Bozadir - Synopsis
Bozadir is twenty years old when the story opens and is betrothed to EGRELDA OF LAPHELLE, a beautiful young lady two years his junior. His skin colour is green and his long, skinny arms and legs look a bit out of proportion with his body but are ideal for riding awkward shaped insects and climbing slender plants. His head is a flattish-oval shape with a mop of light green hair, tiny ears, a button nose, thin lips and black, almond shaped eyes. He can often be impulsive and lack patience and has an annoying habit of clicking his tongue and twitching his jaw. He is a natural leader, courageous, likeable and well respected, though can sometimes make impulsive decisions that are later regretted. But most of all Bozadir is a proud warrior and has a reputation for being fearless, chivalrous and valiant. So having to hide from anything dangerous is infuriating and compromises his strict code of honour, though when we first meet Bozadir of Dwale he is doing just that.
STORY OUTLINE
He is crouching under the edge of a huge dandelion leaf. His protector, MERGAL ETHRON, and the other warriors of the border patrol are hiding nearby. Bozadir is concentrating on the clearing in which the butterfly of the Imperial Courier crash-landed and where a wolf spider now noisily liquefies and digests the carcass. The spider’s mouthparts work steadily closer to the butterfly’s worm-skin saddle and Bozadir knows that there is an urgent despatch for him inside the pouch attached to it, something that has never happened before. But there is nothing he can do but watch, wait and sweat in the summer heat. The spider takes a rest and crawls aside, bloated.
Bozadir saw his chance. ‘Now, lads!’ He jumped to his feet, winced as pain shot up his calves. He whipped his sword from its scabbard and charged toward the clearing as fast as his cramped legs would allow. Mergal Ethron drew level, shoved him to one side and darted ahead. The spider was startled, lifted its forelegs in warning and snapped its jaws. Mergal’s sword hissed, slashed clean through the knee joint of a waving leg. Bozadir caught up, yelled, leapt forward and jabbed the point of his blade into the spider’s belly. It flinched, bared its fangs. Bozadir wrenched his sword free, leapt clear. A blob of foul fluid bubbled from the wound. The other warriors tumbled from their hiding places, screamed war cries and beat swords upon shields. That was enough for the spider. It turned about and ran off into the dandelion forest. The warriors jeered after it, then grinned at each other in triumph.
The despatch orders the immediate return of Bozadir and Mergal to Dwale. Bozadir is worried and they make all haste, returning by way of Bankside Castle, where Bozadir learns that its warrior castellan, ERBIN TWAYBLADE, has been recalled.
COWDAR THE GREY and GORION LEAFSHIELD, a grumpy old warrior and a young flamboyant one respectively, have also been summoned and join the others at the palace when they arrive.
GREENSHANK and EMERALD await the arrival of their son with heavy hearts and devastating news, which WELAND the mystic conveys using a miniature vision of coloured light from his magical staff. Bozadir is horrified to see that his beloved EGRELDA and his useless brother, MORADIR, are being kidnapped by the Reds of Norg. A huge brute stands head and shoulders above the rest and takes particular interest in Egrelda. His laugh sends shivers down Bozadir’s spine.
‘Who is he?’ Bozadir demands.
He is the WASP OF NORG,’ replies Weland, ‘an ambitious Warlord bent on grabbing the crown for himself.’
When Bozadir’s grief and anger abate he realises that the circumstances surrounding the kidnap don’t add up, but his goal is set anyway. He must rescue Egrelda at all cost and take revenge on Wasp. Nothing will change his mind, danger is ignored. Weland has predicted this, much to Bozadir’s annoyance and the other warriors had been summoned to accompany him on his quest. Later that evening Weland takes Bozadir and the quest warriors to the secret Room of Weapons.
There was a murmur in the darkness. Then a single sword slid out of its scabbard and hovered in the air. It glowed green. Engraved characters flowed along its long, razor-sharp blade.
‘Take it, Bozadir. That sword is rightfully yours,’ said Weland.
The sword’s pommel-head suddenly opened its eyes. It gave an impish grin, somersaulted in the air and floated toward Bozadir’s outstretched hand.
‘I am Hufmol, boss,’ said the sword. Its voice was high pitched and squeaky. ‘Take me and I will hack and slash your enemies.’
