Thronegarden

by Andrew Dickerson

  Damselfly’s head was spinning with all the new information she had encountered recently. Death’s forbidding words echoed in her head, and the slim opportunity Uriel was offering seemed impossible.

  “How would I get there?” Damselfly spoke out loud. “What about your father? He could go,” Uriel offered.

  “No, he would never do that and he would certainly not allow me to go,” Damselfly reiterated.

  Uriel took a step back from the bars as she realised that the princess had come alone to the dungeons and that she was probably taking a big risk just speaking with a prisoner.

  “I could not ask you to risk your life on such a dangerous journey,” Uriel confirmed.

  “I have to go or my mother will…” Damselfly choked on the words.

  Feeling her throat tighten and tears begin to form behind her eyes, the princess looked away so Uriel would not see her childish tears.

  “I feel terrible about putting you in danger but I understand your motivation, so you must decide whether to take this risk yourself,” Uriel decided.

  “Here is a token which will take you to the Magicgarden via the Garden Gate.”

  Uriel produced a gold coin from beneath her rags and slipped it through the bars to Damselfly who looked at it with growing interest.

  “I think you should speak with your father,” Uriel proposed.

  Damselfly did not hear these words as her brain was processing the possibility of her next move.

  “I could use this to reach the Magicgarden, find the Matriarch and she could help me reach the Evergarden,” Damselfly considered.

  “It will not be that easy,” Uriel cautioned. “There are many supporters of the Fairy King out there and others only interested in their own agendas.”

  “Death said I was the only one who could retrieve his timepiece,” Damselfly remembered. “I have to save my mother.”

  “I wish I could go with you,” Uriel said.

  Damselfly came closer to the bars so she could touch the prisoner’s hand. “Once I save my mother, I promise to come back and free you.”

  Reluctantly, Damselfly left Uriel, departing the dungeons and making the long trek back up the narrow staircase, clutching the gold token in her palm. Buttontail was surprisingly quiet for once, so the princess was left to her own thoughts. As they exited the stairway and came back out onto the main path, a figure stepped out of the shadows to intercept them.

  Damselfly held her breath as the figure materialized from their position amongst the shadows. She expected Orion; however, the person turned out to be a young boy, slightly shorter than her, who looked familiar.

  “Where did you come from?” the boy asked, confused.

  “We were just in the dun…” Buttontail was stopped by Damselfly from revealing their location by a sharp jab. “Ow! What did you do that for?”

  “Who are you?” Damselfly asked, putting on her best authoritative princess voice.

  “You don’t remember me?” the boy questioned. “Of course, you don’t, I’m Rat.”

  The unusual name struck a chord with Damselfly who recognised the boy who had given her the toy rabbit.

  “Why are you here?” she enquired.

  Rat looked at the floor, struggling to find a suitable excuse for his presence. He had dreamed of entering the royal apartments and meeting the princess so many times the situation was starting to overwhelm him. Damselfly, understanding this, was relieved to find they had not been discovered and that her mission could continue.

  “Please return to your home,” she ordered.

  “I don’t have a home,” Rat replied. “What about you, where are you going?”

  “We’re going to the Magicgarden,” Buttons blurted out.

  Rat felt his jaw drop at this news; he had heard about other gardens before, mainly from Pilgrim, though he had never actually met someone going there.

  “It’s a secret,” Damselfly explained, giving Buttons a filthy look.

  “I can keep a secret,” Rat added desperately.

  “You had better,” the princess threatened. “Now we best be going. It was nice to meet you again, Rat.”

  Rat did not want this chance encounter to end so he struggled to think of something that he could say to extend it.

  “How are you going to get there?” he managed.

  “What?” Damselfly turned.

  “How are you going to reach the Magicgarden?”

  “We have a token which can get us through the Garden Gate,” Buttons divulged, much to Damselfly’s chagrin.

  “Who are you going with?” Rat asked, noticing the travelers’ hesitation.

  “An army of soldiers,” Damselfly lied unconvincingly.

  “I don’t think so,” Rat argued. “You were following Orion which means he is not aware of your journey, and I don’t think the king would allow his only daughter to travel all the way to the Magicgarden.”

  “Is it really that far?” Buttons looked worried.

  “All right, we’re going alone,” Damselfly confessed.

  “I thought so.” Rat felt proud at his deduction. “I can help you.”

  “How?”

  “I can get you out of the castle without anyone knowing,” Rat promised.

  Damselfly had checked the dungeons for any sign of an exit. The only way in and out was via the narrow staircase and a false wall that was sustained by magic, which is why Rat had not been able to find the passage. The princess had rarely travelled outside of the royal apartments and never without adult supervision. If anyone saw them, they would be suspicious to see the princess out alone and would likely report them to Orion or her father.

  “Can you really get us out of the castle without us being seen?” Damselfly queried.

  “Leave it to me,” Rat responded.

