Someone was singing in a low, rough voice:
I heard tell of a city of stone,
that stood by rivers wide…
Who’s that singing? thought Piak.
The voice continued:
That once was so, but is no more,
for there, by riverside,
there now stand only trees.
Dreams, schemes…
“Calm, calm,” said a soothing voice above the song, a different voice. “Hush now, go to sleep.”
Who… thought Piak and then he realized he had been singing himself. He opened his eyes and looked up into a face he didn’t know. As he tried to focus, the face blurred, but he didn’t have the strength to be afraid.
“Come, just sleep,” said the voice again. A cool hand touched his forehead.
But it was a human voice… thought Piak. Now he could see the face clearly again – a long face, with a thin beard that made it seem even longer, and dark-rimmed eyes that looked at him with concern. Beside the face was a flickering light.
“Who…?” began Piak.
“Sssh! You have nothing to fear,” said the face. “You are tired, you have a fever, and you need to sleep. Sleep! Soon you will wake up well.”
Piak closed his eyes. He could still hear the voice speaking. “I am the Guardian of the Forgotten City and I will remain by your side. Sleep!”
When Piak looked up again, he saw a flock of birds against a mottled white and grey sky. He looked at them in astonishment. No, they weren’t flying – they were painted on a vaulted ceiling. He noticed then that he was lying on a bed or couch, and covered with furs. He was in a small, round chamber, with an open door. A ray of sunlight fell into the room, so it must be daytime. Piak felt too drowsy to wonder where he was and how he’d got there. He felt so comfortable, so peaceful and safe.
A tall, thin man came into the room and said cheerfully, “Aha, so he’s awake. How do you feel?”
Piak recognized him. “The Guardian of the Forgotten City,” he said.
“Ah, so you can remember that much,” said the man, sitting down on the bed beside him. “Or you can call me Adelbart. But I understand that the Forgotten City was not unknown to you, the city of stone that stood by rivers wide. Well, actually, the rivers are poetic licence. They’re not really that close.”
“Which rivers?” asked Piak. “Where am I?”
“This city lies between two rivers: the Black River to the south, and the Green River to the north.”
The Green River! That was where Piak had to go! He sat up really quickly, but then noticed, firstly, that he was dizzy and, secondly, that he had no clothes on.
“Lie down!” said the man who was called Adelbart. He gently pushed Piak back down and covered him up. “Your clothes are outside in the sun. They were a bit of a mess. And as far as you’re concerned, when I found you, you were in a pitiful state, so there’s no way you can go running off yet.”
“Yes, but… I have to keep going, to the Green River,” Piak weakly protested. “I… I have no time to lose.”
“Time is not yours to lose,” said Adelbart. “And if you lose your life, then you will have no time at all. Please, be calm. Soon, if heaven is willing, you will be able to get up and go wherever you want. I’ll even help you if needed. Wait there.”
He stood up and left the room. A moment later, he returned with a bowl and a spoon. “Could you eat something?” he asked, sitting down on the bed again. “This is soup, nourishing, good soup, even if I did cook it myself.”
It smelt delicious, and Piak realized that he could indeed eat something.
“I’ll feed you,” said Adelbart, holding out the spoon.
Piak felt himself becoming stronger with every mouthful, and when the bowl was empty, he said, “Now I really could…”
“No,” said Adelbart, kindly but firmly. “You were singing and talking all night. First you need to sleep and then we’ll talk some more.”
“How did I get here?” asked Piak. “Am I in the… the Forgotten City? Who are you? What day is it, and what’s the time? And the Green River, how far is it from here?”
“That’s an awful lot of questions all at once,” said Adelbart. “But fine, I shall answer them, or you might not be able to sleep. You are in the Forgotten City – Terraverdis is its old name – and no one lives here, except for me. I saw you coming last night, but when I approached you, you fled as if the devil were after you. A little later, I found you by the gate, in a dead faint. It’s about ten o’clock in the morning now and the Green River is nearby. There are your answers. Now sleep tight.”
Piak wanted to reply, but he fell asleep before he could figure out what he wanted to say.
When Piak woke again, he didn’t know how long he had been sleeping. It was still light and Adelbart was sitting on a bench near the door, looking at a sword. Piak watched him and wondered what kind of man he was. He looked a little strange, with his long, sallow face and his sunken eyes. His clothes were colourful but ragged, and he had various weapons hanging from his belt. The Guardian of the Forgotten City looked up and nodded at Piak.
“Well?” he asked.
Piak stretched and gave a deep sigh. “I feel fine,” he said and he sat up, this time without any difficulty.
