Author: bftowe

Caye and Kurth received taunts and an occasional splat from an overripe fruit during their trek through the inner ward. Once they reached the outer ward, they found more gentile treatment, though most sorcerers thought better of greeting them. The beleaguered sorcerers finally reached their home. Rhiann, Iyaca Vassi, and the wondrous siren sat in the family room. Kurth relayed the Council’s decision.

Kurth said, “The Council has learned of Mayard’s death. His statues are being torn down. Yerko has brought the sorcerer Bailiwick to Thynna and bestowed stewardship of Magick to him. Pinochynose’s deputies are planning to strip the gems from the Gem Bush to cover the cost of hiring mercenaries.”

Caye dejectedly said, “Stripping the gems will kill the tree. They must be removed one at a time in order for the tree to replenish its fruit. “

Rhiann said, “Mother! Father! We must dispute Yerko’s actions.”

Kurth said, “The Castellan has seized total power. Now he has Bailiwick to back him up. Say what you will about him, but Bailiwick is an accomplished sorcerer. Few resist his Hold Spells. Yerko has replaced the Lord President and High Chancellor with his minions. Many in the inner ward resented Mayard’s association with the Old Ones. Mayard stayed away too often and too long. While the cat was away, the mice played, and all that… Your mother, you, and I are under banishment, Rhiann. We are denied entry to the inner ward. Failure to comply with Yerko’s orders will result in our permanent expulsion from the city. Any association with old Ones will lead to our expulsion. I’m afraid your beautiful friend must leave. Iyaca’s presence puts us at risk, too. The Castellan and High Sheriff’s deputies roam the city. If they find him without proper papers, again we’ll bear the brunt of punishment. The mark of the Klarjes no longer gives us prestige. Now it marks us as adversaries of the Council of Thynna.”

Rhiann asked, “How did the council learn of Mayard’s death. I only told you and the Gnomes?”

Kurth said, “Bailiwick is a powerful ally for Yerko and Pinochynose. Who knows what resources he may have employed!”

Caye said, “Yes, he looked so confident when he entered with his ferret. Mayard’s greatest adversary is now the steward of Magick! Alas!”

Maranna quizzically asked, “Did you say ‘ferret’?”

Caye said, “Yes, it’s a lovely creature, but it’s Bailiwick’s familiar.”

Rhiann, Iyaca, Captain Donovan, Commandant Longbeard, and Archer Dibbit walked among the Castellan’s deputies. Rhiann felt a subtle tug on his cape. Unmistakable pleasant pheromones besieged his senses. Maranna was near. Touching him did not betray her invisibility. Innate abilities differed from spells. Had she been made invisible by a sorcerer, her action may well have exposed her. Suddenly one of the deputies went sprawling. His armor and weapons clanked loudly. His curses filled the air. His comrades laughed and one commented something along the line of “two left feet.” The Gnomes fought back laughter. Then another deputy stopped laughing and stared off idly into space. His colleagues started shaking him, but the hulking centurion did not respond.

In the confusion Maranna whispered in Rhiann’s ear, “I only gave him a little kiss. He’ll probably come around in a couple of days.”

Rhiann, Iyaca, and the three Gnomes made their way on to the massive outer curtain. Donovan received many greetings along the way. The Gnomish Captain had made many friends and helped many outer warders with tasks during his short tenure in Thynna. Two deputies caught up with the small party. Sergeant Redbrick met them at the gate and returned their weapons. One of the deputies started to object. Suddenly he stopped talking, smiled, and stared off idly into space. His comrade began shaking him. Sergeant Redbrick gave Donovan a vigorous handshake and slap on the back. Redbrick then opened the gate. Rhiann and Iyaca stood by Redbrick as the Gnomes exited.

The new gatehouse clerk who called himself John Money stood just outside the gate and said facetiously, “Sorry to see you leave, boys. Be sure to turn in your temporary papers. Remember you’ll have to see me to get papers to enter the city in the future. I’m scrutinizing all visitors. Oh my. Young Rhiann Klarje. Are you harboring an undocumented visitor? That’s a punishable offense! You’ll have to go before the Council. He must…”

Suddenly the tall man stopped talking, smiled a silly smile, and smiled off idly into face.

Donovan Fourteen-names, Longbeard Twenty-names, and Dibbit Six-names waited in the foyer. They were dressed in travel clothes and carried their bags. Their weapons remained in the armory at the outer curtain’s gate. Sergeant Redbrick had managed to garner papers for the Gnomes to roam the outer ward, but he had to store their arms. Longbeard still looked a bit thin and peaked, but the Gnomish Commandant walked now without the cane he had employed only a few days earlier. High Sheriff Rhino patted her foot impatiently, and her ten heavily armed deputies with disdain reproached the Gnomes for tarrying in Thynna. High Sheriff Rhino and her twin brother Pinochynose had been childhood friends of Castellan Yerko. High Inquisitor Pinochynose mastered the spell Detect Lie and its reverse Lie. He could half tell some whoppers… and usually got away with it. It was very hard to mislead him. The Gnomes nervously avoided Pinochynose’s gaze and questions.

