Read Once In a Blue Moon Online
Authors: Simon R. Green
Once In a Blue Moon (83 page)
“Damn right,” said Chappie.
Fisher looked across at the dragon, who immediately opened his huge golden eyes to look back at her.
“Well?” said Fisher. “Are you coming too? The legendary last dragon?”
“No,” said the dragon. “Because I don’t think I am the last. Ever since you woke me up, I’ve had this feeling . . . that I’m not alone in the world, after all.”
Fisher squealed with delight, which made everyone else jump. She ran over to hug the dragon round his great neck and press him for details.
“Girls and their ponies,” Hawk said solemnly.
He left Fisher to it, and walked away to talk with Lily Peck and Roland the Headless Axeman. Hawk was honestly shocked at how old and frail Lily looked.
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” she said calmly. “Easy come, easy go. I can always get some more youth. Years are just currency to a witch.”
“You and Fisher aren’t coming back with us, are you?” said Roland.
“No,” said Hawk. “You don’t need us anymore. Would you like to run the Academy?”
“No,” said Roland, and Lily shook her head quickly.
“I’ve never been one for responsibility,” she said. “Witches aren’t, mostly.”
“We’ll just find somebody else,” said Roland, “to be the next Hawk and Fisher. Someone worthy. And everything will go on as before. I will make it a point to choose someone who can annoy the Administrator properly, to keep him on his toes. No one will ever know there’s been any change at all.”
Hawk called Raven and Van Fleet forward, and had them open up a dimensional door back to the Millennium Oak. Hawk stood before the assembled force of the Hero Academy and bowed to them all.
“You have done great work here. Always remember, Fisher and I are so proud of every one of you.”
And all the men and women of the Hawk and Fisher Memorial Academy drew their swords and thrust them into the air in salute. Hawk nodded in return. He didn’t trust himself to say anything more.
“You trained us well,” said Roland.
Prince Richard had finally found Peter Foster among the many wounded being treated by the Castle surgeons, on the open ground of the clearing. Peter lay on his back, staring up at the night sky, swathed heavily in bandages that were already soaked in blood. For the first time, Richard realised just how badly his old friend and bodyguard had been hurt by putting himself between his Prince and all harm. Richard knelt down beside Peter and tried to thank him, but he couldn’t get the words out.
“It’s all right,” said Peter. “I know, I look a mess. But I can’t die. Not while you still need looking after.”
“I still haven’t been able to find out what’s happened to Clarence,” said Richard. “Why he wasn’t with us . . . He missed it all! Probably sleeping off a drunk somewhere.”
“Yes,” said Peter.
“He would have written some great songs about all this.”
“Well,” said Peter, “he would have written some songs . . .”
They laughed quietly together.
Not far away, Roland the Headless Axeman watched Richard talking with Peter. He would have liked to go and talk with them, but knew he couldn’t.
“Goodbye, Richard, Peter, my old friends,” he said quietly. “You were right; I made a much better warrior than a minstrel.”
He went back to join the witch Lily Peck.
“Indulge an old woman’s curiosity,” she said, “while I am still an old woman. Where is your head?”
“I keep it in a box, under my bed,” said Roland. “Never know when it might come in handy. I have to say, being killed was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“You’re weird,” said Lily Peck.
Raven and Van Fleet opened their dimensional door, and Roland the Headless Axeman and Lily Peck led the Academy force back to the Millennium Oak, in the Dutchy of Lancre. The door closed behind them, and they were gone.
• • •
S
ome time later, when everyone else had gone into the Forest Castle, Hawk and Fisher and Chappie the dog were left alone in the clearing. Even the dragon had flown away in search of his future. It was very quiet, with a cold wind blowing and the first light of the rising sun leaving ragged crimson streaks on the night sky.
“All right,” said Fisher, “I’ll bite. How are we going to get to Reverie without the sorcerers’ help? Make a wish?”
Hawk grinned, and drew the Rainbow Sword. “I always knew I’d use this again.”
He turned the sword over and thrust its point deep into the hard earth of the clearing. He called out silently, asking for one last miracle. Not for himself, but for all those he meant to protect from the Demon Prince and all his kind. There was a long pause, and then Chappie’s head came up suddenly.
“Can you feel that? We’re not alone in the night anymore. Something’s coming . . .”
Hawk and Fisher didn’t say anything. They could feel it too. Something ancient, primeval, vast, and powerful was heading their way from out of the dark. They looked up and the Rainbow came crashing down before them like a massive waterfall of all the colours in the world. Brilliant and beautiful, the Rainbow thundered down in colours so bright, so perfect, they were almost unbearable.
Rainbow’s End.
As they stood there, dazzled and awed, they heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Strangely familiar footsteps. And out of the Rainbow there came a unicorn. Blindingly white, with a proud head and a tossing mane, and a single curlicue horn jutting from his forehead. The unicorn came forward to stand before Hawk.
“You didn’t think I’d let you go without me, did you, Rupert?”
“Breeze!” said Hawk. “I never thought I’d see you again! They told me you were dead!”
“Legends can’t die,” said the unicorn. “Now, pick up your sword and follow me, Hawk and Fisher, and Chappie the dog. We have legendary work to do.”
They all walked forward into the Rainbow, and it carried them away. The light snapped off, and the night returned. They were gone, all of them—into legend, where they belonged.
One last time.
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