The Fairy Diary Day 397 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I have time only for the barest sketch of our adventure (perhaps at a later date I will allow Dunfallon to share on these pages once again).

Suffice it to say it was a harrowing slide into the vault. Great amounts of its treasure had been scooped up and piled into the center so that the nest was much higher than the entrance to the vault. 

Though we were making good time the goblin Gibley was so much farther ahead than us. 

Again I am skipping over so many details. 

When we arrived at the top, we had to skirt around a sea of molten gold. Dunfallon pointed to where the dragon had lain. It was now immolated – an offering which helped the hatchling struggle free from the shell. 

And there was Gibley pulling it loose and cradling it in his stubby arms. 

I knew that from that day forth this dragon would be at the beck and call of this goblin.

Advertisement

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 290 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I felt we have yet to plumb the depths of our situation. Something else lay behind the predicament of these tortured goblins. We needed to continue our exploration here below. 

We kept to yesterday’s decision and stayed together. We crossed around the shaft from the barracks offshoot to the treasury one. Immediately upon entry my pendant lit up and floated up to eye level. 

Thus I was able to see what none of my companions could. There lining the walls into the treasury were goblins hanging from shackles. The glow from the treasures beyond drew us onward past the pleading voices. 

My pendant also allowed me to see the pattern of the way the jewels and coins and precious metals were laid out. 

Before I could stop him Dunfallon was down on all fours scooping up some loose coins. Rumble and I scooped him up and carefully replaced the money. 

The treasury had been arranged as a nest for a dragon’s egg and the goblins left in place to feed it upon hatching. 

We retraced our steps and I composed a message to the High Fairy on the scroll. And summoned Merlin.

The Fairy Diary Day 197 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Thankfully it is no longer so stultifyingly hot. And we have made up our lost ground. Though down in this sand pit our goal remains hidden so it is hard to judge just how far away it is. It seems Rumble has to scroll up on the map forever before it comes in view. And just to climb out of this depression would appear to be a  daunting task. 

I confess to a slight nervousness that has me scanning the sky ahead and behind us. Each of us has been wary over the possible return of dragons to their nest. And what they might do to us if they were to catch us this close to it. 

That is – up until I received the latest message from the High Fairy. He relays good news from Merlin. The wizard judges that it will be a good year before the dragon egg will hatch. 

I could read the relief in my companions’ eyes as I quoted his words. For we now can assume that we won’t be seeing any dragons any time soon.

The Fairy Diary Day 196 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Another sweltering night. Followed by disappointment. Or so we thought at first. We found the source of the biggest red spot on the map. Dunfallon flew over it. He could make out what he thought was a nest, but no eggs were visible. 

Noralei pointed to a mound in the center of the nest (as viewed from this side) that might cover an egg. But how to get close enough to check remained the problem. 

I decided to summon Merlin and have him help with an idea that had come to me. 

The wizard immediately answered the call from his pendant. He took one look at the situation and came up with the same solution that had occurred to me. 

While Rumble, Dunfallon and I showed ourselves to the raging fire and drew it our way, Merlin and Noralei seized the opportunity to enter behind the flames as they shifted away. Thus they were able to uncover a dragon egg from the mound and fled with it. 

To our surprise the flames died out as though doused. Everywhere – as a check with the map revealed. 

Merlin was beaming as he bid us farewell and disappeared with the egg, his “well done” ringing in our ears.