As Jacob pushed opened the door to the Frosty Mug Tavern, he smelled the delicious dwarf victuals that always flooded out from the kitchen and his stomach began to growl with a ravenous hunger pang.
“I am ready to serve you prince, I the greatest Lynex of all stand prepared for any mission of danger, any threat of war, or to lend you my skill and cunning for a nice foot massage,” greeted the Lynex.
“This is incredible,” thought Jacob, as he stepped inside the tavern. “It’s just like I experienced it with Dr. Galeeky!” Now that the test had really begun he knew that it was inescapable; he had to be kinder to the Lynex. “Thanks for the offer,” he replied in his kindest voice, “but I don’t need a foot massage today. What I do need is for someone to tell me about my parents. Do you think sometime you could tell me what they were really like?”
The surprised Lynex dropped open his mouth and then snapped it shut again. After a moment of dumfounded shock he excitedly cried, “I know all about your parents! And I even remember you as a baby! Of course I can tell you!”
“Oh, I’d like to hear all about baby Jacob too,” solicited Emalynn, over hearing the Lynex’s loud reply.
Merrily the Lynex trotted ahead and readied two tall stools at the counter. Together Jacob and the Lynex sat down, while Emalynn enthusiastically spooned from a simmering black pot a creamy white dwarf stew into two brown porcelain bowls.
As they waited for the food to be served, Jacob turned to the Lynex and said, “I never told you how much I appreciated your having served my family. I was too young to remember, but I know you were faithful to them, just like you are to me.”
The Lynex dropped open his mouth again and then smiled. A light shade of pink quickly spread over his face. “Excuse me, all this excitement just brings it out of me,” he said, hastily fanning his rear with his hand.
Jacob quickly covered his nose, masking a horrible stench as he puzzled over the Lynex’s red face, “Did I embarrass him,” he wondered, “or did he turn red from squeezing off the stink?”
“How about some stew,” said Emalynn, cheerfully sliding the two full bowls of stew in front them and instantly changing her expression to disgust. She pinched her nose and hurriedly dumped the spoons onto the counter, backing away as fast as possibly. “Phew! It really stinks over here!” she exclaimed sharply, fanning the air with her tray.
“Did you know that the Lynex knows all languages of the Enchanted Realm along with cultures and customs,” shared Jacob through his cupped hand. “He held the title of Royal Liaison Officer for the Enchanted Realm and acted as the official translator to the royal family”
The Lynex looked up again at Jacob with his mouth wide open.
“No way, not all languages and cultures,” replied Emalynn. “I didn’t know that! Why didn’t you tell us Lynex? We both grew up outside of the Enchanted Realm and there’s so much you can teach us. I’ve got a ton of questions about it.”
The Lynex sat up straight as his lips stretched wider, transforming his smile into a gushing watery-eyed grin of pure joy.
“You’ll tell us about it, won’t you? Please…” solicited Emalynn.
“YES! YES! I WILL BEGIN BY TELLING YOU ABOUT BABY JACOB!” exclaimed the jubilant Lynex.
Jacob couldn’t wait to hear about the Enchanted Realm and his parents. No one had ever shared their stories with him before! “Why wasn’t I nicer to the Lynex?” he regretfully thought. “I’ve been such a pinhead!”
The Lynex held out his chest, and true to his word he began, “I remember Jacob as a cute cuddly little infant, and even as a baby he was just like me! His very presence commanded great respect. I can recall one time when his father lifted him over his head and Jacob spontaneously exploded his half digested dinner right into his father’s face. Of course only the prince could do that to the king and still be praised, if I ever tried that I would be in serious trouble. It was not only the king, but also the most powerful leaders in the entire realm respected him. After he learned to walk, he went all over the palace. One night when the King and Queen were entertaining foreign leaders, Jacob climbed out of his bed, removed his diaper, and slipped naked past the sitter into the great hall. The prince’s presence was so commandingly powerful that as he ran through the gathering of dignitaries they all turned away from the king’s speech and watched the prince, praising how wonderful he was. Yes only the prince could outshine the king like that! If I had tried that they would have turned their heads away in disgust. Even as a baby the prince was great, commanding respect and attention from everyone just like I do now.”
Emalynn was laughing so hard she almost fell over, while Jacob’s face flushed bright red.
“Okay Lynex, that’s enough for now,” insisted Jacob.
“No Lynex, tell us more, please tell us more!” giggled Emalynn.
