Your Princess Is In Another Castle!

Prologue: The Wedding

In another world, it would have looked like a sailing ship of old. Its sides were made of stout and weathered beams, shaped in the gentle curve of a long, narrow hull. From its multitiered deck and its sides, dozens of cannons of every size pointed outward. But the white swells it sailed over were not waves, but clouds, and in place of sails, it bore huge yet gracefully curved screws that swirled the stratocumulus as it descended. Two more skyships sailed on its flanks, the vanguard of a fleet of twelve. Scattered among them were dozens and hundreds of caravels, barges and frigates of every size. Ahead rose a grim, black mountain that towered above the clouds, topped by a smoldering cone. Around the peak, an even larger flotilla circled, all black. And on the deck stood Lord Ajax of the Red Kingdom, once independent contractor Alexander A. Papadopoulos of Boston, now ruler of the Low Plains and Reed Isle and Regent of the Realms of the Mushroom Men.

"The Flagship of the Lindorm Realm and its fleet approach," the Navigator reported. "What are your orders?"

The black ship was already clear to the naked eye, half again their width and nearly three times their length. Ajax turned to the slightly younger, noticeably taller man at his side. "What do you think, Hector?" he said.

"Stay the course, brother," the other man answered, "until we know more."

Ajax nodded. "Extend the banners," he said. On either side, the gilded banners of his kingdom extended, displaying a 12-pointed star on a field of scarlet. The ships to the right and left did the same, unveiling banners of sea-green and brown. The three formations to the rear unfurled their own banners. The dark ship answered by deploying the white banners of truce.

Beneath the clouds lay the dead or dormant lesser mounts of the Black Mountains. One of the larger cones had caved in, forming a ring-shaped lake with a central isle. On the eastern side of the isle was a round inlet that provided a serviceable bay. On this shore lay a sprawling complex the size of a modest town, clearly intended as or at least modeled on a fortress. This day, however, the strongpoints flew festive banners, the cannons were polished bright as gold, and every gate was opened for the crowd streaming from the pier to the central parade ground. Ajax and his brother descended in a tiny launch, adorned with gold rails and purple cushions. Two more launches descended from the airships on either side, flying their own banners. Above the great gate ahead flew one red banner, and another of purple.

Hector hurried forward to meet another from the launch with the green banner, a slight woman with golden hair in a turquoise dress that flowed behind her as she rushed into his open arms. He had to hoist her to press his lips to her scalp. She nuzzled his chest ecstatically. "Hector," she murmured. "My lover, my king and my lord." Ajax gazed at his brother with an expression of bemusement rather than envy. Hector met his eye, and gave a smile that was at once embarrassed and proud. Then a ground bird the size of a large dog broke free of its handlers and scampered to the Lady's side. Ajax reached over and scratched the fuzz behind its tiny horns.

From the launch with the brown banner came a Mushroom Man and a blue Flower Woman. At a glance, they looked human, if one did not look beneath the man's conical hat or too closely at his lady's skirt and bonnet. "Well met, Ajax," he said. "We bring good word from the Lands of the Woods. The Beasts have kept their truce, the Wraiths are seen no more. The Dark Forests are quiet, nor are they as dark as they once were."

"I would have expected no less, Morel," Ajax said. He turned to welcome the bride of his brother as she approached. To his surprise, she fell at his feet.

"Ajax, brother, liberator," she said. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. He felt no little embarrassment as she threw her arms around his knees. "This is the day we have longed for, the day you fought for. Be glad for it. Believe in it."