"Take them!" the King cried.
Immediately the naga closed on the column. Three had assumed man form, and three snake form. The men lobbed stones at the goblins, while the snakes slithered up to bite the goblins' feet.
The goblins, caught by surprise, quickly got fighting. The guards had wooden cudgels, with which they struck at the men and snakes. But the men ducked, avoiding the blows. Each caught hold of a goblin, lifted it up, and hurled it into the water beside the path. Suddenly there were three fewer goblins in the fray.
But the six goblins with bags dropped them and opened them and fetched out long bones. They used these bones to strike at the snakes. The snakes lifted their heads and hissed in unison. From their mouths came fog, and the fog enclosed the goblins. Immediately the goblins coughed and choked, suffocated by the vapor. Three more were out of it.
The remaining goblins glared around. "There's a female!" their leader exclaimed, spying Nada. "Take her hostage!"
As one, they charged Nada. She screamed and tried to retreat, but came up against the wall behind her. It was obvious that she knew nothing about fighting.
Dolph assumed ogre form. There was room for it, in this large cave. He leaped between Nada and the goblins. His huge hairy arms reached out to embrace the entire group, and his hamfists smashed into the goblins on either side, compressing them into the center. The goblins, stunned, hardly resisted. They knew that it was futile for their kind to oppose an ogre; some of their forebears were still orbiting the moon from prior encounters, while others had been jammed through keyholes so that their heads became doorknobs. They did not realize that Dolph was not a real ogre, and could not perform such feats,
Then one of them caught on. "How did an ogre get in here?" he cried. "The tunnels are far too small!"
Dolph pounded him on the head, but it was too late. The blow did not hurt him, it only drove him into the stone floor somewhat, and the others now realized that this could not be a true ogre. They burst out of the embrace like popping corn, scrambling every which way. He was only able to catch one, whom he hurled into the water.
But by this time the naga had closed in. Each of the five remaining goblins was caught and dumped into the water. The water did not drown them, for they swam, but it rendered them helpless. They were unable to swim and fight at the same time, and the naga stood guard at the edge to prevent them from emerging. The goblins were not pleased; the water was beginning to discolor from the taint of the language they were using, and Nada was trying to stifle an appalled look. Words like that were known to be damaging to delicate feminine ears.
Now Dolph could look for his friend Marrow. He changed to boy form. "Marrow! Marrow!" he called. "Where is your skull?"
"Mmmph!" came from one of the bags. Dolph dashed over and dumped out that bag. Several bones and the skull rolled out. There was a gag tied across the mouth. He picked up the skull and tore off the gag "Marrow, is it really you?"
"Who else would it be?" Marrow inquired curtly. "Quick, put me together before the remaining goblins catch up!"
"Remaining goblins?"
"Of course there are more on the way," the King said. "That is why we have to hurry. We don't want to fight the whole stronghold!"
"Maybe we'd better just carry away the bags of bones, and assemble them later," Dolph said.
"No, there might be some missing," Marrow said. "Just follow my directions, and this can be very quick. I regret I can not reassemble myself, in this situation. Start with the skull bone here; next attach the neck bone, then the shoulder bone—''
"Wait, I have to find them first!" Dolph protested. "Dump out all the bags; I'll point mem out-" Quickly the naga dumped out the bags. Then Dolph carried the skull past the scattered bones. "There!" the skull said, and Dolph picked up the indicated neck bone. There turned out to be several of them, actually. All he had to do was touch the bones to the growing structure, and they snapped neatly into place. Then the shoulder bone, and the arm bones. The work got faster as the skeleton progressed and the remaining bones became fewer.
But when all the bones had been used, Marrow was incomplete. Several ribs and part of his left leg were missing, as well as his whistle finger. "There must be another bag of bones!" Dolph said. "Maybe a goblin fell behind the others."
"But how can you find it without encountering the other goblins?" Nada asked, overcoming her nervousness about the skeleton enough to approach.
"We shall have to wait for it to arrive," Dolph decided.
"This is not wise," the King said. "The main force of goblins may be much larger."