A loud guffawing group of sentinels abruptly entered the tavern, causing Jacob to turn and look. Included in the bunch was Mr. Pitts, and almost immediately he spotted the apprentices, causing him to break from his friends. With long strolling strides he came towards the counter. “Good, I was hoping you’d be here,” he said, as he pulled up a stool and sat next to Jacob. “Last night I had a long discussion with Clair. He’s doing rather fine and sends his love. I told him about the attempt on your life and he felt exactly the same as I do, that Sentinel Village is safe for you as long as you don’t wander off by yourself. So it looks like you’ll be staying here with us for awhile.”
“Good!” exclaimed Emalynn. “And don’t worry Mr. Pitts, we’ll help watch over Jacob.”
“I will stick to the prince like glue,” added the Lynex. “I am the greatest lynex because I can hang around a person better than any other lynex and they cannot rid themselves of me.”
“I’ll count on you all then to help watch and guard Jacob,” replied Mr. Pitts. “I don’t believe the assassin has given up yet, and with the number of sentinels we constantly have visiting the village it is doubtful that he’ll try anything here. However as I’ve said before, if there is anything at all out of the ordinary call out for a sentinel, there are always plenty of us around. Also Jacob, your uncle wants you to keep your money clip with you at all times. Remember, by tapping on it three times you can call him and he will immediately come to your assistance. Do I have everyone’s cooperation on this?”
They all nodded their heads in agreement.
“Oh yes I almost forgot. Clair will have your suit for the apprentice ball ready today, and I’ll be picking it up soon.”
“What about my dress? Don’t forget that,” reminded Emalynn, as she grabbed another bowl, filling it with stew.
“Don’t worry Emalynn. I definitely will not forget your dress,” replied Mr. Pitts, looking down at the tasty dwarf stew and smacking his lips. Emalynn handed him a full bowl with a spoon, and he nodded in appreciation. He then turned and headed back to join in with his friends while lifting the bowl to his nose and smelling the delicious aroma.
As soon as Mr. Pitts was out of earshot, Emalynn with a somber face leaned over the counter and said, “We all know that the Magistrate is the dirty rotten spy who tried to murder you with a Zatsen. But nobody except Buckburne is trying to stop him and that frightens me. So it’s time to put my plan into action and catch him red handed. We’ll put him away for good! If we don’t stop him now Jacob, you may pay for it with your life!”
“The great Lynex is here to help,” angrily shouted the Lynex. “We will catch that dirty rotten scoundrel and he will pay for making me mad! Nobody messes with my prince!”
“So what’s your plan?” asked Jacob.
“First we have to stop the Magistrate from winning the DCR. He’ll use the gift of prophecy to see in vision where the Book of Galeeky is hidden.”
“If his racers win then we’ll never find the Book of Galeeky and the Galeeky Stone Seal won’t do me any good!” exclaimed Jacob.
“That’s right, this is serious! Now that we have the Galeeky Stone Seal all our efforts will go to waste, we can’t let him win the DCR. That’s why I’ve got to start my plan now! We’re going to enter the DCR and win the bones for ourselves!”
“What!” cried Jacob. “Are you batty? We don’t know how to race flying carpets! We couldn’t win in a million years!”
“But don’t you see, if we can win,” continued Emalynn, ignoring Jacob’s negativity, “I can use the bones to find out the Magistrate’s next move and catch him right in the act. And then I will be able to rid us of the spy and win our bet.”
“Cans I’s gets somes ofs that’s deliciousss stews,” came a familiar voice, causing Jacob to suddenly jerk and look to his side. Marcus was standing a few feet away from his side.
“Oh, of course,” replied Emalynn, also seeming surprised.
She hurried to prepare him a bowl and then quickly handed it to him. After receiving his meal he smiled at her and promptly left to join back in with the sentinel group.
“I wonder if he heard us?” whispered Emalynn.
“Who cares,” replied Jacob, wanting to bring her back to reality. “You’re foolish to think we can fly on carpets and compete against skilled dwarf pilots that know caves! I think it’s best if we just forget about racing the DCR and you figure something else out.”
He starred at her perplexed, wondering how she could ever think up such a brainless scheme.
“I haven’t got all the details worked out just yet,” continued Emalynn, once again ignoring his lack of enthusiasm. “But together I know we’ll be able to figure it all out, all we need to do is solve how we are going to disguise ourselves as dwarfs.”
“That and we’ll also need a guardian angel for the race,” sighed Jacob.
Without warning something hot suddenly flared up in his pocket, burning into his leg. “Ouch!” he screamed, quickly jerking to a stand. He reached into his pocket and grasped a handful of clutter throwing it onto the counter. Surprised, he his rubbed his scorched hand and leg. “Dadburn it, that was really hurt!” he complained.
“WHAT’S THAT?” cried Emalynn, pointing at Uncle Clair’s amulet glowing brightly inside a mess of tangled string stuck to a clump of chewed cookie.
