THE DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS CARTOON FAN CLUB QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER Issue 3, I Fall 1997 ************************************************************************************** "Okay. Right now I'd like to show you one of my favorite cartoons. It's a sad, depressing story about a pathetic coyote, who spends every waking moment of his life in the futile pursuit of a sadistic roadrunner, who MOCKS him and LAUGHS AT HIM as he is repeatedly CRUSHED and MAIMED!!! Hope you ENJOY IT!!!!!!" -- Weird Al Yankovic, in his movie, UHF ************************************************************************************** Okay, okay, you're probably asking -- "A Weird Al MOVIE? I thought he just made up silly versions of other people's songs?" (who could forget his parody of Beat It or Gangstas Paradise? Tee hee). Actually, if you're hunting for a good video rental, you may want to give it a try. Not only is it hilarious and extremely well-written ("Conan the Librarian" and "Wheel of Fish" are two of the many spoofs included), but it also features two well-known actors in some of their most obscure roles -- Michael Richards (Kramer on "Seinfeld") and Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") both have large supporting roles that make the best of their unique personalities. Again, you may be asking, what the heck does the writing of Weird Al have to do with the Dungeons and Dragons Fan Club? It's just a way of introducing the topic of GREAT WRITING -- and more specifically, what it means for us! Remember that little piece of news I talked about -- the one about us trying to come up with a way of honoring the creme de la creme of your esteemed D&D Cartoon literary creations? Well, we did! Next issue, we'll be going into a little more detail into the idea of the DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS CARTOON FAN FICTION AWARDS! If everyone likes the idea, we'll go ahead and start it ASAP through a special mailing to all the members! In the meantime, let me know your ideas for D&D-related contests or awards! Speaking of fanfic, we also have the eagerly-anticipated Parts 2 of "Lambs Among Wolves" and "The Curse of Warduke" for your reading pleasure. Also, we have the first Dungeons and Dragons "Elseworlds" story that I first talked about in the last issue -- which just happens to be my own attempt at a D&D fanfic story (key word here being 'attempt' -- be kind. Uhm, please????). Also, in case you're wondering, Issue #3 should arrive in your E-Mailbox in three - count em, THREE -- different parts. If you have any problems getting one or all three parts to the newsletter, let me know so I can send you the part(s) of the newsletter you are missing. It looks like this newsletter just keeps growing and growing -- be sure to let your friends who are D&D Cartoon fans know about us! We want to hear from as many D&D Cartoon fans as possible! See ya again 'round Thanksgiving! -- Amy Hodman (IllyanaAM@aol.com) ************************************************************************************** D&D CARTOON QUOTE OF THE QUARTER! "Well, THAT's different..." -- Diana, after Presto's magic makes Eric change from being just a bogbeast to a bogbeast with long red hair, long eyelashes, and a long yellow dress, in "Beauty and the Bog Beast" ************************************************************************************** D&D ON-LINE FAN CLUB NEWS! READ ALL ABOUT IT! Hear ye, hear ye! In case you didn't hear, we D&D Cartoon fans now have our very own Internet newsgroup! If you haven't already checked it out yet, it's located at: alt.tv.dungeon-dragon The group has been up and running for about a month now, and with the help of all the members, it has major potential to be a forum for lively discussions and interesting posts featuring everyone's favorite roller-coaster riding Realm wanderers! Check it out -- and don't forget to post! A big round of applause to Queensland's own (and dedicated D&D Cartoon On-Line Fan Club Member and newsletter contributor) Justin Alexander, who put the whole proposal together in the first place and got the word out to all the fans! Great job, Justin! Good show!!! (applause, applause!) Also, here's a nifty tidbit of news from Rhonda Robinson: "Check out Patrick Drazen's website, Cavern of Tiamat, for a review of a giveaway comic book that really blundered trying to