A Dragon in Trouble

Call from afar

Henry swung his staff and brought it to rest. He enjoyed staff practice but it was a little galling to be repeatedly bettered by Breams, his roommate, and who was only twelve summers old compared to his sixteen summers but then Breams was exceptionally talented so he wasn't the only one regularly beaten.

He bowed to Breams and Breams grinned back.

‘You almost got me that time Henry.'

Henry grunted and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 'It didn't feel like that to me. I am bruised all over.'

Breams looked a little worried, ‘Barley will sort those out. I will call him if you like.'

Henry waved his hands dismissively. ‘I'll heal in my own time if you don't mind. Let's go and find some food, I'm starving.'

In the dining room, there was a buzz of excitement. The local school, Forest Edge, had challenged Loggerwood School to a snow challenge and final preparations were taking place. Henry and Breams joined the snowballing contingency. Henry had been a little put out when not selected to lead the team but Breams had persuaded him that he was still needed, so he reluctantly suggested a few possible tactics before excusing himself. Out in the cold winter air he decided to climb up one of the fire towers that lit the school at night. Looking out over the Stonewood Pines, he watched the snow falling outside the school grounds and swirl in the light of the fire. There was a special magic up in the towers and he sat down to warm himself.

He was dozing when a fluttering of wings made him jump. Perched on the rails of the fire tower had landed a large colourful bird. He had never seen a Cara- cara bird before but he had no difficulty recognising one. He had read about them in his father's library. They were very rarely seen and said to be related to Dragons.

‘She needs your help Henry Fothrington,' the bird minded to Henry.

‘I am to take you to her, please be quick and get the others we must hurry.'

Henry gulped. ‘We can't just leave the school, and if by ‘she' you mean Ribastra we have paid our debt to her. I bet sending you is just another one of her sneaky ploys, isn't it?'

The bird lowered its head. ‘She is in great trouble and we fear she will die. I have come of my own free will. She does not know that we seek your help. She is a proud lady.'

Henry felt himself go cold. The High Lord in trouble, gods what was he to do now? ‘I understand the problem Henry but we have to make sure we are not missed, you know that.' said Barley who was with Hamish and the rest of the tobogganing team. Barley sat back on his heels and calmly considered the problem.

‘I can get Foxglove and Prunis to take our places. Give me half a chime and I will meet you all up there. Get Hamish to pack my gear.'

Henry breathed a sigh of relief. Normally Barley was the most difficult to pursued but he had changed a lot over the last six months.

Hamish looked a little disappointed. He was by far the best tobogganist in the school but he also felt anxious for Ribastra.

Breams flew into action stuffing his gear into a bag. ‘How can a Dragon be in trouble and how could she die? This is terrible.'

Henry had to agree but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Back up the fire tower, Barley climbed the last few steps and rolled on the fire platform panting while the others finished sorting out bags.

‘We are all here,' Henry told the bird that continued to perch motionless on the railings, ‘now what?'

The Cara-cara bird dropped a green dragon scale on the ground. ‘Follow its light and you will come to her. She is a nights walk from here, go quickly before you are too late.' Breams held out the scale and a green light shone out into the forest.

The bird spread its wings. ‘Bird don't go. We can't get through the Stonewood pines,' Barley cried with a slight panic in his voice.

‘All in the forest will allow you passage. A Dragon is sick, the future of all things hangs in the balance.' and she flew away.

They quickly climbed down the tower and slipped through the trees. The School was set in the middle of the great Loggerwood Forest and normally students were only allowed out under agreement from the headmaster, Alistair Windmaster. This was the first time they had left the school without permission.

‘Do you think we will be expelled?' asked Hamish.

Barley grimaced. His father was head of the Elven Council, ‘Lets hope not,' he said as he struggled with that possibility, ‘but we couldn't leave Ribastra to die, could we?' he added as he tried to convince himself that they had had no choice.

Chapter Two

Caught

As dawn started to break in the sky, they found themselves by a lake.

‘I know this place,' puffed Breams and Hamish nodded. ‘This is the lake that has the Island of souls in the middle of it. Hamish and I have been here before.'

The green light began to fade as soon as they turned away from the lake. ‘Where is she,' cried Breams as he struggled to see in the changing light.

‘And who might you be looking for?' Came a rough voice from behind them.

