Part 1
Chapter 21
The Key
Speeding up and over the castle wall like a dragonfly, I watched the crowd of mikla people huddled together at the entrance to the keep. Trumpets were blaring, I could hear choirs coming from inside, the sky was cloudy with inevitable rain, and I had to dodge sudden bird attacks every few minutes. Who knew starlings could be so dangerous? Chapter 22 The Chapel
Climbing the last of the musty, large, rough stairs, I pulled the key up onto the ground and fell onto my knees. I'd had to stop flying shortly before reaching the top, else I wouldn't have enough strength left to put the key in the keyhole on Donnelly's door. Chapter 23 Fight for the Thrown
"Donelly!" I pulled on his shirt. Chapter 24 Standoff
Climbing up the last stair, I flopped onto the ground, on my stomach, and panted. I could see Donnelly, Gwinna, and Claiborne above me on the next level of the castle walkway. They were on the tippy top of the keep. Why couldn't they just stay still for once? Chasing after these people for the past three days was really wearing me out. Chapter 25 Rest
Yawning and stretching, it felt like my aching muscles were going to tear. I knew I'd feel this when I woke up.
* * * * * * * *
Hopping into the air, I flew up and pushed back the lid of the jewelry box. Then I flew over and landed in front of the large mirror, alone in the vast room. Gwinna and Lisa had left to go get breakfast. I wasn't all that hungry yet. Besides, I didn't know how to act in front of a noble, let alone a group of them!
Spying the window to Claiborne's quarters, I dropped from the height and slowed down, trying to get used to the strong wind sheers. I nearly slammed into the glass before I was able to come to a shaky halt.
With a sigh of relief, I stepped onto the rim of the window and peered in.
Claiborne was still getting ready, though he appeared almost finished. Beside him stood Stewart, also in his finest. It made me sick.
'CHIRP'
My eyes widened and I quickly leapt from the lip of the window, instantly hearing a loud 'THUMP' behind me. Another bird had tried to get me, except he didn't stop in time.
Fluttering nervously down in uneven circles, I landed on the roof of an apartment below. Claiborne's window was closed, so I'd have to find another way in, possibly here on the first floor.
Hearing two more chirps I peered up at the thick sky. Two more gray birds were dive-bombing me!
Half scrambling and half fluttering, I scampered up the roof to the wall, as the birds swooped down behind me with their nasty beaks wide open!
Coming to the wall, I slipped into the tiny window crack and fell onto the sill just inside. The familiar 'THUMP's followed shortly after, as did some angry squawks.
Turning around, I make a quick snoot at the birds, who were madly pecking at the stone only a mikla foot away from me. Then I turned back around and adjusted my clothes.
Feeling my hips, I suddenly remembered that I was missing my weapons still. Grum had them!
Eyeing the room, I discovered that I'd actually flown into the side of the thrown room where the wedding would soon take place. People were still piling into it, filling up the spacious quarters. There must have been hundreds of them in total already.
Scanning the crowd, Grum's ugly face soon caught my eye. To my comfort, he was sleeping soundly in the pew, with his feet up on the one in front of him. He was also snoring, awarding him bad glares from the people sitting beside him.
Rubbing my tiny hands together, I took flight and followed the room along the wall nearest Grum. Then stopping on the outside of his pew, I landed on the floor and hurried underneath the bench.
Dodging hard shoes and leather laces, I neared Grum within seconds. I could already smell him, and I was sure I could hear flies circling his body.
Creeping up to his end of the pew, I stretched my wings and took off again, flying up over the lip of the pew and landing on his thigh.
He continued snoring, and everyone around him just thought I was another fly. Good. Now to get my weapons.
Tip-toeing on his wide girth, I was constantly heaved up and down with his breathing while trodding across his fatty gullet. Twice I nearly slipped and fell off him. Luckily I had wings to level me on the uneven plain.
Reaching his pocket, I eyed the sack which held Dun. A sudden, tiny voice caught my attention.
"Anyone out there? Get me out!"
Raising my eyebrow at the pouch, I slowly glanced up at Grum. He was still snoring like a loud trombone.
"Help!" The voice became weary.
Dun was talking? And I was the only one that heard him? Or was it that I was the only one that could understand him? Oh great. I must've been able to understand him since I was the one that had changed him.
