Pleiades Twenty-Seven
Chapter XI: Practical Magic
"It's about time you showed up," an elderly gentleman addressed the trio. "I've been waiting for quite a while. Peter giving another of his long-winded explanations again?"
"Yes," James chuckled, blushing.
"Well, let me have a look at you," Simon said.
Ben stepped forward and let the old man examine him.
"Rather young, aren't you?" he grinned. Ben smiled back.
"I'm older than I look, sir," he said.
"Right you are. James, you and Isabelle can share quarters if you like. Everyone who knows of your coming believes you two to be married."
"That's all right with me," James said, glancing at Isabelle.
"Fine. Okay with me too," she smiled broadly.
"Excellent. We will start lessons tomorrow. First you may find your rooms and we can all meet here for luncheon."
"Thank you," Isabelle said.
-~-
"Well, what do you think of that?" Isabelle asked as she and James prepared for bed.
"Think of what?"
"Simon. It's as if he knew we were coming."
"He did."
"How?" she challenged.
"I don't know how," he shrugged. "Simon Oliver is a very powerful wizard-he has his ways."
"Maybe he's psychic," Isabelle grinned.
"Maybe. It is quite amazing, being in the presence of Simon Oliver," James sighed, slipping under the covers and putting his hands behind his head.
"I'm sure that if I knew more about this guy, I'd be in as much awe as you. But for the moment, I'm a little jealous," Isabelle smirked, cuddling up to her "husband."
"Why?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Come on, tell me. After all, I am your "husband,"" James smiled.
"Only in public, sir," Isabelle retorted haughtily. "Be careful, or I shall make you sleep on the floor!"
"You just try!"
Ben was none too happy to be woken from a semi deep sleep by shrieks and laughter issuing from his brother's room. Scowling, he rolled over and clapped his pillow over his ears. (Authors' note: It was just a tickle attack. Nothing serious.)
-~-
James and Isabelle were late to breakfast the next morning.
"Where were you?" Simon asked. They blushed.
"I-ah-we-had trouble sleeping last night," James stammered.
"I'll say," Ben said darkly. Isabelle glanced at the boy.
"I always have problems adjusting to a new place, Mr. Oliver," she said quickly. "And I kick."
Simon looked at them.
"You two never were good at lying. Just say you overslept next time. Save us all the trouble of guessing the truth and give it to us," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Well, Ben, how should we punish them for lying to us?"
"Make them go without breakfast."
"Sounds all right to me. Come along," the old wizard motioned for them to follow him.
Simon led them through the huge old house to the library.
"If you think you are going to learn how to make flowers appear out of thin air or teach a cat to talk, you have another thing coming," Simon started. "All of that is frivolous. No, practicality is what I teach."
"But what if we needed to ask an animal a question-like if we were to get lost in the forest and no humans were around to show us the way?" Isabelle hypothesized. "What then?"
Simon thought for a moment.
"You have a point, young lady," he said sternly. "Fine. If you learn what I teach you quickly enough, we can learn together how to speak to animals. Deal?"
"Deal." Isabelle and Simon shook hands.
-~-
"First things first," Simon said, once everyone was settled. "What do you know of magic?"
"I know very little," Isabelle cringed.
"Why do you flinch, Lady?" Simon asked. "I know your story-there is no shame in it."
"I do not want to delay our lessons, Master Oliver," she simpered.
"Stop that!" Simon cried, striking her chair with his staff. "Make no apologies to me. You are Lady Isabelle Sylvester. I am simply Simon Oliver. I consider it an honor to tutor you. There is much to your power, Lady. I will help you expose them again."
"I have been practicing for ages, Simon," Ben piped up. "Perhaps you would like to start with me?"
"You are too eager, Benjamin," Simon said severely. Ben glared at the old man. "Patience is a virtue."
"Virtue is overrated!" the boy shouted, throwing his books and papers to the floor. He stormed out of the library.
"You will have to watch out for him," Simon warned. "Ben is not all bad. He has a lot to learn. But he will test you."
"Thank you for the warning, Simon," James said solemnly. He was none too happy to learn of that. Isabelle saw the distressed look in his eyes and gently touched his arm.
"Yes, thank you," she whispered.
"Well, let's get on with it!" Simon exclaimed.
Isabelle couldn't help but grin and shake her head.
