Wren to the Rescue

infobox Book |
name = Wren to the Rescue


image_caption = 2004 Firebirds edition cover
author = Sherwood Smith
country = USA
language = English
series = Wren series
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Harcourt Books
release_date = September 1990
media_type = Print (Hardback 1990 & Paperback 1993 [Boarders's database.] , 2004)
pages = 216 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 978-015009755 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by = A Posse of Princesses (2008, retroactive ancient prequel)
followed_by = Wren's Quest

"Wren to the Rescue" is a story by Sherwood Smith that she first wrote in high school, in the mid-sixties. It's plot describes the first dramatic events in the life of a fictional orphan whose best friend is initially revealed to be the princess of a neighboring country. Wren makes friends with a student in a magic school (which she later attends) but first she has to rescue her friend from kidnapping. Along the way she gets to turn into a dog, though this is less central to the story than the jacket text might imply.

Plot summary

We are introduced to the story when Wren, living in a Stradi orphanage, is informed by her best friend, Tess that Tess is in fact the only child of Verne and Arstren Rhisadel, the King and Queen of Meldrith. Moreover, Tess is under threat from King Andreus of Senna Lirwan of being taken captive as revenge for actions of her father—namely, for her father's convincing Idres Rhiscarlan to defect from Andreaus' nation.

Having not seen their daughter for any extended period in her life, the king and queen plan to take the chance that Andreaus has lost interest in making good on his threat, and thus they intend to have Tess return to Cantrimoor. Wren is offered the opportunity to join Tess in doing so.

The plan fails, however, as a Lirwani agent is able to easily infiltrate the service staff of the palace in Cantrimoor, and is also successful in abducting Tess without immidiate detection.

In the ensuing hubbub Wren is largely forgotten by the Cantrimoor administration, and manages to teleport to the magic school herself. When discovered there, rather than being sent back to the palace, Wren is directed to spend the night at an unasigned bedroom in the school. The next morning, Wren is found by Tryon, with whom she proceeds to the Mildrith Free Haven seeking Idres Rhiscarlan, in hopes of convincing her to join in a magic-based commando mission to rescue Tess without the use of military force.

Idress shuns Tyron's plan off-hand, however Wren urges Tyron to press on without Idress, and two mysterious elderly folk provide some supplies and encouragement.

After leaving the Free Haven, Tyron and Wren head for Horth Falls Town, with some uncertainty about the entire mission.

Once Tyron and Wren procure rudimentary lodging in Horth Falls Town, they are surprised to be summoned to a much more munificent room in the same inn by an unidentified noble, who turns out to be Connor Rhisadel, who persuades Tyron to allow him to join the team.

The party then proceeds toward the mountains bordering Senna Lirwan, planning to cross the border by way of ancient Iyon Dayin tunnels found there. Unbeknown to them their passage is made possible only by some unexpected assistance which removes a massive border death spell.

After a number of insights into the ancient history of Wren's World, the party exits into the low western foothills of Senna Lirwan at twilight.

In the party's search for a source of fresh (and not-magically-booby-trapped) water, Wren falls prey to a combined teleportation/lithification spell on one of the otherwise-natural springs, and it is only by the sudden aid of Idress Rhiscarlan that Wren's mind is evacuated from Andreus's tower at Eddran before he can summon her body, though Idress is forced to transfigure Wren's body into a dog form in order to bring it back successfully to the party's position near the western border.

Idress is entirely unable to risk transforming Wren back to human form within the border of Senna Lirwan, as Andreus would detect such action instantly. Unwilling to comply with Idres's directive to return to Halfred in Mildrith to be dispelled before her canid form can permanently assert its instinct-driven paradigm over her human mind, Wren lingers, aiding the still-human members of the party until they can no longer avoid capture by Lirwani forces.

Upon the seizing of her companions, Wren takes up pursuit of the patrol delivering them to Eddran, narrowly avoiding losing her mind to the dog form in the process.

Arriving at Eddran, Wren manages to enter under the cover of freight traffic, with some detection, and makes her way toward the high tower central to the wheel-like city, supposing that Andreaus would not fully trust anyone to manage such high-priority prisoners as Tess and the rest.

While circumstances lead Andreaus to plan the execution of Idress, who has kept up a guise of being Wren by way of alias, Tess, not knowing they are not the same person, despairs, and Idress finds herself vexed by an unwillingness to break herself out without the others.

As things are beginning to look bleak, Wren finally sneaks into Tess's cell during a food delivery. Working together, the two manage as their last exertion to lower Wren to the cell window one floor below, which against all odds is indeed the cell in which Tyron and Connor are being held.

Making use of this object-contact situation, Tyron is able to teleport all four of them to the Cantrimoor Magic School designation point, which is essentially the final foiling of Andreaus's current effort, as when the alarm is raised Idress furthermore realizes her opportunity to escape Eddran.

As a matter of epilogue there are several considerations involving the future of the more mysterious characters, and a celebration is held in honor of Wren, Tyron, and Connor. Thus all is generally well with Mildrith, for now….

ummary of Characters

*Wren: A Young Orphan raised in Three Groves Orphanage, friend of Princess Teressa.
*Tyron: Young Apprentice Magician trying to help Wren save Teressa.
*Connor Rhisadel: Uncle of Princess Teressa (though he is only two years older), he is able to communicate with animals because of Iyon Daiyin heritage.
*Teressa (Tess): Princess of Meldrith, she was raised at an orphanage with Wren to protect her from King Andreas of Senna Lirwan.
*Verne and Arstan Rhisadel: Parents of Teressa, King and Queen of Meldrith. Arstan is the older sister of Prince Connor.
*Andreus: King of Senna Lirwan, he has a long standing grudge against the rulers of Meldrith.
*Idres Rhiscarlan
*Halfrid: King Verne's head mage.

ummary of Nations

*Mildrith
*Siradayel
*Senna Lirwan

Human Settlements

*Three Groves, small hill town in Siradayel
*Cantrimoor, large capital city of Mildrith
*Free Haven, Mildrith, a collection of residences spaced at considerable distance and shield by magic against ill will toward the inhabitants.
*Horth Falls Town, Mildrith
*Eddran, fortress-city capital of Mildrith

References