*
Lemerich sat quietly, listening to Toggart, a glass of wine in hand, his face showing no emotion. Toggart was pleased with himself. He had managed to fulfill Lemerich’s last request completely. “I found the people in the other kingdoms that will do our bidding. It was harder to get some of the frog trolls of the other villages to go along with our plan, but they finally agreed to do your bidding also.”
“Very good. Did you find out anything about Smirch?” Lemerich sipped his wine and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, we found his body down in a chasm in the tunnels as I suspected. He must have fallen in while he was in a drunken stupor.” Toggart smiled. “We found his birth charm on his body.”
“What of your small, ugly friend ‘Zooy’ or whatever his name is? Has he been located?”
“No, we have not found Zeon. The last time he was seen by anyone was when he went to Glennmorley to spy upon the happenings around the storehouses.” Toggart looked at Lemerich as if he was waiting for him to go into another one of his tirades, but none came.
“Perhaps the poor soul got killed by a stray arrow when the stores were raided.” Lemerich emptied his glass and poured another one. “I hope your other little friend, Smeade, has the information that we sent him to retrieve. Oh, and has Boggins returned yet from his visit to your lovely, bucolic village of Awll with the information from that frog troll lady?”
“Meade has not yet returned, and neither has Boggins. Boggins is late, though. He should have returned yesterday.” Toggart sort of cringed, expecting Lemerich to go into a rage. Still no rage came. Toggart reached for a glass to pour himself some wine.
Lemerich’s voice was low and almost like a growl. “You touch that glass, you filthy little creature, and you will be losing a hand…!”
Toggart withdrew his hand quickly and leered at Lemerich. “I am sorry, Lemerich. I did not mean to upset you.”
“You always upset me, frog troll. All of your kind upsets me. Your kind can never be trusted. Leave me now before my stomach has had too much of your stench.” Lemerich arose from the overstuffed chair he had been sitting in and went over to the mirror. He gazed into it, turning his head this way and that and giving himself a smile. His eyes caught sight of Toggart still standing behind him. “Frog troll, I thought that I told you to leave. Surely your small brain understands the word ‘leave’.”
Toggart stood glaring at Lemerich, then cowered down and left under Lemerich’s watchful eyes. He mumbled something as he left, taking a quick glance over his shoulder. Lemerich’s stone-cold gaze cut through his clothing, making the hair along his spine stand on end. He did not trust Lemerich, but he had to play along with the buffoon if his own plan was going to work. The loathing he held in his cold, black heart for Lemerich was second only to Winifred and her idiot son Gertrude. He vowed to get even. “And I shall!” he muttered to himself.
Down the hall rushed the sound of pounding boots. Toggart looked around and ducked into a little alcove. Soon a small group of soldiers came into view, guarding the unknown prince in the center. They walked directly into the room that Toggart had just left. Waiting a few moments, he walked back to the doorway. Perhaps this would be a lucky day and he could find out what Lemerich and this prince were up to.
Toggart still was unable to find out where this prince had come from. Quickly, Toggart leaped toward the doorway. ‘Bang!’ The door closed in his face. He scowled and put his ear up to the thick wooden door. Even with his keen hearing, he found himself straining to hear what was being said on the other side of the door. Toggart’s face distorted from smile to a look of frustration to a look of deep thought. Again a smile erupted on his face as he distinctly heard the prince start to scream at Lemerich. Oh, boy, was he angry! Silence fell and Toggart backed away from the door and hid in the shadows. None too soon the doors opened and the prince appeared. He huffed from the room. Toggart smirked maliciously. So, Lemerich - the high and mighty Lemerich - was in trouble with the prince… ‘This is a fine day’. Toggart smiled more broadly. ‘Maybe I can cause more trouble for Lemerich.’