"Where have you come from?" asked Lady Carnelian of her impish friends each evening after they'd driven away the rats and then offered her food and drink.

The reply never hinted at what they had planned next. "Visiting the kennels," Ardelmon replied one evening.

Carnelian had no guess as to what that activity meant for the baron's household. After a fruitless mental scramble, she was forced to ask, "and where are you going next?" Helgamo held up a leather pouch. "To sprinkle all the fleas over the baron's bed." Overcome with mirth, the three of them were in danger of waking the guards.

Come morning, Carnelian couldn't resist calling up to the guards. "How fares everything?"

Though they hadn't given her anything to eat or drink after that first day, they checked regularly on her, seeming amazed by her spirit and unflagging energy, never guessing that it was Brownies that sustained her each evening rather than the magic they suspected her of possessing.

The guard chuckled. "You'll be joined shortly by the chambermaid. She's been neglecting her work and the bed was so full of fleas last night that his lordship is forced to spend time in a milk bath to ease the itch."

Sure enough, the hapless maid landed in the mud an hour or so later. "But I washed his bedding just last week," wailed the maid as she wiped mud from her face. "And I picked fleas yesterday." Pitying the girl, Carnelian assisted her efforts and led her to the stone bench. The mud had dried enough that the girl's fall had left an impression, but she hadn't entirely sunk below the surface.

"It's Brownies' work that causes the upheaval," Carnelian explained. "My king is wroth with the baron because I am here, so he sent two imps to torment him."

The news did not reassure her. The maid burst into tears. "What am I to do?" she cried. "How will any of us bear up under this? There will be no appeasing them, if the king of all fairies sent them!"

Carnelian offered the girl a quick hug. "Go home," she advised, shaking her head. "There is nothing else you can do. I think all of you will be far safer away from this keep than inside of it, when my king comes."

That night, the Brownies sprinkled the sand of Sleep over Carnelian's fellow prisoner before driving off the rats. The maid was asleep before Helgamo sent down the food but would awake,  Carnelian knew, as soon as she was fully rested. "Where have you been?" she asked them as she ate.

Helgamo turned his back, allowing Carnelian to see the pack filled with leaves. "Picking leaves in the forest," he said unnecessarily.

Before Carnelian could ask, Ardelmon piped up. "We're going to scrub all of the privy seats and chamber pots with them and leave the rest for wiping." Carnelian didn't need to be told that the leaves, red in color, were poison oak leaves.

Come morning, when Carnelian enquired of the guards, she was laughing too hard to form the proper words, telling them that she had some knowledge of what had happened. When she finally could explain to the chambermaid, the girl expressed her gratitude. There was no way she could be blamed for any of it and she hadn't been able to use the affected seats and leaves. Carnelian was pleased when the girl was released before dinner, greatly anticipating the Imps' next prank.

That night, Helgamo and Ardelmon were later than usual. They'd been in the stable, making all the horses go lame by removing a random shoe from each horse and replacing it with one formed of hard clay. The clay would remain as long as the horses were only walking and not being ridden, but as soon as a rider asked for more than a casual pace, the shoes would crumble. The horses would heal in time, the imps explained, but they wouldn't be able to be ridden for over a month, in the meantime.

Every night, the pranks varied; all the eggs in the henhouse collected and used to replace the stuffing inside the cushion of the baron's favorite chair, so that the backs of his legs would be bathed in egg when he sat down; a 'skylight' cut into the dovecote so that all the pigeons meant for food were released into the keep. Carnelian pictured their 'chalk' decorating walls, floors, tables and chairs and the difficulty in trying to round them all up again.

All of the coals and ashes were removed from the kitchens one night and scattered over the kitchen garden until it looked for all the world as if there'd been a frost, while the roasting pit was filled with water. It would take two days of labor before the roasting pit would be returned to full function.

Carnelian wondered how many of the servants had taken her warning to heart and left, especially after Helgamo and Ardelmon released scores of crickets throughout the castle, concentrating on rooms where people slept.

One night, the pair didn't come at all and the next morning, Carnelian found out why; the falconry had been burgled and all of the falcons released, replaced by hens wearing the falcons' leathers to make it appear as if the falcons had been transformed into chickens. Hearing the baron's shout of rage all the way down in the dungeon was worth having missed a meal.

On another night, all of the dogs were released from their various kennels. The entire household was awakened by the dogs who ran about, barking, squabbling with each other, raiding the kitchens and pantry, worried the cats, sheep, and cattle, and generally refused to be ordered back to their kennels. Most of the dogs ran out of the castle walls, guaranteeing that the entire body of servants would be employed to round them up again the following day.

With the servants fleeing the castle at every turn and those remaining too exhausted to care about anything, Helgamo and Ardelmon did nothing that night, save to steal the lids from the honey jars and leave the window open. Industrious bees would leave not a drop of honey left to sweeten his lordship's dishes.

With no prank that night, the entire household was relieved to sleep soundly. The following night however, only the hounds slept soundly as everyone watched anxiously for the next disaster, never stopping to think that the lack of sleep they suffered in anticipation might be the prank, in and of itself.

Things settled down after that for nearly a week, after which all of the wine had been dumped down the well, the hogs fed with every bit of cheese in the pantry, the bread sliced and left to go stale overnight.

