Chapter 77: The Three Royals |
"Why does this have to be so hard?" Antaria grumbled.
Hikari chuckled and patted her on the head with the same amused condescension she might have shown when patting the head of a small child... or a small dog. "Did you think it would be easy?"
The princess scowled. "Well, no, but I was kind of hoping it would be."
"Less talking and more working." Filch flicked his tail at her. "Otherwise, we'll be stuck in here forever."
The cause of their dismay was the seemingly endless stack of paperwork that had accumulated ever since more settlers had begun to arrive in the area. As the leader of the humans in Doomwing's domain, it fell to Antaria to handle the bulk of the administration. Thankfully, her efforts to establish a proper bureaucracy should start bearing fruit soon, so she probably wouldn't have to suffer like this for too much longer. It also helped that Filch had proven to be unexpectedly good at paperwork. The raccoon was absolutely trustworthy and seemed to have a knack for identifying waste, deception, and trickery. Daphne said it was probably due to both his shadow magic and the natural cunning that raccoons needed to survive. In any case, Antaria was happy to have his help.
"You know, this would go so much faster if you helped," Antaria said to Hikari. "Just think of how much stuff you could sign. You told me that your tails are extremely dextrous, and you've even got nine of them."
"Alas, I am not qualified to sign documents on your behalf since I am not a citizen of Doomwing's domain."
"I could give you honorary citizenship," Antaria shot back. "It would only take a second."
Hikari smirked. "Have you forgotten? I'm kitsune royalty, so I would have to refuse." Her smirk widened. "But you should be happy. Starting from next week, the bureaucrats you've selected should finally be ready to help."
"Then all you'll have to do is devise a proper comprehensive legal code."
"..." Antaria glared. "I hate you. I hope you know that."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't... or have you forgotten that it's trivially easy for me to tell how you really feel?" Hikari snickered. "If it's any comfort, you're not the first person to suffer like this, and you certainly won't be the last. My father had a pretty well-developed bureaucracy to help him, and he still spent most of his time on administration."
"That only makes me feel worse," Antaria replied. She sighed. "After all, if your father couldn't get out of excessive paperwork, what hope do I have?" She made a face. "If you don't mind my asking... what about your mother?"
"Ah." Hikari pursed her lips. "Surprisingly little paperwork, actually. Simply put, paperwork is a function of population. The smaller your population, the less paperwork you need. You don't see small villages drowning in paperwork, now do you? Although the kitsune population is quite healthy, there aren't all that many of us compared to humans. As a result, apart from keeping important records and setting out important laws, kitsune tend to handle matters less formally."
"That sounds great."
"It has its moments," Hikari replied before baring her teeth. "Of course, if you want everything to run smoothly, you need to be willing to spill a little blood."
Both Antaria and Filch stopped what they were doing.
"Oh?"
"Kitsune are proud people who value bloodline, tradition... and power. When those three things clash, you can get bloodshed. For instance, there were those who opposed my mother's relationship with my father, as well as those who despised my very existence." Hikari smiled faintly. "There aren't really any kitsune half-bloods. Children either show kitsune traits completely, or they don't show any at all. Nevertheless, there were those who wished for my mother to either abandon me with my father or... dispose of me entirely."
"I bet she didn't take that well."
"She gave them chances to take back their words. Those who wouldn't, paid the price." Hikari shrugged. "Which, for most, meant their lives."
Antaria glanced down at the form in front of her. It was a request for someone to use magic on some cows to make them tastier after they were killed. "I wouldn't mind doing that to a few of the people submitting these forms..."
"You should count yourself lucky," Hikari said. "At least you don't have to worry about things like sanitation."
Antaria leaned back in her chair and then bowed to the little potted plant on her desk. "All praise the mighty Daphne!"
"As well you should." The voice came from the potted plant. It belonged to Daphne. Since Daphne's humanoid construct was often busy elsewhere, she had left this potted plant with Antaria, so they could communicate if necessary. In the past, communication hadn't been a problem since Antaria had done all her work at home, which was quite close to Daphne, but they had recently completed the administrative centre, which was a bit further away. Daphne had also been morbidly curious to see if Antaria could successfully raise a potted plant without assistance. So far, the plant would have died at least five times without the dryad's intervention.
"Dryads are extremely useful when it comes to establishing settlements," Hikari said. "Not only can they create housing if necessary but they can also handle sanitation and other amenities relatively easily." She made a disgusted sound. "You have no idea how hard it is to get kitsune to cooperate on sanitation matters. It was bad enough in my mother's time that utility maintenance was used as a punishment."
"And in your time?" Antaria asked.
"After I took over it was necessary to... remove some of the old guard who were set in their ways. Since then, I've been able to re-educate the young on matters of infrastructure. Sure, nobody likes doing sanitation-related work, but they can at least acknowledge the necessity of it." Hikari grinned impishly. "Although, to be honest, a lot of that sort of work gets handled by dream fragments."
