The sun had nearly reached its peak when Yara awakened the following day. She rubbed her eyes and looked about, trying to assemble the pieces.
Andy sat on a log near the campfire with his back to the recovering maiden. When she stirred, Hannah nodded, directing his attention.
“How are you feeling?” Andy questioned when he reached her.
She paused to consider before replying, “Good. My head feels much better. Is there anything to eat?”
Andy laughed and helped her up.
After a hearty brunch, Andy helped Yara remove the fashionable poultice smeared on her forehead. Then she sat next to him and told the tale everyone was dying to hear.
“The zolt who grabbed me was one who used to guard me. Somehow he knew I was around, like he always did. Anyway, he snatched me and took off. My head felt like it was going to explode, so it took awhile before it dawned on me to suggest he bring me back. Once I managed to implant that thought in his mind, he turned around.”
“What about the other zolt?” Hannah questioned.
“It hurt a lot, but I managed to plant a suggestion that they should land and wait patiently for their buddy to return. Oh, and I also suggested that they had seen nothing of me or anyone else.”
Hans grinned. “Well done, Princess.”
“How do you think they knew I was here?” Yara questioned.
Captain Baldric rubbed his chin and glanced among his soldiers.
Andy offered, “I overheard one zolt say ‘She’s here’ as they walked past the cave yesterday, so they knew you were around then too.”
The words lingered but no one offered any speculation.
“Well, one thing I know, you need to strengthen your sommeil skills before you try suggesting something to so many at once,” Hans interrupted the silence. “You must possess quite a gift. Only the most skillful sommeils have reactions like yours if they’ve tried something too advanced before they’re ready. You can do serious damage to your mind if we don’t help you strengthen your skills.”
Yara nodded.
Andy saw movement in the trees, and seconds later Gelon led a contingent of familiar but quiet gnomes into camp. Exclamations of joy erupted as they set eyes on the princess.
Bilnus stepped forward and held out a small package. “A few more herbs should you encounter further difficulties.”
Hans accepted with a nod, which Yara repeated.
Gelon took several steps toward Andy. “Our dwarf friends share with us news of all that is happening in and around these parts. We know about more people being turned into vulture-folk. They tell us their prisons are overflowing with zolt. Perilous times are in store until the evil is purged from our lands.”
Andy swallowed and nodded slowly.
“Know that we stand united with the kingdoms of Oomaldee and Cromlech, and we will lend whatever help we can. Please do not hesitate to call on us.” The round gnome’s full beard brushed the dirt as he bowed to Andy and then to Yara.
“Thank you, Gelon. Merk has been helping build weapons, but hearing your commitment to defeat the enemy means a lot. I’ll be sure to pass this on to my father.” Andy stepped forward and embraced him.
“Aw…well…you’re welcome,” the gnome replied, his balding head taking on a deeper shade of red.
The gnomes surrounded Andy and his group, and the solemn melody of their blessing ballad, which had so moved him the first time, again filled the air with its themes of sincerity, fidelity, warmth, and brotherhood.
“These are good folks,” Andy’s inneru put words to what his emotions felt.
When the song ended several minutes later, joking and jesting ushered the gnomes back from whence they came.
They broke camp to skinny fingers of sunlight probing through the dense tree cover. The air smelled of fir, and fallen evergreen needles crunched beneath their feet as the group made its way down a sloping hill. Andy walked next to Alden. Yara had pulled Hannah in front of them as they set out, and Hans brought up the rear. The boys could overhear only bits and pieces of the girls’ conversation, but from what he picked up, Andy knew it was serious.
“I’m sorry… Didn’t mean… Want to be… I thought…” Andy overheard Yara.
Hannah nodded.
“When you… You’re… You make me feel… You were being…” Yara continued.
Hannah scowled at the princess.
“Oh, come on… Either we can…”
At last Hannah laughed. “I guess you’re right.”
Andy and Alden shared raised eyebrows as the girls continued their tête-à-tête.
Several minutes later, Alden drew Andy’s attention. “I heard you yell in your sleep.”
“I’ve been having nightmares. First it was reliving that test—”
“I haven’t been able to forget either.”
“But on top of that, I’m worried about what Abaddon will do now that it appears he will live forever. And has Fides helping him.”
Alden nodded.
Andy confided, “I keep seeing Abaddon torturing my father and mom. It’s awful! It scares me. I can control my fear during the day, but at night… I’ve got to do something, but what?”
“Never forget, you’re not waging this battle by yourself, Andy,” Hans chimed in, moving forward to join them. “You may be the chosen one to break the curse, but defeating that fiend will require everyone’s help, not the least of which is that of your father and the military. The King brags about what you so boldly declared at the tavern: ‘We are as strong as the love we choose to share.’ Those aren’t just words.”
Andy nodded.
Hans added, “And it appears we’ll have Cromlech’s help.”
Andy felt his cheeks warm as the healer gave him a playful wink.
Laughter from the girls interrupted their conversation, but when Hannah placed an arm around Yara, curiosity compelled them forward.
