Chapter 3: Zee, Bartleby, & The Elves
Meanwhile, True, Bartleby, and Zee had managed to sneak past the guards without detection and were now walking casually through the Neverending Forest.
"How far away is Agithar's castle?" True asked.
"Not too far." Zee replied as he showed them a map. "His castle is about 200 miles east of Grizelda's castle."
"200?!" gasped Bartleby. "I'll starve before I even reach the halfway point of that distance!"
"Don't worry, Bartleby." Zee assured. "We'll stop and have something to eat before we get there, I promise."
Unknown to them, a guard wearing a ghillie suit and carrying a tranquilizer gun had been stalking them like a lion stalking its prey. He soon found an appropriate shooting position, lay prone on the ground, and took aim. It didn't take too long for him to set his gun's sights on True.
"Gotcha." the guard whispered.
True, Bartleby, and Zee continued on their walk when all of a sudden, True felt something sharp strike her left thigh, which caused her to yell out in pain. Zee and Bartleby were immediately concerned.
"True, what's wrong?" Zee questioned.
"I...I don't feel so good..." True moaned, swaying from side to side.
Then, before Zee and Bartleby could even react, True collapsed to the ground like a Jenga tower, and it was then that Zee and Bartleby saw the tranquilizer dart embedded in her leg. This was followed by the guard rushing from his shooting position, picking up True, and carrying her away bridal style.
"No! Stop! Come back!" Bartleby hollered.
"Bartleby, let it go." Zee commanded.
"No! We must give chase!" Bartleby argued. "He's got True!"
"Bartleby, we can't." Zee said. "It's too risky. We've got to keep moving."
Bartleby sighed.
"I guess you're right." he conceded. "But what about True?"
"I'm sure she'll be alright." Zee reasoned. "Besides, it was only a tranquilizer dart, and I know Ecks probably wouldn't do anything to cause this story to lose its PG-rating. He may be bad, but he's not pure evil. Like I said back in Chapter 2, he still has some good in him somewhere."
"Alright, alright, you've made your point." Bartleby quipped.
"And now that I have, why don't we continue on our quest?" Zee offered.
"Might as well." agreed Bartleby.
With that, the duo continued on their walk. Eventually, they noticed that the sun was starting to go down.
"Hey, it'll be night soon." Bartleby announced.
"You're right." agreed Zee. "Now might not be a bad time to find something to eat."
Then, as if by chance, Bartleby smelled something, and traced it to a picnic set up in a clearing.
"Oh, boy!" he cried out loud with joy. "Food!"
Bartleby rushed over to the picnic.
"Well, don't just stand there, Zee!" Bartleby said. "Come on, let's eat!"
Zee reluctantly followed Bartleby over to the picnic.
"Bartleby, I really don't think this is a good idea." Zee worried as he caught up with his feline companion.
"Oh, what could go wrong?" Bartleby inquired as he started eating a pear.
Just then, before either of them knew it, a net trap sprung up from under their feet and whisked them up into the air, and they were soon dangling in the air inside the net, which in turn was hanging from a tree.
"That." Zee huffed as he crossed his arms.
Just then, the net fell, taking them with it, and when they landed, they found themselves surrounded by a group of elves who were carrying spears, daggers, and drawn bows.
"Hey, point that thing someplace else." Bartleby said as he shoved one of the spears away.
"What are you doing here?" one of the elves asked. "This is elf territory. Begone, trespassers!"
"We're not trespassers." Zee said. "We are only travelers through these woods. We don't wish to do you any harm."
"A likely story." the elf asked. "Tie them up. Prince Elmer shall decide the fate of these so-called "travellers"."
And with that, Bartleby and Zee were bound by their hands and feet to large sticks that four of the elves mounted onto their shoulders, with two carrying Zee and two carrying Bartleby.
"Where are they taking us?" Bartleby quipped.
"To their village, of course." Zee replied.
"Oh, right." Bartleby said.
They soon made it to the elves' village, which looked very similar to the neighborhood Barlteby and True lived in, except all the buildings were made of wood instead of mushrooms. In addition, there was a building inside the village that was much larger than all the others.
"That must be the one where this "Prince Elmer" character lives." Zee decided.
When they got inside, they were brought before an elf that was taller than the rest and wearing leather armor with yellow circles painted onto the helmet, breastplate, shoulder pads, and knee pads as well as a red cape with the same symbol embroidered onto it.
"Prince Elmer, we've caught trespassers." one of the elves announced. "What do you say about punishing them?"
"Bring them before the Council." Elmer ordered. "They shall choose."
The scene then cut to show Bartleby and Zee inside a cage in what looked like a courtroom with six benches on either side and one large chair in front of them. Elmer sat in the big chair, and six elves sat in each of the benches.
"The Elf Council has been assembled today to determine the fate of two trespassers." Elmer informed.
"This is an outrage!" Bartleby snapped. "You've got no right to treat us like this! Besides, what about my Miranda Rights? You're supposed to say that I have the right to remain silent! And I did not hear you say that!"
"Bartleby, you do have the right to remain silent." Zee interjected. "What you lack is the capacity."
"SILENCE!" Elmer demanded. "Now, how do those accused plead to these charges?"
"Let me do the talking." Zee whispered into Bartleby's ear.
