© 2026 Duleigh Lawrence-Townshend. All rights reserved. The author asserts the right to be identified as the author of this story for all portions. All characters are original. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. This story or any part thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review or commentary.

Unrest lies heavily on the shoulders of the crown of Uduithia. King Uric has two trusted advisors in his court: one a trusted friend of decades, the other a swordsman known to the elves of the kingdom as Aen-Belth, the God Slayer. The rest of his court cannot be trusted. Even his court wizard, the female sorceress known in ancient prophecy as The Sapphire Flame, the mother of destruction to all that stand in her way. What is it that she seeks? And now a rogue god has taken up residence mere yards from his castle. King Uric sleeps poorly.

Gods Save the Queen

Book 4 Part 1

Stardance

Chapter 01 - Tanithil Glynrie

Tanithil Glynrie crept along the eastern flank of Morna Oran. He had been alerted to the suspicious activities of Plains Elves on the sacred mountain, and he was asked to investigate and "invite" the Plains Elves to Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth and joy, the elven afterlife. Whether Tír na nÓg exists or not was not Tanithil Glynrie's concern; if he found a plains elf on what he considered his mountain, he would purge Morna Oran of that plague.

A road! Barely more than a scratch in the dirt and a collection of ramshackle bridges, but it was a road. Did the humans make this to connect their petty little kingdom of Uduithia with the Gjorgiev River? It was not a sacred river, but it was running clear, which cannot be said about most of the rivers that humans touch. To the south, the road can only connect with a tiny village and beyond that with the tiny city of Waleston, the capital city of Uduithia, but what lies to the north? Did it end at the east to west flowing Gjorgiev River, or did it continue across the river to the independent duchy of Spatz Mountain?

He followed the road north across the eastern flank of Morna Oran. The further north he got, the more the road curved to the west. Soon he heard sounds of activity. The guttural voices clued him in that these were dwarves speaking that vile human tongue commonly called Torwin.

Tanithil Glynrie moved as swiftly as he could and still remain silent. He was big for an elf, taller than the average elf, which made him taller than the tallest human. He was also muscular. Moving over the face of Kodu in full armor for decades caused muscles or death. He made sure it was muscle. Eventually he found a mine that was desecrating the holy countenance of Morna Oran. Dwarves were wheeling ore carts out of the tunnel mouth and dumping the mine tailings near the edge of the Gjorgiev River.

He strode into the center of the activity and called out in Mägede Keel, the language of the mountain elves, "I fael sindarin edra?" (Who is in charge here?)

The dwarves stopped their work and looked at the towering elf. His large, pointed ears were tight to his head; his violet eyes and hair told the dwarves that he was a mountain elf. They didn't answer but only looked at him in confusion. "Who holds dominion in this dig?" called Tanithil Glynrie in Torwin.

"I am Dorarben Flaskriver, the on-scene supervisor," said a dwarf who was holding a clipboard rather than a pickaxe or hammer.

"What manner of excavation doth engage your attentions?"

Dorarben Flaskriver looked at another dwarf and shrugged, then said, "'tis a horizontal shaft measuring four by three and continues twelve hundred yards to a vertical shaft where..."

The technical specifications were not what the elf wanted. "What manner of ore do you unearth?" shouted Tanithil, reaching the end of his patience.

Dorarben shrugged and said, "The usual. Iron, mithril, coal, and gemstones."

"Thou implies that ye seeks mithril?"

"Seek? No. Seek implies that we don't know where it is." He pointed to a heavy-duty ox cart that was laden with a gray stone that seemed to shimmer. Tanithil walked to the cart and picked up a lump of the rock, and his hand tingled - raw mithril! The elven warrior didn't realize that mithril in its natural state still existed on Kodu. "We have to wait for spring to haul that to Waleston where a mithril forge is being built. Come spring a train of iron ore, coal and mithril will be heading south to Waleston."

"Humans will forge mithril?" gasped Tanithil. Just the thought of humans forging mithril was heresy to an elf.

"That's up to the mayor of Irla Stein Anore and Duke Stein."

Tanithil's brow lowered; Irla Stein Anore means a peaceful elven village, but the name Stein was attached to it. "Pray, who doth hold the office of Mayor, and pray tell, who is this person, Stein?"

"The mayor is Vesstan Aedi and..." the rest of what Dorarben Flaskriver said was drowned out by the laughter of the dwarves that had gathered around to see what the elf in steel armor wanted.

"He doesn't know who Duke Stein is," they laughed.

"I admit, I find myself a stranger in these parts. Pray tell, who might be Duke Stein?"

"He is the Duke of Wægn which includes Black Mountain. He is the one that permitted this mine," said Dorarben.

"He wishes to rape Morna Oran for its treasure of Mithril and iron?" roared Tanithil.

"No," said the head dwarf, and he produced a small sack of gemstones and said, "The duke wants these."

Tanithil looked into the small cloth sack and withdrew a small handful of gemstones. Sapphires, emeralds, alexandrite, tourmaline, aquamarine, moissanite. "These are mostly worthless!" snarled Tanithil.

"Not to the duke," said Dorarben. "He presents a gemstone to every new mother in his duchy."

"Humans," scoffed Tanithil. "Sentimental simpletons. To excavate a mountain for baubles to bestow upon a female? Such foolish dalliances are not the wont of Elves, I daresay."

"Yes they are," said Oaksdauter Flaskriver, an obviously pregnant female dwarf and wife of the supervisor of mining operations, Dorarben.

"What nonsense speak you woman?" demanded the angry elf warrior.

Oaksdauter almost dove at the elf, but her husband Dorarben held her back with a gentle hand on the shoulder. "She means that Duke Stein, called Enethor by the elves, presented the elf wizard Seldanna of the Rofir a pure diamond to mark the birth of her son Jhaan Torlar just months ago."

"Her new husband is friends with the duke," said Oaksdauter.

Saldana has a new husband? And Enethor - the ruler? Tanithil's mind spun at these revelations. "Who is this new husband?"

"They're not married yet, they're waiting for the triple full moon in spring," said Dorarben, trying to hush his wife.

"I don't understand, what of Vaeril Wynfir?" demanded the elf warrior. Vaeril Wynfir was the husband of Seldanna of the Rofir and a fierce warrior.

"He was slain by Amrynn Iarra," said Oaksdauter.

"Has the world gone mad?" demanded Tanithil. Amrynn Iarra was not an elf of honor; he was a cheat and a liar, but he was an elf! A mountain elf, and he should have held himself to a higher standard. "Elf killing elf? Did the wizard Seldanna render Amrynn to ashes for slaying her mate?"

"No," said Dorarben. "She would not perform magics of any kind while bearing a child. Vesstan Aedi swore an oath to champion her and raise her child as his own. He and his brothers tracked down Amrynn Iarra to the cesspit of humanity, Torwin-Armistad. There he gave his teammate Hugues Du Gouey the honor of killing the criminal."

"What kind of name is Du Gouey for an elf?" asked a confused warrior.

"Hugues Du Gouey is a demi-giant. Vesstan Aedi refused to compound the sin of elf on elf murder and gave the honor of avenging Seldanna's mate to Hugues."

Tanithil Glynrie vowed to find this mysterious village of Irla Stein Anore and Duke Stein and return the elves to the path of purity. The plains elves, those filthy mongrels. Each one carries the blood of a human! They would be cast out, along with the forest elves who are just as bad, leaving peace in the community of the remaining mountain elves. And if the duke didn't like it, he would be cast out as well, Enethor or not. He returned to trudging through the snow, this time following the route that the mine wagons would use come spring, around the western side of Morna Oran.

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The snow was falling heavily on the western slopes of Black Mountain, known to the elven kind as Morna Oran. Tanithil Glynrie worked his way through the pine tree-covered slopes. He was on a mission. A human claimed to be the king of the elves, and he took up residence on the sacred mountain Morna Oran. Snow fell, filling the branches of the pine trees with heavy, wet snow. Occasionally a branch would let go of its burden and drop the snow on Tanithil Glynrie's head.

The elf was soon lost and hungry as he trudged along. He eventually came to what looked like a tunnel entrance. On the face of a sheer cliff that blocked his path, sat the top end of a tunnel arch. Maybe he could get out of this weather. There was a statue on either side of the tunnel arch; one appeared to be an ancient warrior, but his head was missing. The other was dressed in ancient robes, but he was missing head and shoulders. These statues had to be thousands of years old, which meant they were elf artifacts.

He drew nearer to the tunnel and suddenly a black eagle exploded out of the half-buried entrance and dove straight at him. It squawked and bit at him and drove the elf off. He watched the eagle disappear off to the south, and he tried again to enter the tunnel, and again an eagle exploded out of the narrow opening and attacked him, pecking at his face and eyes.

He now had to climb to cross over the ridge through which the tunnel had been drilled. As he climbed, a fat white rabbit bounded out in front of him. Elves don't normally eat meat if plants are available, which was not the case. He drew his bow and loosed an arrow. He hit that rabbit perfectly; it died instantly and felt nothing as the arrow pierced the rabbit's heart. Tanithil trudged through the snow up the steep slope to where the rabbit lay. The snow was falling so heavily that the rabbit was covered, and the only way Tanithil could find it was by the arrow shaft that stuck up out of the snow.

Just as the elf neared the rabbit, a wolf trotted up and grabbed the rabbit and headed uphill. It wasn't running; it was taunting the elf who had to climb in the wet, heavy snow while wearing armor. The wolf would look back over his shoulder as if to make sure the spouting, swearing elf was following. At one point Tanithil quit, and the wolf sat down and waited for him to change his mind and continue the chase.

The wolf dug in the snow, then without looking back, it picked up the rabbit and slid down the hole it had dug. Tanithil dove into the hole after the wolf and slid down a dirt lined tunnel, then suddenly he was lying on a stone floor. He looked around and realized he was in a man-made tunnel, easily twelve feet high and twice as wide. The walls and floor were perfectly fitted stone blocks; the roof of the tunnel was glossy, reflecting every speck of light. Ahead of him lay the rabbit, and beyond that burned a small campfire in the middle of the floor. Tanithil picked up the rabbit and looked at it. It was a good size coney, and should roast nicely on that fire.

That's when the elf noticed a man standing on the other side of the fire, looking at him. The man was leaning on a walking stick and calmly sipping a cup of tea as if he were out on a Sunday perambulation.

"Human! What affair doth bring thee upon this mountain's crest?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Tanithil Gwaewen."

Tanithil's eyes flew open. "Who hath imparted such a notion unto thee?" demanded the elf.

"What's in a name?" shrugged the man. " Tanithil Gwaewen... Tanithil Childslayer." The man spat on the floor to get the flavor of that name out of his mouth. "Your reputation precedes you."

Tanithil slowly lowered the rabbit carcass to the floor, took the bow and quiver from his shoulder, and slowly drew his sword. "Methinks you possess the upper hand, as you are acquainted with my person. Pray tell, who might you be?"

"What's in a name, Childslayer? When you knew me last I warned you never to step foot in Breaze or I would cut it off. Breaze is no more, but my offer still stands. Can I offer you a cup of tea before I kill you?"

"I know thee not, human. Pray, what is the purpose of this deadly intent towards my person?" Tanithil drew his sword and slowly circled the fire, but the human didn't move. This is when an opponent would circle to keep the fire between them. Instead, the human remained motionless and finished his tea.

"It's excellent tea. My wife makes it with pomegranate and hibiscus. Sweet, but with a tart bite, which is just like her." He raised his cup to the elf. "Sure you don't want some?"

"KEEP YOUR DAMN TEA!" roared the elf. "Make known your identity good sir so I may mark thy grave properly."

The human finished his tea, then slipped his china cup into a coat pocket. Then he took his outer coat off and dropped it disdainfully to the floor. He wasn't wearing armor; he had no sword. Just an ebony walking stick with silver tips and a dagger strapped to his left leg. "I'm called Aulendil, by the elves that were with me at the battle of Tähelepanek Point but to the Maethor Nos, the warrior class I'm called Aen-Belth but they both mean God Slayer. Behind my back the elves of Irla Stein Anore call me Enethor, he who commands because I told them to stop calling me Beren - king."

"It is My prerogative to name him thus," came a woman's voice from deep down the tunnel.

"How precious, that thou hast brought thy wife to witness thy death," sneered Tanithil.

"That's not my wife, we are friends, however. The fairies here in the tunnels call me Viimane Päkapikk Kuningas, the last king of the magical realm. In Xuantang I'm known as Huoteng, the Dragon of Fire, or Long Won Di, the Dragon Emperor."

"Thou art a vainglorious bastard! Thy tales do grow tiresome. Tell me! Who mightst thou be?"

The human grinned and held his walking stick like it was a heavy broadsword. "My wife calls me kitty, isn't that cute? Even you had a name for me when we last spoke. You called me Pommy."

"Pommy? Wait... NO!" Memories came pouring back.

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Tanithil Glynrie was a guest of the new queen, and he had a plan to purify the bloodline of the elves in Teurnia. King Lars had just assumed the throne and married four elven women; all forest elves raised on the seashore. The king said that all elves were welcome in Teurnia, and Tanithil was in the court. Tanithil merely said, "How did such a witless fellow ascend to the throne, pray tell? Only a dolt would harbor the notion that all elves are cast from the selfsame mold."

The palace went silent in shock. The new king called witless and a dolt by a guest of the queen? There was a series of shocked gasps, and Tanithil Glynrie boldly said, "It is the truth; why would someone become so incensed to hear the truth? Plains elves are scarce worthy of the name, becoming fair game for any keen blade, as is any soul foolish enough to defend their person. Their blood is poisoned with the blood of humans, as will your children be dear Rania, you smitten and foolish female," spat Tanithil.

"King Lars is no mere human," said Queen Rania Haldir of Clan Neithaor. "He is a..."

"BE SILENT! You chattering magpie. Your vocalizations do grate the auditory senses of grown elves."

Lieutenant Leomaris Autumnfall of the King's Guard stepped forward and bowed. "Sire, let me avenge your honor."

The king who appeared to be human was about to say yes when Queen Rania Haldir of Clan Neithaor whispered in his ear. "Thank you my dear, I didn't realize that." He turned to Leomaris and said, "I cannot allow that honor Lieutenant. If you should kill him your soul will be forever stained."

"But sire! I must avenge my queen!"

"No lieutenant. I will not allow elf on elf killing, even an accidental killing to happen under this roof."

Then the new head of the Breazian Royal Guard stepped forward and knelt, offering King Ranzau his sword. "Sire, allow me to remove the trash from your palace."

King Lars turned to his guest, King Alfrich of Breaze, who just smiled and nodded and gestured to Lieutenant Pommeraie de la Montesquieu. "Have at it Pommy, and enjoy."

"Thank you sire!" The young officer called Pommy leapt up then boldly saluted Tanithil Glynrie. "May your death be as inelegant as your mouth," said Pommy with a sneer.

"You arrogant bastard!" shouted Tanithil Glynrie as he sized up Pommy.

"Pommy please," groaned Queen Rania. "Just kill him and get it over with."

"Yes my lady." He looked at Tanithil Glynrie and said with a smirk, "I always aim to please the ladies," and he suddenly dove at Tanithil Glynrie with his beat up, scarred, and nicked government issue cutlass. He pressed the attack and never let up. Swords swung so fast you could hear the whoosh of them slicing through the air until colliding with the other blade with an ear ringing clang. All the while Pommy continued with a litany of jokes and jibes. "How does it feel to be prey Sir Elf? Does a rabbit face his end with as much courage?"

"You shouldn't stick your nose into elven politics, human."

"Call me Pommy," said the human guard with a grin. "Would you like it on your grave marker? Died by pissing off Pommy?"

"You insolent bastard!" Never had Tanithil met an opponent like Pommy. He was fast, strong, and big. And he kept grinning the whole time. Then Tanithil noticed that Pommy would switch his blade from one hand to the next so he could take a sip of wine from a glass offered by Olah Ulavaris, Queen Rania's handmaiden. How could he beat a human who was reaching for refreshments in the middle of a sword fight?

The worst part was when he got close and whispered, "I know you and people like you. Plains Elves aren't the only elves on your death list. When do you come for the forest elves?"

How did he know? But suddenly Pommy had Tanithil's sword arm wrapped up with his free arm, and Pommy jabbed the hilt of his sword hard into Tanithil's gut, and Tanithil went down like a net full of dead fish. Pommy crouched over him with the tip of his cutlass at Tanithil's throat, his foot on Tanithil's sword arm, their eyes locked to each other's eyes. "Let him up so he may leave," said King Ranzau.

"King Ranzau saved your life here in Teurnia," whispered Pommy. "But if you ever set foot in Breaze I will cut it off."

<><><><><>

As quick as a dart, the human's walking stick became a broadsword, and with a lightning fast swipe, he sliced Tanithil's mithril sword off at the hilt. The elf looked in shock at the bladeless hilt in his hand. "Gods damn it, I'm going to use you for my purposes," growled the Duke of Wægn. "And if I can't use you I'm going to kill you." He placed the tip of the enchanted Broadsword of Elandorr Cailee at Tanithil's throat and shouted, "You do not enter my duchy and brag about your plans to kill my friends."

"I threatened no human," sputtered Tanithil.

"I didn't say human, I said FRIENDS!" His shout echoed through the empty halls of the long forgotten dwarven keep known as Rkund Hold. "In case you didn't know, Seldanna of the Rofir, the wizard you follow, is a plains elf, and I delivered her son Jhaan Torlar. If harm ever comes to either one I will strangle you to death with your own guts."

Suddenly the broadsword became a walking stick, and Nick poked Tanithil in the gut with it, right where he had poked Tanithil seven years ago with his beat up old training cutlass. "I have reason to believe that I will need you in the future. If you are not ready I'll still use you, I will use your death as a delaying tactic." Nick picked up his overcoat and put it on. "I saved your life you know. That tunnel you tried to climb into was full of sleeping bears and hungry mountain lions. I had to lure you up here so we can start your training. Enjoy the tea."

Nick suddenly became a black eagle and with several powerful flaps of his wings he shot out of the tunnel. The moment Nick was out, the floor of the tunnel rose to meet the ceiling, trapping Tanithil inside Rkund Hold. Tanithil stared at the blackness of the tunnel, then he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw a goddess step into the firelight. She was a twelve feet tall elven woman with ivory skin, silver hair, green eyes, large breasts, slim waist, and was wearing a toga that left one breast exposed. Her nipple as well as her fingernails were the emerald green of her eyes.

"Saatus?" asked a shocked Tanithil Glynrie.

Saatus, goddess of fate, patron goddess of Morna Oran and benefactor of Duke Stein, nodded. "Follow me. We have work to do. And bring your rabbit."

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Chapter 02 - Izhar of the Fading Realms

Izhar of the Fading Realms was a wizard of incredible knowledge; unfortunately, he feared people, so he rarely got the chance to show off that knowledge. Only three people in all of Kodu could get him to open up and talk. King Uric because Izhar had learned to respect the king. Duchess Octavia because he knew her and truly loved her, and Duke Stein because he was afraid Nick would turn into a lion and eat him.

Izhar's top skill was hiding. Often when you entered his laboratory, all you would find was a large, empty room with an old, discarded door leaning against a wall. However, if you grabbed the ancient bronze door latch on the discarded door just right and opened it, you would find nothing, unless you were the king, or Dame Octavia, or Sir Nicholas. Those three people would find a fully functioning scientific-magical research laboratory.

Izhar of the Fading Realms always answered the king's questions fully, every question. Octavia and Nick didn't always get full answers, but they would get what they came to him for. The difference being that Octavia and Nick knew what he was talking about; the king didn't know enough to ask dangerous questions, and he paid the bills.

Izhar's key skills were precognitive and post-cognitive astronomy. He could not only tell what a celestial body was going to do but also what it had done up to millions of years ago. He was also a proto-geneticist. There were small cages with hamsters scurrying about; the males separated from the females, and then those two groups subdivided into subgroups that King Uric didn't understand. The groups were named by percent, and he listed solid white hamsters as human and solid brown hamsters as elves. "Humans and elves do not propagate with the alacrity of rodents, such as hamsters," said King Uric.

"Clearly you've never met Uther and Desmona Borenson," said Izhar.

"Indeed, I have had the pleasure of their acquaintance; pray tell, are they anticipating the arrival of another progeny?"

"They are Duke Stein's best customers," said Izhar. Being a witch in a rural duchy, Nick Stein was there to deliver each child. His services were often paid for in livestock.

"Pray tell, are you engaged in the study of cross breeding with the elven folk?" asked King Uric.

