Thronegarden

by Andrew Dickerson

  Damselfly was surprised to learn that Blakast had actually gotten into the royal apartments. She could not have been far away when the attack occurred although she had known nothing of it at the time.

  “How were you able to subdue the accused?” Scroll questioned.

  “The defendant was already subdued when we arrived,” Tyten revealed.

  “Lady Luyna had challenged the intruder when he attempted to break into the king’s room. She managed to overpower Blakast with magic and stop him before he could bring his evil plan to fruition.”

  “Lady Luyna is unable to attend today’s proceedings though her full written account is available for public record,” Scroll announced.

  Damselfly could tell by Judge Vale’s disinterest in proceedings that Blakast had been found guilty a long time ago and his fate was inevitable. Judge Vale had gained a reputation for being a ruthless overseer. There was no sign of mercy and though Blakast appeared oblivious to his circumstances they were bleak indeed.

  “Based on Lady Luyna and Tyten’s accounts along with the magical item found in Blakast’s possession, while trespassing in the royal apartments, the prosecution submits to the court for judgement.”

  Judge Vale seemed to come alive as his part came to the fore. Damselfly felt a shiver run down her spine as she caught a glimpse of Judge Vale’s cold eyes.

  “Blakast the usurper, I find you guilty of high treason and sentence you to eternal exile in the Evergarden,” Judge Vale condemned.

  “May you live forever with your sins.”

  As Tyten stepped forward to take the prisoner away, Blakast seemed to become alert, struggling against the soldiers who determinedly led him out of the court.

  “My mistress will avenge me,” the usurper screamed. “You are all doomed.”

  While Tyten along with his guards escorted Blakast away, the prisoner’s words continued to ring threateningly around the room. Though Judge Vale looked bored with these dramatics, Damselfly wondered if Blakast was really working for someone else and if so when they would reveal their identity.

  “We should be able to slip past them now while they are distracted,” Rat beckoned.

  As they descended from their hideout, Damselfly could still hear Blakast’s threats echoing down the corridor.

  “My mistress will come for you all.”

  Orion was frustrated with his duties; he should be tending the queen rather than handling prisoners and chasing a spoiled princess around the castle. Since his youth the sorcerer had a penchant for healing; such magic was extremely complex and rare among his kind. His sister, Luyna, might have greater magical power than him, yet she could never hope to match his ability in the healing arts. Orion had been surprised when he did not immediately stumble upon Damselfly; the princess had hardly ever left the royal apartments and the castle was a vast web of people who would certainly recognise their future queen. As Orion passed through each level without finding any sign of Damselfly, he became suspicious that she was not acting alone; could someone, have kidnapped the princess? It seemed highly unlikely although not impossible and Orion hastened in his search. By the time he reached the lowest levels of the castle, Orion was certain he had overtaken his quarry; there seemed no chance that the princess could have come this far, even with assistance. Just as Orion was preparing to retrace his steps, he noticed someone watching him from the shadows and without hesitation he snatched the figure into the light.

  “Who are you?” Orion questioned.

  “My name is Rat, sir. You’re hurting my arm.”

  Orion looked over the dirty child with disinterest. He let the boy go, knowing that force could come later if necessary, although it was unlikely this Rat had anything of worth to offer.

  “Have you seen a young girl around here?” Orion asked.

  “No,” the boy replied, averting his eyes.

  “She might have been accompanied by a talking rabbit,” the sorcerer probed.

  Rat looked up at this description, locking eyes briefly before looking down and shaking his head.

  “Tell me what you know.” Orion managed to calm his eagerness.

  “I don’t know nothing, sir,” Rat lied unconvincingly.

  Orion was beginning to lose patience. Before he attempted to intimidate the child, he decided on a slightly different strategy.

  “There is a reward for information,” the sorcerer offered.

  “What kind of reward?” Rat enquired curiously.

  Orion produced a silver coin from thin air, a cheap trick but one that worked sufficiently on a young boy.

  “Where is the girl?”

  Rat seemed about to speak before once again shaking his head defiantly.

  “How about now?” Orion questioned, revealing three silver coins.

  “I didn’t know what she was planning,” Rat stated.

  “You’re not in trouble, boy. Just tell me where they went,” Orion demanded.

  “She said they were going to the Garden Gate,” Rat confessed.

  Orion was shocked by the news; he had never considered the possibility that Damselfly would leave the castle, and he could not fathom what reason she might have for doing so.

  “When did you last see her?”

  “Not long ago,” Rat revealed timidly.

  Orion assuaged his concern with the knowledge he would easily catch up with the princess; she could not get far alone, and he knew the gatekeeper would never allow her through.

  “Thank you.” Orion pressed the coins into Rat’s shaking hand.

  “There is one more thing I want you to do,” the sorcerer instructed.

  “Tell my sister what you told me and that I have left the castle to retrieve the princess.”

  Rat could only nod his acceptance as Orion swept past him in his pursuit. The orphan boy looked down at his palm in disbelief at the wealth he glimpsed there; three silver coins shone back at him and the promise of more to come.