put the kids in the Forgotten Realms!" Hmm. I didn't even know there was a comic with the gang in it! You can get to Patrick's page via the link on Lesley Hickman's web page (at http://mail.med.upenn.edu/~hickman/index.html). Starting next issue, I'll also be posting a list of web addresses of all D&D Cartoon-related pages, so if you know of one, E-Mail me! Thanks! ************************************************************************************** RESULTS FROM OUR LATEST POLL! Last issue, we asked you two questions -- both about perhaps the most controversial character in all of Dungeons and Dragons cartoon-dom -- UNI! Here's what you had to say: PART 1: What do you think of Uni? Other: 71% (5) Uni was a very integral character: 14% (1) Uni, no Uni, what's the difference? 14% (1) Uni should have only been a guest-star in an episode or two: 0% One word: merchandising: 0% Stop the madness! Uni gets on my nerves, plain and simple: 0% "Bah! You -bah-like-bah-me! You-bah bah- really, really-bah!-like me! BAAAAAH!" Well, well! What have we got here? It looks as though most of the fans really like Uni -- and by a rather large margin over those who don't. One thing is for sure, though -- everyone has something to say about our favorite bright-orange-haired unicorn! Rhonda Robinson cast her vote in favor of Uni's usefulness when she said: "I agree with (a), with the addition that since Bobby and Uni were somewhat of a team within the group, Bobby could learn responsibility by caring for Uni (in much the same way as if he were at home caring for a mundane pet) and in return Uni would be there (and might be able to help in a way a mundane pet couldn't, seeming smarter than most animals) when Bobby wanted to talk to someone or needed comfort but he didn't want to worry any of the other kids or they weren't there. Remember the time Venger captured all the kids except Bobby and locked them in the "Prison of Agony"? Uni not only supported Bobby emotionally while he was trying to rescue the other kids, but pointed out one of the medallion's uses (as a communication device, when Bobby was looking everywhere for the Dungeon Master because he could hear him but couldn't see him and Uni indicated the medallion)." There were also quite a few of you who had a different opinion about Uni altogether -- and I thought I covered everything in my answers! Goes to show you how much I know (grumble mumble). With that said, here's some of the highlights: * "If Uni never met and became part of the gang Presto wouldn't of got the three marbles and created the tree to get to the gang and also rescue the baby Golden dragons. (Presto Spells Disaster),", the gang wouldn't of met Kelek and saved the unicorns (Valley of the Unicorns), and Bobby wouldn't of saved Kyrac's life and made friends with him (Servant of Evil)." -- Justin Alexander * "Uni was a character that could have been interesting, but was woefully underdeveloped. The only time she did anything other than sit around and bleat was in "Valley." (And yes, I did sometimes wonder why they didn't have Unicorn stew just to get the "baaaah"ing to stop.)" -- Mike Bugg (MdBugg@aol.com) * "I'd say Uni wasn't an integral part of the show. She was a bit of fluff at times, but was used as an effective catalyst for a few story lines. If they had used her as a guest star, she would could never have been used this way. I also firmly believe that Uni was more then met the eye. Had the show continued we might have discovered more. (We already know Uni had an intuitive sense of good and evil). The show needed Uni and would not have been the same without her." -- Spud (sjweber@learn.senecac.on.ca) PART 2: What IS Uni? Uni is female -- so there!: 100% (7) Uni is male: 0% I don't care: 0% All of you voted for (b), which is not surprising considering all the clues and references in show that you gave when you wrote in: * "In an episode (I think it's "Valley of the Unicorns") where the kids were escaping a collapsing building and a crevasse opened up in the floor between Bobby and Uni, Bobby encouraged Uni to leap it by saying, "Come on, GIRL, you can do it!" (emphasis mine) If Bobby thought Uni was female, that carries some weight, right?" -- Rhonda Robinson * "Bobby refers to Uni as female through the series and also Uni fell in love with Cozar." -- Justin Alexander * "As you might tell, I'm pretty sure that Uni is a she. In fact it really shouldn't