41.
"What is the prison of the Summer Court like?" Gilbert inhaled deeply, he hated debriefs, hated them even more when he was potentially facing charges by the government. He knew Clarissa was talking, told her it would be fine to do so, but it meant the government man probably knew more than Gilbert would like them to know. Especially about Doris and her royal connections.
"Summer Court doesn't believe in prison ordinarily, so it wasn't like bars and stuff."
"How progressive."
"They ordinarily torture and then execute people." The government man frowned.
"Decidedly less progressive, so they tortured you."
"Extensively." The man noted something on his pad.
"You don't look like you were physically assaulted?"
"Mental torture is what the elves excell at."
"Loud music? Games with your food? Help me out here Mr. Dunkley."
"Mostly they talk at you until you want to kill yourself."
****
"We can probably just visit the office and get him there." Rolo had followed Clarissa and Gilbert to their "Cell" a very nice looking sitting room. If not for the guards with weapons Gilbert felt it would be pretty comfortable. They had been talking for hours, Gilbert's voice felt hoarse from all the talking, Rolo invigorated by it
"Her she goes by Doris now and I'd appreciate you recognizing that." Rolo sneered.
"Humans are so temperamental, still what's to stop us from going there right now?"
"What's stopping you? Probably fear, you know how long I been doing what I do, you know the kind of things I'd put to keep you out to keep myself safe, yeah you could just walk right in there, but you wouldn't be walking right back out and you know that." Rolo smiled now.
"Or your bluffing us now."
"One way to find out."
"And that would be?"
"Take us to the office." Clarissa didn't want to interrupt, she could sense the tension in the air.
"So then you can spring your trap instead of us just walking into it." Gilbert leaned back and threw his hands up.
"Or don't man, leave us here annoyed for all eternity."
****
"So you negotiated your release with the summer court to set up an ambush with the fall court?"
"No."
"Than your secretary Doris set up the ambush with the autumn court?"
"No."
"Well how did the ambush happen?"
"Mistakes were made."
Friday, October 27, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
The Court of Summer
40.
Gilbert and Clarissa were lead through fire and into a room of glass. Clarissa hesitated at the portal of flame, but the sharp end of a spear from their captors pushed her through. The court of Summer was so beautiful it defied description. The glass was alive it seemed, pulsing with an inner flame. There were all sorts of creatures that Clarissa didn't have names for, noted among them were the elves though, they seemed to be in charge based on clothing and position relative to others. They were lead from the opening area to a throne room, seated at the front was a large elven lady. She was oppulently lounging her rolls of fat on open display. Almost naked aside from strategic clothing.
"My Liege I present to you Gilbert Dunkley and hmm don't think I got your name miss."
"Clarissa Shipley my liege." When she said my liege Rolo choked on a laugh. the Queen herself smiled at her stammering reply.
"So eager to serve Ms Shipley? In due time, in due time, but for now you can call me Queen Lustria." Gilbert said something under his breath and got a sharp rebuke from the spearman behind him.
"Something to add Gilbert?" Rolo had a smile on his face.
"Yeah I said bullshit, I'll call no elven lady from the summer court or any court my queen." This brought another strike from the spearman behind him, but the queen held up her hand.
"So proud Gilbert, so proud and strong, you worked for us once now you hold us with such contempt?"
"Not contempt, I bow for no one, honor no royalty."
"And isn't very polite either." Rolo added with a smirk.
"Brave strong Gilbert Dunkley last of his line, you do not have to kneel to me, or honor me," Lustria rose up off her thrown, her gluttonous body gleamed in the fire glass. "But you will respect me in my court or I'll have you flayed alive for my amusement, now to your association with a traitor to this court." Gilbert looked to Clarissa and Clarissa back at him.
"We just took a job from the dragon to kill a troll it wasn't like a long term association." Clarissa assumed it had to be the dragon that had offended the queen, but instead she laughed, she just laughed and laughed.
"Dragon? On my court? That would be the day, no my dear not your association with one of the low creatures of earth that is a dragon, I'm talking of Gilbert continuing to employ Prince Ilon."