The smokehouse had not been omitted either, for the fire had been doused inside and the meat absconded with. Carnelian's friends told her later that they'd divided up the meat evenly between the peasants in a nearby village, so that not a bit of it could be traced back to the baron's smokehouse.

With food dwindling rapidly, the ranks of servants thinned considerably. The Brownies thought that, with any luck, they could leave the castle almost entirely uninhabited.

Some of the pranks were directed solely at the baron; the tack in each left shoe, moths in his clothes, the bristles of his hairbrush cut off, toothpicks broken, ropes in his bed loosened until the mattress was nearly touching the floor. Hearing the two Imps' tales of mischief made and battle waged, Carnelian could only marvel that the baron hadn't gone insane by then.

The baron was more stubborn than ever, however, so the pranks continued as the days went on until the Imps were forced to repeat some pranks. Sprinkling the baron with fleas, they said, was something they never grew tired of.

~~~

Baron Whittaker sat in his favorite chair, hoping no one else smelled the faint odor of rotten eggs that seemed to permeate the chair, even after the cushion had been replaced. The terrible misfortunes that were plaguing him continued, but he recognized that they were somehow connected with his confinement of Lady Firestone and so discounted them.

It was genuinely accepted throughout the baronage that the lady was a magical being and daily, peasants came to beg her release. This latest man was no different. "Please Milord," he pleaded, twisting a felt cap in his hands as he stared at the floor from his knees, "the fruit trees dropped all their stones this week. There was to be a bumper crop of apples, but every night, more of them ended up on the ground until there's not a one to be found on any of the trees."

He pulled an example from his cap, a green, egg-sized apple, perfectly healthy, that had purportedly been found on the ground. "The cherries were to be picked this week, only they were eaten by birds, all of them. We were in the middle of picking plums, but that wind we had knocked them all out of the trees. Everyone's trying like mad to get them to dry, but the fruit is disappearing right off the racks, no matter how hard we work to guard them. I'm begging you, on behalf of all of us; let her ladyship go. If things continue this way, we'll starve to death over winter."

"'Tis true," agreed another man. "That same wind done flattened all of the grain."

Stubbornly, the baron shook his head. "Do I tell you how to govern your children?" he demanded. When the man admitted that he did not, the baron shot back, "then don't tell me how to mind mine. Get out and go stand the wheat up." Stubbornly, he ignored the murmurs of protest. Once the stalks were bent that way, they could not be straightened.

"We'll die for sure," someone muttered as the crowd left. "Who can fight nature itself?"

~~~

The morning after Brave Garnet's arrival, Sir James sought out his father and addressed him at breakfast. "Father, I know you're nearly ready to march on Whittburg, but I beg you to allow me to leave immediately."

Lord Gerard regarded his son around a mouthful of ham and eggs. "This is not like you," his lady wife said before her husband could swallow. "My son, has something happened?"

"The Fairy-King has sent word that the Lady Firestone is being held in the dungeon at Whittburg Castle. I mean to go and get her out."

The viscount swallowed his food half-chewed as his wife tugged on his sleeve. "Holder, he must be allowed to go!" Lady Adrianna cried.

"Do you have a plan beyond riding up and knocking on his door?" enquired Lord Gerard sternly. "I've already lost more of my son to Whittaker than I care to, and I've no desire to lose the rest."

Lord James felt chastised and loved, all at once. "The Fairy-King has a plan," he replied slowly. "I'm to join King Proud Obsidian on the way."

"It will take time to reach Whittburg," the viscount reminded his son. "I sent the sword two days ago, so chances are high that he'll be denned up tighter than a hedgehog in winter by the time you get there."

"Please Father," Sir James said in desperation, "If Her Ladyship is in the dungeon, there is a good chance she'll starve to death if I do not hurry. She has a pair of Brownies to aid her, but their means are limited. At the extreme least, I may report back on conditions if, God forbid, I am too late to aid Milady."

Lord Gerard studied his son soberly. "If you are half the man I know you to be, then nothing I say would stop you anyway. You owe the lady your life. Godspeed, My Son."

Sir James bowed. "Thank you, Father." It was all he could do, not to run from the Hall. An hour later, when he'd packed his few belongings and saddled Raven, Sir James whistled for Fawn, who was doing her best not to allow Brave Garnet to be seen in the open.

"A word before you leave?" Lord Gerard stood alone in the stable yard. With one foot in Raven's stirrup, Sir James looked at his father, not having seen him enter the stable. "Tell me truthfully, if your mission is successful, what are the chances that you'll return as my kennel-master?" asked the viscount in tones not meant to be overheard.

"It depends on the lady, herself," Sir James answered honestly. "If she'll have me, then the chances are slim indeed, of my returning, save to visit." He decided to be candid with his father in the hopes that the viscount would understand. "Father, I dream every night of the lady; her kiss, her holdings, of her smile and her maids. I miss them more than words can say."

Lord Gerard laid an understanding hand on his son's shoulder. "Then go and get your bride, and don't forget that your lady mother will want to see her grandchildren, one day. I release you from your service here, but the position shall be yours if you ever need it back." He stepped back and allowed his son to mount up.

