The Grammarian: Chapter 3

The Grammarian

(previous chapters)
Chapter 1: In the Jaws of a Good Book
Chapter 2: Queens, Kings, and Princes

(current chapter)
Chapter 3: Ruler of the Literran Sky

"No way!" she gasped, staring incredulously at the small chasm that her reading had opened in the wall, all as she absentmindedly slipped her shirt back on and fumbled with the buttons. "I can't believe it worked! Could that hole really be the door I asked for?"

"Are you again clothed?" Edward asked her anxiously. "Am I free to turn 'round?"

"Yes, it's fine now," she replied with an impatient, dismissive wave at him. "If what just happened is any indication, this is just a dream anyway, so it wouldn't matter if I was ready or not, right?"

They crept to the hole and tried to peer into the inky blackness, but they were unable to see anything. Cat pushed a timid forearm inside the hole, checking to see how far back it went. She was unable to feel anything blocking it up to her elbow, at any rate. They would just have to steel their nerves and go inside.

"I can feel a breeze," Edward exclaimed, waving his hand in front of the opening. "The air is warmer; surely this passage will lead us outside!"

"There's only one way to find out," Cat replied, making a fierce effort to set aside her overwhelming disbelief that this reading hocus pocus was actually the big deal everyone was trying to make it out to be. "There's nothing else for it but to go in there, I guess."

Edward held an arm out to bar her path. "I should go first," he said with a stern frown at her. "It is my duty to see to it that you are kept safe; the livelihood of this land is at stake."

Cat didn't particularly want to argue with that idea, so she obediently backed up a bit and let him take the lead. She watched apprehensively as he took a few cautious steps into the five-foot tall hole, feeling ahead of him with his arms as he went. She followed closely behind him, every sense alert and her imagination running rampant with images of subterranean monsters and pitfalls. She would have liked to grab hold of his grubby shirt to ensure that she wouldn't lose him in the darkness, but she didn't want him to know how nervous she was, so she stubbornly resisted the urge. Stepping into the dark passage found them in a soft, earth-lined tunnel, and fortunately for Cat, it did not branch, so they were unable to lose one another in it. It seemed as though the entire thing sloped upward gradually, but there was no way to know for certain, as they had no light with which to judge the grade of their progress. The air was remarkably fresh and clean, despite the close confines of the tunnel, and as they made their way deeper and deeper, it became warmer and fresher. All at once, the tunnel took a sharp turn to the left, and as they rounded the corner, they found that they could see daylight streaming in through a vertical hole at the end of a long, straight passage.

"That must be our exit," Cat cried with relief. "That's definitely daylight!"

"Hush!" Edward ordered, placing a finger to his lips. He began to whisper. "We must be cunning and stealthy," he warned her. "We do not yet know where this tunnel shall lead us, nor if there are Suelian guards at the other end. If such is our misfortune, we don't want to alert them to our presence."

"I should think they'd already be alerted to the sudden appearance of a nice, big hole in the ground if they were up there," Cat grumbled silently as she tiptoed behind him. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to be cautious, though." They crept along until they were only feet away from the hole, listening intently for any sounds to indicate that there were people waiting for them outside. When they heard nothing but the twitters of birds and the gentle whoosh of a very light breeze through tree boughs, Edward turned toward her and made a halting hand gesture at her. He pointed at himself and then at the hole, signifying that he was going to check it out. Cat nodded, trying hard to keep a cool head and a conscious bean on what was really happening. It was so hard to keep from imagining that they were acting out some kind of covert spy operation. She held her breath as Edward stepped out into the bright column of light and poked his head up out of the hole to look around, squinting in the starkly different brightness of the light.

As he stepped into the light, she saw him clearly for the first time, and she was surprised by how good-looking he was, despite his rugged and scruffy condition from being locked up for so long. He was definitely young – probably no older than she – but he had the look and movements of someone who was accustomed to a hardy lifestyle. The dark, shaggy mop of hair on his head was mussed and matted as though it hadn't seen either comb or wash in weeks, and his face was mottled with facial hair and dirty smudges. His eyes looked rather sunken and dark, whether from lack of sleep or something else, she didn't know. Nevertheless, he had a face that made her want to look at it again; it was interesting, and despite its current flaws, it was also decidedly handsome.

The clothes he wore were much less interesting, but by no means unworthy of observation. He wore a ragged and torn brown cloak, with the hood apparently ripped open. Underneath he wore a simple tan jerkin-like jacket over the top of a somewhat yellowed, loose-fitting white shirt. The ensemble was made complete with the addition of brown breeches and shin-length leather boots. He had nothing on him in the way of pouches, knives, or leathers, so she figured that if he'd had any, they must have been confiscated. He certainly didn't look as grand and fine as she thought a prince ought to look, but then again, nothing in the world had seemed to make sense yet anyway, and prince or not, she was glad to at least have one person looking out for her interests. She wondered again how long he had been incarcerated. She hoped he hadn't been treated too badly. She was beginning to kind of like him. At the very least, he was being a lot nicer to her than the rest of the people she'd met here had been.

