Firestar (14 page)

Shona looked down as they soared over the
mountain
top and as the glen unfolded beneath them, her eyes searched the gathering gloom to see if she could see signs of torchlight. Her parents, she knew, must be worried about them.

“You all right, Shona?” Neil asked.

She nodded her head. “I’m fine,” she said with a grin. “It’s because I can’t believe it’s happening,” she admitted. “I just know I’m in a dream. How can I be flying on a dragon’s back? It’s
impossible
.”

Neil smiled, glad that she had relaxed, and as they drew nearer to Morven, pointed out Glenmorven House and Hughie’s cottage. He frowned in
sudden
alarm as he had expected Arthur to land somewhere close by so that they could get home quickly and reassure the Fergusons that they were quite safe. Arthur, however, didn’t seem to be losing height at all and, instead of landing, they passed over Glenmorven House. It was then that they realized he was heading for Morven, itself. He wasn’t slowing down either and as the mountain loomed large in front of them, Neil gave a sudden yell of alarm. “Arthur, slow down! We’re going to hit the mountain!”

“Amgarad!” Clara yelled, her eyes frantic with shock. “Amgarad, look out!” For the great bird was swooping at speed towards the rocky sides of the mountain. Clara hardly dared look. She was sure
he was going to hit it. “Amgarad! Nooooo!” she cried.

Amgarad didn’t exactly
hit
the mountain; he seemed to disappear through it.

Neil cottoned on immediately to what was
happening
. “We’re going to do the same,” Neil shouted as the girls started to scream. “Hold on tight! We’re going … throuuuuuuuugh!”

There was no impact. They flew clean through the rocky slopes without feeling a thing and their screams tailed off as they realized that they were quite safe and flying through a vast, brightly lit cavern inside the mountain. At last, Shona thought, looking around in wonder. At last I’m inside the mountain. I always thought there was something magic about it and now I’m going to find out what it is. Peering over Clara’s shoulder she could see a raised dais at the far end of the hall, where high-backed, silver thrones curved in a wide half circle.

Arthur’s claws slid and slithered over the
polished
expanse of cream-coloured marble and as he came to a somewhat undignified halt in front of the thrones, a tall, white-haired old man rose and moved towards him. Arthur sank to his knees and bowed low.

Lord Alarid touched his head. “Well done, Arthur,” he said gently. “We were wise to ask you to rescue the children.” He looked at them,
smiling
at the amazement on their faces. “Welcome,” he said, “welcome to the Court of the Lords of the North.”

Formal introductions were then made and
Lewis’s lips twitched in a smile as he saw the wonder on Shona’s face as they met the gloriously robed magicians.

“Shona,” Lord Alarid said, kindly, “we are pleased to meet you at last. We have watched you grow up over the years and know that you love Morven.”

“I … I’ve always felt it was a special mountain,” Shona admitted, shyly, “but until now I didn’t know how special. It’s … it’s wonderful!”

Neil, meanwhile, scanned the hall and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Archie, who had obviously demerged safely from Amgarad, talking to Lewis and the MacArthur at the side of the dais. Thank goodness, Lewis was okay.

Standing tall and impressive to one side of the dais was a magic mirror. Neil eyed it almost fondly. Magic mirrors had played a large part in their lives and were powerful objects of magic. So, thought Neil, that’s how Arthur and Archie had appeared so quickly to rescue them. They must have come from Edinburgh through the mirrors. Amgarad, he noticed, had already flown to perch on the arm of Lord Rothlan’s throne and spread his wings in greeting as they approached. All the lords were present and as they bowed their way along the line, Lord Rothlan and Lady Ellan rose and hugged them warmly, as did Prince Casimir.

Shona, who still half-believed she was in a dream, eyed them in amazement and some
wonder
. The magicians; for they must be magicians, Shona reckoned, seemed absolutely delighted to see Neil and Clara and obviously knew them well.

Ugly Mug caused a stir when she jumped down onto the floor and, seeing Shona, pranced happily towards her. Then she saw the dragon and her fur stood on end in tiny spikes as she backed off,
hissing
and spitting furiously. Arthur, however, batted his wonderful eyes at the kitten and as Clara bent to pick her up, a stream of magic comforted the little creature.

“Lewis has been telling me about the stone giants, Neil,” Lord Rothlan said. “You mustn’t worry, you know. The old lords have put a
protective
shield round Glenmorven so they won’t be able to get in.”

“Why are they so anxious to get into the glen, Lord Rothlan?” Clara asked. “Do they want to come to the mountain?”

“We don’t know the reason, Clara,” Rothlan answered. “We think the first attack released them from Firestar’s spell but we don’t know why they want to come here.”

