A Rock and a Hard Place

Coming up from the ground outside the gnomes' compound, Gandr was breathing heavily. "That's not as easy as it looks," he said as he set down the unconscious boy to catch his breath.

"You think that looked easy?" Devrim guffawed. His brow crinkled. "You look spent. Have you been looking for me for a while?"

Gandr nodded. "When you were not back in the room where we parted, I looked all around the area, popping in and out of each room through the ground. Then the thought occurred to me to try Cafer's rooms."

"I am glad you found me, but I am sorry you had to waste your magic. We could really use it now." The Emperor was also weak, but he picked up Alaron across his shoulders. Together, they slogged along around the side of the lake. It was mid-morning, and the sun was beginning to beat down on them in earnest. They were far north, but somehow that did not lesson the heat that they felt. Both males were sweating heavily before long.

"Part of me hopes the boy will wake up so we can force him to walk," Gandr admitted. "And part of me is afraid of what he will do when he realizes that we have taken him."

"One problem at a time," Devrim responded reflexively. "How far away do you think Junayd is?" The lake by them had a jagged edge where the trees hugged the shoreline. Any of the blind dips could reveal the soldier and selkie, or possibly none of them at all.

"It is hard to tell. He had three horses with him. Alternating between them, he could have made decent time. That is, if the selkie did not distract him too much." Gandr winced.

Devrim denied the accusation. "Junayd knows what is at stake. He would not delay and risk our lives."

The water closest to them stirred and a seal-like head popped out of the water. "Luna?" Devrim recognized the selkie. Her whiskery face was contorted in fear. The Emperor's heart sunk. "What has happened?"

"Junayd is in trouble. The gnomes are closing in!" Luna said.

They quickened their pace to follow the selkie. "But how?" Devrim asked.

"They must have passed us in order to circle back and trap us. Not a bad plan actually." Gandr could appreciate their cunning even if he hated it.

Like a bat out of a cave, Junayd raced out of the trees toward them with only one horse in tow. He dismounted and bowed. "The gnomes are after me. Take the horse, Your Majesty. You and the prince escape."

"Where are the other horses?" Devrim spoke quickly.

"Injured in the chase. I had to let them go." Junayd bowed again, obviously distraught.

"Release this one too. I am not leaving you to die." The Emperor declared. He had weighed the options and decided this was the best option for their current situation. Devrim quickly took what he could from the horse and sent it to continue around the lake. "Go!" he yelled.

The small group of gnomes who had been in pursuit of the soldier came around the bend. They could hear the horse, but saw its riderless saddle hurry off into the distance. "Follow it!" One gnome ordered two of the others. The rest stopped and scanned the terrain. There was no strange movement; there was actually no movement at all save a large log floating out in the lake.

"Fan out," the bossy gnome ordered. His low brow made him look perpetually angry. "He could not have gotten far." Something about the log floating in the water bothered the gnome. It was moving contrary to the lake's waves. He looked at the log intently. Suddenly the gnarled trunk bobbed uncontrollably as a hand grabbed at one of the knobby branches.

"There!" the low-browed gnome yelled as he pointed at the lake. "In the lake!"

"We have been spotted," Devrim moaned. He and Junayd were treading water behind the log while Luna buoyed the prince on her back with his tied arms draped around her neck. Gandr held desperately to the log to keep from drowning; it was his blind panic that the gnome on shore had seen.

"There is more than one of them. I think they have the prince," a voice from a shore called out. Junayd and Devrim stopped treading water and pulled their torso's onto the log. There was little use hiding now. Pulling Gandr with great effort, they were able to bring the gnome even with them. The wooden flotation device bobbed wildly, but stayed above the water.

"Kick with all you've got!" Devrim ordered. "Aim for that point." The Emperor indicated an inlet that was a fair distance down the lake. He believed they could reach it before the gnome cut across the land. If so, then they would have a chance at escaping.

"I will follow you," Luna confirmed. She shifted as the prince seemed to stir slightly on her back. Devrim reflected that the selkie had not questioned them at all about the state of the prince. Perhaps Junayd had briefed her on their trip. Either way, Devrim was glad for the lady's unwavering faith.

With the three sets of legs kicking, the trio moved the log swiftly through the water. They were gaining ground on the gnomes, who could not move swiftly though the dense brush and trees. Being low to the ground had certain disadvantages. The humans and company neared the shore and at last were able to touch the ground once more. They waded in and relieved Luna of the prince.

"Thank you for your help. I could not have done it without you," Junayd said to Luna. It was an uncharacteristic moment of vulnerability for the soldier.

Luna smiled gently. "Get to safety. I will see you again someday." She popped out of the water and kissed the partially-submerged soldier on the cheek. "I will see if I can distract them. Now go!" The selkie disappeared into the water.

Junayd gave Devrim and Gandr a fierce look as they grinned at him. "Stop it, both of you," he growled.

"I guess a charming fool can get the girl after all," Gandr whistled quietly.

"Well it worked for me," Devrim agreed.

Gandr hoisted the prince once more on his back as the three began to run the only direction they could, away from the gnomes. The spot where they had landed provided thinner brush, but the going was not easy. "They are gaining on us," the halfling told them.

"Wait, can't they smell us? Is there anything we can do about it?" Devrim's mind was racing.

"I could use my wind magic, but I do not have much left in me, and I am carrying His Highness." Gandr answered apologetically.

Alaron stirred again. He groaned softly. "Stay asleep, my boy," Devim coaxed him. "We do not need another problem."

"Why did you have to say that?" Junayd moaned. "Now another problem will pop up just because you said so."

"What are you, a Fate?" Devrim bickered. "You cannot possibly know that. Keep running."

They came to a clearing and stopped dead in their tracks. Across from them stood the the largest stag that any man had ever seen. The horns around his head formed a magnificent crown.

"A king of beasts," Gandr muttered unconsciously.

Devrim gave a pained expression.

Junayd called him out, "You wanted a new problem? There it is!"

The halfling was confused. "You know him?"

"Sort of," both the men said in unison before looking surprised by the other.

"He is a wood nymph," Devrim explained.

"And he does not like people," Junayd finished.

"…oh," Gandr suddenly understood. They were between a rock and a hard place with the gnomes behind and the stag before them.

Just then, the stag began to charge.