136 – Meet the Queen

  Rox and Diana watched the troops break up and Steven and Alex taken in a different direction. Rox had quietly placed a spell on her things and Diana’s things during the week, which allowed her to sense their location, regardless of the intervening space. Something told her not to worry about doing likewise with Steven or Alex’s things. Now as they entered the fortress, she started gathering mana to herself. The two of them were in just underwear and blankets and still chained in their cages, and taken through a series of arches and passages between the buildings of the fortress. At a certain point, the troopers were met by a cadre of palace guards, who replaced them, and the troopers left.

  These guards/porters bore them through the fortress to its heart, and a large grove of fruit trees dominated by one huge tree in the middle. This tree was tall enough to probably be taller than the buildings around it, and quite large around with several large branches reaching out from the central trunk. As they passed the smaller trees, Rox wished she could shield Diana from the sight. Men and women were hanging from the trees, crucified naked even in the cold. It looked like there were people crucified all over the higher branches of the big tree, and the group was heading right for it.

  The group stopped in a clearing at the base of the tree. Its foliage dominated the clearing, and stretched up as high as the fortress around it starting about two heights of a person above the ground. Bodies of assorted people were not just impaled to it as with the other trees. On this one, it looked like branches were growing through the bodies attached to it. Branches engulfing the bodies, and growing out through them. And the people were somehow kept alive as this tree transmuted their substance into its own.

  The guards set the cages on the ground, and then prostrated themselves.

  Rox watched as the bottom of the tree began to shift around. Diana shrieked in surprise and disgust. A new shape was exposed and broke away from the base of the tree. Humanoid female, but only just; she stepped away from the tree as it withdrew from around her.

  Roxanne has learned some little of the following from the Elves, and now heard Karen’s voice in her mind telling her that the Queen is pure evil, and given her soul over to corrupting power. A creature from the infernal regions looking vaguely like a tree has been magically produced, and she merges her body into it. In return, it draws her seed out of her and mixes it with the seed of the men it feeds on; it will eventually bear fruit after its own kind, but only in the abyss. She and the King were once lovers. Now they are incompatible, to his disgruntlement.

  The Queen is the only person who can detach from the tree. The other men and women are being slowly consumed by the creature. As it draws energy and matter from the trapped bodies of its victims through its roots and branches, it transfers some of the energy to sustain the woman. She is also a magic user. She draws and channels mana right through this creature. To defeat her will require killing it.

  At seeing the Queen, Rox wondered why some of the women in this world couldn’t be bothered to wear enough to keep warm at the beach; particularly in the winter.

  She was taller than most men were. Because of the transformation worked on her, her body was covered by brownish thorny bark. Segmented plates of bark covered her head. She had six limbs at her shoulders. Two normal arms, two longer arms with small wings that ended with two-foot long claws, and two larger visually impressive but otherwise impractical wings. She also had a tail that swished back and forth as she walked, balancing against the upper body mass. Her feet were digitigrades such that she walked on the balls, and had spurs on her heals resembling a bird. She reminded Rox of Kali, but more malevolent.

  Taking no notice of the group, she stepped away from the tree's embrace and crossed the clearing, to a man attached to another tree. She took hold of the man as a mother would a baby, and pulled him off the tree that held him, using the clawed arms to cut the cords that bound him. He collapsed into her arms. She carried him to the large tree and held him against it. He weekly tried to fight as she held him there. Then he seamed to levitate as the tree took hold of him with multitudes of tiny tentacles, and carried him up into its heights. Then he stopped, and was held fast to the tree as tentacles like roots wrapped around his arms and legs. More tentacles clumped together to form a kind of seat and covered him to part way up his belly. The larger roots split to smaller roots that then dug into his body and limbs, connecting him to the tree.

  Rox knew right then that neither she nor Diana would be allowed to live to become part of that tree.

  The woman watched as the man was placed and wrapped up. She then turned to the guards.

  “Rise. Have them stand forth.” An unexpectedly rich voice issued forth.

  The guards stood, and opened the cages and dragged Rox and Diana out of them. The blankets were taken and put back into the cages. Both were a bit wobbly after having sat or crouched for most of a week. Hunger had them sufficiently week as not to resist. Diana wanted to move to her mother, but two guards held her still by her ankle chains. Two guards flanked Rox, and the rest carried the wooden cages away.

  For a moment Rox just concentrated on staying upright on cramping legs. She quietly continued gathering mana to her, to be ready for whatever happened.

  The Queen approached, wings folding to her back. As she moved about, Rox could see that she had several tubes that seamed to project from her back, and wrap around to enter her chest, and moved as breathing tubes. Two over the woman’s shoulders and across the top of her breasts then in past her sternum. The next set came around under her arms and then under her breasts. The last two followed the lower curve of her ribcage before going in. Strangling her was out of the question.

  She looked Rox over, but gave most of her scrutiny to Diana, going to one knee to look her over. As the Queen’s attention shifted, Rox felt some magical pressure diminish.

