‘I came to visit my mother.’ said Miranda gazing in wonder atthe beauty of his eyes.
Snowbellerecognized Miranda and casually strolled over. Aquitain could seeher eyes were glazed over.
‘Hello Miranda, what brings you here.’ she said.
‘I came to ask for your help if you’re not too busy mother.’said Miranda in dreamy voice.
‘Oh. I’m much too busy.’ said Snowbelle and wanderedoff.
‘Would you like to stay with us.’ said Adonis with a heavenlysmile.
‘That would be lovely.’ said Miranda with her heartracing.
Aquitain wasnot impressed. He changed his eyes to see the nymph’s spirit auraand was nearly blinded by the aura of Adonis. He also got a quicklook at Snowbelle’s and was surprised.
‘How dare you invade my privacy!’ said Adonis as he stunnedMiranda’s mind.
‘It wasn’t you.’ he said with a puzzled expression on is faceand his eyes moved to Aquitain.
Aquitain wentinto automatic. He created an illusionary bear behind Adonis andordered it to roar and strike him. The bear struck Adonis with analmighty thump but it hardly moved him and certainly didn’t damagehim in any way. It did, however, break his concentrationmomentarily as he mentally looked behind and eliminated it. Thatwas just enough time for Aquitain, he triggered the teleport ringand they were gone.
They appearedabout ten paces from the entrance to the stronghold. He dropped tothe ground and telekinetically lifted Miranda and moved her intothe stronghold until suddenly she fell to the ground as she enteredthe dead magic field, whereupon she stood up with a puzzled look onher face and said
‘How did I get here?’
He quicklybroadcast to the nearest guard to tell her to stay there and racedacross into the area on his little legs as fast as he could.’
‘Get Prendergrass quickly.’ he said and the guard hurried offreturning with the puffing old wizard running behind a minute ortwo later.
‘Miranda needs an amulet of non-detection, can you get herone.’
‘What do I need that for?’ asked Miranda still unsure of whathad happened as Prendergrass scooted off to get one.
‘Tell me the last thing that you remember? saidAquitain.
She thoughthard for a few seconds then said,
‘I remember flying to the nymph camp in the centre of theplateau and then I was here. What happened?’
‘You were charmed by an extremely powerful person pretendingto be a male nymph. He was more powerful than Granddad orFeatherdown. He didn’t see me immediately as I was covered by aPure Heart. I got us out while I could. We need to keep you hiddenfor a while, so that he doesn’t come snooping around.’
A nymphappeared a few paces from where they stood just inside the entranceof the stronghold and said in a loud voice.
‘Aquitain of Panmagica, Adonis the Graceful knows you. Youhave invaded his privacy. Tremble with fear for your hours arenumbered.’ then she disappeared.
‘By the gods, Tain, that doesn’t sound too good.’ saidMiranda. ‘What else did you do?’
‘I sort of tapped him on the shoulder and glimpsed somethingthat he didn’t want me to see.’
‘You what! You actually physically touched someone thatpowerful. Are you totally and absolutely raving mad? I can’tbelieve that you’d do that. I really can’t. No one could possiblybe that stupid.’
‘I don’t think that’s what he’s annoyed about. I saw that yourmother Snowbelle is pregnant.’
Miranda juststood there in total shock as Darkmantle came running out to jointhe group.
Chapter 19 Mothers Lost andFound
Miranda, Darkmantleand Prendergrass sat around depressed, all sadly looking atAquitain. They believed he had just received a death sentence fromsome sort of Power. It was just a matter of time and there waslittle any of them could do to help. The fact that he was Warden ofMoonmist didn’t seem to enter the conversation. Gizel on the otherhand had faith in her Warden.
Rule one in anymagic users handbook was never ever have anything to do with abeing of Minor Power status or greater. Unless of course, you couldcall on a being of Greater Power to protect you, which Aquitaincouldn’t as he prayed to no god.
Aquitain showedno emotion. He pointed out that while Adonis seemed powerful no onewould really know unless they met face to face. He wasn’t preparedto tell them that he was an Agent of Chaos and that he thought hisfather might be powerful enough to offer protection.
Perhaps hewould have been scared witless if had he been in an organic bodybut in his crystal body he simply couldn’t feel fear. He wonderedhow Adonis knew who he was as he had his pure heart shield active.Regardless, Adonis would have to join the queue to get at him as hewasn’t planning to wait around. He was trying to decide whichproblem was the most appropriate to tackle next.
The problem wassolved when a guard came to tell Darkmantle that a Newman with astrange small talking spider wished to see the Lord Warden. Theywere reluctant to let them into the stronghold so they were keptunder guard out the front. They all went out to see who had arrivedand were surprised to see Garret with Yllandril.
‘Hello Yllandril, Hello Garret. I’m surprised to see you twotogether.’ said Aquitain remembering Garrett’s fear ofspiders.
‘Which one of you is Aquitain.’ said Garret a little confused.‘I’ve seen him as a gnome and a spider. None of those seem to behere at the moment.’
‘Sorry, Garret I’m the little green statue.’ saidAquitain.
‘The Trixies found him locked in a room in the guest wing ofthe palace making quite a noise since he hadn’t eaten for a coupleof days.’ said Yllandril.
‘It wasn’t a difficult choice.’ said Garret. ‘It was eitherstay with those hideous Trixies or come with a small spider towhere some real people were camped.’
‘Who is this person?’ asked Darkmantle.
‘It’s the artisan whose family originally made the Sceptre ofLordly Might for Queen Aurora to give to the Queen’s Champion. Iaccompanied him to Moonmist from Mudrun a few weeks ago. The Queenhas been keeping him at the palace as a house guest.’ saidAquitain.
‘More like a prisoner.’ said Garret.
‘Is there any way I can get back to Mudrun. I’ve already beenaway for months of Mudrun time.’
‘Possibly.’ said Aquitain ‘but you will have
