Chapter 7

 

 

Giselle was crestfallen at the wizard’s very curt refusal to help her and tears filled her eyes. The ordeal of the past few days had frayed her nerves quite badly and she was close to just giving up. A miserable sob escaped her and Stone-Fist quickly put a comforting arm about her.

 

‘Well, thanks for nothing!’ he snapped. ‘You certainly know how to upset someone.’

 

‘Troll’s breath, Nemon!’ Crimson Bone said. ‘Can you at least tell us why? This damn witch, Henbane wants to kill Giselle just because she’s got lilac eyes.’

 

‘Ah, yes. The spell to make her into an Arch-Witch,’ he replied. ‘I don’t think that’s been used in centuries.’

 

‘Well, thank the stars for that!’ Iron-Ear said, equally annoyed at Nem-Nemon’s refusal to help them.

 

‘As to why I won’t kill this Henbane, it’s quite simple,’ Nem-Nemon went on. ‘Witches nearly always have sisters, cousins and the like. I’m not going to risk killing her, only to be walking down a street somewhere one day and suddenly having an urge to hop and eat flies from a vengeful spell.’

 

Stone-Fist hadn’t thought about that. He could see how that would be rather unpleasant… for anyone.

 

‘Yeah, I suppose there is that,’ he said.

 

‘Glad you can see my point,’ Nem-Nemon said. ‘So, now that we’ve got that out of the way, we can talk about how I might be able to help you.’

 

Giselle quickly wiped her eyes.

 

‘Then… you’ll help me?’ she asked.

 

Nem-Nemon smiled darkly and the room suddenly deepened in threatening shadows.

 

‘I may not be prepared to kill Henbane, but I’ll be more than happy to upset her plans. I don’t know a wizard who wouldn’t relish a chance to foil a witch.’

 

‘I know a story about a witch,’ Dink trilled who flown over to the group. ‘Anyone like to hear it?’

 

No-one took up the offer, most carefully avoiding looking at her. Except for Iron-Ear who was suddenly captivated by her large violet eyes.

 

‘What about you?’

 

‘Well…’ he replied, suddenly feeling a little woozy.

 

‘Dink!’ Nem-Nemon barked. ‘How many times do I have to tell you. Do not try and tell stories to my guests!’

 

‘Oh, you’re no fun!’ Dink fumed and flew out the door with a scattering of silvery wing dust. Iron-Ear shook his head, wondering why he was feeling so light-headed.

 

Nem-Nemon rose to his feet, revealing how tall and commanding a presence he possessed.

 

‘I’m sure you’d all like to freshen up after your journey,’ he said. ‘I’ll show you to some rooms you can use during your stay.’

 

He then nodded at Bloat Belly.

 

‘Good to see you, Bloat Belly. You know where the kitchen is. Do us proud with a fine lunch.’

 

Boat Belly nodded, but eyed the door Dink had disappeared through.

 

‘Just as long as you keep that damn fairy away from me!’ he grumbled.

 

* * *

 

They all had a wash and shortly joined Nem-Nemon in his dining room for lunch. Bloat Belly didn’t disappoint them, preparing a spicy lamb curry and rice and for sweets some fruit salad and custard. As they ate Nem-Nemon listened to Giselle’s story and the harrowing escape they had all endured from Henbane.

 

Giselle herself was keen to know how the wizard was going to help them. If he wasn’t prepared to get rid of Henbane, what else could he offer she wondered? Stone-Fist and Iron-Ear were eager to know as well as they wanted a happy ending to the affair. Anything else would not be good for the Dwarven Society for the Rescue of Princesses from Wicked Stepmothers reputation.

 

But Nem-Nemon was mysteriously evasive, waving away questions and telling them that he would come up with a plan all in good time. Then as tea and coffee was served, he surprised them all by saying that he was going to have a chat with Henbane.

 

‘Do you think that’s wise, Nemon,’ Crimson Bone said with a frown. ‘I mean, I don’t think she’s the listening type.’

 

‘Oh, this type of witch never is,’ Nem-Nemon replied. ‘But she needs to know I’ll be very annoyed if she tries to sneak into the castle for Giselle. You can watch from the top of the tower if you like.’

 

They finished their tea and the wizard led them out of the dining room. They passed down several corridors till they arrived at a spiralling stairway that climbed up the tower. About two thirds of the way up they came to an open door that looked out across the top of the cliff that hugged the castle. Giselle could see that the cliff top was quite level, except for a high, uneven stone wall that closed it off again.

 

‘Keep going all the way to the top,’ Nem-Nemon said. ‘This shouldn’t take long.’

 

They nodded and continued to climb. They reached the top of the stairs and emerged into a large room. It was entirely enclosed in glass, its walls and its domed ceiling. A large telescope stood in the middle of the floor.

 

‘He must be into stargazing,’ Iron-Ear said as he ran a hand over the telescope.

 

‘Lots to see in the sky on a clear night,’ Crimson Bone said. ‘You’ve not seen how breathtaking the stars can be until you’ve been becalmed on the sea on a moonless night.’

 

Giselle had wondered over to the windows that overlooked the cliff top. She could see Nem-Nemon standing there and her eyes were drawn to the stone wall that surrounded it. She frowned as the stone was a darker colour that the natural stone of the island.

 

And then she gave a startled gasp as part of the wall gave a sudden, slight twitch.

 

* * *

 

Henbane spotted the wizard on the cliff top as she came flying in low over the castle. Strange she thought, he was dressed in the ash coloured robes of a wizard of the Dark Order, but he wasn’t carrying a staff. She could sense he was quite powerful, but without his staff she knew she would be easily a match for him.