“What’s going on?” Alden questioned.
“We’ve decided—” Yara began, glancing at Hannah. Receiving a nod, the princess continued, “—that since I’m going to be staying in Oomaldee for a while, we should be friends.”
Hannah smiled.
“About time!” Hans joked.
About midafternoon they passed through a curtain of thick fog, which drew exclamations from Yara. The others explained that they had entered Oomaldee.
The princess wrinkled her nose and assessed, “Smells damp.”
“It makes me feel claustrophobic,” Andy confessed.
“I understand why you want to get rid of it.”
“That’s not the half of it.”
For the next few days, as they navigated the moist and mountainous terrain of the ogres’ territory, Andy shared stories about getting stuck in quicksand. His experiences being manhandled by giant plants in the Forest of Giants. Marta and her chocolate chip cookies. Ox, Emmadank, Merk, and the rest of his Oscray team. Sir Gawain and Sir Kay and all the stone statues that came to life. Adventures with Glaucin and his family. As he recounted each adventure, Andy’s excitement grew at the thought of seeing everyone again.
They halted their journey that day after descending a hill that marked the end of ogre territory. They had encountered only a handful of the hulking green creatures, and a rousing game of freeze tag with hand signals had kept their presence a secret. Except for a thick layer of drying, odiferous mud that caked everyone’s feet, they had emerged unscathed.
Captain Baldric permitted a campfire tonight, a treat after going without one the last two nights. Sergeants Ranulf, Fulk, and Hammond had bagged no less than thirty squirrels as they traversed the rolling hills today. The dinner of savory fresh meat filled their empty stomachs, and a satisfied calm overcame the group.
“Unless I’m mistaken, we should reach Castle Avalon tomorrow,” the captain announced after dinner, sparking a chorus of excitement.
Home! It’ll be so good to see everyone again.
Andy was not surprised when sleep played games with him that night,
and only after considerable effort did he succeed in nabbing the
slippery imp. As he floated into dreamland, a familiar fireside
scene greeted him. The silvery figure of Imogenia was seated on one
sofa. Across from her sat her parents.
“I’m surprised you’re not gloating, Imogenia,” her father intoned.
“Why would I?”
“We figured with Abaddon reappearing you would—”
“Be excited? Celebrate?”
“Well, yes,” the queen confirmed.
“He has regained eternal life. That does not make me happy. I only wanted to use him to—”
“Kill the boy.”
“Keep the curse in place,” Imogenia corrected.
“Well, it looks like the boy can still pursue him to fulfill the curse. That, or continue collecting ingredients for that curse-breaking recipe,” the king observed.
The princess shook her head. “Abaddon has overcome the sting of Methuselah once and for all.”
The king nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. Yes, I suppose he has.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Andy’s thoughts interrupted.
“The only option for removing the curse is for me to request it be lifted or for the boy to successfully gather the remaining ingredients,” Imogenia summarized.
“And you don’t plan to manipulate that dragon to thwart the boy?” her father questioned.
She shook her head once more. “Even if I wanted to, I no longer have anything of value to offer in exchange.”
The king and queen traded glances.
“If you wanted to?” the queen probed, receiving a nod from the princess.
“Why the change of heart?” her father asked.
“Now that Abaddon will live forever, he will focus his efforts on conquering Oomaldee. What’s to stop him?”
“Then why not lift the curse so our people have a better chance at defending themselves?” her father suggested.
Imogenia sat quietly for more than a minute before replying, “I’m still not sure if Kaysan has repented for what he did to me. Look, I know the timing is bad, but I need to see this through.”
Her father thought for a second before trying again. “The boy said something very profound on his last visit.”
“What’s that?”
“We are as strong as the love we choose to share.”
As the princess pondered this, the queen raised a translucent hand. “If I may make a suggestion. Emmalee has returned. Why don’t you ask her what she thinks?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because she is more detached from the situation than any of us, yet she knows Kaysan. Perhaps she can offer you some insight that we can’t.”
“And perhaps wisdom from her five hundred years among the living,” the king added.
As this scene faded, Andy found himself standing in foggy sunlight that streamed through a window into the sitting area of King Hercalon’s chambers.
Father! Mom? Andy dreamed.
The two sat and talked in overstuffed chairs.
“I’m so happy you’ve returned.”
“I was so surprised. I never expected to see my homeland again,” Emmalee smiled.
The King reached over, picked up her hand, and patted it.
Mom scanned the room. “I remember the day they completed this castle and we moved in. Newlyweds.”
Father grinned broadly. “We were so in love.”
“I never forgot you,” Mom offered. “How could I, especially when you and Andy look so alike?”
“Yes, there’s a portrait of me at the Library of Oomaldee that was painted when I was only a bit older than he is. It had been years since I’d seen it. Imagine my surprise,” he chuckled.
“I remember rumors and lies spreading.” Mom’s visage flashed to a coldness Andy had rarely seen.
Father held up a hand. “Emmalee, there’s something I need to tell you. I deceived you.”
Mom’s eyes instantly connected with Father’s.
