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Liadan ran as hard as her feet could take her. She could see Irwin out of the corner of her eye. His leather pigskin knapsack was bouncing wildly on his back. She chanced a glance behind her. She already could hear Reginald running quickly behind her, but her eyes went up toward the five black figures in the sky.

She turned her head back toward the forest. It was getting closer, but not nearly quick enough. A horrible screech came from behind her. It sounded like a horrible tree branch being scraped deliberately hard over a slate. It was, in fact, the sound of an angry hag thirsty for blood, and it chilled even the adrenalized blood coursing through the veins of the intended victims.

Liadan pushed herself harder toward the thick branches of the forest. Its density would severely hinder these beasts behind her. And it looked like they just might make it.

Suddenly, the pogo stick freed itself from Irwin’s pack. He stopped and turned much to Liadan’s horror.

“What are you doing?” she screamed at him. “Run, you fool!”

“Shaudawn told me not to lose this!” he shouted back.

It was too late. Liadan could hear the whooshing sound of the gigantic wings behind her. They were too close. She spun around and reached for the items on her back.

The harpies were nearly on top of Liadan and Irwin as she grabbed the bow and arrows Shaudawn had given her before their entrance into the forbidden cave. They were hideous to behold, and only the girl’s determination kept her from becoming paralyzed by their appearance. They looked like grotesque women from the waist up. But the bottom half looked like the oversized features of a vulture. Their wings were a dirty brown and huge. Their hands sported razor-sharp claws, and their teeth were a collection of jagged daggers. Their hair was a wild tangle from the wind. Their eyes appeared as full of the blood that their stomachs were now demanding.

The first arrow flew past the lead harpy Liadan had aimed for, but it sliced through the next one’s wing. It screamed back, more in rage than in pain.

Liadan grabbed for another arrow and gasped fearfully as she realized Irwin was within grasp of the creature. Irwin ducked and rolled as Liadan’s arrow found its mark deeply into the first harpy’s left breast.

Irwin swung his pogo stick at the second harpy. Not knowing what this strange weapon was, she suddenly swooped upward to avoid its impact. This gave Liadan just enough time to grab another arrow and shoot it at the third harpy. The arrow found its way into the monster’s leg, and she too swooped upward, yelping in pain.

Suddenly, a shadow enveloped Liadan as she realized that the forth harpy had chosen her as its prey. She tried to move out of the way, but the impact came too quick. The harpy slashed at Liadan with her claws, but missed. The harpy’s feet, however, knocked Liadan to the ground.

The forth harpy, still in flight, made a quick turn to come back at the girl. Liadan grabbed for the short-sword she had taken from Gowen, but it was stuck in its sheath. She yanked at it hard and looked up in terror as the forth harpy was almost upon her. She flinched just as she thought it was going to land right on top of her, when at the same moment, the fifth harpy slammed right into the forth.

The two harpies, very upset that they had both missed their prey due to each other’s interference, began to turn on one another. Liadan rolled away and sprang up. She pulled the bow from her arm and grabbed another arrow. She looked for Irwin and found that the second harpy had recovered from Irwin’s assault. It was bearing down on the boy, who was ready to give another swing. Liadan shot the arrow, which buried itself in the harpy’s neck. The creature gripped at the shaft as it continued on its path. Irwin again rolled out of the way as it impacted with a sick crunch onto the hard ground.

Liadan grabbed another arrow. She was searching for the third harpy when she became aware that the little disagreement she had just left had resolved itself. The two other harpies were coming at her in unison, and the arrow she had cocked flew at the nearest one. It lodged in the forth harpy’s abdomen, followed quickly by another into its sternum.

The fifth harpy swooped her wings out directly in front of herself bringing the harpy to a halt in mid-air. The rush of wind blew Liadan’s hair back. The girl’s next arrow narrowly buzzed passed the harpy’s head. The beast landed and began a vulture trot-hop toward the girl.

Irwin searched frantically for the third harpy through the dust that had kicked up on impact of the second. He heard the hiss and then a squawk behind him. His eyes grew large as he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “Why didn’t I take that short-sword from Gowen?” he thought.

He spun around holding his pogo stick in front of him. The harpy emerged from the dust. Its mouth was dripping with saliva, and it blood red eyes were fixed on the morsel it was about to enjoy, when suddenly it stopped.

“Key!” it cried. “Key, key, key!” The harpy grabbed at Irwin’s pogo stick.

“Hey!” Irwin yelled. “Let go!”

Liadan’s eyes narrowed as the fifth harpy hissed and swung its claws wildly at her. The short-sword finally found its way out, and she ran toward the fiend. With a swish and then a swipe, the harpy’s hands found themselves liberated from their master, followed shortly by the creature’s head. Sticky, smelly black blood sprayed everywhere.