"No," said Izhar, and it was nearly the truth. "Humans and Elves have social taboos preventing that from happening except on rare occasion. We know it has happened in the past, and from what we can tell, the females of both species carries the dominant traits. If a male elf mates with a female human, their children would be primarily human. If a male human mates with a female elf, the children would be primarily elven. However, in society, those traits will disappear as here in Waleston, we are mostly human, and in places like Reme Thalas, the population is primarily forest elf."

"Pray, what transpires should the son of an elven lady and human gentleman encounter the daughter of a similar pairing?" asked King Uric.

"That's a good question; I believe one of three distinct possibilities will happen. One is they'll reject each other. Another is that they'll be attracted to each other, but I believe the third option will be what happens most often."

"Allow me to hazard a guess," said the king. "Pray, does aught of consequence transpire?"

"Exactly. But my studies are mostly on plains elves, they interbred with humans relatively often in the past. It is said that all plains elves carry some human blood. Forest elves rarely breed with humans and mountain elves refuse to associate with humans."

"Pray tell, does the sum of your hamster-based experiments lead you to such a conclusion?" asked the king.

"Uh, no. I just like hamsters. In Breaze we had them everywhere." He scooped a hamster out of a cage and petted it.

"Your presence is required at the court assembly. The Almanac has been released, and questions are anticipated."

Izhar groaned. He knew what the questions would be. The mid-spring stardance, three months from now, will be the topic of conversation for months. "Yes, your majesty. If you request, I will attend; will Lady Stein be there?"

The king shrugged, "It is difficult to ascertain; this being her firstborn, brought forth under rather arduous circumstances."

Izhar stroked his beard and said, "One would think giving birth in a peaceful bamboo jungle would be tranquil. Her husband said it was a pleasant experience."

"Husbands and wives oft employ disparate adjectives when recounting the selfsame event," said King Uric. "I should scarce describe young Marlon's arrival as a delightful affair, not after such a lengthy conveyance by dragon. She may harbour a differing view, you see," said King Uric.

"How very odd. Lady Octavia is quite levelheaded," said Izhar. As he pondered the king's obvious confusion about the birth of Marlon Stein, the king threw another question at him.

"Pray tell, what doth render this stardance so exceedingly spectacular?" asked the king. "The newly released almanac doth proclaim a spectacle of grand proportion."

"The stardance is going to be the same as every spring stardance," said Izhar. "Maybe the sky will be clearer." The king just glared at the wizard, forcing the rest of the story out of him. "Ok, for many people it's going to be terrifying."

"Pray, continue," said the king.

"It's not going to be unlike anything ever seen before... with a difference."

"Pray, what is it you postulate? Shall matters change, or shall they remain thus?" demanded the king.

"Every eighty-eight days while orbiting our sun Thaal, our planet Kodu and the giant planet Zigu pass close to each other, causing the core of Kodu to shudder, which makes the stars look like they're dancing to us. It happens four times a year," said Izhar.

"Indeed, indeed. Every child upon Kodu is cognizant of this and begs their parents to remain awake during those very nights." said the king with a sigh.

Izhar led the king to his back room, where a model of the Thaal system was set up. There was a large white orb in the center, representing Thaal, the star at the center of the system. Next was the large reddish orb representing Zigu orbiting Thaal, and outside of that was the smaller blue/green orb representing Kodu, their home world. On the wall was a box with a display that showed the day, month, and year, and a crank. Izhar turned the crank, and the date indications spun; the three moons began spinning around Kodu, and four moons began spinning around Zigu, and the two planets moved around Thaal.

"Zigu possesses four moons? I was under the impression it only had one," said King Uric.

"As lens grinders become more skilled, better telescopes reveal more to us. Researches now believe that at one time Zigu had many more moons," said Izhar. He paused and considered how much more he should reveal. In for a penny, in for a pound, might as well try to bury the king in facts. "Let me show you the past first." Izhar led King Uric to another room. In there was a similar setup to the Thaal system that he had in the main laboratory, but on this model, Zigu was the outside world and Kodu was the inside world. "This is what the planets and Thaal looked like a thousand millennia ago."

"It doth appear that Zigu possesses a multitude of moons." said King Uric.

"We have no idea how many moons but some scholars estimate over twenty four," said Izhar. He turned a crank and Kodu circled Thaal twice before Zigu turned a quarter orbit around Thaal. Then another moon came up from below Zigu and struck Zigu on the equator. Izhar stopped turning the crank and said, "We believe this happened only twenty thousand years ago."

"Pray tell, merely twenty thousand years hence?" asked the king.

"Your majesty, when speaking of celestial occurrences, events counted in the hundreds of thousands of years are fast. In celestial terms, what you are about to see happened in the blink of an eye. The moon or small planet or whatever it is knocked Zigu out of its orbit. The unknown object has been named Gion 01 by researchers." Izhar turned the crank slowly. "Please note that Kodu only has one moon at this point. Researchers have named this ancient moon Hiphus."

"Hiphus, the deity who perished whilst safeguarding the island nation of Barrtou," muttered King Uric. It was an ancient tale; a tsunami rose to destroy Barrtou, a small island northeast of the Edux continent. Hiphus stood on the shore and rose to seventy feet tall and strode out into the ocean and divided the wave protecting Barrtou, but Hiphus was never seen again.

"Hiphus the moon died protecting Kodu," said Izhar. He continued to turn the crank. "The planet Zigu wobbled out of control toward the sun Thaal. Then, two Kodu years after impact with Gion 01, Zigu crossed the orbit of Kodu. It was clear that the planets were not going to collide, but the sight of Zigu filling the sky must have terrified the inhabitants of Kodu at the time."

Izhar pointed to Zigu's largest moon and said, "This moon, the largest moon of Zigu, was called Aestea. It was going to strike Kodu. It was big enough to destroy every living creature on our world. However Kodu's moon Hiphus was pulled out of its orbit by the pull of Zigu and it struck Aestea, smashing it into fragments. Somehow Kodu captured two moons from Zigu, the moons we now call Kuu and Rahn. The rings around Kuu and Rahn are actually the remains of Aestea. Our smallest moon, Livi is the largest remaining fragment of Aestea."

"Pray tell, what befell the denizens of Kodu?" asked King Uric.

The wizard shrugged. "Their cities burned, and they ran to the mountains. It was only elves at this time; but soon the gods made themselves apparent. Researchers believe they came from Aestea and made their homes on Kodu before their home was destroyed."

"No dwarves? Pray, where are the humans?"

This was the hard part. It's not taught nor is it spoken about; few wizards know the truth. Izhar only found out because Octavia mentioned it to him, and he spent years trying to prove her wrong, but in the end, all he did was uncover more ancient writings that proved her correct. He cleared his throat and continued. "The other races soon started to show up as the gods created slave races. The first slave race was dwarves. Then came trolls to do heavy work, then gnomes to do delicate work. Fairies and brownies were created for some purpose known only to the gods."

"Pray tell, what of humankind?" asked the king.

"Humans are not native to Kodu."

King Uric tried to understand what the wizard had just said. On many continents, like their present continent, Edux, humans are the dominant species. "Are we, perchance, denizens of another realm?"

"Some other world, some other moon, maybe even some other time or dimension. All documents that pertain to the arrival of humans are stored in the Library of Nolmë, but rumor has it that humans arrived sometime after the gods. All we know is that humans were here before Esimene Tähetants, the first stardance."

"I have heard tidings of that matter, albeit in the distant past," said the king.

"In celestial terms, just the blink of an eye. For ten thousand years Kodu was safe, Zigu moved about inside the orbit it now holds. Then something happened and it moved outwards, closer to Kodu. Everything the elves built was destroyed when Zigu first passed Kodu. Elves, humans, dwarves, and gods rebuilt, but Zigu was on the move again, it is believed that it was pushed away from the sun and came roaring back at Kodu, nearly hitting us before settling in its present orbit."

"There was, perchance, a second near-miss?" asked the king.

Izhar was on a roll, and he continued. "Exactly, sire. This casting out and nearly hitting us a second time is called the Esimene Tähetants by the elves. Stars fell from the sky lighting Kodu bright as day as they fell, they set the forests ablaze, mountains fell, cities burned or were washed out to sea by floods. Crystal cities holding hundreds of thousands of humans, elves, dwarves, trolls, were destroyed in the blink of an eye."

"And then?"

"When everything was over and Zigu settled into its present orbit, the gods took over. The gods banned all advanced technology," said Izhar. "We're free to do what we can with what we have, but there are rumors of technologies that boggle the mind. The big one has something to do with amber."

"Amber, pray tell? The fossilized resin of trees?" asked the king.

"Yes. Archaic sources written in ancient Vespil hint at electrum, which means amber. You can always tell when another ancient tome is found mentioning electrum because the price of amber shoots into the sky. Research wizards everywhere want a new chunk of amber to see what was so fascinating about it.

As they returned to the outer laboratory, Izhar noticed a shadow at the bottom of the door to the outer dungeon area of the castle's basement. He closed his eyes and with his mind he reached out to the spy gem that was embedded in a beam above the outside door. This was his secret to avoiding people he didn't want to see. He could use this gem to tell him who was out there. But the gem saw nothing. Yet there was a shadow the wizard could see under the door that showed someone standing out there. Were the rumors true? Was Neth Skelm here?

"Pray, you were about to enlighten me concerning..." started the king, but the wizard waved his hand, and suddenly the king could no longer speak. Izhar waved his hands again, and words appeared in the air before the king.

We are being observed. I believe it may be Neth Skelm. Speak naught of Neth Skelm or the Stardance to all but Dame Octavia.

With that, Izhar pushed the king out of his laboratory and into the dungeon, where the king found himself alone. The door slammed behind the king. He wheeled and pounded on the door as his voice returned. "Wizard! I implore thee, address me!" and at some point the door unlatched and swung open. As he expected, the wizard's laboratory was empty; even the spare door that hid the real laboratory was gone. Hundreds of years of cobwebs and an inch of dust were left in the wizard's wake.

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King Uric found his way to the prison section of the dungeons. He found the guard's office, and in there a skeleton sat in an ancient chair at an ancient desk. The skeleton wore an armor breastplate and a helmet that went out of style four hundred years ago. The skull was tilted back, staring up at nothing, the jaw dropped so the skull's mouth was wide open. "Pray, how do the prisoners fare?" asked King Uric.

"Excuse me sire," said the skeleton as it stood and snapped to attention. "I apologize for napping on duty sire. I will report to the rack."

"Pray tell, what action shall ye undertake whilst strapped to the rack? Perchance another nap?"

"Busted," muttered Stan.

"How fare our prisoners?" demanded the king.

"Filib Duff and Roddy Barclay the two mercenaries hired to kill the duke and duchess are hale and hearty, and their chess game is advancing quite well," said Stan, the skeleton guard.

"And Private McAllister?"

"He probably won't last the winter, your majesty. His mind is gone; he barely knows how to speak. Duff and Barclay watch him as well as they can but he's fading."

"Thank you, Stan. You may resume your previous activities."

"Aye sire!" and Stan sat down and went back to sleep.

At the base of the main staircase that led up to the main floor of the keep, King Uric found his four guards waiting exactly where he had told them to wait for him. "Pray tell, are any amongst you skilled horsemen?" When they all shook their heads no, he just muttered, "Blast!" Up on the main floor he found Captain Sean Fahy, head of the palace guard. "Captain Fahy, dispatch a steed forthwith. Advise His Grace, the Duke of Wægn, that his attendance is required for the Royal Council convening this afternoon."

"This afternoon sire? You told the duke..." The king had told the duke and duchess to relax after the birth of their infant son, and all that was needed was to pick up Dame Octavia's beloved mentor, Doctor Tidor Dhukonn, Presiding Viceroy of the Temple of Saehrimnir University of Mystic Arts from the tramway station in Slate Bottom Creek

"I am aware of my discourse with the Duke; however, alas for us all, the needs of Uduithia must take precedence."

"Aye sire."

"Pray, inform your rider to first make inquiries at the temple in Elm Springs and the Blacksmith's establishment, ere he proceeds to his farm. Such locations are favoured haunts of the duke, you see."

"Yes, your majesty," and with an indoor salute (right fist to the heart) Captain Fahy departed. Soon cries of "Open the gates!" were heard as a rider thundered out of the stables behind the palace. The portcullis gate rose high enough to pass under just in time for the horse and rider to flash through the portcullis and off to the road which would carry him out of the Barkridge Defile and over Breeders Peak.

The king headed up to his apartment to change into a formal uniform for the court meeting. How did his father, King Frodo, make it up and down these stairs in his later years? Uric the Second was barely past forty, and he felt every step on the staircases as an enemy that fought valiantly to prevent him from climbing the staircase. He stepped into his apartment, and his girls looked up from their needlework to greet him: Queen Elinor, still as beautiful as the day he met her, and Princess Sophia, the first infant he ever held. He loved his boys, Prince Exavier and Prince Abraam, but Abraam was asleep on the couch next to his mother, and Exavier was in classes with Emperor Jia.

Elinor threw a pillow on the ground in front of her and demanded, "Sit!"

"Yes, my queen," said King Uric, and he sat between her feet, and she began to massage his tense shoulders.

"Ahh, my beloved Blair, you should pick up your lute more often," she said as her fingers worked away the tension in his shoulders and neck. "You're always at your best when you're playing."

King Uric scoffed. He had forgotten his birth name. Blair McLeod, son of a liaison between Seona McLeod, a maid in the kitchen staff, and the lecherous old King Frodo. Blair McLeod was raised as a minstrel, and only on his deathbed did King Frodo acknowledge Blair as his rightful son. By that time, Blair was in love with a young witch, and they were expecting their first child. Life was so simple when his only worry was which pub to perform at that evening...

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Chapter 03 - Nick's Family

Looking up from the brand-new Uduithia Farmer's Almanac for the year 3432, Nick Stein, the young Duke of Wægn, looked confused. It was written by an ancient wizard named Ridcully the Brown, who claimed that he preferred flat worlds over round worlds. On flat worlds, he reasoned that you could walk in a straight line and get somewhere. On a round world like Kodu, you would eventually end up where you started. Nick asked his wife, "You've been to different worlds, can people go insane walking in a straight line on round worlds?"

"We've been through this. Yes, people go insane on round worlds, but not for reasons in that article. I read that article too," said his wife, Octavia, the Duchess of Wægn. She looked up from their nursing son, "flat world or round, you could go to jail if you can't walk a straight line, and I think Ridcully the Brown wasn't able to walk a straight line when he wrote that silly article because there are no flat worlds."

Nick loved the Uduithia Farmer's Almanac; so much information! So much entertainment! And such soft paper! "It says there's going to be a spectacular stardance this spring."

"Yes, dear, a comet or something."

"It doesn't say anything about a comet." Ever since he got nearly blown into space when he saved the entire world from being overrun by an insane god, Nick has been a "space nut" and he looks for any news regarding the stars, moons, and their neighbor planet Zigu. He's constantly bothering Izhar for information about new discoveries Izhar made with his modern telescope.

"That's nice, dear, now hang the almanac in the privy, you have a court meeting to get ready for."

"Yes, dear..." Nick shouldn't complain. They have a magically heated outhouse. It's not the only one in the Snowcross Mountains; somehow Octavia's close friends began talking about their heated outhouses. Even Queen Elinor has mentioned a "Windproof, heated, self-cleaning midden" in her apartment in Waelmore Castle. The snow swirled around outside as he hung the almanac on the nail on the privy, then he watched the snow fall on his farm before going back into the cottage. It's winter in the mountains. Soon they'll have to break out the snowshoes if they want to go anywhere.

Returning to the house, he watched Octavia coddle and sing to their son, Marlon. "Sorry you missed Yuletide little one. Next time, mommy and daddy will try to schedule things a little better," crooned Octavia as she sang to her baby.

"Yuletide? It was nice and quiet," said Nick to his sleeping son. "Mommy and daddy slept right here in front of the fire and you slept warm and safe in mommy's womb."

"Next time Daddy is going to put a welcome mat in front of the hearth, so Saint Heldus doesn't leave sooty footprints on Nanny Peacock's floor," said Octavia as the shade of Nanny Peacock leaned over to watch her great-great grandson sleeping. Saint Heldus was the common name for Maz Dracus, the god of charity.

Octavia turned so Nanny Peacock could see Marlon better. "You two make such pretty babies. He's going to be such a wonderful big brother!" said the ghost.

"Dear, get your uniform on, that young lad will be here any moment," said Octavia as she moved into the kitchen to prepare lunch for the king's rider. She left Marlon sleeping on the davenport with Nana Peacock watching over him while Octavia fussed in the kitchen and Nick went upstairs to put on his uniform. With modifications, his dress blue Breazian Royal Guard uniform was accepted as the official uniform of the Duchy of Wægn. It's very similar to the dress blue uniform of the Uduithian Guard.

"What is so important that they want one of us present at their silly court meeting?" demanded Nick from upstairs.

"I don't know. They probably want to make plans for next year," said Octavia.

"Next year? It IS next year. Next year is a year from now," groused Nick as he pulled on his riding breeches. The date was Monday, Astra sixteenth, two weeks into the year 3432.

"Yuletide, honey," said Octavia. "Yuletide is a big money maker for the kingdom. All those cities up north have Yuletide songs about snow and ice skating, and up there by the equator there's no proper winter, so they travel down here and Waleston is a Yuletide wonderland."

"I know, I know," groaned Nick. "Half the city moves out to the country so they can rent out their houses to visitors from Wädendris and Enkmaar. We make money renting our barn to house people renting their house to someone from the sunny north. I've got a couple of ideas, if they want to talk about Yuletide I'm going to put them forth at the meeting."

"What ideas are those?"

"One - I have a warehouse full of lumber. I divide it up into rooms, put some beds or mats in the rooms, light a couple of pot belly stoves and charge ten bucks a head per night.

"And what is the other idea?" said Octavia, trying not to laugh.

"There's dozens of unused rooms in the castle. We could charge a premium price to spend Yuletide in an actual castle."

"What's the premium price?"

"Whatever you have the guts to ask, add twenty percent."

Octavia thought about it, then said, "That's an enormous security risk, but it's a good start. How about all those nobles, royals, and elected officials who come here for the big Yuletide feast. Offer the same thing to them and they can charge it back to their government and we can charge whatever we dare."

Nick swept down the stairs and took Octavia in his arms. "That's why you're the brains here." Nick and Octavia Stein look like they were made for each other. Both were tall, taller than average, with rich, thick black hair. Nick was muscular and handsome, and he had a youthful innocence about him that made him welcome even when collecting taxes. However, he was a firm believer in peace at all costs. Woe be anyone who tried to stir up trouble in Hay-on-Wægn county. When he was captain of the Breazian Royal Guard, he was known as a swordsman of the highest caliber.

Nick is not only the Duke of Wægn but also the only male witch in Uduithia and possibly in existence. Nick is the last in a long line of witches, and he inherited the soft magic that comes with the sisterhood from his mother, who was beaten to death by the man Nick was forced to call father. He always had a love of healing, and, given his druthers, he would prefer to be just a witch and farmer. He has powerful magic in him, but it only does one thing.

Octavia is as tall as Nick, and breathtakingly beautiful. She was raised to be a second wife to elite men who grew tired of their first wife, were widowed, or just wanted another wife in his estate. She won the lottery, so to speak, and was selected by a widowed king to be his new bride. She was also the only female wizard on Kodu. As she was being trained at the temple orphanage to serve rich men, she found her classes boring, so she crept into the University of Mystic Arts and listened in on their classes. She was eventually discovered by the future university viceroy, Doctor Tidor Dhukonn, who became her mentor and father figure. When he saw her levitate her entire classroom while writing out the process she used on the chalkboard, he knew she would become one of Kodu's leading wizards.

Both Nick and Octavia were orphans. Octavia was abandoned at an orphanage as an infant, and Nick was tossed out onto the streets at the age of four and lived by hiding in a junk pile with his puppy, a young wolf named Pepin. They survived by sneaking into the temple and stealing food left for Saehrimnir, the god of divine fools and the leading god in the pantheon. When there were no rain puddles to drink from, they would also drink the holy water, which kept them from aging for four years. Nick was eventually discovered and brought out to his grandmother's farm, but his grandmother was already dead. So, the ghost of his great grandmother raised him, and he was educated by the ghost of his ancestor Grigeor de la Montesquieu. When Nick went off to school in Breaze, Grigeor gave him the name Pommeraie de la Montesquieu, which he held until Breaze fell.

