John Moore - Bad Prince Charlie.pdf

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It was a dark night—not a stormy night, not at all—but very dark, and that was good for ghosts. To be
more explicit, it was a good night for seeing ghosts. Ghostly ectoplasm has a faint luminescence about it,
so the darker the night, the easier it is to see a ghost. In theory, you should be able to see them during the
daytime if you are in a totally dark room, but for some reason this never happens. Nonetheless, a deep,
dark, non-stormy night is quite an advantage if you want to find ghosts, and even better if you want to see
and avoid them. How the ghosts feel about this is not known.
The castle itself was rather new as castles go, having been completed only a generation earlier, but it had
a traditional design, with square walls and towers. Most of the other castles being built at that time had
round towers, which gave their archers overlapping fields of fire, and round walls, which were less
susceptible to collapse from tunneling. Damask Castle was built on a mountain of rock, though. No one
was going to tunnel under its walls. And square rooms are so much easier to live in. The furniture fits
better.
There was no drawbridge. There was no moat. Neither Damask Castle, nor the city that surrounded it,
nor the cultivated plains that lay beneath the mountain fortress, had water to spare.
None of this mattered to the guards patrolling the parapets of Damask Castle. The castle was parapet
intensive. There was no good reason for this. The architect just liked parapets. At the time the castle was
built, parapets were the hot thing in castle architecture. They ran all along the outer walls, the inner walls,
the ramparts, the rooflines, the towers, and the citadel. They took a lot of patrolling.
“You have to wait until it gets really dark,” one of the guards told Oratorio. “That’s when he really stands
out. Otherwise you’ll walk right past him. Even a bit of moonlight will wash him out.” The guard’s teeth
chattered a little, but that could have been the cold. The wind was bitter, and the temperature dropped
quickly in the dark reaches of the night.
Oratorio looked up. On the horizon a few stars could be seen, but thick clouds overhead made the sky
impenetrable. And the moon would not rise for several hours.
“It’s the king,” said the other guard.
“The ghost of the king,” corrected the first.
“Don’t be nitpicky, Turic. He knows what I mean.”
“Rod, how did you know it was the king?” asked Oratorio.
“It looked like the king.”
“You saw its face, then?”
The two guards looked at each other. “No, not really,” said Turic. “But it had the image of the king.”
“What image was that, exactly?”
“It was carrying a bottle of cheap rotgut.”
“Ah,” said Oratorio. That did rather point to the king. Oratorio was a knight, however, and he felt he had
to show some logic and leadership to the two guards. “We don’t want to jump to conclusions, though.
The king died just this week, a ghost appears, naturally the tendency is to assume . . .”
“It was a bottle of Old Duodenum,” said Rod. “We could see the label.”
“That’s his favorite brand, all right,” Oratorio conceded.
“Aye, and it was like no other spirit I’ve seen. The look of it, a horrible putrid yellow. And a rank smell.”
“The ghost?”
“The liquid in the bottle.”
“Yeah, that’s Old Duodenum. Some batches are like that. The quality control isn’t really great. Well,
boys.” He clapped a hand on each of their shoulders. “As the ranking guard on duty tonight, it is up to
me to confront this apparition. If the king—may he rest in peace—has sent back his shade, I can only
surmise that he has something important to say to us.”
“Good thinking,” said Rod.
“I concur,” said Turic. “You’re just the man for the job, Oratorio. Although, of course, we’ll be right
behind you. And indeed, it probably is the king and not some demon from Hell that has taken on the
appearance of the king in order to trap you.”
“Say what?” said Oratorio.
 
“’Tis not at all unlikely,” said Rod. “It takes a brave man to confront an apparition of this sort. Remember
that haunting at Lockhaven Manor? The drowned little boy, and his appearance, and the sad weeping
from the boathouse? Aye, but of those who ventured inside, the poor lad to comfort, came out none of
them again, but their gruesome remains were collected at daybreak and buried in very small caskets.”
“ ‘The poor lad to comfort’?” repeated Oratorio. “ ‘Came out again none’? Why are you talking
backward?”
“Ghost stories sound better in archaic language.”
“He’s right,” said Turic. “Not about talking backward, but about apparitions. Tricky devilish things, and
not above taking on the appearance of a loved one to lure the unwary. We all know it happens—sailors
who are lured overboard by the appearance of a ghostly maiden, or mothers who follow their spectral
child into the graveyard, and in the morning their drained or decapitated bodies are found, the features
twisted into expressions of utmost horror, mute testimony to the terrible . . .”
“Yes, yes, all right!” said Oratorio. “You don’t have to go on about it.”
“There!” said Rod.
