106 – Running, swimming, and running some more

  As Karen held Rox’s arm, she quickly touched Rox’s mind with the thought to trust Karen, at least until this trouble was over. She then started to a different door, keeping the crowd between then and the guards. At the same time Karen was actively shrouding herself and Rox.

  Roxanne followed Karen, the brown haired woman, through the crowd while tucking the inactive staff against her arm. Somebody behind them finally yelled some kind of alarm and some guards were moving across the room toward them. Even shrouded, Rox was not hard to spot, being taller than nearly everybody else here.

  The brown haired woman pulled her skirts up to run better as she got clear of the dance floor and to a different set of doors than Rox had been going toward originally. Without stopping, the woman leaped into a flying kick that bounced her from one guard to land on the other. She got up, holding a knife purloined from one of the guards as Rox pulled the door handle to unlatch the door and push it open.

  The woman did some quick tailoring to her own dress, splitting the hem of her right side to allow more freedom of movement for her legs. She then tossed the knife into another guard’s leg, and slipped through the door. Once on the other side the two women leaned against it, and heard it latch.

  “Let’s go.” Karen grabbed Rox’s arm, starting to run.

  They ran along the hall, as people looked around wondering what was going on.

  The magic of the illusion was finally getting on Roxanne’s nerves. She grabbed the amulet as she ran, and pinched it, turning the magic off. The dress faded to her apprentice drape, and her spandex. She wished she had worn her gi instead.

  The brown haired woman grabbed Rox’s arm and pulled her around a corner and into a side room, closing and baring the door, as a squad of guards turned another corner ahead of them. This room was full of stacked munitions an stored equipment that would normally festoon the various balconies, particularly if the fortress had to fight off attackers.

  “Can you swim?” The brown haired woman was quickly divesting herself of the heavier fabrics of her costume, her dress was already off and her petticoats were following.

  “Yes. Where’s the water, and what’s in it?”

  The brown haired woman nodded across the room. “The balcony, then about four floors down. You don’t want to meet what’s in it.” The brown haired woman was down to her shift and corset. She had placed all her jewels between the petticoats and that onto her dress, and rolled the mass into a roll that she bound with the sash. She then used the sleeves and tied the bundle across her back.

  Rox ran for the outer doors as the inner ones started echoing the pounding of the guards on the other side, the brown haired woman a few steps behind. They burst through onto the balcony as the guards broke in the inner doors. Rox jumped onto the balcony railing and pushed hard off it, the brown haired woman a step behind.

  They cleared the balconies below them by very little, and plunged into the river feet first. The cold water was a shock that took Rox’s breath away. Rox spread her legs and arms to slow her descent feeling a bit of instinctive magic pass through the staff held in her right arm, and she landed in the silt at the base of the island hard enough to end up sitting in it, with her hands in the mud. She stroked forward, the lanyard tied to the staff keeping it with her, and pushed off the bottom in the direction she had been going. She soon broke the surface with a gasp, but could not quite catch her breath for the coldness of the water.

  The current was already carrying the women past the west end of the island the fortress sat on. Rox quickly looked around and could see the north bank, where she wanted to go, but the brown haired woman was pulling for the south. Something in Rox said to stick with her. She started pulling as hard as she could to catch up. Quickly the temperatures grip on her eased, and she was able to breathe in rhythm. The brown haired woman was a little bit away and swimming strongly, but doing most of her swimming under the surface. An arrow pierced the water next to Rox, and she decided that submerging would not be a bad idea.

  She heard a few more arrows hit the surface, and felt one flow past in the current, but none came any closer than that to hitting her. The brown haired woman was swimming down stream. Rox decided it best to follow for the moment. But she would need to find her way back to Steven and Caspian quickly. Rox surfaced and followed the brown haired woman into a sewage drain hole, in the wall that was the south bank of the river, crawling in the shallow water. A short way in they stood up in the less than knee deep water. Both were puffing hard, from the cold and exertion. Both were dripping water, each drop seeming as loud as a bell telling the world where they were.

  Rox was about to move farther in, but the brown haired woman took her arm and stopped her.