When Octavia and Nick met, he was serving Alfrich, King of Breaze, as captain of the royal guard, and she had been selected to become queen. She fell in love with Nick, and he saw her as a threat to his king because of her magic. On the same day that Octavia married King Alfrich, Nick married his lieutenant and sweetheart, Franziska Thornhammer. That was the day Breaze fell. A rebel faction in the army rose during the wedding feast, and they killed the king and Franziska as they danced. Nick put his feelings aside and escaped with the queen, and on that long, perilous journey to safety, he fell in love with her.

Neither knew that the prophecy of the virgin widows had been fulfilled, and the magic community on Kudo was keeping an eye on them. She was known in the prophesies as the Sapphire Flame, and he was known as the Mithril Blade, and they terrified the wizards and witches of Kodu. When Nick slew a god that had gone mad, he was rewarded by being named Duke of Wægn by King Uric II, not only as a reward but also as an extended middle finger to those who wanted to use Nick and Octavia for their own political purposes.

The Duke and Duchess of Wægn live in a simple witch's cottage on a mid-size farm, which was normal enough. They have a cabin full of demi-giants to work the farm, a pair of dwarves out front providing security, and out back on the shoulder of Black Mountain was a village of elves who emerge from the forest to assist with Nick's apple, peach, and cherry orchards. Their kitchen garden is attended to by actual garden gnomes, and their yuletide decorations include a dozen fairies who sing and twinkle in different colors.

Needless to say, this has the non-magical community watching them as well, but when you get to know Nick and Octavia, they find that the duke and duchess are "just plain folks," which is what both simply want to be.

Nick came down the steep, narrow stairs in uniform. "How do I look?" he asked as he strode up to Octavia, who was making lunch for the king's rider.

"I like the crimson ascot, is that new?"

"The king wants it worn during the winter months," said Nick. He took his wife into his arms and kissed her deeply. "I don't want to go," he said as their lips parted.

She kissed her husband again, then whispered, "Your king calls," and there came a knock at the door behind them. With a sigh, Nick kissed his wife goodbye, then turned from her arms to open the door.

"Come on in and warm up by the fire," Nick said to the shivering, snow covered rider.

"Take those boots and that riding jacket off before you catch your death," said Octavia to the confused rider. "Honey, don't forget this young lad's horse."

"Yes dear," said Nick, and he snapped his fingers, and an ebony walking stick with silver tips leaped from the oliphant foot umbrella stand and into his hand.

"The... king..." gasped the shuddering young rider as he shivered in front of the fire, trying to get his message out through chattering teeth.

"Yes, yes. The king needs a fourth for bridge or something," said Nick as he stepped out the door. "I'm on it."

"He will be there at the castle before you finish your lunch," said Octavia as she set out a bowl of stew and a slice of freshly made bread for the young man. "You were sent before you could eat a proper meal, weren't you?"

"T-t-t-th-the K-k-k-king..." started the freezing young man again.

"Yes, yes, the king wants Duke Stein's presence at the meeting of the royal council because I cannot attend, isn't that right?" said Octavia cheerfully as she draped a warmed robe over the man's shoulders. "Your message has been delivered, now rest and warm up."

A few minutes later in the village of Elm Springs, Trei and Wayne Metsker, the village black smiths worked at the forge to create a set of new axle brackets for Luke Ivers's hay wagon. As always, whenever the hammer rings against the anvil, The Boys come out to watch the show. Wayne and his father, Trei, had Luke Ivers, Merle Rorie, and Sieffre Merrick watching the show, regardless of the blowing snow.

As they watched, a huge figure in white, a Snowcross Mountain Lion, leaped out of the swirling snow toward the men. It roared and snarled and struck a pose, ready to charge. Trei didn't look up from his work. "Your grace," he said between hammer swings.

"Hey Nick," said Wayne.

The audience turned to look, and Sieffre Merrick said, "I wish you would stop that."

"Aww, why?" said Nick, returning to his human form. "This is so much fun."

"What happens if the next time it's a real mountain lion and I say, 'Hello yer grace' halfway down his throat?" said Sieffre Merrick.

"Don't worry Pommy," said Wayne. "We know you, they ain't no other one-eyed mountain lions on Black Mountain."

"Thank you," sighed Nick. "Thank you very much Wayne."

Nick had lost an eye in a livestock stampede over a year ago, and he wore a golden replacement eye that had magical properties that allowed him to see, and to see through things... like the eye patch he wears. Because the solid gold eye causes people to either stare at him or avoid eye contact, he wears a patch over his golden eye. It's a hard leather eyepatch made from the skin of a Bovukan crocklegator. Crocklegator was the Bovukan nickname used by poachers for an alligator killed in crocodile season and vice versa.

Then Nick discovered that he could see through clothing and tissue. He could see hidden wounds, internal bleeding, broken bones, blood clots, and tumors. Most of that merely made him sad because he was not a surgeon, so discovering a tumor on an old friend's lung would send him into a whirlwind of depression that only Octavia could cure.

Nick turned to Sieffre Merrick, the senior member of The Boys and the unofficial mayor of Elm Springs. Sieffre loved to tease and poke fun at Nick. Back when Nick was eight-years-old but only the size of a four-year-old due to drinking the holy water at the Temple of Saehrimnir, Sieffre caught him rooting through his garden looking for something to eat. Sieffre carried the squalling, squealing little boy all the way back to Nanny Peacock's cottage to prove to him that nobody was there, and that he was making up the story that he lived there.

The inside of the cottage was empty; it was a tiny one-room cottage with no stove, just a fireplace with a pot hook. In front of the fireplace was a rumpled blanket and a pillow, and in the fireplace were the remains of a fire made of twigs. "Breakin' and entering were ye?" roared Sieffre.

"No the acolyte told me to live here!" cried young Nick.

"I'm gonna tan yer hide!" roared Sieffre until a familiar voice spoke up.

"Sieffre Merrick, you'll do no such thing with my great grandson!" Sieffre looked around, and sitting in her rocking chair was the ghost of Nanny Peacock. Next to her crouched a wolf puppy, which was growling softly.

"Nanny?"

Nanny was known to Sieffre. When he was little Nick's age, Nanny was quite adept with a switch in her hands when she caught young Sieffre fishing in her pond without permission. "That's Catrin's boy and now this house and land is his. Someday you'll be handing your tax money over to him!"

Sieffre sighed; he couldn't deny Catrin Wolfe's boy. Once upon a time, young Sieffre courted Nanny's youngest daughter, Gertrude. They were a thing for three summers, but Gertrude's older sister, Agness filled Gertrude's head full of lies about Sieffre and with a broken heart, Gertrude ran off to Tallywiffle county with Norm Wolfe. A few years later she returned a widow with young Catrin in her arms. Sieffre tried to rekindle the fire with Gertrude, but Agness continued telling her stories to Gertrude until the day she died. Gertie allowed Sieffre to act as an uncle to little Catrin until she too left him. Sieffre spent his life alone on his farm. No heirs to tie him down, no love to complicate his life, he just longed for the day when he could be reunited with his "Gertie" and tell her the truth.

This was Nick's family: two ghosts, plus Sieffre acting as grandfather, Trei Metsker acting as father, and Wayne as brother. Nick was raised by the village, but mostly those three men helped mold their future duke, and only Sieffre knew what he would become thanks to Nanny Peacock. Nick learned to farm from Sieffre, and he fell in love with farming and the old man. Trei taught Nick how to fix things, how to maintain his farm equipment, and how to raise and train mules. Trei's wife Erin fed Nick and bandaged his wounds. Wayne taught Nick how to fish and hunt and be a boy, and Silver taught Nick how to love. Nick always knew Silver would marry Wayne, but he could dream, couldn't he?

"Sieffre, I want to know what you want for that old barn and house on the southwest side of the intersection," said Nick. "I can pay a fair price in cash gold right now." The house and barn had been abandoned for decades, and he and Wayne and Silver played in there until Nick went off to school in Breaze.

"What do you want with that place?" asked Sieffre, as he always did.

"I want to purchase it for the county," said Nick, as he always did.

"I don't know. I have a lot of memories tied up in that place," said Sieffre, as usual.

"We all do. I want to fix it up and put highway guardsmen in there to protect travelers up and down the Widdershin Pike road from Slate Bottom Creek in the east to Pennshire in the west and up to the top of Breeders Peak."

"Ask me again in the spring," said Sieffre.

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Chapter 04 - The Royal Court

Yuletide! That merry, mystical time of joy and happiness celebrated in the cabbage covered fields of the Pirangi lowlands to the craggy Snowcross Mountains, in mysterious Elbreshowth on the Moor and all places in between. It's even celebrated on the subcontinent of Bovuka. The joy of the holiday encompassed the mountain communities of the tiny kingdom of Uduithia and confused the Duke and Duchess of Wægn because they knew very little about it.

To young Nick, living in the slums of Torwin-Armistad, the first half of the sixteen day long season of Yuletide was his gold mine. Everyone knew that if you gave a penny to a beggar before Yuletide eve, you'd get your Yuletide wish. It was charity based on greed. However, on Yuletide, the pennies stopped, and he wouldn't receive another coin for months. When he lived in Nanny Peacock's cottage, he knew about it, but all he ever got was firewood on the Wednesday before Yuletide and a meal at Metsker's house on Yuletide evening.

When Nick lived in Breaze, he didn't have anyone special in his life until he started seeing Ziska. However, she always went on leave visiting family, so he didn't learn to celebrate Yuletide from her. It was the same thing for Octavia. The orphanage didn't celebrate any holidays, and the university just didn't hold classes on a holiday, so when the young couple started receiving food and baby items such as blankets and diapers, they were grateful, but they didn't connect the largess with the holiday. For them, the joy started on Astra 5, 3432 in a remote bamboo jungle in the wilds of Xuantang when Marlon was born. When the word got out that the Duke and Duchess had returned from foreign parts with a baby, everyone had to go to their cottage to see the baby and hear the tales. That is what cemented Nick and Octavia to Elm Springs. New friends were made, and old friends suddenly realized that the Duke and Duchess were just plain folks.

Not quite, however.

A huge roc, a massive bird of prey from the Bovukan outback, swooped down through the swirling snow and landed in the portcullis of Waelmore Castle, then quickly became Duke Stein. He trotted into the building and allowed a guard to check him for weapons. "Welcome your grace. The meeting starts at the one o'clock hour."

"Thank you Private Meyrick, where will the meeting be held today?" Nick had to ask because the king seemed nervous about something, so the location of his meetings would not be announced until just before the meeting started. It caused much grumbling among the nobility on the court, but Nick didn't mind. He could understand a king's nervousness.

"In the king's pub your grace."

"Thank you, and where can I find Captain Fahy?"

"He will also be at the King's Pub your grace."

"Thank you." Nick strolled into the palace and down an ancient flight of stairs into the basement where King Uric built his pub. Octavia had once told Nick that King Urik used to be a minstrel and that he met his future queen in a pub over in Warwickshire. In the basement, there was an entire pub. It shocked many visitors, but it looked like the king took an entire pub, building and all, and placed it in the palace's basement. There were windows that would look out onto a street, and Nick could see people milling about in the pub. There were two lanterns illuminating the pub on the outside, and a sign was hung advertising the name of the pub, The King's Lute.

Inside the pub, the semi-official bartender, the head of Queen's guard, Lieutenant Darragh O'Keeffe, was drawing beers as the queen and her ladies sat in a corner playing Sirens of Fate, a rummy style game popular with women. It's played with a zodiac deck - 170 cards in thirteen suits featuring the thirteen signs of the zodiac, each suit with thirteen cards, ace through ten, queen, king, and the ranking card is the god or goddess who rules that zodiac sign. There is one card which is a witch or wizard depending on how the card is turned up. Octavia plays it often with the "Metsker Girls," Darina, Ena, and Silver.

Once in the pub, Nick found that the meeting was set up in the back room of the pub. A large round table that was often used for poker was set up, and it was clear that the meeting had already started. Like Octavia said, they were planning next year's Yuletide Festival. "Ah, Sir Nicolas, you have deigned to grace us with your presence, I perceive," said the king sarcastically. It was known that a rider was dispatched to Nick's home late, so most members of the court expected him to arrive after the meeting was concluded. "Pray, what hath detained thee?" asked King Uric with a smile.

"I stopped at the blacksmith shop to talk a little business with Sieffre Merrick," said Nick.

"Ah, the pastoral existence. Commerce transacted with naught but a promise and a clasp of hands," sighed the king wistfully.

"This is a royal court, your majesty. We conduct business in a far more advanced manner," said Lord Diggory Harcourt, Earl of Mallburg. He was the Exchequer of the kingdom and demanded a receipt for everything.

"'Advanced,' I daresay, would not be my chosen descriptor," said the King. "Notwithstanding, we are gathered here to deliberate upon our arrangements for Yuletide in the year of the gods three thousand four hundred and thirty-two."

"Nicolas, is something funny?" demanded Lord Byron Cadence, the Prime Minister.

"Share with us," said Lord Baltimore, head of Intelligence, with a smile. "And you shall address Lord Stein as Your Grace, Lord Cadence." Frasier Baltimore, Duke of Pellingham, loved to smack down Byron Cadence, a nobility wannabe. He was an elected official, and his title of Lord was temporary and determined by the whims of the electorate.

Nick nodded to his friend Lord Baltimore, then turned to the king and said, "Lady Octavia and I were batting around a few ideas about this before the rider arrived at our farm."

"Pray, grace us with your insights," said the king with a regal nod.

"Well... I found that I have inherited a warehouse full of lumber in the city of Waleston. I was thinking of all the people that come into Waleston that can't afford luxury accommodation. I could make a rough youth hostel with the materials at hand and a couple of pot belly stoves. I would make it warm enough to prevent frostbite, and rough enough so that the people that rent out their houses wouldn't lose income. Instead of coming to my farm and sleeping in my barn while their house is rented out, they could stay at the hostel."

Immediately there were shouts for and against the idea. Finally, Lord Percy Slipspring, head of national security, demanded, "What would you do with the profits you make with such a venture?"

Nick shrugged. "Take my wife out to dinner."

"Surely you jest!" roared Lord Silas Singe, chief international advisor to the king.

"Lord Singe, you clearly have me confused with someone named Shirley, and no I do not jest. I am doing this to allow more people to spend their hard earned money at the entertainment, food and drink. Or would you rather they stayed home?"

"A hostel? It will never work! That's why it's never been tried," said Lord Singe.

"I asked you a question!" demanded Nick. "Would you rather they stayed at home?" Nick glared at Silas Singe, and he felt Teivas, his walking stick ringing at his touch, warning him that Lord Singe was not to be trifled with. Then Teivas whispered something to Nick that made Nick's heart burst into flames. "It's not a hard question," said Nick. "It's not like I'd send you to the Copper Mountain salt pits if you got it wrong."

Silas Singe looked like he were being accused of something. Before he could react, King Uric stepped in with, "A most intriguing notion, Lord Stein. I should desire to peruse architectural renderings by our next convocation. Is that quite all?"

"One other idea Lady Octavia and I had was to offer lodging here in the castle to our visitors who are members of their aristocracy, or government leaders. They could stay here in the castle, meet with our royal court, dine in our dining room, come downstairs to the entertainment refreshed and all for a price."

"Pray, why solely members of the aristocracy or leaders of the government?" asked the king.

"Two reasons. First because they could afford it," said Nick with a grin. "They could charge their lodging back to their home governments. That allows us to charge whatever price we have the guts to ask. Second, they've already passed a security screening, we know who is trustworthy and who to keep our eyes on."

"One ought to maintain proximity to one's friends, yet remain in even closer proximity to one's adversaries," muttered the king. "And what should transpire were they to inquire as to the magnitude of our fee?"

"We tell the truth, that the money goes to expanded decor, to more sumptuous meals, to upkeep on this old pile of bricks, and anything left over we save for next year or give to the Queen's Children," said Nick. The Queen's Children was a charity run by Queen Elinor.

"I like this sire," said Lord Baltimore. "All these political figures under our roof? We can control what they see and what they hear? This would be a boon to us. I second the motion."

"And a boon to coach drivers who would ferry them into the town for the celebrations!" said Lord Diggory.

"What about the hotels where they normally stay?" asked Lord Ignatz Laird, Lord Representative in the House of Lords.

"That would give them room for other guests, more people to fill our streets, skate on the river, and celebrate in the bierhaus," said Lord Harcourt. "I believe this is something to try."

"This is the oldest castle standing on Kodu," said Lord Baltimore. "It should be celebrated."

"Call the question!" called Lord Harcourt.

"All those in favor of permitting visiting royals and noblemen to reside within our castle during Yuletide, for a consideration, shall signify by saying aye," said the king. It didn't matter how they voted; he was the king, he'd have the final say, but at least he knew how his panel of advisors was leaning. The vote passed with a resounding aye from all but two of the members of the court.

After the meeting, the court retired to the forward portion of the pub for some ale and relaxation. The knights and nobles of Uduithia listened over and over to the story of how Marlon was born, never tiring of the story and not believing a single word. Tales of foreign parts, dragons, pirates, searching armies, escaping from dangerous creatures, it was so preposterous! But why would the duke lie to them?

Then Nick cast the most unbelievable tale to the people of Uduithia. Nick said that he and Octavia knew practically nothing of Yuletide. How is such a thing possible? Yuletide is a nearly universal holiday for over half of the people who live on Kodu. For Octavia, she knew little about it because the orphanage school she lived in did not celebrate it. As for Pommeraie de la Montesquieu "Nick" Stein, Duke of Wægn, he is nobility, but he's not posh. He was born in the gutter, and it went downhill from there. For young Nick Stein, Yuletide was the day the pennies stopped, but the trash got better to dig through.

He grew up a street urchin, and he begged for pennies and picked through garbage to survive. During the Yuletide holiday shopping season, the people of Torwin-Armistad were generous with their pennies, but on Yuletide Day the pennies stopped. People didn't go out that day, then after that they were their normal grouchy, miserly selves for another year, but for a few days the quality of items in the trash shot up. It was confusing to a motherless six-year-old boy who was abandoned by his father, and the only thing that kept him alive through those wet, miserable Torwin-Armistad winters was an old wool blanket and his best friend, a talking wolf pup.

The men were throwing darts and tossing back ale when Nick stood up to the line to throw. He's already scored 475 points; he just needs 26 to win. "How did you celebrate the holidays in your little cottage, yer grace?" asked Lord Harcourt, the exchequer of the kingdom. Lord Harcourt may be in his 80s, but he can still add, subtract and hold his pint.

"We had a tree and a dozen fairies and Octavia decorated the cottage with pine boughs and glitter." Then he threw a five, a one, and a double ten to win. Darts was Nick's top skill; he fed himself in school in Breaze through his play.

"And what else, my boy?" asked Lord Baltimore, head of intelligence for the king and one of the four dukes in the kingdom. He governed the Duchy of Pellingham on the southern end of Uduithia. Like Wægn, the Duchy of Pellingham was long and narrow, a buffer-zone between Uduithia and the rest of the world. Nick liked Lord Baltimore; their duchies were nearly identical and, like Nick, Lord Baltimore actively encouraged the witches in his duchy and he even financed their coven gatherings.

Nick looked surprised. "There's more?"

"My dear lad, there is so much more!" chuckled Lord Cadence, the Prime Minister.

Much more, said Baron Aaron Cantor, Baron of Überskeld, the barony east of Wægn that contains the now all important train station in Slate Bottom Creek.

"You act like you've never seen a Yuletide before," said Lord Laird, the representative lord in the House of Lords and the Count of Bregia.

"To be honest, no. We didn't celebrate Hogswatch in the Shades," said Nick. He wasn't sure if the dignified gentlemen of the court knew that the Tubes were the darkest slums on Kodu. Nick never said much about his life before meeting Octavia. He's not ashamed of having grown up an orphan on the streets of Torwin-Armistad. In that particular school of hard knocks, he earned the highest honors; he lived. These powdered, pompous lords who grew up eating from fine china with silver utensils would never understand eating from trash cans with your fingers, homelessness, begging for pennies, and watching childhood friends die in the gutter.

"There's so much more," said Lord Slipspring, Viscount of Stormchester and head of security. "The household decorations simply set the stage!" Nick didn't like Slipspring; he's always pushing the king to build up a larger standing army to protect the borders. He was always claiming that foreign agents were aching to invade Uduithia for its natural resources. The primary natural resource in Uduithia was lumber. There was one small iron mine, two coal mines, a salt mine, and several exploratory mines up on Copperhead Mountain. Other than that, there were potatoes and steep roadways. Just to raise the ire of Lord Slipspring, Nick would always counter his arguments with a cry to spend the security money on local police, based on Torwin-Armistead's Guard, to end the thieves and bandits that line up on dark roads waiting for travelers. While Lord Slipspring envisioned enemy battalions at the border, there were actual bandits in the forests preying on innocent farmers and other travelers.

