Heric entered.

The chamber beyond the door was almost circular. The small cave had been turned into a luxurious sitting room, decorated in fine pinks and yellows, or perhaps a bed chamber would explain it better - except there was no bed.  At least no bed big enough for someone to actually sleep upon.  There was, however, a long upholstered seat, of similar size and amenity as those Heric had seen Lady Frista use often, whilst in her employ.  

On this occasion, Princess Tegalie lazed upon this particular seat, her feet dangling over the edge. She had grown into a fine young lady since Heric had last seen her.  She looked as though she was ready to attend a ball or party.  Her hair had been pulled back and tied back with a pink ribbon, and she wore a beautiful golden gown with crystalline slippers.

Heric stood up straight and dropped his gaze to his feet.  Just as he had been instructed last time.  Meanwhile, Ganthe squeezed in beside him.  There was barely enough room for all three of them, especially with the seat. Ganthe quietly closed the door, and only just in time too.  A moment later, the sound of heavy boots raced by.

Tegalie shifted, bringing her feet around and placing them on the floor.  The pip from a cherry dropped from between the cushions , to fall upon the floor.

“Who are you?” Tegalie asked.

“Stuska sent us,” Ganthe said, shuffling around to face her. “We’re the...” he searched for the term, “outriders.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes, we are.”

“No. You are not.  Stuska’s dead.  Sem warned me about you.”

Heric and Ganthe exchanged glances.

“Who’s Sem?” Ganthe asked.

“None of your business.”  Tegalie pointed at Heric, “Is this one mute?”

Heric lifted his gaze and said, “We were sent by your father.”

“My goodness!” Tegalie exclaimed.

“We’re here to rescue you.”

“No you’re not.”

“I have proof-“

“I don’t need any proof.  My father did not send you, because he was ordered not to.”

“Ordered by who?”

“By whom!” Tegalie corrected him. “By me! I outrank him. I am a princess, he is a baron.”

“Rido sent us,” Ganthe said.

“Thank you.  Finally a word of truth. As for rescuing me, I do not need rescuing.  I am here willingly. Amiably. Thankfully. Enthusiastically.”

Heric and Ganthe exchanged looks again.

“Do not even think about abducting me. I have a knife at hand, and I know that armour isn’t very good.”

Heric bowed his head, “Then what would you have us do, your highness?”

“You are clearly here for a reason.  Perhaps the Gods have sent you as witnesses, but now that I have seen you I have plans of my own. You both shall be my escorts.  My personal guard.”

“Why do you need a persona-“ Heric began,

“Witnesses to what?” Ganthe interrupted.

Tegalie suddenly climbed up to stand upon the seat.  She wobbled, the slippers weren’t designed for standing on cushions.  Once she was stable enough she lifted her gaze as if she was addressing a crowd in a hall, and not just Heric and Ganthe in the tiny cave.

“Tonight I fulfil prophecy,” Tegalie cried out. “Tonight I become queen of the world.”

 

Falduin hurried.

As they observed the haunted chanting, Lera spotted a figure hurrying through the cavern below. She pointed him out to Falduin as he man weaved his way, following the channels formed by the candles.

“Tell me that isn’t who I think it is,” Lera hissed.

“It’s him.” Falduin confirmed.

“And he still has my axe.  Let’s cut him off,” she said, speeding away back they way they had come.

“What about the goblins?”

“What about them?  I’m here for my axe.  Plus, they might be good goblins.”

“There’s no such thing as good goblins.”

“There’s no such thing as singing goblins either, but listen.”

The tempo and pitch of the chant had changed, Falduin noted. It appeared to be building in intensity.

 Instead of turning right into the corridor, Lera headed straight ahead toward the unlit tunnel. It was wider, but also less well-maintained.  Part of the wall on their left-hand side had crumbled, leaving pebbles and small rocks scattered across the floor.

“What if it ends in a dead-end?” Falduin asked as he caught up.

“I’ll blow a hole through it.”  Lera turned to him, “Or you can, if you prefer.”

“Did you forget about triggering a response?  These walls don’t exactly look stable.  It might bring the entire hill down upon us.”

Lera stopped suddenly. “What if it’s just you.  A witch, warlock or even a wizard might not be able to detect a priestess’ casting.  What if I try and make a light?”

Falduin eyed her, uncertain if she was serious or not.  He realised she just might be.  “Wait here,” he said.

He returned a moment later carrying a lantern he had...obtained.  That’s how Ganthe would have termed it had he been there.

“Thank you,” Lera said, continuing along the tunnel.

“Having me carrying the lantern was your plan all along wasn’t it?”

“It’s not like you’re carrying anything else.”

 

Ganthe startled.

The knock on the door came unexpectedly.  He reached for his knife.”

“That will be Fahesha,” Tegalie said.

“Who?” Heric asked.

“My handmaiden,” Tegalie said, then added, “Although I don’t entirely believe she is a maiden. Allow her in.”

As Ganthe shuffled around to open the door, Heric asked, “How are you going to become Queen of the World and what does your grandfather have to say about you usurping him?”

“I’m not.  It’s purely a ceremonial role.”

