Faerie Unraveled

by Linda Jordan

  Would their news make anything change?

  By the time they reached the Palace, the sun was setting and the moon had already risen. The nightbirds began their slow deep songs. Frogs called for mates.

  The Luminary wouldn’t see them until morning. The Court would be reveling.

  They chose to spend the night in a meadow. Skye flew high up in a tree and perched there. Glenna, Pearce and Adaire slept beneath various trees.

  Egan looked longingly at the nearby fires. These were flax or sunflower oil fires. They burned hot and steady.

  Finally, he said, “I’m going into the fire. Call me in the morning if I’m not back.

  Adaire nodded, sleepily.

  Egan walked toward the fire and hung his leather pouch on a sculpture, marking it as his own by making his forefinger burn a fire symbol into the leather. He hadn’t been able to do that in a very long time.

  Then he walked into the fire and curled up to sleep. Warm and loose, relaxed at last.

  Chapter 30 ~ Balor

  Balor paced the ground outside Faerie, his heavy footfalls shaking the earth, causing boulders to roll down the hillside.

  He smiled, his ancient grin missing a few teeth.

  They were ready.

  The boundaries had begun to loosen. A few humans had slipped in, accidentally, so his people would need to move quickly. Before the humans’ presence was discovered. Otherwise the Fae would probably discover the loosened boundaries and his people would have to begin all over again.

  On the West side, the first in was Cethlenn. Flowing with her fog past the edges of Faerie like the cold fingers of death. Creating cover for the others, which included Domnu, her deep waters flooding the land.

  On the East side went Elatha and his small band. On the North came Corb blowing in like a tornado, destroying everything in his path.

  Balor’s side was the South.

  He removed the layers of bandanas from his head. Stuffed them in the front pocket of his baggy pants. He crept beneath the loosened boundary. Once inside his third eye opened.

  He gave his baleful glare to a tree. Heat poured out of his third eye, streaming towards the ancient holly tree. The furrowed bark dried up and cracked open, exposing the softer skin inside. Which opened up in turn. The liquid inside the massive trunk dried up as the tree died. Nearby shrubs withered and shriveled. Some of them dried out so much they caught fire.

  Everywhere his eye touched fire and drought burned through the land and famine would follow. Behind him were his troops, ready to kill whatever survived his gaze.

  He smiled. He hadn’t lost his touch.

  The Fae would be exterminated.

  The land would belong to the Fomorians again. Then they’d wipe out those pesky humans.

  He was hungry for the smell of charred flesh.

  Charred Fae flesh.

  Chapter 31 ~ Fiachna

  Fiachna had taken the fastest route to the city. He’d asked a sturdy looking, white mare for her help and she consented to carry him. He stood on a boulder and swung up on her back, holding onto a hunk of her mane. She ran all the way to the city, only stopping once for some water.

  He slid off down on the road in front of the Palace and bowed. The shining white palace sat high on the hills above him.

  Fiachna turned to the horse, thanking her.

  “It was my pleasure to carry you,” she said to his mind, then bowed to him and went over to a grassy field to roll in some sweet grass.

  Fiachna’s legs felt like rubber, he hadn’t ridden in a very long time. His pants were wet from the sweat of the mare.

  The sun had just passed midday as he climbed the tall and wide outdoor stairs to the grand entrance of the building. Now the palace was formed from rows of tall white barked trees. Their trunks arching at the top of the building, growing together at the top and forming a canopy.

  Once inside the massive carved wooden doors in front, the black veined white marble floor felt cool and smooth to his rough bare feet. He felt a little shabby in his torn clothes and his dirty cape, but his news couldn’t wait for him to bathe and find nice clothes.

  He walked down the long hallway. Inside it was formed of tall stone arches open to the sky. The throne room where the Luminary interacted with his people sat at the end of the hall.

  There was a long line. A Court Official came up to him. She was tall, her long red hair, even braided, hung past her knees. She wore the purple and gold sash which marked her as a servant of the Court.

