She collapsed against his shoulder, and he stood, patting her back. “I know for a fact that Wizard Fenworth told you he was going to die.”
She nodded, keeping her face buried.
“He is not lost to us, Toopka, but waits for us to join him in another place. Isn’t that what he told you?”
She nodded again and lifted her tear-stained face. “He said he was going to go take a walk with Wulder and ask Him some things he never got figured out.”
Paladin smiled. “And by now our friend Fenworth has his answers. It’s all right to miss him, but do not despair. The Tomes make it clear that this is only a temporary world we live in.” He hugged her. “The Tomes also give us instructions as to what to do in such a time as this.”
“What?”
“Talk to the living. There are stories in this room that are just waiting to be told. Are you curious about Granny Kye’s sons?”
Bardon caught his breath, and Kale squeezed his arm.
“He didn’t desert you,” she whispered.
He shook his head but couldn’t answer past the lump in his throat. He had avoided Granny Kye’s eldest son in the chaos after the battle. It hadn’t been difficult. Paladin had issued orders, and Bardon sprang to obey. When they reached this room, he’d chosen to stand on the opposite side beside Kale, where she stood with her parents.
Paladin carried Toopka over to Sir Joffa, who stood next to his brother. Bardon’s father had a hand resting on his mother’s shoulder. “Tell us, sir,” commanded Paladin, “about how you were separated from your son.”
Bardon didn’t want to hear this story in a crowded room. This tale was personal and shouldn’t be aired in front of strangers. He stared at the man who was his father and waited. He wondered about Sir Joffa’s age. Not very old, he guessed, since his skin, hair, and eyes had darkened only to a ruddy tan. The knight’s eyes glanced Bardon’s way for only a second, swept around the room, and then came back to rest on his son.
“I heard my brother was in trouble and decided to give aid.” Sir Joffa’s voice boomed across the large hall. “I set out with my fair lady and our son toward Wittoom, but we were ambushed in the Kattaboom Mountains by Risto’s men. My wife was killed. The rest of the cutthroats were slain by my men and me.”
By this time, Bardon had lost all trepidation over the witnesses hearing his story. He felt as if his father spoke to him and none other.
“I made arrangements for Liza’s burial,” Sir Joffa continued, “and spirited my son away to The Hall. I knew Grand Ebeck would take care of him for the few months I would be gone to rescue my brother, without giving away his parentage and exposing him to Risto or Stox.”
He looked steadily at his grown son. Bardon returned the regard without flinching. “It is hard for me to imagine that this fine young man is the sleeping six-year-old I handed into Ebeck’s arms.”
Paladin turned to face Bardon. “You were old enough to remember all this, Squire, but sometimes Wulder blots out horrific memories in order to give peace to a fragile child.”
Bardon felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down into Kale’s expectant face.
“Go shake his hand. Do something!” she muttered urgently.
Bardon felt released from a very long, troubling dream. He crossed the wide space and stuck out his hand to his father. Sir Joffa took it and after one firm shake, pulled his grown boy into his arms.
This can’t be real. Oh, thank You, Wulder. It is real. Tears coursed down his cheeks, and he felt only joy, no shame. He heard the crowd around them cheering and applauding, but he paid them no mind.
“Now,” said Paladin, “it looks like we have a happy ending, but I’m afraid there is too much still going on for us to rest.” His eyes roamed the room, connecting with each of the warriors. “I have need of you all. It is true that Crim Cropper and Burner Stox are amassing a hideous army in hopes of taking over Pretender’s powerful position. And although they’re not attacking the citizens of Amara, their skirmishes leave our people, who are innocently caught in the fray, as casualties. Whichever side wins, the next strategic move will be to enslave Amara. It is good that these knights are now awake. We must be ever watchful and not be caught sleeping when our chance comes to stand for Wulder and righteousness.”
“Hear! Hear!” shouted those in the room.
“I bless you, one and all, for your presence has returned my strength.”
“What are we going to do with the tree?” asked Toopka.
“Ah yes, little one, ever practical.” He kissed her cheek. “We must take care of the immediate as we prepare for the future. I am giving this castle property to Sir Kemry and Lyll Allerion. We have flushed out the evil, but if you leave a place empty, the depraved will return. Lyll and Kemry will move the tree to a sunny spot and allow it to be just what it is, a lovely tree.”
“And Kale?”
“She is now Wizard of The Bogs.”
“Can she do that?”
Paladin winked over Toopka’s shoulder at Bardon. “Yes, with help, she can.”
GLOSSARY
Amara (ä´-mä-rä)
Continent surrounded by ocean on three sides.
armagot (är´-muh-got)
National tree, purple blue leaves in the fall.
armagotnut (är´-muh-got-nut)
Nut from the armagot tree.
astiket (a-stik´-it)
A three-team ball game played on a triangular field with three goals.
