Blue Moon Rising (Darkwood)

  Julia unhooded her lantern, and a smoky yellow light filled the stable. Two saddled horses waited patiently in their stalls, while the unicorn glared nervously about him in the aisle. Rupert glanced quickly at the shutters to make sure they were secure, and then leaned back against the closed stable door and relaxed a little.

  “You’re late!” hissed Julia. “Where’ve you been?”

  “I had a few things to attend to.”

  “Such as?”

  “I left the rainbow sword in the Armory. Just in case father was right, and the Demon Prince does come back some day.”

  Julia’s face softened a little. “Yes, well, the sword’s probably more use to them than it would be to us. You did get yourself another sword?”

  “Of course.”

  “And you did check the guards on the gate?”

  “Yes, Julia. They’re all loyal to me. And yes; the dragon is waiting for us in the Forest. Now calm down, will you; nothing’s going to go wrong. Are you nearly ready?”

  “Just about. Have you decided where we’re going yet?”

  “Not really. The important thing is to get out of this madhouse. The King hasn’t been dead twenty-four hours, and already the vultures are gathering. There are more factions in the Court now than you can shake a stick at. The sooner I get out of here, the better.”

  “There’s always a chance they’ll come after us.”

  “I doubt it,” said Rupert easily. “With me out of the way, Harald will have a clear field. If I didn’t leave, he’d probably have me exiled. Or killed.”

  “If we don’t get a move on,” said the unicorn sharply, “somebody’s going to find us here, and Harald’ll probably have you both hung as horse thieves.”

  “Harald won’t grudge us two horses,” said Rupert. “Well, he will, but he won’t do anything about it.”

  “What do you want two horses for, anyway?” said the unicorn in a hurt voice. “The Warlock fixed me up fine before he left; there’s no reason why I can’t carry you.”

  “Ah,” said Rupert. “Actually, there is a reason …”

  “Oh yes? And what might that be?”

  “I can’t ride a unicorn,” said Rupert, blushing slightly. “Not any more. I’m no longer … qualified. You see, Julia and I …”

  “I get it,” said the unicorn. “Spent the night celebrating, did you?”

  “We still want you to come with us,” said Rupert quickly. “I promised to help you track down your old herd, remember?”

  “Yes,” said the unicorn gruffly. “I remember. But after we’ve done that, where were you thinking of going?”

  “I don’t know,” said Rupert. “Why?’

  The unicorn snorted and tossed his head. “If you think I’m going to let you just go wandering off on your own, you’re crazy. You wouldn’t last ten minutes without me, either of you, and you know it. Somebody’s got to keep you out of trouble.”

  Rupert and Julia laughed, and took it in turns to hug the unicorn’s neck. The lamplight shone golden on his horn.

  “Hey, Rupert,” said Julia suddenly. “What’s in the backpack?”

  Rupert grinned. “Another reason why I was a bit late.” He shrugged off the pack, propped it on a nearby stool, and opened it. Julia gasped, and then swore reverently. The battered leather pack contained hundreds of glowing jewels. Julia reached hesitantly into the backpack, took a handful of gems, and let them dribble through her fingers in a stream of multicolored fire.

  “Where the hell did you get these, Rupert? They must be worth a fortune.”

  Rupert laughed. “It’s part of the treasure trove you and the Seneschal found in the Old Treasury. What with all the excitement, they never got around to locking it away securely. They just dumped it in a storage room, padlocked the door, and put up a simple warding spell, linked to the Royal family. And since we are rather short of guards at the moment, they left it at that. So, I just chose my moment carefully, broke open the padlock, and helped myself. By the time Harald figures out what’s happened, we shall be long gone.”

  He buckled the pack together again and lifted it onto his back, grunting a little at the weight of it. “Now that my father is … gone, I think I’m entitled to an inheritance. And this is it.”

  Julia placed a gentle hand on his arm. “We don’t know for sure that he’s dead, Rupert. They haven’t found his body yet, and the Warlock’s disappeared.”

