The Passion of the Liger
Volume 2


By
Thuan Nguyen



SMASHWORDS EDITION


* * * * *


PUBLISHED BY:
Thuan Nguyen on Smashwords


The Passion of the Liger
Copyright © 2012 by Thuan Nguyen



Thank you for downloading this free eBook.  You are welcome to share it with your friends.  This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form, with the exception of quotes used in reviews.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.  The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.


*****

The story continues from Volume 1.  In the previous volume, Narteb’s mother, Ginessa, was turned to stone by the jealous ‘witch’ Maruska.  I hope you enjoy reading Volume 2.  Visit http://narteb.wordpress.com for updates on Volume 3 as it is written.

*****


THE PASSION OF THE LIGER: Volume 2


*****


Chapter 1

Narteb sat on the pier with his legs dangling relaxedly over the edge.  It was raining, but it wasn't so bad.  He was actually having a rather good time.  He was currently doing some fishing, with very little luck.
Sitting next to him on the pier was his friend, Pip, who was blowing away on his ocarina.  It was a small triangular shaped instrument made of clay and had a hole to blow through and little holes for the fingers, similar to a flute.  Pip had his eyes closed and seemed to be entranced in the music as he played.  Pip rarely fished when Narteb and his friends went fishing.  He chose instead to bring his ocarina and practice.
The song Pip was playing was a slow, sad one, but strangely, it made Narteb feel happy as he listened to it.  He had heard Pip play this song, which was called 'Eventide of Evermoor', countless times, and often on repeat, but he never got tired of it.  On a night like this, with the horrible weather and lack of fish, Narteb was really glad his friend was there with him and playing music.
Narteb turned to look back at the pier.  He had been checking periodically for the past hour or so.  His dad was supposed to come join then, and they had been fishing for a few hours and he still hadn't arrived.  This made Narteb worried because Narteb's dad, Anton, never broke a promise.  If he said he was going to be somewhere, then he was going to be there.
The music stopped.
"Hey, Narteb, where's your dad?" said Pip.
"I don't know," said Narteb, "It's not like him not to show up."
"Well, I think I'd better get going now," said Pip, "If we stay out any later we'll be dead at school tomorrow."
"Yeah, I guess," said Narteb, "I wanna check at home anyway, I want to know if anything's wrong."
The two boys packed up their things.  Narteb took a bit longer than Pip, because all Pip had to do was put the ocarina into his pocket and stand up.  When Narteb had gathered his equipment, the two of them made their way back up the pier towards shore.  Thankfully, by now the rain was easing up to the lightest of drizzles.
The two of them walked along the dirt track that led back to the village.  It was cold and they were both soaked, so neither was in a real mood to chat.  They stomped through the night in comfortable silence.  Which was why it was easy for them to both hear footsteps of someone approaching them out of the darkness ahead.
"Is that someone running towards us?" said Pip.
"Looks like it," said Narteb.
The two boys stopped walking and waited to see who it was.  It wasn't long before they could make him out.  It was one of the men from the village, Bob Denton, father of their friend Cedric.
"Hi, Mr Denton," said Narteb.
"Thank the Gods I've found you," said Bob, "Narteb, something happened to your mother."
A shiver ran through Narteb as he heard that.  He was already worried that something might have happened, but to actually hear someone say it...
"What happened?" said Narteb.
"I..." began Bob, "I think it's better you see for yourself.  I really don't even quite believe it myself." His voice sort of drifted off.
"What happened to her, Mr Denton?" repeated Narteb.
Bob shook his head and turned around, "Come with me.  You have to see for yourself."
He started running back towards the village and the two boys followed closely behind him.  Butterflies were churning in Narteb's stomach.
"I hope everything is okay," said Pip.
Narteb grunted in agreement.
Finally, they reached a lone house on the outskirts of the village.  Narteb knew this house.  It was the home of his dad's friend, Ray.  There was someone sitting alone on the front steps of the house.  It was an old lady.  Narteb knew this old woman; it was Ray's blind mother.  She looked like she was in shock.
"Where did everyone go?" asked Bob.
The old woman said quietly, "They took her away.  Back to her house.  Everybody went with them."
"What happened?" said Narteb, "Did something happen to my mum?"
The old lady said, "Who is it?"
"It's Narteb, Granny C., Anton and Ginessa's son."
The old woman put a hand over her mouth and shook her head.  She stood up and reached out towards where she heard the sound of his voice.  Narteb walked towards her and touched her hands to make it easier for her.  She wrapped her bony arms around him and gave him a hug.
"I'm so sorry," she said.
"What happened?" said Narteb.
"You don't know yet?" said the old woman, surprised.
"I didn't tell him," said Bob, "I can hardly believe it myself."
The old woman let go of Narteb, and said, "You should go back to your house."
"Can you tell me what happened to her?" said Narteb.
There was a long pause.
Finally, the old woman spoke.  "I don't know how it happened... but I think your mother was turned to stone."
Silence.
"What?" said Narteb.  He didn't understand what he'd just heard.
"One moment she was normal," said Mavis, "And the next, she had become like a stone statue.  I wouldn't have believed it myself, but I felt it with my own hands.  I still don't quite believe it.  I didn't know such things could happen..."
She explained to Narteb all that had happened that night.  "And then your father came by later on, and said that your mother had been turned to stone.  By some woman named, Maruska.  Yes, I think he said her name was Maruska."
This was all too much for Narteb.  Turned to stone?  Was this all a big joke someone was playing on him?  If it was, then it wasn't funny at all.  He felt really confused.
"Come, Narteb," said Bob, "We should go back to your house.  That's where everyone is."
Narteb nodded.  He turned to Mavis, and knew that he should say goodbye to her, but was still in such shock that nothing came out of his mouth.
The old woman took Narteb's two hands in hers, and held them tenderly for a few moments, before letting them go.  She too could think of no words to comfort him.
Narteb, Bob and Pip began running back towards Narteb's house.  Narteb shot passed the two others; he was fully sprinting.  He wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but he knew that he wanted to get home as soon as possible.


