“Thank you, Midge,” Arik said.“You have mighty words for one so small. Perhaps you can help mepractice my swordsmanship.”
Midge turned a pale green and Ariklaughed. “I am sorry, Midge,” he apologized. “Practicing helps meclear my head and I did not think before I spoke. Your words havehelped me and I will dwell on them while I practice.”
Arik rose and called out to Tanya aboutpracticing. She rose immediately and joined Arik in a clear areaaway from the fire.
“Practicing is a good idea,”she mentioned. “It will clear your mind and make you realize thatwe are all friends here and will help each other through whateverdifficulties we face.”
Arik nodded and squared off with hispractice sword. Once the swordplay got underway, Tanya noticed thatArik’s mind was still on his troubles. She pushed hard at him witha variety of strokes. Quickly, Arik responded to her vigor, firstdefensively, then with bold attacks of his own. The fightingbetween Arik and Tanya became so intense that Fredrik and Tedistopped practicing with their staffs to watch. Kalina and Niki alsoabandoned their magic lessons and soon a crowd of people andfairies had gathered to watch the dueling pair.
Tanya tossed her cap to the ground androlled past Arik while attempting a hit across his legs. Arikcaught her movements just in time and leaped over her sword swing.Upon landing he rolled himself into a ball and continued away fromTanya so she would not catch him turning around. Jumping to hisfeet, he saw Tanya closing on him and raised his wooden sword todeflect her blow.
The two warriors continued on,oblivious to the crowd, focusing their entire attention on eachother. His body aching and drenched with sweat, Arik subconsciouslystripped off his shirt and threw it to the ground just in time tofend off another of Tanya’s attacks.
The fairies in the crowd gasped at thesight of the mark upon his chest. Niki hid her face with her handsand Garth and Kalina stared without expression. Fredrik and Tedistarted to laugh and both felt something hard strike the backs oftheir heads. Turning around they saw Midge and another fairy withslingshots and the fairies were not smiling. Their laughter died intheir throats as they turned back to watch the match.
Arik and Tanya had noticed none of thereactions, as they were too intent on gaining an advantage over theother. Arik scored a couple of kill hits on Tanya, but the youngwoman ignored them and continued her attack. The match lasted forover half an hour before Arik had Tanya on her back with his woodensword at her throat. Tanya submitted and Arik collapsed on theground alongside her. Applause rang through the orchard from largehands as well as small and Arik and Tanya noticed their audiencefor the first time.
Arik realized that he had shed hisshirt for the first time in weeks and stared at the faces aroundhim. There was nothing but praise in those faces for a performancewell done and he laid his head back down on the ground.
“That was the finest displayof swordsmanship I have seen in years,” complimented Garth as hetossed a towel to each of the fighters. “Perhaps you two are readyfor a session with me this afternoon.”
Many times Garth had used a swordsession with him as a threat to those who were acting cocky, butArik and Tanya knew that this offer was entirely different. Theyrealized that they had impressed Garth with their expertise andthat brought a smile to each of them. The crowd slowly broke upwith some fairies lingering to catch a last glimpse at Arik’schest, but he did not notice them. Midge flew over and landed onArik’s upraised knee.
“I am certainly glad that Idid not take your offer of practice,” Midge commented. “You bothknow how to handle a sword well. I saw some of our army instructorswatching and a few of them took notes on your movements. You saidyour father was a fisherman. How did you learn such a skill at yourage?”
Arik sat up and grabbed his shirt.“Garth has been teaching us,” Arik replied. “Tanya had professionallessons and I learn from her as well.”
Tanya reached over and put her hand onArik’s arm as he tried to put on his shirt. “May I look at itfirst?” she asked softly.
Arik’s face reddened, but he nodded andTanya sat up to examine his chest. Over his left breast wasengraved a reptile, which resembled a snake with legs. The reptilesported a large pair of wings and had a forked tongue protrudingfrom its mouth. What amazed Tanya most were the colors. The reptileitself was a bright green and the wings were black. The eyes andprotruding tongue were a vivid red.
“It looks like an artist’spainting,” Tanya stated. “Not just any artist, but a very wellskilled artist. This came from that rash you got inTagaret?”
Arik nodded and started to put hisshirt on, but Tanya reached out and ran her finger over the tinydragon. “Amazing!” she commented. “I wonder how one of those wouldlook on me?”
Arik turned redder than the reptile’seyes and he quickly shrugged his shirt on. Tanya caught hisreaction and blushed herself. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud,”she chuckled. “You will NOT imagine it on me,” she added as sheplayfully swatted his shoulder.
Midge leaped into the air as Arikjumped to his feet and extended a hand to Tanya to help her get up.“I will have trouble not imagining it, now that you have mentionedit,” chuckled Arik. “Let’s go see if the others have any ideas onhow we are to find this Crown of Light.”
Midge landed on Arik’s shoulder as theyreturned to the campfire and helped themselves to coffee. Garth,Kalina, and Niki were sitting and talking to Queen Mita and theconversation was centered on the Crown of Light.
“We had the Sword of Heavensto help us find you,” Garth was saying. “We have no such aid infinding the Crown of Light. I have no idea even where to startlooking for it.”
“We can not have come this farjust to fail,” sighed Kalina. “The Ancient Prophecy led us to theSapphire of the Fairies. The Fairy Prophecy must have a clue tolead us to this Crown of Light.”
Queen Mita shook her head. “There is noclue in the Prophecy and no mention of anything that will lead Arikto it.”
Garth smiled every time the Queenmentioned Arik and the Crown of Light. She accepted all of theRangers as being part of the expedition. She accepted Garth as theleader of the Rangers, but when it came to the Crown of Light, shenever left any doubt that Arik was all who mattered.
Midge flew off in a hurry while Fredrikand Tedi returned from their staff practice. They had also gatheredan audience who applauded, but the fairies’ enthusiasm was clearlyfor the swordplay exhibition.
“Perhaps if we knew what wewere looking for, we would have a better idea of where to look,”Arik suggested. “Do you have any books that have pictures of thecrown?”
Queen Mita tilted her head and lookedat Arik. “I can show you a vision of it,” she offered. “I forgetthat you are not versed in the ways of fairies. We have the abilityto create visions from thought. All I have to do is think of apicture of the Crown of Light and project it.”
Queen Mita turned towards the fire anda cloud of smoke congealed above it. The center of the cloudstarted glistening and as the smoke dissipated a shiny, gold crownadorned with sapphire gems appeared. Everyone gasped at thelifelike image as it rotated over the fire.
“How large is it?” Tanyainquired.
Queen Mita smiled and pictured herselfwearing the Crown of Light. The added perspective broughtrealization of how small the article actually was.
Fredrik shook his head and frowned. “Weare expected to find something that small and all we know is thatit is somewhere in the world. If everything depends on us findingthat, we might as well go home.”