Episode 26: Part 1

Eliza McConnel gave a sigh and halted the strumming of her guitar while the last notes of the bouncy Irish song she was playing faded off. She sat in a chair of one of the Student Union's reception halls and glanced upwards while the Hibernian Knights paused again from their dance practice session. She had been providing dance music while Kristen helped to teach the knights how to do some traditional Gaelic ceilidh dancing in hopes it might impress the Summer Court during their upcoming meeting.

"Ouch! Quinton! You're killing me here!" Noelle groaned in annoyance toward her dance partner for the afternoon, "My toes can't take much more of a beating."

Quinton let go of her and gave an apologetic grimace, "Sorry Noelle. When it comes to dancing, I'm afraid I've always had two left feet."

Before the Autumn Knight could reply, Laura chimed in and gave her own dance partner a little nudge, "Don't feel bad Noelle. I've still got to deal with Fumbles McStupid over here so I feel your pain too."

"Hey!" Connor frowned while giving her a light poke in the side, "The feeling is mutual Goldilocks."

"What did you call me?"

From their own spot nearby, Stephen looked to Kristen in dismay and saw the Druid shake her head. She pinched the bridge of her nose in mild exasperation while Connor and Laura erupted into another one of their classic petty squabbles. As the two knights continued to bicker and call each other names, Kristen ignored them and turned to their musician, "Ok Eliza. Let's try something different. Could you play that melody again from the top?"

Eliza nodded and began to play while Kristen started to dance a simple jig by herself. The other knights paused and stopped their arguing to watch their mentor perform a few skillful turns, then skip about with a few graceful kicks and tapping motions of her shoe. When Eliza finished the short melody, the knights all clapped their hands as Kristen ended her own dance and flipped some of her loose hair aside in satisfaction, "Yep… I've still got it."

"Wow! That was really good Kristen!" Noelle exclaimed while the others nodded.

"I can teach you guys to do that if you're all done arguing like little kindergartners," the Druid said, "If pair dancing is still going to be a little difficult, we might as well learn some simple line dancing instead."

Stephen nodded his head thoughtfully, "You must have done Irish dancing for a long time huh?"

Kristen shrugged, "My parents taught me to do it along with my Druid training… to get in touch with my roots, they said. One thing I won't miss is doing is dancing at exhibitions and having my hair get all curled and frizzed out."

Connor took a moment to try and imagine Kristen with such a ridiculous hairstyle and suppressed a laugh which earned him a mild warning frown.

From her chair, Eliza drummed her fingers on her instrument, "I don't know guys… aren't you all really nervous? I mean, even if you learn to dance before then it still sounds like you're going to be meeting with some really big league figures among the Faerie people. That's some real pressure."

Quinton gave an optimistic smile, "Hey between Kristen's dance lessons and your help with the music, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Agreed," Noelle nodded while giving Quinton a friendly elbow in the side, "And as long as you dance on the opposite end of the line from me too."

At the end of that week, the knights gathered together on Friday afternoon after classes to meet Kristen at the large central fountain in Ivy Lane Plaza. Each of the knights carried a travel bag with a change of clothes along with an apprehensive look on their face. Their mentor got up from the park bench where she was waiting and took a look to the golden autumn sun which began to hang low in the orange skies, "Is everyone ready? It's almost time."

Stephen took a deep breath and straightened his collared shirt out, "Oh I don't know... it's not like we're going to be meeting some of the most powerful beings in another plane of reality or anything. Yeah, we're cool."

Quinton turned to Kristen, "Do you have the apple?"

The Druid nodded and patted her travel bag, "Safe and sound. We're not going to be visiting the Summer Court empty handed."

"I'm glad to hear that," came Gwydion's voice as he appeared out of seemingly nowhere. No doubt the high Elf of the Summer realm had used the light of the sun somehow, but that magic was beyond any of their comprehension. He gave the six a small nod and a smile, "I'm pleased to hear you were successful in your quest."

"Even though we all came within an inch of losing our lives," Laura muttered quietly to Noelle.