Chapter 2


Maruska slowly trudged up the wet, slippery mountainside.  She was deep in thought, and barely looked up from the ground as she walked.
Was this the end? she wondered.  Would she never think of Anton ever again?  She wasn't sure about that.  The only thing she was sure about, was that she felt horrible at the moment.
Eventually, she came upon the gnarled birch tree.  She stopped and looked behind it and saw the mouth of the cave they had set up camp in the previous night.  She went into the cave and saw a smouldering campfire, and lying next to it a bundle of blankets, underneath which was her apprentice, Fog, fast asleep.  Maruska entered the cave and sat down next to the dying embers of the campfire.
Fog, who was rather light sleeper awoke when she heard her Mistress sitting down.  Fog sat up, rubbed her eyes and said, "You're back, Mistress!  How did it go?"
"I have done what I came here to do," said Maruska.
"So it worked?" said Fog, "She was turned into a stone statue?"
Maruska nodded, "Aye."
Fog didn't know what to say.  All this time she always had a small, lingering doubt that the petrification orb would not work; that such talk of magic and petrification spells, was all hogwash.
"What was it like?" said Fog.
"Terrible," said Maruska.
The two sat in silence for a moment.
"She was fearless, you know," said Maruska.
"Who?  Anton's wife?" said Fog.
"Yes," said Maruska, "She didn't run.  She just stood there and took it.  I always imagined that she would be running.  She didn't even look scared."
"How do you feel now?" said Fog, "Now that you've done it."
"I feel horrible," said Maruska, "Revenge.  It has a bitter aftertaste, I have learned."
Fog resisted the urge to say 'I told you so' and held her tongue.
"What will we do now, Mistress?"
"We will return to the castle," said Maruska, "Let us leave at once."
"Now?" said Fog, "Can we not leave in the morning?  This is a very cosy cave.  Good for sleeping."
"No, I wish to leave this place as soon as possible," said Maruska, "I want to leave it all behind me.  And all that I have done here."
Fog knew better than to disagree.  She got up and began to pack up her belongings.  Maruska in the meantime merely sat and stared at the burning embers in the campfire, and thought about what she had done.


Chapter 3


When Narteb arrived back at his house, he got a small shock, because gathered outside was a big crowd of people.  Many were carrying torches or lanterns and from a distance, they looked like a bunch of fireflies.  When Narteb approached, he heard one of them call out, "Narteb's back!".  The group murmured as a whole and a few of them came up to him and offered their condolences.  It was all a bit of a blur for Narteb who was still in shock and didn't quite know what was going on.
"Where is my mum?" he said.
"She's inside the house," said one of the villagers.
Narteb walked to the front door and went inside.  It was the strangest feeling.  He had gone through that door countless times, but this time he was feeling a mixture of nervousness and trepidation.  What would he see when he went inside?
There was already quite a few people inside his house, standing around.  One could almost mistake it for a party; the big difference was that no one was smiling.  It seemed that most people were gathered in the living room, so Narteb made his way there.
And then, he saw it.
In the middle of the room, was a stone statue.
It was unmistakable; it was of his mother.
Narteb's entire body went cold.
So it was true... his mother had been turned to stone!
Two people in particular were standing close to the statue.  One was a brawny, muscular man, with an orange bristly moustache and shaggy orange hair.  He was Boris, the village stonemason.  The other was a plump lady, with a round face, and small, but kind eyes.  She was Helga, Boris' wife.
"There's no way you can convince me that this is Ginessa," said Helga, "It's a stone statue.  People do not get turned into stone statues."
Boris circled the statue, eyeing it carefully.  Occasionally, he would reach out and tap the stone with a fingertip.
"There's no way this could be a statue, Mum." (Boris had a habit of calling Helga 'Mum' or 'Ma', even though she was his wife) "Look at the detail on this.  No one can make a statue this detailed.  Look there are individual eyelashes made of stone!"  He peered even closer, inspecting the statue's face. "Look!  There's even nose hairs in here!"
"Boris!" said Helga, "Don't be talking about her nose hairs!"  She was about to say something else, when she turned and saw Narteb.
"Tebby!" said Helga.
All the eyes in the room turned and looked at Narteb.  It all went silent; nobody knew what to say to him.
Narteb walked up to the statue and examined it.  He was amazed.  From the tiniest of wrinkles on her face, to the look in her eyes; if it really had been sculpted by someone, they had captured her perfectly.
He reached out a hand and touched her cheek with his fingers.
Cold and hard.
...and something else.
Narteb was startled.  Something strange happened when he touched her!  He suddenly got a feeling that his mothers spirit, or essence, was somehow inside the stone; that she was still there buried deep within.  There was no way he could have explained this, but it was just a feeling that he had.  And it was a strong one.
"This statue is my mum," said Narteb quietly, "I'm sure of it."
And now, there was only one thought in his head.
He had to fix this.  He could not let his her stay like this.


Chapter 4


Narteb woke up the next morning in bed.  The house was very quiet.  It seemed that everyone had left after he'd gone to sleep.  He lay in bed just a little while longer, thinking.  The events of last night were so unusual, that he almost wondered if it had all been just a dream.
He listened closely, trying to hear the sound of someone moving around his house, or even better, his mum's voice.  But he heard nothing.
He waited.
Nothing but the sound of birds chirping outside.
Finally, he decided to get up.  He climbed out of bed, and headed straight for the one place in his house that he was dreading going into.
The living room.
And when he got there, he saw it.
The view was different from last night.  This time, there was no one else around.  This time, there was light coming in through the windows, illuminating the room in peaceful morning sunshine.
But his mum was the same.  Exactly the same as last night.
Stone.
So it's real, thought Narteb, Not a dream.
Then something caught his eye.  There was a note left on the table.  He picked it up and immediately knew that it was from his dad.


