Chapter 32

In front of the backdrop that was the starry night sky, was the darker than dark silhouette of the castle on the hill: Castle Aerie, home of King Bastion, ruler of Tuscan.

Lena gazed up at it and couldn’t help but feel an aura of calm majesty radiating from the stone.  The castle had stood there for over two hundred years.  How great they were, these builders from long ago.

The wind blew across her body and she felt cold, dripping wet as she was.  She had just swum across the Anduin river, which snaked along the western side of the castle.

SPLASH-SPLASH-SPLASH!

Lena turned to look where the sound was coming from.  And then she saw them!  Clarence and Four-tooth tumbled out of the water and collapsed onto the grassy bank.  Clarence rolled onto his back, sprawled out spread eagled.

“I guess you guys haven’t swum in a while!” said Lena.

“Clarence,” said Four-tooth inbetween gasps, “Saved my life!  I ran out of steam and was drowning!  He came and grabbed me.”  He turned his head to look at Clarence, “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing,” said Clarence, still huffing and puffing, “I’m just glad we made it.  It felt like we weren’t even moving back there!”

Lena smiled at her husband the hero.  But then something else caught her attention.  She saw some movement along the road that lead to the castle.

“Clarence,” she said, “Get up.  It’s here.  Javier’s carriage approaches!”

Despite feeling dead tired, Clarence whipped himself up.  In the pale moonlight he could see it too.  A fancy looking carriage being pulled by two grey horses.  It would be passing them in moments.

“We need to intercept it before it reaches the castle!” he said.

“Are we really doing this, Clarence?” said Lena, “Once we do this, there is no going back.”

“I will not stand by and let my friend get captured.”

“Okay,” said Lena, “I’m with you.  Through thick or thin, I am by your side.”

Clarence looked at his beautiful wife, love welling up inside him.

“Aw, guys,” said Four-tooth, “You guys did this already!”

Clarence brushed Lena’s wet hair back and pulled her in towards him and kissed her deeply.

Four-tooth sighed and forced himself to stand up.

 “Ahem,” he said, “I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but the carriage is nearly here.  What’s your plan, Clarence?”

Clarence pulled away from Lena and said, “I didn’t really think that far ahead.   I don’t really have a plan!  We don’t have time.  I’m just going to rush this carriage and see what happens!  Are you guys ready?”

“Ready, my love,” said Lena.

“Aye,” said Four-tooth, “Let’s do this!”

The three of them charged at the carriage, which was due to pass them in mere seconds.

Four-tooth, who was still exhausted his swim across the Anduin, was now sprinting as fast as he could, directly at the fast moving carriage.  He knew he only had one shot at this.

Make it count, he thought to himself, For Lena and Clarence, do it!