Char woke up with a bad headache and a fuzzy mind. What had happened
to him? Oh, that's right; ogres had come right after he left the elves'
forest. It was almost funny, that he shared the same fate as Ella almost
two years later. But he didn't feel much like laughing.
"Oh, good the food is awake," a gruff voice laughed. Char saw a group of ogres off to his left, staring at him intently. He took a deep, shaky breath. He would need strength for this.
One ogre came over and spoke to him kindly, in Kyrrian. "Hello there, your excellency. My name is miSnaH. My friends and I wished to speak to you. We were, after all, the ones who kept you safe from those fierce elves last night."
Char could feel the kind and deadly words working their magic over him. No! He couldn't let them win! He had to fight!
He could still hear miSnaH talking. "Do not worry. We will not harm you. We just wished to meet the legendary Prince Charmont in person, perhaps talk, over breakfast maybe…"
The other ogres laughed at the joke. Char felt himself giving into the magic. Ogres were nice; they wouldn't harm him. Why, they could bring Ella back to him! All they had to do was talk…
No, he wouldn't give in! He had to stay strong, for Ella! Ella. Ella could charm these ogres easily. She would have them following her around like puppy dogs by now. But he couldn't speak Orgese well. He had never been able to before. But now his life depended on it. He pictured Ella working her charms, keeping the image in his head. He drew another breath, drawing strength from his mental picture.
"You don't want to eat me."
The ogre looked down at him in surprise. "Why your highness, of course I don't. Whatever would give you that idea?"
Char kept drawing strength from Ella. "You aren't hungry. You have no room left in your stomach for me. You have just feasted on a traveling caravan of humans. If you go to sleep, you will become hungry again. I can go out and find an even more wonderful feast for you."
It was working! They were falling asleep! Char started humming a fairy lullaby to ease them into slumber. Soon, the last ogre had closed its eyes.
He had done it! He had saved himself! And it was all because of Ella. Even when she wasn't near him, Ella gave him strength. He had to find her.
Silently, Char once again mounted his horse which was, miraculously, still alive. They were off to Uaxee's farm.
"Oh, good the food is awake," a gruff voice laughed. Char saw a group of ogres off to his left, staring at him intently. He took a deep, shaky breath. He would need strength for this.
One ogre came over and spoke to him kindly, in Kyrrian. "Hello there, your excellency. My name is miSnaH. My friends and I wished to speak to you. We were, after all, the ones who kept you safe from those fierce elves last night."
Char could feel the kind and deadly words working their magic over him. No! He couldn't let them win! He had to fight!
He could still hear miSnaH talking. "Do not worry. We will not harm you. We just wished to meet the legendary Prince Charmont in person, perhaps talk, over breakfast maybe…"
The other ogres laughed at the joke. Char felt himself giving into the magic. Ogres were nice; they wouldn't harm him. Why, they could bring Ella back to him! All they had to do was talk…
No, he wouldn't give in! He had to stay strong, for Ella! Ella. Ella could charm these ogres easily. She would have them following her around like puppy dogs by now. But he couldn't speak Orgese well. He had never been able to before. But now his life depended on it. He pictured Ella working her charms, keeping the image in his head. He drew another breath, drawing strength from his mental picture.
"You don't want to eat me."
The ogre looked down at him in surprise. "Why your highness, of course I don't. Whatever would give you that idea?"
Char kept drawing strength from Ella. "You aren't hungry. You have no room left in your stomach for me. You have just feasted on a traveling caravan of humans. If you go to sleep, you will become hungry again. I can go out and find an even more wonderful feast for you."
It was working! They were falling asleep! Char started humming a fairy lullaby to ease them into slumber. Soon, the last ogre had closed its eyes.
He had done it! He had saved himself! And it was all because of Ella. Even when she wasn't near him, Ella gave him strength. He had to find her.
Silently, Char once again mounted his horse which was, miraculously, still alive. They were off to Uaxee's farm.