Henrys heart sank as he realised they had walked straight into some sort of trap. Four large men with dark staffs walked around them. He had picked up from his father enough to know Black Wizards were more active than usual and there was a threat of war within Minuet with the Elven Council at risk of being overthrown. Now Black WIzards had the son of the Council Leader and the Guard Commander. He hoped they didn't know it.

Henry bowed, ‘Sir we are on a night hike and have got ourselves lost. We are really glad to see you. Could you tell us how to get back to Loggerwood School before our Headmaster misses us?'

‘Just lost is it?' sniggered one with a scar down his face, ‘so who were you looking for then?'

Henry tried not to look at any of them directly so as to hide the lie. ‘Monica sir. I am Josh her brother. Have you seen her?' He held his staff tight in his hand praying he sounded convincing and that the others realised they must not say who they were. He needn't have worried.

Breams started to cry, ‘I want to go back, its scary out here, please sir they made me come. I want to go back. There are horrible crawlers and animals out in the trees.'

The Black Wizard looked uncertain of what to do.

‘It's all his fault,' shouted Hamish as if taking Breams' lead and he went to hit Barley who was taken by surprise but defended himself and then joined in. ‘No its not, you took the wrong turn,' and the two of them fell to the ground rolling down the hill.

A flash of a wizards strike stopped them all in their tracks. Hamish screamed in pain and Breams cry in real distress this time.

‘None of you move or make a sound or I will finish you all off right now.' shouted the Black Wizard now moving towards Hamish and Barley. Henry went to run but found himself held tight with a web of energy and toppled over face down in the cold icy ground. he turned his head to see Breams being picked up and hit hard across his face to stop him yelling.

The wizards were joined by several others and appeared to be setting up their camp up the hill and a short distance from the lake. Henry and Barley were left tied up in the mud while Hamish and Breams were taken into the camp.

Henry wriggled round so he could see Barley and focused his mind, ‘I think we need to get help,' He minded, ‘My dad or yours or Windmaster?'

‘Windmaster, he is closer,' Minded Barley.

Barley wriggled over to Henry who slowly moved within the restraining web around him. If they moved slowly the web didn't tighten but any sudden movement and it did. Slowly he shifted his hand towards Barley's pocket. Inside Barley had a communication bubble. He would need to find it and then put a message in it and fly it. Finding it proved simple enough and Barley had an old scrap of paper but no pen so slowly Henry moved his arm back. Within his own web he wriggled his arm around to get a pen from his own pocket. Making sure no one was watching he started to write.

To

A. Windmaster,

Black wizards, Lake of souls

Dragon sick

4 boys captured

help

He tried to fly it but like him, it was stuck in the web. Slowly he watched it began to rise up through the web as if rising through treacle but in full view of anyone that might be watching.

He stared at Barley as they saw two black wizards heading their way. As the wizards approached, Barley fell across Henry in an attempt to hide the bubble but one of the Black Wizards grabbed him and kicked him away. Henry rolled over on his side his back to the wizards so to shield the bubble as it started to break through the web. Barley rolled back onto the other wizard making him lose his balance. At that moment the bubble flew into the air and disappeared. Barely screamed in pain as the wizard took his revenge and Henry cringed bracing himself for his turn, which came in the form of several kicks to his body.

‘What are your names boys and why are you here?' snarled one of the wizards as he turned Henry over his staff pointed straight at him.

At that moment, when he thought he might die, Henry felt the web of magic holding him disappear and the trees around him shook from a hollow clap of thunder echoed through the forest. The air shimmered as if on a hot day as hundreds and hundreds of Cara-cara bird flew in from the lake. If he hadn't felt so desperately cold and scared he would have marvelled at the sight but he and Barley just stared and prayed. The birds circled the camp, flying faster and faster until the air looked to be on fire and then as suddenly as they had appeared they were gone.

Henry had almost forgotten the Black Wizards until he heard Breams shout out for him. Looking around he realised that they had completely disappeared.

‘Breams,' he called back, and a few moments later Breams appeared from the camp.

‘Come quick Hamish is bad.' He called from the top of the hill.

Barley tried to pull himself up but slumped back down, ‘Help me Henry.'

Henry could feel that some of his ribs were broken and as determined as he was he couldn't help Barley. Breams ran over to them bewildered and frightened.

‘I have sent a bubble for help,' Henry reassured him. ‘I'm sure old Windmaster won't be too long.'