-~-
Simon's teaching method was very hands-on; in a matter of days Isabelle and James could do anything from enabling tables and chairs to move of their own free will and under the control of the wizards to make huge boulders rise twenty feet off of the ground and send them flying through the air. It certainly helped that Isabelle was a quick learner, and as soon as the learned to join their magics, James and Isabelle were quite powerful.
True to his word, Simon and Isabelle worked on learning how to speak to animals. Their quest was helped by James, who found an ancient book of Animal Spells in the farthest corner of Simon's library. In it was a spell that enabled them to speak to the Animals, an ability that seemed somewhat superfluous to Simon, but also slightly valuable, as Isabelle had pointed out.
"You have exceeded even my expectations," Simon said after a week of lessons.
"We had a good teacher," Isabelle smiled.
"The best!" he cried, grinning. They all laughed.
"What now?" James asked.
"Now," Simon started, only to be interrupted by Courtney, one of the housemaids. "We will be interrupted."
"If you please, sir," she said breathlessly, "This just came for you. From the Queen!" She dropped a quick curtsey and scuttled off.
"Well now," Simon said, opening the letter. "This is an honor. Queen Henrietta requests your presence, Master James. And you're to be there in a week. It says something about being named Lord High Wizard, or some such rubbish."
"Can't we just send a message politely saying that I cannot accept? It would be so much easier than traveling all the way to the castle," James said seriously.
"I'm sorry, but no. A Royal Summons cannot be answered in that way. You must go, and you must go now. I'll have Rupert prepare horses for you," Simon sighed, standing and starting to the door.
"Horses?" Isabelle inquired, her brow furrowing. "Wouldn't it be faster for him to travel with one horse?"
Simon turned. "Of course it's easier for him to travel on one horse. But you don't want to walk, do you?"
"Me?" she exclaimed. "I'm going too?"
"Yes, you're going too," Simon nearly snapped. Isabelle blinked.
"What about me?" Ben asked sharply.
"What about you?" Simon replied, his annoyance growing.
"Aren't I going as well?"
"No, you still have much to learn. As much as I would like to send you along, Benjamin, you must stay." Ben pouted. "Sulk all you want, my boy, it won't do you any good."
The boy skulked out of the room and slammed the door. Simon sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"I don't know about him. I really don't. While you two are gone, I am going to write a letter to your father. Ben has a serious attitude problem, and I fear that it will affect his abilities."
"I'm sure Dad will appreciate it," James said, the muscles in his jaw tightening.
"You two had best be going," Simon sighed.
"Right. We'll be back soon," Isabelle chimed in, taking James by the arm and leading him out of the library.
Once the horses were packed, James and Isabelle were on their way. A thick, dark forest loomed before them, a foreboding sight to two wary travelers. Little did they know the adventures that awaited them there.
Chapter X: A Wrinkle In Time, Madeline L'Engle
Chapter XI: Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman
Chapter XII, Part I: Where The Wild Things Are
"Have you ever been here?" Isabelle asked as they rode into the forest.
"No. Simon assured me that this road would lead to the castle. So long as we stay on it, we should be safe," James said, turning in his saddle to face her.
"Oh."
"Are you scared?"
"Who, me? Nah. Just cold."
"Wrap a blanket around your shoulders," he suggested. Isabelle scowled at his back. She pulled a wool blanket from one of the packs and threw it on.
Although it was mid morning, inside the forest was dark and cool. A wolf howled in the distance.
"What was that?" Isabelle gasped, spooked.
"A wolf. Don't worry," James smiled, "I'll protect you."
"It's not that I'm worried about," she muttered, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She checked the straps of her sword hilt, making sure she would be able to draw it quickly if needed.
Aside from appearing as if in twilight, the forest was a gorgeous place. Moss dripped from the trees, gray-green in the soft light. Mist filtered through the tree trunks, wisps tangling around the horse's hooves and obscuring the path ahead. Every now and then the sun would break through the thick canopy, a golden spear piercing cold lead.
The small crack of a twig breaking drew Isabelle's attention to the ground. Her eyes widened in shock. A large, dark gray wolf stood on a fallen tree trunk, staring at her with it's luminous yellow eyes. Isabelle's mount shied away from the beast, but she soon had him under control.
"J-James!" she whispered shakily. "James!" she cried, a little louder.