Bozadir almost dropped the sword with shock. ‘What is this, Weland?’
‘It is what it says. It will hack and slash your enemies. It is also bound up with spells for your protection. Your father wielded it against Norg once, and his father’s father carried it in the Gotherim Wars. Now, Bozadir, it is yours to use in your hour of need.’
Meanwhile, far away in the underground city of Limoria, LADY CALENDINE waits impatiently for Wasp. He had promised to make her his Queen and she has already started to clear the way by slowly poisoning her second husband, LORD HELEBORE.
Calendine is gifted with stunning beauty, which she uses to manipulate others. She also has power over dragonflies and at her command their thrumming wings put all those about her into a trance, Dragonsleep, during which she learns their innermost secrets.
When she finds out that Wasp has jilted her, apparently in favour of a young Greenie girl called Egrelda, she flies into an uncontrollable rage, vented on GRIBBLE, the long-suffering captain of her guard. She beats him mercilessly and vows to take terrible revenge on Wasp and Egrelda.
Gribble closed the door and Calendine screamed for her maids.
They tumbled into the room. One maid sprayed perfume all around the chamber. The other, a young girl called SUNDEW, offered her mistress a freshly cleaned dress.
Calendine sniffed it, could not smell mushroom and nodded. She continued tapping her foot while Sundew, with trembling fingers, carefully changed her mistress.
GRUBSEED is the Landlord of an inn called The Grasshopper’s Legs. He is a stout, affable fellow with oiled, slicked-back hair and a bright yellow moth-wing waistcoat. He and his apprentice, PEAPOD, a sullen lad of thirteen, with heavy eyelids and an intense hatred for lugging sacks, are accidentally locked in the hold of a trader ship called THE SEAFLY while delivering supplies.
Bozadir makes his farewells and sets out on his quest to rescue Egrelda on THE EMERON, a new warship, built and captained by KNOTGRASS. Supplies are carried on The Seafly, command by BURTHORN, a stocky, weather-beaten Trader who has a girl in every port.
Grubseed and Peapod are discovered when the ships are well out to sea and Bozadir, though angry is concerned for their safety and has no choice but to take them along with him, much to Grubseed’s anguish for the running of the Grasshopper in his absence.
Bozadir’s first port of call is The Green Towers, twin towers that protect the narrow gap separating the waters of the Green Empire from the dreaded East Water, along which Moradir bizarrely sailed with Egrelda. ARUM, the Stone Captain and his wife EINAR are close friends, but they appear uncharacteristically distraught and nervous. They arouse Bozadir’s suspicions but he leaves without pursuing the matter.
Bozadir eventually finds the scene of the kidnap and rescues the sole survivor of the ambush, OLWEN REEDMACE, from the deadly clutches of a sand wasp. He takes an instant dislike to Olwen, a shifty looking so-called friend of Moradir.
Bozadir sails on and unwittingly enters Limorian waters. He is ordered to turn back by the warrior KULL and his squadron of dragonfly riders. Bozadir refuses and with the help of Gorion and his magic bow, tricks Kull into arranging an audience with Lord Helebore, Kull’s father. Captain Gribble returns with riding dragonflies and leads Bozadir to Limoria. Mergal and Erbin go with him.
The dragons flew down a wide passage, emerged suddenly, high up in a colossal cavern. The city stretched into the distance below and in front of them. The ground was flat, mossy and criss-crossed with mushroom lined avenues. The larger mushrooms had doors and windows, wisps of smoke rose from their chimneys. More mushrooms grew in a multitude of large, regimented orchards. It did not take Bozadir long to guess the main trade of Limoria.
On the right hand side of the cavern floor flowed the river. About halfway along its course it swirled around a tall, flat topped, conical rock, upon which stood a dome-shaped building with a single tower rising from it. The dragons veered towards the rock.
Bozadir meets Helebore and Calendine. She weaves her Dragonsleep and learns of Bozadir's search for Egrelda. The voice of Weland breaks the spell from afar but as Bozadir prepares to leave Limoria, with some vital information, he and his companions are imprisoned by Gribble, who has taken a fancy to Bozadir's sword.