"Doris? You are telling me Doris is a prince of your court?"
"Not just a prince, but a traitor to this court!" Gilbert steeled himself, Clarissa saw him stand straight and stare at the Queen.
"I hope your fires are hot, I'm not turning on Doris."
Gilbert and Clarissa were lead through fire and into a room of glass. Clarissa hesitated at the portal of flame, but the sharp end of a spear from their captors pushed her through. The court of Summer was so beautiful it defied description. The glass was alive it seemed, pulsing with an inner flame. There were all sorts of creatures that Clarissa didn't have names for, noted among them were the elves though, they seemed to be in charge based on clothing and position relative to others. They were lead from the opening area to a throne room, seated at the front was a large elven lady. She was oppulently lounging her rolls of fat on open display. Almost naked aside from strategic clothing.
"My Liege I present to you Gilbert Dunkley and hmm don't think I got your name miss."
"Clarissa Shipley my liege." When she said my liege Rolo choked on a laugh. the Queen herself smiled at her stammering reply.
"So eager to serve Ms Shipley? In due time, in due time, but for now you can call me Queen Lustria." Gilbert said something under his breath and got a sharp rebuke from the spearman behind him.
"Something to add Gilbert?" Rolo had a smile on his face.
"Yeah I said bullshit, I'll call no elven lady from the summer court or any court my queen." This brought another strike from the spearman behind him, but the queen held up her hand.
"So proud Gilbert, so proud and strong, you worked for us once now you hold us with such contempt?"
"Not contempt, I bow for no one, honor no royalty."
"And isn't very polite either." Rolo added with a smirk.
"Brave strong Gilbert Dunkley last of his line, you do not have to kneel to me, or honor me," Lustria rose up off her thrown, her gluttonous body gleamed in the fire glass. "But you will respect me in my court or I'll have you flayed alive for my amusement, now to your association with a traitor to this court." Gilbert looked to Clarissa and Clarissa back at him.
"We just took a job from the dragon to kill a troll it wasn't like a long term association." Clarissa assumed it had to be the dragon that had offended the queen, but instead she laughed, she just laughed and laughed.
"Dragon? On my court? That would be the day, no my dear not your association with one of the low creatures of earth that is a dragon, I'm talking of Gilbert continuing to employ Prince Ilon."
"Doris? You are telling me Doris is a prince of your court?"
"Not just a prince, but a traitor to this court!" Gilbert steeled himself, Clarissa saw him stand straight and stare at the Queen.
"I hope your fires are hot, I'm not turning on Doris."
Friday, October 13, 2017
Fairly Warfare
39.
"Did you knowingly or unknowingly start a war with the court of autumn?" The man was in a suit, he had a piece of paper in front of him that had all sorts of scary words about treason and aiding the enemy of the united states. Gilbert just sighed, he'd been in this room before, been in this kind of interview before, he'd been on both sides of the table, but now seeing the man in his suit and the military MP's behind him with rifles he felt very old and tired.
"Well with unknowingly in there I can't really answer that now can I?" Now it was the man in the suits turn to sigh.
***
"I don't know, I didn't know then, and I don't know now, am I being detained?" For Clarissa this was all new, the man in the suit, the men with guns. She didn't know what to feel, ever since they'd been marched out of Gilbert's office in shackles with armed guards she'd felt things had taken a decided turn for the worse.
"Ms. Shipley do you understand the kind of trouble you're in?"
"I have no idea."
"Ok, lets just take it from the top, you said you and Gilbert were being chased by a 'Gravoboom' is that correct?"
"Well that's what Gilbert called it, I really don't know if that's correct or not." The man sighed again.
"Ok why don't you just take it back to the encounter with the fire creature..."
****
"I'm just confused."
"Yeah me too I thought Lord of the Rings was just a movie." The Gravoboom had pursued them through most of the forest, never attacking, just menacing and seemingly pushing them away from the van and deeper into the charred forest. They were currently hiding out in a small grove of trees that had managed to avoid being burnt down.
"No not that, only time I've run across one of these when I did some work for the court of summer, and it was just a kept creature not something out and about."