“We heard about Firestar from Hughie,” nodded Neil. “Was that the explosion that shot through the top of the mountain?”

Rothlan nodded. “Firestar was ready for the second attack. It wouldn’t let itself be caught out a second time.”

Clara suddenly grabbed Neil’s arm. “Look,” she whispered, “look, Neil, over there. There are some of the little creatures we saw on the hill.”

“We call them the Rumblegrumbles,” Lady Ellan said with a smile as she saw their heads turn. “They look after Firestar and the Lords of the North.”

“Their hair sort of grew when we saw them,” Clara frowned at the memory.

“It depends on how anxious they are,” Prince Casimir said, looking amused. He beckoned to the hobgoblins and as they trotted over in their
waistcoats
and flappy trousers, looking shy, he smiled at them reassuringly.

“When they’re really worried you can hardly see them for tendrils!” Lady Ellan whispered.

“This is Rumbletop and Rumbletumble,” Casimir said. The hobgoblins shifted on their little hooves, tugged at their waistcoats and bowed.

“We saw you on the mountain, didn’t we?” Clara said, crouching down to be at their level.

There was a nodding of heads and funny little grins as the hobgoblins pulled their lips back from their front teeth in winsome smiles that made them look totally idiotic and absolutely charming.

Then they saw Shona and ran up to her, pulling at her jeans and jumping up and down. “Shona, this is wonderful!
You
can see us now,
too
!”

“As well as who?” Shona laughed.

“As well as Hughie,” Rumbletop said, his
yellow
eyes shining as the other hobgoblins gathered round her excitedly.

“Hughie?” Shona sounded startled. “
Hughie
can see you? He … he never told me!”

Rumbletop’s grin faded at the note of dismay in Shona’s voice and as all the hobgoblins’ tendrils started to sprout, he looked at Prince Casimir in consternation.

Lady Ellan, seeing Shona’s distress, put an arm round her shoulders. “Hughie found his way into
Morven when he was a boy,” she consoled her, “a bit like Neil and Clara going into Arthur’s Seat. He’s always loved the Rumblegrumbles and they still visit him.”

“I’m sure he must have
wanted
to tell you about them, Shona,” Lord Rothlan added, “but I’m afraid we’d sworn him to secrecy long before you were born.”

“Oh,” Shona said in tones of relief, “that’s all right, then. He couldn’t break his word, could he?”

“No, he couldn’t,” Lady Ellan smiled, glad that the matter was resolved.

As the hobgoblins fussed happily round Shona, Clara whispered to Neil. “It’s fantastic here, Neil, but what about the Fergusons? They’ll be out of their minds with worry by this time.”

Lady Ellan heard her and shook her head. “Don’t worry, Clara,” she said. “You know that our time is different from yours and although it might feel as though you’ve spent hours with us, none of your time will have passed at all. When you get home, you’ll find that the Fergusons won’t have missed you.”

“They’re going to ask lots of questions, though,” Lewis pointed out. “They must have heard the explosion from the mountain and seen the stream of light from the top.”

Lord Rothlan shook his head. “I think you’ll find that no one in the glen will remember what
happened
today.”

“We’ve put a magic spell on the glen,” Lady Ellan smiled, seeing Shona’s startled face, “and
talking of magic …,” she unfastened a velvet bag that hung at her waist and drew out a firestone, “you are going to need this to leave the
mountain
.”

“Firestones,” Lewis said, pulling on the thin gold chain so that Shona could see the amber stone that hung round his neck.

“Neil, Clara and Lewis all have firestones,” smiled Lady Ellan, “and I’m sure they’ll tell you all about them when you get home. This is yours,” she said, handing Shona a chain with a firestone threaded through it. “Please guard it well.”

Shona looked at the magic stone in awe. “It seems to have a light in the middle,” she said.

“That’s part of Arthur’s fire,” Neil explained. “That’s why they’re called firestones.”

When they had once again thanked the Lords of the North and Arthur and Amgarad for their rescue, Lady Ellan told them to join hands in a
circle
. Then, straightening her arm, she’d murmured the words of a spell and, in an instant, they found themselves in the garden of Glenmorven House.

Helen Ferguson looked up with a smile as they trooped into the kitchen, suddenly realizing that they were ravenously hungry.

“Did you get the kitten, Shona?” she asked.

Shona nodded and held out a drowsy little cat who had had quite enough excitement for one day.

“I thought you said she was ugly?” she queried. “She’s beautiful. A bit of Persian in there
somewhere
, I should say.”

Clara looked at Ugly Mug closely. “Gosh, she is pretty! Look at her!”

“Jennifer won’t be able to call her Ugly Mug any more,” Lewis laughed, “not with a face like that.”

