(Writer’s commentary): Yes, I am still posting the new chapters of the novel I am writing as soon as I finish them, and I just typed up the chapter I wrote while we were on our camping adventure. And so far, I have taken six of the names you gave me and written them into the book as characters… it’s not to late to get in on that, if you want to. I will change your name a little to fit the theme. I am growing very fond of all the characters in the book. I just introduced the triplets… the last of the princesses in the story… and I think they are going to be fun to have around… oh, and princess Hildy now has a navy to go with the small army of resistance she has started.

(Remember, you can read the whole story… so far… without the annoying author’s commentary and without having to scroll or search, by clicking the button in the top bar at the top of the blog page… the one called: The Seven Kingdoms)

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The Seven Kingdoms

Chapter 11

An hour later Sanara found herself walking through Flametown in the company of royalty. It had been decided that their only real option at this point was to inform the king of Flame that, sooner or later, the Skulls would be coming in force to take over his kingdom. Nudge had freely admitted that his father had every intention of ruling the entire world. The Skull king’s original plan had been to move into most of the kingdoms by marrying his sons to princesses and then putting pressure on the various kings to step down and let his sons take over the responsibilities. Hildy’s refusal to marry and her subsequent actions had served to initiate a more proactive policy. Nudge had even admitted, however reluctantly, that it had always been part of the hastily concocted plan for the invasion of Evergreen that prince Evvord be killed, and for princess Zareena to eventually be forced to marry a Skull prince, to give the conquest an air of legitimacy.

Since this admission, princess Zar had returned to a level of depression that left her in a daze. She hadn’t said more than a few words as they finished deciding what it was they were going to do or on the short trip in the ship’s longboat to the dock. Now, she walked with eyes downcast, still in stony silence, as they passed through the bustling town.

A short walk up a gently sloping hill led them to the main gates of the castle, and soon they were in the great hall. They were greeted by loud squeals of joy and a tornado of enthusiastic energy in the form of three identical girls. Miri, Tam Tam, and Andita Flame, thirteen-year-old triplets, were thrilled by this unexpected visit from old friends. They greeted the other princesses and king Aluff with many hugs and much high-pitched shrieking.

Hildy finally interrupted the reunion. “We need to speak with your father.”

“But we need to hear all about how you kicked that Skull prince that you were supposed to marry,” objected one of the triplets.

“And we must know where you went when you ran away,” asserted another.

“And however did you end up here with everyone else?” the third wanted to know.

“And who, exactly, is that?” the first triplet asked, pointing at Nudge. “And, dear Hildy, why are you dressed like a man?”

Hildy saw that these questions would continue to circle endlessly around if she didn’t take matters firmly in hand. “Quite!” she said in her most commanding princess voice. “There are important matters we need to discuss with your father, and time is of the essence.”

“Tell us what’s happening,” begged one of the girls.

“We never hear anything at all on boring old Flame,” complained the second.

Before the third triplet could add her part to the chorus, their father and mother swept into the great hall. Word of their visitors had obviously reached them, and they were prepared to greet then and offer their hospitality. King Tamin Flame, and his wife, Tawn, who also happened to be his distant cousin, were so similar in appearance that they might well have been twins rather than husband and wife. They were both tall, thin and pale, with long, pale-blond hair, traits they shared with their daughters. The family also shared pale-blue eyes.

“Now now, girls,” said the king, “let’s get our guests settled down with some food and drink before we overwhelm them with questions.”

“Father!” said all three of the triplets in the same annoyed tone.

“We haven’t heard the story of why they are here,” Tam Tam pointed out.

“Or how they got here, and how long they are staying,” objected Miri.

“Or who the Skull prince is,” added Andita, throwing Nudge a coquettish smile.

King Tamin Flame was a good man, a kind man, but it was said about him that he had never won an argument with any of the women in his family. It was quite obvious to anybody who saw him with his wife and daughters that he doted on his wife and spoiled the triplets. He smiled at his children but made no attempt to quiet them.

His wife, however, merely had to lock eyes with each of the girls in turn, and they got the message quite clearly. “Now, everyone, please tell us what you wish to eat, and we will have it prepared for you,” the queen assured their guests.

“We have no time or need for food, Lady Flame,” Hildy said. “We have important news and much to discuss with yourself and the king.”

The queen took this in stride, and sent the girls off to do their chores. Then she led their unexpected visitors to a quiet corner of the great hall where there were comfortable seats and couches. After everyone was seated, she motioned Hildy to proceed.

As quickly and succinctly as possible, Hildy told the king and queen all that had transpired. The king and queen listened, growing more and more alarmed as the stories were told. When she had finished, Hildy introduced Sanara and let her tell of the events in her kingdom. If king Aluff was perturbed at not being chosen for this task, he didn’t show it in any way.

