Dylap

by A. C. Salter

  It had been two days since the royal wedding. Elaya nursing and feeding him as he regained his strength and appetite. He was set to return to the Taming Tree later, but first he’d wanted to personally go down to the ground to thank Merrybone for finding him. The brownie had shaken it off as he wanted to show Dylap the obelisk.

  “See how the grass and moss has died?” Merrybone said, tapping the charred earth with his boot. “And I’ve yet to see a spindly critter walk over it, tis cursed.” The brownie spat on the ground as he stepped away.

  “It was struck by lightning,” Dylap explained. “I don’t know, maybe it’s made of a kind of metal that has trapped the charge?” He watched the creases in Merrybone’s forehead deepen, eyes rolling to the top of his head as he worked out Dylap’s words. “Or maybe it’s just cursed,” he said, agreeing with the confused brownie.

  “Whatever it is,” Ebbin, said, his head craned back to gawp up. “I don’t like it. Even the wisp is keeping his distance. The only others who have found it of any interest are the split-wing King and Queen.”

  “You mean the Queen and her husband,” Dylap explained. “There is no king of the split-wings. She takes the strongest man to be her mate. If another opposes him it’s a fight to the death.”

  “The winner becomes the next husband to the Queen?” Ebbin asked incredulously.

  Dylap nodded. “And the leader of the split-wing army.”

  Ebbin snorted, “Bloody nomads. They’re a strange lot. Oh, apart from Elaya of course,” he added sheepishly.

  Dylap ignored the comment. Since Elaya had come to the Aviary it was hard to differentiate between her and the fairies of Farro.

  “You’ve seen the Queen and Yillk down here by the obelisk?” he asked instead.

  “Yeah, they were talking with Urlmince and his friends. The split-wings seemed to be taking a particular interest in it. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the Queen became very animated when Urlmince wanted to leave.”

  “Animated how?” Dylap asked.

  “She refused, I think. Anyway, she and her husband hovered around the stone, touching it in places and pushing their arms through the holes.”

  “But they didn’t fly through them?”

  “Not that I saw. They were still here when I rode the beetle cart up the berry trail – which reminds me. I better be getting those worms up to the Aviary before the birds wake up.” He put his hand to his eyes and looked back at the city. “Wait a moment, I think I see them returning. The split-wings and Urlmince is with them.”

  “I better go,” Dylap said. “The look he was giving me at the wedding could have started fires if he hadn’t spent his time conversing with the Queen.”

  “You can’t go the way you came, they’ll see you. Hide under those brambles until they’ve gone. I’ll wait with the cart.”

  Seeing the sense in that, Dylap scrambled beneath the brambles, careful not to disturb the blades of grass which helped to keep him from view. He watched the split-wings fly closer, their dragonfly wings buzzing so rapidly they were a blur of movement, unlike the wings of the Farrosians who glided on the air as they descended.

  The entourage was large. An entire platoon of the city guard circled above them, armour shining in the red light of dawn, spears held as they watched the split-wings.

  “Captain, you may wait here,” Urlmince said, holding his arm out to halt the guard. “My friends and I are quite capable of escorting the Queen around the old city.”

  “But my orders are to not let the Queen out of my sight. She is to be surrounded by my men at all times. This is for her safety as much as ours.”

  “I understand, Captain,” Urlmince replied, sounding agitated. “But as you can see, there is nobody down there. They are safe with me.”

  “Mr Cramaris…”

  Urlmince flew closer, pulling on the captain’s reins and twisted his bird’s head about. “You will listen to me. I am taking the Queen to the old city where she will only spend a short while looking at the ancient pile of rot. In truth, I don’t want to be there, but she has something she wants to discuss away from prying ears. Not all your men can be trusted, Captain. Do you understand?”

  “My men are fully...”

  “Do you understand?” Urlmince repeated, pulling the reins tighter and making the bird fidget.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Good, if you or your men follow me, I will have you kicked out of the guard.”

