The Catastrophe of the Emerald Queen (6 page)

 “
Yes,”
the fat man
replied.
“The woods themselves offer
protection as you know. You are as safe here as you can
be.”

 
Mordalayn turned to Jared.
“
You must be hungry”
he said.

 
Jared realised his clothes were dirty.
Fellicone saw him look down and chuckled.
“Don’t worry; I can take care of that. There are clean
clothes in the bedroom that will fit you. They were my son’s but
he’s outgrown them now.”

 
Jared stood and moved towards the room.
Fellicone called after him.
“There is
fresh water in a pail for you to wash with before you change too.
The meal will be ready when you are.”

 
Jared
stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind him. His jacket
was spattered with dirt and his trainers were caked in it, along
with his jeans. He pulled off the jacket and dropped it on the
floor next to the empty metal bathing tub. He was glad there was
very little grime on his jumper and none on his t-shirt as he had
to pull them over his face. He washed quickly and turned to the
pile of clothes laid out on the foot of the bed. There were brown
trousers of a heavy fabric and a light, green shirt that had no
buttons but went over the head. There were no shoes so he realised
he’d just have to wear his muddy trainers. He used the remainder of
the water to clean the worst of the filth off and then left them to
dry. There was a small belt bag, like a bum bag, made of brown
leather and he put in the few items out of his pockets. About five
pounds in change, his mobile phone, MP3 player and a keyring with a
pocket torch on it. He tied it around his waist. Emerging from the
room he saw Mordalayn was already seated then jumped at the sight
of a tiny creature standing on tip toe and dealing with the dirt on
the chair he’d sat on. It was small in size and looked like a
little man until you saw its head which was the shape of an
elephant’s, the tiny trunk slung over one shoulder. It muttered to
itself as it worked, the dirt drying as it waved its hand over it
and then brushed the flakes into a gold coloured dust
pan.

 
As Jared moved forward it finished and
Fellicone said. “
Thank you
Ribbledonk.”

 
The
creature grumbled, glanced up at Jared and tutted and then waddled
off into the kitchen.

 
Mordalayn was eating from a large bowl, the stew in front of
him was meaty and the smell was inviting. There was a plate of
bread in the centre of the table and he broke a piece in half with
his huge hands and dipped it in the liquid.

 “
Come young master”
Fellicone said pulling the clean chair back for him.
“You must be hungry.”

 
Jared sat down and Fellicone put a generous
helping of the stew into a clay bowl and handed him a spoon. Jared
was about to dig in when he paused. He didn’t know where he was and
he had just been abducted by a cat faced giant while an
elephant-headed creature cleaned furniture. He paused and Fellicone
chuckled.
“I think our young friend fears
poison,”
he said not
unkindly.

 
Mordalayn glanced over at Jared and without saying anything
leaned over and dipped his spoon in Jared’s bowl, taking a big
helping with a chunk of meat and then putting it in his mouth. He
looked directly at Jared as he chewed slowly and then swallowed.
Jared didn’t hesitate any more but wolfed down the stew as fast as
he could.

Chapter
4

Mordalayn rode slowly on the
large, black stallion with Jared behind him. After dinner the night
before they had told him to try and get some sleep. That had been
impossible and he’d lain awake wondering just what on Earth was
happening. Mordalayn had stayed up all night, prowling around the
small house and the outside grounds. As the sun came up the cat man
had come to fetch him. After a brief breakfast of bread and what
Jared thought might have been milk they had saddled the horse and
ridden off.

 
The
horse trotted at a leisurely pace through a dusty path that wound
its way through lazily waving stalks of red grass. As they
approached the line of trees Jared glanced behind and saw Fellicone
in the distance, waving slowly. He raised his hand in reply and
then they were inside the wood, the sudden change in light
startling him.

 “
W
here did the doorway take me
?” Jared wondered. “
Somewhere unusual
,”
he thought but he had no idea where. In the distance he could see
the sun, huge over the horizon, over twice as big as the sun he was
used to seeing. It was light green and orange, the clouds around it
a glorious display of reds, purples and oranges that changed every
minute as it rose higher in the sky.

 
Mordalayn sensed the fear in
Jared. "It's all right boy. Don't be frightened. See the lake in
the distance through the trees? That's where we're
going
.”

 
As they rode along a
whispering voice suddenly said
. “Master why are you here on this path?”

 
Jared
jumped. The voice was like the wind whistling in the grass. It was
as if it wasn’t actually spoken but more inside his own head. He
looked around frantically as Mordalayn gently reigned the horse to
a stop.

 “
Good friend we are on our way
to Alegria. Two travellers, surely you can allow such innocents as
us to pass?
.”

 “
Master
Mordalayn?” the whispering voice said again with curiosity. Jared
glanced around and to their left he saw that the leaves of a large
tree were twisting in the breeze. As he stared at it the leaves
rippled and formed, breaking into patterns to suggest there was a
face in there. The large lips and eyes formed and then dissapeared,
to reemerge in the next tree and then into a third. Finally the
voice spoke while the leafy face looked at them both.

 “
Oh,
master Mordalayn you are with a young friend. Pray, who is this
young boy?”

 “
This is master Jared, a very
important friend of the Emerald Queen” Mordalayn replied in a
friendly yet totally formal tone. “We are on our way to the palace
so he can help her in her time of trouble
.”

 
The face in the leaves
rippled, broke and reformed and the
green lips appeared to smile. “Gooooood” the voice
whispered. “Master, you are always welcome in this wood. Please
tread carefully. Take only what you need from
it.”