A dazzling light flashed out from the middle of the amulet flooding over the countertop and forcing them to turn their heads away. Jacob held his hand over his eyes as he peered back through the slits in his fingers. He could make out an apparition in the shape of a man standing in the center of the light. Emalynn let out a piercing scream, drawing the attention of the all tavern’s customers. The room fell silent, and the body of diners watched as the apparition materialized into a man. At length the light began to fade and a customer cried out, “Ahh just eh another sentinel orbin’ en’ fur lunch.”
The conversations and noisy laughter once again resumed, while Jacob, Emalynn and the Lynex remained motionless, staring in awe up at the tall man standing on top of the counter.
He was a middle aged gentleman, almost as tall as Mr. Pitts, and wore a collarless cuffed long blue sleeve shirt with black pants and brown boots. His face was round with bushy eyebrows draping over thin dark eyes, and falling down his back was long gray braded hair tied at the end with a golden string.
“Ah’m Loralmel, yar gaurdeeny elf,” said the man, as he hopped down from off the counter, landing next to Jacob. “It tooky ya lung enough ta cully mese forth. A ten years aye’s bun awaiteeny, an’ when ayes finally fund ya, ya carryse mese arund like ya dan’t have thee powersyse ta cully mese eforth!”
“You’re my guardian elf?” questioned Jacob surprised.
“That Aye am! Aye’m heres ta teach ya,” replied Loralmel. He reached up and took the wad of string and chewed cookie from off the top of his head, tossing it to the floor.
“You’ve got a guardian elf Jacob! Since when?” cried Emalynn.
“Since now! My uncle gave me that amulet when I left.”
“I want a guardian elf too!” exclaimed Emalynn, appearing jealous.
“He is the royal elfish imp!” cried the Lynex. “He serves the royal family.”
“Elfish what?” asked Jacob.
“Aeehhm,” replied the Lynex, holding out his chest with authority. “Anciently young elves used to carry these amulets around like they were ordinary coins. Whenever they needed help they would call out their imps as sort of a personal advisor. The imps guided them in learning and using magical skills until the elves grew to maturity. This is the only known amulet in existence, as over the years all of them were lost.”
“If they are designed for elves then why did it work for me?”
“Don’t you know Jacob?” answered Emalynn with an air of arrogance. “All enchanters have elfish blood. That’s why we’re enchanters, because we’re descendents of the great elves. It’ll work for you, no doubt about it.”
“If you want I’ll share him with you. Anytime you want to borrow him just let me know.”
“Really? Thanks Jacob,” replied Emalynn with a big smile.
“Befure aye can serb ya, aye needs to have ya shew me yar bellyese,” said Loralmel, thoroughly looking at both Jacob and Emalynn.
“My belly, what for?” asked Jacob.
“Dan’t ya’s knows?” questioned Loralmel as he lifted up his shirt, showing off his potly belly. “Ya have to look likse this, prubing yaselfs of elf descent to have mese as yar gaurdeeny.”
“We’re the same!” exclaimed Jacob, also lifting his shirt.
Loramel’s belly, although more generously proportioned than his, bore the same disfigured mark of two bellybuttons.
“Here’s mine!” said Emalynn, lifting up her blouse.
“You’ve got two belly buttons!” cried Jacob in surprise.
“Of course I do. I’m an enchantress aren’t I?”
Loralmel nodded and then said, “Then Ayes cans serb ya both.”
“Are you like a genie or something?” asked Jacob.
“Yes I’ve the power,” nodded Loralmel.
“Really! That’s cool! You mean you can grant us wishes?” exclaimed Emalynn. “I’ve got loads of wishes! Can I start to use you now?”
“Dan’t gat so excitad. Ayes can only use mese magic to teach ya, and far nathing else,” replied Loralmel sharply.
“Never mind then, I don’t need to learn anything,” said Emalynn. She paused for a moment and then slowly continued, as if thinking out loud. “But—what if I wanted to learn something—something new that I’ve never done before—something like say enter a dwarf carpet race that I didn’t know anything about. Could you use your powers then to help me so I could learn from my experience?”
“Aye, bat nat far ya ta win.”
“We want to enter the Dwarf Carpet Race, but we can’t enter unless we look like dwarfs,” said Emalynn. “Could you shrink and disguise us to look like dwarfs?”
“If ya want to be dwarfs, Ayes can help ya,” replied Loralmel cheerfully. “Ayse can turn ya into dwarfs an’ make ya just a wee bit lightersye. That’ll balancey ya lackesye of experienceeny with a slightsye advanteenese.”
“Great!” exclaimed Emalynn. “Then we’re in! And with a little luck, we’ll win! Wouldn’t that be great Jacob! But we don’t have much time to prepare, the DCR is tomorrow!”