be a point of contention. Has no one noticed nor listen carefully to the episode "Child Of the Stargazer". The kids are travelling. Bobby calling Uni and asks Eric, "Where is SHE?", Eric answers, "Back there, with Kosar, in love"." -- Spud (sjweber@learn.senecac.on.ca) Hmm.. I still think it would have been easier to tell if they had given her a pink collar to wear, or SOMETHING.... Thanks for voting, everyone -- and for all your hilarious and insightful comments! I really enjoyed reading them! ************************************************************************************** With that said, here's the.... QUESTION OF THE ISSUE: (Ed. note: Don't worry, the actual question is coming up shortly, however, I do have a small announcement to make: SEND IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR POLL QUESTIONS, PLEEEEEEEASE!!!!! There, that's better. Now, on with the show!) The two questions in our poll corner this issue were sent in by our Director of Membership, Victoria Bishop, and the Jedi master of D&D web pages herself, Lesley Hickman, waaaaaaay back when we ran the D&D Cartoon annual poll! Thanks Vic and Les -- I hope you guys find my answer choices to your questions amusing! Have fun, and may the Force be with...aw, forget it. Read on and enjoy (AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! I mean it this time!): PART 1: Who's cooler, Dungeon Master or Yoda? (a) How can someone be bald and have long hair at the same time, I ask you? Aw, forget it -- Dungeon Master RULES, man! (b) "I've been around but I ain't never seen, a guy who looks like a Muppet but is wrinkled and green, oh, my Yoda --Yo,-yo-yo-yo Yoda....", oh, sorry. Those Weird Al Yankovic songs really stick in my head. Anyway, I think Yoda's cooler. (c) I refuse to choose between the two. Besides, you didn't answer my question -- how it is that someone can be bald and have long hair at the same time? Huh? HOW??? It's just not right.... PART 2: Darth Vader takes on Venger: who wins? (a) Oh, puh-leeease! Venger is nothing but a whining son of a powerful dude (in this, ironically enough, he is not unlike Darth's own son, Mr. "But-I-was-going-into Tashee-Station-to-pick-up-some-power-converters" Luke) with a huge chip on his shoulder -- an orthodontist's nightmare with seriously bad taste in clothes. Darth is a Dark Lord of the Sith -- Venger wouldn't have a chance! He doesn't even have a lightsaber, for cryin' out loud! (b) The Cloud Bears were more of a challenge to Venger than Darth would be. That heavy breathin', helmeted joke wouldn't last five seconds against Venger! Besides, look at their bosses -- the Emperor is a Smurf in comparison to Venger's boss, Mr. He-Whose-Name-Cannot-Be-Spoken. Can you say "destroyer-of-worlds", people? Plus, Venger has a horse who's a bizillion times more cool than those stupid stormtroopers (and the horse never bonked his helmet off a door like that dolt of a stormtrooper in Star Wars, either! Ha! As Eric said to Presto in one episode, stuff THAT in your hat!) (c) I don't care who wins -- I just want to read the story about how these two would ever come in contact with each other! That would be MAJORLY cool! Let's see -- Darth's tie-fighter crash-lands in the Realm, and then.... PLEASE send your votes in to me under the subject heading "D&D CARTOON NEWSLETTER POLL" no later than November 15, 1997. (Don't forget to include a quick note letting me know that I have your permission to use your quotes!) And thanks for playing! ************************************************************************************** YE OLDE D&D CARTOON FAN FICTION CORNER! In this issue's corner of fanfic, you'll find the eagerly-anticipated Part 2s of both "Lambs Among Wolves" by Victoria Bishop, and "The Curse of Warduke" by Mike Bugg. Read on, young adventurers! And if you have a fanfic story of your own that you'd like to share in the newsletter, please E-Mail me (at IllyanaAM@aol.com, in case you like, FORGOT, or something...) The deadline for fan fiction submissions for the next issue is November 20, 1997. * * * Standard Disclaimer: The kids aren't my creation, I'm just being mean to them for a little while. They belong to Marvel. Queen Sabra et al came from my twisted little mind, though. Rated: PG13, I guess. A little bit of violence, mostly implied, but nothing too bad--yet. Lambs Among Wolves Part II by Victoria Bishop Eric yawned and stretched mightily, then turned and buried his face back in the fluffy pillow, inhaling deeply. 