  “I can’t really believe he’s gone,” said Rupert. “As long as I can remember, my father’s always been there; a part of my life, like food or sleep or duty. We were never … close, but then we never wanted to be, before. And now, just when I was getting to know him, just when I was starting to like him …” Rupert stopped short, and looked away, swallowing hard. “He’s dead, Julia. There’s no doubt in my mind at all. He wouldn’t just walk out on the Land. He couldn’t.”

  “But you can,” said Julia. “There’s nothing to hold you here now.”

  “Yes,” said Rupert, turning briskly back to face her. “And it’s time we were on our way. Let’s make a start.”

  “Hold on a minute,” said Julia. “Assuming Harald doesn’t send half an army after us to get his jewels back, have you thought about what we’re going to do with ourselves, once we get out of here?”

  “Not really, no,” said Rupert. “I’ve never had to think about earning my living before. The jewels should help.”

  “Yeah,” said Julia. “We could buy ourselves a tavern.”

  Rupert shook his head. “The hours are too long.”

  “How about a farm?”

  “Too much like hard work.”

  “Well, what do you want to do?”

  Rupert shrugged. “I don’t know, lass. But preferably something that doesn’t require me to use a sword. I’ve had enough of that.”

  “Right,” said Julia. “I’ll go along with that. At least until my sword hand’s back to normal.”

  “Let’s go,” said Rupert. “I’m not going to feel safe until I’ve put several miles between us and the Castle.”

  “Rupert,” said Julia slowly, “We don’t have to go. You could stay, and make yourself King. After all you’ve done for the Land, you’d have no trouble finding support.”

  “I don’t want to be King,” said Rupert simply. “I’m not suited to it. And besides; it’s going to be hard enough work rebuilding the Kingdom without having the Land torn apart by a civil war. I didn’t put my life on the line to save the Land, just to see it destroyed again. No, Julia; the best thing I can do for the Forest is to leave. My last duty. And then, finally, I’ll be free.”

  “And you’re happy to leave Harald sitting on the throne?”

  “Yes. For all his faults, and he’s got enough of them, he’ll make a good King. Certainly a better King than I’d ever be.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” said Harald.

  Rupert and Julia spun round to discover Harald leaning confidently against the closed stable door. “You really should have locked the door behind you,” said Harald calmly. “You’re getting careless, Rupert.”

  “Don’t try and stop us, Harald,” said Rupert.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it, dear boy,” said Harald. “As you said, the Forest Land will be far better off without you. The Princess Julia, however, is a different matter.”

  “Oh yes?” said Julia.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Julia,” said Harald. “You’re staying here, with me, as my Queen.”

  “Like hell I am,” said Julia. “Ours was an arranged marriage, set and signed without my consent. As far as I’m concerned, the marriage is now very much unarranged. Look, there’s no need to worry about my father. Hillsdown must have taken nearly as much damage from the Darkwood as we did; he’ll have far too many troubles of his own to worry about, without trying to invade the Forest. And if it’s just an alliance you’re after, I have several other sisters …”

  “I don’t want them,” said Harald. “I want what’s mine. I want
you.”

  “Harald,” said Julia firmly, “The marriage is off. I wouldn’t marry you if the alternative was a nunnery. Got it?”

  “Now how can you say such things, after all we’ve meant to each other?” said Harald calmly. “I mean, you have told Rupert all about us, haven’t you?”

  “She didn’t have to,” said Rupert. “I’d barely been back in the Castle an hour before your people had taken great pains to let me know that she’d been sharing your bed in my absence. And you know something, Harald; I don’t give a damn. She thought I was dead, and you always were a charming bastard. No, Harald; what matters is that in the end she chose me over you, because she loves me, as I love her.”

  “Right,” said Julia, moving in close beside Rupert. “I wouldn’t take you on a bet, Harald.”

