“The amazement of her majesty’s garden will be short lived, you’ll see. Once she graces us with her presence, it will all change,” Chester responded coarsely.
Matt wondered why the horse seemed to hate the Fairy Queen so much. It scared him. Would she willingly give them what they needed to find his brother, or would she be as difficult as the horse made her out to be?
When they moved to the center of the garden he observed two tiny crystal thrones, bordered by lilies and roses, elevated above the rest of the flowers. Trumpets bellowed sharply, heralding their appearance, and Matt jumped at the abruptness of the sound. Once the trumpets grew quiet, a murmur of voices filtered outward from the shadows of the small trees. “All hail Queen Onagh and King Titus,” a portly fairy yelled. He fluttered in between the thrones, and waited, his face frozen in a frown.
The trumpets sounded again, their warble fading quickly. With a loud swoosh of many tiny wings, the courtyard filled with the lords and ladies of Fairy Dell. They took their place around the thrones and grew silent. Matt watched as two ornate violet-colored crystal doors at the back of the garden opened in unison. The Fairy Queen emerged from within the darkened arch and stopped at the threshold to observe the members of her court. She thrust her chin outward and her bright eyes focused on Matt.
Slowly she entered the garden and made her way to the throne on the left. Her hair, pinned back by an emerald crown, glowed golden in the sunlight, and her dress resembled shimmering tulip petals. She was much different than Matt had expected. From the way Chester spoke of her, he thought she wouldn’t be pretty. He had envisioned something like an old hag.
Behind her followed the king, handsomely dressed in a tailored gold and green suit. His demeanor demanded the attention of all around him. An identical crown to that of the queen’s sat on his head. When he reached the other throne, the two sat down simultaneously and stared intently at the children and the horse for a Moment. Finally the queen spoke.
“Chester, it’s been more than a hundred years since we’ve seen you here at the Dell,” she stated flatly, her voice curt and brittle.
“I don’t think it’s been that long, your majesty, but what does a simple horse know.” Chester politely bowed before her.
“You know enough that you need our help. The guard told me what you’re requesting and I must say you're brave to ask me for this, knowing what had happened the last time someone took...the map.” Her voice faltered briefly before she regained her composure. “So the Dark One has taken children? How is it that a human child was even allowed to roam the grounds surrounding the portal? Weren’t you given the task of guarding it from such things?”
“My Queen...” Chester began.
“Don’t insult me with excuses.” Her pale blue eyes sparkled angrily. “Hadn't the task been set for you to make sure no other human set foot upon the threshold of that particular mirror?”
“My Queen, the Manor was empty for some time. It’s only been within the past two years that people began living there again. Somehow, Uthal found a way to reach outside of his prison. None of the five children he took were even close to the gate. When I discovered a banshee had been sent, I rushed to oppose it. But there was nothing I could do. It was too late.” An uncomfortable silence hung in the air as the horse finished his explanation.
“With all due respect, my Lady, we knew this day would come. We knew Uthal would regain his strength. It’s unfortunate these children were taken, but now he has five, the number needed to fuel the Orb. It’ll make our journey harder knowing the warlock is on the verge of summoning the forbidden spell once again. The lives of the abducted young ones lie in your generosity and the gift of the map.”
“You. What are your names?” the queen demanded, pointing to Matt.
“My name is Matthew Kelly,” he replied as he bowed before her. “And this is Miranda Gay, Thomas and Ned Neely, my friends.” Each stepped forward to bow respectfully before the king and queen after Matt’s introduction.
“So you’ve come to play hero, have you?” Her sarcasm was harsh and whipping. She narrowed her eyes as she rose from her throne, flying to view each one in turn with an icy stare. “How exciting to have savage humans roam the dell once again.”
“Majesty, if I may interrupt...the quatrains spoke of...the legend of the four. We...I believe this is the time of its beginning,” the horse stated awkwardly.
