Chapter 2

It is a guard who answers him. "Sir knight, it is not proper to speak to the Princess so in her own house."

"You got to be joking?"

"No, sir!"

Roy lets out a big sigh and then walks down to just behind the princess and says, "Sorry, Milady, after you." As the princess and her maiden make their way up the stairs, the knight Roy Bane rolls his eyes and says under his breath, "It is going to be a long day."

As they are making their way into the castle, Avril turns to Roy and asks, "Are more warriors coming? Is at least my betrothed, King Cliff coming?"

"Humph. It's my long brown hair and goatee beard isn't it? It makes me seem less professional, huh! Anyway, no, ma'am, though all nations called Friends before remain Friends now, they are mobilizing within their own borders. The Council and King Cliff, as you call him, have sent Briar and myself."

"Nobody else is coming? Oh, man. Okay, when is this Briar person going to get here?"

"I'm sorry, didn't I introduce him? Oh, where are my manners. Right this way, Princess." When they walk back out the front of the castle, Roy yells at the top of his lungs to get Briar's attention, "Hey, Briar!" Princess Avril and Maiden Mary cover their ears and shy away from the noise.

The huge scaly horned head of the golden dragon turns toward Roy. "Yes, sir knight."

"This is Princess Avril Serene and Maiden ... I'm sorry, little lady, I either didn't get your name or I have already forgotten it."

"My name is Mary, sir knight."

"Briar, this is Princess Avril and Maiden Mary. Avril and Mary, this is Briar of the Corsair Clan."

"It is an honor indeed, mistresses." Briar says in the common tongue, bowing his massive horned head in honor.

Princess Avril curtsies and nods her head but does not say anything.

However Maiden Mary smiles and waves and says, "It is a true pleasure to meet you, great sir." Roy smiles, he already likes this maiden named Mary.

"Now, if I may, Princess, if I can inspect where the Scepter of Power was stolen from."

"Of course, sir knight, right this way."

As they again walk into the receiving hall for the castle, Roy looks around at the fine white marble statues and columns that are holding a huge set of stairs that can easily hold ten people abreast as they spiral up to the higher floors.

"The scepter was kept for display in this first antechamber, directly across from the main entrance."

As they are walking across the polished light-gray floor, Roy looks around and sees extravagant tapestries, paintings and banners hanging throughout the greeting hall. As Roy looks around some more, he immediately notices at least ten guards stationed near the front door.

"Princess, I see you have many guards on hand. How many guards were stationed in this room when the scepter was stolen?"

"Ten. There are always ten of my personal guard stationed in the Greeting Hall, which also covers protecting the front door of the display room."

"Front door? Are there other doors leading into the antechamber?"

"Just one other." A guard throws open the doors to make way for the princess and the visiting knight. The princess points to the far right wall where a small door can barely be made out. "That's it right there. It is the servant's entrance. That is also how they made their escape out of the castle. One of my guards was found dead at the servant's entrance into the kitchen."

"I'm so sorry. What was his name?"

"Hmm. You know I don't know." The princess says a little ashamed.

"One of your personal guards was killed in your home and you didn't think enough of him to learn his name?"

"Sir knight, that is no way to talk to the Princess!"

"Perhaps you are right, Maiden Mary. My apologies, Princess, I know things have been happening very fast the last couple of days, and I expect that you more than all others know of the true danger of the Scepter of Power falling into the wrong hands."

The Princess just nods her head sadly and profoundly tiredly.

It is Maiden Mary who comes to the rescue once more, "Sir knight, the princess needs to wash up and rest."

"Of course, Maiden. Princess, if it is alright with you I will look around to see if I can discover anything further?"

"Of course, sir knight."

"Thank you, Princess. When you are done with your bath we can fly to the Realm of the Magical Ones and..."

"I'm not flying anywhere. For one I am afraid of heights, and plus my Maiden Mary will not be able to accompany us. And besides, why would we need to fly there? I'm sure the scepter has not made it that far yet."

"Princess, the wizard Hendricks, the head of all the orders, has an amulet that will help us track the Scepter of Power. We must go there, Princess."

"Okay, but I will not fly! Look around as you wish, and we will leave in the morning. At sun up Mary and I will be ready to ride."

"Yes, Princess, as you deem necessary." As the princess and her maiden leave Roy to his thoughts he thinks to himself, "Why are thoroughbreds always so hard to handle?"

"Sir knight, I am Corporal Tods, if you need anything at all please just ask. It will be my honor to assist you, sir."

"Please just call me Roy. If it's alright with you, Corporal, I'm just going to have a look around."

"Of course, sir knight."

So, Roy Bane, the six-foot, two hundred and twenty-five stoneling muscular knight of Montgomery and leader of the Clans of the Northern Warlords, turns and looks at the display stand. It is elegant and respectful, and made out of the same marvelous white marble that most of the statues and the columns are made out of.

As Roy looks at the walls he sees master paintings of celestial events. Of course, since master knight Roy Bane is a world power unto himself, he knows the true meanings behind them.

Roy leaves the castle and walks the city in the same path he believes the thief or thieves would have taken. "Of course there is always the chance that the thieves had a dark flying creature waiting for them. But I don't think so, since the princess is also a powerful sorceress and because of the importance of the object being protected here. The Council would make sure the castle is well protected with magical charms. It had to be a non–magical sentient being on foot and then horse. Then once out of the city, who knows?"

Peachtree is a walled city, but in times of peace all ten of the gates are left open, and the castle itself does not have its own outer wall separating it from the city.

As expected, Roy discovers nothing more than the local garrison did, so as night blankets this side of the world in its continuing cloak of mystery, he returns to the castle.

By the time he makes it back to the castle it is several hours past dark. By the torches' light Roy can see Maiden Mary standing at the top of the steps.

As Roy is walking by Briar, who has turned most of the front courtyard into his sleeping den, Roy says to him, "Well, grand sir, my old friend, it looks as if the princess is afraid of flying so we will be trekking it on horseback. I will leave your part in this up to you on how you want to play it."

"The Council has ordered us to find the Scepter of Power, and to protect the princess, and to make sure she is not late for her appointment. When do we leave?"