  “We’ve leaving now,” said Rupert. “Get out of our way.”

  “I’ll see you hanged first,” said Harald.

  He went for his sword, and Rupert punched him in the mouth. Harald reeled backwards against the stable door, caught off-balance, and Rupert slammed a fist into his gut. Harald bent sharply forward at the waist, and Julia rabbit-punched him. Harald fell to the ground, and lay still. Rupert knelt beside him and checked his pulse, and then rose grinning to his feet.

  “He’s going to feel that in the morning,” he said happily. “You know; I’ve waited a hell of a long time to do that.”

  “So have I,” said Julia. “So have I.”

  They shook hands solemnly.

  “I hate to spoil the moment,” said the unicorn dryly, “but it strikes me as rather unlikely that Harald would have come here alone. Hadn’t you better check to see if he brought any guards?”

  Rupert and Julia looked at each other, and then Rupert darted over to listen at the closed stable door, while Julia hooded her lantern, plunging the stable into darkness. For a moment, all was still and silent, except for the restless movements of the horses in their stalls, and the quiet rasp of steel on leather as Rupert and Julia drew their swords.

  “Anything?” whispered Julia.

  “Not a sound,” murmured Rupert.

  “I’m not being stopped now, Rupert.”

  “No more am I. Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  Rupert hauled the stable door open, and leapt out into the moonlit courtyard, Julia at his side. Outside the stable, a dozen goblins were busily looting half a dozen unconscious guards. The smallest goblin looked up, startled, and then grinned broadly at Rupert.

  “Hello, Princie; how’s it going?”

  “A lot better for seeing you,” said Rupert, sheathing his sword. “But hadn’t we better get these guards into the shadows? They’re a bit conspicuous out here.”

  “First things first,” said the smallest goblin, tugging hard at a guard’s stubborn signet ring. “The only ones who might spot us are the guards up on the battlements, and I’ve got a few of the lads keeping them occupied, just in case.”

  “And just what were you doing out here at this time of night?” asked Julia, still hanging onto her sword. She stared suspiciously about her, and glared meaningfully at a goblin who got too close to her. The goblin retreated in a hurry.

  The smallest goblin grinned triumphantly at the signet ring now adorning his thumb, and then looked a little sheepishly at Rupert. “Well, to be honest, you’re not the only ones planning on doing a moonlit escape. It didn’t take much foresight on our part to realize that once the fighting was over we goblins were going to be about as welcome here as an attack of rabies. So, we decided to gather up our families, grab what goodies we could, and make a run for it. It’s not as if we had any reason to stay; you’re the only one at Court who ever had any time for us. And with your brother on the throne … Anyway, we saw you were in a bit of trouble, so we thought we’d help out. Just for old time’s sake.”

  “Thanks,” said Rupert. “Where are you headed?”

  “Back into the Forest. We’ve never had much time for cities, or even towns. Too many walls make us nervous. Besides, I’ve come up with some great new schemes for waylaying defenseless travellers. Stick to what you’re best at, I always say.”

  “Good luck,” said Rupert dryly, holding out his hand. The smallest goblin reached up and shook it firmly.

  “Good luck yourself, Princie. You’re not a bad sort. For a human.”

  He whistled sharply to the other goblins, who quickly dragged the unconscious guardsmen away from the stable and into the shadows of the inner wall. In the space of a few moments, nothing remained to show that they had ever been there. The smallest goblin threw Rupert a snappy salute, blew Julia a kiss, and disappeared into the shadows.

  “Let’s get out of here,” said Julia. “This courtyard is getting to be as busy as a market day.”

