Chapter 6

 

 

Nyssa had been slightly injured from the attacking ravens. She had some scratches on her arms from pecking beaks and grasping claws. Once inside the cottage Eldor cleaned them and bandaged the worst. He then made some tea to help calm them from the fright of the attack.

 

Jena of course was just worried about Dom, even though Eldor said he would rescue him. She was horrified at the thought of him in Mogrom’s wicked clutches. What might she do to him, she wondered. But Eldor could see how worried she was and reassured her again.

 

‘Mogrom will take very good care of him, Jena,’ he said. ‘She may not be happy about kidnapping the wrong gnome, but she will know having Dom will bring us to her. It’s your bracelet she is after.’

 

‘But we can’t just give it to her, Eldor!’ Nyssa said, aghast at the thought.

 

‘I have no intention of doing so, Nyssa,’ he replied. ‘As I said, I intend to rescue Dom. Both of you will be coming with me.’

 

‘How will we rescue him?’ she asked. ‘Mogrom’s castle is heavily guarded by goblins. Anyone going into the mountains will be discovered quickly.’

 

Eldor gave her a sly look.

 

‘Her castle is not as safe as she might think,’ he replied. ‘There is a way...’

 

He suddenly fell silent, head lifting as if he had heard something. Then Jena and Nyssa heard a faint but growing humming coming from the clearing outside.

 

‘I think we have visitors,’ Eldor said with a smile.

 

The cottage door was still open and in the next moment five tiny fairies flew inside. They were a blur of silvery light and Jena’s eyes opened wide in wonder. They quickly alighted onto the table and their wings folded behind them like butterflies.

 

‘Greetings, Eldor,’ said one fairy. ‘We’ve arrived to take the gnomes home. But we sensed morgs in the forest as we came. What has happened?’

 

‘We have been attacked and one of the gnomes has been captured, Tani,’ Eldor replied grimly.

 

The fairies gasped in shock.

 

‘Has the bracelet been taken?’ Tani asked in dread.

 

Eldor shook his head.

 

‘No, Jena still has the bracelet,’ he replied and Jena held up here wrist.

 

‘I still have it,’ she said. ‘But my brother, Dom, has been captured.’

 

‘This is still terrible news!’ Tani exclaimed. ‘What will you do, Eldor? Mogrom will hold him captive and demand the bracelet for his return.’

 

‘That won’t happen if I can help it,’ Eldor replied. ‘I intend to rescue Dom and put an end to Mogrom’s wickedness once and for all.’

 

‘She will know you will try something,’ Tani cautioned.

 

‘Yes, but hopefully she will not guess what I intend to do,’ he replied. ‘But we must reach Mogrom’s castle by the next full moon and that is only days away. We must leave immediately.’

 

‘Is there anything we can do to help, Eldor,’ Tani asked.

 

‘There is,’ Eldor replied. ‘The dwarves are too far away to help, but the elves can. Fly to the Forest of Rivers and tell King Nemon what has happened. Ask him to meet us at Mogrom’s castle the day following the full moon.’

 

Tani nodded and the three fairies rose into the air.

 

‘We shall do so and wish you all a safe journey,’ she said. ‘Hopefully we can meet again, Jena, once your brother is safe.’

 

‘I would like that,’ Jena replied.

 

Tani smiled and then they all turned and flew out the door in a silvery flash.

 

* * *

 

Dom had never been so scared in his life during the long flight from Eldor’s cottage to the Midnight Mountains. His shoulders were aching by the time they reached them, held tight by his raven. As dawn lit the sky he saw a great castle appear out of the gloom of the passing night. A tall tower rose from it and his raven glided toward its single window.

 

It flew through it into a large room and Dom was suddenly dropped. He tumbled onto a wooden table and rolled to a stop. Fearfully he got to his feet and looked about. His nose twitched at a burning smell in the air and he could see a fire was burning in a fireplace.

 

A doorway was in one wall and a flight of stairs leading downwards. He started as a figure in purple robes and hooded cloak stepped through it. It was Mogrom the Sorceress! He couldn’t see her face as it was shadowed by her hood. But her eyes were very clear, a deep crimson that fixed him like an eagle’s stare.

 

‘Ah, ha!’ she said in sinister tone. ‘Our guest has arrived.’

 

Even though Dom was quite scared, he summoned enough courage to speak.

 

‘I... I haven’t got the bracelet!’ he said. ‘You’ve kidnapped the wrong gnome.’

 

Mogrom’s eyes narrowed sharply.

 

‘Is that so,’ she sneered. ‘Well, that will not matter. Now that I have you, Eldor will bring it me to see you safe.’

 

Suddenly she reached out a pale hand and snatched Dom up in her bony fingers.

 

‘Now, if you’re well behaved I’ll treat you nicely. If not, you might find yourself a dinner guest of a morg!’

 

Dom gulped in terror and nodded. Mogrom gave a cackle and then turned away toward the doorway. She held him tightly as she descended the tower down a spiralling stairway lit by red lanterns. On reaching the bottom, she stepped along several corridors until arriving at a huge door studded with rusty, iron bolts.

 

Two gruesome looking, green-skinned creatures dressed in leather armour were standing on either side of it. Dom guessed that these must be goblins. He watched as one of them quickly opened the door for Mogrom.

 

She swept inside and Dom found himself in a great hall. Here were more goblins, all armed with sword or spear. As Mogrom stepped down the hall they eyed Dom intently with pale yellow eyes. A small dais was at the far end of the hall. On it was a great throne made out of black marble. Here Mogrom sat down and placed Dom on an armrest.

 

‘Did I not promise that one day the gnomes would return?’ she asked as the goblins gathered before the dais. ‘Did I not say that I would be waiting for them?’

 

The goblins replied with growls of agreement.

 

‘But this one does not have the bracelet,’ Mogrom said in anger. ‘Another gnome has it and is protected by Eldor. But the wizard knows that he must bring it here to free this one. And once we have it we shall be masters over elves, dwarves and fairies… forever!’

 

Dom started as the whole hall erupted in wild shouts and cheers. The goblins shook their swords and spears in the air menacingly. Then Mogrom held up a hand for silence and motioned for one big goblin to step forward.

 

‘Eldor will not give up the bracelet easily, Craw,’ she said to her goblin chieftain. ‘He will try some trickery to rescue this gnome. Have you placed our army around the mountains as I ordered?’

 

‘I have, your majesty,’ Craw replied. ‘Nothing will approach without being seen.’

 

Mogrom tapped an armrest with a long fingernail for a few moments. Then her eyes suddenly brightened.

 

‘Move more goblins to the Forest of Thorns,’ she said. ‘He may try to find a way up the mountains that way.’

 

‘Yes, your majesty!’ Craw replied and turning, began to bellow orders at the others.

 

Dom was suddenly very frightened for Jena, Eldor and Nyssa. He watched the goblins tramp noisily out of the hall and wondered if they would be captured if they tried to rescue him? He looked up at Mogrom to find her eyeing him sharply.

 

‘Don’t worry little gnome,’ she hissed. ‘Soon your friends will be with us... one way or the other.’