Chapter 14

Two Keys


A person who is shallow aspires to depth; one who is ugly aspires to beauty; one who is narrow aspires to breadth; one who is poor aspires to wealth; one who is lowly aspires to esteem. Whatever one lacks in oneself he must seek outside. -Xun Zi


Redwall in winter was a strange place for Lorelei. It was stunningly cold, for one, and Hirsent decided to get the otter into warmer clothing despite her thick fur. Thankfully, the four weasels were suitably warm, them having proper winter coats in more ways than one.

Abbott Cuthbert knew nothing of Pathways and Thaumaturgy, so he was quick to assume that Lorelei was still active in Mossflower, building alliances, displaying authority or whatever else daughters of emperors tended to do when far from home. He was, however, rather surprised to find out that she had smuggled Kalla and her pups into the Abbey unnoticed.

"There you go, little ones," said Hirsent as she waved the trio of younger weasels goodbye. "I hope we'll meet each other soon!"

Kalla walked towards Hirsent and gave her a sudden embrace. "Thank yer right much for takin' care of us. We know that we aren't that suited ter the world of woodlanders, but we're sorry for the trouble anyway."

The wolfess quickly slipped free of the weasel's grasp. "I'm not a beast who hugs. Apologies."

Kalla's tail drooped. "Oh."

"Never mind that. Enjoy your stay in Redwall - you'll find the air, the company and the food to your liking. Especially the food. But do remember what I told you."

"I won't tell anybeast about the Paffway and the Faumaturgy and all that."

"And what if your pups do?"

"I'll just deny evryfink."

"That's right. Savour your new freedom, and may our paths never be forced together again."

Kalla nodded at both the otter and the wolf, then proceeded to bolt around a corner, quick to restrain her pups before they do anything stupid.

"'Ave ya enjoyed your stay in Mossflower?" asked Cuthbert the abbot, handing Lorelei a cup of tea. "I was surprised when ya two decided ta pay us a special evening visit, and more so when ya showed up with weasels."

"I have, thank you." Lorelei was willing to ignore the degree of familiarity the abbeybeast had dared to presume. She had other things to do. "I am pleased by your hospitality and willingness to protect those who are helpless. You honour your order."

"I'm glad that ya think so. So ya went to Salamandastron, hm? I 'ope Lord Eboric and 'is 'ares weren't too surprised to see a wolf before their gates! Seasons, yore quite impressive up close."

Hirsent took care to open her mouth before Lorelei could even speak. "They treated us well, Father Abbot. However, the Badgerlord told us to keep our discussions secret. I believe that if you go to the Mountain nobody would admit to meeting us at all."

"Ooh, I see. I know Eboric's of the reticent sort. 'Ave yer got any news about Kiormund?"

Lorelei shook her head after a sip of tea, grateful for the warmth it provided. "Not much. We know he sailed down the Western coast, but even if he had any mind to return immediately he could not. The winds no longer allow for sea-travel, and a journey overland alone in winter? That would be unthinkable."

Cuthbert sighed. "During my younger days I couldn't wait for anythin', but I suppose now I'm the Abbot of Redwall, and I need to set an example for the Dibbuns. 'Aving to wait for Kiormund is still such a shame. 'e's such a good otterpup to talk to, and 'e's always eager to treat us with utmost respect."

"I'm glad to hear that this is the case, Father Abbot." Lorelei smiled.

"Yer must have raised him well then," said the sea otter, rising from his seat. "A mother can only do so much, but it seems to me as though yer did all you could."

Lorelei frowned. "Actually I took very little part in raising him. My mother did all the work with both my children - I was too busy managing the family lands, helping my father and being besieged in a mountain fortress for a season."

"I'm not judgin' you for that. Yore ma is a grand old otterlady who knows what she's doin', I take it?"

"A part of me thinks that she didn't really raise me right," confessed the princess. "That's the thing with parents who are too busy with ruling to care about their offspring, I suppose. I reckon she dealt with Cory and Kio by not doing what she did to me. I was just a trial run, after all, and an unsuccessful one at that."

Cuthbert suddenly put a paw on her shoulder, very nearly causing her to lose her grip on her teacup. "Yore not a failure, my child."

"But-"

"You are in Redwall Abbey and I am its Abbot. The opinions of those who seek to deny you your abilities have no power over you and I. Understood?"

For a second Lorelei thought that what the Abbot just said would have come from her father, but then she recalled how Kiordan was really like. Instead, she simply nodded. "Thank you for your kind words, Abbot Cuthbert."

