Chapter Three

 

Prince Josiah rode over the crest of a hill and reined to a stop. Before him lay a broad, emerald-green valley, alive with colorful wildflowers and tall stands of oaks and boxwoods. On the banks of a swift-flowing river stood an enormous castle of gray stone, the Castle of Steadfastness.

Josiah rode forward. When he reached the castle drawbridge, he stood in the stirrups and raised his visor. “Halloo the Castle of Steadfastness! I am Prince Josiah of the Castle of Faith, with a message for Sir Whole-Heart.”

“Advance, Prince Josiah, and welcome to the Castle of Steadfastness,” a sentry called from the gatehouse over the battlements. “We shall inform Sir Whole-Heart of your arrival.” Josiah rode through the gate and dismounted, pulling the parchment from his saddlebags. A servant led his horse to the stables.

A tall, robust knight dressed in scarlet and white strode forward. “Sir Whole-Heart, at your service,” he boomed in a voice that echoed in the gatehouse. “Welcome, Prince Josiah.”

Josiah handed him the parchment. “Sire, a message from Sir Faithful.”

The knight accepted the parchment. “Thank you, my lord. And how is my old friend, Sir Faithful? Is he in good health?”

“Sir Faithful is in excellent health, sire. He sends his greetings and regrets that he cannot come in person.”

“Aye, it would be good to see him.” He unrolled the parchment and glanced at it, and then turned back to Josiah. “The noon meal is served in half an hour. Will you stay and dine with us?”

Josiah nodded. “Aye, sire, that I will. I was hoping you would ask.”

The tall knight laughed. “It will be our pleasure to have you. Meet us in the great hall at noon. I’m sorry that I don’t have the time to entertain you, but I’m in the midst of a very important project. Please make yourself at home—feel free to tour the castle or just rest from your journey. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you in the great hall in half an hour.”

Josiah made his way across the bailey and took a seat on a stone bench in the shade of a towering ash. Less than three paces to his right was the castle well. How will Sir Dither respond when I try to question him? he asked himself. What if he doesn’t feel like talking? I still think that Sir Faithful has sent the wrong person on this assignment.

“Come back!” a voice called from the other end of the castle bailey. “Come back, you wretched bird!”

At that instant, Josiah gasped as a large bird of prey dropped from the sky, and, with the spread of silver-gray wings, landed on the ledge of the well beside him. The bird, easily a foot-and-a-half tall, sat warily on the stones, looking as if it might take flight again at any moment. Twice it spread its great wings as if to take to the air, and then relaxed and folded them again. Josiah noted that the bird’s beak was covered with a small leather hood, and that leather straps were fastened to its legs. This was no wild bird; it belonged to someone.

“My lord, can you catch her?” The urgent plea, uttered in a low voice, came from a nobleman who crouched some thirty paces away. “She’s watching me. If I come any closer, I’m afraid she’ll take to the air again, but if you can sneak up on her…”

“What should I do?” Josiah asked in a quiet voice. “She looks fierce.”

“Move slowly,” the stranger instructed. “If you can get close enough to grab the jesses fastened to her legs, we’ll have her.”

Josiah hesitated. “Will she bite?”

“She’s wearing a beak hood, my lord, so it’s impossible for her to bite. Please, my lord, if you can catch her… she’s quite a valuable falcon…”

The young prince slid quietly from the bench and crept toward the well. Holding his breath, he extended one hand, reaching for the leather jesses. At that moment the falcon turned its head and looked straight at him. Josiah stood motionless. He waited for a moment, but the falcon continued to stare at him. He held his breath, afraid that the least movement would cause the big bird to take flight.

The falcon lowered her head and spread her wings. “Now, my lord!” the man called. Josiah leaped forward and seized the jesses. The bird was his. The falcon rose in the air, tugging against the jesses, and then almost immediately settled back down on the well. To Josiah’s surprise, the falcon relaxed and folded her wings rather than fighting as he had anticipated.

“I am grateful, my lord,” the falcon’s owner said as he approached. “She’s a peregrine falcon, quite valuable, but I’ve just had her a short while and she doesn’t know me yet. I thought she was ready for her first free flight, but—well, when she wouldn’t come to the lure, I just knew I’d seen the last of her.”

“I’m glad that she didn’t get away, sire,” Josiah answered. He grinned. “This is the first time that I have ever caught a falcon.”

