The Gnome's Children-Book #1 Bright Star Journals, Page 5

dressed in brilliant raiment. It was the Bright Star.

  He approached Edward and spoke, “Edward, you have denied me the three times as I predicted. Yet, Edward you are my beloved servant and I love you more than you know. Arise, my son, for we have work yet to do. Remember I am with you and that you are forgiven.”

  The vision vanished and Edward remembered where he was. He arose to his knees and knelt before the Vizier. His back straightened and his shoulders squared.

  “I will not tell you what you desire. I serve the Bright Morning Star and will serve no other!”

  Edward’s tormentor’s face contorted with rage and frustration. He too realized that something had happened to Edward on the floor.

  “Away with him,” snarled the Vizier. “We’ll deal with him in due time. Bring the gnome to me.”

  Groundfirm was brought to the Vizier and placed before him. He tried every trick he knew on Groundfirm from threatening, to cajoling, to actual beating and all did no good. The brave gnome uttered not a word.

  “We need to find out where the enemy is gathering,” he told the guards. “Place the gnome and boy in the dungeon and I will be down later to extract the necessary information,” ordered the Grand Vizier with a cruel smile.

  Meanwhile, while all these interrogations were going on in the council room, Heather was in her room feeling very sorry for herself.

  “Why did I ever agree to come here,” she wept. The tears flowed down her cheeks in large rivers and she sobbed. Suddenly, she saw the bright figure of her dream from the first night on the road. It was the Bright Morning Star.

  “Do not cry Heather. Come into my arms and be comforted.”

  Heather said she saw herself, in her mind’s eye, like a dream, go into the Morning Star’s arms. Immediately she felt at peace and was comforted.

  “I am not pleased with you Heather, because you did something you are not proud of,” stated the Bright Morning Star.

  “Yes, I did betray Edward and Groundfirm and I’m so ashamed!” cried Heather.

  “Isn’t there something more?” inquired the Bright Star.

  Heather started and remembered. He lie. She had told a lie about wanting to come and then had not asked the others to forgive her for her untruthfulness.

  “Oh, Bright Star, please forgive me for that!” pleaded Heather.

  “I already have, little Heather, but the consequences of even a little lie are never without penalty.”

  “You mean my betrayal was because of my lie?”

  “Let us say that the betrayal was partly due to the lie. Everything you say or do has effects now and in the future. Yet, you chose anger and betrayal toward Edward and Groundfirm. Do not despair though. You are still my beloved child and I have much yet for you to do. The Prince Logosian awaits you in the dungeon. Remember, I am with you always and will help you. Farewell for now, my beloved child.”

  Upon completing his last word, the vision faded and Heather became aware of little tickles on her hands and cheeks.

  HEATHER’S DUNGEON DESCENT

  IX

  Heather felt dozens of little flicks and became aware of dozens of little voices comforting her.

  “Don’t cry, Lady Heather. We’ll help you!” squeaked the mice.

  “Good friends, how glad I am to see you!” exclaimed Heather. “I am to help rescue the Prince, but how?”

  Suddenly she remembered the lyre.

  “Where is my lyre?” she inquired.

  “Over here, under the table,” volunteered the mice.

  “Oh, how wonderful! Now, if I play it I can put the guards to sleep and then perhaps you, friend mice, can get the keys to let me out?”

  “Play on, good lady, and we will have you free!”

  Heather strummed the lyre and the most beautiful music she had never heard came forth. She said it sounded like a day in spring and brought smells of fresh grass, new flowers, and the drone of bees. Soon, they heard a thump outside and then gentle snores came to their ears. The mice scampered under the door and secured the keys. Then, building a mouse chain one on top of each other, they managed to reach the keyhole and open the door.

  Heather peeked out and whispered, “Put some mouse guards down the hall and lead me to the dungeons.”

  The mice, with a quick squeak of understanding, trotted off to lead her to the dungeon. You have undoubtedly crept quietly through the woods or a house, but nothing could compare to the silence of padding mice feet. They glided past open doors, drowsy guards, and down darkened halls.

