‘You are a Preserver and you may be the only one in this landfor I have never heard of another. Perhaps that is why you have hadyour memories stolen.’
‘You mentioned that a Collector asked you to help me. What arethey? asked Moonbeam.
‘With great sadness the Creator discovered that some Seekerswould destroy her memories rather than let others know of them. Soshe gave special powers to some Seekers to allow them to collecther memories from others so that they wouldn’t be lost. These shecalled Collectors. They are usually very powerful and able to storegreat amounts of memories but are forbidden to use them or to sharethem with others. Their job is to collect the memories of othersand deliver them to the Creator.’
‘Are there any others?’ asked Moonbeam.
‘Yes. There is one other, a very rare type. They are calledWardens. The Creator found that Seekers could organize themselvesinto groups and use knowledge that corrupts and defiles the verystructure of nature itself. To combat this she occasionallyappoints a Seeker to be a Warden. His or her job is to fight thiscorruption and restore balance to her grand plan.’
‘That is a wonderful story Ironwood. Thank you very much. Ishall try to find my missing memories and be the bestest Preserverever.’
‘I’m sure you will child,’ replied Ironwood. ‘I’m sure youwill.’
Miranda satdown and said ‘I want to do some drawings now.’ And a book and setof colouring pencils appeared beside her.
‘What are you going to draw child?’ asked Ironwood thankfulthat she had stopped running around.
‘My mother told me that in our dreams we can make anything wewant happen. I’m going to make my own Gatherers and Searchers tofind my lost memories.’
Moonbeam drew apicture of a flower containing two butterflies in an eroticembrace. When she was happy with it she kissed the flower and thetwo butterflies on it opened their wings and fluttered off the pageof her book and headed off in opposite directions. She looked up atIronwood and said.
‘That is my own very special flower. Someone that loves megave it to me sealed with his love. I have sent it out to find him.Each butterfly will fly for a few minutes until it gets tired thenit will land and burrow into the ground and grow into another ofthese flowers. Each will in turn give off butterflies which in turnwill fly until they get tired and the process will repeat until mymessage is delivered.’
‘But in no time that could fill the whole of the world ofdreams with flowers and butterflies.’ said Ironwood suddenlyconcerned.
‘Yes.’ replied Moonbeam. ‘Won’t it look pretty. Now I want todo some more skipping.’
‘Goodness what have I done?’ thought Ironwood. ‘I don’t thinkthe Gods will like this.’
***
Several hourslater at first light the two carers went down to see if the Felynxwas still alive. They took one look and quickly went to see thePrime Healer. Ten minutes later he was standing over Miranda.
‘Amazing! The stench has almost gone.’ thought the PrimeHealer. ‘That moss seems to be growing on her wounds. It must havehealing properties. She is sleeping and breathing regularly. I havenever seen anyone survive the vile rot. This is truly amazing. Iwill be famous if she survives.’
‘Do nothing to disturb this creature,’ said the Prime Healer.‘She is now in my care. Leave, I will attend to her needs from nowon.’
Chapter 5 SecretRevelations
Aquitain wasn’t surehow to react to Darkmantle. This was the former husband ofSnowbelle before she had become a nymph. He had heard severalversions of the story of this Elendari Lord and his Newman druidwife Sindel. They had all varied in who was to blame for theoutcome. Perhaps he could now find out the true story fromDarkmantle himself as it seemed to be somehow relevant to thecurrent situation.
‘Lord Darkmantle.’ said Aquitain. ‘Would you mind if I askedyou some questions.’
‘Err … excuse me Your Majesty and my Lord.’ whisperedPrendergrass. ‘We are very exposed here. Perhaps it would be betterto talk somewhere else.’
‘Quite right Prendergrass.’ replied Darkmantle.
‘Would you care to accompany us to my estate? We’ll answeryour questions there.’
‘Careful.’ said Yllandril through the mind link. ‘It could bea trap.’
‘Maybe.’ replied Aquitain ‘but we need some answers fast andthis seems like a good opportunity. You search for Llalorax andfind out what he’s thinking. Take Rat Catcher to watch for anyMentarin and I’ll go with Darkmantle. I think Darkmantle will be alittle wary with our Warden here protecting me.’
Aquitain pickedup Crys and both she and Darkmantle placed a hand on Prendergrass’sshoulder and the group were teleported to Prendergrass’s room inDarkmantle’s estate. Prendergrass offered Aquitain and Darkmantle aseat and suggested that they wait until he cast some wards to givethem privacy. Aquitain stood Crys on the table between them and itstood looking at Darkmantle and in turn Darkmantle stared atAquitain.
‘You look remarkably like my former wife before she left meand turned into that … nymph.’
Aquitain saidnothing but watched Prendergrass carefully to be sure that hedidn’t do anything other than set up wards. After about fiveminutes the room became slightly misty and he declared that itwould be safe to talk. Aquitain asked him how secure the wardswere. He replied that no one as far as he was aware would be ableto eavesdrop or scry within the room.
‘Do you mind if I check.’ asked Aquitain and she activated heraura vision. Her eyes glowed with golden light and she immediatelysaw that Darkmantle for all that had been said about him had aneutral aura but Prendergrass’s aura had a suspicious reddish glowand as she scanned the room he caught sight of another smallneutral aura about Trixie size.’
Casually shesaid ‘Looks clear to me.’ but using mindspeak she said toPrendergrass.
‘Can you block teleport from this room?’
Prendergrasswas a little surprised to hear mindspeak in his head and simplynodded that he could.
‘Then do it!’ commanded Aquitain again usingmindspeak.
Prendergrassturned a little red and said
‘Excuse me for a moment your Majesty and my Lord, I seem tohave forgotten something.’ and disappeared into an adjoining roomreturning