"I can become a tangle tree and hold them off," Dolph said.
"But suppose they are wary, and take another route?" Marrow asked. “I think you had better just leave me incomplete."
"No. I came to rescue you, and I shall rescue all of you. The naga can leave if they want to."
"I can't leave you," Nada said. "You are my betrothed!"
Marrow's skull turned toward her. "What?"
Then they heard the marching feet of the next party of goblins. There was no time for further discussion.
Dolph assumed the form of a tangle tree. His roots writhed across the stone, seeking purchase; his tentacles reached out to block the entire passage.
Dolph could no longer talk in the human tongue, but Marrow could. "Cluster in around the tree!" Marrow cried. "It will not attack you! Defend the tentacles from getting hacked off!"
"Watch out!" a goblin cried from the water. "It's a blubble blurb!" For a naga in man form had just reached out and pushed the goblin's head under water. Angry purple prose bubbles rose, showing the goblin's ire at this interruption.
The goblins heard. "What's that?" their chief called as they marched.
"A tangle tree," Marrow said helpfully as Dolph's tentacles reached out and grabbed the chief.
Then there was chaos, as the new goblins fought the tree. But the tangler had more tentacles than there were goblins, and soon all six of them were hanging in the air.
One of them held the missing bag. Dolph turned him and the bag upside down so that the bones fell out. Marrow limped over and picked them up, setting them in place himself. In a moment he was complete, including his whistle.
"Excellent," said King Nabob. "We have rescued the skeleton. Now who will rescue us?"
Dolph realized what he meant. If he changed back to boy form, all the goblins would be freed, and would immediately resume fighting. If the others tried to escape through the water, they would encounter all the goblins swimming there. If they just waited, in an impasse like the one he had suffered with Draco Dragon, eventually more goblins would come to overwhelm him and the naga. They were trapped!
"Perhaps I can help," Marrow said. "With a bit of help from Prince Dolph."
"But we just rescued you!" King Nabob protested. "We don't want to leave you behind!"
"You won't have to, I'm sure," Marrow said. "Kick me."
"If you insist." The King assumed man form and booted the skeleton in the rear.
Marrow flew apart, and landed in the form of a grate. Then the naga picked up the grate and set it against the entrance to the chamber where the goblins had come from. Then two of them held the grate in place, while two others fished goblins out of the water and carried them to the entrance. They pitched the goblins down the tunnel, and the grate was pushed closed so that the goblins could not return.
Two more goblins were brought. The gate was swung open just enough, and the goblins pitched through.
Before long all the goblins were clamoring on tile other side, walled off by Marrow's bones. The naga guarded this gate, preventing the goblins from pulling it apart. Every time they tried, a naga in the form of a snake hissed and belched noxious fog, driving them back. The vapor did not bother Marrow, but the combination of bone and fog was more than the goblins could handle.
Dolph returned to boy form. "But once the naga go, the goblins will take Marrow apart again, and if Marrow changes form, the gobl
ins will charge in a mass and overwhelm us!" he cried.
"Not if you become a wood wind," Marrow's skull said.
"A wood wind?"
"Don't they have them in normal Xanth? It is a musical instrument made of wood, that—“
"Oh. But someone has to play it."
"I have had some experience with music," Nada said. "Perhaps I could play it."
"But you must hold it very firmly," Dolph said, “because—"
"Of course." She assumed girl form, her head unchanged, her body bare. Dolph was pleased to note that she was his own age, not mature. It would have been horrible if she had turned out to be Ivy's age! She put her hands on his arms.
Dolph assumed the form of a woodwind. This was a living plant, for deadwood was beyond his talent. It was hollow, with holes along its length, and a mouthpiece at the end. Because Nada had been holding him, she was now holding his new form.
Nada lifted him to her mouth. Her lips touched his mouthpiece, which corresponded to his mouth in this form, and it was like a kiss. He was delighted.
She blew, and he was exhilarated; she had such sweet breath! Her fingers played over his body delightfully; she had a nice touch, too.