  At last, they came to the main dungeon door. It was guarded by three fierce looking soldiers with pikes, swords, and armour. Heather carefully unslung her lyre and began to play it. The guards’ heads began to droop as they fought to stay awake. Finally, they slumped to the ground with deep sighs and grunts as they came to rest. Quickly, the mice went to the guards, found the keys to the dungeon stairs, and gave them to Heather. Heather opened the door and peered down the passageway.

  From below came the dank, foul smell of the dungeons and the eerie glow of the torches. Each torch was on the side of the wall and hung from a large wrought iron bracket in a dim recess in the wall. The torches smoked horribly and had left big black smudges on the walls that added to the gloom. The steps appeared worn and the air came up cool and moist.

  Heather screwed up her courage and began the descent with the mice in the lead as scouts. Each step brought Heather closer to panic. She did not like caves or dark cold places. The huge spider webs on the walls only added to her fright as she envisioned spiders large enough to eat little girls. A group of bats squeaked over head and Heather almost shrieked in terror, but caught herself just in time. She kept repeating, “The Bright Star loves me and wants me to help Him.” Down, down she went, farther and farther into the bowels of the earth and down the stone steps as they circled to the left. It got cooler and cooler as she descended and she drew her gnome cloak tighter. It seemed to her to take hours to go down the steps.

  At last she hear voices. They were loud, raucous voices, laughing and joking. She paused and the mice squeaked to her that the guard post for the dungeons was just around the next bend. She tiptoed to the corner and peeked around it. What she beheld made her even more afraid. There were five guards with their tunics and helmets off, sitting hunched over a wooden table. They were yelling and appeared to be throwing something on the table with a clatter. There were frequent quarrels and often a player would roar with anger and pound the table.

  Over on the wall there was a peg with keys hanging on it. The ring had all the keys to all the cells in the dungeon. Heather once more shouldered her lyre and began to play. Heather once more shouldered her lyre and began to play. The players looked at each other strangely and soon slumped over the table. Heather raced over to the keys and took them off the hook.

  “Oh, which cells are Edward and Groundfirm in and which keys are the right ones?” Heather wailed. “Edward, Edward! Where are you?”

  “Over here, Heather!” came the muffled reply.

  “Where?” Heather asked again.

  “Down here, third cell from the end!” answered Edward.

  Heather fumbled with the keys and tried several in the door and none of them worked. She began to get frustrated.

  “I can’t find the right key!” replied Heather.

  “Steady lassie, steady,” came Groundfirm’s comforting voice.

  Heather finally found the key and opened the door. Edward was hanging by his wrists on the wall from some rusty looking iron manacles with his feet barely touching the floor. He looked disheveled and dirty, but otherwise unharmed.

  “Are you alright, Edward?” asked Heather anxiously.

  “Oh, they roughed me up a bit, but I’m not hurt.”

  “How is Groundfirm?” inquired Heather.

  “I think he is okay, but can we finish this talk later? These wrist irons are very uncomfortable.”

  Hea
ther glanced around and found a stool to stand on and reach the wrist irons. She fumbled with the keys and eventually opened the irons up. Edward dropped to the floor and rubbed his wrists ruefully.

  “Thanks for getting me out of those!” relayed Edward.

  “Now, we need to free Groundfirm and find the Prince,” stated Heather.

  “Groundfirm is next door. We’ve been talking a bit since the capture,” replied Edward.

  Meanwhile, the mice had been busy too. They had located the Prince’s cell down at the other enc of the hall. They came bounding and chirruped, “We’ve found the Prince, Lady Heather.” Their whiskers fairly quivered with excitement at the prospect of freeing the Prince.

  “First things first, friends,” replied Edward. “We need to free our friend Groundfirm first and then we will attend to Prince Logosian.”

  They speedily freed Groundfirm who proceeded to wrench his iron chains out of the wall with both hands so they would never bind again. Gnomes are noted for their great strength, especially when angered. The trio followed the mice down to the other end of the hall and opened the door. There on the wall, in manacles, hung the future King of Logoland.

  At first glance one was not impressed.

  Edward eclaimed, “Why, he is hardly older than me!”

  Heather added, “I thought the Prince was almost grown up?”

  Groundfirm sagely added, “Dinna judge a man by his appearance. After all, who would have thought about sendin’ half-grown man-cubs to free the Prince?”

  Both children looked at each other and felt a little ashamed and