Peter spent the rest of the night in the woods. He slept on a well-hidden bed of moss just off the main road. No one would find him there. The moss was soft and comfortable, but he didn’t sleep well. He kept having nasty nightmares. Dragons flew around Valerie, who was tied to the top of the Dragon Tower. He wanted to help her, but he was frozen to the ground, unable to move. He thought he heard two young men crying for help in the tower...or were those the sounds of a cat and a dog?
He could only watch as the dragons circled the tower, snapping at Valerie. The largest one opened it’s huge, toothy jaw and blew a stream of red-gold fire right at Valerie. She screamed. Peter screamed. The young men...or the animals...screamed. Peter felt something soft nudging him forward, trying to push him towards the tower, but he couldn’t move. He watched the stream of gold hit the tower in horror. The stream became narrower and narrower, and the human wailing became softer and softer, until it sounded more like a bird chirping.
“Valerie...no...” He finally opened his eyes. He lay on his bed of moss in the woods. Shafts of gold light blinked softly between the trees. He was staring straight into huge pools of brown. “Morning, Nesmith,” he murmured. “Can I stay just a few minutes longer? I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night...”
Nesmith whinnied more urgently. Peter sighed. “I know, Valerie and the others.” He leaned against the tree. “I’m so scared. This is a lot different than riding in a horse race or trying to figure out mazes. Valerie’s life depends on this!” He threw his arms around Nesmith’s soft muzzle. Nesmith leaned into him, trying to comfort his friend. “At least I still have you. You’re the best friend a kitchen boy could have. You and Dolenz and Jones...”
The sound of hoofbeats startled both. Peter ducked behind a thicket as voices were heard on the main road. He peered through the thicket. They were two of the king’s knights, in full regalia, from their heavy swords and shields to their chain mail and protective steel helmets.
He only heard bits and pieces of the conversation, but from what he could tell, the King had awoken to a messenger who brought a ransom note from an unknown gang of thugs. His beloved daughter was being held prisoner in the abandoned Dragon Tower, and if the King didn’t give up his treasury, the gang’s boss would order his men to kill the princess. The King quickly sent out a proclamation to every knight in the kingdom, claiming the next trial would be to rescue Princess Valerie herself!
“Oh no!” Peter whispered in horror. He turned to Nesmith, who stood in the shadows, trying to blend in. “Did you hear that? We have to rescue her! They’re gonna kill her in the Dragon Tower, and probably kill Jones and Dolenz, too!” He climbed onto his horse. “Come on, boy! Let’s get the sword and rescue our friends!”
Peter was so eager to get to the swords, he didn’t see the two shadows watching him nearby. Lord Henry and Ronald rode out from behind the stand of trees where they’d hidden. “I told you Tork knows. He’s the one who’s been winning the trials.”
“I still don’t believe you, Father.” Ronald rolled his eyes. “He’s a clumsy nitwit.”
“Nitwit or not, he knows about the swords. There’s no other way he could have transformed himself like that, or sounded almost exactly like Dolenz and Jones.”
“He’s not going to make it to the tower, right Father? I’m still going to rescue the Princess and marry her.”
“Of course.” Lord Henry smiled. “I kidnapped the Princess for a reason. You’re gonna get Princess Valerie out of the tower, and King James will be so grateful you brought his little girl back, he’ll call off the fourth trial and give you her hand in marriage.”
“Good. I’ll make a wonderful king. I’ll do what all kings do. I’ll have big parties with lots of champagne, and I’ll wear the best clothes, and I’ll hunt all day and flirt with the ladies in the court all night.”
“And your old man will be in charge of the kingdom and the money.”
“That’s right, Father. As long we can afford good hunting clothes and food for my parties, you can do what you want with the treasury.”
Lord Henry just smiled at his son’s words as they rode out to the main path.
Peter had no trouble finding the clearing now. He knew the way like the back of his hand. He jumped off of Nesmith and reached for the last sword....but the moment he touched it, something shocked his hand! He pulled back in surprise, shaking his burned hand.
“Ow!” He reached for it again, only to get the same reaction. “Nesmith, I don’t know what’s wrong with it! The swords never did this to me before.”
Nesmith whinnied angrily and reached for the sword with his teeth. He pulled back at first, reeling from the intense heat and crackling energy surrounding the weapon, but finally returned to it. Peter pulled off his tunic, wrapped it around his hands, and helped the struggling horse. It took Peter and Nesmith longer to pull the weapon out than the first two did. This sword was larger and broader than the others, with an elaborate silver hilt. A white mist enveloped Peter and Nesmith the moment they managed to release the sword from the stump.
When it cleared, Peter wore the finest chain mail and metal helmet, covered with a snow-white tunic and trousers and heavy leather boots. A thick white plume bobbed in the helmet. His shield had the crest of the kingdom against a white background. Nesmith had a white satin blanket and head covering and a polished black saddle.
Peter gave a brief sad look at the empty white satin pouch on Nesmith’s side where Dolenz and Jones usually rode. Nesmith nudged his shoulder. He turned to his mount, his face harder and more careworn than the horse had ever seen it. “Don’t worry, boy, we’ll get our friends and Valerie back.” He clenched one fist. “You can count on that.”
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
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