"No problem," said the sea otter, turning to Hirsent. "I hope yer enjoy yore night in Redwall, you two. Sister Graha will lead yer to yore room - ye'll recognise her when she comes."

Lorelei shook her head. "I thank you for your offer, but-"

Hirsent was quick to interrupt. "And we hope to repay you in the future."

"Great." The abbot went back to his desk and started scanning over a document. "I've got official business to deal with - shrews and otters and negotiations. You'd probably be bored to death by them, seeing that's also what you have been doing on a daily basis."

Hirsent nodded, then gestured to Lorelei to depart the Abbot's office.

"What were you thinking?" the otter whispered towards Hirsent. "Sigurd and Corrado are waiting for us, and they'll panic."

The wolfess flashed her a smile. "You can't just dart off into the Mossflower countryside at night. Not without Redwallers knowing we're up to suspicious business. 'Tis best to enjoy Redwall for a bit before we head back home and leave with everybeast knowing. Besides, we probably will not have any spies watching over our shoulders - not in the waking world."

Lorelei gave in. "The Dreamscape's another matter entirely, of course."

"Tell me what happened there again," said the wolf. "The Dreamscape."

The otter shook her head. "Not the greatest of experiences."

"It could help me with tracking Oswin down, and you with not getting your silly hide tanned."

"Fine." Lorelei sighed. "I was planning to take Sigurd and Corrado to Wossaham via Pathway and leave the weasels in Ruggeru, but there was this weird-looking otter called Oswin who tried to hurt me."

"Was he going to kill you?"

"Probably. Hard to tell with males."

Hirsent chuckled, but Lorelei scented a twinge of awkwardness emerging from her muzzle. "Sounds like Oswin, alright. Nobody knows how he does it - probably not even himself."

"You know the beast?"

"Oh, we clashed before. I wasn't that good back then, but I always emerged in one piece. Do continue with your story, please."

"Then I managed to turn the tables on him. There was this marten who tried to hack at me with something, but he wasn't the first one to try that."

"And you weren't dead after that?" asked Hirsent.

Lorelei scoffed. "Only on the inside. I immobilised him with some water trick Father taught me, and that got him to wake up. Oswin, on the other paw, wasn't trying to give up. We summoned all our might to clash against each other, but I was hit with something."

"That vision you rambled about?"

"Yes. There's this Thordan otter who looked exactly like Oswin, travelling with some ghost of a fox who's named Erlend for some reason." The otter snorted. "I always knew that sounded like a vermin name."

"What did they do in it?"

"Nothing much." Lorelei shook her head slowly. "This new Erlend's a Sorcerer, and he appears to be protecting Thordan from Shades for some reason."

Hirsent nodded. "The Dreamscape's a dangerous place, I would know. They're everywhere you don't want them to be."

"And then the vision ended while Oswin just as stunned as I was. Then you came and forced him to flee with his rudder tucked between his legs."

"I see, I see." Hirsent paced around the Abbey corridor. "But there's just one problem."

"What would that be?"

"Last time I checked, Oswin was a weasel. And distinctly female."

Before Lorelei could respond a voice suddenly manifested behind them. "You two must be our guests, right?"

"Yes." Hirsent smiled as she reached out her paw to a red-furred vixen in green abbey robes. "I am Hirsent, and nice to meet you. You must be Sister Graha."

"Yes!" Graha took the paw. "It's an honour to house you. Redwall has not had a wolf within our walls since… ever, really! Well, Tarvann tried, but he is not going to give it a second go." She turned to Lorelei with a smile. "And you would be…"

"Lorelei Skyward, Heir to Garlesca and Skela, Lady of Wossaham, Eichfurt and Kaldos. Somewhat." Kicking herself mentally at her stubborn use of the full and proper greeting, the otter forced a smile. "My son Kiormund stayed here for three seasons."

"Oh, you must be Kio's mother!" The fox's ears perked up. "He told me all about you.

"Did he speak well of me?" asked Lorelei.

The Sister rubbed her whiskers. "With all due respect, no."

"Do elaborate."

"Erm, even though he never regarded you as a maternal figure, he took special care to say that you cared about him in, to quote, 'all the ways only you could'."

The vixen looked a bit flustered, and Lorelei shook her head. "We're going to talk about that the next time we see each other."

A sensitive pause ensued before a smile reemerged atop Graha's muzzle. "Allow me to show you to your lodgings - the abbey has assumed you will be happier with a single room with two beds. I can assure you that it will be very warm."

"Thank you," said Lorelei. "Feel free."

Driven by the cold, the three beasts quickly traversed the flight of stairs and down into the courtyard, where the grass had been dusted by a thin layer of snow. The great stone columns were wet with melted ice, and the candles affixed to the wall flickered in the wind.

