Labyrinth : Hidden Legacy

Chapter 7 Toby Meets A Knight

As he walked along Toby saw ahead of him a creature he did recognize... a white horse... trapped in a net. As Toby drew closer he realized it wasn't a horse...but a unicorn! Toby could hardly believe what he was witnessing.

The creature was calling for help and moving nervously unable to free itself.

Toby wanted to free the unicorn. As he walked closer the unicorn turned it's head toward him, it's horn pointed directly at him. Toby stopped. He backed away. He continued backing up.

As he did so he felt a familiarity to the situation. He had done this before. He remembered last week at school: A boy he knew in his class was being picked on by a bully. Toby had empathy for the boy. He was very similar to Toby. Small in stature, kind and easy prey for bullies.

Toby's heart went out to the victim but what could Toby do? He didn't know how to help. He backed away then as he backed away from this unicorn now.

He stopped as he backed into a labyrinth wall. Toby felt joy in finding the labyrinth again.

The unicorn whimpered and Toby thought about the great number of things that worried him in his life. How often he backed away, in a sense, from situations that called for bravery.

"I want to help you" Toby said softly, hoping it would calm the beast.

He walked slowly toward the side of the net where it was tied to a pole up high and again down low. As he drew near the unicorn got scared and thrashed it's head around.

Toby ran back, far from the unicorn. He could not do it. "That poor unicorn."

"I can't just walk away" Toby said but really he had about decided that was the only thing he could do.

Toby turned around as someone came around the corner.

It was a dog, dressed up in clothes and ridding upon...a dog?

The creatures stopped when they saw Toby. "Good day" the dressed up dog said.

Toby's eyes widened. "Hello?"

Sir Diddymus spotted the unicorn behind him. "Might I be of assistance?" he asked Toby.

"Please!" Toby replied.

Sir Diddymus introduced himself as he dismounted his steed.

"We shall each take one side and cut the ropes" he instructed Toby before handing him a small knife.

Sir Diddymus made a sound as he approached the net. A sound very similar to the one the unicorn was making. It seemed to calm the creature.

"Do not fear!" Sir Diddymus proclaimed. He was speaking to the unicorn but Toby felt more confident as if the words had been said to him directly.

Toby and Sir Diddymus both cut the ropes then they both pulled on the ropes and the unicorn bowed his head. The net slid off of the unicorn and he galloped away.

Toby sighed with relief and beamed. He was proud of himself!

Toby handed the small knife back to Sir Diddymus who eyed it and then said "Why don't you keep it? You might need it here." This made Toby feel uneasy. What would he do with a knife? He was too scared to use it.

"Thank you." Toby said and Sir Diddymus handed him a small sheath to keep it in. Toby tied it to his waist.

"I wander the kingdom offering my services for hire...and occasionally helping those in need" he replied. "I am a hero for hire. Quests are my forte." He held up a paper flier that advertised his services with a picture of him and his steed Ambrosius.

"Oh! My name is Toby" replied the boy.

"What is thy purpose here, Toby?" the dog asked.

"I have to find my sister. She has been kidnapped!" Toby replied.

"A courageous and sincere endeavor, that is" Sir Didymus replied. "Can I be on any assistance?"

"I don't have anything on me to pay you" Toby said. "But I could really use some help getting to the castle at the center of the labyrinth! Sarah must be there!"

"My lady? Sarah?" Sir Didymus perked up.

"Do you know my sister?" Toby asked in surprise.

"It has been years since I've seen her. It's been a while since she has needed my support" Sir Didymus replied. "Nevertheless...she is here?"

"Herald the caterpillar told me that the Goblin King is the one who has taken her. Taken from our home!" Toby explained.

"I will accompany thou on thy quest for, with this knowledge, it is now my quest too! I will always come to Sarah's aid." Sir Didymus announced.

Toby smiled with relief. Sir Didymus must know this labyrinth well!

"How fast can you get me to the center of the labyrinth?" Toby asked.

"It might take a day or two" Sir Didymus said.

"That's the fastest way through?" Toby said disappointed.

"The labyrinth has many tricks. 'Tis always changing. The way through today might not be the way through tomorrow." Sir Didymus said. "I will get us there, fear not!"

But Toby did have fear. Quite a bit of it...hitting him now more than before. He was reaching the realization that he did not know if he would get Sarah back.

Finding her was one thing but what next? How would he get her away from the goblin king? Toby wasn't brave enough to face any kind of enemy. And this one...he was a man. A king. A villain.

"What's this?" Sir Didymus asked..."I smell your fear!"

"What?" Toby asked in confusion.

"I have a great sense of smell! I pride myself on it!" the knight replied with his chest out and his chin high, his arms raised to rest his fists on his waist, waving his head slowly side to side like a small flag waving in the wind.

"Okay" Toby replied. Believing the words of the dog but wondering if it was completely true. That he could smell his fear.

"I smell it all the time because of Ambrosius! The fearful creature." Sir Didymus said.

Ambrosius lowered his face and covered it with his paw in embarrassment.

Toby let out a little laugh and began to feel hopeful again. Little moments of joy can lift one's spirit from the deep pits of fear and doubt.

The party of threeentered the labyrinth together through a doorway nearby. Toby had enoughbravery to keep going through the labyrinth and that was enough for now. That was all he needed at the moment.