SWNOVELS Chapter 21
Sareltin Castle appeared serene and quiet as King Roger approached with his men. Hennesy’s army was waiting for them and quickly surrounded the Red Velvet Regiment. Standing ready, the enclosed regiment calmly awaited orders from their king.
Keeper Fie positioned himself closely beside the king he adored, ready to defend and protect him from whatever danger lurked. A large, burly man seemed to be the leader since Hennesy and Tarcey were nowhere to be seen.
“You can give me those papers now and I will see that Hennesy gets them,” the burly commander directed.
King Roger protested. “I did not come all this way to hand this over to just anyone. It’s for Hennesy, not you.”
The army leader frowned at the king’s refusal, then began scowling.
“I must see that Queen MaryAnne and my sons are safe before anyone sees this.” King Roger spoke firmly, waving the documents in the air.
The army leader snarled at him, his blackened teeth bared in an evil grin. “Have it your way, your Royal Highness. I have to see Hennesy about this.”
After a few words to his men, he turned his horse and sped back toward Sareltin Castle. Returning a short time later, the commander requested the king to follow him and Hennesy would meet with him.
Despite the danger, King Roger and his army proceeded. He could see no other way at this point. Wondering what had happened to Jara and Syntaba, he felt desperate to know if their rescue of his sons and the queen was successful.
Dismounting at the entry to Sareltin Castle, King Roger followed the burly soldier inside. Keeper Fie, determined to be there for his king, entered at his side.
The commander then turned to them and spoke, his voice thin and cruel. “Here is your precious queen and her sons.”
A movement sounded behind the king and Keeper Fie. They swiftly twisted around. Two other men restrained the queen, whose hands were still tied in front of her. Nearby, another man held the globe close to his chest.
“I think you had better let them go. This was not part of the bargain.” The King’s voice was threatening. “Where is Hennesy? He’s the one who made this bargain in the first place.”
“Since he seems to have disappeared for the moment, I am taking matters into my own hands,” the leader informed them. “You are under the guard of my men here. If you try to escape, you will never see the queen or your sons again.”
Feeling that there was no way out of this predicament, King Roger watched angrily as the queen was roughly tied to the nearest pillar. The orb was placed at her feet.
“We wait here until Hennesy returns, then we’ll see what happens,” gloated the leader. “In the meantime, you can watch your little queen over there.”
Laughing at the king, he walked away, leaving his men to supervise all their captives.
Indignant at the audacity of their captors, Keeper Fie stood silently seething beside the king. In the present situation, he could do nothing but feel concerned for the safety of the entire D’Arragon family.
King Roger gave reassuring looks to Queen MaryAnne while she stood silently and helplessly tied up. Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation in his legs. Looking down, he witnessed them vanishing before his own eyes. Glancing at Keeper Fie in astonishment, he saw the same thing happening to his loyal servant.
“What on earth……….” Before his final words were out of his mouth, the vanishing tingle swept up his whole body and he completely disappeared. Within a moment he found himself beside Jara and Syntaba, huddled close together behind the tallest spire of Sareltin Castle.
“What just happened?” King Roger asked,
astounded. Beside him, Keeper Fie stood, unable to utter a word, it seemed. From their vantage point, they could easily see the queen below and the enemy guard running about in panic, not knowing what to make of the king’s disappearance. “Jara! What is going on? The Queen and my sons are in trouble in the castle’s courtyard and Hennesy is nowhere to be seen!”
Syntaba bowed before the King. “Your sons
are quite safe, my King, as is Krikkit.”
The queen, standing tall in spite of the ropes binding her to the column, felt puzzled at the mystical removal of her husband and Keeper Fie.
“Queen MaryAnne!” Jara called the queen in a loud piercing voice. The queen’s eyes followed the sound of Jara’s voice, finding four familiar people leaning over the wall above her. Refusing to utter a word, she lifted her fearless face, keeping her gaze locked with theirs.
Before they could make a move, the queen herself began to evaporate in front of their eyes. Slowly she faded away until all that was left were the ropes swinging to and fro from the pillar.
Chaos broke out in the courtyard below after witnessing the queen’s disappearance too. Running from one spot to another, Hennesy’s men searched for the Queen, pulling at the ropes that bound her only moments ago. Instantly Queen MaryAnne appeared beside her husband, who threw his arms around her in absolute relief.
“The orb!” cried the queen. “Where is it?”
Visibly seeking it through the turmoil below, it was clear to all five adults that the orb was no longer there. Disturbingly, it was not with them on the castle’s roof either.
“It is gone!” fretted Jara, in disbelief. “Vanished with the three children and the shoes inside it!”
She turned to Syntaba in grave concern, seeing his shocked expression along with the others.
“This is strange, indeed! For the first time I just don’t know,” the old sorcerer responded, honestly puzzled. We need to deal with the situation here before we are able to search for them.”
The pandemonium in the courtyard grew when the soldiers realized the D’Arragons had escaped them once more. Frantic soldiers were everywhere. On the outside of the castle wall, the Red Velvet Regiment backed away from the castle’s main entrance, turning to face the remaining soldiers of Hennesy’s army. Awaiting the commanding nod from their king, they were well prepared to initiate battle against them and any who exited the castle.
The burly man who obviously led Hennesy’s army in his absence, glared upward, shaking his fist in fury. “You can’t get out of Sareltin, so you might as well give up your trickery! Eventually we will catch up with you and we won’t be nice!”
Numerous doors along one side of the castle slowly opened and scores of additional enemy soldiers poured in from various hidden barracks within. Several ladders were placed against the stone wall. In single file, they moved up the ladders leading to the spires rising high above and encompassing Sareltin.
“They’re coming up!” yelled Keeper Fie. “I will be ready for them.”
Placing himself in front of them all as if he would take on the whole army, he positioned himself to protect the D’Arragons.
“I will signal the Red Velvet Regiment to trample these enemy soldiers,” said King Roger.
“Not yet, King Roger! We have plans for your regiment,” smiled Jara, turning to the other sorcerer. “Now, Syntaba?” she questioned, her face full of excitement.
“Now, Jara. I leave this one to you!”