'This is more like it...' he sighed happily, reveling in waking up comfortably for the first time in...'Man, I don't even want to think about how long it's been.' The sound of a door opening got his attention, and he turned towards the noise. A servant entered the room, carrying a large tray. Eric sat up immediately, and although he had been taught all his life to speak as little as possible to servants, the enticing smells coming from the tray prompted a cheerful: "Good morning" from him. "Good morning, my lord," the servant replied with a small bow. Now this was a procedure Eric knew well. He sat up in bed and allowed the servant to arrange the tray over his legs. Eric looked down at his breakfast--he didn't know what it was, but it was making his mouth water. The servant had picked up a small, round vessel and was pouring a thick, hot liquid into a globe-shaped cup which he set down in front of the Cavalier. Then he stepped back and stood at attention beside the bed. "Is there anything else I can do for you, my lord?" "No, you can go now," Eric replied in a dismissive tone that was second nature. "Yes, my lord," the servant bowed again and then left the room. Eric reached for the globe first, whatever was inside smelled remarkably like chocolate. He took a tentative sip and the rich taste flooded his mouth. 'If this isn't chocolate, it sure is a great substitute,' he decided, taking a bigger sip. 'I'll bet the squirt just loves this stuff,' he grinned, knowing Bobby's attraction to chocolate. He dug into the food, sighing again in pure satisfaction. 'Maybe I can talk Hank into staying for lunch, too. I'll bet Presto would help.' *-*-*-*-*-* The guard in front of Hank halted so abruptly that the Ranger nearly bumped into him. He had been trying to keep an eye on Sheila and Diana, who had been led off in another direction. A big hand clasped the back of his neck and shoved him towards a rock wall. His scraped his hands when he caught himself, but managed to keep from cracking his forehead--barely. He heard a soft grunt and saw that Presto had been treated likewise. The rest of the guards walked along, and after a split-second, Hank realized they were taking Bobby with them. "Hey!" he started after them. "Hey, bring him--" He sucked in his breath when he heard a sharp crack and felt a burning sensation around his right ankle. "You work here, light-hair," a taskmaster snarled at him. "Where are they taking him?" His only reply was to have his leg jerked out from under him. "Hank!" Presto exclaimed. "I'm fine," Hank assured him hastily, not wanting the magician to receive the same treatment. "Stay there. I'm fine." "Get up." Hank took a few seconds to catch his breath, then got to his feet. "These rocks," the taskmaster motioned towards the mountain behind them. "Have to be moved. Break them down and put them in the baskets to be transported." Hank looked at the picks shoved at them, while Presto took his right away. Hank couldn't bring himself to take it, and his hands involuntarily clenched into fists. The whip cracked again and Hank braced himself. Presto let out a yelp. Hank glanced at his friend and saw a red welt rising on his arm. Without another instant's hesitation, he took the pick and set to work. *-*-*-*-*-* "My Lord Eric," a servant said as he entered the room. Eric nodded to the man who had help him on with his cloak. The man bowed and left, and Eric turned to the newest servant. "Yes?" "Her Most Royal Majesty has sent me to summon you to a private audience with her." Eric raised his eyebrows. The word: 'really?' nearly slipped past his lips, but he managed to bite it back. "I see." "Will you accompany me, my lord, or do you wish to send a message back to Queen Sabra?" "No, I'll come with you now." Eric gestured for the man to lead the way. Eric followed the servant down several hallways and into a large room. If possible, this particular room was even more opulent than the rest of the palace. Eric glanced around momentarily, then his eyes came to rest on Queen Sabra, seated in a deep chair covered with some sort of fur the Cavalier couldn't identify. "Lord Eric, Your Majesty," the servant announced. "Come in, my lord," the Queen smiled at Eric. To the servant, she merely said--"Leave us." The servant bowed and left, closing the tall door behind him. "Please