She turned to look for Irwin and saw the standoff over the pogo stick with the harpy. Liadan snatched her bow feeling her blood grow cold as she saw the creature within inches of the boy. She reached for an arrow only to grab air. Her heart made a lurch in her chest as she realized that her quiver was empty. She sprinted with her bloodstained sword toward the pair.

The harpy held onto the stick, but Irwin refused to let it go. She was confused at this puny creature’s attempt to resist it. So many of the faerie folk fled in terror from her in the past. She let go with one hand, but held firmly onto the stick with the other. She’d show this impudent boy. She slashed with her claw and felt the flesh in Irwin’s chest tear beneath them. The feeling of it made her heart race and her mouth water quicker.

The boy fell back with a surprised look on his face. Red blood burst from three deep lacerations. The harpy pulled the stick easily now from his hands. She licked her lips and raised her arm for a final blow.

“Noooooo!” Liadan cried.

“BLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKKKKKKK!!!” came the cry of a very angry goat. The harpy flew sideways several feet from the impact of horns into her side. She both heard and felt the crack of bone and her eyes went wild. The harpy flapped hard and squawked in pain as she fled toward the safety of the sky.

The last thing that went through Irwin’s mind as the twisted horrible face of the receding harpy was replaced by that of his beautiful companion’s was, “I hope that angels are as beautiful as Liadan when I get there.” And then all went to black.

       *          *          *

“This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!” shouted Reggie. “Oh, man. Oh, man. This just can’t be the way it ends! The hero of the story isn’t supposed to…die. What kind of crappy tale is this anyway? First, a magical sage who turns out to not be magic at all who goes off and leaves us, the knight gets kidnapped cutting off the romantic tension that was building, and now the hero of the story is dead! This isn’t supposed to be the way it goes! I mean, I could live with the fact that just about every damn character’s name ends with the letter ‘n’ but this is too much! Someone please tell me this is all a bad dream and that I’m going to wake up!!!”

Liadan didn’t hear the goat’s hysterics. She cradled Irwin in her arms and inspected his wounds. They were deep and serious and oozing a good deal of blood, but the harpy’s claws had fortunately missed the major arteries.

“Irwin,” she urged the boy, “stay with me!”

Liadan was thankful for long sleeves and ripped them off of her tunic. She wrapped them tightly around the worst wounds, hoping to stop the bleeding. Her quivering hands somehow applied a steady enough pressure. It seemed to be working.

Suddenly, Liadan was aware that she wasn’t alone. She jumped up, sword drawn, and faced a hundred spears pointed directly at her.

“Get away!” she screamed. “You can’t have him! I’ll die before I let you have him!”

“Uh…Liadan,” Reginald was trying to say something, but the girl wasn’t interesting anymore in the blabbering of ungulates.

“You heard me, get back!”

“We just as would prefer to kill you, Outsider,” replied one of the scantily clad warriors. “But Queen Anallma has requested you both be captured alive.”

“Then, one way or the other, your queen is going to be very disappointed!” the girl retorted and swung her sword at the nearest spear.

“Liadan,” Reggie pressed. “These are faeries! Those two Brownies led me to them. They’re the good guys. I got them to come and help us.”

Liadan glanced at the small troop. They were all just a bit over five feet tall and wearing just enough on their beautiful bodies to keep a person from blushing. She slowly lowered her sword.

“Put-put the boy on a stretcher!” ordered a familiar voice.

“Yeeeeaaahhhh. Niiiice aaaand sllooowwww,” agreed another.

Liadan stared in amazement at the two tiny Brownies.

“What-what?” asked Fligbug. “You-you judge me by my size, don’t-don’t you? Silly-silly human.”

“Yeah,” added Reggie. “Turns out they are, like, the queen’s right hand men. …or if they’re that small, maybe I should say right foot men.”

Zucchi gave the goat a dirty look.

“Oh, sorry. I meant to say, left-foot men. OUCH! Hey! Watch where you’re poking that thing! My ass is a gift from God you know!”

       *          *          *

Liadan’s hands were bound by the mistrustful faeries as they entered deep into the forest. She followed behind the stretcher of Irwin’s relatively inert body. As much as she hoped he wasn’t in much pain, she was glad that the occasional moan from him meant he was still alive.

Along the way, Fligbug and Zucchi explained that Outsiders—as both humans and goats from beyond the fairy world were called—weren’t looked upon with much grace. It seems that long ago and Irish monk had discovered the entrance into this fantastic world, but failed to realize exactly what he had found. Centuries later, the Templars used it as the only jail that could hold a powerful wizard like Abremelin. The Knights failed to comprehend that in their attempt at ridding their world of refuse, that it affected the inhabitants of this fairy world. And now, with only the Holy Doorway to get passed, the nice, clean, easily forgettable problem was about to come back with the power of the fairy world at his command.

“You see,” Reginald agreed. “Never throw anything away! Or one day it might come back and bite you in the ass.”

