Fairytale Wanderer: The Golden Bird chapter 5
Matteo helps the prince at last acquire all the treasures, but one should never buy gallows birds...
Chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4
The next day, about midmorning, Prince Fredegar appeared with a chain about his ankle and a shovel in his hands. A giant held the other end of the chain. When they reached the base of the hill, the giant tied the chain around a large stone and went away, leaving Fredegar to dig away at the hill. Matteo and the fox watched him from the trees on the hilltop.
“Do we go to him?” Matteo asked.
“He has eight days to remove the hill,” said the fox in disgust. “Let him labor for seven. Let his fear grow. Perhaps that will persuade him to listen to me next time.”
“In that case,” said Matteo, “I'm going back across the border for a few days.”
Matteo left Turisulfus and returned to a small town in Octric. There he spent a few days healing their sick and earning his bread and butter, as was his custom. He checked his compass daily and sighed to see it pointing back in the direction of Prince Fredegar. So he was not yet finished with the prince.
“Perhaps I am to help him find his happy ending,” said Matteo as he made his covert way back to Turisulfus. It was the evening of the sixth day and high time to return. He had a few more square meals inside him than before, and had enjoyed few a good baths. The fox bounded from the brush and trotted at his side.
Azzo rode on his shoulder. “The fool seems bent on throwing away his life, that's certain. But if he wins the princess, then he can win the rest.”
“It depends on whether you can remove the hill,” said Matteo.
Azzo snorted in scorn and declined to comment.
They found Fredegar laboring to dig away the hill, his ankle still chained. He had cleared away quite a wide space, but the hill was still there. Matteo and the fox approached him from the cover of a stand of trees.
“Help me out, for pity’s sake,” cried the prince as he saw them. His golden hair was matted with sweat, his hands blistered from the shovel handle, his clothes filthy with dirt and sweat. “I only have one more day to clear away this hill, and I can't do it. The giant king means to serve me as a feast for his household if I fail.”
“You deserve it for failing to listen to me,” said the fox. “However, I'll give you one more chance. In the morning this hill will be gone. When they give you the princess, make haste to the border. We will meet you there.”
Fredegar turned despairing eyes to Matteo. “So you have been running about with the fox? Are you such friends?”
“I’ve been working in a nearby town,” said Matteo. “Waiting for you to come to your senses.”
“Heal my hands, at least,” begged Fredegar. “I swear I'll follow the fox’s instructions to the very letter next time.”
Matteo took pity on the fellow and healed his bleeding hands. Then he and the fox retreated up the hill before the giant guard came to return Fredegar to his cell for the night.
Once the night was dark and quiet, and the stars burned overhead like diamonds on black velvet, the fox said to Matteo, “Ask your dragon to remove the hill.”
Matteo reached into his tunic pocket and lifted out Azzo. Stroking the tiny dragon, he asked, “Can you remove this hill for me?”
“Yes, of course,” said Azzo, as if it was the easiest thing in the world. “But first, you two must not be standing on it. Go to the next hill and hide yourselves on the far side.”
Matteo and the fox obeyed these orders, hiding themselves together in a hollow in the trees behind the next hill. The fox huddled against Matteo’s knees, and together they tried to sleep. But halfway through the night they were awakened by a rumbling noise, like thunder. The ground beneath them shook as if a whole army of giants was passing by three feet off. Matteo sat up and peered around, but the fox put a paw on his shoulder.
“It’s best not to look.”
Matteo lay down again. The fox crouched beside him, his green eyes shining like moons. After a time the thunder and shaking subsided, and Matteo drifted to sleep again with the fox standing guard beside him.
In the morning, he found Azzo curled up on his chest as usual, and the fox was gone. Matteo stroked the little dragon for a while before he awakened. When he did, Azzo yawned and stretched, then sluggishly crawled into Matteo’s pocket.
“Tired from last night?” Matteo inquired.
Azzo mumbled something and went back to sleep.
Matteo took time to eat a little. Then he climbed the hill to see what had transpired in the night.
Where the other hill had been was now only several acres of flat, bare earth. Rocks stood here and there like bare bones, and a few broken trees were scattered about. It looked as if some giant among giants had ripped the hill from the ground and carried it off. Matteo shaded his eyes and peered about, but nowhere could he see a sign of the hill's fate. The giant king and three of his men were walking about on the flat space, pointing and exclaiming.
Matteo crouched in the brush on the next hill and laid his hand on Azzo’s sleeping form in his pocket. “What did you do last night?” he breathed. Azzo gave no answer.
