Part 10 (2/2)
Something nudged her fingers. She hauled it out: a wonderfully big soft pillow, scented faintly of new-mown hay. She reached in again. ”Blanket.” She caught a corner and brought it out, similarly nice. She had not been overly impressed by Sofia at first, but her appreciation was growing. The woman surely made a very comfortable home for the Good Magician.
She brought out Ryver's water ball and stared into its liquid center. It made her feel closer to him. It didn't care that she was not yet beautiful.
She slept well. It was as if the path's enchantment extended to sleep itself, so that no bad dreams or restlessness intruded. She could really get to like such traveling, if only she had compatible company.
In the morning she set out for the castle, refreshed. The path curved pleasantly, and she found herself curious about what was beyond the next turn or hill, though of course all she had to do was keep walking and she would find it. Then she almost collided with a man going the other way. ”Apology,” she said.
”My fault,” he said. ”I was looking through things and not watching where I was going.”
”Through things?”
”My talent,” he explained. ”I make solid things appear like quartz, so I can see through them. Like this.” He gestured at a tree.
Cube looked. The tree was now transparent, and she could see right through it. ”That's a marvelous talent!”
”Now all I need to do is find a nice woman who thinks so,” he said, and moved on.
He hadn't recognized her as a woman. That dampened her outlook, though it was hardly the first time.
She walked on, and soon she saw the highest turrets and pennants of the castle. It was surrounded by a large orchard, which turned out to have an enormous variety of magical trees and bushes. One section seemed to be an extensive graveyard. She paused by it, wondering who was buried there.
The ground over the nearest grave stirred. An emaciated hand popped out of the earth, followed by a gruesome head and shoulders. It was a zombie! She was too taken aback to move. Her nickelpedes wouldn't have much effect against a thing like this, because zombies didn't feel pain and were always shedding bits of flesh anyway.
The head turned to gaze at her with hollow eye sockets. ”Khhannn Iii h.e.l.lpsh you?”
It was talking! ”I was--I was just going to Castle Roogna.”
”Thhash waayyy,” the zombie said, pointing at the castle.
”Thank you.” Cube got her legs moving. When she glanced behind, the zombie was sinking back into its grave. Now she remembered: zombies guarded the castle, rousing themselves only when it was under attack. She would never want to try to attack it.
The path led up to the moat. Was there going to be a Challenge to enter? Probably not. What was she going to say to anyone she met? Surely there would be a guard demanding her business. She needed to have something reasonable to tell him. What would be technically correct, but not give away her mission?
An elf appeared before her. No, it was a cute little girl, wearing a cute little crown. She wore a green dress, had green/blonde hair and blue eyes, and looked to be about seven years old. ”Hi!”
”Hi,” Cube replied. Was this really a little Princess, or merely a child in costume?
”I'm Melody.”
”h.e.l.lo, Melody. I am Cube.”
The girl laughed. ”No you aren't!”
Was she guessing? ”It is what others call me. My real name is Cue.”
A second child appeared beside the first. This one wore a nice brown dress, which matched her hair and eyes. She held a toy harmonica in one hand, and wore a matching crown. ”I'm Harmony.”
”I am--”
”I heard. Why are you here?”
Cube wasn't sure she should state her business to children. On the other hand, there was no harm in it. ”I am looking for--for a traveling Companion.”
Both children burst out laughing. ”No you aren't!” Harmony said.
What was going on here? Cube suppressed her irritation. ”Or Companions.”
A third child appeared. This one had a red dress, red hair, and green eyes, and carried a toy drum. She, too had a costume crown. ”I'm Rhythm.”
”h.e.l.lo, Rhythm. I was just saying--”
”I heard. Why?”
”Are you twins?” Cube asked.
All three laughed. ”No,” Rhythm said.
”We're triplets,” Melody explained.
Oh, of course. Cube had clumsily gotten the wrong term. ”I don't want to travel alone, so I need Companions. I thought I might find some here at Castle Roogna.”
”Okay,” Harmony agreed.
”We'll show you around,” Rhythm concluded.
Cube wasn't quite satisfied with this. It would be hard to scout for potential Companions if she had to humor children. ”Thank you, but--”
”Right this way,” Melody said. They seemed to take turns speaking. The three of them turned and skipped across the drawbridge.
Cube had little choice but to follow. Maybe an adult would take charge of the playing children inside, and she would be able to get on with her business.
A huge serpentine head rose up from the water of the moat. It was a sea serpent, looming over the children. ”Nickelpedes,” Cube whispered, and suddenly she was surrounded by them. She wasn't sure they could reach the monster in time to prevent it from gobbling a child, but she had to try.
Harmony turned back. ”You don't need those,” she said, evincing no fear of the nickelpedes.
”This is Souffle,” Rhythm said.
”Our pet moat monster,” Melody said.
”And baby-sitter,” Harmony said.
Souffle brought his huge head down, and all three girls reached up to pet him on the snout.
”Uh, all right,” Cube agreed, banis.h.i.+ng the nickelpedes. She wasn't entirely easy with this, but surely the girls knew their moat monster.
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