from around his neck. “Ertalla! Ertalla!” he called over his shoulder. “I’m off to the Hill! Be right back! Entertain Lord Douglas while I’m away!”
“That’s me wife, Ertalla,” he explained to Douglas. “She’ll be right up,” and he leaped on the back of a Bluebird who came to his whistle, and made a beeline for the center of the Forest.
The Watch Elf returned in less than half an hour, accompanied by five Faerie warriors in full regalia, crimson and gold coats and tall bumblebee-fur shakoes held in place with golden chains. They rode unusually large, ruby-throated hummingbirds. The soldiers saluted Douglas crisply with long, thin lances as their mounts thrummed to a hovering halt before him.
“Lord Douglas, Brightwing’s friend, we greet you!” cried their Officer. “We fought in Battle of Sea under Prince Aedh and remember you well. It’s a pleasure and an honor to welcome you to Craylor Wendys, the Royal Forest of Remembrance”
“Thank you!” responded Douglas with a deep bow. “I thought it was called the Forest of Forgetfulness.”
“It is—by our enemies,” explained the Faerie warrior, relaxing his stiff posture. “Friends remember. We invite you to join us at our morning parade, which is about to begin. We’re here guarding one of the four Great Gateways to Faerie. The Gate lies within this hallowed Forest. Few Mortals have ever seen it, and fewer have passed through it.”
“I would be honored, but unfortunately I’m on urgent business for the Fellowship of Wizards,” replied Douglas, shaking his head with regret. “And I suspect it’s best if even I don’t know where your Gateway is. It would be a secret shared, and, as Queen Marget once told me, a secret shared is no longer secret.”
“Her wisdom is only surpassed by her graciousness,” said the guardian. “We truly regret that you are not able to stay awhile with us. As it is your wish, you have our full permission to pass through the Forest upon Bloody Brook. Nothing will stay your course. However, it were best if you and your companion did not set foot on dry ground beyond here until you emerge on the lea on the far side. There are certain pitfalls and snares set for the unwary intruder, you see. Perhaps we should send an escort with you...”
“How far is it to the other edge of the forest?”
“In Man-miles, exactly twenty-eight, by the river,” said the Faerie Guardian.
“Then we should be beyond the upper edge before noontime,” decided Douglas, “and will have no need for escort nor reason to stop on our way, if the Brook is clear of obstructions.”
“Bloody Brook is highly revered,” said the other. “It is kept free of snags here, natural or otherwise.”
“Then I thank you and apologize again for not staying to visit,” said Douglas with another deep bow. “Give my best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen when you see her next, and to the Prince Consort. Her time of birthing must be very close.”
“We expect word daily,” acknowledged the soldier.
“And we must be on our way, unfortunately,” Douglas said. “I wish we could linger until you have heard.”
The Faerie Guardians saluted with their sharp lances again and, executing a neat about-face aboard their metallic-green-and-red hummingbirds, disappeared into the forest’s daytime gloom.
“And thank you, too, for your courtesy,” said Douglas to the Watch Elf. “May you and your wife have a quiet day.”
“Every day is quiet here,” said the Elf wife, who had enjoyed talking to Douglas and the Otter and serving them griddle cakes the size of small coins, delicious and rich with clover honey and milkweed butter. “It’s the way we like it. In the olden, terrible days, we had enough excitement for six Elf lifetimes hereabouts.”
Although they would have liked to stay and chat with the kindly couple, the travelers returned to their boat and shortly pushed off, heading in under the first of the overarching oaks.
“We
“That’s me wife, Ertalla,” he explained to Douglas. “She’ll be right up,” and he leaped on the back of a Bluebird who came to his whistle, and made a beeline for the center of the Forest.
The Watch Elf returned in less than half an hour, accompanied by five Faerie warriors in full regalia, crimson and gold coats and tall bumblebee-fur shakoes held in place with golden chains. They rode unusually large, ruby-throated hummingbirds. The soldiers saluted Douglas crisply with long, thin lances as their mounts thrummed to a hovering halt before him.
“Lord Douglas, Brightwing’s friend, we greet you!” cried their Officer. “We fought in Battle of Sea under Prince Aedh and remember you well. It’s a pleasure and an honor to welcome you to Craylor Wendys, the Royal Forest of Remembrance”
“Thank you!” responded Douglas with a deep bow. “I thought it was called the Forest of Forgetfulness.”
“It is—by our enemies,” explained the Faerie warrior, relaxing his stiff posture. “Friends remember. We invite you to join us at our morning parade, which is about to begin. We’re here guarding one of the four Great Gateways to Faerie. The Gate lies within this hallowed Forest. Few Mortals have ever seen it, and fewer have passed through it.”
“I would be honored, but unfortunately I’m on urgent business for the Fellowship of Wizards,” replied Douglas, shaking his head with regret. “And I suspect it’s best if even I don’t know where your Gateway is. It would be a secret shared, and, as Queen Marget once told me, a secret shared is no longer secret.”
“Her wisdom is only surpassed by her graciousness,” said the guardian. “We truly regret that you are not able to stay awhile with us. As it is your wish, you have our full permission to pass through the Forest upon Bloody Brook. Nothing will stay your course. However, it were best if you and your companion did not set foot on dry ground beyond here until you emerge on the lea on the far side. There are certain pitfalls and snares set for the unwary intruder, you see. Perhaps we should send an escort with you...”
“How far is it to the other edge of the forest?”
“In Man-miles, exactly twenty-eight, by the river,” said the Faerie Guardian.
“Then we should be beyond the upper edge before noontime,” decided Douglas, “and will have no need for escort nor reason to stop on our way, if the Brook is clear of obstructions.”
“Bloody Brook is highly revered,” said the other. “It is kept free of snags here, natural or otherwise.”
“Then I thank you and apologize again for not staying to visit,” said Douglas with another deep bow. “Give my best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen when you see her next, and to the Prince Consort. Her time of birthing must be very close.”
“We expect word daily,” acknowledged the soldier.
“And we must be on our way, unfortunately,” Douglas said. “I wish we could linger until you have heard.”
The Faerie Guardians saluted with their sharp lances again and, executing a neat about-face aboard their metallic-green-and-red hummingbirds, disappeared into the forest’s daytime gloom.
“And thank you, too, for your courtesy,” said Douglas to the Watch Elf. “May you and your wife have a quiet day.”
“Every day is quiet here,” said the Elf wife, who had enjoyed talking to Douglas and the Otter and serving them griddle cakes the size of small coins, delicious and rich with clover honey and milkweed butter. “It’s the way we like it. In the olden, terrible days, we had enough excitement for six Elf lifetimes hereabouts.”
Although they would have liked to stay and chat with the kindly couple, the travelers returned to their boat and shortly pushed off, heading in under the first of the overarching oaks.
“We
Similar Books