The wolf blinked. Isabelle could almost swear she saw it grin. She pulled the reins on her horse and made him stop.
"Do not fear me, child," the Wolf said in it's deep, raspy voice. "I come to offer protection to you and your companion. These woods are not safe for humans to travel in, especially in such small numbers."
Isabelle's mouth opened and closed several times.
"Do not open and shut your mouth so," the Wolf stated calmly. "You resemble a Fish, and we all know that Fish have nothing particularly interesting to say."
She found her tongue soon enough.
"Thank you, sir," she gulped. "Pray, tell me how can I understand you?"
"You possess the Gift," the Wolf said simply. "Very few people are able to understand the Animals. Use it well, Lady."
"I shall," she said, amazed. "How far is it through these woods?"
"Quite far, Lady. It takes at least three days to cross the forest, so we must move now. I will not lie to you and say it is an easy journey. The road is fraught with perils." Isabelle related the message to James.
"What kind of perils?" he asked. The Wolf blinked at him.
"We do not have time to discuss this. We should leave now and try to make good time before sundown."
Isabelle nodded and spurred her horse forward.
"I don't think we can trust him," James whispered to Isabelle. "He wouldn't answer my question."
"How do you know?" she asked harshly. "I'm sorry. No, he didn't answer the question, but then again, we do want to get as far as we can before we have to stop. And I'm sure we'll see the "perils" before they get too close."
"I hope you are right," James said dubiously.
"I know I am!" Isabelle grinned.
-~-
They rode in silence, as the forest scene was not conducive to conversation. Isabelle observed the lack of underbrush, flowers, and animals. The Wolf was the only creature she had seen.
Vines wounds up the trunks of the ancient trees, the dark gray-green leaves in slight contrast to the deep brown of the tree bark. Everything in the forest was gray. The mists were silver, the leaves on the trees were various shades of greenish gray, and the earth itself took on a gray tinge.
The Wolf led them through the forest, winding through trees, over gullies, around rocks and fallen branches. He would sometimes forget that his companions were on horseback and not as swift as himself, and he often left them behind and had to be called back.
"What is that noise?" Isabelle asked as a low, distant rumble was heard echoing through the trees. "Is it thunder? Is a storm coming?"
"No, Lady," The Wolf said. "It is the waterfall. It is quite far away, I assure you. We will be coming to the river soon. I will take you where the water is shallow enough for your horses to cross."
"Thank you," she replied after relaying the message to James.
Soon enough, the winding, blue-gray water of the river shimmered just ahead of the travelers. Isabelle and James reined in their horses, but the Wolf just kept going, splashing in the cold water. With some minor hesitation, they followed the Wolf's lead and began to cross.
Three quarters of the way across, the Wolf stopped dead in his tracks and growled. His whole body stiffened, and the hair on his back stood straight up. Baring his teeth, the Wolf glared into the underbrush, daring the inhabitant to come forward.
A low grumble was heard and before long an enormous Bear stalked out of the woods and up to the riverbank.
"You shall not pass!" the Bear roared, sitting up on his haunches.
"Bugger off!" the Wolf replied. "We have business in the North country."
"You shall not pass!" the Bear repeated and stood all the way up.
The horses tried to shy away, but James and Isabelle held the reins tightly and controlled the beasts. The Wolf snarled and showed his fangs, advancing oh-so-slowly to the Bear.
James and Isabelle drew their swords in anticipation, but there was little need for that. The Wolf sprang from the river and attacked the Bear, growling viciously.
After a few moments, the Bear ran off into the forest, whining and whimpering as he went. The Wolf followed, and Isabelle heard him shouting all the way. She grinned and sheathed her sword.
"Come along," she said to James, gently spurring her mount forward.
High above the river, a Hawk circled, watching the proceedings. When the horses left the water, the Hawk wheeled and flew off in the direction of the Castle.
-~-
The Wolf soon rejoined James and Isabelle, slightly worse for wear. He shrugged off Isabelle's inquiries as to his health, saying only "I have had worse pain."
They stopped for the night, finding an area to camp not far from the river. Isabelle searched for firewood and built a fire as James fished for their supper. The Wolf disappeared for a few hours, presumable hunting for his own dinner.
It was nearly dark when the Wolf returned.
"Is it safe here, do you think?" Isabelle asked him.