  Chapter 5

  Adventurous Times

  When Old Nana had discovered Damselfly’s room empty she thought little of it; the child was probably playing with Buttontail somewhere. It was actually a relief that the princess had a new friend. Old Nana constantly worried about Damselfly being isolated and lonely so discovering how quickly she had grown to care for Buttontail was rather sweet. Of course, Damselfly would need that companionship now more than ever with her mother being sick. That was a terrible blow to everyone as Queen Etherelle was such a beloved person. Old Nana had faith in the sorcerers’ healing magic. Still, it must be upsetting for a child to see their parents vulnerable like that, and she vowed to help the princess in any way possible. Old Nana had practically sacrificed her whole life, including her husband, to care for Damselfly. It was always a challenge, though one she never regretted. Old Nana searched for the child in all the regular places, then began going room to room and she even questioned the twins who confirmed they had not seen either Damselfly or Buttontail. Old Nana checked Queen Etherelle’s room though the door was locked. She considered going to the king; however, it was clear that she needed help from another source. Old Nana discovered Orion and Luyna in a heated debate. Her presence was unwanted, and the tension present failed to dissipate until the reason for her interruption became clear.

  “They are probably just playing hide and seek somewhere,” Old Nana dismissed.

  “You are probably right.” Luyna smiled reassuringly. “Still, we should find them to ensure their safety.”

  “I agree,” Orion added.

  “Find the princess, brother, and do not return without her,” Luyna ordered.

  “What about the queen? I should not leave her,” Orion argued.

  “What would Etherelle want you to do?” Luyna posed.

  “I will make sure no harm comes to the princess,” Orion agreed.

  Damselfly had followed Rat reluctantly to begin with; she did not want to bring anyone else into her mission lest they get in trouble. There was also a question of trust and the princess stayed alert in case her guide tried to lead her back home. Thankfully, Rat remained good to his word, and she really did need his expertise in f
inding a way out of the castle without being seen. The orphan boy was able to show Damselfly a series of shortcuts, secret passages and hideouts that she was already struggling to remember when they came across a problem.

  “Oh no,” Rat cursed.

  “What is it?” Damselfly asked.

  “Can it hurt us?” Buttons queried.

  “Court is in session,” Rat explained. “We will have to wait here until it finishes.”

  “How long will that be?” Damselfly enquired.

  “I don’t know, sometimes it goes on for hours,” Rat explained.

  Damselfly was distraught because she knew that her absence would be noted. When that happened, they would search the whole castle, making it almost impossible to escape unnoticed. She was just about to ask if there was another way when Buttontail who was staring down from their hidden viewpoint at the proceedings distracted her. “Isn’t that the man we saw with Orion?” the rabbit posed.

  Both Rat and Damselfly stared down into the courtroom to discover what was happening. Judge Vale, dressed in his finest robes, was sitting behind a raised dais looking down upon the defendant, who was indeed the same person they had witnessed Orion retrieving from the dungeons earlier that day.

  “That’s Blakast the usurper,” Rat stated in awe.

  Damselfly was equally fascinated to witness the trial of a man who had attempted a coup against her family. The defendant looked a rather pitiful creature dressed in black robes that appeared too large for his stick-like frame; he seemed almost like a child dressed up as a villain. Added to his abject appearance, Blakast seemed completely oblivious to his dire predicament. He paid no attention to his surroundings and could be heard muttering to himself throughout. Most of what he said was incoherent although one word was repeated regularly.

  Mistress.

  The court was populated by a number of armed soldiers led by Tyten, the leader of the royal army and Rat’s hero.

  “Why is he rambling to himself?” Damselfly questioned. “Is he mad?”

  “What if it is contagious.” Buttons grimaced.

  “Don’t worry, Tyten won’t let anything happen to us,” Rat confirmed.

  “He’s just a soldier. What can he do against magic?” Damselfly doubted.

  Rat was particularly protective over Tyten whom he worshipped from afar, and he wanted to impress the princess with his knowledge.

  “Perhaps you don’t know the story of Tyten?”

  Damselfly was busy watching the court proceedings yet she could not deny that she was curious to hear a new story.

  “Tell me,” the princess demanded.

  “Tyten wanted to be a great warrior ever since his youth. He was blessed not only with strength and discipline but also golden hair that was complimented by cerulean blue eyes. Tyten was so concerned over becoming the greatest warrior Thronegarden had ever known he visited a soothsayer. The fortune teller revealed that Tyten would indeed become a great warrior though he would be undone by love.”

  “How can someone be defeated by love?” Damselfly asked.

  “I don’t know,” Rat responded. “However, he believed the sage’s prediction and ever since then he has spurned any romantic advances towards him. Living a solitary life dedicated solely to his duty.”

  Damselfly studied Tyten carefully from her vantage point. She was too young to understand the soldier’s physical attraction, although she could see how the other women in the room snatched glances at him when he was not looking.

  “That was a good story, thank you,” Damselfly acknowledged. “Maybe I can tell you one in return.”