"We only have three rooms in our cottage, living room, nursery, and bedroom," said Nick, still confused at the lord's call for more. "Are we to decorate the outhouse also?"

They were not laughing at the idea of decorating the outhouse; they were laughing at the thought of living in a three-room cottage. The Duchy of Wægn had a beautiful mansion for him just blocks from the castle, and he sold it! And put the money into the duchy and not his pockets. The only people not laughing at that remark were Nick and King Uric II. The king was raised a poor minstrel but has lived here in this castle for the past twenty years. He and Queen Elinor have been guests at Nick's cottage and found it to be filled with love, laughter and fellowship and he much preferred spending a night on the couch in Nick and Octavia's cottage instead of a moment in any of the cold, stone mansions of the rest of his court. In fact, most of the members of his court owned a second (or first) house in Waleston, far away from their holdings. Nick instead would live with his people in Elm Springs and run (or fly) the twenty miles to the castle when summoned.

"The Wednesday before Yuletide is Woodpile Wednesday. That's when you share the extra wood from your woodpile with those in need," said the King. "But don't look so crestfallen. I know you, Sir Nicolas, you'd share your wood pile until your family freezes. This year you need to monitor how much wood your family uses in a winter, so you know what you can afford to share next year."

"Wise advice," said Nick, who was upset with himself that he had missed the opportunity to share with his people, but now he knows where that wood came from when he was a child growing up alone in Nanny Peacock's cottage.

"Then there are the Yule cards," said Lord Baltimore. "The idea is to hand out gaily decorated postcards to your neighbors and friends. It would give you a chance to check up on your people in need. How did you not know this?"

"I grew up in Torwin-Armistad," said Nick.

"There is no excuse for ignorance, my boy," said Lord Cadence, the Prime Minister, as he puffed himself up.

"But in this case, we'll make an exception," said Lord Harcourt, the exchequer, the kingdom's treasurer. Nick liked him because he worked actively with Nick to straighten out the mess that previous holders of his title had made of the Wægn accounts. Through hard work, they discovered that the Duchy had a substantial sum of money in its account, and Nick has some ideas on how to improve the Duchy, in particular, the center of the Duchy, Hay-on-Wægn county. "Let's start with the King's dinner," continued Lord Harcourt, "are you planning to wear the same denim and flannel outfit that you grace us with normally?"

"It's what I got," said Nick defensively. It's true. Other than this one uniform, all he has are denim trousers and flannel shirts and the occasional wool kilt. They last, they're warm, and none of his patients worried that their witch delivered their baby wearing blue denim rather than black wool like a normal witch. Nick was once told that a rich man didn't have to worry about what to wear, so as far as Nick is concerned, he's fabulously wealthy.

Actually, Nick and Octavia are quite wealthy, but they were raised without money, so they leave the gold they accumulated alone for their children. In their mountain, Black Mountain, lies a redoubt that only he and Octavia can access, and in there is a stash of gold coins and ingots that they earned from acting as interim emperor and empress of the Xuantang Empire. For the Xuantang people, they earned the average wage of a middle management professional and were paid in solid gold Xuantang coins because gold is so abundant there. If they were the true emperor and empress, they would have been paid in a wildly more valuable coin in Xuantang: tin. Xuantang coins are not legal outside of Xuantang, but they are solid gold, so Nick and Octavia could take them to an assayer and sell them for their gold content, converting them to Torwin-Armistad dollars. On average, each coin is worth $1,550 Torwin-Armistad dollars, or three times the annual wages of a working man in the kingdom of Uduithia.

Lord Baltimore handed Nick three darts, and they threw another game of 501. "I should get going," said Nick.

"Stay, celebrate a little. This is a big day in the life of a young noble," said Lord Baltimore. "You presented an idea to the king and it was passed on the first vote." He made a sweeping gesture around the room. "You just made a whole new list of enemies."

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Chapter 05 - Marlon's Throne

The next day was a cold, snowy day. Three men emerged from Nick and Octavia's bookstore, which was attached to the humble Temple of the Woods in Elm Springs, carrying what looked like a backless couch on their heads. The upholstery was rich red velveteen with solid gold trim; the ends of the couch curved away from the center. Rough bamboo spanned the sides so that if someone was lounging on the couch, they wouldn't fall off.

These men weren't movers; they weren't even from the area. They were from the far fabled continent of Bovuka and they got to Creel Springs through the magic called Temple Hopping. Time and space as it's known in the three-dimensional world exist differently where the gods exist. That area of reality is known as the Æther. A human can enter the Æther in one place and exit in another, or they can enter the Æther at one time and exit a moment later, days, years, or decades in the past or future. A human cannot live in the Æther, the nature of the Æther strains the human body, and the longer you're in the Æther the larger the toll on the human body.

Temples scattered throughout the land are connected to each other through belief and faith in their gods. Being a priest or priestess of any god or goddess allows you to move from one temple to another. An Æther Portal or Temple Portal is four columns arranged in a square. Once the priest or priestess says the appropriate prayer for the destination, he steps between any two columns and emerges at the destination temple.

Traveling through the Æther from one temple to another is known as an ÆtherStep, some call it a Temple Hop.

The travel is quick, but it places a strain on the body. Some races, such as dwarves, take the strain easily. Humans and elves need fifteen minutes to recover on average. Demi-giants do not take the strain from an ÆtherStep well, and in some cases it has been fatal. The greater the distance between temples, the more strain an ÆtherStep will cause. It is better to travel in a series of short 'hops' rather than one long ÆtherStep.

Nick once tried to explain the procedure by saying: "Picture yourself having to get from one place to another, and it's 500 miles of inch deep water. You can magically squeeze those two places together, but that causes a river to form between the two locations. The non-magical thing to do is to walk around the river, but that's still 500 miles. Using magic, we swim across that river. It's not a long swim, but we're fighting a current, so we have to relax when we get to the other side before crossing the next river. Magically, it's a lot of work, but we didn't walk 500 miles."

That inch deep water is the Æther. Occasionally, for his own purposes, the senior god Saehrimnir will allow a 'tunnel' to be created between two distant Æther Portals. Travel through the tunnel is quick and causes little or no damage to the traveler. Travel through the tunnel is linked to a particular priest, priestess, or keyholder. Saehrimnir will also allow a priest, priestess, or keyholder to share tunnel privileges.

The Temple of the Woods had a tunnel created between that location and Xuantang and another to Bovuka because Nick and Octavia traveled there on multiple occasions and now Nick went back to Bovuka, the land where he lost his eye, to retrieve a gift for Octavia and Marlon. As they carried the couch out of the temple, Tervis, god of health, held the door open for the men as they carried the piece of furniture out into the wintery cold and started up the hill to Nick and Octavia's cottage.

"Bloody hell! This thing weighs a bloody ton, mate!" cried Bruce Bruckner, head librarian at the University of Cloacina in Bovuka.

"Strewth, where'd ya bloody find this little beauty, mate?" groused Bruce Dinkum, assistant head librarian at the University of Cloacina in Bovuka.

"Octavia and I used this for months as we ran the Xuantang Empire," said Nick, who was in the lead.

"Crikey, 'used'? What's that supposed to mean, mate?" demanded Bruce Bruckner.

"It's the emperor's throne," said Nick.

The Bruces were silent for a long time, then Bruce Bruckner said, "Ya nicked the Emperor's throne, did ya? And dumped it outside me bloody library, ya drongo?"

"Yeah, whatever that means," said Nick.

"Fair dinkum, still a hefty blighter, eh?" said Bruce Dinkum.

"Tell me about it. I had to carry it from Chéngshì Jin to the Temple of Cloacina in Bovuka," complained Nick. "With my wife, my baby, water and rations, and a box full of fairies."

"But you were a bloody dragon mate!" cried the Bruces in unison.

"Nag, nag, nag," groaned Nick as the three friends approached the cottage. Nick whistled sharply as they stepped up on the front porch and Octavia threw the door open. "A late Yuletide gift lover."

Octavia gasped in shock, then laughed to see her throne as they carried it into the cottage. Then, as they set it down in the main room, she squealed, "Bruce! and Bruce!" as her Bovukan friends were revealed to her.

"G'day love!" said Bruce Buckner as he hugged the curvaceous wizard.

"G'day, me ol' beauty!" said Bruce Dinkum when he was able to hug Octavia. "Oi, mate, where's ya wizard duds?"

Octavia looked confused because she didn't have an actual wizard's robe, but then she remembered her gown. She had a gown that was completely transparent to any man she enchanted. "My man likes that robe far too much for me to be wearing it for company," said Octavia as she nudged her Xuantang throne into the perfect location.

"That is the truth," said Nick as he disappeared down the trapdoor to the root cellar.

"What are you doing down there?" She called down the door.

"Getting the reward we agreed upon before we moved this beast," said Nick, and he emerged with four pint bottles of beer and gave one to each Bruce and one to Octavia, then he thumbed the wire that held the porcelain stopper in place and took a long drink.

"Cor blimey that's good," said Bruce.

"Bloody hell, that's the stuff!" agreed Bruce. "Oi, who brewed this frothie, eh?"

"Octavia did," said Nick proudly. "I want to open a pub and she is going to be our brewmeister." He picked up a knife and slit the reeds that were holding the bamboo strips in place, then carried off the bamboo so Octavia could sit down on her throne.

"The queen taught me," said Octavia. "The king has a pub in his castle, and she makes all the beer for his pub, so while I was making a child she taught me to make beer." As she said that, she waved her hand over the throne, and it suddenly was spotless.

"That's right!" said Bruce, "You two popped out a sprog! Where's the little tacker?"

"He should be ready for a snack," said Octavia, and she hustled upstairs.

Bruce Buckner leaned close to Nick and said softly, "Someone's got a proper beef with ya, mate. He wants ya six feet under and he's not gonna stop."

Bruce Dinkum agreed with his boss. "His little shemozzle in Xuantang went belly up, and now he's mad as a cut snake."

"You know who was behind the attack on the Tam Foo docks in Chéngshì Jin City?" asked a stunned Nick.

"That bloke, Horatio Tinsmith..." started Bruce Buckner.

"Oh yeah, I know him. He was behind the pirate attack?" asked Nick.

"He was behind the pirate attack on the Tam Foo Docks and he got that lady, Ning, so angry she was going to execute you," said Bruce Dinkum. "This guy actually kicked off a civil war in Xuantang, but his real name ain't Horatio Tinsmith."

"What's his real name?" asked Nick.

Both Bruces shrugged. "Romeo, Romano, Romer... something like that," said Bruce Buckner.

"He's mad about his home being sold off and his assets being confiscated," said Bruce Dinkum.

"That would be Stefen Roem," muttered Nick.

"We hear he's called in a wizard from off world," said Bruce Buckner softly. "Some say he's up north plottin' on kackin' ya."

Nick frowned. "Up North" meant north of the equator. Little is known about that part of Kodu; few ships ventured up there, and nearly every ship that did found itself becalmed on the equator and the crew roasting to death. Ships would be found drifting south with the entire crew dead or insane, and all burned, the wood dry as tinder, the ropes and lines dried out to uselessness, and the sails scorched and shredded.. He was about to say something when Octavia came down the stairs with Marlon in her arms.

"Sorry!" she sang. "He was so soaked that I had to change everything, including his bedding." On Erin Metsker's advice, she had the little guy swaddled tightly in a soft cotton receiving blanket, and he seemed to enjoy being tightly wrapped. A look of peaceful security was on his tiny face as he was handed from one Bruce to another.

"Crikey, what a bonza little nipper!" said Bruce Dinkum. "He smiled at me!"

"He's barely a month old," said Nick. "If you're more than a foot away, he can't see you."

"Honey, would you take care of Nanny? It's about that time."

"A farmers work is never done," said Nick, and he put his jacket on and pulled on a rabbit fur cap that Octavia made for him.

"Crikey, you're handling this mum gig like a true blue legend, eh?"

"I was so afraid I couldn't do it, but Nick loves being a dad," said Octavia. "He wants to do everything right because our kids are never going to have grandparents. Of course, we have friends and neighbors who are more than willing to fill in and lend a hand."

"Old Nick's a farmer, eh? That'll help a bit, mate," said Bruce Buckner.

Octavia looked around nervously. "Nick was only a farmer until he was sixteen. He went to medical school and became a swordsman and remained the best swordsman in Western Edux until the day we met. He's relearning his farming skills, teaching reading, being a witch to Hay-on-Wægn county, acting as duke, and covering my duties on the king's court while I'm caring for Marlon."

"Corrrr!" gasped Bruce. "All that and he's got Stefen Roem chasin' after his bum!"

"What?" gasped Octavia. She was sure Stefen Roem was out there somewhere; she thought Roem was avoiding capture. Bruce repeated what they told Nick, and Octavia grew strangely silent. A wizard from off world? It's possible. She doesn't know how it's done, but the possibility was mentioned at university. She was going to have to ask Doctor Dhukonn after they picked him up at the tramway station.

"Octavia me love! You apples or what?" asked Bruce Dinkum.

"Hmm? Oh, yes," sputtered Octavia, realizing she was lost in thought. "We've been looking for Stefen Roem since Nick took office."

"Strewth, he's an old mate, ay?"

"No, he's wanted on several counts of murder... parricide actually."

"Oi, he kacked a parrot?" Bruce glared at Bruce with murderous intent. A librarian who was clueless about a word? Unforgivable!

"Parricide, murder of family members. He killed his father and his brother," said Octavia. "He tried to make it look like dwarves committed the crimes, which threw off the investigation long enough for him to escape." Just then Marlon began to fuss. "Looks like my little man is hungry." She bared an exquisite breast and began to nurse Marlon, who was quite hungry.

"The little nipper was peckish," said Bruce.

"It's a lot of work growing like he is," said Octavia. "Nick says the first six months is the most work we do in our lives, all that growing and learning. Unfortunately, many people stop learning at that point. The Spring Festival is coming up, and there's an enormous dinner party. We want you fellows to come as guests of the duchy. And bring Shiela and Betty."

"What's on the menu?" asked Bruce Buckner.

"Not sure, but Venison and Elk are on most feast menus. The queen is keeping the exact menu a secret."

"Queen...? Aww crikey mate! I'm going to have to wear a clean shirt?" He set his beer down and gently lifted Marlon out of Octavia's hands, put the lad over his shoulder and burped the future duke. "One of my few skills, darlin'." Marlon soon responded with a raucous belch. "Strewth! Too right bub!" said Bruce to Marlon. "Well said!" and he handed the happy infant back to Octavia. "It's been too long since I had that honor."

Just then, Nick returned with a quart of cow's milk, about half a quart of goat's milk, and four chicken eggs and a duck's egg. "Would you chaps like to stay for dinner?" Nick asked.

"No, oi have to get back to the library and chase the chaps there back to class before somebody notices that they're missing."

"Students?" asked Nick.

"Na, they're professors."

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The next day, after morning chores, Nick led Trixie down to Elm Springs. She threw a shoe after taking Bruce and Bruce for a sleigh ride to the temple so they could get back to Bovuka. He ended up with "The Boys" at the blacksmith shop, watching Trei fashion bits of metal into functioning tools. "G'day yer grace," said Trei as he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Nick had joined his audience. "How is fatherhood treating you?"

"It has definitely interrupted my sleep schedule."

All of The Boys chuckled knowingly. "So, he was born at home, eh?"

"No, he was born in a bamboo forest in Xuantang," said Nick, knowing they wouldn't believe him, but it was the truth. He was born one month earlier on Astra fifth, 3432.

"I saw that you bought a couch for the duchess," asked Trei between blows of the hammer. "I saw them delivering it yesterday."

"Uh, actually, we stole that. It's the ancient and most honorable throne of the Xuantang emperor. We dropped it off in front of a library in Bovuka and the head librarian brought it the rest of the way."

The Boys were laughing uproariously. Nick tells the best stories. Nick gave up trying to convince them he was telling the truth whenever they asked him a question about his activities. He just told the story as it happened and reveled in their side splitting laughter. Trei believes Nick. He and his son Wayne have known Nick since he was eight and is not one to lie, but the rest of The Boys would chuckle whenever they met.

Nick supposed it was best that their Duke entertained them instead of angering them. "Yer grace," said Ninian McKenna, the only member of The Boys younger than Nick. "Is it true that you covered our taxes this year out of your pocket?"

"Yes," said Nick. "The books for this duchy were so convoluted I had no idea who owed what. I asked the king how much money we owed him, and he told me, and we had the money, so I paid. This year is a tax holiday."

"Thank you so much sir... me mam, she said she couldn't have made it if you hadn't..."

"It probably won't happen again," sighed Nick. He patted Ninian on the back. "But future tax bills will be realistic and if someone can't pay, come talk to me and we'll work something out."

"Like you did to your cousin?" chuckled Sieffre Merrick.

"What did you do to your cousin?" asked Ninian.

"I gave her a job."

Just then the morning coach from Waleston to the railroad station at Slate Bottom Creek stopped near them, and a couple that was waiting in front of the temple climbed on. As they settled in, the coachman opened the boot and took out several large boxes, and came over to The Boys with his arms full. "Is the Duke of Wægn here?"

"That would be me," said Nick.

"These are for you." And he handed Nick the boxes.

"Holy smokes!" gasped Nick.

"Quite a family you have there, yer grace," said Trei. "Looks like they remembered you this year."

"We have no blood family other than my Aunt Agness," said Nick.

"I'm sorry," said Sieffre Merrick, the senior member of The Boys. Agness Wolfe almost became his sister-in-law. "Young Ninian, why don't ye help the duke with this largess."

"Aye, Mr. Merrick," said Ninian, and he took half the boxes from Nick and said, "after you, your grace."

"Thank you, Mr. McKenna," said Nick.

"It's just Ninian, your grace."

"Fair enough. Thank you for your help." They walked up the hill to Nick and Octavia's cottage when Ninian chuckled. "Care to share Ninian?"

"Well, your grace, I was raised to believe that dukes, and counts, and kings and such were huge hulking men with money coming out of their ears and names as long as your arm. We have the best duke ever, and you're just one of the guys."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, my grandfather named me Pommeraie de la Montesquieu Stein. I went back to Nick because Pommeraie de la Montesquieu was attracting too much attention."

"Is it true that you've been to Bovuka, your grace?" asked Ninian.

"Aye, many times, I got this scar in Bovuka," he traced a slim line through his close-cropped beard where hair wouldn't grow. "And I lost this eye in Bovuka and got it replaced with gold in Xuantang." Nick tapped the crockelgator skin eyepatch over his left eye. As Ninian listened, mouth agape, Nick continued, "we have friends in Bovuka and we visit quite often. A good friend from there will be spending the Spring Festival with us."

"How... how do you...?"

"Don't forget, the duchess is a wizard, she's very powerful. It can save on travel expenses." This was just to end the questions. They have never used Octavia's powers to travel; they prefer to use Æther Portal hopping to move about space and time. Using her powers to teleport gives her a headache.

When they reached the cottage, Octavia had seen them coming and opened the door for them. "What is all this?" she gasped as they brought the large boxes in. "Just put them on Marlon's couch." They set the packages on the ancient and most honorable throne of the Xuantang Emperor, and Octavia handed Nick a towel to wipe the snow off the boxes. When she took the towel off her shoulder, she revealed that she was nursing Marlon, but Ninian was more interested in the couch.

"This isn't new at all."

"It's about 700 years old," said Octavia. "There's probably still some bamboo leaves stuck underneath from the night Marlon was born."

Ninian lay on the floor and looked underneath. "Is this a bamboo leaf?" He extended a long, skinny leaf that looked like a weeping willow leaf but was much longer.

"Yes, it is."

"There are some huge gouges on the inside of the legs."

"Dragon claws," said Octavia.

"Really? So is it true? Mr. Merrick tells me that you hallucinate, then think you can change shape."

"I have magic that lets me change shape," said Nick. Then he became a Labrador Retriever for a few moments until Pepin growled a warning. When he returned to human shape, and Pepin returned to sleep, Nick said, "didn't you hear them talking about me turning into a horse and running off to check on someone?"

"So you really did fly from Chéngshì Jin to Bovuka?"

"Yes we did," said Octavia, then handed Ninian a large gingerbread cookie, still oven warm, but it had never been in an oven.

