Brian Jacques - Redwall #22 - The Sable Quean

Vilaya saw the wisdom in his suggestion. "Do as Commander Zwilt says. Jump to it, I want those captives found and brought back here!"

A sarcastic note crept into Zwilt's tone. "And what if they're not found? We're due back at that Abbey sometime soon. I think your captives will be long gone by now. So what'll you do then, O Mighty One?"

It was the insolent way in which Zwilt used her title that nettled Vilaya. Her eyes flashed angrily. "Tell me, O Great Commander who cannot bring back a few pitiful runaway guards, what would you do?"

Zwilt's eyes betrayed nothing although he was seething inside. He did, however, broach a solution. "I would do what I first wanted to--attack Redwall. You saw how

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few real warriors they have. We have almost two hundred trained fighters. I could do it if you wanted me to."

The Sable Quean paused as if pondering his suggestion. She gave her reply in a harsh regal voice. "I'll tell you what I want you to do. I want you to realise that I'm your Quean! Now, help to get that rubbish out of the way and get after those escaped prisoners ... or else!"

Zwilt kept his distance from Vilaya wisely, knowing how swift she could be with her tiny poisoned dagger. He dropped his paw to his sword hilt. "Or else what? You seem to have forgotten that I've slain more beasts than you've eaten suppers. I'll obey you for now, but if the captives can't be found, then I'll conquer Redwall, with or without you!"

Vilaya smiled. "But for now you will obey me. So get to it, Zwilt. Bring the captives back here."

The tall sable smiled back at her. "As you wish, Majesty. Step aside, if ye please."

Vilaya stepped away from the blocked entrance.

Zwilt moved sideways to pass by her, remarking, "Now we know where we both stand, 'twould not be wise for me to turn my back upon you."

Vilaya touched the crystal sheath which held her lethal little blade. She was still smiling.

"Aye, Zwilt, 'twould not be wise at all, though sometimes you do not even have to turn your back on the Sable Quean. Ask him."

She walked gracefully off, pointing to the dead stoat.

It was a high summer day. From a cloudless blue sky, warm sunlight beamed down on the ramparts of Red-wall Abbey. Abbess Marjoram peered out at the path to the south. It lay shimmering and silent. Diggs, Foremole Darbee and Granvy stood with Marjoram at the southwest wall corner.

Foremole wiped a spotted kerchief across his eyes, then looked away. "Hurr, moi ole eyes be wored owt a-starin' at

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ee parth. They still h'aint nobeast a-cummen, nay marm, thurr b'aint, an' us'n's bee'd yurr since brekkist."

The Abbess was clearly worried. She expressed her fears openly. "Really, I'm at a loss what to do. The vermin and their Quean are supposed to be back today. I've got to give them an answer, but without Skipper and Buckler here, we're at a disadvantage."

Granvy turned his attention to the woodland area beyond the south common land. "We'd better just hope that Buckler's party get back here ahead of the Ravagers. It's only just midday--there's time yet."

Diggs was, as ever, cheerfully optimistic. "Indeed there is, marm. Lashin's o' the jolly old daylight left, eh, wot! Why, bless me snout if old Buck doesn't come bowlin' along at any blinkin' minute. I'll wager he'll be singin' a song an' dancin' a bloomin' jig, bearing good tidin's and happy news an' whatnot. Don't fret, marm!"

Marjoram could not help smiling at the ebullient hare. "You seem to put great faith in your friend."

The tubby hare chortled. "Well, the blighter ain't let me down yet, marm. Buckler Kordyne's as true blue an' trusty as anybeast alive, ye can take that from me!"

He turned to view the east and north walls, rubbing his paws in anticipation at what he saw. "I say, they're bringin' lunch around. Well, the bloomin' cheek, servin' those Guosim an' Witherspyks first, instead of me, their superior officer!" Cupping paws around his mouth, Diggs bellowed to Friar Soogum and his helpers, "Never mind servin' the rabble first. What about the quality chaps, eh? There'd better be loads o' scoff left when ye get over here ... or!"