With a grin at his father, Sir James patted Raven's neck as soon as he was in the saddle. "Did you hear that?" he asked the horse. "My lady mother desires grandchildren. Shall we go and fetch my bride?" Raven half-reared, fighting the bit. With another laugh, Sir James let the horse have his head as they thundered over the draw-bridge and toward the Deep Forest.

Brave Garnet managed to make it from Fawn's back to Raven's neck as the horse cantered tirelessly along the road. "I'll guide you through the forests," the young fairy said eagerly. "Give Raven his head and let us do the work."

"I'll not argue with you on that point," Sir James decided. "The sooner we make it to Whittburg, the better off Lady Carnelian will be."

"She has a couple of Brownie Imps that are feeding her," reminded Brave Garnet, "but there's no telling how long the food will hold out, once His Majesty's campaign bears fruit."

Two days after setting out, Sir James met up with the Fairy-King's army. "Ah, you came," greeted King Proud Obsidian. "Good, we've been waiting for you. Nightwind . . . oh, my apologies then, Raven, it's nice to see you again, Fawn, it's nice to meet you. Brave Garnet tells me all kinds of good things about you."

The king returned his attention to the knight in front of him. "You've done well for yourself, and I have a confession to make; there is a sliver of amber inside your left wrist, which happened when the tip of my steward's needle broke while stitching your stump. By the looks of things, your affinity for animals has responded well to it."

Sir James smiled his relief. "Your Majesty, that relieves me to no end, for I half-suspected that the enchantment you laid upon me at the Stone of Reckoning was still upon me and might wear off at any time; before becoming kennel-master, I knew nothing about dogs, or heifers, or horses beyond that of any other knight of my station."

"Ah, the heifers," laughed the Fairy-king, "above and beyond anything we expected. Your actions and sacrificial giving have wrought great change in the Deep Forest. It's becoming almost civilized, thanks to you and Jakin. Oh, and that reminds me; go and fetch Winston. He'll be needed at the gate. I have my bull, Bellow, with me already; he tells me he needs to have another for the task at hand."

Sir James bowed and kneed Raven around. "We'll go immediately." Raven broke into a trot and Sir James guided him to the edge of the forest. "Winston, I need you!" called Sir James. He dropped Raven back to a walk as they entered the trees. "Winston? Jakin!" He and Raven angled their path deeper into the forest, toward where Sir James had found his friend in the spring, but the bull met them partway, with Jakin following rapidly behind.

"Mount up," Sir James said simply. "Her Ladyship is in grave peril, and the Fairy-King has asked for Winston's assistance at rescuing her." Without a word, Jakin vaulted astride his bull and the two of them fell in with Raven and Sir James.

"Sir James," the logger said as they headed back through the trees, "tell me what's become of Milady. Not a word of trouble has reached any of the camps, and as one of her lieutenants, I would know if it had."

"A lieutenant?" Sir James nodded approvingly. "You're rising in the ranks, my friend."

"John the Mad didn't need my help anymore, so Her Ladyship sent me to mind the farthest encampment. Winston and I are over three encampments and the original one is a full village now. My oldest boy built a loom and a spinning wheel from memory, so my wife and daughters have taken up with making cloth to sell. One of my boys set himself up as a cobbler, another is a dairyman." Jakin chuckled. "Not bad for children! Your gifts have been put to good use."

"You'll be the richest man in all of England at that rate," Sir James kidded his friend.

Jakin grinned widely. "With friends like you, Winston, and John the Mad? I already am." He listened to Sir James' description of the trouble as they headed back toward the Fairy-King's war camp.

Once they were back in the king's presence Proud Obsidian outlined his plan. The two bulls, yoked together under the battering ram, would take out the gate. Jakin's job would be to release the bulls from their yokes and allow them to join the battle. After entry was gained, Talon, Fang and Cub would lead the charge, followed by Tusk, Strongbeak, Raven, Fawn, the bulls, and Sir James.

With no armor or weapon, Jakin was instructed to fall back. It was expected that the baron's attention on such large intruders would allow the army of Fairies to have no trouble with anyone who didn't fall before the first wave.

Eyeing the army of fairies, all mounted on various, wild animals, Sir James felt insignificant. Hordes of wild boars, bears, bull elk, stags, eagles, and other fierce forest creatures stood in ranks, displaying barely-controlled impatience. "King Proud Obsidian, why did you send for me, if you have such an army?" asked the knight quietly.

The king seemed surprised. "Though I am most pleased to see you, Sir James, I didn't send for you. Did you not come of your own free will?"

Suddenly, Sir James realized that Brave Garnet had never actually said he'd been sent by the king. "I did," he realized. "Brave Garnet said he needed my help in rescuing the Lady Firestone . . ."

Queen Proud Fuchsia laughed aloud. "Brave Garnet, you nudge!" she scolded. "Sir James was supposed to come of his own, because he chose to."

Sir James dismounted and knelt before the ruling couple. "Daily, I dream of the Enchanted Forest, of your glade, your steward and her household," he told them. "Though I have prospered under my noble father, he has agreed to release me from service." Sir James drew his sword and placed it on the ground below where the fairy-king hovered. "I offer my sword, which is my own, into your service and swear fealty to you, forsaking all other kings."