Newly-promoted Captain Donovan said, “Rhiann Klarje, we came to say goodbye for now. Our duty calls. Fact is… I’m really missing my axe and hammer, and I get the feeling we are wearing out our welcome.  Madam Darktop’s cooking will fatten up old Longbeard in no time at all. He’s Commandant Longbeard now. That means he gets to hobnob with the Burgomaster’s guests.”

Longbeard quickly said, “I’m not kissing anybody’s a**, Donovan! I’ll summon you for that duty!”

Dibbit chimed in, “Don’t you mean doody, Longbeard?”

The Gnomes shared a laugh. Donovan said, “Rhiann, being in Thynna has helped me learn a lot about sorcerers. Trouble is… there’s a lot more to know about them than I thought. I’ll never pretend to understand your Uncle’s motives, but I’ll put in a good word for you with the Burgomaster.

Mighty Chiron interrupted a futile attempt to sleep and went to the edge of the invisible bridge across the river that surrounded the Hanging Gardens. The death of his old friend Mayard had disturbed the centaur. His sentries always welcomed his companionship. Just a day earlier the guards had to repel a giant from Hinderburgh. Chiron turned quickly. A small ferret raced between his legs and started across the bridge. Chiron’s companion nocked an arrow and started to fire.

Chiron said, “No. Let it go. It’s just a ferret.”

The ferret cleared the bridge and scooted across the cleared area, running between the hooves of the many centaurs on guard duty and entering the woods to the north. The ferret ran through the underbrush. It stopped at a pair of well-worn boots. A dark robe fell to just above the top of the boots.

The sorcerer said, “Oh, Windy, my eyes and ears, you have returned. The value of a familiar! So he’s passed on. The great Mayard Klarje is dead. I’m saddened only by the fact his death did not come by my hand. There’s no need for my current plan and naught to do here at this time. I’ll release the giants.” The sorcerer uttered some guttural phrases. Four Hinderburgh giants interrupted their phi gamm feast and answered his summons. The sorcerer spoke to them in the same gruff tone. The giants grumbled their disappointment, but the sorcerer assured them the fight they hoped for with the centaurs was merely delayed. The sorcerer gave a shrill whistle. Beating wings appeared. He mounted the large old copper dragon, gave the beast a large chunk of copper ore, and muttered, “To the woods near Thynna. Stay out of sight.”

The dragon flew straightaway to the propinquity of the city of Magick.

Castellan Yerko made his way to the chamber door, and Kurth appealed to him to allow Rhiann to speak.

Yerko said, “He’s a boy, Kurth. The Council has pressing business, including discussions about your wife’s insubordination. Why should I allow him before the Council?”

Rhiann implored, “I carry my Uncle Mayard’s message.”

Yerko answered derisively, “Then let him speak for himself! I grow weary of his messages!”

Kurth said, “Rhiann brings word from the Hanging Gardens.”

Yerko gruffly replied, “So he’s kowtowing in the Gardens with his harlot Nona. The only word I want from the Three Sisters is their total submission and dissolution of their power. When Nona shatters her distaff and leaves the Veldt, I will treat with her. Mayard’s ways are old ways, Marsh. Your young relative must learn he can’t follow Mayard’s path. Thynna moves away from the old ways.”

Rhiann said, “Please allow me to speak, Castellan.”

Kurth added, “Let him be heard, Castellan. If you are so comfortable with the Council and Thynna’s course, what harm can he do?”

Yerko looked up at the twin suns sparkling in the east and said, “The day is wasting while we tarry here. You want to speak, whelp? Well, if you want to make a fool of yourself, proceed. You’ll be as big a laughing stock as your senile Uncle Mayard.”

Rhiann said excitedly, “I’ll be brief, but thorough.”

Yerko clapped his hands together and the guards separated and granted access to the doors. Rhiann and Kurth followed the Castellan into the large amphitheater. Murmurs passed through the captive audience.

The Castellan headed for the podium and addressed the Council of Thynna members, “Fellow Council Members, you are honored to be addressed by an adolescent sorcerer, Master Rhiann Klarje. He intends to enlighten us about the Hanging Gardens. His Uncle Mayard has sent him to face us in his stead. I’m sure his Uncle’s lack of courage makes young Rhiann proud of the mark he wears on his face.”

Donovan and Redbrick left the gatehouse and headed back toward town. The short walk led them past the many merchant shops set up on the plaza outside Thynna. Redbrick said, “That little blighter wasted all our time. I’m going to whip his butt!”

