The Fairy Diary Day 668 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Screeching became howling from our prisoner’s cages as we reached the last stretch to the capital. Already they were under the weight of impending judgment. I almost pitied them.

Merlin waited at the gates to the inn where the dragons and the wagon will be housed, and was first to receive us. Noralei remained behind to see to the needs of her charges. The wizard took a cage in each hand and led Rumble and me to the gates of the capital. Rumble supervised several fairy soldiers who carried the two boxes of scrolls. 

Just within the city gates, Tinadell stood to greet us. This encounter wrung another cry of despair from within the cages. Merlin handed over the prisoners to a phalanx of dungeon guards who whisked them away from our presence.

The fairy king himself ushered us up to the library where the boxes of evidence were deposited. There Tinadell extended an invitation to us to join him for dinner. Before he departed I asked him to send the same invitation down to Noralei. To this he said he would do so personally.

Merlin and I left Rumble to work on arranging the scrolls. As Dunfallon had not been on hand to meet us, I assumed the wizard had agreed with my request. He confirmed to me that the pixie had been sent to the canyonlands – not only to bring Gibley back to help with Clemjil – but also to have the goblin on hand as a possible witness in the trial.

This idea gave me pause. I said to him that that would mean all of us could be potential witnesses. The wizard only arched an eyebrow to my comment, and I knew that he definitely was being called as a witness.

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The Fairy Diary Day 588 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Rumble and I were half expecting to catch up with Dunfallon and Navril. We reasoned that they were probably going along at a leisurely pace, with the pixie pointing out the sights along the way. But that expectation waned as time passed. Then we began to think we just may have passed them somewhere. 

Finally, we succumbed to the urgency we both felt and quickened our own pace without them. And whereas before Rumble and I caught one another up on the time in which we were apart from one another, thereafter we hardly exchanged a word, being totally focused on our progress to our destination. 

But I could not quiet my mind. The closer we got to the repository the noisier it became. Something Rumble had shared about his time at Merlin’s castle disturbed me greatly. Snatches of conversation overheard cast a very suspect interpretation to the actions of the High Fairy, especially in regards to his loyalty. 

We debated going into the outskirts of the capital to stay at a comfortable inn. In the end we opted to pass the night in a meadow on the further side. 

The Fairy Diary Day 567 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Dunfallon thinks that he and Rumble have caught the Faerie Queen in an illegality. According to their research, before implementing the edict in question, she should have cancelled the older one having to do with denying the entry of dragons in the capital. And since the repository is a crown possession… it is clear to see that the Caretaker has been in violation of the former for quite some time. 

However, Rumble was quick to point out that the Caretaker has certain liberties, and that fact in conjunction with long usage may allow such a practice to become fully backed by the Queen. 

Our pixie did not receive this graciously, but threatened to take Cluyjil not only into the capital but also into her very throne room in her palace. 

I then interjected that Cluyjil would in no way be used to force the issue. Instead I announced my plan to depart Nonin-gal-dith tomorrow with the dragon and seek out Merlin. 

At this pronouncement a clamor broke out – for everyone argued that they must go with me, including Tinadell. 

I brought the meeting to a close with a promise that I would select one to accompany me after a night of deliberation among ‘me, myself, and I.’

The Fairy Diary Day 531 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The High Fairy met us at the gates to the capital and arranged for our chambers in one of the wings of the palace. It is the wing closest to the prison where Tinadell is being held. We thanked him for his thoughtfulness. 

I asked his excellency what the reaction had been to the sudden reappearance of Tinadell after all this time. He replied it had been much as he had expected – shock followed by deep-seated anger. He will be brought before the Queen tomorrow and we will be allowed to make our case for leniency at that time. 

We thought it best then to be about our preparations. Noralei and Dunfallon were allowed to descend into the dungeon to visit the prisoner. I went around to the library to search out the records on his original banishment. 

There I was greeted by a grinning Rumble who had already collected the necessary documents and was putting them in order. 

But the biggest surprise was the presence of Merlin – flitting here and there – humming a tune and bidding me “good day.”

And with a twinkle in his eye, the wizard proclaimed, “We are going to win this.”

The Fairy Diary Day 529 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Our happiness at being back is only marred by the forced incarceration of Tinadell. To my mind his meekness in submitting speaks well of his character. Dunfallon, and then Noralei were the first to speak up on his behalf. And I reiterated in speech what I had written down in my message to the High Fairy. 

For his part, his excellency remains skeptical, but he hides behind the fact that he cannot rule in this matter. Tinadell’s treatment is dictated under the edict of the Queen and cannot be gainsaid. Only she can change that. (It is probably the reason behind Merlin’s silence in this matter).

Arrangements are being made therefore to transport Tinadell to the capital. Dunfallon, Noralei, and I will follow to speak on his behalf. 