"It is, now," the Wolf said, "The Bear is not usually so stand-offish; one must think that outside forces are influencing him. It is possible that these forces will manipulate other beings into acting against you."
"Thank you for the warning," Isabelle replied, relaying the message to James. "What are the chances of us living through this forest?"
"Better than average. Two powerful wizards with mad sword skills against various mythical beasts and possible supernatural forces. I think you stand a fairly good chance."
"Thanks again," Isabelle said dryly. "Thank you for that inspiring speech." The Wolf blinked.
The next morning found them trudging through a muddy, nasty swamp. Thick clouds had gathered high above the trees, making the already gray light a darker gray. The ground was moist and sucked at their boots and at the horses' shoes. The Wolf had managed to find a path over fallen trees, thus avoiding the marshy ground. Unfortunately, the semi-submerged logs would not hold the weight of a human, and most definitely not the weight of a horse, so the intrepid travelers had to forge a trail through the damp, disgusting bog. Every once in a while Isabelle had to call the Wolf back, as he would sometimes forget that his companions were not as swift of foot as he was.
"There isn't any way around this swamp, is there?" Isabelle finally asked.
"No, there is not. This is the only way to get around it." the Wolf answered, sounding a little wary of his surroundings.
Isabelle did not press farther. They continued to plod through the muck and mire with the occasional unsavory outburst from one of the group. It was rather amusing for Isabelle to hear the Wolf's choice of expletives when he would lose his footing on a slime-covered log.
It started raining lightly as night fell.
"We should stop," Isabelle said as she picked her way around a sinkhole.
"No, we should not. There is nowhere to camp, and to stop now would be certain death." the Wolf replied quickly.
"That's cheery. Why?"
"Now is not the time," the Wolf answered. Isabelle relayed the message to James.
"I think we should light torches and keep going," he said.
"Right. Light torches and blow us all to smithereens. Swamp gas is flammable, bonehead!" Isabelle cried crossly. She had just stepped into a puddle of icky, gooey mud and it was not releasing her foot. The mud made a rather rude noise when she was finally able to break free of it.
"Actually, while swamp gas is flammable, it is not explosive."
"Fine."
As darkness descended, they lit torches and held them high so as to see the ground before them. To anyone traveling in the swamp, it would have been an interesting sight: A Wolf leading two Humans, who in turn were each leading a horse. The torchlight reflected on the waters, making an eerie glow throughout the gray marshlands.
When the voyagers were about two thirds of the way through the swamp, a loud, ear piercing shriek was heard. The horses shied and tried to run, but their masters held firm.
"What the hell was that?" Isabelle asked fiercely, holding tightly onto the reigns of her mount.
"The Hydra," the Wolf said sheepishly. "She's awake."
"Who's awake?" Isabelle hissed. "The Hydra? That thing Hercules fought Hydra? That thing with 9 heads and you chop one off and two more grow in its' place Hydra?"
"Yes, that Hydra," the Wolf snapped. "I was hoping she'd sleep until we got past her."
"We get to fight a Hydra!" Isabelle smirked at James. "You think we can handle her?"
Another long scream split the night air.
"Here, hand me the reigns," James said, holding his hand out to Isabelle.
"Why, don't you think I can handle the horse myself?" Isabelle retorted.
"It's not that-one of us should have a hand free, in case we need to defend ourselves. I'll take the horses, and you can handle a sword. In faith, I'd rather you have a sword than the horses. You're better."
"Bull puckey. You've had five hundred years of practice, with real swords! I've only had 3 with blunted tips!"
"Yet you are still better, as you really wanted to learn and you applied yourself. Now unsheathe your bloody sword and make ready!" he shouted.
Isabelle's shoulders relaxed a bit, and she leaned up to kiss him.
"I love you," she sighed. "And I think you just made the Hydra mad."
Indeed, a third howl of rage echoed through the forest, sending whatever woodland, or marshland, creature that had not already done so, running for cover. James got a firm grip on the horses' reigns as Isabelle quickly unsheathed her sword, and not a moment too soon. The ground heaved and bucked, causing all to lose his or her footing. Isabelle slid to her bottom, but managed to keep the torch alight.
"Holy snake sh*t," Isabelle breathed.
A giant snake rose from a split in the bog, each of it's nine heads hissing and eighteen eyes ablaze.
"Run!" the Wolf howled, bolting in one direction. James didn't need a translation; he leapt in the other direction, leading two very frightened horses out of the way of snapping jaws and sharp fangs.
