The Fairy Diary Day 688 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin and I had a few things to sort out before we departed. The wizard invited Navril to accompany us. Having completed his mission of contacting us, he planned to return to Laguayil – but Merlin reasoned with the elf that since he would not be expected back so soon anyway, why not continue on to the fairy capital for my investiture. 

This being agreeable to our friend, we next tackled how to transport the wagon and the small unit from Dunfallon’s army back to the repository. 

Merlin said there would be little problem since he could now employ a rainbow bridge – but what was absolutely necessary was a beast of burden to pull the wagon. His comment was overheard by Gabhe who immediately volunteered, stating that he was certain he could do it. 

I was incredulous that such a small mountain goat would be strong enough, but the wizard smiled and said that he was certain too. Then he winked at me and whispered, “I can make it so.”

And when Herblas asked to accompany us also, I was confident to invite him along. 

Thus, when we had it all together we bid Gilgorgon goodbye. We gave Gabhe his head and he soon mounted the rainbow bridge and before we knew it we touched down at the fairy capital. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 687 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I kept a promise to Dunfallon this morning by rolling a game of ninepins with some of his dwarf friends, with the pixie’s mountain goat Gabhe looking on. I was able to express the pixie’s sadness at not being there with them as he had hoped. They all understood the reason for his absence. And asked me to convey an invitation to him to return soon. 

I discovered that I quite enjoyed the game, and did very well. (They did make me swear beforehand not to practice any “fairy business.” Dunfallon in the beginning had gotten away with a few things before they exacted a similar promise from him).

I had just won a game when Herblas came down to retrieve me. As he was ushering me up to Gilgorgon’s audience chamber he informed me that we had a visitor.  

Upon entry I was overjoyed to see the elf Navril there with Merlin and Gilgorgon. As he had promised he brought news about the renegade elves. He had been on his way to the Faerie Kingdom and just happened to stop by to pay his respects to the dwarves, and was delighted to hear that we were present. 

Navril and other elves were never able to elicit any explanations from their renegades until just a few days before. In sharing this news with the wizard and comparing dates they ascertained that the transformation in them came about the instant Merlin had placed her former majesty’s voice in the box. 

The difference in their behavior was as stark as that of night from day. They were no longer obstinately devoted to her cause, but were left wondering how they became committed to her in the first place. 

After hearing this, I was more than ready to return to the fairy capital. And Merlin announced that so we shall on the morrow. 

The Fairy Diary Day 686 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

With the lifting of the heaviness Gilgorgon declared a day of celebration and feasting in the great hall. I sat at the head table with Merlin and the dwarf king. Gilgorgon shared the latest news about the dwarfish kingdoms – his and that of Fliget. All is well and prosperous. 

I found myself more focused upon my tablemate the wizard. I asked him why had not the former queen freed herself like Tinadell had, when struggling with the same forces. Merlin replied that it all boiled down to the unwillingness on her part – that is, she did not desire to be free of it. She was too enamored of the power that was hers – and could not surrender even as it was fading away. 

I then asked him what were his plans for the box containing her voice. 

He has decided to keep it with him until he can place it under lock and spell in his treasury back at his castle. 

We then conversed about how he and the High Fairy worked together for the well being of all the kingdoms of the world. I hope to be able to perpetuate the blessings of such a partnership for the future. 

The Fairy Diary Day 685 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin met us upon our arrival last night. Before Cluyjil and the wagon were settled into their places, the cages and their occupants were lifted out of the wagon and spirited away into the depths. 

We each felt a palpable difference being in Gilgorgon’s mountain than times hitherto. And the dwarves were uncomfortable with it too. 

Merlin assured us and Gilgorgon in particular that the worst was past. Evidently in the time before we arrived the wizard had to demonstrate to the dwarf king and his dwarves that they had not doomed their kingdom by their gracious offer to imprison our malefactors. In fact, Merlin promised there would be a great reward. They needed only to add their spells to his to form an unbreakable seal that will sever any connection she has to influence the world outside of herself. 

And so with the new day, the heaviness that was sensed within the mountain dissipated. Normalcy returned throughout. 

And with that Dunfallon was eager to be off back to the pixie lands, even without a game of nine pins with his friend Gabhe the mountain goat. 