It was faint, but they all saw the dim white glow, rippling like moonlight reflected on a puddle. It was at
the far end of the parapet, moving at the speed of a sedate walk, and it passed behind a wall only
moments after they first saw it.
“Same as last night,” said Turic. “It’s taking the outside stairs up the south tower. Are you going after it?”
“Of course,” said Oratorio. “I said I would confront the apparition, didn’t I?”
“You’re not moving.”
“Well, I didn’t say I would do so right this very minute. A good soldier does a reconnaissance first. He
collects information. He studies the situation. I should probably come back for a few more nights before I
make my move, to see if I can pick up a pattern of behavior.”
“He’s over there,” said Turic. “That’s his pattern of behavior.”
“He’s going up the tower again.”
“All right then.” Oratorio raised his lantern, so he could see along the parapet, and quietly made his way
to the bottom of the tower stairs. As with the other towers, the stairs were wide enough for only one man
and rose along the outside wall in a clockwise direction, which gave the defender above more room to
swing his sword, while limiting the movement of the attacker from below. The candlelight gleamed on the
dark stone. The steps rose above his head and disappeared into the black night. “We don’t want to go
charging up these steps in darkness,” he whispered. “We’re liable to miss one and plummet to our
deaths. That may be exactly what it is luring us to do. But using the lantern will reduce our night vision,
and we won’t be able to see it. So this is the plan.
“I’ll go first, leading the way with the lantern. You two will follow close behind, but my body will shadow
most of the light from your eyes. So you should still be able to see it when we reach the top. If it’s there,
draw your swords and try to corner it. Ready?”
He glanced back over his shoulder, frowned, then marched back to the blockhouse. “You said you’d be
right behind me!”
“Well, right behind you is a rather nebulous term,” said Turic.
“Right,” said Rod. “I mean, who’s to say just how far behind is right behind? I think it’s entirely possible
that a fellow could be right behind another fellow and still be a pretty fair distance off.”
“Exactly.”
“Shut up!” said Oratorio. “Get out your swords. We’re going to charge up those stairs. I’ll lead the way.
You’re going to be behind me, right behind me, which means if I get atop that tower and you’re not there
with me, you’re going to be joining that demon in Hell. Is that clear?”
He raised his lantern so he could see them nod. He nodded curtly back, turned away, and held his lantern
close to his chest. When he judged they had regained some of their night vision, he said, “Let’s go!” and
took off briskly down the parapet. At the stairs he hesitated only long enough to make sure he heard the
clump of their boots behind him, then trotted up as quickly as he dared in the dim light. For the final
corner he quickened his pace, and leaped onto the roof with his sword thrust out in front of him. Nothing
attacked. He stepped quickly to the side, out of the way of the two men following, who also reached the
 
roof with swords at forward guard. Oratorio shut his lantern, and all three men looked around for the
ghost.
It was easy to spot. There was a dim white glow in the middle of the roof, flat against the stone. Moving
closer, the men could make out the faint figure of a man, lying on its side, clutching a bottle. Its hair and
beard were matted with sweat, and a thin line of ectoplasmic drool ran down one side of its jaw. Its eyes
were closed. They fell silent, listening carefully. Above the background of chill wind they could hear,
rising and falling, the unmistakable sound of a drunken snore.
“Oh yeah,” said Turic in disgust. “No doubt about it. That’s the king, all right.”
In a distant place, in a distant time, twenty kingdoms (give or take a few) were spread out in a broad
band between the mountains and the sea. They were fairytale kingdoms, lands of enchantment, where the
laws of nature could be bent to the rules of magic. This did not matter a good deal to the inhabitants.
Magic in the Twenty Kingdoms was not unlike open-heart surgery today. It required skilled practitioners
with decades of training, the results were often unsatisfactory, and it was financially out of reach for most
of the population. Even those who could afford it used it reluctantly and as a last choice.
But when it worked the way it was supposed to, the results could be spectacular.
However, on this day there was nothing magical on the road from Noile to Damask. It was
overshadowed by mountains and overhung by leafy branches, that still dripped steadily from the
morning’s cold rain. The mountain pass was cold even this late in the spring; the peaks to either side were
still snowcapped. Puffs of steam came from the mouth of the horse pulling a dogcart through the forest,
and from the mouths of the two young women driving it. The one who held the reins was red-haired,
green-eyed, and singularly beautiful, although with a slightly petulant look to her full lips. Her hands were
covered by lambskin gloves, and a dark fur coat protected her excellent figure. Her companion, no less
enchanting with fair hair and blue eyes, kept her hands sheltered inside a good wool cloak. They were
cheerful, for they had the exuberance and confidence of youth, but they were also wary, for they were
coming to a narrow bridge that was known to be a favorite spot for robbers.