  “So. This is the one chosen by fate to kill me, whom I can not kill. And how is that, little half breed?”

  Diana said nothing. She just tried to look away, at anything that was not profanely offensive to look at. She ended up looking at the ground.

  The Queen stood and then looked Rox over. The magic pressure increased.

  “Prudence says I should kill you now. Surely you know something of the various prophecies by now. Your daughter and son will be great leaders in whatever cause they espouse. It would be a shame to deny that. The prophecy about me gives me a choice. If I kill you, I can send her back to the witch. Let you live, and you will always seek her back under your wing until she is able to defend herself. It’s entirely personal. For the cause and all.”

  At that she turned away.

  “Bind the child to that tree. Bind the adult to the rings on the floor.”

  She stepped back and turned away, as the guards moved Rox to the center of the clearing and carried Diana to a tree. She continued thinking aloud.

  “After all I must give the child cause to hate me enough to counter me.”

  Rox was halted in the middle. The chains attached to rings on the ground, shortened to only let her to kneel. Her guards then backed away, waiting for their next commands. Rox turned as best she could to look at Diana, but the way she was bound would not let her turn far enough to see her.

  Rox turned away, and fought to clear her mind. This was the moment her feelings had been leading her to, when she must either take control of her life, or have it taken from her. Slowly her thoughts stilled as she drew on the mana she was accumulating, and her perception of the world changed.

  The chains still hung from her body, but did not restrain it. Her arms were still in bonds, but no longer restrained. She was still unclothed, but only bereaved of covering against the weather. She was still in the fortress, but no longer a prisoner. She was a still a woman, but so much more, Wife and mother, fighter and mage. She carried no weapon, but those were only tools, she was what made them dangerous. Rox felt a subtle shift in things around her, as her senses cleared and expanded.

  Suddenly she knew what the tree really was. And how to destroy it was obvious. She focused on maintaining her perceptions, and focused on existence. On what is, what was about to happen, and what she would need to accomplish the next task.

  The Queen felt the resonance of what Rox was doing and realized she had to move fast. She turned and charged, spreading her wings free of her stabbing arms, and centered these on Rox’s chest, to pierce the heart, beside the left breast. She was a moment too late.

  Rox twisted as the Queen came, and let the woman stab through the chain that secured her left arm. As this snapped free, the woman’s wing caught Rox across her shoulders, and they both went down, Rox wrenching her legs a bit. Rox smashed her closed fist against the back of the woman’s head, stunning her. The guards moved to act, as Rox spoke a word of power.

  This time she spoke it in English, her native tongue. “Bulldozer Torus.”

  Suddenly an irresistible force was pushing anything not tied down except for Diana away from her in a circle. The guards that had the misfortune to be between a tree and the wall of force were crushed to goo, while those attached to the trees were unharmed. The Queen was pushed against another tree, and pined there, for several seconds. The remaining guards once they could, decided that center stage of a magic fight was not where they wanted to be, and fled.

  Rox then tested the rings, and found them solid. She spoke another word, and the ground around the rings liquefied, and she pulled them free as she stood. But her right arm was still restrained behind her back.

  Then there was a focus of attention on her and a flood of pain as a foot of organic blade was protruding from her chest. Rox could not speak to form anything, as she gasped for air. Then she was lifting into the air, and thrown at the huge tree.

  Rox crashed into it, bleeding to death. She had scant seconds. But it may as well have been an eternity. For Rox knew who she was. Death was not an obstacle. Just an inconvenience, to be avoided until her work was done. And it was not yet done.

  Then her body stopped working.

137 – And kill her dead

  The Queen advanced on the apparently dead body intent on dismembering it. She picked up the lifeless form by the throat, chains dangling with the right arm still restrained behind the back. She drove her claws back through the hole, and added her tail to the mess. She jerked hard, and the corpse was torn in three large pieces, and allowed to fall to the ground.

  Diana screamed.

  The Queen, covered in blood, turned and walked over to her. “It’s not our time yet. But we will fight soon enough.”

  She unhooked Diana’s chains from the tree, to drag Diana out of the grove. Diana was fixated on the dismembered body that moments ago had been her mother.

  Then both of them felt the gathering of magic. The Queen tried to focus on it, but could not find a focal point. She picked up Diana and turned, spreading her wings as she ran toward the doors of the fortress to get Diana out. The doors closed as she got to them, barring that way. The Queen tossed Diana down, and drove a claw through her, but Diana wasn’t there the moment she let go. The empty chains and manacles clanged on the ground. The Queen, still unable to focus on the source of magic, turned back for her tree. Wings wide she ran as fast as she could.

  As she entered the clearing, she skidded to a stop. The dismembered body was not the only thing there. Roxanne was standing there very much alive, and fully dressed, with an arrow knocked in her bow and aimed at the Queen. Rox let go, and it was the woman’s turn to be impaled by a two-foot shaft.