“Oh, yes, the great wizard Keltrain and his prophecies. Does anyone here really think he was right regarding the legend of the four?” She laughed loudly. Matt knew it was fake but the whole room laughed too. “See, Fairy Dell doesn’t believe in prophecies,” she stated to the horse.
“But the rest of Green Isle does.” Chester lowered his head and regarded the queen with a look of distaste.
“Hmmm. If he’s right then, which of you will defeat the Dark One?” Her voice became hushed and low as she peered at them from beneath her eyelashes. “And which of you will take his place? Has Chester actually told you what must be done? Has he told you of the true danger?” Her glance remained on Matt longer than the others. “Do you realize you’ll be fighting for your lives and those of all living creatures on both our worlds? If we suppose Keltrain is correct in his mystic telling.”
Ned whimpered, “No, ma’am.”
“The Sword of Balorn was safely hidden for its protection after the second war here on Be’thasileth, and only the magic of the map will give you its position. Do you think you’ll be able to unlock its secrets?” she queried. A strange look passed briefly in her pale eyes.
“Your guards informed me last night that you hid Prince Finley’s Wand with the Water Wraiths; a good move on your part, Majesty. Will they hold it safely?”
“The Water Wraiths are always true to their word. The Wand of Finley is in good hands.” The queen sat back down on her throne, her eyes suddenly darkening. “I’ve already instructed to have the map placed in a leather pouch for you to take. But unless you can read the ancient language of the Fomorians, it’ll do you no good.”
Chester, upset, snorted loudly. “I thought the map was translated long ago by one of your scholars? Why can’t we have the translation?”
“Our translator did compile some research on the ancient language; unfortunately he disappeared some time ago under mysterious circumstances. None of his notes can be found.”
“Then what must we do with the map in order to understand it?” Chester asked with disappointment.
“You’ll need to travel to the summer castle at Ellyllon,” the queen instructed firmly. “I believe King Angus and Queen Erulisse can help you better than I. The map had once been in their keeping, at the library there.”
Chester bowed. “Thank you, my Queen. We do appreciate your assistance.”
“Gazi,” Queen Onagh cried out. “Gazi, where are you with the map?”
The portly fairy appeared from behind the violet crystal doors, his flight hindered by the weight of a leather pouch. Zigzagging crazily, he careened towards the children, his cheeks red from the strain of his burden. Thrusting the pouch upon Miranda, the closest to him, he darted back into the arch, wheezing. Miranda untied the leather laces and partially unrolled the ancient document. Yellow aged paper, etched with a foreign language and drawings crinkled within her hands.
“Be careful with that,” Chester instructed sternly. “That map is thousands of years old, and at this Moment, our only hope in finding the means to defeating Uthal.”
Queen Onagh rose from her throne and elegantly fluttered to the horse. “An archer and healer sent by Queen Erulisse have infiltrated Crag Cairn on Black Isle. They have been watching the activity in the old fortress. We’ve discovered Uthal has enlisted the help of Bera, the Winter Witch. I’m sure it was her that sent the banshee for the human children. Bera’s power is great. She's opened the underworld and unleashed the Slaugh into Green Isle at the borders beyond Ellyllon, too. It won’t be long before we see them within the sanctuary of the Dell. I’
m sure they both are already aware you’ve entered the portal.” The queen signaled for Gazi again. “You must protect yourselves against the evil of the Slaugh. Otherwise, you’ll not make it past the Great Pine Forest on the other side of Ellyllon.”
Gazi whizzed through the violet doors again. This time he held brooches within his arms, no bigger than a quarter. The emerald four-leaf clovers sparkled in the light.
“Keep these pinned over your heart. They’ll guard against darkness and detection from the Slaugh, hiding you beneath the veil of my spell.”
The children donned their jewels and admired them briefly.
“Chester,” the Queen flew closer to the horse. “Our lives, along with the existence of the Green Isle, are in the hands of you and your companions. Go with courage, and do not fail us.”