"It appears we have arrived just outside the exterior walls of the palace," he explained in a hushed, decidedly pleased tone as he returned to the darkness of the tunnel. "There are usually sentries on the walls, but I can see none from this angle. We are at the edge of the Suelian woods; I think if we hurry, we can rush into the cover of the trees and escape. Once we make it through that wood, we will be out of Suelia and better able to return to my people. It won't take long for the guards to notice our absence, however, so we must hurry. Our enemies shall know whence we have gone as soon as they lay eyes upon your work."

"I think I have an idea!" she cried. "Hang on a second!"

She stepped out into the light with him and used her finger to poke some words into the cool, damp earth lining the tunnel wall. "I'll close us off to throw them off our trail," she explained. "When I finish reading, we'll want to get out of here and start running for the woods!"

"An excellent idea!" he exclaimed, laughing merrily as he forgot all about being stealthy in his delight. "If they come back to find an empty cell with no visible signs of our escape, they'll spend all their time searching the palace! Quickly! We may not have a moment to spare!"

"Finished!" she cried. "Here goes!" She backed up a bit so that she could be ready to climb out of the hole when she was finished. "The queen used this one, so I'll use it too!" Smirking triumphantly, she began to read. "Let that which has been read go unread! The world's latest reading goes unsaid!"

The effect was more immediate than they had anticipated. All at once, the tunnel began to shrink and close in around them, and the hole shrank with it. Like a wildcat, Edward leaped up and scrambled out of the hole. He immediately reached an arm back in to grab onto Cat's arm, hoisting her up. Their timing was nearly too late, as the hole closed in around her feet, trapping them in a hard conglomeration of soil, rocks, and matted roots.

"Ow!" she yelped aloud, as the weight of the compressed earth nearly crushed her feet. Edward clamped a hand over her mouth and held a finger to his lips before pointing at the parapet of the nearby palace battlement. Cat glanced up to see a guard lazily strolling past, still unaware of their presence. Her eyes widened and she froze, hardly daring to breathe as the armored man turned a corner and left their sight.

"We must be silent and fast," Edward whispered. "Help me dig out your feet."

They began clawing and scraping at the tough, grassy earth with their bare fingers, but almost immediately, Cat began to feel the familiar dizziness from before, only this time it was much stronger. She wobbled noticeably, planting her hands apart wide to steady herself. "I feel weird," she breathed faintly. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"What are...? Lady Catherine!" he whispered fiercely, catching her as she lost her balance entirely and fell forward. "What is happening to you?"

"I... I don't know!" she cried, trying to stave off the dizziness by closing her eyes. "All of the sudden the world just started twirling around on me. I don't know what's going on!"

"It may be the work of the queen!" Edward cried. He savagely flung away clods of dirt and grass from around her feet, and he yanked at her shins, dislodging first one foot and then after considerable difficulty, the second.  She had lost one shoe in the process, but he didn't seem to care, and she was too woozy to realize it. "We must flee immediately! She may have detected our escape already!"

"I dunno," Cat groaned, clutching at her head as it began to ring and throb. "She would have done something to you too. Maybe it has something to do with that spell I read. What kind of effect does reading have on people here?"

"I... I do not know," he replied hesitantly, helping her to her feet and shaking his head in dismay as she teetered unsteadily. He glanced up at the parapet and noticed that the guard was coming back. Without another word, he scooped her into his arms and took off at a full sprint toward the tree line less than a hundred feet away from them.

"Hey!" she shrieked at him, grabbing at his neck to steady herself. "What's the big idea? I'm not some rag doll here!"

"Forgive my impertinence, but time is of the essence," he panted, gripping her tightly around the shoulders and knees as he ran. "There will be time to test whether your legs shall carry you after we are safely hidden. Until then, I beg you suffer the indignity a while longer."

She didn't answer him, but she couldn't help thinking that as embarrassing as it was, it was also kind of exhilarating. She'd never been carried like this before, and it was the kind of romantic gesture she'd read plenty about, but had never really thought of experiencing firsthand. As her dizziness gradually left her and her headache subsided, she was again able to think more clearly. Being carried like this was much rougher and more jostling than she would have expected, and when they were at last some twenty or thirty feet into the woods, and he set her on her feet, she found herself relieved that the experience was over.

"Are you... well?" he panted, resting his hands on his knees and breathing heavily from his exertions. She wasn't really overweight, but she wasn't exactly a pile of feathers either. She stared anxiously at him, taking note of the pallor of his face and the way his limbs were shaking. He didn't look like he was in any condition to be carrying anything any distance at all. It must've really drained him.

"I'm better now," she assured him. "Are you all right? You look like you've just run a marathon or something."