“Thanks, Reggie,” Liadan replied rolling her eyes. “Next time the world needs to get rid of a powerful magician, we’ll send him to you to eat. Okay?”

The party stopped in a clearing. It was surrounded by a number of very tall oak trees whose branches went so high that they formed a dome over the entire area. Shards of light pierced the green canopy just enough to make the entire clearing look like a pool of emerald water.

The faeries set Irwin’s litter down and untied Liadan’s wrists. Fligbug and Zucchi stood on either side of the Outsiders while the rest of the armed faeries spread their wings like a hundred damselflies and flew off into the trees.

“PPPPrrrreeeesssseeeennnnttttiiinnngggg thhhe Queeeeeeeen of aaaallllllllll Faerrrrriiieeee Foooooolllllk annnnnd Leeeeeeeeader ooooooof thhhe Laaaaaaaasssssst Freeeeeee Dennnnn-nizennnnnns ooooooof thhhe Ffffooooorrrrreeeeesssst.”

“Queen-queen Anallma!”

A brilliant white light suddenly shone on the inhabitants of the clearing. Liadan shielded her eyes and glanced at Irwin and his bandages. She wanted to yell and shout again, to tell these silly winged-people to stop kidding around with all this useless fanfare when the life of her friend was in peril. But as the light softened and Liadan was able to put her hand down, so too did her heart soften.

“Wow!” breathed Reggie. “Will you look at that? That’s an angel if I ever saw one. I really hope we aren’t dead…. But if we are, then someone up there sure did send down the best to guide me home!”

Anallma stood just a few feet higher on top of a broad boulder Liadan hadn’t noticed in the clearing before. She was indeed beautiful. Her golden hair flowed in gentle waves around her face, which still seemed to glow like the first rays of the first dawn. She was clad in splendidly fine white robes that seemed to finish where her hair left off. On her forehead was a delicate silver crown bedecked with five tiny diamonds.

She smiled at Liadan, and the girl’s heart melted in awe. Anallma stepped off of the natural dais and walked over to Irwin’s tiny body. She knelt down and touched his face. He stirred and opened his eyes. He stretched and looked up at the beautiful queen. Tears came to his eyes. Without thinking, and much to Liadan’s horror, he got up as if he had only been napping and the entire last day was simply a forgotten bad dream.

Liadan looked at the bloodstained cloth fall off of Irwin’s body. She gasped when she saw that in place of three deep gashes there was only a tattered shirt and smooth skin.

“Who…who are you?” was all Liadan could ask. Queen Anallma smiled wide.

“You are beginning to sound like Fligbug, my sweet girl!”

       *          *          *

Liadan jumped reflexively at the screeches of birds that were coming in for their nightly roost in the trees above. Irwin, by contrast, seemed to be completely oblivious to any danger. Liadan couldn’t believe it despite the trauma he’d just gone through. She was now obviously feeling very protective of him.

“Relax, Liadan,” said Queen Anallma seated to the right of her. “Abremelin’s gaze cannot penetrate my realm. You are safe here. Eat and take rest in peace.”

“I have not taken peace for years, your majesty,” replied Liadan apologetically. The faerie queen held her hand out to Liadan’s lowered head and touched her chin. The girl looked up at the grace-filled face. The queen knew what the girl was thinking about.

“Your father is indeed alive and is held prisoner in the magician’s castle much as my daughter, Shylleah, is.” Anallma sighed. For the first time, Liadan was aware of a hint of sadness in the woman’s voice. But it passed as quickly as the breeze.

“Garin was the first Outsider to visit us since the coming of the terrible wizard,” the queen continued. “He taught the king and me that kindness came from the other world despite the pain inflicted upon us. It was he who tried to warn us to not fall into the dark man’s trap. And when we failed to listen, it was he who tried to save our daughter. But I am afraid that he failed and thus paid with his freedom.”

“Then why didn’t you save him,” Liadan demanded. “Those spear-chuckers of yours seemed pretty eager to impale me just a few hours ago!”

“We would storm the castle if we could, my dear, but the wizard has learned how to combat all of our magic,” the queen explained. “It would be like the wind blowing leaves. This forest is all that our combined power can hold, and I am afraid that very soon even we shall fall to his domination. He is amassing an army of dark elves against us.”

Irwin and Reginald continued to eat their meals. It seemed to the boy that every bite of the faerie-bread gave him more health and confidence. Reggie, too, was chomping at a nice salad of various greens and mushrooms, which dimmed in comparison even to his earlier breakfast.

“But there was a fortune told right before my daughter was captured and my husband killed that spoke of a young boy leading a group of Outsiders to our land and freeing us from the tyranny of the magician.”

“Yet, something troubles you,” Irwin observed. Liadan was beginning to wonder where Irwin’s insight was coming from.

“Yes,” answered the queen reluctantly. “I expected the seer, Shaudawn, here with you and a knight. Tell me, what happened to him?” There was something in her answer, however, that made Irwin suspect that she was keeping the real reason hidden.