He recounted the story that was now familiar to Andy, leaving out no detail.
Mom’s expression journeyed from joy to horror to disbelief, finally turning to sadness as she listened, spellbound. When the King finally finished speaking, she remained silent, wiping tears from her eyes as she tried to digest all he had shared. For his part, Father’s moist eyes pleaded for understanding and mercy, but he remained silent.
Before Mom could fully compose herself, the shimmering form of a young lady in a royal gown materialized and startled her.
“Imogenia!” the King exclaimed.
Mom’s eyes grew wide as she searched for an explanation.
“I’m sorry, Emmalee. This is my sister, from the Afterlife.”
The silvery princess curtsied, ignoring her brother.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you,” Mom acknowledged. She then turned questioning eyes on the King. “Your sister visits often?”
“No. This is the first time in quite a while. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, sister?”
“May I call you Queen Emmalee?” Imogenia asked.
Mom nodded slowly.
“What did you see in Kaysan? Why did you marry him? How can you still love him after what he did to me? Do you believe he’s sorry for killing me?” The questions spilled out, and Imogenia drew a hand over her mouth to staunch the flow.
“Imogenia!” the King protested.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so direct. It’s just that I’m trying to understand—”
“It’s okay,” Mom countered, holding up a hand. “My daughter does the same thing when she has something on her mind.”
The spirit’s stiff posture relaxed. “Thank you.”
“Let’s answer your questions one at a time. First, you want to know what I saw in your brother?”
Imogenia nodded.
“I come from humble beginnings. I was a servant in the royal household, so you’ll understand that more than a few eyebrows raised when Kaysan began flirting with me and finding excuses to visit me as I was helping with the laundry or cooking.”
The ghost smiled, and the King added a chuckle.
“At first I didn’t know how to interpret his advances. Why would he be interested in me? I had nothing to offer him, or so I thought. But as we spent time together, I began to understand I gave him a respite from the stifling demands of royalty. He didn’t care about my station in life. He looked past that and loved me for who I am, just the way I am.”
Emmalee directed a smile toward the King, who reciprocated.
“That is a precious gift. How could I not marry him?”
I wish Dad would love me like that, Andy dreamed.
“As to your next question, Imogenia, you question my judgment when you ask how I can still love Kaysan knowing what he did to you.”
“Oh no, I didn’t mean…” Imogenia drew her silvery hands to her mouth.
Mom dismissed the slight with a nod, while the King frowned.
“Since I returned, we’ve been practically inseparable. As you might imagine, it takes a while to work through five hundred years of history. He is not the same man I married. I didn’t expect him to be. And while I’m shocked at what he did…I’m so sorry, Imogenia…”
The spirit sniffled.
“I will not condemn. He has been punished by living with the guilt of his actions. And while that may not be sufficient to satisfy you, it has spurred him to reflect, learn, and become wise. So you question how I could still love him after what he did? How could I not?”
Mom winked at Father before proceeding.
“Now then, you also want to know if I think Kaysan is sorry he killed you?
Imogenia nodded.
“As I think about what he has shared, I sense his passion to undo the curse. I believe he told me in order to ask forgiveness for his deception.”
The King nodded.
“He risked my rejection, but he took responsibility for his actions. Why would he do that unless he was truly sorry?”
“He’s sorry for deceiving you, but is he sorry for killing me?”
“Imogenia, you’re splitting hairs. He would not have confessed if he were not sorry for both deceiving me as well as harming you.”
The King nodded again.
“So just because someone takes responsibility, you believe that means they’re sorry?” Imogenia questioned.
“Yes. I do.”
As the ghost considered this, Emmalee posed, “What would you have him do? What would convince you he’s sorry?”
The King’s expression took on a scowl. Mom reached over and placed a hand on his arm.
After a lengthy pause, Imogenia replied, “He will never understand how deeply he hurt me, and I don’t just mean physically.”
“What do you want me to do?” the King’s voice rose. “I’ve tried apologizing, but you refuse to accept.”
Mom held up a hand.
“Words are easy,” the spirit added. “I need to see that you’re truly sorry.”
“What do you mean?” Emmalee requested.
Imogenia thought for a second. “I can’t explain it. I’ll just know when I see it.”
The dream faded as the King rolled his eyes in frustration, and Andy drifted into peaceful slumber.
True to the captain’s prediction, by late morning they had crossed two bridges, one of which Hans informed Andy was the rebuilt Entente Bridge. Recognition sparked, and Andy told Yara the tale of his being impaled in the shoulder by a projectile when the span had collapsed. Everyone laughed as he shared about the young dwarf girl calling him a weenie as her mom extracted the fragment.
Around lunchtime they passed through the city of Oops. Seductive smells wafted from several buildings and enticed them to stop. Being so close to their destination, however, the company opted to polish off their remaining provisions as they walked.
The path curved to the left, and Andy saw the turrets of Castle Avalon in the distance.
“Look!” he announced, hastening their pace.
Several minutes later, with the drawbridge only five hundred yards away, Hannah suddenly cried, “Andy! The bellicose!”