Bethyl and the Dragon Dagger, Chapter 1
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Jun 15, 2011 8:58 am
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KING FOREVER
Spring had returned to the Tirese valley. It was once again green with life. From the Lands of Magic to the west, the Snake River twisted and turned through the valley, until it joined the Blue River in the lands of men. Many thousands of years ago, it had carved this valley through the Small Mountains, and it is the only way to pass through them.
That morning King Cheliest came to the top of the highest tower in the castle. The mountain peaks the villagers called the “Twin Sisters”, could be seen through the purple mist to the far north. To the south, were the peaks, they called the “Twin Brothers.” He never cared for those names, but that was what the villagers had always called them. In his mind they were simple-minded peasants. There was no sense in confusing their little brains, by calling them something that was more to his taste.
He wore his royal blue robe and golden crown, as he walked his six foot tall body over to the eastern wall. His raven hair shone brightly in the sun. A wicked smile came to his face, as he looked down on the village below. “If they only knew,” he thought. His wife had died giving birth to their first child only an hour before. The midwives had named the child, Sandra. In this kingdom, though it was ruled by men, the land belonged to the queen. After the peace treaty between men and the Kingdoms of Magic had been signed, the kings of men drew council, to decide who would rule the Tirese Valley. They argued for two weeks, before they agreed, they all would go back to their home land, and ask their most holy man, the Rucktan, to make the decision. The Rucktan listened to all the kings, before he made his decision. The Rucktan’s first born daughter had just turned seventeen. He gave all the lands to her. Suitors from all the lands would come and compete for her hand. The one who won, would become king of the Tiresian Valley, but only until that man’s first born daughter would turn seventeen. Then suitors would come to compete for her hand, as they had done for the hand of the Rucktan’s daughter. Each would bring the king a great gift, to enter the competition. The winner would then become the new king, and the old king would go back to the land where he came, and live out the rest of his life in luxury.
* * * *
When King Cheliest first saw Sandra, his face froze in horror. She was the ugliest creature who had ever lived. There would be no great riches for him, and only the poorest of men, would come to win her hand. He went to retrieve a sack, and his sword. He made up his mind he would kill that beast, and the midwives. Then he would go down to the village, and find a new born baby girl. He would kill her parents, and pass the girl off as his daughter. No one would ever be the wiser.
A yellow bee came along and whispered into his ear. “Fear not, O great king! There is a better way. For a little bit of honey, I will tell you.”
The king stopped and nodded. The bee spoke again. “Killing all these people now, will not be as easy to cover up as you think. The midwives are the most sought in the entire valley. There is only one other girl child in the entire valley who would fit your need. A great curse has been placed on you by a powerful Viserd. If you bring another girl into the castle, he will reveal what you have done. You can thwart his plan, by showing her to everyone. It is true, you will not have many suitors for her hand, but you can demand greater gifts than any of them can afford. When no one comes to win her hand, by law you have the right to kill her, and take another lady of Tirese as your queen.”
A cruel smile came to King Cheliest face. He retrieved a jar of honey, and poured a few drops on the table for the yellow bee. The bee landed, and took a taste of the honey. The king drew his sword, and cut the bee in half. He said darkly, “No witnesses.”
The king looked up into the sky, and gave an evil smile. Everything was now right in his world.
*****
You would think such an ugly child, whom no one wanted to look at, would be lonely and sad, because no one wanted to even talk to her. You would be right, if you only had people around you, but here in the castle lived the Schmoles. These creatures stood six inches high, and looked like they were half animal and half man. They could easily change their color any time they wished, but most of them chose to be grey, so they could easily blend in with the stone walls. When the armies of Kingdoms of Magic had left to return to their homes seven thousand years ago some of the Schmoles, had decided to live in the Tirese Valley. That way they could watch men, and make sure they did not plot with the Viserds to break the treaty.
The Schmoles were the ones, who had found out the Viserds had allied themselves with men. They told Dondar and the dragons about it. Even now, they keep a close eye on men to see if they and the Viserds are planning to break the peace treaty. They can speak Tiresian, but preferred to speak their own language. They do not deal with the men in the village.
* * * *
The king had put Sandra in the room that was the farthest away from his sight. This was the room where the different passages the Schmoles used crossed. The Schmole children were the first ones to befriend Sandra, as they had little to fear from her. They even taught her how to speak Schmole.
When she turned ten, a new Schmole had come to the castle. He was a pale yellow green in color, and he claimed he was not a Schmole. He could speak Schmole, as well as a language, he called Jerst. He did not understand Tiresian at all. Sandra taught him how to speak Tiresian, and he taught her how to speak Jerst. For some unexplained reason it was easy for her to learn Jerst, while he struggled to learn Tiresian. He also told her stories of the wondrous places he had been, and ships that flew through the skies. Most of the Schmoles laughed at his stories as being things he just imagined, but for Sandra they were real. There were other secrets he also taught her. Secrets, forbidden for women too know, such as writing, reading, math, and science. He would sneak into the classroom during the day, and watch from above, while the children were being taught. At night he would teach her what he had learned.
* * * *
During that time, a strange thing began to happen. As her knowledge increased, so did her beauty. By the time she was sixteen and a half, she was the most beautiful girl in all the lands. You would think the king would be pleased with this transformation, since now, suitors from all over would come to seek to win her hand. He would be able to leave there, more wealthy than he could ever imagine. This was not the case. The more beautiful Sandra became, the more hatred filled his heart. His face withered, and he looked like a hundred year old man. His hair was now the color of smoke, and looked like an old mop. His teeth had rotted out, and he no longer bathed. He wanted more than just the gold, he hoarded. He wanted to be king forever, and vowed to kill anyone who opposed him. He had to get rid of Sandra, and do it in a way so the people would not suspect him. In order to do this, he decided to seek the help of Tove, a powerful Viserd who lived near the castle.
