"Close, but wrong. You are an actor dressed as a whirling dervish. And why are you at the castle kitchen?"
"To advertise for our upcoming show."
"And the show?"
"What about the show?" Take asked.
Serafina rolled her eyes. "What is the show you are advertising?"
"Uh, the Great Sheiks of Araby and their Harem Dancers."
"You could be a little more enthusiastic."
"They'll find me out you know. They'll put me back in the dungeon."
"Not if you play your part properly." Serafina took two coins from her cloak and held them close to his face. "Tell them you have been on the road for days and would be so in their debt for a hot-cooked meal. Show them the coins and offer to pay. Then praise their cooking outrageously. They will begin to gossip. You only need to steer the conversation."
"At least the part about the hot-cooked meal won't be a lie." The thief looked at the two coins and his face brightened a little.
"Do not get any ideas of your own," Serafina added, "I will be watching."
Chapter 19
Fernland’s Forest
The guards forced their line of prisoners forward with shouts and shoves. The guard at the end of the line used a branch to erase traces of footprints left behind in the forest. Prince Avor, at the end of the line of prisoners, remained mute, keeping up the pretense imposed on him by his sister. He heard the guards mention a cave and was not surprised when their march ended abruptly at a dark fissure in a hillside densely covered with ferns and bushes.
The rock around the cave’s entrance glistened with moisture and the sound of trickling water drifted from the dark opening.
"In ya’ go, an’ no stoppin’ inside. Any as don’t fit will jis’ ‘ave to be put ta’ the sword out ‘ere," the guard said.
Avor, at the end of the line, knew his father’s soldiers would not let that happen. Several had given him knowing looks, though none had attempted to speak to him or in any way, give away his identity.
The prisoners pushed through the narrow opening in single file, still tied one to another. The walls of the cave were close around them, widening a little as they moved deeper inside. As soon as Avor stepped through the opening, he could hear the guards sealing them in with rocks on the outside.
Before long the last bit of light was gone. Total darkness enveloped them, and sounds from outside were cut off.
"Your Highness?" a voice from the line of men whispered. The acoustics in the cave gave his whisper a loud echoing quality.
"Yes, I am here," Avor whispered back. A great tension among the soldiers seemed to break on hearing his words.
"Thank the fates," the voice said. "I am Lieutenant Racitor, failed commander of His Majesty’s soldiers sent to guard the bridge."
"No talk of failure," Avor said. "I am captured as well. Dagon will pay for this insult."
"Hear! Hear!" came murmurings from the other soldiers.
"We will find a way to untie you first, Your Highness," Racitor said.
"There is no space to turn on this end," Avor said. "How is it at the far end?"
"Corporal Lance here, Sire," said a voice from deep inside the cave. I’ve space to turn Sire, but ah, there’s something in here with us."
All the men went quiet. Into the silence came little snorts and grunts, sounds of fear and hunger.
"Your report, Corporal," ordered Racitor.
"Bear cubs," said several men at the same time.
"And the mother?" asked Racitor in a strained voice.
No one breathed as they listened for the deeper grunts and braced for an attack.
Finally Corporal Lance said, "I don't believe she is here Sir."
Racitor spoke as if to himself, "When she comes back she'll likely get through those boulders at the entrance and have at us."
Prince Avor spoke quietly but with excitement in his voice. "She will set us free! If we can get ourselves out of the shackles and pass those cubs close to the mouth of the cave, we can push them into the opening as soon as she digs through. Once she has her cubs we will fend her off with shouts and rocks. She will likely leave with her cubs."
"All of you, do as Prince Avor commands," shouted Racitor.
The men struggled to turn and twist in the narrow cave, feeling for the knots in the rope in the darkness. Soon one man was free and the rest were quickly untied. The bear cubs were passed forward, snarling and squirming. Racitor insisted on crawling forward under the legs of the other soldiers to stand in front of Avor. Within an hour the cub’s mother was at the cave’s blocked entrance.