Rumble opted to join the pixie in his next adventure, but I decided to stay a while. I wanted to understand better what had happened, and had many questions to ask Merlin. I felt it particularly incumbent upon me given the position of High Fairy that I would soon be assuming. 

The Fairy Diary Day 678 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The wait is over. On more than one account. 

As soon as Rumble returned from Gilgorgon’s mountain with their acceptance of Tinadell’s request, the Fairy King announced my appointment as the new High Fairy. 

Talk shifted to where the investiture would take place. Forgotten for the moment were the arrangements to transfer the prisoners to Gilgorgon’s keeping. 

Most sentiment in the kingdom calls for the investiture to take place in the chambers of state within the palace here at the capital. If I have anything to say about it, I would prefer a more private ceremony at the repository so that all of my friends could be in attendance. 

But immediately all such notions became moot. For Tinadell’s prime minister challenged my qualifications for the post on the grounds that I was not born a fairy at all, but was a human – kidnapped as a baby and transformed into a fairy. 

Thus, that spiteful slur of the queen was back to haunt me. (Perhaps passed on to the prime minister by her sometime in their interactions).

Merlin leapt to my defense at once, but not in an expected manner. For he put forth the argument that my origin had no bearing whatsoever on my fitness for the position. 

I was taken aback – and left wondering what the wizard knew that I did not. 

The Fairy Diary Day 677 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Tinadell passed sentence upon the renegade queen and the Caretaker yesterday. They will be imprisoned forever and not executed. Where they are to be imprisoned has not yet been decided. (Hence, he was mum about asking for my answer).

Merlin had advised the king against placing them in the dungeons of the capital – too many sympathizers among the populace. Nor had he recommended the repository. There were simply too many things that a powerful fairy such as her former majesty could bend to her will. 

Instead the wizard had contacted Gilgorgon to ask if the dwarves would be willing to imprison them for us. Rumble was dispatched on Conjil to inquire after their answer. 

Before Rumble left, I asked him if he had heard any possible challenges to my becoming High Fairy. My friend gave me a blank stare and asked if I were crazy. I quipped back that craziness would indeed disqualify me – but in the next breath I assured him I was not mad. It was somewhat comforting that Rumble had not heard anything – for of all my friends he is the most likely to have noticed anything awry. 

After the evening meal I asked for a private audience with the king, and received one. There before him, I declared my intention to accept his offer. He was most appreciative and told me that it did much to relieve his mind about the future of the kingdom. 

I was relieved too, but then later I wondered if I should have mentioned Merlin’s premonition. 

The Fairy Diary Day 660 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin left before we even arose this morning. He left word through Gilgorgon that we should follow as soon as we were prepared. Knowing we wanted to be on our way as soon as possible, the dwarf king kept the parting ceremony brief but meaningful. As always he looks forward to our paths crossing again.

Dunfallon and Noralei switched places once more. The pixie took Cluyjil up hopefully to be on hand for the wizard, if necessary. And Clemjil for the first time, accompanied them. Noralei harnessed Rayjil once again to the wagon. And as in the past Rumble and I walked along on either side with Dunfallon’s “army,” keeping pace. They looked fit and shiny… and deadly.

The dwarves with us on the way up the mountain have been assigned also to accompany us down this side. With one difference – Herblas has remained behind, there being too much for him to do to get away – and in his place of leadership are two dwarves, Rugis and Strukul. Rumble recogized them as the two dwarves he thought had an unhealthy interest in the Crack of Doom. I must say that I have never seen a more shifty-eyed pair.

Our prisoners were ensconced in their normal spots. Her former majesty was uncharacteristically quiet in her cage. Instead, the Caretaker, who has hardly uttered two words together, complained about every bump on the road that we encountered. I do believe that on one stretch before a switchback, Noralei intentionally hit every rock and pothole on the roadway.

As the shadow of the mountain behind us began to lengthen, the other two dragons showed up. Dunfallon was on Clemjil and Merlin on Cluyjil. They brought exciting news with them. The way ahead is now clear of living obstacles. Merlin had encountered the Frost Fairies waiting in ambush on this side, and successfully convinced them to return to their home in the north under their new commander Tublain.

