the most stubborn of creatures.
The next day King Dor and Queen Irene arrived back, and in the afternoon they had a audience with the three travelers. It was evident that they had no prejudice against crossbreeds; indeed, they openly ad-
mired Chex's wings. Ivy was there, now dressed in robes like the little princess she was, and so was her little six-year-old brother, Prince Dolph.
They listened gravely to Esk's report of the Magician's mysterious absence. Then they listened to Volney's story of the Vale of the Vole. It was apparent that they had already learned something of both these matters, and had come to a decision before holding the audience.
"Ordinarily, we would do our best to help the voles," King Dor said. "But this matter, coming as it does at the time of the crisis with the Good Magician, must wait. Our first priority is to locate Magician Humfrey."
"Oh, Daddy!" Ivy exclaimed indignantly. "Aren't you going to help them just a little?"
"Not at this time, Ivy. When we recover the Good Magician, then he should be able to help the voles, as Volney has come to ask him to do."
"But the bad demons are hurting that friendly river right now!" Ivy protested. "At least let me go with them!"
"No," King Dor said.
"But Daddy!"
Queen Irene turned to her daughter. "No," she repeated, and the tone seemed mild, but the girl shrank back as if severely rebuked.
That was it. There was to be no help of any kind from Castle Roogna. Esk couldn't help but wonder whether Cherie Centaur had anything to do with this cruel decision.
They filed out. Now Volney was as dejected as Chex. What could they do? All their missions were balked until the Good Magician was found.
As they departed the castle, Ivy dashed after them. "But maybe someone else will help!" she cried. "The other centaurs, or maybe the ogres, or someone! Maybe you could ask them! Maybe you three could do something yourselves!"
Esk brightened. His own mission to the Good Magician seemed relatively minor, now; surely he had been rationalizing when he thought that the demoness would harm his family. All she wanted was to be left alone in his hideout. He had made this trip for himself, really, to try to make himself important, or at least worthwhile, in some way. "I am related to the ogres and the curse fiends and the nymphs and fauns," he said. "I don't think my own problem is nearly as important as the voles' problem. I could ask those other folk, and maybe they would help get rid of the demons in the Vale of the Vole."
"I am related to the centaurs and to the flying monsters," Chex said, brightening similarly. "I want to learn to fly, but until the Good Magician is found, I might as well do something to help others. I think the
voles need more help than I do, and I could ask those folk. Certainly I don't have much to keep me here."
"And I am related to the creaturev of the greater family of volev," Volney said. "The digglev, the vquigglev—I could avk, and maybe they would help. Vertamly it iv pointlevv for me to wait for the Good Magi-vion while my folk vufter."
"Let's do it!" Esk said. "Let's all go and ask our distant relatives, and see what help we can get! Maybe we don't need the Good Magician or Castle Roogna!"
"That's the way," Ivy said brightly.
Somehow, in her presence, it all made sense. They would solve the problem of the Kiss-Mee River themselves!
Chapter 6. Centaur
trotted south along the trail that her dam's map had shown. She expected to reach Centaur Isle in two days, and to spend one day there, and return in two. That should be plenty of time to complete the rendezvous with Esk and Volney, who were questing in other directions. They had agreed to meet in seven days, hoping that at least one of them had obtained help for the Vale of the Vole and the distressed Kiss-Mee River. A two-day margin for error seemed sufficient; centaurs were efficient creatures who seldom if ever made errors, in contrast to the bumbling human beings.
The trail
The next day King Dor and Queen Irene arrived back, and in the afternoon they had a audience with the three travelers. It was evident that they had no prejudice against crossbreeds; indeed, they openly ad-
mired Chex's wings. Ivy was there, now dressed in robes like the little princess she was, and so was her little six-year-old brother, Prince Dolph.
They listened gravely to Esk's report of the Magician's mysterious absence. Then they listened to Volney's story of the Vale of the Vole. It was apparent that they had already learned something of both these matters, and had come to a decision before holding the audience.
"Ordinarily, we would do our best to help the voles," King Dor said. "But this matter, coming as it does at the time of the crisis with the Good Magician, must wait. Our first priority is to locate Magician Humfrey."
"Oh, Daddy!" Ivy exclaimed indignantly. "Aren't you going to help them just a little?"
"Not at this time, Ivy. When we recover the Good Magician, then he should be able to help the voles, as Volney has come to ask him to do."
"But the bad demons are hurting that friendly river right now!" Ivy protested. "At least let me go with them!"
"No," King Dor said.
"But Daddy!"
Queen Irene turned to her daughter. "No," she repeated, and the tone seemed mild, but the girl shrank back as if severely rebuked.
That was it. There was to be no help of any kind from Castle Roogna. Esk couldn't help but wonder whether Cherie Centaur had anything to do with this cruel decision.
They filed out. Now Volney was as dejected as Chex. What could they do? All their missions were balked until the Good Magician was found.
As they departed the castle, Ivy dashed after them. "But maybe someone else will help!" she cried. "The other centaurs, or maybe the ogres, or someone! Maybe you could ask them! Maybe you three could do something yourselves!"
Esk brightened. His own mission to the Good Magician seemed relatively minor, now; surely he had been rationalizing when he thought that the demoness would harm his family. All she wanted was to be left alone in his hideout. He had made this trip for himself, really, to try to make himself important, or at least worthwhile, in some way. "I am related to the ogres and the curse fiends and the nymphs and fauns," he said. "I don't think my own problem is nearly as important as the voles' problem. I could ask those other folk, and maybe they would help get rid of the demons in the Vale of the Vole."
"I am related to the centaurs and to the flying monsters," Chex said, brightening similarly. "I want to learn to fly, but until the Good Magician is found, I might as well do something to help others. I think the
voles need more help than I do, and I could ask those folk. Certainly I don't have much to keep me here."
"And I am related to the creaturev of the greater family of volev," Volney said. "The digglev, the vquigglev—I could avk, and maybe they would help. Vertamly it iv pointlevv for me to wait for the Good Magi-vion while my folk vufter."
"Let's do it!" Esk said. "Let's all go and ask our distant relatives, and see what help we can get! Maybe we don't need the Good Magician or Castle Roogna!"
"That's the way," Ivy said brightly.
Somehow, in her presence, it all made sense. They would solve the problem of the Kiss-Mee River themselves!
Chapter 6. Centaur
trotted south along the trail that her dam's map had shown. She expected to reach Centaur Isle in two days, and to spend one day there, and return in two. That should be plenty of time to complete the rendezvous with Esk and Volney, who were questing in other directions. They had agreed to meet in seven days, hoping that at least one of them had obtained help for the Vale of the Vole and the distressed Kiss-Mee River. A two-day margin for error seemed sufficient; centaurs were efficient creatures who seldom if ever made errors, in contrast to the bumbling human beings.
The trail
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