Ignoring his voice, I crept over to Grum's squished pocket and reached in with my arm, feeling for my weapons. Finding the point of one of my arrows with my palm, I then found my bow and quiver and yanked them out. Next I managed to find my sword and slip it out, after accidentally gripping the blade instead of the hilt.
Sucking on the cuts on my palm, I slipped on my weapons and sheathed my sword. Now I would be ready.
Taking flight with my already sore wings, I flew down below the pews and began to travel back through the giant room stuffed with smelly people. Most of them just thought I was a passing insect and attempted to squish me, but the rest didn't even see me shimmer by under their benches.
By the time I reached the end of the room, I was flying unevenly again, gravity feeling like it was pulling down extra hard on me.
I bumped into a very wide lady and bounced into the air outside the room, rolling and wavering some. I would've shouted at her to watch where she was going, but decided not to. That big a woman could squash me with just her fat finger, or do something worse. . .like eat me.
Now dizzy, I flew in a strange zigzag, trying to remember where Claiborne was. I didn't have to think hard long, because his velvet robes caught me in mid flight as he hurried by.
I was sucked into a fold of the clothing and was forced to grab hold of them, or drop to the floor and get trampled on!
His step was quick, so I was flapped back and forth between his body and the robe, getting knocked ever dizzier.
In between contacts with his body, I finally managed to see his pocket, where he'd placed the key earlier. I would have to reach it before the ceremony, or Grum, him and Stewart would see me.
Reaching out with one hand, I tried to snag the pocket. But the slams against his back knocked me loose of his cloth.
Forced to fly again, I shot towards his pocket and clutched onto the side. As I was pumped up and down with the movement of his legs I also had to dodge his swinging arms.
Opening the pocket, and trying not to disturb him too much as I hung on, I peered down into it. The key flapped in the folds of the red cloth, out of my reach.
So, leaning over into the pocket, I stuffed my upper body in and stretched for the end of the gold key with my arms. It felt almost like I was raiding a cookie jar.
Success! I clutched the top of the key and began to pull it out. With a quick peek about, after I'd wiggled myself backward, I saw that Donnelly was getting a long gulp of red wine, apparently nervous. Served him right to be feeling worried.
Pulling the key the rest of the way out of the pocket, I took to the air again, nearly shooting straight to the ground like a rock!
The metal of the key was way too heavy for me to carry. Straining myself to my limit, I was only able to fly at a slow pace just a foot or so from the ground.
My eyes widened at the sudden legs of more guests moving by. Swerving, I could hardly keep hold of the key and fly at the same time.
Sweating heavily, I landed on the floor at the edge of the stairs in the reception room to catch my breath. Panting, I stared up at the high, long, winding, dark, evil staircase to Donnelly's cell. I nearly fell over from the impending exhaustion.
Uh oh. I needed sleep. No wonder I was tired already.
Staring up at the stairs, I licked the salt from my lips and picked up the heavy key again. Then I willed my wings to move, even though they were aching so bad that I thought they would fall off.
Lifting only a foot off the ground, I began my slow ascent up the staircase, listening to the chorus of musicians in the thrown room. The song was reaching its climax, which meant I wouldn't have much time before it ended. When it would end, Gwinna and Claiborne would walk up the isle and begin their vows. Then I'd only have a few minutes.
Wearily standing up, I wiped the flood of sweat from my hot brow and heaved up the key on my back. Carrying it like this, I made my way to Donnelly's door at the far end of the hallway, grunting under the weight. The key seemed to constantly grow heavier on me.
"Donnelly. . .are you. . .thaer?" I called in between pants as I came to the edge of the door. It was a stupid question and I quickly chastised myself for asking it. But there was no way I could whistle to him in this state.
"You came!" I heard him whisper loudly next to the door. "I thought. . .never mind. Do you have the key?"
"Yes. Oi. . .'ave it." I breathed, setting down the key and staring up at the hole very high above me in the door. "Oi'll 'ave you out. . .en a minute."
"Hurry. The song just ended down in the thrown room."
I didn't pause to listen, as I heard nothing but silence now. Taking the key in my hands, I wavered some in my stance.
"Wait, how are you going to get it in the hole? Your rope's here in the slot."
"Dinna fash. Jist. . .hang on." I breathed, as I stretched out my heavy wings and began to flutter upwards to the keyhole.
