Chapter 12

The hero explores the other side of the castle

I was shaken awake by a servant the next morning, who told me breakfast was served and took the blanket I didn't remember having the right before from me. I must have fallen asleep there in the hall outside her door and someone took pity on me and draped it over me. That was nice of them. But there's someone I need to be more worried about."The princess?" I asked, figuring everyone would know if she was recovered or not.

She shook her head. "No change," she reported sadly.

But I was heartened by this news, not brought down. No change means still alive. That's a good sign I would think. If she can make it one night she can probably make another, and another after that. Getting care now puts her chances on the rise, she wouldn't have lived much longer in that cave. "Don't lose hope, okay?"

She tried to smile. "Of course, sir. If you would like to follow me?" I stood and stretched, then fell into step with her. "You are the one that brought her back, are you not?" she asked shyly.

"I had some help," I admitted. Shoot, the dragon! I hope it's still out there. I should probably tell someone not to fly into a panic if they see it from the castle walls, now that it's light out. Well, after breakfast I guess.

"Oh. Then they should share in your reward!"

"Don't worry, I won't forget them." They'll probably want it in beef, the kingdom doesn't have much gold left. If the king is to be believed anyway.

"Why aren't they here as well?"

"That's complicated. They had something to do elsewhere."

"Oh." we walked in silence a moment. "It must have been very scary, fighting off the Dragonlords minions to get to her."

"There was a time I honestly thought I would be someone's lunch," I told her. "Still, it all worked out in the end."

"I think you're very brave."

"Thank you."

"Here you are." She stopped in front of a room and opened the door.

Ah, don't need a key for that- wait. "This is a room," I announced stupidly. Something in the back of my mind perked up at the thought of a key but I couldn't quite recall what it was at the moment.

She tried to hide her smile. "I thought you may want to freshen up, you are invited to the king's table after all."

"Yes!" I agreed a little to quickly and loudly. "Washing! Yes, before breakfast, I do that all the time, obviously."

"Obviously," she agreed, trying not to laugh. "I'll stay out here to escort you to the king so you don't get lost. You don't know the castle very well do you?"

"No, I've only walked around it- wait, the king?"

"Of course." She looked confused. "You are the hero of the day, naturally you would dine with the king."

Dine, perhaps, that means dinner. Not breakfast. "He honors me too much."

She shook her head. "No, we are all thankful. This is the least of what you deserve. All love our princess, she is a ray of light and hope in these times. The king's spirits are lifted to see her return, and everyone wishes to meet the hero who made it possible. But luckily I was chosen, so..." She blushed and looked down. "Here I am."

"I shouldn't keep him waiting. I'll be out in a moment."

"If you need any help… I mean… I'll be waiting," she finished lamely as I closed the door.

Now what do you suppose that was all about?

I paused.

Oh!

We didn't really look at each other as we made our way to the dining hall, where the king was already seated.

"Ah, our hero joins us!" he jovially announced. "Come, sit by me and tell me of your heroic deed!"

"Majesty," I greeted him, bowing and accepting a place at his right. My heroic deed? Of convincing a dragon to let me buy keys and then ride on their back to get her here as soon as possible? Sure, that'll make a good story.

"But I do have a question," the king told me gravely, leaning over the table seriously. "Where was she found?"

"The swamp cave," I told him. "Strangely enough, the man who told me she could be found underground was correct. I owe him an apology." The 'hint' that she was taken east was too obvious, the kid gets nothing.

The king went hummmm. "I wonder. That does explain one thing."

"What's that, your highness?"

"How she managed to cling to life for so long. That place, as I understand it, is quite moist."

"It does go under the ocean, it was quite damp, yes."

"She probably was able to get some water that way. It could have been much worse had she been kept somewhere dry. The healer said she was quite dehydrated."

That's a good point. Wait, she was, like, licking water off the walls? Trying to collect it off the floor? She's really been through Hell, hasn't she? "I agree, majesty."

"But come! Eat, and tell me of your bravery."

He motioned the servants forward, who put a rich and varied breakfast before me. I started to eat and wonder what story I should tell. I was no bard, to spin a web of adventure, so I settled on simply relating the events to him as they happened. But first, I should take care of the real hero of the story. "Actually, can someone go and see if there's a green dragon in the area?" I asked.

