Brecia knew it, she just didn’t want to deal with it yet. She looked over at Maida, who was lying on the ground, a scream frozen on her mouth. All the other old people were as still as the fortress itself. She couldn’t see any animals.
There was no more danger now. Brecia closed her eyes, chanted ancient words that none now understood. The earth righted itself. The old people didn’t move much. They were too frightened to do anything but stare. A single chicken squawked. The first thing Maida did was shout, “What did you do to Mawdoor, you foul witch?”
“Mawdoor is no more,” Brecia said. “All will be right again.”
Maida rose, dusted herself off, and walked to the prince and Brecia. She was frightened, it was clear, but she had guts. “You are magic, just like my lord.”
“Yes,” the prince said easily. “We are magic, and Mawdoor will no longer terrorize the earth.”
Brecia stared at Maida with her thick, fiery hair and her moss-green eyes, and her own green eyes narrowed. She said, “You insulted me, you stupid woman, actually waved your fist at me—”
“Aye, and didn’t you just hurl me right against that wall over there? No thanks to you that my leg isn’t broken.”
“—but I am beginning to think that you would make a great mistress of Penwyth.”
Maida said, sneering, “I would be great at anything I did, but let me tell you, miserable witch, I wouldn’t have long remained Mawdoor’s mistress. He would have strangled you finally, and I would have married him!”
“No, you stupid woman, I didn’t mean that you would be great as some man’s mistress. I meant that you should run things around here.”
Maida’s mouth hung open, then her brain came alive. “Ah, and just how will I protect this land? What do you have to say to that, ugly witch?”
“I’m not ugly. I’m beautiful, just ask anyone. Besides—and know that I hate to say this—you and I do look somewhat alike, what with all the red hair and the green eyes.”
“Hmmm. The red and green look better on me.”
The prince coughed, cleared his throat. “Now, to protect this land, Maida, the first thing to do is get rid of this black fortress.” The prince held his wand close and lightly stroked it on his sleeve. In the next instant there was a very normal structure made of wood, wattle, and daub. Even the pigsty went from menacing black to weathered wooden planks lashed together with thick ropes.
The people murmured. The animals yelped.
“Hmmm,” Maida said. “How am I to keep Penwyth going with all these wretched old people?”
The prince merely smiled and said, waving his hand in a dramatic wide circle, “To live a very long life at Penwyth will never again be a punishment. Long life will be bestowed upon those who are utterly loyal to Penwyth. Return those ancients to what they were.”
Brecia shouted, “Bring youth back to the old people!”
And with that utterance, they became what they’d been years before. They shook themselves, rubbed elbows and knees that no longer hurt, scratched heads with hair on them once again. Three young maids did a dance, kicking up their heels. Several boys yelled and cursed. Young voices filled the courtyard. It was a marvelous sound. Some of the young people just stood there, wondering at what had happened and marveling at it.
Brecia called out, “Mawdoor is no more. Your lives are yours again.”
Maida looked around, rubbed her hands together. “Look yon. I believe that beautiful young man standing over there, looking quite surprised and pleased, was old Dorom. Hmmm. What a lovely smile he has.”
“He has all his teeth again,” Brecia said.
“I think I must see if his breath is sweet as well,” Maida said, and walked to young Dorom.
The prince said, stroking his jaw, “You know, Brecia, I am feeling labyrinthine. Yes, the workings of my brain even exceed my normal complexity. I wish to protect Penwyth and all Maida’s descendants—”
“Given what she is like, I imagine her heirs will hold Penwyth close for a very long time. Now what is this, prince? You wish to cast some sort of spell on Penwyth?”
“No, I want a curse.” He stroked his jaw three more times, looked quite pleased with himself, and raised the cask high in his hands for all to see. “Listen, all. If a man ever takes this land by force, let him die.”
He smiled at Brecia. “There. It is done.”
“For a labyrinthine mind,” Maida said, tossing her lovely red hair, “you didn’t have much to say.” The prince nearly threw the cask at her. He was ready to take back his splendid curse when Brecia said, her voice carrying just as far as the prince’s had, “If the Penwyth maid has red hair, if she has green eyes, then she will be saved.”
The prince guffawed. “That miserable offering is so much better than my straightforward, clearly proclaimed curse? You merely protect anyone who looks like you and Maida.”
Brecia shook her fist at him. “You’re just angry because you didn’t think to do it.” She paused a moment, watching Maida give all the young people orders. She said, “You know, Maida would have made a great witch. Penwyth is now protected, Maida now has people to help her, and now”—she sucked in her breath “—now we must deal with the cask.” She looked at it, shuddered just a bit. “What shall we do with it?”