“Start your telling, Prince Oscar,” demanded the queen.
Prince Oscar told Tanya what had happened, only leaving out the fact that Prince Midge had cast a sleep spell on the king to save Alex’s life.
“I don’t know what is wrong with him today,” sighed the queen. “He was fine when he woke up, but by the time we reached the library, he was looking for a fight. I have never seen him like this before.”
The queen followed the Red Swords into the king’s chambers, but Jenneva stopped short of entering. She reached out and placed her hand on Prince Oscar’s arm to stop him outside the door.
“I do not know what game the three of you are playing,” she said softly, “but I have been up all night tending to the sick, and I need to get back to it as soon as possible. In the meantime, I need sleep. Now, tell me honestly, are my healing skills needed inside the king’s chambers?”
Prince Oscar shook his head and nodded towards Prince Midge on his shoulder. Jenneva shook her head, her lips pressed firmly together in a show of displeasure.
“Why?” she asked.
“To save Alex,” Prince Midge frowned. “I would have thought you would have been pleased that I kept him alive.”
“Arik would never hurt Alex,” retorted Jenneva, “and you know that, Prince Midge.”
“Arik would have killed Alex,” Prince Oscar said seriously. “Prince Midge did indeed save Alex’s life.”
Jenneva’s face clouded with concern. “Where is Alex?”
“General Gregor had him taken to the dungeons,” answered Theos. “He had, after all, attacked the king.”
“Get him out,” demanded Jenneva.
“I cannot,” replied Prince Oscar. “No doubt General Gregor informed the dungeon guards of the offense committed. They will only release him on the king’s orders. That is the law for an attack on the king’s body.”
“Oh, bother,” scowled Jenneva. “Come with me, Midge.”
Jenneva turned abruptly and entered the king’s chambers. Prince Midge darted from Prince Oscar’s shoulder to Jenneva’s shoulder just before she slammed the door shut. The queen looked up with a shocked expression.
“General Gregor has imprisoned Alex for attacking the king,” scowled Jenneva. “I will have no harm come to my husband, Tanya. Do you understand me?”
“He is my father, Mother,” frowned the queen. “I would not let anything happen to him. I will have him released immediately.”
“Prince Oscar says that only the king can have him released,” retorted Jenneva, “and frankly, Tanya, I do not trust Arik to do that, at least not in his current state of mind.”
Queen Tanya frowned and she opened her mouth to respond, but Jenneva gave her no opportunity.
“And before you say that Arik would not harm Alex, I just learned that the king tried to kill Alex in the library.”
“Who said such a thing?”
“Prince Oscar,” answered Jenneva, “and Prince Midge and Theos agree with his assessment. If you still have doubts, there were plenty of other people in the library.”
“What is going on, Mother?”
“I don’t know,” answered Jenneva, “but I am dead on my feet. I need sleep desperately, but I will not sleep if there is even a chance that harm will come to Alex. I need a solemn promise from you, Tanya.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to let Prince Midge keep Arik asleep until I wake up,” answered Jenneva. “That is the only way that I can be sure that Alex will still be alive.”
“Keep Arik asleep?” frowned the queen. “What do you mean by that? Is he not ill?”
“Tell her, Midge.”
The fairy prince squirmed on Jenneva’s shoulder, but the queen’s demanding stare required him to answer.
“I put the Bringer to sleep to stop him from killing Alex,” confessed Prince Midge. “It was the only thing I could think of.”
Queen Tanya sighed deeply and shook her head. “All right,” she agreed. “I will let Prince Midge keep Arik asleep, but things are getting way out of control around here. Mother, you will come here as soon as you wake up and then we will all discuss this problem.”
* * * *
As the 21st Corps of Spino marched northward along the Toulane River in Sordoa, a corporal rubbed his eyes and glanced once more at the ridge to his west. He thought he had seen the sun glint off of something metal, and he searched the ridge to find it again. When he did find it again, he gasped and his step faltered. The man behind the corporal bumped into him and the column began to unravel. Shouts and curses alerted the squad leader of a problem, and Sergeant Turang stepped out of the column.
“Chitor, out!” shouted the sergeant. “The rest of you close up the column.”
The corporal stepped out of the column and strode dutifully towards the sergeant.
“What is your problem, Chitor? Is walking too difficult for you? Should I ask General Ritka to let you use his horse?”
“I am sorry, Sergeant,” apologized the corporal, “but we have problems.”
“You have problems,” scowled Sergeant Turang. “Don’t try to make them mine.”
“Turn around slowly,” Corporal Chitor said softly. “Up on the ridge you will see a glint of light. Tell me what you see.”
The sergeant turned around casually and glanced up at the ridge. At first he saw nothing, and he was about to berate the corporal some more, but just as he was about to give up searching for whatever he was supposed to see, a glint of light struck his eye. The sergeant focused on the source of the glint.
“What is it?” the sergeant said softly.
“It’s a dwarf,” the corporal replied nervously.
“Be serious,” scowled the sergeant. “You wouldn’t know a dwarf if one bit your sister. What makes you think it is a dwarf?”
“What else could it be?” asked the corporal. “It’s short and stocky just like they are supposed to be”
“It could just be a small person,” frowned the sergeant. “I think you let those rumors get the best of you. There are no dwarves.”
“Look at the axe,” retorted the corporal. “That thing is twice as big as the dwarf. Do you really think a short man would be able to lift such a thing? It’s a dwarf I tell you.”
“Then dwarves are pretty stupid,” countered the sergeant. “If he was trying to spy on us unseen, he failed miserably. I bet a good bowman could hit him with one shot from here.”
“Stupid?” scoffed the corporal. “He is not trying to remain unseen. Neither of us saw him until he tilted that huge axe to catch the rays of the sun and send them towards us. He wants to be seen.”
Deep furrows creased the sergeant’s forehead. Chitor was right on one point. The sergeant would have never seen the dwarf if the sunlight had not reflected off the axe, but why would he announce his position when he could remain hidden?
“Why?” asked the sergeant.
“He is taunting us,” answered the corporal. “He is telling us that the dwarves are not afraid of us.”
“Well I know how to wipe that smile off his face,” scowled the sergeant as he turned back towards the column and scanned the ranks of the approaching soldiers.
He saw the next company coming, and he waved to the captain. The captain stepped out of the column and approached the sergeant.
“What is it, Sergeant?”
“If you look over my shoulder, Captain,” Turang said softly, “you will see a dwarf watching the column. This is an opportunity for you to have your best archer score the first kill in Alcea.”
The captain gazed up at the ridge, and his face darkened with anger. “Do you think it is funny to try to make a fool out of me, Sergeant?”
“No,” balked the sergeant as he spun around and gazed at the spot where the dwarf had been. “He was there just a moment ago. I swear it. Ask Corporal Chitor here. He saw it first.”
“Nice try, Sergeant,” the captain smiled thinly. “Just to show you that I do have a sense of humor, I will speak to your captain at camp tonight. I will request that he lend us your talents to handle latrine duty for my entire company. Now, find your spot in the column and return there immediately.”