  The brown haired woman was shivering a bit from the water running off her, and out of the soaked dress wadded and tied to her back. Her shift clinging transparently to her muscled legs and sculpted butt, corset still in place on her athletic frame. Her muscular arms showed that she did some physical conditioning. The formal set of her hair was a loss, as was her makeup. But she looked the type not to really need any. The dim light made it hard to tell for sure. Rox then realized that again she could see the heat being put off by their bodies and the things around them, as both waves and coloration. She had not had opportunity to fully recognized this before, as there was always a fire to see by.

  They stood opposite each other, against the tube sides, catching their breath. The odor from deeper in was going to be nasty, but right here it was bearable. Roxanne gathered what she could of her skirt and drape and started to wring it out. She then realized the noise it was making and stopped. As she looked at herself she could see steam rising. Between the new sensory experience and her lack of magic use experience Rox did not consider how she might use it to help just now.

  The brown haired woman seemed to be listening like a trapped animal, as she caught her breath. She then looked back out of the tunnel, and up along the wall that was the bank of the river.

  “There is an access stair right here. In a moment we will climb it, then run for a safe house. Stick close, and you won’t get lost or caught.”

  “Why not deeper in this way?”

  “Too easy to get lost.” She did not even turn to give a considering look.

  Rox thought the answer, while sensible, came too quick. “And why should I follow you?”

  “Because if you don’t, the guards will catch you. And killing a guest at a Royal Ball is not a very endearing thing to do. My name is Karen.”

  “Roxanne.”

  “You’re the mother of the two kids, aren’t you?”

  “What two kids? How would you know?”

  Karen turned to look at Rox. “Two kids in irons paraded through the streets tend to make a spectacle. And half-breeds your size aren’t common around here. The rest is just guess work.”

  “How long ago were my kids here?” Roxanne put more concern in this then she wanted to share.

  Karen could hear the concern, and brushed it aside with her professionalism. “A bit over two weeks. They did not stay long.”

  Karen looked around the edge again, and then pulled back quickly. “Be as silent as you can. Think as empty as you can.”

  Roxanne could see a slight increase in the heat from Karen’s head. Then she cleared her head, and focused on the emptiness of space. They stayed this way for a long instant. Karen then relaxed, and blew out a breath.

  “The constables above have passed. But we have to move quickly.” Karen ducked around the corner, and was gone.

  Roxanne went to the opening, and looked out. A small platform that she had missed on her way in was right there, with a slim stair going along the wall to her left up to the top. Karen was slinking up the stairs in utter silence.

  Roxanne followed, her staff in the crook of her right arm, keeping her left hand against the wall on her left as she went. Karen crawled the last few steps, keeping herself pressed down. Then she looked over the wall, checking all directions. Roxanne stopped two treads below and waited. She then realized that Karen was not dripping, though still damp. Karen looked back at Roxanne in slight annoyance. Then she put her hand on Roxanne’s head. Suddenly Roxanne felt as if a squeegee were being run over her, pushing most of the water out of her clothes. It ran down her body, and off her feet.

  Roxanne was still marveling at this when Karen turned back to the wall. In an instant Karen was up and gone through the walls opening for the stairs. Roxanne followed, looking all around as she went.

  Karen was sprinting across the concourse that ran along the river front. Roxanne followed and they wove their way through several blocks of buildings before slackening their pace. The streets were empty, save for shadows. Roxanne did her best to stay in them. Karen seemed to attract them as she went.

  After many twists and turns, and what felt like four miles, Karen stopped running and scrambled up a wall at the back of an alley. From the top, she vaulted onto a balcony, and into a window. Roxanne followed, and just glimpsed a guard crossing the end of the alley as she went in the window.

  “Where are we?” Rox whispered.

  Her legs bumped against something and she almost fell over onto it as she backed out of Karen’s way. Karen paused a moment, looking out the window. She then reached out and closed the shutters.

  “Safe. For now.” Karen moved across the room with the ease of familiarity.

  Roxanne looked briefly around, marveling at the things she could see. She would have to ask Caspian for more explanation about this.

  Both were nearly dry, thought Karen’s dress was a soggy mess. Karen dropped it on a table, then moved to a gas lamp on a wall and unmasked it, letting light into the room.

