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. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 683 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The incident yesterday with the black bird has us all on edge. That and sightings of the black plants here in pixie territory today bring up bad memories. Dunfallon jumps down from the wagon and eradicates each such plant he sees.

I took out my scroll and wrote out a message that I hoped would reach Merlin. We all fear that like the struggle Tinadell had with his evil self before Noralei and the others defeated that manifestation, someone else is now the pawn of that evil. Perhaps the renegade queen herself.

And though the sun has risen here, the night has not departed from Gilgorgon’s mountain which can just be made out in the west as we entered the area of the rolling hills.

Time wore on with no answer, and just when I was about to use the talisman that the wizard had given me to summon him, a message came back from him. Tinadell indeed had relayed the message to Merlin, and the Fairy King was deeply concerned that what had happened to him before, was happening again – to someone else. 

Merlin was more hopeful – even had half expected something like this. He said it was all the more important that we get to Gilgorgon’s mountain as soon as possible. And he promised to meet us there.

As encouragement, the wizard added that the strength of the adversary would be severely limited by the fact that he – Merlin – had the renegade queen’s voice with him, locked in a box. Hence, why she could not speak to us.

The Fairy Diary Day 682 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We passed into the pixie territory under lowering skies before midday. A storm appeared to be brewing ahead in the direction of our destination. We could not see Gilgorgon’s mountain as of yet, but the gathering blackness seemed to be settling over its general location.

My companions did not like the look of it. Nor did I.

About that same time the voice from Dunfallon’s ring was intoning an alarm urging us to be on the alert. And the pendants on my chest throbbed in unison.

I passed the word to our escort to be vigilant. And Dunfallon ordered his soldier less weapons to close ranks around the cages. Rumble reined in Cluyjil to a steady walk.

I felt a rush of air behind me and turned about in time to see a black bird swoop down from the sky and attempt to close its talons on one of the cages. It missed. I notched an arrow to my bow and let it fly after the retreating bird. It caught one of its wings and the bird spun to the ground, bursting into flame upon impact.

We halted and sent the escort back to retrieve the remains. They returned, bearing only the arrow, and reported that dust was all that remained of the bird.

Rumble interrogated the Caretaker afterwards, but he could give no answer to his questions, and protested that neither he nor the renegade queen had ever seen the like before.

The thing of it is, we had.

The Fairy Diary Day 681 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Gibley left for the canyonlands on Conjil this morning. Rumble joined Dunfallon and I to bid him goodbye. The goblin had offered to accompany us on our trip, but I thanked him and released him from any obligation that he was feeling and assured him that the three of us should have no problem reaching the dwarves safely. 

Together we three had Cluyjil harnessed and prepared to go just before Merlin and Tinadell arrived. An escort of fairy troops delivered the cages with our two prisoners and tied them down into the wagon. 

The Fairy King echoed the wizard’s assurances of yesterday to me. He thinks all challenges will be laid to rest by the time of our return from Gilgorgon’s mountain. 

Merlin instructed us on how to care for and communicate with our prisoners. We are to talk with the Caretaker and not the former queen. Additional spells are weighing her down and restricting her activity and abilities. He is confident she will present no problems. 

After Dunfallon reviewed his soldier less weapons and arranged their marching order about the wagon, we set out, following behind our fairy troop escort.

We bypassed Nonin-gal-dith and took the southbound road in order to retrace the path we traveled last time. Dunfallon still believes it wise to keep the distance between the renegades and the Will’o’the Wisp. 

The Fairy Diary Day 680 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

My companions Dunfallon and Gibley did their best to lift my spirits along the way to the capital. Their banter was constant and full of good humor. And for long stretches the pixie had his harp out to regale us with pixie traveling tunes. Even Gibley entered the fun with a couple of rounds of rhythmic croaking. (There was one in particular that caused Cluyjil to pick up his pace to a gallop. I had to rein him back).