"Wow, thank you Duchess. I have to be leaving now." Ninian took his leave and headed out into the snow as Octavia turned to look at all the gifts that had appeared in her house.

"Who are these all from?" she asked.

Nick just shrugged. "They have tags, but the tags don't say who sent them." He tried to find room for the five large boxes, and it almost looked comical when he finished. "Here's a card from Queen Elinor."

Octavia looked at the note and smiled, "This is all for Marlon, the queen held a baby shower."

Nick kissed away Octavia's tears of gratitude. "I guess we are truly welcome here."

"This one is asleep," said Octavia, indicating the baby at her breast. "Do you think we can..." she smiled and waggled an eyebrow at her young husband.

"We can sure try!" quietly they crept upstairs and gently laid Marlon in his bassinet, then they turned to each other and kissed sweetly. It seemed like it's been weeks since they could do this. They crawled into bed and kissed again, and within minutes, they were both fast asleep.

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Chapter 06 - The Attack

Train Number 7, the Mountain Challenger, the glamor girl of the Torwin, Pirangi, and Elf Harbor Tramway, the TP&E, eased into Slate Bottom Creek station dead on time at 2:00 PM. It only allowed twenty-five minutes for passengers bound for Elbreshowth to get off and Torwin-Armistad bound passengers to get on the train. A fueled and ready locomotive would be coupled to Number 7 for its trip back to Torwin-Armistad as Number 8. For passengers wanting to continue further, coaches and wagons were available.

Soon the new line would be completed on the Spatz Mountain side of the Gjorgiev River, and train #27 would continue to Elbreshowth via narrow gauge tracks that wound up the Gjorgiev River Valley. The country was so demanding, the mountains so steep that everything past Slate Bottom Creek would require a narrow-gauge train to negotiate the mountain vastness until the standard gauge track to Pennshire was complete.

Mindy De Veen needed to visit her ailing sister in Courlun, but she was terrified to travel alone. However, the gentleman who sat down next to her was very nice and quite polite, and he let her share stories with him, which made the miles fly by. Finally, the train pulled into Slate Bottom Creek station, where her son and his wife would pick her up. "It was so nice to talk with you, sir," said Mrs. De Veen to the rider sitting next to her. "Some men you meet on the train are such beasts. Thank you for being a perfect gentleman."

"I spent much of my life teaching," said Doctor Tidor Dhukonn. "It's nice to hear a few stories for a change."

The Viceroy of the University of Mystic Arts at the grand and glorious Temple of Saehrimnir handed the lady her bag from the overhead bin, then shrugged on his greatcoat and plopped on a leather top hat. It wasn't the best fitting hat that he has ever owned, but it makes him look rakish. Outside, the snow swirled around, and he hurried off the platform and ducked into the station, where a tiny coal fire did its best to heat the large waiting room. Travelers milled about, and the station was bedlam until the call to board #8 to Torwin-Armistad was called and many people left the waiting room.

Doctor Dhukonn saw his bag on the luggage dolly, and he grabbed it and headed for the street side of the station. As he stepped back out into the swirling snow, he heard the familiar and much missed cry of "Doctor!" There was a beautiful white sleigh with red pinstripes and red cushions on the seat. Pairs of oil lamps glowed front and back, and they were decorated with red bows and pine boughs. A dark-colored horse pulled it up to the curb, and inside the sled was his most precious possession: the girl he always considered his stepdaughter.

Nick handed the reins to Octavia and hopped out. He dashed up to Tidor, took his small case, and said, "Thank you so much for coming. It's warmest if you sit up front between us."

"I hope so, I've never seen weather like this."

"Yes, sir!" Nick placed the suitcase in the rear seat and got back into the front seat of the sleigh just in time to witness Doctor Dhukonn get his first look at his grandson.

"You can hold him daddy," said Octavia, "you held me just fine when I was the same age... see? He likes you."

"He's...," started Tidor, overwhelmed with emotion. There was even a tear in his eye. A child born to a female wizard... the little girl he raised. He educated her in the mystic arts and watched her advance past anything he could teach. He also taught her that there was a love out there for her. And she went and found that love, and the proof was now in his arms. "He's too young to smile," said the senior wizard, even though he had proof to the opposite in his arms.

"People say that all the time," said Nick as he got into the sleigh and pulled the warm blanket over them. "Personally, I think he really is smiling at you." With a flick of the reins, Nick called, "Let's go home, Trixie!" and with a jingle of sleigh bells, they were off. They wove through the bustle of Slate Bottom Creek, a growing town with nearly a hundred permanent residents. There were several sawmills in town, and what had been forest a couple of years ago was now an open lot with logs and lumber stacked neatly, waiting for a train to take them to a growing city.

There were occasional cries of "The Duke!" from the crowds, and a mounted guardsman escorted them out of town, chatting with Nick the whole time. "Do you need an escort to Elm Springs your grace?"

"Only if you can afford the manpower, Captain."

"We are a bit short your grace, the Midway Barracks at Deasil just opened and..."

"Not a problem Captain Hillingham," said Octavia.

"Is that the young Duke?"

"Yes, Captain," said Octavia cheerfully as her old friend leaned over to peer at Marlon. She had to shout slightly to be heard over the jingling of the collar of bells draped over Trixie's neck. "This is Marlon Jehans Stein, and this fellow is my mentor and stepfather, Doctor Tidor Dhukonn."

Captain Hillingham stifled a cry, then he sniffed and wiped tears from his eyes. "Are you well, Captain?" asked Tidor.

"I am well, Doctor. Just overcome by melancholy. Jehans Du Gouey was our first sergeant, and he gave his life to protect the queen."

Nick reached up to the Captain, who clasped Nick's hand. "Come visit us at the farm, Claus. Please?" asked Nick.

"Aye sire. Before the winter ends I will be there." He gave the duke a mounted salute (right fist to the heart) which Nick returned, and with a friendly wave Captain Hillingham turned and headed back to the busy tramway station.

Doctor Tidor looked down at the snoozing baby in his arms and said, "You named him after a soldier?"

"Jehans was his father's best friend," said Octavia. "I remember meeting him before he died. Jehans was the first demi-giant I had ever met. He was nearly as big as a god and the nicest man I ever met."

"He was irreplaceable," said Nick. "One of the fiercest fighters I ever met. On the night the King died, when I tripped over Jehans and realized who it was, I nearly lost all hope. I picked up his sword and fought our way out with his blade."

"Same for me," said Octavia. "It was so sad, and Nick almost had to carry me out of the building."

"Wait... you were the queen?"

"Yes, I was a queen for six entire hours. From the moment they put the crown on my head our world went to hell. It was the worst day of my life. Captain Hillingham was given orders to hunt us down, but he was trying to get between us and the rebelling army. When he finally caught us on the Arn River, we were surrounded by the entire Teurnian army. Thank the gods that Nick was a friend with their head of security and their king."

"I lost so damn many friends," whispered Nick.

"Why did I not hear about this?" demanded Doctor Dhukonn.

"I don't know..." said Octavia with a giggle and a nervous grin.

They were soon out in the countryside, the road winding through the forests of tall pines, climbing hills and dipping into valleys. The snow was building up on the tree branches, giving the entire forest the peaceful look of a cheery Yuletide card. Doctor Dhukonn was telling a wonderful story of the Archbishop Scholtz's cat when Nick noticed that a tree ahead was leaning toward the road. It was jerking, and it was the only tree with no snow on the branches. Then it was falling; it was going to hit them.

"Hold up girl," Nick called to his horse. He pulled back on the reins to stop Trixie, and the sleigh also had a drag brake, and Nick pulled back hard on that lever. The brake skid dug into the snow, spraying snow and ice to the sides, dragging the sleigh to a stop just before the tree crashed to the ground. Trixie jumped in fear and snorted because a branch from the tree whizzed past her nose, just missing her.

Nick turned to his left and asked Octavia, "Are you ok?" Just then an arrow punched solidly into his right shoulder. Nick bellowed in pain, and as he did, the bellow changed into something deeper, throatier, angrier. An enormous wolf rocketed out of the sleigh from where Nick was sitting and charged into the woods. The university viceroy was not one to let a good fight go, and he raced after Nick, a glittering blade flashing in his hand. The screams of men could be heard over the barking, snarling of the wolf.

Octavia clutched Marlon to her chest and pulled the heavy sled blanket over herself and the baby. As Marlon snoozed in his mother's arms, she cast a ward over them; a shield, but its primary purpose would be to let Octavia know something was heading toward her, and she was ready to magically disintegrate anything she didn't recognize. She cowered in fear as she heard the screams of the men who dared to anger her husband.

Then the snarls and barks of a wolf changed into the bloodcurdling bellow of a Bovukan dingaroo. The sounds of a fight suddenly changed to the sounds of a retreat.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!! RUN!"

"Get it off me!"

"It's got my leg!"

"He's got a knight helping him!"

"Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

That's when Octavia felt like a coward. She should be out there on the line with Nick, defending Wægn, but she realized she was alone with the baby in the sleigh. She hugged Marlon closer to her and checked the ward around the sleigh and Trixie. Then she hid as best she could under the heavy quilt as the sound of the fight went on. She heard her father's heroic battle cry; she heard the shrieking bellow of the Bovukan dingaroo, then with a shriek of terror, the sounds of the fight ended.

Slowly, Nick and her father emerged from the woods. Nick clutched his injured shoulder as they approached the sleigh. He also had two longbows and two quivers of arrows slung on his left shoulder. Octavia removed the protective ward, and when she did, all the snow that had accumulated on top of it fell on her. She brushed the snow from her face to find Nick and her stepfather laughing despite their pain. "Ha. Ha. Very funny. What the hell was all that?"

"Somebody wanted Nick to stop breathing."

"Are you sure they were after you?" she asked Nick.

"The way they were talking, it sounded like they had a plan to kill me and grab Marlon." Nick winced in pain as Octavia pulled his blood-soaked jacket back and examined the wound. "If they had Marlon, they could control you."

As Doctor Dhukonn held the fussy little Marlon, Octavia checked Nick's wounds. She placed a finger in the arrow hole and said, "Stop fidgeting, it's only going to hurt worse when I..."

Suddenly, the smell of burning flesh filled the air. "YEOW! SHIT!"

"...cauterize the wound. What happened to the arrow?"

"That hurt, ouch," Nick gave Octavia a kiss and continued, "I pulled it out of my shoulder and stuck it in the ass of one guy."

"You're lucky you're not dead," moaned Octavia as she peppered his face with kisses.

"But look, I got two great new bows and three dozen brand new arrows. We can go hunting together!" He handed her one other thing: a leather pouch bulging with Torwin-Armistad coins. "Now I know what my life is worth," he whispered in her ear.

"Come on honey, get in the sleigh. We're going to Midpoint Station." She handed Marlon to her father, then gave the tree that had fallen across the road an angry glare. With a bang, the tree bounced a foot into the air and fell to the ground, cut into sixteen-inch-long segments. The segments crawled off the road and stacked themselves up neatly against a tree. Octavia released the drag brake and gave Trixie a flick of the reins, and the sleigh proceeded onward with the doctor giving his approval to Octavia's method of clearing the road.

Midpoint Station was a small posting for watchmen halfway between Slate Bottom Creek and Elm Springs at the tiny village of Deasil. The Village of Deasil was named for a local farmer's favorite ox. At the station were one officer and two watchmen on duty. The young lieutenant recognized Nick and Octavia immediately when they entered the station. "Room ten hut!" shouted the lieutenant at the desk as they entered.

"That's not needed," said Dr. Dhukonn.

"Dad is right," said Nick. "You're the only one in the room. You don't have to call the room to attention."

"Duke's orders, sir," said the Lieutenant. He held a salute so tight his arm began to quiver.

"Do you recognize who I am, Lieutenant?" growled Nick.

"You're the Duke, sir."

"That's right, I'm the Duke," said Nick, "and I never ordered that."

"The other guy..." started the young officer, referring to Henna Roem, the previous duke who was rumored to be stark raving mad.

Octavia put a calming hand on his shoulder. "Duke Roem is gone, relax," she said, and the lieutenant finally relaxed.

"Here's the new duke's rules," said Nick. "Relax, do your job right, and everyone goes home alive."

"Much better than the old guy sir, how can I help you?"

"Find the guys that tried to kill me."

Immediately, the lieutenant went back into panic mode, but Nick talked him through his job. "Get a crime report form, find a sharp pencil, take down whatever we say. Let's start with Bandits attempt to kill Duke Stein and abduct his child."

"Two miles east you'll find a pile of cut wood," said Octavia. "Behind that is where the bandits laid in wait. They fell a tree across the road and when we stopped, they shot the duke with an arrow."

The station officer, a young lieutenant who practically melted in the glow of Octavia's violet eyes, had heard that the duke's wife was a practitioner of magic, and he was terrified that she would turn him into a newt if he messed up this investigation. Nick tried to reassure the young lieutenant that he wouldn't be crawling on his belly soon. "Don't worry, she won't turn you into a newt if you mess up the paperwork."

"Thank the gods," said the cop with a sigh.

"You'll just think you're a newt," said Octavia from over at the side table where she was changing Marlon's diaper.

"She's kidding," said Nick, but he wasn't too sure, so he continued. "I was angry, so I took off after the bandits. There was three of them. The professor and I roughed them up pretty good, and the snow is deep, so there shouldn't be much problem with finding them."

"There's some brilliant blood trails to follow," added Doctor Dhukonn.

"Right..." said the Lieutenant as he wrote down the doctor's addition to the report, "follow... the... blood trails. Got it." The lieutenant was feeling better. Doing the job settled his nerves and got him back on track. "Sergeant Prescott!"

A young patrolman emerged from the back room. "Sir!"

"It appears that bandits tried to kill the duke. Two miles east, look for a woodpile on the side of the road."

"Aye aye, sir!"

"And take patrolman Schultze. She may be able to use her nose."

"Aye sir!"

The lieutenant turned to the Duchess. "Patrolman Schultze is from Überwald, she's werewolfish, her nose should lead her right to our bandits."

"Yes, we know both officers," said Octavia. "Please lieutenant, if there's nothing else, I'd like to get my husband home."

"How do I contact you if I need more information?" asked the lieutenant.

"Trust me, when we get home, you'll know."

After turning over the weapons and the purse full of blood money as evidence, they got back into the sleigh and headed home, not as jolly as before. Octavia had the reins and was seated between Nick and Doctor Dhukonn, and they spoke of days gone by, of how Octavia would creep into the lecture hall and hide in the back row, peering over the top of the desk to read the notes on the board. "If you had pretended to be asleep like everyone else in the back row I would never have noticed you," said the Doctor as he cradled Marlon.

"That's funny," said Octavia with a laugh.

"Funny, but it's true. I think you're the first person from the back row to properly convert pscionic waves to actual Æther," said the doctor with pride. They were so caught up in their conversation that they didn't realize that Nick hadn't said a word. There was a sliding sound, then a thump as Nick slid out of the open sleigh. Octavia hauled back on the reins and stood in the sleigh to look back, and she saw Nick laying in the road.

She tried to scream his name, but nothing came out, so she concentrated on Trixie. "Come on Trixie, let's go get daddy, come around... that's the girl." She got Trixie to turn herself and the sleigh around in the road, then she rode back to Nick, and she hopped out and checked her husband. She rolled him over and saw his face was flushed red; he was burning up to the touch; his eyes were wandering about; he wasn't focusing on anything.

"What should I do?" asked Doctor Dhukonn.

"Can you levitate two hundred pounds?"

"Let's do it together," said Tidor, and still carrying Marlon, he got out of the sleigh and reached down and touched Nick. Octavia touched Nick also, then she began to chant the levitation spell aloud like she did when she first started out, mostly to keep her levitation spell in sync with Tidor's spell. Together they levitated Nick off the road and into the sleigh seat, where he sat shivering. Neither Octavia nor Tidor wanted to say that Nick had been poisoned; it was too obvious.

She brought Trixie around one more time, and with Nick propped up between them, she called out like Nick did to get Trixie to run. "FLY TRIXIE FLY!" and she did. The young horse heard the urgency in Octavia's voice, and she broke into a gallop, racing the last couple of miles to Elm Springs. "FLY TRIXIE! FLY!" shrieked Octavia as they turned up Nanny Peacock's drive and raced to the cottage.

"Alfie! Bertie! Dexter! Help!" she cried as they slid to a stop at the front door of the cottage. Hearing their mistresses cry, the Demi-Giants dashed out from the bunkhouse.

"What is it yer grace?" asked the farm manager, Alfie.

"Nick, he's been shot, can one or two of you carry him inside and someone walk Trixie then bed her down?"

"I'll take Trixie," said Bertie. "Last time I picked up the duke I dropped him." As soon as everyone was out of the sleigh, Bertie led Trixie off while Alfie carried Nick into the cottage.

Tidor produced several arrows that he kept and handed them to Octavia, who carried them with the baby and rushed into the cottage, followed by the viceroy and Dexter, who helped Alfie carry Nick into the house. They laid him down on the Xuantang throne and covered him up, and he continued to shiver. As Octavia conjured a fire in the fireplace to warm the house up, Tidor retired to the kitchen and carefully studied the arrow tips. He sniffed them and held them up to the light coming from a lamp on the table. Wordlessly, Octavia sat down on the floor next to Nick and cuddled Marlon, who had been so good through everything.

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Chapter 07 - Investigation

Sergeant Preston Prescott walked into Lieutenant Darryl Young's office and copied the notes the lieutenant had gathered from the Duke and Duchess onto his own clipboard. "Are you about ready to go Sergeant?" asked the Lieutenant.

"Yes sir, Patrolman Schultze is getting the sled ready. We have everything and we're ready..." Sergeant Preston stopped speaking and marveled as an ornate piece of calfskin vellum appeared on the desk. There were rose vines on each side of the vellum and the mountain and dragon crest of the Kingdom of Uduithia at the top. Then handwriting appeared on the vellum.

To His Royal Highness King Uric II

And Lieutenant Darryl Young, Wægn Highway Guard.

Duke Stein was shot with an arrow. It is clear to Dr. Dhukonn and me that it was poisoned. Treatment is progressing. Lieutenant Young, Sergeant Prescott, and Patrolman Schultze of the Wægn Highway Guard are investigating.

To respond, write your response under this entry and tap your quill on the vellum three times.

HG, Lady Octavia Stein

"That's amazing," gasped the lieutenant.

"That's a death sentence," groaned Sergeant Preston. "She put our names in a letter to the king. If we mess this up it will be our heads, if the king is feeling generous." As he said that, more words appeared on the vellum.

May the wisdom of the gods go with all.

HRH Uric II

"Well," said Preston as he hoisted his heavy breast armor into place. "We may find out where the gods came from fairly soon." He grabbed his clipboard and headed toward the rear exit as he pulled on his gloves. Then, over the gloves he wore large, heavy mittens. "She better not be playing with those dogs," he grumbled as he stepped outside.

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In the cottage, Doctor Dhukonn had assembled a workstation with an arrow in a clamp, an alcohol burning torch with a Florence flask filled with bubbling liquid over the flame. He scraped a toothpick across the tip of the arrowhead, then dropped the toothpick into the bubbling flask. Immediately the liquid turned as black as tar. The doctor counted off the seconds until the liquid in the flask turned clear. He wrote a figure down on his scratchpad and sighed.

"What is it? Is it fatal?" asked a nearly weeping Octavia.

"It's going to be a few more steps before we know what we're up against. This is a magical serum they used, which means we can track it down. If we can track it down, we can fight it." Tidor leaned back and mopped his brow with a handkerchief. "I need a couple of books from the university library. Do you still have access?"

"I don't know, it's been a few years..." Octavia muttered the library spell, and a glowing oval appeared in the air before her. "Yes, I still have it sir."

"Ok, I need Kettleman."

Octavia reached into the glowing oval and pulled out a thick book. "Kettleman's Guide to Poisons, Potions, and Hallucinogenic Substances."

"Perfect, I also need Hornsby."

Octavia felt herself sag; her skin felt clammy. She knew Hornsby; it was considered the last hope for the desperate. She reached in and pulled out a book that was easily a foot thick. "Reversing the Irreversible, by Gladimeyer Hornsby."

"Correct. Now I need a witch."

Octavia looked at her mentor in shock. "A witch?"

"Yes, any witch that has access to herbs, I believe I will need assistance with preparing the curative," said Tidor.

"You never mentioned a witch in the entire twenty years I was in that university and orphanage," said Octavia.

