The Realms of Faerie. Linda Massola

like Tatiana – it needs to be changed.’

      ‘What do you suggest brainless one?’ asked Drabon.

      ‘Something like … like … Scow … Scowla! Yes Scowla! That would suit her very well!’ Ratbonia said proudly.

      ‘So be it! Scowla it is!’ announced Drabon.

      And that is how Tatiana, once the beautiful sister of Queen Mab became Scowla, the chief advisor to Drabon, ruler of the Glooms.

      Chapter 3

      While Tatiana now known as Scowla, plotted with Drabon and Ratbonia in the land of Gloomia, the Kingdom of Fairy was rejoicing. Mab had given birth to a little girl and as the Mage Odin had predicted, five other fairies had each given birth to a child on that very day. These were the children, who according to Odin’s prophecies were each born on a coloured ray; children who were endowed with special gifts that would manifest as they grew.

      Much feasting and merriment was taking place as Mab and Oberon stood on the battlements of the castle and held up their tiny daughter for the people to see. Alongside them, were the five other fairy parents. A loud cheer went over the countryside as the people saluted the new babies which were to be the future of the Kingdom of Fairy.

      In front of the huge crowd of fairies assembled at the base of the castle, the Mage turned to each child in turn.

      ‘Aurora – come forward!’ he commanded the beautiful fairy dressed in a brilliant red dress. Aurora and her husband stepped forward holding their small baby boy. Odin directed his golden orb towards the baby saying, ‘This boy child has been endowed with exceptional physical strength! Step into the light of the orb!’ Aurora and her husband stepped into the light beam emanating from the golden orb. As they did so, a beautiful red feather appeared on the battlements of the castle.

      ‘Come Arabella,’ the Mage commanded, directing the fairy in the shimmering gown of yellow to step into the light beam with her husband and small son.

      ‘This child has the gift of invisibility!’ he declared, as a brilliant yellow feather appeared next to the others on the battlements.

      Then the fairy Esmeralda came forward into the light beam with her husband and small daughter. ‘She has the power of healing,’ Odin smiled as the green feather appeared on the battlements. The fairy Isabella and her husband eagerly stepped into the light beam holding their small daughter. ‘She has the power of the mind; a very powerful child!’ they were told as the orange feather appeared. When the fairy Lottie and her husband stepped into the light beam holding their small daughter, the Mage gave them a gentle smile. Lottie was his favorite fairy.

      ‘Your child has the ability to communicate with animals!’ he told the elated parents as the blue feather appeared on the battlements.

      Then it was Queen Mab’s turn. As she stepped into the light beam with Oberon holding their daughter, the crowd gave a roar of approval.

      ‘This child has the ability to shape change. She is a shape shifter!’ Odin told them as the last feather of indigo stood beside Mab’s violet one. Seven feathers now stood on the battlements of the castle; seven feathers of the rainbow; the seven feathers of power. The babies had not yet been named. In accordance with tradition, the naming would not take place until Midsummer’s Eve. As the parents talked excitedly about the futures of their special children, they were totally unaware that far away in the land of Gloomia, Scowla plotted with Drabon and Ratbonia. In front of her crystal ball in the fortress of Gloomia on Midsummer’s Eve, she pointed out the whereabouts of each of the babies they were to steal.

      ‘The babies are in the castle under the care of nursemaids,’ she told them. She peered once more into the crystal ball and found Mab and the fairies in the forest celebrating.

      ‘They are waiting until midnight, when the babies will be brought to them for naming. You need to get them while they are still in the castle. That way, Mab won’t be expecting trouble and won’t be warned in time to use her magic!’ Ah … so Lottie has also given birth to a special child, she thought to herself. ‘Make sure you get the cook, Lottie too,’ she told Drabon and Ratbonia, pointing to the fairy in her crystal ball. ‘I am sick to death of cooking for the Whorls! And remember, the fairy babies must be unharmed and quickly taken to the Land of Mortals to be exchanged. We may need them as bargaining power in the future!’

      Drabon made a mental note of it. He considered Scowla a lot smarter than Ratbonia. Ratbonia would never have come up with an idea like Scowla’s. If Scowla had said the fairy, Lottie was a brilliant cook, who was he to argue? He had commissioned six of his most trusted Whorls with the task of stealing the babies. ‘Take a good look at the cook,’ he instructed Ratbonia. ‘Make sure you grab her!’

      Ratbonia looked in disdain at the image of the fairy, Lottie in the crystal ball. ‘She’s revolting!’ she shuddered.

      ‘It will be so simple,’ Scowla told them. ‘The Kingdom of Fairy has no army.’

      ‘Yes, yes, so simple,’ Ratbonia nodded. ‘With no army they won’t be able to chase us to Gloomia, will they?’

      ‘The fairies have no hope against our Whorls,’ Drabon agreed with her. Then he assembled his huge army, the Whorls of Gloom, who were crouched on the treetops outside the fortress. ‘Prepare the torches!’ he shouted to them. ‘Prepare the torches! Burn what you can – kill what you can!’

      ‘Burn! Kill!’ the Whorls echoed.

      ‘Are you with us Scowla?’ Drabon was anxious to get started. She shook her head. ‘No, I am not ready to face Mab yet!’

      ‘Suit yourself,’ Drabon shrugged. ‘To the Kingdom of Fairy! To the Kingdom of Fairy!’ he shouted excitedly. ‘To the Kingdom of Fairy! To the Kingdom of Fairy!’ Ratbonia echoed. She couldn’t wait to get her claws into some fairies.

      Alone in the fortress, Scowla smiled her toothless grin as she heard the flapping of wings which signaled that the raid was about to begin.

      ‘Are you ready?’ Drabon shouted. In reply the huge army of Whorls rose into the sky with dreadful shrieks and headed towards the Kingdom of Fairy. Leading them were Drabon’s T to Z group of Goblins. These were brainless goblins who acted out orders without question. They were viscous warriors who went in for the kill; most of the time, getting killed themselves!

      They were also joined by the N to P group who were basically used as slaves. Not being very bright, they did all the dirty jobs that nobody else wanted to do. As long as they received their share of the kill from a hunt, they were happy.

      The inhabitants of the Kingdom of Fairy were taken completely unawares. Dressed in their finest clothes, they were preparing to dance and sing together, and then share a sumptuous feast. Later, the six new babies would be summoned for the naming ceremony. It was in the middle of this feast, which was occurring in the moonlight on long tables under the candlelit trees, that the Glooms struck.

      While Drabon’s six especially chosen Whorls raided the castle and kidnapped the babies, the rest of his army descended on the fairies in the forest. Fairies scattered in all directions. Ratbonia had managed to scoop up a few fairies in her claws, tear their wings and then drop them from a great height as they were trying to escape. Tiring quickly of this activity, she headed for the fields to claim some animals.

      ‘Leave the animals, you idiot – get the cook – the cook!’ screamed Drabon.

      ‘Oh – the cook – yes!’

      Ratbonia dropped the small animal she had begun eating. Without bothering to wipe the fresh blood off her mouth, she headed back to the scattered fairies. She recognized the cook, Lottie hurriedly making her way back to the castle with her husband to collect her baby girl.

      ‘Not so fast,’ Ratbonia grinned, swooping the poor fairy up in her claws and carrying her kicking and screaming over the treetops towards Gloomia as her husband looked on helplessly.

      Drabon set fire to the first tree, and then the Whorls followed