“That traitor!” shouted Liadan at the mention of the seer. “He disappeared before we even started! I figured he was letting us do all of the dirty work, and since Irwin and I had to face a bunch of vulture… uh, things…”

“Harpies,” helpfully chirped Reginald with a mouthful of flora.

“Whatever! He led us to face this danger alone, and I have a feeling he had something to do with Gowen’s disappearance.”

Anallma laughed. “Oh, my dear, Shaudawn is not one to simply leave,” she giggled. “I have a feeling he is somehow behind the scenes as he usually is, pulling this string and that. But I do not envy the task he must be doing with a heavy heart. And I assure you that your beloved knight is also well.” Liadan blushed for many reasons.

“In fact, for everything there is a purpose, even if it is not so evident before our eyes,” Anallma went on. “I have been told by my Brownie friends that Sir Gowen, of which many epics shall be sung, has unwittingly found himself within the ancient Castle of Greene, the domain now in the hands of the dreaded magician. I have no doubt that your knight will play his own part of hero before your time here is through.”

“Well,” Liadan said a bit more cautiously now. “I’m still going to this castle and I’m going to find my father and Gowen.”

“Me too,” Irwin reminded the girl. She spun toward him.

“Oh, no you’re not!” she insisted. “I’ve lost too many people in my life, and I almost lost you too! I’m not letting you go with me one more step. This is something I have to do alone!”

The queen put her graceful hand gently on Liadan’s arm. The girl exhaled and relaxed her muscles. It was as if her touch were like a thousand loving hands gently massaging eons of woe from every muscle in her body.

“Sweet Liadan,” Anallma said. “There was a time that you did many things by yourself. Now, it may be time to let go and let others help you.” The queen’s smile made Liadan’s eyes water again, but somehow she didn’t mind it in front of the faerie.

       *          *          *

“I can’t believe you’re coming with me,” Liadan said to Irwin. The dawn’s light was shining fresh and straight thought the trees. The three companions had gotten a very good night’s sleep. But with the prospect of going into danger, Liadan was beginning to have her doubts again.

“Hey,” Irwin reminded the girl half-jokingly. “Shaudawn made me leader, not you. Don’t be getting all jealous on me now.” Liadan shot him a warning glance, but it too had a slight playful element to it. In the end, she was actually glad to be arguing with the boy.

“This is as far as I go,” Queen Anallma told the boy, the girl, and the goat. “Your plight is made hurried by the fact that the wizard now has in his possession the key that opens the Holy Doorway. Go quickly a mile to the edge of the forest, and then the half-mile beyond to the Castle of Greene. Remember, I can only protect you while you are in the forest.”

The queen turned to a faerie holding various items in his hands. She picked up a quiver of arrows and handed them to Liadan.

“Take these, huntress of the wood,” she spoke melodically to Liadan. “These arrows fly unfailingly true to their mark. May they aid you in your time of need.”

The queen took another object and gave it to Irwin. “Take this, the Sword of Nythryll. It shall protect you from harm, and it provides light in places of utter darkness.” The faerie turned to Liadan and gave her a knowing look. “Teach him what you know.”

“What about me?” Reggie finally said, jumping up and down. He could hardly contain himself at the prospect of obtaining a magical item. To his surprise the queen only laughed.

“How can I give a present to a goat that already possesses the courage of a lion?” she laughed. Reginald didn’t quite know how to feel. She was right, but having a little something extra couldn’t hurt. Finally, to his delight, she took something from the obedient attendant.

“I give you this barding,” she said. “It is impervious to weapons, fire, and ice. And there are two pockets. One contains the faerie-bread that gives sustenance, strength and courage to all that eat it. And the other pocket holds a flask of the Water of Healing. There is just enough there to cure a grown man of fatal wounds, but no more. Guard these well, brave goat.”

“You can count on me, your majesty,” grinned Reginald as goatishly as possible. “I’ll keep an eye on these two for you…oh, my, isn’t that barding lovely? See how it shines like that? Oh, and how nice and cozy it feels, and light too, I might add. Aw, and isn’t that cute? It looks like there are two little seats on it! Wait a minute! Two little seats? Now hold on, there…”

“Fligbug and Zucchi will see you safely on your way,” the queen informed them all ignoring Reggie’s protestations. The two Brownies hopped up onto the comfortable chairs.

“Well-well, at least he doesn’t smell as bad,” said Fligbug to Zucchi.

“Yeeeaaahhh…buuut noooot byyyy muuuuuch.”

The queen kissed Irwin and Liadan on the forehead and then turned to go. The two companions turned toward the edge of the forest, and began their journey toward the wizard’s castle.

“There’s always a catch, isn’t there?” shouted Reggie after the humans. “The next time there’s a fairy tale to be told around here, just count…me…out! Hello? Are you two listening? Hey! Wait up!”