  Damselfly had never been outside the castle without adult supervision. The sun remained setting, providing a diluted light and meagre warmth that was enough without being enough. Although there were signs of time’s loss upon the land, Damselfly was so excited about her mission that she barely noticed. She glimpsed the animals in the fields without noting the lack of food or reduction in their numbers. She heard birdsong like it was a lullaby rather than a lament. Even Buttontail was unusually positive regarding their new found freedom.

  “This would be a great place to play hide and seek,” he commented.

  “Not now, Buttons,” Damselfly reminded.

  “We have to reach the Garden Gate and get to the Magicgarden so we can find the Matriarch like Uriel said. Then she can help us save mother.”

  The princess clenched Uriel’s token in her hand, determined to complete her bargain with Death for her mother’s life.

  They had barely left the castle’s shadow when Damselfly caught her first glimpse of the Garden Gate; it reflected the late evening sunlight and seemed to glow with magic. As they drew closer, it was easier to make out the details. The gate was made of gold, which has always been a magical element, and it stood ten feet high, like a monument to days past. It looked a little like a large turnstile or merry-go-round though it stood vertically with nothing keeping it from falling except magic. Damselfly wondered if this mechanism could really transport them to another garden.

  “Who goes there?”

  A deep male voice called out, startling Buttons who hid behind Damselfly’s fairy wings. The princess steeled herself and answered as confidently as she could.

  “My name is Damselfly and this is my friend Buttontail. We are here to access the Magicgarden via this gate.”

  A man appeared before them, wearing bright colours of red, yellow and orange. His face was covered with a mottled beard, except his eyes which seemed to hold great pain. Damselfly thought the man looked like a giant moth wrapped in flames.

  “My name is Gregorian and I am the gatekeeper.”


  The name sounded familiar to Damselfly although she was too occupied with thoughts of saving her mother to really consider their implications.

  “I wish to travel to the Magicgarden,” the princess explained.

  “No one can pass the gate without payment,” Gregorian stated.

  Damselfly held up the token Uriel had given her and she glimpsed surprise in Gregorian’s eyes as his gaze passed over it.

  “Where did you get that?” the gatekeeper asked.

  “Does it matter?” Damselfly countered. “You are the gatekeeper, and this allows me to use the gate. My reasons for doing so is none of your concern.”

  “I cannot allow the princess to leave Thronegarden alone,” Gregorian answered.

  Damselfly was not particularly surprised that she had been recognised. There was after all only one princess in Fable and she had not attempted to conceal her identity.

  “I think I know you too,” she replied. “Old Nana told me a story about Death’s most faithful servant and he was called Gregorian.”

  Gregorian

  There was a man who could remember,

  Every little thing that happened each day,

  Yet in all his young life he had never lost another,

  That was not the way it would stay.

  From his earliest memories,

  He had been taught to fear Death,

  Though it is hard to fear someone who only appears in stories,

  He did not understand the lesson until his mother drew her last breath.

  At the funeral he was sad,

  Until he realised he could recall,

  Every conversation they had spoken whether good or bad,

  With that he knew she was not lost to him after all.

  The son continued not to fear Death’s shadow,

  Though their paths were about to cross again,

  For his wife became ill and the rest we already know,

  He was soon standing over her grave in the rain.

  The husband told himself his wife was not really gone,

  While he could feel every kiss they had together,

  Strangely, this did not fill the void in his home,

  Finally, he knew Death was his enemy to be feared forever.

  Unfortunately, Death was not satisfied,

  He came for the man’s children one night,

  The father could remember every time they laughed or cried,

  Though no memory could replace what Death had stolen or make it right.

  The man was haunted by what he had lost,

  His mother’s words echoed inside,

  His wife’s kiss stung like frost,

  His children’s laughter brought him pain no matter where he sought to hide.

  The man begged Death for a second chance,

  To remember nothing of his past,

  A most faithful servant would be his stance,

  Until the very last.

  Well, Death had a secret,

  One lingering doubt,

  He wished to forget,

  All the suffering his work brought about.

  The man made a deal,

  Death would take his personal memory,

  While he would remember everything else that Death would steal,

  Neither of them was happy afterwards, but they did feel a little less misery.

  So the man became a record keeper,

  Death’s trusted companion,

  He remembered every son, husband and father,

  Despite not knowing his own past, his name was Gregorian.

  The gatekeeper appeared thoughtful as though something in Damselfly’s story had sounded familiar. Buttontail began pulling at her hand; however, she ignored it because Gregorian looked so sad.

  “He’s coming,” Buttons warned.

  “What are you talking about?” the princess asked. “Orion.”

  Buttons pointed anxiously, and Damselfly turned to see the sorcerer, dressed in his red cape, closing the distance.

  “We have to go now,” Damselfly shouted.

  “I cannot let you leave,” Gregorian said, coming to his senses.

  “I have a token,” Damselfly pleaded.

  “It is not safe for you out there,” Gregorian reasoned.