  The Queen being unable to easily push it through her chest left the metal arrow there for a moment, then spoke a word and pulled it out, growling in pain as she did so. The barbed arrowhead brought shreds of wet flesh with it out of her chest.

  While the Queen was busy Rox handed her bow to Diana who stood behind her. She then got out her staff, activating both ends. Diana took the bow aside, and stood behind a tree.

  Rox twirled the staff a bit in display. “Come, vile creature. Let’s dance.”

  The Queen was not anxious to engage, as she did not know what was going on. She had dismembered this woman. Who had then apparently pulled off a magic trick that not even the most powerful that she had heard of could easily do. Now she invited her to a hand fight. The woman spread her wings and arms, and let the bark covering her tighten, to sharpness.

  Rox watched as the Queen’s covering became dangerous to the touch and the woman went into a battle crouch, wings and tail wide for balance. Rox was not really interested in a hand fight, but had needed to get the Queen to focus that way. Suddenly she pointed her staff, and shot a blast of energy which caught the woman full in the chest, sending her flying backward, crashing through the limbs of several trees.

  Diana had the bow ready then, and brought it back.

  Rox took it, turned and shot the aluminum arrow almost straight up, into the top of the tree. The silver line tied to it playing out behind. Rox then took the staff back and turned to catch the charge of the woman. The Queen carried Rox back into the cavity she had come out of. Diana scampered away, taking the end of the line with her.

  The Queen held Rox against the tree as its tentacles stretched to take hold of her.

  Rox smiled. She twisted the staff in two, the Queen suddenly pushed against the Rox in a bizarre hug. Rox whispered a phrase in the local language into the woman’s ear that horrified the woman. That phrase was never spoken at close quarters unless some serious shielding was in place.

  Diana watched the base of the tree explode in a ball of fire that blew out a quarter of it. Many of the people attached to the tree screamed in pain, feeling the pain of the tree.

  The Queen picked herself up from the wreckage of another tree near the edge of the grove, and looked through a trench of broken limbs at the center tree. It still fed her power, and maintained her form undamaged, but it was also hurt. Then it called her attention to what Diana was doing.

  The girl had drawn a small bi-level octagram, and was sitting in it, chanting.

  The Queen charged at her, determined to stop her, the prophecy be thwarted.

  Rox blind-sided her, pummeling her with both ends of the now divided staff. The Queen tried to get away, but Rox had the upper hand for the moment.

  Then Diana had her spell finished and a little cloud of rain appeared at her eye level, and rained itself out to nothing. Diana smiled, and turned to her bag, to finally put some clothes on.

  Rox was not paying attention to Diana, just to the Queen, and determined to keep her from the tree and from Diana. She would pummel her this way and that, then dodge like a professional boxer. She was too close for the Queen to effectively lash her with tail or stabbing wing claws, but they were still punishing each other. Then the first rumbles of thunder started.

  The Queen, still distracted by Rox, had no time to spend on Diana. But the tree did and it knew what she was up to.

  Diana finished getting dressed, and then got the tinderbox out. She opened this up, and put it in the center of the octagram. She then got out the paper Karen had Rox write the words on. Carefully she read them, but nothing happened. So she did it the old fashioned way. She got out the matches and used these to light the tinder. Then she read the spell again. Again nothing. Diana was untrained at sensing magic or mana, so she could not tell that the tree itself was blocking the mana from her. Rox was too distracted to do anything. Finally in her frustration, Diana just stuck the end of the silver cord into the dying fire. A thunderclap sounded nearby.

  Rox and the Queen were dodging around trees trying to get a clear shot at each other. Rox was scraped up and had several gouges, but was still very much in the fight. The only apparent damage she had been able to do was the rapidly healing arrow wound, and lots of broken thorns. Otherwise she may as well have been hitting the woman with a feather. Time to change strategy.

  Rox stopped chasing around, and went for the tree again, reassembling her staff. She had used up the offensive spells in it for the moment. Time to go for the unexpected.

  Rox charged across the clearing and to the cavity, which still smoldered. She paused long enough to check Diana’s progression. It was plain that something was wrong, but she was not sure what. Then the Queen came charging. Rox hoped for the best, and improvised a spell, focusing on the outcome she wanted. Then she ducked.

  The Queen had come charging with her stabbing claws outstretched, and again missed Rox. Instead she drove them into the tree. She could feel its pain at this, but would soon act to relieve it. She was also feeling upset. It had never taken so long to kill anyone before. As she tried to pull loose, she found she couldn’t. Some kind of magic was holding her claws in the tree. The tree pushed and she pulled, but they would not come out. They turned their attention to the magic, to unravel it.

  Rox crawled away, careful of the Queen’s tail and its stinger, and over to Diana. She knew she only had moments. Rox looked over everything.

  “The magic fire isn’t starting.”

  Rox sensed around, and could not feel any magic. She stepped a few steps away, and felt it. Then back to Diana. Nothing. Great. More thunder sounded in the distance.

  “There’s a shell around your circle. It’s blocking the magic.”

