The Crying Pennant

Part 12

  Ivan handed Arthur the fruit and asked, “Two silver please?”

  “Would that be two silver shillings, or two silver united fantasy currency units?”

  “We’re not unionists here. Give me two shillings.”

  “Ouch!” said the purse, “Did you have to dig into me so hard?”

  “Great,” greated Arthur, “a talking purse. Listen Author, does everything speak in this fantasy world?”

  “Only if I think it might get a laugh,” I replied.

  “Har, har.  There’s your laugh,” harred Arthur.

  They continued past the other stalls. A small crowd had gathered around a puppet theatre and were listening to the antics of the puppets Joe and Joella. Joe began to speak in his low voice, “Don’t you call me a liar Joella, otherwise I’ll bless you.”

  “I haven’t sneezed yet Joe,” replied the high pitched voice of Joella.

  “You will if I bless you with a brotherly slap round the nose.”

  “Violence breeds violence. I’ll call the Sheriff of Undercastleton.”

  “Oh no you won’t.”

  And the crowd joined in, “Oh yes she will.”

  “Oh no you won’t,” said Joe again.

  “Oh yes she will,” replied the crowd.

  “That’s it,” Joella strumped “Sheriff, Joe’s going to beat me.”

  Joe fell to the stage floor, motionless and a few seconds later the sheriff came through the door.

  “Now then, now then, now then. What have we here? A fight, a brawl, a breach of the peace or just a family dispute?” thundered the Sheriff.

  “A family dispute,” whined Joella.

  “And I can guess who it is who is causing it. Come on then Joe, I want you to come down to the prison with me.”

  “Oh please don’t, I’ll say sorry and never do it again.”

  “OK then, say it.”

  “Sorry and never do it again.”

  “Righto then I’ll let you go. And let that be a moral to you children, you can truly be forgiven if you say sorry and repent.”

  The curtains closed and about two minutes later a medium sized mandarin vacated the puppet theatre and started to offer his hat around.

  “This is Brother Lee,” said With as he introduced Lee to the others. Then, “This is Arthur of the Britons, Sir Biggs and Sid the dwarf,” as he introduced the others to Lee. “Would you come to adventure with us?” he asked.

  “Well, it is the height of the tourist season here in Gilkhag by Elkhag and Undercastleton.”

  “Rescue a princess?” offered With.

  “A princess you say? Well I might think about it.”

  “Defeat a dark lord,” said Sid the dwarf.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Kill a fire breathing dragon,” said Biggs.

  “Uum.”

  “Get half of the kingdom and the princesses hand in marriage for me,” putted in Arthur.

  “I don’t think so,” said Lee, shaking his head.

  “You’d better do it or else,” said a voice.

  “Who said that?” asked Brother Lee.

  Said the author, “Yes it was me.”

  “Well that puts a different perspective on it then doesn’t it? Just let me get my gear and while I’m provisioning myself you can all have a cup of tea.”