After an enormous dinner, they all trooped into the garden. Shona could hardly believe it had all happened. The only thing that proved she wasn’t dreaming was the beautiful firestone that hung round her neck. She looked at it again and saw the glint of dragon fire that lurked in its amber depths.

“Come on,” she said, “let’s visit Hughie! I want him to know that we can see the hobgoblins too! He’ll be really pleased.”

Resting gratefully on the crest of a ridge, its body quivering with fatigue, the great stag was almost spent. Kalman, equally exhausted, suffered with it. Several of the huge rocks that the giants had thrown at them in the course of their frantic flight had, more by luck than design, managed to hit home. Indeed, the result would have been little short of disastrous had it not been for his magic. Even then, the stag was a sorry sight; blood ran down the side of its face from a deep gash, one of its hind legs dragged awkwardly and broken
antlers
hung crazily over its neck.

Ever since he’d left Kenny, Larry and the van, the giants had been after him, rising from the mountains when he’d least expected it and all the time trying to force him over mountain tops and through glens that would have led him away from Morven. Eventually, he’d managed to give them the slip but the rumble of noise from the next glen told him that they were still far too close for comfort.

Nevertheless, his heart swelled in relief as he looked through the stag’s brown eyes at the homely, familiar shape of the mountain that reared before them. Morven! He could hardly believe it! They’d made it at last!

His eyes scanned the valley anxiously. No giants so far, he thought, his eyes resting on the towers of Morven Castle, the white gleam of the Ferguson’s
house and the sweep of trees round Hughie’s
cottage
, tucked in the shelter of a sloping bank.

It was then that he saw Amgarad swooping through the air towards the mountain. His eyes widened in surprise as he followed the bird’s flight. Amgarad! That must mean that Lord Rothlan was in Morven, for the bird rarely left him. His spirits rose at the thought for much as he disliked him, Rothlan, unlike Lord Alarid and the other
doddering
old lords, was decisive, competent and efficient. If Alasdair Rothlan were there, then there was a chance that Firestar could be saved. Suddenly, the distinctive shape of a dragon appeared out of the gathering gloom. Arthur, the prince thought. He was obviously following Amgarad and also bound for Morven. Now what was
he
doing so far north — and who was he carrying? He could see that there were children on his back and his lips twisted grimly as he guessed that Neil and Clara were probably amongst them. But who was the other one? He counted at least three and looked decidedly puzzled as he watched the eagle and the dragon disappear into the slopes of the mountain.

The knowledge that Rothlan was in Morven, however, gave his spirits the lift they needed. Not long now, Kalman assured the stag as it picked its way towards Hughie’s cottage. Keep going, just a little further … just keep going …

By the time they reached the cottage, the stag was barely able to walk but it knew instinctively that come what may, it had to reach the slopes of the mountain. Wearily, Kalman led its footsteps round the side of the little house to the foot of the
towering peak and as the beast collapsed in the heather, Firestar’s magic reached out to it and gave it comfort.

Hughie, who had caught sight of the stag from his kitchen window, watched in wonder as a familiar
figure
demerged from its back. He stiffened in
amazement
. Surely it was Prince Kalman, he thought. It was years since he’d last seen him but there was no mistaking the long fair hair and clean-cut features. Instead of making his way to the cottage as Hughie expected, however, Kalman threw himself flat on the heather beside the stag, his arms outstretched and his face hard against the earth.

Firestar immediately responded to his need and greedily he absorbed its magic until he could hold no more. His eyes closed in relief and his heart sang; to have his power back, to be strong again; for an instant, tears clouded his eyes at the wonder of it. Thankfully, he breathed in the fresh smell of the earth and would have lain longer had the stag beside him not scrambled to its feet. He, too, rose and reaching out to the stag, drew it towards him and murmured the words of a hex. At the touch of his fingers the wound on its face healed, the
broken
antlers righted themselves and its injured leg straightened; in little more than a few seconds, it was whole again. Knowing the threat of the
hunter
’s gun, Kalman also put a protective shield round it. After the perils of their journey, he thought, it was the least he could do and he raised his hand in salute, watching with a half smile as the great beast tossed its head in thanks and turned to the slopes of the mountain.

As the stag made its way upwards over the heather and rough grass, Kalman, for an instant, stood straight and tall. Stretching out his arms, he used his new-found magic to cast another hex. It was a powerful hex and, under normal
circumstances
, should have taken him straight into the Court of the Lords of the North. Nothing,
however
, happened. He gave a curious, twisted smile. Firestar might have restored his magic but it would not admit him to Morven. He was still an outcast.

Hughie opened the kitchen door and waited as the prince turned and made his way towards him.