  Damselfly was trapped between Orion and Gregorian with the gate only a few feet away. Her mother’s life hinged on getting to that gate and nothing was going to stop her. Grabbing Buttons in her arms, Damselfly ran at Gregorian who was surprised by the princess’s desperation. The gatekeeper did not want to hurt her and put out an arm to stop them. Damselfly anticipated the move, dodging out of Gregorian’s reach and racing towards the Garden Gate. Orion attempted to use magic to stop Damselfly escaping, but Gregorian was between him and his quarry. Damselfly ran so hard she could hear her heart pounding against her chest like a drum. Buttons was looking over her shoulder in fright, and all she could think of was getting to the gate and saving her mother.

  “Stop!” Orion called out.

  Damselfly suddenly found herself under the Garden Gate, which towered over her. Buttons caught sight of a slot and pushed the token inside. They both turned to see Gregorian and Orion racing after them as a bell rang from somewhere and the gate began to rotate. As it increased in speed, Damselfly began to glimpse objects; she could see blue sky, trees moving in the breeze and even birds.

  “Which one is the Magicgarden?” Buttons cried.

  “I don’t know,” Damselfly doubted.

  “Maybe we should go back.”

  “No, not until we have Death’s timepiece and can save my mother,” Damselfly decided.

  Catching sight of what looked like a magical land, Damselfly moved towards the gate only to find a hand upon her shoulder holding them back. Turning, she glimpsed Orion before Buttons bit the sorcerer’s hand and they stumbled forward into the gate.

  Chapter 6

  The Coldest of Times

  Damselfly was lying on her back wondering why she could not see, until it dawned on her that it was night time and she had made it through the Garden Gate. Sitting up, Damselfly looked around sceptically. This place did not seem like the Magicgarden she had been told about. There was a bright full moon along with dozens of twinkling stars. Damselfly had forgotten how beautiful they were and was momentarily lost in wonder.

  “What is going on?” Buttontail asked. “Who turned out the lights?”

  “Calm down, Buttons. I think we’ve taken a wrong turn,” the princess explained.

  “Are we lost? I’ve always been terrified of getting lost,” Buttons whined.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll be all right,” Damselfly promised.

  “All right?” the rabbit stormed. “So far we have been down in a filthy dungeon, witnessed the trial of a madman and been chased by a powerful sorcerer.”

  Damselfly ignored her friend’s tirade, trying to orientate herself in the unfamiliar darkness until something Buttontail said caught her attention.

  “Everything will certainly not be all right. I want to go home right now, and something cold is falling on me…”

  Damselfly looked up as Buttontail’s words trailed away. It was true; something was falling from the sky and it took a moment for them to realise what was happening. “It’s snowing,” the princess exclaimed.

  A steady flurry of snow was falling, covering everything in a layer of white powder.

  “We must be in the Wintergarden,” Damselfly announced.

  Buttontail was examining the unfamiliar snow. He sniffed it with his wrinkling nose and even tried tasting it with his long tongue.

  “I’m not sure—” Buttons conclusion was cut short as he was struck by a snow ball.

  “Got you,” Damselfly laughed.

  Buttontail recovered from his momentary shock by gathering snow to create his own projectile. Damselfly quickly ducked behind a tree to avoid the snowball and reload her own supplies. Buttons was rather hopeless at snowball fights although for a change he was enthusiastic about the ga
me. After chasing each other around the hollow, they rested with Damselfly showing Buttontail how to make snow angels.

  “I like snow,” Buttons stated.

  “I forgot how pretty the moon and stars are,” the princess exclaimed, looking up at the night sky.

  In the Wintergarden it was always night, always snowing and always a full moon. The pair’s game was interrupted by a distant howl. Buttons’ ears perked up immediately at the sound, which appeared to be coming from behind them.

  “What was that?” the cowardly rabbit enquired.

  “Probably a stray dog,” Damselfly replied unconvincingly. “Maybe we should go look for some people and shelter.”

  “And food,” Buttons reminded. “I’m starving.”

  Damselfly led the way with Buttontail close behind, leaving a trail of footprints in the snow. Several times they heard howling but it was distant and they kept moving. Soon Buttontail became weary, his stomach growled and both of them were freezing.

  “I don’t like snow,” Buttons corrected, his long buck teeth chattering as he pulled his waistcoat tighter.

  Damselfly was also cold and hungry though she attempted to remain positive, leading the way with a sense of confidence she did not feel.

  “Orion could be close behind us,” Damselfly warned, knowing the sorcerer’s name would convince her companion to keep going. “We have to find a way into the Magicgarden, locate the Matriarch and she can help us save my mother.”

  There was no sign of habitation with everything covered in a thick layer of white snow. Trees made ghastly silhouettes in the dark night and a biting wind snapped at their heels. Damselfly’s red shoes were soon drenched from all the snow and her toes were turning numb.

  “Perhaps everyone got sick of all the snow,” Buttontail prophesied.

  “Someone must still live here,” Damselfly answered defiantly.

  A bird hooted loudly as it flew overhead, disappearing almost immediately into the darkness. Damselfly looked up at the moon and was grateful for the light it provided. “What was that?” Buttons asked.