Chapter 39. Arran’s Mate.

“Princess would you mind fetching lord Arran.”

Inga, “No that is something I can do. We make good messengers.”

Shortly Lord Arran returned, “I see Alexis has already elevated you to status of Lysander & Lysandra Protectors of Fay.”

“Astrid was telling us you are an Eagle lord. As we understand a king has to look out for his subjects so we wondered if you would mind helping us with the injured Fay.”

Arran, “My pink ball is no bigger than yours.”

“Sir could you handle the larger ones you family seem to produce?”

“Yes I can handle them but not make them.”

Inga, “Lord Arran you combined your ball with that of your daughters to help your brother. Here you can combine with the protectors to help the injured Fay.”

Lord Arran brightened up, “Well team protectors we had better go and see our patients.” Working together they quickly reduced the number of injured.” After a while, “We all work rather well as a team and that includes the smallest team member.”

Inga Blushed. Most of the cases they dealt with where minor. Eventually they found a very bad case. Lord Snow, “We are going to have to stabilise her before she is moved. She is lucky she survived so far. It is no good our power balls are not sufficient to commence healing.”

Astrid blew a whistle, “Lord Arran we might be able to help until mum can get to here.” Inga went to fetch Alexis.

Alexis was looking jaded herself. She came and saw the children helping. “Stop a minute please. Inga can you ask all family members to throw the pink balls at me. Then I will finish the rest of the line before continuing with this one. Lord Arran that goes for you and the protectors also.” As the balls were thrown at Alexis she felt her energy reserves building up again. Quickly she walked down the line touching each in turn. “Now to see what we can do for you.” The Fay opened her eyes.

“The protectors have been valiantly trying to save my life.”

“You all may stop as I am fully charged now. You do realise you are special. Not only have you had the protectors and Lord Arran but my daughter and now finally myself to heal you.”

“Mistress you did say Lord Arran. Sir I was told to track you down and give you a message. Your mate lives but needs help.”

Alexis “Lord Arran you are too week yourself to go. Let your brother return the help you gave him. Lord Snow Take my Golden flight. Go to the highest mountain in the entire world. There in a cave you will find your sister in law & nieces. Bring all back you find regardless of how ill they are. Yellow as my sister you will lead all the queens.”

A little voice piped up “Can I go?”

“Snow said, “I would not think of going without you my little friend.” Snow turned to the assembled Fay, “You are the second of the Fay to serve my family well. I am sure you will be well rewarded by Empress Alexis. Regardless you have my brother looking after you & you have earned the right to be called Dragon friend or Eagle friend. Now I must go and recover your lady.”

Alexis watched the group depart. As she left she spotted the falcons and went across. “Falcons I wish to thank you for your recent help.”

“Lord Snow promised we could watch the winged warriors and that is what we have being doing.”

Alexis, “The winged warriors have gone to recover Lord Arran's mate.”

Alexis thought for a moment, “Do not go as I may have a job for the falcon squadron. Many of my little people are struggling to get here. As your eyesight is far better I was wondering if you will search for any of my people who may be trying to get here.”

Lord Arran spoke, “My friends this is my niece Alexis and Empress of the skies.”

“Sorry we did not recognise the Golden one. Mistress in that case we will all take off and do your bidding.” Before long several Eagles had landed each carrying passengers.”

Alexis, “Tell my falcon squadron you all work well as a team.”

The next instant a massive European Eagle owl landed. “Is this the correct place? I hope so because my family is worn out with our passengers. We met the falcons who told us they were looking for some Fay. I have a few here somewhere, or at least I think they are. They tend to make themselves comfortable in my feathers.”

Alexis, “Yes you have the correct place. Have you many Fay?”

Alexis heard a voice speak in a mixture of German and English and ask, “Gunter is we there yet?”

“Mien liebson, Oh mein god. ‘Tis, Barnoff.”

“Gunter speak properly.” The woman looked out and saw the other owls landing. “Good we are all here safely now you must pay for our passage.”

Alexis “There is no need to pay them as the owls all work for me as do all their cousins.”

“Pleased to meet you I was expecting Fay cousins but you are not exactly Fay.” Gunter and the others all got out.

“Father is this our new home?”

“I think it might be but I will have to negotiate with the local land owner first.”

“Greetings from Gunter and all his family. Please can you point us in the direction of the direction of the nearest Laird or land owner around here?”

“Yes I can do that, but first will you not have food with me?”

As they all set down a procession of Leprechauns all brought food and drink to the table.

Baby, “Alexis they are clearly puzzled, as they know we are all leprechauns.”

The wife was not so puzzled and came and stood in front of Alexis. “Gunter has trouble counting but even he knows there are more leprechauns than three here. For that to happen there has to be a great queen here or close by.”

Alexis smiled, “So you have seen leprechauns before. Come with me and tell me what you see.”

“Elves, Pixies, Fay, and daughters of Neptune.” They bowed as Ariel came up to the group. “Greeting Princess Ariel is your father nearby as we need a new home.”