  The two beds on either side of the window, and a table in a third corner with a door in the last were the contents of the room. Karen unrolled the dress on the table, and pulled her large jeweled collar and other pieces out of the petticoats. She laid the jewelry out on the bed, then took the dress and petticoats in hand and went to the door.

  “Stay here. There are traps everywhere, and you don’t want to get hurt.” Karen pulled the door by its edge, and closed it behind her as she left.

  Rox, sat down on the unused bed. She could feel it to have a down mattress, under the wool blanket. Then the exhaustion hit her. She had been exhausted by her magic lessons with the elves, but they had never pushed her quite as hard as the jerk tonight. That reminded her. She wanted to get back to Steven and Caspian. But with the adrenaline wearing off, she did not think she could do more right now than crawl into one of these beds. But she had one other need to take care of first. Until then, she fell over sideways her staff beside her, and curled up on the blanket, realizing that she was longer than the bed.

  Karen came back, wrapped in a course robe. She tossed another one to land on the bed Rox had collapsed onto. “Your clothes must still be damp. You can wear the robe until they dry.”

  Rox pushed herself back up. “What I really need is the necessary.”

  “Right. Follow me.”

  Karen turned to leave, and held the door as Rox picked up the robe and followed into the hall. Several doors lined it on one side. At the end was a stair that turned left halfway down. They traveled another hall, and Karen opened a door at the end. This went into a small courtyard. Rox recognized it as being on the other side of the wall they had climbed. There was a small shack under the shade of several small trees in one corner. Rox went right for it. Relief waited inside, despite the smell.

  While in there, she stripped out of her wet clothes, except for her thong briefs the elves had given her to wear under the spandex. Each had a magic pouch. Pull a tab on the top of the seam of the front panel and the pouch opened. Within was an elfin silk night gown all folded up, among a few other things. She put the close fit nightgown on, and the robe over top.

  She came back out with the robe wrapped around herself. The drape was over her shoulder along with her damp spandex, and her staff in hand. The jewelry she had put into the magic pouch in the back of her thong. Karen took her sideways into the kitchen, and put all her clothes over the drying rack there, and her shoes on their own rack.

  They then went back upstairs, and to a different room in the same hall. It was laid out the same.

  “This will be your room, for tonight. In the morning, we will try to find your companions. Also, don’t touch the door knobs.” Karen held the door.

  Rox felt too tired to reply. As soon as the door closed, she pulled the covers from one of the beds, put the staff across the table, and dropped the robe on the other bed. As Rox slipped between the silky sheets, she sent silent thanks to heaven for her safety and comfort. Whoever owned this place, they took good care of the guests.

107 – Clean up, Room 412

The guards moved people away from the ruined buffet, and the body next to it. They quickly worked with the staff to clean things up, and cover the body. The two guards by the doors that had been exited through were relieved of duty, and the one that had been kicked helped the one with a knife in his leg out of the room. The guests mulled around as a platoon of guards stood in a picket across the room, and at each door. The guard officers quickly asked questions of the guests, and then dismissed them to other rooms, where the ball was still going on undisturbed. Several versions of the events were circulating before the ball ended.

Then The King and a Guard Captain entered. They looked things over. The guardsman that had been collecting the stories reported all that he had learned. Further that runners had been sent to warn the city constables on either side of the river to be on the look out.

The King knelt and pulled back the table cloth and looked the body over. The jaw was shattered, as was part of the face, and the head lolled at the wrong angle to still be properly connected to the spine. Also the neck looked bruised all the way around from other damage that The King would not guess at.

“The face and head are from a blunt weapon. Not magic.” He put the cloth back over the body, and he verbally summarized what he had been told. “He tried to get a young adult elf to leave with him? This response doesn’t fit. An elf would just knife him, and leave him in a corner. Not brawl. It was a female, and ran out that way?”

“Yes, sire. From there she went into a storage room and over the balcony and escaped into the river.”

“That is sensible. If she tried to teleport she would have found that she couldn’t.”

“Sire, some of the witnesses, and the door guards report that there was another woman that helped the elf. They left together.”

