Parallel Summaries (part 3)

The mage produced an ordinary compass an inch or so across. Within it, a magnetised needle floated on a bed of liquid, and always aligned itself north-south. He explained: "If a drop of blood from a blood relation of the person to be found is dropped into the liquid, and the appropriate spell enacted, then if the person is alive the needle will always point in their direction. If they are dead, then the needle will spin aimlessly. Will you let me prick your finger, My Lady?" As he spoke, he levered off the glass lid of the compass. "Off course." The mage pricked Rowena's finger- tip with a pin, squeezed a drop of her blood into the compass liquid, and then replaced the lid.

Rowena looked at the needle, floating in the now slightly red-tinged liquid. "It hasn't worked," she said disappointedly. "It's still pointing in the same direction as before." "I haven't cast the spell yet. You have many blood relatives, and the spell is needed to attune the needle to the correct one. Now, you must realise that it is far more likely that your brother is dead than that he is alive, so fortify yourself against being disappointed."

The mage held the compass in his hand and said a lot of what sounded like gibberish to Rowena, in which she could only recognise at one point "Lord Frederigo D'Honaire". When he had finished, the needle slowly swung to orientate itself in a completely different direction. "He's alive!" they both exclaimed, Rowena in relief and the mage in surprise.

"I must go and gather some supplies, and then saddle my horse" said Rowena. "Let me get well clear of the castle before you tell my parents that I have gone to find Fred." "Oh, no! I'm not telling them. You mustn't go. They have already lost, as they think, their son. If they knew that I was implicated in the departure of their eighteen year-old daughter on such a risky venture, then I would lose my head." "But I can't tell them that I know Fred is alive, and how I know, which I'd need to do to get them to send out a search party. You said yourself that because of the use of black magic this had to be our secret. So don't tell them anything. Instead I will leave them a note, telling them that I have gone to find Fred and that they are not to worry." "But they will worry, dreadfully." "I know, but what else can I do?" He had no good answer to that.

Perhaps it was the set look on Fred's face that deterred the dwarves from stopping him as he went to investigate the cries for help. Or perhaps they decided that they were now close enough to Fred's homeland that they might as well consider their escorting duties at an end. Whatever the reason, they did not try to intervene.

The cries were coming from within a stand of trees some two hundred yards from their camp-site. After his recent experiences in Foxes' Forest, Fred had to force himself to enter the trees. It was dusk outside the grove, and even darker inside, but he was able to make out a slim figure tied to one of the trees. As he approached, he noticed that the figure had long blonde hair. Though dressed in male attire, it must be a woman. As he got closer still, he thought: There's something very familiar about her.

They recognised each other simultaneously, Fred crying "Rowena" and Rowena crying "Fred". "How on Earth did you get here?" Fred asked her as he untied her bonds. "I came looking for you, silly," she said, half laughing and half crying. "My magic compass did its job. Of course, I didn't know how far away you were, but I knew the direction. A couple of hours ago, I got jumped by a couple of bandits, who took my horse, money and pack, and tied me to this tree." "They didn't...?" asked Fred, suddenly fearful. "Rape me? No. I told them that I had the pox, and they weren't prepared to risk that I might be telling the truth." "So how are mum and dad?" "They were fine when I left. The main news is that there are rumours that the Great Kingdom may invade Aquilaria. The queen was killed in a riding accident a month or so ago and - with the Princess Astra missing - Aquilaria is in a state of confusion over the succession. Some back home see that as offering us an opportunity."

Fred did not like the sound of that at all.

"An opportunity?!!?" said Fred aghast. His mind was reeling from the sudden image of his sword-sister, Astra, coming to his mind. The loss he felt soured any thought of gain for the Kingdom. "For what!?! Have we sunk so low as to take from the tree any fruit for which our lips lust?"

Rowena was jarred by the power in her brother's voice. She looked him over; he was dirty, unkempt and smelled of sweat, smoke and unpleasant things. The cloak that covered his body was soiled, burned in places, and ragged. She could see that he wore armor beneath the cloth, and it seemed to emanate brightness in the dying light of the day's end. This man before her was indeed her brother, yet his travels had changed him. She would have spoken a word in response to his outburst, yet the sight of two diminutive men caused her pause. And then she said, "What are those!"

The embittered voice of Dokken rang clear in the darkening air; "Bloody! That dame is as stupid as a ewe!"

Fred was up in a heartbeat. "Take that slander back dwarf Dokken or you shall pay by my hand!"