The giant king and his men departed. The sun climbed above the mountains to the east and a fresh breeze stirred. About midmorning, a giant escorted Fredegar and the captive princess to the road and gave them a parcel of food for their journey. Fredegar and the princess stared at the missing hill in shock and wonder. As soon as the giant left them, they set out down the road toward the border at a fast walk.
Matteo cut through the fields and arrived at the border crossing ahead of them. He found the fox waiting there, too, his tongue hanging out in a canine grin. Matteo knelt and stroked the fox, fondling his ears and scratching under his chin.
“They're on their way,” said Matteo. “I just hope Fredegar didn't agree to some other harebrained challenge.”
“No, the giants are beaten,” the fox replied. “They know Fredegar could not have removed that hill himself. But they saw him talking to you, and they fear that he is friends with a powerful wizard. They couldn't wait to get rid of him and the princess together.”
Matteo grinned at this thought. “Me, a powerful wizard?”
“They exist,” the fox said. “But I know of none in this region. However, word will spread like wildfire now that such a feat has been done. You may want to depart after we see Fredegar home.”
“That's my plan,” said Matteo. “I'll tell you about my mission later.” For the prince and princess approached in the distance.
The fox gave him an alert, curious look, but didn't ask.
Fredegar greeted them both with a jubilant cry. “Hello, my friends! See, we are free, and the hill is gone! However did you manage it?”
“A deal with the fae,” said Matteo, which wasn't far from the truth. He bowed to the princess, who wore a walking dress and sturdy boots for her journey. Her gold hair was braided about her head, and altogether she presented a picture of womanhood on an adventure.
“I don't believe I've had the pleasure,” said Matteo. “I am Matteo Humilis, traveling healer.”
The princess curtsied. “I am Gailmir Octric, daughter of King Octric, whose lands we are entering. The giants have held me captive for two years, during which I scrubbed pots and cleaned floors. But I was not the only captive and I was treated better than some, so I count myself blessed.” She turned adoring eyes on Fredegar. “My prince labored seven days in the sun for me, and for that I am eternally grateful.”
He took her hand and smiled down at her. “It was worth every blister, my lady.”
The fox had been sitting on its tail all this time, observing this reunion. Now it said, “I see you have received the best reward first.”
Fredegar went down on one knee. “Please accept my humble apologies. Thrice have I disobeyed you and thrice have I suffered punishment. My pride is sufficiently damaged that I will follow your further instructions perfectly.”
“Good,” said the fox. “I will tell you how to get and keep all three treasures, if you will listen this time. But first, we must return to Octric’s castle.”
The princess listened to this exchange with her hand to her mouth and her eyes as round as saucers. Now she dropped to her knees and cried, “Agilmar! My dear brother! We thought you were dead! How came you into the body of a fox?”
The fox gazed at her for a long moment, then wheeled and ran away into the woods. The princess reached after him with a cry.
Matteo caught her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Don't, my lady. The enchantment stills his tongue and keeps him from speaking of himself or his plight.”
They walked on together. Gailmir wept a little, with Fredegar’s arm around her, but soon pulled herself together. “Once this is over, I am going to break his enchantment somehow. He has been missing for five years.”
“This task may do the trick,” said Matteo. “We do not know the conditions placed upon him, and he cannot tell us.”
They took their noonday meal in a forest glade with a carpet of green moss, where the sunbeams fell in dappled gold upon the prince and princess. The more they talked and laughed together, the more their happiness grew. Matteo sat a little apart from them and was glad for them. All the same, he wished the adventure was over. The closer they drew to King Octric's castle, the more his uneasiness grew.
That evening, as the spires of the castles appeared in the distance, Matteo halted. “I'll go no closer.”
“Whatever is the matter?” asked Gailmir.
“King Goz made me his slave,” Matteo replied. “He set about working my healing ability to death and kept me under guard. I barely escaped with my life. As I hid in the forest, he sent messengers to Octric and I assume they are watching for me.”
Gailmir pressed her lips in a thin line and glared toward the castle. “That is something Goz would do, all right. He collects man and beast alike. Why, he has made many offers for my wonderful horse, Aribright. I do hope Father has not traded him away by now.”
“We go to exchange you for the horse, actually,” said Fredegar. “I am to take the horse to King Goz, who will exchange it for the golden bird, which is desired by my father.”
The princess put her hands on her hips. “Well, I never!”
Fredegar winced. “My humble apologies, my lady. When I made the agreement, I had no idea what it would entail, or how dear you would become to me.”
