Catherine was sitting on the throne. If ever someone could be described as gloating, it would have been her. She was smiling from ear to ear.
“So, Midor, I’ve asked you here because Carlyle has something he wants to ask of you. I’m not sure you will recognize Carlyle in his present form. I believe the last time you saw him he was a frog.”
Midor bowed his head. “Indeed, I did not recognize him at first,” he acknowledged. “This was not the form I was expecting the fairies to change you to,” Midor said, looking at Carlyle.
“Ah, yes, Midor, for all your knowledge about the forest, you know precious little about magic,” said Catherine. “I could have predicted this result, if anyone would have but asked me. I knew the fairies would never risk trying to undo a spell whose origins they do not know. And as I warned Carlyle, and as I’ll warn you all, my spells are always obscure. I often add little twists in them myself to prevent them from being reversed.”
“The Winged Lion suits you, my king,” said Midor to Carlyle.
“Silence!” yelled Catherine. “You are not to address him by that name. He is not the king, nor was he ever the rightful king. He is a usurper.”
“I acknowledge that by the ancient laws of primogeniture, you have the most claim to the throne,” said Midor to Catherine. “But by every other metric that is used to measure kingship, Carlyle has fulfilled his duty as a King, and you have not.”
“Careful Midor,” said Catherine. “You’re going to make me angry. Firstly, I have protected this forest far better than Carlyle has ever done or ever could do. As you well know, Midor, the crisis of the ancient monsters returning was not a crisis of my making. That crisis began during Carlyle’s so-called reign. But I defy you, Midor, to tell me that the ancient monsters are not now contained, and currently being contained far better than Carlyle could ever do.”
“There are more powerful monsters who are coming,” said Midor. “Monsters who themselves can do magic.”
Catherine smiled. “When they come, I will deal with them as well. We shall see whether their magic is strong enough to stand up to mine. But enough of this. This is not why I have called you here. I have called you here because Carlyle has something he wishes to ask you.”
Midor turned and faced Carlyle again. Carlyle spoke, “First of all, I know the only reason we are meeting in the throne room is because Catherine wishes me to humiliate myself in front of her. So I see no reason not to give her what I want. The last time we met, Midor, I attacked you in anger, and drove you away from my presence. I wish to apologize now for that action. I wish to tell you that I was in the wrong in that encounter, and regret my actions. Furthermore, Midor, I need to tell you that I am now planning on embarking on a campaign in which your aid will be essential to me, and that I can not accomplish this task without you. So I now humbly supplicate myself before you, and beg you to forgive my past actions, and agree to accompany me.”
“All is forgiven, my King,” said Midor. “All was forgiven a long time ago.”
“Do not use that title again in my presence,” Catherine called out.
“You are very kind,” said Carlyle. “But I had to ask your forgiveness nonetheless. This is a quest of great danger that I am going to ask you to join me on, and it is essential that there be no lingering ill will between us.”
“I can assure you, my King, there is none on my side.”
“Midor, I am warning you, there are certain things I will not tolerate,” said Catherine. “Test me one more time, and you will end up with your form altered like Carlyle here.”
“For goodness sake’s man, do as she says,” said Carlyle, suddenly breaking from a supplicating tone to an exasperated tone. “Just call me Carlyle. The last thing I need is for you to be crippled by her magic before we even begin.”
Midor nodded. “As you wish, Carlyle.”
King Carlyle switched back into his supplicating tone. “I need you to accompany me back into the monster dimension,” he said. “Ambrosia is there.”
“Ambrosia. But how?”
“I don’t know how she got there. But she’s in that dimension. And she’s the one who’s been sending the monsters out.”
“But why are you going to fight Ambrosia. Surely Catherine--”
“Catherine refuses to do it,” said Carlyle. “So it’s up to me to save the forest. It’s up to us.”
“What’s the matter, Midor?” said Catherine tauntingly. “Have you found a use for my magic after all?”
“Catherine, I’ve already conceded this point to you,” said Midor patiently. “I’ve already conceded that magic is necessary to fight the monsters.”
“My presence is needed here in Castle Tauna,” said Catherine. “Vivian and I are needed to guard the castle against monsters.”
“I’ll go with you!” said Vivian, stepping forward.