Bozadir and his companions are rescued by PUFFBALL, a wealthy and respected Mushroom Trader. He takes them to his house and then pours out his heart to Bozadir. His wife, RUSSULA, is that year's Stag-Maiden, the victim of an old legend, resurrected by Calendine. Puffball also tells Bozadir that Wasp stopped at Limoria for supplies and in all likelihood sailed on to Salicsia. In return for the vital information Bozadir frees Puffball's wife and kills the Stag King in the process. Calendine's tyranny is ended, her dragons are confiscated and she is imprisoned by her stepson, Kull. Her hatred for Bozadir knows no bounds.
When Bozadir leaves the underground city he is shocked to discover that The Seafly has disappeared, driven south by a storm that raged during the night. After more delay Bozadir eventually finds the damaged ship at Spider Rock. He has lost valuable time, hurries the repairs along and sets sail for Salicsia with all speed.
Unfortunately, Grubseed and Peapod get left behind in the rush. They are searching for a missing barrel of dandelion ale when Grubseed is caught and trussed-up by a gang of drunken spiders. Peapod heroically rescues him, at which juncture he decides that he wants to become a warrior. They drift to the mainland on a leaf and then trudge along the coastline in what they think is the direction of Salicsia. It does not take them long to get completely lost. They see a flash of green and hide in the undergrowth. Then a Great Green Grasshopper suddenly lands nearby.
There was something very odd about this grasshopper, thought Peapod. Was it supposed to have what looked like a cabin stuck on its back? The cabin had bark walls and a pitched, grass roof. A wisp of smoke curled out of a chimney. Peapod deduced that it certainly was not part of the grasshopper's body.
The cabin door was suddenly flung open and a twine ladder snaked to the ground.
Grubseed almost jumped out of his skin, grabbed Peapod's arm and dug in his fingernails. 'What is it?'
'Be quiet. It might go away,' Peapod hissed.
'Me see you hidy down there.' The voice was husky, had a strong accent and came from within the cabin. 'You be friendly?'
The fellow was CHAFFBLOWER OF SEEDS, a travelling jouster whose home was the twig hut stuck to the back of his grasshopper, IZZY. Peapod explains that they are looking for Salicsia, where their friends have headed. Chaffblower says he is on his way there for the tournament and offers to give them a ride.
The Seafly enters Salicsia's harbour disguised as a Mushroom Trader. Bozadir, Mergal and Cowdar go ashore and take rooms at The Ant and Aphid, a busy inn where all the latest gossip can be overheard.
Bozadir opened the inn door. A blast of warm air and noise hit him in the face. The common room was large, streaked with layers of blue herb pipe smoke and full to overflowing with customers. Groups of folk sat around crowded wooden tables, deep in conversation or loud argument. Ant-hounds sucked pools of spilt ale from the stone floor and scavenged for tit-bits. Bozadir saw half a dozen soldiers sitting around a table close to the billowing fireplace, dice rattled over its rough surface. The only empty table in the common room was the one next to the soldiers.
Bozadir nudged Mergal and nodded. They crossed the common room floor.
A soldier turned around. 'That one's reserved, mate.'
'Not any more,' said Bozadir. He sat down and called for service.
Mergal grinned.
'Let's stand, boy,' said Cowdar. 'We don't want trouble as soon as we walk in.'
'Sit down.' Bozadir pulled out another chair, patted the seat and threw the soldiers a look that dared them to say anything.
Mergal eyed the soldiers. They were well into their cups. He propped the bundle that contained his axe against a table leg, shaft close to hand.
'On your heads be it,' said the soldier. He shrugged and turned back to his game.
A nervous waiter shuffled up. 'Excuse me, sirs, but, err…'
'This table is reserved,' said Bozadir. 'We know. Now be a good chap and bring us some ale and a menu.'
'What are you playing at, boy?' Cowdar hissed.
'The inn is bursting at the seams, but this table is left empty. Why do you think that is? I reckon that whoever reserved it must be pretty important, don't you? Must know a few things, maybe seen some Reds around?'
'Perhaps, but I'm not sure this is the right way to go about it.'
'Let's wait and see.' Bozadir made him self comfortable.
