DARX CIRCLE Novel Instalment – Chapter 5 (ii)

 

(See sidebar for Translator, Music, Novels, Awards etc.) 

Hugh and Tyrentia now began taking in more small doses of information.  It seemed they were standing at one end of a ring of flowers which must correspond to the one on ‘their’ side of the wall, but now naturally seemed far larger.  Still inside it was the group of fairy creatures which had also been part of the invitation party.  They were made up of many different kinds of little persons.  The Greenies seemed to be amiable goblins of some kind, the Shiners were slightly smaller and silvery versions of Felin and Avinia, and there also seemed to be any number of others larger, smaller, or medium, who looked as though they must be elves and sprites and pixies.

There was no stream beyond this flower ring.  Instead stretched a vast field of tall blades of grass, and here the enormous-seeming trees were only on the far side of that.  The nearest part of the field was crowded with what seemed like hundreds more of the little folk, seated on various plants or flitting about in the air, and all goggling at them.  Avinia turned towards them and waved an imperious hand.  ‘Right; you’ve seen them,’ she called.  ‘Now, scoot; now scoot!’  Reluctantly, it seemed, the crowd flew or scuttled off in all directions with many a backward glance, eventually vanishing into the grass or the trees, depending on whether they were flying types or not.

‘Good,’ said Felin, lounging back against the conveniently trailing branch of a shrub,  ‘now, as soon as you’re ready we can begin our journey.’

‘Journey?’ came in a startled chorus from Hugh and Tyrentia; then he added, ‘How far?’ and she asked, ‘Where to?’ both at the same time.

‘It will depend on how long it takes to meet the other one, the other one,’ Avinia said, ‘and then how soon we can travel from there to get to the Queen.  Shouldn’t take more than a few days, anyway; a few days.  A week or so at the most.’

‘We can’t do that,’ said Hugh.  ‘My Dad … and her Mom … would be frantic.’

‘Oh, who cares about that?’ Tyrentia said in a petulant tone.  ‘This is simply fantastic!’

‘I care; and you should, too,’ Hugh said frostily.

The two fairies glanced at her with disapproval, and then Felin spoke again: ‘Oh, you don’t need to worry about the time side of things.  That operates completely differently between the dimensions.  If we judge things properly, it will probably mean you’ll return to your one only about an hour after you left.’

‘Good,’ Hugh nodded, becoming excited.  ‘Now, what on earth – or wherever we are now – is all this about?’

‘All we can tell you,’ Felin replied, ‘is that we badly need some help you may be able to give us using your special talents, but that only the Breena Queen of Queens, our Supreme Queen Althalia in Honour Ring, can explain it to you.  She could have come to meet you, of course, but she would prefer it if you travel to see her at Athalia Palace.  The trip will give you a chance to become more familiar with Glim and our way of life here – at least, within the limitations of your senses.’

 © Colonialist July 2013 (WordPress)