“If there is a description, circulate it among the guards and constables. Otherwise, keep things quiet. Get this body out of here, and sent home.” The King turned, leaving the Guard Captain to take charge. He was met at the door by the Viceroy.

“I am told there was some excitement, Sire. Anything to worry about?” The Viceroy was ever helpful to The King, though sometimes The King wondered that the real motive was.

“Probably not. A wizard tried to solicit something from a female elf, and got in a brawl. Odd that the elf used a blunt weapon, though. She then fled, and ended up diving into the river.”

“And her companions she came with, if any?”

“I still do not have all the details.”

“Well then Sire, if they have left, than I see no reason not to continue with the festivities.”

“Is the Marquise still here?”

“Third floor, second banquet room, last I was told.”

“Thank you. See that the Lady BarDona is introduced to the representative from Pelieloq, and that they have somewhere quiet to talk.”

“Yes, Sire.”

The King turned and sighed as he moved toward the stairs down to the third floor. He much preferred force of arms to diplomacy. But this Marquise was from the teamsters. Trying to use force with them would simply sign the cities death warrant. On the other hand, fear and security were as useful in negotiations as on the battlefield.

Caspian felt the magic of the fight subside as he climbed the stairs. He regretted allowing the Caplan’s to move about separately, but there was not much other choice. As it was, Steven had kept a low profile. Rox had circulated, looking like a foreign elf, or close enough that most of the locals would not suspect different. When the magic fight had started, every magic user around could not help but notice. The enchantments of the fortress surged to active and blanked all other sense beyond a general using of magic. But Caspian had located the direction and was going that way. As he got to the stairs the dampening enchantments of the fortress were diminishing back to ambient giving Caspian a sense that the fight was done.

At the top of this staircase, a company of guards came double timing through, in the direction he was going. Along with the other ladies and gentlemen in the hall, Caspian was obliged to stand aside as they went through. Caspian moved circumspectly in the guards wake. A soft boom of doors closing echoed down the halls, followed by the quick staccato of banging against a door. Caspian rounded the corner, to see the company of guards pile through a set of double doors. As he went past, two guards puffed importantly, giving the nonverbal glare to move along, and not be interested

Caspian went to the end of the hall and the balcony it terminated on. He looked over the side, back the way he had come. There were balconies for the several rooms, and they all overhung the larger balcony below. Several party goers were in minor fits down there, looking up at the vacant balcony above them in irritation. A few others were looking over the balcony and trying to look out on the river. But it was too dark to see very far. Caspian huffed in minor irritation, and then proceeded to dally around the balcony, making and listening to the idle conversation. He found it as exciting and informative and watching fruit dry out.

After doing the round of the balcony, Caspian went back inside, looking for Steven. He was found two levels down in another wing, chatting amiably with a few merchants about local events, while sitting at a table sipping drinks and nibbling on some scones and assorted fruit and nut pastes.

Caspian approached as the men started laughing about something. “Steven, there you are. Things have happened, and it is time we leave.”

Steven looked up at Caspian, smiling and having the first good time he had had without Rox since Caspian had met him. “Sure. Caspian, this is Marklel, he is a textiles merchant, and Taban, a metals and ore merchant, and Gillen, a teamster. Gentlemen, this is Caspian, my current traveling companion. Evidently it is time to travel. If you will excuse me.”

Steven got up, and for the first time, these men saw how tall Steven really was. As he followed Caspian out, he finished his drink, and put the empty glass on a tray as it went by.

Once in the hallway, Steven pulled Caspian to his side, and kept striding. “Where is Rox?”

Caspian did not slow, save to match Steven’s pace. “I think she just went for a swim. There was a fight near where she was. A local mage is dead, and a female elf is reported to have done it then fled the fortress by jumping in the river.”

Steven sobered. “What’s the plan?”

Caspian headed for the front doors. “Leave, and go look for her. Find somewhere discrete and see what spells I can use to try to find her.”

Steven looked around, thinking the same basic direction. “And if she is still in the castle?”

Caspian stopped for a moment. “If she is, Cyrril will have to let us know. I just swept through that floor and did not see her anywhere. You know how well the both of you stand out.”