“But … Aribright is mine,” said Gailmir, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
At that moment the fox emerged from the undergrowth near at hand. “Fear not, my lady. I shall tell you both what to do.”
Fredegar, Gailmir, and Matteo gave the fox their full attention.
“You will take the princess into the castle courtyard,” the fox said. “There will be much rejoicing at the sight of her. They will bring the horse out to you. Mount up and bid them goodbye one by one. Bid goodbye to the princess last. Then catch her up on the saddle behind you and ride like the wind for Hungoz. No one shall catch you, for Aribright is as fleet as the wind itself.”
“But you would give my horse to Goz?” Gailmir replied, clasping her hands together.
“Nay, my lady,” said the fox. “Goz shall not lay a finger upon it. But first we must steal you and your horse from your father together.”
Fredegar and Gailmir exchanged glances and smiles. “Do you want to be stolen from your father?” Frederick asked.
“He traded me to the giants in exchange for peace,” said Gailmir. “I have no desire to return to him, only to be used as a pawn in more politics. I will go with you to Anartii. Come, let us be off.” She and Fredegar walked off toward the castle, leaving Matteo and the fox standing alone on the road.
“I pray you know a way past the castle,” Matteo murmured. “I would not fall into Goz’s hands again.”
“Sit upon my tail,” said the fox. “I will carry you through Octric and into Hungoz.”
Matteo obeyed, a little hesitant about hurting the fox. But as soon as he did, the world blurred around them, and the fox rushed over stock and stone. Azzo dug his claws into Matteo’s shirt. When they arrived in Hungoz, the little dragon hissed at the fox. “That was strong magic!”
“You should thank me,” the fox said smugly. “I saved your master a very long walk. Now he may rest until our friends arrive.”
The fox had brought them to a little glade in the forest a mile from Hungoz Castle. Here it was quiet, birds sang, and a little brook babbled nearby in its bed of stones. Matteo flung himself down on the leaves and rested, as the fox said he should. Being far away from Goz’s castle lightened his spirits. He reached out a hand and stroked the fox. “You are full of surprises, my friend. Are all foxes as magical as you?”
“Some,” said the fox. “But I am not as magical as your dragon.” He turned his yellow-green eyes on Azzo. “You who could do almost anything, yet you choose to bind yourself to a human. I cannot fathom why.”
“Is it not enough to say that I love him?” said Azzo. “You have orchestrated this entire string of events to rescue your sister and place her in a better home than she had before. Should I question your devotion to her as you question my devotion to Matteo?”
The fox flattened his ears and looked away. “I apologize. I should not pry into grand matters such as these.”
Matteo’s face grew curiously warm and he could not have said why. He sat up and opened his pack for a bite of dried meat and fruit, which he shared with the fox. Azzo never wanted his food, preferring to hunt for himself. Having a meal distracted everyone from matters of love, which was Matteo’s intent. He had no desire to discuss Azzo and the bond between them, which was a personal, secret thing. It was enough to feel the dragon's heartbeat alongside his own, especially at night, when Azzo slept upon his chest.
The sun sank toward the west, and hooves drummed upon the road. Matteo and the fox rose to their feet and stood beside the road, Azzo fluttering into a tree overhead.
The prince, the princess, and the golden horse cantered down the road toward them. The horse’s tail was up, his mane flowed like a banner, and he tossed his head proudly. He had recognized his mistress at once and was overjoyed to have her back again. He halted beside Matteo and the fox. Fredegar and Gailmir beamed down at them.
“Here we are!” exclaimed Fredegar. “It all came off beautifully, just as you said! They pursued us on horseback but turned back at the border. Now here we are, nearly to Hungoz Castle!”
“I will tell you what to do,” said the fox. “Leave the princess here and I will take her under my care. Ride the horse into the castle courtyard. There will be much rejoicing and they will bring the golden bird out to you. Do the same as before–take it and ride away before anyone can stop you. We will meet outside the village of Gumarich.”
The princess dismounted, and stood with Matteo and the fox as the prince rode away into the evening.
“Take her and go,” said Matteo. “Fredegar will soon be in Gumarich if we don't make haste.”
“Sit upon my tail,” said the fox to the princess.
She laughed, but obeyed, and both of them disappeared into the distance like an arrow from a bow. Matteo put on his pack and set off down the road on his tired feet.
“Why not wait?” Azzo asked from inside his tunic. “The fox will surely return for you.”
“My part in this story is done,” said Matteo. “The prince will get the golden bird. He will take his princess home and marry her, and that is their happy ending.”
“Where does the compass point?” the dragon asked.