"We're here to answer the invitation of the Summer Court as agreed," Connor said firmly as he stepped forward to greet the fey noble.

"And so you will," Gwydion replied as he made an arcane gesture to the sky, "If all of you are prepared, we'll let the light of your sun take us back into the Faerie Realm... to my home in the land of Summer."

Had there been any casual observers walking by the fountain in Ivy Lane, the glare of the setting sun increased for the slightest instant before the seven people standing there vanished into thin air. While no other citizen or college student of the town had been present, the anomaly was not lost on a more covert observer perched high in a nearby tree. The large black crow sitting there gave a restless caw before flapping its wings and taking off into the early evening skies.

Meanwhile, the redcap Seamus Killarny stood watching the fading sunlight from a rocky outcropping at the edge of Somerset Valley. After having been badly trounced in the Balckmoor Marshes of Autumn, the Fomorian general had retreated to that little cliff hideout to plot his next move. Lord Balor had tasked him with delaying the knights and meddling in their business while the warlord gathered the rest of the Fomorian army together for an all out attack later. As he waited for his informant to come, the redcap glanced down and flexed his forearm. The traitorous witch Leanansidhe had sliced his arm off in a prior battle but due to his supernatural trait of being a troll-like fey creature, he had managed to fully regrow it in time. Still, the insult was not forgotten and he swore vengeance if he ever saw that faerie witch again.

His dark thoughts were immediately interrupted though as a black crow flew up the rocky slopes of the valley's edge and landed on the redcap's waiting shoulder. As the crow folded its wings, it leaned over and began to chatter into Seamus's ear and he listened carefully. "Ah... I see. So it sounds like the knights have set out for the realm of Summer? And with Lord Gwydion of all people... I wonder if it's some sort of diplomatic meeting."

The crow squawked and bobbed restlessly on the redcap's shoulder before he nodded, "Quiet down you! I am going to do something about it, but I'm going to need a little help."

Seamus gave a thoughtful look inside the caves before giving a snap of his fingers, "Leucifia! I need your services!"

He waited for a long moment before a Fomorian emerged from the caves and gave him a sly smile. She was a lovely female creature with skin made of wood and flowers trailing down her long hair. Despite her beauty she had sharp features and the green outfit she wore had been created from the leaves of the poison ivy plant. "What is it you require general?"

Seamus gave a devilish grin to the evil hamadryad before him, "I have a task for you my dear and I'd like you to go on a little business trip for me."

Upon crossing back over to the Faerie Realm, the knights found themselves in Solas, the capital city of the Summer Court. Beautiful crystal spires rose into the air as verdant trees and flowers lined the walkways. Beautiful Elven citizens went about on the immaculately paved streets with their daily chores while here and there, red and gold clad guards patrolled the corners. Up above, the skies were clear and bright and the air was comfortably warm and balmy. As a gentle summer breeze rippled by, everyone's noses were tickled by the faint sweet perfume of exotic flowers.

"Wow..." Stephen said as they glanced around the public park Gwydion had taken them to, "This place is beautiful!"

Lord Gwydion gave a mildly amused smile and gestured toward a large castle built on a hill overlooking the city proper. It was a magnificent palace with white marble walls and carefully trimmed ivy growing down the sides. Crystal spires lined the palace grounds while even from a distance, the signs of greenery and gardens could be spotted within. Atop the spires and towers was golden lining which reflected back the warm light of the sun while red flags and pennons fluttered majestically in the breeze. "I'm sure you can see that many of us here have a lot worthy fighting for too. That is why we are so serious about defending ourselves from the likes of Lord Balor or even our old enemies of the Winter Court. Come, I will take you to the palace where you will rest tonight. Tomorrow, we meet with the King and Queen."

"Wait... you mean we get to stay in a real life castle tonight?" Noelle gasped in excitement, "How cool is that?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself Noelle," Kristen said as they walked along, "Technically, we're here on matters of state. That means we have to be very careful, both in our words and our actions."

"Because we don't want to cause any diplomatic issues?" Laura asked in concern.

Kristen replied with a wry smile, "That, and because the rest of the fey nobility will no doubt have their own agendas. You can never be too certain who to trust in the game of faerie politics."

Gwydion chuckled in amusement, "A wise observation Miss Bloom. Until the meeting with the royals tomorrow, it's best that you stay close to me."

Without anything further to add, Connor and Quinton exchanged a look and shrugged before following along with the rest of the group, wondering what the next day would bring.

After enjoying a lavish feast and the comforts of palace guest rooms for the evening, the six companions met again with Lord Gwydion in one of the castle's magnificent foyers the next morning. Despite having to share three people to a room, the guest chambers had been large and everyone was well rested. In anticipation for their meeting with the Summer Court royals, the knights wore some dressier clothes to make a good impression. Along with nice slacks, the boys wore dress shirts with color coded ties while the girls wore business casual skirts and colored blouses. The only exception to this was Kristen who had donned her green Druid robes which would help her be more easily recognized as an official diplomat to the fey courts.

As the six met with Gwydion, they took a moment to admire the palace foyer. Ornate pillars lined the path while colorful flower baskets hung in between them. The playful sounds of chirping birds echoed through the open air palace while bright sunlight streamed in from the windows. While they strolled outside to the gardens, Gwydion gave a curious look toward them, "I trust you were all comfortable and slept well?"

"Indeed," Laura sighed with a content smile, "It was definitely a step up from the normal accommodation of a college dorm room."

Quinton gave a sheepish shrug to Gwydion, "Back in the mortal world, Lady Laura here comes from a sort of noble family herself... a fellow aristocrat to you."

Gwydion nodded and continued leading them through a vast immaculately manicured garden. Tall green hedgerows wound around bearing colorful flowers and exotic fruits while small beautiful fountains and waterways that had been incorporated into the landscaping babbled quietly. As they neared the heart of the garden and presumably the place where the Summer royals were holding court, several pedestals lined the way with white marble statues. Surprisingly, the statues were all of human males and females and each figure was remarkably beautiful. Connor stopped and examined some of the statues, getting the same odd feeling from the time the knights had dealt with an evil fey sculptor in Winter. "These statues..."

"Are all humans, yes..." Gwydion said matter of factly as he walked up beside him, "In fact, they still are."

"What do you mean by that?" Connor asked in confusion.

Gwydion sighed, "These are people who had caught the eye of the Summer Court. We have a deep appreciation and admiration for beautiful things. The King and Queen offered these lovely talented people immortality... a chance to be beautiful forever, and so they have been granted it."

"They turned these people into statues?" Noelle gasped in horror, "I can't believe that! I thought the Summer Court was supposed to be friendlier towards us mortals."

Kristen put a gentle hand on her shoulder to settle her down, "They are... in a way, but it would be a mistake to assume that the Summer fey aren't as dangerous or deceitful as the other courts."

Gwydion nodded sagely, "The Druid is correct. Many of us are often more sympathetic toward you humans and willing to deal with you in good faith, but there are still many others who look down upon your kind and see you as playthings or simpletons who can be exploited for our own gain. Summer Court courtiers have a bit of a reputation for speaking to you with warmth and courtesy before stabbing you in the back later."

"Sounds an awful lot like how the popular and pretty kid cliques worked in high school," Stephen growled darkly to himself, remembering a lot of the crap he had gone through growing up.

As Gwydion led them on, Connor couldn't help but frown one more time and feel sympathy for those people who had been turned to stone forever. As he was technically a knight of the Summer Court, his own patrons allowing such a "benevolent" curse did not sit well with him or his sense of justice.

Upon passing the last inner garden gates, the knights began to hear beautiful music filling the air. The light airy sounds of stringed instruments and woodwinds grew louder as they approached a crowd of courtiers and important looking Elves. From their vantage point, the visitors stared in awe upon seeing that the lovely orchestral music was being played by a group of exhausted looking human musicians. Aside from the fear of imagining their friend Eliza being here, the knights could only wonder if these poor people were imprisoned guests of the Summer Court as well.

