Teryn’s face split into a wide grin and he nodded, then he raised his fist and knocked on the doors three times, waiting for a response.
After about twenty seconds, Teryn was already stomping his foot angrily and rolling his eyes. In another twenty, he knocked on the door again, a little faster and a lot harder. So hard, in fact, that he hurt his hand and withdrew. Teryn put his ear up to the door, straining to hear even the slightest breath.
A few seconds, or perhaps minutes, later, the long-awaited noise came – a shuffling of feet that was headed towards the gate.
Teryn gave the gate a look that seemed to say, finally and can you believe the nerve of this guy at once. Not a second later, a small window in the left door opened and a wretched old man stood on the other side, peering out into the darkness to see who it was that knocked so loud. Teryn backed off a little and made himself look more presentable immediately.
“What do you want here?” the old man said in an annoyed tone.
For a moment, Teryn stood there blinking his eyes and waving a hand in front of his nose to ward of the stench of the man’s breath.
“Haven't you ever heard of breath mints, old man?” Teryn asked him rudely.
“What's a breath mint?” the gatekeeper replied, not loud enough for Teryn to hear.
“What did you say, old man?” Teryn asked, leaning in a little to hear him better.
“I said – WHAT IN FHYRR’S NAME ARE BREATH MINTS?!” the old man screamed, possibly damaging Teryn’s ears and giving him quite a jolt. “You deaf or what?”
The whole incident had Talon rolling on the ground laughing. He could have easily opened the gates himself, of course, but watching Teryn flail about in front of the aged gate guard after all the hell he’d just been through was far too much fun.
“No, it’s not that at all, I just didn’t hear you,” Teryn said, backpedaling fast. “Maybe I just wasn’t listening well enough to hear your beautiful, booming voice.” He was trying his best to appease the old gatekeeper and diffuse the situation and doing a terrible job of it.
“Well you should start showing more respect for you elders, young man!”
“Yes, of course, I'm sorry.”
“Yeah, well you should be, sonny. Now what were we talking about?” The gatekeeper asked himself. “Oh yeah, what is a breath mint?! Tell me before I have to learn you a thing or two.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Teryn tried hard not to snicker at the old man. Heh. ‘Learn me a thing or two.’ That’s probably all this poor fool could teach me! He wiped a tear from his eye.
That reminds me, Terwain, what is a breath mint, and where did I learn that term? Teryn asked the Sage Mind.
Oh, that? That’s an Old Earth term one of my very early hosts used quite often. I think it has something to do with making breath smell sweet instead of repugnant, but I can’t be certain. You must have accessed one of my memories, Terwain told him.
“Never mind, old man,” Teryn said abruptly, trying to change the subject. “I am the sorcerer, Teryn. Your king sent for me some days ago. I’m sure he’s been waiting anxiously for my arrival.”
“Teryn, eh?” the gatekeeper said as he mumbled about something and read a long scroll. “Did you say your name was Teryn?” the old man asked.
“Yes, sir. Teryn Auroch, expert wizard and traveler, at your service.”
“I’m not seeing your name on the list,” the old man said, taking another glance at it. “Are you sure that King Christopher sent for you?”
“Yes, of course I’m sure. General Talon himself was sent to escort me here a few weeks ago. Surely, you must have some record of it.”
“Oh really, an escort? Well, where’s this escort now, Teryn?” the old man asked.
“He’s right over there,” Teryn said, pointing at the now empty spot behind him where Talon had been. Only he had somehow disappeared.
“I don’t see any General Talon over there, son,” the gatekeeper replied in a tone that made it sound like he thought Teryn was losing his mind. “Well, regardless, your name’s not on the list, so you can’t come in.”
The gatekeeper closed the window.
Suddenly, Talon leapt out of the shadows and thrust his hand forward to keep the window from closing. The old man grunted and pulled harder, but Talon was just too strong. He yanked the window open, almost breaking it in the process, startling the old gatekeeper.
“I am General Talon, and these here are my guests,” Talon said, showing the guard his face through the opening. “Now let us in to see the king.”
The old man just nodded in response.
Teryn let out the breath he’d been holding onto. He glared at Talon, wordlessly asking him where he’d been a moment earlier. The big man just shrugged.
A mere second later, they heard a latch open and the doors swung in wide. “T-t-this way,” the gatekeeper said, stuttering and pointing.
The trio followed his lead and went into the main tower. Once they were inside, all the twisting pathways and long halls told Teryn this was a very big castle, and quite a maze to traverse as well. The old man was slow as molasses, so Teryn took note of everything in the hallways, hoping to plan an escape route should it be needed later.
Okay, first we go left, then straight, straight again, then right, another right and a left . . . Teryn was thinking, straining to keep the order straight in his head. That’s not it! First we go straight, then make two lefts, a right and go straight again. No, we go straight, then two rights, straight, right, and left. Or was it . . . oh, I give up. I’m hopelessly lost.
He spared a glance at Valeria, who looked awestruck by all the decorations. Feeling