Matteo halted and pulled it out. He was slightly discomfited to see that the needle pointed west.
“They must still need you,” said Azzo.
“I can't see why,” Matteo said. “Unless the compass means for me to attend the wedding. I must confess, I rather like the idea of feasting, and a long bath, and feasting, and a warm bed, and feasting.”
“Don't forget feasting,” Azzo laughed. “They would be stingy indeed if they did not reward you in some way.”
“My only reward is not to be Goz's slave,” Matteo muttered. “I do wish the compass would make up its mind, as well. Fredegar wasn't a bad traveling companion, but he was rather thick at times and I'm glad to see the back of him.”
“You are far too tired,” Azzo said. “And melancholy creeps over you. Come, I'll find us a camping place.”
The dragon found a spot beside a stream with thick evergreens for shelter. Matteo ate a sparse meal and reflected upon all that had happened. Azzo had spoken true, for the heaviness of melancholy filled his heart.
“Why was I chosen for this?” he asked plaintively. “Why am I doomed to wander, helping others find happiness and barred from my own?”
“Do you mean a girl?” Azzo asked.
Matteo hung his head and dug his fingers into his curls. “Yes, actually. Seeing Gailmir and Fredegar together … well, it was disgusting, for one thing. But it made me realize how alone I am.”
“Maybe this adventure will culminate in you finding a girl of your own,” said Azzo. “Then you'll settle down somewhere together.”
“Where does that leave you?” Matteo asked, stroking him. “A third wheel?”
“I'll always belong to you,” said Azzo. “And woe betide any robbers who come near your home.”
Matteo rolled himself in his blanket and lay on his pack for a pillow. “Being discarded at the end is what hurts,” he murmured to the dragon. “As soon as I'm no longer needed, they desert me. Even the fox.”
Azzo nuzzled his face. “I'm still here.”
Matteo smiled and closed his eyes. “I'm glad, Az.”
Matteo awakened the next morning to the patter of rain through the branches sheltering him. His camping place was still dry, but the air was cold and damp. He arose, shivering, ate the last of his food, and donned an oilskin he’d acquired for such rainy occasions. Then he set out again, head bowed, watching his footing on the muddy road.
The rain had settled in for the day, and the world was gray and shining. Azzo stayed under his tunic, and after a few hours, he was the only spot of warmth left in Matteo’s whole body. The road wound through the wood for a while, then left it and struck out across the fields. Here the rain and wind fair pummeled the traveler, soaking any part of him unprotected by the oilskin. He was very hungry and miserable by the time he reached Gumarich.
The two taverns on the main street faced one another as before, and lights and music still poured lavishly from one of them. Matteo entered the other and huddled by the common room fire until the innkeeper brought him a bowl of steaming stew and a loaf of brown bread.
A hot meal and a warm fire did wonders for his spirits. Matteo was feeling warm and growing sleepy when claws scrabbled on the porch outside. Some animal scratched at the door and whined.
“It's the fox,” Azzo said from where he perched on the fireplace fender, practically among the flames.
Matteo rose to his feet and opened the door. The fox slipped inside and went to the fire, where he shook his wet fur. He sat so close to the fire that he began to steam.
Matteo returned to his chair before the fire. “I doubt they'll let you stay long, my friend. What brings you here, besides the miserable weather?”
“It's all gone wrong,” said the fox. “I fear Fredegar is dead.”
“What?” Matteo straightened. “Did he not get the golden bird, then?”
“Oh no, he pulled that off without flaw,” said the fox. “The trouble began when we arrived here. He had the girl, the horse, and the bird. He thanked me and asked how to repay me. I told him to slay me and cut off my head and paws. He refused, so I told him I must leave him, but not to buy any gallows-birds or sit on the edge of any wells. Imagine what he immediately did.”
“Why would he buy a gallows-bird?” Matteo asked.
“His two brothers spent all this time in the lighted inn, making merry in increasingly evil ways,” said the fox. “At the last, they could not pay their inn fee and attacked those who came to claim it, so they were to be taken out and hanged. Fredegar happened upon them as they were being led away and protested. His loyalty to his brothers blinded him to all else. He purchased their freedom and they went on together. But his brothers saw the bird, the horse, and the girl, and their hearts were envious. They stopped for water at a well near the village. When Fredegar sat upon the edge, his brothers pushed him in. Then they took the bird, the horse, and the girl and beat it for home.”
“How long ago was this?” Matteo asked.
“Yesterday evening,” said the fox.