They did not have to wait long. They soon heard angry snorts and falling boulders as the frantic bear tore at the pile of debris outside the cave. As soon as the first ray of light pierced the darkness, Racitor had the cubs pressed against the opening. The cubs struggled through to join their mother, whining and grunting. Their mother backed off to nuzzle them. She stood on two legs and peered into the darkness, lifting her nose high in the air. The men shouted and banged on the walls of the cave with rocks. She fell back on all four paws and nudged the cubs away from the cave, ambling into the forest with her cubs scurrying along behind.
The soldiers gave shouts of celebration and relief and quickly dug through to widen the opening and climb out of the cave. Lieutenant Racitor gave orders to stay together to protect the Prince as they headed for the King’s road. He reasoned that Dagon’s men would likely avoid the main road and stay hidden in the woods.
They made their way cautiously to the King’s Road and began walking toward the castle, keeping Prince Avor in their center. Minutes later they met the detachment of Royal Guards Avor’s father had sent to check on them.
The Captain of the Royal Guard stared down at Lieutenant Racitor from his tall black stallion.
"You failed to report last night, Lieutenant," he said.
"We have only one bit of good news to report, Sir," Racitor said. "Prince Avor is returned to us." The men parted and Prince Avor stepped forward.
"Lieutenant Racitor is not to blame," Avor said. "He and his men have kept me safe. But that renegade Dagon has burned our bridge!"
On hearing Prince Avor’s account of their escape, the Captain immediately ordered fifteen of his men to take the Prince to King Geoffrey without delay. He gathered his remaining soldiers and gave them their orders.
"All Royal Guardsmen, fan out and search the forest for the intruders. Lieutenant Racitor, you and your men, take me to this cave. While my men scour the forest, we will set a trap for Dagon and his renegades."
Chapter 20
Fernland’s Marketplace
The thief mingled with the crowd of vendors setting up their market stalls against the outer castle walls. His mouth watered at the sight of food. The smell of meat cooking on an open grill overcame his fear of Serafina. He decided to delay his visit to the castle kitchen. He fingered the two coins in his pocket and moved closer to watch a huge chunk of meat turn slowly on a spit.
"So what sort of get up is that yer wearin’," asked the large red-faced man who turned the spit.
"I’m supposed to look like a whirling dervish," Take answered
"A whirling dervish are ya?" Let's see ya whirl," the man said, laughing heartily.
"I'll whirl for a slice of that fine beef," the thief said as he licked his lips.
"Ah, it'll be hours 'fore it's done proper like. So wha's with the costume, Mate?"
The thief went into his rehearsed spiel and invited the vendor to come to the play.
"Harem dancers, is it? Tell ya what Mate. You come back in two hours and I'll trade you some beef fer tickets to yer play."
"Tickets?" Take repeated.
"Yeh, yer sellin' tickets, aren't cha?"
"Right, that I am. And that's a deal, right enough. I'll be seeing you then."
Tickets, the thief thought. Serafina hadn't thought of tickets, or had she? He couldn't remember. Of course they'll all want tickets. Should he go
back and ask Serafina what to do? The thought of going back before he had to was so repugnant he quickly pushed it from his mind. Out here, right now, he was free—free from the dungeon and free from Serafina. What if he were to find tickets and sell them. With a little money he could make his escape. He fingered the two coins again and looked around at the various stalls stacked up against the wall of the castle. Fruits and vegetables, meat and bread, cloth, buttons, pottery, toys swam into view. The market place was filling up with vendors and customers. Many smiled and pointed at him. He could sell a hundred tickets easily, but where to find tickets?
The thief's eyes fell on a child's set of paints at a toy stall. And next to it sat a pile of small canvass squares for painting.
"How much for the paints and canvases?" the thief asked.
"Ten pence," the vendor sang out.
"How about two pence and later I'll come back and put on a show to attract customers to your stall? And I'll throw in a ticket to the grand production I've come to advertise, The Sheiks of Araby and their Harem Dancers."
