The Fairy Diary Day 671 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

It has been a long and grueling day. A day full of surprises. The outcome was satisfying but I am glad it is over. The trial is now history. It will now join the archives.

Normally the High Fairy would have heard and decided this case. But with no current fairy holding that position, Tinadell revealed his decision this morning that he had called upon Merlin to oversee the proceedings. 

So, I completely misread the wizard’s expression when we were discussing witnesses the other day. 

Rumble spoke first and laid out the evidence from the records. It gave a complete outline for the last year. And in conjunction with the High Fairy’s journal all could follow the state of his excellency as realization dawned upon him that everything his queen was ordering him to do was against the best interest of the kingdom. (The queen’s conspiracy to deny the throne to Tinadell was brought in only tangentially, but it served a vital context as supplying the motive for her actions). 

And surprise of surprises the Caretaker testified against her former majesty, filled in the gaps for when they held the High Fairy captive up until the time when their ally the then King of the Blue Fairies executed his excellency at the order of the queen. 

Dunfallon and I testified last – just to tie everything together from things we observed via the seers stone and what we later observed directly. 

And the biggest surprise of all followed. For the renegade queen confessed to everything and threw herself upon the mercy of the tribunal. 

The question remaining now is what will be done with the prisoners. Who will make that decision is yet a mystery. 

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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.

The Fairy Diary Day 667 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Even though Rumble went out early to collect the last of the evidence and returned in a short time, he insisted that it be put in boxes for safe keeping before we left. And that put us behind again while Noralei and Dunfallon constructed two large crates for the scrolls, and then placed them in the wagon. That last step did not prove too difficult as they took the place of a good deal of the supplies that we no longer need to carry. 

When Dunfallon finished with his part of that task, I sent him on to the capital on Cluyjil to confer with Merlin. In particular I wanted to know if Gibley had been sent for. And if not, did the wizard think it a good idea for Dunfallon to fly to the canyonlands to ask the goblin to come and help us with Clemjil. 

I did not have to ask the pixie twice and he was off before Noralei harnessed Rayjil to the wagon. 

With fairy troops before and after and Dunfallon’s army hemming us in, we set out too. I verily believe that everyone in Nonin-gal-dith turned out to gawk as we passed. 

There was audible grumbling in a couple instances, but no overt actions were launched against us. 

All was calm once we were out in the fields. And continued thus for the remainder of the day until we reached a place in the open where an advance contingent from our guard had prepared a camp for us. 

Here we will pass the night. Our prisoners are quiet – subdued actually. 

I will be glad to reach the capital tomorrow. 

The Fairy Diary Day 553 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The evidence was plain for all to see. There was a hole at the end of this gorge from this world into ours. With each gush of wind the fabric around its edges flapped freely. 

Merlin called upon Dunfallon and gave him the assignment to return to Nonin-gal-dith and bring back Tinadell to affect the repair needed.  His instructions were simple – by flying through this aperture they will come out to the north of Dromadil. From there the wizard had confidence the pixie knew the way. 

Dunfallon chose Rayjil and together they exited the cavern out into the slipstream, and were immediately lost to our view. 

It took my breath away. 

Then, Merlin assembled us for some explanations. When Noralei and the others had defeated the Dark One an unfortunate event had occurred. In his fall the enemy snagged a single strand and pulled it from the fabric of this world, and at that instant things began to unravel between the worlds. 

In closing the wizard gave us all the assignment – to find that strand – before Dunfallon returns with Tinadell. 

The Narrator’s Tale #TFDbyRWOz2 D minus 1

I tried to start from the first page, but every attempt was thwarted. With a mind of its own it would fan its pages forward to a spot that I believe was the same on each occasion. 

At last I gave in and went with its ‘suggestion.’

And that was how I was introduced to the writer of this volume, or at the least, the author commencing from that spot. 

If not for the evidence of my own eyes that have seen the writing appear from nowhere on to the page, I would not give any credence to what he claims to be.

Day Nine Hundred Thirty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

As for Elijah, there was no question over the decision. We were out here and very close to turning up another missing group. And that was the bedrock of his thinking.

Jezer expressed surprise over this decision given the concrete evidence for one versus the scant evidence of the wheel tracks for the other. Even when he added that rumors were afloat that the group in prison was facing capital charges, did nothing to budge Elijah off of his decision.

I was torn seeing the value behind both arguments. So I counseled to wait and pray for direction. My two friends concurred.

Thus we waited, prayed, and watched. And this morning we saw our answer – a tanker truck lumbering along.

Day Six Hundred Eighty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We arrived in an area at a lower elevation – and less cold. The advance units of the army had disappeared further down the pass and the main body had marched into view.

They moved more swiftly than before. At the double quick.

At first I wondered how long they could maintain that pace, but then I was struck by perhaps a more important question – why.

Tomas chimed in with the thought that they may have discovered evidence of their enemy’s presence back in that defile.

Our discussion on this topic was interrupted by the Captain who brought the news that we were not alone on the trail.  He had found tracks on our path that merged onto it from above.

Day Six Hundred Forty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Twenty-four hours have passed in our new location. It has proven a very pleasant choice. The Captain found a water well some distance from the caravan trail. It’s on a well worn offshoot from this main route.

The water is a bit brackish, but drinkable. Perhaps traces of minerals are leeching into it.

There was evidence that a group of travelers had passed through here recently. Ashes from cooking fires, and bits of garbage collected in a pit.

Elijah found a nearby cave, or rather an overhang just beyond the well. It is now our place of meditation.

But it has no view southward, so the Captain sticks to the caravan trail. He doesn’t want to chance missing Tomas.

Day Six Hundred Thirty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

From day to day the heat has been mounting. I do not know if it is a function of going deeper into the desert, or the accumulation of days since Elijah sealed the heavens, commanding this drought.

Tomas located another well, so we have resupplied handsomely. There was a nearby shallow pool whose shrunken border gave clear evidence of the effectiveness of the drought.

At the evening meal (Elijah still abstains), I broached the subject of night travel again. And again the consensus was against me. At least for now.

As to the topic of fasting, I have the desire on my part, but not a clear cut permission to do so.

Grappling with these decisions makes for long nights.

Day Four Hundred Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I was a late riser this morning. Elijah, having the last watch, let me sleep in to recover from yesterday. So when preparations were complete, we got off to a good, though late start.

Even so we came out of the wilderness well before midday, which was ahead of our expectations. But the view that greeted us was completely surprising. An extensive and empty salt flat.

That it was empty was most unnerving. I had expected to see multitudes awash in this interior expanse. All of the evidence we had passed on our route called for that conclusion.

Elijah took in the scene and was pragmatic. All it meant he shrugged was that we still have a ways to go.