‘Do you think that would work?’ asked Aquitain.
‘Probably not! I’m more interested in having her help us. Sheknows the laws, the Charter and how the Lords think. That would beuseful. She’s also a cunning bitch that sees no future among theHidden Ones and sees us as a way to escape. She’s besotted with youmy love. She gets a thrill out of being close to people with power.So I’ve offered her a job as tutor and carer of Tigerlilly. Shesaid that she would consider it overnight. She just accepted but wehave to get her released from her current position and that may betricky.’
‘Miranda! How about including me in these decisions.’ repliedAquitain a little annoyed.
‘Tain it is a woman’s business to care for her chosen, herchildren and to pick and control the domestic staff. Don’t you wantme to care for you?’ she replied.
‘I guess you’re right Mandy. I’m not used to having my ownfamily. It’s all happening so fast. We do need someone to lookafter Tigerlilly and as you say her knowledge is likely to beuseful.’ he replied.
An hour laterAquitain was busy playing mind games with Tigerlilly when amessenger came to inform them that they had been invited to ameeting with Leader Bengorrin and the Healer Rosanllea.
They foundNavarro and Gizel patiently waiting at the base of a hill that wassurrounded by steep almost vertical rock walls. In the brightmoonlight they could see that further up the hill it had a seriesof narrow terraces cut into it and along each terrace wereentrances to cave-like dwellings that had been hollowed out of thehillside. At the ends of each terrace was a movable ramp suspendedby ropes that allowed people to move from one terrace to another.They couldn’t see what was on top of the hill.
Aquitainthought that it was a lot of work to hollow out a cave to live inuntil he closely examined the cliff face rock. It was very chalkyand would be relatively easy to mine. They certainly had a secureand eminently defensible settlement. He could well imagine that ifthe occupants used any type of missile weapon then any potentialattackers would pay dearly. The rock face would also be veryresistant to any type of elemental magic attacks but expose theattackers to the wrath of magic users defending the place.
Once they wereall present a wooden platform suspended by ropes was lowered downto them and they were winched up to the first terrace where theyfound they had to traverse the full length of it before beinglifted to the next terrace. As they walked along the terrace theycould see black robed and hooded people standing just inside theentrances of the dwellings peering out at them. There were no signsof welcome or hostility, no emotional response to them at all; theonly sound to be heard was their own footsteps.
As theyprogressed up each terrace Aquitain noticed that each dwelling hadan entrance and a circular hole beside it, which might normally bea window, but in most cases the hole was filled with a hollow metalcone with the narrow end tapering into the dwelling. He thoughtabout possible uses for these funnels all the way up to the top butstopped when he arrived.
The top of thehill was flat, about 300 paces wide and surrounded with a low wallof rock perhaps a pace high. There were four rock guard towers eachabout 10 paces high facing to the north, south, east and west. Inthe centre was a simple circular keep perhaps 50 paces in diametermade out of a different rock to that of the hill that rose up about50 paces from the ground. The rest of the area was covered in smallgarden plots.
Suddenly therewas a shout behind them and Miranda and Tigerlilly looked around tosee a large flying lizard soaring down towards them with its jawsfull of sharp teeth wide open. Aquitain was nestling inTigerlilly’s left arm while holding the hand of Gizel with herright hand.
Miranda yelled‘Dive for the ground!’ and everyone except Tigerlilly did. Shestood fearlessly watching the creature approach. Aquitain hardenedTigerlilly’s skin just before it grabbed her in its jaws and glidedaway with her. He was flung onto the ground as Miranda screamed inanguish.
‘Aquitain where are you?’ she yelled.
He createdlight on his little body and she ran over and grabbed hold of himthen flung her arms parallel to the ground and began to whirl whilechanting words of power. She whirled faster and faster until shetransformed into a whirlwind then flew off at high speed in thedirection the creature had flown.
Aquitain foundhimself spinning like a top in the centre of the whirlwind andunable to fix his sight on anything so he moved his point of visionthrough their mindlink to see what Miranda was seeing. It appearedlike she was looking through a scrying eye.
‘I can’t see her. The sky’s too dark.’ said Miranda in apanicky voice.
‘I’ll light her up.’ replied Aquitain.
‘Tigerlilly this is daddy. Don’t be scared. Mummy and daddyare coming to get you. You must do exactly what I say.’ he saidthrough their mindlink.
‘Okay daddy.’ she replied.
‘Now say these magic words.’ And she did and moments later herbody shone with bright light.
‘Good girl, Tigerlilly!’ he shouted.
‘I see her.’ said Miranda as she changed direction towards thelight.
The creaturewas suddenly surprised when Tigerlilly illuminated. It was confusedthen it was suddenly afraid and opened its mouth and discardedher.
‘She’s falling!’ said Miranda as she sped towardsTigerlilly.
Aquitain couldsee and also realized that they had no chance of reaching her intime. Had he been in an organic body his heart would have stoppedat that moment. But he had no heart and no emotions. He instantlyreviewed his options and knew what to do.
‘Tigerlilly say these magic words.’
‘I wish to go to Warden’s Rest!’
‘Quickly! Say,’
‘I wish to go to Warden’s Rest!’
She keptfalling and just before she hit the dark ground she vanished.
‘Did it work?’ screamed Miranda. ‘Oh. Lady I hope itworked.’
‘Why didn’t you protect her?’ she screamed atAquitain.
‘Because I couldn’t see what was happening!’ he shouted thenhe started singing the calming mantra.
‘I knew
