The Crying Pennant

Part 27

  “Where are these entertainers?  My son said that he enjoyed them earlier,” boomed the Dark Lord.

  “Sorry my Lord, but they seem to have vanished,” answered Ugbash.

  “So they’re magicians as well are they?” He laughed.

  With sneaked round the edge of the hall and followed a hobgoblin into another passage to some more rooms. The hobgoblin turned to see With, “What are you doing down here?”

  “Iiiiiii heard that there was a fracas with a horse and I wondered where it was being kept.”

  “Don’t you know, you’re a guard aren’t you, you should know where they’re being kept?”

  “I’ve only been here a short time.”

  “Well, you look like a short order monk in that habit. You’ll get to know me if you’re here for any length of time, Major Bash.” He stepped to see the other end of the passageway clearly. “Go back down this passage, through the Great Hall and out through the opening on the left. You follow the passage to the end and then turn right, there’s a door to your right and this leads to the courtyard at the end are the old stables. Say hello to Squidge Face for me that should scare him. Are you clear about the instructions?”

  “Yes thanks.” With turned and walked back down the passage to the Great Hall, he started to go right but saw Ugbash standing near the door leading to the entrance hall so he went left. When he got to the bottom he saw a guard standing at the door on the right so he turned left down another passageway, there was nowhere else to go but right so he went right and collided with a human coming through the door on the right.

  “Ooh sorry, I was looking for the stables?” asked With apologetically.

  “Through these doors and across the courtyard, you can’t miss it,” said the human. 

  After crossing the courtyard With came to the stables seeing the walled off part of the castle that was the monastery. A human blacksmith stood close to the door. “Major Bash sends his regards,” said With.

  The blacksmith nervously looked around, “That big bully’s not here is he? Major Bully if you ask me.”

  With ducked into the stables. There were spaces for fifteen horses, the partitioned wall also being a part of the monastery must have held at least another thirty horses. He passed a black winged horse that was closest to the door and found Fawh at the end. “Fawh, it’s me, With.”

  “Who are you with With?”

  “I’m by myself.”

  “Have you rescued the princesses yet?”

  “I’m sorry to tell you, but Arthur, Alf and Lee have been captured and I don’t know where Sid and Biggs are.” With looked worried.

  “I tried to create a diversion but the guards captured me and put me in here. I don’t mind though, I’ve got some nice hay and the Dark Lord’s Pegasus for company. I’m fed and in a stable environment so I’ll stay here until you get a better plan.”