"And I return it with gratitude," said King Proud Obsidian. "Use it well in my service and for the sake of the Lord Above."

"I shall, indeed," promised Sir James, taking up his sword again. "And I must also tell you, My King, that my noble father has amassed an army and means to march on Whittburg within the week. Father has gained permission from King Arthur to remove Whittaker as baron for what he did, not only to me but to other knights as well."

That Holder was planning to remove Whittaker from Whitthold Castle amused the Fairy King to no end. "With any luck," the king chuckled, "they'll walk into a deserted castle."

"Or one where the inhabitants beg for him to come in," agreed one of the fairies. "Helgamo reports that very few of the peasants or men-at-arms remain now. A messenger arrived yesterday with a box from Holder. By all report, the baron has barricaded himself and his knights into the inner keep."

"What was in the box?" another fairy asked in incredulous tones. "It must have been something terrible, to make him that afraid."

Sir James sighed. "It was his sword that I carried when I was bound into the wall, with my dead hand grasping the hilt. Father blames the baron for the loss of my hand and seeks retribution."

"Then we must hurry," King Proud Obsidian said. "When humans wage war on each other, it is the innocent that suffer most."

His queen agreed. "Then let us not waste any more of this day," she suggested with a pointed glance at the setting sun. The bulls lowed in agreement, eager to fulfill their part of the attack. "Oh," the queen said as Jakin yoked Winston to Bellow and took up the end of the battering ram behind the bulls, "one more thing. Sir James, you need this." She held out her hand.

Sir James bowed his head. "My Queen, I'm not worthy of any stone you might give," he told her.

"Not yet," she answered cheerfully. "That's why you need this. It's a Crystal Quartz, the stone of stones, as it were. It will amplify other stones and help your spirit to finish healing." She flew over and dropped a leather band around his neck. "I'll have it set in your bracer another time," the queen said. "But you need to understand the animals around you."

"It's about time," Raven said.

Sir James gasped. "You were born in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Yes, and I'd been waiting at that blasted stable for a year for you to come and find me," the horse retorted. "Fawn wasn't born in the Enchanted Forest, but she loves you and she's a sweet girl. You're lucky to have a dog like her." Beside them, Fawn barked her agreement.

"Enough of that," laughed the king. "Go attack!"

Raven chuckled and started off, following Jakin and the bulls as ordered. "The stable-master lied about me, you know," Raven said. "I am but three years old, and was returned twice. The other times, I returned of my own free will, for I was sent for you and no other."

"I didn't know," Sir James admitted, "but once I figured out about the bit, I pegged him for a bit of a daw." Calling the horse-dealer a simpleton made Raven laugh. Sir James dropped the reins.

Raven halted and stood like a stone. "Is something wrong?" asked the horse in alarm.

"No, not at all," Sir James denied immediately. "Why should I need reins when we can converse? I've been hoping since the moment I saw you, to get us to where you wouldn't need the bridle at all."

"And here we are," laughed the horse, springing into a canter again. "By all that's holy, this is the way a horse and his rider are meant to be!" Raven whooped with joy as he ran. Sir James purposed silently never to bridle his new friend again.

Ahead of them, the bulls were doing their work, tilting full speed at the closed gate. The heavy oaken gates stood no chance against nearly two tons of enraged bull-flesh behind the battering ram. It splintered as the bar behind gave way, nearly tearing the gates from their hinges. As Sir James and Raven sprinted past, Sir James saw Jakin removing pins from the neck-yokes, freeing both massive bulls to join the attack.

As expected, the courtyard was empty. Sir James knew that the baron was holed up within the inner keep, but decided to bypass it in favor of rescuing Her Ladyship. He kneed Raven toward a side door. "Break it down!" cried Sir James. Raven reared, battering at the door.

"I need help!" called Raven. "Bellow?" Prancing, Raven side-stepped as the enormous bull charged the door.

It cracked, but held. Shaking his head Bellow stepped aside, meaning to back up and give it another go. He moved away just in time, as Winston came flying forward and finished off the reinforced door. The younger bull's momentum carried him through and into the corridor behind. Winston backed out immediately. "That was fun, Father!" cried Winston with enthusiasm. "Let's find another!"

Sir James laughed when the older bull replied, "Sure, but only if you take first crack." The bulls went in search of more locked doors, leaving Raven and Sir James to continue their mission.

Sir James ducked low as Raven passed through the ruined door, then drew his sword. "Down the corridor and to the left, is a set of stairs," Sir James directed. "We must get to the dungeon and find Lady Firestone." As they descended, Sir James asked, "why did the king call you 'Nightwind'?"

Concentrating on maneuvering the stairs, Raven explained, "that was the name I was given at birth, but I told him to call me Raven. I like it better, for I am dark as a raven's wing, intelligent and I like to fly with you." The horse paused to glance back at Sir James. "And yes, I am hungry." The two of them laughed as Raven continued his descent.

Ahead of them, Sir James could hear footsteps, but he didn't dare ask Raven to hurry. The stone stair could be slippery, and they hadn't been built to accommodate horses' hooves. "Would it help if I walked?" asked Sir James, aware that the great horse was unsure of his footing.

