Didymus had ridden to the far eastern borders of the marshes to where the Iron Towers stood. This marked the border lands to the next kingdom. The unseelie's land was cloaked in darkness, few ever ventured in. It was eerie on the borders, light and dark meeting but not mixing, like a veil dropped between two places.
"I'm sorry Ambrosious but I must go alone. You must wait here for me. Take care that you are not seen. This mission is too dangerous for you," poor Ambrosious just whimpered and cowered under the dense bushes but stayed where he was.
Didymus carefully crept along the bushes that surrounded the tall twin towers. Black as night and nearly invisible in this dense thick darkness that surrounded the borders the Iron towers stood. Sound here too was muffled by the thick darkness. There were unseen dangers guarding the towers. One had to approach in stealth just to reach the large gates that lead into the courtyard; even then you weren't guaranteed safe passage until you were inside.
Very few ever dared to push this far into the towers, the guardian was greatly feared. No one who has visited has ever returned. No one knows what the guardian even looks like. Some say he is an old knight who retired to the towers building his fearful reputation.
"I am the bravest knight in the underground. I shall face my fears. My honor depends upon it," whispering to himself was the mantra as he crept closer and closer to the dreaded gated courtyard.
The darkness surrounded him, closed in on him, he was feeling claustrophobic, but it was only a few more feet to the gate. He had made it this far. His resolve was stronger, "I can do this. I am fearless." The tall wrought iron gates loomed above Didymus's head; the poor knight barely had the strength to push them open.
"I surely wish my brother, Ludo, was here," he gave one more mighty push causing the gates to creak and squeal loudly open. At once he knew that the guardian must have heard them open. With a great burst of speed the little fox knight ran for the main door to the towers, hoping he could reach them in time. Many stories were told of people who dallied too long before reaching the doors. Many that gave him the shivers while he hoped not to be the next story added.
Nearly out of breath he finally reached the dark doors. A large metal knocker hung before him. Its grimacing goblin face and ring through its mouth reminded Didymus of the knockers of the labyrinth. The obvious thing to do was to knock. Of course everything in the underground was never simple; there was probably some code of knocks or some silly nonsense like that.
"I shall try the standard knock. That usually works," he said mumbling to himself. Didymus reached up and knocked three times. Creaking and grinding sounds like cogs and gears moving could be heard coming from the door. Slowly it opened; there was silence on the other side. No footsteps or voices to be heard.
"Hello? I'm looking for the tower Guardian." He called into the open door.
"Come closer," a deep voice sounded from within.
Didymus summoned all his courage, for though he was a brave person, even he was weary of walking into what could be a trap.
"What do you want of the Tower Guardian?"
"I seek information. Information about a possible plot against the high court."
"The high court always has plots against it. What business is it of yours fox knight who serves the Goblin king?"
"Yes I serve the goblin king but it is not him that I see this information for. I seek to protect once who has returned to claim the throne from the false heir. She has returned. But there have been attempts at her life. Though she has only been here a few days and none should have known she had returned yet."
"Ah, the princess who would be queen is whom you speak of," boomed the voice from the darkness, "I know of the plot. She would be wise to protect herself. Many want to harm her. One who seeks the throne through bloodline and one who seeks to destroy the high court."
"Two separate plots. Oh this is bad. The bloodline threat I can guess. But who is the other?"
"Why should I share this information? It matters not to me who reigns here in the underground. I have my own domain that none dare challenge."
"Guardian it is not the high court I seek to protect but the life of the princess. She is a dear friend and has live above all her life. She is special and I would do anything to keep her from harm."
"I see. Noble knight, you are honest. I commend you for this. For this alone I will impart what you seek. You must search out the unseelie prince. He is the one who plots. The king knows nothing of this."
"Thank you," Didymus said bowing low to the darkness.
"Now leave my domain. I pray you never venture here again. I may not be so generous next time."
Didymus wasted no time leaving. He ran out the courtyard through the gates and back to where poor Ambrosious was hiding in the bushes. He leapt onto his steeds back and raced back towards the goblin kingdom.