"It's nothing," he said quickly, straightening up and taking a few more deep breaths. "I'm a little tired; that's all. I would imagine that a week without food or a decent night's rest would do that to anyone."

"A week?" Cat exclaimed, widening her eyes and staring incredulously at him. "They kept you in that filthy, moldy cell for a whole week? Chained up? No food?" He nodded, and she covered her mouth with her hand, utterly mortified. "Geez... I had no idea... Shouldn't we find someplace safe and let you rest? At the very least we need to find something to eat! I'm not really hungry, but you look like you could keel over at any moment!"

"I've endured worse before," he chuckled, smiling at her in thanks for her concern. "Besides, there is no safe place for quite some distance. We have no choice but to move on for now. My strength has sufficiently returned. Can you run?"

"I suppose so, but don't you think we ought to take it easier than that? I don't think we should risk having you collapse from overexertion; I doubt I could carry you the way you did me."

"I'm afraid we have no choice," he replied with a frown and a shake of his head. "Do not be concerned, however; I have been conserving my strength for just such an opportunity. Come! We fly!" he grabbed her wrist and took off, nearly jerking her arm out of its socket as he jerked her along with him. The strength and speed with which he propelled them forward was amazing, to say the least, and it was all she could do to keep up with him. She tried yelling in protest, but her cries fell on deaf ears. He seemed determined to run as fast and as far as he could all in one go, and he wasn't going to even listen to an ounce of reason.

They sprinted through the forest like this for several minutes, and it wasn't at all as easy as she had thought running through a forest would be, even if she hadn't thought it particularly easy to begin with. He led her over brambles and around trees, stepping nimbly through the rough terrain as she stumbled and tripped repeatedly on tree roots, sticks, and rocks. It would have been bad enough without having to deal with only one shoe, but the foot without one quickly became scratched and bruised by all the sticks and rocks it encountered on the ground. Living the sedentary lifestyle she had before coming here did not lend much skill to her ability to run, either. Before long at all, she was thoroughly winded and sore, and to add insult to injury, he seemed to be no worse for wear than when they had started.

It was hardly any time at all before she was so out of breath that she couldn't even summon enough vocal power to beg him to stop. All those years of sitting idle in her chair, reading her books – it was all coming back to haunt her. She was weak and sorely out of shape, and it only took a short race with prince Edward to tell her just how severe it was. She would have tripped and fallen on her face many times, were it not for Edward's quickness to yank her upright again. He was running like a man possessed, panting and baring his teeth like a wolf, his eyes searching every direction for danger while he ran. It was as though he expected an enemy to pop out at them from behind every bush or tree trunk, and it was quickly getting on Cat's angry, frazzled nerves.

She couldn't take it anymore. She'd never run so hard in her life – not even for gym class in school, which she'd hated, of course. Her legs buckled beneath her and she fell hard, slamming both knees into a gnarled tree root and nearly yanking Edward over backward in the process. She would have let out a yell in response to the jarring pain, but she was too winded to do more than gasp for air. Edward whirled around and glared at her, as though she had done it on purpose.

"You are the most insufferable creature I've ever met!" he snapped at her, breathing hard. "Can't you even manage to run the meager distance of this forest without finding every blasted obstacle in this place with your clumsy feet? Those are legs you're sporting, aren't they? You're sure they aren't really stuffed with straw?"

She lifted her head and shot him a smoldering look, panting hard and digging her fingers into the ground as she tried to summon enough breath and wit to shoot him a snarky comeback. As it was, however, she was finding both breath and wit in short supply at the moment. She wanted to punch him. How dare he criticize her inability to negotiate terrain she'd never even seen before? She wasn't the one who had wanted to go sprinting through the wild in the first place, and by all rights, he should be the one gasping for air, not her. Where did he get off being so capable, when he'd just spent a starving, sleepless week holed up in that awful dungeon?

"It can't be helped; I'll just have to carry you again," he growled in frustration. "Come here." He moved forward to grab her arm, and she swatted his hand away, forcing herself to ignore her screaming legs and clamber to her feet.

"Keep your hands off of me," she wheezed furiously. "I don't need to be carried around like some toddler! I have legs and I'll use 'em; I just don't run enough to keep up that kind of pace for very long. What are you anyway, a deer? No one's supposed to have that kind of stamina! You big jerk!" She glared at him with a contemptuous, wheezing growl, and he glared back in equal measure.

"If we want to be out of the wood by sundown, we have to be quick about it. This place is not safe for us to tarry in for too long. The queen has spies everywhere, and the longer we take to put distance between ourselves and her, the more difficult it shall be to elude her!"

"Well, I can't keep running forever!" she snarled at him. "Just how long do we have to go? How big is this forest, anyway?"

"We're moving southward, and it is nearly twenty pages long in that direction," he shot back, glancing back the way they had come and then up at the sun, which was close to forty degrees above the horizon. "If we maintain the pace I've been trying to maintain, it will take us two or three hours to reach the other end. If we walk, it shall take us well beyond nightfall. We do not want to be in the woods at night."

