roadbed.
By the time they found her, Earwig was only semi-conscious and pulverized from bouncing and dragging on the rocky road, which had tenderized her. She still clutched the reins to the horses, grazing beside the road.
A local farmer rushed up to help. He bowed warmly to the queen, but his face twisted when he looked down at the pulverized lump in the road. “Is it alive?”
The queen looked back, hearing something behind her further up the hill. Two other farmers had freed the coach. One was guiding it down the hill to the horses. Good, thought the queen, Earwig needs critical medical attention.
The first farmer dabbed water from a stream on the witch’s rock-encrusted face to revive her.
Earwig writhed with pain pulsing through her mangled body. Her head fell back as gruesome moans wailed from her gaping mouth. “I’ll tear those horses apart with my bear hands,” she croaked between shrieks.
The mangled horror in the road startled the farmer guiding the coach. He lost control of it.
Earwig looked up to see her massive coach, careening down the road straight for her. “No! No!” she screamed. “Stop the coach!”
The second farmer on the driver’s seat grabbed for the brake, but the handle was gone. The coach tore down the hillside, forcing the farmer to jump for his life. All moved aside and turned away, as the ponderous oak coach, with its four-foot diameter wheels, rolled over the already-mangled Earwig. The witch shrieked collapsing into unconsciousness.
*
“We must care for Duchess Irkin here in the palace,” the queen said.
“No,” Earwig squawked. “I demand to be taken to the Earwighof, where I have special medication that can heal me.”
“If you insist,” the queen said. She turned to her servants. “Have Irkin carried home on a litter. The sound of a moving coach might push her further into madness.”
“Did you tell her about the coach?” the chatra asked the queen at the edge of the reception hall.
“No. We don’t have the heart to tell the duchess her beloved coach rolled over the edge of the cliff and was obliterated.”
* * *
Some weeks later, a courier arrived with an official pouch from King Grekenbach to Queen Eleatsubetsvyertsin. The kingdoms reestablished communications after Prince Saxthor’s visit to Graushdemheimer.
Inside the pouch was a letter to the queen sealed with the state seal of Graushdem and for the eyes of the queen and prince consort only. King Grekenbach told the queen of the most recent battle at Heggolstockin’s Feldrik Fortress. Down in the letter was the account from the fortress commander giving the highest praise to Prince Saxthor, Lord Bodrin, and their band of adventurers. The general wrote the duke, his superior, and asked that the account be sent on to King Grekenbach, and if possible, to the Queen of Neuyokkasin.
Your grace cannot know the value of the Neuyokkasin adventurers. When the enemy attacked Feldrik, not only did they return to help, but also, they volunteered to go behind enemy lines and destroy their fleet. It was through their valiant sortie that the battle’s course turned. They fired the enemy boats. That panicked the invaders and caused them to abandon the invasion and retreat. Most of the orcs’ boats burned. The garrison was able to counter attack, and without their boats, the enemy couldn’t escape. The Akkin was at their backs. The fired boats and their officers in chaos shattered the orcs’ morale. We destroyed the remaining force.
Had Prince Saxthor, Lord Bodrin, the wizards Tournak and Hendrel, and the valiant Astorax not succeeded in the raid, the surprise attack would have overthrown Feldrik Fortress. With Feldrik taken, the northwestern half of Heggolstockin would have been open to conquest. We attribute the greatest courage and accord the highest of honors to those men in saving Feldrik Fortress and Heggolstockin.
“King Grekenbach wrote that he himself has seen exceptional courage and leadership
By the time they found her, Earwig was only semi-conscious and pulverized from bouncing and dragging on the rocky road, which had tenderized her. She still clutched the reins to the horses, grazing beside the road.
A local farmer rushed up to help. He bowed warmly to the queen, but his face twisted when he looked down at the pulverized lump in the road. “Is it alive?”
The queen looked back, hearing something behind her further up the hill. Two other farmers had freed the coach. One was guiding it down the hill to the horses. Good, thought the queen, Earwig needs critical medical attention.
The first farmer dabbed water from a stream on the witch’s rock-encrusted face to revive her.
Earwig writhed with pain pulsing through her mangled body. Her head fell back as gruesome moans wailed from her gaping mouth. “I’ll tear those horses apart with my bear hands,” she croaked between shrieks.
The mangled horror in the road startled the farmer guiding the coach. He lost control of it.
Earwig looked up to see her massive coach, careening down the road straight for her. “No! No!” she screamed. “Stop the coach!”
The second farmer on the driver’s seat grabbed for the brake, but the handle was gone. The coach tore down the hillside, forcing the farmer to jump for his life. All moved aside and turned away, as the ponderous oak coach, with its four-foot diameter wheels, rolled over the already-mangled Earwig. The witch shrieked collapsing into unconsciousness.
*
“We must care for Duchess Irkin here in the palace,” the queen said.
“No,” Earwig squawked. “I demand to be taken to the Earwighof, where I have special medication that can heal me.”
“If you insist,” the queen said. She turned to her servants. “Have Irkin carried home on a litter. The sound of a moving coach might push her further into madness.”
“Did you tell her about the coach?” the chatra asked the queen at the edge of the reception hall.
“No. We don’t have the heart to tell the duchess her beloved coach rolled over the edge of the cliff and was obliterated.”
* * *
Some weeks later, a courier arrived with an official pouch from King Grekenbach to Queen Eleatsubetsvyertsin. The kingdoms reestablished communications after Prince Saxthor’s visit to Graushdemheimer.
Inside the pouch was a letter to the queen sealed with the state seal of Graushdem and for the eyes of the queen and prince consort only. King Grekenbach told the queen of the most recent battle at Heggolstockin’s Feldrik Fortress. Down in the letter was the account from the fortress commander giving the highest praise to Prince Saxthor, Lord Bodrin, and their band of adventurers. The general wrote the duke, his superior, and asked that the account be sent on to King Grekenbach, and if possible, to the Queen of Neuyokkasin.
Your grace cannot know the value of the Neuyokkasin adventurers. When the enemy attacked Feldrik, not only did they return to help, but also, they volunteered to go behind enemy lines and destroy their fleet. It was through their valiant sortie that the battle’s course turned. They fired the enemy boats. That panicked the invaders and caused them to abandon the invasion and retreat. Most of the orcs’ boats burned. The garrison was able to counter attack, and without their boats, the enemy couldn’t escape. The Akkin was at their backs. The fired boats and their officers in chaos shattered the orcs’ morale. We destroyed the remaining force.
Had Prince Saxthor, Lord Bodrin, the wizards Tournak and Hendrel, and the valiant Astorax not succeeded in the raid, the surprise attack would have overthrown Feldrik Fortress. With Feldrik taken, the northwestern half of Heggolstockin would have been open to conquest. We attribute the greatest courage and accord the highest of honors to those men in saving Feldrik Fortress and Heggolstockin.
“King Grekenbach wrote that he himself has seen exceptional courage and leadership
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