The ship arrived before daybreak. A pirate opened the cupboard door to a still-awake Thatcher and told him to shove off. He didn’t argue, and quickly gathered his things and hurried off the plank. With the sleeping fairy in his satchel he stood on the city docks and watched as the ship sailed on.

He looked inward to the mighty civilisation of stone, to the cathedrals and halls and houses all running through each other like maze walls.

We made it across the river.

Mist hung over the shadow-shrouded city. Walking into the forests of rock his steps were the only noise to be heard, echoing off sharp stone. It would be near three hours before sunlight, until they could meet with the council. He felt a sense of serenity in the city. Everything was so still. So unchanging. It was like it was frozen in time, an orb cut off from ticking clocks to forever walk the empty roads alone. The shut curtains, locked doors… It was like he was the last person on the planet.

No longer having anything to do sleep began to dawn on him.

Shuffling to a bench beside a weeping oak he rested his weary legs, bow and arrow still in hand as the danger was far from over. His ears picked up the noise of every rat, every fallen leaf, gust of wind… He didn’t notice his eyelids had gotten so heavy…

He woke with a jerk. While unknowingly he had fallen asleep he was glad shuffling shoes woke him. Feeling exposed from the bare stone ground around him he got up and hurried to an alleyway on instinct. The sun was near breaking, but in the darkness he noticed a line of five people walk. There were red symbols on their foreheads, dark cloaks. He recognized such garb: they worshipped the God of Death. It was a good thing he hid he didn’t want to be the next sacrifice.

The one at front of the cult carried a crimson lantern while the remaining four followed noiselessly. He realized they weren’t the heads of their cults, but the least valued. They were likely going to self-sacrifice as some form of appeasement. He relaxed when the lanterns light faded, whatever threat they offered had left with them. Sunrise wasn’t far so he put his weapon away and began looking for the Federation before I woke.

The longer he walked more maze-like the city appeared. When it was to wake it would become overwhelming. He felt jostling from the bag, an indication I was awake. ‘We’re close’ he informed me.

I said loudly ‘Thatcher, before whatever happens next I have so much to tell my people. Would we be able to get a note to them?’

‘We can have a look around.’ He whispered back. ‘But Thea you will be able to tell them yourself, you know this, right? Thea-Thorn?’

‘Yes, but one can never be too careful. I’ll have to make the journey alone however.’

‘I can’t come with you?’ Thatcher inquired.

‘No, the communication panels are one of the most secretive yet important systems every fae kingdom has. Under a life oath I have sworn to never bring anyone unauthorized there.’

‘But this city is massive, how could you know where to go?’

‘I’ve been taught well. I know everything to get to the correct location. But you could help me.’

‘How?’

I climbed up, poked my head out of the bag and pointed to the top of a building. ‘You can get me there.’

He unsheathed an arrow.

‘What are you doing?’

‘We don’t have all the time in the world, and I’d rather not waste a good hour getting security to walk me up to the very top.’

‘Sorry?’

‘These cities aren’t like yours there is far more protection. If I were to walk into the building I’d need proof of reason why I needed to get to the roof, then security would sweep me for my weapons, it’s all a big hassle. Just get on the arrow. Hold onto the feathers.’

So I did and he quickly fired it upwards! In a moment I flew to the very top and hit the roof hard. I jumped off the feathers as the arrow rolled to a stop. That was certainly quick. I hurried to the side and poked my head over to see a few felden approach Thatcher to ask what he was doing, but he would have to sort out that mess himself I needed to find the location. Firstly, I found where the sun was and did a few measurements from the horizon with my hand. The time and date would change where I should start walking. It being mid summer rains meant… three hands to the left of the sun and… it was morning, early, one finger below the sun. I aligned it all to be facing a north-west. So that way I went. The city had walls, which meant from the third wall going anticlockwise to the main gates that… It had to be a few miles into the city. This all came together to one of the near centre rooftops. Close enough.

On I hurried from rooftop to a beam, to a perch from an open window. ‘Because I wish you’d bloody remember!’ I heard a wife shouting at, presumably, her husband. ‘You didn’t lock the window and now my jewellery is gone! Stolen! You pig-headed-!’ I jumped up from the window top onto the overhang of the next roof as the sun warmed me. As I rushed across the metal I saw a bird attempt to create a nest. It was using sticks, pieces of ribbon, wrappers and whatever else it could find in the city as I passed to the next rooftop. Jumping my hand caught a sharp edge of upturned metal, cutting my palm, and I let go! Wordless I plunged down into an alleyway! Groaning I had landed on a pile of rubbish noiselessly. As I stood I witnessed two felden suspiciously exchange gold pieces for a bag of herbs… ah… I decided to not stick around and quickly jumped down and out of the alley.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Sticking to a wall I continued my rush to the center of the city, passing house to house.

