Colin Well: The Wizard

Chapter 4―To the Castle

        The Freeda was sailing fast down the River. After they left the Marram Marshes, the wind had picked up along the River. As Marwick fiddled with the ropes, Colin sat beside Eliza.
        "We're on our way―finally," said Eliza.
        "At least we've still got a lot of time before they attack," said Colin.
        "Who?" Marwick was listening to their conversation. "Who's getting attacked?"
        Colin and Eliza looked at each other. Should we tell him, Eliza mouthed.
        "Uh, tell me what?" asked Marwick.
        "It's just―the Castle," Colin tried to explain.
        "Yeah? What about it?"
        "When we were in The Port, Colin overheard a conversation on a ship―the Knight. There were bad people on it who were talking about..." Eliza tried to finish. She didn't want Marwick to panic.
        "The people are coming to ambush the Castle," Colin finished for Eliza.
        "Oh." Marwick stopped tying the ropes. "Do you know when?"
        "Early yesterday morning they said they would be there with reinforcements in exactly seven days," explained Colin.
        "We can warn Sep then. . ." muttered Marwick.
        "Yeah, I was hoping to," said Colin, understanding that "Sep" must be Septimus Heap. He looked out across the River. On their right, as far as he could see were rolling fields. But when he looked on the other side, there was a completely different―but just as beautiful―scene. Tall trees towered up into the sky forming a thick forest. Colin had never been this far upriver and he thought it was more pleasing to the eye than anything he could remember―especially some of the dirty Port people.
        But Eliza was used to it. Surprisingly, she'd never been to the Castle. However, she had been out into the Farmlands. Her grandparents had lived in a small house by one of the streams that led to the River.
        After a while, Marwick directed the small sailboat up a stream that led into the trees on the left of the River. The boat drifted silently through the water and bumped into the stiff muddy bank. Colin hopped onto the bank and found a tree stump that was stuck hard in the mud. He tied the rope around the stump and stood up.
        Colin looked around. This didn't look like much of a Castle. In fact, there were no structures anywhere. Surrounding Colin was a bank―the mud was frozen and the ground was as hard as iron. Farther back on the bank were trees that reached up into the sky and the branches and limbs near the top arched over, making a thick canopy, blocking the white winter sun from view.
        "This isn't the Cas―" started Colin, but he was cut off by Marwick energetically holding up a basket.
        "Lunch!" he exclaimed. Once everyone was on the bank, they settled down onto a large stump and began eating Greenroot sandwiches that Marwick had kindly made for them earlier that morning. Eliza and Colin had never eaten it before and―they didn’t dare tell Marwick―it wasn't the best tasting food.
        Half an hour later, they were back on Freeda sailing up the River again. Soon, they reached another stream that led off to the right of the River into the Farmlands. After they sailed around a very long bend in the River, they had a straighter course.
        "We're almost there now," said Marwick.
        Colin already knew. He could feel it. He didn't know how to explain it" but he could feel that they were getting close to the Castle. Colin plopped down on the small wooden bench connected to the bottom of the boat by Eliza.
        "I was just thinking about something, Colin," said Eliza.
        Colin raised his eyebrows to show he was listening.
        "If the people on the Knight only had ships―and it seemed like the reinforcements were coming on ships too―then how will all of those ships manage to get up the River? The Castle is pretty far inland for that many people on ships to attack."
        "I'm not sure. But maybe they're only using ships to arrive? Then they'll find some other way maybe. But I don't know," confessed Colin. He looked out across the River. In front of them a huge rock reared up.
        Marwick noticed them looking at the rock looming up into the sky. "That's Raven's Rock."
        As they slowly rounded the rock (Marwick making sure to keep to the right of the River in case of a run in with the Beaks―sharp rocks hidden under the water) Colin and Eliza gasped. Right in front of them was a huge wall that stretched along the River left and right. Behind the wall, Colin could see the tops of roofs and a few chimneys, all with smoke billowing out. To their left were a few docks and to their right was a magnificent sight.
        Opening out to the water was a long lawn that led from a long, beautiful building. As Marwick explained what things were, Colin barely listened. He had never seen something so amazing―not even in The Port.
        "...and the water surrounding the Castle is called the Moat." Colin heard Marwick finish. As they sailed left along the Moat, Colin had to suppress a shout of excitement―all his life, as long as he could remember, he'd wanted to come to the Castle. But he reminded himself that he had work to do. He had to find Septimus Heap and warn him of the great danger that was approaching.
        Soon, they reached a cluster of small boats and docks. "Welcome to Jannit Maarten's Boatyard," said Marwick. Freeda pulled up to a dock and Marwick swiftly hopped out and tied her off. "Get everything you need out and please follow me."
        Colin grabbed his knapsack and Eliza grabbed hers. Soon, they were walking towards a tunnel that led into the Castle. As they stepped through what was called the boatyard tunnel, Colin gasped again. There were so many people in the Castle. Shouts and noises came from all over the Castle and it made Colin feel a little lightheaded. Everyone here in the Castle were all so close together. This place had a different atmosphere than The Port, thought Colin. It felt...A little more friendly. Marwick stepped in front of them to lead the way. "Welcome to the Castle, my friends."