Hardly able to hold the key out from my body, I leaned into it to push it into the hole. Now all I had to do was figure out how to turn it.
Landing on the key's flat side as it lay in the hole, I began jumping on the one side. It soon jutted upright with a 'CLICK', and I slid off of it, grasping the top with my tired arms.
"How'd you do that?"
I ignored Donnelly as I yanked out the key, falling some down from the doorknob. Then I flew back up, sticking the key in between my legs to hold it. With my blistered hands free, I grabbed the knob, which was just a little smaller than I, and turned it.
The door unlatched and swung open with a low 'CREAK'. Fluttering down to the floor, I carried the key on my back and walked around the rotten door and into the cell.
I saw Donnelly standing as near to the door as he could, his chains tight. He stared at me with disbelief.
"You really are a faerie." He gasped.
"No time. . .here." I stopped at his feet, humped over from the key's weight.
He quickly relieved me of the key, and I heard him unlocking the shackles while I plopped back on the ground. The shackles then clunked loudly on the floor around me, as I sat on the cold rock, panting. My wings were flat against my back, exhausted, and my arms felt like thick syrup.
"Come on. Can't leave you up here with the rats." I heard Donnelly's anxious voice right before his familiar hands plucked me from the ground. Then I felt us moving forwards, before quickly descending. It was obvious that he was wasting little time in interrupting the wedding. Could I blame him?
"Stay in my pocket. You'll be safer in there." He commented before he carefully dropped me into his chest pocket. It was large enough to hold me, but small enough that while standing, I could easily see out.
"Gweenna thinks Grum has mey, but Grum really has Dun, who I changed enta a wee mouse, an' he's usin' mey. . .er, Dun so 'at she'll marry Claiborne, but she knows aboat you an' dinna wants ta do it, an' Claiborne thinks everythin's gret, but Elmer's daed, an' . . ." I began talking as fast as possible to inform him of everything going on before we started the big inevitable fight ahead, but he quickly cut me short.
"Slow down, slow down. I'll find out everything in a minute." I watched as he hurried through the reception room, and kitchen. Up ahead were the open doors to the thrown room, where I saw Gwinna and Claiborne at the end of the isle, standing in front of the clerk. They were all dressed in their finest, shimmering clothes, and the people seated around them stared in suspense.
The guards on the sides of the doors stared with open mouths at us. . .well, namely Donnelly. But their surprise didn't last long.
When they suddenly yanked out their swords, I figured they were working for Claiborne.
Cringing, I watched as Donnelly easily punched the first guard in the face and snatched up his long sword, before blocking a blow from the other guard. In one more fluent motion, the guard was pinned to the wall. At this point I wished I could just turn him into a little worm and be done with it.
Donnelly took the guard's sword and shoved him back into the kitchen, where I heard him crash and land in the cauldron set on the floor.
Feeling some of my energy returning, I tensely gripped the top of Donnelly's pocket, as I watched the people around us suddenly stare at him. The whole room gasped and whispered, and several people pointed at Donnelly, surprised that their favored Prince was still alive.
"Ooo, winna Claiborne be surprised." I snickered half to myself, knowing Donnelly could hear me. But he pretended he didn't, as I watched him glaring at his brother ahead.
Donnelly stopped in the middle of the isle, and everyone in the audience turned so they could stare at him. By now even the clerk had looked up and spotted him, and had become overwhelmed with surprised silence.
"What? What's going on?" Claiborne asked the clerk with growing frustration.
I spied Grum staring at Donnelly, then at me from his spot in the front pew. His surprised look turned into an ugly, angry, and probably smelly snarl. Even the flies around him seemed irate.
I gave him a smile and a little wave with my fingers before I turned my eyes to watch Claiborne and Gwinna in front of us.
"Oh Claiborne." Donnelly called, still clutching the two swords at his side.
I watched Gwinna turn around with merry glee, and then Claibrone whirl with a look of stunned hatred on his face.
"You! How'd you get out!" Claibrone pointed and snapped, stepping down from the platform into the middle of the isle, so Gwinna couldn't go anywhere.
"I had a little friend that helped me out." I heard the rumble in his chest as he answered Claiborne. "Too bad though that your friends didn't help you much. Like, Grum, is it?"