Just then a voice whispered from a nook between two shops. Donovan turned and saw Iyaca cowering among baskets and barrels. The Gnome asked, “Iyaca, what gives? Why’d you run away? We only needed a few minutes.”

Iyaca quietly said, “It was the clerk.”

Redbrick said, “Do you mean Money, John Money?”

Iyaca said, “He can call himself whatever he wants. He’s the Man in Black. He’s the one whose men killed my parents.”

Redbrick said, “The highwayman? Are you sure?”

Iyaca answered, “Donovan, I’ll never forget his face. He probably remembers me, too.”

Donovan said, “You were little more than a tyke when they brought you to Gnome-town. Redbrick, I wouldn’t know. I never saw his face in the road to Dry Creek. His voice was familiar. “

Iyaca said, “Go arrest him, Redbrick!”

Redbrick scratched his chin and muttered, “I can’t rightly arrest him, Iyaca. Technically, he is my superior. Part of his mustering package included full pardon for all previous acts. On top of all that, he can read and write, which makes him quite a commodity to the Council of Thynna. He mustered in with three other guys.”

Donovan said, “Undoubtedly the Fearsome Foursome are now in the employee of the Council of Thynna and there is naught we can do about it.”

Redbrick said, “That’s about the size of it. Copies of the muster logs are kept in the Guard Tower. We’ll check.”

Redbrick said, “The criteria for acceptance into Thynna’s mercenary corps is to be living, breathing, ornery, and not opposed to fighting Old Ones.”

Donovan said, “I have nothing against Old Ones. My ilk has always had a live and let live association with the Three Sisters and the Hanging Gardens. Fact is… Old Ones likely saved us from Bailiwick’s lot. I was mad about being hauled around by a dragon at the time, but not so much now. Maybe war won’t come. Rhiann and Mayard oppose it.”

Redbrick said, “Let’s take him over to the gatehouse. They’re not busy at the moment. Should be routine!”

Redbrick, Donovan, and Iyaca passed through the gate and made the short walk to the gatehouse outside Thynna. Soldiers walked around the cleared area. Iyaca walked behind the Gnome and Tower Guard. They entered and found the gatehouse bustling with activity. Soldiers directed them to a desk in the back of the large entry room. A tall man sat and the table and scribbled on a parchment.

Redbrick said, “Are you the document clerk?”

The man said, “If you are asking am I the only ******* they’ve recruited that can read and write in a while, the answer is ‘yes.’ So you need paperwork. We don’t see many Gnomes on the rosters.”

Redbrick said, “No, it’s not for the Gnome. He’s an emissary from Gnome-town. It’s for the kid. He needs papers.”

The tall man said, “I saw you walk in. From the distance he looked a little young to muster in. What’s his name?”

Redbrick said, “I’ll let him give you the information. Iyaca, come up here. Let’s get this done. I’ve got duties to get to.”

Redbrick turned, but Iyaca was missing.

Redbrick said, “Where’d he go?”

Donovan said, “I don’t know. He was just here. I was looking around to see if I knew any of these blokes. Iyaca? Iyaca!”

The clerk frowned and said, “I got tons of muster papers to fill out. Where is he?”

Red brick said, “Aw, get back to your work. If Rhiann Klarje wants his assistant to have domicile in the city, he can bring him here himself!”

The tall man said, “Did you say Rhiann Klarje? Is he in the city? I didn’t see him enter?”

Redbrick said, “Are you kidding? Klarjes don’t have to check in. I haven’t seen him but Donovan says he’s back.”

Eyerthrin extended his arms as far as he could reach in both directions. He inhaled, bowed his head, and touched his chin to his chest. He then lifted up his head, bent his neck into full extension, and exhaled. Scintillating lights surrounded him. His tall muscular frame shimmered in the lights, paled to a man-sized white light, and changed to a repeating pattern of brilliant lights. The man-sized form slowly expanded to a great-multicolored sphere. The expanding sphere gradually acquired a form with a massive head, four powerful legs, two great wings, an immense body, and a long serpentine tail. The large roughly reptilian shape briefly flashed many colors and solidified to the form of the young prismatic dragon.

The prismatic dragon was a wondrous sight. His scales glowed with all the colors of the rainbow. The beast was the height of several men and the mass of many horses. The dragon’s sparkling eyes made available a window to his great wisdom.

Transformation for the prismatic dragon was an innate ability, not a spell. Eyerthrin and his ilk had the ability to change their size and shape. Their weight decreased proportionately when they assumed their smaller size. If they got smaller, they weighed less, too. Density, weight, and mass were measures of Nature, not Magick. Dragons were creatures of Magick. But even Magick had limitations. The dragon could not become much smaller than his favorite man-sized form that enabled him to walk the halls of buildings, stroll the streets of towns, and ascend stairs. In his glorious dragon state, he attained a length of eighty feet and stood twenty feet tall at the shoulders with his great neck extending another fifteen feet. Innumerable scales of many sizes and shapes covered his body. The largest were about a cubit (20.6 inches) in length and width, while the smallest were the size of the tip of Nona’s sewing needle. Everyone was every color, one color, and no color;  the scales  continually shifted from  colorless shimmering reflective surface,  any one color of the  rainbow after a summer storm, and a multitude of colors.