The waiter returned, grumbling under his breath. He plonked a jug and three mugs on the table and sent a menu skidding in Bozadir's direction. He hoped the bill would be settled before SISKIN CLUBMOSS arrived, or else there would be trouble.
One of the soldiers yelled with delight, dragged a pile of stones across the table towards him. The others blew up their cheeks and whistled, declined to play anymore.
'So what's with the Council?' asked the winner, leaning back in his chair.
A soldier drew his finger across his throat and made a squeaking sound. 'And it seems that old Bogbean's done a runner.'
'Helped himself to the treasure chest on the way out as well, by all account,' said a third soldier.
'Pah! He won't be missed.'
'About as much use as a fly without wings!' said the second.
The soldiers laughed, ordered more ale.
The conversation was loud, easy for Bozadir to overhear.
'Seems like they've asked DUNLIN to take over.' The soldier crammed his winnings into various pockets of his tunic.
'Bet he won't leave his farm for that thankless job,' said the first soldier.
'Won't leave his wife either,' grinned another.
'Would you?'
'Na, but I'd leave mine.'
The soldiers hooted, downed their ale and yelled for more.
The table had been reserved for Siskin Clubmoss was the Captain of The Guard and the trouble the waiter predicted took off when he arrived. The confrontation was defused by the timely arrival of Chaffblower, Grubseed and Peapod. Siskin calms down and Bozadir learns that Puffball had been right. Wasp certainly did pay a visit to Salicsia, murdering its Council in the process.
It was not yet general knowledge that Grand Master BOGBEAN had reneged on his promise to take care of Egrelda while he grabbed the crown of Norg and made the place safe for his new Queen. Wasp's retribution was terminal. Bogbean, fearful of Wasp's wrath, flees to Limoria with the intention of throwing himself on the mercy of Calendine, upon whose instructions, and promises of rich rewards, he had refused Wasp's request. He is unaware that she has fallen from grace or that Gribble and Sundew, had aided her escape to Log Town, a ramshackle haven for fugitives and outcasts just outside Limoria. Bogbean eventually finds her and she promises Bogbean and Gribble rich rewards if they escort her to Vespula, the main city of Norg where she intends to get rid of Egrelda and make herself his rightful Queen.
Back in Salicsia, Bozadir is mortified when Olwen Reedmace reveals that Moradir was behind the plot to kidnap Egrelda. Wasp was desperate to find a queen of breeding, says Olwen. When SWERTING, Wasp's lackey, heard that Egrelda had all the requisite qualities he made his way to Dwale. He got wind of Moradir's hair-brained plan to take Egrelda on a voyage into dangerous waters in a futile bid to impress Bozadir first hand, through Egrelda, of his heroism and bravery. Swerting approached Moradir, talked him into modifying his plan and easily struck a bargain to kidnap Egrelda in exchange for vast lands and power in Norg.
Bozadir sinks to new depths of despair. The quest to rescue Egrelda seems worse than hopeless. Dunlin, the new Grand Master, is out for revenge and has ordered Wasp's ships to be sunk before they leave his waters. Bozadir knows that Egrelda is aboard one of them. He pleads with Dunlin, promises him Wasp's head in exchange for allowing his ships safe passage. Dunlin's wife, ELODEA, takes sides with Bozadir. Dunlin agrees reluctantly and allows Wasp's ships to escape under The Bridge of Throrm unscathed. Bozadir joins forces with Chaffblower, a warrior called TARRAGON and a company of mercenaries. Then he marches out of Salicsia with Siskin Clubmoss and his guard with the intention of hunting Wasp down.
Lord Helebore of Limoria dies of poisoning and the finger points at Calendine. Kull succeeds his father and vows to bring Calendine to justice. He learns of her intention and gives chase.
The race to Vespula is now on. Wasp is intent on taking the crown from WEBWORT and making Egrelda his Queen, but she is determined to resist his advances. Bozadir is determined to rescue Egrelda, kill Wasp and get even with Moradir. Calendine is obsessed with getting rid of Egrelda and making sure she is Wasp's Queen. And Kull is on Calendine's heels, vowing to follow her all the way to Vespula if needs be. Twists and turns, delays, treachery, despair and failure dog them all. There will be only one winner - but who?