I was thankful, for they did much to prevent my mind from dwelling on my predicament. Though at one point when it did cast its shadow over me, I was beginning to wonder if I might just withdraw my name and be done with it.

Merlin again was awaiting our arrival at the inn, where we will pass the night before departing for Gilgorgon’s mountain. The prisoners will be delivered to us tomorrow morning, and we will leave immediately. The wizard tells me that the tide is turning, and he thinks will eventually redound to my candidacy. And he truly believes that my successful completion of this latest mission will put a seal to it.

Before Merlin returned to the palace, he forcefully told me that I am the High Fairy that the Faerie Kingdom needs and deserves.

The Fairy Diary Day 679 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin has transferred me to the repository. I am under Tinadell’s orders to bring back the wagon and whomever and whatever I need to effect the transfer of the two prisoners to Gilgorgon’s mountain. 

The wizard then returned to the capital to be my advocate there. He explained beforehand the present circumstances to my friends here – Dunfallon, Noralei, and Gibley.  And spent some time privately encouraging me. He had long suspected that I had been human – but it is even more clear now to him that I am fully a fairy. 

I was thankful for his vote of confidence but perhaps more so for my current assigned task to keep my thoughts occupied and off that predicament. 

According to Gibley’s estimation the dragonlings are ready to assume their roles as guardians of the repository. So he asked me if he can accompany me in the wagon back to the capital and there retrieve Conjil and return to the canyonlands. I agreed but consequently had to decide to assign Noralei and Rayjil to remain in charge here for now. 

I wanted Dunfallon to join me in my assignment. So he harnessed Cluyjil to the wagon and selected a good portion of his soldier-less weapons to accompany us. 

The goblin and the pixie and I set out for the capital. 

The Fairy Diary Day 662 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We are finally down from Gilgorgon’s mountain. We were held up unexpectedly by a breakdown of one of wagon’s wheels. It was necessary to remove the bell while it was worked on. Noralei with the help of Rugis and Strukul repaired it in a very short time. 

I have noted a change in demeanor in the pair. So perhaps Merlin is right that they are no longer a threat. At the same time it makes me wonder if their recent demeanor was their own or the result of influence from her former majesty – who now, I believe, has given up hope along those lines. 

I admit I am still wary. And will be, until we leave them behind at the next border. 

Merlin entered the Caretaker’s cage to check on his complaints about injuries he sustained in the bumpy ride down the mountain. According to the wizard it was all a ruse in order to speak to him out of earshot of her former majesty. The renegade fairy is fearful for his future as we grow increasingly closer to the Faerie Kingdom. Merlin told him that he is not the one to speak to on such matters, and that he must wait until he can speak to Tinadell or those in his government. 

How I long for this trip to be over. 

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 656 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meriabell writes:

We could see Gilgorgon’s mountain well before we arrived at the border, but it never looked more inviting than when we actually crossed over. There was a trace of snow outlining its crest. It was serene and peaceful in the midday sun. 

Just outside the dwarf border outpost, the friendly face of Herblas greeted us. He looked like the mountain in miniature – all gray and white on top. 

A meal had been prepared for all. After which Navril made his farewells. He assured us that he would get word to us about the two renegade elves. 

Clemjil, having become quite fond of Navril, was sad to see him go. He perked up when Cluyjil came over and nudged him. Dunfallon told me later it was a sign of acceptance by the older dragon. 

After the elves were gone Herblas called us together. Dunfallon was going to wait outside on guard over our prisoners, but Herblas said he could safely leave them with his dwarves. He assured us that there is not a sign of sympathy for her former majesty anywhere in their kingdom. However, when he had us all together he added there had been rumors of lone elves roaming this side of the mountain – that were wholly suspicious. But perhaps more disquieting were actual sightings of bands of fairies on the other side of the mountain. 

Merlin asked for a description. Herblas said they were blue – thus more than likely Frost Fairies. 

Much speculation followed. Were they elements that had not been part of the great swarm and thus do not know they are no longer in thrall to their former leader? Or is there something more devious lurking for us?

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.