"By your hand?!!?" cried Dokken sarcastically. "Will you kill me or will you let your sword do it for you?!!?"

The words caused a chill to run up Fred's spine. His anger at the slight to his sister was forgotten as the truth of the sword-binding caused more serious considerations to flood his mind. It was the voice of Lem that was next heard. "Be the lass a girl of this country? And if so, what was the cause of her screams?"

After explanations and introductions, the foursome settled down and set camp. The Lady Rowena D'Honaire was awed by the dwarves. She had never laid eyes on any and had always thought them to be the most exotic of men. She had once seen an elf, but that one was haughty and 'high-brows' did not sit well with Rowena. As the fire crackled the girl continued her barrage of questions, a barrage that had begun a half hour earlier.

"What is it like to live underground? I would think it so dark and dreary....are there days when you do not even see the light of the sun?"

Lem rolled his eyes at her ignorance but he found the patience to begin to answer another of her silly questions. Dokken, however, did not have the patience. "SwordSlave, tell your mother's daughter to quit her yacking!"

Fred, who knew that the dwarves would not treat his sister as the Lady she was, shot back by speaking to Lem. "Goodly Lem, tell your cousin that he should speak his thoughts with the Lady D'Honaire and that if he should slight her that the Lord D'Honaire, here seated, will be more than happy to give him a proper education."

Dokken grumbled and Fred only grumbled louder. It was Rowena who tried to calm the matter. "My apologies, Sir Lem, Sir Dokken," she said most politely. "I did not mean any offense, I only wished to learn more of your kind, your way. I will bestill my voice, and let you slumber."

The night followed its course and though Dokken snored, Lem was on duty. Fred and Rowena were awake as well, staring at each other in the light of the fire. "It is good to see you brother," she said.

"And you," said Fred. "But..."

"But...." continued Rowena. "....the world is a troubled place and we are not where we need to be to make things right."

"Aaah Wen. Everything is crazy yet still you can read my mind. I do love you so. But you are right; we need to get ourselves home and fast! There is so much to tell, so much to report. The things I've seen, Wen, you wouldn't believe it even if I told you! The Dragon is dead and another two as well, yet still our people are not free from madness. If any of the Dukes and Barons think they can use the troubles of Aqualaria to our advantage they are wrong; the Aqualarians are a stranger people than any of our Teachers know."

"And besides," said Rowena. "As Dad always says, 'the foreigner that you help in the day may be the friend that saves you in the night.'" Fred was suddenly startled and excited; "What did you say?!!?"

"I only said that based on what I've heard of these Aqualarians, they might prove better allies than subjugated servants." "No, not the meaning...the words....our father's words. Why did you say that right now?"

"I dunno. Why, what's the matter?"

"There was a man in that dread Forest. He made me...think, before I made a hasty decision. He, too, spoke of strangers and aid. He would not tell me his name and there was something very strange about him. He was lost to the fog and mist when I came to the aid of the dwarves. He's probably dead now, if the Forest had anything to do about it. I was just spooked when you used the same words as he."

"Then I shan't spook you any longer, dear brother. Let us sleep now, for tomorrow we continue onwards. There is a hamlet not far from this place, I passed it coming southward. We should be able to get steeds there and make our way homeward all the quicker."

With that said and done, the two fell asleep, none the wiser that Dokken had his ears open the whole time.

When morning came all was readied and soon the four were off. Off, only to be sucked here with Astra's kidnappers. The Janeways and Jellico stunned the lot of Dwarves, rightly fearing that in that free for all that THEY might bet chopped up by those damn dwarven criminals.....and also caught Fred 7 in the crossfire.

"Yes, I'd like to thank you for hitting me with that fell magical weapon of yours!" Fred 7 growled, rubbing where his chest was still numb from the stun setting.

"Hey, at least it didn't kill you!" Fred 6 joked, trying to lighten the situation. Fred 7 frowned at Fred 6 for a few moments, and then starts to laugh an honest laugh.

Yes, it could have been MUCH worse than just a devilish device hitting him with the force of a club!

"Okay....I did a few things here," 179 says before leaving (authorized time dirtside nearly gone). "I changed the nature of that sword that Fred 7 has.....it's no longer magical....but it has the virtue of not draining the user of vital essence at odd times. Considering that I can't send Fred 6's group home, I took the liberty of linking Fred 6's Sigin with the treasure that Tarin stole from Minestus' Hoard...."

1. Remaining Crystallics vanish (without a cry of protest....having them around gives the Military and the Terrans the shakes!)

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