"What the heck is a page?" she huffed. "On second thought, never mind. I'm sure it's longer than I care to know. I can't keep running like this anyway, and I won't let you carry me any more, either. We're just going to have to find a better way to get through this forest."

"Well! Such a thing should be a mere trifle, shouldn't it? After all, you're the all-powerful, magical reader!" he cried, kneeling before her in mock obsequience. "O great reader! I pray, devise some means of transport for us and deliver us from our exertions!"

Cat stamped her foot angrily. "Ooh!" she shrieked at him, baring her teeth and snatching a stick from the ground as she seriously entertained the tempting prospect of whacking him right between his condescending eyes. "Fine!" she snarled, flashing angry, defiant eyes at him and gripping the stick tightly. "You think you've seen reading today? Well, you haven't seen anything yet, buster! Just stand aside and shut up before I turn you into a toad or a mosquito or something!"

Snarling savagely as he cowered away from her, bowing and wringing his hands in mock terror, she began to pace back and forth, trying hard to think of what she could write to ensure that they would pass through the woods safely, but at the same time would not be tracked easily if the queen managed to get lucky and figure out how they had gotten out of the castle. She shot her annoying audience a smug glance as she felt certain that he hadn't thought of that. Their frenzied, clumsy rush had surely left a very visible trail, and if that prissy missy had any hunters in her employ, she'd easily be able to retrace their steps. Cat wondered if there was a way for them to travel through the trees, so as not to leave tracks on the ground. As she thought and pondered her dilemma, she gradually began to let go of her anger and frustration, and she pored more of her energy into solving this perplexing problem.

"The problem as I see it," she mused aloud, thoughtfully tapping her chin with one end of the stick, "is that if we remain on the ground, we'll leave a trail for them to follow. We closed up the tunnel, but that might not stall her as much as we'd hope. If she has some sort of spell for repeating my last reading, she'll figure it out well enough. Then they'll come after us, and it'll only be a matter of time, assuming they have anything better or faster than pursuing on foot."

Edward nodded in agreement. "Indeed. The thought had occurred to me as well," he replied, causing her to grit her teeth and send him an annoyed glare. "They shall be on horseback, no doubt. With the way you were flopping and stumbling about, it wouldn't take a very seasoned tracker to find our trail and follow it."

"Yeah, so we need to do something that doesn't involve running on the ground," she snapped at him. "That much is obvious. I wonder... do you have dragons here in Literra?"

"Dragons?" he asked, staring blankly at her. "What is a dragon?"

"Never mind then," she sighed irritably. "What about birds? What are the largest birds you have in this land?"

"I have seen falcons and eagles with wings longer than my own arms," he replied. "They could conceivably carry a child or a small beast, but definitely not one of us."

"Well then," she replied, grinning as an idea came to her at last, "let's see how this reading thing is at changing the limits of nature." After brushing the dead leaves, pebbles, and sticks out of her way on a large section of the ground, she used her stick to scratch out a detailed description of what she had envisioned. After reading it to herself a few times to ensure that she was specific and left no room for ambiguity, she was satisfied enough to try it. "Here goes," she sighed. "I sure hope I don't get all light-headed again when I do this. This might be a little startling if it works," she added, glancing at him and furrowing her brow in warning. "But if this does what I want, we won't have to worry about leaving a trail any longer."

She took a few deep breaths and steadied her nerves. She hoped she wouldn't make an idiot of herself and dance for joy – or even worse, scream with fright – if she was actually able to pull this one off. "A great eagle of prodigious size and strength - strength enough to easily carry two full-grown people - is now the ruler of the sky of Literra. His name is Jules. I am his creator, and he does my bidding willingly and gladly. I now bid him to come to us and carry both Prince Edward and me safely to the Commas. Come forth, king of the sky! Your creator commands you!"

She was actually rather proud of the dramatic, creative way she had composed her spell. She was also eager to see if the act of reading in this world gave her the kind of power she would need to create such a magnificent life form out of nothingness. However, she was not to find out for some time, as once she finished reading, she immediately collapsed, crumpling to the ground with a rather unladylike grunt. Edward cried out in alarm, but his attention was immediately removed from her prone body upon hearing a piercing squall from above, and he looked up to see a large shadow descending upon them from above the treetops. A rain of sticks fell down on both of them as a huge, gray eagle dropped down through the thick foliage. It landed with a heavy "whump" sound mere feet away from Catherine, shaking the loose twigs and branches from his feathers before cocking his head to one side and eying first her, and then Edward in turn very critically with a large, bright eye.

Edward grabbed a heavy, club-like stick from the ground and leaped to Catherine's side, quickly putting himself between her and the ferocious-looking beast, his instincts telling him not to trust such a fearsome creature any more than he could lift it. "Away!" he barked, brandishing the stick and baring his teeth. "Away with you, foul monster!"

