One thingintrigued Aquitain more than anything else. The avatar charactersin the arena could interact almost as if they were real. They couldsee, talk to and even touch each other and feel the touch. It wasalmost like a simple version of the dream world he had entered afew days ago, but totally under the control of the caster.
Franciscus felthe had made a good deal as he didn’t think Aquitain had enoughunderstanding to learn it. That, of course, was where he was wrong.Aquitain’s Granddad had taught him how to dominate people so thathe would know how to block it. He had originally been ethicallyopposed to domination, but had to use it against Snowbelle and inview of recent events his view of what was ethical and unethicalwas becoming a bit blurred.
Aquitain hadalso recently had practice at creating illusions but was stilllacking experience with them. So learning to cast a mind wizardversion of the arena spell was mainly learning how to create andmaintain illusions using power from his internal source and thencombining this with the domination power to give the arenaeffect.
Practicing onthe book it took him about an hour to get it operational and oncehe had it going smoothly then he memorized the sequence.
Chapter 29 Problems ,Problems
Miranda and Bellenpassed through the gateway from Astaria into the palace. She bidfarewell to Bellen and teleported to Darkmantle’s Stronghold withthe teleport ring given to her by Aquitain.
She appearedoutside the stronghold surprised to be on the edge of a skirmish.There were about forty of Darkmantle’s troops in combat with aboutthirty others. The others wore the livery of a friend of her fatherso she wondered what had happened. She immediately cast an entangleprayer and vines rose from the ground entangling all those fightingseverely limiting their ability to move let alone fight.
‘Stop this immediately.’ she shouted and walked into themiddle of the throng of fighters. Everyone couldn’t help noticethat the vines totally ignored tangling her in their ropygrip.
‘Where’s Lord Darkmantle.’ she shouted.
‘He’s not here.’ said one of Darkmantle’s guards.
‘Then who’s in charge.’ she said.
‘Prendergrass the Wizard.’ said the soldier.
‘Well where is he?’ said Miranda.
‘He’s ill my Lady.’ said the soldier.
‘Then who’s in charge here and now.’ said Miranda.
‘The Captain of the Guard was but he’s been badly injured.’said the guard.
‘He’s over here, Milady,’ someone shouted, so Miranda walkedtowards the voice and found the Captain lying unconscious andbarely breathing. She immediately began singing a beautiful healingprayer closing the worst of his wounds and he began to breatheeasier and drifted off into sleep.
Looking aroundshe saw many of the men were injured to various degrees butthankfully none dead. She walked to the centre of the group andbegan singing another prayer. Her body glowed silver for a secondor two as healing energy radiated from her healing all those fortwenty paces around her.
‘Who is in charge of the visitors.’ she shouted.
‘I am.’ said a young Lord.
Miranda walkedto him and said
‘I will release you and your men if you agree to sheath yourweapons and discuss why you are here with ill intent.’ saidMiranda. ‘We have a war with the Mentarin. We cannot afford tofight among ourselves.’
‘Agreed.’ said the Lord and Miranda waved her hand and theentangle effect dissipated. The vines withered and turned to dustreleasing all the men who then separated into two groups who stoodscowling at each other.
‘So you are the one who styles herself Queen Miranda ofArgenta and would take the throne of Queen Aurora.’
‘Yes. I am that person.’ said Miranda.
‘Well we have talked with Queen Snowbelle whom we have metbefore and she has said you are nothing but a rebellious daughtertrying to usurp her throne and you have no claim on the throne ofMoonmist. We came here to see Darkmantle for an explanation but thecoward refuses to see us.’
‘When I sought to see for myself I was refused entry. Isuspected foul play and now I can see why. You are a bitchtemptress. Have you charmed him? Is he lying besotted somewherewithin the stronghold unable to move? I merely mentioned your nameand the Captain attacked me provoking me to defend myself.’ saidthe young lord.
Miranda turnedto Darkmantle’s men and asked what had happened.
They said thathe had just arrived and began insulting both Lord Darkmantle andher with rude and outlandish claims. The Captain was unable tostand their taunts and had attacked them.
‘Oh.’ she thought. ‘My damn mother’s been at it again. Waituntil I see her.’ then she turned to the young lord.
‘I am Miranda, a druidess of Mudrun and the partner of theLord Warden of Moonmist and Lord of Astaria, who is currentlyrisking his life to save your world. My mother is correct, I am notQueen of Argenta but I am the First Lady of Astaria, which has thesame status as Queen.’
‘I am also a direct descendant of Araxanllea the legendaryQueen of the Llanlleans who by the laws of our land entitle me tobe Queen of Moonmist. I am not only eligible but have been foundsuitable by the throne to contend as Queen of Moonmist. Is that notenough?’ said Miranda.
‘Words, words. They’re probably all lies. You are just tryingto charm us like you charmed Darkmantle. Let us check yourstronghold first then we might believe you.’ said the brash younglord.
Miranda beganto panic a little as she heard some of her men drawing theirweapons again at the insult.
‘Hold.’ she said. ‘Sheath your weapons.’
She steppedcloser to the young Lord and looked at his eyes. They were glazedover.
‘Damn you Snowbelle!’ thought Miranda. ‘You’ve gone too farthis time.’
‘My Lord you seem impressed by the nymph Snowbelle who is anoutlaw in Moonmist. You seem to believe her word over mine and areeven prepared to risk death to fight us in that belief. Why isthat?’ she asked.
‘Queen Snowbelle is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.She is a goddess, something to die for. You are nothing compared toher.’ said the young Lord contemptuously.
‘Hold.’ yelled Miranda again as she could hear the murmursamong her troops behind her as their anger rose to the lord’staunt.
‘Tell me why are nymphs so feared.’ asked Miranda.
‘That’s easy.’ replied the Lord. ‘They are reputed to be ableto