Grum stood up and glared at him, glancing at his boss every once in a while to see if there were any new orders.
"They did. I just didn't anticipate on two of them suddenly disappearing." Claiborne retorted. His next move was surprising, even to the audience. He wrenched out his sword and pointed it at the clerk's neck. "Finish marrying us! I have as much right to the thrown as he!"
The clerk stuttered before beginning his words again, nervously belting them out. Claiborne was going to go through with the marriage anyway.
"Haye, he canni du thees! . .can he?" I glanced up at Donnelly's chin.
"Yes, he can. If he marries before me, it will become legal, even if everybody's seen me now." Donnelly answered under his breath as I felt his body tense. "If the clerk continues, it's all over."
"Uh oh." With Claiborne armed and Grum at his side, Donnelly's chances weren't good. But wait. . .weren't there three ogres?
"Shhh, I have to concentrate." He replied as Grum thundered towards us with his fists ready.
"Donnelly! Trum!" The other ogre was somewhere, and we'd have to find him so he didn't try to sneak up on us.
"What?" Just at that time, I saw thick, green arms wrap around Donnelly's stomach below me! My eyes widening at Trum's large arms, the thought of irony running briefly through my head, before I shot out of his pocket.
Flying right around Donnelly's head, I yanked out my sword with my aching hand and flew straight at Trum's eye!
"Ye again!" Trum squeezed his eyes shut, and my sword poked into the thick skin of his eyelids. But I didn't stop there. Landing on his nose, I began poking at the same spot. "Get offa me ye litter pest!"
The next minute I flew up around his head, as his hand smacked into his own face.
It had worked. Donnelly whirled out of his grip just to run smack into Grum, who made a quick, strong swing with his fist!
Dodging Trum's swats and punches into open air, I caught glimpses of Donnelly making quick work of Grum, driving him back onto the pews with a hard 'THUM'! The people parted so the large body wouldn't crush them.
Then Donnelly turned and got Trum's attention by tapping him on the back of his shoulder.
I, being tired, hung panting in the air as Trum whirled towards Donnelly with a dumb question-look on his face. With a grin, Donnelly smacked the large ogre up-side the head with the flat edge of the blade. Trum fell like a ton of stone on the floor in front of him.
Then Donnelly turned and hurried up the isle towards Claiborne, who'd taken position behind the clerk, and was clutching Gwinna by the arm.
Gwinna had grabbed the nearby scepter and begun to smack Claiborne with it.
The clerk was sweating raindrops.
And the two guards from the entrance had recovered and were coming to reclaim their swords.
Snatching me from the air, Donnelly set me back in his pocket before running towards the guards.
I braced myself for impact, as the guards halted and stared at Donnelly, who leaned forwards and rammed them both with his shoulders.
After the jolt was over, I opened my eyes to watch again.
Donnelly then turned and hurried up the isle, as everyone around us was either running to leave the room, or was standing around worriedly, wondering what they should do.
Claiborne, the coward, hurried Gwinna over to the back door of the church. He pushed open the door and hurried out. It must have led up to a balcony on the top walk of the keep, because there were stairs on the other side.
Donnelly ran over to the door, and I glanced back behind us.
To my dismay, Grum hadn't decided to give up. He was up off the pews and rubbing his head. Donnelly would have his hands full with rescuing the damsel in distress without this blubbering oaf on his back.
Slipping out of his pocket, I yanked out my sword and flew back towards Grum, looking around for something heavy to push onto him.
Grum saw me coming, "Ye again! This time ye die!"
Flying straight towards him, I dodged his hands clapping together at me, and headed straight for his face. Taking my sword like I was in a joust, I aimed for his eye.
"AAAAAHH!! MY EYE!" Grum screamed and cupped his hand over his eye, right before I flew over to the other one. "AAAAAH!!!" He quickly cupped his hand over that one as well. "I's can't SEE!"
That took care of that. Flying away from the pain-stricken Grum, I landed on the stand, from which behind the clerk cowered in fear.
Watching Grum walking around and bumping into things with his hands out in front of him was a real relaxer. He wouldn't be causing trouble for Donnelly anymore.
"Gotcha!"
My heart skipped a beat as a large bowl appeared on top of me, with the lip firmly pressed on the wood of the flat stand top! Through the clear glass I could see a new guard sneering, his face a strange distorted shape because of looking through the bowl.