Breams and Barley collapsed back down in resignation wondering what trouble they were about to find themselves in. Henry just hoped help was on its way.

Chapter Three

An unusual bubble

Alistair Windmaster was just leaving his study for the Winter Challenge when several more bubbles landed on his desk. He pushed them to one side telling himself to ignore them, but one rolled back. He picked up the bubble and was about to put it back in the ‘to read later' pot when a clap of thunder shook the building. Walking to the window to look out he noticed the scrappy piece of paper inside the bubble.

It certainly wasn't his usual school mail. Slightly curious he stopped and pulled the odd piece of paper out and spread it between his fingers.

Staring at the message, the thunder now seemed more worrying. His hands trembled, one mistake on his part and the repercussions could be deadly. His choices ran through his head but in the end he knew there was only one thing to do.

‘Picking up his staff he formed a wizards window and stepped through it into a long corridor. Taking a deep shuddering breath he braced himself and knocked on the door directly in front of him. It swung open and he stepped inside and shut the door.

The wizard sitting at a desk at the far end of the room looked up, his dark granite eyes cold and hard.

‘Alistair, I thought you were at the Winter Challenge today playing games with your boys.' His voice showed no emotion or social graces.

Alistair Windmaster bowed and then walked over to the desk and handed him the message. He waited in silence.

The wizard stared at the message for several moments before looking up at Alistair Windmaster. He face remain cold and unreadable.

‘Thank you for bring this to my notice Alistair. I will deal with it myself. This will go nowhere else, is that understood? I suggest you get back to the Winter Challenge. I wouldn't want you missed.' The wizard's granite eyes fix on Alistair hard and unforgiving. ‘Just tell me which boys.'

Alistair Windmaster swallowed hard and told him.

The face of the old wizard remained unreadable and he nodded, ‘I will find you if I need you.' Alistair Windmaster knew he had been dismissed and left.

Chapter Four

The old lady

Slowly the three boys struggled up the hill and into the camp to find Hamish. The strike had hit his legs and the burns were blistering badly. Barley started to heal them the best he could, while Henry and Breams lit a fire and started to warm up and dry their clothes.

‘Where did they go?' whispered Breams.

Henry shrugged his shoulders, ‘Don't know and don't care as long as they don't come back.'

‘We haven't found Ribastra either,' Breams added.

With everything that had happened, he had forgotten about Ribastra, ‘Gods Breams where is she? Maybe they have killed her.'

Breams held up the green scale. A faint light shone down towards the lake. ‘Shall I go and look?' he asked.

Henry was reluctant to let him go but no one else was fit enough so he agreed. Still shivering, he and Barley huddled by the fire waiting for Breams to return. When he did, a sense of total misery washed over him. Breams was being escorted by a large wizard dressed in black Guard uniform lined with purple. His hair and trimmed beard were almost completely grey meaning he was very old but he looked as tough as old boots and carried his staff with a certain authority you wouldn't want to challenge.

He stood looking down on them and nodded to himself. ‘Your headmaster informed me you were here. Young Breams has explained some of the events leading up to this mess. Come we need to move away from here quickly. My guess is that the Cara-cara birds have shifted time around the Black Wizards but it will not last long. As quickly as they disappeared, they could also return. They are still here if you can understand that.'

He looked at Hamish and then Barley and Henry. ‘I recognise each of you from your fathers. Fothrington and Hollyhock, if you can walk, I will carry Mc Duggan. He seems to have been the most careless amongst you. Maybe next time you will use your brains to consider what you might be walking in to. You have disgraced yourselves and those who came before you. It is fortunate your fathers don't have to see this sorry mess. There is a boat down by the lake on the other side; we need to use it to get to the island. I believe the old lady that you were supposed to be helping will be there.' He put his hand out and roughly pulled Henry and Barley up and before picking up Hamish put out the fire.

They followed him down to the lake. He set a fast pace quickly leaving Henry and Barley struggling to keep up, but they followed on the best they could until out of sight of the Black Wizard's camp. Turning he slowed and gestured for them to sit down. Both slumped to the ground in pain and misery.

‘I will go and get the boat,' he said with irritation in his voice as he put Hamish down along side them.

‘Keep well hidden until I return.' And with that he disappeared into the woodland beyond.

‘Who is he?' Hamish asked with a shiver.

