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The Lost Stars ChronicleChapter 30: Unwelcome
“Right this way sir! Eh, mind the ceiling here, it’s a bit low.”
The man with the torch ducked as he led Gib through the dungeons of castle Orlan, “I must say, you are lucky to have come to me. I doubt anyone else knew he was down here. Now I believe, and I’m not sure, but I believe that he was brought in by those bloody Falcons some time after the war. Some scheme to promote local contentment or something by giving the people some entertainment.”
“Entertainment?” Gib questioned, “What do you mean?”
“Well...well you know. Entertainment. Where they put the bear in a pen and pit him against a couple of hounds or sometimes even a bull. They call it bear baiting, I believe. Usually the bear won’t make it through his first match, but if he does all it means is that he’s set for a rematch later on. How this guy got left down here I wouldn’t know, though if I had to guess I’d say that he was probably forgotten about in the confusion of the prince’s return.
“I was with him of course, when we kicked out the bloody Falcons and it was only a few day ago that I happened upon your friend. I tried to give him food a couple of times and nearly got my arm bitten off twice. Of course with the food shortage and all, we were fixing on turning him into stew. However...if you have some claim to him... Ah, here we are, he’s in there.”
The guard pointed into a deep, black, cell. It was dark inside, the light of the torch failed utterly in it's attempt to penetrate the wall of blackness. Gib could hear some muffled snuffling noises in the back, but nothing else could be distinguished in the blackness.
“Let me in.” Gib said.
“Are you sure?” asked the guard, “It might be dangerous. We haven’t opened this door since we found it.”
“I'm sure.” Gib responded.
The guard fitted a key into the lock and turned it till it clicked. For a moment, all was silent. Then Gib reached for the handle. There was a terrible rasping sound of bear claws on the stone floor and suddenly it came into view. A huge mass of brown fur, hurling through the air. The cell door exploded as Grizzle burst forth. Gib was hurled through the air, hitting a wall and collapsing onto the floor. The guard dropped his torch and ran, blindly down the passage way, screaming bloody murder. Gib struggled to regain his senses, hoisting himself up only to see the enormous, haggard form of Grizzle leering over him. Huge and terrible, he looked in the light of the fallen torch. With a strange savagery and madness in his eyes.
“No, Grizzle stop!”
The bear landed down above Gib, his muzzle only inches away from the hermit’s face.
“It’s alright Grizzle. It’s me, Gib.”
Gib held his breath, staring for a moment into the crazed eyes of his friend. The breath of the bear fell hot on his face and then...the madness faded. The bear began to sob in some great animal moan, laying his shaggy head on the chest of his master.
“Yes,” Gib said, “Yes, I’m here Grizzle. It’s alright.”
And Gib began to weep too. But the tears were those of joy. The joy of two friends that had finally found each other.
Grizzle nosed about the cave, smelling to see if anyone else lived there. Good. No other scents. That meant the cave was deserted. Further exploration reviled a snug little niche in side wall, protected from the wind and cold. The perfect place to lay down and hibernate.
Oh and Grizzle felt so, so tired. The past few weeks had been tough, really tough. Ever since those Falcons captured him. First there was the nets and the spears and the chains. And then there was the city and that terrible, high walled pen with those blood crazed hounds. The jeering crowds, the gnashing teeth and when it was finally over, a cold, hard cell and the promise of another show when the rooster crowed again.
Was there ever a more effective way to murder a creature’s spirit? But Gib had rescued him and he was free. Oh... and refreshing. Freedom had never smelt so refreshing. Of course Grizzle still bore the scars of his trials. There were lots of them. And he walked with limp now. But that didn't matter. Now he could rest. He could take a long, long nap.
Grizzle lumbered into the niche and wearily sank to the ground. Looking up, he saw his friends gathered around him. Griffin and Jackal. It was good to see them again. And Gib. Grizzle felt he should say something to Gib. A word of thanks perhaps. But he was so tired. So so tired…the bear yawned widely and that was it. He was out.
“Good night, Grizzle. See you in the spring.”
Gib and the animals left the cave and got ready to embark.
“What’s that Griffin? Where are we going? Well, we’re done here. We’ve done what we set out to do and now I think we should go home.”
The hawk shuffled his feet on Gib's shoulder and half chirped, half cried in his usual manner.
“Oh no, Griffin. I wasn't talking about the Neverwood. We’re going back to my home. A place I haven’t been in over thirty years. We’re going to Glestol.”
Gib hobbled slowly down the snow filled streets of Glestol. The city hadn’t changed much since he was there last. It wasn’t a large village, but it was home to several well thought of families and there was even a local baron living on an estate outside the city. Of course Gib ended up in the local tavern. He wanted answers after all and a tavern is an excellent place to find them.
“Belphinigib?” The young man at the bar counter said when Gib voiced his inquiry, ““No, can’t say I’ve ever heard of that family. You know, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you go talk to Lady Peregil.”
“Lady Peregil? That name sounds familiar.”
“What name, Perigil? Well it should if you know anything about this area. Baron Peregil was our local lord for years. His wife still lives out on the Peregil estate. If anyone knows about the old families in this area it would be her.”
“Well, thank you sir for your help. You’ve been most kind.”
Gib exited the tavern and returned to the sled.
“All right Jackal, we’ve got another stop to make.”
Malder Peregil was uneasy. He didn’t know why. There wasn’t any reason to be. Winters came and went and just because this one was colder then the last, was no reason to get nervous. Maybe it wasn’t the snow. Maybe it was his mother. She was looking paler these days. Ever since her husband, the late Baron Peregil died.
