Christopher Stasheff - The Warlock is Missing

Doth he eat chickens whole ? Geoffrey wondered.

Aye, and without plucking the feathers, I doubt not , Magnus answered.

"Now let me see…" Cordelia pressed a finger against pursed lips. "What question shall I ask?"

Wherefore doth he roam the countryside ? Magnus prompted.

"Wherefore dost thou roam the countryside?" Cordelia repeated. "Thou hast a pleasant enough lair here, if thou didst put it in repair."

"Why, for that I hate all craven knaves who take orders!" Groghat exploded. "Ever did the old man who reared me give orders: 'Do this! Fetch that!' And I grew wearied, and did resolve that, when I grew large, never more would I do another's bidding! Therefore do I spit on all craven knaves who obey, and make it my commands they answer to!" He leaned back against the table, gazing at the children and brooding. "Thee, now—thou showest no sign of fear, nor of doing another's bidding…"

Could he begin to like us?

Would we want him to?

Papa's enemies do use this poor puppet to help to bring chaos to the land , Geoffrey thought, and he knoweth it not — he, who is so proud of not doing another's bidding !

' Tis true , Magnus agreed, and I doubt me not 'twas Papa's enemies in SPITE, who do hate all government, that did bring him to the old couple and paid them. Yet wherefore do not Papa's other enemies in VETO, who wish to rule all Gra-marye with an iron glove, not attempt to stop him ?

Why, for that it will be all the easier for them to step in and conquer all when there's no government left, and no large army with it, but only small armed bands of bandits , Geoffrey answered.

I mislike the way he doth look at us . Cordelia's thoughts were tinged with apprehension. .

" 'Tis time to discover whether thou wilt obey me or no," Groghat rumbled.

Quickly, Gregory thought, I have been tracking the paths his thoughts flow through when they tell his arms or legs to more, or his muscles to tighten or loosen to hold his balance. They all do meet at the top of his belly in one great knot .

' Twould hurt him greatly, an thou didst twist it with thy thoughts . Cordelia shied from the idea.

Greatly daring, Magnus demanded, " 'Tis mayhap more to the point, to know whether or not another doth command thee ."

Anger flared in Groghat's eyes. He surged to his feet, bellowing, "Dost thou slander me, bug? Who could command such as I?"

"The man who did bring the potion that fed thee," Magnus answered, with a stroke of insight. "Thou dost have pain if thou dost not drink it, dost thou not?"

For a long moment, Groghat just stared at him, his eyes burning.

Suddenly, his head snapped up, looking toward the window. His lips curved into a wicked grin, and he chuckled. "What is this I hear?"

The children strained their ears, but heard nothing. "I cannot guess," Magnus admitted. "What is it?"

"A maiden," Groghat said, with a throaty laugh, "and naught else—a lone maiden, wandering in the woodland. Nay, she must not go without escort!" He whirled away to the door.

As he opened it, he whirled back, stabbing a huge finger at them. "Do not think to wander—for this door shall be barred and, if thou dost seek to climb from the window, thou'lt fall to they death!" Then he was gone, and the door boomed behind him.

The children stared at each other in the sudden silence.

"Thou'lt not heed him, I trust," came a voice from the hearth.

The children spun about, startled. "Puck!" Cordelia squealed in delight.

"Wherefore art thou amazed? Did I not assure thee thou wouldst be guarded?"

"Truly," Magnus admitted. "Canst thou find a broom for Cordelia, Puck? Then we can fly out the window."

" 'Tis in the corner, yon. Thou hast but to clean ten years' worth of cobwebs from it."

"Ugh!" Cordelia flinched at the sight.

"Art thou so squeamish, then?" Magnus sighed. He went over to pick up the broom and clean it.

"Puck," Geoffrey asked, "what will the giant do with the maiden, when he doth catch her?"

"Eat her, belike," Cordelia said wisely.

"Mayhap summat of the sort," Puck said nervously. "Come, children! We must rescue!"

"Why, certes, we will," Geoffrey said, surprised, "but wherefore dost thou say we must, Robin?"

"For that this maiden ever did cry, ' 'Ware, Wee Folk!' ere she did pour out filthy wash-water, and did ever leave a bowl

of milk by her hearth for the brownies. Shall the Wee Folk desert her now, in her hour of need? Nay!" He raised his voice.

"Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and

groves,

And ye that on the sands with printless foot Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him When he comes back; you demi-puppets that By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe not bites; and you whose pastime

Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice To hear the solemn curfew! Thine aid she doth

require,

Who hath ever paid the tributes which thou dost desire!"

He was silent a moment, his head cocked to one side; then he gave a satisfied nod. "'Tis well. Come, children."

He started toward the window. Puzzled, they followed him, Cordelia dragging the broom.

Howling exploded outside.

The children stared at one another. "What noise is that ?" Magnus cried.

Geoffrey grinned.

"Come see," Puck invited as he hopped up to the window-sill.

The boys levitated, drifting up behind him. Cordelia followed on her broom. They flew out the window, drifting over the woodland to a meadow, bisected by a cow path. A young girl was fleeing away from them, running flat out for all she was worth.

"The Wee Folk did afright her with the semblance of a bear," Puck explained.

"It truly doth sound like one." Geoffrey peered down, then slowly grinned. "Whatever thy folk have done, Puck, they have done well!"

Below them, Groghat was stamping and howling as though he were demented.

"What have they done?" Cordelia gasped.

"Only cozened a hiveful of bees into thinking the giant's a

field of sweet flowers," Puck said innocently.

"'Tis strong magic indeed." Gregory remembered Groghat's odor.

"Aye, but if they stop, he'll pursue her—or go home to find thou art gone, and run amok through the woods seeking his captives. And there are still the count and his family in the dungeons, on whom he might wreak his vengeance."

"Then we must put him to sleep," Magnus said firmly. "Come, Gregory. Where is this thought-path thou hast found?"

Gregory visualized Groghat's nervous system for them, and they all struck together, a massive stimulation of the solar plexus. Groghat folded as though the wind had been knocked out of him—which it had.

"He sleeps," Gregory reported.

"Recall thy bees, Puck," Magnus requested.

Puck was silent a moment, then smiled as a buzzing cloud lifted from Groghat and headed back into the woods.

Magnus sat back with a sigh of relief. " 'Tis done."

"Aye." Geoffrey gazed down at the giant. "Good folk may travel the High Way again."

"Not yet," Cordelia corrected. "Those loutish robbers do still hide in the forest."

Geoffrey lifted his head, a slow grin stretching his lips. "Why, then, we'll hale them out!" And he turned away, reaching for his dagger.

"Thou shalt not!" Puck's hand closed around his wrist. "When thou art grown, thou mayest do as thou dost please, and hazard thyself as thou wilt—yet for now, thou wilt leave such measures to those grown-ups whose office it is!"

Geoffrey turned back, frowning. "But he lies imprisoned!"

"Then let us free him!" Cordelia clapped her hands. "Oh, please, Puck!"