"Forgive me the interruption, Your Highness," said Graha, turning left, "but I would like to ask you a question."

"I've asked mine. You may speak freely."

"How is your son faring in Southsward?"

"Well..." Lorelei could feel her eyes twitch. "He's being housed in the greatest castle north of the Helsker Strait, in Southsward's greatest city. He is being cared for by the Steward himself, and he wants for very little."

The vixen grinned. "His father has planned ahead a bit then!"

Lorelei nodded. "I suppose so." Planning was never Erlend's strong suit.

"Thank you for setting my mind at ease. I really did not take my friend's departure well, but it is always great to see him doing so finely. Could you please take a letter of mine to him?"

Lorelei nodded. "I can do that, yes." She turned to Hirsent and evaded the wolfess's glare of disapproval before turning back to Graha. "You have my word that when next we meet I'll take better care of him."

Another staircase and another turn later, Graha led them into their room. There were two large beds that Lorelei felt were soft enough. Hirsent struggled to get into hers, but eventually found that she could fit into it with a bit of curling over. The vixen then showed the pair where to get breakfast the next morning before she gave them a bow and shut the door behind her.

"I never thought you were the sort to sugarcoat truths, Your Highness," said Hirsent, sitting up straight in her bed.

"It's best that the Sister leaves us satisfied," replied Lorelei. "No more questions, and no reports to the Abbot."

Hirsent nodded. "Perhaps it is indeed."

Lorelei removed her coat and stretched, pacing around the room. There was a fireplace in the corner, a desk to read and write at and an empty bookcase - it was not a particularly special room. "So. About Oswin. You said he was somebeast else when you first met him, right?"

"It was thirty seasons ago, and-"

The otter's eyes widened. "Thirty seasons? You sound far younger than that - I doubt you were even in your mother's womb after half of that."

"It is a very long story, and you'll have to hear it another time," replied the wolf.

"Too bad. I am in no mood to wait."

The Sorcerer frowned. "I promised your father that I would keep things secret for now."

Lorelei snarled. "To Hellgates with his secrets and promises! Secrets have been kept from me for four decades straight, and if my father intends to extend that period then I'm going to forget all about him!"

"But-" Hirsent whimpered as her ears drooped. "Fine. I propose you go to talk to him in the Dreamscape tonight. Then you can ask him questions to your heart's content, all while I stand in a corner providing clarifications. Is that a good offer?"

Lorelei flipped her legs up and lay on her bed. "I do not care. I'm going to take it, and if he lies you know what to do."

"Expose his deception with a little cough?"

"I personally prefer whacking him hard in the snout, but that works just as well."


"When does this blasted place end?" asked Erlend the fox. He had been treading on the same path for what seemed like days. Of course, there were no days or nights in the Dreamscape, since the sun moved as the dreamer willed, but it was still a period of time longer than the travelling pair would have wanted.

"The road might just draw to a close when you shut your muzzle for a few precious seconds," retorted Thordan, feeling a water canteen drop into his paws and drinking deeply from it. The dream was not his - if it were, he could have awoken long ago, sparing him the trouble of this eternal pilgrimage to nowhere.

"I tried that. Four times. Didn't work."

"The last time you complained," said the otter as he waved a claw in the air, "there was this massive Shade who tried to crush us like a nut."

The fox crossed his paws and folded his ears. "At least it made things interesting for us. It was also kind enough to let you take all the glory by trapping it with that bubble."

"I learned that from the very best." Thordan tossed the canteen on the side of the path into some brambles, where it promptly vanished. "Which is to say, not you."

"Typical Swalestrom, you are." The fox snorted. "Always so arrogant when it suits you, but when the moment comes for your bravery to be needed it will hide away in the crannies and nooks of your heart."

"What's a 'bravery'?" asked Thordan. "Some sort of drink?"

"No, it's-" Erlend paused as he turned to the otter, sightless white eyes trained on his muzzle. "I didn't know you had a working sense of humour."

"I got it from you," replied the Conjurer, chuckling drily. "Though I must admit I had indeed seen worse. Alfyn Stalwart, for one. He couldn't recognise a joke to save his life."

"You otters are very much alike." The Thaumaturge walked forward a few steps before he suddenly paused.

Thordan followed suit. "What's the matter?"

"I think I smell something, that's all." Erlend turned to the right and pointed. "That way, perhaps?"

"What's- oh!" Thordan leapt up. "That's Floret!"

"Hm." The fox lifted up his snout and breathed in. "Not much salt. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was right next to the sea."