Chapter Eight
Matt regarded himself in the mirror. He didn’t even look like a boy from Earth. He watched several fairies take his tattered and dirty clothes out of the room and realized in some small way that the disappearance of those clothes was a door closed to a part of his life. He couldn’t explain the feeling. It was just there, part dread, some doubt, and a little apprehension thrown in with it.
After Queen Onagh had dismissed them earlier from the garden, she instructed her guards to take the four friends to another part of the palace. In the inner chambers, royal members of Fairy Dell helped them change into leather outfits especially prepared for their travel in the wilderness of Be’thasileth. It took some time for all of them to figure out the strange lacing and buttoning of the unfamiliar clothing, and Ned somehow ended up with everything backwards.
Matt remembered the look on his face and smiled in amusement. It had taken several fairies to help his friend straighten out his mistake. When they were finally finished and headed back out to the main entrance, Gazi appeared, followed by others who held brown felt cloaks embroidered with the royal crest. Worry etched his face.
“You must guard yourselves against evil.” Gazi motioned for them to pin the emerald clovers on their cloaks. “Left without the spell of protection, you are in danger from the Slaugh. That horrible menace would take your souls down to the very depths of nothingness.”
“Thank you, Gazi,” Matt said. “We do appreciate everything.” He drew the two sides of his cloak together and used the emerald to pin them. When he straightened the material over his shoulders, he felt the heaviness of the fabric shelter his body. He regarded himself in the mirror again. Matt from Earth didn’t exist anymore in the reflection. His image surprised him, and at the same time frightened him a bit. The leather of his outfit felt smooth and soft, and blended perfectly with the felt of the cloak. There was a certain freedom to the attire. Something that made him feel entirely different from who he was several days ago.
“Time to go,” Gazi said, motioning for them to follow him out of the room.
Walking down the main hall, Matt noticed that all the paintings had been covered up and the prison windows darkened with a glossy black material. It reminded him of his grandfather’s funeral in Chicago.
“We need to make sure no information is leaked to any outside source,” Gazi whispered, seeing the boy’s quizzical stare. “Your journey must go unnoticed for as long as possible.”
“If they’re imprisoned within the picture frames how could they know what’s going on here?”
“You would be surprised at how many of them find ways around her Majesty’s spells,” the fairy stated vaguely, his eyes shifting from one painting to another.
Exiting the Crystal Palace, the four friends stood on the top stair and gazed down to the grassy plaza below. News had spread quickly of their quest for the Sword of Balorn and every fairy had turned out to bid them farewell. The dell inhabitants began to cheer at their appearance, the noise growing louder with each passing Moment. Queen Onagh, hovering above their heads, raised her hands for silence.
Once the crowd grew still, she gave an exciting and emotional speech about the perils the four faced as they traveled to rescue the kidnapped children. Her words of the pending adventure and the overthrow of Uthal sent the fairy mass into a frenzied roar. Matt didn’t pay much attention to what she said, his thoughts focused on the distant mountains, for some reason. When she finished, the group made their way down the steps, winding through the mêlée of boisterous little folk. It was then that his mind finally awakened to the fact that they were setting out on a quest to find his brother and the others. He realized that they had crossed a line of no return. There was no turning back. He wouldn’t go home unless he had Toby with him.
After the sound of songs and cheering faded behind them, Matt ran to Chester and fell into step with the horse. He walked for a Moment in silence, matching the tempo of the horse's hooves, contemplating his questions. Touching his tunic, he felt the map inside, close to his heart. “How long will it take us to reach the Elf Castle?” he asked quietly.
“It’s a day if we travel by foot,” the horse replied.
“And from there, are we headed to Black Isle?”
“No, we’ve only just begun.”
Matt closed his eyes briefly. It was what he feared the horse would say.
“After Ellyllon, we’ll cross the eastern border of King Angus’ land into the Great Pine Forest and the wilderness surrounding the ApHar Mountains,” Chester stated flatly. “Since the Slaugh are roaming the isle, we’ll have to be on our guard until we reach the wizard’s home,” the horse continued. “The shelter of the pines will hopefully hide our progress.”