* * * *
Early one morning, he saddled his horse, and with a bag of gold headed towards Tove’s cottage, which was two miles away in the woods. As he approached, he could see the green smoke coming out of Tove’s chimney. He quickly dismounted from his horse and went over and knocked on the door.
“Enter only if you have gold for my services,” Tove’s shrill voice answered.
Cheliest opened the door. The room he saw was small, but tidy. Dressed in all black, Tove was seated at the table. His beard looked like it was made from dried out grass, and it hung down to the top of the table. A lone candle hovered over his head. He was looking at the pages of an ancient book written in Viserd. Cheliest walked over to the table, and put the bag of gold coins on top of the book. “I have the gold, but can you do for me what I desire?”
Tove looked at Cheliest with piercing eyes. “I know what you wish, but to put a curse on your daughter now is too late.”
Cheliest looked at Tove with anger in his eyes, and reached towards the bag of gold, but before he could retrieve it the bag disappeared.
Tove said in a sharp voice, “There is another way, but it will cost you much more gold!”
King Cheliest stared at Tove through hollow eyes. He wanted to be king forever, but didn’t want to give up more gold than this. Reluctantly, he nodded, “Continue.”
Tove smiled, “On the day your daughter turns seventeen, all the suitors for her hand will bring you great gifts. You will give me half of these gifts for my services. When the suitors are ready for the competition, you will announce, it will be done in two parts. The first part is each will go on a quest of their own choosing, and bring back to you what they consider the most unique gift they can find. They will have until her eighteenth birthday to do this. While they are gone, you will make preparations for the hardest competition, they will ever face.”
* * * *
King Cheliest followed Tove, as he rose from his chair, and went over to the fire place. Tove took a handful of magic dust, and threw it into the fire. Four balls in the colors of gold, blue, red and green formed. Tove reached out and grabbed the gold ball. “You will first build to the west of the castle a building that will be twenty feet long, twenty feet wide and twenty feet high. It will then be painted gold, and will have only one door facing west. When a suitor comes back his gift will be placed in this building.” Tove looked back into the fire place. “One hundred feet to the west you will build three more buildings side by side. Each will be ten feet long, ten feet wide and ten feet high. Each will have no window and only one door facing east towards the gold building. You will paint one building blue, one building red, and one building green. You will have three men who are the same height and shape, and can not speak. They will be dressed in all brown and will stand in front of the center building. There will be nine black bags there. Eight of these bags will be filled with ten pounds of feathers. In the ninth bag there will be a duck with its feet and mouth bound. All the bags will be bound in exactly the same way. The men will pick up three bags each, and take them inside the center building. The door will be closed. When the drum beats, the door will open, and two men holding two bags each will come out. One will go into the building to the right and the other into the building to the left. Then all the doors will be closed. The drum will beat again, and all the doors will open. The man in the center will come out holding two bags in each hand. The other two men will come out holding one bag each. They will go to the man in the center, and each will take two bags from him, and then give him the bag, they were holding. They will each go back into the building that they came out, and the doors will close. A suitor will choose the building he thinks the duck is in. When he loses, the next suitor in line will try.”
Cheliest looked at Tove with a skeptical eye. “How can I be sure they all lose?”
A sly smile came to Tove’s face. “They will not all lose, for if they did, they would all demand this is repeated until one of them wins. The one who will win will be the last suitor, so they all will put their gifts into the golden building. To make sure this happens, each building will have a carpet on the floor. Under the carpet will be a trap door leading to a tunnel, which connects all three buildings. The bag with the duck will have a secret mark on it. If the wrong suitor correctly selects the building with the duck in it, the duck will be lowered down into the tunnel, and a tenth bag will be put in its place, while the bag with the duck will be moved to another building. Having the last man win means, all the gifts they brought will be ours, and I will get half of those as well. All will go to the great hall of the castle, where a banquet is ready for them. I will poison the drink of the winner. I will cause the other suitors to fight each other, and in the confusion your daughter will be killed.”
* * * *
Cheliest looked at Tove with fire in his eyes. Then he saw it hanging on the mantle above the fire, violet in color. A wicked smile came to his face. He was sure Tove, did not know it was there. How could he, being a Viserd? Tove did not like the look in Cheliest eyes. “It is only fair half the gifts go to me and my people. We will be doing all the work, and should be adequately rewarded for our services.”
* * * *
King Cheliest acted so quickly Tove did not have time to think. He grabbed the Dragon Dagger from the mantel, and plunged it deep into Tove’s heart. Tove gasped and fell to the floor. King Cheliest sneered, “Do you think I was such a fool? It was you who first cursed my daughter, turning her into a monster. When your plan of me killing her failed, you made her so beautiful again. Then you made me want to be king so much, I would come to you for your help. Instead of poisoning the winner, you would take away from me, what I wanted most.”
King Cheliest took an end of a half burning log out of the fire and set Tove’s body on fire. He gave a wicked laugh, “I will use your plan to my own benefit, while you burn in the fires of Gorgon.” He spread fire to the rest of Tove’s cottage. Seeing his gold, he quickly grabbed it and left. He walked over to his horse and looked it straight in the eyes. “You are lucky you cannot talk, or I would have had to kill you as well.”
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