Wayne Batson - The Rise of the Wrym Lord

The market was already bustling with activity when Aelic and Antoinette arrived that afternoon. Shacks, carts, and stands filled the streets, and hundreds of Glimpses milled about or hurried by. Everywhere Antoinette looked there were gorgeous hand-woven tapestries, intricate beaded jewelry, and lovely crafts. Smoked meats hung above one stand. Wheels of cheese adorned another.

“This is marvelous!” Antoinette said.

Aelic nodded. “Artisans from all over The Realm bring their wares to trade and to sell, for Alleble is one of the few safe open markets left.”

“Because of Paragor?”

“Yes, he is the root of most troubles in The Realm, and he has begun to move ranks of soldiers along some of the trade routes to the north and west. Still, here in Alleble merchants may find refuge, and just about anything can be found here in the marketplace-even some oddities.”

“I love to shop,” Antoinette said. “But I, uh, don’t have any money.”

Aelic frowned. “Did you think I brought you here to torture you with want? You have but to ask, and I will buy it for you.”

“Aelic, I couldn’t do tha-”

“Remember, I am a prince. I can afford it.”

Just then, they heard a high-pitched squeal. Something orange and white darted out from under a table and scampered across their path. Whatever it was disappeared down an alley. Then, two sweating, rosy-cheeked Glimpse boys went running by, looking left and right, and hollering at each other. “You let him get away!”

“Did not. I told you not to scare it.” And just like that, they too turned down the alley. Aelic looked at Antoinette. She shrugged and said, “Let’s go.”

At the end of the alley, they found the two boys with sticks poking at a small orange ball of fur. “Come on,” one boy said.

“We just want to play a bit,” said the other. Antoinette heard a tiny trilling whimper and caught a brief glimpse of two large brown eyes glimmering in the mass of fur.

“Stop that, boys!” Antoinette said in a tone harder than she intended. The two startled boys jumped and spun around.

“S-sorry, m’lady!” said one of the boys, staring wide-eyed at Aelic’s and Antoinette’s armor.

“You were hurting that-” She tried to get a better look, but the critter was balled up tight.

“Whoosel,” Aelic answered for her. “I do not think any lads of Alleble should be about tormenting a defenseless animal.”

“Begging your pardon, Sir Knight,” said the other boy. “But we just bought this whoosel, and well, they are right cuddly most of the time, but this one nipped my finger, it did.”

“And then it run off!” said the first boy.

“So you thought poking it with a stick would make it more friendly?” Antoinette asked. The two boys looked away and shifted back and forth on their feet.

“There you are!” came a booming voice from up the alley. A wide Glimpse wearing a soiled apron and what appeared to be a fur tunic came waddling up the alley. He had no beard but a very long mustache that bounced when he spoke. “I told you lads not to grab her by the tail! Whoosels do not take kindly to that.”

He took no notice of Aelic and Antoinette. “Now, here is your shiny silver coin back,” he said to the boys. “I will not be having anyone mistreating one of my whoosels.”

He handed the first boy a large silver coin, and the two boys walked quickly out of the alley. Suddenly, Antoinette felt a strange scratching at her ankle. She looked down and saw the same pair of big brown eyes staring up at her. But the whoosel had uncoiled and now nuzzled back and forth between Antoinette’s feet. It looked like a very long fox’s tail with a small triangular face, large fuzzy ears, and a tiny pink nose. It squeaked and chattered, stopping now and then to look up at Antoinette.

“I think Brindle likes you,” said the mustached Glimpse.

“Awww,” Antoinette said. She reached down to pet it, but it sprang lightly onto the top of her hand, spiraled up her arm, and sat on her shoulder. “Aelic, look! How cute!”

“Yes, it looks quite at home in your fiery red hair,” Aelic replied. “Perhaps it thinks you are its long-lost mother.”

“Very funny, Aelic,” Antoinette protested.

Aelic reached into a small brown leather pouch and handed the mustached Glimpse a gold coin. “I think we will take this whoosel, plus a little something for your trouble.”

“Why, thank you, kind Sir Knight!” he replied, staring at the coin. “I may just close me shop early today! Very generous indeed!”

“Thank you, Aelic!” Antoinette looked at him with glad eyes. “Awww!”

“Take good care of Brindle now,” said the mustached Glimpse, and he turned to walk away. It was then that Antoinette noticed the many pairs of bright eyes gleaming out from the Glimpse’s fur garment. It was really no garment at all. The Glimpse was wearing a shirt of whoosels!

“I think we should be getting back to the castle,” Aelic said. “Bring your furry new friend, and let us be on our way.”

Antoinette patted Brindle on the head and followed Aelic back out of the alley. The lanky creature squeaked happily in Antoinette’s ear, and she was grateful to have something to distract her. For the specter of the third test still loomed before her.

T oo soon, it was time for Antoinette to meet Kaliam for the third test. Slowly, the Sentinel led the young swordmaiden down a steep flight of stairs in the Castle of Alleble. Brindle rode on her shoulder but stayed mostly hidden in her hair. Torches flickered ahead and behind, but aside from that and the steps, Antoinette saw nothing more. “Where are we going?” Antoinette asked.

“We are traveling a seldom-used stair to the old storehouse deep beneath the castle. In the storehouse there are many chambers. It is there you will face your final test.”

“So what’s the test?”

“The nature of the third test is not known to me,” Kaliam replied. “But it is said that the challenge of the third test is not merely physical. All I know for certain is that within the first chamber below, you will be offered a choice of some kind. You must then pass into the second chamber. And there you will discover the consequences of your choice.”

“Consequences?” Antoinette didn’t much like the sound of that.

“Well,” Kaliam said, “I do not know another way to put it. Something will happen to you in that second chamber. Depending upon your choice, it may not be pleasant.”

They continued their descent in silence. At last they came to the final step, and before them, lit by torches on either side, loomed a massive wooden door. It was shrouded in cobwebs and looked as if it had not been opened in a century.

“I have to go in here?” she asked.

Kaliam nodded.

“Great,” she replied, feeling uncertain. “Aidan didn’t have to do this, did he?”

“No. As I said before, there is no time to train you as we did Aidan.”

“Are you sure?” Antoinette asked, looking back at the door. “Because I think I’d rather do a week of training than go through that door. It gives me the creeps.”

“The training Aidan endured was a greater trial for him than you know,” Kaliam explained. “Aidan learned his knightcraft under the withering stare of Captain Valithor.”

“Okay, fair enough,” Antoinette replied. She knew about the demanding regimen of Captain Valithor’s command from Aidan’s stories. “But I still don’t like this door.”

“Nonetheless, you must pass through it,” Kaliam said. “And now is the time.”

“Right, yes…,” she said between taking deep breaths. “Give me just a moment.”

Kaliam cocked an eyebrow and smiled.