  With those passing words, he left the captain and his men hovering some way up before flying down to the obelisk with two of his friends and the Queen, Yillk by her side.

  Dylap watched from his hiding place as they landed on the charred earth and stepped casually towards the obelisk.

  “Choose your words carefully,” Urlmince whispered to the Queen as his friends paced around the ancient structure, searching for other fairies that might be about. “I’m sure we’re out of earshot of the guard, but they may still lipread.”

  “Don’t look so worried, Urlmince,” the Queen replied as she lazily trailed her index finger along the etchings on the lower portion of the obelisk, the blue glow brightened at her touch and followed her finger. “Do as we planned, act out what was discussed and you will be handsomely rewarded.”

  “We’ve talked over the details already, why bring me here? You risk us being caught,” Urlmince said, forcing his pleasant smile upon his face to mask his words. “I’ll keep to my word.”

  “I know you will,” the Queen said as she left the obelisk and casually stepped towards him, pendulum hips swinging. “The wheels have already begun to turn. There is no way to back out now. But I brought you here to warn you of something else.”

  “Oh,” Urlmince replied as he backed away from the approaching Queen.

  “The power of the obelisks has been dormant for centuries. There is a reason why that power has returned,” the Queen explained, teeth showing through her grin. “It might be prudent to locate this reason. I don’t like surprises and whatever touched the obelisk to give it life is truly powerful.”

  “There’ll be time enough for that after,” Urlmince said, his gaze darting towards Yillk who had slipped a dirk from his belt and begun to scrape the blade absently along the stonework. For no other reason that Dylap could discern other than to prove that he had it.

  “You were supposed to be unarmed, the guard searched you for weapons before entering the city,” Urlmince said.

  Yillk shrugged his meaty shoulders. “I’ve another five blades hidden on my body. It’s not my fault your men are as useless at searching as they are at fighting.”

  Dylap found it hard to believe that the giant of a fairy could be concealing more weapons over his scantily dressed body. He barely had enough clothes to cover his modesty.

  “Now now, husband,” the Queen said, treating Yillk to a mocking scowl which melted to a smile. “We lost the last war with the Farrosians, remember?”

  Yillk’s knuckles turned white as he slipped the blade away under thick leather bands on his wrist.

  “I remember,” he grunted. “But that was only because of the numbers and the place of attack. We were out-manoeuvred, but a single split-wing is worth two Farrosians.”

  “Quiet,” Urlmince snapped. “Words like that will only make the guard suspicious.”

  “He’s right, Yillk. Calm that raging heart of yours. You’ll get your battle soon enough,” the Queen said, then turning to Urlmince continued. “There will be no after, should the obelisk fail to work. If their powers fail, so too will the plan.”

  “They won’t, and I won’t. I’ve got too much to lose.”

  “But a kingdom to gain,” the Queen replied, her rat-like grin returning.

  Urlmince’s brow creased with worry. “Don’t forget, I don’t want any casualties that are not necessary. And I want to be blameless of the whole affair. This conversation didn’t happen.”

  “It’s already forgotten. Now about that visit to the Shroom Tree,” the Q
ueen said, her dragonfly wings blurring to life as she took to the air.

  “You know the barriers secrets are off limits,” Urlmince said, chasing after her.

  Dylap slowly rose from his hiding place to watch the fairies and the platoon of guards fly back towards the city. He waited until they were out of sight until he emerged from the bramble and walked through the grass to where Ebbin was waiting by the beetle cart.

  “What happened?” Ebbin asked as he climbed onto the seat beside him. “Looked to me like they were just talking.”

  The beetles began their rhythmic tapping as they scurried along the rock and up onto the berry trail, the wheels finding the worn grooves in the wood.

  Dylap told Ebbin everything he’d heard and seen of the exchange between Urlmince and the split-wings.