Isabelle followed the Wolf, hoping that the separation of the group would distract the Hydra. It didn't work that way. Four heads shot out at James and the other five at Isabelle.
"How did Hercules kill the first bloody beast?" James yelled, waving his torch like a flag.
"By severing a head and burning the stump of the neck," a new voice rang out, amidst the howling and shrieking of the Hydra. Isabelle looked up. A female Puma was crouched on the limb of a tree, ready to pounce on the squirming, slithering snake.
"Then come down and help! We're no Hercules, even put together!" Isabelle shouted, narrowly avoiding one of the Hydra's many heads. In one quick, impulsive move, her sword arm shot out and cut through it's neck. Ducking, she missed the spray of Hydra blood that issued from it's wound. Before she had time to react farther, two more heads grew.
The Puma leapt from the tree, sinking a good six inches in the mud upon landing. She growled, and two heads snapped at her.
"James!" Isabelle cried, a veritable light bulb turning on over her head. "You know a spell to freeze time?"
"Right!" he answered, batting at two more heads. "Uh, Hourun Medata!"
Time slowed and ground to a halt. The Hydra was frozen in time, ten heads weaving through the air, still as statues. All was quiet in the swamp. Isabelle and James looked at each other.
"Better act fast," he said. "I don't know how long it will last."
The words had barely left his lips when a low hissing sound was heard issuing from the mouths of the Hydra. Isabelle swore, cleaving the nearest necks in twain, burning the stumps with her torch after. The uncut heads began to slowly wriggle, the jaws moving bit by bit, forming words.
"Portuna Legaro Mestura!" the Hydra hissed growing to a roar. She was fully re-animated.
"A counter spell?!" Isabelle pondered. "Good to know."
She quickly took four or five steps out of the way of the beast, again narrowly avoiding the writhing body.
"I don't suppose that spell would work again, eh?" Isabelle shouted.
"No, the counter spell wards against it!"
"Like Double Jeopardy. I gotcha. Well, let the damn horses go and help me! I've only got two hands!"
Isabelle had managed to chop off and burn four heads while the beast was frozen. James dodged another three and released the reigns of the horses. The Puma and the Wolf jumped back as well.
"I say we charge it," Isabelle said. The Puma and the Wolf can each hold down one head, and James and I can chop and burn two each, I think. Am I being overly optimistic?"
"A little," the Puma said. "But as I see it, there is little choice."
"Thank you," Isabelle replied, a bit perplexed. "I think. Let's go."
With a deep breath, all four charged at the Hydra. The Wolf and Puma each took hold of one neck, near enough to the head so as not to be bitten. Isabelle, being the more daring of the two Humans, got right up close to the Hydra's body and sliced off one neck, burning the stump as if she had been doing that all of her life. James was having problems with his two heads. He did not wish to be bitten, as it was common knowledge that the fangs of the Hydra, as well as it's blood, contained an incredibly potent poison that could kill on contact.
Isabelle quickly dispatched the other head she was fighting, as well as the heads being held by the Puma and Wolf. The Puma had been fighting of her own accord, slashing at the beast's neck, not worried about the blood. She had her own magic, and was able to withstand the poison.
With eight heads down and two to go, Isabelle ran to help James. He was backed up against a tree, torch in one hand, sword in the other. The Hydra was right up in his face, snapping it's jaws and hissing evilly.
"Hey! Fangs off my boyfriend!" Isabelle shouted. The Hydra turned it's two remaining heads to her, allowing James enough time to slice through one neck, burn it, and cut through the other.
At long last, all was silent. The beast was dead, or at least headless. Isabelle decided to make sure, and so she cut the Hydra down the middle with her sword. The blood leached out, turning the black water-and spongy ground-blacker.
Isabelle quietly tore a section of her cloak to wipe her sword down with; the blood was caustic and she did not want her only sword ruined, lest she need it again. She looked at the hem of her cloak. Spots where the Hydra's blood had hit were burnt through. She sighed. James sheathed his sword and stuck his torch deep into the ground. He walked over to Isabelle and put his arms around her. For at least five full minutes, they stood together.
"Thank you, Puma, for helping us," Isabelle said, fatigue evident in her voice. "You are welcome to join us on our journey through the forest; your company would be valued," she stated.