Ataradari (uh-tar´-uh-dar´-ee)
A tribe native to one of the smaller southern continents; primitive, but rich in folklore and tradition.
azrodhan (az´-ro´-dan)
Any of numerous, prolific vines, having clusters of bell-shaped flowers in various colors.
bisonbecks (b´-sen-beks)
Most intelligent of the seven low races. They comprise most of Risto’s army.
blimmets (blim´-mets)
One of the seven low races, burrowing creatures that swarm out of the ground for periodic feeding frenzies.
Bogs, The
Made up of four swamplands with indistinct borders. Located in southwest Amara.
bordenaut (bôr´-deh-not)
A mold-ripened cheese with a white rind and a soft, pale center, made from creamy milk.
borling tree (bôr´-ling)
Tree with dark brown wood and a deeply furrowed nut enclosed in a globose, aromatic husk.
bossel (bôs´-l)
Grain with flat edible chaff and seed in center.
brillum (bril´-lum)
A brewed ale that none of the seven high races would consume. Smells like skunkwater, stains like black bornut juice. Mariones use it to spray around their fields to keep insects from infesting their crops.
brouna (broo-nah)
Beaten eggs, cooked in a skillet until firm, then folded over a variety of fillings.
chigot deer (k-go)
A large deer with tangled antlers.
cygnot tree (s´-not)
A tropical tree growing in extremely wet ground or shallow water. The branches come out of the trunk like spokes from a wheel hub and often interlace with neighboring trees.
criantem (cree-an´-tem)
A smooth, hard, yellow cheese varying in flavor from mild to sharp.
daggarts (dag´-garts)
A baked treat, a small crunch cake.
doneel (dō´-neel)
One of the seven high races. These people are furry with bulging eyes, thin black lips, and ears at the top and front of their skulls. A flap of skin covers the ears and twitches, responding to the doneel’s mood. They are small in stature, rarely over three feet tall. Generally are musical and given to wearing flamboyant clothing.
doohan (doo´-an)
A woven seat used for passengers, encased in a small chamber and mounted on a major dragon.
dorker
Large noisy bird, brightly colored, attractive to the eye, annoying to the ear.
Dormanscz (dôr-man
z´)
Volcanic mountain range in southeast Amara.
druddum (drud´-dum)
Weasel-like animal that lives deep in mountains. These creatures are thieves and will steal anything to horde. Of course, they like to get food, but they are also attracted to bright things and things that have an unusual texture.
drummerbug
Small brown beetle that makes a loud snapping sound with its wings when not in flight.
emerlindian (´-mer-lin´-dee-in)
One of the seven high races, emerlindians are born pale with white hair and pale gray eyes. As they age, they darken. One group of emerlindians are slight in stature, the tallest being five feet. Another distinct group are between six and six and a half feet tall.
fire dragon
Emerged from the volcanoes in ancient days. These dragons breathe fire and are most likely to serve evil forces.
giddinfish
A freshwater food and game fish; usually has a streamlined, speckled body with small scales.
girder exercise
A demanding regimen of recalling actions taken during a day and justifying the decision to make such an action by reciting principles from one of the three Tomes of Wulder.
grand emerlindian
Grands are male or female, close to a thousand years old, and black.
granny emerlindian
Grannies are male or female, said to be five hundred years old or older, and have darkened to a brown complexion with dark brown hair and eyes.
grawligs (graw´-ligs)
One of seven low races, mountain ogres.
greater dragon
Largest of the dragons, able to carry many men or cargo.
grood
A basic unit of currency in Amara.
guard
A fighting unit made up of a captain and four loes.
heatherhens
Chickenlike bird having brown plumage with a speckled breast and a short tail.
heirdosh vines (hair´-dosh)
A vine with short, flat, glossy-green leaves with two white bands on the underside. The sap from the branches is poisonous. The fluid from the leaves is poisonous to a lesser degree.
Herebic continent (hair´-a-bik)
Massive continent in the western/southern hemisphere.
Himber (him´-ber)
A tribe of people who are prone to be isolationists. They value intelligence and are great inventors.
Kere (keer)
An ancient language no longer in use. This language is thought to have been used by one of the first tribes to use written communication.
kimen (km´-en)
The smallest of the seven high races. Kimen are elusive, tiny, and fast. Under two feet tall.
kindia (kin´-dee-uh)
A large land mammal noted for its speed, strength, and endurance. Kindias are exceptionally adapted to traveling long distances with great efficiency and to surviving on a diet of nutrient-poor, high-fiber grasses. The shoulders are a foot or more taller than the hindquarters, giving the animal a slanted back.
Korskan tea (kor´-skan)
A tea flavored with citrus and spices, such as cinnamon and cardamom.
lightrocks
Any of the quartzlike rocks giving off a glow.
lo
Rank between leecent and lehman.
major dragon
Elephant-sized dragon most often used for personal transportation.
marione (mer´--owns)
One of the seven high races. Mariones are excellent farmers and warriors. They are short and broad, usually muscle-bound rather than corpulent.
meech dragon
The most intelligent of the dragons, capable of speech.
minneken
A small, mysterious race living in isolation on the Isle of Kye.
minor dragon
Smallest of the dragons, the size of a young kitten. The different types of minor dragons have different abilities.
moonbeam plant
A three-to four-foot plant having large shiny leaves and round flowers resembling a full moon. The stems are fibrous and used for making invisible cloth.
moonbird
A nocturnal bird of prey, having soft plumage that allows for noiseless flight, feathered talons, large heads with large eyes set forward, and short hooked beaks. Name reflects the coloring, which resembles the surface of the moon.