Henry thought he knew but wasn't sure if he should say. He looked at Barley. Barleys face was one of horror which told him was right.

‘His Eminence Richard Harrington, Leader of the Wizards.' Breathed Barley, ‘and he is bound to tell my father everything. They hate each other.'

Let's wait and see,' soothed Henry, ‘I'm not so sure he will. He could have called in the Guard but he has come alone. I don't think he has told anyone yet.'

Climbing into the little boat Richard Harrington carefully put Hamish down and helped Barley. Raising a spiral of energy, he moved the boat out into the mist of the lake.

‘Normally only the dead travel in this boat' he said in a whisper. Henry saw Barley shuddered. They had once tried to look at the Island of lost soul. In fact all their troubles had started because of that.

‘Maybe we shouldn't be doing this sir,' whispered Breams. ‘Last time...'and he stopped releasing what he was saying.

Richard Harrington looked at them,but he said nothing.

On the island, they stepped out onto fresh green grass with the sun casting mottled sunlight through the branches of a great oak tree. Under the tree they saw Ribastra. Breams ran over and bending down wrapped his arms around her neck. Ribastra's eyes flickered open and a puff of steam trickled from her nostrils as she tried to move her head slightly. She looked passed the boys to Richard.

‘Richard my old friend, I have missed you.'

Richard bent down and tenderly stroked her head. ‘I've missed you too old lady. What can we do for you?' and Henry heard his voice shake.

Ribastra's eyes closed again. ‘The Chamber of light,' she rumbled, ‘the Gate within the tree.'

Richard Harrington sat back on his heels. ‘I don't think we can help,' he said in a flat voice, ‘she need the healing light of The Chamber of Light but that was destroyed by wizards many years ago.' and he cursed his own kind.

Henry shook his head, ‘It is complete again sir, she put back the last jewel a half year ago.'

The old wizard stared wide eyed at Henry but asked for no more details. ‘Do you know much about Dragons methods of defence?' he asked instead.

Barley nodded, ‘They use illusions sir, believe it for what it truly is and the illusion disappears.'

‘That's correct and Gates can work like that. Believe you can walk through and you can. Within the tree is a Gate to the Chamber of Light. If you believe that then we can take her there. If we are quick the light from the Sunjewels may be able to heal her.'

Breams wrapped his arms around her and lay his head on her, ‘We are going to make you better,' he whispered to her, ‘so don't you leave us. I lost my mother. I need you real bad.' A big tear fell from the old Dragon's eyes.

Richard Harrington face softened as he gently moved Breams away a little. ‘Come on then lad lets see if we can get her well again.' He raised his staff and Ribastra lifted slightly from the ground. Henry could see the amount of engergy needed by Richard Harrington to raise the great dragon but Richard Harrington held her steady whileasking them to add to his web. Henry held her head and Barley her tail. Breams continued a hold her tight with both arms.

‘I will come back for you Hamish,' Richard said but Hamish didn't hear as he slept in a wizards sleep. For a flicker of a moment Henry saw a glimmer of emotion crack through his hard eyes. His father had once told him that the war had changed Richard Harrington and in recent years he had become a man to be feared. Now he could see why.

They walked through the Gate to find themselves in a gigantic cavern lit by hundreds of Sunjewels. Around the edge of the Chamber hundred of funny half circular rooms housed sleeping lizard like creatures.

‘Leems,' observed Henry excitedly and Richard nodded. ‘Their eggs will be in the pools,' he said as they looked around at large pools of water shimmering in the light of the Sunjewels. He lowered the great Dragon down onto the floor and went over to one of the pools. Pulling out a drink flask from his robes he filled it with water and then encouraged Ribastra to drink.

He then disappeared to collect Hamish and when he returned he carefully laid him next to the Dragon.' Now we must wait and hope,' he said. ‘I need to see to a few things. Would you stay and look after them for me while I'm gone? I promise I will be back.'

Barley looked anxious, ‘Sir you won't tell my father will you?'

He looked at him with his hard stony eyes, ‘Your duty and mine are the same boy. Your father is the last person whom I would wish to talk to right now.' His face softened a little. ‘This is our secret Barley Hollyhock, he will never hear of your involvement from me.' I suggest you rest until I return, I will bring some food.' and he started to walk away but he hesitated and looked back.

‘What I said earlier, I was wrong, you are everything the Chosen should be and she would be proud of you.' He turned and disappeared back through the Gate.