Matteo hastily grabbed his belongings and flung his oilskin back on. He went to the innkeeper. “Have you a rope? A man has fallen in the well outside of town.”
The innkeeper supplied him with a rope, and what was more, sent two stout stable boys with him. Between the three of them, they reached the well and found Fredegar clinging to life in the icy waters far below. They tied a loop in the rope and lowered it to the prince, who was so chilled he could barely slip it around himself. They hauled him out and carried him back to the inn, where Fredegar stripped off his wet things and sat wrapped in a warm blanket before the fire as his clothing dripped from a line the innkeeper hastily strung. He shivered so he could barely drink the hot tea he was given. Matteo held it for him until he’d drunk it, then stood by as Fredegar ate a big bowl of hot stew.
Afterward, the prince began to feel more like himself, and to talk of what had happened.
“My brothers threw me in the well and took everything,” Fredegar said, staring into the fire. “After all I have suffered and all I have learned. They will be home by now. I was in that dratted well all night.”
“You're fortunate to be alive,” Matteo told him. “The fox found me and told me what became of you. He slipped away as I was going to rescue you.”
“I know not whether to bless or curse him,” said Fredegar, pulling the blanket closer about his shoulders. “He gave good advice that I repeatedly ignored. I had my triumph and my defeat at his paws.”
“Do not blame the fox for your own stupidity,” Matteo said. “He warned you against gallows-birds and wells.”
“But they are my brothers!” Frederick burst out. “Was I supposed to stand by and watch them be put to death? What was I to tell Father?”
“From all accounts, they're not fit to rule the kingdom,” said Matteo dryly. “I hear they committed every crime known to man and invented new ones.”
Frederick sighed and stared into the fire.
“Do you know what will happen if you should go home now?” Matteo continued. “They tried to kill you once. As soon as they set eyes on you, they'll blame all their wrongdoing on you and have you put to death.”
“What do I do, then?” Fredegar asked plaintively.
Matteo smiled. “I have an idea.”
The next day, a couple of old beggars dressed in rags limped up a side street in Anartii village, headed for the castle. Nobody gave them so much as a glance. Their steps slowed as they neared the castle, for extra guards had been stationed around the entrances.
“They're looking out for you,” Matteo whispered from beneath his disguise.
“We’ll see about that,” Frederick whispered back. “I've been all over this castle since I was a child. There's an entrance through the stables that no one cares about. Follow me, and don't let them see you.”
They gave the guards a wide berth, keeping houses or carts between themselves and them. As they neared the castle stables, they came upon a couple of stable boys who stood talking anxiously. One of them held the golden horse on a lead rope while the other offered a bucket of oats, but the horse only turned its head away despondently.
“The poor thing is wasting away,” said one stable boy. “He's barely eaten a mouthful since he arrived. I can't make out what's wrong with him.”
“Perhaps it's because Princess Gailmir is so sad,” said the other in a low voice. “She mourns the death of Fredegar, and her horse ails, too.”
“And what killed him?” the other asked in a still lower voice. “The two eldest return with the spoils, the youngest has disappeared. They say he's dead but don't say how they know. It's fishy, I tell you.”
“Yet they post all these guards,” the first whispered. “Almost like they think he's not as dead as they say.”
“Hush,” whispered the other. “Our business is to get this horse eating again.”
Fredegar approached the two. “Let me try, masters,” he said in a cracked old-man voice. “I always had me a way with the creatures.”
The stable boys looked at his rags disdainfully. “Be off, you,” said one. “We’ll not have the likes of you befouling the king’s stable.”
Fredegar drew close enough to touch the horse’s neck. “Hang in there, my beauty,” he whispered. “All will be set right soon.”
The horse’s nostrils flared, breathing in his scent. Then it tossed its head and whinnied in greeting. The stable boys gaped in amazement. Then, to their greater amazement, the horse put his nose in the bucket and began to crunch the oats.
“You certainly have a way with you,” said a stable boy. “Be off with you, now.”
The two beggars slipped away and circled behind the stable, staying out of sight.
“Gailmir mourns me and the horse refused to eat,” Fredegar whispered. “My brothers have much to answer for.”
“Steady on,” Matteo whispered back. “We must make it to your father’s chamber.”
They waited until no one was watching, then crept through the stable entrance into the castle courtyard. From there it was a short step to the servant’s entrance. They were obliged to hide in a pantry to avoid the notice of two servant girls who entered the scullery with a set of dirty dishes.