“What’s a Slaugh?” Thomas asked as he glanced at Matt in bewilderment. “Gee, it woulda been nice if someone could explain some of these things. All these weird names are confusing.”
“If you must know, the Slaugh are the un-forgiven dead. They had forsaken the light for evil when they were alive. Uthal calls them to do his vile errands, for they’re bound to come to him. They can steal the souls of those they hunt or cause them to become just as cursed.”
“That’s why Queen Onagh gave us all these things,” Miranda proudly proclaimed, holding up her emerald brooch. “One of her Ladies-in-Waiting told me that as long as we wear them, the Slaugh can’t hurt us. They also keep us invisible to them and all. It has somethin’ to do with the magic of the emeralds—a protective spell Queen Onagh placed on them.”
“All this talk of soul stealing is really just too much for a normal human being. I told ya I didn’t wanna come,” Ned mumbled, drifting close behind the others. He was still trying to adjust his leather outfit. “All this gab about protection spells and the walking undead, it’s enough to make one just die from fright, ya know.”
“You’ll need all the protection you can get,” Chester stated loudly so Ned could hear. “You don’t want to meet up with a Slaugh. No one can survive looking into its face, a blank nothingness. Your soul will be drawn out and emptiness forced to take its place. You’ll be doomed to walk forever as a shell of yourself, a corpse to compassion.”
“Gee whiz, are there any other creatures like the Slaugh we should know about?”
“Ravens. Raven aren’t friends. Be careful when you see one. Their Queen Babda is a cousin to Bera, the Winter Witch. Their presence brings nothing but destruction.”
Matt remembered the birds perched on top of the Manor. “There were ravens on the roof of the house, the day we arrived. They sat on the gutters, oddly quiet, not moving or anything, just watching Toby, mother and me.”
“They were sent to spy from Black Isle.” The horse nodded wildly. ”Foul creatures.”
“Do you think that’s how they found a way around DaGon and Lily to take my brother and the others? Maybe they didn't come through the white crypt at all.”
“No. Impossible. The crypt is the only way to get through. We would know if there was another way.”
“Not being familiar with this world makes it difficult to know who’s a friend and who’s not,” Matt said with a sigh. “I’m just trying to make sense of it
all.”
“I understand your dilemma. Just do as we say and no harm will come to any of you.”
“I wish we didn’t have to wear these stupid leather pants,” Ned interjected abruptly. “I think my bottom end is getting chaffed.” Ned’s words caused the other three to laugh at his awkward walk. It was a needed release, if only for a Moment, until thoughts turned again to the quest before them. Settling into a slow pace next to Chester, the four soon grew quiet.
Matt watched the ground in front of him, his mind Wandering frequently to his brother and the others held captive. The excitement of meeting the Fairy Queen and King made him weary in spirit. Their encounter thrust many new unanswered questions into his head. He felt he needed more information about the prophecy the Fairy Queen had spoken of and the sword they were to find. What special powers did this Sword of Balorn have? Why had there been a prophecy about them? This whole thing seemed impossible. How were he and his friends drawn into some ancient battle between good and evil? His thoughts were quickly interrupted by an unfamiliar sound.
“What in the world was that?” Ned asked, his voice quivering.
Matt tentatively took a step to the side of the road towards a rustling in the bushes. “Come out of there,” he ordered, his voice firm.
“Okay,” a tiny feminine voice squeaked from within the branches. Snapping twigs could be heard as the unknown creature made its way to them.
“Come out where we can see you,” Matt demanded when it didn’t appear quickly enough.
The foliage parted and a large black and white cat emerged. Standing still for a Moment, she stared at the friends with narrowed oval eyes, her striped tail held high over her head, then silently padded her way to Matt’s feet and sat down. Her green eyes contemplated the boy and then the bewildered group behind him, one by one.
“Hello,” the feline finally said. She brushed at her long white whiskers with one of her paws.
“You know, you kinda frightened us for a Moment. I was expecting something... bigger than you.”
The Forgotten Spell (Legends of Green Isle Book 1) Page 12