Sister Fumbril roared back in a fearsome voice, "Or wot, ye young lard bucket?"

Her reply did not seem to bother Diggs, who grinned winningly as he called back, "Or we'll starve, an' you'll never know the blinkin' pleasure of our company ever again, so there!"

Friar Soogum yelled, "That'd be a mercy, sir!"

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Pushing their trolleys, Soogum and his servers trundled up. The Friar waved a ladle. "Summer veggible soup, celery'n'apple crumble, with damson tart an' blackberry cordial to follow. HowTl that suit ye, Mister Diggs?"

Disguising his delight behind a mournful face, Diggs scowled. "Hmmph, suppose a chap could manage to bally well force a bit down, wot!"

Sister Fumbril nodded southward across the walltop. "Well, don't force too much down that famine face o' your'n. Mayhaps yore friends might like some?"

Abbess Marjoram wheeled about and spotted Buckler emerging from the fringe of the south woodlands. Whooping and yelling, she scrambled up onto the battlements. "Over here, my friend, over here!" She almost overbalanced, until Fumbril reached out and helped her down.

The big jolly otter laughed. "Calm down, Marj. He'd have a job to miss the sight o' Redwall Abbey. Though ye don't usually see a Mother Abbess dancin' on the battlements!"

Drull Hogwife and Cellarmole Gurjee hurried to open the small south wallgate. Buckler, Jango, Skipper and Bartij stood to one side as Flib led the four Dibbuns inside.

Word had gone round the Abbey like wildfire. Red-wallers came flocking down to meet Tassy, Guffy, Gurchen and Borti.

The Log a Log's wife, Furm, threw herself upon the babe. "Oh, Borti, my liddle Borti, yore safe!"

Though still not fully recovered from her injuries, Clarinna had hastened down from the Infirmary. Pushing her way through the onlookers, she wailed, "My babes, Urfa, Calla, where are they? You said that you'd bring them back, Buckler. Where are they?"

Buckler signalled Sister Fumbril. Between them, they ushered the distraught mother back to the Abbey as Buckler reassured her in a hopeful manner. "Don't worry, Clarinna. I know exactly where they are. Now we have the

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vermins' location, I'll make sure that your babes are back with you shortly."

Abbess Marjoram, who had heard Buckler, whispered to Skipper, "Is that right? D'you know where the little ones are being held?"

The Otter Chieftain called out aloud, "No sense in whis-perin' about it, marm. There's some here who'd like t'know where their Dibbuns are, right?"

Marjoram held up her paws as the assembly began a clamour. "Everybeast not on wall duty go to the orchard. We'll take lunch there and hear all the news from our friends."

Dymphnia Witherspyk blew her snout upon her apron hem. "Oh, I won't be able to eat a single bite until I know about my twins, Jiddle and Jinty. Are they alive an' safe?"

Oakheart put his paw about her comfortingly. "Now, now, my dear. Come along and we'll hear the news together. Forget the food."

Their impudent son, Rambuculus, sniggered, "Never mind, Ma. I'll scoff yore lunch for ye!"

Trajidia cast out a paw dramatically, which accidentally caught Rambuculus square on the jaw, felling him. Trajidia ignored his prostrate figure, giving theatrical vent to her feelings. "Oh, brother, you heartless wretch, have you no feelings for your kinbeasts and our dear parents?"

The Witherspyk grandmother, Crumfiss, prodded Trajidia with her stick. "Well hit, young un. Leave him there an' let's git some lunch. I'm famished!"

Passing over his command to the Guosim Divvery, Diggs came down from the ramparts to join his companion.

"What ho, Buck! As y'see, I've kept an iron paw on things back here, stemmed a shrew mutiny an' had the defenders on their mettle in good style. So, give us the news, mate. When do we launch a full-scale attack on the rascally old vermin types, wot? I've worked up a super ambush for when they run up here today. Now, what we do is this---"