‘Strange youended up a little person this time. Why did Miranda want you to bea little person?’
‘You mean whydid The Lady want me to be a little person? I don’t know but I’mnot only a little person. Don’t panic when you see my alternateform.’ and he changed to his spider form.
Featherdowncast a magical protection on himself more by reflex than thoughtthen said.
‘By the Powers,I’m sorry. I didn’t expect this. What sort of spider are you?’
Aquitainchanged to his small child Newman form with a big grin.
‘I could havebet money that you’d react like that. I’m a shape-changing spidercalled a Llanllean. We have two alternate forms, a spider form anda little people form. I can switch between the two almost instantlyand can stay in either form indefinitely without expending anypower from my source. As you can see I am still restricted bydimensional stability. I can’t shape change to something with moreor less body mass like an adult Newman.’
‘By the Powers,had I known how much trouble you’d cause when you originally camehere, I would never have allowed you to stay. Perhaps The Lady isshowing you as you really are. One form that looks so bloodyinnocent and the other, a monster.’ said Featherdown with atroubled expression on his face.
‘What’s wrong!’asked Aquitain immediately suspecting the worst. ‘What’shappened?’
Let me tell youa story.’ said Featherdown.
‘Before I camehere I was a mercenary war wizard but rather than sell my servicesto those with the greatest gold, I sold myself to the poor, theinnocent and the oppressed. I was very successful, too successfulit seems, as I upset many powerful rulers and became branded as arogue wizard. I was hounded from world to world for two years untilone day your grandfather told me about the job here and helped meget it. I was forever grateful to him and as time passed and heasked me to look the other way as his agents came and went I did.They never caused any problems or broke any laws so I ignoredthem.’
‘One day threeyears ago one of his agents known as Alin Amber called into the innwhile I was there and shape changed into a Yith. He told me a storythat I found hard to believe at the time. He told about the GreatStorm on Mudrun and revealed that if the problem that caused it wasnot rectified it would cause more cataclysms on Mudrun. He saidthat in the near future a person was coming that held promise tosolve the problem. However, when that person tried to repair theproblem, it was likely to upset the gods as they had a stake in theoutcome. I was asked to help that person succeed and that personseems to be you.’
‘Every daysince then I’ve worried about what might happen. I’ve worried abouthow many innocent people were going to lose their lives in whatappears to be shaping up as a massive idiotic power struggle. I’veworried that my involvement might contribute more deaths than if Istayed out of it. I’m now more worried than ever considering what’shappened in the last couple of days.’
‘Consideringthat you’re a war wizard you seem rather sensitive about peopledying.’ quipped Aquitain wondering where this was leading.
‘I’ve seen moredeath and destruction than you can imagine. I’ve caused the deathof thousands and I’ve died myself three times. Last time when I wasdead, just before I was resurrected a voice asked me while I was inspirit form why I should be given my life back as I would onlycause more innocents to die. I replied that I only tried to fightfor just causes and it cost lives to save lives. My answer musthave been acceptable as you see me here and now.’
‘However, I’vethought about that quite a lot. One of the reasons that I came toMudrun was that I wanted to do something constructive with myremaining life and over the last few years I believed that I had. Inow feel like a fool. I think that your grandfather only helped meget the job here expecting me to jump to your aid after you causedchaos everywhere. Why should I help you kill more innocents?’
‘You’ll have togive me a bit more information to work on Your Excellency. I’m notaware of causing the deaths of large numbers of innocents. A fewdied during the attack on the temple but they all volunteered tohelp.’
‘I’m nottalking about them.’ said Featherdown testily. ‘I’m talking aboutall the druids you and your princess slaughtered in the sanctuary.Is this how it is going to be? The two of you simply kill anythingor anyone that gets in your way?’
‘I’m still notsure what you’re talking about. There were too many of them. I heldthem off long enough for Miranda to escape. I didn’t last longafter that. Some of them turned to bears and blocked my exit. I wasbadly burned by that blue fire. It was incredibly painful and Ilost consciousness.’
‘When I driftedout of my body I couldn’t see much as it was dark. There were justlots of crazy druids running around screaming and then it all wentquiet. I drifted away thinking about my life since this happenedlast time. Then suddenly wham I’m back in a new body and Mirandateleported me away. I didn’t even know what I was until the nextday.’
‘Well let mefill in the gaps.’ said Featherdown sounding angry. ‘Your princessleft the sanctuary and came to me for help. I went over there andparalysed them expecting Miranda to flee with your body and perhapsresurrect you elsewhere but I was wrong. When she found that youwere dead she went crazy and executed all the paralysed druidsexcept one. Quab was knocked out during the fight and awoke to findher torturing a young female druid, the only one left alive. Hemanaged to save her from Miranda but unfortunately she escaped notlong after Miranda resurrected you.’
‘I suspect theone that escaped alerted the Druid’s Council and they sent anothergroup after Miranda and caught her