Narteb,

Sorry, I didn't want to wake you.  Plus I am no good at goodbyes.  By the time you read this, I will be gone.  I have gone to look for a way to cure your mother.  Last night, my ex-girlfriend from many years ago came to our house.  A long time ago, I abandoned her, and she has never forgiven me for it.  Her name is Maruska, and she can do magic.  Real magic.  She used a small, glowing glass ball and turned your mother to stone.  She did that hoping it would hurt me, in the same way as I have hurt her in the past.
I don't know when I will return, but I will return as soon as I can.  I do not know where I will go.  If by some small chance I do not return, know that I am tremendously proud of you.

Till we meet again,
Dad

P.S. Paddles is in the backyard.  He was put to sleep by Maruska last night somehow.  I thought he was dead, but this morning he was awake, thank the Heavens.  He is a little bit drowsy, but fine.  Take good care of him until I get back.



Narteb read the note twice, mainly because his brain wasn't working properly and he was having trouble thinking; so much had happened in the past few hours.  One minute he was living a relatively normal life, the next his mother had been turned to stone and his father was gone.  And his dog had nearly died.
To his credit though, Narteb didn't get overwhelmed by all this.  He put the note down, quietly went about having a hearty breakfast, then began gathering equipment for his journey--for he had decided that he would go look for a way to cure his mother.  Two DiManlen's looking for a cure meant twice the chance someone would succeed.
He packed an ample supply of food, or as he liked to call it, 'rations', and grabbed various other items that he thought he might need: rope, compass, stone and flint, skinning knife, and other such things, and put them all in a backpack.  Next, he searched for all the money in his room he could find (he found dozens of silver and copper coins underneath his bed!), and put it all in a small leather pouch, which he tied to his belt.  Finally, he grabbed his wooden training sword.  It wasn't much, but it was the only sword he had.
Once he felt he was as fully equipped as he was going to get, he changed into something more suited for travelling.  He put on his leather pants and tunic, and pulled on some leather boots.  Now, that he was done, he picked up his sword, attached the scabbard to his belt and slung the backpack over his shoulders.
He went into the living room one final time.  He stood in front of his mother and said to her, "I'm going to find a cure for you.  Goodbye, mum."
He gave the stone statue a hug.  Narteb was not the type to often voluntarily hug his mum, but today, he felt like it.  Plus she was a stone statue and no one else was watching.
He went into the backyard and saw Paddles resting in his kennel.  Paddles got up when he saw Narteb, and started wagging his tail weakly.  Narteb could see he really was looking quite drowsy and tired.  He picked up the little dog and left his house.
It was a grey sort of morning and the air was crisp.  He began walking to Pip's place.

***

"Here we are," said Narteb to Paddles, "Your new home for a little while."
They had arrived at Pip's house.  It was a log cabin, and the general shape could best be described as wide, large and flat.  Narteb always felt happy when he saw this house.  Currently, there was a gentle curl of smoke coming out the chimney, and when Narteb breathed, he could smell a delicious aroma in the air.  Pip's mum was a fantastic cook, and was probably baking something inside.
Narteb went up the steps that led to the porch, and knocked on the front door.  Hopefully, Pip was home.  Narteb wanted to say goodbye to him before he left.
The door opened and out came Pip, still in his pyjamas, munching on a slice of cake.  Pip took one look at how Narteb was dressed and said, "Whoa!  Where are you going?"
"To find a cure for my mum," said Narteb.
"And you're taking Paddles with you?" said Pip.
"No," said Narteb, "That's why I'm here.  Can you look after him for me until I get back?"
Pip looked at Paddles for a moment and then shook his head solemnly.  He said, "I'm sorry, Narteb, but I will not be able to look after your dog."
Narteb could not believe what he had just heard.  He had been certain Pip would say yes.
Then Pip smiled and continued.  "The reason I will not be able to look after your dog, is because I will be going with you.  My parents can look after Paddles."
Narteb sighed with relief, but then said, "No, definitely not.  I have no idea where I am going.  It could be dangerous.  You have stuff to do, you shouldn't be wasting time helping me do this."
"Your stuff is my stuff," said Pip, "And besides, do I look like I'm asking for your permission?  I'm coming with you.  Now let me grab Paddles and break the news to my mum."
Narteb knew there was no way he could change Pip's mind, and to be honest, he really was very happy his friend was coming with him.  The big, wide, unknown world is not half as scary when you have your best friend with you.
Before he handed Paddles over to Pip, Narteb looked his little dog in the eyes and said, "Stay here for a while.  I will come back."
Like always, Narteb really felt that his dog knew what he had said, or at least gotten the intent from the way he said it.  Narteb handed Paddles over to Pip, who took him and vanished inside.
Narteb stood on the porch and waited patiently.  He looked around at the surrounds--the tall, slender trees of the forest--their leaves blowing gently in the wind.  He had seen this view countless times, but now it all looked different.  His stomach was buzzing.  It was because he knew, very soon, he would be venturing outside Manangatang village for the very first time in his life.  The prospect was daunting and exciting at the same time.
Someone came to the door.  It wasn't Pip this time, but Pip's mother.  She did have a name, but to Narteb, she was simply Pip's mum, and one of his favourite people in the world.  She was wearing a flour covered apron and indeed looked like she had been in the middle of baking.
She said nothing, but just gave Narteb a warm, tender hug.  It immediately made Narteb feel better.  When she finally let him go, she handed him a small cloth bundle, tied up securely with string.
"These are some oat slices I've just made," she said, "It'll give you boys some sustenance on your journey."
Narteb thanked her and placed them carefully into his backpack.
It was then that Pip reappeared at the front door; Narteb got quite a shock when he saw him!
"You look cool!" said Narteb.
"My new clothes," said Pip, "First time I've worn them!"
He was wearing some tan coloured leggings and a dark, leaf-green tunic.  He had on the obligatory adventuring backpack and also a long hunting knife attached to his belt.  And most importantly, in his hand, he was holding his clay ocarina!
"We'll have music for the journey," Pip chuckled.
Pip's mum gave her son a hug, and said, "Can you wait until your father gets home at least?  He will want to say goodbye."
"Narteb has to go now, mum," said Pip, "Tell the old man I'll be back as soon as I can."
Pip's mum looked like she was going to start crying any second now.  "Promise me that you boys will stay safe," she said, "And that you will try not to get in any danger."
"Safe?" said Pip, "Narteb has never heard of that word."
Tears started to well up in her eyes now.
"I'll look after him," said Narteb.
"Thank you," said Pip's mum.
"We better get going, Narteb," said Pip, "Or my mum's going to start crying on us."
Pip's mum smiled through the tears and waved goodbye as the two boys left.
Narteb and Pip left the house and followed the path until it led them right out the northern end of the village.  Very soon they were travelling on the road they had always known simply as 'North road'.
"Where are we going?" said Pip.
"I keep getting this feeling we should go to the Crossroads," said Narteb, "So that's where we will go first.  There's a lot of people there.  Maybe someone can help us."
Pip's face lit up.  "The Crossroads!  I've always wanted to go there.  You know, they say it's a bustling hive of thieves, thugs and rascals.  The whole place is trouble!"
"I know!" said Narteb.
They were both very happy about that.
Although a large part of Narteb's mind was still dwelling on what had happened to his mum, having Pip around was cheering him up.  After they had walked a while, they finally came upon a large wooden sign post.
"I've never been this far before," said Pip, "Look at that."
On the sign post were two arrows.  One arrow--pointing to the south, the way they had just come--said 'To Manangatang Village'.  The other arrow, which pointed to the north, read 'Southern Marsh Highway'.
According to the boys' knowledge, if they followed this road all the way north, it would eventually lead them to the Crossroads.  They began walking again, and Pip decided it was time to pull out the ocarina.  He started playing an uplifing, adventurous sounding tune, called 'Knight on the noble steed'.  All morning, Narteb had been feeling mixed emotions; shock and sadness at what had happened to his mother, fear about whether or not he was up to the challenge ahead, and also the underlying buzz he couldn't help but feel as he ventured outside his village for the first time.  As Pip played his melody, all these heavy emotions inside Narteb, became like mist and the breeze carried them away--leaving only one, very simple emotion behind.
The joyous feeling you get when you are travelling somewhere with your best friend.