  “What is your business with the Luminary?”

  “I’m a Boundary Keeper. Perhaps the only one. The boundaries around Faerie are being opened. I keep closing them, but the Fomorians are following along behind, opening them. I can’t keep up. I sent messengers, but there’s been no response. We are open for attack.”

  “The Fomorians? They’re long dead.”

  “No. They’re not. They’re alive and about to attack us.”

  “Perhaps you need to rest.”

  “Perhaps you need to send someone to look at the boundaries and find the Fomorians who are tearing apart the barrow mounds. I’ve found ten desecrated graves already. I know there are more. And I’m old enough to know what Fomorians smell like. To recognize their magic. They’re alive and Faerie has been opened.”

  The official still looked skeptical, but she called for a couple of air spirits. The air Fae listened to what she had to say and ran out of the building. He could see them taking flight as soon as they left the palace.

  Fiachna stood in line, waiting, for what seemed like an eternity. The Luminary sat on his throne, listening attentively to each person. Asking a few questions and then making some sort of decision.

  He was a big Fae. Tall and well muscled. Rumor had it that he had been a warrior in ancient days and that he still practiced with weapons.

  His long dark hair was twined into multiple plaits and those were woven together until they all came together in one thick braid. He wore the purple, trimmed with gold, flowing pants of his office, leaving his chest bare. Around his waist was a leather belt with a sheathed long knife. Other than a gold tie for his braid, he wore no ornamentation. His feet were bare at the moment. Leather sandals kicked off.

  The Luminary looked like a powerful ruler for all his casualness. And the people who Fiachna watched treated him so.

  But he was too casual. He hadn’t answered Fiachna’s messages. Hadn’t taken them seriously.

  He’d left Faerie undefended.

  And over the last two thousand years Fae had been leaving Faerie. Unwilling to withdraw from the outside world. To watch Faerie’s retreat. Some of the most powerful had left and never returned.

  He shook his head.

  A flurry of activity as five air spirits landed and ran to the Highest Official, who stood near the Luminary.

  They spoke to the official. Fiachna watched as his eyes widened. Fae didn’t often express fear, but the High Official looked like he wanted to flee.

  Instead he turned to the Fae speaking to the Luminary, and held up his hand signaling him to stop.

  The Official whispered in the Luminary’s ear. The Luminary stood, spouting orders for his warriors to gather.

  The Luminary looked at Fiachna and waved him up. Then he put his hand on the shoulder of the Fae whose long story he’d been listening to, “I must interrupt our conversation.”

  The Luminary stared at Fiachna.

  Fiachna made his way up through the crowd, who parted for him.

  The Luminary glared at him. “Why did you not come earlier?”

  “I sent two previous messages, days ago. Ravens brought them. I received no response, so I came myself. Did you not receive the messages? About the Fomorians?”

  “Fomorians, they’re all dead. Well, it is too late now. All the boundaries are open. We’re under attack. Who is it?”

  “It is the Fomorians. You can’t kill the old Gods. They simply faded for a time. Now they’re back and opening all our borders
.”

  “If we can’t kill them, how can we defeat them?” asked the Luminary.

  Fiachna stared at him, open mouthed.

  It was then that five tall Fae came into the room. He could feel their power, fresh and strong. They’d been out in the world. He could feel the influence of the world on their energy. They were alive in a way the Fae who lived in Faerie weren’t any more. And they smelled different. Like a fresh spring wind filled with rain. Like sunlight on warm skin. Like the pungent scent of daisies.

  He stepped back to let them speak.

  Chapter 32 ~ Adaire

  Adaire felt the great age of the trees which made up the supports of the palace. They rose up three stories tall. Hawthorns and fastigated yews, rowan and ash. The palace smelled earthy and old. There was a stuffiness in the air, like in a room closed up for too long with many people in it. The air wanted to freshen itself.

