‘About a week ago the Panmagican Alliance attacked Mudrun.There was a big battle between the druids and the Panmagicans whichwe seem to have won but they also attacked and captured TwinTowers. A wizard Captain of the Mudrun Defence Force calledAquitain seems to have almost single handedly saved most of thevillagers from Twin Towers according to the stories that I’veheard.’
‘That’s strange.’ thought Lord Darkmantle. ‘He would have beenwith us at the time. I wonder how he did it? Hmmm.’
‘Why don’t we just go to the druid headquarters?’ asked LordDarkmantle.
‘That may not be a good idea as the guards are on edge. TheYith have also arrived on Mudrun presumably to counter the presenceof the Panmagicans. The town has been harassed a couple of times byYithmardu and some guards killed.’ replied Wolfram.
‘What are they?’ asked Garret.
‘Apparently some type of Yith shape changer similar to ourdruids.’ replied Wolfram. ‘They can change into horrible creaturesfrom the Yith worlds. Anyone the guards see that they don’t know orlooks a little different is immediately arrested.’
‘Dam. Perhaps the note is the best idea.’ said Garret. ‘I’llwrite one and we’ll wait upstairs. Is Jaz here?’
‘No she’s visiting friends at the moment.’ repliedWolfram.
A message wassent and they waited about two hours then heard a knock at thefront door. Wolfram opened it to see a Newman wizard with a largeblack construct standing five paces behind him.
‘You sent a note saying that you had information aboutAquitain and a threat to Mudrun?’
‘Err … yes my Lord. Who are you?’
‘I am an advisor to the High Wizard.’ said Sol Theolaur andWolfram felt himself lifted a hand span off the floor and floatedinto the shop backwards followed by the wizard. The constructshrunk to a size that would fit through the door and followed thewizard.
‘Garret. We have a visitor from the High Wizard. Could youplease come down here and bring your friends.’ shoutedWolfram.
Garret hurrieddown the stairs followed by Lord Darkmantle but stopped dead whenthey saw the construct and Wolfram floating above the floor.
Sol Theolaur’seye turned golden as he examined their auras then gently loweredWolfram to the floor.
‘I am Aquitain’s grandfather. I believe you have someinformation about him and other matters that you would like to tellme.’
Lord Darkmantlestepped forward.
‘I am Lord Wyvern Darkmantle, your grandson Aquitain isbetrothed to my daughter Miranda.’
Both men stoodstaring at each other suspiciously for a few seconds and Solnoticed another separate bright spirit aura hiding behindDarkmantle. It was a most unusual aura not unlike Aquitain’s. Herecalled an image of Aquitain’s spirit aura and compared thetwo.
‘Is that you Aquitain?’ he said using mindspeak.
To his surpriseTigerlilly stepped out from behind Darkmantle.
‘No I am Princess Tigerlilly. Aquitain is my daddy. You betternot be a bad man because my daddy doesn’t like them.’
Sol wasstartled. ‘Who is the man you are with?’ he asked.
‘This is my grandfather Wyvern silly. He already told youthat!’
‘And who is this lovely Lady.’ asked Granddad referring toGizel.
‘This is my other daughter, Gizel, the Lord Warden Aquitain’ssecond chosen.’ replied Darkmantle with a smile at Granddad’ssurprise.
‘It’s lovely to meet you my dear.’ Granddadreplied.
‘May I mind link with you, Lord Darkmantle?’ heasked.
‘As you wish.’ replied Darkmantle.
Sol created thelink and said ‘Is my grandson really a father?’
Darkmantlesmiled and relaxed. ‘Yes it would seem so. However, it is the mostunusual story you will ever hear. Let’s sit and I will tell youwhat has happened.
‘I want to walk around.’ she said.
“Okay’ said Darkmantle and she walked straight over to Gothand said ‘Pick me up!’ and Goth bent over and gently picked her upand she sat down in his open hand and waved at them all.
‘By all the Powers!’ said Sol totally surprised.
‘Yes she has got a mind of her own.’ said Darkmantle with asmile and he began telling Sol all that he knew that hadhappened.
***
Miranda exitedthe gateway. There was a large pile of ash and some bone remnantswhere the dead wyvern had been. Someone had burnt the carcass. Shepondered for a few moments as to where her father might have gone.Probably to Twin Towers she thought as he would have wanted to talkto the High Wizard Featherdown.
She rememberedthat she had come here weeks ago Mudrun time at the request of theWolf people to investigate the disappearance of their youngwarriors and decided that she should go and see them. She changedto her sea eagle form and stretched her wings. It was so wonderfulto be home.
She landed nearthe shaman’s hut and changed to a wolf form and howled then changedagain to her old Miranda form as the shaman wouldn’t recognize herin her new body form. The shaman rushed out of his hut to meether.
‘You are alive. You are well. Thank the spirits myLady.’
‘Yes. I am alive and I have been away in another world forsome time. Can you please tell what has happened since I have beengone?’
‘There is terrible news my Lady. The druids are at war withpeople called Panmagicans and the Yith. They have asked us tochoose sides and we are unsure my Lady. We have asked the spiritsbut they have not yet replied.’ said the shaman.
‘By the Powers, that is terrible news.’ replied Mirandasomewhat shocked.
‘Do you know how this war started?’
‘It seems that the Panmagicans attacked the druids at a druidconclave and there was a great battle which the druids won. Therewas also another battle at the place you call Twin Towers and thedruids lost. There is a large Panmagican army therenow.’
‘By the Lady! I almost went there!’ she thought.
‘Do you know anything about Templewood or Turtlehaven?’ sheasked.
‘No my Lady I am sorry. I do not.’ replied theshaman.
‘Have you seen any strangers in the last few hours?’ sheasked.
‘No.’ he replied.
‘I hope they didn’t go to Twin Towers.’ shethought.
‘Thank you, Toki, I must go now.’ And she removed a teleportring from a leather pouch on her leg and teleported to the entranceof the Crin hive.
She stood therefor a minute then said aloud.
‘Your majesty, this is Princess Miranda, may I have anaudience?’
She wassuddenly asleep and several minutes later awoke to find herself infront of Queen Beatrix with her hands tied behind her back.
‘You have
