Once upon a time, there was a boy who did odd jobs for a very wealthy and prestigious knight named Sir Weston. The boy was called Barley since he’d been found among the bags of horse feed in the knight’s stables when he was a mere infant. Barley was a bright young lad, trustworthy and fair as a nobleman. It happened that a traveling scholar caught sight of the boy from the North-east tower where he was staying while visiting Sir Weston one autumn. The boy was down in the yard, whistling a merry tune as he and his friends–a few of the other boys who lived nearby–unloaded parcels from a wagon that had arrived only moments before.
Upon seeing the boy, the traveling scholar was struck by an idea to make Barley his apprentice and teach him all the things he had learned in his long life. He had been looking a long while for some intelligent and good person to take on, and he thought Barley might just be the right boy for the task. So the traveling scholar petitioned Sir Weston to let him take Barley with him when he left as his apprentice. After some hesitation, for the lad was well-liked by all who knew him, Sir Weston agreed.
So it was that one fine September morning, Barley found himself walking along the Royal Road away from the only home he had ever known, off to see the wonders of the world and learn many incredible things. The traveling scholar, who was named Darotus, called the boy over to him and had Barley walk alongside his horse as he rode.
“My boy,” Darotus said, “the things I will take you to see are of such splendor, few men have lived to set eyes on them. You are very fortunate and must keep your wits about you so as not to get into trouble.”
“Yes, sir!” Barley promised his new master.
“The first place we shall go to,” Darotus told him, “is the Diamond City of the High Dwarves, where there are caves of pure diamond, rivers lined by rubies that sparkle as fire, pillars of emerald, and where the Great Dwarf King, Roden himself, sits on a throne of amethyst.”
Barley, as many a youth his age, longed for adventure and was eager to see these splendid things of which Darotus spoke. And it was exactly as Darotus said when they arrived at the Diamond City a few days later. They entered through an enormous gate, clear as glass, that reflected light from a million diamond facets so that it seemed to outshine the sun itself. Barley was breathless with wonder as the gates swung open, and he followed Darotus up richly decorated steps embossed with priceless gems on their way to see the Dwarf King.
“Welcome, friend Darotus,” King Roden greeted them when they stood before his amethyst throne.
“Many thanks, Your Most Royal Majesty.” Darotus bowed low, and Barley followed suit.“I hope our visit is not an imposition upon your most kingly generosity.”
“Not at all, my friend,” King Roden said. “You are always welcome here in the Diamond City of the High Dwarves. It so happens that I have several matters that could use your counsel if you would be willing to repay my hospitality with a favor.”
“Of course, my king,” Darotus bowed low again. “Our journey has been long and tedious. Might we be permitted to rest and refresh ourselves first?”
“Dimity will show you to the finest accommodations we can offer!” King Roden exclaimed, a big smile gleaming white in the dark beard that covered a good deal of the dwarf-king’s face and chest. Bright green eyes shone out at them, and with hands covered in jewels, King Roden beckoned and a stout dwarf-woman appeared out of one of the shadowed corners of the room, prepared to lead the visitors to their rooms. Darotus and Barley bowed to King Roden once again and followed the dwarf-woman to their accommodations.
Barley was lost in wonder at everything he saw. The dwarves were such magnificent creatures, stately and covered in ornaments and jewels from their delvings. The halls that Dimity led them through shone with gems, mosaics made of fire and water. As he went by, Barley noticed that the precious stones were arranged to form pictures of flowers and trees, birds and mountains, and some even seemed to tell the story of the High Dwarves though Barley did not know what events they portrayed. Everywhere he looked was some new marvel of dwarven craftsmanship so that he feared to blink his eyes or look at one picture too long lest he miss another.
“Your rooms, noble Darotus.” Dimity, the dwarf-woman, bowed her head slightly as she stopped in front of a huge stone door, traces of silver forming the stars and a round full moon on its surface, and set with tiny diamonds.
“You are too kind.” Darotus bowed to her.
“Not at all,” she said. “Your horse will be cared for and lodged appropriately, as always, and there will be a feast in the Great Emerald Hall tonight to celebrate your arrival. I hope you enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you, noble dwarf-woman,” Darotus said courteously.
