The Crying Pennant

Part 8

  “Neither do we, seeing as we only started existing at the beginning of this book,” said Biggs.

  So they shuffled around a bit and started towards the portcullis that stood at the top of the path that they were now standing on.

  As they got nearer to the gate they noticed that there was an ornate brass bell handle on the jamb so Sid decided to try and pull it but he was too small. He bobbed up and down and groaned trying to reach it but to no avail, still grimacing and now trying to pull up his breeches a little more.

  Biggs, who had decided to be helpful for once said, “Want some help Sid?”

  “Thanks for deciding to be helpful,” said Sid as Biggs lifted him up to the door bell.

  Sid rang the door bell and a large bronze clang resounded from the bell tower. “That’s a loud clang,” said Sid the dwarf, who seemed to be getting used to being called Sid the dwarf.

  They waited for a while. Sid started to play with his battle-axe. Biggs wanted to pick his nose but after raising his hand to his nose decided that it was better not to in mixed company. Arthur started to whistle.

  “Do you have to whistle Arthur, you know how it gets on my nerves,” Biggs bemoaned.

  “I didn’t know that Biggs. Am I supposed to Author?”

  “Yes,” said I the author.

  “Oh. Sorry Biggs but you know that I like to whistle.”

  “Am I supposed to know that Author?”

  “Yes Biggs.”

  “Oh, well then. I’ll have to wear earplugs if you want to whistle,” said Biggs taking some sheep’s wool from his pouch and stuffing it in his ears, “I knew this would come in useful.”

  Sid continued to try and pick his nails with his mother-in-law’s battle-axe, the point being long enough for his nails but not for his ears.

  The door creaked open revealing a monk of the order of Short.

  “Oh look a Short Order monk,” said Sid as he dropped his mother in law’s axe.

  “Excuse me mister monk, can you let us into the castle please?” asked Biggs.

  “Well not really, you see we monks just rent the front two rooms of this castle from the dark lord and the rest is bricked off.  You see we couldn’t afford to build a monastery of our own.”

  “So is there no way in through this entrance?”

  “No you’ll have to go round the back there’s another entrance there but you’ll have to go through the Swampy Swamp if you go to the left or over the Gorgey Gorge and across the Rickety Bridge if you go to the right.”

  “Mmm. I’ll have to see what my buddies say. What sayest thou o surly dwarf called Sid?”

  “I dunno. Whatever you want.”

  “Givest thou opinion Arthur of the Britons?”

  “I don’t like the sound of the Swampy Swamp or the sound of the Rickety Bridge, ask the monk which way he suggests.”

  The author went to make a cup of coffee.