"Court of summer?" Clarissa felt more confused than normal.
"One of the Courts in the fae, they are broken up by season, made up of elves, fairies the whole bit."
"Its like all the things I dreamed about as a little girl come to life."
"Except you don't want anything to do with the courts, believe me the one time I dealt with the court of summer it was.... shit." Gilbert turned around and noticed they had been surrounded. It was mainly an elven force, armed with spears and bows.
"You don't write, you don't call, Gilbert I'm beginning to think you don't like us very much." The lead elf who spoke looked like a fashion model to Clarissa, like he'd been plucked straight from a romance cover.
"Forgive me Rolo, I thought we were more of a fling." Clarissa was even more lost than usual, and that only got worse when they entered the Fae realms.
****
"So Gilbert willingly admitted to knowing the summer court and even worked for them?" The man in the suit seemed very excited by this Clarissa didn't think it was hidden knowledge.
"We work for anyone who pays is what I always assumed."
"Noted, now please continue and tell us about your time in the fae."
"Ok well see it was like the care bears..."
"Did you knowingly or unknowingly start a war with the court of autumn?" The man was in a suit, he had a piece of paper in front of him that had all sorts of scary words about treason and aiding the enemy of the united states. Gilbert just sighed, he'd been in this room before, been in this kind of interview before, he'd been on both sides of the table, but now seeing the man in his suit and the military MP's behind him with rifles he felt very old and tired.
"Well with unknowingly in there I can't really answer that now can I?" Now it was the man in the suits turn to sigh.
***
"I don't know, I didn't know then, and I don't know now, am I being detained?" For Clarissa this was all new, the man in the suit, the men with guns. She didn't know what to feel, ever since they'd been marched out of Gilbert's office in shackles with armed guards she'd felt things had taken a decided turn for the worse.
"Ms. Shipley do you understand the kind of trouble you're in?"
"I have no idea."
"Ok, lets just take it from the top, you said you and Gilbert were being chased by a 'Gravoboom' is that correct?"
"Well that's what Gilbert called it, I really don't know if that's correct or not." The man sighed again.
"Ok why don't you just take it back to the encounter with the fire creature..."
****
"I'm just confused."
"Yeah me too I thought Lord of the Rings was just a movie." The Gravoboom had pursued them through most of the forest, never attacking, just menacing and seemingly pushing them away from the van and deeper into the charred forest. They were currently hiding out in a small grove of trees that had managed to avoid being burnt down.
"No not that, only time I've run across one of these when I did some work for the court of summer, and it was just a kept creature not something out and about."
"Court of summer?" Clarissa felt more confused than normal.
"One of the Courts in the fae, they are broken up by season, made up of elves, fairies the whole bit."
"Its like all the things I dreamed about as a little girl come to life."
"Except you don't want anything to do with the courts, believe me the one time I dealt with the court of summer it was.... shit." Gilbert turned around and noticed they had been surrounded. It was mainly an elven force, armed with spears and bows.
"You don't write, you don't call, Gilbert I'm beginning to think you don't like us very much." The lead elf who spoke looked like a fashion model to Clarissa, like he'd been plucked straight from a romance cover.
"Forgive me Rolo, I thought we were more of a fling." Clarissa was even more lost than usual, and that only got worse when they entered the Fae realms.
****
"So Gilbert willingly admitted to knowing the summer court and even worked for them?" The man in the suit seemed very excited by this Clarissa didn't think it was hidden knowledge.
"We work for anyone who pays is what I always assumed."
"Noted, now please continue and tell us about your time in the fae."
"Ok well see it was like the care bears..."
Friday, October 6, 2017
The Importance of Being Right
38.
"I couldn't tell you what was in it, tasted all right going down, burned like a fire coming out, but oddly enough it worked. When I came out of the bathroom I was a changed man." Gilbert and Clarissa were walking through the remains of a burnt forest. They were wearing respirators because the wild fire was close enough a bad change of the winds would potentially be dangerous with the smoke, but Gilbert had been assured by the fireman that was a rare possibility.