"That is true, but I did say that a wizard must not waste time relying on himself. This is something every wizard must learn on their own because we are an arrogant bunch. What do you think would have happened if I had told a group of young wizards that someday they're going to need a woman that rides a broom and dances naked in the moonlight to assist in the science of magic?"

"They would have laughed you out of the university," sighed Octavia. He was right; wizards are an arrogant bunch, but then so are witches. She went over to Nanny Peacock's rocking chair, and there on her knitting table was the broad, circular purple candle that looked like it had been cast in a small frying pan (because it was). There were several wicks, and each one was associated with a messenger candle. She touched her index finger to the central wick, which produced a flame both here and on the associated smaller candle, which was gods know where. All Octavia could do was hope the witch with the associated messenger candle was watching and could see her call for help. "We should get a witch here soon."

"Good, now, one more book. The author's name is Flickinger."

Octavia opened the library portal again and pulled out an extremely thin book with brightly colored pasteboard covers... "Where's My Fish? by Andy Flickinger," she read in confusion.

"Now go sit down by your husband and read that story to your son."

"How is that going to help?" demanded a nervous wreck that was recently the Duchess of Wægn.

"It will help YOU. It always did," said Doctor Dhukonn.

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When Sergeant Preston Prescott stepped out of the farmhouse, now known as Midway Barracks, he found a pile of happy, barking dogs excitedly yapping and tumbling over each other with Annabelle Schultze in the middle of the pile. "Annabelle, we need to get going."

"No problem, come on guys, line up!"

Preston shook his head. Annabelle was cute, desirable, smart, and a genius when it came to police procedures. She stood side by side with Preston when Breaze fell, fighting their way out of the city of Enkmaar, and they followed the queen's trail to Edhellond (Elf Harbor) and up the Arn River to Termagant's Bane where they fell in with their comrades from the Mounted Royal Guard just in time to be arrested by the Teurnian Army. After the battle of Tähelepanek Point, when they were given the opportunity to travel to Uduithia with Octavia and serve the king there, it was Annabelle who insisted on following the former queen. "That's where our fate lies," she insisted.

Preston didn't know much about werewolves, or people who were werewolf-ish, but Annabelle's hunches were right more often than not, so Preston followed Annabelle. Their posting in Slate Bottom Creek was exciting and fun, and every time the tramway train pulled in, they were presented with new challenges. But this posting at Midway Barracks in Deasil was boring, but Annabelle just smiled and said, "Wait for it."

It took her less than a minute to get the dogs untangled and lined up. She hopped into the sled and pulled the quilt over her, and placed her breastplate armor over that, and smiled up at Preston. He got on the rear of the sled and put his feet on the runners. Both he and Annabelle were wearing a parka, parka pants, mukluk boots, and rabbit fur hats. "Ready," cried Preston as he flipped up the drag mat brake. The drag mat snapped to the upright position with a loud click, which got the dogs excited. They were ready to run.

"LINE OUT!" he called, and the lead dog pulled forward, and the team rose and got their line untangled. The lead dog was Lulubelle, a dog that Annabell trained personally. "HIKE!" and the dogs dug in. They wanted to sprint, but they had a day off. They needed to warm up, so Preston called "EASY!" and the dogs eased up on their attempt to dash. As they neared the end of the drive, he called "GEE!" and leaned the sled to the right, and the dogs turned right onto the main road. They had a seven dog team: a leader, two swing dogs, two team dogs, and two wheel dogs. They were a well-trained team and would do anything that Annabelle demanded. She was the official musher of this team, and she's training Preston.

It was a beautiful night. The snow was slowly spiraling down from the clouds, and the clouds glowed from the dual full moons of Kuu and Rahn. The almanac also said that the rings around Kodu would be visible, a rare treat indeed. "It's up there!" called Annabelle, pointing at something in the distance.

"Easy!" called Preston, breaking the dogs from their lazy trot that ate up the miles. Then he saw it: a pile of logs on the side of the road. "Easy! Easy! WOAH!" and the dogs came to a stop without Preston having to use the drag brake. Now that they're parked, he set the drag brake, then instead of staking out the team, he ran a lead from the harness to a tree. The dogs realized that there was work to be done, and they gathered together for a team nap.

Annabelle inspected everything to ensure that Preston parked the team properly. Then she pulled on her armor plate and took the burning torch that Preston offered her. He carried a flaming torch himself, and together they inspected the woodpile first. There were pine boughs scattered in the road, but the main trunk was sliced into perfect sixteen-inch lengths, perfect for any fireplace and most stoves. "Stove length, she's good," muttered Annabelle.

"We should haul this back so we can burn it next winter," said Preston.

"We won't be at Midway that long," said Annabelle as she inspected the wood. "Such perfect cuts! It's like this wood was sanded and varnished after being cut," said mousy little Patrolman Schultze. Annabelle is "werewolf-ish" meaning that she is one half werewolf. Her grandmother is a very powerful werewolf and is respected as a leader in the werewolf community. Many people poo-poo the thought of werewolves, but they have no problem believing that elves, dwarves, fairies, and demi-giants exist. Werewolves are real, and they live in the dark, foggy woods of Elbreshowth on the Moor and in the castles of that grand, ancient country.

Werewolves do not change on the full moon. With three moons orbiting Kodu, one of the moons is usually full. No, they change when they feel the need to change, when they want to run, when they're pressured to fight, or when someone they don't want to speak to is looking for their human body. Anabelle's mother was of werewolf royalty, and her father was a human servant, making her an outcast in werewolf society. Being half werewolf, Annabelle will probably never change, but she keeps the nose, the eyes and the hearing of a full-blooded werewolf. She can smell everything about a crime scene, including the cologne the murderer wore the day before yesterday.

Prescott and Schultze studied the scene at the roadside: the stacked up wood, the stump the bandits cut the tree from, then a big find, the hatchet. Schultze could smell the sweat and the salt of the man who wielded the hatchet. Without thinking, she took a quick lick and thought for a moment. "He was afraid."

"He was a bandit. What was he afraid of?" asked Preston.

"I don't think these were bandits, Sarge," said the little patrolman. "Bandits aren't afraid. They're mostly selfish, lazy, and stupid; I think these chaps were ordered to target the duke."

"What makes you think that Patrolman Schultze?"

"They didn't drop the tree until they were sure that this was the Duke's sleigh. When they shot the duke, they hit his right shoulder, away from the Duchess, trying to avoid hitting her..."

"Or the child," Sergeant Prescott finished her sentence for her. They've been finishing each other's sentences a lot lately; they're going to have to keep an eye on that around the station house. "Look at these prints! What do you make of them?"

"Wolf!" said Schultze, but instead of pondering where a wolf came from, she checked the other set of tracks. "Knight? Yes, very expensive boots, made from tanned ostrich hide. It smells like that fellow that was with the Duke and Duchess at the station house." She followed the tracks and one could see where the bandits realized the error that they had made. "Big fight here, three people, one wolf... you can see where the knight enters the fight... lots of blood, they clearly didn't count on the wolf... here's where the three bandits gave up the fight and ran away..."

Their torches lit up the area well, but soon the clouds parted and the full face of Kuu, the largest moon, lit up the scene with bright silvery light. Annabelle leaned over and sniffed everything. "They got away cleanly," said Sergeant Prescott, observing the footprints. Three sets of footprints with two blood trails heading off into an open fen. They followed the prints for a long time, then suddenly the prints disappeared. "What the hell?" Both cops approached the site, but the three sets of prints just ended, leaving behind an arrow. Schultze leaned in and sniffed, then scooped up a bit of snow and tasted it, but nothing.

"I don't understand," she said as they looked around. They headed back to the fight scene with the arrow they had found. Then Annabelle paused. She smelled something and dug up a small metal box from under the snow. Without sniffing it or opening it, she handed it to Preston and said, "Enter this into evidence."

Preston opened it, revealing a purple-gray metal chain. Immediately Patrolman Schultze felt nauseous and weak and fell to her knees. "Close that box, please!"

"What is it?" asked Sergeant Prescott as he sealed it back up.

"Shonyx," said Annabelle weakly. She stayed on her knees, recovering her strength that the chain had sucked from her. "It's also called Red Iron... it's very powerful stuff. It makes magic users stop using magic by overpowering them, but it's deadly poisonous to magic creatures like a werewolf, a vampire, or a gwillion."

Preston nodded. He knew that tens of centuries ago werewolves, vampires, and gwillions were once normal humans, but their bodies were corrupted by magic, and that magic is now part of their bodies. Exposure to Shonyx would absorb that magic and kill them. "So if they looped it around the Duke's neck he wouldn't be able to change, and if they put it on the duchess she would be powerless."

"She would be dead," said Schultze. "She's not just a magic user, she's a source of magic, a sourceress. I think they wanted the baby."

"What kind of powers does the child have?" Preston was wondering why they would go through all this trouble to grab the child.

"It doesn't matter, if they have the baby, they control the parents," said Annabelle. "It's almost a way of life in Elbreshowth."

"Feeling better?" asked Sergeant Prescott as he crouched down to where Patrolman Schultze was kneeling.

"Tent," said Annabelle.

"What?"

She pointed over to the treeline. "There's a tent under that tree." Preston helped her to her feet, and they walked over to the solitary spruce tree. It was an immense tree, and because it stood away from the other trees, its branches were healthy all the way to the ground. Under the protective shade of the branches was a secure world with a thick, soft cushion of needles underneath. There, in this protected world, sat a small pup tent that only someone kneeling could see through a break in the branches. There in the soft pine haven, Annabelle's nose continued to work. She could smell the men who lay in wait. In the tent they found blankets and a pack filled with clothing and jerked meat. There was no sign of a fire, so they weren't here for a hunting expedition and accidentally shot the duke. "They waited for a day for the duke," said Annabelle as they exited the tree's shelter with the pack. It looked like the assailants dragged pine boughs to hide their footprints, but it was just a cosmetic coverup,

"They knew he was coming," said Preston. The cop pondered this over and over again. Was the duke's schedule set in advance? If so, who was aware of it?

She slowly made her way back to the fight scene; she wondered if she could tell one set of bloodstains from another, even though the blood was frozen now. Then she noticed something. "Rabbit?" What looked like huge rabbit tracks were mixed up with the human tracks... but not the wolf tracks.

"Find something?" asked Sergeant Prescott as he crouched down to where Patrolman Schultze was kneeling.

"Yeah, I just noticed these giant rabbit prints..." she leaned over and got a whiff of pure dingaroo pheromones. "Oh, my..." she said in a tiny voice. "This ain't rabbit..." The pheromones wound around in her head, loosening her libido, then they shot straight to her womanhood. Another whiff and her tiny breasts began to swell, her nipples hardened, her body began to tingle, everything began to ache for a man, even her anus felt receptive. She pushed herself up to her feet and followed the footprints as they paralleled the knight's boot prints heading back to the sleigh. "This is..." her head spun madly. These pheromones brought scenes to her mind, scenes of running wild on the Bovukan outback, with nothing to do but kill and fuck. Kill and fuck. Awash in a bath of blood and sperm, she could barely tell if she was in a winter forest or a hot, arid desert.

Now she could only gasp, her head spinning, her hands shuddering, her womanhood felt hot... and empty. It needed to be filled hard and fast. She clenched at something that wasn't there. The sensation was too much. With a tiny scream, she dashed under a huge, lone pine tree. The branches drooped down and provided a circular shelter free of snow, like the spruce that hid the tent. Schultze dashed up to the tree trunk, dropped her breastplate, threw off her mittens, yanked down her parka pants, and bent over and clutched the tree trunk. "NOW PRESTON!" she snarled in a voice that Sergeant Prescott could not disobey.

Preston dropped his breast plate and mittens, hauled down his parka pants freeing his manhood and stepped up to his tiny partner, her cute, sweet little behind was on full display and he could smell her excitement, a benefit of being bitten by someone who is werewolf-ish. There, under the huge pine, they sated their pheromone fueled lust; their cries rose into the night.

The sound of their bodies slapping together filled the woods, and Annabelle's shrieks scared off birds of prey as they grew closer and closer to their peak. Preston felt the wild need of his tiny wolfling and mated with her savagely, brutalizing her tiny body as she screamed for more. Their delicious agony rose higher and higher. There was nothing in their minds other than the need to mate.

Finally, with a singing shriek from both, they found their bodies locked together as their climaxes wrecked their nervous systems. They twitched and jerked as megawatt jolts of relief rocketed through their bodies and brains. Finally, their bodies relaxed, and they sank to the ground in the bed of pine needles, panting. They cuddled together and kissed gently, simply enjoying the touch of their mate.

"What was it that got to you?" panted Preston.

"I don't know, but I would like to talk to the duke about it," said the tiny woman with a grin.

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 08 - Assembling the Team

Bella McTavish was in another universe. She was face down on the bed with her hind end lifted, and her husband Roddy McTavish was having the time of his life with her. He had already brought her to several shrieking climaxes; now was his turn to find rapture. Their lovemaking since the twins were born had been rare and rushed, but now that Darla and Nicolas were sleeping soundly through the night, and Granny Smolt was as deaf as a stump, Bella and Roddy can take the time to reward each other properly.

Roddy was a good, loving, hardworking husband who supported her desire to become a witch. He even moved into an ancient farm in the mountains west of Elm Springs at the foot of Thread Peak, where Bella could learn her skill from Granny Smolt. Granny Smolt was in her last few days, and had been for over five years. When Bella and Roddy moved in with a pair of twins on the way, Granny felt a surge of new life; holding a pair of newborn twins will do that for anyone. Since the day that Bella Horn, 24/7 party girl, became Bella McTavish, farmwife/mother/witch/geriatric nurse, life was surprisingly good. This was the peace that she spent every evening looking for in a bottle, and Roddy was the man she always wanted but didn't realize it until it was almost too late.

Roddy roared and collapsed on Bella's sweaty back, and she sank flat onto the bed. It's been a good night so far, and he was hoping he could convince Bella to go for round three. "What's got into you old man? You're a stallion tonight," laughed Bella between kisses. Round three looked like a sure thing!

"It's been a while since we been able to dance like this," said Roddy, blushing brightly. He was shy.

"Dance?" asked Bella with a laugh. Poor Roddy. He's so sweet, he would never say fuck if there was a woman in the room. He wouldn't even say it if he were in the woman. He preferred to say "dance". She rolled over on her back and pulled Roddy close, and they kissed. "I'll dance any dance you want to try."

She felt the tears of shame welling up, all those years of trying to find the perfect man, and there he was, every night, holding her hair back while she vomited, leading her or carrying her home as she stumbled from any number of drinks, many of which were laced with Skim or Thyme. Roddy was there for her the night that she discovered she was pregnant, and she did not know who the father was. She just knew that it was not Roddy... never Roddy. But Roddy was there, wiping away the tears, helping any way that he could, and he promised her he would be the best father her child could want. When she discovered she was pregnant with twins, he still didn't run, and when she saw him holding her twins, tears of love streaming down his cheeks, she cursed herself for wasting so much time ignoring him.

"Any dance?" Roddy's voice broke with excitement.

"ANY dance," she said as she kissed her man.

Just then, the small, conical, purple candle on their nightstand burst into a small, crackling flame. "Me?" gasped Bella.

"What do you mean?"

"That's a messenger candle, it means the duke wants me."

"For what?"

"I don't know," said Bella as she worked her way out of bed and gave Roddy a kiss. Then she pulled on her heaviest black wool dress and a long black overcoat.

"Put a second pair of unders on, I don't want anything down there frost bit."

"I'm sure you'll figure out how to thaw me out," she said. Then came a squeal from the bassinette at the foot of the bed. The twins were developing individual cries, and it was becoming easier to figure out who wanted attention. "Sounds like Darla is up. Love you." She gave Roddy a long, lingering kiss, then reached for her broom and headed out into the snowy night, secure knowing that her babies... no, their babies and her mentor were all in Roddy's caring hands.

Her broom looked like a traditional witch's broom. The handle was long and bent in several directions with branches sawed off near the stem; the bristles were long and bound to the handle in a manner that threatened to come apart during a good sweep of the kitchen, but somehow the entire thing held together. And it was fast. She followed Creel Creek through the narrow canyon, then into the gentle valley that showed they were nearing Elm Springs. Soon a road was following the creek, and there, up ahead, was a millpond. That was her signal to pull up above the treetops and turn north.

Ahead she saw it: the pond, the pasture, the fields at the edge of the mountain forest. It was just like she remembered from her childhood. There was the barn, the new bunkhouse, and the tiny cottage. She swooped down to the back door of the cottage and found a new two-hole outhouse and a small wooden shed with a chimney made with a metal pipe, and these were all interconnected with a wooden deck that must have been heated because the snowflakes melted the minute they landed.

She knocked on the rough wood door, and slowly the door opened. It wasn't Nick who answered her knock; it was his wife who answered. She stared at the witch, trying to understand. Then Bella unwound the snow covered scarf from her face. "Bella?"

"Yes, what does my cousin want?" Bella was never close to Nick; it was like she and her siblings and their close cousins were kept away from Elm Springs by Grandma Agness. All she knew of Nick was that he was nice to his young cousin and that he taught her to hunt for crayfish in the creek when she was four.

"We need a witch," said Octavia, her eyes red from crying, and tear streaks marred her perfect cheeks.

Bella was told by Agness that Octavia was uppity and full of herself, a woman who was raised to be stupid and beautiful and hate every woman who was smarter than she was. A woman who learned a couple of magic tricks and runs around calling herself a wizard because she pulled a hat out of a rabbit or some damn thing like that.

"Are you our witch?" asked a gentleman from the kitchen table. "We need assistance with herbology."

<><><><><>

King Uric II sat at his writing desk, a cup of tea growing cold as he waited. Finally, he heard the scratching of a quill, and he looked at the vellum, and words appeared.

A witch has been called in to assist Doctor Dhukonn. She is reviewing Nick's herb stores in the root cellar.

HG O. Stein

That didn't help his anxiety at all. There came a tap at his door, and the King called, "Enter!" without looking.

"Your majesty," said Captain Fahy, who was standing beside him.

"Any fortune to report?" asked the king.

"None good, sire. The wizard Izhar is nowhere to be found in this castle."

"And Lord Baltimore?"

"He is enroute. He will be here in a matter of minutes."

"BLAST!" shouted the King. "I demand that the sorcerer be found forthwith! I wish to see him brought to his knees, begging my pardon or facing the headman's axe!"

"There were rumors sire. I promise nothing, but I sent the new lad out to see if there be any truth to those rumors."

"Very well," said the King. "I shall offer a prayer that fortune smiles upon him."

"Just a suggestion, sire. Offer your prayer to Ruhena."

"The goddess of Retribution? How exceedingly apt." The king closed his eyes in prayer, all the while listening for the scratch of the quill bringing news of his young duke. A small noise caused him to open an eye. "Exavier? Jia? Pray tell, what doth bring you two hither at this late hour?" Exavier was Uric's eight-year-old son and heir to the throne of Uduithia. Seven-year-old Jia was the rightful emperor of the entire Xuantang empire and he was spending time with Exavier learning how to be a boy, and with King Uric and Duke Stein, learning to be a just ruler.

"We heard Nick is ill and you were praying for him, so we came to help," said Exavier.

"The locale of one's devotions is of no consequence, merely the act itself, and that such prayers be of an honorable nature."

"But you're the king!" said a surprised Jia. "The gods should obey your prayers!"

"When a sovereign doth deem himself above all higher authority, 'tis then that he reveals himself a pretender to the throne. A true and honorable king is but a humble servant to his subjects."

"That's what Sir Nick says!" said Jia.

"He says it more stylishly," added Prince Exavier.

"Indeed, he possesses wisdom beyond his tender years. And in matters of verbal elegance, I find myself unable to rival Sir Nicholas."

Just then, there came a knock at the door. "Sire," said the page softly. "Lord Baltimore."

"Ah yes. Pray, retire to your chambers, lads. I must needs confer with Lord Baltimore."

"Awww. We want to find out..." started Exavier but his father interrupted him.

"Be informed that I shall be conducting your classes on the morrow; you would do well to be prepared!"

"Yes sire!" called the young princes, and they dashed from the king's office, causing Lord Baltimore to chuckle.

"Your majesty."

"Your grace," said the king. He was about to say more, but the scratching started again.

"Our investigators believe that the would-be assassins waited for a day or more in a hidden tent for Lord Nicolas. This cannot be a random act of violence for many other members of the nobility passed their location while they waited. The investigators followed three pair of footprints out into an open field where the footprints suddenly stopped. All that was left behind was the arrow that Duke Stein pulled from his own shoulder and stabbed his attacker with, and a metal box containing a chain made of shonyx. A magical creature confirmed that it was shonyx."