Ganthe only managed to open the door part way before a small woman barged in.  Her head and body were almost as well covered as the spider widows, except in browns and grey linens instead of silks. Despite her stature she shoved Ganthe out of the way easily before stopping suddenly.  She peered at Tegalie, standing upon the seat.

“Oh no,” she said, her voice harsh and heavily accented. “Oh no, oh no.  Not again.  Oh no.”

“What?” Ganthe asked.

“Oh no.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

The woman ignored Ganthe.  “Oh no,” she repeated. “Not world of queen again. Oh no.”

“It’s what the seer said!” Tegalie squealed.

“Oh no, no, no, no, no.”

“It is.  You weren’t even there!”

“What did the seer say?” Heric asked.

“Oh no. Why you do this to me?”

“Do what?  What is she doing?” Ganthe asked.

“This,” the woman gestured to Tegalie. “Every time.”

“She’s standing on a chair.”

“Oh no.”

Heric turned to Tegalie, “What did the seer say?” he asked her.

“Oh no.”

“Immediately after The Goblin War,” Tegalie began, “A seer came to visit my father.”

“You know they’re all charlatans?”

“Yes, but this one had certain... credentials.”

“Like what?”

“I am not at liberty to say.  Let’s just say that I believed him.  And more importantly so did my father.”

“Oh no,” the woman said, shaking her head.

“What did he say?”

“He told me, I would become queen of th-“

“Liar!” the tiny woman shouted.  “I told you, you lie tongue fall out, your nose will fall off and no man will ever- “

“He told me,” Tegalie began again. “I would become matriarch of kings, that ruled the world.  But how am I to become the matriarch of kings unless I am queen myself? It makes no sense.”

“Prophecies rarely do,” Heric said.

“Unless...” Tegalie said eyeing Heric, “you’re a prince .”

Ganthe started again.  Another knock, loud and with a heavy fist.

“Oh no,” the tiny woman said.

“What?” Tegalie  asked.

The door suddenly lurched open, almost pulled off its hinges.  Four goblins stood in full armour in the corridor.”

“Oh no.”

 

Lera exhaled.

She had already removed her surcoat, and passed it, along with her her shield, spear, helmet and sword through to Falduin, on the far side of the gap. She edged, side-on, creeping through the crack.  The rings of her hauberk scraped along the rocky surface, threatening to catch on the nubs, ridges, and knops.  They made a loud rasping, that reverberated off the walls.

One step.  Two.  Three.  Lera was desperate to take a breath. 

Then she was through.  She gulped rather than breathed, offering up a nervous giggle.

“Thank you.” Lera said donning her surcoat.

“For what?” Falduin asked.

“Not making a pithy remark.  For not calling me fat.”

“I didn’t even think of it. I wish I had now.”

Lera smiled at him. “You’ve come a long way in the week since we first met,” she said.

“A week?”

“Just over.”

“It feels like a month.”

“I have noticed that being with good friends does that sometimes.”

“Bad friends too, I expect.”

Lera laughed, “Yes.  That too. Come on.  Let us find our thief.”

 

They could see the glow well before they rounded the corner.  It was a golden-red, like the they had seen in the cavern with the singing goblins.  They could still hear the singing and occasional chimes, but they were remote and made indistinct. They were also drowned out by the shouting coming from just ahead.

It was a goblin voice, harsh and booming.  Although neither of them understood more than a few words of the language they both could tell that someone was catching it hot. Something was wrong, and that could only be considered good news.

Falduin doused the lantern, before placing it on the ground.

“What if we need it later?” Lera whispered.

“We won’t,” Falduin assured her.

“Why?”

“We won’t need to worry about other wizards detecting us.”

Lera and Falduin held each others eye for a long moment.

“My axe isn’t that important,” Lera said.

“Yes it is,” Falduin insisted.

“No it’s not.  We could leave.  Nobody knows we are here. The others might even be back at the cave by now.  They might be waiting for us so they can rescue the princess.”

“I should change that.”

“What?”

“That nobody knows that we’re here. I know just the spell,” he turned towards the light.

Lera grabbed his arm. “Wait, wait, wait. I’m afraid, aren’t you?”

“They’re goblins.  Of course I’m afraid.”

Lera licked her lips and nodded. “Whatever happens, don’t allow me to end up like Ifonsa’s sister.”

“What happened to Ifonsa’s sister?”

Lera hesitated.  

“Every torture and humiliation you can possibly imagine,” she began, “But worse.  I saw what was left of her.”  She hesitated again, licking her lips, “That was the moment I chose to reject my order’s code of non-violence and become what you see before you now.”

Falduin nodded sagely.  “Very well,” he said, after a pause. “Let’s go.”  And he bent to retrieve the lantern.

“What are you doing?” Lera hissed.

“”You’ve convinced me.  I’m going back to the cave.  I not even going to wait for the others.  I’m leaving.  I wasn’t supposed to be here anyway.”

“Falduin!”

He stopped, and placed the lantern back on the ground.

“We can’t-”

“Shhh,” he said, waving her comment away.

The shouting had stopped.  The chanting and chimes were loudening.  The marching of boots and the rattle of armour, like a small army, was drawing closer.

Falduin crept to the corner and peeked.

“The others aren’t waiting for us in the cave,” he told Lera casually.