Chapter 5


Three and a half weeks later...

A lone figure, walked down the quiet backstreets of Firgenduke, the grand city which was the capital of Tuscan.  This person was a stranger to town and had just arrived earlier in the evening, appearing not long after the sun had set.  He wore a thick, warm hooded robe, that was the colour of blood.  The hood was pulled far over his face and at this late hour, it was impossible to make out his face.
Whoever it was, it was obvious he was trying to be inconspicuous and stuck to the shadows as he made his way deliberately through the city.  It was a quiet part of town, and there was hardly another soul on the streets.  There was a fine mist of rain coming down; unlike most rain, this light drizzle was rather pleasant.
The stranger stopped when he encountered the fountain.  It was in the middle of a large intersection.  Exactly as he had remembered it.  Locals called it the 'Guy on the Horse'.  It was a large statue of a man on a horse that was reared up on its hind legs.  The man looked like a warrior and had one hand on the reins, and the other holding his greatsword high up in the air.
The stranger just stood there and took everything in--the statue, the moonlight above and the faint trace of rain.  It had been a long time since he had seen this statue.  He had almost forgotten it.  Seeing it now brought back many memories.
He sighed.
He had grown up in Firgenduke, and had not been back in over twenty years.  Being here now, he felt a heavy weight on his chest.  He realised he missed this city.
From a leather pouch at his waist, he pulled out a golden coin and threw it into the fountain.  He closed his eyes and made a silent prayer.  He did not need long to choose his wish--there was only one thing he wanted.
He took one last look at the statue, and then turned and continued his journey.  He walked silently along the cobblestone road for a little while longer--even though it was dark, he had no trouble knowing where to go--it seemed his feet remembered where to go, even if his mind had forgotten.
Finally, he came to a stop.  He had reached his destination.
It was a large building, made of stone bricks.  There was a big wooden door at the front and a sign above it, that read: 

"The Encumbered Adventurer"

It had been so long since he had seen this building.  It was like seeing an old friend again.  From behind the door, he could hear the jolly sound of boisterous voices chatting away, and his nose picked up the delicious smell of food.
Without further ado, the hooded stranger pushed open the door, and entered the tavern.


