The Lutra - Jacques, Brian - Redwall 09 - The Pearls Of Lutra

Tansy shook him. "Open your mouth at once, we need that parchment!"

Arven shook his head, attempting to speak. "Nmff, ut mahn!"

Craklyn leapt to her friend's assistance. "Right, you've asked for this, you little maggot!"

Grabbing both of Arven's footpaws, the squirrelmaid tickled furiously.

"Yahahahahoohoostoppiiiiit!"

Triumphantly, Tansy held up the damp scrap of parchment. "Got it!"

Craklyn stopped tickling, only to find Arven's footpaws thrust in her face.

"More tickles, want more tickles pleez!" he squealed.

Later that night the three friends sat in Great Hall taking a late supper together. In front of them lay the scallop shell, open to reveal five rose-colored pearls and one remaining space in the soft red cloth that lined the shell case. Rollo nibbled celery and cheese turnover briefly before rubbing his paws together.

"Well, let's see the final clue. I trust the parchment was not damaged too much by that little savage stuffing it in his mouth."

Tansy spread the parchment carefully on the tabletop. "No, it's still quite legible. I dried it off in the kitchen ovens, but treat it carefully, it's a mite crispy."

The friends read the lines slowly together.

"My sixth and last tear I give unto you,

When Redwallers lie abed,

At midnight see, in full moon view,

The purple arrowhead.

Travel east, six rods from the tip,

To the rose that blooms ever fair,

See if you can find the right hip,

Turn west and you're halfway there."

Rollo pushed away the remains of his supper, cupped his head in both paws and leaned on the table dejectedly. "Huh! And we thought the lastfive clues were difficult?"

Craklyn stared miserably at the oak-grained pattern of the tabletop. "Right! I don't think poor Piknim would've sorted any real information from that rhyme, and she was far brighter than I am."

Tansy yawned and stood up, stretching. "I agree with both of you, but enough is enough for one night. I'm off to join all the other Redwallers who are lying abed."

The last thing Tansy heard before dropping off to sleep was the voice of Martin speaking to her.

"The Abbess will find it for Piknim on the same ground where the fifth was found."

Chapter 44

Ublaz stood on top of the mighty piles of timber heaped against the back walls of his palace and peered over the walltop at the rocks where Rasconza had agreed to meet him at dawn. There was still an hour to go before daybreak, but the pine marten was leaving nothing to chance this time. With his superb vision, he could make out tiny moving shapes on the low hill in the distance. Searats and corsairs were beginning to mass on the hilltop. Ublaz checked that his remaining threescore Monitors were waiting, armed with long lances, in the courtyard behind him. To the left and right, behind the hill where the Wave Brethren waited, two fire arrows flared briefly in the dark skies.

The Emperor's eyes glittered with fiendish delight. The trap was laid. During the night, Sagitar had secretly left the palace at the head of the entire army of Trident-rats and at her Emperor's bidding, she had split the force and hidden them well among the hills. When he arrived, Rasconza would be walking into a well-laid trap. The massed Trident-rats would sweep down behind his wavescum and ambush them from the rear. From there they would be driven against the back outer palace wall, where Monitors could thrust down into their ranks with long spears, followed by flaming bales of dried wood and grass.

A jubilant lark arose to greet daybreak, chirruping happily as she ascended the upper air, sunrays from the east making her wings almost transparent against the still blue skies. She was unaware of what was taking place on the ground below. Rasconza was of the opinion that only a fool would go unarmed to any meeting with Ublaz, and the wily fox had slid a keen-edged dagger inside his tunic. Grinning wolfishly at his captains, he strolled down from the hilltop with them.

"Sink me ship'n'drown me crew, would he? Well, today's the day the Emperor o' Sampetra gits toppled off 'is throne an' fed to the fishes. Wait 'ere until I give the signal, buckoes, 'tis supper in the palace fer the Wave Brethren tonight. Right, I'm off! I 'ates ter keep anybeast waitin' t'be slain!"

The corsair fox strode jauntily to the meeting place, where Ublaz's arrow had fallen on the previous day.

Ublaz issued final orders to four Monitors standing nearby. They were holding a long, heavy rope with thick knots at short intervals along its length.

“ Lower me down gently and leave the rope hanging over the wall. I will return fast, so be ready. When I grab the rope haul me up with all speed. Do you understand?"

"Yarr, Mightinezz!"

Moments later Ublaz was lowered to the ground outside the palace, and alone and unarmed, he marched forward to where Rasconza awaited him.

Both beasts halted within three paces of each other. Since the pine marten had dispensed with wearing a transparent silk scarf across his eyes, Rasconza was careful to keep his gaze averted in the presence of his enemy. Rasconza was the first to break the silence.

"So then, yore 'ighness, I unnerstand yer want peace. Well now, that's a bit of a turnaround fer the Ruler of Sampetra an' Terror of all the Seas, ain't it? Still, I s'pose it makes sense, since all y've 'ad to deal with afore was fools an' lizards."

Ublaz sneered at the swaggering corsair. "You may think you're a clever fox, but you made a big mistake the day you tried to pit wits against me. Watch!"

Ublaz raised his paws high and spread them, roaring at the top of his voice, "Attaaaaack!"

Rasconza picked a small flower and sniffed it appreciatively. "Save yer breath, Mad Eyes. I'm the only one who'll do the attackin' this day. Take a look at yonder 'ill, wot d'yer see?"

An uneasy feeling began to stir within Ublaz. Something was wrong.

A figure, garbed in a long cloak and hood, stepped forward from the Wave Brethren crowded on the hill crest. Now it was Rasconza's turn to shout.

"Unsheet yerself fer the mighty Ublaz, matey!"

It was Sagitar. As she showed herself, tridents immediately began to bristle among the vermin horde. Rasconza's paw began slowly moving towards the dagger hidden in his tunic.

"Yore Trident-rats 'ave changed sides," he gloated. "They've got a new leader. Me! Sagitar says to tell you 'er 'ead ain't decoratin' no trident on the jetty. Yore finished, Ublaz!"

Then, whipping out his dagger, Rasconza pounced.

But Ublaz was fast; he sprang to one side, and dealing the fox a smart blow on the back of his neck, he knocked the corsair flat on his face. Then he landed a swift kick to the fox's side, driving the wind out of him.

Unarmed and seeing the massed creatures pour from the hilltop towards him, Ublaz took to his heels and ran. Rasconza was tough; he leapt up and gave chase after his foe. With his paws pounding the earth like pistons, Ublaz dashed for the wall; a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed his fears. Rasconza was coming after him and the fox could run like the wind. He was quickly closing the gap between them.

Many seasons of soft living had slowed the pine marten. He was running flat out, but the fox was leaner and tougher; even half winded he was twice the runner Ublaz would ever be. Increasing his pace, Rasconza raced along, dagger in paw.

Ublaz made it to the wall with Rasconza only a short distance behind him. Grabbing the knotted rope, Mad Eyes bellowed hoarsely, "Pull! Pull me up!"

The four Monitors hauled with all their might, and Ublaz shot upward. Rasconza leapt, striking out savagely with his blade.

Ublaz screeched in agony as the dagger pierced his footpaw, then he was seized by scaly claws and pulled over the wall to safety. Limping and hopping about on one footpaw, he yelled, "Defend the walls, hurry!"