"Monster?!" the bird cried in a deep, rumbling voice, ruffling his plumage indignantly. "How dare you refer to the king of the sky in such an insolent manner? If my creator had not bidden me to carry you safely, I would be sorely tempted to fly you up, up, up and then drop you on the rocks like a turtle! Stop waving that silly stick at me and do try to compose yourself, fledgling!"

"You speak!" Edward gasped, still unwilling to drop his weapon, but so astonished that he lowered it unconsciously. "So it's true then... her reading has come to pass!"

"Indeed. I am Jules, ruler of all who fly, glide, and soar," the bird exclaimed, extending his wings impressively. "I have come to perform my duty in the service of Catherine, my creator. It puzzles me that she herself does not get up to greet me. Why does she lay so stupidly on the ground behind you? Is she not pleased with her creation?"

"Lady Catherine!" Edward exclaimed again, dropping the stick and whirling around. "I had quite forgotten in my alarm; she has been stricken down!" He knelt at her side and placed his hand over her mouth to feel for her breath. Jules hopped closer to get a better look. Edward sighed with relief, and his tensed shoulders sagged a little. "She lives," he told the great bird, shaking his head, "but I do not know when she will awaken. She is so cold," he added with a gasp, touching her cheek and noting with alarm the pallor of her skin and the lack of warmth there. "We must hurry. I do not know what ailment plagues her, but something must be done immediately. I've no choice but to trust in her abilities, and put faith in the belief that you will fulfill her reading, great Jules. I beg you to take us safely to my people. If you do not know the way, I shall direct you."

"Oho! So it is 'great Jules' now, and not 'monster,' is it?" the eagle chuckled, turning his back toward them and crouching low, brushing his tail on the ground to give Edward easy access to his feathery back. "It is well that you have made such a choice, fledgling of Man. I am likely to be far more capable than one as new from the shell as you."

It took a lot of willpower to ignore his remark, especially since Edward knew for a fact that he was many years the vain fowl's senior. However, this was no time for idle quibbling; lady Catherine was in danger. He lifted her unconscious body into his arms and hoisted her up onto Jules' back. This was no simple task, as the body of the great, gray bird was quite large, and it took a considerable bit of effort to keep the girl from sliding off as he clambered over her and pulled her up into the space between the wings. He hesitated for a moment, as he wasn't sure how to best position her so that he could keep a firm hold on both her and the bird.

Sensing his indecision, Jules offered a suggestion. "I could carry her in my talons. I can be as gentle with them as a hammock, you know."

"I'd rather keep her sheltered from as many drafts as I can," Edward replied, frowning and scratching his bristly chin. "She's already chilled to the bone. I suppose if I hold her down with my own body, it would also serve to warm her. If we keep her between your body and mine, we could do more good for her up here. My only concern is how difficult it shall be for me to maintain a firm hold upon your back. I've seen large birds take flight before, and it is not a steady process."

"Very astute, boy. I shall be as careful as I can, but surrounded by so many trees, I am bound to brush against them on my way up, and that shall likely be rather jarring to you both. Can you hold fast to my feathers? You needn't worry about hurting me; I'm more durable than any of the birds you've seen before."

"I shall certainly have to," Edward sighed. "I must implore you to avoid turning somersaults or rolling, though."

Laughing, Jules stood upright and spread his wings. "I am ready whenever you are, fledgling. We shall ascend when you give the word."

Gritting his teeth and positioning Cat so that she was on her stomach, he pressed himself against the back of her body and grabbed fistfuls of feathers on either side of him, anchoring himself as best as he could. His head rested against her neck, and his feet well past hers. Even lying flush with the gray bird's spine in this way, there was much room between their heads and Jules' neck; likewise, there was plenty of area from the tips of their feet to the base of his tail. Instinctively, Edward knew that if he kept himself pressed tightly against the bird's gently sloping back, it would be easiest to keep from blowing off. He hoped the same would be true for any blows caused by collisions with the trees.

"I am ready," he said at last. "Once we are airborne, will it be simple for me to sit upright without fear of her rolling off?"

"Oh yes. I fly much more steadily once I'm aloft, and the winds are fairly calm today."

"Good. I shall need to be able to see in order to direct you to where my people are hiding. Let's be off, then."

Letting out a shrill cry, Jules beat his powerful wings and stirred up a rush of leaves and soil as he sent gust after gust of air downward. He leapt into the air, and although he rose slowly, he gradually picked up speed as he ascended. His beating wings created a fierce bobbing motion, making Edward very uncomfortable indeed as he clung tenaciously to the thick feathers. With every downward bob, his legs came away from the beast, and so did Catherine's. It was a perilous situation, and when Jules' body tilted upward and began to scrape against the treetops, Edward very nearly lost his grip. The hard branches scraped violently against him, and one of them landed a smart blow to the top of his head, which was less than welcome. However, once they were clear of the trees, he had only to hold on and wait for Jules to reach a steady altitude, as the bobbing motion was the only hindrance.