"Thank you, Lady, for your kind and generous offer, but I must remain here to protect the swamp from other evils." the Puma bowed. "Have a safe journey."
They said their final good-byes and went their separate ways, the Puma to her tree and the Wolf and his companions to the trail. The horses were soon found, only a little worse for wear. They walked for another hour or so, until the marshy bog gave way to rocky terrain.
Too tired to continue, James and Isabelle dropped their packs and collapsed, falling fast asleep.
Chapter XII, Part III: The Mountain
When they woke up the next morning, the first thing Isabelle did was find the Wolf.
"So are there any other mythical beasties here that we should know about? Anything that could kill us?"
"Well," the Wolf trailed off, looking up the mountain.
"There is!" she whined. "Well, what is it?"
"Only a Dragon. But she sleeps most of the day, so we should be fine," the Wolf said.
"Only a Dragon?" Isabelle cried. "Dear G-d! Only a Dragon. I can't believe this."
"Well, it could be worse," James said. "We could still be in that swamp. At least now we're on solid ground. And we don't have to go over the mountain to get to the other side."
"Actually," the Wolf started. Isabelle cringed.
"We do. Great. Well then, let's get started. And pray we don't wake the Dragon up."
Wordlessly, James and Isabelle broke camp-which wasn't hard, as they had slept where they had fallen-loaded the horses and started up the mountain. It was slow progress, as they had to pick their way along the treacherous mountainside. There was no sign of a trail, and James and Isabelle had decided to abstain from using their magic until it was absolutely necessary.
It was noon when they found themselves stopping for lunch.
"Oh, man, I am so? tired!" Isabelle whined. "Not to mention stiff and sore! How far have we gone?"
"Only about one third of the way."
Isabelle moaned and laid against the rock she was sitting on. James tickled her belly.
"Oh, stop!" she giggled. "That hurts. I'd like to just stay here for a few hours."
"Well, we can't. The Queen's banquet is only a few days away."
"Great."
"Come on then," James helped Isabelle to her feet. "Let's get going."
A little farther on, the travelers found themselves trapped. They had walked into a small natural enclosure, and while the Humans could easily climb out, the horses and the Wolf could not. James decided that they should turn around and try a different route. Isabelle looked around and touched James' arm.
"Honey, what do you see?"
"Rocks."
"Well, of course. But look closer. They look like they've been scrubbed. See? There's soot in the little cracks. And these smaller rocks-they're not rocks at all! They're bones!" Isabelle gasped.
The Wolf fidgeted.
"What do you know about this, Wolf?" Isabelle asked.
"No more than yourself. I had thought the Dragon to live higher up in the mountains."
"Maybe she does," Isabelle said after telling James. "And we've only fallen into her trap. Let's get out of here, first. I don't like the feel of this place."
Everyone agreed, and they quickly found an alternate path of sorts. The group continued for a few more minutes, until James stopped dead in his tracks.
"Isabelle," he said hoarsely. "Look."
In front of the group was a large opening in the face of the mountain, bordered only by two large boulders. Smoke was rising from the cave.
"Oh, dear," she whispered.
A muffled snort was heard from inside the cave, followed by a large puff of smoke. The Dragon's head, on a long, serpentine neck, peered out of the cave. When she saw the Humans and the Wolf on the ridge, she let out a roar and emerged fully. Isabelle and James scrambled down and tried to run, but the Dragon was too fast.
She shot into the air and landed with a heavy thump twenty yards in front of them, roaring and spitting flames. Isabelle ducked behind a rocky outcrop and thought quickly. She thought of trying to douse the Dragon's flames by spraying water at it. Only they didn't have any water handy, and besides, that only worked in cartoons.
James screamed in pain, his right hand badly burned. Isabelle grabbed a small stone and hurled it far away in the opposite direction, making the Dragon looked away. Unfortunately, in that direction was the horses, and the reader can guess what happened to them. Meanwhile, Isabelle scurried over to James.
"What happened?"
"I tried to defend myself, and my sword caught some of the flame. The heat traveled and burned my hand."
"And you're not ambidextrous, are you?" James shook his head. "No, that would be too much to ask. Sorry, just lay low for now. If you know any healing spells, use 'em!"
Isabelle decided to face the Dragon again.