Description

Liadan ran as hard as her feet could take her. She could see Irwin out of the corner of her eye. His leather pigskin knapsack was bouncing wildly on his back. She chanced a glance behind her. She already could hear Reginald running quickly behind her, but her eyes went up toward the five black figures in the sky.

She turned her head back toward the forest. It was getting closer, but not nearly quick enough. A horrible screech came from behind her. It sounded like a horrible tree branch being scraped deliberately hard over a slate. It was, in fact, the sound of an angry hag thirsty for blood, and it chilled even the adrenalized blood coursing through the veins of the intended victims.

Liadan pushed herself harder toward the thick branches of the forest. Its density would severely hinder these beasts behind her. And it looked like they just might make it.

Suddenly, the pogo stick freed itself from Irwin’s pack. He stopped and turned much to Liadan’s horror.

“What are you doing?” she screamed at him. “Run, you fool!”

“Shaudawn told me not to lose this!” he shouted back.

It was too late. Liadan could hear the whooshing sound of the gigantic wings behind her. They were too close. She spun around and reached for the items on her back.

The harpies were nearly on top of Liadan and Irwin as she grabbed the bow and arrows Shaudawn had given her before their entrance into the forbidden cave. They were hideous to behold, and only the girl’s determination kept her from becoming paralyzed by their appearance. They looked like grotesque women from the waist up. But the bottom half looked like the oversized features of a vulture. Their wings were a dirty brown and huge. Their hands sported razor-sharp claws, and their teeth were a collection of jagged daggers. Their hair was a wild tangle from the wind. Their eyes appeared as full of the blood that their stomachs were now demanding.

The first arrow flew past the lead harpy Liadan had aimed for, but it sliced through the next one’s wing. It screamed back, more in rage than in pain.

Liadan grabbed for another arrow and gasped fearfully as she realized Irwin was within grasp of the creature. Irwin ducked and rolled as Liadan’s arrow found its mark deeply into the first harpy’s left breast.

Irwin swung his pogo stick at the second harpy. Not knowing what this strange weapon was, she suddenly swooped upward to avoid its impact. This gave Liadan just enough time to grab another arrow and shoot it at the third harpy. The arrow found its way into the monster’s leg, and she too swooped upward, yelping in pain.

Suddenly, a shadow enveloped Liadan as she realized that the forth harpy had chosen her as its prey. She tried to move out of the way, but the impact came too quick. The harpy slashed at Liadan with her claws, but missed. The harpy’s feet, however, knocked Liadan to the ground.

The forth harpy, still in flight, made a quick turn to come back at the girl. Liadan grabbed for the short-sword she had taken from Gowen, but it was stuck in its sheath. She yanked at it hard and looked up in terror as the forth harpy was almost upon her. She flinched just as she thought it was going to land right on top of her, when at the same moment, the fifth harpy slammed right into the forth.

The two harpies, very upset that they had both missed their prey due to each other’s interference, began to turn on one another. Liadan rolled away and sprang up. She pulled the bow from her arm and grabbed another arrow. She looked for Irwin and found that the second harpy had recovered from Irwin’s assault. It was bearing down on the boy, who was ready to give another swing. Liadan shot the arrow, which buried itself in the harpy’s neck. The creature gripped at the shaft as it continued on its path. Irwin again rolled out of the way as it impacted with a sick crunch onto the hard ground.

Liadan grabbed another arrow. She was searching for the third harpy when she became aware that the little disagreement she had just left had resolved itself. The two other harpies were coming at her in unison, and the arrow she had cocked flew at the nearest one. It lodged in the forth harpy’s abdomen, followed quickly by another into its sternum.

The fifth harpy swooped her wings out directly in front of herself bringing the harpy to a halt in mid-air. The rush of wind blew Liadan’s hair back. The girl’s next arrow narrowly buzzed passed the harpy’s head. The beast landed and began a vulture trot-hop toward the girl.

Irwin searched frantically for the third harpy through the dust that had kicked up on impact of the second. He heard the hiss and then a squawk behind him. His eyes grew large as he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up. “Why didn’t I take that short-sword from Gowen?” he thought.

He spun around holding his pogo stick in front of him. The harpy emerged from the dust. Its mouth was dripping with saliva, and it blood red eyes were fixed on the morsel it was about to enjoy, when suddenly it stopped.

“Key!” it cried. “Key, key, key!” The harpy grabbed at Irwin’s pogo stick.

“Hey!” Irwin yelled. “Let go!”

Liadan’s eyes narrowed as the fifth harpy hissed and swung its claws wildly at her. The short-sword finally found its way out, and she ran toward the fiend. With a swish and then a swipe, the harpy’s hands found themselves liberated from their master, followed shortly by the creature’s head. Sticky, smelly black blood sprayed everywhere.

