*
Out on the cliffs overlooking the kingdom of Glennmorley, the rising sun brought forth a summons from Gertrude. “Sound the Horns of Kern to start the attack!” Gertrude and the others watched as four trolls brought forth the two great horns, a magnificent sight to behold, no matter how often one saw them. He and all of the other trolls bowed as the horns passed by. The great horns were revered to be very powerful instruments. Gertrude brought the story to mind.
His mother told him the story exactly the same as countless generations before her had told the story. The tale told how Kern, himself, had forged the horns to aid him in telling good from evil. They were ornately crafted in solid gold. The bells of the horns were cast as heads of lions with their mouths opened wide, to devour the wicked. Riding at the back of the bells were proud Kestrels with their wings partially spread. They were to be the keen eyes of Kern and relayed messages to him upon the battleground. The twists and turns in the bodies of the Great horns were said to represent headless serpents that the lions had killed.
The part that Gertrude liked most about the story was about the horns’ way of sorting good from evil. When the horns trumpeted forth, only evil beings could hear Death talking to them as a terrible wailing noise. The horns’ harmonics would make the evil kneel and they would try to shut the sound from their ears. The good would look to the sky for all they would be able to hear is the songs of birds, even if there were none in sight.
The trolls carrying the mighty horns stopped, facing the valley below. Gertrude gave the signal for the bearers in the back of the horns to sound them. He watched as each troll took a deep breath and set it free into the depths of the instruments. Everyone looked up, as though a thousand birds seemed to be singing. Gertrude knew that down in the castle the horns’ effect would be quite different.
The horns fell silent and all was quiet around them. It was a few moments later that Gertrude motioned for his fellow combatants to follow him. The four carriers stayed to guard the ancient horns, although none were needed. Gertrude remembered that part of the story, too, and smiled. It was said that any man or troll with evil in his heart that touched the horns would perish instantly.
While at the same time in the castle...
Edwin flashed a wicked grin at the commander. “You need not fear a sharp sword, for this battle will be over in a short period.” Edwin looked out one of the windows to see that the sun was rising. He stood up and, at that very moment, the most horrific sound pounded through the castle and seemed to shake the quarried stone walls to their very foundation. “What in the name of bloody hell is that noise?!” Edwin and the others put their hands over their ears to shield themselves from the horns’ all-devouring trumpeting. He fell to his knees, trying to bury his head. Then, in an instant, all was silent. Edwin looked at the others who seemed equally shocked by what had just happened.
A dazed guard staggered into the great room. “Look out the window! There is a flood of green flowing down from the hills, destroying everything in its path!”
Edwin and Mellem ran to the balcony. As far as the eye could see, one wave of green after the other seemingly undulated down the hillsides. The rising sun reflecting off the gold armor made the mass shimmer. As the trolls and humans advanced, it was almost blinding. Edwin gasped at Mellem, a look of horror in his eyes. His voice cracked. “What manner of dreadful beast is descending down upon us?!”
Mellem was equally shaken by the sight. “It appears to be some sort of dragon, for it seems to have shimmering scales. I fear that maybe we have underestimated the power that these trolls possess.” Mellem turned to the commander who stood pale and nervous. “Commander, make ready for battle. Let not the dragon reach the castle. Send an army out to meet it and attack it!”
“My Lord, surely there is no way to fight a dragon of that size on the ground! It is far better to stay and defend the battlements. Our only hope is to keep it from climbing up the sides of the castle.”
“Go! I shall reward the soldier who slays this dragon!” Edwin pointed toward the door and watched as the commander left to inform his men.
Octavius and Norman had remained quiet during the blowing of the horns and smiled at the rapture they produced. “Gertrude, are the horns magical?” Norman queried.
“No they are not magical. Magic is in fooling the eye with the sleight of the hand. You fool the eye and you fool the brain. My mother tells me that there are always two things present every day in our lives: good and evil. We choose every day of our lives how we shall live. Will we do good...or will we do evil? The choice is ours. If you heard something good from the horns, then your hearts do not know evil. No, the horns are not magical. They are just.”
Gertrude led them to the tunnel opening. “Light the torches!” he ordered. One by one and some, two by two, they entered the tunnel. The walk was long, but the tunnels seemed to be warmed by a breeze that carried the smoke from the torches out through unseen openings. Soon Gertrude, Octavius and Norman found themselves at the secret entrance to the castle. Gertrude turned as the others that were able flooded into the cavern. As soon as quiet fell, he began to speak.
“We are here to right a wrong. We do not know what we will find on the other side of this wall. Go into battle knowing that Kern is on our side, and that I ask no more of you than I do of myself. We go forth in honor, not seeking glory but seeking right.” As Gertrude uttered the last word, he pushed on the torch holder. The floor in the cavern quivered and the rattling of chains came to the ear. Gertrude, Octavius and Norman led the charge into the castle as the wall opened before them with their swords drawn.