“Greetings old friends now though I am Queen Ariel.”

“Sorry mistress we need to find a new home for all our families.”

Ariel giggled, “Would you like me to ask on your behalf?”

“Please mistress as you knows we get rather scared of strangers as we are shy creatures.”

“Have you eaten and drunk yet?”

“This girl had some leprechauns bring us food. Ariel is there a great queen close by?”

“Yes she is the daughter of Draco the dragon lord.”

“Gunter we do not want to be offending Lord Draco's daughter. Sorry we are leaving you out of the conversation. Draco is a legend among the spirit peoples.”

They sighted Lord Draco. “My Lord Draco greetings from the forest spirits.”

Draco, “I thought you all lived happy in the Bavarian forests.”

“We had to get out sir as our forests are being chopped down. We need to find trees we can care for that are not likely to be chopped down in the future.”

Draco turned to Ariel, “Do you think your mistress can help our little friends?”

“Draco for now I think she will want them around here, but I happen to know she has recently acquired a castle with a forest attached.”

“Lord Draco will you ask for us?”

“I think you all should ask yourselves. You already have taken her food.” Alexis could see they all looked worried.”

Gunter, “Lord Draco we thought the food came from our human friend here. Lord Arran you are here also.”

“I am awaiting the return of the winged warriors with my mate.”

Alexis, “Tell me about yourselves?

“We are tree spirits we care for trees and plants. We do not have wings like our cousins the Fay.”

Gunter, “If we have eaten the queen’s food then we will all be her servants.”

“Gunter I have just realised why Draco & Ariel was laughing. I thought I could detect all of Draco’s offspring but I am mistaken.”

“What are you babbling on about woman?”

“Draco’s Daughter is no mere Queen she is far greater and has been with us all the time.”

Gunter, “That could only be the girl Alexis who befriended us.”

“Empress forgive us we both mistakenly thought you worked here.”

Alexis, “Actually I do work here now I believe you have something to ask me?”

Gunter, “I feel rather silly telling you again but we do need to find a new home.”

Alexis. “This can be your new home along with the others who find their way here. As for jobs I have the ideal jobs for you all. I have two forests that are in need of much attention. Weekdays you will look after my Skipton forest and weekends my Middleham forest. You all will travel with me between jobs.”

Gunter said, “Mistress I have a boon to ask of you. We lost a third of our group on the way here could you send help to locate them.”

Lord Arran. “The eagle owls need to rest before they can make the journey again.”

Alexis two eagle partners, “Empress it does not need a big flight just some with sharp eyes.”

Draco, “A group of three is enough to find them.”

“Father take good care of them. Lord Arran is soon to be a grandfather. Lord Arran I did think of sending you but you are still needed here. You and the protectors have still to finish the job you started.”

One of the smaller falcons spotted the three of them setting off and fled to Lord Draco and said, “Permission to hitch a lift sir.”

Draco grinned and said permission granted.” The falcon talked to Draco while they travelled. Then he spotted a clearing. “I can get lower quick and fast sir.” The falcon plummeted down towards the ground and then levelled out.

“It’s only a baby falcon. Come out there is no need for us to hide. Perhaps the falcon will know where Gunter and the rest of our people are. Bring Iolanthe up she can speak with birds.”

Mean while the dragon flight had been spotted by a group of Chinese monks while flying over China. “The dragons are all in a great hurry. We must tell the Lama what we have seen. Yes sir many dragons and they were heading for the great Peak.”

“It is great luck to see one dragon but to see so many. The heavens must be happy about something.”

“Look sir, more dragons all heading the same way.” The Lama and his priests set up chairs and watched the skies.

The flights eventually arrived at Everest. “Mum there is a flight of Dragons.”

Yellow landed at the cave entrance, “My Sister sends her greetings. We have come as we received a call for help from an injured Fay. Lord Arran is working with the others to cure the injured. So he could not come. Your two elder daughters send their greetings to Grandma.”

“So soon they will have children of their own. I actually have fully recovered. My I ask who the sire to my daughters’ children is?"

“Oh that is complicated. They both chose the same person.”

“It looks like I will have to find out for myself. For now though we though have quite a contingent of Fay here”.

“These are your daughters I presume. The flight we have is long and cold so perhaps the Fay would be better in the dragon pouches.”

“My smallest will be unable to fly long distances.”

“Can we all carry the Fay to my awaiting friends? Then I and my sisters will carry your youngest.” Before they left they had one last look round. Only a few eagle feathers and dragon scales but nothing else left to tell we were here. After loading everybody up they all set off on the homeward journey to England.

“Look sir the sky is black with them again.”

The Lama crossed himself like Christians do and said, “We have witnessed a great day brothers. That is not just any flight of dragons. The books of the ancients inform us when the dragons fly across the skies on mass they do the bidding of a great Queen. These leading the others though are golden dragons & they do the bidding of the Queen of Queens. We must go inside I must work out where she will appear.”