  Rupert nodded wryly, and they hurried back into the stable. Julia led the horses out into the courtyard while Rupert bound and gagged Harald, taking great care to do a thorough job. He finally dumped Harald into an inconspicuous corner that just happened to be particularly filthy, and then he and the unicorn hurried out of the stable to join Julia and the horses. Sacking tied around the horses’ hooves kept the noise down to a bare minimum, but even so Rupert felt horribly exposed and vulnerable in the bright moonlight. He glared quickly about him, grabbed his horse’s reins, and started slowly across the courtyard toward the Keep. Julia followed close behind her horse, and the unicorn brought up the rear. The slightest sound seemed unnaturally loud in the silence, and Rupert hoped like hell that the guards on the battlements were still occupied with their goblins. Julia moved quickly up beside him as they drew near the Keep. Four guardsmen were standing before the closed gates with raised pikes.

  “Are those your guards, Rupert?” asked Julia quietly.

  “That’s them.”

  “Are you sure we can trust them?”

  “Of course I’m sure. They came back from the Darkwood with me. We could trust them with our lives.”

  “We are,” said the unicorn shortly.

  The guards nodded respectfully to Rupert, and lowered their pikes.

  “We were beginning to wonder if you were still coming, Sire,” said Rob Hawke.

  “I had a little business to attend to,” said Rupert. “Any problems at your end?”

  “Not so far. Have you got everything you need?”

  “Just about.”

  “Then let’s get you on your way, before the master-at-arms starts making his rounds.”

  The four guards pulled back the heavy steel bolts, and then swung open the great oaken doors. The ancient wood was scarred and rent, with whole strips torn away like kindling, but the doors still stood. The guards came back, and Rupert shook them all by the hand.

  “Best of luck, Sire,” said Hawke.

  “Thanks,” said Rupert. “My brother’s having a little rest in the old stable at the moment; you might want to go and discover him in a while.”

  “Oh sure,” said Hawke. “Still, no hurry, is there?”

  “Won’t you get into trouble for letting us pass?” asked Julia.

  “I doubt it,” said Hawke, grinning. “Everything’s in such a mess that no one’s sure where they’re supposed to be; and that goes double for the guards.”

  “Look,” said Rupert suddenly, “you’re welcome to come with us, if you want.”

  “Thanks all the same,” said Hawke politely, “But no thanks. The new King’s going to need all the guards he can lay his hands on to put this Land back together again; and that’s bound to mean extra money and promotions for old hands like us. Besides, we’ve got lands of our own to look after, remember? You granted them to us, and the old King ratified it himself, just before the last battle. Who knows, our descendants might even end up as Lords or Barons some day.”

  “That should shake things up,” said Rupert, and all the guards laughed.

  Rupert and Julia swung up into their saddles and rode forward into the Keep, the unicorn close behind. The gates closed slowly after th
em as they passed quickly under the raised portcullis and out onto the lowered drawbridge. The ice had all but vanished from the moat, but Rupert couldn’t see any sign of the moat monster. He urged his horse on, and soon Rupert and Julia and the unicorn were safely among the first few trees at the edge of the clearing. Behind them, the drawbridge swung silently shut. Good thing I ordered those gears greased, thought Rupert. Normally they’re loud enough to wake the whole damn Castle. It occurred to him that that order was probably the last he’d ever give. He frowned uncertainly. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that, but if anything, he felt rather relieved. He led the way into the Forest until he was sure they were out of sight from the Castle, and then reined his horse to a halt. Julia and the unicorn pulled up beside him.

  “Dragon?” called Rupert quietly. “Where are you?”

  “Here,” said the dragon, emerging suddenly from the trees to Rupert’s left. The horses took one look at the dragon, and tried to bolt. Rupert and Julia fought them to a halt, and muttered soothing words in their horse’s ears while glaring at the dragon.

  “Sorry,” said the dragon, moving cautiously forward to join them again.

  “Whatever you do, don’t smile at them,” growled Rupert as his horse finally calmed down. “I don’t think they’re ready for that yet. Are you ready to go?”

  “Of course, Rupert. By the way, do you think we could stop off at Dragonslair mountain so that I can retrieve my butterfly collection? I’ve seen some fascinating specimens here in the Forest that I’d love to add to it.”