Free Roland's Castle by Becky York

castle stood. It looked tranquil, as
if it had lasted for many centuries and would last for many more.
It was as if nothing in the world could disturb it from that
perfect state.
    Firebrace quickly scanned the area
for hostile forces. Having assured himself they would be safe in
the open he spoke: “The Fortressers, as you have seen, had the
wisdom to put in a back door to the castle - just in case. This is
the very best place from which to view the area surrounding the
castle - and the best place from which to attack it! You must all
have a good look and get acquainted with the terrain from the
enemy’s point of view, then we will walk back to the castle across
the fields - I think you know the way!” and he winked at Roland and
Oliver. They had both assumed that their night-time excursions were
secret and were surprised to find that Firebrace knew of them.
    Savitri wandered over to the place
where the fire had been, the place where only two days before she
had been a captive. She gripped the sword in her hand and swung it
around, enjoying the feeling of power it gave her.
    They did as Firebrace bid them and
studied the landscape. It was farming land and there were plenty of
hedges, ditches and sunken lanes - easy places of concealment for
an attacking army. It could all have been cleared for strategic
purposes, but Roland knew why his forefathers had not done it.
There is no sense in destroying the very thing you wish to defend
in order to defend it.
    They started to make their way down
the hill of the Scary Oak. Walking back was quite a pleasure on the
warm spring day and they all enjoyed the open air after being in
the tower. As they walked they watched the Fortressers already at
work on the battlements. Cranes were lifting massive blocks of
stone, men in the odd mixture of armour and monks’ habits were
climbing up and down ladders with hods full of bricks and mortar.
The progress the Fortressers had already made was quite amazing. It
gave them all hope and their sprits lightened.
    Nearer to the castle they noticed
something rather odd – two figures both struggling to conceal
themselves behind a very small bush that couldn’t possibly hide one
of them, let alone both. As they got yet closer they saw that it
was Bobblejob and Jubblebub. Soon they were close enough to
overhear what they were saying.
    “It has been a long time, hasn’t
it? Bobblejob said.
    “A very long time,” Jubblebub
agreed.
    “I bet we’d be much better at
finding them than they are at finding us,” Bobblejob giggled.
    “Much better,” Jubblebub giggled in
response.
    “You go and hide and you’ll never
find us,” that was what they said.
    “That was what they said
alright.”
    “But I bet we could find them if we
wanted to.”
    “I’ll bet we could…”
    “Oh! They’ve let Dogwood and
Dagwood escape!” Roland said, at once feeling great disappointment
that his cousins had not kept their word.
    Realising that someone was behind
them Bobblejob and Jubblebub both turned around.
    “What are you doing?” Roland
asked.
    “Shhhh! We’re hiding!” Bobblejob
replied, “The young masters told us to go and hide and they would
come and find us. They’ve been looking for ages and haven’t found
us yet!
    “You imbeciles!” Firebrace
said.
    “I said to guard them, not play
parlour games with them,” Roland said, “Probably good riddance
anyway – it won’t tie up any competent men to guard them…”
Then he had a naughty idea… He said to Bobblejob and Jubblebub, “I
am sure my uncle made you swear an oath of loyalty to him, didn’t
he?”
    “Oh, yes, very keen on that he
was,”
    “Very keen.”
    “Yes, well, has he released you
from it yet?”
    Bobblejob and Jubblebub thought for
a minute.
    “I don’t remember,”
    “I don’t either.”
    “Trust me, he didn’t. I’m sure,”
said Roland, “According to the oath you should have followed him to
wherever he went, and you haven’t.”
    “No we haven’t,”