“Quest for Candleflower” is one of 18 poems and essays published in print Issue 103 of The Byway. A selection of longer pieces including this one has been published online for more distanced readers.
Despite the typical darkness, that night would not be normal. Darethmer would usually sleep all night, with the comfortable bed and the cool air coming through the open window of the dormitory. He even heard the other knights’ calm breathing. That should have relaxed Darethmer, but it was something he heard…
The coughing was an unpleasant sound, like someone was going to cough up a lung or something. If that was the case, which it probably wasn’t, then that wouldn’t be good.
Who’s cough was it? He listened for a couple of minutes and it kept repeating. Over and over. He decided to go find out.
He quickly dressed and went toward the stairs. I hope it isn’t someone I know, he thought, almost desperately. And I feel bad for whoever is ill.
A few minutes later, he passed the Royal Wizard’s room, and didn’t hear the coughing there. In fact, he didn’t hear anything. Not even the usual snore of the old man. He moved on. He kept on following the sound and traced it to the kitchen dormitory.
Oh, no. Not the kitchen. This was where his sister worked. He quietly opened the door, hoping the sound didn’t wake anyone. He had been right. It was his sister. The one in his family that mattered most to him. His sister, Abigail.
The next morning, when Darethmer could barely stay awake, he quickly found the Royal Wizard.
“Doyouknowacureformy sister Abigail?” he began, but then realized he probably sounded too fast. The wizard smiled at him through his long white beard, and said exactly what Darethmer was thinking he was going to say
“What, my dear boy?”
“Sorry, uh, do you know a cure for my sister? She’s sick. I don’t know what she has, but it was a terrible cough.”
“Hmmmmmmmm,” the Wizard said. “I just might.” He pulled out his wand, a black and yellow magic stick. He quickly conjured up a gigantic book. He heaved under the weight and then put it on a nearby table. He then flipped through the pages, and said, “Yes. I do. It is a field about four miles east of here. Pick a flower from it and the pollen will heal your sister.”
“Do you know the disease yet?”
“Was it repeated coughing?”
Darethmer thought it was obvious, since he already said it. “Yes.”
“Well, I was right. A candleflower.”
Darethmer ran up to his dormitory and got his suit of armor. Oh, yes, and his sword. He then went to the stable and got his white horse, Silver. He packed food, some dried meat and a canteen of water. He mounted Silver and rode four miles east.
The first thing he saw was an enormous field of flowers. He could see it a hundred meters away. His heart jolted and he pushed Silver to go faster.
But the thing he missed was the suit of armor that started chasing him with a giant sword. He hacked at Silver, barely missing him by inches. Darethmer had no choice. He jumped off his horse and drew his sword at the same time.
He was one of the best knights in the castle for a reason, and that was obviously that he could fight, flip, and more. But the other knight was good, too. There was a clang of metal against metal. The sound vibrated repeatedly, until it slowed and the sound came again. Clong!!! Darethmer tried harder. He swung below the suit of armor’s sword and hit its leg. It threw it off balance and then… Yes! The stranger’s helmet flew off, the rest of the body toppling over and then laying there as if dead.
He picked one of the flowers. The Wizard was right. It kind of did look like a candle. It had a glow, and a little heat radiating from it. He jumped on Silver, who had been amazingly calm during the fight. Silver stamped his foot and shook his mane.
He spent about three-and-a-half hours on the ride back. But the castle didn’t look the same. It had a purple mist floating out from under it and surrounding the keep of the castle. Darethmer rode closer to the castle and jumped off Silver. He told the horse to stay, and drew his sword and ran even nearer to the castle. A booming and familiar voice echoed through the castle, almost knocking Durethmer over
“Ah, Darethmer. You made it back.” Darethmer held his sword at the castle, while it continued. “I have made you tired, after traveling so far. The castle will soon be mine!” Suddenly Darethmer knew whose voice it was.
The Royal Wizard. Betrayal. Gone bad. ROYAL WIZARD. The words flashed through Darethmer’s mind. He couldn’t believe it. The Royal Wizard? No way! He accepted the fact after some difficulty. The voice continued.
“I was the one who planted the virus in your sister. I was the one who sent you on the quest to get you out of the castle. I am the one who is about to take your life!” The mist went whirling to Darethmer. He saw blinding light, and everything went black.
“Am I dead?” The thought went through his head, and then, just as quickly, went out. He was afraid to open his eyes. But he bravely opened them. He was in a bed, in a white room. The hospital. He had only been here once before, and that was when he had been injured during battle.
“It is a miracle you are alive,” said a voice. Darethmer spun in his bed. It was the king, a middle aged man, with a magical staff. “I have defeated the evil Wizard. This thing…” He looked at his staff, “…is a real help. So were you. And don’t worry, your sister is well. I used the Candleflower in your pocket.”
Darethmer blushed. The king had complimented him, and his sister was well. He was later honored at the King’s court as the best knight of the castle.
– by Parker H. (7th) Panguitch
Feature artwork by Parker H.
Read more LitJam writing in Talmage Tebbs and Lady Death.