Chapter 47- trancelike behaviours

Back at Cair Paravel on the mainland

The various servants and workers continued their tasks. The medics continued to care for High King Peter who was showing signs of deterioration indicated by worse symptoms of his poisoning, such as convulsions and aggression while his carers continued to anxiously await the return of the quest-goers with his antidote's nine ingredients; some higher ranking officials continued to send out search-and-destroy groups or interrogate captured minions and some others, such as Tarzan the Oran-Utan and the Alcanto, kept King Edmund and company updated with the various tasks and rescues. However, there was a traitor in their midst and some of the workers had begun to act abnormally. One of the abnormal behaviours was an addiction to some type of cream-like dessert Alcina had been handing out but another, far more sinister type of abnormal behaviour was beginning to emerge.

A group of search-and-destroyers had returned to Cair Paravel to bring an important report. Among the group were some Babookari, Cryptiles and a Carakiller and they had an important report. Chrystós the Gold-Fleeced Ram came in as the Carakiller came forward.

"While we were hunting a group of Hidebehinds (shadowy furry creatures that skulked the shadows of a cluttered environment such as a forest and served as important spies for the White Witch along with the Witch-loyal Dryads and the Slender-Men) to slay, we have found the Father Christmas Imposter Krampus around 2 dekas (a measurement the Carakillers and some other Talking Beasts used for distance, equivalent to around a kilometre) from Shuddering Wood," the Terror Bird-like Caracara-type bird said, "We have found him dead in his sleigh and by the looks of it, it seems that the coming of the Dawn of Spring was what overwhelmed him."

"However, there are no signs of his toy and candy minions," added a Cryptile, his frill similar to a Frilled Lizard, folded down his neck, "We believe that they may have fled when they realised that their master was dead. But we have managed to find and kill as many of those Hidebehinds we could. A few of them, however, had escaped."

"Right, thanks for the report regarding the evil Father Christmas Counterfeit and that group of Hidebehinds," said Chrystós firmly, "Can you guys help us in searching the castle and its grounds for any signs of the traitor among us please?"

The group of Babookari, Cryptiles, the Carakiller and company obediently prepared to move to the weapons room to remove much of their armour but before they could go anywhere, three long, thin creatures with wavy membranes undulating down their sides appeared. Two of them were blue and the other, cyan. One of the other creatures of the search-and-destroy group, a Mole, gazed at the three Flying Rods but when he saw an abnormal look on their simple beady-eyed and lined mouthed faces, confusion swept over him.

"Why are those three Flying Rods looking so hostile?" he asked. Chrystós and the others gazed at the three Rods when suddenly, the Cyan one, a female, released a hiss and charged at the group, forcing them to duck. The two Blue Flying Rods, a male and a female, also lunged to attack but Chrystós and the others ducked as well. Astonishment swept over the group and Chrystós began to reprimand the Flying Rods for this unreasonable attack.

"Oh, get a grip, you three," the Gold-Fleeced Ram yelled as he ducked to avoid an aerial tackle from the female Cyan Flying Rod as she deliberately went for him to knock him down, "WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE, YOU KNOW!"

Then one of the Blue Flying Rods, the male jumped onto the Carakiller's back and began to pull at his head feathers which were signalling feathers that flared out whenever a Carakiller, both Talking and dumb, delivered a squawking signal or whenever a Talking Carakiller got angry, startled or alarmed. Squawks exploded from the Terror Bird-like Caracara as he began to writhe to shake the hostile Flying Rid from his back while a Cryptile, its frill flared, released a MASSIVE hiss at the other Flying Rod, the female, as she swooped close to him and his comrades only to be driven off. However, she flew high towards the ceiling and hovered there, her hostile glare aimed at the group as she prepared for another attack. The commotion attracted some audience and among them, two obvious individuals. King Edmund and Alestomeria came in with a Centaur, a Minotaur and several Archaeobirds. Their faces were laced with irritation.