In the meantime our little group has disbanded. Navril has left for Laguayil; Herblas to Gilgorgon’s mountain; and Gibley to the canyonlands and his clan. The little goblin cannot wait to tell the news about the changes in their former hunting grounds. Before leaving on Conjil, Gibley turned Cluyjil back over to Merlin, and gifted Rayjil to Noralei. Noralei was deeply honored by Gibley’s kindness. And I could tell Rayjil was content to remain with her.

Merlin, though curious about what is to happen with Tinadell, is talking about returning to his castle. This put me in mind of our old friend Rumble. I asked the wizard to free him to come and meet us in the capital of the Faerie Kingdom.

The Fairy Diary Day 456 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The petition is finalized. The High Fairy has done it up in his own hand on a fresh parchment. He rolled it up, placed his seal upon it and has it encased in a container especially made for it. This he has entrusted to me for safe keeping. 

We leave tomorrow for the capital. 

But not all of us. 

It would be too much to take Cluyjil along with us. Our motives would be suspect if we were to take a dragon with us. 

The dilemma thus created only impacts Dunfallon. He is torn. But he is more convinced that he needs to add his plea in person for our missing friends. And especially in light of the fact that we are asking to use the single most dangerous artifact in our world for personal reasons. 

Rumble has agreed to stay behind here in Nonin-gal-dith, and see to Cluyjil’s care. 

The Fairy Diary Day 445 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It seems that circumstances continue to conspire against our leaving. All efforts to find the mechanism to raise up the capital have failed. And Bifitz is using the frustration of the dwarves in that matter to gain a bargaining chip for his fate. 

I, for one, think they should not bother. In my opinion the dwarves should just build over the top of it. They could easily double the size of the capital that way. 

Anyway, Merlin has been petitioned to investigate, and he in turn has asked for our help. So once more we went down into the depths. 

Rumble made the crucial discovery down where the goblins ate their way into the lower levels. He found what he believes are the remaining bits of machinery that raised and lowered the capital. So it would seem that my idea of building on top of the old is the very best solution. 

Merlin agreed with my assessment and he thinks we shall leave the implementation to the dwarves. And (thankfully at last) we can prepare to leave for his castle. 

The Fairy Diary Day 442 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Well, our plans changed again. Rumble and I were debating the merits of which path to take back to Merlin’s castle when another group rolled in unannounced. A special force of goblins petitioned the High Fairy for permission to join Gilgorgon’s miners. This was granted. 

Out of curiosity I followed this group into the sunken capital. The other miners stepped aside per Gilgorgon’s orders and the goblins went to work. They unhinged their jaws and attacked the rock with goblin ferocity. And in short order they broke through into Artoxon’s apartments. 

Gilgorgon entreated the dwarves within to surrender with their master – which they did immediately- depositing a gagged and bound Artoxon within the span of a hundred wing beats. 

Soon all the dwarves of the two kingdoms will gather and decide the fate of Artoxon. 

With this rapid change of events, Merlin asked Rumble and me to wait and accompany him back to the castle after things were concluded here. 

This arrangement was very welcome to us both. 

The Fairy Diary Day 440 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Gilgorgon has won his point with the help of Gnoston’s testimony. Although the details going forward are not yet settled. Many of Gilgorgon’s best miners, having refused to come out earlier, remain behind in the sunken capital and have been hard at work trying to dig their way down into Artoxon’s apartments. 

I recalled vaguely the location of the maintenance access that Dunfallon, Gibley and I used to descend to that level and gave them that information. 

Other than that I do not see anything else left for Rumble and me to do. 

Merlin and the High Fairy are staying to see things through, but I thought that Rumble and I should return to Merlin’s castle to check on our dragon handlers. So, we went to Merlin to get his permission. 

But before I could gain an audience with him an alarm was raised from fairy troop sentinels stationed back on the Low-way of the dwarves. 

Another dwarf army headed up by Fliget had arrived. Has he come as our friend or our foe?

The Fairy Diary Day 438 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Once in, I scribbled a note to the High Fairy on the scroll to inform them they could cease their exertion. I knew he had received it when I sensed the structure relax and sink beneath my feet. I went in search of the noise I had heard from the outside. It was no longer muffled. A clear, steady beat echoed throughout. 

After a few wrong turns took me away from its source, I finally stumbled back onto the right track and into Gilgorgon and his dwarves. My sudden appearance shocked them into silence and they dropped their hammers with which they were digging their way out. Gilgorgon’s surprise melted into a wreath of smiles as he recognized me. 

When I told him I was there to help, he thanked me and then pointed to the widening crevice they were creating. 

I wrote another note to the High Fairy and those outside worked once again to raise the structure. This added to the dwarves’ work enough space to allow all to make it out – if they wanted to. Gilgorgon’s miners shored up the opening with any materials they had on hand and there was soon a new way in and out of the sunken capital. 

Gilgorgon came out with me to meet with Merlin and the High Fairy. And the topic for everyone was what to do next about Artoxon.