Trying not to concentrate on how much the scraping tree limbs had caused his head, back, and arms to ache and sting, he found himself contemplating the smell of lady Catherine's hair. It was an odd thing to do, but as he was in such close proximity to her head and neck, it was altogether unavoidable. It was a pleasant smell, which reminded him vaguely of flowers and vanilla. He could feel her body getting warmer by the second, and it was a great relief to him. He hoped that she would recover quickly.

"In a few moments, you will be able to move about more freely," Jules called out above the whistling wind. "I am going to take us up another few flaps before entering the thermal up ahead. Then we may circle and glide while you get your bearings."

"Good, good!" Edward cried. "Many thanks!" He had no idea what a thermal was, but he knew what Jules had referred to by circling and gliding. Many was the time he had seen congregations of large birds circling together in the sky, and he had often wondered why they did that. Perhaps it was to get the lay of the land, as they were about to do.

Jules entered the warm updraft he had mentioned, and then he leveled off into a lazy glide, using the rising air currents to keep him at a fairly constant altitude as he circled. It took a lot of energy to take off, and using a thermal to maintain altitude was a good way to conserve energy, as well as allow Edward to view the land and give him directions. As a bird, his instincts prompted him to use thermals in this manner, but as a sentient being created by Catherine, he also understood the logic behind it. He could feel the tiny man clinging so tightly to his back, and if his sharp, curved beak had afforded him the ability to smile, he would have done so out of pity. Humans were such frail things. It really was unfortunate that they hadn't been created with the same degree of perfection to which birds had.

"There we are," he said at last. "You should be able to view the world much more clearly now, son of Man. Venture forth and see it through an eagle's eye!"

Finding the ride much more smooth and level now, Edward cautiously raised his head and let go of Jules' feathery back with one hand, using it to prop himself up on his hands and knees. Grabbing onto one of Catherine's wrists, he crept forward so that he could look beyond Jules' wings and over his neck to the world below. He gasped at what he saw. It was all so very small; it was like looking at one of the most detailed maps ever created. They were some eight or nine thousand feet up in the air, so they could see quite a bit from their vantage point in the sky. He forced himself to overcome his awe and concentrate on what he could see.

"There is Evenschille," he muttered aloud, pointing to it with his free hand and searching around near it. "The Suelian woods are there, and we have gone south from there, which is good. We shall need to continue south until we can see the Paragraph River. My people are hiding behind the waterfall at the base of the mountain, where the river begins. Do you know of this place?"

"I have only just been created," Jules replied, ruffling his feathers in an almost indignant manner, "and I know only what my creator knows. She does not know this place, so I do not. You shall have to keep watch and alert me when we arrive."

"Very well," he sighed. "I beg your pardon, great one. It was not my intention to imply any flaws in your design. Indeed, I offer you my thanks. Without your aid, we would surely have been found by the queen before nightfall. I only regret that your creator can not see the noble beast her reading has created."

Jules uttered a sound that was a combination between a chuckle and a low screech. "You know how to flatter one. I take it your flattery was lost on Queen Mary Sue?"

"Aye. She is beautiful, proud, and most definitely cunning. My father and I both feigned love for her when we were captured, and it did us little good. She used her power to divine our true intentions, and she had us tossed into separate dungeons. It wasn't until later, only a day before lady Catherine arrived, that I learned of the unfortunate fate of the king. At least I can rest easy in the knowledge that he had not given her any secrets, else I would have shared his fate."

Jules gave a beaky clucking sound. "It's a bad business, isn't it? What exactly is she trying to do to this world?"

"She is a vile woman with the most abominable ambitions! Shortly after she became queen of Suelia, she acquired a very powerful weapon, and with it, she has been wreaking havoc on all of the other clans of Literrans. One by one, she is winning them over to her side – whether by threat of violence or some other means, I know not – and it is only the Punctuates who remain to oppose her. We have been forced from our homes and into hiding, for fear of being attacked by those loyal to her.  We are not as powerful as the clans she has in her sway, so at best, we can only plot subterfuge and mercenary missions. That is why the arrival of lady Catherine is so important. She will provide us with an ally who is equal to or even better than the queen in terms of reading ability. She must surely be the Grammarian of legend. There is no other explanation for her appearance in Literra."

"This is all a bit much to digest," Jules complained. "I wonder if my creator is truly this legendary figure you seek. I find it unlikely that she would believe it to be so, herself."

"We shall see," Edward said with a frown. "Once I get her to my people, we can find out for sure. One thing is certain, though; she is far safer with us than she is with the queen. It is almost a blessing that I was captured, as I was able to help us escape. Were I not in the cell with her, there is no way of knowing how long she would have remained alive. Surely the queen would have remembered the old legends, and had her destroyed just in case."

