Bargain price

CHAPTER 15

G ENERALS DOPPEL and Ganger and the few who survived Redd’s attack avoided the Crystal Continuum in case the invading force had already taken control of its shimmering byways. They made their way on foot to the Everlasting Forest, found refuge in a small clearing surrounded by trees that would alert them of approaching enemies. The healthy carried the wounded, but all suffered emotionally from their defeat and the loss of beloved left behind.

“We must organize quickly,” General Doppel urged.

“Before Redd settles into her rule,” agreed General Ganger. The white knight nodded.

“Our only chance to amass an army is now,” Doppel continued. “However ill-timed such recruitment may be.”

The three turned their eyes toward the battle-numbed card soldiers dragging themselves into the sanctuary of the forest.

“My bishops and I are prepared to risk everything for the good of the queendom,” said the knight. “We will find Wonderlanders to fight with us against Redd, you can rest assured.”

The knight gathered his bishops and their pawns. “Spread out through the capital city,” he ordered. “Find anyone willing to fight for White Imagination and tell them where we’re camped. They must make their own, careful way to us. But be sure they’re sincere in their wish to join our cause or you will give us

away and we’ll be doomed.”

Among the soldiers gathering in the forest sat one who wasn’t a soldier at all-just an inconsolable boy, slumped against the base of a tree, crying in fits and jags and not caring if Redd herself heard him. The generals would have known better how to subdue a raging jabberwock than a mourning child.

“You should never have brought me here,” Dodge moaned. “I shouldn’t have left them.” “There was nothing you could do, son,” General Doppel said.

“You would have been killed,” said General Ganger.

“At least I would have died alongside my father! I could have protected Alyss!” “If Hatter couldn’t-”

“Then no one could have provided protection enough, I’m afraid.” Dodge wiped his nose.

“We are sorry,” generals Doppel and Ganger said as one. “I’ve lost my father and…and Alyss!”

The Generals lowered their heads, took a moment to speak. “We have all lost Princess Alyss-”

“And feel your suffering on that score.”

Dodge doubted it. They couldn’t possibly know how he felt-the pain, the sudden wretched loneliness. They might have lost their princess, but Alyss was so much more than that to him. Would he never more see lively, sweet-smelling Alyss Heart? Never again confide to her his dreams of soldier-fame? What good were dreams now? And then his father…he could hardly take it all in. He would never see his father again. Where the two greatest loves of his life had been, he was faced with nothing, blankness.

“We are sorry,” the generals said again. But they had what remained of their army to comfort; they left him and strode among their soldiers, dispensing words of consolation to the wounded and commendations of bravery to all.

Dodge didn’t remember falling asleep, wasn’t aware that he’d even been sleeping until he woke the next morning with a sudden start, an idea blazing in his brain and the resolve to carry it through already firm. When the generals came upon him, he was ripping the fleur-de-lis badge off his guardsman coat, and they watched as he put his coat on inside out and rubbed handfuls of dirt over himself until it became virtually impossible to tell that he wore a guardsman’s uniform.

“What are you up to?” General Doppel asked.

“If it’s too late to do anything for Alyss, there’s at least something I can still do for my father.” The generals exchanged a worried glance.

“I’m going to get his body,” Dodge said. “The leader of the palace guard deserves a burial proper to his station and I’m going to give it to him.”

“You can’t go back there,” General Ganger said. “Why not?”

“Well,” said General Doppel, “who’s to say that Sir Justice’s body is even still there, and-” “And Redd’s soldiers are everywhere,” General Ganger finished. “You’ll never make it.” “I’m going.”

“But we forbid it!”

Dodge Anders had always shown respect for chains of command, for the discipline required of military men, but he suddenly barked, “Who are you to forbid it? Do you have Anders blood in your veins?”

“I’ll go with him if it’ll make you feel better, Generals.”

The white rook. Dodge felt his heart thumping in his throat. He was breathing short and fast. The chessman came and stood next to him. It was all right. Dodge didn’t know the rook well, but it was all right. It would be good to have company.