"Probably," admitted Raven, "but what sort of picture would that make when we catch those buffoons ahead of us? Fawn's been keeping tabs on them for me. They aren't moving as quickly as we are."

"I bet it would be a far better picture if you didn't have a bridle on," suggested Sir James, leaning forward. "Pick your head up a moment." Raven complied, so Sir James unbuckled the throat-latch and slid the headstall forward, over Raven's ears. Raven spit out the bit, then ducked under the reins so Sir James could stuff the bridle in a saddle-bag behind him. "Better?" asked Sir James knowingly.

"Much." Raven picked up his pace. "Would you believe those idiots think they're being quiet?"

"To human ears, they are," grinned Sir James. "But between your ears and Fawn's nose, they don't stand much of a chance, do they?" Raven chuckled and ahead of them, Fawn's wagging tail told Sir James that she was laughing, too.

They caught up with their quarry just inside the guard room, where Fawn had prevented the guard room door from being latched shut. Raven burst through the door with Sir James astride, leaning forward to avoid the doorframe, holding his sword and shield at the ready. "Where is Lady Firestone?" demanded Sir James of the frightened knights.

"A ghost!" screamed the baron. "'Tis the ghost of Sir James. His hand was delivered, yet look, he has both hands!" The knights fled deeper into the dungeon while Raven screamed with laughter. Fawn gave chase, barking to hurry her friend and master along.

"Lady Firestone!" called Sir James instead. "My Lady, where are you?"

To his everlasting relief, a thin, quiet voice called hopefully from deeper in the dungeon. "Sir James, is that you?"

"Raven, where is she?" Sir James asked. "We must find her!"

"All I smell is fear and human waste," replied the horse with more than a little frustration.

~~~

When the rats descended the wall, their manner was different than usual. Their attacks were swift, filled with malice and hatred. "How dare the Fairy-King leave his lands?" they accused. "You will pay, Steward! Oh yes, and pay heavily."

With the mud fully dried into a kind of powdery dirt, Carnelian had no choice but to stand in the center of her prison where the rats could not attack her from above. She did her best to kick at them, to discourage their sharp teeth and claws, but under their relentless attack, her gown was soon shredded, her legs and arms covered in bites.

Over the lip of the pit, footsteps echoed, followed by a scream of equine laughter. "Help me?" called Carnelian in desperation, wondering after her sanity. Of course, there would be no horse in the dungeons!

Only the baron answered her. "You should have given me what I wanted," he said as he passed by. "Good luck with that, I'm off!" The shuffle of feet told her that more than just the baron was using the tunnel for escape.

Through the sound of the rats' voices and skittering claws, Carnelian heard a voice calling her name. Surely, she must be losing her wits, for the voice sounded as if it could have been Sir James. "Sir James, is that you?" she asked, hoping against hope that it could be true. "I'm here," she called again. "Down here!"

Moments later, the outline of an armored knight on horseback appeared incongruously on the lip of the pit. "Down there!" the knight exclaimed. "Raven, don't fall, we'll be forever getting you out again." He leaped from the saddle and stood at the edge of the pit, surveying the walls and contents as though forming a plan of action.

Rats swarmed Carnelian in earnest. Immediately, the knight jumped the six or so feet down and began swinging his sword, killing the rodents and seeking to protect his beloved. "Raven, find a rope or chain," he told his horse. "I'll need you to help lift her back out again." Raven disappeared. "My Lady, are you well?" he asked.

She stomped on a rat that had made its way under her skirts and taken a vicious bite of her ankle. "Sir James?" He nodded, still slaying vermin. Relief filled the lady. Surely, he'd been on his way to exact revenge against her father? If he didn't hurry, his revenge would be lost. "I am now that you're here, but Sir James, the baron's getting away! He has a tunnel to the forest." Carnelian offered the information she figured he'd need most.

Raven dropped one end of a rope. Sir James lifted her into his arms. Carnelian sagged in relief, trusting his armor to keep the rats from climbing up to reach her. "All that matters is your safety," he told her. "Let's get you out of here." His tender voice brought tears to her eyes.

"Let me help with that!" Brave Garnet's welcome voice called from beside Raven. From his perch aboard a bear, the young fairy flew up and fastened the rope to Raven's saddle-bow. "You come up first, Sir James," the fairy suggested. "I can hand you the other end of the rope, once Her Ladyship is seated."

It was a sensible plan, but Sir James shook his head. "I have no intention of leaving you in this hole, even for a moment," he assured Carnelian quietly before speaking up for the fairy's benefit. "I'm not letting her go," he insisted, "tie the other end around your bear, then the two of you can give me a step up." Soon, Sir James put his foot in the loop of rope that was left and handed Lady Carnelian up, out of the pit.

"Cub!" she cried as soon as she was clear of the wall, recognizing her pet. Carnelian knelt to give him a hug.

"I'm sorry!" the bear cried. "I was supposed to protect you and I let the bad men get you."

"Not your fault," she assured him. "They'd have killed you if you hadn't gone away. You're here now, and that's what matters."

As soon as Sir James pulled himself up onto the floor, Carnelian stood up again and lurched forward to wrap her arms around his armored waist, trying to ignore the shaking in her legs. The weeks of too little food were finally catching up with her. "Sir James, you came for me," she murmured. "I've been praying you'd come back."

She looked up at his face and smiled sheepishly, hoping he really had come back for her. Sir James lifted his visor and bent to give her a quick, firm kiss. That short kiss sapped the strength from her knees entirely and made her stomach feel as if a thousand butterflies had hatched therein. Still, a knight was a knight, and men needed to be men. "I'll be fine," she whispered. "Go and get the baron. Cub and Brave Garnet will keep me safe from any more rats."

Her gown hung from her in shreds and she was covered in rat bites. Ground-in dirt, not enough food and a lack of sunlight had turned her complexion to a shade of grey, but when Sir James smiled at her that way, Carnelian became the most beautiful woman in existence.

Swiftly, he removed his cloak and draped it around her shoulders. "I'll be back soon," he promised. "And then I'll never leave again." Sir James voice turned sheepish as he added, "unless you want me to." Carnelian realized he wasn't sure she wanted him to stay.

She grinned and touched his cheek. "There's no chance of that ever happening; I hadn't wanted you to go in the first place.  But go now and bring my father back to answer for his crimes."

Obedient to her wishes, Sir James mounted up. A pair of Brownies appeared from the darkness. "The baron's fleeing into the forest, even as we speak," Helgamo reported. "We'll guard Her Ladyship, Sir James. Cub, you go find the bad men with Raven and Sir James." Cub lumbered forward, sniffing his way to the hidden tunnel.