 “
You are very kind my friend,
Our Lady will hear of y
our
kindness to one who serves her. Have a good day.”

 
The face seemed to
smile
once more and with a
final flurry of the leaves and a whistle of wind the trees became
still.

 
Mordalayn tugged the reins gently and they continued on the
path. “What was that?” Jared asked bewilidered.

 “
Forest guardians of the border
lands” Mordalayn said quietly. “They guard their own. They are
friendly enough if they like you
.”

 “
And if
they don’t?” Jared asked.

 “
Then, well you’ve got a big
problem
.” Mordalayn
replied.

 
Jared
glanced to the left and saw the lake Mordalayn had referred to in
the distance. They rode in silence and then dismounted near a long
wooden fence. Mordalayn took their packs from the horse and then
slapped its rump. The horse bolted, headed back to the farm.
Jared’s feet got stuck in damp patch of mud but Mordalayn caught
his arm. "Careful lad, this ground is treacherous" he said
sternly.

 
Near
them was the same orange ooze that he’d seen at the farm. Steam
twisted from it. “What is that stuff?” he asked.

 “
Old magic
.” Mordalayn said and then added “since Our Lady
is hurt it is building like sewage. Don’t step in
it.”

 
Jared
nodded, fearfully.

 
They moved towards the lake
on
a path cutting from the
field down to an area with an enclosed paved section with a large
wooden table and seats. The path veered right to a fence that
appeared to be made of some sort of livid, wet looking brown
plant.

 
They
walked down further and before them was a large lake and a bridge
of maybe fifty metres in length extended out to a square dock port.
Moored there was a small yet elegantly carved boat with oars lashed
to it. The bridge was rickety and old looking with nothing to keep
someone from falling in, although wide enough for two people to
walk comfortably side by side. The water was a vivid, rich blue and
impossible to tell how deep.

 
"Lo
ok, I know you did something weird back there but this
is crazy" Jared said, stopping and turning round to face his
escort. Mordalayn stared at him impassively, towering over Jared.
He remained silent for a moment then said:

 
"There
are many things I need to tell you but we're not safe here. Unless
we keep moving we can be found. I promise you I'll tell you
everything you need to know once we are somewhere beyond
danger."

 
Just then heard there was the sound of hooves in the
distance. Mordalayn whirled, pulling Jared behind him. From behind
the large copse of trees there appeared five riders on large
horses. They were all hugely powerful beasts. The riders were all
men, all dressed in long, red cloaks and carrying sheathed swords
at their sides with what appeared to be a bundle of short spears
behind the saddles of their mounts. The horses were shining with
the exertion of the gallop.

 
Mordalayn
whispered
. "Don't move and
don't say anything.”

 
The
horses slowed at a signal from the foremost rider and stopped a
short distance away forming a line. Then the riders dismounted and
stood looking towards them, hands on their swords.

 
The
leader strode toward Mordalayn, smiling broadly, one of his front
teeth glinting. He was white haired and clean shaven with broad
shoulders and reminded Jared of a rugby player his dad knew. The
mud on the shore caked his dark leather boots. Flipping his cloak
over his shoulder he bowed theatrically, making a flourishing
gesture with his gloved right hand as he dipped low.

 
"Well, well, my friend. Seems
you have collected a stray
.”

 
Mordalayn said nothing. Jared peered out anxiously from
behind him.

 
"Come come Takoba, this is no
time to be belligerent or unfriendly
.” He gestured behind him to his men who glanced quickly at
one another and their grips tightened on their sword
hilts.

 
The man moved forward
slightly, his smile broad. "My thanks, it is indeed an
honour
.”

 
Mordalayn’s icy stare never
changed. “You have no honour Siavy” he hissed
angrily
. “You are a mercenary
and a thief.”

 
The man's smile never faded
but he took one step closer. "Mordalayn you are a loyal servant to
Alegria, however the boy comes with us
.” He signalled to two of his men to move forward and
they did so, striding forward purposefully.

 
Mordalayn snarled and stepped clear of Jared, unsheathing the
huge sword. The metal hissed free of the scabbard and two men
stuttered to a halt on the muddy shore.

 
Siavy shook his head slowly.
"I will offer you one final chance. Give us the boy and you can go.
The alternative is that we kill you and take the boy
anyway
.”

 
Mordalayn said nothing.

 
Siavy
sighed. "Very well" he said with a resigned air. His smile faded
and he turned to his men. "Take him" he said curtly.

 
Mordalayn whirled, turning quickly to Jared and shoving him
hard. "Run to the boat" he shouted.

 
The
soldiers charged at Mordalayn with their swords drawn.

 
"Yield!" one shouted. Mordalayn didn't pause but raised his
sword above his head and as the man raised his own to parry the
expected down swing, Mordalayn kicked out with his left leg, his
wide foot landing square in the man's guts. With a whoosh of air
the man flew back four feet and dropped his sword, grasping his
winded stomach and heaving in pain.

 
Mordalayn then turned to the
other and brought the sword down in a vicious arc towards the man's
head. The man countered in terror as the three blades rammed down
with furious force upon his own steel. Before the soldier
could
react Mordalayn brought
the hilt of his sword into the man's head, knocking him out
cold.

 
Jared stood mesmerised on the
bridge watching this unfold. Mordalayn had put the first two
soldiers down in the space of a few seconds. He turned and
ran
. “I don’t want to fall
in,”
he thought but noting
through his fear that the boards seemed dry despite how close they
were to the water.