  Quickly Rox scratched a circle, and drew a blank. But Diana knew what to do. She joined her circle to the one her mother had drawn, and said a phrase in elfin tongue. That quick the shell was breached and bypassed.

  “Cast the fire again,” Rox instructed.

  As Diana started to say it again, the Queen broke free of the tree.

  “Now the two of you die.”

  The woman started casting a spell, as Rox, nearly drained, again drew a blank. So she just stepped into it, and rammed the end of her staff into the sternum of the woman. But she was stopped by a shield, the backlash of the impact throwing her staff away into the trees behind her. But it made the Queen pause briefly. The woman had almost completed her spell when Rox felt all the hair on her body start to stand on end. She dropped to the ground, and covered her ears just in time. Diana had finished her spell first.

  The sound had a physical impact as lightening ripped through the tree going up, energizing the silver cord, and the magic fire. The fire leapt up the silver, turning briefly into that material that will destroy the earthly form of something from the infernal regions. A second bolt of lightening struck the tree from above before the first had fully faded, and ripped through the trunk blowing it to large chunks, killing many of the living not yet consumed. The burning silver being energized further exploded and drove the animating evil within the tree from the mortal plane.

  A tangible shock wave swept through the grove, ripping the closest trees out of the ground, and breaking up the farther ones.

  The two lightening bolts and the flight of the evil from the tree stripped the Queen of most of her power. The concussion blew her across the clearing again; this time when she landed she was out cold.

  Diana got up, her ears ringing and nose bleeding. She went over to her mother, and both crouched together as their heads cleared. Diana’s nose bleed stopped as quickly as it started. “I did it.”

  Both looked around. Then they spotted the Queen in a heap of wreckage. She was still very much alive. Large chunks of assorted trees were still falling as were parts of the fortress.

  Rox looked at the woman. “Alex’s silver blade may be the only thing we have to kill her.”

  “But I’m supposed to kill her, mom.”

  “I know. But except for this tree, you have never killed anything larger than a bug. Not even a fish. I’d rather you did not start killing. Let’s go find your dad and brother. Get your stuff.”

  Rox found her staff, and used it for a cane, leaning on it while catching her breath. She slid to the ground as she did. It had only been a few minutes since she had cheated death by substitution, and the resulting battle had taken a lot out of her. This on top of the last several days.

  Diana had Rox’s bags on with the bow and quiver over her shoulder. Diana helped Rox back to her feet, and they turned away from the Queen, and started to the doors into the fortress. Mother leaned on daughter.

  They were most of the way to the doors when the Queen screamed and charged, having recovered enough to continue the fight. Both turned, but Diana acted first, putting the heels of her hands together a yelling a pseudo-Hawaiian word. A ball of energy flew from her hands blowing the woman into a tree, burning through the body in the process and impaling her on a broken branch. Whether by magic or by physical damage this finished her for good.

  Diana had collapsed after channeling so much energy, and Rox held her up, and they made their way into the fortress, not looking back.

  “No more Gohan and Vegita for you, kiddo.”

  “Mom, how did we know to do all that?”

  “You can thank Karen, if we ever see her again.”

138 – Lunch with a King

  Steven and Alex were carried into the fortress away from the group Rox and Diana were in. Steven was not yet concerned with Rox and Diana. So long as they were together, he felt they would come out all right. Steven and Alex’s procession went up a large stair way, down a hall, and around and up several smaller stairs ways. Finally they were brought into a private banquet hall. From his last time in the palace, Steven figured they were in a non-public wing.

  This was a medium sized hall with windows on one side; rows of tables were arranged around the room. The cage did not allow much detailed examination of the room. The procession entered on the short end of a long room, and turned to the left and proceeded around the outside perimeter of the room under the tall windows. As they turned, Steven was able to get a look at Alex. He was visibly scared, but not panicked. As he looked at the trophies on the inner walls Steven realized that the styles were too diverse to have all come from local smiths. They had come from conquered armies. Steven wondered where his and his son’s swords might go, if they stayed. He then wondered just how this was going to turn out.

  Their cages were marched around the hall and the tables and stopped at the corner of the row. There was a man in rich dress standing to receive them. The cages were set down. The litter with all their stuff was put down on a side table in front of the man.

  The man looked the litter over. He drew Alex’s sword from the pile, and set it aside, apparently recognizing its general origin. He then drew Steven’s sword out, and unsheathed it. He tested it, feeling its weight and balance. He then turned it over in his hand admiring the blade and the hilt. For all of its history, so far as Steven knew it, it was a very plain sword; purely functional and sharp.

  He put the sword down on the pile and stepped away. He ordered Steven and Alex’s pants pulled from the pile and given to them as he moved to the chair at the head of the table, where a steward helped to seat him.

  Two guards each pulled Steven and Alex out of the cages, took the blankets, unbound their arms, and handed them each a pair of trousers. One ankle at a time was unbound then rebound as they put the pants on. Steven then tried to move to his son’s side, but was held to his place. Despite being bound and separated, Steven still felt upbeat.