Then the guard laughed as he set a large book on top of the bowl, and held his sword high above the jar. He readied his arm by taking it back over his shoulder.
He was going to break the jar with me in it, and a large, heavy book on top! If I wasn't cut into a million pieces what was left of me would surely get squashed!
Watching his arm coming down towards the jar, I closed my eyes and braced for impact. This was it! It was all over!
I held there for a moment, waiting for the crashing sound which would be the last thing I'd hear.
The moment came and went, and I began to wonder if he was waiting for me to look before he killed me, as a sort of tormenting game.
Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer. Opening my eyes I peered around through the jar.
The book was gone, and so was the guard, like they'd just. . .disappeared! Where'd they go? What'd happened?
Walking over to the side of the jar, I put my sword away and began to lift it up. I was able to heave it up long enough to slip out before I dropped it back down again.
Peering around, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, or at least the ordinary that had become so a few minutes ago. Glancing down at the floor, I saw the soldier's sword and armor laying on the ground, as if he'd just stripped and left.
Something suddenly glowed out of the corner of my eye, and I whirled, yanking out my sword. But nothing was there. Then it hit me. The faeries! They'd known what was going on via the mirror and my antennae, and they could become invisible.
"Wael. . .thanks. . ." I waved at nothing, glancing around at the space about me.
Then I took off on my weak wings and puttered to the door, where I began my ascent up the stairs to see what was going on with Donnelly, Claiborne, and Gwinna.
Pushing myself up with my arms, I shook my head to keep myself awake. They were still fighting, things weren't over yet, I'd have to stay awake.
STAY AWAKE!
Pushing myself to an unbalanced stance, I peered way up at the three as they bickered near the edge of the top. As far as I could tell, Claiborne still had himself between Gwinna and Donnelly. He would soon no doubt use her as a last chance escape if Donnelly got the upper hand.
Willing my wings to fly, I crouched down and pushed upwards with my legs, waiting to leave the ground. But I didn't leave the ground. My wings wouldn't move.
Looking back at them, I saw them hanging limp, worn-out and flat against my back, all pale and missing some sparkle. Poor wings.
I flicked one to try to get some life back into it, but it just wavered, and then laid limp. Poor things. I would definitely feel this tomorrow.
"Don't move! I'll do it!" Of course you know when someone says something like that it usually means they're about half off their rocker.
My eyes widened and my attention returned to the present situation when I saw Gwinna's dress blowing out over the edge above me. It was Claiborne's voice making the threat, and I could see his robes in front of Gwinna. What was he doing?
"I won't move!" I heard Donnelly reply.
"Good. Else little Gwinna will make a nice impression on the ground." Claiborne's unsteady voice warned.
He was going to what? Why that low. . .low. . .
Swaying in my stance, my mind suddenly wandered and I nearly went to sleep. Shaking my head, I woke myself back up and reminded myself of the situation.
If Claiborne pushed her off above me, it was small chance she'd be able to catch this narrow walkway and be able to hang on without breaking her neck and falling to the ground below.
Listening to Donnelly try to talk Claiborne into letting her go, I walked over to the wall and eyed it. The crevasses were large enough for me to hang on to. I could climb up at least, but what would I do then?
Spitting into my gloved hands, I grabbed the rock and began to slowly haul myself up.
"Claiborne, don't do this! Gwinna's done nothing to you." Donnelly coaxed. "Just let her go. This is between you and me."
"No! I'm not going to fall for it! You were always bigger and stronger and smarter and faster and better than me! Well not anymore! I'm going to be King, and you can't get in my way you whiny brat! You always got the best things, and the best from our parents. But what did I get? Nothing! Just a second line to the thrown if something happened to you, and that was only if you didn't have children." Claiborne voice was erratic, and it was clear that he was letting everything out.
Grabbing Gwinna's whipping dress, I began to climb up. She jerked and looked down at me when she felt the tug, which I was surprised that she could feel in this wind.
When she saw me, she was still very worried, what with Claiborne's tight grasp on her upper arm. But she managed to indescreetly pull me from my cling-spot on her dress and lift me to her ear.
"Put mey on hees shoulder." I whispered, pointing at Claiborne.
Gwinna nodded, and eased me onto the thick clothes covering Claiborne's right shoulder. I soon found out that the man was actually shaking.