And, indeed, they were not disappointed. Before they got to the bridge they heard the rushing of the
Matka River, and then they heard voices filtering through the trees, and then, turning a bend in the road,
they saw the bridge ahead of them, and a coach and four. It was stopped in front of the bridge, the first
two horses with their feet already on the planks. Four men, swords drawn, surrounded the coach. Their
leader seemed to be in deep discussion with someone inside the carriage.
The red-haired girl stopped the dogcart and murmured, “Gentleman Dick Terrapin, the notorious
highwayman.”
Her companion widened her eyes. “Is he really a gentleman?” she whispered back.
“I wouldn’t count on it, Rosalind. Men give each other the strangest nicknames. ‘Big Jim Smith’ is usually
a small man, and anyone called ‘LittleJon’ is invariably a giant. If he has a name like ‘Howie the Hairy,’
you know for certain—”
“That he’s bald,” finished Rosalind. “Shall we go back?”
“I don’t intend to do so. They’ve already seen us, and we can’t outrun their horses. Let’s see what ‘toll’
they will extract from us to cross that bridge.”
Dick Terrapin had been plying his trade as a road agent for nearly six years, which was a remarkably
long time to be playing a dangerous game. His origins were unknown, but somewhere along in life he had
picked up a gentleman’s education, and he did not mind putting it on display. He did indeed share some
of the characteristics of the nobility, in that he was greedy, rapacious, and preferred to take money
without working for it. He nonetheless had a certain code of honor, and that was never to leave his
victims completely penniless. The occupant of the coach had already resigned himself to handing over his
moneybag. But he was a first-time visitor to Damask, and had to rely on Dick to tell him how much he
was losing.
“Give it to me once more,” he said to Terrapin. “A fourthing is one fourth of a penny. That makes sense.
And then you have pence, tuppence, thruppence, and . . . four pence.”
“No,” said Terrapin. “Four pence is called a groat.”
 
“A groat.”
“Right. And nobody calls it thruppence. It’s called a thrupenny bit.”
“And then twelve pence is . . .”
“A shellac. And there’s twenty shellac to the ponce.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why not twelve, or twenty-four? It would be more consistent.”
“That’s just the way they do it. There’s also the gimme, which is one ponce and one shellac.”
“So the gimme is twenty-one shellac?”
“Correct.”
“Not twenty-four?” The passenger still didn’t want to give up his idea of monetary symmetry.
“No. Now a shellac is also called a barb. So if someone asks you for ‘barb and tenner,’ you would pay
him . . .”
“One shellac and ten pence,” finished the passenger.
“No, one shellac and six pence.”
“Stop,” said the passenger. “That’s enough! You’re making my brain hurt. Take the money. Just leave
me enough for a meal and a room in Damask tonight.”
“Should run you about three barb,” Terrapin said, handing him back some coins. “Don’t let them charge
more than five. Some of those innkeepers are absolute thieves.”
“You ought to know,” said the passenger sourly, slamming the door. The driver flipped the reins, and the
coach crossed the bridge and soon disappeared into thick forest.
The band of rogues turned their attention immediately to the dogcart. Two men blocked the entrance to
the bridge, a third took a position on the left side of the cart, while Terrapin himself removed his hat and
bowed low to the red-haired girl. “Do I have the honor of speaking to Lady Catherine Durace?”
“I’m sure the honor is mine, sir,” said Catherine. “But I’m afraid your face is not familiar to me. Have we
met?”
“We have not had that pleasure,” said Terrapin. “My name is Terrapin.”
“Mercy!” said Catherine. Her hand flew to her breast, as though to quiet a palpitating heart, but putting it
closer to a dagger concealed in her cleavage. “Not Gentleman Dick Terrapin, the notorious highwayman
and bandit leader!”
Almost imperceptibly, Terrapin puffed out his chest a bit. Rosalind looked around at his three
accomplices. Each man reacted instinctively to the glance of a pretty girl, straightening his collar and
sucking in his stomach. Rosalind gave them a benign smile. Beneath her cloak, she gripped the shaft of an
oak cudgel.
“You do me a disservice, Miss,” Terrapin told Catherine. “We are but humble toll collectors, whose task
is to see that travelers get across the bridge safely. You may be assured that once our modest fee is paid,
you may travel all the way to Damask without fear of robbery.”
“Alas,” sighed Catherine. “Our family’s fortune has greatly diminished over the years. I fear that I will be
unable to pay your toll, however modest it may be.”
In his years of highway robbery, Gentleman Dick had heard every sad tale a traveler could conjure up.