"Fine." Bartleby whispered.
Zee them faced Elmer.
"Not guilty, sir." Zee replied. "As my friend here has already stated, we are not trespassers, but rather travelers in need of food and shelter for the night. We don't mean any harm, honest."
"Well, you've heard the testimony of the accused, so now we shall hear the Council's ruling." announced Elmer.
One of the elf council members stood up in his chair.
"We find the accused guilty of trespassing." the council member said. "And as penalty for this offense, they shall be fed to the Kangabura immediately."
"Good, I hate long waits." Bartleby said.
Zee groaned out of frustration.
"I agree with this motion." Elmer stated. "To the Kangabura's lair!"
With that, two elf guards opened the cage, grabbed Zee and Bartleby by the arms, and dragged them away.
"I have a bad feeling about this." said Zee.
Soon, Zee and Bartleby found themselves in front of a cave with the entire elf village gathered around to watch them be done in by the beast that dwelled within. Elmer, along with squads of elf guards and elf warriors was among those in the crowd, and he was seated in a large chair. One of the elf warriors present spoke up.
"Victims of the almighty Kangabura, His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably." the soldier announced. "But if either if you wishes to beg for mercy, Prince Elmer will now listen to your pleas."
"Zee, you tell that piece of worm-ridden filth that he'll get no such pleasure from us!" Bartleby hissed into Zee's ear.
But then, a trumpet sounded.
"It's the chief!" one of the other elves announced.
"Uh-oh." Elmer gulped.
An ornate wooden carriage driven by two elves wearing solid gold armor and pulled by two stags then pulled up. The door of the carriage opened and out came two more elves. These two were much taller than the others. One was male and the other female. The male had bright red hair and sideburns, a bushy red beard, green eyes, and wore a yellow tunic, brown leggings, yellow leather shoes, and a gold helmet studded with rubies and emeralds and with horns on it. The female had dark brown hair in two buns on either side of her head, blue eyes, and wore a pink gown, white leggings, pink leather shoes, and a silver headband studded with diamonds and sapphires. Both were as tall as Zee and neither of them were pleased when they saw what was going on.
"Elmer, you come over here this instant!" the male elf barked.
"Yes, Father." Elmer sighed.
Elmer got down from his seat and went over to the two taller elves.
"Is this any way to treat guests?" the male elf questioned. "Feeding them to wild animals?"
"No, sir." Elmer said sadly.
"Precisely." the male elf said. "Now, order your men to release these two strangers."
"But, Father..." Elmer began.
"That's an order!" the male elf finished.
Elmer groaned.
"You heard my father, men." he said. "Release the prisoners."
Two elf soldiers nodded, then they used their knives to cut the ropes binding Zee and Bartleby's hands.
"Finally!" Bartleby cried out loud.
"You have my most humble apologies for the whole "trespasser" business, strangers." Elmer said.
"It'a okay, Elmer." Zee smiled.
Zee then turned his attention to the two taller elves.
"Who are you two?" he inquired.
"I am Filarion Olastina, chief of this elf colony." the male elf informed. "And this is my lovely wife, Ena."
"Greetings." greeted Ena. "What are your names?"
"My name's Zee, and this is Bartleby." said Zee.
"Welcome, Zee and Bartleby." smiled Filarion. "You can tell us your errand later. But for now, come feast with us!"
"Finally, food for real this time!" Bartleby grinned.
Soon, the entire village was filled with the sounds of music, singing, and laughter.
"So, Zee and Bartleby, what brings you to our land?" Filarion questioned.
Zee explained the situation to the elf chief and his wife.
"Ah, yes, I remember Agithar." Filarion smiled. "Very good man. He sometimes comes to our village to perform magic shows for the children."
"Oh, that's nice." Bartleby commented as he had another bite out of his food.
"Yeah." agreed Zee. "And Bartleby and I also need shelter for the night. Do you think that might be possible?"
"Of course." Filarion replied jovially. "Anything you need, you can have."
"Great." said Zee. "Thanks, Filarion."
"No problem." winked Filarion.
"And we'll also need use of your army to help us fight against Ecks." Bartleby added.
"Consider that done." said Filarion.
"Perfect." smiled Bartleby.
Later, after the feast, everyone turned in for the night. Zee and Bartleby spent the night in two of the spare rooms inside Filarion's castle, and the next morning, Zee and Bartleby aided Filarion in briefing Filarion's army, which Prince Elmer was second in command of alongside his father, as hinted by the yellow circles on his armor, on the matter of how they were going to mount the counter-attack on Ecks' forces, during which Zee got a call on his Face Bubble, and when he answered, he discovered it was Grizelda, who was looking very distressed.
"Zee, they found me!" Grizelda cried. "And they're coming to get me! You need to find Agithar ASAP!"
"Don't worry, Grizelda, we will!" promised Zee before hanging up. "Bartleby, we need to go."
"No need to tell me twice." agreed Bartleby.
"Go." Filarion ordered. "I'll continue the briefing alone."
With that, after bidding farewell to the elves, who gave them a large burlap sack filled with food and other supplies, Zee and Bartleby left the elf village and continued on their way to Agithar's castle.
"Don't worry, True." Zee said to himself. "We'll come save you and everyone else yet."
End of Chapter 3