She turned to look for Irwin and saw the standoff over the pogo stick with the harpy. Liadan snatched her bow feeling her blood grow cold as she saw the creature within inches of the boy. She reached for an arrow only to grab air. Her heart made a lurch in her chest as she realized that her quiver was empty. She sprinted with her bloodstained sword toward the pair.

The harpy held onto the stick, but Irwin refused to let it go. She was confused at this puny creature’s attempt to resist it. So many of the faerie folk fled in terror from her in the past. She let go with one hand, but held firmly onto the stick with the other. She’d show this impudent boy. She slashed with her claw and felt the flesh in Irwin’s chest tear beneath them. The feeling of it made her heart race and her mouth water quicker.

The boy fell back with a surprised look on his face. Red blood burst from three deep lacerations. The harpy pulled the stick easily now from his hands. She licked her lips and raised her arm for a final blow.

“Noooooo!” Liadan cried.

“BLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKKKKKKK!!!” came the cry of a very angry goat. The harpy flew sideways several feet from the impact of horns into her side. She both heard and felt the crack of bone and her eyes went wild. The harpy flapped hard and squawked in pain as she fled toward the safety of the sky.

The last thing that went through Irwin’s mind as the twisted horrible face of the receding harpy was replaced by that of his beautiful companion’s was, “I hope that angels are as beautiful as Liadan when I get there.” And then all went to black.

       *          *          *

“This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!” shouted Reggie. “Oh, man. Oh, man. This just can’t be the way it ends! The hero of the story isn’t supposed to…die. What kind of crappy tale is this anyway? First, a magical sage who turns out to not be magic at all who goes off and leaves us, the knight gets kidnapped cutting off the romantic tension that was building, and now the hero of the story is dead! This isn’t supposed to be the way it goes! I mean, I could live with the fact that just about every damn character’s name ends with the letter ‘n’ but this is too much! Someone please tell me this is all a bad dream and that I’m going to wake up!!!”

Liadan didn’t hear the goat’s hysterics. She cradled Irwin in her arms and inspected his wounds. They were deep and serious and oozing a good deal of blood, but the harpy’s claws had fortunately missed the major arteries.

“Irwin,” she urged the boy, “stay with me!”

Liadan was thankful for long sleeves and ripped them off of her tunic. She wrapped them tightly around the worst wounds, hoping to stop the bleeding. Her quivering hands somehow applied a steady enough pressure. It seemed to be working.

Suddenly, Liadan was aware that she wasn’t alone. She jumped up, sword drawn, and faced a hundred spears pointed directly at her.

“Get away!” she screamed. “You can’t have him! I’ll die before I let you have him!”

“Uh…Liadan,” Reginald was trying to say something, but the girl wasn’t interesting anymore in the blabbering of ungulates.

“You heard me, get back!”

“We just as would prefer to kill you, Outsider,” replied one of the scantily clad warriors. “But Queen Anallma has requested you both be captured alive.”

“Then, one way or the other, your queen is going to be very disappointed!” the girl retorted and swung her sword at the nearest spear.

“Liadan,” Reggie pressed. “These are faeries! Those two Brownies led me to them. They’re the good guys. I got them to come and help us.”

Liadan glanced at the small troop. They were all just a bit over five feet tall and wearing just enough on their beautiful bodies to keep a person from blushing. She slowly lowered her sword.

“Put-put the boy on a stretcher!” ordered a familiar voice.

“Yeeeeaaahhhh. Niiiice aaaand sllooowwww,” agreed another.

Liadan stared in amazement at the two tiny Brownies.

“What-what?” asked Fligbug. “You-you judge me by my size, don’t-don’t you? Silly-silly human.”

“Yeah,” added Reggie. “Turns out they are, like, the queen’s right hand men. …or if they’re that small, maybe I should say right foot men.”

Zucchi gave the goat a dirty look.

“Oh, sorry. I meant to say, left-foot men. OUCH! Hey! Watch where you’re poking that thing! My ass is a gift from God you know!”

       *          *          *

Liadan’s hands were bound by the mistrustful faeries as they entered deep into the forest. She followed behind the stretcher of Irwin’s relatively inert body. As much as she hoped he wasn’t in much pain, she was glad that the occasional moan from him meant he was still alive.

Along the way, Fligbug and Zucchi explained that Outsiders—as both humans and goats from beyond the fairy world were called—weren’t looked upon with much grace. It seems that long ago and Irish monk had discovered the entrance into this fantastic world, but failed to realize exactly what he had found. Centuries later, the Templars used it as the only jail that could hold a powerful wizard like Abremelin. The Knights failed to comprehend that in their attempt at ridding their world of refuse, that it affected the inhabitants of this fairy world. And now, with only the Holy Doorway to get passed, the nice, clean, easily forgettable problem was about to come back with the power of the fairy world at his command.

“You see,” Reginald agreed. “Never throw anything away! Or one day it might come back and bite you in the ass.”