The vendor smiled and handed over the paints and canvasses. "It's a deal. Come back in an hour, the market'll be full then."
The thief took his paints and canvases and left the market down a quiet alley that led to the rear of the castle. He saw the kitchen entrance and thought about his original mission. Perhaps he should find out the gossip just in case this ticket venture didn't work out. It wouldn't do to be stuck here with nothing to report to Serafina.
The thief waited until one of the servants came out with a pail full of garbage. She dumped it on a heap of garbage in the alley. Crows flew up and rats backed off a little until she moved away. The thief caught her eye and began to spin.
"Look, look," he called out, "The whirling dervish is first but others will follow. The great sheiks in full costume. The Harem Dancers with a dance seen only by the kings of Araby."
The servant girl laughed and called back to the kitchen. "Mag, Bertie, you've got to see this."
Three more women came out from the castle's kitchen. They clapped their hands and laughed as the thief continued to whirl.
"Their dances will hypnotize, they will inflame, they will lead men to their doom. Only a true desert prince can contain them."
The thief stopped whirling and staggered toward them, dizzy from the whirling. The three women applauded and invited him in for tea. The thief bowed low and accepted graciously. Once inside the three servants giggled and pressed the thief to accept warm pastries. He ate as many as they put before him. Between bites he told them the wonders of the upcoming play and promised free tickets to each of them.
"But how will the players get through? In fact, how did you get through?" Mag asked. "The road from the South is closed. They say the Northern renegades have burned the bridge."
Before the thief could reply, a palace guard burst into the kitchen. He cast a suspicious eye on the thief.
"What's your business here?" the guard demanded.
"He's just an actor passing through," Bertie said.
"You'd best get your pet out of here quick," the guard said to Bertie, "Her Majesty is on her way down to get you going on a big celebration. Prince Avor is comin' home."
The thief headed for the door without being told. He did not want the queen to see him.
"Don't forget our tickets," Mag yelled at the swinging door.
The thief looked for the quickest route away from the castle. His mind raced as he tried to think what to do next. He almost ran under the galloping hooves of the King's Honor Guard as he rounded the corner to the market place.
"Make way," they shouted. "Make way for His Highness, Prince Avor. Make way."
The thief flung himself against the castle wall as the young prince rode by surrounded and closely guarded by soldiers. Vendors cheered the prince as he rode by, then quickly turned to gossip among themselves and speculate over the morning's events.
"I heard he was captured and escaped," a button-vendor said.
"And where ‘as he been of late?" asked the toy merchant. "I heard ‘e went fer ‘is sister, gone all these years."
"Didn’t see no sister when they rode by," the meat seller said. "May hap ‘e were on a wild goose chase?"
"Where'd he escape from? Who had 'im?" asked the fruit vendor.
The thief, costumed as he was, drew little attention now. He listened to the gossip and came up with a plan. He hid his paints and canvasses in his tunic. He would need time to make his tickets. He continued to drift from stand to stand, listening to rumors and putting off the time when he must finally return to the hut and make his report to Serafina.
Chapter 21
Fernland’s Forest
Dagon, Deimos and Electra made their way through the dense trees and ferns, avoiding any forest trails. Dagon was surprised that they had not seen any of Geoffrey’s soldiers. The soldiers must have seen the burned bridge by now. They should be scouring the woods looking, if not for Dagon and his men, then for their own missing comrades imprisoned in the cave. As the sun was setting behind them, they came within sight of the cave where they had hidden their prisoners. Dagon was relieved to see that the cave’s entrance was still blocked with boulders, dirt and branches. He was about to move out from the cover of the forest when he saw a flash of light—perhaps a reflection. He signaled a halt.
"What is it?" Deimos whispered.
"I saw a flash of light," Dagon said.
"What’s wrong?" Electra demanded. "You said you would bring the prisoners out."
"Quiet," Dagon hissed. He turned to Deimos. "Circle around and see if others of us are waiting on the opposite side."
Deimos slipped quietly into the foliage to work his way around to the other side of the cave.