They flew on for quite some time more, occasionally exchanging words when Jules asked Edward about odd land formations and towns below. All through the ride, Catherine didn't stir even once, and although her color looked better and she wasn't as cold, Edward was nevertheless anxious to get her in the care of the Comma physician. It seemed like an eternity, but it was really only three quarters of an hour before they could see Mount Paragraph, and snaking its way westward from the mountain was the Paragraph River.

"There it is," Edward cried, pointing to the mountain. "That is our destination, Jules! That mountain and the river at its base are where we want to be. Fly as close as you can to the riverbank, and try to find a place to land near the waterfall."

"You have posted sentries at the entrance, am I correct?" Jules asked, staring critically at the uninhabited-looking area at the base of the large cataract. "Will they try to attack when they see me?"

"Possibly," he replied with an honest shrug, "but if we are swift enough, they will see me before they get the chance. I shall have to trust to your landing ability, great eagle. As soon as I am able, I shall leap to the ground and present myself to them. Lady Catherine shall be in your care in the meanwhile."

"Very well. I would suggest that you hold fast to my back, as I shall dive and hasten our descent when we approach the mountain. When I cry out, it will be safe for you to jump."

"I suppose that is the only way," he sighed dejectedly. "Very well. I shall be ready." He took his former position atop Catherine's back, and he gave the signal to Jules, who was already circling in preparation for his dive.

Without a sound, they plummeted downward, as Jules tucked his wings in toward his body and folded his tail straight behind him. The wind screamed past them, and Edward could never remember being so frightened. It felt to him as though they were falling uncontrollably, and he was unable to turn his face away as he watched the ground rush up from beneath them, racing ever faster the closer they came. Just before he would have screamed at the blasted bird to take them back up again, Jules flung his wings open wide and caught the rush of air in his feathers, swooping them in a harmless arc away from the ground. They fell backward, and Jules changed the tilt of his wings to slow their descent further, just in time to land upon the pebbly riverbank and let out a harsh cry.

Feeling quite dazed and shaken, Edward scrambled off of Catherine and rolled awkwardly down Jules' back and tail before landing on his hands and feet on the cold, wet pebbles. He was just in time to hear the cries of alarm from his men behind the waterfall. His feet slid a little in the slippery rocks, but he hastily ran around in front of Jules, waving his arms to attract the sentries' attention before giving the gently curving hand signal that meant friend to his people. A slurry of rough-looking guards and men armed with farm implements came rushing out along the path behind the waterfall, and when they reached the riverbank, one of them pointed to him and hollered that the prince had returned.

The effect this statement had on the mob was dramatic. They came rushing forward, crying aloud with a combination of joy, anxiety, and excitement. They stopped some fifteen feet away, apparently not joyous enough to get within striking range of the great bird behind their leader, but grinning at him all the same with eager, relieved faces.

"You have returned to us at last!" an older man bearing tarnished, dented armor exclaimed. "Does this mean that you have succeeded in your mission to slay the evil queen?"

"Where is King Henry?" cried a man near the back of the crowd. "And what is that fearsome-looking beast behind you?"

"This is no place to hold a conference," Edward said gravely, trying to retain his composure, despite his utter relief to find his men alive and well. "I shall explain all, but first we must return to the safety of the cave. I have brought with me a guest who needs medical attention." He turned and waited patiently for Jules to lie down and give him better access to his back. "This is the king of the sky, Jules. He is the one who delivered me and my guest from the queen's domain. He is to be given anything he desires from our provisions, for he has done us a greater service than either I or my father have."

Edward climbed upon his back and gently lifted Catherine into his arms before leaping down again. Jules stood upright, fluffing his plumage in agitation. "I'll take nothing of the sort," he exclaimed. "You people must not have much in the way of provisions if you are forced to live in a cave! I can fend for myself; I need no handouts from such hard-looking fledglings. In fact, if you are in as dire a situation as you look, I could offer you my services in locating some fresh meat and fish. I am an expert hunter, and I can easily catch more than my share. If you wish to employ my services in such a fashion, you need only have Catherine ask me. If she asks, I shall hear."

"I do not have words to express the extent of my thanks to you, great king," Edward exclaimed, bowing his head reverently. "When the Lady Catherine created you, she truly gave this world its noblest beast. May you prosper and flourish in our skies!"

Seeing their prince show the bird such reverence had quite an effect on the anxious, impatient men behind him. Every one did as he did, and some even took off their hats. Bowing his head at them in return, Jules let out a shrill cry and beat his wings, kicking up much cold, wet gravel as he ascended into the air and flew downriver, filling the sky with his proud cries.

"Wonders never cease," the older, armored man who had spoken earlier commented. "Is this the guest that you mentioned, your highness?"