Back in the forests of Bavaria. “Hello I am Iolanthe can we help you?” “In exchange perhaps you could help us to find Gunter.”

“I do not know of Gunter but I know some who do.” Do not run away you are safe I have some friends with me.” The falcon gave the signal and all three landed in the clearing.

“Lord Draco are we all pleased to see you we sort of got lost when we had to flee our homes. We have lost some of our group.”

Draco, “A flight of owls brought Gunter and many others this morning to the palace of the Golden Queen.”

“We could not keep up sir we have many sick or injured spirits.” The two companions looked all around and realise there was more than they could attend to.

“Sister we have all the help at hand we need in there birds of the forest.” Draco put out a call and at once all the birds of the forest appeared.

Draco, “Men are coming to chop this forest down and your homes will soon be gone. The tree spirits who have tended you for years all have to move to a new home. Many have already been injured and we need help getting them to their new home. The Eagle owls have already brought many, but there are still a lot to transport and some need solo transport.”

One of the smallest birds in the forest, “Sir I have never flown a long distance before, but I am willing to take one of the injured. They fed me when food was short. Now this is a way I can repay them. I have to ask sir will I be able to make it my home as I doubt that I will make the return journey safely.”

Draco, “There will be homes for all who wish to stay.”

One of the great Buzzards appeared, “Sir some of us are going to have to work together. We realise the forest birds are nervous about trusting us, but for once we will all work together to help the spirits. Even we as big as we are sometimes needed the spirits help. Now is a chance for all here to become one flight. If we fly in formation with the smaller birds in our wake they will not need to expand as much energy. EAGLE Princesses you have permission to smite us if we break our truce with the smaller birds of the forest.”

One my one the spirits and sprites climbed onto or where lifted onto the birds. The great flight set off for their new home. They were approaching the East coast of England when the flight started getting harried by herring gulls.

Draco let out a great roar and fried many of the gulls. The buzzards, “Sir permission to defend our group.”

“Permission granted and my little friend will accompany you.” The falcon and buzzards fought back bravely but where out greatly numbered.

“Sister it looks like we must join the fray.” As they spoke a large flight of golden eagles joined the fray and all too soon the gulls either where dead or limping home after taking a battering.

“My lord Arran summands us from our home land of the skirted men to provide you his daughters and the Empresses consorts with an escort.”

Draco. “Falcon you fought bravely alongside the buzzards & eagles.
Come you can rest on me.”

“Greetings brothers when we arrive your wounds will be dealt with. You have all earned the right to serve with lord Arran's flight.” They had not travelled much further when the sky darkened.

Draco, “Falcon you wished to see the winged warriors. You our smallest fighter will lead them home as in a minute our groups will merge and you as the smallest hero of our fighting team get to lead the way.”

For a short while the falcon led the groups and then he spotted home and went into a very fast dive. He landed first. Alexis smiled, “Well done Falcon I have already received reports of how valiant you fought against much larger birds.”

“Mistress my Lord Draco called me his dragon falcon. We have many injured who need attending to, but we had no losses to my knowledge. The Buzzards also need attention mistress.”

Alexis blew a whistle, “We have casualties coming in shortly.”

“The protectors, “Can we help?”

Alexis, “Yes working with Lord Arran you make a good team.”

Astrid. “Mum my sisters and I would also like to help and we can also make the power balls.”

“Helen & Leslie you take two of the girls each. Now we are ready for our guests. The rest of my companions will follow me and recharge me when required.”

One by one the birds discharged their precious cargo. All the while falcon stayed where she had landed until she was needed again. Eventually the battled scared Buzzards landed. One spoke “Mistress we enjoyed working with the smaller birds may we extent the truce.”

Alexis turned to the falcon, “Flight leader should I allow the buzzards to join my flight.”

Before the falcon could speak. One of the eagles spoke. “Mistress they fought bravely and valiantly against vastly superior numbers. We saw Lord Draco take many out many of the enemy before we reached them, but when they got too close he could not use his flames in case he harmed the convoy. As for the falcon the aerial manoeuvres she performed where wonderful. The Buzzards prevented them reaching the main convoy. Had we not turned up the enemy with vastly superior numbers would have won. For all their bravery alone we recommend they are all allowed to join our squadron. Falcon you may not have the strength to keep up with us but with you on our backs we have a superb fighter and ally. You Buzzards like us are more the heavy bombers. Brother & sisters in arms we welcome you the Empress has laid a feast on for us. So come join us in our feast.”

Mean while the remainder of the dragon flight was landing. Arran was there to greet his wife and daughters. “Arran we had a grandstand view of the battle I did not realise initially that two of our daughters where in the middle of it and the little falcon fought bravely to protect them. I would have no hesitation in calling her protector of princesses. I must insist though you take your eagles and teach them gulls a lesson that will be remembered for a long time. No Gull ever attacks my daughters and survives.”