forgiveness. The captain, covered with pondweed, was weeping and blubbering like a three-year-old, while a frog perched nearby was quite happily croaking away on the captain’s floating helmet. The guards had gone from dangerous foes to bundles of whimpering jelly in four seconds flat.
‘Gah!’ snorted Azariah, his anger quickly mellowing. ‘What are you, men or children? Come on. Stand up, all of you. Come on. Up you get. Good … Now, if you would … Hey, you! Watch out for my lilies! OK, look, just line up on the path and don’t touch anything.’
‘Y-y-ya won’t hurt us?’ whimpered the captain. ‘Ya won’t turn us inta skunks or nothing?’
‘No, no,’ promised Azariah. He threw Charlie and Nibbler a quick wink. ‘I won’t do anything like that. Just so long as you behave.’
‘We will, we will!’ promised the tearful captain, his kilt now heavy and dripping with water. ‘I’m sorry ta have been so rude, b-b-but I was just following orders.’
‘Yes, I’m sure you were,’ agreed Azariah, quite amicably. ‘And out of interest, whose orders were they?’
‘Lord Nazareth’s, yer honourship.’
‘Aah,’ said Azariah, giving Charlie a knowing look. ‘Everything becomes clearer now. And what were his exact orders?’
‘Ta place ya under arrest and bring ya back ta the Jade Circle.’
‘Oh, how very surprising,’ said Azariah in a dry drawl. Charlie got the impression he wasn’t at all surprised by this news. ‘Hhmm, well, we can’t allow you to disappoint Lord Nazareth, can we?’
‘Er … no, yer … lordiness,’ gabbled the captain. ‘We can’t?’
‘No of course we can’t. Arresting me and my guest is obviously out of the question, but I’m sure that no harm would come from you escorting us to the Jade Tower. What do you say?’
‘Uh, wotever yer most excellent excellency requires,’ the captain quickly agreed as he clutched at the few straws on offer.
‘Glad to hear it, old chap. Very well, then. Nibbler, Charlie, if you would be so good as to join me.’
Charlie grinned, impressed by how quickly Azariah had turned the situation around in their favour. Nibbler smirked as he passed the sodden Treman guards. The captain was on his hands and knees, struggling to reclaim his helmet from the pond and the bemused frog.
Once all the guards had collected their discarded armour from across Azariah’s lawn, they fell into place behind the three companions to form a guard of honour, albeit a very soggy and dishevelled one that squelched as it marched across Sylvaris to the Jade Tower.
39
A Courtroom Fiasco
People began to point and stare as the small procession walked past. Much of the attention was reserved for Nibbler, but the city’s inhabitants were also curious as to the identity of the scruffy young girl walking at the head of the small parade. Charlie began to blush at all the attention. Nibbler, on the other hand, appeared to love it and soon he was strutting up and down by Charlie’s side.
‘Stop it!’ hissed Charlie. ‘Everyone’s looking!’
‘I know. Great, isn’t it?’ smirked Nibbler, puffing out his chest and prancing about. ‘I could get used to this.’
‘It’s embarrassing!’
‘What? No, it’s not – it’s great! Hey, look at those guys, they’re all waving! Hiya! Hi, guys, how you doing? Hey, look at me! Check these bad boys,’ bragged Nibbler, tensing his muscles, pulling some fancy footwork and flapping his powerful wings for everyone’s entertainment. ‘Wheee, yeah! I’m hot, I’m smoking, I’m on fire!’
Charlie slapped her hand over her eyes as Nibbler started blowing smoke rings, shooting out little jets of flame and generally making an exhibition of himself. Did he have no shame?
Azariah smiled fondly as he watched the antics of his young charges. Turning off the main boulevard, he led the small procession across a sweeping bridge and into the Jade Tower.
Upon their arrival, servants swung open the many doors that led into the Council Chamber. Footmen cried out to announce their arrival as the unusual procession swept in to meet the Jade Circle.
‘At last,’ spat Nazareth. His beady shark’s eyes glared at the trio.
‘A Winged One?’ exclaimed Dridif, observing Nibbler. ‘But the hibernation period is not yet over.’
Nibbler stepped forward as the other councillors expressed their shock at the sight of the sacred creature. They all quietened as he spoke. ‘I am a Hatchling,’ he explained. ‘My Chrysalis Period was interrupted by a call for help from this young Keeper.’ He nodded towards Charlie. ‘But I’m afraid I don’t yet possess the wisdom of my elders.’
Dridif nodded, but looked unsettled. Nazareth was quick to react. With a grand,