Then Dimity left the two of them in their lodgings, a large and fantastic room for Darotus, and a smaller room leading off from it for Barley. Soon after the two had rested and washed from their journey, they were summoned to dinner in the Great Emerald Hall with King Roden. There they were fed until they could not hold another bite of the scrumptious fare the dwarves had set before them. When the meal was finished, King Roden turned to Darotus.
“Now,” he said, “to discuss certain issues in which I have need of your wisdom and learning.”
“Of course, my king,” Darotus agreed and said to the boy at his left hand, “Barley?”
“Yes, sir?” Barley answered him.
“Why don’t you go and explore the Diamond City while we talk of things doubtless too deep for such a young and restless mind as yours.”
“Yes, sir,” Barley was secretly overjoyed by this command and hastened to pay his respects and exit the hall.
Where should I begin to explore? he wondered. He remembered the rivers lined with rubies that Darotus had spoken of, and as those had particularly struck his fancy, he determined to find and see them. A dwarf was just then passing by, carrying a pitcher of wine into the Great Emerald Hall, so Barley asked him how he could best reach the ruby-lined rivers. The dwarf gave him directions, and after repeating them to himself a few times, the boy set off to find the wonderful rivers he’d heard so much about.
After many twists and turns through sparkling caverns and enormous halls with emerald pillars (though none so grand as the Great Emerald Hall), Barley finally arrived in a huge cave where a clear river flowed by and swept against ruby shores. It was every bit as beautiful as he’d imagined. He stood in awe for a few minutes before realizing that he was not alone.
Standing at the other side of the cave were a dwarf mother and her son. The dwarf boy jumped around and caused all kinds of mischief. His mother tried to keep an eye on him while she washed laundry in the river, but the boy was too quick for her and slipped away from her grasp. Before she could catch up to him, the little dwarf boy climbed up on a ruby rock and, losing his balance, splashed right into the deep clear water.
The dwarf mother let out a cry, and Barley, who’d seen the whole thing, barely thought before he dove into the river after the boy. The water was icy cold, and there was a stronger current than he’d suspected from the shore, but Barley swam with all of his might and finally reached the gasping dwarf boy. He grabbed under the boy’s arms and struggled to make his way back to shore. After a heroic fight against the current, he reached shore safely at last, with the dwarf boy in tow. Wet and shaking like a leaf from the freezing water, he and the boy were embraced by the dwarf mother.
“Thank you, kind sir! Thank you ever so much!” she said, and then turned to her son.“What have I told you about getting too close to the water? Young scoundrel! Thank goodness you didn’t drown!”
The dwarf woman let them both go when the mischievous youngster fretted at being held too long. She soon caught around the boy’s wrist again to keep him from wandering, and despite his protests, she held tight.
“Here,” she said, facing Barley and holding out a pendant she’d removed one-handed from around her neck. “It is not nearly enough to thank you for saving my unruly son’s life, but I hope you will accept it as a sign of my gratitude.”
“I couldn’t!” Barley protested, shivering from the cold still.
“You must,” the dwarf mother insisted. “I will not be satisfied until you take it.”
And so Barley accepted the dwarf mother’s pendant, a fine string of gold with a single ruby, beautifully cut, hanging from it.
She had to give him directions back to the Great Emerald Hall since he was on the other side of the river now and did not relish the idea of crossing without a bridge again. She also made him put the pendant on, though he tucked it under his shirt as soon as she was out of sight so as not to draw attention. Eventually he found his way back to the Great Emerald Hall, and from there he remembered how to get to the rooms King Roden had let him and Darotus stay in. When he got back, he promptly changed out of his wet clothes and waited for Darotus to return.
He didn’t have to wait very long. Almost as soon as he was in dry clothes again, Darotus came in through the decorated stone door, and Barley, hearing him, opened the door to his own chamber and went out to greet the traveling scholar.
“Barley, there you are,” Darotus said absentmindedly. “Done exploring so soon?”
“Yes, sir,” Barley said. He had enough sense to see that Darotus was preoccupied with other things, and so he didn’t mention the ruby river or the dwarf boy and his mother.
The next day, early in the morning, Darotus came in and woke Barley up, telling him it was time they moved on as they had many places yet to visit. Barley got up and got dressed, and the two of them departed from the Diamond City of the High Dwarves.
“Where do we go now?” Barley asked of Darotus when they were well on their way.