"Yes," he replied, turning around and looking down at her. "Her name is Catherine of Richards. She has been spirited into our world from parts unknown, and she created that noble beast you saw moments ago. I owe my life to her, and it is vital that we get her inside as quickly as possible. She has been stricken by a mysterious affliction, and I need to have her seen by Conrad at once. However, I must beseech everyone present not to divulge her presence here to the people. I shall do so myself in due time, but until I do, it will be well for all if her existence remains a secret. They say the queen has ears even in this part of the world."

There was much excited whispering and murmuring as the crowd parted to allow Edward through, following closely after him and watching the trees for any signs of danger. They hadn't gone far when the prince stumbled, falling to one knee and apparently struggling to keep his hold on his precious cargo.

"Your highness!" cried the armored guard, rushing forward. "What ails you, my lord? Shall I carry her for you?"

"Thank you, Finley," Edward grunted, shaking his head as he fought against his obvious fatigue. "Yes, take her. Don't be alarmed; I am all right. It's just that I have not slept or eaten for some time, and it is only now starting to hinder me. Quickly; take her to Conrad, and I shall follow."

"This won't do," the thick-set, grizzled man muttered. "You need to see the physician as much as she, my liege. You've been injured; that mop of black hair you inherited from your father does little to hide the blood shed from your wound. Carson! Shriver! Help his highness inside!"

Two young, burly-looking men came forward and each took one of Edward's arms over his shoulders. So great was the young prince's weariness that he did not even protest as they helped him to his feet and led him inside. The relief of making it home without losing more than he had was enough to relax him right to sleep. He knew that he would not be afforded the luxury right away, however. He was going to have to inform the Comma council about what had transpired on his mission. He only wished he had brought enough good news to offset the tragedy of the loss of his father. The man had been a hero, and he had been the most courageous, beloved leader the Commas had seen for generations. The news of his death would be a terrible blow to the morale and general well-being of their people.

The next hour was a hectic one for Edward. He had called an emergency meeting of the council, which had to be held in the room they used for the injured, as the physician had insisted that his wound be treated at once. While he was being doctored and inspected, he filled the council elders in on the events of the past three weeks. He and his father had been on their way to the land of the Colons in hopes that they could hire an assassin to help them infiltrate Evenschille and kill the queen of the Sues. However, when they had arrived, they had found the entire town and castle completely deserted, save for a large mob of Suelian soldiers lying in wait. It had just so happened that the Colons had anticipated the attack that the queen had been planning on their city, and they had fled to their own secret enclaves in the Modifier Mountains just before the first wave of Suelian troops had arrived to storm the gates. Finding the city deserted, the Queen had left a large company of troops there to maintain control of the city, as well as to apprehend anyone who "came visiting," as she had put it. King Henry and Prince Edward had been captured, and when brought before the queen, they had been entirely unable to deny their identities, as she had known the faces of her enemies well.

When he told them about his learning of his father's death, the council elders were understandably quite devastated. Some of the older men wept openly, while others gritted their teeth and made terrible faces in their anger. When asked how he had managed to escape, Edward told them about Catherine, and how she had helped them to escape, being sure not to leave out the amazing things she had done without even being familiar with the effects of reading in Literra.

"It is a sad thing that we have lost such a wonderful king," Elder Briggs sighed. "However, this girl may be the answer to our problem in the end. She could very well be the Grammarian of legend. It's a wonder that the queen did not kill her as soon as she learned of her ability to read. We must do all we can to protect her from the queen's wrath."

The other elders all nodded solemnly, as the legend of the Grammarian was well-known to all the Comma people, and to the elders even more so.

"How does she fare?" Edward asked Conrad, the royal physician. "Is she gravely ill?"

"I do not think so, sire," the white-haired, paunchy man replied, turning away from the cot upon which they'd lain Catherine. He smiled. "She has all the symptoms of mere fatigue. You share a great many of them with her, you know. My recommendation is to let the both of you get a long, healthy sleep. If you have nothing else to add to this council meeting, I would like to shoo these gentlemen out of here so as to afford you both your rest."

"We shall go and inform the people about what has happened to their leader," Briggs told them, frowning and shaking his head. "I shan't tell them about Lady Catherine just yet, as we must needs alert the Lore Master and have him witness her abilities for himself. We don't want to raise false hopes." He and the others bowed before leaving the room, their footsteps echoing off of the cave walls as they left.

Conrad sat down between the prince and Catherine, sighing and shaking his head. "What an ordeal. The loss of your father shall make the people uneasy, my lord. You must be prepared to do anything you can to instill confidence in them."

"It shall be difficult in such uncertain times," Edward sighed, shutting his eyes and lying back on his pillow, wincing as his bandaged head began to throb. "But you are right, of course. I'm certainly not my father, but if I want to keep the hopes of our people alive, I must do what I can to fill his shoes. Keep watch over her, Conrad," he mumbled, feeling drowsiness gradually envelop every part of his body and take him away to sleep. "She is the most important girl in all the world to us right now. Guard her with your very life."

"Aye."