  The cages were taken beside the fire place on the inner wall and dismantled, the component wood stacked for the fire.

  The man watched Steven and Alex. “I am the king of this country. Please sit down.”

  The King had been toying with some food after sitting down. He motioned Steven and Alex to some spots on the side as more food was brought in. The tables were arranged in two concentric U’s. The King sat to the center of the outer base.

  Stewards took up place near an entrance across the room from Steven. The remaining guards scattered, with two flanking Steven and Alex holding on to the chains as they sat down; Alex moved to Steven’s right, away from the King. They were close enough to converse, with slightly loud projected voices, and so the King did as he commenced to eat.

  “After you retrieved your children, why did you come here?”

  Steven smelled the meat. It did not smell foul, so he took some and a roll and made a sandwich of it. Alex followed suit.

  Steven then spoke. “We figured that your troops would continue to pursue us. So we decided to cut the pursuit short and come see you in person.”

  The three ate for a moment.

  “What do you hope to accomplish?”

  “This prophecy we learned about, that told of all this. We hoped to speed its end. And end all the silly chasing around. We came to stop you and yours.”

  They continued eating.

  Just then, Roxanne and Diana’s stuff flashed and disappeared from the litter. The flash got the attention of all in the room.

  The King looked at the two guards by the main door. “Send to see what is going on down there.”

  One of the guards left the room. Steven and Alex looked at each other as the guard ran by.

  “Mom’s causing trouble again.”

  “I dare say she is.”

  They ate and finished their sandwiches. There was not anything else to do until they could get to their swords.

  A guard came back, running, and slid to a stop near the end of the table by that entrance. “The mother and the Queen fight.” A nearby explosion punctuated the report.

  Alex smiled again. “Mom’s causing trouble.”

  The King smiled at Alex’s boldness then turned back to the guard. “The Queen can take care of herself. But have guards ready to enter the Arbor should she loose.”

  The guard saluted and left as fast as he came.

  The King looked at Steven. “If the Queen wins, you will be joining her. Your son will stay here and be taught all he needs to. If your wife wins, she will be brought before us.”

  Steven thought about this. Then decided that now was as good a time as any. He grabbed the chains and yanked them out of his captor’s hands. He stood and used the chains to thrash the guard to his left, and moved for his sword. None of the guards moved to stop him save the one by the litter. Steven lowered his shoulder into him and smashed him into the wall. Steven then had his own sword in hand and turned to face any comers. There were several arrows ready, but all waited.

  Only the King moved, having yelled for his men to stay as they were. He stood from the table, and drew his sword from where it had been put down. He then pointed to the guard that Steven had not attacked. “You. Unbind his chains, and take them away.”

  Steven was not sure of this, but let it happen. He then scooped up his shirt and pulled it on. He shifted hands with his sword, not wanting to set it down. He stepped back to the table, and tossed down a drink. It was a weak wine. It cleared his mouth, and deadened his thirst.

  Steven was now as ready as he was going to get a chance to be. He turned to face the King, who had come to the head of the isle between the table and the wall.

  “It had been a while since I have been on the battle field, or a dueling pitch. I could have my guards shoot you down now, but that would not be personally satisfying.”

  They saluted each other as they stood. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Both men took that as the cue to close the distance and commence, their movements punctuated by the ring of their swords. Both realized that they wielded the wrong swords for actual fencing, and so moved toward a style more fit for their weapons.

  Steven was quickly aware that this man had more skill and experience. Steven was younger and thus better shape, but that was dulled by 6 days in a cramped cage with barely any water or food. He gave ground, as he got warmed up. Then he realized that he did not have to win. Just stay alive until Alex could get into this.

  The King was simply enjoying the challenge, though he quickly realized his advantage. And that for what ever reason the magic of his equipment was not running. So much more the challenge.

  Steven relaxed as best he could and watched his opponent, working to get to the level of perception where he could see the moves start. Once he got there it did not make things easier, just less strenuous to defend against. Fighting with broad swords was going to wear both men out. Not that they really fenced with them; it was more like knocking the other person’s sword aside and see whether you could then hurt him. Steven knew he needed help, and Alex was all he was going to get. He stepped in and body checked the king against the wall, then ran for the pile of stuff. He knocked the guard there a second time, and took the top off another’s helmet while knocking that one’s sword aside.

  He grabbed the hilt of Alex’s sword and pulled it from the pile swinging the whole pile aside and right into the King, using the sheathed sword for a club to knock the man over. One of the packs came open, spilling its contents. More thunder sounded. Closer this time.

  Steven went to the table, clubbing one of Alex’s guards away, and stabbing the other causing his retreat. He put the sheathed sword down in front of Alex, and vaulted the table. “Cut the chains with your sword, and join me.”

  Steven then backed away down the isle, as the King had vaulted the table and was coming after him. They continued their duel with more vigor. The guards tried to move to aid their Liege, but he ordered them to stop and stand away.

