Berlina's Quest (12 page)

Over the course of the next day, Berlina spotted several refugees from the army camp. The attack by the wyrms terminated the invisibility spell, but the soldiers didn't realize it. Berlina, Felistia, and Lathan would come up on these men pretending that they couldn't see them, and then attack as they got close enough.

“The more of these men we get,” said Berlina, wiping the blood off her sword, “the fewer there will be to aid those in that castle up ahead.”

“Are we going straight to the castle?” asked Felistia.

“No, up here we should find a side road that turns off to the right and leads to Quince Village. We will take that. I want to find the true owner of that castle, and mayhap, we can join forces with him. Plus, should there be an inn, I would not think ill of a good night's sleep.”

“Now that is a tempting idea,” said Felistia. “Camping along the road or in nearby woods is often the best we can do, but a night in a nice inn, well…I hope we can find one nicer than the Pink Wyvern, though.” She laughed.

Berlina laughed, too. “Yes, that was indeed a malodorous hovel. I chose it, because I thought they would never look for us there, would never find us. We would have gotten away with it, too, if that south end of a northbound horse had not had the Dis-Cover ring. Now that I have the ring, we will be safe if I glamour our faces.”

Just then, they came upon a road leading off to the right and turned onto it.

“Are we sure this is the proper way to go?” asked Felistia.

“Yes. From the main road, the high turrets and spires of the castle are visible above the trees directly in front of us. There are only two roads, so if that led to the castle, this must go to the village.”

“Only two? What about that ‘Ultimate Magic' place?”

Berlina gazed into the sky, trying to visualize the map so she would not have to go to the trouble of taking it out and then put it away again. Finally, she said, “I am fairly sure that the road to the Black Fortress joins this road right at the castle ahead. If we go through the village, we will eventually swing around and get to the castle, so this is the road we want.”

As they rode along, they began to see houses and cultivated fields. After another hour or two, they reached a built-up area, and to their delight, an inn called ‘The Jasmine Rose'. They tethered their horses, Berlina renewed the glamours on their faces, and they entered.

Berlina walked up to the man standing behind the bar and said, “Innkeeper, we wish to get two rooms for the night. A double for me and my companion and a single for our bodyguard. Can you serve us?”

“Ma'am, I regret that we are almost booked up. A room for you two ladies, aye, that I can do…if you can pay for it, that is. It is the finest room I have. As far as your bodyguard…well, the best I can offer is an empty bunk in the room where our guards doss.”

“Ahh. I see your problem. Surely, an empty bunk with your guards cannot cost very much. Add that to the room for us, and we will pay you the cost of two ordinary rooms. Just what I was expecting to pay, anyway. Do we have a deal?”

The Innkeeper frowned a little, as if he had hoped to charge more dearly, but then said, “Aye, ma'am. That will do.” He turned and hollered to the back of the building, “Squamish. Squamish! Go get these guests' horses tethered out front and take them to the stables. Juletta, three meals for our honored guests.” He turned back to Berlina and said, “You two ladies will be in room one score and three, upstairs. Here is the key.” He held the key up but did not give it to them immediately. Instead, he gripped it firmly until Berlina put her gold on the counter.

He scooped up the gold and dropped the key, and Berlina grabbed it. While this exchange was going on, a young girl in a barmaid's dress placed three plates on a nearby table, and a young boy zipped through the room to the front door. “There is your dinner,” said the innkeeper. “Enjoy yourselves. When your man is done, he can go out back. The guard room is next to the stables. He can ask anyone if he can't find it.”

Berlina and her companions sat down and started to eat. After a few bites, Berlina said, “This is good, and it's so nice to have something I didn't have to fix myself.”

“Yes, it is good,” said Felistia.

When they had all finished, Berlina said to Lathan, “Go out in back. The room where you are to sleep is by the stables. If you don't see it, ask for the guard room. In the morning, come back in here and wait for us to come downstairs. You understand?”

“Shur, Princess,” replied Lathan, as he turned and walked toward the back of the inn.

The two girls headed for the stairs to go up to their room. “I just hope we don't have to go searching all over the inn to find him tomorrow,” said Berlina.

* * * *

In the morning, as they came down the stairs, they saw Lathan patiently waiting near the bar. When the innkeeper spotted them, he hollered, “Juletta!” Almost instantly, the same young girl darted out and put three plates on the table. “My daughter,” said the innkeeper. “I'm training her, and she is learning very well.”

The three companions sat and ate. When they finished, Berlina went over to the bar and said, “We have heard some stories about the castle, and Prince Quince being thrown out. Are these true?”

“Yes, ma'am. The castle was taken by treachery, and the prince had to flee to his stronghold in the village, or as it is sometimes called, ‘The Lodge'. The villains who took the castle seem to be using it to hold a prisoner, reported to have been dressed in the royal colors of Jylyria. They left just a handful of soldiers to hold the place—the soldiers and a sorcerer. The rest of the soldiers marched away, and partway down the road, vanished in a puff of smoke. I know not if we'll ever see those men again.”

Berlina laughed and said, “I suspect you won't, at least not most of them. We heard a story that they were devoured by a horde of strange monsters.”

“That is passing unusual, but since they mistreated our prince, I for one would be glad to find that story true. Now, if I may ask, why have you come to our village? Are you just passing through, or have you business here? Should I keep rooms open for you for tonight?”

“We have an errand here, yes. As far as rooms, I don't know for sure. Depending on how things go, we may have other accommodations by tonight…or perhaps not. We will try to send word to you if we are going to need rooms here. In the meantime, can you tell me how to get to this ‘Lodge', as you call it?”