Chapter Five

The healing words of a child

Barley and Henry helped each other get comfortable and then lay down relieved to feel the Sunjewel light on their bruises. Barley closed his eyes and fell asleep. Henry soon followed. Breams didn't seem to notice. He held Ribastra willing her to get well. In the stillness of the cavern he told the sleeping Dragon about his father and then about mother and how they used to go on picnics and sail on the flow by their home. He chatted away, his head resting on her chest reassured by her breathing that he didn't notice the old wizard sitting on a rock quietly listening or Ribastra open her eyes.

‘My dad loved her so much you know,' he went on, ‘I don't understand why she had to die. It isn't fair is it? Now I have to live at Loggerwood School and dad is too busy to come and see me. I'm going to be a commander of the Guard just like him one day but I am going to look after my family much better.

Mum used to say he loved the Guard and grumpy Richard more that us, but I don't think she meant it. I will love my family first and that's a promise. I hope Henry becomes the leader, he would be brilliant at it wouldn't he?' He looks after me now. He says he wants to be a librarian like his dad but he is so clever at sorting out problems. He told Arthur on earth that everyone is equal and that we just do different jobs in life. I think he is right, if we all thought like that we wouldn't have any wars, would we?'

Breams sniffed and continued, ‘I think Richard care more than he lets on. I can tell and he would not be his eminence otherwise and my dad certainly wouldn't work for someone who didn't care about others. Dad says he got very sad about things and we have to be patient and wait for his sadness to pass. He loves you though, doesn't he? I could see that.' Breams sighed, ‘Ribastra you aren't going to die are you? I don't think could bear it.'

‘No young Hatchling, I think I should stay alive so I can see you keep those promises and keep an eye on you for your mother.'

Breams didn't know if to laugh or cry. ‘I thought you were asleep,' he said crossly ‘you shouldn't have been listening.'

‘Ah, but I was and now you are beholden to those promises.' and she chuckled. Breams hugged her anyway.

A sound from the end of the cave made them look up.

‘Richard' Ribastra called, ‘come where I can see you. I can't have wizards skulking around the Chamber of Light. You know what happened last time.' Richard grimaced but said nothing and crouching down held her head in his lap. ‘You and I have much to talk about my friend. Let me get your new set of hatchling back to where they belong and I will come back. If that is agreeable with you?'

Ribastra's black eyes stared at him fondly, ‘I look forward to your company Richard. I think I will sleep here for a while. Maybe I will stay here until the eggs hatch. I had forgotten what it is like to be needed,' and as she said this she turned her head to look at Breams. Richard smiled and the smile reached his eyes making his face look quite different. ‘You are right old lady, you are definitely right. Sometimes the innocent words of a child can heal the deepest wounds.'

Chapter Six

The Warmth of change

‘I don't understand,' groaned Henry, Why are we up here?'

The four boys looked down from the fire tower. ‘What happened at the Winter Challenge?'

The other three looked just as confused. They were just about to climb down when Alistair Windmaster's head appeared over the platform edge. He climbed in and after getting his breath back looked sternly at them.

‘We have been looking for you four all day. What in the Gods were you doing up here?' He looked at Hamish. ‘Look at your legs Hamish you have slept so close to the fire it's burnt you,' and turning to looking at Barley and Henry he frowned ‘Have you two been fighting?'

For the first time ever Henry felt at a loss for words. He felt he should be able to remember something but it was just out of reach. Like a memory of a dream as it disappears.

Alistair Windmaster paced up and down. ‘This is a real disappointment to me. I think that maybe I should inform your parents. If you can't remember why you are up here I must assume you were playing with magic well beyond your capability. As it happens, there was a report of a magical boom earlier today. I must assume that was your doing. You know how dangerous uncontrolled magic can be.'

The four boys hung their head stunned at the situation. Windmaster grunted. ‘You are all bright students and your parents will not thank me for worrying them, so I will not inform them of this but you will be punished and confined to your longhouse for one week. During that time, you will stay in your rooms and study. Now come on down and get cleaned up.'

Slowly they climbed down and went back to their rooms.

‘Not such a bad punishment,' considered Barley, ‘I could sleep for a week anyway.'

Henry had to agree and Hamish scratched his burnt legs. ‘Yes but what happened?' he asked.

Henry shrugged his shoulders, ‘It must have been what he said but I have no real idea.'