Chapter 6


King Bastion, ruler of Tuscan, skipped up the stone spiral staircase, which led up to Maruska's room.  She had been gone for months and he had missed her terribly.  It was so good to have her back.
As he bounded up the stairs in a gay fashion, his foot stubbed one of the steps, and he nearly tripped.  He managed to catch himself somehow, and it was lucky for him, because he was carrying a tray which had on it a steaming hot dinner, that he had spent the past few hours making.  Since returning to the castle a few days ago, Maruska had barely left her room and according to the people serving her, had not eaten a single meal.
I shall rectify that! thought Bastion to himself, as he continued his exuberant ascent of the stairs.
Finally, he arrived at the top.  At the end of a short corridor, which was illuminated by a few torches on the wall, was a simple wooden door.  Two burly guards stood there.  Initially they had looked bored, but they stood to attention when they saw who was coming.
"Evening, Your Highness!" said one of the guards.
"Is Lady Maruska in her room?" said King Bastion.
"Yes, she is, Your Highness," said the guard.  He sniffed the air with his large bulbous nose, "I must say, that food you've brought smells really delicious!"
"Enough with the small talk," said King Bastion, "You two leave.  I want to spend some time alone with Lady Maruska."
The two guards obediently left their post and went downstairs.
King Bastion cleared his throat and then knocked thrice upon the wooden door.
There was no reply.
After a few seconds, he got impatient, and knocked again, this time more firmly, and six times instead of three.
"Who is it?" came a voice from inside.
It was Maruska's voice; music to Bastion's ears.
''Tis I, Bastion," said the King, "I heard that you had not eaten, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I have cooked a meal for you.  I will sit beside you as you eat it, if you like.  It is a rather unique dish, if I do say so myself.  You will not find another like it in all the seven kingdoms.  I took an ingredient from each letter of your name, and combined them to invent a new meal.  For 'M', I chose marshmallows.  For 'A' I chose artichoke.  For 'R' I chose radish.  For 'U' I chose sea urchin.  I know that starts with 'S', but I think it's close enough.  For 'S' I chose salad.  There is a side salad.  For 'K' I chose carrot.  I know carrot starts with C, but again I think it's close enough.  For the final 'A', I chose apple.  A juicy red delicious, as sweet as your kiss.  Not that I know what your kiss is like... but if you'd like to show me..."
"I'm not hungry," came the voice from inside.
King Bastion felt deflated.  He had spent the entire day fussing over this dish.  He had even named it.  'Maruska's Delight'.  A more apt name would have been 'Maruska's Undelight', he thought to himself now.  He laid the tray of food down on the ground.
"Well, I've left it here on the ground for you," said the King, "You can eat it when you get hungry.  If you do eat it, remember to tell me how it tastes, I'm curious to know.  Did I mention it took me over two hours to make?  I-"
"Excuse me, Your Highness."
King Bastion turned around.
Standing there at the end of the corridor was a stern looking man, with dark hair and a dark wispy goatee.  He had a black eyepatch over his left eye.  It was Javier, Captain of the Guards.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" said King Bastion, "I nearly had a heart attack.  What are you doing here?"
"I have urgent news for you," said Javier.
"Can't it wait?" said the King, "I'm kind of in the middle of something."
"I think you'll want to hear it, Your Highness," said Javier.
"Fine, what is it?"
Javier looked at the door to Maruska's room and shook his head slightly, then went back to the top of the spiral staircase, beckoning the King to follow.
Bastion went over to where Javier was standing and whispered, "What is this about?"
"He has returned," said Javier, "He has been spotted in Firgenduke today."
"Who?" said the King, "Who has been spotted?"
Javier turned to look back at the door to Maruska's room and said in a low voice, "Him."
The King looked at Maruska's door and then back at Javier, his brain suddenly registering who they were talking about.
"But he said he would never return..." said the King.
"I know," said Javier.
"After all these years..." said the King, his voice drifting off.
"What shall we do?" said Javier.
The King's face became stern.  "I want him found.  I want him captured.  I want him put in the dungeon.  In a cell all by himself.  When you have captured him, call me."
"You mean to kill him?" said Javier.
"I need him silenced, one way or another," said the King, "Or I shall never be able to sleep in peace.  Go now, Javier.  And make sure it is low key.  I want no one to know of this, except your most trusted men."  The King glanced back at Maruska's door, and said in a hushed whisper, "She must never find out.  Do you understand?"
Javier nodded and then bowed, before disappearing down the stairs.
King Bastion stood there for a long time, not moving.
"My own web of lies," he whispered, "Too sticky to get out of."