Serena’s eyes mirrored the Dragon’s scales. The siren stroked his powerful foreleg and marveled at the softness and warmth of the scales, a feature unique to the prismatic dragon ilk. Eyerthrin inhaled and took flight.

Bailiwick eased his left eye open. The fading light of the twin suns made him wince. His temples throbbed mercilessly and the hard rock beneath him stiffened his back. Kobolds were laying all around him. The sorcerer painfully raised his head and scanned the area. The Gnomes, merchants, young Klarje, the steeds, and beasts of burden were gone. Both wagons remained. The wagon bound for Thynna still carried all its treasures, but the second wagon had been stripped of all its copper ore. The Man in Black and his fellow Fearsome Foursome comrades were missing. The Kobold Chieftain Beeyo snored loudly.

Bailiwick stood and scanned the skies and saw only a solitary Copper Dragon slowly circling in the distance. Smoke was no longer rising from Dry Creek. The hour of the day told him he had slept several hours. Last things he remembered were the appearance of the winged beasts and melodic voice on the air. He resisted the urge to sleep and mumbled Dispel Magick to no avail. The sorcerer muttered to no one, “****** Old Ones! Mayard Klarje remains my greatest enemy, but now my anger for the Old Ones and Hanging Gardens surpasses my ire with the Council of Thynna.”

Bailiwick let the sleeping Kobolds lie and scampered off the rock. He awakened his horse and whistled for his familiar Windy. The ferret had served him well. It detected the scents of Klarje’s entourage long before Beeyo’s Kobold scouts had seen them. Now Windy’s senses told the sorcerer the way was clear to his hidden abode. Bailiwick cursed his dependence on the Highwaymen and Kobolds. He took some choice gems from the wagon. They’d come in handy for his future plans.

Sagain’s skies blessed the forest with a rain shower sometime after the sorcerer’s departure. The rain awakened a few Kobolds, who in turn awakened their many comrades. Beeyo yowled from the pain of his headache. The early awakeners had first choice at the bounty from the mines on the wagon. Many fights ensued. Eventually Beeyo took charge and most of the best stones.

Mayard Klarje said, “Jethro. If someone looks different, it doesn’t mean they are less important and lack feelings. Magick is not to be used frivolously, young sorcerers. Think about the consequences of your actions. Always let your hearts guide your deeds.”

Jethro humbly said, “Yes, Teacher.”

Mayard Klarje reached into his tattered rucksack and removed a small jacket and handed it to Jethro. Jethro accepted the doll-sized garment but said, “Thank you, Teacher. But it’s too small for me. It should fit my sister’s doll. I’ll give it to her.”

Mayard smiled and answered, “Your education continues. Place your left hand in the sleeve.”

Jethro did not question the famed wizard and stuck his hand into the small sleeve. The fabric expanded and the coat slipped over his body and became a perfect fit.

Jethro marveled, “It feels wonderful. The fabric is warm and cool at the same time.”

Mayard smiled and said, “It’s made of Sagain silk. The fibers are produced by silkworms that live in the Semper Fi trees on Wombat Mountain. The coat is water resistant and will grow as you do. By the way… it’s also fire and cold resistant.”

Jethro beamed, “Thank you, Teacher. Receiving a gift from you is an honor! And you’ve given me two!”

Mayard again smiled and said, “Just remember what you’ve learned today.”

Jethro, Bo, and Dean left the amphitheater. Headmaster Lennard gave Mayard a quizzical glance and then left also. Rhiann helped his great uncle gather his materials and store them in the marvelous rucksack, which maintained its weight and outer dimensions. Rhiann mimicked the Headmaster’s quizzical look.

The youngster said, “Uncle Mayard, why did you reward Jethro? He’s been very mean to me. You witnessed it. Today was mild compared to other things he’s done. I can’t go near the merchant Elliott’s store. He thinks I’m a troublemaker.”

Mayard kept stuffing thinks in the rucksack and said, “Well, I could have changed him to a toad. I really have done it before. Or would you rather have had me place a barbed tail on his backside?”

Rhiann sighed and answered, “Not a bad idea. Uncle Mayard. I might have considered it.”

Mayard chuckled, “I thought about it, too. But, Rhiann, if we treat him like he has treated you, are we any better than him? Vengeance is not best served cold. It’s best not served at all. Two wrongs do not make a right.  You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I can recite many more adages if you like.”