"It is cruel to leave them so long in the dark," Electra said.
"Stay quiet or you will join them," Dagon said.
Within a few minutes, Deimos was back with three more of Dagon’s militia. Deimos put his finger to his lips as he approached.
"The flash you saw was a bit of luck," Deimos whispered. “It must have been the glint of a sword. Geoffrey’s men have set a trap for us. Two of our teams have fallen prey to it. These three barely missed being taken as well. They witnessed the others being taken away."
"Already gone?" Dagon asked. "We’ve no hope of freeing them?"
Otto, one of the three soldiers stepped forward, and shook his head sadly. "Somehow they must ‘ave found where we hid the prisoners," he said. “I don’t know how. I was there myself when we sealed ‘em in an’ there’s no way they could’a got out on their own. They resealed the mouth of the cave to trick us an’ then just waited for us to show up. As soon as our six got here they tied ‘em up an’ threw ‘em in a cart and headed back to Geoffrey’s castle. A few more minutes an’ we would of missed seein’ it and they would of had us as well."
"And what of the remainder of our men?" Dagon asked with clenched fists.
"We was able to warn ‘em. They’re waitin’ by the North Fork of the river."
Dagon let his breath out slowly as Otto continued.
"They’ve captured eight more of Geoffrey’s guards but it took some fightin’. A few of us an’ a few of them are wounded."
Dagon considered their situation for a few moments. "With only twelve of us we’d best not take more prisoners, though I’d like nothing better than to surprise those lying in wait for us. We’ll meet up at the North Fork and return to Helsop. He looked wistfully in the direction of the cave. "I suppose they have more of Geoffrey’s men stationed at the bridge."
"They do," Otto said, "out of sight, likely hopin’ we might fall into that trap as well."
Dagon looked at Electra, wondering if he should leave her here to be found by Geoffrey’s soldiers.
"Would you like to tell me the truth about you and your young friend and thereby gain your freedom?"
"If you are such a keen judge of the truth how is it that you choose not to believe the story
I have already told?" Electra asked.
Dagon put his hand to his head as though soothing a headache.
"Come along then," he said. "Perhaps King Geoffrey will pay a ransom for you."
Chapter 22
Castle at Fernland
The royal family sat in their private dining room around an exquisite marble table. King Geoffrey and Queen Delphinia smiled as Prince Avor speared another chunk of roast beef onto his gold platter. From time to time Delphinia dabbed away tears of joy with her silk handkerchief.
"What an amazing escape," the King said, when Avor paused to take a sip of water. "And the mother bear did not attack?"
Avor pushed his platter away and leaned back in his chair. "No, we shoved the cubs through as soon as the hole was big enough for them. She had a choice of digging a bigger hole to get to us or leading her cubs away from the cave. We were all shouting and banging rocks together. Luckily she chose to leave with her cubs."
"How brave you were, Avor," the Queen said. "And how resourceful you have been these many days, finding your sister in that distant land. Do you think Electra was nearby when the bears were there?"
"No, I am sure not, Mother, we were soon out of the cave. We would have seen her."
"After all these years, to have her so close, only to lose her again," said the Queen, wiping her eyes.
Avor hung his head. "I am sorry Mother, I am to blame."
"Oh, Avor." Queen Delphinia hugged him again. "Certainly you are not."
The King’s expression turned angry. "There is only one person to blame, that scoundrel Dagon! I shall raise an army and bring Electra home."
"And I shall go with you," Avor said.
At this the Queen’s handkerchief flew to her mouth and she cast a beseeching look in Geoffrey’s direction.
"Ah, I would be honored to count you among my officers, Avor," he said, "but we dare not chance it. You are heir to the throne and your mother’s protector. If anything should happen to you…," the King’s voice trailed off with just a hint of sadness. "You see my situation. I am afraid I am unable to allow it. I am sorry."
Avor looked as though he was searching for an argument that would change his father’s mind, and Geoffrey quickly changed the subject.