Chapter 7


Lena Straud sat behind the bar, eyes fixed on the stranger in the red hooded cloak.  He was seated in a shadowy corner of the tavern, away from the warm amber of the fireplace and the room's flickering candlelight.
"Penelope," said Lena, to the buxom young waitress who was walking by, "That man in the red robes.  Who is he?"
"Never seen him before, ma'am," said Penelope, "Seems nice enough, but very mysterious.  His hood comes down so low, I couldn't make out his face.  He has a bushy beard, but that's about all I can tell you."
Lena nodded, her eyes still boring into the stranger across the room.
"Did he order a meal?" said Lena.
"Roast boar," said the waitress.
"With mint sauce?" said Lena.
"Yes'm," said the waitress, "How did you know?"
Lena didn't answer.  She seemed to be thinking about something.
Penelope looked down at her little notepad, and said, "He also ordered a tankard of-"
"Butterscotch mead," they both said together.
Penelope looked at Lena, "You know him?"
"My instincts tell me it is a man I knew long ago," said Lena, "One day he left, and never returned.  Why he should return now, out of the blue, I do not know.  Perhaps I am mistaken.  Perhaps this is simply a stranger passing through Firgenduke.  In any case, I will speak to him, to put my mind at ease."
Lena got up and made her way over to the dark corner where the man in the red robes was seated alone.
"Greetings, stranger," said Lena.
The man nodded his hooded head slightly in greeting, but made no sound.
"Do I know you?" she said, "You seem familiar."
There was a long pause.
"Yes," said the stranger.
"Who are you?" said Lena.
The stranger reached out his hand and clasped it firmly around her wrist, holding her in place.  His grasp was incredibly strong, and Lena knew she was not going anywhere until he let her go.  She made not a sound; her heart began to beat fast.
The stranger brought his other hand up--with index finger pointed--to his mouth, indicating that Lena should not make a sound.  Then he tilted his head up, his face coming into view.
Lena couldn't believe it.  Even if he hadn't been holding her wrist, she was too stunned to move.
The piercing green eyes.  The face--aged since she had last seen him--still ruggedly handsome, his beard longer and shaggier than she had remembered.
"Anton!" whispered Lena, "It's you!"
"Please, Lena," said Anton in a low voice, "I need your help.  No one must know I am here."
Lena nodded, "Come with me.  We can speak in private."
Anton stood up and followed her.  The two of them weaved their way through the crowd, until they came upon a set of stone steps at the back of the tavern, which they descended.  When they reached the bottom, Anton found himself in a small square room.  Aside from a few big wooden kegs, there was not much else in the room.  Even though there were four wall torches--one in each corner of the room--the light was very dim; Anton could barely make out Lena's face, and she was standing directly in front of him.  But even though it was dark, he could tell that she was not happy with him.
"Why," said Lena, "After all these years, have you suddenly decided to return?  And under such a shroud of secrecy."
"I cannot explain," said Anton.
"Then I have another question," said Lena, "Why did you leave in the first place?  You just vanished!  Without so much as a goodbye.  Maruska was poisoned and on the brink of death.  They found her alone in the forest.  Did you know that?"
"Found alone in the forest?" said Anton, "Is that what they said?"
"Yes," said Lena, "Is it not true?"
Anton paused.
Eventually, he said, "Yes, it must be true then."
"Answer me, Anton," said Lena, "I want to hear it from your mouth.  Saxon keeps defending you and says you must have had a good reason for disappearing.  That you probably didn't even know Maruska had been poisoned.  So now that you are here, I want to hear your side of the story."
"My side of the story," said Anton, "Is that I knew Maruska was poisoned and abandoned her."
There was total silence.
Lena looked at the man standing before her.  Physically he looked like the man she remembered.  The strong, brave, honest Anton.  The man you could always depend on.  Now as she looked at him, she saw that he was different.  He seemed broken, vulnerable, desperate and weak.
"Leave," she said quietly.
"Lena," said Anton, "Please, I need your help."
"Leave," she repeated more firmly, "I will not help you.  Leave my tavern and never return.  You are not welcome here.  You abandoned my friend and left her to die."  She looked him in the eyes and said, "The next time we meet, we shall be less than strangers."
Anton got down onto his hands and knees.
Lena could tell by the way he did it, this man was not accustomed to begging.
"Please, Lena," said Anton, "Help me get to Maruska.  My wife's life depends on it."
Lena could not believe her ears.  She was struggling before, but this really pushed her over the edge.
"Your wife?" said Lena, "You got married to somebody else?  You left Maruska to die, and the reason we never saw you again was because you went and got married?"
Anton just kept staring at the ground.
Lena wasn't done yet.  Two decades of bottled up anger at this man all resurfaced at once.  "Maruska would have died for you.  She loved you!  You broke her heart.  You didn't see her after she recovered from the poison.  She kept saying 'Something must have happened to Anton.  I have to go find him!'.  After years, even she gave up hope.  She wanted to kill herself!  Maruska is alive now, but the Maruska we all knew and loved died years ago.  And it's your fault!"
Lena was furious.  She was normally quite a calm person but she was spewing forth such venom at Anton.  She took some deep breaths to calm herself down.
Anton said nothing.  He just stayed kneeling before her and looking down at the ground.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," he said quietly.
Lena just looked at him.  He had just taken her verbal barrage without even flinching.  He wasn't completely weak.
People make mistakes, said a voice inside her head, We all do.
Lena took in a deep breath and when she exhaled, she blew out a lot of the anger from her system.
"Ma'am?"
Lena looked up at the stairs.  Penelope was standing there.
"What is it, Penelope?" said Lena.
"It's the Royal guards.  The Conquistador actually.  He's looking for a man in red robes," said Penelope, "What should I tell him?"
Lena looked back at Anton.  Memories from the past came flooding back to her.  Memories of the times when Anton had been like a big brother to her.  He had always looked after her.
This man kneeling before her now, she didn't know if he was the same man anymore.  But he looked like Anton DiManlen, her friend.  And for that reason alone, she gave him the benefit of the doubt.
"Tell him that we have seen no such man," said Lena.
Penelope glanced at the man kneeling there in the red robes and nodded, then vanished upstairs.
"Thank you," said Anton.
"Don't thank me yet," said Lena, "I am still undecided."
She began to head upstairs, leaving Anton alone in the cellar.  Before she reached the top, she turned and said to him, "If I was you, I would pull that torch in the corner."


Chapter 8


Maruska lay in her bed.  She had been laying there practically all day, feeling wretched, despondent and whatever other bad feeling you can think of.  For so long now, all she had thought about was finding Anton, confronting him--and if need be--hurt him for leaving her.  And now she had done all that, and she didn’t feel any better; in fact she felt worse.  She'd known all along what she'd done was wrong, but like someone running down a steep hill, once she started, she couldn’t stop.  She wanted to hurt the man that had hurt her.
Maruska closed her eyes.  A single tear dripped out of the corner and trickled down towards her ear; she didn’t even bother to wipe it away.
Right now, she just wanted to sink into her bed and vanish.
Her life was a mess, and sadly, she knew the only person to blame was herself.  So many years filled with bitterness, anger and hatred.
Half her life wasted.
The friends she had grown up with, probably all had families, little children.  Even the man she loved had a beautiful wife.
And what did she have?  Maruska had no one.  All she had was twenty years worth of sad memories.
No more.
Maruska opened her eyes.  She heard a whispering.
No more.  It stops today.
It was coming from inside of her.  Amid all the heavy, dark thoughts that filled her mind, was a pure, clear voice.
Today it ends.  Today you start your new life.
Maruska didn’t move a muscle.  She ignored everything else and just focussed on this voice.
Every step you take from now on, will be towards a brighter future.  It is the way to a charmed life.
Maruska’s gut and instinct latched onto what the voice had said.  She knew it was right.  She had no idea where the voice came from, but she didn’t question it.  She wiped away the tear that had dripped down to her ear.
Yes, thought Maruska to herself, I will not waste another day of my life.  Forget about Anton and everything in the past.  A bright future is all I care about.
She sat up and swung her legs over to the side of the bed.  She paused.  This was the moment.  She could either lie back down and wallow in self pity, or she could stand up and immediately begin to fix her life.
Maruska stood up.
And then a feeling flowed through her; a feeling she had not felt in a very long time.
It was hope.