~~~

Raven sprang after the bear and they plunged deep into the dungeon, into the darkness where Sir James saw only unrelieved black, but the stallion followed the half-wit bear that seemed to know his way.

Sir James took the time to relive the kiss he'd given Lady Carnelian, expecting to feel reproach. Strangely, he regretted not one second of it and only hope she wasn't angry with his forwardness. Soon, his thoughts were interrupted by Fawn's barking. "They are afoot," Raven said. "We'll catch them soon."

"Cub, be ready," Sir James told the bear. "Don't let any of them run away."

"They took my new mama from me," Cub replied. "They left her with rats. I will not let them get away, don't worry."

Sir James realized that Cub was a half-wit and that he'd have to adjust for it. Mentally, he scolded himself for not realizing it earlier, by the way the brownies had addressed the bear. They came upon the fleeing knights, who were hampered by Fawn's apparent playfulness. She ran circles around them, leaping up and barking. "Cub, go around them and chase them back this way," Sir James told the bear.

"Alright." Cheerfully, the bear did as ordered.

"Stop right there!" ordered Sir James as Raven approached the men. "Baron Whittaker, you are under arrest by the authority of King Proud Obsidian of the Enchanted Forest."

Their attention on Sir James and Raven, the knights and their lord never noticed the bear that had flanked them, until Cub roared. "Run, you guys!" ordered the bear. "I'm supposed to chase you!" Sir James was very glad the knights heard only the growl of a black bear.

"You cannot run from us, and you cannot hide," Sir James pointed out. "Your only option is to return in my custody, unless you wish to take your chances with the bear. Only be warned that the eagles overhead will summon more bears and wild boars to intercept you."

He paused to gauge the reactions of the men he'd once served with. "There is no way to escape or fight the king of all fairies, whom I now serve," Sir James added. He eyed the expressions on the faces of the men he'd once served with. They were terrified, seeking escape. "I am flesh and blood, do not fear," he told them. It was enough.

"We yield," the baron's men agreed, lowering their swords.

"No!" The baron's shout echoed through the trees. "I order you to fight!"

Sir James kneed Raven sideways, meaning to give chase if need be, but it wasn't necessary. "It's over," stated one of the knights with finality. "We should never have followed you in the first place. Men, let's make sure he returns to face his fate like a man." Uttering their agreements, the other knights surrounded the baron.

Behind them, Cub woofed his disappointment as the knot of men started back the way they'd come. "How am I supposed to chase them if they don't run?" the bear whined.

Raven answered for Sir James. "You follow them and make sure they don't go where they're not supposed to."

~~~

As soon as her beloved knight had disappeared into the bowels of the dungeon, the rats returned. Helgamo and Ardelmon held them off while Brave Garnet showed Carnelian to a safe place in the guardroom. The door was burst in, however, meaning there was no way to barricade themselves against the rats.

Helgamo and Ardelmon took a stand in the doorway, allowing Carnelian to sink gratefully into one of the chairs and wrapped Sir James' cloak tighter around herself. It smelled like him, she discovered happily. That smell still made her insides do funny things. "What is going on tonight?" she asked, keeping her face near the cloak's material.

"King Proud Obsidian is waiting for you up in the courtyard," explained Brave Garnet. "We came to get you out. Come on, I'll show you how to get up there."

Carnelian shook her head slowly. "I think I'll wait here for Cub and Sir James," she decided. "I don't think I have the strength to make it up there on my own."

Brave Garnet sprang into the air. "I have an idea," he told her. "I'll be right back." With that, he zipped through the broken door and disappeared into the darkened corridor. After a while, Helgamo and Ardelmon joined her. Dead rats lay in a deep pile, all the way around the door. Exhausted from the battle, the two Brownies said nothing. The three of them sat in companionable silence until Brave Garnet appeared with Fang, who took one look at the scene before him and offered everyone a ride back up.

Queen Proud Fuchsia noticed Carnelian first. "Husband," the fairy-queen said immediately, "can you finish up here without me? I wish to get our Steward home. She needs a bed."

The king whistled, summoning one of the Irish Stags. "Go," he smiled, then kissed his wife's cheek and his steward's brow. "Carnelian, My Dear?"

"Yes, My King?"

"I'm glad you're alright. The days have each stretched longer than the last, that you've been gone. We missed you, My Dear."

The tears flowed as Carnelian mounted the stag. "I missed you, too! My King? The guards and knights did me no harm, save the ones in the dungeon, but that's what they're supposed to do, right?"

His voice was tender as the king touched her cheek. "Go on home, My Dear. You're safe now, it's over."

"I promised Sir James . . ."

"I'll bring him along when I come home," promised the king with understanding. "But right now, you need rest, good food and a warm bed. There's a wedding in your near future!"

Carnelian giggled despite her tears, exhausted by both her ordeal and the emotions of the day. "Yes, Sir." Without waiting for further orders or conversation, the stag sprang forward and ran toward the Enchanted Forest.