“Now, my boy,” Darotus said, seeming to lighten up and forget more of his troubles with each mile they traveled away from the Diamond City, “we are off to the Forest of Abundance, where the trees are silver, and there are whole towns of tree dwellings. At the very heart of the wood is the palace of the Elf King and the Elf Queen, a kingdom of shadows and magic and starlight.”
Barley was delighted to hear about the Forest of Abundance and could hardly wait to get there. After another day of traveling they reached the outskirts of the woods, and gradually, as they walked along a faint path through the forest, the trees became silver with tall trunks that gleamed in the moonlight. Night was falling, and the leaves above them sparkled and shimmered as pure silver. The trees’ branches stretched over the path like a canopy, and Barley could see shining silver eyes up in the tree-tops and gray shadows that seemed to be there one second and gone the next.
“Do not worry,” Darotus told him. “Those are just the elf warriors watching us. They report to the King and Queen and protect the Forest of Abundance from unwanted visitors and those who would do ill. But they know me and that we mean no harm.”
Barley felt only slightly more at ease. It was still disconcerting to see the strange shining eyes appearing and disappearing in the trees.
Suddenly they heard a shriek from above them, and an elf maiden fell like a shooting star from the canopy of silver branches. Lunging forward, Barley reached out to break her fall and caught the small elf maid just before she hit the forest floor.
“Many thanks, and a long life to you!” she cried and, blushing, picked herself up and curtsied deeply.
“It’s nothing, really,” Barley assured her bashfully.
“How modest of you!” she said in a voice that sang like wind through the silver branches of her homeplace. “Here, take this brooch as a token of my gratitude, for I surely would have fallen and broken my neck without your aid. It will bring you good fortune and safe travels.”
Barley looked at the slim elf girl, with hair as pale as starlight and a face more beautiful than the moon. He was glad to have helped her, but he didn’t feel like he deserved such high praise since he had only reacted as anyone might under the circumstances. He hesitated awkwardly.
“Go ahead,” Darotus chided him on. “It would be rude to refuse.”
So Barley nodded and accepted the silver lily-shaped brooch that the fair elf maiden handed to him. It was a thing of great beauty, and not without some pride, he pinned it to his cloak. The elf maid smiled and was pleased.
“I must get back to the palace,” the girl said prettily, “but I will see you both at my father’s tonight, yes? He has heard of your arrival and is planning a great feast.”
“Yes, Princess Alea, we will be at your father’s palace soon,” Darotus replied. “And we are very honored to be his guests.”
***
With another smile, one that lingered on Barley and made him blush again, the elf princess flitted away, gracefully climbing the nearest tree and disappearing among the tree-tops again.
Darotus and Barley continued on their way to the Elf King and Queen’s palace.
“Hail, King Silomar and Queen Erea,” Darotus greeted the elf king and queen when, an hour or two later, he and Barley arrived at the palace.
Here he was greeted in much the same way as with King Roden and welcomed warmly by the elegant elf royalty, who shone like the stars in their festive silver array. Barley was amazed that his master was so well-known and loved at the courts of such illustrious kings and queens. Mostly, though, he was looking for the elf princess he’d met earlier. When he finally found her, she seemed to him even more beautiful and star-like than all of the lovely and bright elves around her, and he watched them dancing around a white-flamed fire as one enchanted.
“Barley?”Darotus’ voice broke the spell, and the boy turned to his master. “Bow to the King and Queen.”
“Oh,” Barley said, feeling like an idiot, and bowing low. “Sorry.”
They gave him somewhat cold smiles in return and then focused on Darotus, asking, as King Roden had, if he would stay and speak with them, for they had important matters to discuss. Darotus agreed but graciously refused to stay the night with the elves.
“It is known,” Darotus whispered to Barley after the King and Queen gave them leave to sit at the long silver table decked with tall silver candles and trays piled high with delicacies of every kind imaginable, “that mere mortals who spend a night in the Enchanted City are so held by its magic that they never wish to leave.”
Barley shivered with the thought and sat down.
After dining with the elves, Darotus spoke with the King and Queen while Barley went a little closer to where the younger elves were still dancing and watched them a while. The grace with which they moved awed him, and he looked on in wonder, hoping that the elf princess would notice him in some way. She never did though, that he could tell, and after a while Darotus bid him make ready to depart. They wandered out of the Forest of Abundance just as they had wandered in, only now haunted by the beautiful sights and wonderful sounds and magnificent food of the silver-treed elven wood.