  “It sounds pretty dodgy to me,” Ebbin remarked after Dylap had finished. “What does he mean by gaining a kingdom? Is the general’s son planning on helping the Queen take over another province? Maybe there’s another forest that he’s got his heart set on ruling. After he marries Princess Terina, he’ll have more than enough power in Farro, but I guess he wants to rule his own people instead of playing second piper to the King.”

  The beetle cart came to the hollow tree and they waited as the halo lift ascended them up to the tall reds.

  “But what about this power that has woken the obelisk? And according to them, there are others. It’s all so strange.” Dylap asked.

  “Strange? It’s just a load of old stone left over from the ancient city. I wouldn’t get too worried about it. Let royalty and the higher-classes worry about that. The likes of us are not meant to meddle. At the least, if Urlmince is going to be forging a new kingdom in another forest, you’ll have him off your back. You just need to keep out of trouble until after the wedding.”

  “Another fairy might find that easy,” Dylap said, seeing some wisdom in his friend’s words. “But trouble seems to come my way, all by itself.”

  They left the hollow tree and rode across the adjoining bridges, leaving the city below the canopy as they spiralled up the tall red to the Aviary.

  “Hey, what’s happening?”

  The Aviary platform was full of fairies, the majority of the Aviary staff were out, some in their nightwear. A group of the night watch were asking them questions while the replacement captain was talking to Sabesto. The master, although smartly dressed for the time of day, appeared flustered, his face deeply concerned. When he noticed them arrive, Sabesto beckoned him closer.

  “This doesn’t look good,” Ebbin commented as they left the beetle cart and hurriedly crossed the platform.

  “Master, what’s happened?” Dylap asked, ignoring the disdain in the captain’s glare.

  “It’s Elaya,” Sabesto replied. “She’s been arrested.”

  “Arrested? What for?”

  The captain turned to him, raising his chin to stare down a long nose. “She’s been arrested for kidnapping and murder.”

  “Kidnapping, murder?” Dylap couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was this another nightmare he was experiencing? “There has to be a mistake.”

  “No mistake,” the captain replied, grinding his teeth.

  Sabesto lay a hand on Dylap’s shoulder.

  “Property belonging to the fairies that have gone missing, have been found in the hut she used while working for the gem polisher,” said the master, shaking his head. “I wish it was otherwise.”

  “No, I don’t believe it,” Dylap said as he shrugged away from Sabesto’s touch. “She wouldn’t do something like that. Where is she now, can I see her?”

  The captain sneered as he stretched to his full height. “Out of the question. The only person she’ll be speaking to will be the prison guards and then the judge, before her execution.” He inclined his head towards Sabesto. “The vile split-wing should have been dealt with after the war,” he said, nudging the master of the Aviary with an elbow. But if he was expecting Sabesto to agree with him, he was gravely mistaken.

  Dylap left the pair of them on the platform as he entered the tree, shoving the great door open and storming inside. He would find the truth from Elaya herself, with or without the captain’s permission.

  He took one step across the threshold before being pushed up against the wall, his head cracking against the solid wood.

  Blinking away the tears, he watched as guards pushed passed him, escorting Elaya along the corridor and out into the light. She glanced back, her face full of bafflement as they bound her wrists with steel manacles and tied her ankles together.

  Curling his hands into fists, Dylap set off after her, striding out into the gathering crowd. She watched him come and shook her head. The gesture was meant for him, he knew, but the guards holding her pulled her straight and forced her into the air, wings rapidly beating into a blur.

  Dylap wanted to stop them, to make them bring her back, but Sabesto caught him around the waist and held him. His solid mass of strength pinning him in place beneath thick arms.

  “Don’t,” the master said, “there's nothing can be done.”

  “But she didn’t do it,” Dylap blurted.

  “The Chamber of Justice will find the truth. If she is innocent, she will be set free,” Sabesto replied, easing the pressure from his arms now that the guard and Elaya were flying down to the canopy.

  “Justice here isn’t fair. If it wasn’t for Jambilee, I would have been food for the fish in the Twine,” Dylap said, staring at the guards as they passed out of sight below the canopy. “Do you really think they’ll give a split-wing a chance?”