At last, when all had been said about what had led them all to this place, Hildy introduced Prince Nujeem. Nudge told the king and queen all about his father’s plans to rule the world. He did not paint a pretty picture of the man at all. To finish his speech, Nudge came right out and said, “My father is an evil man, and he will come to this kingdom with his soldiers and their new weapons. And he has been training a lot of soldiers, and building a lot of ships.”

The queen understood that it was not her place to speak before the king in this instance. She turned her head and looked at her husband expectantly.

“Well, I really don’t think we have anything to worry about,” the king said, after clearing his throat several times. “Our daughters are already promised in marriage to three Skull princes, one they reach the proper age of seventeen.”

Everyone else exchanged looks of surprise.

“Sir,” said Nudge evenly, “I am one of the princes that are supposed to marry one of your daughters. But I seriously doubt that my father will wait. He has found that warfare and conquest are a much faster and more direct path to his goals.”

“Then what would you have me do?” asked the king. “I don’t have any more trained soldiers than any of the other kingdoms had, and he didn’t have any trouble, according to what you have all told me, taking them over by force.”

Hildy couldn’t contain herself. “We have to train more troops. We have to start forging weapons like those of the enemy. We need to contact queen Shylar on Smilingman and warn her, join forces with her. We have to act while there is still time!”

“I have known king Nornan Skull for many years, and I have a hard time believing he is as bad as you are all making him out to be,” the king insisted.

“Something changed in my father when his first and favorite wife, Shatima, died,” said Nudge. “And then Rasp, his pet wizard, showed up. He came from the poorest town in the kingdom, and somehow talked his way into my father’s inner circle, preying on his depression over the death of his wife. He has twisted my father’s thinking over the years. Our kingdom used to be a good place to live, but not now. It is a dark place, where people turn their neighbors over to the authorities for voicing displeasure and sons and daughters denounce their own parents.”

“We have already reached an agreement,” the king said with great conviction. “Once his sons and my daughters are married, we will all be family.”

“Well, he has had four of his own sons executed for supposedly plotting against him, although there was scant proof brought forward,” Nudge informed the king. “As I said, I doubt he will wait patiently for the weddings to take place. But even if he does, I guarantee that soon afterwards, something unfortunate will happen to you and your wife, in order to place the Skull family firmly in control of your kingdom.”

“I just can’t believe that Nornan has changed all that much,” the king said, but whether to convince those around him or himself, it was impossible to say.

“He ordered my husband to be killed in cold blood,” said princess Zareena in a voice as cold as a headstone in winter.

The king seemed unable to reply to that remark. The queen realized there was no point in pushing her husband to make a decision right away. “You have given my husband much to think about,” she said into the hanging silence. “Please, let us show you our hospitality while he takes a while to decide what is best to do, for both our people and our daughters. I’m sure we have room to put you all up in comfort.”

“We will stay on the ship,” replied Hildy, not at all happy about this lack of action. “That way, if a fleet of Skull ships arrives, at least we will have some small chance at escape before your kingdom becomes yet another of their holdings.” And with that, the group bid their goodbyes and departed.

When they got back to the Wavebounder, they were greeted at the rail by captain Reef and captain Crest of the Shooting Star. They each had huge grins on their faces. Captain Reef gave Hildy an elaborate bow. When he straightened, he stepped back, turning as he did so, and raising his hand, he made a sweeping gesture.

Hildy looked past the captain, following the sweeping hand. A large group of men were gathered on the deck of the Wavebounder. Hildy saw, on the hems of their tunics, the green borders of Evergreen, the gold of Middle, the red of Flame, the purple of Dancer, and the orange of Smilingman. She also saw the blue borders of Halfmoon, her own kingdom. She looked questioningly at the captain.

“While you lot have been being given the royal treatment you no doubt deserve, captain Crest and I have been visiting a few old friends,” said the captain, still grinning widely. “There are eighteen other ships in port, my Lady, besides the two already sworn to your service. As of now, all those other ships take their orders from you as well.”

The gathered captains all gave a cheer, and Hildy felt tears come to her eyes. “But, how, why, why would they all take orders from me?”

“Well, we sailors are a strange lot,” explained captain Reef. “We have all known the freedom of the open ocean. We might call one kingdom home, but we live on, by and with the sea. That is more our true home, when it comes right down to it. We wouldn’t do well under the Skulls. We don’t like to be told where to go or what to do, at least not by those for whom we have no respect. They took my ship once. They won’t do it again. None of these men will give up their ships without a fight. Those that were lucky enough to be at sea when their kingdoms fell, they have nowhere else to go, and the rest, well, they can see the way the tide is running, clear enough.”

Hildy was so moved she couldn’t speak.

“My Lady,” captain Reef continued, “you may not have much of an army yet, but by the wind and waves, you have a navy now!”

The gathered captains cheered once more, loudly, and for a long while.