"Dream fragments?" Antari was supposed to be working, but this was far too interesting. If need be, she could always pull another all-nighter with Filch.
"As the name suggests, there are many dreams in the dreaming lands. Some are only fleeting, the kind born of a single person's mind, and they soon vanish after the person wakes or perhaps after that person dies. Others, however, are a bit more tenacious. Of these, only a few can truly take on solid and enduring form. The others are fragments, incapable of long-term independent survival. What they need to become more solid is Acknowledgement, and the most potent form of that comes from entities with a strong presence in the dreaming lands."
"Like kitsune?" Antaria asked.
"Precisely. In exchange for carrying out menial tasks that kitsune don't like to do, we Acknowledge these fragments, granting them substance and longevity. Some have been with us since before the Fifth Age whilst others are quite young. Just last week we Acknowledged a dream fragment who was simply delighted to handle waste disposal." Hikari shook her head in fond exasperation. "I think that one will be around for a long time. I don't think I've ever seen a dream fragment so excited to get rid of garbage. Of course, you do need to be careful. There are dreams that should not be Acknowledged."
Antaria shivered. "That sounds ominous."
"It can be," Hikari replied. "Once, a young kitsune inadvertently Acknowledged a dream of drowning. By the time I arrived, an entire village was underwater. They would have perished if I had been any later. Fortunately, I was able to intervene in time."
"What happened to the dream?"
"I tore it apart and scattered its essence across the dreaming lands." Hikari shrugged. "Truly killing a dream is incredibly difficult, but scattering it like that is close to death, and even should it regather, it won't be the same."
"Well," Antaria said. "I'm glad that we don't have to deal with stuff like that here. Sure, paperwork is awful, and ensuring proper sanitation would be so much harder if Daphne didn't handle it, but most of the threats we have to face are the kind that can be killed with a good, old sword to the gut."
The potted plant giggled. "You all treat sanitation like it's this awful thing. It's all part of the cycle of life. It's... beautiful in a way. All of you people eat the fruit of the land, and then all of you give back to the land, which helps grow more fruit."
Filch, Antaria, and Hikari all looked at each other.
"It's a dryad thing," Hikari drawled. "Trust me."
The potted plant laughed happily. "Well, be that as it may, I can't help but view such things positively. After all, I like to watch things grow, whether it's people, animals, or plants." There was a brief pause, and then Daphne gave an exclamation of surprise. "Oh! It looks like we have some visitors."
"Visitors?" Antaria blinked. "Where? Next to your tree?"
"Yes. Unusual visitors."
Hikari stood up abruptly. "That's one way of putting it. You two, come with me."
"Right now?" Antaria asked. "But we still have so much paperwork to do."
"Yes, right now."
Antaria stared at the little winged humanoids fluttering through the air near Daphne's tree. The light surrounding them made it hard to see their exact forms, but she didn't need to see any more to guess what they were.
"Fairies?" Antaria whispered. "I wasn't sure they were real."
Beside her, Hikari's lips curled. "Oh, they're real, and they can be very troublesome if you're not prepared to deal with them." Her brows furrowed. "I wonder if that's part of why Doomwing asked me to come here. Did he know they would come here?"
Corundum trotted over. The doppelgänger's eyes narrowed at the fairies. "He did not know for certain, but he suspected they would soon arrive. A young dryad with no elves around her and no fairies of her own? It would be difficult to find a more tempting target." He turned on his heel. "I will leave this matter to you, Hikari."
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"Another test?" Hikari asked. "For me and Antaria?"
"For all of you," Corundum replied. "Besides, should the worst occur, Doomwing will handle it. He should be here soon since he has matters to discuss with you all."
The leader of the fairies, the one who shone the brightest with a pale pink glow, floated forward.
"I am Princess Fiadh." The fairy paused, clearly expecting a reaction. When none came, her light dimmed slightly, and she bobbed up and down in the air. "You don't know who I am?"
"No," Hikari drawled. "We do not." She released the illusion that concealed her true appearance, and all nine of her tails appeared behind her. "I am Hikari of the Kitsune. Do you know who I am?"
The sound that came from the assembled fairies was somewhere between a gasp, a squeak, and a scream. Fiadh's light almost went out, and Antaria caught a glimpse of a small, slender form with wings like a butterfly.
"Why are you here?" Fiadh blurted. "This... there wasn't supposed to be anyone like you here!"
"I am here at Doomwing's behest... and because the human beside me shares my blood, thus entitling her to my protection. As for the dryad, she has sworn allegiance to Doomwing, and I consider her a friend as well."
"That complicates things..." The fairies quickly huddled together, and they began to exchange frantic whispers, along with communication magic.
"What's going on?" Antaria asked.