sit," Sabra gestured to the chair opposite hers. Eric took the chair, finding it difficult to sit up straight in such a deep seat. After a moment, he gave up and leaned back comfortably. "I trust that you quarters and morning meal were satisfying, Lord Eric?" "Very much so, Your Majesty," Eric smiled. "Good. They, perhaps, befit your station moreso than what you have encountered recently." Eric's smile faltered slightly. "Yes. I...suppose they do." "Perhaps you would like to know why I summoned you here?" Sabra suggested. Eric considered giving the properly flattering answer that it didn't matter why she had summoned him and that he was honored to be in her presence, but curiosity got the better of him. "Yes, I would. Are you granting all of us private audiences?" The Queen's warm, indulgent countenance vanished. "No, Lord Eric. I am not. I have summoned you in order to inform you that I have granted you one of the greatest favors in my power to give." Eric raised his eyebrows, not sure how to interpret that. He decided to play it safe. "There is no need to inform me of that, Your Majesty. I am well aware of the kindness you have shown my friends and I. I assure you we are all very grateful." 'Yeah, that sounded pretty good.' Queen Sabra airily waved his reply away. "That was not a favor. That was merely what any young noble should be granted on his arrival to Khristobel Palace." Eric frowned slightly. Suddenly, he was well aware of the fact that he hadn't seen his friends since the previous night. And this morning, the Queen's attention wasn't enough to distract him from the fact that she'd barely acknowledged the rest of the group. 'I thought we were guests because we saved the granaries.' "The favor I have granted you, my Lord Eric, is to rid you of the lesser...horde you have been forced to associate with." Eric had no idea what to say. 'Rid me of..? She can't be talking about the others.' "Are you not pleased?" Eric cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I don't understand. What..? What lesser horde?" "The ruck that you have been traveling with throughout this world. You are free of them." "They left without me?" Eric asked, although he knew that was impossible. It was, however, preferable to the alternative. "Surely you realized they would not relinquish the lucrative position of traveling with a noble," Queen Sabra explained indulgently. "No, it was necessary to take matters into my own hands. They have been put in their proper place, and you are now free to live your life as a noble should. In fact, you are welcome to stay at my palace indefinitely. As a noble from another world, it would be an honor for us." Eric ignored her flattery. "Their *proper* place? Where exactly is that?" "Your concern for the lower classes does you credit, my lord, but surely there is no reason to continue this charade any longer." "*What* charade? Look, I want to know where my friends are," Eric said, dropped his affected speech in his growing panic. "What have you done with them?" "They have been put to work," Queen Sabra replied, her tone cooling noticeably. "Your friends, are they?" "Yes, they are," Eric said firmly. "My lord, you have obviously been associating with them for far too long. You forget your duty to your rightful peers." "My duty? What duty?" Panic had been shelved momentarily in favor of anger. "The duty every noble has of keeping oneself free of the taint association with the lower classes can cause. You have obviously chosen to ignore it. I suggest you begin living up to your birthright now." All of their conversations from the previous night came flooding back to Eric. He tried to ease out of this exceedingly complicated situation. "Your Majesty, as a noble, I am free to associate with anyone I please." "Not as openly as you have been," Sabra countered. "I observed you conceding to the opinions of several of them. And you were actually *obeying* the light-haired one." 'Light-haired? Oh, Hank.' "Well, Hank's the leader," he said before he thought. "I mean..." "The leader? The leader?! You allow a *commoner* to command you?" 'Oh man.' "Your Majesty, it's the way we live in our world, all you have to do is tell me where my friends are, and we'll go. Okay? You don't have to do me anymore favors." 