Leaning over to his ear, I grabbed a good hold of the cloak around his neck. "Claiborne. . ." I used my voice in an almost singsong manner. "Dun ain't here anymore because Oi turned heem enta a mouse. An' Oi destroyed Elmer with a seengle zap o' mageek." He didn't have to know that it was actually Elmer's own magic that got him.
Claiborne whirled frantically, forgetting about Gwinna and swinging his sword high in the air! Gwinna quickly ducked it and hurried away from him to the other side of the keep's top.
I, on the other hand, couldn't hold onto his clothes, as tired and weak as I was. In the next moment I was flying through the air and plopping on the rock of the keep's roof.
Laying there, I waited for my body to catch up to my mind, which was racing. But my body really didn't want to move very much.
Opening my eyes with a groan, I watched Donnelly lunge forward towards Claiborne! The two's swords clashed, and they fought at the edge of the rock.
Next thing I knew I was in Gwinna's hands and heard her whisper, "Are you all right?"
"Fine. . .jis' fine." I lifted my hand long enough to wave before letting it flop back down again.
From my perch in her hands I watched Donnelly and Claiborne going at it.
Donnelly was backed up against the edge of the wall now, and Claiborne was a mad wreck! Both were getting tired and sweaty, and in the cool air they'd be lucky if they didn't get sick. Actually we'd all be lucky if we didn't get sick.
Claiborne suddenly lunged with his sword towards Donnelly's heart!
Donnelly turned sideways, the sword barely missing his blowing clothes. He then rammed forwards and drove his fist into Claiborne's gut!
Claiborne gasped for air and bent over, right before Donnelly slammed him in the face with another fist, knocking him to the ground!
Yay! Donnelly won! I could get a break now! He would be King! Donnelly. . .won. . .
I felt myself drifting off and watched everything go black. Not that it wasn't comforting. . .because it was.
Rubbing my eyes, I flapped my wings some to make sure they still worked. Thankfully they did, but they were so sore that it wasn't funny. Never once had I thought that wings could hurt just from use.
Massaging my shoulders with my hands, I soon became aware of the soft cushion underneath me. I also seemed to bounce when I moved.
Opening my eyes, I spied a large pillow, or at least large compared to me, sitting underneath my body. Below it, I saw the familiar red oak of Gwinna's dresser.
"Good morning." I heard Gwinna call from across the room.
"Marnin'." I replied with another wide yawn and stretch. Then I relaxed and laid back on the cushion again, sprawled out like a dead insect. "Hoe long were Oi out?"
"All yesterday and last night." I heard Gwinna yawn also, and suspected that she was in bed.
Looking down at myself, I saw that all I was wearing was a large, white särk. "Whaer're moy clothes?" I quickly scrunched up in a ball on the cushion.
"They're being washed as we speak." I saw Gwinna sit up and rub her eyes.
"Oh. Wael, 'at ain't so bad." At least they would be given back to me when they dried.
Lisa made her presence known when she stood up from the floor and hurried over to the large closet containing Gwinna's clothes. Her doing so made me jump slightly. I hadn't even seen her until that point.
"An' Oi dinna belong en a box." I wagged my finger at her before crawling off the cushion and taking a cloth napkin from the dresser top. Wrapping it around myself, I used it as a make-shift robe. One can be very inventive when everything is ten times larger than normal.
Lisa paused to look at me somewhat questioningly before she went back to picking out Gwinna's clothes for the day.
Gwinna shook her head, "You faeries are so silly."
"Oi'm not a faerie." I folded my arms and stood somewhat indignantly. I was always a little cranky after sleep. "Oi estableeshed 'at yesterdag ta th' King."
"You mean Donnelly?" Gwinna got out of bed and walked over to the dresser, pulling out a chair and fluffing her hair.
"No. Th' Faerie King. . .wot du you mean?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Donnelly was crowned yesterday, and today is our marriage." She peered into the mirror as Lisa hurried over with her white wedding dress.
"Oh. You guys dinna waste any time du you?" I sat back on my little cushion and watched my wings and antennae stretching in the mirror. Ever since seeing that mirror that Elmer'd had I'd never look at mirrors the same way again. Even this one gave me a little bit of the creeps.