  She had a vague recollection of the palace as a living being. That changed itself from time to time, according to the Luminary or outside events. Perhaps by its own whim. Sometimes it looked different to different people. Presenting itself as what the viewer needed to see.

  It seemed in need of a change.

  High above the colonnade of trees the branches, leaves and needles grew together to form a tall, arched living ceiling. Birds flitted in and out, squirrels and other small creatures jumped from limb to limb.

  In between the supports vines had woven themselves thick enough to form walls. Boulders, polished by years of attention, sat in a semicircle around a large throne, carved from the roots of an overturned, dead oak tree. Behind the throne lay a large pool of water, fed by a stream.

  Upon the gnarled throne of roots sat the Luminary. It wasn’t the same one as when she’d left, that one had been a female air Fae. A sylph, like Skye. This Luminary was an earth spirit. He was a reed spirit.

  Why had he been chosen as leader?

  Surely, he must be too weak. Reeds were flexible, but weak compared to other spirits.

  Egan wove his way to the front. She and the others followed.

  The Court felt chaotic. Something was going on. More panicked Fae were filing into the hall every minute.

  She could feel tension, confusion and fear growing in the room.

  Egan stood in front of the Luminary, the fire spirit’s arms folded and flames leaking from his body. No one had acknowledged their presence, except a Fae standing off to the side. He was older and smelled of rocks and earth. His magic was stronger than most. He bowed and stared at them as if waiting for something to happen. For them to act.

  No one else met their eyes.

  Adaire sent a message to Glenna and Pearce. They nodded and focused their attention on the vines of the palace walls, helping them untwine. Letting them make spaces between the pillars of trees, allowing fresh air to blow through the palace.

  She watched Egan. He was about ready to explode with anger. The peppers he’d been eating had brought his power on full force. Adaire could hardly stand next to him, he radiated so much heat. She felt like he would burn her up.

  Finally, she said in a loud, deeply grounded voice which shook the earth around her, “You must listen to us.”

  Everyone turned and looked in surprise. Seeing them as if for the first time.

  The tree canopy rustled and dead leaves and twigs fell from above. The dust that came with them glistened in the sunlight, like pieces of crystalline rainbows.

  “Who are you?” asked the Luminary, standing.

  The five of them gave their names.

  Adaire was last.

  “I am Adaire. The five of us, and many others, left Faerie over a thousand years ago. We weren’t willing to shut ourselves off from the world. We’ve been living with humans, as humans, in different parts of the world. Until recently, when we and many others were captured. By the Fomorians, the old gods. Most of the captured Fae have perished. Only the five of us and three others escaped.”

  She paused and stared at the Luminary.

  He asked, “How can I believe such a story? The Fomorians are dead. There is no way they can be alive. It must be humans who are responsible.”

  Adaire felt furious. Was he too afraid to take charge? He seemed afraid of losing face, but more than his appearance of competency would be lost if he didn’t.

  Egan burst into flame and moved closer to the Luminary.

  “We have seen them. We were kept captive in their cold iron boxes,” he said.

  The Luminary shivered, his face blanching white as a birch tree.

  Egan continued, his body still flaming, “It took all of us to escape and to elude their pursuit. They are coming. They intend to destroy Faerie and exterminate all of us. You must wake up and act or you will be the Luminary who allowed our old enemies to wipe us off the face of the Earth.”

  Adaire shivered. She’d never realized Egan could draw on such power.

  Behind the throne, three figures rose out of the water. Water Fae transforming from fish. Scales changed into the pale skin of water spirits. Fins grew into arms and legs. They stepped out of the pool.

  When they’d finished, Adaire recognized Meredith, Dylan and Lynette.

  She smiled. They’d made it across the ocean safely. She’d been worried about them.

  The Luminary noticed people staring and turned to face the pool. Adaire watched his back and shoulders tighten. His entire body became rigid.

  With what? Fear? Anger?

  She couldn’t tell.