'Please don't do me anymore favors.' "You refuse the honor I grant?" Sabra rose from her seat. Eric stood also, hoping against hope that there was a way out of this that didn't involve pain. "You are being very kind, I'm sure," he placated. "But I believe we have different ideas about this subject. Where are my friends?" "You refuse to leave them where they belong?" Sabra said incredulously. "You insist on joining that...that scum again?" 'Okay, this is too much.' "Yes, I do. "You are a traitor to your own kind," Sabra hissed at him. "You are one weird lady, you know that?" Eric scowled, too provoked to worry about his safety. "Now tell me where my friends are." Sabra clapped her hands and several guards entered the chamber. 'Uh-oh.' "Umm...I meant, please tell my where my friends are, Your Majesty." "We have a traitor in our midst," Sabra informed the guards. Before Eric could protest, stars exploded behind his eyes, and he lost all interest in the proceedings. *-*-*-*-*-* Diana paused in her labor long enough to wipe her forehead. The sweat was dripping into her eyes, stinging them. As one of the stronger females, she had been given the task of stirring one the huge pots of molten metal with a heavy paddle. She had been at it for two days, with only a few hours respite here and there. While the work was tedious and exhausting, it did give her the opportunity to observe what was going on around her. Diana was thankful to she that Sheila had been given a somewhat easier task, one that involved flattening the cooling metal into sheets. While Diana knew that her friend was much stronger that she appeared to be, concern about Bobby was taking up most of her strength. They hadn't been able to catch a glimpse of the young Barbarian after the first day, although Diana occasionally saw Hank and Presto working at breaking up rocks. Although surrounded by hundreds of over slaves, Diana paid little attention to them, devoting most of her powers of observation to trying to find an escape. Thus far, none had presented itself. The only slaves she took much notice of were two girls who were appeared to be the same age as she was and who were also two more of the few human slaves. The girl with honey-blonde curls was employed at the same job as Sheila and despite warnings from the taskmasters that slaves were not allowed to speak to one another she rarely seemed to stop talking. The other girl, Diana was certain, wasn't going to live much longer. Her main talents seemed to mouthing off at the guards and then dodging the whip. She was being given increasingly difficult and dangerous tasks and Diana was convinced she had a death wish. Although, Diana was longing to speak to the guards in the same manner, she held her tongue and did as she was told, determined to stay alive and as healthy as possible so she was ready for their escape as soon as the possibility presented itself. The crack of a whip made her look up and she saw that the mouthy girl had got herself in trouble yet again. From the taskmaster's gestures, it was obvious that she was being ordered to climb the scaffolding on one of the sheer cliffs that surrounded the mines. Diana shuddered. Even though it had only been two days, she had lost count of how many slaves had fallen to their deaths from those cliffs. *-*-*-*-*-* *-*-*-*-*-* Hank slid down the wall of the cell he and Presto shared. He knew they'd only be allowed four or five hours of rest before being put back to work, and even more than the meager rations he knew they would be given, all Hank wanted to do was sleep. He knew there was little chance of that, though. Not now. Not when there was so much to worry about. Being separated from the rest of the group was just like having his feet constantly yanked out from under him by the taskmaster's whip. 'At least Presto's here,' he reflected. 'I think I'd go nuts if I was completely alone.' The magician was having a harder time of it than he was, Hank knew. The physical labor was draining, but after so much time spent in the Realm, Presto had was able to handle it. Not having his glasses and being nearly blind, however, was a fear he never could overcome. Hank helped him as often as possible without incurring the wrath of their taskmasters. Presto didn't worry him as much as the others. Presto was right beside him, and Hank could bolster his spirits or check on his well-being to reassure himself whenever necessary. Sheila and Diana worried him more, even though he caught glimpses of them now and then and they both seemed to be alright. Bobby worried