"Well, what about you? What are you now?" She reached down and felt my wings with her finger, then my antennae.
"Oh. Oi'm still th' same, jist with wings, an' antennae." I answered, glancing up at the bluish purple tips on my antennae. "It's a long story."
"Donnelly and I, along with the council want to hear the whole thing later today before the wedding. We're curious as to what actually went on and took you so long to get the keys." Gwinna got up and began to get dressed, with Lisa helping her into the elaborate clothes.
"Oh." I hated speeches. They gave me the willies. I decided to change the subject, "Wot happened ta th' ogres an' Claiborne?"
"They're in the dungeon as we speak. They're going to stay there for quite a while."
Ahhh. So that's what you get around here for crimes. A long jail sentence.
"I had my seamstresses make you an outfit for the wedding later today. Donnelly and I want you to be the flower girl, because of the way you glow when you fly and drop that gold dust."
I glowed when I flew? This was something I hadn't realized before. Walking over to the mirror, I peered hard at myself as I took to flight and began hovering off the dresser. Sure enough, I began glowing gold. Must have been a side-effect of the wings. Oh well, no harm done. I just wouldn't ever need a candle again.
Gwinna walked over and took a small, turquoise/velvet and white dress, made of fine silk, complete with small diamonds, and sapphires.
After carefully handing me the dress with her fingertips, she then took out a pair of shoes that went with the dress, and some tiny strands of white silk that I suspected would be woven into my hair.
I stared at them as she set them down in front of me. Then she took out another outfit, but this one very much resembled my old clothes. It appeared to be the same boots, overcoat, cloak, gloves and belt that I owned, except they were all turquoise/velvet and black. She also pulled out a new elaborate sword, bow, and quiver of arrows.
"They also made these, though I don't think anyone told them to." Gwinna set them down in front of me all in a pile.
Okay, this was getting strange. Everything was the color of my wings and antennae. "Are you sure it were th' seamstresses?"
"Yes. I asked them to begin last night and the clothes were sitting in my jewelry box early this morning." She replied putting on the last of her clothes and sitting down to do her hair.
Narrowing my eyes, I carefully scanned the room. At the far end I saw Gwinna's window, wide open, letting the fresh morning breeze sneak in. "Has 'at window been open all night?"
"Yes, why?" Gwinna aasked while Lisa pulled her hair up and began to style it.
No reason to get them worried or alarmed on her wedding day. "Nothin', jist wonderin'." Spying the nearby jewelry box, I realized it was the only place I'd be able to get privacy while the two were in the room. They may have been used to people watching them change clothes, but I wasn't. "Oi'm jist gonna change en th' box." I pointed to the box before flying over and fluttering down into it, carrying my new clothes and accessories.
Flying out to momentarily grab a nearby needle, I flew back over to the box and slowly pulled the lid down on myself. Then I propped the lid up against the box lip with the needle, keeping it open enough that it wouldn't latch, and I could easily get out.
I suddenly felt that familiar tingling sensation in my antennae and knew that faeries had come into the room with me. They seemed to only come around at the strangest of times. They were somewhat sad, but also happy, in a way.
A faerie girl, slightly taller than me landed at my right and began looking herself over in the mirror.
Another girl landed on my left, also watching herself in the mirror. It was apparent that they were either picky about their appearance, or they were a little vain. But nobody's perfect.
I glanced from one to the other, "Oi know it were th' King 'at sent th' clothes. . .weren't it?"
"Nope. Wasn't the King." The one on my left answered, smoothing back her short, croppy maroon hair.
"We were the ones that made them and brought them here. It was our idea." The yellow and lime colored one on my right answered, walking over and holding my hair up high and looking at my reflection in the mirror.
"Wot are you duin'?" I watched as the other faerie joined her in messing with my silver, straight hair.
"Getting you ready for Donnelly and Gwinna's wedding of course." The other one, who was magenta and light blue colored answered, fluttering above my head and twirling my hair.
"Wait, first you make mey clothes," I paused to look down at the expensive dress and shoes I was wearing, then over at the new outfit and weapons sitting in the jewelry box, "Now you're duin' moy hair?" I peered up and watched them beginning to weave the silk strands into braids in my hair. "Why?"
The lime and yellow one spoke up. "Because everybody's thrilled now back at the tree. And you're an honorary faerie."
