The Fairy Diary Day 417 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I had much to ponder today after my talk with Merlin last night. For the time being the wizard thinks we can back off on our mission to discover our unknown enemy. The High Fairy (currently in Nonin-gal-dith) concurs in that assessment. With the failure of the nemesis’s gambit launched through the dark elves and his dual losses of the dragon eggs, we no longer have any leads to follow up anyway. 

As for the state of affairs between the two dwarf kingdoms, we are not only waiting for Gilgorgon to respond to Artoxon’s demands, but also waiting to learn whether or not those demands have altered since the disastrous events in Artoxon’s capital. 

Thus it appears that Rumble, Noralei, and I will be kept busy helping Dunfallon and Gibley raise two dragon hatchlings.

Advertisement

The Fairy Diary Day 366 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The High Fairy broke the spell that bound Dunfallon’s memory. It was as the image in the crystal portrayed it. The black bird had precipitated the pixie’s fall from the eagle, and chased his mount from the sky. It later appeared in Willie’s lair daily while he languished in the cage. 

Dunfallon awoke many times becoming aware that the two were discussing him. Their voices so low that he never could understand their meaning. Save for one time when he saw an image projected above the crystal. 

In the shimmering light he clearly made out exact representations of the dragon eggs he had seen with his own eyes. 

Then a strange thing happened – the Will’o’the Wisp reached for the eggs – and the crystal burst into flame. The black bird was quite upset with Willie and left. 

I knew immediately what I had to do. I stepped out of the burrow, grasped my pendant and summoned Merlin. 

A gust of wind forced my eyes closed and when I reopened them – the wizard stood before me. The others joined us and together we explained the latest.

The Fairy Diary Day 360 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Gilgorgon’s dwarves have now all returned. They have covered the immediate vicinity of their mountain and have nothing to report about our pixie – but they did come across dragon droppings. Therefore, Merlin has decided to turn his focus to the possibility that the dragon Dunfallon had encountered is on the hunt for the eggs. 

It will fall to us fairies to take up the search for Dunfallon. Once we have everything together we will set out for the pixie burrows, and failing that to Willie’s bog or even Nonin-gal-dith beyond. That is, if we don’t meet up with the High Fairy before then. 

Because Rumble reasoned that Dunfallon may have lost his silver whistle with which to summon his eagle, he came up with the idea to take the pixie’s mountain goat along with us. (It was just delivered to Gilgorgon today by Cawthrup’s son Corbet who has offered to accompany us just to this side of the pixie burrows). 

When all was prepared Noralei hurried us down the mountain before night set on. 

The Fairy Diary Day 348 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The first party of dwarves arrived today to take up residence in their former city. Fliget has been appointed regent. And with Gnoston’s assistance helped settle dwarves back into their shops and homes. Fliget was kept quite busy settling disputes. (We will not be seeing Artoxon any time soon. He prefers to remain down in the depths with his riches). 

The High Fairy left to see the fairy troops back to the Faerie Kingdom. But before departing he handed the dragon egg back into the care of Merlin. And his excellency asked if we would be returning soon to Nonin-gal-dith also. 

I replied that we would weigh that option very carefully with Merlin before deciding. 

I for one am filled with uneasiness for the future.

The Fairy Diary Day 343 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I detected a hint of embarrassment in our friend before he began the account of his latest adventure. That became clearer with the first words out of his mouth. In his  hasty pursuit on the Low-way of those bearing the dragon egg, he ran afoul of one of our traps. It had to have been one of our fairy traps. For he fell into a deep state of forgetfulness. 

And he wandered aimlessly until he fell into the company of a couple of dwarves – our old friends Fliget and Gnoston. That is how Merlin fell into the hands of the ever suspicious Artoxon. 

Something about his surroundings brought him back to his senses. (I believe that the fact of all that gold in one spot would make a perfect nest for a dragon egg did the trick). 

Once he remembered who he was, he thanked them, bid them goodbye, then disappeared from their sight. (He was none too keen to trust those dwarves based on their past history). 