"What's going on now?" demanded the former when suddenly; the Cyan Talking Rod flew from Chrystós and toward him. Gasps drawn in, the group ducked while Chrystós and company looked on in UTMOST astonishment. This behaviour was certainly NOT normal for a Flying Rod and certainly NOT to one of the Kings. Then as the Cyan Flying Rod narrowly missed King Edmund's head but knocked his crown off with a whip-like flick of her tail, sending his crown careening from his head and onto the floor to his UTMOPST outrage, one of the Archaeobirds jumped up and clamped his toothed beak onto the rear part of the Flying Rod's right undulating membrane. Screeches of agony exploded from the Rod as she writhed in the Archaeobird's gasp but then what happened next sent confusion igniting within everyone. The Cyan Flying Rod stopped writhing and the Archaeobird released her membranous wing. The Mole also stopped as he had come in to deal with the Cyan Rod for her apparent disrespect for the King by knocking off his crown. The Cyan Rod then began to shoot confused gazes in all directions, confusion clearly gripping her while the rest of Chrystós' group dealt with the other two Flying Rods, the Blue ones.

"What happened!? Where am I!?" the Cyan Stick-like creature cried out. Then she shot a guilty look at King Edmund and then at his crown which she had knocked off his head. Guilt sweeping through her and the back of her right membranous wing injured from the Archaeobird's bite, she immediately seized the crown and placed it back onto the King's head. As she did that, Chrystós and the Carakiller also snapped the Blue Flying Rods out of their frenzied states with the former slamming the male onto the floor painfully and the latter, biting the female's tail with his beak. Then confusion swept through the two Blue Flying Rods and they began to frantically look around. One of the Babookari then drew his sword and was about to take a step towards the two confused Blue Sky Creatures but his captain stopped him and shook his head.

"Why were those three Flying Rods SO hostile!?" demanded the Minotaur angrily.

"Cool it, Tauro," Alestomeria commanded before she came forward, her glare on the three confused Flying Rods. "Can any of you three tell us what happened to you and how you became like that?" The Cyan Flying Rod gazed at the Vixen.

"It was like we were in some kind of trance or dreamlike state except we were awake," said she, "How we entered that state we don't know or remember," she then gazed at King Edmund and began to tearfully apologise for knocking off his crown. However, the King assured her.

"You might have been drugged or something," he said, "Maybe someone put something in your food or drink and you consumed it without knowing?"

That pulled Alestomeria's gaze to the King while the others looked on, confused and alarmed.

"Someone might have DRUGGED those three Flying Rods!?" Tauro the Minotaur blurted out in his growly voice. Immediately, the Kitsune barked orders to Chrystós and the others to start searching the castle right now while she and King Edmund go to see Hagrid who had gone to the lab to examine something and with that, the group dispersed, Tauro going with them. The three Flying Rods, who were UTTERLY remorseful, confused and in turmoil of other emotions were taken aside by the Carakiller and the Archaeobirds to have their injuries treated and seriously questioned (they were assured they were NOT in any trouble) about how they became hostile, if they can remember anything at all.

Somewhere else, Milky Way the Pegasus and Amethyst, the half-Nekomata, half-Talking Cat indicated by her partially split tail, and daughter of Kushanku's brother Nyarth and Talking Cat Kagayaku who walked on a walking stick to her age, talked with Tarzan the Oran-Utan, the Alcianto and their group, the latter lot having something VERY important to report. As you'll notice, Pteranodon is not with them for he had been badly injured so Tarzan had taken over the role as leader.

"The Pleasure Dome rescue has been successful," the Oran-Utan said to the Pegasus and the hybrid Cat before his face fell, "But they had been unable to save every one of the prisoners. Some had refused to move and according to Chloroplast who had been kidnapped along with some victims and taken to the vessel, they had been forced to leave them behind."

"It's UTTERLY tragic that you cannot save everyone," said Amethyst, "Those individual victims' families and friends are gonna be UTTERLY heartbroken by that news..."