~~~

The way back was much easier, owing to the torches carried by the baron's knights. Sir James was concerned when he didn't find Lady Carnelian in the dungeon, but the piles of dead rats told a story, and the brownies were missing as well. Sir James hoped she was above-ground, in the fresh air, and Raven agreed. They met King Proud Obsidian in the courtyard. "My King," Sir James called from Raven's back. "These knights have yielded to me and are escorting their liege-lord."

The king replied as soon as they neared enough for conversation. "Then the knights are free to return to their quarters and await the viscount. Her Ladyship vouched for them before she left."

Hearing that Lady Carnelian had left already deflated Sir James. He'd looked forward to carrying her back to her cottage on Raven's back. He did his best to prevent the disappointment from showing as the knights filed quietly toward their quarters, understanding that the fairy-king had placed them under a sort of house arrest.

"As for you," continued Proud Obsidian firmly as he addressed the baron, "your crimes are varied and numerous, but you know what they are. The chief of them, however, deserves mention; you kidnapped my Steward, the Lady Firestone, from my lands and confined her without food or water in unspeakable conditions, to be devoured by rats.

'If you were mine, I would sprinkle the twin sands of forgetting and sleep over you. You would forget everything; the crimes you committed, the lives you've destroyed, the lands you were entrusted with. You would forget to eat or drink, forget to be hungry or thirsty or to even awaken from the sand of sleep; you would die in your sleep, covered in your own filth. It would take four days."

"Do it then," growled the baron. "Get on with it."

The king ignored him. "But forgetting is far too easy and you are not my vassal. Far be it from me to correct another's servant. Instead, I shall return the favor. Your master will be here in three days or so. To await his return, you shall stand in the very pit you felt suitable for your own daughter. There will be no one to offer you food or drink and none to protect you from the rats that swarm your dungeons every night.

'You only acknowledged your daughter when it suited you to remove the gift you had given her. I have raised her as my own and seen her come of age. She has become my human daughter, so I will choose her husband, see her wed and enjoy her children while you face the scant mercies of the viscount. May God watch between you and me while we are apart."

With finality, the king turned his back on his enemy, signaling that the man was no longer considered any kind of worthy threat to him. "Cast him into his pit, Sir James, and then return so we may discuss our business."

"It shall be as you command, My King." Sir James bowed in Raven's saddle.

"Wait!" cried the baron. "How is it that he has two hands?"

Sir James laughed at him. "Fairy magic," he retorted. "Friends, will you remove his armor?" Immediately, the baron was swarmed by fairies and brownies, who soon had him shucked of his armor. When they'd retreated, Sir James prodded the frightened baron with sword-tip. "Get moving," Sir James growled.

The baron stayed where he was. "Get moving!" ordered a Brownie, poking the baron in the backside. "Yeah," agreed another. With cackles of laughter, a swarm of Brownies pushed the baron toward the ruined door, prodding him with sharp knives. Sir James and Raven followed.

Curiously, Sir James tried counting the Brownies, but gave up near fifty. The baron picked up speed, trying to stay ahead of the sharp prods. By the time they'd reached the dungeon, the baron was running as fast as he could. To escape the unrelenting Brownies, he threw himself headlong into the pit. The Brownies crowded around the pit, pointing and laughing at the baron, whose britches had been ripped to shreds in the back.

Sir James chuckled at their antics. "Well Lads," he commented, "there he is. Let's away and leave him to it." Raven wheeled around and headed back up to the courtyard, where Fawn waited anxiously, having been ordered to stay by one of the fairies. Sir James whistled for his dog. Fawn raced to Raven's side and took a flying leap. Sir James caught her and pulled her into the saddle to lay across his lap. She licked as much of his face as his helmet would allow. Laughing, Sir James hugged her, relieved to see her unharmed. "Good girl," he told her. "Good dog, to find your quarry and keep them at bay."

Proud Obsidian alit between Raven's ears and sat about halfway up the horse's neck. "About our business," the king commented. Obediently, Fawn settled down. "Raven, head for home, hmm? You needn't hurry if you don't care to."

"Yes, My King." Raven headed for the Enchanted Forest at a purposeful walk.

