The Slayer

Chapter 17 - The Best Team in the World

Chapter Seventeen

The Best Team in the World

They eventually reached the home of the wizard.

The man not called Bob stared at them in confusion.

'Is this some sort of joke?' he asked.

'No' Waltz answered slowly. '...Sorry...'

Not Bob regarded the white stag before him. Graham was completely silent.

'I asked you to find my brother' Bob said, 'and this is what you come back to me with?'

'Yeah' Waltz murmured.

Sumaey sighed heavily, crossing her arms and staring away. Behind her Spirit stood mutely.

For some reason the three of them were covered in tiny little cuts and bruises, as if they had been fighting amongst themselves....or something.

'What is this?' Bob demanded.

'Sorry' Waltz said again. 'I should probably explain.'

'You think?' Bob spoke harshly turning to him. 'I demand to know the reason for this insult.'

'It is no insult' Sumaey told him. 'We promise you.' She paused, glancing towards Graham before looking back at not Bob. 'The sorcerer he was apprenticed to found him...' she struggled to find the right words.

'A pain in the arse' Waltz finished flatly.

'Right' Sumaey said. 'Um...to cut a long story short...the sorcerer turned him into...' Sumaey glanced towards Graham again.

'Why does he have cuts and scars over him?' Bob asked.

'Um...' Sumaey said again, reluctant to answer.

'Go on' Bob prompted. 'Tell me, I want to know.'

'To punish him' Sumaey went on, 'the sorcerer turned him into this...then set deerhounds on him.' She paused. 'That is why he was unable to write to you...because....he was hiding in the woods for quite some time, and you know...it would be hard to hold a quill....the way he...'

She trailed off.

Bob frowned deeply at this, suddenly greatly concerned.

'How do I know this is really my brother?' he asked.

'Is there something you could do to communicate to him?' Waltz asked Graham. 'A sigh perhaps that only he would recognise?'

Graham didn't move.

'Come on Graham' Sumaey prompted. 'He's your brother, he's missed you. He's been worried about you for a long time...that's why he sent us to find you.'

The white stag raised his head slightly, reluctantly meeting not Bob's eyes.

'Please?' Sumaey asked nicely. 'He won't care that you're like this. I promise.'

'Come on Graham' Waltz added. 'There must be a way for you to show him that it's really you.'

The stag lowered his head, staring at the floor. He thought for a moment, then he collapsed on the floor, lying on his back with his legs folded and his right front leg pointed to the ceiling.

Everyone in the room stared in surprise, and then Bob threw his head back, laughing deeply.

'Graham' he sighed happily. 'So it is you!'

'What the hell was that?' Waltz asked as Graham picked himself off the floor.

'Before he died' Bob answered with amusement, 'our father was an astrologist. We were all fascinated by the stars. We had a dog at the time. We taught him to lie on his back and point to the sky. Just for fun.'