Chapter Six - Yoran and Riddles

Orlando DiCaprio nodded as Hayden Potter and Binks Vizzini came towards his tent. As they came he dismissed Draziw with another nod of his head, and walked into the tent. The two men followed him in, their cloaks drenched by the rain. There was a tremendous downpour now, and Potter worried to himself that the unexpected turn of events might change the plans for battle. But, as he looked on DiCaprio’s face, he did not see the same worry there.

DiCaprio spread a map out on the table. He placed two books on each side firmly down to hold it out. With a nod of his head, he called the two over to the table.

“This is where we are. The rain is upsetting our plans some, but we will compromise. If you go here, instead of there,” he said pointing on the map, “then we can save time because of the rain, and still strike in a workable location. Now, as to what we will do with the main attack plan . . .”

The rain poured down throughout the dreary night. Edmund kept watch while Jessica and Kathryn slept. Partway through the night Jessica awoke, and insisted that he get some sleep. Then, she positioned herself where she had the best view of anything that might come upon them. She saw nothing throughout the rest of the night. Just the rain falling onto the trees and the rocks, and the flash of lightening as it lit up the dark sky. It felt dreary and cold and very wet. It was her hope that it would be much drier by morning.

When the others awoke the next morning the rain showed signs of letting up. The sun dawned bright and clear from the direction of the Sea of Nautalae. They ate a quick breakfast, and then held council to decide what to do.

“The basic question is,” said Edmund, “do we go on in the rain, or wait until it stops?”
“I think,” said Jessica, “that it depends on how long it will be until the rain stops.”
“That’s the problem,” explained Edmund. “We have no way of knowing how long it will take for the rain to let up. It could take weeks, and it could take a few minutes to a few hours. If it takes weeks, we can’t afford to wait. If it only takes one or two hours, then it won’t really harm us.”
“Problems you have,” came a voice. “Help you I will.”

Kathryn raised an eyebrow in surprise, but did not bother turning towards the voice. Jessica turned towards the voice with a shriek, and Edmund had already drawn his sword. The two were quite surprised when they saw the owner of the voice. It was a fairly large squirrel, about two feet high, and it stood perched on the stump next to them. A few acorns lay at its feet, and one was held cupped in its hands.

“So surprised are you,” it said. “Of what surprise am I? Study the Amandu Mountains do you not?”
“Who are you?” asked Edmund dangerously.
“And rude we are, that I can tell,” answered the squirrel. “But give you my name I shall, and show you some manners also.”
“Who are you?” repeated Edmund.
“Yoran my name is. From the clan of Squirrels I am. But surprised you are. Ask I do the reason for this?”
“I didn’t know you really existed,” Jessica finally blurted out.
“Myths in fairy tales did you think us?” Yoran sighed. “More intelligence did I expect you to have. Remedy that I see that I must. But come, some manners at least you must have. Your names I now ask.”
“I am Edmund, personal squire to Paulo son of Gregorio, Knight of Elenaesia. These are my companions, the Lady Kathryn and the Lady Jessica, nieces of the said Sir Knight.”
“An honour to meet you, I am sure,” said Yoran. “Now that introduced we have been, get to business we must. Worried are you about the rain?”
“We can’t travel very well in such weather, Yoran,” Kathryn said quietly.
“True or not that has yet to be determined. In order to know, ask you I must, what quest brings you here?”
“We seek the Stone of the King,” said Edmund.
“Stone of the King you say? Heard I have not of it being here. But hidden from me, there still is much. Why search you for this Stone?”

Jessica answered the squirrel’s questions, as Edmund whispered a description of the squirrel to Kathryn. Yoran was two feet high, as has been said, and had a red belt slung across one shoulder and around his body. From this was hung a small gold and red scabbard, containing what appeared to be a large embroidery needle. The eye of the needle was wrapped with gold thread, matching the gold on the scabbard. A band of gold was wrapped around his head, with a red feather sticking out of it near his right ear.

Klicati arched her back, and then entered the lair. She was a beautiful tortoiseshell cat, with glowing yellow eyes. Walking primly in, she went to her customary spot, and sat down, brushing dirt aside with her tail. A few moments later, the large form of Mara was seen from the darkness in the back. She stretched her wings a bit, and then folded them against her flank. She was a red ligon, half lion, half dragon. Her dragon head bent low in greeting to the proud puss sitting in front of her. Without further ado, they began.

Klicati spoke first, as always. “At night they come without being fetched. At day they are lost without being stolen.”

Without a pause Mara answered. “The stars. I never was, am always to be, no one ever saw me, nor ever will, yet I am the confidence of all, who live and breathe on this terrestrial ball.”

Klicati was a bright one as well, and no pause did she need to respond. “Tomorrow. The beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, The beginning of every end, and the end of every place.”

Mara still was not phased by the riddle. “The letter e. A man, while looking at a photograph said, ‘Brothers and sisters have I none. That man’s father is my father’s son.’”

If Klicati had eyebrows, she would have raised them. “The man’s son. A man left town on Sunday, rode for three days without stopping, and entered the next town on Sunday.”

Two streams of smoke left Mara’s nostrils. Klicati knew it as a warning to give a harder riddle. “His horse was named Sunday. Scarcely was the father in this world when the son could be found sitting on the roof.”

The cat paused, and hissed. She waited a few seconds, and then answered. “Fire, and smoke.” But she did not ask another riddle. The two turned towards the entrance, where they could here the sound of footsteps coming.