“It's the oddest thing,” said one. “That golden bird has moped since it arrived. All it does is sit in its cage all fluffed out, like, and won't move to eat or drink. Even the king’s golden apples don't tempt it. But just now it began to sing, and then it fell upon its food like a vulture on a carcass.”
“I tell you what's odder,” said the other servant girl. “Princess Gailmir has done nothing but sit at a window and weep since she arrived. But this morning she smiled at me and asked for breakfast. ‘I feel hope again!’ she said to me.”
Frederick and Matteo exchanged glances in the shadows of the pantry. When the servants went into the kitchen, the beggars slipped down the adjoining passage and headed for the king’s chambers.
The doors stood ajar. Fredegar and Matteo peeked through the gap to see the king addressing his two eldest sons. “Ever since you brought back the bird, the horse, and the girl, all three have fared poorly. Why, the animals have stopped eating entirely, and the girl cries all day. What have you neglected to tell me? Is there something they need that you left behind?”
The two brothers exchanged glances, and it was obvious they were thinking of their missing brother. “Perhaps they only miss their old homes,” the elder said.
“I shall call the princess here and inquire of her,” said the king.
“Nay, there is no need!” the second eldest exclaimed. “She will only tell you such twaddle as women always do. She is homesick, that’s all.”
The king beckoned to one of his men at arms. “Please bring the Princess Gailmir to me at once.” The man nodded and strode out.
King Othmar folded his arms and gazed at his sons. “I find it strange that you should succeed at your quest in so astounding a way, and yet neither of you can give me account of it. Your youngest brother never came home, either.”
“He is a fool,” said the eldest silkily. “You know how proud and stubborn he is. Likely he’s still in Octric’s dungeon or some such.”
“Well, we shall see,” said the king. “Ah, here is the lady.” He rose to his feet and held out a hand as Princess Gailmir entered the room. She wore a simple green tunic with a blue cloak, and her face was pale beneath her braided golden hair. She gave the brothers a terrified look, then focused her attention on the king.
“My lady,” said the king, drawing her down to sit beside him, “I hear that you have been sad since you arrived.”
“Yes, I have,” she replied, keeping her eyes downcast.
“Why is that, may I ask?”
“My lover is gone.” She lifted her gaze to the king’s. “And yet this morning my heart lifted, though I knew not why. I feel as if my lover is near again, though he be only in spirit.”
Beside Matteo, Frederick made a swift movement under his rags, as if reaching out to grab the door, but arresting the motion halfway.
Othmar turned to his sons. “Is it possible that your brother has arrived home unannounced?”
“Impossible,” snorted the second eldest. “We placed guards–”
His elder brother elbowed him fiercely.
Othmar’s eyebrows shot up. “Why would you assign guards, praytell, if your brother was dead or in prison?”
While both of them stammered out lies, Fredegar chose that moment to push open the door and step into the room, throwing off his rags. “Because they feared my return, Father.”
“Fredegar!” The princess threw herself into his arms and kissed him.
“My son!” Othmar exclaimed. “What is the meaning of all this?” He spun and glared at his elder sons. “What is this you have done?”
“They tried to kill me, Father,” Fredegar said. “They left me for dead and took the bird, horse, and princess I had rightfully won.”
“He’s a liar!” the eldest exclaimed. “It’s his word against ours!”
Matteo stepped into the room and threw off his rags, too. “I was there, too. I can tell you what happened.”
“It’s the wretched healer!” the second eldest howled. “I thought we were rid of him weeks ago!”
The elder brothers sprang at Fredegar and Matteo. Fredegar slung the princess behind him and took a blow meant for her, then caught his brother by the jacket as his brother grabbed at his throat. The eldest brother seized Matteo by the collar and lifted him off his feet, intending to choke him. But a thing like a red-gold snake flashed out of Matteo’s tunic and sank its teeth into the brother’s hand in a spurt of blood. The eldest brother screamed and released him, clutching his hand. Matteo hastily tucked the red-gold creature back inside his tunic.
“Seize them!” the king ordered, and his men at arms grabbed and subdued the older brothers. “Take them to the dungeons until I decide what to do with them.” The guards dragged the elder brothers out, still cursing and snarling.
A stillness fell. Fredegar took the princess in his arms again and stroked her hair, murmuring words of comfort. Matteo straightened his tunic. The king returned to his chair and studied them carefully.
“I will call for my royal scribe,” he said. “I want you both to tell me every step that led to your acquisition of the bird, the horse, and this beautiful young lady.”
“Yes sir,” Matteo said, suddenly weary, sitting on the floor at the king’s feet. “Forgive me, your majesty, but it’s been a long road.”