"Hi," Isabelle smiled, putting her hands behind her back. "How are you today?" she asked before diving behind another ledge, a gout of flame nearly frying her skirt.
Isabelle looked around for the Wolf, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"What the-?" she asked out loud.
"Show yourself, you miserable excuse for a Human!" the Dragon cried.
"Hey!" Isabelle shouted. "I think I'm a pretty good Human."
"How dare you trespass on my mountain?"
"Well, we didn't really have any other way of getting around it. We had no desire to disturb you, O Great Dragon," Isabelle said, laying on the schmaltz.
"A likely story," the Dragon sneered. "Now, where are you?"
Isabelle hunched against the rock as a large pair of snapping jaws and sniffing nostrils came dangerously close to her toes. While the Dragon couldn't get her mouth anywhere near the girl, she could lift the rock away to expose Isabelle's hiding place. Isabelle swore as she scrambled out of the way, wielding her sword like a club. The Dragon advanced slowly, licking her scaly lips and grinning evilly. Her head shot out, only to be met by the flat side of Isabelle's sword. The Dragon shook her head to clear her thoughts and was about to attack again when a clear voice called out from down the mountain.
"Hold!" the voice cried. Isabelle and the Dragon looked in the direction whence it came. An incredibly beautiful male Unicorn was nimbly climbing up the rocky path.
"What is it now?" the Dragon asked, exasperated.
"The travelers are innocent! They were beguiled by the Wolf," The Unicorn said.
"What?" Isabelle gasped. "What do you mean, beguiled?"
"Taken in, hoodwinked, snookered."
"Duped, made a fool of, mislead." The Dragon was beginning to understand what was going on and was not incredibly angry.
"Deceived, tricked, lead astray,"
"Okay, I get it. The Wolf's the bad guy."
"Undeniably so. Good Dragon, I beg you to pardon these people, for they knew not what they were doing."
"Yes, yes, of course," the Dragon growled. While she wasn't mad, she wasn't going to get her Human meal. "And when I find that Wolf, he will pay dearly!"
The Dragon lumbered off, back into her cave to lay in wait for the Wolf. If she couldn't feast on Human, she'd at least have a nice Rump of Wolf steak. A small whimper from a forgotten corner drew the Unicorn's attention to James.
"Oh, G-d!" Isabelle berated herself. "I've forgotten about James."
"What's wrong?" the Unicorn asked. Isabelle told him about James burning his hand. "If you will allow me," he said, bowing to James, "Tell him to open his hand and hold it palm up."
Isabelle translated and James did as he was told. The Unicorn lowered his head and licked James' hand.
"That's disgusting!" Isabelle grimaced.
"But it's effective!" James said in amazement. The burning stopped and the skin began to heal. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry, Lady, but all of that ‘the touch of the alicorn* heals all' stuff was made up for storybooks. The real healing power comes from saliva, ground alicorn, or puncture."
"That's still gross!"
The Unicorn shrugged as best he could. He helped James stand and they started to walk down the mountain, after picking up what was left of their supplies.
"Okay, question. The Wolf seemed so nice and protective. How is he the bad guy? He helped us get past the Bear and the Hydra," Isabelle asked.
"The Bear was trying to warn you. He would not let the Wolf cross the river because the Wolf is in league with Malcolm. The Hydra could have been avoided easily by heading West for five leagues. The Wolf led you to her in the hopes of the Hydra killing both of you. If the Puma had not come, you would most certainly have been dead by now. The same goes for the Dragon. He led you to the trap down there, then up to her lair when that didn't work."
"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" James cried, once Isabelle related the story to him.
"Shut up. I liked him, up to when we learned he was a baddie," Isabelle pouted.
"I'm sorry about your horses. If I could offer you any assistance, I would. The Griffon should be able to help you reach the castle sooner. There will be another small mountain, a hill more or less, just outside the forest. That is where she lives. Good luck to you both!" the Unicorn said before taking his leave.
"Thank you," Isabelle and James said in unison.
"Your help was greatly appreciated," James sighed heavily. The Unicorn bowed and disappeared behind a large rock.
"Well, shall we be on our way?" Isabelle asked after a few minutes. James nodded slowly. They carefully hefted their packs and started down the road.
*Alicorn is the more widely accepted term for the horn of a Unicorn, as Unicorn's Horn sounds so darn awkward.
Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak.
© 2001, 2002 Copyright held by the author.