‘That is what they call me although I think Rori is really thetrue hero of the little people.’ replied Aquitain.
‘Very true.’ said the spirit. ‘You have given my little oneshope and self-respect. For that you have my gratitude. Perhaps wemight talk after the current problem is resolved.’
‘I will look forward to it.’ replied Aquitain then paidattention to Rori.
‘Queen Miranda is being put on trial by the Crin. Her motherhas been accusing her of terrible things. Xentos said she could bebeing sentenced to death.’
‘Oh damn.’ said Aquitain. ‘Why does everything have to happenat the same time? Asterix mind the shop will you please! I’ll beback in a few minutes, I hope.’
‘I wonder if you would mind returning Rori and myself to theentrance of Queen Beatrix’s city.’ asked Aquitain usingmindspeak.
‘Certainly!’ replied the spirit and a blur later they werestanding there.
Aquitainchanged to his Newman form.
‘This doesn’t look like the entrance to the Crin City.’ saidAquitain.
‘The Crins are having lots of new entrances Spirit Lord it isbeing very confusing coming here.’ replied Rori.
‘It must be a part of their defence strategy I guess. Lots offalse entrances.’ said Aquitain.
‘Queen Beatrix, this is Gatekeeper Aquitain of Astaria, mightI have an audience.’ He shouted in a clear loud voice.
‘I seem to remember that you were banished from my territory!’she replied using mindspeak.
‘I have been informed that you have my chosen Miranda withinyour city and that she has been falsely accused of ill deeds.’ hesaid.
‘That is true. She is being tried at the moment.’ replied theQueen.
‘As the chosen of a gatekeeper she has the status of Queen ofa realm. Under Druid Council rules, which even you must obey, youhave no authority to try her for anything. Will you please send herout now!’
‘No I will not. Don’t you dare tell me what I must or must notdo in my territory! There is a war on, the rules have changed.Leave now or suffer the consequences!’ and thirty Crin warriorscame streaming out of the entrance of the city and encircledhim.
He felt amindlink and heard a voice he knew.
‘Hello, Captain Brown Bear, it is Xentos. Miranda is unharmedand wishes to defend herself against the charges. She has the druidQuab with her and they have worked out a defence or so Ibelieve.’
‘Hello Xentos, I am in no mood to be toyed with. Link me withMiranda. If I have to come in there uninvited many Crin will behurt.’
‘I’m not sure that the Queen would want me to do that!’replied Xentos meekly.
‘DO IT NOW!’ commanded Aquitain and moments later a mindlinkwas formed with Miranda.
‘Are you okay, my love?’ asked Aquitain.
‘I think so.’ replied Miranda.
‘Quab is here with me and we have told them I am not obligedto tell them anything but as friends I will tell them what hashappened. I’m not sure they will believe some of the things as Ihardly believe them myself. However, I’m not guilty and if I can’tconvince these people who have been my friends all my life I won’tbe able to convince anyone.’
‘All right, be quick will you. We still have problems back atAstaria.’ said Aquitain and the mindlink dissolved. He was annoyedand burst into a cloud of smoke with a multitude of eyes bobbingaround in it.’
‘Are you being all right, Spirit Lord?’ asked Rorihesitantly.
‘Damn, this is irritating’ he thought and changed to a yellowscaled little person and sat down beside Rori and began mentallychanting a calming mantra.
‘That is being much better, Spirit Lord.’ saidRori.
‘It is being much like old times.’
‘Congratulations, I see you are now a full shaman, Rori. Whendid that happen?’
‘It was happening just a few days ago, Spirit Lord. Not longafter the war between the druids and the invaders was happening.Kami decided that it was time for me to becoming a full shaman. Ihave been learning many secret shaman things.’
‘Damn. More problems.’ thought Aquitain.
‘I have never been hearing or seeing Great R’ptor before. Itwas a great honour that he came to be helping you.’
‘Yes, Rori, it was and I am also thankful to you for callinghim. If you are in trouble, you may be able to get a message to meby talking to your dead. I will try to help if possible but don’tcount on it as there are lots of problems in my world tofix.’
‘I am thanking you, spirit lord and will only ever be callingyou if the tribe is being in great peril and R’ptor cannothelp.’
‘What has happened with Shastritara, I was not able to come tothe Making of Eggs.’ said Aquitain.
‘That is being very strange Spirit Lord. She did not come aswe were expecting. Perhaps she was knowing that you were not ableto be coming.’
Aquitain andRori talked about a variety of things then Miranda was linkedthrough to him again.
‘It’s so frustrating, I told them selected parts of our storyand they can believe most things but not the important things.Mother has been infuriating. She says you are not a spirit bear andit’s impossible for you to move your spirit between bodies. Shesays the Mentarin don’t exist and its impossible for you to go intomy dream and make Tigerlilly as only gods can do that. They justcouldn’t believe it.’
‘Hmm … okay. Seems a little proof is necessary.’ And Aquitainchanged back to a Newman form.
‘Rat catcher come here!’ he commanded and the catappeared.
‘Where is Tigerlilly at this moment?’
‘She is with Lord Darkmantle, Gizel and your Grandfather, inTemplegate my Lord.’ The cat replied.
‘Good. Please bring all four of them here.’ commandedAquitain.
‘As you wish, my Lord.’ And a minute later they all appearedlooking rather startled.
‘Hello Tigerlilly, Gizel, Granddad, Wyvern. I’m sorry to bringyou here on such short notice but Queen Beatrix and Snowbelle doubtthe existence of Tigerlilly.’
Tigerlilly andGizel ran over and cuddled into him.
‘Is this being your child?’ asked Rori with a strange look onhis face as he saw Gizel in Miranda’s old body.
‘Yes.’ replied Aquitain as he mentally called for Xentos’sattention.
‘Tell the Queen that I have brought our impossible daughterTigerlilly to meet her.’
Moments laterXentos created a mindlink with Aquitain and said ‘Please show usyour daughter.’
Aquitain sent amental image of her sitting in his arms waving. He was