“That is easy. Just stay on this road. It bends around toward the castle, and the Lodge will be the last building on the right before you come to the open space separating the village from the castle. Unfortunately, I fear you may be on a fool's errand. Ever since the prince was forced from the castle and moved in there, no visitors have been allowed in. Even deliveries of food and supplies are left outside the door. The prince has been seeing no one…well, he did summon a witch from the village for a short visit, but that was all.”

“A witch?”

“Yes, the sorcerer has placed an invisible wall around the castle, and the prince hoped the witch might do something. When she got back to the village, she told everyone she was unable to help, and had so informed the prince.”

“Do you know who this witch was that he summoned or where she is located?”

“We have only one witch in the village—Madam Clotilde. She lives, and has a little shop, just down the road on the left. Don't know why you care. I hear tell she's really not much of a witch. After all, she wasn't able to help the prince. Other than her, the prince has seen nobody.”

“We shall see, we shall see,” said Berlina. “I have a feeling that he may be willing to admit me, to talk to me. Thanks for your information, and your advice. Now, if we can have our horses brought out?”

The innkeeper turned to the back of the inn and shouted, “Squamish!”

Berlina motioned to Felistia and Lathan, and the three walked out front to await the horses. When they came, the three mounted and started down the road. “No hurry,” said Berlina. “We have at least one stop to make before we get to the Lodge. In fact, I see our first destination just ahead.” She pulled her horse over in front of a small store, with a sign over the door that read “Occulte Shoppe”. She got down and handed the reins to Felistia. “Just hang on. I don't think I'll be long.”

Berlina pushed open the door and entered. Inside, it was very dim, and the air smelled of incense. Behind the counter was a middle-aged woman wearing witch's robes. Berlina said to her, “You are Madam Clotilde, are you not? The local witch, and the only person Prince Quince has asked to see since he was forced out of his castle? What did he want of you?”

“Yes, I am Madam Clotilde, and yes, I am a witch. The prince's men reported to him that there was an invisible wall around the castle—a wall they could not pass.”

“Was there?”

“Yes, what we call ‘wards'. I told him there was nothing I could do. Wards cannot be penetrated.”

“Wrong, wrong, wrong. It is merely that the one seeking to penetrate the wards must be a more powerful magic user than the person casting them. Could you get any feeling for how powerful their sorcerer is?”

“I should be ashamed to admit it, but he is much stronger than I am.”

“How about me?”

“You? What do you mean? You cannot be a witch. I would have sensed it when you entered.”

“So, you couldn't even tell I was using a shield-spell to hide my magical powers?” Berlina paused and muttered a few words. “Now, what do you think.”

Madam Clotilde had a shocked expression on her face. “You are a witch! By the Brass Balls of Beelzebub, I have never sensed one more powerful. Are you a member of the Order of the Flowers?”

“No, not a member. At least not yet. However, I was taught for five years by Forsythia. I apologize for putting you through this, but I wanted to see if you had any good feel for the strength of their sorcerer. Unfortunately, both he and I overwhelm you to the point where you can't judge our strength versus one another. Thank you for trying, anyway.”

“I am happy to help when I can…may I ask your name?”

“Just call me Bejanna,” said Berlina as she turned and went out the door. Outside, she mounted and signaled the others to start. “Useless, Fee. She was just useless. A feeble witch, indeed.”

It didn't take long for the three to get through the town and arrive at the Lodge. They tethered the horses and walked up to the door, which had a sign on it reading, “No admittance. By order of the prince. This means you!” Berlina glanced at the sign, then took hold of the knocker, and rapped loudly on the door. When she got no response, she rapped again, harder and louder. A third time came close to bending or breaking the metal of the knocker.

This time, there was a response. A voice from inside said, “Go away. No admittance. The prince is seeing no one, allowing no one to enter. Go away.”

Berlina said, “I am sure the prince will see me, if he knows who I am. Open the door.”

“No. I will not open the door. Go away.”

“If you will not open the door for me, I will have to open it myself. Your choice.”

The voice coming through the door was sounding angrier and angrier. “I will not open the door, and you cannot. This Lodge, built to be a safe refuge for the prince in an emergency, is built very strongly. This door is one of the strongest doors in the world. Do your damnedest. The door won't open for you.”

“All right. Have it your way.” Berlina pulled out her wand, muttered a few words, and the door swung open. “How strange. The door is open. Fee, Lathan, follow me. We're going inside.” She entered the building and stopped in the middle of the entrance foyer, joined by Felistia and Lathan.

In front of her, the owner of the voice, the Castellan, had a look of shock and horror on his face. Finally, he managed to choke out, “Are you part of the gang that took the castle, or are you another enemy? Are you here to assassinate the prince?”

“No, actually, we are here to help the prince. To help him recover his castle. For I believe the one they are keeping prisoner there is the Crown Prince of Jylyria, and I have come to rescue him. Please, take me to your prince. You may call me Bejanna. I will reveal who I really am, but only to him.”

Suddenly, a new voice issued from a balcony overlooking the foyer. “Caliban, what in the world is going on down there?”

“A young lady calling herself Bejanna has managed to open the door, and has invited herself and two friends inside. She wishes to speak to you, My Lord.”

“Well, if she managed to open the door, she must have something going for her. Send her and her friends up to my study.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“One other thing. Close the damn door before we end up with half the people in the village deciding to come visiting.”

The Castellan shut and locked the door, and then led the three up the stairs to the prince's study. It was a large room with a magnificent desk in the middle and several clusters of comfortable furniture arranged for conversation.