  No one had ever sung Rat lullabies or told him stories. He picked up a few by listening to Pilgrim or sometimes Robin when she spoke to the birds like children and he was grateful to the princess for offering.

  “Yes, please.”

  Damselfly scrunched up her face in concentration, trying to decide on what story to share. Old Nana had given her a large anthology of tales that she could repeat by heart. “Have you heard the story about The Children of the Moon?”

  “No,” Rat answered.

  Damselfly knew her father had banned anyone from telling this story, but she did not think it would be dangerous to tell Rat.

  Children of The Moon

  Come listen close while I tell you a tale,

  Of the Children of the Moon,

  It began on a dark night with the wind blowing a gale,

  Warning of the approaching misfortune.

  A humble farmer who has seen in many a harvest,

  Waits patiently, while his wife is in labour,

  He wrings his hands while hoping for the best,

  Time passes slowly so every minute feels like an hour.

  With no new born cries,

  The farmer’s hope fades,

  At the first sign of the sun rise,

  He kneels and prays.

  The man asks for the moon to offer his protection,

  In return he offers to create a garden of mercurial beauty,

  To make it his life’s mission,

  To design a place that reflects the love of a happy family.

  The moon took pity on the man,

  Shining down on the land he gave of his light,

  Showing the way as a new life began,

  The man bowed his head feeling the blessing and knowing everything would be all right.

  As the wind started to settle,

  A sign of trouble from afar,

  For someone had been watching the domicile,

  A cold and jealous star.

  Envious of the moon’s power the star covets,

  His elevated position in the night sky,

  This farmer’s joy will soon turn into regrets,

  As the star also answers the man’s cry.

  I am the Evening Star performer of many a miracle,

  Yet I see you making a deal with the moon on a promise,

  Perhaps you did not know the moon is my rival,

  I can grant anything he can, anything you wish.

  The farmer wanted nothing more than to greet his newborn child,

  So he considered the star’s offer and refused,

  The jealous star became haunted and wild,

  You have offended the Evening Star, a crime you stand accused.

  For all the farmer’s hasty apologies,

  He only made matters worse,

  The jealous star ignored the man’s vows and guarantees,

  In his anger the star bestowed a curse.

  Although the moon has blessed your first baby,

  Your second will be cursed by your sins,

  You wish for a larger family,

  Well, I will grant you twins.

  For the moon is a fickle master with two sides,

  He may be mysterious yet I know,

  The moon has two faces, one he hides,

  A face for private and one for show.

  Your children will be born with the moon’s mark,

  So you know my words are true,

  One will be fair the other dark,

  One will be a gift while the other will be the death of you.

  The farmer found himself alone where he stood,

  Hearing a distant cry like a bell might toll,

  Wondering if what he had seen was real and what it might mean if it should,

  Holding on to the hollow sound that was neither lamb nor foal.

  As the star had predicted children there were two,

  Both with a tiny little crescent,

  The mark of the moon meant everything was true,

  One born good the other bad, but both innocent.

  Damselfly had sung the story of The Children of the Moon, which left Rat transfixed for several moments; the princess had a beautiful singing voice, which could make even Buttontail forget about his fear or hunger. Damselfly barely noticed their reactions as she was distracted by the beginning of Blakast’s trial below them.

  “Blakast, you stand accused o
f high treason. How do you plead?” Librarian Scroll posed.

  The usurper failed to respond. Instead, he seemed to be suffering an internal dialogue that would burst out at irregular intervals like incoherent babbling.

  “Note the accused is unresponsive,” Judge Vale ordered.

  “Bring forward the evidence,” Scroll demanded.

  A group of clerics cautiously brought forward a locked strongbox. Soldiers remained close as the box was opened, and a powerful magical artefact was shown to the court. “This object was discovered in the defendant’s possession on his capture,” Scroll read from a detailed account. “Though the object’s exact purpose is unknown, we are certain that it has magical properties and that Blakast sought to wield these against the Throne for his own disturbed purposes.”

  Damselfly caught a glimpse of the magical item as it was revealed to those in attendance. It appeared to be a silver vial engraved with ancient runes. Such artefacts were rare in Fable, stranger still was finding an individual who could actually use that power for themselves. Damselfly thought it strange that Blakast was not a sorcerer, yet had the knowledge to wield such a powerful magical object.

  “Tyten, you personally witnessed this item in the defendant’s possession?” Scroll asked.

  Tyten stepped forward with a soldier’s bearing.

  His back was straight with both shoulders pulled down, allowing his head to remain high.

  “I did,” Tyten swore.

  “Then we have established that Blakast broke into the castle with a dangerous magical weapon in his possession, yet we have not discovered why,” Scroll narrated.

  “He came to kill the king,” Tyten responded.

  Damselfly found the soldier so dignified that she could never imagine him lying.

  “How did you come to that conclusion?” Scroll posed.

  “We discovered Blakast in the royal apartments after some guards were found injured. He was attempting to enter the king’s private chambers when he was apprehended,” Tyten explained.