The songs eventually came to an end and as the last of the notes drifted away on the breeze, a few of the musicians collapsed to the ground, whether they were dead or simply unconscious, it was difficult to tell. Despite that, the Elven noblemen and women gave polite applause and turned with curiosity toward their new guests. Immediately, the beautiful and well dressed Elves cleared the way and formed a path in the garden throne room where two majestic figures sat at the head of it all. The Elven King and Queen of Summer sat calmly upon their thrones presiding over the reception and then turned to observe their new human guests. Lord Gwydion led them slowly forward among the courtiers and stopped at a respectful distance before the monarchs. He gave a long low bow of respect as a handful of soldiers in the royal guard stepped forward to take their posts.

The beautiful and youthful looking monarchs were dressed in fine red and gold silks while radiant gold crowns sat upon their heads. The Summer King Oberon was a handsome male of strong and solid build with blazing red hair. He wore a magnificent sword at his side and regarded the humans with a strong but silent expression that was inscrutable to all. Beside him, his wife Queen Titania was a beautiful woman with long honey colored hair and flowers adorning her crown. She wore a more gentle but discerning look in her eyes and tilted her head slightly, "Lord Gwydion. I see you've returned with the mortal guests."

"Yes Majesty..." Gwydion replied introducing the knights, "I have brought with me the mortal guardians of Somerset Valley, the new young people who have laid claim to the powers of the old Tuathan Knights, and those who I hope will be allies to our cause."

The lord of Summer stepped aside as the nervous knights stepped forward and gave a respectful bow. The Summer Court fell silent as all eyes turned on them and waited to see what would happen next.

Titania studied them a moment before glancing over to Kristen, "I've heard some stories of these new warriors, but I was not aware that they were allied to the Druid Orders as well. You are?"

"Kristen Bloom... Your Majesty," the Druid replied in a slightly nervous voice while she bowed and curtsied again, "I am a Sister of the Juniper Order and a trusted advisor to these young heroes."

King Oberon studied her carefully before looking to the knights, "Which one of you holds the ring with the power of our court?"

Connor timidly stepped forward and bowed his head, "I... I do Majesty. I am Sir Connor Walsh of Somerset Valley."

Oberon gave a satisfied nod seeing that the ring had gone to a handsome young man with an equally strong build, "Then we welcome you and your companions to our court Sir Walsh. As we have extended our hospitality to you, can we assume that you six have an offering to repay the gesture?"

Connor nodded as Kristen handed him the apple, "We do King Oberon. I present to you a golden life apple taken from the Gallow Tree of Blackmoor Marsh in Autumn."

An impressed murmur went through the rest of the court as Connor handed the apple to one of the royal guards who then gave it to the king and queen. Titania smiled brightly as she examined the treasure, "Fruit that was created from pure life force? A truly unique treasure... and one taken from the allies of our Winter foes as well. We are surprised Sir Knight... and very impressed."

More chatter swirled about the nobles and courtiers, some of it praise, while others expressed disbelief or outright jealous scorn of the knights' feat.

"I see that we weren't wrong to place a degree of trust in you or Lord Gwydion who advocated for your audience here," Titania said thoughtfully. "If you were able to accomplish such a feat, then the five of you knights do have adequate strength and skill to be valuable allies to us. That is why we summoned you."

Oberon raised a careful hand, "Of course, we can't be too careful either. The ones who bear the rings of Winter and Autumn?"

Laura and Noelle timidly stepped forward and bowed before Quinton answered for them while respectfully showing the green glow of his ring marking him as the Spring Knight, "They are good friends and allies, Highness. Sir Walsh and I trust them with our lives."

Oberon nodded, "Very well Spring Knight. Now, we will have much to discuss. Balor and his Fomorian warriors are on the move and the courts of Faerie are preparing to respond. One way or another, this battle will involve the five of you knights as the stability of our two worlds will hang in the balance."

A/N:
To answer the Guest reader question from last chapter, there will be a power-up which I'll introduce in the next chapter.