The Fairy Diary Day 659 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin was not convinced that the dwarves would have any designs on acquiring the Crack of Doom for themselves. But rather than continuing to speculate he suggested that we just go ask Gilgorgon ourselves.

Inside the mountain was abuzz with the activities of a new day. We caught Gilgorgon just after his morning meeting with Herblas in which he had laid out the tasks for the day.

To Merlin’s pointed question, our friend the dwarf king smiled and said that he for one could understand our concern. However, he expressed surprise that knowing a dwarf’s propensity for metals, we should have at least understood the matter from their side. He brushed it off as just curiosity on the part of these unnamed dwarves as to the metals used in the bell and its forging.

Gilgorgon went on to add that our pixie seemed to understand this about dwarves, for he had petitioned him last night for permission to visit their forges to help put new edges on his soldier less “army.”

This mention thunderstruck the wizard. For he immediately excused himself by saying that it was imperative for him to be present throughout that whole process.

I also excused myself from Gilgorgon’s presence – and as it was clear we would not be departing today, I joined with Noralei and Rumble down in the assembly area. There, we busied ourselves with the upkeep for the wagon and the care for the dragons.

As we finished for the day, we felt satisfied that we had headed off some possible future problems. The harness was quite worn, and we were able to mend and strengthen it. Noralei took a close look at Clemjil, who, though present, was not behaving like his normal self – for he had not been everywhere and into everything. And she said to us that he might just be ready to have an igniter installed in his jaw. 

I confess that I shuddered for a moment, but with my second thought I knew that the time would not be far off.

The Fairy Diary Day 658 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Thankfully it was an uneventful transit up to Gilgorgon’s mountain. Neither we on the ground, nor Noralei up in the air spotted any suspicious looking elves. 

Gilgorgon had a sumptuous welcome for us set up in his great hall. Our host made the rounds to thank each of us profusely for everything we had done for the dwarves – both for bringing peace to the two dwarf kingdoms and their consequent prosperity – but also for the recent rescue from the freeze that had been threatening the world. 

A secure place was set up at one end of the hall from which our prisoners could observe the proceedings (and we could keep an eye on them). I heard not a peep from that quarter. Curious, I wandered over a couple times to check. Each time her former majesty greeted me with her favorite slur. I did not even bother to lift the cover. 

On the second instance, Rumble met me and asked to talk. He took me down to the large assembly area where the wagon with the Crack of Doom and the dragons were kept. My friend was uneasy and was feeling guilty for it. On the journey up the mountain it seemed to him that a couple of the dwarves expressed an odd interest in what was contained in the large box. He did not like the gleam in their eyes after he told them what was inside. 

So, Rumble decided to stay with the wagon and the bell overnight. I was not sure that I agreed with his assessment, but then again I was not present at the encounter. However, I did promise him that I would talk to Merlin about the situation. 

The Fairy Diary Day 653 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I had my talk with Merlin about my concerns regarding the tenseness in Dunfallon’s “army.” The wizard stopped to consider my statement and after a passage of silence he told me that I was right. And he called for Navril. 

Merlin’s solution was simple. He asked the elvish Captain to move both of his contingents further away from the wagon and to have them maintain that distance for the time being. 

Navril was quick to comply and almost immediately I noticed that that sense of tension drained from the soldier less weapons surrounding the wagon. 

In one sense I was relieved – but a thought nagged at me – was this a confirmation that there were traitors amongst the elves?

The return of Dunfallon on Cluyjil interrupted my meditation. He brought with him another worry. Not for anything he had seen, but the voice from his ring had again spoken. It warned of danger ahead on this road and told him that safety lay only if we took the right hand road at the next fork. 

We called Rumble over and he consulted his map. All he could tell us was that it indeed will bring us around to a different approach to Gilgorgon’s mountain but we would lose a day. 

We laid the matter before Merlin. He told us that his seers stone had already confirmed this to him, but he added that we needed to send Dunfallon on to Gilgorgon to advise him on our change of route. 

So, at the fork, the pixie left us to take our request to the dwarves and Noralei directed Rayjil to follow after Navril’s elves who were already ahead on the chosen road.