“Then we can talk,” said Adelbart, getting to his feet. “Your clothes are at the foot of your bed, but you should stay lying down until I’ve brought you some food. Here’s your sword – a magnificent weapon! How did you come by it?”
“It was given to me,” replied Piak. “By King Unauwen.”
“By King… Unauwen?” Adelbart repeated in amazement. “Who are you?”
“My name is Piak. I am the squire of Sir Tiuri with the White Shield.”
“Most impressive!” said Adelbart. “But come, I’ll prepare some food for us. I’m feeling rather hungry myself.” He left the room.
Piak stood up and started to get dressed. He was still a little shaky, but the thought of his friends was now tugging at him. He had already lost so much time! I don’t understand how I came to collapse, he thought with annoyance. I never get sick. Maybe it was because of the Dead Stone. Or could the water of the Black River be to blame?
Buckling on his sword, he walked to the door and looked outside. He saw a courtyard, surrounded by walls that were almost entirely hidden by wild creepers. A few scrawny chickens were scratching about, and Adelbart was bent over a log fire in one corner. It all looked very different from the city he had seen last night. Last night… Or was it longer ago? He had to move on as soon as possible!
Adelbart looked up and called, “The food’s ready!”
A few minutes later, they were sitting together in the round chamber and tucking into soup and a chicken leg. Piak proved to have a huge appetite. “That’s a good sign,” said Adelbart with satisfaction.
Then he wanted to find out how Piak came to be in the wood. “No one’s been here for months,” he said. “I know you want to go to the Green River – but why? What exactly are you seeking?”
Piak hesitated for a moment before answering. After all, no matter how friendly Adelbart might seem, he knew nothing about him, this Guardian of the Forgotten City in the Wild Wood. “I have to go to the City of Dagonaut,” he said finally. “Is that far from here?”
“Well, yes, it’s quite a way,” replied Adelbart. “About a week from the Green River – that’s if you’re a fast walker.”
“That far?” said Piak. “Isn’t there somewhere nearby where I could get a horse, or a castle with a knight who can be trusted?”
“A knight who can be trusted?” repeated Adelbart. “To be honest, I’ve never really trusted knights that much. I’m not on such good terms with those fine gentlemen, you understand. I prefer to hide away in my city, ever since Sir Ristridin and his friends did their damage here.”
Piak almost dropped his soup bowl. “Sir Ristridin?!” he exclaimed.
Adelbart froze. “Do you know him?” he asked.
“Yes… no… I’ve never met him,” replied Piak. “But I’ve heard a lot about him.” He took a good look at Adelbart and asked a little uneasily, “But you know him, don’t you? How? He… He’s not an enemy of yours, is he?”
“In a sense, yes, he is,” said Adelbart slowly. “But don’t be concerned,” he added. “Just enjoy your soup. I’m not going to hurt you, not after I’ve nursed you all night.” He looked pensively at the chicken leg in his hand before continuing, “Last year I was living here with a band of friends… Until Sir Ristridin and his men came along and drove us out. Nearly all my friends were captured and, as far as I know, sent to the capital. I had a lucky escape because I happened to be out hunting some distance away. I hid in the forest and didn’t return here for a while.”
“But… but what had your friends done?” asked Piak, although he thought he already knew the answer to that question.
“Eat up your soup! We were robbers, and this was our base. A fine place… no one ever dared to follow us here… until Sir Ristridin came.”
“Oh,” said Piak, not knowing what else to say.
“Sir Ristridin doesn’t know what I look like, and I know him only from a distance,” said Adelbart. “So I find it hard to judge whether I should consider him my enemy or not. What do you think?”
“I don’t know either,” said Piak hesitantly. “But you do know that highway robbery is…” He fell silent.
“Illegal and immoral,” said Adelbart, completing his sentence for him. “I know.” He threw his chicken bone onto the floor. “I’ve always been a wastrel, a good-for-nothing,” he continued. “A jack of all trades and master of none. That’s what my mother used to say. I never planned to become a robber, I truly didn’t. But I just couldn’t hold down a job. Finally I went to a monastery. That was the last resort, I thought. I have a rather contemplative nature, you see, and I hoped I might like it there. But I found that boring, too, so I ran away. I ended up in the wood, where I fell in with the robbers. They were a fine bunch of fellows! So I joined up with them and I found I liked their way of life: completely free, and no griping or groaning. As far as the robbery part was concerned – well, a man has to make a crust somehow, eh? I didn’t join in very often. I cooked for us all, and guarded the city. It was me who showed them this place. I discovered the city years ago on one of my long walks.” He looked at Piak with an apologetic smile. “So now I’ve told you almost my whole life story without you asking for it,” he said. “And all because of Sir Ristridin. So you know him, then?”