  Alex drew his sword and ducked under the table. He turned to the bindings on his ankles, and cut the leather straps. One of the guards tried to drag him out by his chains, but only got just the chains and bindings. He tried to reach in after Alex, and got his hand sliced for it. Free of his restraints, Alex finished crossing under the table. As he started to get to his feet he felt the hair on his body start to rise, and he dropped to the floor covering his ears.

  Two loud successive crashes of thunder shattered all the glass in the windows and on the table.

  All in the room were staggered by the crashes, including Steven and the King. No glass fell off the table, or went beyond it from the windows, leaving Steven and the King a clear isle to fight in. Somehow the two had turned around and Steven was backing toward Alex. There were more than just guards in the hall now as ministers and bureaucrats had come to watch. Alex wanted to do something, but hide under a table was all he could think to do. As his dad and the King got back to where he was another crash of thunder went through the hall but this one sounded different than the rest.

  Steven and the King went past, and Alex waited where he was for a moment. He then tried to grab the King’s legs, as Steven tried a lunge. Steven missed. The King just shook Alex off and into some chairs.

  Neither man spoke, neither needing to. They stood with swords ready for a moment, breathing hard. Then they continued, swords ringing. Both starting to get through the others defenses and show nicks and cuts. Their swords were not in the best of shape either; broad swords were battlefield weapons, not dueling pitch weapons. Whenever Steven tried to choke up and on his sword, or otherwise close the range, the King was able to defend against it, risking Steven’s fingers. Alex got up from the chairs, holding his sword at an instinctive ready and followed the King.

  Steven was at the cross isle of the tables when he saw Alex peripherally, then had to change his attention as a change came over Alex’s face. He looked more serious and solemn than ever before. Suddenly Steven was more concerned over Alex than he was of this King.

  The King saw the diversion of Steven’s attention and was about to take advantage of it, when he suddenly felt he better see what would divert Steven’s attention. He deflected Steven’s sword wide away, and used the momentum to spin on one foot to see behind him. It was only the boy with his sword.

139 – Cleaning up and Getting out

  As the King turned back to face Steven he realized his mistake.

  Steven watched Alex strike and wondered whether the sword glowed for a moment as it struck home, coming a hand span out of the man’s chest. Steven stood with his sword ready, but was of no more interest to the King.

  He turned to face Alex who still held his sword and was pulled off his feet. The inertia of the spin carried Alex away from the King taking the sword with. The King never completed his turn as he collapsed. Alex and the sword parted as he crashed into the table, his sword clattered to the floor beside a chair.

  Steven looked around for a moment, and went around the body of the King to his son, who was coming back to himself.

  “Did I get him, Dad?”

  Steven hugged his son. “Yes. You got him.”

  Steven looked up at the guards while holding his sword at ready. They all stood around, unsure what to do. Steven looked at the dead King, then back to the guards. He decided to play a gamble.

  “My son killed him. So he is now your leader.” He said this as matter-of-factly as he could.

  The guards were unsure, so they stood their ground. The guard sergeant in the room was one of the men that had been with the company that captured and held them. He took charge of the others and told them to hold their distance. Some had arrows at ready, but were not sure whether to respond to the King’s death, or to the order to stand down. The bureaucrats and ministers were huddling and talking, as several of the guards turned to push them back out of the room.

  Steven knew one thing to be done. Taking Alex in his arm he stepped past the body then put Alex down. Steven went around the end of the tables and past some broken glass on the floor, picked up a napkin from the table and used it to wipe the spots of blood from his sword. Alex came to his father’s side having retrieved his own sword, and likewise wiped his sword clean. They then walked over to the scattered contents of the litter, being careful of the all the broken glass to do so.

  Steven and Alex picked through their stuff, and found their boots and a shirt for Alex. That done they located their scabbards, and sheathed their swords. Steven put on his girdle with his scabbard and holstered pistol. Alex wrapped the belt his scabbard hung from around him.

  Before long the guards had a cordon at the door but this did not stop others from looking in, or talking. The guards also removed their wounded comrades. They then moved to gather the body of the King.

  Steven desperately wanted to go find Rox and Diana, but was not sure that the guards would allow that. Then the Guard Captain showed up. He looked at the dead King, and at Steven and Alex picking through the King’s plate of food and the platter beside it, as the other platters had glass on them. The Sergeant who had been in the room filled the Captain in on events. Steven watched the indecision come to a resolution. The King’s body was taken away.

  The Chief of the Bodyguard of the King entered the room, and seeing his master dead, and Steven the lone stranger, charged him. Other guards tried to hold him back, but he threw them off. As he charged up the aisle sword ready to swing, Steven stood on old reflex, his right hand going to his belt but not to his sword. As the man got close enough to isolate the target from those behind him, Steven drew his pistol and shot three times. The man went down just short of the table. After struggling a moment more he collapsed, not to move on his own again as some blood began to pool around him.

  Steven waved the gun around a bit. “Anybody else want to argue about this?”