Steven followed Caspian out, pausing long enough to look at the appointed gathering bench. Rox was not near it. They got a coach across the bridge to the north shore, and then west, down stream, along the river. They searched until fatigue required them to go back to their rooms for sleep. In that time, they saw several patrols of constable’s sweep down the avenue that ran along the river front, as well as the lights of similar patrols on the other bank. They also saw two patrols of Palace Guards follow with the Constables then turn up the main streets that ran from the river front. Caspian took them aside into a suitably shadowed alley and then up onto a roof. There he used his tracker to cast around for her, and found that Rox was somewhere to their south across the river.

“We will have to find her in the morning.” Caspian said this as he turned to get down and head for their lodgings.

Steven looked across the river, and over at the fortress. The night felt like a bit of a bust. He had learned that two young kids had been paraded through the city and then back out, prisoners of The Guard, but had not yet found more. Now Rox was separated again. At least this time she was close.

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 138

“Let’s break up the party. You go that way I’ll go this way” Sure this always works. Well at least Rox is still in the city, and we have a prearranged meeting point. So long as she can walk.

The next morning, Roxanne woke to the smell of breakfast being cooked somewhere. She sat up, and looked around the room, confirming all that had happened the night before. She pulled the robe on, and went to the door. She was about to grasp the knob when she remembered the warning not to. Roxanne looked closely at the knob, and saw a small needle sticking out of the round knob, right where she would put her palm. A second needle was on the other side of the knob, for her fingers. Roxanne looked the door over a moment, then found the latch on the edge, and pulled it open, checking first for anything that might prick. She went down the hall and stairs back to where she remembered the kitchen.

The brown haired woman, Karen, wearing a skirt and blouse, sat at the table eating some toast and eggs with some fruit aside. Another woman shorter and younger in age was cooking at the wood stove. The younger woman had medium length black hair, another of the local skirt-and-blouse-with-a-vest costumes, an athletic build, and was more than head and shoulders shorter than Rox. She stood with the relaxed stance of total self-assuredness. She turned to look at Roxanne.

“How would you like your eggs?”

Roxanne looked quickly at Karen’s plate. The eggs were scrambled, with some stuff added to them. She motioned toward the plate. “Like that will do.”

Rox sat down, in a chair that felt slightly too small. Her knees almost bumping the table. She looked around in curiosity, but there was nothing outstanding about the kitchen or dining area. Utensils arrayed in order, a cabinet with dishes in it, shelves and counters as expected in any kitchen. A large cast iron wood stove with a water tank attached to it sat against an inner wall, with a hood over it, the flue ran across the room toward an outer wall. Rox was a little surprised to see the sink had in-door plumbing. It was a hand pump, but there it was next to the water tank.

She was given a silver plate with silver utensils to eat with and a glass mug to drink from. The toast was just right. The eggs had some diced vegetables and spicing in them. They were also delicious. The fruit was fresh. She was only offered water to drink.

When she finished her food Karen spoke.

“So, we need to get you back with your party. Any ideas where to go look for them?”

“One or two.” Rox continued enjoying her food.

“Do you think you can get there from here?” Karen was used to evasive conversations, but did not really enjoy them when honesty was better.

“With a bit of walking.”

“Roxanne, you need to trust me. I can help you get around this city, and back with your traveling companions. Or you can fumble about, and probably get caught by the guards.”

“You think I am that incapable?”

“No. I think you are on unfamiliar ground, and all but completely out of your own element.”

Roxanne had to concede the point, but it did nothing to make her feel better. “You are right about all that, Karen. And I am a bit too obvious to just go sneaking around. What do you recommend?”

The younger woman brought a pitcher of water over and set it down, with her own plate of food and setting. She then sat at the table to the other side of Karen from Rox.

“Well, you are taller than anybody local. So we make you as unremarkable as we can in every other way. Mainly in getting you a cloak that covers you to your feet, with a deep hood. Then you keep yourself cloaked in darkness.” Karen started into a fresh mug of water she had poured while speaking.

“While we go, Roxanne, I can also tell you some of what I know about why your kids are here.”

This comment by Karen made Rox stop and look at her.

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.