LT Young, Wægn Guard.

"Shonyx? Red Iron! What in blazes is going on, your majesty," asked Lord Baltimore.

The king unrolled the vellum and held it in place with a paperweight and said, "Pray peruse this for yourself, my esteemed friend, and then do acquaint me with all that you know concerning shonyx."

Lord Baltimore read and occasionally let out a "Blast!" and "Thunderation!" then finally, "What was his grace doing on that length of road in the evening?"

"He was retrieving a dignitary from the tram terminus in Slate Bottom Creek, with the intention of conveying him to their residence."

Lord Baltimore looked at the vellum again and gasped, "Doctor Dhukonn... Sir Tidor Dhukonn of Castle Hofvogur? Now the viceroy of the University of Mystical Arts at the Temple of Saehrimnir."

"Indeed, 'tis he. He is a most intimate friend of Her Grace, the Duchess Octavia, who regards him as her stepfather."

"He practically invented the concept of enchanted battle," said Lord Baltimore. "The wizard who put spell to sword. Now he's teaching courses of maintaining the peace through wizardry?"

The king nodded in agreement. Sir Tidor defended Castle Hofvogur in southern Elbreshowth almost single-handedly from an assault by scores of gnoll warriors. Until that point in human combat, knights and foot soldiers were the main combatants, while wizards stood on the sidelines casting spells like a catapult would lob rocks onto the enemy troops. Sir Tidor taught the wizards to use a sword and a spell at the same time, and the result was a slaughter. Castle Hofvogur has not been assaulted by any human or humanoid species since.

"Pray, why were your prognosticating sorcerers not privy to this knowledge?" demanded the king. Normally, Lord Baltimore would have warned him of such treachery with several days' advance notice. He has an entire team of wizards scanning the future to provide Uric with warning of dire circumstances.

"Sire... my wizards don't tell or predict the future. They read the news reports of the day, then send that information back to their companion wizards four months in the past." Then Lord Baltimore added, "If there has been no advanced news of this, it can only mean that we maintained secrecy and this attack was never reported on in the press."

King Uric frowned and changed the subject. "Izhar has absconded. He has taken his entire laboratory with him. I have entrusted Captain Fahy and his men with the meticulous search for him."

"That in itself says that he knows something, but he didn't get far. Izhar cannot fly and he cannot transport himself. He's nearby. I'm sure Captain Sean will find him."

<><><><><>

Private Cornelius Page, known as Corn to all of his fellow guards, stepped up to the old Roem Warehouse. The snow swirled around him, and the warehouse was awash in silver moonlight. Kuu and Rahn were both full, and their light was as bright as daylight, just a different color, and they were casting two shadows due to their juxtaposition in the sky. Even their rings were glowing, and it looked like the rings were going to tangle with each other.

He pulled a leather case out of an inner pocket and looked carefully at the large padlock on the door, then unfolded the leather case. It was filled with tools one would use to repair a lock. Slim hook locks, fragile looking tension wrenches, and spring steel z-torque wrench tools and along with a few jewelers' files. He took a Z-torque wrench tool and slid it into the lock's key slot, locking the mechanism in position. Then he went to work with a pair of hook locks, known to the police as lock picks.

He didn't use his lantern; he didn't need it. This work was all done by feel, and in the matter of a minute he felt the last tumbler fall into place. He removed the hook locks, then turned the z-torque wrench ninety degrees, and the big padlock dropped open. He put his tools back in the leather pouch and folded it up, and slid the pouch into his pocket. Then he pulled the heavy door against the foot of snow that had accumulated and entered the warehouse.

His lantern had several lenses, and he took the lens cap off the wide-angle lens, which flooded the area in front of him with clean, white light. There were stacks and stacks of dimension lumber, and broad boards to build walls, floors, and ceilings. This had to be lumber the old duke was accumulating over the years, skimming wood from projects, walking off with a percentage of the materials, all to build his palace. What he was looking for should be easy to spot. In a warehouse full of neatly stacked, high-quality lumber, he was looking for a worn out old door made from scraps and low-quality boards.

Then came a powerful female voice. "Mortal, speak! By what right do you trespass upon My sacred domain?"

Corn stopped walking and looked around as best he could without moving his head, and then he saw it. Back in the corner, mostly hidden by stacks of broad boards. There were four columns standing in a square, an Æther portal. Some mad goddess settled in this warehouse and now considers it her temple.

"Mortal, lend thine ear unto My voice! By what right do you trespass upon My sacred domain?" she shouted again.

"I am searching for a wizard."

"Doth I project the visage of a conjurer of arcane arts?"

Corn turned around, and there was a goddess standing behind him. Seven feet tall with short cropped crimson hair. Her facial features would be cute if she wasn't scowling. Her pixie like nose was covered with a splatter of freckles, crimson eyes to match her hair, high cheekbones and a small pointed chin. She wore a man's plaid flannel shirt with the sleeves torn off, and it wasn't buttoned, exposing one small but perfect breast. Below that she wore torn canvas britches and worn out work boots. She clearly presented herself as a tough girl, a gang bitch, a freedom fighter, and Corn felt himself being drawn toward her. "Ruhena?" he asked, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Verily, Duke Stein's favor does not shine upon thee. By whose hand art thou guided, mortal?" she demanded.

"Duke Stein is dying. Two wizards and a witch are working to heal him but to no avail. His wife and infant son watch in sorrow as his life slips away. King Uric sent me to find the wizard named Ishar. It is believed that he can help save the duke."

"Thy words ring false in my divine ears."

"I speak the truth, Lady Ruhena. The duke was shot with a poisoned arrow as he traveled with his wife and child. Shot in the back!" he shouted that last line, hoping it would stir the urge to find revenge. "They are asking for Izhar's help but he can't be found. I was asked to look in here."

"Duke Stein?" demanded the goddess.

"Yes. If he will not help, the king demands to see Izhar on his knees begging for mercy or kneeling before the executioner."

The red-haired goddess glared at Cornelius for a long time, then said, "Should your words be veiled in falsehood, know that I shall braid your guts." She reached behind a stack of lumber and pulled out an ancient wooden door fabricated from scraps. She threw it on the floor, then lifted one side, revealing a staircase leading down. She reached down and hauled the ancient wizard out. "The King demands your presence."

"Goddess please!" cried Izhar, and he dropped to his knees. Then he hissed a name that Cornelius didn't understand.

"Shouldst thou allow the consort of thy mistress to perish, thine own existence shall be forfeit." She slammed the door closed, then she picked the door up and handed it to Cornelius. "Guard ye this charge, lest the sorcerer reclaim it and vanish once more into the shadows."

"My laboratory!" cried Izhar.

"DEPART!" Ruhena roared, and Cornelius grabbed Izhar by the collar and led him out of the warehouse while holding his ancient door. Outside were six mounted guardsmen and a two horse sleigh.

Cornelius laughed at the reception, and Captain Fahy stepped out from behind the sleigh. "It looks like you expected me to find this rascal."

"I ordered you to find him, and I counted on you following your orders. Now you will escort him to the duke's mansion." Sean gave Corn a solid pat on the shoulder as he and the terrified wizard climbed into the rear seat of the sleigh. "I want him to arrive at the Duke's house alive."

"And if he doesn't?" asked Cornelius.

"There will be tears," said Sean sternly, then he laughed and shouted, "Get on with ya!" and with a crack of the buggy whip the two horse sleigh took off like a shot with the six guardsmen following.

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 09 - Hope

Lieutenant Young leaned back and closed his eyes. It was just a few more hours until Sergeant Prescott relieves him and he could get a nap. Then the duchess's reply quickly appeared on the document. Lieutenant Young's shoulders perked up as he read a direct order from Her Grace.

The wizard Izhar has set up his laboratory here, and his stores of herbs and medicines have made Doctor Dhukonn optimistic of the outcome.

First Lieutenant Young: We request Second Lieutenant Prescott and Detective Sergeant Schultze be relocated to the Elm Springs station-house forthwith, where they will provide the Duke with protection should he survive. Funds for replacement and new troops are guaranteed. Major Hillingham has been informed.

HG O. Stein

He immediately sent the reply. "Yes your grace. Right away." Lieutenant Young read and re-read Lady Octavia's message, and there was no doubt about it: there were promotions all around. Captain Hillingham to Major, Preston from Sergeant to Second Lieutenant, and Schultze from Patrolman to Detective Sergeant, and himself from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant.

It was time to wake the troops. He strolled down the hall of the old farmhouse, the cleats on his boot heels clicking as he strode down the hall. A few minutes later, he tapped on Preston Prescott's door. He heard a rustling, then Preston said, "Yes?"

The lieutenant opened the door a few inches and saw Preston laying on his side on his cot facing the door, holding a burning cigarette between his fingers. "Fall out in full gear in twenty minutes; have your dress uniform with you."

"Yes, sir."

"And that goes for you too, Schultze."

"Yes sir," came Annabelle's tiny voice from behind Preston. When the door closed, she peeked up from behind Preston and said, "How did he know?"

"Probably by the way that you smoke and I don't," said Preston as he handed her cigarette back to her.

They fell out with their cold weather gear, breastplates, helmets, truncheons, lanterns, bells, whistles, and their dress uniforms. "Sign here," said the Lieutenant, and once they had signed the document, he handed them swords. "You also have the parade sleigh and Billy. Don't forget the bells."

"Yes sir," said Preston. Then he turned to Annabelle and said, "Go wake up Billy and get him ready to go, I'll be out in a minute." She nodded and left without a word. Then Preston said to the lieutenant, "What's up sir?"

"Here, read." And he showed the magical vellum to Preston. It was getting longer and had to be rolled up as messages between the duchess and the king flashed back and forth. Then he read the bottom entry.

"Congratulations sir," said Preston as he shook the lieutenant's hand.

"Congratulations to you to, sir," said the new first lieutenant. "You're going to build a new station house from scratch, like we've been doing here. I'm sure you and your detective will do an outstanding job."

"Thank you sir. I'm going to go tell Annabelle." Preston stepped out into the blustery night, and Lieutenant Young walked back to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. He watched out the window as Preston told Annabelle, and the tiny detective sergeant squealed and threw herself at Preston and hugged him tightly. Then she stepped back and held a salute; she also held her left hand out. Preston returned the salute and placed a Torwin silver dollar in her outstretched left hand. That was an old Breaze tradition; your first salute costs you an ace.

"What is happening?" Annabell asked as she eased Billy between the traces.

"We are being assigned to the Elm Springs station-house. We are also tasked with guarding the duke."

"There is no Elm Springs station house," said Annabelle as she buckled Billy into his sleigh. Billy was a lively black gelding that Annabelle loved, yet was afraid of when he got "jumpy." While she calmed the beautiful beast, Preston stowed their gear, including the red iron chain with instructions to give that to the duchess and no one else. He topped off the oil in the sleigh's large oil lamps, then they placed the collar of bells on Billy and climbed into the sleigh. Preston clucked his tongue and snapped the reins, and they were off. He was much better with horses than he was with dogs.

"Can we come back for the dogs?" she whimpered.

"No, they belong here. When we get a proper station house set up, you can set up a new team."

"Can I use wolves? Wolves make the best sled dogs," she said, her voice trembling with excitement.

"It will be your team, you build it as you see it, but we will be staying with the duke and we don't want to burden his farm with eight wolves."

"Eleven!" sighed Annabelle. Then she leaned against Preston and snuggled close. "Lieutenant Preston," she sighed happily.

Preston thought back to when he first met Annabelle, and she smiled at him and said, "You'll become an outstanding leader if you follow me." Then Breaze fell. Most of their fellow guardsmen became followers of Zeddicus and died like curs. Annabelle took off after Captain de la Montesquieu, finally catching up with him in time to fight alongside him at Tähelepanek Point. He took Annabelle's advice and got moved to some crappy positions because they were not horse soldiers. She's too small, and he had never ridden before. But now, both promoted far beyond their peers and heading to their own station... "You were right," said Preston. "You were right all along."

They glided through the tall trees, covered with snow. Alongside the road was Creel Creek, and it babbled and splashed over rocks and falls. Occasionally, a beaver dam created a pond. The jingling of the bells startled forest creatures, who darted off into the woods: elk, deer, wolves, foxes, brownies, and the occasional gwillion. From Slate Bottom Creek to Elm Springs the road traversed deep woods and mountain passes. West of Elm Springs the road would pass through hardscrabble farms, narrow passes rife with bandits, and mines full of drunken men and angry dwarves. This road screamed the need for patrolmen like Preston and Annabelle.

"Is Elbreshowth on the Moor like this?" asked Preston. "I've never been there."

"It's much nicer here," said Annabelle.

"Why is it nicer here?"

"None of my relatives are looking around here to kill us."

"You say the sweetest things."

<><><><><>

Duke Nicolas' fever is dropping, and he is resting comfortably. Wizards Dhukonn and Izhar determined he was struck with Omexitrix poison that was boosted magically with a spell that hid its true nature. Witch Bella McTavish was a god-send, mixing and creating curative potions with the herbs and medicinal fungi in Wizard Izhar's laboratory.

I have unilaterally deemed Elm Springs patrol house to be opened under the command of Lieutenant Preston Prescott and Detective Sergeant Annabelle Schultze. Volunteers to join the Wægn Guard will report to Prescott in the morrow.

Her Grace, Lady Octavia Stein.

King Uric slumped back in his seat and swore to himself. Omexitrix poison! They could have lost Duke Stein! Omexitrix poison was one of the seven deadly poisons that assassins used, and of the seven, Omexitrix was the most painful. It's said that victims are screaming for death before their body even begins to shut down. Everything from muscle cramps to heart seizures was part of the poison's effects.

How did the Duke survive?

"Come to bed and relax my lord," came Queen Elinor's soothing voice. She held up his uniform jacket, but he didn't want to put it on. "There are members of your court outside," she said, and he slipped his arms into the sleeves.

As he buttoned his jacket and straightened his ascot, he said, "I shall shortly be making an announcement. Pray, observe if any visages betray disappointment."

"Don't I always?"

It was something that they developed early in his reign. He would make an announcement and keep his eyes locked on one individual, usually a friend or someone faithful to his reign. Others would realize he's not watching and would let their emotions show, but Elinor, the stupid little flower-child witch, would always go ignored, and she would report on disappointment or joy, scowls or grins.

And they never caught on.

The king and queen stepped out of his office and faced the crowd that waited word from him. "This evening, a terrorist discharged a poisoned arrow into the back of the venerated Duke Stein, a most craven act, devoid of honour." The king paused and caught his breath. Many thought he was going to announce the duke's death. "This evening, at the stroke of midnight, Doctor Tidor Dhukonn of the esteemed Saehrimnir Temple University declared the effects of the poisonous substance vanquished, and His Grace is now on the mend. Pray, be assured I shall elaborate further later," and he left.

When they reached their apartment, he asked Elinor if anyone looked saddened that the duke lived, and she simply said, "The usual suspects."

<><><><><>

All too soon Preston and Annabelle were in Elm Springs, a hamlet barely any larger than Deasil, where Midpoint Station House was located. This was the home of the Duke and Duchess of Wægn. They turned at the water mill and went up the hill; the forest getting darker and darker around them, then suddenly they were in a wide open meadow, a small cabin was situated at the edge of the forest, and past that a cottage with a barn, sheds and bunkhouse behind the cottage.

Candles glowed in the windows of the cottage as they stopped. "Come in, come in," said the duchess as she opened the door for them. "Put your stuff over there. Bertie and Dexter will stable your horse."

Even disheveled and in an old flannel robe, she was the most beautiful woman Preston had ever seen. He found himself staring at the marvelous creature, which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Annabelle. The duchess must have noticed it because she broke into a beautiful smile. Preston went on with the official notification. "I'm Sergeant... uh...I mean... Lieutenant Preston Prescott and this is patrol... sorry... Detective Sergeant Annabelle Schultze from the Midpoint squad reporting as ordered..."

"Stop," said Octavia, and she pulled Preston close for a hug. "It's been so long!"

"Too long," said Annabell as the duchess hugged her too. "Is there any trouble around here?"

"No, we're fine for now. The duke should be fully recovered by morning. It's just tomorrow evening at the castle I'm worried about."

"We should be..." Annabelle was saying something, but she stopped and sniffed. There was something in the air... something terrifying. "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to get behind me." Annabelle looked frightened, but she picked up her truncheon and a candle and began to follow her nose.

There was a door laying on the floor, and she lifted the corner and sniffed. The odor of toxic chemicals, old men, and beer wafted up the stairs, as did the sounds of a game of Cribs, but no threat. The threat was up here. She lowered the door and walked around the living area slowly. Sniffing.

"Werewolf-ish," Preston whispered to the duchess, who nodded.

"SHHH! It's close," Annabelle whispered hoarsely. Slowly, she crept up the stairs, following her nose. At the top of the stairs she turned left and slid back a curtain, and on the bed lay a black, 250 pound Sadhana tiger, one of the fiercest killers known to man. It was curled up on the bed, cradling a tiny baby. Annabelle gasped and tried to catch her breath; dread coursed through her little body.

Sprawled on the bed next to the massive man eating cat was a graying wolf that looked up at Annabelle and said, "Come on, in or out. Whatever, just close the curtain. We're trying to get some sleep here."

The tiny police officer fell back in shock, and Octavia caught her. Preston looked, and the smile on the Duchess's face told it all. "Detective, that is the duke. When he's feeling bad, he finds the body of the Sadhana tiger most comforting, and it's really nice to snuggle with. Little Marlon loves it. You remember the wolf, Pepin, he's the duke's friend."

"I... I... I..." sputtered Annabell.

"Shhhhh," hissed Gaspode, "Come on lady!" he growled. "I just got the kid to sleep." He laid his muzzle on his paws. "Fuckin' werewolves," the wolf muttered under his breath before going back to sleep.

"Behind you in the nursery is Nick's cousin Bella," whispered Octavia. "She had a rough night running up and down stairs all night. She was downstairs in Izhar's laboratory crafting potions then bringing them up to us wizards to examine, time after time." She pulled back the curtain a little, and in there was a young blond woman laying on her back, fast asleep. She was wearing only a pair of black "granny panties" and a peaceful expression. "She just had twins; this is the first rest she's been able to get. Let's go downstairs." Before Octavia closed the curtain, Annabelle saw a gnarled broomstick standing in the middle of the room. It was glaring at her with evil intent. Annabelle turned quickly and headed downstairs. When they reached the kitchen, Octavia asked, "Would either of you like something hot to help warm up? Tea maybe?"

"Y-yes, please. Tea would be wonderful." The sight of the huge black tiger had shocked and terrified the tiny detective. They sat at the table, and Octavia took the kettle between her hands, and soon the water was boiling. She poured it into the ready teapot and took a small pebble and held it over a small bell, then let it go. The pebble didn't move; it simply hung in the air above the bell.

"Wow," gasped Preston as he peered at the hovering pebble in the candlelight.

"It's a timer," said Octavia. "When the bell rings, the tea is ready." She got up and grabbed a few mugs and a tin of biscuits and returned. Annabelle still looked terrified, and Preston was still looking at the pebble that was hovering above a bell. "Preston, don't be such a shit! Put your arm around her, she had a bad scare and needs your compassion!"

"Sorry, you're right," said Preston as he gently pulled Annabelle to him, and the small cop nearly purred as he held her.

Octavia sat down and shook her head. "Sorry" she muttered. "It's been a long night." Normally Octavia wouldn't talk like that, but on this night her manners were gone. Both police officers looked utterly confused; it's been a tough night for them as well. "I'm sorry but she's terrified lieutenant, please comfort your... what's the matter?"

"You... we didn't expect to hear police language from you." It was beyond the pale that someone with breeding and title should swear like a cop, and both police officers were shocked. Preston pulled Annabelle onto his lap and gave her cheek a gentle kiss, while under the table she squeezed his thigh.

"I know all kinds of crap," smiled Octavia, which shocked the two again. "Look, if you're expecting a pair of blue bloods pretending to be real people for the sake of the kiddies in a rented mountain cottage with a pair of skis, forget it. Nick and I are real people. We're a pair of orphans who came up the hard way. Nick had it harder than me. His dad abandoned him on the streets in the Tubes of Torwin-Armistad at five years old. He worked this farm alone from eight to sixteen, then went to college and ended up the head of the King's guard. You know the rest."

"And you?" asked Annabelle.