"But I'm glad they have managed to get as many prisoners they could out of that horrid place," put in Milky Way. She paused to take a sip of water from her bowl for Pegasi and other Equines cannot hold cups due to having hooves which could not grasp things. Amethyst, however, had a cup in her free paw and she took a sip from some fish juice, a drink that was popular among Felines and other creatures that liked fish such as Marsh-Wiggles. Milky Way continued.

"I look forward to seeing my granddaughter Rainbow Quartz who had participated in finding rescue from the Sky with whomever other Creature that had managed to escape that vessel..."

"She shall be rewarded handsomely, along with the other participants for helping us to find the Pleasure Dome," said one of the Alicanto Birds, "Believe me, Milky; your granddaughter has done more than just find help. She and the others with her have also helped us to locate the unknown destination of these kidnapped victims out in the Eastern Ocean AND have prevented more victims from being imported into that destination..."

"So has everyone else who had worked within the place," said Amethyst with a smile, "I think that'll include Malachite and company."

"She and the others with her had also been successfully rescued," said another Alicanto, "And according to the Merman captain of the rescue ship, that group had assisted two determined Talking Red Pandas and their group in finding help and also rescuing Chloroplast."

"Where will the rescued victims and their helpers be taken now that they are out of that revealed location?" asked Milky Way.

"To the nearest island," said Tarzan, "Where they will wait until things here have been thoroughly resolved. It is too dangerous for them to come back here at the moment or they may end up kidnapped again."

"Yes, there are far too many minions of Jadis running around and they won't hesitate in targeting the rescued victims," said the first Ailcanto. Amethyst and Milky Way reluctantly accepted this fact. Their reunion with their nephews, nieces and granddaughter Foal will have to wait until things here have been sorted out. Rather disappointed, the pair thanked Tarzan and his group and they returned to the communicator room to keep in touch with Chloroplast and company and their rescuers. They passed by Alcina who acknowledged their presence and continued. However, as the white Pegasus Mare and the tabby half-Nekomata, half-Talking Cat with metallic purple and pink patches and silvery hairs indicative of her age went to resume their tasks, their behaviour began to change and they began to exhibit feelings of rage and aggression. It was though they were beginning to enter a trancelike state similar to the three Flying Rods earlier. Alcina saw this and formed a wicked smirk on her muzzle. Clutched in her paw was a container with a silvery cap and containing some sort of white liquid.

A little while later, another search-and-destroy group consisting mostly of birds such as a few Spitfire Birds, Talking Cockatiels, Talking Budgies and a Spix macaw and a Scarlet Macaw, had arrived in the castle. The Spix macaw was the father of Tulio the Spix macaw, one of the kidnapped victims who had been taken aboard the Pleasure Dome. Tulio was his and his mate's only chick and son and the couple had been hoping and praying that he was kept safe and had been rescued. He had been kidnapped by a group of Hidebehinds when he foolishly went out alone and when Mr Spix went to rescue him, one Hidebehind struck him down with a paw swipe, almost injuring Mr Spix with a broken wing. Then the group of hideous black furball monsters made off with Tulio and some other victims in their clutches to the UTMOST anguish of his parents. Narnian Spix Macaws, sometimes called Little Blue Macaws, had low fertility rates, far lower than their Earth or Humans' world counterparts so there was not very many of them. Clutches of a single egg was VERY common but clutches of two and even three had been reported so they were a rare species like the blue macaws of the Pevensie Monarchs' homeworld. The Age of Winter had been the CRUELEST time of Narnia's history for the Narnian Spix Macaw and the Spix Macaw Clans had been frequently targeted by Jadis and her minions for their eggs and feathers. Only a few Spix macaws had managed to escape to the Archenland Mountains during the Exodus and even after the vanquishing of the White Witch, the Spix Macaw population and the populations of a number of other Talking Beast species had been badly affected. This Spix macaw father of Tulio, named Mr Spix, and his mate Mrs Spix had been trying for another egg but had been so far unsuccessful. Tulio was their dear son to them and if anything, at all, had happened to him aboard the Pleasure Dome which they had found out from a reporter, a Green-Winged Macaw and a friend of theirs, their already fractured hearts would be further damaged and Mrs Spix's health was already in a state of peril. She had been unwell for the past number of days since Tulio had been kidnapped and had been brought to Cair Paravel for monitoring while her husband Mr Spix joined the search-and-destroy groups in dealing with Jadis' surviving minions despite Hagrid and Alestomeria's advice against it. However, Mr Spix had an UTTER vendetta against Jadis' minions for the kidnapping of his son and was out on a revenge run. He wanted those minions to suffer for the loss of Tulio and to feel his agony, especially any Hidebehind he came across which he despised MOST out of all the minion species of Jadis apart from Jadis herself and the Manananggal but I digress.