Morchain Range
Mountains running north and south through the middle of Amara.
mordakleep
One of the low races, a shadowy creature with a long tail.
mountain dewdrops
Small white flowers growing close to the ground in an almost moss covering.
mullins (ml´-lns)
Fried doughnut sticks.
o’rant
One of the high races. Five to six feet tall.
ordend (or´-den)
A basic unit of Amaran currency. Twenty ordends equals one grood.
ostal greens (ah´-stuhl)
A plant in the mustard family.
parnot (pâr´-not)
Green fruit like a pear.
pnard potatoes (puh-nard´)
Starchy, edible tuber with pale pink flesh.
Pordactic Period
The period of Amaran history covering two thousand years when the Pordac family ruled.
portamanca (por´-tuh-man-kuh)
Evergreen shrub having fragrant orange blossoms and whorled leaves.
Punipmats (puh-nee´-mats; notice second p is silent)
Continent of western/northern hemispheres.
quiss (kwuh´-iss)
One of the seven low races. These creatures have an enormous appetite. Every three years they develop the capacity to breathe air for six weeks and forage along the seacoast, creating havoc. They are extremely slippery.
razterberry (ras´-ter-bâr-ee)
Small red berries that grow in clusters somewhat like grapes on the sides of mountains. The vines are useful for climbing.
rock pine
Evergreen tree with prickly cones that are as heavy as stones.
ropma (rōp´-muh)
One of the seven low races. These half men–half animals are useful in herding and caring for beasts.
schoergs (skôrgz)
One of seven low races, much like grawligs, shorter, less playful.
smoothergill
Any of the marine flatfishes having a slick skin and large gills.
steppesman (steps´-mun)
A large burrowing animal of the squirrel family, covered with light brown fur. Social structure within colony resembles extended families.
stinger-schoergs
A variant of schoergs, having a scorpion-type tail instead of a prehensile tail.
thornsnippers
Tiny brown birds with bright red beaks, known to feed on thorns of various bushes.
todden barrel
A wooden container of toddens, a pickled vegetable, yellow in color and crunchy, shaped somewhat like a hand.
trang-a-nog tree (trăng´-uh-nog)
Smooth olive green bark.
trundle bear
A small, ferocious brown bear with enormous claws.
tumanhofer (too´-mun-hoff-er)
One of the seven high races, short, squat, powerful fighter, though for the most part they prefer to use their great intellect.
umbering
A time of refreshment, the social traditions and interaction being more important than the nourishment.
urohm (ū-rōm´)
Largest of the seven high races. Gentle giants, well proportioned and very intelligent.
Vendela (vin-del´-luh)
Capital city of the province of Wynd.
waistcoater
A deep-chested bird with a small head and short legs. The coloring of feathers suggests the bird is wearing a dark vest.
Wittoom (wit-toom´)
Region populated by doneels in northwest Amara.
; writher snake (r -ther)
A water snake, long and slender. The snake wraps its body around a victim, drags it under the water, and eats the body as it decomposes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DONITA K. PAUL enjoys writing, but she enjoys her readers more. Her Web site, www.dragonkeeper.us is a place where she can interact with readers, old and young.
Mrs. Paul is a retired teacher and still spends a great deal of time with young people. Although she lives in the shadow of Pikes Peak, she does no mountain climbing, preferring more sedate hobbies such as knitting and stamping. And she likes to make things she can give away.
Praise for
DragonKnight
“DragonKnight is a thoroughly enchanting fantasy where dragons speak, tiny mouselike guardians protect normal-sized folk, and young people search for identity. Woven through Donita K. Paul’s carefully crafted world is a strong theme of love, redemption, and the sufficiency of God to see His children through all trials. The icing on this delightful cake is a surprise ending that brings tears of joy!”
—DOUGLAS HIRT, author of the Cradleland Chronicles series
“Donita K. Paul’s inventiveness never ceases to amaze. Fresh ideas for new races of people and unusual creatures keep flowing from her gifted pen. In DragonKnight, we meet a few of these and rejoin old friends like Kale, Bardon, Regidor, and the ever-huggable Toopka on a rollicking adventure. As always, this author has a whole bag of tricks up her sleeve—unexpected plot twists, heart-tugging relationships, and captivating characters. ‘Classic’ is written all over this series.”
—JILL ELIZABETH NELSON, author of Reluctant Burglar
“DragonKnight swept me into the exciting exploits of Bardon and his loyal friends. The inventive and richly compelling characters quickly drew me into their lives and into a fast-paced fantasy adventure.”