"I was raised in an orphanage knowing that I would be sold to a man that would never love me, and could legally kill me if I didn't please him." Suddenly the pebble fell and hit the bell with a clear "Ding!" A sleepy fairy called out from the other side of the room, "Tea's on!"

"That's Moonbeam. She loves tea. Just make sure she isn't in your mug when you take a sip." Octavia set out a bottle of milk and a bowl of sugar, and some honey as the little fairy fluttered over and sat down on a stack of napkins. But she rolled over onto her side and went to sleep. "We have a dozen fairies that live here and they were singing most of the night. It helped calm Nick and the baby." She gave a sad smile.

Preston was about to ask how they found a cure when there came an agitated whinny from Billy. "I should go settle him down, he's not used to visiting other locations." He pulled on his parka and boots, picked up a lantern and lit it, then stepped out in the snow. It was dark and cold, and both moons had set. In a short time, the smallest moon, Livi, would rise. Livi is tiny, but it's brilliant; it's a glowing point in the sky, soon followed over the horizon by Thaal, their sun.

Billy whinnied again, and Preston headed over to the barn. He found the big black gelding in a narrow stall at the near end of the barn, and all the other animals were at the far end of the barn. "Come on silly boy." He opened the stall door and Billy nickered a greeting to a familiar face. "Come on, boy, let's go find some company." He led Billy further into the barn. It was warmer toward the back, and there were more animals back there. He found a large stall with a single horse in it, so he led Billy into the stall. Immediately Trixie and Billy became stall mates. Preston stayed a while to make sure both horses were happy with their new friend.

Back in the house, Annabelle and Octavia were having a woman to woman talk. Annabelle was the same age as Octavia, and she was interested in what it was like to have a child. "I was terrified," said Octavia. "I was not trained to have children or to raise them. Maybe purchase gifts for stepchildren and hire a nanny, but never actually HAVE a child. I was given a sterility potion when I was fourteen."

"So what happened?"

"I guess my body wanted children so my magic refused the sterility potion."

Annabelle's eyes were wide open. "Wow!" she gasped. "So what is it like to have a baby inside of you?"

"It's the most amazing feeling I've ever had. And having a husband like Nick who was always there made it even better." Then she smiled and said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," said Annabelle, knowing what it was going to be.

"Did you... ya know... give Preston a little bite?"

Annabelle blushed furiously. "Yes... but it was consensual! We talked and talked about it for weeks, then one night I said, 'Here's your chance to say no' and he never did."

"You know, this is a witch's cottage," said Octavia with a knowing smile. "The witch that lives here would be happy to make it official." For a werewolf, a bite is analogue to marriage. It just takes willpower and dedication to make it work, considering the promiscuous nature of werewolves.

"Would she? D'ya think? We never get the time or nothing!" Suddenly, her mind was filled with dreams of a witch's wedding.

"Well, if your lieutenant is good with it, our witch would be happy to perform your wedding when he's up and around."

Just then Preston walked into the house. "I got Billy settle down. He was lonely."

"Well, you two have a lot to talk about. You can sleep wherever you want," said Octavia. She gulped down her tea and rose. "Good night."

Soon it was dark. All the fairies were asleep and all the candles were blown out. The fire burned low, but the house remained warm, and soon Annabelle and Preston snuggled on a couch that they would never believe was 700 years old, and whispered until dawn.

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 10 - The Duke's Guard

The sun was fully up when Nick came down the stairs with Marlon cradled in his left arm, his right arm in a sling. He was followed by Octavia and Bella McTavish, both in bathrobes. As he appeared, the fairies throughout the living area began flashing different colors and they started singing the sweet old carole "The Snow on the Holly." Preston and Annabelle woke up and sat blinking as the fairies sang.

"Look!" Nick said to Marlon, "It stopped snowing! Even Pepin is awake this morning... for a change."

"Bugger off," groaned an exhausted wolf. Nick's best friend was lying on the floor in front of the Throne of Xuantang. He was lying on his back and Annabelle's tiny bare feet were rubbing his belly.

"You sit here with the pretty cop while Daddy gets the coffee started," said Nick, and he put Marlon in Annabelle's lap. He walked into the kitchen and prepared the coffee pot. As he was scooping ground coffee into the percolator basket, he said, "Honey?"

"Yes dear."

"Why are there two cops in our living room?"

"Because you were poisoned yesterday and almost died."

"Oh, right, sorry." He put the pot on the hot stove and then returned to the living room and scooped Marlon up from a giggling Annabelle's lap and said, "Say hi to the nice policeman," and he waved Marlon's tiny hand at Annabelle. He eased into Nanna Partridge's rocking chair with a pained wince. "I don't remember much after we left Midpoint Station last night. Is that why Bella is here?"

"Have some cocoa and relax," said Octavia as Bella handed Nick a steaming mug. "Yes, Bella is here, and there's two wizards in the basement," said Octavia, kicking the old door laying in the middle of her floor.

"You know Bella, your grandmother told me that you're a ninnyhammer, but I stuck up for you. I said, 'Aunt Agness, Bella doesn't have a hammer.'"

As Preston and Annabelle laughed at the silly joke, Bella squealed and attacked her cousin, but somehow ended up sitting in his lap. Their tussling ended when Nick detected new life growing in her womb. It was faint, just days old, but he was there, growing. "Bella!" gasped Nick. "I warned you!"

"I know, I know, but Roddy has been so sweet and loving, I couldn't help it."

If there's one thing witches are good at, is telling if a woman is pregnant. They can even tell what sex the child will be, and Nick was just as capable as his sister witches. "It's just one this time so you'll have an easier time. Just keep that messenger candle handy and I'll be there in a flash, if I'm not chewing the rag with the King or somebody over the hill." Over the hill referred to Waleston, the nation's capital, on the other side of Breeders Peak Mountain.

"I know you will," said Bella. She sounded worried.

"If there's any problems, keep in mind that there is always room here at great grandma's house."

"Thank you," she said, and she gave Nick a kiss on the cheek. "I better get going, Roddy is going to be worried."

"Sure that you don't want any breakfast?"

"No, I need to go feed my flock."

"What do I owe you?"

"Nothing," said Bella firmly. "I came because Octavia asked."

"Bella, witches don't work for free. We never take money but we always charge something," scolded Nick. "Don't let the other crones find out you're giving away witching for free! They'll be all over you in a gnat's lifespan."

"Hmmm," Bella thought for a moment, then said, "I need goats, a pair of nannies and a buck, or buckling. I'm going to need milk for all these children."

"The perfect fee for a Ninnyhammer," said Nick.

"Fopdoodle!"

"Doddopoll!"

"Scobberlotcher!"

"Ragamuffin!" and he boosted her off his lap, and she dashed up the stairs.

"They're more like siblings than cousins," said Octavia to Preston and Annabelle.

"Muck-spout!" came from the nursery upstairs. Soon Bella came down in her traditional black dress, boots and shawl, carrying her ancient looking broom. As Bella hugged Octavia, Nick promised to get her the goats soon. "I know you will," she said as she headed out the door.

Seeing the witch leave, Annabelle looked saddened. Marlon became fussy, and Octavia came and took him from Nick, opened her robe and offered her breast to Marlon. "Honey? Do you think you have a wedding in you today?" She sat down on the davenport next to Nick and fed her hungry son.

Nick was entranced by the cocoa, and she had to ask him twice. "I think I can whip something up," he said between sips.

"You're the witch?" asked Preston.

"Yeah, that's how we got this place rent free."

"What's that little building out the back door?" asked Annabelle.

"Silly little wolfling, that's the outhouse," laughed Octavia.

"No, the other one."

"Other one?" Octavia got up to look and peeked outside. "MY SAUNA! YOU REMEMBERED!" With a squeal, she descended on Nick, covering his face with kisses. Sometime during that horrible night, the farmhands put up the sauna that Nick had built in secret. "We had sauna at the college, it was so relaxing after a long day of classes," she said as she sat back down on the Davenport. As she did, there was a knock at the kitchen door. "Come in!" then she smiled and said, "Lieutenant, your troops are here." In entered two very tall, stern looking elves, male and female, and two dwarves, also male and female.

"My troops?"

"The elves, Flinar and Shelara Mialen and the dwarves, Bughac and Eryri Orebeard will take the mountain patrol areas. Flinar and Shelara will patrol the village of Irla Stein Anore and the West Side Road from Elm Springs to the tunnel and the dwarves Bughac and Eryri will patrol from the tunnel to the north face of Black Mountain including any mining activity on that face of the mountain and river access to the Gjorgiev River and the dwarf village of Marcasite."

"Wait, Stein village? What tunnel? What mines? Marcasite?"

"Irla Stein Anore is the new elf village about a mile from here," said the dwarf that Nick called Buggy.

"And Marcasite is a dwarf village being built on Black mountain," said the female elf named Shelara. "It is named for a brave troll that died at the hands of criminal dwarves."

Eryri nodded in agreement, then fought back the tears, saying, "It was the darkest time in dwarf history, and I was a pawn." Shelara held her close, trying to comfort her.

Octavia waved a hand, and a map floated in space in front of Preston, showing much more duchy to patrol than he had expected. He expected a road from Deasil to Widdershin. He knew about Breeder's Peak, but he knew nothing about the little hamlets tucked in the mountains like Thread Peak and Jackass Flats. "I don't even have an office yet," muttered Preston.

"I need a crime lab," gasped Annabelle.

"We just need to understand what we're up against," said Nick. "You have four regions to patrol, Main Road East and West, Breeders Peak is your south region, and Black Mountain is north and that will be handled by residents. Black Mountain should remain fairly quiet except for river traffic. The new tramway is going to be built on the Spatz Mountain side, so that won't be a headache."

"That's going to be the worst headache," said Preston. "That's when poaching really gets going."

"He has a point," said Shelara Mialen. "We spotted a poaching party yesterday, six hunters."

"Trust me," said Nick. "When word gets out that the mountains of Hay-on-Wægn County are being patrolled by elf warriors, poachers will go elsewhere. For the road I'll give you... twelve mounted officers, six per shift, sixteen horses, and three carriages." Suddenly, they were all talking excitedly. Patrol schedules, detective's duties, mutual aid, emergency responses. Annabelle wrote notes as fast as ideas were tossed out.

Preston tossed out a question, "Who is my boss? Is it Major Hillingham?" Major Hillingham has been the commanding officer of the Breaze Mounted Royal Guard since 3425, five years before the kingdom of Breaze fell.

"Yes," said Nick. "He will continue to be your boss."

"But I'm here in the Duchy of Wægn and he's in the Barony of Überskeld," said Preston.

"I talk with Claus about what I expect from my officers, and I know he's forty miles away, but please, don't go over his head and come to me with a request unless it's an actual emergency. The rules and laws of the highway are the same for every place in your jurisdiction. If you want to follow the money, the entire Highway Patrol is paid for by Octavia and myself. Baron Aaron Cantor pays me to position my police force in his barony, and Baron Rupert Leaby will pay me to patrol West Pennshire," said Nick. "The people of the two baronies and our duchy deserve to live in peace."

"What about wars?" asked Preston.

"Try not to start any," said Nick, causing chuckles to fill the air.

"I need a place to work out of, I need a lab and an evidence locker," said Annabelle.

"As soon as we find a place to work out of," said Nick. He pointed at the door laying on the floor. "There's your lab and your head chemist. Octavia will be happy to have her mentor closer to home."

"I don't understand," said a confused Annabelle.

"He'll give you a tour later after breakfast."

"Oh, I have something that the king ordered me to bring here," said Sgt. Prescott as he opened his duffel bag. "It's evidence we found in our investigation last night," and he drew out the small box that they found yesterday.

"What is it?" asked Octavia from the kitchen as she started to lay out ingredients for breakfast.

"It's a chain made of shonyx. We found it last night. The bandits had it and dropped it when the Duke, uhhh, had words with them."

"Get that out of this house!" said Octavia, her voice shaking.

"The king said I should give it to you." He started to open the box, but Nick stopped him.

"Lieutenant, this house is magical," said Nick. "Do not open that."

"I need to..."

"Your mission is accomplished, now get that away from me! And don't get it near my baby!" Octavia was nearly hysterical.

"Follow me," said Nick as he pulled on a pair of boots. He led Preston out into the sunny winter morning, followed by Buggy and Eryri. The sunlight was blinding as it reflected off the newly fallen snow. "I had taken the shape of an eagle and bandits put red-iron on my leg," said Nick as they headed toward the barn. "I was stuck in an eagle's body for months until the duchess shot my leg off and set me free. That ring of red-iron prevented me from returning to my body and it made me nauseous the entire time it was on my leg."

In the barn, they checked on the horses. Trixie and Billy seemed to like each other; they were snorting and nickering to each other in their stall.

"Morning, yer grace!" came a voice from the rear of the barn.

"Good morning Alphie. Alphie, this is Lieutenant Preston from the Highway Guard."

"Thank ye kindly for the box of cigars, yer grace" said Alphie as he puffed his stogie. "How's the arm?"

"I'm fine, and thank you for your loyalty. Do we have any Salts of Tagralt?"

"Aye m' lord. It works great on hoof rot."

"We'll need that, some rubbing alcohol and an old tea tin." Soon they had the required items, and Nick pulled a bucket of water from the well. "Put that chain in the tea tin," said Nick, and Preston took out the lightweight chain. It didn't look threatening looking unless you were a small dog that didn't want to be put on a leash. He placed the chain in the tea tin and set the tin down on the snow. Nick liberally sprinkled the sulfuric looking yellow powder that is the Salts of Tagralt on the chain, then filled the tin three quarters full of water. "Get back!" he warned. Then he poured a couple of ounces of alcohol into the mixture.

The five retreated to the barn and peeked out through knotholes in the door. "What's supposed to happen, gov'nor?" asked Alphie.

Steam rose from the tea tin and it sank into the snow. Occasionally, a pop could be heard and a spark would fly out from the hole in the snow. Soon sparks popped regularly from the tea tin shaped hole in the snow, then with a loud CRACK! A cyclone of smoke and vapors roared from the hole with an ear-splitting whoosh. It looked like a huge skyrocket was pointing downward and was trying to push Kudo into a new orbit around Thaal. The whoosh became a roar as the vapors shooting out of the hole burned with a blinding green flame. Suddenly, with a whoomph! and a BANG! the show was over. Noxious smoke oozed from the hole in the snowbank.

"What the hell was that?" asked Dexter as he came out from the bunkhouse to see what the noise and smoke were all about.

"That was magnificent!" cried Eryri.

"Brilliant! Do it again!" exclaimed Buggy.

"That is what was strapped to my leg for months," said Nick.

Eryri began to tear up, and she wept, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Come here little girl," said Nick softly, and he hugged the weeping dwarf maiden, but she was inconsolable. He finally said, "If that hadn't have happened, you never would have met your new husband."

<><><><><>

The main course at breakfast was laughter. They took turns telling Preston and Annabelle about the people of Elm Springs, the farmers in the area, the elf village, and the mysterious cave underneath the village. "It's black as death inside that cave," said Flinar Mialen. "The lintel at the cave entrance says, 'Only the king can see,' and the duke comes out saying, 'I can see fine in there.' Suddenly everyone is calling him the king and bowing and waving, he's angry! He made us swear our allegiance to King Uric on the sword of Elandorr Cailee, the last Ergonian Elf King."

Shelara Mialen, Flinar's wife, had to add to the story. "So here's the fellow who can see when all are blinded walkin' around saying 'I'm not the Elf King' and he's waving around the sword of Elandorr Cailee, the last Ergonian Elf King like it meant nothing to any of us."

"Really?" asked the wizards Izhar and Dhukonn. That the elves saw Nick as their king sparked a memory both had. In fact, the entire story reminded them of something dark.

"Izhar my friend, we have a special reward for your help," said Octavia as Nick got dressed. "We understand your desire to remain secure and to continue your research. The Duke has agreed to give you access to the Library of Nolmë."

Jaws dropped around the table. The Library of Nolmë is rumored to contain all recorded elven knowledge, but a quick review by Octavia showed that the elven knowledge was a small portion of the library. This library contained knowledge of when elves were the only race on Kodu until now, when they became the minority race; plus, the knowledge of all humanoid species was stored there as well. "It really exists?" gasped Izhar.

"It exists, I go there often to query the contents," said Octavia.

"I would love to take a look," said Doctor Dhukonn.

"Then toss your bags in Izhar's lab and we'll be off," said Nick as he pulled on a winter parka. They picked up Izhar's door, and they headed out down Nanny Peacock's drive to Elm Springs where they entered the Temple of the Woods. "We're going to portal hop to the library, you guys ok with portal hops?" asked Nick.

"I dislike them greatly," said Izhar. "As my years increase my tolerance for a portal hop decreases."

"Same here," said Tidor.

"Well, then it's a thirty mile hike up the mountain," warned Nick.

"I'll risk the portal," said Izhar.

"I agree. A thirty mile portal hop shouldn't be too bad."

Not long later they stepped out of the temple of Saatus's Æther portal. "Welcome to Artafána - the fortress of white," said Nick as they left the Æther portal, which was in a rough hewn cave barely big enough for the portal's columns. "Are you fellows ok? Do you need to rest?"

"Yes!" they said in unison and sat down on the stone seats, panting.

"This is just the portal; the fortress itself is much different." Once they could stand, Nick led them down the narrow passage and into the beautiful fortress. The long hallway lined with doors seemed to stretch off in both directions. "This is the fortress. Its exact nature is unknown; it's probably under Black Mountain, but that's up for debate. There are three exits you can use. The portal will take you back to the Temple of the Woods, there's a door that will put you out near the main road which is covered with snow, and another door what will put you out by the hot springs. You can follow the flow from the hot springs down the mountain to my farm. Any questions?"

"Where is the Library?" said Izhar, still panting.

"Follow me and let me introduce you to Moonshadow," said Nick, as a fairy fluttered up to them. "This is my friend Moonshadow. He or one of his girlfriends will be your guide. If you have any questions, just ask them." He led them to the library, and both wizards gasped in shock. The Library of Nolmë was everything it was rumored to be, and more. Shelves of books faded off into the distance, and the wizards trembled as they saw the huge card catalog.

At the entrance to the library was a small plinth, and on that sat an ancient book with a new cover and binding. "This is my friend, Vanemate Rasside Jõud, The Power of the Elder Races. As far as I can tell, he fights back against being read. I would try to avoid him; this book can be grouchy. Leave your door here and let me show you features of the fortress first," said Nick, and he showed them bedrooms, studies, dining rooms, a kitchen with a full larder where they could craft their own dinners.

"It's a paradise," gasped Izhar.

"You haven't seen paradise yet," said Nick, and he led them to the underground vegetable gardens, and fruit orchards, and finally the park. "This is where Octavia and I spend most of our time, especially in that pond. There's garden gnomes throughout the area and they'll answer any questions unless they consider you a threat at which point I'll return and remove you. For me, Octavia and Marlon, this is our place, our home. Please keep that in mind."

When Nick left, he left the two wizards laughing and splashing in the pond. Nick stepped out the back exit by the hot springs where he and Octavia camped last summer. So much had happened since the army rose against King Alfrich of Breaze and General Steinhauer stabbed his wife and Octavia's husband to death. Nick was sick of politics; he just wanted to farm, be the witch, and raise his son.

Soon a black eagle took to the sky and headed toward the farm. He had a wedding to perform.

<><><><><>

"He lived!" said Lord Percy Slipspring, head of security for the Kingdom of Uduithia. "Duke Stein lived." His smile suddenly faded, and his bony finger pointed at three men standing in his office chamber. "You promised that the male witch would be dead by moonset and he's alive and hosting a brunch for elves and dwarves." He poked the head assassin in the chest and said, "You promised me the duke's dead body and his son in my arms so I would control the most powerful wizard on Kodu!"

The head assassin grabbed the bony finger of the head of National Security and twisted painfully, bringing Lord Slipspring to his knees. "Do not presume to tell me my job," snarled the assassin. "You wanted war with Elbreshowth on the Moor, you will get war with Elbreshowth on the Moor. Then you wanted control over the most powerful wizard on Kodu, but you can't have that. I have control over him. But I'll give you the cunt you so desire."

"My finger," gasped Lord Slipspring as Stefen Roem twisted it harder.

"Tonight is the Queen's Winter Ball," hissed Steven Roem. "If you follow the instructions I give you then you will have your little war, and the false duke's body, and his child to violate, you sick pervert. Then you can tell that cunt wizard what you want her to do, or not do. Personally, I have a kingdom to run."