It certainly would’ve been quicker to have my felden with me but keeping such locations and strategies of finding it secret was not just about the safety of my people, but all the fae since the start of our history. The system uses bugs and worms to travel deep underground, able to sense fae or threats and change course. If going through a rather dangerous region it would take longer to arrive as the creatures would take more complex routes, maybe through thicker soil or stone.

It was the same system that my great-great-great grandfather Marxmen used to warn the water fae kingdom of a coming siege from other earth fae we were currently allies with. If that letter was found out then all kingdoms would’ve fallen to war and the alliance dissolved. Luckily, it wasn’t, and the water fae held their own and the alliance between our two earth kingdoms was upheld and ultimately significantly less died. However, the letters were sent by hopping bugs and a few neutral fae parties, so the letters can take weeks up to months to arrive at certain locations. Time was the cost of being so covert. Although I didn’t need to be so secretive, my letter would contain only a few strategies against felden and some sentimental points for my cousin. Yet it would be guaranteed to arrive, the time taken wasn’t a major issue, which is exactly what I wanted. It was the only option to me at that moment. There weren’t other fae to travel home, or other bugs to send anything. Usually a flecking-hawk would take letters, but I don’t have one. They’re gifts to queens after their royal ceremony. Something I won’t have for a very long time once I rescue mother and father and my queen-hood is resolved back to a princess.

A massive, shiny shoe nearly flattened me as a felden dressed in brown and white hurried by, dropping some of his food. He was likely late for work. As I rushed on no one took notice of me for I was so tiny. People ate meat on sticks or wrapped bread drinking it down with bitter smelling liquid rather than berries and milk. As for the places of worship, I hadn’t crossed one yet. Not even a alter... Where the officials of this place truly Godless? I still found it a struggle to believe. No one is Godless… For every God appeals to someone. Someone must have something to appeal to, be thankful for or need to hope in… To have no such qualities would mean you are not alive. Not a person. So Thatcher must be wrong the officials of this city must have been secretive about their beliefs and worship in private.

Nearing the center I stopped to catch my breath. It must have been an hour’s journey… Even when I managed to catch a ride on someone’s coat tails. However, I was surprised to see a temple near the city center. More so, to see it belonging to the God of Fire. More, more so, to see it boarded off to the public! There was a little alter beside it where many, many people prayed. Clearly the people of the city weren’t Godless. A shiver travelled down my spine. I prayed to never meet them. Untethered, unseen dangerous are God-less. Why must they hide their souls? What corruption has taken them?

Now closer there should be a pipe travelling down into the dirt… ah, there. Rushing to the temple, nearly getting stepped on as I did, I found a drainpipe with a part cut out just enough for a fae. I took a breath before dropping into the dark!

Near soundlessly I landed in a sewer. Clamping a hand over my nose I couldn’t believe something could smell so awful! I hurried right a hundred steps, then turned down and walked two hundred more. To my utter shock there was a man down here, wrapped in a blanket. Rushing on I found a crack with a symbol beside it and squeezed myself through. Moving a black curtain over the crack I was met with a few desks in the hole in the wall, papers and resting hopping-bugs. Dipping a quill in fresh ink I began to write…

Thatcher waited on a bench overlooking a park.

Some way away a woman curtsied to a man, before smoothly going onto her knees, her dress floating down with her elegantly. The man she was with remained standing as she opened a beautiful ornate box as joyful tears welled in her eyes. The man smiled with a newfound glow, nodded and the two quickly embraced. She had just proposed and offered him earrings, unlike fae with use rings to propose. As I approached Thatcher from the shadows I wondered what he was thinking. He looked upon the couple with a gaze I couldn’t place. He didn’t have any wedding earrings himself, but if he was the one to propose then he wouldn’t have. He hadn’t mentioned a wife or loved one. He barely mentioned his family at all. However, so had I. Perhaps something bad happened to them as well. Perhaps he didn’t have one anymore, and whatever he told me was a lie… or perhaps… he was simply admiring love. ‘Thatcher!’ I called and of course his keen hearing picked up on my voice.

He smiled slightly, like the proposal had bothered him, as he stood up and offered me a hand.

‘Are you hungry?’ Thatcher asked he placed me on his shoulder.

‘Hungry for justice- let’s get to the Federation.’

‘Are you sure?’ He glanced around. ‘I’m rather hungry.’

‘… Are you stalling, Thatcher?’

‘Of course not… let’s go then.’