“Thanks, Reggie,” Liadan replied rolling her eyes. “Next time the world needs to get rid of a powerful magician, we’ll send him to you to eat. Okay?”

The party stopped in a clearing. It was surrounded by a number of very tall oak trees whose branches went so high that they formed a dome over the entire area. Shards of light pierced the green canopy just enough to make the entire clearing look like a pool of emerald water.

The faeries set Irwin’s litter down and untied Liadan’s wrists. Fligbug and Zucchi stood on either side of the Outsiders while the rest of the armed faeries spread their wings like a hundred damselflies and flew off into the trees.

“PPPPrrrreeeesssseeeennnnttttiiinnngggg thhhe Queeeeeeeen of aaaallllllllll Faerrrrriiieeee Foooooolllllk annnnnd Leeeeeeeeader ooooooof thhhe Laaaaaaaasssssst Freeeeeee Dennnnn-nizennnnnns ooooooof thhhe Ffffooooorrrrreeeeesssst.”

“Queen-queen Anallma!”

A brilliant white light suddenly shone on the inhabitants of the clearing. Liadan shielded her eyes and glanced at Irwin and his bandages. She wanted to yell and shout again, to tell these silly winged-people to stop kidding around with all this useless fanfare when the life of her friend was in peril. But as the light softened and Liadan was able to put her hand down, so too did her heart soften.

“Wow!” breathed Reggie. “Will you look at that? That’s an angel if I ever saw one. I really hope we aren’t dead…. But if we are, then someone up there sure did send down the best to guide me home!”

Anallma stood just a few feet higher on top of a broad boulder Liadan hadn’t noticed in the clearing before. She was indeed beautiful. Her golden hair flowed in gentle waves around her face, which still seemed to glow like the first rays of the first dawn. She was clad in splendidly fine white robes that seemed to finish where her hair left off. On her forehead was a delicate silver crown bedecked with five tiny diamonds.

She smiled at Liadan, and the girl’s heart melted in awe. Anallma stepped off of the natural dais and walked over to Irwin’s tiny body. She knelt down and touched his face. He stirred and opened his eyes. He stretched and looked up at the beautiful queen. Tears came to his eyes. Without thinking, and much to Liadan’s horror, he got up as if he had only been napping and the entire last day was simply a forgotten bad dream.

Liadan looked at the bloodstained cloth fall off of Irwin’s body. She gasped when she saw that in place of three deep gashes there was only a tattered shirt and smooth skin.

“Who…who are you?” was all Liadan could ask. Queen Anallma smiled wide.

“You are beginning to sound like Fligbug, my sweet girl!”

       *          *          *

Liadan jumped reflexively at the screeches of birds that were coming in for their nightly roost in the trees above. Irwin, by contrast, seemed to be completely oblivious to any danger. Liadan couldn’t believe it despite the trauma he’d just gone through. She was now obviously feeling very protective of him.

“Relax, Liadan,” said Queen Anallma seated to the right of her. “Abremelin’s gaze cannot penetrate my realm. You are safe here. Eat and take rest in peace.”

“I have not taken peace for years, your majesty,” replied Liadan apologetically. The faerie queen held her hand out to Liadan’s lowered head and touched her chin. The girl looked up at the grace-filled face. The queen knew what the girl was thinking about.

“Your father is indeed alive and is held prisoner in the magician’s castle much as my daughter, Shylleah, is.” Anallma sighed. For the first time, Liadan was aware of a hint of sadness in the woman’s voice. But it passed as quickly as the breeze.

“Garin was the first Outsider to visit us since the coming of the terrible wizard,” the queen continued. “He taught the king and me that kindness came from the other world despite the pain inflicted upon us. It was he who tried to warn us to not fall into the dark man’s trap. And when we failed to listen, it was he who tried to save our daughter. But I am afraid that he failed and thus paid with his freedom.”

“Then why didn’t you save him,” Liadan demanded. “Those spear-chuckers of yours seemed pretty eager to impale me just a few hours ago!”

“We would storm the castle if we could, my dear, but the wizard has learned how to combat all of our magic,” the queen explained. “It would be like the wind blowing leaves. This forest is all that our combined power can hold, and I am afraid that very soon even we shall fall to his domination. He is amassing an army of dark elves against us.”

Irwin and Reginald continued to eat their meals. It seemed to the boy that every bite of the faerie-bread gave him more health and confidence. Reggie, too, was chomping at a nice salad of various greens and mushrooms, which dimmed in comparison even to his earlier breakfast.

“But there was a fortune told right before my daughter was captured and my husband killed that spoke of a young boy leading a group of Outsiders to our land and freeing us from the tyranny of the magician.”

“Yet, something troubles you,” Irwin observed. Liadan was beginning to wonder where Irwin’s insight was coming from.

“Yes,” answered the queen reluctantly. “I expected the seer, Shaudawn, here with you and a knight. Tell me, what happened to him?” There was something in her answer, however, that made Irwin suspect that she was keeping the real reason hidden.