"So did you thank the good reverend for curing you?"
"Oh god no I threatened to kill him the next time he showed up at home."
"That's not very nice."
"Trust me after what he put me threw, killing him would have been a mercy, how did your time with Sylvia play out?"
"It was fineish, we killed some werechickens and then a gargoyle." They were picking through the embers looking for fire sprites, when Gilbert had told Clarissa about the job she kept laughing at the idea of fire sprites despite him telling her they weren't a laughing matter.
"Gargoyle? So did you use stone poison."
"Nope."
"Heart of a harpy?"
"No."
"Crush it in a car crusher? Did that once it was horrific and yet oddly satisfying." Clarissa sighed.
"No, I shot it through the eyes and then the mouth, Sylvia had basically left me to die beforehand."
"Ahh so that's why you were so quiet about it, see you assumed my dislike of Sylvia was related to her reminding me of my wife or just general orneriness and you wouldn't be wrong to an extent, but its also that woman only look out for herself, always has, always will."
"So you told me so."
"If you want to hear it that way, yes I told you so." Clarissa stomped off and Gilbert didn't follow, he knew she couldn't get into too much trouble against fire sprites, and she eventually would calm down. Gilbert started to wonder if the fire jumpers who had reported the sprites were merely suffering from smoke induced hallucinations. He hadn't seen any of the normal indicators of the little buggers, and the longer he stayed in the charred forest he worried about what he was breathing in even with the mask.
"GILBERT!"
"Yeah?"
"What do Fire Sprites look like?"
"Small like a keebler elf."
"So not the size of a tree and bathed in flame?" Gilbert felt the hairs stand up the back of his neck.
"No that's not a fire sprite."
"Then I think we should run Gilbert."
"I like that plan, I like that plan a lot." And so the exterminators fled in the charred forest, and the Gravoboom followed shortly thereafter.
"I couldn't tell you what was in it, tasted all right going down, burned like a fire coming out, but oddly enough it worked. When I came out of the bathroom I was a changed man." Gilbert and Clarissa were walking through the remains of a burnt forest. They were wearing respirators because the wild fire was close enough a bad change of the winds would potentially be dangerous with the smoke, but Gilbert had been assured by the fireman that was a rare possibility.
"So did you thank the good reverend for curing you?"
"Oh god no I threatened to kill him the next time he showed up at home."
"That's not very nice."
"Trust me after what he put me threw, killing him would have been a mercy, how did your time with Sylvia play out?"
"It was fineish, we killed some werechickens and then a gargoyle." They were picking through the embers looking for fire sprites, when Gilbert had told Clarissa about the job she kept laughing at the idea of fire sprites despite him telling her they weren't a laughing matter.
"Gargoyle? So did you use stone poison."
"Nope."
"Heart of a harpy?"
"No."
"Crush it in a car crusher? Did that once it was horrific and yet oddly satisfying." Clarissa sighed.
"No, I shot it through the eyes and then the mouth, Sylvia had basically left me to die beforehand."
"Ahh so that's why you were so quiet about it, see you assumed my dislike of Sylvia was related to her reminding me of my wife or just general orneriness and you wouldn't be wrong to an extent, but its also that woman only look out for herself, always has, always will."
"So you told me so."
"If you want to hear it that way, yes I told you so." Clarissa stomped off and Gilbert didn't follow, he knew she couldn't get into too much trouble against fire sprites, and she eventually would calm down. Gilbert started to wonder if the fire jumpers who had reported the sprites were merely suffering from smoke induced hallucinations. He hadn't seen any of the normal indicators of the little buggers, and the longer he stayed in the charred forest he worried about what he was breathing in even with the mask.
"GILBERT!"
"Yeah?"
"What do Fire Sprites look like?"
"Small like a keebler elf."
"So not the size of a tree and bathed in flame?" Gilbert felt the hairs stand up the back of his neck.
"No that's not a fire sprite."
"Then I think we should run Gilbert."
"I like that plan, I like that plan a lot." And so the exterminators fled in the charred forest, and the Gravoboom followed shortly thereafter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)