Three middlings, one wylde maid with little self preservation, and a fallen Heirling walk into a tavern. Sounded like the start of any joke.

Marrin fell in step with Daniel to his right, Shelby at his left, and the other two flagging out after them. The O'Tells estate would undoubtedly be in shambles after this. Daniel felt some traces of guilt, but according to the Law of Fae, he had just opened a door when it was knocked.

That did little to resolve the guilt as seeing so much destruction to a place that was nearly a home to him, at one point.

The newly formed team progressed closer. Daniel felt the loyalties of the Middlings, as in some strange way, he was both the newest recruit to the Sky Court's Enforcer squad and yet the most senior member and temporary leader. Marrin at least was honest, but Daniel would rather not trust the others too much, as the spikes of hatred was clear. Hatred of the Servant Branch, or hatred of being used as a toy, Daniel did not know.

But he knew the frustration of being willed about by those above you.

As they crept through the dusty corridor, lights low and broken as the magic powering them was disrupted, Daniel laid eyes upon his next objective.

"What is that?" Marrin's dry voice whispered out when he finally saw the true danger. Whatever vigor he had had was washed away.

The Shadow Warbler looked taller than before, but perhaps it was just because the Golem was so much smaller.

Daniel rolled the answer in his head, thinking. "A Shadow Warbler."

"What is a Shadow Warbler?" Asked one of the other middlings. Her name had been Vie, or something. Daniel didn't know her beyond giving her tea that morning, one of the little thimbles. She had purple hair, so perhaps she was from Skarrima, but her ears were boring and flat, not pointed nor rounded like was common.

"Is this good enough?" Asked the final Middling, nervously. "We came in, we saw, we left?"

Law of Fae did not agree. They had been ordered to stopped the trouble, not deal with the golem.

"Fiddle and fire." cursed the third Middling. Daniel had a vague impression his name was Frank, but he couldn't recall. During is rather short history of being the Heirling of the Red Sword, he and the Sky Court had not been allies, and Elswith had had little reason or opportunity to interact with them.

"This is like a nature documentary." said Shelby, drawing attention back to the unfolding scene before them. "Like some poor creature is getting cut to bits, then the narrator will say something 'the poor wounded creature tries to escape, but it is helpless against its natural predator..."

Daniel had read many documents regarding nature, and considered that an abstract way to express something that is normally laid out with diagrams being played before oneself. Some kind of sick play. Almost as terrible as the Game, he mused very quietly. But the Game was still fighting with the Law of Fae, and did not hear his thoughts.

They watched for a moment longer, and Daniel felt the team grow uncomfortable. The shadow warbler had sliced and slashed, and the golem was now the size of an average fae. The shadow warbler was long and flickering in the increasing darkness. "The golem had lasted longer than I thought." The golem saw Daniel, as he was not hiding, and tried to roar, but the Warbler did not give it an inch and sliced off its newly regrown limb. The limb that grew again was smaller still.

"Shouldn't we start..." Asked Frank. Or was it Fred? Foreign names were so hard to remember.

Daniel shook his head. "Patience. If we interfere too soon, then the golem itself may still be too strong."

Shelby smiled, white teeth almost glowing in the dim and unsteady light. "And if we wait too long, we will have to deal with the shadow warbler directly. A dangerous game."

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"You said its a shadow warbler, but what is that?" asked Vie. "It's not a specific name."

Had to watch her, Daniel reasoned, shifting his plans. Too confident to just be a random Middling.

But he just pretended like he hadn't noticed, and explained like he would had he still been trusting. "Time for a history lesson." Daniel began, The golem was smaller now, more similar in height to saelin than a standard fae.

"Is there time for this?" Marrin said, fingers clearly agitated and desiring to take off his hat.

"Patience, Marrin. History is important." for example, understanding potential traps because of history with past traps. "Once, the stories go, this place was a tavern, long long ago when the lands were wylde and there were no Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The O'Tools would have the greatest parties.The Great War Lord found comfort and peace in their tavern, the stories go, but they would not leave their land of heritage. It was dangerous and wylde in those days..."

Shelby scoffed softly, muttering something about "And it's so wonderful nowadays...", but Daniel chose to not hear that part and continue.

The poor golem was reduced yet again.

"This place, long long ago used to be tavern, the rumors say. But that would have been generations and generations ago. The Great War Lord placed all of his greatest protections on the tavern. Strong magic, wylde. Dangerous. A loyal guardian was left behind to protect the family."

"It must be a humantale, then," Said Vie. "If one of the Ancient War Lords had sent protection, it would be well known and celebrated to this very day. The O'Tells are borderline between important and obsolete." So arrogant for a middling.

Oh. Daniel sighed. Of course. A black valentine could still be used. It would improve his odds.

He was always the better actor. He had merely refrained often because it was so tedious. "History, Vie. Must be understood, even if only in part. Even if the stories are wasted and only fragments remain. The Protection worked, the stories say. There was an incursion, and the Family was nearly destroyed."

"What kind of incursion would disrupt the protections left by one of the great ancient War Lords?"

"A dragon."

That quieted everyone.

Even Vie.

"And the protection left by the Great War Lord was so destroyed, so warpt, so changed, that it became a terrible monster. It fell. Not all Shadow Warblers have this origin, but this is the remains of a great and powerful magic. It protected the O'Tells from the Dragon. But...it was destroyed in the process. Now...in this tragic fallen state, it warbles, bent, twisted, dark."

History was important. Very important.

Daniel dismissed his audience, as the time had come. "We must get in position. Like I said. Miss, stay with me."

Vie lingered, but Shelby pushed past her. "He meant me." She said, with a smile.

Daniel nodded, that was for the best.

Vie left, carefully edging around.

Shelby dropped the smile. "Why do I get the lovers turned to enemies vibes suddenly? What's the plot? Was this a romance? I thought this was some kind of political adventure story?"

She was clearly crazy. And right. How did she know so much? Wylde fae were strange...

He kept his face serious, like he always did before battle. "Don't trust anyone but me." he whispered, softly.

The redhead smiled, returning to her previous demeanor. Did nothing scare her? "Marrin is good, but I don't trust the other two. Can we make them leave?" she asked pleasantly.

"I need them." Daniel said.

"You are playing with fire." she said, and she sounded worried...for him.

"I..." He realized that he was speaking to someone who truly had no idea of who he used to be. It was strange and uncomfortable feeling. She didn't even seem familiar with the political structure of the Seelie Court. If anyone was playing with fire, it was her.

"I used to be someone important." Daniel said. "I am well antiquated with playing with things beyond my control."

"Okay, so we are back to the political intrigue stuff. Okay. I can do this." she nodded. "If I get in the way, let me know. I know how to bug out."

Daniel wanted to send her away to safety.

But he needed her too. She was the only one he could trust to make sure this worked. Everyone else was beholdened to the Sky Court. "Your part is important. Do not listen to anything I say after this conversation."

She gave him a thumps-up, and slid away into deep shadow. Daniel felt Vye's eyes tracking the redhead as she slipped into the darkness, and it made him uncomfortable.

Everyone would play nice in the beginning. He was playing with fire. He needed it, even if it signed his fingers. Just as long as he was ready to stomp it out when it was time.

The house of cards was shaking and rattling. So much was so close to the surface, things which needed to stay hidden.

Play with fire. Just don't let it burn the cards and send everything crashing down.

The poor golem was now truly small. The size of a large infant.

It was almost time. The other middlings had went around the ruined corridor, standing in position.

And then there was a strange fluttering and flow. Daniel recognized it instantly.

"I knew you were up to something!" Came a booming voice.

The debris, which had mostly settled, rose and spun.

Esra was here.

And Esra was clearly ready to enter the action.

"It's time!" Daniel said, and everything sprung into action.