 

Perhaps he wants to make a deal, she thought. Perhaps he’s locked Giselle and the others away in a dungeon somewhere and wants something for the girl. A dark smirk crossed her lips as she aimed her broomstick toward him. I’ll play his game, she thought. But if he asks for too much, I’ll turn him into something slimy and step on him!

 

* * *

 

Nem-Nemon watched the witch coming into land, the straw tail of her broomstick crackling with blue magic. She alighted gracefully, leaving that broomstick floating in the air as she stepped toward him. He noted that whilst she was dressed in the black attire of a witch, she wasn’t wearing a hat.

 

‘Better not call her Mother,’ he muttered to himself, then smiled disarmingly as she stopped before him. ‘Can I help you?’

 

‘You know who I’ve come for,’ Henbane said sourly. ‘It would save us all a lot of unpleasantness if you just handed the girl over. What do you want for her?’

 

‘I’m afraid the girl has asked for my protection and as a wizard of the Dark Order I’m bound by that,’ Nem-Nemon replied, earning a furious scowl from Henbane.

 

‘How would you like to be turned into something green and scaly!’ she snarled. ‘You’re not a match for me without your staff, wizard.’

 

‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that!’ said a sudden deep and rumbling voice.

 

And Henbane’s dark eyes grew very wide as part of the cliff wall suddenly lifted up into the air.

 

* * *

 

‘Troll’s breath! It’s a bloody dragon!’ Crimson Bone said in astonishment beside Giselle who had called them all across when she had seen the cliff twitch.

 

‘A Midnight Dragon!’ Iron-Ear said in awe. ‘It’s… huge! Easily three times the size of a house… I don’t think I’ve ever seen one so big!’

 

‘It must be a dragon ancient,’ Stone-Fist said. ‘You know… a great, great, great grandfather of a dragon. It was probably flying about when our ancestors were still living in caves.’

 

‘I wondered why Nem-Nemon didn’t take his staff with him to meet Henbane,’ Crimson said. ‘He doesn’t need any other protection! And to think I’ve been here twice before and never knew the dragon was here.’

 

‘I thought the stone wall looked different,’ Giselle said, now seeing clearly the dragon’s inky black scales, its huge hind legs, broad wings and long spiky tail.

 

‘It doesn’t look like it’s moved much lately,’ Crimson Bone said.

 

‘It probably hibernates here for decades, flying off every now again for a feed of coal,’ Iron-Ear said.

 

‘What do you think it’s saying to Henbane?’ Giselle wondered.

 

‘No doubt telling her to push off!’ Stone-Fist laughed.

 

* * *

 

Henbane watched the huge Midnight Dragon raise it massive head and neck and turn its huge green eyes on her. Stone and dust fell from its scales, showing her that it must have been lying there for a very long time. How had she not sensed it? She was furious, knowing she had walked right into the wizard’s trap, fooled into believing him defenceless.

 

‘I’ll get you for this!’ she said bitterly. ‘When I become an Arch-Witch, I’ll get you!’

 

‘I hope you’ll think carefully on that threat,’ the dragon rumbled. ‘Nem-Nemon is a very good friend of mine.’

 

‘I want the girl!’ Henbane snapped angrily.

 

‘You can’t have her,’ the dragon rumbled. ‘If she is a guest of Nemon, she is also my guest.’

 

‘She can’t stay here forever, wizard!’ Henbane snarled. ‘When she leaves, I’ll know it and I’ll find her wherever she goes.’

 

‘I’m sure you will,’ Nem-Nemon said. ‘But as she is under my protection, I’ll find a way to stop you.’

 

He watched as Henbane gave him a venomous glare, then turned and strode back to her broomstick. She mounted it and with a whoosh of crackling magic, flew off into the storm clouds that still circled the island.

 

Nem-Nemon then looked up at the dragon.

 

‘Thanks, Blacky,’ he said. ‘Sorry to wake you.’

 

The dragon gave a deep throated chuckle.

 

‘Oh, not to worry, Nemon,’ he replied. ‘I’m getting a bit hungry and should go and look for some coal… maybe in a year or so after I doze a bit more.’

 

‘Just keep your eyes out for Henbane,’ Nem-Nemon said. ‘She might be back.’

 

‘Shall do,’ Blacky said with a huge yawn which showed his impressive fangs. Then he settled down again on the cliff top and looked once more like an uneven stone wall.

 

Nem-Nemon went back inside the tower and climbed up to where the others were. He smiled at their amazed expressions.

 

‘I don’t think Henbane will be back,’ he said.

 

‘That’s a nice pet you have there,’ Crimson Bone said. ‘Had it long?’

 

‘Oh, Black’s been here far longer than me,’ Nem-Nemon said.

 

‘Blacky!’ Iron-Ear said with a chuckle. ‘You call it Blacky?’

 

‘He says it makes him feel young again,’ Nem-Nemon replied. ‘Like a young dragon pup.’

 

‘So what’s the plan, Nemon?’ Stone-Fist asked. ‘How are you going to help Giselle?’

 

Nem-Nemon smiled and turned towards the stairs.

 

‘Patience, Stone-Fist. It’s time for an enjoyable afternoon playing croquet,’ he replied. ‘And tomorrow… tomorrow we’re all going to a wedding.’

 

Stunned expressions greeted this news as the wizard vanished down the stairs.

 

‘Did he say a wedding?’ Iron-Ear said in astonishment.

 

‘That’s what he said,’ Crimson Bone replied, equally amazed.