It happened last year during the war. Malder’s father had died bravely. Fighting for his country against the great dragon Eroth Gamus. Of course his mother knew death already and she always tried to bring cheer no matter how she felt, but Malder suspected that her health was failing. And with all the rest needed to be done. Seeing to the servants and his younger siblings, it was all rather straining.
Yes, Malder was indeed uneasy and it didn’t help matters when one day a strange man on a sled appeared at the estate.
Gib was shown into a stone room with a high ceiling and a fire burning brightly on the hearth. There were tapestries on the walls and a rug on the floor. Several chairs and tables also adorned the room, giving it a comfy, snug feeling.
“I’ll be right back.” said the page, leaving the room.
It must be nice to live here, Gib thought to himself, A little cramped for me, but in weather like this…
Gib stopped. Something had grabbed his attention. It was the sounds of voices. They were coming from door. Quietly, Gib hobbled back.
“You let him in here?” the first voice said, “Why didn’t you interrogate him at the gate?”
“Sir, it was snowing out. He looked harmless enough at any rate. Said he wanted to see the lady.”
“What? He wanted to see mother? Well, I’ll just deal with this myself then shall I?”
Gib backed away as the footsteps approached the doorway. He nearly tripped over his crutch when the man entered. He was tall, with a stern face and a thick build. He started for moment when he first laid eyes on Gib, but soon regained his composure.
“I regret to inform you that the lady is not taking visitors today. However, if there is some message you wish to deliver, I would be pleased to conduct it to her.”
“Well, no. I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask her about a family who lived around these parts long ago. Someone told me that she would know about it.”
“Well she might. What family do you want to know about?”
“Uh, Belphinigib. That’s the name.”
“Ah yes, Belphinigib. I reckon she would be able to tell you a thing or two about that family. But you won’t find anyone by that name around here. And as I said before, the lady is not taking visitors today.”
“Rubbish!” said a voice from the hall, “Pure rubbish! Who says I’m not taking visitors today? I’ve been cooped up in this house ever since the snows started and if Chodan has seen fit to break up this monotony by sending me a visitor then I find it only proper to see what he wants.”
An aged woman stepped forward into the light of the fire.
“Tell me stranger, what do you want?”
It was Lady Peregil. She wasn’t tall or bright in complexion, but her eyes were cheery and she carried herself with integrity. Her hair was long and gray and her wrinkled face held a kind smile.
“Are you sure, mother?” Malder asked.
“Yes my dear, I’m sure. Now won’t you call for a foot stool so our guest can put up his leg?”
“Yes mother.” said Malder, heading for the door.
“Now, stranger,” she said, seating her self on one of the chairs, “What is your name and what did you wish to tell me?”
“Gib, your ladyship. Gib’s my name. I’ve come to ask you about an old family from this area. A man told me you would know about them. The family name was Belphinigib.”
“Belphinigib. Yes, I believe I could tell you what became of them, but first, why do you wish to know about them?”
The page had come back by now and Gib was just easing his leg onto the stool when the lady finished.
“My lady, when I was a boy my father, a knight in his majesties service, was killed in battle. Because of this I resolved to never become a knight and fled away from my home. That was over thirty five years ago and now I’ve come back. I’ve come back to see if any of my family...that is, any of the name Belphinigib, are still alive.”
There was utter silence for a moment and then the lady moved. Before Gib knew it, she was standing in front of him, staring into his eyes.
“No...no it can’t be.” she murmured. The lady’s hand went to her mouth as a look of horror sprang into her face. She stumbled backwards.
“By Chodan, you look just like your father!”
The next thing Gib knew, he was being hoisted out of the chair and being dragged out of the room, down the hall, out the door, across the courtyard, through the gate and flung down in a bank of snow.
“Of all the gall!” Malder roared, “How dare you come in here with such a heap of lies! Do you know what you might have done to her?”
“I-I'm sorry, I don’t understand!” Gib stammered, “What did I do?”
“What did you do? What did you do!!!” Malder glared at Gib, trying to catch his breath and cope with his loss of words, “You -- you mean you actually don’t know? Long ago, before I was born, before Lady Peregil became Lady Peregil, there lived a knight and his wife named Manus and Emphria, Belphinigib. They had a son named Rigger, but when Manus died, Rigger ran away and Emphria was left alone. She was doomed to the fate of a widow, or she would have been but the local Baron took pity on her and brought her to live at his estate.
“Soon the two fell in love and were married. It wasn’t long after that that I was born. Now I hope to high heaven that you are what I think you are. A crook and a sham, trying to take my families riches. But if you are who you say you are...if you are Rigger, Belphinigib. Then I hope beyond hope that you never have a wife of your own.
“You left my mother when she needed comfort. You left her, a widow, to fend for herself just because you were afraid to be a man! Manus Belphinigib knew what it was to keep allegiance to his king and so did my father. He died fighting for this country, just like Manus! In my mother’s life, there were only two men who ever mattered to her. They are both dead. And Emphria does not need this now! Now GET OUT!”
The gates slammed shut behind Malder and all Gib could do was stare. Thoughts raced through his head. What Malder had said. The revelations. The accusations. The look on his mother’s face. It all melded into a strange numb feeling that ended when Jackal started licking his master’s face.
“Jackal? Jackal, there you are. Where were you?”
Griffin fluttered down onto Gib’s shoulder and then chirped as Gib put up his hood over both of them.
“No…no it did not go well, Griffin. Come on, let’s go.”
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