The Talisman

Jack enters the Territories and realizes that his clothes are different, close to peasant garb from medieval times. He heads up the rise towards the silhouette of a massive pavilion that is filled with people. The spot where Funworld was in his realm is now a fair. When Jack sees an officer with a scar on his face. When he shows him Speedy’s fingerpick, it has turned into a long tooth with gold inlays. The Captain commands Jack to follow him. He demands that Jack give him “the sign” (96) and accuses him of stealing the tooth. Jack describes Speedy to the man, who says that in the Territories, Speedy’s name is Parkus.

He asks Jack to pretend to be his son. To create a diversion, he scolds Jack loudly for disobeying him and drags Jack into the palace and past a group of men. The Captain says they are “his men” (99), and that they are greedy and evil. He pulls a wooden panel from a wall and sends Jack through it. Jack passes through a long tunnel and realizes that at the other end, he can look down into a bedroom.

He sees his mother—Queen Laura in the Territories—in the bed and can tell that she is dying.