The man laughed. “You did a good job of it, my lord.” He extended a hand protected by a thick leather glove and took the jesses from Josiah’s hand. As he did, the falcon readily hopped upon the glove.

Josiah stared. The man was short and stocky, with brown hair and a well-trimmed beard. The coat of arms upon his jerkin was that of a small bird and a sword against a field of blue. “Are you—are you Sir Dither?”

The nobleman was surprised. “Aye, that is my name. Do I know you, my lord?”

“We have never met, but I have heard of you,” Josiah replied. “I’m Prince Josiah, of the Castle of Faith.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Prince Josiah. And once again, I am grateful for your help in catching my wayward falcon.”

“She’s a magnificent bird, Sir Dither.”

The marquis smiled. “I need to return her to her cage. Would you care to accompany me to my solar?”

“Certainly, sire,” the young prince replied. “I would be honored.”

As Sir Dither turned away, Josiah looked up to see a snowy white dove perched in the branches of the ash tree. “Guide my words, I ask.”

“I have been, and will continue to do so,” the dove replied in a quiet, gentle voice.

Josiah followed the stocky nobleman across the bailey, up two flights of stairs, and into a room in the northeast tower of the castle. Sir Dither’s solar was modestly furnished with a featherbed and nightstand. Fragrant reeds lay upon the polished wood floor, and a huge tapestry depicting a knight fighting a dragon adorned the wall opposite the door. A tall, narrow cage stood beside the single window.

“I keep my other falcons over the stables,” Sir Dither explained, as he opened the door of the cage. “But since this one is new, I’m keeping her close until she gets to know me.” He put the falcon inside the cage and carefully secured the door.

A woman’s voice filled the room, and Josiah turned in surprise. A small glass sphere on the nightstand was ablaze with color and movement. Josiah’s eyes widened. A spellavision! The images of an attractive woman and a tall, muscular man filled the sphere. As Josiah watched, the woman sidled up to the man and lightly touched his arm. Her smile was coy, her movements seductive, and the young prince suddenly realized that the woman was attempting to talk the man into committing an act of immorality with her. He turned away in disgust.

“This year’s carriage is bigger and better than ever before!” a man’s voice abruptly announced, and Josiah turned back to see the image of a sleek landau speeding across the spellavision. “You deserve this carriage. You’ve worked for it. And now is the time to reward yourself with the vehicle you’ve always wanted. Your local merchant can help you obtain this carriage at a low price. See your local carriage merchant today.”

Sir Dither laughed as he passed his hand over the spellavision. The images within the sphere vanished immediately. “The spellavision was given to me,” he said. “I must say that it amuses me.”

Josiah nodded, but said nothing. I think I know who was behind the gift, he thought grimly. It was given to you to draw your heart away from King Emmanuel. The spellavision is part of Argamor’s plan to wrest the kingdom from King Emmanuel.

“So what brings you to the Castle of Steadfastness?” Sir Dither asked. “We’re some distance from the Castle of Faith.”

“I’m on an errand for King Emmanuel,” Josiah replied, with enthusiasm. “Sir Faithful sent me with a parchment for Sir Whole-Heart.”

The marquis said nothing, but his face took on an unusual expression.

Josiah noticed. “What are you thinking, sire?”

Sir Dither shook his head. “Oh, nothing of any consequence, my lord. It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, but it does matter, sire. When I stated that I was on an errand for His Majesty, your face took on a really strange expression. Your reaction tells me that something is wrong. What were you thinking, sire?”

Sir Dither rubbed his beard. “All right. You asked, so I’ll tell you. I was just thinking that I used to be young and zealous for my King, just as you are. But I guess all that has changed now.” He sighed.

“What has changed, sire? Do you not love His Majesty as you used to? Do you not rejoice to serve him, sire? Only recently did King Emmanuel adopt me—a year and a half ago, to be exact—but I have found that service to His Majesty is my greatest joy.”

“My lord,” the marquis said, with another great sigh, “I have served His Majesty for many years. No one has loved Emmanuel more, or served him more fervently, than I. And perhaps no one has paid a greater price to serve him than I.”

“What do you mean, sire?”

“I lost my family, my lands, and my fortune because of my service to my King. There is no higher price to pay than that, my lord.”

Josiah frowned. “How did it happen, Sir Dither?”