But there was a special quality of this particular instrument. It blew out much more wind than it took in. That was why Marrow had suggested it.
Nada lifted him so that he pointed toward the bone grid. She blew a harder note.
Dolph sent out a fierce jet of air. It crossed the cave and washed through the grid. "Move out!" King Nabob ordered.
The naga retreated from the grid. Nada blew another note, harder yet. This time the wind howled past the grid, holding it up, shoving it up against the wall.
The goblins were advancing from the other side, now that the naga were gone. Nada blew harder. The howl became a scream, and the wind blasted at the grid and through it, eliciting secondary notes. The goblins were blown off their feet, and went sliding back along die tunnel. Their language was so foul that it turned the air smoky, but fortunately the wind blew the sound away.
"Now kick me down!" Marrow's skull cried. "And blow harder!"
Nada walked up and made a hesitant kick at a hip bone. This turned out to be enough; Marrow flew apart, and reformed in his natural configuration.
But the goblins were charging back. Nada lifted Dolph and blew as hard as she could. Marrow dived out of the way.
The wind emerged with the sound of thunder. It swept down the tunnel, carrying rocks and sand along. It hurled the goblins so far and hard that they disappeared. Even when Nada's breath ran out, and she paused to gasp in more air, the sound of that gale carried back, rampaging onward down the tunnel.
Nada put the mouthpiece to her mouth—and Dolph reverted to boy form. Suddenly they were embracing and kissing, Nada's hands playing a tune down Dolph's bare back.
"There's no stopping those two!" the King complained, not completely annoyed.
"Ooo, you tricked me!" Nada said, no more annoyed than her father.
"I had to catch up on kisses," Dolph explained.
"Move out!" the King said. "Those goblins will be after us."
Dolph and Nada changed to naga form. They slithered toward the water. Then Dolph halted. "But Marrow can't swim!" he said.
"Kick me into a rope, and bite my end," Marrow said.
"Bite your end?" Nada asked. Then she and Dolph dissolved into laughter.
"I'll do it!" King Nabob snapped. In man form he booted the skeleton; then, as Marrow fell into rope form, the King assumed snake form, and caught the end bone between his teeth. Then he slithered to the water and plunged in.
Already there were stirrings far down the tunnel. The goblins were regrouping! Dolph and Nada slithered quickly after the King. They did not want another session with the goblins!
It was a much harder swim, against the current, but they made it by evening. They collected in the cave where Dolph had started, when Draco brought him. "I believe we have delivered our part of the deal," King Nabob said gravely. "Now my daughter will travel with you. Prince Dolph, until you come of age." He paused as if anticipating an objection from Marrow.
But Marrow had seen the two embrace and kiss. He sighed, shaking his head, knowing that it was too late for a protest. The deal had, after all, been for his benefit.
When he shook his head, the two gems within it rattled. "We must settle accounts with the dragon!" he exclaimed, remembering. "We can not steal his gems during the truce!"
"No problem about that," Dolph said. "He has given them both to us, one for the merwoman, the other for you, for saving his treasure. Keep them in your head until we return to the sea."
Marrow considered. "Then it seems that all accounts have been settled." He glanced eyelessly at Dolph. "But your mother will be most perturbed about—"
"Well, she'll have years to get used to it, until I come of age to many," Dolph said. He had discovered that he rather liked being betrothed. Nada was the first girl he had encountered whom he really liked.
"You must suffer our hospitality for the night," the King said briskly, pleased that no trouble had developed. "A boy your age needs food and rest."
Dolph realized how tired he was. "I guess so," he agreed. "I hope your food is good."
Nada made a face. "It's yucky!" she proclaimed.
"It's nutritious.” the King retorted firmly.
Dolph sighed. The dread Adult Conspiracy had manifested again. Children were never allowed anything really good.