As Fredegar and the princess sank onto a sofa, the king ordered one of his remaining guards to bring them a tea tray. “My youngest son has returned to me, but the circumstances are suspicious,” he told them. “I must hear the whole story before I pass judgment.”
The royal scribe arrived with fresh scrolls and ink. A servant brought in tea and biscuits, and Fredegar and Matteo refreshed themselves. Fredegar began to tell his story, and Matteo added a detail now and then. The king listened in silence, and the scribe wrote busily.
When they finished, it was nearly noon. The king ordered that dinner be brought in. They ate in silence, the king obviously mulling over everything he’d heard.
“I wish I could find this talking fox,” he said at last. “It doubtless could tell quite a tale of its own. But the odds of that are slim, indeed. I will send messengers to Octric and Hungoz to ask what happened. Gumarich will have their own story. To Turisulfus I go not.” He looked at Fredegar. “If they can corroborate your story, it will go well for you and ill for your brothers. I ask that you remain here in the castle and do not go abroad until I have received word.” He turned to Matteo. “You are to remain as our honored guest until I pass judgment. I may need you to give testimony at the trial, and I do not want our healer to slip away in the night.”
“I will remain as long as you require, your majesty,” Matteo replied with a half-bow.
Matteo cooled his heels in Anartii Castle for the next three weeks. It was wonderful to sleep in a bed again and take a hot bath every night. But after a few days it began to feel dull, so he returned to the physicians down in the town to assist in healing. Besides, he seemed to constantly walk in on Fredegar and Gailmir all over the castle, and they were always busy kissing, caressing each other, or otherwise engaged in disgusting displays of affection. Matteo preferred to heal bloody wounds than deal with someone else’s romance.
At the end of three weeks, the king held court and tried his eldest sons. The messengers had returned with news verifying Fredegar’s claims. Indeed, some had barely escaped the wrathful kings of Hungoz and Octric. The king found his sons guilty and exiled them to his farthest outposts in the mountains, where they were to guard against goblin attacks.
After that, he announced Fredegar and Gailmir’s wedding. Then he offered rewards to Matteo, the loyal healer, for standing by his youngest son through thick and thin. Matteo became the proud owner of two horses and a good wagon, as well as enough money to outfit it for further journeys. The king offered him further wealth, but Matteo declined it. “If I accepted any more, I'd be robbed by every cutthroat that came along. The horses and cart will be quite as much as I can manage.”
That night, the needle on his compass swung toward the southeast. It was time to leave, then, and seek his fortune elsewhere. Matteo offered prayers of thanksgiving to his Savior for carrying him through hardships and bringing happiness upon the kingdom of Anartii. Perhaps happiness had not come to Hungoz, Octric, and Turisulfus so much, but they would have to find it themselves.
He managed to stay for Fredegar and Gailmir’s wedding, and the feasting afterward, but slipped away during the merrymaking. He hitched his new horses to his new cart and drove away in the blue evening.
On his third night of camping in the wilds, he was sitting by his fire with the horses hobbled and grazing nearby. Azzo frisked in and out of the bushes, and all was quiet. Matteo looked up to see the fox sitting across from him, quite as if he’d always been there.
“Oh, hello there,” Matteo said, offering him a bite to eat. “I didn't expect to see you again.”
But the fox would not eat. He gazed sadly at Matteo. “I have been at a loss. I asked the prince, but he would not reward me. Would you, then, give me my reward?”
“To slay you and cut off your head and paws?” Matteo asked.
“Yes, that,” said the fox.
Matteo tilted his head to one side. “How is death and dismemberment a reward?”
“I cannot explain,” said the fox. “But you understand my situation. You read it upon me at our first meeting.” His eyes blazed green with longing.
“You can't tell me why, but it has to do with your enchantment,” Matteo said slowly. “I'll do this for you, if it's your true wish.”
“It is,” said the fox. “You have always been kind to me, Matteo Humilis. Do me one more kindness.”
Matteo rose to his feet and took a knife and hatchet out of the wagon. “Let's leave camp a little. I'll try to make this quick.”
It broke his heart to kill the faithful beast that had been his friend and advisor. The fox offered no resistance, but it whimpered as it died in a way that brought tears to Matteo’s eyes. He worked quickly, and at last the job was done. Matteo went to wash his hands and weapons in a nearby stream. With a heavy heart he returned to camp for a shovel. At least he should bury the remains of his friend.
A strange man stood beside his fire, stark naked and shivering.
Matteo halted and gripped his knife and hatchet. “Who are you?”