“Prince Kalman!” he said curiously, “are you all right?”

Kalman nodded. “I’m fine,” he said tiredly, “but you’ll have to hide me, Hughie. There are giants after me.”

“And the stag?” Hughie’s gaze lifted towards the mountain.

“He’ll be all right,” Kalman assured him. “He’s a fine animal. He’s brought me all the way from Argyll …”

“Argyll?” Hughie echoed in amazement,
knowing
the length of their journey.

“We travelled in a van part of the way,” Kalman admitted, “with a couple of youngsters who called themselves the Jelly Beans.” He smiled wryly. “They fancied themselves as pop stars.”

“That wouldn’t be Kenny and Larry, would it?” Hughie looked at him in surprise. “The radio’s been broadcasting nothing else. They were chased by giants and had their van smashed up. They’re real heroes, the pair of them!”

Kalman almost smiled. “Nothing would have happened to them, Hughie, I made sure of that, but yes, in another way, they are real heroes.”

Hughie looked at the prince anxiously as he made his way into the long, low kitchen and
collapsed
into an armchair by the fire, relaxing in its warmth.

“I was just going to have supper,” Hughie offered, eyeing him questioningly. “I’ll lay another place, shall I?”

Kalman nodded. “Actually, I’m starving,” he admitted.

It was only when the prince had finished
eating
that Hughie ventured a question. “What
happened
?” he asked. “May I know?”

Kalman gave a twisted smile. “Firestar is in danger, Hughie,” he said, “I’ve come to warn Lord Alarid.”

Hughie looked at him doubtfully. The
hobgoblins
were a gossipy lot and always kept him up to date on the affairs of the Lords of the North. He knew perfectly well that Prince Kalman ranked as an outcast. However, it wouldn’t do to say so. “Morven sort of exploded this afternoon,” he said slowly, “did you know?”

“I felt it,” Kalman said, wincing at the thought.

“I haven’t seen Rumbletop to find out what
happened
,” Hughie admitted.

“There’s a lot going on in Morven that they don’t know about, Hughie,” Kalman rose from the chair and paced the floor. “I
must
get a message through to Alarid and warn him of his danger.”

“But I thought …” Hughie broke off uncertainly.

“The message I carry to the Lords of the North is more important than my quarrel with them.”

“I still don’t understand. Why can’t you just magic yourself into the mountain?”

Kalman’s eyes dropped. “I tried,” he
admitted
, his face flushing. “I tried, but the mountain wouldn’t let me in,” he said. “You must know that the Lords of the North cast me out and my father and I …” he tailed off, “we don’t speak to one another any more.”

“It might not be that,” Hughie said, frowning. “Rumblegudgeon told me that Lord Alarid has put a protective shield round Morven.”

“A protective shield wouldn’t keep me out, Hughie. I’m still a Lord of the North. Was it put in place to keep out the giants?”

“No … yes … at least, I don’t think so. Jamie Robertson let the castle to some Americans and ever since they’ve been here, they’ve been trying to get into the mountain. So Lord Alarid put a shield round it.”

The prince looked vaguely surprised at the
mention
of Americans but dismissed them from his mind as he concentrated on the matter in hand. “I’m banking on
you
now, Hughie,” he said. “
You
got into the mountain as a boy and there was no magic in you when you appeared before us all those years ago. I want
you
to take my message into the hill. Is the way still open? Could you do it, do you think?”

Hughie knew that he couldn’t refuse. Come what may, he had to try although his heart sank within him at the thought of the desperately dangerous
route he’d taken as a youngster — for without the strength of youth, he doubted if he’d manage the passages, ravines and sheer cliffs that lay inside the mountain. “Of course, I’ll go,” he said
reassuringly
, “but I’m an old man now, Prince Kalman and there’s little strength left in me. I’d probably need some of your magic to help me through.”

The prince shook his head. “I’m afraid my magic wouldn’t help you,” he said stiffly. “Not the way things are at the moment.”

Hughie looked downcast but then his eyes brightened. “If all you want is a message passed on to the old lords, wouldn’t it be easier if you just gave it to Rumbletop or one of the other
hobgoblins
?”

“I could do that, I suppose,” Kalman mused, considering the option.

It was at this moment that the door burst open and Shona ran into the room followed by Lewis, Neil and Clara.

“Hughie,” Shona cried, “we’ve just been inside the mountain and Lord Rothlan told us that … that you …” she paused at the sight of the gorgeously attired prince who had swung round sharply as she’d entered. He now stood rigid, his face a frozen mask but his eyes hooded as they looked beyond her and met those of Neil and Clara. There was a deathly silence.

“Prince Kalman!” Clara gasped.