Chapter 11
Isles
In the morning, well rested and nutritiously (ugh) fed, Dolph and Nada set out with Marrow. The naga escorted them to a hidden cave aperture at ground level, and Nada bid a tearful farewell to her father, the King. She didn't seem to have a mother; Dolph hesitated to inquire about that. He felt guilty about being responsible for their separation, but reminded himself that it was King Nabob who had insisted on the deal. Dolph might have argued that he would keep his word about the betrothal, so that Nada didn't have to tag along with him until he came of age. But Nada was the first girl or girl creature he had really liked, and he wanted her company. So he was silent, and guilty.
Nada assumed girl form and kicked Marrow in the tailbone. Marrow flew apart, and landed in the form of a globular cage crafted of finely linked bones. Nada opened the door in it and stepped inside, closing and latching the door behind her. The naga handed her a bag of sandwiches and cookies, as well as several balls of green, blue, and orange juice.
The wind was right. Dolph assumed roc form, spread his wings, and lurched into the air. He caught the Marrow cage with his talons and lifted it. Nada waved to the naga below, then exclaimed at the marvels of flight. She had never experienced anything like this before, and was delighted. Everything was new to her. Listening to her exclamations, Dolph felt anew the wonder of it. It was as much fun having her enjoy it as it had been for himself, the first time.
A flying dragon showed on the horizon. It was not Draco; the species differed. It started toward them. "Caw!!" Dolph squawked warningly. The dragon changed course.
Even in dragon country, no one messed with a roc in the air. This was one reason he favored this form, just as he favored the ogre on land.
The high winds shifted to favor him, and he made excellent progress southeast. Each time he used this form, he was better at it, becoming a stronger flier with experience. Surprisingly soon the Gap Chasm came into view.
"Oooo!" Nada exclaimed, awed. "What a crack in the ground! How come I never heard stories about it?"
"There was a Forget Spell on it," Marrow explained. "It stopped folk from remembering it until relatively recently, and even now the news spreads slowly. For a time parts of it spun off in forget whorls that caused some mischief, but now most of those are gone. Now that you have seen the Gap, you will remember it.”
"Oh, goody! I don't want to forget a thing! I never knew that being betrothed could be this much fun!"
Dolph had not known it eith
er. But he dreaded his return to Castle Roogna, where his mother would certainly have Something to Say. The fact that he liked Nada would probably make the reckoning worse, because children weren't supposed to have fun.
In due course the seacoast appeared. Dolph followed the coast south, flying lower, until he recognized the region where Mela Merwoman swam. He coasted down to the beach. Now how would they get to her underwater lair? They would have to get more air plants, and—
But then he saw two figures wading from the water. Mela, with legs, and Grace’l, with the knapsack. They had of course noted his approach in the mirror, and had come out to meet the party!
Dolph managed to stall out barely above the beach, and he dropped the cage into the shallow water. It splashed, but the water cushioned its fall so that Nada was not hurt. He was getting better at landings, too!
While Dolph changed to boy form, Nada kicked the cage in the hipbone, then changed back to her natural form. Marrow performed introductions, so that Nada, Mela, and Grace’l could tell each other apart. Then Marrow tilted his skull and knocked it with a hand bone, and the two firewater opals rolled out into his other hand.
Mela gaped. "Two?" Evidently she had not seen the action clearly enough through the little mirror to learn of this before. If the Tapestry had been watching Dolph instead of Marrow, the business with the gems might not have been shown.
"Draco Dragon realized that there had been a misunderstanding," Dolph explained diplomatically. "So he is returning your opal to you. The other—"
"Is its twin, which I am giving to you to redeem Grace’l.” Marrow said. "The two make a set, far more valuable than they are individually."
"But only one is mine!' Mela protested.
"Both are yours," Marrow said firmly. "With these you should have no difficulty marrying a suitable merman." He passed the two gems to her.
Dolph kept quiet. He knew that the second opal was rightfully Marrow's, his reward for saving most of the other gems from the goblins. If Marrow had not been there, the goblins would have taken everything. Dolph had told Marrow about the dragon's misunderstanding about the fire-water-sand contest, and about Draco's inexplicable reluctance to have the nature of that confusion told to Mela. It seemed that Marrow felt the merwoman should have more back than she had lost.