Episode 2: Already So Far From Home

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Sam deflected any questions with amusing jokes as they rose toward the tower. Uther noticed that the stones here were carefully tended, and the walls were strong and had weathered many battles. Dwarfen made, he mused.

The walls were thick and curved upward toward the toward in a spiral pattern. Guards patrolled them carrying bows, and waved to Sam as he passed. Finally, they reached the large, thick gates at the top of the hill. Beyond, the tower loomed, and they could see now that it was not a tower made of stone, but rather it seemed to be...

"It's a tree!" Isobel exclaimed.

"Yes, girl, it is that indeed!" Sam said as he leapt gracefully off the horse and strode forward. "Welcome to Arbor Tower!" he said, spreading his hands wide like a guide. He nodded at the gaurds, and the gates were spread wide.

"Everybody through, now, and onto the platform," directed Sam. The platform was a large metal box, as large as the inn they had been in below.

"My brother Paddy built this rig," beamed Sam. "Everybody hang on!"

Sam reached over to a lever and pulled it down halfway. A brief, small explosion shuddered through the platform, and a steady whine grew in loudness. When the whine had reached a peak, Sam pulled down on the lever.

The platform jerked from the ground and rocketted upward. Uther looked out over the rapidly disappearing village. "Neat," he commented.

It continued to rise for several minutes, until Sam reached over and began to raise the control lever. The whines subsided, and the platform began to slow, but it did not entirely stop. Above them, a massive tree limb came closer and closer.

"That's only the first part -- the second part is my favourite!" Sam yelled over the noise. "This time I really mean it -- hang on to something, and hang firmly!"

"Great," MacGregor muttered. Abigail noticed that he was looking distinctly green and he stood close to the center with his horse, Halifax. Halifax, on the other hand managed to look not only calm about the whole thing, but actually looking rather embarrased at her rider's discomfort. Abigail would have laughed, but the platform began to move again. This time, however, it jerked sideways, and began to spin around the tree, tilting slightly as it spiralled around the trunk and narrowly missed several large branches.

"My brother had a thing for spirals!" yelled Sam. "And Vulcan engines!"

The platform spiralled up higher and higher, and the passed through the clouds and higher. The air grew cooler, almost cold, and they could see the sky more clearly than they had ever witnessed before. The platform's turning path, however, made it difficult to focus on much of anything, and soon they could do little than to submit to the spinning sensation.

Again, as before, Sam pulled up on the lever, and the platform slowed down until it was barely crawling around the tree. Here began the tower proper, as a large stone buiding was built around it and surrounding it. It looked as though the tree suddenly turned to stone, as branches extended out through the stone little disturbed.

Softly, gently, the platform pulled up to the level of the main entryway and stopped. Two guards came forward and secured the platform to the floor, and Sam led them off of it. MacGregor was huddled on the floor, shaking slightly, and Halifax nudged him impatiently with her head. Abigail bent over him as well, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right, Wish?" she asked gently, trying not to laugh.

MacGregor jumped a bit and then stood up straight. "Of course, m'lady," he said with a slightly wavering voice. "I was just, uh, checking my boot." He led Halifax off the platform quickly.

"My men will see to your horses and the carriage, friends, so if you'll follow me to the dining hall, I'll see if we can find you something to eat."

The dining hall ran nearly the length of the building, and the tree rose up through its middle. Moonlight gleamed through large, narrow windows lining the walls. To one side, an enormous fireplace held a modest fire, and at one end of the room was an large, stone table with a hundred chairs gathered around it. Sam strode into the hall and hollered: "NAAAAARIIINE! WE'VE GOT GUESTS!"

His yell was answered seconds later by a softer voice at the end of the great hall. "Sam! You needed have yelled!" The voice was chiding but sweet. "I could see the platform approaching, after all..."

"Right you are, my sweet! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my, er," Sam paused to count on his fingers. "My sixth wife! The precious and glorious Narine!"

Narine appeared out of the doorway at the end of the room. A human girl? Uther noted with surprise. She was young, and very attractive, with long, blonde hair and serious eyes. She smiled at her new guests, and walked gracefully over to Sam.

She's younger than I am! Abigail had always felt that she was far to young to marry, but maybe...

"Sixth wife!" exclaimed Rikkard.

"Well, when you get to be as old as I am, you tend to rack up a few... Ow!" Narine had hit him playfully across the back of the head. "But there is only you, right now, my dove!"

"AAAAAAUUUUGH -- OOF!" came a yell from one of the windows. Through it had flown a golden streak, flashing and then rolling to a ball on the inside of the room, beyond the table. The group crept over to the table to see what had flown in.

A somewhat disoriented, golden-scaled face popped up.

"Ioan!" exclaimed Abigail.

"Friend of yours?" asked Sam.

"He's my brother's teacher," she explained.

"Um." Ioan stood up slowly. "Can someone get me some clothes?"

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