"A green dragon?" the king gasped. "Should we expect an attack? Did you lead it here when you rescued the princess? Or did you subdue the beast and bring it back as a trophy?"

"None of those things. They are part of the story as well, and may join us against the Dragonlord. If someone could see to their needs that would be appreciated. They can't approach the castle but hopefully they didn't run off in the night. Just tell them I sent you, and they shouldn't eat you." I hope? "They are intelligent and can speak, bring them some beef or something and you'll be fine."

"A green dragon, truly? If you can get the dragons to fight on our side… Even a few could make a huge difference. They are some of the most feared creatures in the land. To ride into battle with a dragon at your side, now that would be worth a song or two. You must tell me how you managed this miracle!" He issued orders to his guards to get going and track the creature down, and bring it food as I suggested.

Not through strength of arms. I told the king about my journey to the cave, glossing over the fact I was attacked every fifth step or so as saying "and then I fought another slime, and then I fought another slime" over and over would have been quite boring. I told of how the dragon spoke to me, and I convinced it that the princess was probably dead, given her situation. They agreed to accompany me to Rimildar to buy keys-

"Keys, of course!" I shouted. "I completely forgot about that. Let's go unlock that door so those people on the other side can be let out. Are they still okay?"

"Oh, they're fine," the king assured me. "You don't have to rush off this second."

"It would only take a moment, I'm sure they would like to be freed," I insisted.

"Very well, show him to the door," the king commanded one of his guards, who brought me over there. I unlocked the door and as it vanished I couldn't help but wonder how one locked a door, anyway? Clearly the key is needed to unlock it. But how do you lock it? Do you have to use a key for that as well? Strange. The guard propped it open after it swung wide and everyone from that side streamed past, thanking me for freeing them. I rejoined the king.

"Everyone safe then?" he asked.

"Seemed that way. Now where was I?"

"The dragon was going to let you go."

"Ah yes. So there I was, in the swamp cave. Water dripping all around me..."

When I was finished the king leaned back in his chair and scowled thoughtfully. "I don't understand it," he said at last.

"Nor do I. Locking her up there seems foolish in the extreme, but leaving her there to die? Why not just kill her outright if that was the Dragonlord's intention?"

"What?" the king asked, looking at me as if for the first time. "No, no, that's all perfectly reasonable if you think about it. No, I'm concerned about this Orwick fellow you said you met. The town wasn't that big you said, right?"

"Uh, no, it wasn't your majesty." What is he talking about, reasonable if I think about it? Who cares about Orwick?

"So why didn't he just go over to his girlfriend's house? Why was he waiting for her out in a field someplace? Did you find her and direct her to him?"

"No, I was trying to hurry and save your daughter." I would almost ask if he was joking, but he didn't seem the joking type the other times I've spoken to him. I'm sorry I mentioned the man. "That took priority, sire."

"Of course, of course. I hope she showed up. I feel sorry for the man, being made to wait like that."

"Yes..." I replied slowly. What?

"But enough about him. Given the ease my daughter was rescued I'm sure you'll have the Dragonlord killed by the end of the week. I assume you'll want to stick around until my daughter wakes up?"

I should "stick around," as he puts it, in case she needs medicine or herbs not to be found in the castle. Though wouldn't something like "enjoy the hospitality of the castle" have been more appropriate?"Yes, sire. I need her to tell me where to find the token, so everyone believes I am a descendant of Erdrick and I can get some more help." And that armor set.

"That's fine. A servant should have shown you to a room, I'll let you use it until then. I'll assign her to you, heaven knows we have enough maids around here we can do without her for a few days. Tell her if you need anything, and she'll keep your room clean and all that. I'll have her fetch you when my daughter wakes up. I'll be in the throne room when you have more deeds to record. I'll see you then." He got up, and I rose as well.

"Thank you sire, until then, be well."