  Chapter 33 ~ Meredith

  Meredith shook off the water and pushed back her long greenish hair. She stepped from the palace pool and stood on the sacred ground that was the heart of Faerie. For the first time in over a thousand years, she was home.

  The throne room was a sea green color. Kelp dripped from stone arches imbedded with the mother of pearl sheen of shells. The room smelled of fish and salt, making her feel at home. The back of the throne looked like a lion fish carved from stone, spines sticking out everywhere. It was glorious and regal.

  Dylan and Lynette, now found, dear child, stood at her back, adding their considerable power to hers.

  The room was about half full of Fae and in front of the throne stood the Luminary.

  Meredith hid her surprise.

  She hadn’t expected it to be him.

  She gazed at the Luminary, meeting his eyes.

  Challenging him.

  It was the only way.

  He shook with anger. He knew what the challenge meant.

  Then he recovered, rather quicker than she expected.

  At least he’d learned something in a thousand years.

  He nodded, acknowledging her.

  “Varion,” she said.

  “Meredith.”

  “I see the others have arrived. They have told you of the Fomorians.”

  “I do not believe it.”

  “You always were a fool, little brother. You will believe it when they come to kill you. And the rest of us.”

  “You cannot insult me like that. I am the Luminary now.”

  “Yes, I see you standing by the throne. Doing nothing to counter this attack. They are making war on us, they’ve entered Faerie and you sit flapping your lips.”

  He bristled.

  It really was too easy to insult him.

  And it served no purpose.

  “I’ve been told they can’t be killed. How to fight such an enemy?”

  She sighed, exasperated.

  “You must outwit them. Trick them. They need to be confined somewhere. Permanently.” She was thinking on the fly. He wouldn’t, couldn’t come up with a plan. She had to.

  Her brother’s face wrinkled up, as if he was puzzled.

  “You must act! Now! Or all of Faerie will be destroyed!” roared Egan.

  Meredith jumped, startled.

  She’d sensed his power when they’d first met, but it had increased tenfold on his return to Faerie. Her brother’s power had decreased since she’d left.


  She said, “Varion. Wake up.”

  He shook his head, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to outwit them. I’m not powerful enough.”

  “I will tell you, but you must make the sacrifice. You must lure them down to the vaults.”

  “I suppose there’s no other way,” he said, his face drooping. She remembered him doing that as a child.

  Just before he betrayed her.

  As he always did.

  “Open the vaults!” yelled Egan.

  Several officials looked at Varion. He nodded, a look of despair on his face.

  Everyone moved out of the palace to the stone courtyard in front. Meredith, Dylan, Lynette, Adaire and the others moved towards the front. Following Varion and his officials.

  Fae were bringing huge oxen and hitching them to rings set into metal doors on the other side of the courtyard. The teams of oxen pulled open the metal doors, along with spiraling, ostentatious magic done by the Court Officials. More for show than any actual power.

  Where had all their power gone?

  Meredith remembered the only time she’d seen the vaults opened. It was when Faerie had been closed, just before she’d left it. Faerie’s most precious treasures had been put there for safekeeping. To mark the center of Faerie. And to anchor all the boundaries.

  It was tied in to the boundaries. What effect would opening it have?

  The sword of Nuada, the cauldron of Dagda, the spear of Lugh, the stone of Fal. All these, plus golden chalices, gemstones set in gold and silver. Much of the art their people had made. The physical and spiritual wealth of their people, lay down in that vault.

  The heavy doors wrenched open with a metallic croaking sound which was so loud it echoed through the courtyard. Cold air rushed out, along with the smell of earth. The walls and floor of the vault had been lined with perfectly cut stone and solidly mortared to keep water out. The sun hit the treasures lying in the open pit and Meredith was nearly blinded by the shimmering light, hidden for so long.

  “Come, let us remove our treasures,” said Varion.

  “No!” said Meredith. “It must stay. Otherwise the Fomorians will not take us seriously.”