Breams started to take off his coat when a green dragon scale fell out. He picked it up and held it out.

‘No, we have been somewhere, I just know it. We have forgotten, that's all, but I'm sure we will get to remember one day.'

‘Commander Breams, would you report please.'

Breams quickly cleaned up. He was back then. It had been a good two weeks without him. The Lodge had breathed a sigh of relief when His Eminence announced he was going away for a while. Cook had gone back to using the great dining room for everyone to eat evening meal in and laughter had been heard again in the wizards lodge, just like in the old days before his Eminence had failed to prevent the slaughter of the Dragons.

Bracing himself he knocked on the door. It opened and Commander Breams stepped through and closed it. The wizard sat at the desk at the end of the room looked up from his writing.

‘Well, speak man.'

‘We have them rounded up sir.'

‘What was their story?' he asked almost dismissively.

‘You were right sir, they were attempting to kill Ribastra and they believe they have succeeded. I pray they are wrong. We have combed the area around the lake but there was no sign of her.'

‘Have no worry Breams I have seen her, she is fine.'

Breams took a deep breath before continuing. ‘What is worrying me sir, if I might confide in you, is that they say they captured four boys. I have seen their memories and they show my son together with Mc Duggan's boy, Fothrington's and Hollyhock's.

The old Wizards looked slightly irritated, ‘Commander Breams you know as well as I do, it is an effective illusion often used to confuse the enemy. Your son is safe and sound at Loggerwood School. '

Breams knew the conversation had ended and he bowed nervously, ‘I know sir, I am sorry.'

Richard Harrington got up and wandered over to the cold fire. With a swish of his hand he lit it. ‘Its cold in here wouldn't you say?'

Breams looked a little uncomfortable, ‘A little sir.'

‘What is our wine stock like these days?' he asked.

‘Sir!? well sir, it hasn't been touch since the day you commanded the cellars locked.'

‘Go unlock them then man, and bring a few bottles for my wine rack and get the kitchen to send some food in. This place is worse than a graveyard.'

Breams Bowed and left, he must had heard of the evening meals and drink being brought in. Breams felt sure he was about to be reprimanded.

He returned sometime later with several bottles of fine red wine. He could tell that cook had already been in. He hoped he wouldn't been too seriously punished. The door swung open and he walked in.

‘There you are man, what took you so long.' Breams almost dropped one of the bottles at the sight of Richard grinning at him, his eyes alive and sparkling in the firelight. The fire warmed the room for the first time in many years. Breams looked around to find two of his closest friends already sitting at the dining room table with plates of food. ‘Come on Breams we need our glasses filled,' called Fothrington. Mc Duggan just smiled at him.

‘You look like you seen a ghost Breams,' chucked Richard. ‘Sit down before you fall down.'

‘I decided it was about time we got back to the way things used to be but I hear on the grapevine that you had already made a start. I've told cook to continue with the evening meals and I've been thinking Breams, the Lodge needs cheering up. I haven't heard laughter around here for years. It occurred to me that if you move in permanently, you could have your son here at enddays and if he wanted, he could bring his friends here. I'm sure it would do the place good. I can't think why I didn't think about it before.'

Commander Breams felt like his world had suddenly turned upside down, ‘I would like that sir,' he spluttered. Richard grinned, his eyes sparkling, ‘good, well then that's settled. Now let me top up that glass of yours. You must be proud of that boy of yours, I hear good reports of him. I think I would like to get to know him a little.'

Breams nodded in bewilderment. He had always hoped that Richard would one day return to his old self but he couldn't fathom out how this change could have happened.

Richard Harrington pilled his plate with food and took a mouthful of wine, ‘I was thinking about a few other changes and would welcome your thoughts my friend. I'm not changing my opinion of Hollyhock, he has always been a liability and always will be, but Fothrington has persuaded me that I should try harder to work with him. I think I shall have him over for dinner next week if you three will join me.'

He looked apologetically at a Breams. ‘I know this is very long coming but I am sorry and I thank you...'

The old commander swallowed hard. ‘That's what friends are for Richard. Its good to have you back my old friend.'

‘I will drink to that,' laughed Mc Duggan and raised his glass. ‘To old friends.'

‘And adventures long gone,' toasted Fothrington.

‘Good to be back,' Richard said his voice shaking, ‘and I have more to thank you three for, than you will ever know.'