The Fairy Diary Day 268 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Dunfallon is bubbling over with excitement. His eagle responded to his summons and he was able to fly above this land of the dark elves. He flew to the east and there discovered a horde of marching plants. But with the exception of one they are in full retreat back to where they came from. 

While the one still coming for us is the largest by far, the pixie thinks it could never overtake us. 

Noralei will keep an eye on its progress in any event. 

The terrain we are passing through is very rugged and the few villages we have encountered, like the fishing village, are all abandoned. 

The High Fairy replied to us. All their forces have advanced beyond the barrier but are meeting opposition daily – undead trolls and wolves, bats and black birds and hornets, and most deadly of all the infernal walking plants. His excellency ended his message with the strongest warning – to avoid at all costs the largest of the walking menaces for even their touch is lethal. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 106 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Two villages lay across our route today. They sit side by side – only divided by a stream. I took Noralei with me this time and Dunfallon joined Rumble to guard Willie. 

The two towns are competitive and hold a grudging antagonism towards one another that only became apparent after Noralei and I passed over the bridge connecting them. The denizens of the second held aloof from us until they learned that we were not from their neighboring town.  Then they were all smiles. About everyone we met warned us against moving on. They had nothing concrete to add, just stale rumors. 

When we rejoined the rest of our party on the other side they had quite a story to relate. Their path had no bridge to carry them over the stream, so Rumble shouldered both of his charges and flew them over. But something about the presence of the water set Willie off and Rumble was hard pressed to maintain his grip on both of them. He had to return to earth before he could renew the spell. 

We all will have to exercise caution in future when it comes to Willie and water.

The Fairy Diary Day 103 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Silence reigned over the first half of the day as we were each caught up with our own thoughts. There was much to mull over – the result of our lively conversation of the night before. 

At issue – what should we do about the four fairy villages that lie between Nonin-gal-dith and the frontier to the human territories. Should we as Dunfallon desires take them as they come and just pass through? It would satisfy his natural curiosity. Or should we avoid them altogether as the ever suspicious Rumble prefers? Noralei sides with the pixie, but only to take advantage of any information that could come our way about our ultimate destination. 

As for me, I can see merits in each view. But I do lean towards Rumble’s belief in caution. Especially because of the need to maintain such a close watch on Willie. 

From the afternoon onwards we debated the question under the leafy canopy of our route. We even heard from Willie – who wants to go home. He at least remains civil and not shrill. 

For now I have time before I make the final decision. The High Fairy has made it clear that it should solely rest with me. And he expects me to lead.

The Fairy Diary Day 85 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We have passed through two large pixie burrows this side of the road so far. It has slowed us considerably. What with all the curiosity generated by our presence, that is, fairies traveling with pixies, but even more so in regard to the Wisp. 

We would have been merrily on our way if not for an elderly pixie who recognized our prisoner. Willie returned his greeting and launched into a full throated plea for rescue. 

Thankfully the guards took control of the situation and brought us through without harm. 

After that I instructed the guards to keep to the pixie pathways and avoid the villages.

Day Nine Hundred Seventy Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We continued our journey through the desert while Tomas inspected the villages along the road. We agreed to reconvene in the desert to the east of the last village two days hence.

Elijah thought that the day after should land us at the crossroads where we first met Jezer. At that point we could decide whether to  return on the side to the west of the road, or retrace our steps to Babylon.

Our discussion out of the way, we trudged on in silence. But now a new thought was stewing in my mind.

Finally, I asked Elijah why we just did not wing to Babylon on the Spirit to check my hunch.

He replied that he had already asked.

Day Nine Hundred Seventy Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We encountered no one today. Not even a lone sheep without its shepherd. Tomas returned to ask if we should head back into villages nearer the road.

At first, Elijah refused his suggestion for he believes our friends are held up somewhere in the desert.  But he at last relented and said if Tomas was moved to do so, he was free to go off on his own.

Tomas, hesitated, for he wanted us to go together. And stated he would be very reluctant to be out of contact with us.

I was touched by his love and concern, and took pains to assure him that nothing untoward was going to happen to any of us. Remember whose we are.

Day Eight Hundred Ninety Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

No news yet as to the whereabouts of Meesa. Before she left, she said only that she wouldn’t go further than some villages north of Damascus.

Well, Jezer has been there and back. But reports nothing concrete about her. Good or bad.

However, some people told him stories about strange people in their villages who have come and gone lately. He thinks that if she heard the same rumors, she would have stayed in the area to check them out.

When we heard this detail, we decided we had to go and look for ourselves. But Jezer prevailed upon us to stay put and give her another day to make her way back to us.

Elijah considered this wise counsel.

Day Eight Hundred Sixty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The villages we passed through yesterday and today were quiet and almost empty, for their inhabitants were out laboring in the fields. The requisite posters of Stan increased in number as we grew closer to Damascus.

And as we were getting closer, Elijah and I strategized about our entry.

We decided that we would hold up at a distance and observe the patterns of movement into and out of the city.

It would also need to be an out of the way site, the better to seek the Spirit’s direction.

We have noted already that at certain times of the day the road traffic slows due to an increase in vehicles and backs up. This may prove an important factor.

Day Eight Hundred Sixty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Town police rousted us from our sleep this morning. We had chosen a place too close to the town for their liking. Thus we were a little earlier on the road than planned.

It worked to our advantage as we made good progress being the only ones on the road at that hour.

Ahead we could see a series of villages nestled along the road surrounded with fields under cultivation.

I debated with Elijah whether or not to leave the road and go around them. He felt no need or compulsion to do so. I wanted to avoid anything like yesterday that could hold us back again.

We concluded that walking in the fields would bring unwanted attention to ourselves.

Day Eight Hundred Fifty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We no longer had the road to ourselves. People passed us by in both directions. With the desert behind, small clumps of civilization were huddled around wells and their denizens were going about their business from place to place.

No adults paid us any attention. Only the children in the villages threw themselves in our path. But turned away when they saw we had nothing to give them.

We also had to watch out for vehicles. The best walking was on the paved road, but not when they came by. Especially the tanker trucks delivering water to out of the way places. We never saw them in villages with wells.

We were both silent preparing ourselves for the ordeal ahead.