The Fairy Diary Day 613 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Dunfallon pulled me aside to talk before we left for the treasury this morning. He was greatly upset. Noralei had shown him the small bag of coins she had selected for her payment yesterday. All of them had been minted by a former chieftain of the pixies from his territory, not by the Dromadilians. So, he is nagged by the suspicion that the great wealth of his friend is ill-gotten. 

To my mind the fact that the king tried to maneuver Dunfallon away from the treasury tended to lend a little more weight to our suspicions. And then there is that ancient history about the bad blood between the Dromadilians and the Laguayilians over that disputed treasure. 

Still, I advised my friend to await further developments. There just may be a completely innocent explanation. 

I believe he took my advice to heart for he turned his energy to the task at hand back in the treasury. Lining up his soldier-less weapons in an arc around us, we followed Gibley’s lead as he investigated the movement of air on the side of one of the stones in the center of the wall. After trying to pry it forward with one of Dunfallon’s spear soldiers, Rumble discovered that it yielded to a push instead. 

Our pixie piled through with his “army,” taking up defensive positions on the other side. And we came in right behind them. 

We found that we could only walk so far. Rumble, Noralei and I took to flight and by the light from my pendants we surveyed the vast area ahead. It was clear that we needed to bring a boat down so that we could all search for a blockage that was holding this body of water in place. It needed to be drained to remove the threat to the surrounding structures below the burrow city of Dromadil. 

Dunfallon and I went up to report our findings to the king. 

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Day One Thousand One Hundred Ten #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A not so subtle change has confronted us. Elijah had relayed a suggestion through Tomas to the Supreme Commander about our guards. He thought that a few of them could be released from our detail to other more important duties.

Instead he responded by doubling our guard. No word of explanation. Nor was our freedom of movement curtailed – for now.

I can’t shake the suspicion that this action has been motivated by a belief that he will be unbeatable if he has us with him. Considering us as little more than living talismans.

Elijah takes it in stride and remains unmoved by it, confident that we can escape any time we are called to.

The development, however, has disturbed Tomas.

Day One Thousand Thirteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

His message delivered, Elijah’s pupil took  leave and returned to his prime assignment.

Before we left this morning, Quasimo found the hothead’s mangled body at the base of the nearby cliff. All we know for sure is the dead man’s link to the traitor, that fact supplied by visions given to the first twelve. And can only guess that his actions were all an act put on to throw off suspicion.

I shudder to think we were leading him back to the hiding place.

Another messenger appeared on our path. This one for Quasimo. He brought a warning for us to change our route to circumvent a new outpost keeping a watch in that quarter.

And an increase of patrols.

Day Nine Hundred Seventy Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Tomas, as always, was out front where he could observe and report back to us what was ahead. I think he has increased the occasions he returns just to check up on us. To be sure we are not succumbing to some adversity or other.

Once it was to ask if we should enter a village off the beaten path. Elijah thought it best, so we found ourselves the focus of suspicion in their midst.

First, they believed we were from the government and bitterly complained about not having their water cistern filled. Then realizing we weren’t, their young men emerged. They were fearful of forced conscription.

We left soon after, it being clear they knew nothing about our friends.

Day Nine Hundred Fifty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The boot of our oppressor has ever so slightly been lifted off of our necks. It gives us hope that we will soon have more freedom of action. And eases my suspicion that knowledge of our identities had been rediscovered.

Elijah found a place apart and held up there all day. While I kept in contact off and on with the leaders to discuss future plans. But really there was little we felt we could do until we hear from Reuben, the guard who is working on our behalf.

Later we heard the most shocking news from him. The Hamashiachite followers of Raj G in the other dungeons of this prison have all disappeared.

Hence the severe crackdown of yesterday.

Day Eight Hundred Fifty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Not only did I lack confirmation, I confessed to having more questions than before.

Along the way Elijah had confirmed my suspicion that the first snowfall had been an answer to his petition on our behalf – a provision of water for the next step in our journey along an unknown path. A highly localized suspension of the drought. Purely for our benefit.

But – hence the question. Who was responsible for the crimson snow that followed. And did they know where we were? And if so, how? Were we under surveillance?

Elijah just shrugged and said it was obvious the enemy’s goal was to thwart us, but asked me to remember that the Spirit can use that opposition to help us.

Day Eight Hundred Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I thought I was seeing things. For no apparent reason water was pooling in the once dry riverbed. It spread from the direction of the megapolis, instead of down from the mountains at our back.

Soon it was filled from bank to bank, and not long after we discovered the explanation to my mystery.

Several tanker trucks were queued up and one by one were discharging their contents forming the river.

No one detained us as we skirted the area, but many stared with suspicion.

One of the drivers got out and followed – until he was ordered back to his vehicle.

Further on I puzzled over some machinery, submerged near the water’s edge.

Elijah looked and said, “It’s for irrigation.”

Day One Hundred Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Life is regimented here within the city. We have the freedom to move around, but with each section we cross into we have a check point to pass first.

My suspicion did prove true. People are grouped into areas on the basis of their beliefs.

This divides rather than unites the people. It is a ghetto mindset and brought Lyle to tears.

There remains the puzzle though. Who called for it? And who is in control?

None of the other sections have claimed leadership over the others. Yet the most likely candidate high in my estimation has got to be the section immediately behind the gate we tried on our first day here.

Some fine day I’ll know for sure.