  The Captain then came over and stood across the table from Steven, as more guards came and removed the Chief Bodyguard’s body. Steven holstered the pistol, sat down, and picked up a piece of meat.

  “The usual custom, outlander, is that whoever wins the duel is the next leader. So the question is was this a duel, or a fight?”

  Steven swallowed. “Allow us time to recover our strength and regroup our family and we will leave under our own power. That should settle the issue as far as we are concerned, I think.”

  The Captain considered this. Then a party of guards came into the room, with Rox and Diana at their center. Upon seeing them Steven felt all his strength leave him for relief. Rox and Diana were brought around the room, and sat beside Steven and Alex. Steven and Rox embraced for a time as the kids turned to the food, more of which was brought out and the glass covered food taken away. Soon they were all eating to sate their ravenous appetites, starting with broth, bread, and light weight meat, followed by pickled vegetables.

  Stewards were busy cleaning up the mess from the fight and the shattered glass, putting the Caplan’s things aside. The Captain conferred with his guards and a few ministers then came back. “We have reached a consensus. You will stay as our guests, for now. The Advisors and Generals will want to see, and perhaps kill you, in trying to take over. The Guards are independent of them. We will protect you. My Lady, what would you have us do to the Arbor?”

  Roxanne stopped, flattered but unsure for a moment.

  “Those that can recover, care for them and allow them to. Those that will not, give them mercy. Those that are truly prisoners, treat as is just. Those who merely offended and are unjustly kept, return to their families.”

  The Captain considered this. “It shall be done. The Arbor itself?”

  Rox knew what to do immediately. “Everything dead and damaged, burn. The rest, find some good gardeners and turn then loose to make something pleasing to all.”

  “It shall be done.” He turned away, and gave orders to his guards, who dispersed in turn.

  Roxanne and Steven then began telling each other what had happened to them, and how their children had filled their rolls.

  Diana interjected as Rox got to the point where the Queen had impaled her. “Mom, where did the other body come from? The one I saw stabbed and torn apart.”

  Rox paused. “That was another woman from within the Arbor. The Queen did actually run me through, but I had enough magic going at that point it did not matter. I was able to join my position and body to that of another there, who was already nearly dead. She died in my place, and I was able to magically go elsewhere. That was when I pulled our things to me, then as soon as she let go of you, get you to where I was.”

  Diana did not quite comprehend. Alex was not fully listening. Steven was shocked. Rox was still a bit shaken herself, but evidently handling things. She continued with her narrative leading up to how Diana had actually been the main instigator of both the tree’s destruction, and the queen/s demise.

  Stewards came and went finishing with the mess, and closing curtains to hold in the heat. They also kept fresh food coming for as long as the Caplan’s cared to eat. Another set was scrubbing the blood from the floor, and anywhere else they found it. Some tailors came in and stood each one of the Caplan’s up and measured them for clothes, then left.

  Through all this a double cadre of guards stayed in the room, as did the Captain. Shortly more ministers and bureaucrats, or their lackeys, started filing through, mostly talking with each other, and the Captain, who treated them decently but with some apparent contempt for some of them. A few also talked to some of the guards.

  When the family was sated, and their things gathered, some stewards and a few guards escorted them to an apartment. The main room was two stories tall and wider than it was deep, with a wall splitting the room the long way. Fireplaces with fresh fires, and a double door divided that wall into quarters. Beyond the doors was a dressing room, with a washing room to the left and a bed room to the right. Two opposing flights of stairs went up to the areas above the wash room and bed room. Over the wash room was a sitting room, a second bed room was set up over the first below. The lower and upper rooms had gothic arched windows, with the upper rooms also having doors onto balconies. This all looked over into the middle of the small island the palace fortress occupied. A few pillars on the inner wall echoed the outer wall arches.

  The tailors set up in a corner of the main room, making the Caplan’s each a suit of clothes for local wear. The Caplan’s were shown the wash room, which Rox and Diana put to use. A set of guards stood inside the double doors of the exit the apartment. When the women were done, the Caplan men went into the wash room. The tailors finished the gowns for Rox and Diana. They then examined all their travel gear, and repaired the few places they could, and departed.

  Once the Caplan’s were fully washed and outfitted, one of the guards sent a runner to somewhere.

  Not long after a party arrived. The Guard Captain, two ministers, a secretary, and four other guards escorted an older man who carried dignity as a matter of course. The Caplan’s had been sitting around a fireplace in their new clothes, just resting. All stood as the party entered.

  “Hello. I am Viceroy Pemltryn.”

  Steven spoke for his family. “I am Steven Caplan. My wife Roxanne. Our daughter Diana, and son Alex.”

  Each Caplan bobbed in curtsey or bowed slightly as introduced.

  The Viceroy appraised the family briefly as he collected his thoughts. “On behalf of the people of Krogg, we apologize for you even having to be here.” He paused then continued. “I thank you for removing those who plagued us.”