***

King Bastion skewered the shrimp on his fork and was about to put it into his mouth when-
“Your Highness!”
It was Lancaster, the oldest and most loyal servant of the royal household.
“What is it, Lancaster?” said the King, a little grumpy as he was interrupted mid-bite.
“’Tis Lady Maruska, she requests permission to speak to you.”
The King nearly choked when he heard this.  The one person he would drop anything for.  Literally.  He put his shrimp back down on the plate (which just showed how much he thought of Maruska.  Because he was quite a big fan of shrimp).
“Oh, yes of course!” said Bastion, “Ask her to come in immediately!”
The King picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth, and ran his fingers through his whiskers and beard a few times to straighten it out.
Lancaster bowed deeply and left the room.  Moments later, in walked Maruska.  Bastion thought she looked particularly stunning this evening.
She approached the king and bowed her head respectfully.
“I am sorry to interrupt your dinner, Your Highness, but I have something I need to tell you.  I could not bear to wait and leave it any later.”
Bastion gulped.  This is it, he thought to himself. After twenty years she has finally caved in to my manly charm and going to tell me that she loves me.  I knew my method of slowly chipping away at a woman’s resistance would pay off.
“Bastion,” said Maruska, “I came here to thank you personally, for all that you have done for me.”
She’s going to thank me personally, thought the King, Wow.  I really would prefer somewhere more private, but well then, let’s not be too fussy.
“I’m leaving Bastion,” said Maruska, “I plan to leave the castle tonight.  You probably will never see me again.  I just wanted to say thank you for all that you have done for me.  I will never be able to repay you, but just know that I am eternally grateful.”
Hmm, my stomach is still full, thought Bastion, And I probably should go close the door, I wouldn’t want any of the servants inter- WHAT DID SHE SAY?
“Excuse me?” said Bastion.
“I am leaving Castle Aerie, Bastion,” said Maruska.
“But why?” said the King, “Are you not happy here?  I can provide everything that you need!  I am the King!”
“I have thought much about this for the past few days,” said Maruska, “And I must do this, for myself.  I want to go away.  Somewhere far away, somewhere that doesn’t remind me of my past, or the choices that I’ve made.  I want to start over.  I fear that I have wasted my life.  I don’t want to waste another day.  Please understand, Bastion.  I must leave.”
“But, where will you go?  Will I ever see you again?” said Bastion.
“I don’t know where I will go,” said Maruska, “And perhaps we may encounter one another in the future, but my heart tells me this may be our final meeting.”
“Final meeting?” said the King, “No!  You can’t.  I won’t allow it.”
“I have made up my mind,” said Maruska, “Goodbye, my liege.” She curtsied and then turned to leave.
“Stop!” he said, “As King of Tuscan, I order you to stop.”
Maruska stopped but did not turn around.  “That is not an order you can make."
"Maruska, I love you," blurted out the King, "I will do anything if you would stay.  Do you want to be the Queen?  Stay and marry me, and be the Queen of Tuscan."
Maruska was silent for a moment.  Then she turned around,  stepped in close to Bastion and kissed him gently on the cheek.
The King nearly fainted.  All these years he had waited to feel her lips on his skin.  She was so close he could smell her lovely perfume; it was intoxicating.
"Bastion," said Maruska, "I will always think fondly of you.  But I do not love you, in the way that you want me to love you.  I would not make a good wife, nor a good Queen.  Farewell, my King.  I will remember you fondly.”
And with that she left the room, leaving the King standing there alone.
Bastion stood there, motionless, just breathing; he didn't want to leave that spot, because the air still smelled of his beloved, and that was all that he had left of her.


Chapter 9


Those eyes.
Those piercing green eyes, that seemed to sparkle.  Women generally swooned whenever he set his gaze on them.  He could probably melt butter, or more realistically, hearts with those eyes.
But Lena was not swooning or melting at the moment.  She was just trying her best to act natural.  And as anyone who has ever tried to act natural can tell you, it is a hard thing to do when you are trying.
“So tell me, Madam Barkeep,” said the Conquistador, the owner of the green eyes, “Have you perchance seen a stranger enter your tavern tonight?  He was wearing a red cloak.”
Those eyes bored straight into her.  His gaze was so intense she became hot and flustered.  She wanted to look away, but couldn't.  It was like she was being hypnotised.  She felt like he was drawing out her soul just by looking at her.  Like he had locked onto her somehow and could make her do his bidding.  She felt a strong urge to tell him all he wanted to know.  She opened her mouth to speak--to tell him Anton was downstairs--but stopped herself, using all the restraint she had.
Then slowly and deliberately, she replied.
"No.  I have not."
There was silence.  Everyone in the tavern had stopped talking and was listening in.
Lena looked up, and the Conquistador was still staring at her.  His eyes were overwhelming, like twin emerald suns burning into her.
"Are you certain?" he said.
Lena knew that he was looking for signs that she was lying.  She felt her face get hotter.  Her whole body felt like it was heating up.
"I am certain," she said firmly.
The Conquistador said nothing.  Finally, he smiled and said, "Very well then.  Please do look out for this man.  Report to the Royal Guard if you see or hear anything."
"I will," said Lena.
The Conquistador nodded at the soldiers who had accompanied him, and turned to leave.  But before he did, he said one final thing to Lena.
"I would like you know that anyone found aiding this stranger, or hiding his whereabouts, will be deemed an enemy of the King, and will be punished accordingly.  Farewell, Madame Barkeep."
He and the soldiers left the tavern.
And everybody sighed with relief.
Lena went over to a spare chair and sat down.  That had been intense!  Curse that fool Anton for coming back and putting her in this situation!  And she was still mad at him!
Penelope, the waitress, came over and said, "Are you alright, ma'am?"
"I'm okay," said Lena, "I'm just glad they're gone.  And that nobody in here blurted out anything about my friend."
"That man in the red robes is your friend?" said Penelope.
The word had slipped out of Lena's mouth without her even thinking about it.  She pondered it for a while and then said, "I hate him at the moment, but yes, he is my friend."
Penelope had a curious look on her face, as if she was thinking about something, but Lena didn't notice, she was too busy being relieved.
"Free drinks for everyone all night!" Lena shouted suddenly, "For being such a good crowd!"
The jolly patrons of the tavern all cheered.
Lena turned to Penelope and said, "I need to go find my husband.  Can you look after the tavern while I am gone?"
'Yes'm," said Penelope.
"Great," said Lena smiling and getting up, "Mr. Straud will be over the moon to see that oaf I have downstairs."  She went behind the bar and grabbed her sword and then left the tavern.
Penelope just stood there watching her boss leave, and continued to stand there for a fair while afterwards.  She was currently mulling something over in her head, and in two minds about what to do next.  Her heart wanted to do one thing, but her head, which always had been the much louder voice, wanted to do something else.
Penelope sighed.
She really had grown to love this tavern and her boss Lena.
It was times like these that she wished that she wasn't a spy working for the King.