“I was on a quest for King Emmanuel when the enemy attacked my home. They destroyed my family and took my lands and my wealth. Had I not been away on service to my King, my men and I could have defended what was rightfully mine. After I completed the quest for Emmanuel, I returned home to find that everything I possessed had been taken from me. My men lost heart and deserted me at the time that I needed them the most. Aye, I have served Emmanuel, but it has cost me dearly.”

“And now you’ve lost heart and are not sure that you want to continue serving His Majesty,” Josiah said quietly, hoping that his words would not offend the marquis. “You’ve even entertained the thought that perhaps things would have been better had you served Argamor.”

Sir Dither stiffened. “Do not say that, my lord.”

“But isn’t that what you have been thinking, sire?”

Sir Dither gave another great sigh. “Aye, to be honest, I have.” He gestured toward the silent spellavision. “I watch the glowing images of houses and lands and wealth and beautiful women and magnificent horses, and… and I can’t help but think that perhaps things would have been better had I served—” He dropped his head. “Nay, I cannot say that.”

He was silent for a long moment, and then turned and looked into Josiah’s eyes. “When I watch what is happening within the kingdom of Terrestria, it sometimes seems that Argamor is winning the battle and King Emmanuel is losing! To be quite honest, I’ve lost heart, lad. I am just not quite sure that it’s worth it.”

The marquis took a deep breath, shook his head, and gave a short laugh. “But why am I burdening you with all this? I don’t even know you, and you are so young.”

Josiah glanced upward and saw the white form of the dove perched in the rafters. He stepped to the window and looked down into the barbican below. “My story is quite the opposite of yours, sire. I have lost nothing, and gained everything. It wasn’t that long ago that I was a slave to Argamor. I can still feel the chafing of the shackles on my ankle, feel the sting of his lash upon my back, and smell the rotting dungeon where I was imprisoned every night.”

Terrifying memories overwhelmed him like a specter from the past as he told of the pain and suffering he had experienced at the hands of his cruel master, the hopelessness of his situation, the incredible loneliness. He described the despair that had flooded his soul when he tried to escape and found that he was helpless.

“And then King Emmanuel came and offered me freedom. Oh, the love that I saw in his eyes as he reached down with scarred hands and broke my shackles! Oh, the blessed freedom I experienced as my horrible chains fell away! That day, Emmanuel not only set me free, he adopted me as his own son. Never again can I go back to Argamor. I am eternally grateful to Emmanuel, and I rejoice to serve him. I long for the day when he returns from the Golden City and takes me to dwell with him.”

Josiah turned back from the window, and as he did, was surprised to see that Sir Dither’s eyes were filled with tears. “It was many, many years ago, my lord,” the marquis said in a husky voice, “when His Majesty set me free. I suppose I have forgotten what servitude to Argamor was really like. Your words have touched my heart. I have no master but King Emmanuel, and I must once again serve him whole-heartedly.”

He stepped over and touched the spellavision. “I sometimes wonder if this enchanting device has not been the source of my discontent.”

Josiah nodded. “It has played a part, sire, of that I am certain. At Argamor’s council of war the Council of Six laid out their strategies to steal the hearts of Emmanuel’s subjects in order to wrest the kingdom away from Emmanuel. The spellavision played a prominent role in their plans.”

Sir Dither’s face tightened with resolution. “Look out the window, Prince Josiah. Is there anyone in the barbican below?”

Josiah peered out the window. “Not a soul, sire.”

“Then stand back, my lord.”

Josiah did, and the spellavision sailed out the window. Seconds later, a loud crash sounded in the barbican below. The young prince looked at the marquis in amazement.

“I thank you for coming, Prince Josiah. Your words have opened my eyes and touched my heart, and for that I am grateful. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to be alone for awhile. I must send a petition to His Majesty.”

 

 

An hour later, Josiah guided his horse around a huge rock formation and then descended into a quiet valley. He glanced upward to see a hawk gliding silently across the sky, and he immediately thought of the falcon he had caught for the marquis. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said aloud, “for using me to be an encouragement to Sir Dither. I am grateful that you allow me to have a part in your kingdom.”

He crossed the valley and entered a dense forest on the other side. The trees were close together here, and darkness closed in around him like a shroud. Feeling a bit uneasy, he urged the horse to a slightly faster pace. After a furlong or two, the trees thinned out and the forest became brighter, and he began to relax.