  Steven and Rox had talked about this some, over the afternoon, and had sorted out most of the information that Karen had put in their head. They both realized that Karen had put triggers into their memories, to instruct them in what they might do, and to open to their conscious memories what she had put into their unconscious awareness. As they had talked about this the kids had joined in, particularly Diana. She reported that when it came time she knew about the arrow and silver line and casting the spells that she had, without ever really being taught them before then. Alex mentioned that he could almost hear Karen telling her how to stab the king effectively when he did. Now as they encountered the Viceroy, another trigger was tripped, and they knew that he had hired Karen, but that they were not to say anything about it.

  Steven continued as voice for his family. “You are welcome. How long do we need to stay here? We would like to be on our way home.”

  The Viceroy smiled slightly. “Long enough to let you rest, reprovision, and quietly get you out of the city.”

  Steven looked at Rox. They had also talked about this. He turned back to the Viceroy. “Return our cart with its load out and ponies. We will need to check that over for damage and anything conscripted. Not that we don’t trust your people, but I know troopers. Then aside from food and other consumables, we will need a couple of dutch ovens and a tent big enough for the four of us. You can keep these clothes.”

  The Viceroy nodded. He had expected this approximate reaction, but was pleased that the Caplan’s did not seem to be inclined to ridiculous demands. “All of that can be arranged. The next few days will see some minor consolidation of power, as I transition to the throne. To that end, for your own safety you will refrain from going anywhere reasonable without Palace Guard in accompaniment.”

  Steven and Rox nodded in acknowledgement. Steven answered. “We will do so. Just don’t forget to let us get on our way.”

  The Viceroy nodded, and put aside all the attitude of office, and looked at Steven as a man, and father. “I will not forget.”

  He turned to his secretary and the Guard Captain. “Arrange for them to see to their cart and things in the morning, and to go shopping. Without any other interference.”

  Both nodded. “It will be done, sir.”

  The Viceroy turned back to the Caplan’s. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  Steven shook his head. “No, sir. Just let us rest and be on or way.”

  Dinner was had in the apartment. Come bed time, they all slept in the lower bedroom, with curtains separating the three beds.

  Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 162

  The Viceroy nee King appears to want us out of the city as quickly and quietly as possible. Neither Rox nor I have any problem with this.

  It is the local Saturday. Nice to get back on the calendar. The initial coronation is due for tomorrow, at or after or during a worship service that the whole city is invited to. I gather that the official one will take a week or so to set up, for all the nobility and gentry to get into town. I hope to have the family a good distance away by then.

  We have a bit of shopping to do then we will head out to the northeast, and the overland highway. Unless Rox can find someone to teach her the specifics of the teleport spell to get back to Shalaia quickly. She has done it before, but still needs instructions.

  The walk will do us good. And the equinox is due next week, ending winter and bringing in spring in this hemisphere.

  The Caplan’s washed, dressed in their own clothes, and ate breakfast in the apartment at a reasonable pace. Steven took a moment to start working a honing stone over the edges of his sword to straighten and flatten out the fresh nicks. When everyone was packed and ready they went to the stables, through the service corridors of the palace.

  The cart was essentially how they had last dealt with it, save that most of the food had been used by the troopers that had brought them here, and the rest of the consumables had been removed. The ponies were rested and well cared for in a paddock with other ponies. All of Karen and Caspian’s personal things were absent. The tent that Caspian had used was there, as were the blankets used there in. The cooking and camping gear was all accounted for. The personal things that had been on the litter were brought by the family from the apartment they had spent the night in. A clerk brought a medium sized bag of money, added the coins to their existing bag, and departed.

  The locals helped to catch, harness, and rig the ponies. Provision for them was taken from the Palace Stores. A set of non-uniformed guards then escorted the Caplan’s out to a market. News of the succession of power had evidently spread. The local society-dames and gentry were apparently out in force. The markets did not seem to notice or care; for them it was the end of the week. The guards led the Caplan’s to a merchant where they were able to trade the two tents for a larger tent. They had enough blankets. Steven found two dutch ovens he could use. The other consumables were purchased, and twelve days of food stocked into the cart. One of the guards evidently held the bag, and paid for everything. They were then escorted across the city and out the northeast gate by lunch time.

  They picked up some lunch from a street vendor beyond the walls, and ate as they went. As they walked, the most remarkable feeling was the absence of Caspian, Cyrril, and Karen. The other three chattered about this. Diana was reticent to talk about this, still feeling betrayed by Karen.

  Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 164

  Two days out of Skarg. We unexpectedly met some familiar faces. Cyrril swooped in first and landed on Rox’s shoulders. Diana was particularly leery of Karen once she spotted her.

  It was an anticlimactic surprise to see Caspian. He briefly looked to be a bit under the weather, and almost grateful to have an excuse to stop. I think he might have been trying to show Karen how strong he is, but she didn’t seem to be buying it. Both were on foot. We all stopped and camped where we met up. Caspian and Karen then spent the rest of the afternoon telling us what had happened between them. Rox and I then began grilling Karen on all she had actually done.