The room was empty. The opening of the wall had sent the guards out into the hall. It is there that they had to use their blades. One guard fell, then another. Cries erupted from the cells as the captive royals cheered. Norman found the keys on one of the guard’s bodies and unlocked the cells. Each king and prince picked up a sword from a fallen guard and joined the fight.
Norman paused at the last cell as she unlocked it. There was a figure cowering in the corner, rocking back and forth, crying. She thought she recognized the poor soul as she unlocked the cell door and walked in. Once again, Norman hesitated. She walked over to Windermere and knelt down beside him. For some reason, she did not fear any harm from this empty shell of a man. She put her hand upon his trembling shoulder and whispered his name. “Windermere…it is all right…you are safe.”
Windermere stopped his crying and turning his head, recognized the princess. He fell sobbing into her arms. Norman started crying, too, for it was as if she were feeling his pain and anguish. She was startled as a hand touched her shoulder and turned quickly, fearing it was a guard. It was Windermere’s mother, Queen Heloise. The woman had tears in her eyes and she knelt down to take Norman’s place, taking hold of her son and starting rocking him, stroking his head as if she were soothing an infant.
Norman stood up and picked up her sword. She hesitated for a moment, watching the mother and child in front of her then turned and headed out into the passageway. It was clear except for the presence of the fallen soldiers and one wounded troll who was leaning against the wall, trying to put a tourniquet on his arm to stop his bleeding.
Norman walked over and knelt down to help the troll. “Are you strong enough to stand and guard the room that we came from so none of the vermin can escape the castle?”
The troll stood up. “I am Treamore of the Rocks. Thank you, Princess, for aiding me. Yes, I shall keep the rats in the castle so they can be exterminated.”
Norman ran down the corridor towards the cries of anger and the clashing and clanging of swords, almost in the fight, herself, when a guard vaulted out of the doorway to the right of her, brandishing his sword. Norman evaded his attack with the agility of a cat. The guard missed his opportunity and found himself in a sword fight that was not going in his favor. With a swift stroke of her sword, she caught the soldier with her blade and he fell before her. The princess ru
shed onward, hoping to catch up with Gertrude and her father. She did not have to go very far.
Gertrude caught sight of Norman running toward them. He was locked in battle with a tall guard from one of the other kingdoms. There was no time to worry about her. He knew his friend’s strengths and hoped that sword fighting really was one of them. The troll felt another body against his and glanced back to see Norman. He heard a moan and someone dropped to the floor. Norman was still there behind him. He smiled and, with a quick strike, the soldier he was fighting fell. However, another took his place.
Troll and human alike were falling. He could not locate Octavius and quickly glanced around the room. The king was not in sight. Gertrude jumped over a figure lying on the floor and dodged another sword. He watched a blade penetrate the body of its bearer. “Norman, I cannot see your father. Do you see him?”
“No. I have not seen him since I was separated from the group.” She quickly surveyed the room. “He must be working his way to the lever room, to open the main gate.” The princess moved with agility and avoided a blade then saw the glint of steel to her right and heard a gasp of pain. Another soldier had fallen. Norman smiled wryly, for she knew that Gertrude had thwarted the guard’s sword from striking her. “I am glad to have you at my back, my friend.” She did not wait for a response from Gertrude.
Soon the room was quiet and everyone left fighting moved onward. Down the hallway they sped toward the room where the lever for the main door was housed. The hall opened into a large room and Gertrude recognized it as the armory. His blade caught another guard who fell to his side. He spotted Octavius over by a large door to his right. Octavius was sorely outnumbered, but was holding his own. The troll glanced around the room. It was a melee of arms and swords. Gertrude and Norman fought their way toward the besieged monarch. Soon they found themselves together. Octavius seemed to feel their presence, or maybe he caught a quick glance of them as they fought their way to his side. “I was beginning to wonder where the two of you had disappeared to... I thought that maybe you stopped for a cup of tea...”
Gertrude let forth a loud grunt. “Yes, we did, as a matter of fact, but we didn’t get a chance to have any finger cakes.”
Norman laughed. “I would think that the two of you would have other matters on your mind at the moment.” Norman’s sword found its mark and another soldier fell.
Gertrude looked at the doorway and noticed more guards entering into the skirmish. “We are sorely outnumbered. We must at least raise the main gate to gain aid from the outside. Norman, see if you can make it to the door to pull the lever. Your father and I shall shield you the best we can.”
Norman did not hesitate and jumped for the door. She yanked it open and spied the lever on the far wall. However, in her exuberance, she failed to notice the guard behind the door. She felt a heavy weight fall upon her and it knocked her to the stone floor. Hoisting herself to her feet, the young woman looked around to see her father pull his sword from the guard’s side. She nodded her head and ran up to the lever and threw her weight upon it. She could hear the chains grinding and clanking. The outside wall shuddered as the door fell into place.