He gave a curt nod and the guards formed up as they escorted him out of the room, presumably to the throne room where he would sit and do nothing the rest of the day. I, meanwhile, stood there in confusion. I thought he said something about a reward? Was this breakfast the reward? The use of the rooms? The… maid? I mean I suppose he doesn't have any gold to give me, he'll need to buy keys from his keymaker before he can open the treasury again. I hope he has enough gold because I'm not opening the door with one of my keys… Hey wait a second didn't he say he would reimburse me for the key I did use on his behalf? And what about the one holding his daughter? I'm pretty sure he did, but he just left, and now it would be awkward to bring up. What was I thinking about? Right, I could have gotten a promise of some future reward for all my hard work. I guess I'll have to take the safety of the princess as my reward, which is fine. Have the Dragonlord killed by the end of the week, HA! I'm pretty sure I couldn't even kill a regular type dragon at this point, how am I supposed to kill something even bigger, tougher, and more magical than that?

At a loose end I decided to go see what the other part of the castle looked like, then go see my new dragon friend. I headed past the now propped open door, wondering if just closing a door with a lock served to lock it, and wondered why they had this random door in this hallway in the first place? It didn't seem a logical place for one. The wedge getting knocked out and the door swingingclosed would explain how it was 'accidentally' locked. The other side was much the same as the side I had already seen with a few additions. The man selling keys was in a courtyard with trees and grass, an odd place for him but maybe he liked the outdoors without actually being outdoors? One man admitted to me to looking for the castle cellar, which was not easy to find. Apparently he had been waiting to search this side of the castle, and now was scouring the walls like that was going to help. He was dressed like a guard but in a different uniform, so perhaps he was a higher rank? He doesn't seem like a spy or anything like that, but his reason for being here seems so made up. I don't actually understand what he's looking for. "You mean the key dealer? He's right over there," I told the man. "Otherwise you would have to go into town to find the blacksmith or the dealer in tools and other oddities." Like a certain dragon scale armor I've been dreaming about since I left?

"Not a seller, a cellar," he clarified.

"That clears things up." It didn't though.

"I'm talking about a basement. A lower level!"

"AH! Why didn't you say? You mean like the wine cellar."

"He gets it, yes, the wine cellar."

"And someone made it difficult to find? Why? Can't you ask someone where it is?"

He seemed shocked at the very idea. "Oh no, I couldn't do that," he told me. "If you do find it, let me know though."

"I sure will!" I lied. Please get away from me.

The other bizarre thing I saw was a dead end hallway with some sort of magic placed on it. This took the form of a shimmering wall or curtain of energy stretched across the entire hallway. Wandering aimlessly around the other side was another guard.

"Hello?" I called to them.

They whipped around, hope shining in their eyes. "Hello?" they called back.

"Are you all right in there?"

"Of course I'm not all right! This blasted barrier came out of nowhere and trapped me here. I was looking for the wine cellar, at the request of the king, but I've been stuck here for two days. Everyone just walks by as if I don't exist. You have to help me!"

Two days? How long did it take me to leave on my adventure and get back? The door was locked more than two day ago, right? "You're looking for the cellar as well?"

"The king wanted wine, but for some reason no one can remember how to get down there. Look can you help me or not?"

And this didn't concern the king? A whole floor of his castle just vanishing? Guards were just sent out to start looking, rather than securing the place and seeking the help of a wizard as clearly magic would be involved? What sense does that make? "I don't think so, I don't know much about magic. Is it preventing you from leaving?" I reached out a hand.

"Don't touch it!" he cried, and I pulled back. "You can pass through it just fine, that's not the issue. The problem is you'll probably be dead when you do." He pointed to what could have been a spear, clearly what he poked it with, but it was twisted and ruined now. "That happened when I poked my spear into it."

"Thanks for the warning. But what is it?" I looked it over, and it covered the entire passageway two meters deep from floor to ceiling. It shimmered with color, but was transparent.

"Don't look at me, I don't know. If it's some sort of security magic why put it on this stretch of hallway? But at the same time it can't be the Dragonlord's doing, why trap a guard somewhere?"

"It does seem rather pointless," I agreed. "Look, I don't think doors can be damaged but what about these walls? They seem to be made of stone?"

"I suppose, but to what end?"

"I have an idea, I think I can get you out. I'll be back soon."

"I'll be here," they replied sadly.

I hurried back to Brecconary and nodded to the apprentice who it still seemed had the job of trying to get people into the shop despite everyone in town knowing where it was, and walked up to the counter.

"My friend!" the tool shop owner exclaimed. "You've returned! And I heard a rumor about the princess?"

Did someone from the castle rush here to tell the town she had been brought back? Pretty brave of them. I waved that off. "I'll tell you everything later, right now I need a pickax, or some other means of destroying stone. Do you have one?"

"I suppose that's a tool, and we are the tool shop," he mused. "Let me look around. Why do you need one?"

"A guard at the castle is trapped so I'm going to basically go through the wall from the other side to free him."

"Trapped?"

"Some kind of magical field that ruins things that pass through it."

"That is troublesome. But you don't need to break any walls."

"No?"

"Have you read the journal?"

I shook my head. "I've been too busy trying to survive out there against the absolute flood of the Dragonlord's minions." If the princess takes a few days to wake up I know what I'll be doing in the meantime though.

"That's a problem, but anyway it mentions various spells including one that allows safe passage past magical barriers. It seems there were a lot more of them in his time, maybe some kind of not well understood natural magical phenomenon?"

"If you say so." So it could have just sprung up out of nowhere because 'magic?' Odd. "And how does that help us?"

"By itself, it wouldn't I guess. But I've collected lots of old books in my time and that got me thinking. He also mentions that spell was put on his armor, along with the ability to heal wounds, but that's neither here nor there. The point is I have some old books and I've been trying to track down the spells he mentions in there. I'm pretty sure I found that one. Watch the store and I'll go get it."

I told him that would be no problem, I doubt there will be any customers anyway, and he vanished down the stairs, to return a moment later.

"Ah ha, yes," he cried, opening it and scanning through it. "Yes, I think I can cast it and get your wayward guard through this barrier. The spell description is incomplete but the formula seems intact. I'm sure it's that spell, given what he describes about it and these symbols here. With less of them around I guess it fell out of use, but if they're starting to return maybe it will see a resurgence of popularity as well."

"You can teach it to me?"

"You already know I can't, we talked about that remember? You absorb magic from the creatures you kill. It's totally the wrong kind of magic for you."

"Just checking. You're going to have to walk with me to the castle in that case. Are you willing to come with me, then?"

"Going to have to, aren't I? Not too far a walk, is it?"

"With luck we won't even be attacked once." If we are not, it could be five or six times. I hope this doesn't count as traveling with someone, that Erdrick warned against in the journal. It's only temporary, they aren't in my party or anything. I'm just escorting them to the castle and back, I think he meant trying to do the whole quest with someone else.

"That's not reassuring."

But the man followed me to the castle and through the halls, making the guard perk up again as we neared the end of the hallway. The tool shop owner explained what he would need to do, and luckily the barrier wasn't so thick he couldn't cast magic through it. He cast the spell and the man cautiously put his hand through the barrier. When he didn't cry out in pain he quickly jumped through, landing on our side.

"Thank you," he told us. "It was awful, being stuck in there."

"This is the lost spell of StepGuard," breathed the tool shop owner. "Amazing. You're welcome, I'm glad it worked. I'll have to copy it to some new parchment, and write up a description of what it does. What a find! Wizards the world over will be ecstatic to find one of the lost spells has been found."

"If you ever need something, come see me," the guard told them. "I can't do much, but I owe you."

"I'll keep it in mind," I told him, and he rushed off to take care of things one might take care of after being trapped in a room for two days.

"You mind if I finish walking around this part of the castle?" I asked the shop owner. "Then I can escort you back and tell you about what I've been doing. Oh, and we need to stop and see a dragon on the way, if he's still around here."

"Dragon? You have been busy. It's a rare opportunity for me to see the castle, take your time."

"Thanks."

But there wasn't much interesting left to see in the castle so we headed back to the entrance. We got stopped by a guard who told us the dragon had indeed been found, and was waiting for us in the northern forest. They had been fed and thanked for their part in the rescue of the princess, and to please make sure they stayed far away from the castle.

"I don't think that will be a problem," I told the nervous looking guard.

"You think a dragon has honor? It wouldn't hesitate to attack this place if ordered by the Dragonlord."

"I'm not so sure. Anyway I'm heading out there now, I'll make sure they know not to get too close."

"That's all we ask."

"Come on," I told the shop owner. "Come and meet my scaly friend, just stay downwind." I laughed at his odd look and we headed north into the forest.