  Sabesto glanced away, his eyes saying it all as he removed his hold on Dylap.

  “She’ll be executed,” he said, walking away, his fists still clenched and shaking with the effort.

  “Dylap?” Sabesto called, but he chose to ignore it, and if he was going to be punished for treating the master discourteously, then so be it. He’d had enough of Farro.

  He climbed the steps and was about to enter the tree when Spoffle began to chuckle. The fae was leaning against the side of the door, arms folded as he treated Dylap to a toothy grin.

  “I guess you won’t be getting any more bed time with that split-wing whore,” he said, leering.

  Dylap felt the bone and cartilage in Spoffle’s nose crunch beneath his knuckles. It happened so fast it was as if his body acted before his brain.

  Spoffle rocked back, cracking his head against the wall before sliding to the floor.

  He gazed up, eyes filling with water that ran into the blood spilling from his broken nose. His jaw hung open, tongue bouncing as he attempted to say something but all that escaped was a moan.

  A dark shadow blotted out the sunlight as Sabesto’s wide form filled the doorway.

  “What is this?” he demanded, his glower casting over them both.

  Dylap dropped his fist and glanced away. Shame seeping to his core. After all the master had done for him, he repaid it by thumping one of his staff. He was sure to be removed from the Aviary, along with Elaya.

  Spoffle raised a shaking finger and pointed at Dylap. “He broke my nothe,” he stammered through the blood and snot that was choking him.

  Sabesto folded his arms. “You tripped over and landed on your face,” he said, bluntly.

  “No,” Spoffle argued as he struggled to his feet. “He hit me.”

  The master leaned closer, looming over the fairy and raising an eyebrow. “You tripped over,” he repeated, wings briefly flexing open.

  Spoffle grimaced as he glanced at Dylap and then met the gaze of Sabesto once again. “I tripped over,” he mumbled, biting his lip.

  “Good,” the master said, tapping him not so gently on the cheek. “Now go get that cleaned up. Looks nasty.”

  Holding the bridge of his nose, Spoffle slunk away, glancing over his shoulder to fix Dylap with hatred before disappearing down the corridor.

  “Master I…” Dylap began, wanting to explain, but was cut short by S
abesto holding up a hand while shaking his head.

  “I won’t tolerate you striking another member of the Aviary. We’re supposed to be a family here. I dare say Spoffle had it coming and was deserving of a thump to knock him down a peg or too, but don’t let it happen again.”

  “Sorry Master,” Dylap said, thankful that Sabesto was being understanding. “I’m just frustrated by what’s happened to Elaya. Is there nothing we can do?”

  Sabesto shook his head, not meeting his gaze. “Sorry Dylap, the only sure way would be to find the true culprit.”

  Dylap returned to his chamber and slammed the door, the echo still reverberating as he threw himself on the bed. The force jolted the side stand and the pouch of silver dust fell to the floor. Absentmindedly, he waved his hand over the particles and watched then defy gravity as they flowed over each other to climb back into the leather pouch. Leaning over the bed, he grasped it and dropped it back onto the table. Maybe he could use it to break Elaya free. It wouldn’t be too hard to form the shape of a key and unlock her door and manacles.

  He was toying with the idea when Ebbin stepped into the room, his wings folded flat as he sat on the edge of the bed.

  “What are we going to do?” he asked.

  “I’ve got an idea,” Dylap replied as he concentrated on the pouch and a stream of silver dust floated out and formed into the shape of a key. He twisted his hand and the floating key turned in an imaginary lock.

  “I don’t think I will ever get used to that magic,” Ebbin said. “But if that’s your plan, it won’t work. Elaya has been locked beneath the Chamber of Justice. She’ll be under guard and besides, if you do free her, you’ll be hunted down. I doubt you would get as far as the outer limits of the city before being captured. Then you would share her fate.”