“Vivian, no, it’s too dangerous,” said Carlyle.
“I’ve acquired new powers since you were last in this castle, father,” said Vivian. “I can take care of myself.”
“She’s right,” said Midor, smiling affectionately at Vivian, and then turning back to Carlyle. “You should see her with her new superspeed and her magic sword. She’s defeated all the monsters who have emerged so far.”
“I forbid Vivian to go,” said Catherine. “She is needed here to guard Castle Tauna.”
“I hate to say it,” said Midor, “But Catherine’s probably right on this one. Vivian is now the forest’s defense against any new monsters that emerge. But I will go with you, my K--, I mean Carlyle. I spent two years in that realm. I know how to find my way around in it.”
“Excellent,” said King Carlyle. “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
“Now, Carlyle,” said Catherine, “as we discussed, there is one other who is to accompany you.”
“Yes, Catherine, who is the man you have chosen?”
Aefar stepped forward. “Hello, Carlyle,” he said. “Remember me?”
“Aefar? Of course. I remember you from the mountains.” Carlyle turned to Catherine. “You’ve brought vampires into Castle Tauna now, have you?”
“Not anymore. Aefar will be going with you.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever be able to trust your man,” said Carlyle, “but I never imagined that it would be a vampire that you would set on me.”
“Carlyle, don’t be silly,” said Catherine. “You have nothing to fear from a vampire. They don’t like lion blood. You know that. Why, the only one who has any reason to be worried would be Midor.” Catherine smiled viciously at this last part.
Carlyle nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose you have a point.” Carlyle turned to Midor. “Don’t worry Midor, I’m the one Catherine wants dead, not you. I’m sure the vampire has been instructed to leave you alone.”
“I’m supplying Aefar with two weeks worth of blood potion,” said Catherine, holding up the sacks. “It’s a little concoction of my own design. He’ll not harm you, Midor, while there’s blood potion left. But I wouldn’t linger on your little journey any more than two weeks, if I were you.” Catherine’s smile grew even bigger.
“Fine,” snapped Carlyle. “The deal was that your man would accompany us in exchange for you opening up the entranceway again.”
“It’s getting late,” said Catherine. “I’ll open up the entrance way tomorrow. In order for Aefar to accompany you, we’ll have to do it at sundown tomorrow. He dislikes the daylight so. You both have one day to say your goodbyes. But Carlyle, I’ll not have you sleeping in this castle. I want you out in the forest floor in one hour.”
“It’s okay,” said Midor. “I know a family of wolves nearby who will let you sleep in their den. I’ll go out with you.”
As Midor and Carlyle walked out, they encountered all of Carlyle’s friends in the hallway. “How did it go?” asked Jacob the frog. “Is that Midor with you?”
“It is indeed,” said Midor. “Hello Jacob. I hope you are well.”
“Midor, do you remember me?” asked Benjamin. “You helped my family escape the Bear King’s Kingdom years ago.”
“Benjamin!” cried Midor, scooping up the little mouse in his hands. “Do you know I carried both your parents across the forest in my pockets?”
“Yes they’ve told me the story many times,” said Benjamin.
“And how are they now?” asked Midor.
“Still as healthy as ever,” answered Benjamin. [This section needs to be double checked and possibly deleted. I think Midor already met Benjamin and Jacob when he was travelling with Carlyle, right?]
“Is that Leo?” said Midor, spying the hedgehog. “Carlyle, I see you have gone on quite a journey, haven’t you?”
“And don’t forget us,” said Aiden, bouncing forward.
Midor saw the pixies jumping forward, and was temporarily speechless. So Brenna spoke. “Hello Midor,” she said.
Midor turned to Carlyle. “Pixies? You’re friends with pixies now?”
“I admit it’s a bit unusual,” said Carlyle. “But it’s a long story.”
“But pixies never help anyone else,” said Midor.
“Like I said, it’s a long story,” replied Carlyle.
“So how did it go?” asked Brenna. “Did Midor agree?”
“He did,” said Carlyle. “We set off at sunset tomorrow.”
“Do you remember us, Midor?” asked Conn.
Midor groaned. “How could I forget? The last time I ran into you lot was when you stole a baby from one of the forest folk.”
