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nothing
for some time and then spoke. "She and Jeremy in prison because of
a fight. She afraid. Glad to hear me. Need help."
    Heather asked, "What can we do to help?"
    Betty said not for many minutes and then
replied, "Jeremy wants to know if we can hear those of the
Red?"
    The leader said, "If Edna can hear them we
should also hear them, for the Spirits of the Forest keep us
connected."
    Betty said, "Soldiers come. Taking them to
the palace."
    Daniel appeared at the door carrying a very
upset baby Geoffrey, who needed to be fed, and also carried Betty's
child. Heather spoke up, saying, "Betty you stay here and help
Edna. I will take care of your son." She left with Daniel for the
duties of the mother. Daniel had many questions and Heather told
him the little she knew. When asked what her plan was, Heather
could only reply, "I know not. We must trust in the God of the
Sacred Water and the Spirits of the Forest. If help can be given it
will be from the Spirits of the Forest, for they are strong in
Betty."
     
    Edna and Jeremy were half marched and half
dragged from their cell across the courtyard and into the palace
proper. Instead of going to the great hall they were taken to a
smaller room, which held many guards and a much smaller dais.
Jeremy could not help but notice evidence of dried blood on the
stone floor. There they stood surrounded by guards in armor with
spears pointed at them. Finally a single horn was sounded and the
Scarlet King was carried in and set upon his throne. Only three or
four advisers accompanied him. One of these was the one who had
instigated the episode, the Pet Bird. He looked not well, with the
entire left side of his face swollen and discolored and only able
to see through his right eye.
    It was he who spoke reading from a scroll
with some difficulty. It was a long litany of the charges against
Jeremy and Edna for attacking one of the royal blood. Jeremy
thought he would never stop talking and whispered to Edna, "Can you
make him be quiet?"
    Edna could hear the Pet Bird very well for he
had touched her. Somehow Betty was making her hearing even
stronger. She imagined the scene of the Forest with the great trees
reaching down with their branches engulfing the Pet Bird. The man
continued reading and chanting for just a few seconds when a great
paleness came over him as the image that Edna had projected fully
engulfed him. He stood with this look of great fear upon himself
and was able to read no more.
    The Scarlet King, who had said not, turned
towards him and finally asked, "What is wrong?" When he spoke Edna
was finally able to hear the King whose mind had been closed to
her. It was filled with much sickness and made her almost
nauseated.
    The Pet Bird could only respond, "Make the
trees go away."
    The King had grown impatient and told another
of the advisers to finish the reading. When it was finally
completed a third advisor spoke up, saying to Jeremy and Edna, "You
have been charged with a most serious crime. It is only the grace
and goodness of our most merciful and powerful King which prevents
your immediate execution. You will now bow before him and plead for
mercy."
    Jeremy and Edna but glanced at each other
before Jeremy spoke up: "We are of the Forest and bow before no one
but the God of the Sacred Water."
    The King became agitated as the words were
translated for him. He arose to pass judgment on them, but as he
started to speak Edna was again able to hear him clearly and insert
the image of the Forest engulfing him into his mind. His mind was
such a jumble of illness that at first the image could not form
fully, but it was enough to make him pause.
    He sat back down and turned to one of the
advisers, who then said, "You shall return to the prison and this
time enjoy the stocks to help you think clearer." The religious
chant was then begun to protect the royal blood from the unclean.
Jeremy and Edna were again half dragged, half marched back to the
prison. Instead of being thrown back