Chapter 10


Along the northern wall of the Encumbered Adventurer Tavern was a dark alleyway.  It was narrow; probably wide enough for two men to walk abreast.  Somewhere in the blackness, a man lay tucked underneath a mound of thick, coarse blankets.  He had wedged himself into the corner, between the wall and the ground, to help keep warm.  Even after years sleeping on the streets of Firgenduke, he still liked to feel as snug as possible.
The name of this hobo (or vagabond, as he preferred to call himself) was "Four-tooth".  The nickname was given to him by the locals, as he only had four teeth.  Three on the top and one on the bottom.  Well he used to have four teeth; sadly he'd lost a tooth earlier in the year biting into a scrumptious greenfeld apple and now only three remained; two at the top and one at the bottom.  People still called him Four-tooth though, because it rolled off the tongue better.
A few years back, Four-tooth was quite the nomad; travelling wherever he pleased, sleeping wherever he liked.  This night under a bridge, that night on the rooftop of some tall building, overlooking the city.
It all changed though, one night four years ago, when by chance he came upon a tavern called the Encumbered Adventurer.  He spotted a woman on the ground outside the tavern, sitting with her back against the wall, smiling, and looking rather pleased with herself.
Four-tooth became so curious he just had to ask:
"Begging your pardon, milady, but what are you so happy about?"
"When I was younger," replied the woman, "All I wanted was to own a tavern and be married to a good man.  And now, I just became owner of this tavern.  I love this location, I love the patrons, I love everything about it."
"And a good man did you find?" Four-tooth had asked.
"Aye," she smiled, "He's alright."
After living on the streets for so long, Four-tooth had become well aware of different types of people.  Some were disgusted by him, looking upon him with disdain, crossing the road when he was near.  A few openly abused him, shooing him away like he was a rat.  The majority didn't even see him, waking past him like he was invisible.  But then every now and then, a person would come along, like a sunny day during winter, like the sultanas in a bowl of cereal.  These rare people seemed to him to be almost glowing from within and with an energy about them that put him at ease.  They spoke to Four-tooth the hobo as equals, with absolute sincerity.  This woman was one of them, and he liked her immediately.
"I'm Lena Straud," said the woman.
"They call me Four-tooth," and he grinned to show her why.
They spoke for hours that first night.  He honestly couldn't remember what they talked about, but he remembered it was good.  He remebered at one point, the delicious aroma of food from within the tavern came wafting past his nose, and he couldn't help but take in a longing sniff.  Lena immediately went inside the tavern without a word, coming out later carrying a bowling of warm soup and a hunk of fresh bread.  Four-tooth was not very knowledgeable about food, so he didn't know what type of soup it was, but he remembered it tasted like heaven and he devoured every last drop.
"It's good to cook and see someone enjoying it so much," Lena had said, chuckling.
Later in the night, Lena asked if Four-tooth would like to stay the night inside the tavern, out of the cold, but Four-tooth had flatly refused.  Even a homeless person can have their pride.  He didn't want to owe anyone anything.
Instead he chose the alleyway next to the tavern.  The plan was to sleep there and go somewhere else the next day.  But sleeping there that first night, Four-tooth felt something he had not felt in a long time.  In that cold, dark alleyway, with the big warm tavern next to him, it reminded him of being four years old again, sleeping in a room with your parents in the room next to yours.  It was comforting.
After so many years living alone by himself, Four-tooth finally felt like he had come home.
Practically every night for the next four years, Four-tooth had slept in that alleyway.  And tonight was no different.
He wedged himself closer to the wall and pulled the blankets in tigher around him.  Very soon, he would be asleep, floating in the lovely land of dreams...
"The albatross is in the Eagles nest," said a woman's voice.
Four-tooth's eyes opened.  Two people were talking in the street nearby.
"I repeat, the albatross is in the Eagle's nest," said the woman once again.  Four-tooth knew this voice.  It was Penelope, one of the waittresses from the Encumbered Adventurer.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," replied a young boy, who's voice Four-tooth did not recognise.
"Don't you understand the code?" said Penelope.
"I'm new," said the boy, "I started two days ago."
"Come closer," said Penelope.  She lowered her voice to a whisper, "The man that everyone is looking for, the man in the red cloak.  He is inside this tavern.  Inside a secret room downstairs."
"Righteous!" said a boy, "So I suppose you need a tough guy like me to go capture him?  Sure!  Let's get in there and boogie."
"No, you fool," said Penelope, "This is important!  I need you to hurry back to the Castle and tell the Captain that the man they are looking for is here.  Do you understand?"
"Affirmative!" said the boy.
"Good," said Penelope, "Godspeed."
There was a pause.
"It means go fast, run fast," said Penelope, "Go!"
And with that, the pair separated, Penelope returning to the tavern and the boy sprinting off in the direction of the castle.
Four-tooth sighed.
He was so cosy under his blankets.  His body heat had warmed everything up just nicely.  He was so close to being asleep.
Oh well, he thought, these are the moments that define friendship.
He flung off the blankets and rose, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.  It was glorious!  Anyone watching would have thought he was so cool.
Then it hit him.  It was cold!
He jumped around like an angry monkey for a little bit and then stopped.
But now was not the time to worry about warming up, he had something important to do, and every second was precious.  He walked deeper into the alleyway.  Finally he came upon what he was looking for; an iron manhole in the ground.   Four-tooth pulled on it, just to check, but as expected, it was locked.  Four-tooth took the silver key that hung on a chain around his neck and inserted it into the centre of the manhole.  And turned.
Click.
Four-tooth climbed into the darkness below, and replaced the cover above him.  Once it was locked, he continued down the ladder, and prayed that what he was doing, would help rather than hinder his friend.


End of Volume 2

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!  Narteb and Anton’s story will continue in Passion of the Liger: Volume 3!  It may take me a while to write but it is coming 

If you’d like to read Volume 3 as it is written, visit http://narteb.wordpress.com