“Ah, he remembers well,” said Adair. “You drove a hard bargain that day, Midor. We don’t usually like giving babies up once we’ve got them, but you bargained hard.”
Midor turned to Carlyle. “I’m happy you’ve done well for yourself in your travels,” Midor said. “Really, I’m pleased with how much you’ve learned. But you need to be careful about associating with pixies. You can’t trust them.”
There was a general groaning and a lot of shouting from the six assembled pixies.
“It’s okay,” said King Carlyle gently. “They’re not just pixies. They’re friends.”
“And we’ll be coming with you tomorrow,” shouted Alrene.
Carlyle shook his head. “I can’t ask that of you.”
“You didn’t ask that of us, you big lug,” yelled Aiden. “We just volunteered.
“Do you think,” said Arlina, “that after all we’ve been through together that we have any intention of letting you go without us? We have to hear the end of this story.”
“It’s a dark and terrible place, the land of the monsters,” Carlyle said. “Midor can tell you.”
“It is,” said Midor. “Very dangerous, even for magical pixies like yourself.”
“You’re not the king of the forest, Midor,” shouted Brenna. “When we make our mind up about something, then you can’t stop us from coming.”
Midor bit his lip in thought, and turned to Carlyle. “I’ve never travelled with pixies as companions before,” he said. “They don’t have a reputation as being trustworthy.”
“You can trust these six,” said Carlyle. “I will vouch for them.”
Midor shrugged. “Very well,” he said. “You can come if you wish.”
“And don’t forget about me,” said Jacob the frog. “I’ve been travelling with you all through the forest. I’m not going to stop now.”
“Jacob, you have proven yourself one of my most trusted friends,” said King Carlyle. “But where we are going is no place for frogs. You would be no help in the battle against monsters.”
Midor coughed softly. “Well, if it comes to that, my king, I would be no help in a fight against monsters either. Surely our goal is to avoid the monsters at all costs, I presume, and to only seek out Ambrosia.”
“Your point is well taken, Midor, but surely…”
“The land is not unsuitable for a frog,” said Midor. “Much of it is wet and swampy. Jacob could travel in it just as well as we could. I don’t think he would slow us down any.”
“Perhaps not,” said King Carlyle. “But why ask him to risk his life unnecessarily? The pixies at least could be useful. They have their magic.”
“Surely that is my decision to make, though,” insisted Jacob. “I’ve accompanied you so far, let me help you see your journey to the end.”
“I suppose it is your decision,” said King Carlyle. “Very well. You can travel with us.”
“Well, if Jacob is going with you, then one of us needs to stay behind to keep an eye on John,” said Benjamin the Mouse. “I will stay behind in the castle.”
“As will I,” said Leo. “A hedgehog is of very little use in these matters.”
“Alright then,” said Midor. “It looks like we have our crew for this expedition. One man, one Winged Lion, 6 pixies, and a frog.”
“I would be very much obliged if you could make that 2 men,” said a voice, and they turned to see Henry walking towards them. “John told me what is happening,” Henry said as he approached them. “And I want to join you.”
“Henry, you have recently caused much distress to Alicia and her parents,” said Midor. “Think what distress you would cause them by running off with us so soon after we’ve freed you from your enchantment.”
“What is all this?” asked King Carlyle.
“I’ll explain later,” said Midor.
“You speak, Midor, as if you were not also leaving behind many who love you,” said Henry. “I could not live with myself if I allowed you to face danger alone, and did not offer to help you. You will need a warrior with you. You, Midor, by your own admission, are not a fighter. But I can travel with you and offer my sword.”
Midor was secretly thinking to himself that he would much rather have General Graten accompanying him than Henry. Not because he valued General Graten’s company, but he had learned to value General Graten’s skill with a sword. And he had also learned from General Graten that Henry wasn’t nearly as good with a sword as he thought he was. But it seemed impolite to say all that, so Midor simply nodded. “We could always use a good man like yourself.”
“Well then,” said King Carlyle. “It is agreed. Now, let us all try and get some sleep. Midor, if you can show me to the wolf den that you know of.”
“I’m afraid it hardly compares to what you’re used to at the palace,” Midor said.
“Don’t forget,” said King Carlyle. “I haven’t slept at the palace in many weeks now.”
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