The Mystic Travelogues (Volume 1) by J.C. Nusbaum

Author:J.C. Nusbaum [Nusbaum, J.C.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Eltanin Publishing
Published: 2011-06-02T04:00:00+00:00

“AT LAST,” King Renatus said. “I have suffered so long.”

The spoon was passed overhead from Nome to Nome until it reached the King. In another instant, a Nome standing next to the King’s throne stepped forward carrying a flagon of liquid. The servant was dressed in robes as opulent as the King’s, and Tug guessed he must be a chamberlain. King Renatus held the spoon out as his servant poured the liquid into it. The King then lifted it to his mouth as if administering medicine. After he tilted his head back and swallowed the contents, he greedily licked the spoon.

Mid-lick, the King froze, his grey tongue pressed into the recess of the spoon. He held it there while his eyes darted around the room. At first he seemed bewildered, but slowly a look of recognition entered his eyes.

He lowered the spoon, and continued to smack his lips, lips that were now stretched into a fiendish grin. His eyes landed on his chamberlain, now cowering in the corner as if the old King might swat at him, even though he was sitting several feet away.

“Kaliko,” the Nome King snarled at his chamberlain, “you forget your place. Where are my stately effects? This is not my belt. And where are my rings? What have you done with them?”

“Sir, they are long absent from the Nome Kingdom,” Kaliko responded.

“Yes,” the Nome King said slowly, as if recalling events long forgotten.

Kaliko interrupted the King’s recollections with a timid voice, “Your worshipfulness, we have intruders. We have already stolen their names.”

“You sniveling imbecile. I’ve just regained my memory, not lost what little I had.” But as the King turned his attention to the children, his eyes landed on the bear. The old Nome scrunched his eyebrows as if he was taking notice of him for the first time.

“Auberon Leopold!” he exclaimed. “You dare return to my Kingdom?”

Leopold growled back at the Nome, but Jodie continued to hold onto the bear.

“Bring him to me,” King Renatus commanded.

It took several Nomes to pry Leopold away from Jodie, and a dozen more to hold Tug back. Tug pushed against a sea of Nomes, writhing and calling out to Leopold. But he was far outnumbered. Four Nomes carried the stuffed bear to the King, each holding firmly to one of the bear’s paws as Leopold wriggled to be free. With great effort, the Nome King picked up a great emerald vase that sat beside his throne and set it down before the bear.

“Stuff the toy in here,” the King said, as casually as if Leopold were a bouquet of daisies. “Seal the top. We can keep him preserved with the rest of the names where he can’t cause any more trouble.”

“Stop!” Tug cried out, but the Nomes took no notice of him. “He didn’t do anything!”

The King glowered at Tug for a moment, and then fixed his gaze back on the bear. The King’s eyes seemed to sparkle amidst the distress he was causing.

Jodie looked away, but Tug watched in anguish.

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