat stunned for a moment.
It was the Prince who finally recovered and whispered hoarsely, “I say, there are a lot of surprises waiting for me, aren’t there? We must do as the owl says, otherwise we’ll be caught. The river will soon be covered with soldiers.”
The group started after the lumbering owl, who surprisingly enough, made excellent progress on foot. He led them along the river banks, through a well hidden path amongst the thorns. The only sounds were the former captives breathing and