Barley found himself sighing to remember all of it, but walking through the night, Darotus and he reached the edge of the woods, and the farther they traveled away, so lessened the pain of leaving.
“Barley,” Darotus called to the boy, who walked some paces behind him.
“I’m here!” Barley said, catching up.
“That is the danger of elves, my boy. I would’ve warned you before we entered the forest except that it couldn’t be helped even by foreknowledge. You did well.”
“Thank you, sir,” Barley answered, not knowing what else to say.
“The enchantment wears off eventually,” Darotus laughed. “I am not sure the elves even realize its effect. It would not be unlike them to suspect that their presence and their wood steal the will from a man and have a good laugh about it at our expense, though. Regardless, they can’t help it, and neither can we, so it’s best to just be careful.”
Barley nodded. “Where do we travel next, sir?”
“Now we are off to the Castle on the Hill,” Darotus responded. “It is a simple name for such a place, but it serves.”
“The Castle on the Hill,” Barley repeated after him, trying out the sound of the words.
“Yes, and it is a kingdom of light, with walls made of pure gold wherein dwells King Castor,” Darotus spoke of the place almost tenderly Barley thought, “a fine ruler, though a bit strange.”
“Strange how?” Barley asked.
“It’s nearly impossible to explain, so I shall let you decide for yourself,” Darotus said.
Barley wondered what that meant but did not question his master further.
When they had been traveling for three days more, they finally caught sight of the Castle on the Hill. Barley knew it immediately, for though it was guarded by towers of plain stone, there was a gleam of golden walls catching fire beyond them in the light of the dying sun on that third day. Just as the sun fell below the horizon, Darotus and Barley reached the gates of the Castle on the Hill and were let inside. It seemed that even here people knew of and respected Darotus.
“First we must go and present ourselves to the king,” Darotus said as they walked through the gates.
Barley thought that only made sense. It was the first thing they had done in both of the other places they had visited so far. But going through the lovely streets of gold and seeing children at play, smelling the delightful aromas from street vendors’ food stalls, and seeing the wonderful sights in the grand market, it became incredibly hard not to stop along the way and look at some new splendor.
Barley kept following Darotus though, and resisted the urge to beg that they slow down so he could see everything. His boot caught on the corner of one of the stalls as they walked by, and part of the sole was torn from the shoe, yet still the boy followed his master through the market.
When they reached the king’s castle itself, Darotus looked behind him and was pleased to see Barley still following. Barley felt only that his foot was sore where a rock had made its way in through the break in his shoe, but now that they were at King Castor’s door, he was ready to see this strange king.
Darotus and he entered the king’s throne room and bowed before a tall man with deep blue eyes, a beard as fiery red and gold as his Castle on the Hill at sunset, and robes of woven gold thread.
“Darotus, welcome!” the tall king said.
“Thank you, King Castor,” Darotus replied.
“I see you have brought your new apprentice to stay here and learn what wisdom he can,” the king observed.
“Yes, Your Majesty, if I may,” Darotus said.
Barley was a little lost. So Darotus lived here? And had brought him to live in this Castle on the Hill too? He could scarcely take it in.
“He looks as if he’d make a fine student,” the king beamed. “Does he have the treasures?”
“I believe so,” Darotus smiled at Barley, who was more confused than ever. “Barley?”
“Yes, sir?” he said, so puzzled that he didn’t know how to respond otherwise.
“The pendant, for your bravery and selflessness in the Diamond City of the High Dwarves,” Darotus was still smiling as he explained. “The silver lily, for your quick thinking and mental fortitude in the Forest of Abundance. And the golden rock in your broken shoe, for your obedience and steadfastness. These treasures are what prove you to be worthy of being my apprentice and worthy of living in the Castle on the Hill with the greatest minds and the most magnificent royalty in all of the kingdoms.”
Barley was astonished. He hadn’t even known that Darotus knew about all of those things and was very much surprised to find them to be treasures that proved his worth.
“Now, will you learn from me and someday take my place in the Castle on the Hill?” Darotus asked him.
“I’ll try my best, sir!” Barley said earnestly.
And from then on he studied and traveled everywhere with the traveling scholar, learning many marvelous things and seeing many wonderful sights until he was the wisest and most learned man in the land, surpassing even his amazing teacher Darotus and providing great advice and insight to King Castor and all the rulers of many other places besides.