him, because they hadn't seen the young Barbarian since the first day. Eric worried him, because there hadn't been the slightest sign of the Cavalier since waking up in the cell. "Hank?" Presto's voice pulled him out of his reverie. "Yeah?" "Is someone coming in?" Hank glanced at the door. Sure enough, sounds from the other side indicated it was being unlocked. "It's probably the food." "Oh, is that what they call it?" Presto somehow managed to inject a little humor into the situation. Hank chuckled--not because he felt like it, but to let Presto know he appreciated the attempt. The door opened, but instead of food, and ten-year-old boy was thrust into the cell. "Bobby!" Hank exclaimed, rising to his feet. He caught the boy by the shoulders. Bobby blinked at him dazedly. "Hank..?" 'He looks dead on his feet,' Hank thought, then winced at his own phrasing. "Yeah, Bobby, it's me." He led the Barbarian to the corner where he and Presto had taken refuge. "Hey, Bobby, where've you been?" the relief in Presto's voice was obvious. "Underground. They use the children to work in the mines. 'Cos we're smaller," Bobby whispered, practically falling to the ground between the two older boys. "Sheila..?" "She's okay, Bobby. I saw her just a little while ago. She and Diana are okay." Bobby nodded and then swallowed hard. He brought his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, leaning his head down on his knees. The utter hopelessness in the posture scared Hank more than anything else could. Where was the brash Barbarian that was gung-ho for any fight? That was certain they could get out of nearly anything they got into? "Bobby?" "It's dark down there," Bobby's voice was muffled. "I kept tripping over other...if you die down there, they just leave you...you have to step over the dead ones..." Presto's breath hissed between his teeth. "Jeez, Bobby..." Hank wanted to scream and pound is fists against the wall. It was so terribly unfair! Bobby was the youngest and the least able to deal with these horrors, and he had been forced into the worst labor of all. "Bobby..." Hank put his hands on his shoulder. Bobby's voice was hollow. "And one of these times, it'll be me they step over." *-*-*-*-*-* Half-awake, Eric groaned and berated himself for ever joining the rowing team at Fleetwood Academy. 'My arms are killing me! I don't care how prestigious the team is--I'm quitting.' As he floated further towards consciousness, a thought struck him. 'I did quit. So why do my shoulders hurt?' Before he could consider this any further, he was hit from the side with a wave of water. It was hard enough to hurt, and was cold enough to jolt him into full wakefulness. He shook his head in an attempt to shake the water off and scraped his cheek against a rough surface. 'I don't want to know.' Reluctantly, he opened his eyes, and for a few minutes, all he could see was wood. Frowning, he looked up. His wrists were fastened painfully to the sturdy post, his arms stretched far over his head. When he tried to move away, he found that his feet barely brushed the floor and that any movement made fiery pain sizzle through his shoulders and arms. "The traitor is awake." The morning's events came flooding back at the sound of Queen Sabra's voice. 'Oh, man. What is she going to do to me? What did she do to the others?' The Queen moved into his line of vision, as beautiful as ever, except for the snarl that twisted her lips. "You are beneath those you consort with. You have turned your back on your peers." 'Not this again!' Eric was in pain, and in no mood for this. His petulant nature, never far from the surface, showed itself. "Gimme a break! This is getting so old!" "You deserve a far worse than the rabble you associate with. They have only received their due. You deserve punishment." Eric's next sarcastic remark died in his throat. He realized that he was not wearing his armor from the waist up, and that provoking her further would not be a wise move at this point. "Okay, look, all you have to do is let us go and forget you ever saw us. I mean, we saved--" "You may begin," Sabra said, speaking not to Eric, but someone behind him. "Come on! We risked our lives for a bunch of your lousy grain! You--" Eric broke off at the sharp noise that sounded behind him. Years of working with horses and his time in the Realm allowed him to identify the source immediately. 'Oh God.' End Part II * * *