Piak looked at him thoughtfully. He felt that he had nothing to fear from this man and was surprised to realize that he actually found it hard to see him as a robber. He’d always seen such people as the epitome of evil, but there was nothing wicked about the Guardian of the Forgotten City.
“I still haven’t thanked you,” he said.
“Oh, don’t start that!” said Adelbart. “What was I supposed to do? Just leave you lying there? I’d rather you told me what you have to do with Sir Ristridin. Is he the reason you’re roaming around the wood?”
“Yes, in part,” replied Piak. “But it’s more about my friend, Tiuri, actually Sir Tiuri. After Sir Ristridin and his men routed the rob… I mean, chased away your friends, they went deeper into the wood, to the west.”
“That’s right,” said Adelbart with a nod.
“They were looking for the Men in Green,” continued Piak.
“The Men in Green?!” exclaimed Adelbart. “If you’re looking for them, you won’t find them. They never get involved in anything and they harm no one unless, of course, you tread on their toes.”
“How do you know that?” asked Piak.
“Yes, hmm, how do I know that?! I… I’ve heard it from various people – maybe the monks at the Brown Monastery. Leave them alone, and they’re no trouble.”
“I don’t believe a word of it!” cried Piak. “Did you know Sir Ristridin has disappeared without a trace and his men have been killed? Treacherously slain by enemies! And Tiuri, my friend, was ambushed and captured. That’s why I need to go to King Dagonaut as quickly as possible to get help and to tell him what’s happened.”
He stood up, suddenly realizing how little time he had to stop and talk.
“Well, I’ll be…!” exclaimed Adelbart. “And it was the Men in Green who did it?”
“They were there,” said Piak. “Along with others. And the night before we were ambushed, we heard the beating of drums, a terrible sound.”
“Drums?” repeated Adelbart.
“Have you ever heard them?” asked Piak. “Do you know anything about them?” He suspected that was the case.
However, Adelbart shook his head. “I’ve long known that other people live in the wood,” he said. “But I’ve never gone looking for them or bothered about them, and neither did my friends. There are some things you’re better off not sticking your nose into!”
“There’s something mysterious going on,” whispered Piak, “and no one is allowed to find out about it. But Sir Fitil knows, Sir Fitil of Islan. Have you ever met him?”
“No,” said Adelbart. “I never go south of the Dead Stone.”
Piak shivered when he heard that name. “I had to flee from Sir Fitil’s men,” he explained. “That’s how I ended up here. Pursued by Islan’s warriors, who were supposed to be going to Deltaland.”
“Deltaland?”
“Yes, there’s been an invasion, from Deltaland,” said Piak. “But perhaps that’s not even true. Sir Fitil could have made it up… but no, the messengers came from Sir Arturin.”
“I can’t follow this at all,” said Adelbart. “An invasion… knights captured, killed, vanished! All manner of things have been happening while I was daydreaming in my Forgotten City. Well, I fear that’s the end of my peaceful solitude. Would you like anything else to eat?”
“Thank you,” said Piak. “But I really should go. Could you tell me the quickest way to the Green River and where I might be able to find help?” As he spoke, he grew even more worried. The City of Dagonaut was still so far.
Adelbart gave him a questioning look, then laid a hand on his forehead and said, “Fine, I see that I can’t stop you, even though I’d rather you stayed another night. I’ll take you as far as the river, on my donkey. Yes, I have a steed. At least I have one if it doesn’t refuse to budge.” He thought for a moment and continued, “The king’s city is far away, and you say there are enemies in Islan. The Brown Monastery is nearby – not that the monks will come to your aid with a sword, but they know a great deal, have friends everywhere, and will surely be able to send a message to the king or to Castle Mistrinaut.”
“Castle Mistrinaut?!” Piak almost yelled.
“Calm down, my boy! You startled me!”
“I know that castle!” said Piak. “Is it really that close?”
“From the monastery it’s a day’s ride on horseback,” replied Adelbart. “And from here to the monastery won’t take any more than a day. I should imagine that’s welcome news.”
Piak looked at him, his eyes gleaming. “It certainly is!” he said.
Castle Mistrinaut! A mighty man with a long name lived there, who was one of Sir Ristridin’s best friends. He was also a friend of Tiuri’s, as was his daughter, Lady Lavinia.
“Oh, Adelbart,” said Piak, “show me the way to the Brown Monastery. Then I shall ask for help from Mistrinaut, which I am sure to receive!”