As the mostly-Bird group entered the castle, the Talking Spitfire Bird, a male named Bombardier, began to give Mr Spix whose weapon was a sword which he had in a scabbard on a belt around his waist, a lecture.

"You seriously NEED to be by your wife's side rather than accompany us on our search-and-destroy missions, Spix," said the bright yellow and red Flutterbird seriously, "Several times you nearly got hurt."

"Don't you get it, Bombardier!?" Mr Spix snapped fiercely, "Those low-down pieces of SCUM are responsible for the kidnapping of Tulio and his taking aboard that Dome thingy out in the Eastern Ocean for some HORRID purpose. If anything, at ALL, happens to our only son, things WILL get EXTREMELY violent between me and them."

"You SURELY don't understand what you're throwing yourself into, Spix," said the Scarlet Macaw seriously, "These missions can get EXTREMELY dangerous."

"Yes, you very NEARLY got ambushed and mauled by that Drop Bear when it dropped from its ambush spot and caught you until you managed to behead it," said a Cockatiel.

"Your revenge scheme is SERIOUSLY putting you in life-risking danger," said a Budgie, a blue one.

"Honestly," added a Talking Raven, "Isn't your wife and son and more importantly, your life, MORE important than some revenge run?"

"Your wife will NEED you and don't forget that your species is SO rare," added a Talking white and yellow Cockatoo. Spix didn't listen to these important statements as the ONLY thing boiling on his mind was revenge and seeing his son again. Just then, a royal young Woman or Daughter of Eve as she was called by the Talking Beasts and other Narnian inhabitants including the creatures from other domains such as Martian came down the stairs, dressed, yawning and stretching her arms. The group saw her.

"Ah, your Majesty," said Bombardier, "Glad to see you up from your nap."

"How was your nap?" asked another Budgie, a green and yellow one, "Did you get any sleep?"

"Only a couple of hours," replied Queen Susan as she dropped from the final step of the stairwell, "But everything that is going on has made it SO difficult in me getting any sleep at all. Our older brother's still sick and we are waiting the return of the quest-goers with the nine ingredients for his antidote; my little sister is among one of those groups..."

"They will be back in our country of Narnia in a short time," said Bombardier, "Hopefully, they will arrive here without much trouble in time before our High King starts showing signs of the more severe symptoms of his Jadis' poisoning."

"Martian himself is unsure of how long he has left," said the Raven, "But he is thinking maybe a few days."

Spix, however, just looked on with a sour face and folded wings.

"But the return of the quest-goers with the nine ingredients is becoming more and more urgent," said the Scarlet Macaw, "And they must do so and soon. Any further delay could put our High King's life in the clutches of a Bird monster ready to drop to the ground."

Queen Susan just breathed a tearful sigh and hoped to Aslan that the quest-goers WILL return in time with all nine ingredients, those ingredients combined and the potion administered to the High King before the Death Predator came and caught him. It was indeed a gut wrenching and heart-twisting time for everyone, especially High King Peter's three younger siblings but most especially King Edmund and Queen Susan. Then Queen Susan moved on with another subject, hoping to cause a bit of distraction from everything that was happening.

"By the way, I have been thinking about this Lilith figure that the White Witch is descended from," she said, "Is she REALLY from Earth?"

"Lilith has been theorized and even believed by a lot of us to be Adam's first wife," said Bombardier, "And according to the story, she refused to take up the role and fled to Charn, Jadis' TRUE world of origin."

"Where she mothered a number of wicked offspring with a Charnian Giant or something," said a grey and white Budgie and one of the warrior Budgies in the group. Talking Budgies attacked in flocks for they were too small and vulnerable to attack alone but still, they were larger than regular budgies like other small Talking Beasts formed from regular beasts such as Mice and Rats. "However, her Earth and Garden of Eden origins have been proven false by Hagrid and Alestomeria when they studied the REAL facts behind Jadis' origins."

"Lilith was actually a Charnian being who was born in Charn and had become EXTREMELY wicked and vain," said Mr Spix, his resentment and rancour for Jadis' minions put aside for now, "But she was eventually put to death but not before she mothered her offspring and from one of those lineages came the White Witch."

"Whilst back on Earth, your homeworld, Adam only had ONE wife, Eve, formed by God from one of his ribs and not from the dirt as Lilith apparently was in the erroneous belief that she was from Earth," said the Raven. Queen Susan looked on with surprise. This erroneous belief was what Mr Beaver told her and her siblings during their first days in Narnia before and during Edmund's betrayal of them to the White Witch herself. However, the story of the White Witch's origins was only partly true; Lilith did not come from Earth, but was from Charn, and was certainly NOT Adam's first wife as many of the Narnians including Mr and Mrs Beaver believed.

While Queen Susan conversed with Mr Spix and Bombardier's group, Ovide and his Platypus platoon walked in when they saw a familiar aging white Pegasus Mare and a Tabby Cat with a half-split tail and purple and pink metallic patches in her pelage walk in. Ovide smiled.

"Hey, Amethyst and Milky W..." however, the lead Talking Platypus noticed something off about their faces. The pair of female Magical Beasts shot the Chimerical Monotremes a hostile glare, their teeth gritted and before the Platypuses could ask for the reason for the two's hostility, Amethyst shot her FURIOUS glare on a nearby vase and encased it in a neon blue aura, her eyes flashing neon blue. Though she was half-Nekomata, she also had the telekinesis ability albeit weaker.

"Amethyst, what are you DOING!?" demanded Ovide but then he and his underlings had to scatter when Amethyst telekinetically threw the vase at them. The vase smashed exactly where the Platypuses had been and lay in broken fragments like large eggshell pieces. At the same time, Milky Way charged at Queen Susan and the mostly Bird search-and-destroy group like an enraged cow, forcing them to dodge and scatter. One of the non-Bird members in the group, a Talking Fox, leaped at Queen Susan and barrelled her out of Milky Way's unprovoked charge, making the Pegasus Mare miss. The Platypuses looked on in UTMOST astonishment.

"TELL Milky Way to SNAP OUT OF HER RAGE!" bellowed Ovide to Bombardier's group as they also looked on bewildered at Milky Way's abnormal behaviour, "She almost mowed down Queen Su... LOOK OUT!"

The Platypuses shot an alarmed gaze at Milky Way and saw the enraged Pegasus charge towards them, an ENRAGED neigh exploding from her mouth and her wings flapping. The Platypuses scattered but Ovide tripped. The lead Platypus looked up as Milky Way then neared him and with an enraged neigh and a flap of her wings, she reared up and towered over him, frightening the Platypus into curling up into a protective ball, his front webbed feet protectively covering his head but before Milky Way could bring down her fore-hooves onto the Platypus in a powerful stomp that could brutally injure him, Bombardier took action. Rocketing forward and as soon as he was near Milky Way's behind, the Talking Spitfire Bird unleashed a spray of hot, boiling chemicals at the Pegasus' rump and hind legs from his jet gun-like nostrils atop his beak, inflicting a burn. SEARING agony ripped through the area where the chemicals made contact and made a pained neigh explode from Milky Way's mouth. However, the burn had an effect and it immediately snapped Milky Way out of her frenzied state. As soon as that happened, she shot Ovide as he remained tightly curled in a ball with his hands on his head a stunned look, the Platypus returning it with a frightened gaze and rapid breathing. Horrified at what she was about to do to Ovide, Milky Way turned and landed her front hooves onto the ground away from the Platypus.

"Milky Way," Bombardier's voice shouted and within moments, the Spitfire Bird flew to the Mare's front as she continued to register what in NARNIA she was trying to do. However, Milky Way winced from the burn on her rump and hind legs where Bombardier had struck her with his chemicals. Bombardier regretted doing this to the elderly Pegasus but he knew he had to do something. While Milky Way looked confused and apologetically at Ovide and then at Queen Susan, Amethyst, who was still under some sort of frenzied spell, appeared and was about to charge at Queen Susan and the Fox who had knocked her out of Milky Way's way, her claws protracted but then Mr Spix rushed in, seized her partially split tail and clamped his beak on the appendage where it bifurcated. The searing pain from the bite made the half-Nekomata scream in agony and also snap her out of her trance. Then just like Milky Way, Amethyst looked on in UTMOST stun.

"What am I doing? WHERE AM I!?" she demanded. As she spoke, two important figures entered the room.

"Never mind about that, Amethyst," said Bombardier seriously, "You and Milky Way are off to the medical centre to get your injuries treated."

With that, the pair was gently escorted to said area. Milky Way limped from the burn on her rump and Bombardier sincerely apologised to her for having to use his chemicals on her rump like that but he didn't want to hit her in the eyes or could have blinded her.

As the pair was led away, the two newcomers, King Edmund (who was glad to see his older sister awake) and Alestomeria rushed in, the pair having seen everything from a distance. Alestomeria went to Amethyst and Milky Way to ask them something while the King greeted his sister.

"Susan, sis, glad you're awake," said he.

"What has been going on?" demanded Queen Susan angrily.

"Someone here is causing trouble," explained King Edmund, before his gaze turned to Amethyst and Milky Way, "That's another pair of victims we've had acting strangely lately. We and another group nearly got into an altercation with three Flying Rods who appeared to have been under some form of trance."

"Trance?" asked Queen Susan. Suddenly, Alestomeria's voice barked, "Get Amethyst's fish juice and Milky Way's water examined in the lab IMMEDIATELY!"

The two Monarchs looked up and saw the Nine-Tailed Vixen command Mr Spix and the Raven to take said drinks to the lab for examination and the pair obediently left. Then Alestomeria came to King Edmund, Queen Susan and the Fox, an ordinary Talking Fox.

"Queen Susan," she said, "When we came under attack from three of the Flying Rods exhibiting abnormal behaviour similar to Milky Way and Amethyst over there, your brother suggested that their food or drink could have been drugged by something so I'm suspecting that Amethyst and Milky Way's drinks may have been spiked as well, so you need to be VERY careful of what you eat and drink lest you start acting strangely as well."

"You suspect there is someone using some sort of poison to change the behaviour of our workers roaming here, Alestomeria?" asked Queen Susan worriedly.

"We're gonna have to look out for each other until whoever is causing such trouble is found out and caught," said King Edmund, his gaze of dread at his sister.

"Where is Hagrid?" asked Queen Susan.

"He's in the lab testing something," said Alestomeria, "But we need to leave him to his task. In the meantime, let's return to your thrones, and I will be your bodyguard until further notice," the Nine-Tailed Vixen's face then morphed into one of seriousness, "The last thing I want is any of you two becoming trapped into whatever substances someone is throwing around, and once we find that someone and get them caught, it will be INSTANT death for them from either my or Hagrid's foxfire," Alestomeria snarled these words in anger. Nearby, in a hidden area behind a knight's armour set up for display, a certain Fox with three tails and red, gold, purple and magenta fur flinched and fled.