“I am the fox you just killed,” said the man. “I am Prince Agilmar. Lend me some clothes, for pity’s sake.”
A short time later, the ex-fox sat at Matteo’s fireside and shared his supper. He had trouble using a fork, and tilted his head and listened exactly like the fox had. His hair was a reddish brown color, and something of the fox lingered about his face.
“My father is King Octric,” he said by way of explanation. “He is a complacent man and prefers holding banquets and playing politics to anything warlike. He bade me seek a legendary vineyard upon the mountain slopes that was once tended by men. The grapes from it used to make the best vintage of wine ever to grace a table. After long searching I found it, but it was owned by a fairy. I tried to haggle with her, but she would not share the least cutting or a single grape. Finally I tried to trick her, but it was a feeble attempt and she saw through it. ‘A trickster you think you are?’ she laughed. “‘Then a trickster you shall be.’ And in a twinkling I became a fox. She told me that I must earn the just reward of having my head and paws cut off, but I must do it by trickery. And that is my story.”
“I sensed some of it when I prayed for the Lord to reveal whether you were friend or foe,” Matteo admitted. “I saw the curse upon you, the command of silence, and that you would have to die. It made my heart weep for you.”
“Few have compassion on foxes,” said Agilmar. “Fewer still listen to advice from them.”
Matteo motioned to his cart. “Do you want a ride back to your father?”
“No,” said Agilmar. “He has given my inheritance to my brothers, as I am presumed dead. Nay, I had hoped to join you.”
“Join me?” said Matteo in surprise. “But why?”
“You are on a fairy quest,” said Agilmar with a meaningful look at the compass hanging from Matteo’s belt. “You must help others find their happy endings, yes? That is how I read it.”
“Yes, but how did you know?” Matteo exclaimed.
Agilmar shrugged. “As a fox I could read many things. Your quest is written upon your forehead in fairy signs. Human eyes cannot see them.” He flashed a roguish smile. “I would not mind finding a happy ending of my own. For five years I despaired of ever being happy again, especially with my sister in the clutches of the giants with no hope of escape. My father was content to trade her away, the toad.”
Matteo checked his compass, but it still pointed southeast. “I cannot tell whether or not I was intended to have companions, but my instructions are the same. You’re welcome to come with me, although I do not know where I am bound.”
“I would like that,” said Agilmar, reclining on one elbow. “I know all about you and your compass and your dragon, Matteo Humilis. After he moved that hill for us? Oh yes, I know more about him than you do, perhaps.”
“Oh,” Matteo said slowly. “Right.” He ran through all the times the fox had made remarks about Azzo, the way the sharp green eyes had followed the dragon’s movement. Those same green eyes now gazed at him out of this man’s face, even keener now with a man’s soul behind them.
“You must keep him a secret,” Matteo implored. “People would kill him if they knew, and probably burn me as a witch.”
“Certainly,” said Agilmar. “As long as you keep my identity as a previously fae-cursed prince secret. You saw the strange powers I had. I feel them upon me yet, so I may yet be of use to you.”
Matteo grinned a little. “I don’t care about powers, to tell the truth. I just want a friend to talk to. I’m not terribly certain I can trust you, and the last king I helped treated me cruelly.”
“Don’t I know it!” Agilmar barked, sitting up. “I listened from outside as Goz had you beaten. Then I watched from afar as he attempted to work you to death. Your dragon and I put our heads together about how to free you. I am not like Goz, do you understand?”
“What are you like, then?” Matteo asked.
Agilmar flexed his fingers. “As a fox, I was a trickster, and as a man, I shall be no less. A thief in the shadows, a rogue of rogues.”
“You’ll get us both killed or imprisoned,” said Matteo flatly. “Again. I have no wish for a companion who practices evil.”
“I shall be as honest as the day,” Agilmar said. “No just man need fear his purse strings around me. But other thieves and rogues had better look to their own.”
“As long as you hold to that, then,” said Matteo warily. “We shall see if a happy ending comes your way.”
“I will find it myself,” said Agilmar with a grin. “I am more interested in helping you find yours. You’ve done me the best turn you could possibly do, and I am in your debt.”
Matteo rose to his feet, took his bedroll from the cart, and tossed Agilmar a blanket. “I’m going to sleep in the cart. Bed down where you like.”
“Right here by the fire is my choice,” said Agilmar. “After spending five very cold winters without it, fire is my favorite thing in the world.”
Matteo fell asleep that night with Azzo tucked against him, wondering what adventures awaited him with this new, fox-like companion at his side.
The end