"My King?" Sir James asked humbly.

"It's quite obvious to me that Carnelian needs more protection than her half-wit bear can afford," the king stated. "Your task shall be her protection. For the remainder of your days, you will guard Her Ladyship with your very life, if need be."

Elation shot through Sir James. It was more than he could ever have hoped for; to protect her, he'd be in her company. "I will sleep at the foot of her bed, if she'll allow it," he vowed.

"Why ever would you do that?" the king laughed. "She's waiting for you to come and claim her hand. I told the baron that I would choose her husband and I have. You have long proven to be the sort of man she should have as a husband. You are honorable, charitable, devout, kindhearted, chivalrous, brave, and intelligent; and have been all of these even before you found the Enchanted Forest. Truly, I bless the day you were bound into my wall, Sir James."

The king accepted Sir James' murmur of thanks before continuing. "You shall be Lord of the Deep Forest but shall make your residence in the cottage, for Lady Carnelian will never be happy, elsewhere. I have seen that one day, humans will overrun the whole of the land, including the Enchanted Forest. As Fairydom wanes, humans must rise."

"But the Deep Forest is claimed by . . ."

The king laughed. "Your father was not the only one in contact with Arthur. I have accepted the Deep Forest in exchange for other land of mine. Daily, the settlements of the Deep Forest grow larger. It will take a strong hand to rule them. But come now, My Dear Steward is readying herself for the wedding and you must follow suit, Lord Greenwood."

"As you command, My King." Fawn jumped down, sensing her master's excitement and willing to run. Proud Obsidian maintained his perch in order to converse further. Such contentment as he had never known filled Sir James as Raven matched Fawn's pace.

~~~

As soon as word spread of the anticipated weddings, almost every fairy in the Enchanted Forest and beyond descended on the hidden glade; sewing, gathering and preparing food for the wedding feast, building the traditional wedding booth over the Stone of Reckoning, though the booth was three times larger than any required for a Fairy wedding. The booth was planted roundabout with vines, flowers and herbs that offered an aromatic bouquet for both brides.

Fairy craftsmen insisted on fashioning the wedding rings for both couples. For Hegedith and Ardelmon, there were wooden rings; both carved from a single piece of wood so that the grain would match when held together, as was custom amongst the Brownies. For James and Carnelian, Mother-of-Pearl had been brought in to form the rings with, since there wasn't time to cultivate the traditional pearl for the bride.

Lord James had returned to Holder only long enough to bear a message from his king. When he returned, a young boy followed with determination though his palfrey was hard-pressed to keep up with Raven's pace, necessitating a return to Holder.

Laughing at the lad's stubborn will but obviously pleased by his loyalty, Lord James and Raven accompanied Lady Firestone and Lily to Holder to discuss the boy's guardianship, where it was agreed that young Servis would serve the Lady Firestone until he was old enough to enter Lord James' service as squire. Even before the agreement had been reached, Servis had saddled both of his mares and placed his things behind the saddle in anticipation of returning to the Enchanted Forest.

The anticipated day finally arrived. Having readied themselves in Carnelian's cottage, Carnelian and Hegedith left the cottage and made their way through the glade, waving at the well-wishers who lined the path and hovered overhead in order to throw flower petals in their path. Pinned at Carnelian's waist, a large, ornately-set emerald held her sash in place against the breeze formed by thousands of fairy-wings.

"I'm glad we can share this day, Hegedith," Carnelian told her friend. "You have proven to be a true friend. I shall miss you when you and Ardelmon take your place in Whittburg, but thank you for watching over my sisters and easing their fears."

"You've thanked me repeatedly," chuckled Hegedith. "But I shall miss you, too. Thank you for teaching me everything that you have. I shall need it for those poor peasants. Rhys D'Apice is proving a far better baron than his predecessor, but he has so much to do, to return everything to proper order and his bride is so new. It will be a challenge for both Ardelmon and I." She looked over at her groom and smiled, joy sparkling in her eyes. "Who knew I'd fall in love with him so quickly? He's a hard worker and a Brownie to be proud of."

"That he is," agreed Carnelian. "And from the look on his face right now, I'd say that love is returned as well." She smiled as Willow waved from the edge of the crowd and Lord James waved back at the little girl with a wink and an affectionate grin.

Beside Lord James, Servis held a satin pillow that cradled all four rings, unable to control a smile that spread from ear to ear. Fawn leaned against her master's leg, appearing content and not at all confused by the commotion around her. Maid Willow pointed at Carnelian and waved enthusiastically. Sir James turned then, and the expression on his face as he caught sight of her made her feet feel as if she'd turned to air.

Later on, after the ceremony and the festivities were beginning to wind down, Lord James and Lady Carnelian were strolling together at the bottom of the glade. Lord James pointed to the waterfall and sighed. "I have dreamed of this every night," he told her.

"Do you remember swimming with me?" she asked, forgetting that he might not.

"That was real?" he asked in astonishment. When Carnelian nodded with a merry smile, he shook his head. "I thought it was a dream."

"Would you like to swim with me again?" she asked. In answer, he lifted her and headed for the bank, stopping only when they were waist-deep in the water. Instead of lowering her to her feet, James held his bride and kissed her.