Barry’s Farewell

Glad you could join us for the next belligerent episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Duggla the Crone hauled her flabby form out into the open and limped to a halt before the King.

“The enemy loves you. You haven’t a prayer,” she cackled.

“I thought you said you could help.”

“I did.” Snapping her purple tongue to within an eyelash of King Arnie’s left ear, she struck a hapless gnat that vanished into her ample mouth almost before the King heard what she’d said.

“What do you plan to do?” he asked.

She ran the fat tip of one baby finger along the inside of her upper lip and extracted a gnat wing. After examining it from all sides, she flicked it away. It stuck to the cheek of one of the Knights of Service standing at attention awaiting orders. A muffled snicker escaped the young Knight to his rear.

“Nothing,” she announced.

Expelling a short, huffy sigh through his nose, King Arnie the Former nodded to a third Knight who reached over and removed the offending wing.

Did Father ever have such trouble with this horrid hag? He tried again.

“Then how will you help?”

“I already did.”

“Excuse me?”

“I sent for the furry honkers as soon as I saw the wrigglers coming because they love the enemy even more than the enemy loves you.”

The King’s patience had worn thin enough to see through. What had this crazy old woman done?

~~~

On the other side of the Kingdom, Elliot and Cassandra stood on the far bank of the river that formed Bog’s northern border. As the Knights returned to the opposite shore and Cassandra gathered herbs to restock their small first aid kit, the final goodbye belonged to Elliot and Barry.

“Thank you, Barry, for saving us from Yvonne’s clutches and bringing us to your home. Are you sure the Knights can’t find a way for us to help you fight the Marauders?”

“King Arnie made his will clear,” Barry replied. “Youse two need ta be hurryin’ on ta someplace safe like da King said. We’re gonna win dis war, and when youse come back ta visit, I’m gonna be a full Knight of Service keepin’ Bog peaceful, tanks ta you.”

From the water, Barry watched Elliot rejoin Cassandra as she waved and blew Barry a kiss. He raised a hand in farewell.

Something below the surface grabbed his ankle and yanked him down.

To be continued…

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .