Descent

So now things are beginning to move along. This chapter needs a lot of work. Reviews would be most excellent.

 “Rise and shine, sleepyhead. You’ve got a kingdom to satisfy.”

            “Eerugh…” Cypress’ early morning groan did nothing to dissuade Tam’s relentless shaking. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times in the sunlight that poured through the thin ceiling above him. “Go away Tam.” he muttered irritably. “It’s far too early for me to be exposed to morning people.”

            Tam laughed and the golden ringlets that framed his cherubic face bounced gently with the ripples of his diaphragm. “I’ve been enjoying the morning for a rather long time; you’ve just slept through most of it. It’s nearly middens! Your father sent me to wake your lazy face and prod you until you showed it in the court.”

            “Can you blame me? The ceremony last night was long and tiring.”

            “I’ll say. I nearly died of ennui.”

            “Tam! It wasn’t that bad.” Cypress chided as he swung his legs over the edge of his high, canopied bed and gingerly pressed a foot into the floor before pushing himself onto it and plodding over to his wardrobe.

            “Perhaps not, but I felt like it would go on forever. Those long-winded bagpipes could have easily cut their speeches about honor and whatnot significantly shorter.”

            “Tam…”

            “Oh come now, you know I’m right.”

            “Only to the tiniest degree. Be fair. Traditions are important to an extent.” Cypress vanished into the spacious wardrobe for a few minutes before emerging, fully clothed and pulling a comb through his hair. “And anyway, you can’t expect them to— good God! Do my wings look like that?” He reached over his shoulder and ran his fingers along the familiar sinews, wincing at their new brittle texture. As he stretched his hand out farther he could feel the startled muscles beginning to droop in sudden atrophy, just as Tam’s were. An experimental flutter met with soft crackling and a brief, but sharp pain told him that his beloved wings would serve him no longer; his face twisted with pain at the thought. “They sound like leaves…” he whispered, awed.

            “Not that you’d know much about leaves, living on a cloud and all.” Tam jested, though there was subtle pain in his remark. He, too, was upset about the loss of such a major organ.

            “We… went to earth during autumn when I was little…” Cypress said distantly, rustling his wings a little more and whimpering softly with pain.

“Don’t move them too much,” Tam advised. “It’s depressing and it hurts. Chancellor Larch said that they should detach easily this evening when they rip them out of our backs at the ceremony before we leave. Makes you feel like you’re naked, huh?”

            Cypress nodded numbly. “It’s like losing a friend.”

            “Yeah, an inanimate friend that’s latched on to your back. But hopefully we’ll be gaining some human friends soon to make up the difference.” Tam pointed out cheerfully. “Don’t be all gloomy either, Cy. It’s not good for you and besides, you should be thankful. You wanted to do this from the start. You’re lucky King Asper’s letting you go in the first place.”

            “I know. It’s not that I’m not grateful, it’s just a big change, you know? I’ve never been this vulnerable before.”

            “Neither have I, but we’ll get through it. In the meantime, let’s prove to your dear old dad that you’re awake and go to midden. I’m starved.”

            “All right.” Cypress conceded. “Let’s.”

 

*

 

            “All is going according to plan, I presume?”

            “Indeed, Chancellor. The spell was a complete success. Both boys’ wings are continuing to deteriorate at the same rate, with no sign of the poison in the prince’s bloodstream. If all goes well, he should begin to experience symptoms on the fourth or fifth day after his arrival in Calassi.”

            “And if all does not go according to plan?”

            “The poison should take effect in a week’s time at the latest.”

            “Excellent. With a bit of luck, his Sickness should afflict him sometime within that period and when he dies, there will be no trace. War will be inevitable after the prince is eliminated. A new heir must be produced somehow, and that cannot happen without regaining the Queen. Even so, I will pay them a visit in a week’s time to make sure that all is going according to plan.”

            “Masterful indeed. I commend you.”

            “My thanks, Cadagi. But you should return to the throne room; the king’s court is incomplete without you.”

            “Quite so. I shall keep you informed of anything that catches my ear pertaining to this matter. Good day, Chancellor Larch.”

            Cadagi unlocked the door and strode down the corridor, pausing for a moment to smile unctuously at a passing acquaintance. “Good afternoon, Lady Carina. I pray the day finds you well.”

            “As well as can be expected since Prince Cypress and Tam are leaving us tonight.” The young fairy replied, unable to mask the twinge of remorse in her voice.

“Ah… worried, I expect. Cheer up, young lady. Prince Cypress will surely return safely by this day next year, or even before, and Tamarisk with him.”

“I certainly hope so. Good day, Lord Cadagi.” With this, Carina continued on her way, leaving Lord A’ahrik Cadagi to chuckle under his breath as he watched her turn down the passage that led to the Prince’s chamber. “Enjoy your last moments with your betrothed, dear lady.” he mused quietly to himself. “Heaven knows you’ll never see each other again.”

 

Cypress lay sprawled on his bed, stomach pressing into the luxurious pillows, as he watched the flaky silver slivers of his decayed wings chip off in minute proportions as breaths of air swept through his open window. The tiny pieces swirled in the breeze, dancing like stars for a few seconds before the scattered over the floor. He sighed gently, a movement which crinkled his fragile wings and stirred a few slightly bigger pieces to join the dance.

He stirred at the knock on his door and descended from his bed in a shower of glittering dust as he rose to open the intricate entryway. When the heavy wooden door was swept away, a little of his melancholy disposition followed it. “Carina!” he exclaimed, his eyes brightening. “Come in!” he stepped away from the door to allow the pretty young girl to enter and released the door.

Carina’s dark hair glistened gently in the late afternoon sun and her placid smile added to the sparkle in her deep blue eyes, but could not hide the worry. “Cypress…” she began in that sweet, lilting voice the prince knew so well. “I…” the words seemed to die in her throat. “I’ll miss you.”

The prince pulled her into a tight hug, touched. “I’ll miss you too, Carina.” he whispered quietly, let emotion flow through his voice as he never did in the presence of the courtiers. “It’s hard for me to imagine a year without you.”

“You’ll get through it.” she said reassuringly. “We both will. And it’s only a year. A year isn’t too long, but it’s long enough for you to learn what you need to. That’s all that matters.” She ran her fingers over his shoulders, carefully avoiding his newly decrepit wings but sending a plethora of fragments to the ground despite her efforts. “You’ll miss these too, won’t you?” she murmured, indicating his wings.

“Yes, but not as much.” he relaxed his hold on her and reached up from her back to lift her chin. “I can live without my wings. I can’t live without you.”

Carina’s smile widened a little and a pink tinge colored her already rosy but still slightly fair cheeks. “You won’t have to. At least, not for long." She giggled as he wound his fingers in her silky hair. “And you’ll have Tam with you to ease the transition.” Concern flitted across her face at his wince. “What’s wrong?”

“Tam… shouldn’t be helping me. It technically goes against the rules, but my father wouldn’t let me go any other way.”

“How do you know he’s there to help you? Perhaps his assignment is totally different from yours. You never know. Or maybe this person could be so important that she needs two of you to keep her safe. There could be a whole multitude of reasons why he’s coming with you, not just because King Asper is paranoid about your well-being.” she paused for a moment, then added, “Though I must admit, I’m a little worried about that myself.”

Cypress looked down at her, startled. “Are you? Why?”

“Because I think that you might take those wings for granted. They do more than you think… they bolster our immune systems, heal wounds, they obviously prolong our life spans and of course there’s always the magic. Living without all of those minor conveniences is going to take some getting used to, both on your part and on Tam’s. And it’s dangerous down there, especially now with the threat of war and everything. What if you’re discovered? What if they find out? What if they turn you in? There are so many ‘what ifs’ it makes my head spin! Oh Cypress…”

Cypress was surprised to see the tears threatening to trickle from her eyes as she gazed up at him. In his twenty years of knowing her, nearly his whole life, he could count on one hand the instances in which he remembered her crying. He instinctively hugged her close and held her there, unwilling to let her go. “It’s all right Carina. I promise you, after a year I’ll return and everything will be all right. The only difference is that I’ll be a little older and much wiser. And maybe by then the war will be over and we can see peace between our kingdoms. It’s a dream for which it’s worth risking my life.”

“But don’t throw it away, Cypress. Your life is too precious to sacrifice idly.”

Cypress smiled a little and brushed away her tears with a gentle hand. “So is your happiness.”

They held each other for a few more minutes, enjoying the peace of the coming evening, but too soon another knock resounded around the chamber. Cypress pulled away very slowly but his hand found Carina’s and held it comfortingly as he pushed open the door.

“Hey you two.” Tam greeted, poking his head in the room. “We need to be at the departure ceremony in a while, so I’d get a move on if I were you. All of our stuff’s ready of course… they brought it there last night or something ‘under cover of darkness’ in Lord Cadagi’s words, whatever that means. And don’t ask me how they got us all set up at our destination, I don’t know. I assume they sent people illusioned as human couriers to mesmerize them into compliance but I don’t really…” Tam ceased his babble when he noticed that his two intended listeners were far too busy gazing soulfully at one another to pay him the slightest bit of attention. “Oh. Well then. You two… come along soon all right? I’m going to… say goodbye to the court… yeah…” Tam hastily shut the door and walked briskly back up the corridor toward the throne room. “Lovers. Yeesh. At least they’re chaste and everything…” he muttered in amusement with a slight shake of his head.

Tam turned down the corridor that led to the main entrance of the brilliantly lit throne room. Lords and ladies scuttled back and forth through the chamber’s many doors, ignoring the two guards the stood watch at each of them. Tam often felt sorry for these sentries and smiled at the two nearest him as he entered, and was subsequently warmed by the subtle, but appreciative reactions he received in return. Tamarisk did not originally agree with King Asper’s decision to move the throne room into the heart of the castle. In his mind so many doors, however heavily guarded, provided more chances for an assassin to slip in and wreck havoc, a threat that seemed to mount with each passing day. When he confronted Cypress about this the prince had told him that his father was more worried about traitors within the court than outside of it. When Tam had posed the question last year he hadn’t understood the king’s reasoning, but as his eyes traveled through the richly furnished chamber, King Asper’s logic began to make sense.

The effects of the brutal game of politics played between the courtiers had grown more and more noticeable as the months passed: best friends refused to speak to one another; arguments were carried out in what seemed like every corner; violence even broke out on occasion between the historically peaceful noblemen. Tension resided everywhere, spurred by the fearful whispers of ladies and housewives alike. Everyone knew that the anxiety would never cease until King Asper reached a decision and more and more people believed that his decision would ultimately end in war.

Tam turned his eyes to the three gold-wrought thrones sitting regally on their elevated platform and the harrowed king sitting in the centermost throne. A smirk passed over the boy’s lips as he approached; the dust that had collected on Queen Alarken’s seat inspired sadness, but Tam always took the opportunity to laugh at Cypress’ detest for that particular royal privilege. Cypress could play the part of a prince with great accuracy and detail, Tam knew, but when it came to actually living, he avoiding living like the royal he was at all costs.

“Good evening Tamarisk.” The king greeted him genially.

Tam bowed low. “Good evening sire. You wanted to talk to me before I left?”

“Indeed.” King Asper rose, his velvety, silver hemmed robes sweeping the floor. “Walk with me.”

The growing twilight found the king and the young man strolling through the more brightly lit areas of the castle, chatting amiably.

“The ceremony is drawing closer…” Tam observed. “What’s this really about? You couldn’t have brought me out here for nothing.”

King Asper smiled wryly. “Clever boy. I wanted to give you something.” He drew a long silver chain from his pocket, at the end of which dangled a small watch. Passing it to Tam, he looked at it fondly as the curious youth inspected it.

“It doesn’t work.” Tam announced after some fiddling.

“That’s correct, but it doesn’t work for a reason. It contains a fair amount of raw power to be used in case of an emergency.”

Tam raised an eyebrow, regarding him skeptically. “And you want me to have this? It’s blatantly against the rules.”

“So is your being there in the first place and I believe that you know by now that I have no problem breaking the rules in this instance. The rules are outdated and were developed by fairies who lived thousands of years ago. I doubt that they made provisions for a situation involving war because back then there were so few. Cypress is the heir of this kingdom and his safety on this journey is imperative and so is yours. I encourage you not to use this unless you absolutely need it, but it would comfort me to know that it’s there.”

 Tam scoffed. “You don’t trust us!”

“I don’t trust the humans, Tamarisk.” The king said sternly. “Nor do I trust the many of the lords who are a part of the Council of Keepers, as respectable as they seem.”

“Your paranoia amazes me.” Tam said offhandedly, either forgetting that saying such things to his king was out of line, or disregarding it.

Luckily King Asper chuckled at this remark. “It amazed me too, at first, but then I learned that it simply goes with the job.”

“Or maybe it runs in the family.” Tam muttered under his breath.

“I do hope your insolence won’t continue in the human kingdom. It may give you away.”

“With luck it won’t.” Tam dropped the watch into his pocket. “Remind me again how I get the power out of it?”

“Take out the pin and wind it, then close it again to save its power.”

“Right. I won’t show it to Cypress or he’ll freak out. But thanks your majesty. It’s breaking the rules, but it’s for a good cause. Besides—”

But he never got to finish his observation because at the moment the clanging bell that alerted the kingdom to the commencement of the departure ceremony unleashed its long, slow chime.

Tam’s eyes widened. “Thanks sire, but we should leave before we’re—”

“Late?” King Asper teased, fluttering above him. “Since you’re one of the main reasons the event is being held, I suggest you run.”

“Oh you’re joking!” Tam protested, but the few flaps of King Asper’s powerful wings that propelled him in the direction of the council room clearly informed Tam that he was not.

“Damn!” Tam swore, setting off after him at a run. “The king has a bitter, bitter sense of humor.”     

Author's Note

All right. Please forgive how incredibly sappy and cliche the scene with Carina is. It's really just a placeholder. I'm actually seriously considering cutting her out of the book all together because she really doesn't appear at all outside this chapter, except for in conversation. Thoughts?

Reviews

[Hannah!]

Aww, I liked the scene with Carina--though I've always been a bit of a sucker for love scenes. It is a bit sappy and clich�, but it shows a side of Cypress that I doubt we'd get to see otherwise--and that's important. Knowing that there's a woman back home waiting for him gives his willingness to leave a certain amount of weight that wasn't there before. Even if Carina is unimportant in terms of plot, she does seem VERY important in terms of Cypress, and characters used to characterize other characters (what a sentence) are every bit as important as characters who move the plot along.

I do, however, think that there are parts of the scene that could be trimmed down. Tam's appearance made it a lot more lighthearted and friendly, and therefore easier to deal with. Tam seems to have a talent for breaking up tension (and, I'm going to wager a guess, creating it, but as of yet that's all conjecture), and I'm pretty excited to see how you play that up. I do, however, suggest that you get rid of the "And I'll always be with you in spirit" line. The whole scene, as an idea, is clich�, but clich� ideas are gotten around easily enough, if you approach them in the right way--but that line is so typical (and, in your case, so unnecessary) that it made the rest of the scene seem more typical than usual.

Also, who would have guessed that the Chancellor was a bad guy? What a jerk. Good twist, though; it's always fun to throw in an extra bit of danger to the mix. Should make for an interesting plot element in later chapters, and that's always a fun time! Now, is the gift the King gave Tam as a precaution going to serve to save them from the Chancellor, or is there some other purpose it serves that I am as yet unaware?

Don't really answer that question. I'm excited to read and find out!

[Here No More]

This is a good transitive chapter. I noticed, however, that the language is a bit incongruous. I'm not sure about the flow of time and differences therein you had in mind between the fairy and human worlds, so maybe this is how you wanted it to be. But words like sleepyhead, yeesh and stuff seem much more modern to me and rather out of line with the timeframe you're portraying in the human world. You also used the phrase "good God" in this chapter, which actually makes the fairies seem more like humans than they perhaps are. Are the fairies' only differences from humans wings, healing abilities, immunity to illness? Or are there also cultural, spiritual, lingual and environmental differences? If there are, I think it would greatly improve the meat of the story to illuminate those points and weave a more clearly discernible fairy world.

All in all, I think this is a good start and I'm looking forward to reading more!