The generals shook their heads, couldn’t help being impressed by the boy’s character despite the foolishness of the proposed errand. In silent agreement, they removed the exact same crystal and gemstone quadruple-heart medal from their uniforms and presented them to Dodge.

“With utmost respect for your father,” General Doppel said.

“Please give him these,” said General Ganger.

Dodge took the medals in his hand and pocketed them carefully. He could feel his bottom lip quivering. He turned and hurried into the woods.

“Take care of him,” the generals told the chessman.

The rook knew he would be easy to spot in the capital city, so as he left the encampment, he grabbed a blanket and draped it over his battlements to give himself the appearance of an anonymous pauper. Silent, alert, he and Dodge made their way to Heart Palace.

They found Wondertropolis practically deserted. Small clans of Redd’s soldiers lolled outside abandoned cafes, drunk on wine and harassing the few Wonderlanders who braved the streets, hurrying to their destinations with lowered heads, intent on keeping to their own business.

Dodge and the rook cut this way and that through the city, avoiding the soldiers. They made it to the palace without incident, surprised to find it unguarded, unmanned.

“Where’s the Heart Crystal?” the rook asked.

Dodge paused to study the courtyard. How gloomy it was-forsaken and without the light of the powerful crystal. Suddenly, a figure scurried out of the palace. Dodge and the rook reached for their swords, but there was no need. The figure-a male-didn’t seem to notice them; arms laden with goblets and dishes, he ran past and was gone. Another Wonderlander trotted out of the palace and through the courtyard, carrying a music box and several pillows.

Dodge looked at the rook. What was going on?

In the palace’s darkened halls they discovered looters moving about in silent hurry, helping themselves to souvenirs of the former ruling family. A Wonderlander ran past with one of Alyss’ old toys in his arms: a set of glow-gwormmies. Dodge made a move to trip the thief, but the rook put a hand on his arm and shook his head: Dodge had to focus on what he’d come to do.

As flitting as the looters, Dodge and the rook drifted through banquet rooms and salons. They saw a

great many of Redd’s soldiers passed out on the floors and tables. But no sign of Redd or The Cat. They drew closer to the South Dining Room, stepped over dead card soldiers and guardsmen.

“That smell.” Dodge clamped a hand over his nose. “It’ll be worse inside,” the rook said.

They found the dining room deserted, the stench too much for the looters. The rook paused just inside the room, shaking his battlement-topped head at the carnage. But as ghastly as the scene was, Dodge saw only his father’s body. He stood over Sir Justice and cried silent tears.

“We should hurry,” the rook said gently.

Dodge wiped his face and nodded-more to himself than to the rook, a nod to convince himself that he had the strength to do this.

They carried Sir Justice out to the garden and, using broken chair backs as shovels, began to dig. It wasn’t easy going. They sweated; their muscles ached. But the hole was at last large enough. Once Sir

Justice was lying in the ground, Dodge removed from his pocket the medals the generals had given him and he laid them on his father’s chest. With timid, unsteady hands, he began to shovel soil into the grave.

No! It was impossible! Worse than anything he’d ever experienced, to see the soil fall on his father, the man who had given him life! A cry burst from him, he threw his makeshift shovel to the ground, ran and hid in a corner of the garden. How could he live? Why should he live when those he had held most dear did not? He became quiet, subdued. How and why should he live? These were questions to be answered. The only questions.

When he finally stepped out from his hiding place, Sir Justice was buried. The rook had taken care of everything…almost.

“Would you like to do this?” the rook asked, holding a seed out to Dodge: the Hereafter Seed.

Dodge took the seed and dropped it on his father’s grave. Instantly the seed took root and up grew a large, beautiful bouquet of flowers, the arrangement of which formed Sir Justice’s likeness; a living memorial.

“Thank you,” Dodge murmured.

The rook accepted the thanks in silence, detected no sign of tears on the boy’s cheeks. Dodge’s tight, squinting expression looked more angry than sad.

They stood together over the grave in final tribute.

“He was a good man,” the rook said, “a brave and honorable man.” Dodge snorted, bitter. “Yeah, and this was his reward.”