“That traitor!” shouted Liadan at the mention of the seer. “He disappeared before we even started! I figured he was letting us do all of the dirty work, and since Irwin and I had to face a bunch of vulture… uh, things…”

“Harpies,” helpfully chirped Reginald with a mouthful of flora.

“Whatever! He led us to face this danger alone, and I have a feeling he had something to do with Gowen’s disappearance.”

Anallma laughed. “Oh, my dear, Shaudawn is not one to simply leave,” she giggled. “I have a feeling he is somehow behind the scenes as he usually is, pulling this string and that. But I do not envy the task he must be doing with a heavy heart. And I assure you that your beloved knight is also well.” Liadan blushed for many reasons.

“In fact, for everything there is a purpose, even if it is not so evident before our eyes,” Anallma went on. “I have been told by my Brownie friends that Sir Gowen, of which many epics shall be sung, has unwittingly found himself within the ancient Castle of Greene, the domain now in the hands of the dreaded magician. I have no doubt that your knight will play his own part of hero before your time here is through.”

“Well,” Liadan said a bit more cautiously now. “I’m still going to this castle and I’m going to find my father and Gowen.”

“Me too,” Irwin reminded the girl. She spun toward him.

“Oh, no you’re not!” she insisted. “I’ve lost too many people in my life, and I almost lost you too! I’m not letting you go with me one more step. This is something I have to do alone!”

The queen put her graceful hand gently on Liadan’s arm. The girl exhaled and relaxed her muscles. It was as if her touch were like a thousand loving hands gently massaging eons of woe from every muscle in her body.

“Sweet Liadan,” Anallma said. “There was a time that you did many things by yourself. Now, it may be time to let go and let others help you.” The queen’s smile made Liadan’s eyes water again, but somehow she didn’t mind it in front of the faerie.

       *          *          *

“I can’t believe you’re coming with me,” Liadan said to Irwin. The dawn’s light was shining fresh and straight thought the trees. The three companions had gotten a very good night’s sleep. But with the prospect of going into danger, Liadan was beginning to have her doubts again.

“Hey,” Irwin reminded the girl half-jokingly. “Shaudawn made me leader, not you. Don’t be getting all jealous on me now.” Liadan shot him a warning glance, but it too had a slight playful element to it. In the end, she was actually glad to be arguing with the boy.

“This is as far as I go,” Queen Anallma told the boy, the girl, and the goat. “Your plight is made hurried by the fact that the wizard now has in his possession the key that opens the Holy Doorway. Go quickly a mile to the edge of the forest, and then the half-mile beyond to the Castle of Greene. Remember, I can only protect you while you are in the forest.”

The queen turned to a faerie holding various items in his hands. She picked up a quiver of arrows and handed them to Liadan.

“Take these, huntress of the wood,” she spoke melodically to Liadan. “These arrows fly unfailingly true to their mark. May they aid you in your time of need.”

The queen took another object and gave it to Irwin. “Take this, the Sword of Nythryll. It shall protect you from harm, and it provides light in places of utter darkness.” The faerie turned to Liadan and gave her a knowing look. “Teach him what you know.”

“What about me?” Reggie finally said, jumping up and down. He could hardly contain himself at the prospect of obtaining a magical item. To his surprise the queen only laughed.

“How can I give a present to a goat that already possesses the courage of a lion?” she laughed. Reginald didn’t quite know how to feel. She was right, but having a little something extra couldn’t hurt. Finally, to his delight, she took something from the obedient attendant.

“I give you this barding,” she said. “It is impervious to weapons, fire, and ice. And there are two pockets. One contains the faerie-bread that gives sustenance, strength and courage to all that eat it. And the other pocket holds a flask of the Water of Healing. There is just enough there to cure a grown man of fatal wounds, but no more. Guard these well, brave goat.”

“You can count on me, your majesty,” grinned Reginald as goatishly as possible. “I’ll keep an eye on these two for you…oh, my, isn’t that barding lovely? See how it shines like that? Oh, and how nice and cozy it feels, and light too, I might add. Aw, and isn’t that cute? It looks like there are two little seats on it! Wait a minute! Two little seats? Now hold on, there…”

“Fligbug and Zucchi will see you safely on your way,” the queen informed them all ignoring Reggie’s protestations. The two Brownies hopped up onto the comfortable chairs.

“Well-well, at least he doesn’t smell as bad,” said Fligbug to Zucchi.

“Yeeeaaahhh…buuut noooot byyyy muuuuuch.”

The queen kissed Irwin and Liadan on the forehead and then turned to go. The two companions turned toward the edge of the forest, and began their journey toward the wizard’s castle.

“There’s always a catch, isn’t there?” shouted Reggie after the humans. “The next time there’s a fairy tale to be told around here, just count…me…out! Hello? Are you two listening? Hey! Wait up!”