Through the trees just ahead he could make out a huge, indistinct shape, dark red in color. As he came to it he reined to a stop and sat staring. The red rock spire of which the peasant spoke. I’m just three furlongs from the cottage and the egg! His heart beat faster. He sat still, his mind racing. It would take just a few moments to ride to the cottage, take a brief look at the egg, and then continue on my way. Surely a quick look will cause no harm.

His mind made up, the young prince turned and rode north.

The peasant was drawing a bucket of water from the well as Josiah rode into the clearing. “Greetings, my lord,” the peasant called, setting the bucket down and approaching the young prince’s horse. “You have returned as planned.”

Josiah was puzzled. “As planned, sir?”

The man shook his head. “Pay me no attention, my lord. It is good to see you again. Will you do me the honor of entering my humble abode?”

Josiah followed him into the cottage. “May I—may I see the egg again, sir? I was just riding by and thought I’d like to take another look—”

“Of course, my lord, of course,” the peasant said agreeably, hurrying to open the large chest as he spoke. “It’s no trouble at all.” He carried the small brass chest to the table, opened it, and reached deep within. He gently lifted the alluring egg and held it out to Josiah. “Here. Hold it, my lord.” The egg glowed as if a fire burned deep within its heart.

The young prince took the egg and felt a thrill of excitement as his fingers touched it. The egg was warm and soothing, and glowed even brighter as he held it, and he immediately began to desire it as never before. He longed to own it. Suddenly it seemed that nothing else in life really mattered; the only thing he wanted at that moment was to possess the magnificent egg.

“The egg is yours, my lord, with our gratitude.” The elderly peasant placed his hands on Josiah’s, pressing them against the egg. “We shall never forget what you and your friends did for us.”

“I cannot—cannot accept it, sir, for my King has forbidden the possession of a dragon’s egg.” Josiah said the words, but his heart was not in them. He wanted the egg, desperately wanted the egg, and yet, at the same time he wanted to obey and honor King Emmanuel.

The peasant was looking at him strangely. “Do you know why King Emmanuel has forbidden the possession of dragon eggs within his kingdom?”

Josiah shook his head. “That I do not, sir.”

“It’s for your protection, my lord, and the protection of those around you. A dragon is a vicious beast, to be sure, and at times can be quite dangerous. A young Cararian Greatwing poses no threat to anyone, but an adult could be quite a menace. For this reason, His Majesty has outlawed the possession of eggs or dragons.”

He touched the egg gently, almost reverently. “This egg, as my wife told you, has been in her family for generations. It is two hundred years old, at the very least, perhaps older. My lord, you need not worry that this egg will hatch. The little dragon inside this egg has been dead for nearly two centuries.”

Josiah frowned. “The egg is dead? But it’s warm… and it glows. And it… it feels alive.”

The peasant laughed. “Of course it seems to glow, my lord. You are holding it in the sunlight from the window. The shell of the egg has a certain, uh, iridescence, and it reflects the light. It almost looks as if it is changing color, doesn’t it? Here, move it away from the window. Watch what happens.”

The young prince moved away from the window and held the egg in a dark corner of the room. Immediately, the egg lost its luster. In the shadows, the magnificent egg seemed dull and lifeless.

“Do you see what I mean, my lord? The egg has been dormant for countless years. It poses no threat to anyone.”

“But the King’s law is still there,” Josiah protested. “His Majesty has given orders that no one is to possess a dragon, nor the egg of a dragon.”

The peasant sighed. “Aye, my lord, that is true, in a certain sense. But surely you would agree that His Majesty would not object to one owning an egg that has been dead for at least two centuries. Were the egg alive, you would do wrong to take it, and I would not offer it to you. Rather, I would crush it myself. But since there is no danger of it hatching, surely you can understand that it is permissible to have it. Would you not agree, my lord?”

Josiah hesitated. In his heart he knew that possession of the egg would be a violation of royal law, and yet, the peasant’s words gave him an excuse—a way to justify his desire and silence his conscience.

“The peasant is attempting to deceive you, Prince Josiah,” a quiet voice said. “Do not heed his words, for they are words of treachery and treason.”

Josiah glanced over to see the dove sitting in the window, but the desire to possess the egg was so great that he chose to ignore the words of his celestial guide. “Are you certain that the egg cannot hatch, sir?”

“It had been dead for two centuries, my lord. It has no more chance of hatching than a rock.”

The young prince sighed. In his heart he knew that he was about to break royal law. “I accept your gift, sir. I will take the egg.”