He was more than happy not to explain more when Noralei laid before him the mystery of the chalice and the red ash. 

As the wizard conferred with her and Rumble, I went atop the tower from which it had been removed, and looked around.

The Fairy Diary Day 337 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

At long last Dunfallon returned – with great news. He and the Laguayilian troops led by our friend Navril, ambushed the three dark elves carrying the dragon egg. It was a costly success, for that dark elf warrior maimed or killed nearly half their party. Dunfallon and his eagle prevented Navril from being decapitated by distracting that warrior as he swung his ax and in a mighty riposte Navril actually did the deed on him with one stroke of his sword. (There is some concern that a bit of his blood fell on the shell of the dragon egg and was absorbed). The egg is on the way to the care and keeping of the High Fairy. 

A band of Dromadil pixies had arrived late for the battle, but continued here with them, all as volunteers for the assault on the dark elf stronghold. Dunfallon wants his fellow pixies with him as they poke around looking for the hidden entrance into the dark elf stronghold. They descended to our junction single file and followed down the narrow passage to the next junction above the stronghold gate. 

Navril’s elves filed in after them but had to stoop while they remained in these smaller confines. 

Thus we thought it best that they set up their camp down in the Low-way. 

About that time we noticed that Willie was missing from his cage.

The Fairy Diary Day 336 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

For quite some time no activity has been observed down on the Low-way. It tends to make one’s time there on watch boring. And consequently all that time to think. At least for me. 

So many things to worry about. Will Dunfallon and the elves of light retrieve the dragon egg? Will Nililitil’s forces break into the dark elves’ stronghold? Will we ever know what happened to Merlin?

And then there has been the strange behavior of the Will’o’the Wisp. He does not converse with us – but he has taken up mimicking us. Repeating the words of our conversations with one another. 

I hope Dunfallon returns soon. Perhaps he can break through to Willie. 

I believe Rumble and Noralei would welcome his intervention in that matter.

The Fairy Diary Day 335 #TFDbyRWOz2

The High Fairy sent a message asking for any news on Merlin. There was little I could tell him. I was in the midst of asking him if Nililitil could put more pressure on the stronghold when I changed that thought and asked for Laguayilian troops to be sent to help Dunfallon in heading off the trio of dark elves carrying the dragon egg. And then they could help open an attack on the stronghold from this side. 

I found it hard to wait for his answer and for the return of our pixie to report in. 

I was glad to see his happy face. Dunfallon said there should be plenty of time for him to visit Nililitil and get some of his troops in place to deal with our problem.

The Fairy Diary Day 333 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We three fairies kept up our watch rotation of the traffic on the Low-way. Only one of us had anything to report. Noralei saw one dark elf come up from the stronghold, but shortly after returned post haste. 

It must have been at that time that Rumble decided to encourage the growth of the roots around the walls of this junction. 

There I was wondering how Merlin and Dunfallon were doing in their separate attempts to track down the dragon egg, when little sprouts started dropping from the plant roots, and commenced walking about the chamber. 

This alarmed both of us, but seemed to amuse Willie no end.

The Fairy Diary Day 332 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin disappeared without a word to us. We could only surmise that he was off to waylay whoever is bearing the dragon egg. Leaving us to our own devices. 

Rumble wanted us to follow after the wizard as best we could. I countered that we would be little help to him and too slow to make a difference. 

At that juncture Dunfallon laid down his opinion that we stay right where we are and allow the dragon egg to come to us. With a twinkle in his eye, he added an explanation. The pixie is certain that the dark elves have the intent to bypass the area where we laid the traps and are headed for the exit off of the Low-way that is near the abandoned fishing village. 

As he pointed to the passage off this junction I understood his gist. 

They will travel on the surface to go around the problem on the Low-way.  We could hope the goblins are in place and will stop them – and there are those other pixie traps…

Still we will have to decide what to do if they do show up. 

On a sudden I had an inspiration and sent Dunfallon up to the surface and told him to summon his eagle and keep a watch on that other exit by the fishing village.