Thordan nodded. "Must be the World of Dreams at work again. Somebeast must've imagined that it was there, even though I have not."

"Yeah," said Erlend. "Somebeast." He winked at the otter. "How about I race you there?"

"Er, maybe not-" Before Thordan could offer a complete negation, the spirit of the fox had already darted off into the distance. "Blasted brushtails…" he mused to himself as he slowly trekked in the same direction.


"Hey, you're finally awake."

Lorelei sprang awake the moment she heard her father's voice.

The first thing she noticed was that she was in a white room, with sunlight leaking in through a wall made of glass. Kiordan loved this chamber, and had spent several nights training his daughter there before she decided not to attend those sessions anymore.

The second thing she noticed was her younger son.

"Oh, Seasons, everybeast's come here to see me fall asleep twice without waking up once." She sprung up from her bed and stretched before turning fully to Kiormund. "Oh look, you're here too! Hopefully you'll do better than Corrado."

"He didn't make it, did he?" asked Kiordan. Lorelei supposed he already knew.

"No. There was no sign."

Kiormund's eyes betrayed a tidbit of worry. "Is he… dead?"

Lorelei shook her head. "No, he just isn't a Thaumaturge. Shame."

"Thauma… what?"

"I've heard Urza speak of something similar once or twice."

Lorelei turned again and almost collided into a ferret with a red misshapen paw. "Have you actually met her?"

"I've eavesdropped on a conversation," replied the ferret.

"Maybe everybeast would be able to understand more if we introduced ourselves." Hirsent piped up from the other side of the bed. "I'm Hirsent, formerly known by many names and bequeathed with many lives."

Lorelei wanted to ask, but figured that this was not the right time. "Lorelei Skyward, daughter of Kiordan and mother of… also Kiordan."

Veil turned his head from one otterboar to the other, earning him a chuckle from Kiordan. "Names, names. Welcome to the Skyward dynasty. At least you don't have to deal with regnal numbers and the like."

Lorelei focused herself on the ferret. "And you're… Egil I take it? No, you look different."

"Good morning, ma'am. I'm Veil, and I'm very dead. Nice to meet you."

The princess rolled her eyes and glared at Kiordan. "I'm sure this won't be the weirdest thing a beast will say at this meeting."

"You're going to have a lot of fun today, Lori." Lorelei's father plopped down onto the bed. "I'm sure we all have much to share. Tell us about your vision, dear."

"You weren't in it?" asked Lorelei. "You could have leaped in."

"Oh, no. I know what beasts your age dream of, and I don't think I'm in the mood for that."

"Very well." The Conjurer sighed. "There's this beast called Thordan who is travelling in the Dreamscape with a fox called Erlend."

"That's Father's name!" gasped Kiormund.

"Yes, I know. Then they got attacked by a Shade or ten."

"Shade?" asked the two younger beasts, prompting Lorelei to turn to her father.

"Have they been briefed about terminologies?"

"No," replied the old otter. "I'm rather useless at reminding myself what to do."

Lorelei shook her head. "Then perhaps you should start."

"By 'you' you mean 'we', I take it?"

"What, you don't think you can handle all the expository dialogue?" Lorelei chuckled. "Who are you and what have you done with my father?"

"Hmph. I was planning on something else. To ensure that such important notions remain in the observer's head, it would be better to show them than to tell."

Lorelei looked at Hirsent, then to her ring, then to her father. "A demonstration it is."


C/N: Hello everybeast. Lady Lorelei Skyward, Princess and Viceroy of Garlesca, daughter of the Emperor Kiordan, and most importantly main character of Through Fire and Sword, speaking.

As everybeast's favourite character, I am obligated to inform you that I will receive another PoV chapter next month, before I hand the stage over to some scrawny Southswarder marten. Though perhaps one day she would become as relevant as I am... a peasant can dream, surely.

Back to the fic. Redwall is still boring, but one can stay there for the briefest of whiles to get away from the turmoil down south. Besides, the food is not bad for some odd structure constructed by a rabble of country bumpkins. I doubt I will return there anytime soon even if Hirsent wants to go there. She can take good care of herself - the wolfess is most definitely older than she looks.

Finally, there remains the matter of reviews. My author would definitely like some positive reinforcement right now, so in order to help his sorry rudder I have decided to personally respond to every single piece of reflection you readers provide - after I get out of this dream. I, of course, am doing this purely out of the goodness of my heart, and if the author does not appreciate it I shall do to him what Matthias did to Cluny.

I shall not dither here, as I have several awkward conversations to conduct. And sleep. Both at the same time.

We shall meet again next month. Farewell.