“We take barter, my lovely. If you would be so kind as to hand over your jewelry.”
“They ain’t wearing jewels, Boss,” said one of his minions. “Not even a ring between them.”
Terrapin’s smile slipped. “Search the luggage.”
Two of his men were doing this already. “Nothing, Dick. Just clothes, and nothing fancy at that.”
“We are on our way to the king’s funeral,” explained Catherine. “Finery would be inappropriate.”
“Experienced travelers,” said Terrapin. “You left your valuables at home. Very wise.”
“I have been on a few trips, yes.”
Terrapin’s smile was back, but this time it did not make him look friendly. “Fortunately, a woman always
has something of value.”
Rosalind gave a tiny gasp. Dick’s men suddenly seemed larger and coarser, and uncomfortably close.
Her hand tightened on the wooden club. Catherine seemed unconcerned. “Please don’t bandy words
with me, sir.” Somehow the dagger had gotten into her hand. “I would not lightly surrender such
payment.”
 
Terrapin held up a hand. “Now, ladies, surely we can avoid such unpleasantness. He put the hand on the
edge of the cart and leaned inward. “I propose a little contest. Are either of you familiar with the tale of
Oedipus and the Sphinx?”
Catherine sighed. “Alas, no. My parents did not approve of advanced education for girls. Instead, I was
tutored in more traditional womanly arts, such as needlepoint and baking muffins.” Despite the danger
they were in, Rosalind had to hide a smile.
“The Sphinx,” said Terrapin, “guarded a crossroad in ancient Greece. It was an animal with the head of a
woman and the body of a lion.”
“Of a female lion?”
“The myth does not specify the gender of the lion, but one presumes it was also female. The ancient
Greeks were a little kinky but they weren’t that strange. In some versions it also has the wings of an
eagle.”
“What kind of eagle?”
“ Aquila heliaca , the imperial eagle,” said Dick. “A migratory species, but native to the plains of northern
and coastal Greece. Now quit stalling, young lady.”
“Sorry. Carry on.”
“The Sphinx posed Oedipus with a riddle. If he answered correctly, he could pass unmolested. Now,
ladies, I will present you with the same question. If you answer correctly, you may continue your journey.
If you cannot answer, you must surrender your charms without a fight.”
“Are you quite certain you wouldn’t rather have a muffin?”
“The offer is tempting, but no. The riddle of the Sphinx is this: What animal goes about on four legs in the
morning, two legs in the day, and three legs in the evening? You can see the Sphinx already ruled out
minerals and vegetables, so that narrows down the scope considerably.”
“Indeed it does,” said Catherine brightly. “Why, the answer is obvious. It’s Bad Prince Charlie.”
It was one of the few times in his life that Dick Terrapin was at a loss for words. He looked at Catherine
and cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate on her answer. When she merely continued to smile
at him, he said, “ ‘Bad Prince Charlie’? I’m afraid that’s incorrect, my lady. But why would you answer
‘Bad Prince Charlie’?”
“Because I see him coming right now. He travels on four legs when he rides his horse up to you,
preparing to skewer you like a holiday goose. He walks on two legs when he dismounts to run his blade
through your kidneys. And he stands on three legs when he pulls out his sword and leans on it while
watching the blood spurt from your painfully writhing body.”
Terrapin looked down the road. A black horse was trotting toward him. The rider was a young man
wearing cavalry boots and spurs, dark breeches, and a black leather riding coat. He was hatless, so the
wind ruffled his thick black hair. From this distance it was impossible to see his expression, yet to Dick it
seemed that a thundercloud was approaching—indeed, that dark clouds followed the young man where
ever he went.
“On second thought, I’ve consulted with our panel of judges and they’ve decided to accept your
answer,” he said hastily. “What do we have for the lucky winners, Jerry?”
His men were already piling boxes into the dogcart. “A set of designer cardboard luggage, a luxury
three-day, two-night all-expense paid cruise aboard the Noile Trident —meals, lodging, transfers, tips,
port fees, and reservation fees not included—and a pair of beautiful ladies’ gold-tone pendants with
genuine certified diamond chips. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner.”
“Then we’re off,” said Terrapin. “Nice meeting you, my lady. We must do this again sometime.” He
turned around to find himself staring a black horse in the face. “Um.”
The rider was leaning to one side, evaluating the occupants of the dogcart. He had deeply set black eyes
that didn’t seem to look at you so much as glower. “Is there a problem here?”
“No,” said Terrapin.
“I wasn’t asking you.”
“I think we’re fine, Charlie,” said Catherine. She had adopted a familiar tone, but her voice held no
warmth. “We were just about to continue on to Damask. Am I correct to assume you are going the same
 

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