Berganashio - Chapter 30

“We’ve almost made it back to the mountain range where the giants live!”

Jovie said. She had fluttered down and was hanging onto one of the giant’s large legs. She was near Queen Finyellë now.

Queen Finyellë looked up at her. “You went in search of freshwater with the three totters. An avalanche of rocks blockaded us into the caverns while you were gone…”

Jovie nodded. “I know. And we came back, and of course, we couldn’t budge the rocks at all to save you. So, we wandered and searched everywhere for someone who could help us move the rocks. We came across the albino sea-wolf. His name is Cotton. He’s not ravenous like all the other sea-wolfs who were in the battle."

"I saw that, he fought the other sea-wolfs."

Jovie continued. "With Cotton the sea-wolf, we met the two merfarie children. Pori, she’s the eldest child of the king and queen of the merfarie garden kingdom. The little boy is Bry and he’s the youngest one. The three of them led us to the giant and the dwarf. The giant moved the boulders, right before the merfarie and meerbird warriors were arriving for the attack.”

Queen Finyellë's body tensed for a moment. Thinking about the merfaries, she remembered how she'd left her home so long ago. She had to leave, staying was far too painful. Despite knowing that she had to leave to start the fairy vine village, she still felt guilt sometimes. Every day, she had felt more and more alienated by her own family. She was different. The rejection that she had felt from them grew to be simply unbearable. Singing, the way her family members could, was not something she had been gifted with. She couldn't swim through the ocean the way they could either. Sometimes, she would still look down at her legs and cringe at her thighs, wishing that she had vibrant-colored fins instead. Now, clearly, her estranged family was aggressively trying to exterminate her and the fairy villagers. A shudder rippled down her spine. She remembered her revelation in the caverns of Mem about forgiveness. Taking a deep breath, she asked,

“But why weren’t Pori and Bry fighting with the other merfaries? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Because Pori was against the attack to begin with. Her parents were the ones who ordered the battle to occur in the first place. The reason the meerbird mob had joined in the battle is because of a previously formed alliance.”

“I see. My brother, King Phineas, has instigated it all... And now, there are quite a few other creatures against us too...”

“Yes, but we have the giants on our side!” Jovie smiled, with a sense of fresh faith.

“There’s more than one?”

Jovie continued. “Yes, but only one every day, according to my understanding and what Pori told me. Tonight, this one will go to sleep in the cave entrance. Tomorrow, in the morning, there will be a different giant for Whisper the dwarf to guide with his words… They live surrounded by the mountains, in a valley.”

The sight of the giant walking through the land, with the fairies hanging onto his frame was enchanting. The fireflies still continued to surround the giant. It was especially amazing seeing how bright they shined, even in broad daylight. Cotton ran speedily below with Bry hooping and hollering, while riding on top of Cotton's back. It was as if they were racing with the giants large steps. Whisper, the dawrf, smiled in his contented manner, as always. Nothing in the world phased him. Indeed, his calm demeanor matched no other creature in all the land of Berganashio. Looking at him and his serene expression, no one would have guessed that he had just helped save all the fairies from a battle. With Whispers adroit verbal instructions, the giant had dropped a boulder, which crushed the infamous sea-wolf enemy leader, captain Cragg. The fight against evil had made progress, but there were still dozens of sea-wolfs in the land, scavenging and killing.

On the left shoulder of the giant, the three totters clung to one another, what a wild ride and sight they had seen. Brother totter was especially invigorated by all the action from the battle.

Pori beamed with a victorious spirit. As much as she had strived to please her parents wishes over the years, today her defiance had paid off. Deep in her heart, she knew she’d done the right thing by not fighting the fairies, as her brother Larkin and Villi had chosen to.

~~~~~~~~~~

Larkin and Villi led the warriors back to the merfarie gardens. The meerbird mob had retreated with them.

"We must go to the king and queen immediately to inform them on the battle!" Larkin motioned for Villi to follow him.

They flew to the entrance of the throne room. Once they flung the doors open, they were taken aback in utter shock. The throne room had been entirely incinerated. Half of the ceiling had been crushed and several pillars had crumbled and were charred.

Larkin bellowed. "What happened?"

"Where is the king and queen?" Villi couldn't breathe.

A merfarie servant approached from behind Larkin and Villi.

The servant answered their questions with sadness in his eyes.

"Dragons came and destroyed the throne room."

"But where are our parents?" Villi asked. She had several wounds and scratches but fortunately, she hadn't been wounded too seriously.

"The dragons took them away, Villi." The servant put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she shook it away impulsively.

Larkin was also trying to remain strong, but he was in shock.

"How could this happen? Dragons were just old legend. I thought they were all extinct!"

Larkin and Villi crumbled to the cobblestone floor.

"How are we ever going to tell Pori and Bry?"

Larkin and Villi were strong, but this was too much for them. Looking at the incinerated throne room was heartbreaking. Nothing had gone the way that they had expected at all. Pori, bringing the giant to the caverns of Mem, the surprise attack of the sea-wolfs, and now the dragons had come and taken the king and queen of the merfarie gardens. Or, worse yet, the dragons may have completely killed them with their billows of fire. But, why?

~~~~~

Author's Note:

Stay tuned of the coming chapter 31...