Myth-Told Tales

Through the trees I saw mottled shapes scatter and flee: animals running from the sound of my voice. As Fireball crested the hill in Suzicue's wake I spotted another shape, one moving toward me. It stood upright on two legs, not on all fours or all sixes like the rest of Brakespear's wildlife. I squinted, trying to see details. Twigs lashed my face. I spat out leaves. Just as suddenly as I had spotted it, the mysterious shape vanished. Whatever it was had gotten close enough to get a look at us, then disappeared on the spot. That spoke of intelligence and probably advanced magik or technology. I caught up with Glory, and rode back to the castle in thoughtful silence.

"You were right to call us in," I told her and the others, once we were closeted in her personal study and Massha's privacy bracelet had drawn a cone of silence around us. "There is someone out there, scoping out the woods."

"I have a thousand forest rangers," Glory argued. "It could have been one of them." I could see she didn't believe what she was saying.

"So what do we do?" Massha asked.

I sighed down to my bruised end. "We go with Plan A, but we'd better have Plans B and C as backups. We join the hunt tomorrow."

"Gleep!" announced the dragon. He was the only one who seemed happy about it.

"Stirrup cup, good sir?" asked a strapping Brakespearan appearing next to my mount. He presented me with a brimming silver goblet shaped like a skull.

"Heady liquor, is it?" I asked.

"Sire?"

"Never mind." I took the cup and drained it "Tally ho and yoicks." I tossed the empty back to him. He withdrew, bowing. I took a good look around.

The misty morning air was full of the smell of brimstone and rotting meat as the Master of Hounds, as he was still called, organized five dozen assorted dragons by size with the help of a dozen handlers. Gleep, one of the smallest, was at the front with a couple of wyverns and a half-grown wurm. Nunzio, holding up a meaty bone, made him sit up and beg. Even though Gleep had been a royal pain in the posterior since the day Skeeve, er, acquired him, he was kind of cute. At a distance.

Fireball started at something invisible, dancing under me. I tightened my knees, and my muscles reminded me that they'd had a hard time the day before.

"How are you doing, Aahz?" Massha floated over to me from the royal reviewing stand. She was dressed in brown and green, the royal colors of Brakespear, to match Gloriannamarjolie.

"I'm remembering why I don't do this for fun," I gritted.

"Attention, all of you!" We turned to face the stand. King Henryarthurjon smiled down on us. He was a big, muscular Brakespearan with fox-red hair going white at the temples and green eyes like his daughter's. He held out his hands for silence, spreading out all four thumbs in a gesture of welcome. "We are gratified to see so many puissant hunters assembled here to participate in our daughter's Royal Hunt!" Rousing cheers interrupted him, and he smiled paternally at Glory. Glory held her hands up over her head in a gesture of victory. Her outfit was classic camouflage: A long-sleeved dress of light-absorbing brown and green mottled fabric covered her from shoulders to knees; no velcro or zippers. Tall, soft boots that would absorb the sound of stepped-on leaves or twigs were cross-gartered on her long legs, and slung across from one shoulder to the opposite hip was a sptit-leather bag that appeared to be driving the dragons into a greater frenzy than they'd usually be in. I assumed it contained the bait she would use to draw her trail. A pair of gloves were tucked into her belt. "She will give you a good run, my friends. The rules are three in number the hunt shall commence at my signal. It will continue until sunset or until a hunter captures the princess—alive, naturally. Points will be given for style, courtesy, riding, coursing, handling of one's hound, and, of course, success. The hunter who bags the princess wins the grand prize, the finest treasure in the kingdom." He snapped his fingers, and two pages in army-surplus tabards staggered up onto the dais carrying a solid gold box. "This is a most remarkable treasure chest, my friends and guests. Once an item has been entrusted to its depths, it will always be safe, even when it is taken out again. If a treasure is stolen, one can always retrieve it by reaching into the chest. As far as I know this coffer is unique throughout the dimensions. I think you will agree it is a worthy prize, what ho?"

The assembled hunters let out a collective " 'Oooooh." I raised an eyebrow. I was impressed. That was definitely a goodie worth having.

The king raised a finger. "However, if she manages to elude all of you, the prize will go to my daughter. A consolation award goes to the hunter who has garnered the most points. These are our five judges, and their decision is final."