"Fairies are creature that dwell more in the dreaming lands than the physical world. In particular, the homes they favour are forests in the dreaming lands. As you can imagine, the very oldest forests are not suitable for them. They are ruled by older and greater beings, many of whom are highly dangerous to be around. The forests they prefer are born of the dreams of dryads, and since there are only so many dryads in the world, the competition for them is fierce amongst fairies. They are likely concerned that I have laid claim to the forest in Daphne's dreams already, and since they haven't a hope of actually beating me in a fight, they are considering how they want to negotiate."
"What sort of abilities do they have?" Antaria asked. "I've only heard legends, but supposedly, they can do some useful stuff."
"Indeed. There are many plants that can only be grown in the forests of the dreaming lands. Fairies are masters of cultivating such plants, and can even raise plants that exist half in the physical world and half in the dreaming lands. Such plants can have a variety of exotic and powerful effects. Fairies are also adept at working with illusions, mind magic, and transportation magic. They are troublesome foes but potent allies."
The fairies moved apart.
Fiadh cleared her throat. "After careful consideration of the special circumstances, we would like to offer the following terms."A parchment appeared. Rather than floating to Hikari, it floated to Daphne's humanoid form who nevertheless carried it over, so they could all look at it.
"What do you think?" Daphne asked. "I've never done this before, so I don't really have a frame of reference."
Antaria hummed thoughtfully. "Well, it seems decent, I think. They're pledging their loyalty to Doomwing first, which means they understand the situation, and then to you, which makes sense since they'll be living in your... uh... dream forest. They're also promising to do a bunch of stuff for us, like make those plants Hikari mentioned, along with using their magic to help in other ways."
"It is a very good deal," Hikari drawled before casting her gaze back at the fairies. "Almost suspiciously good. Tell me, why are you offering such good terms." Power filled her voice, and her emerald eyes shone. "Do not lie to me."
Fiadh squeaked and flitted back and forth nervously. "We're not planning to do anything treacherous! It's just... we really need this, so we're offering a great deal since we can't afford to miss out."
"Why?"
"A great change is coming," Fiadh said softly. "My mother senses it, and the other queens have all sensed something too. They don't know what it is, but they know it will be important... perhaps the most important event any of them have ever witnessed. That's why my mother sent all of us - all of the princes and princesses who were still living with her - out to secure their own places. That way, if something bad happens, there's a chance some of us will survive." She quivered. "But there aren't that many dryads that don't already have fairies of their own, and you know how fairies are about that..."
"The princes and princesses all have their own followers and factions," Hikari explained. "They will not share territory willingly once they leave their parents' lands."
"And this dryad is sworn to Doomwing. If something bad is going to happen, then his territory is going to be the safest place there is, right?" Fiadh bobbed up and down again. "And I did a bit of snooping before, and this dryad's dream forest looked perfect for us."
"Is that so?" Hikari stared at the fairy, and Antaria could practically feel the fairy's growing unease. Antaria was no expert in beings related to the dreaming lands, but even she could sense the discrepancy in power. "Why don't we take a look then?"
"Wait... all of us?" Antaria asked.
"Yes," Hikari said. "You should see it at least once."
"It won't be easy taking someone like her," Fiadh said. "Especially in the middle of the day..."
"I will handle it," Hikari said. "And for me, it will be easy indeed." She paused. "And you can come too, Filch."
Hikari raised one hand. Pale, silver light coalesced into her palm and collapsed into a single, shimmering bead of moonlight. Smiling faintly, she turned her hand, and let it drop to the ground. The bead struck the ground, and the whole world seemed to tremble as waves ran across the ground and sky.
"The sun hangs high in the sky,
All truths are revealed.
The moon hangs high in the sky,
All illusions are born."
Overhead, the sun's golden light gave way to silver as the moon appeared. Antaria blinked, and when she next opened her eyes, their surroundings had changed.
They stood beside a titanic tree, one that seemed to soar up and up until it was lost amidst the clouds and moonlight. A vast forest stretched around them. Flowers of every kind Antaria knew bloomed, along with countless other kinds she had never seen before. Animals scampered in the undergrowth and along branches, and birds and bats soared through the air. The footsteps of deer rustled past, and the thunderous footfalls of larger beasts echoed through the woods. A strange mist filled the air, one that both sharpened and dulled her senses. This place felt both utterly right and very wrong at the same time.
"This is the forest born of Daphne's dreams," Hikari said.
"It's beautiful," Antaria whispered. "It... I've never seen one like it before."
"It is an old dream," Hikari murmured. "Amongst the oldest I have ever known." She glanced at Daphne. "Your... heritage is powerful indeed."
"See?" Fiadh zipped back and forth. "This place is perfect! Most young dryad's are lucky to have a small wood with a nice grove or two. She has a whole forest!"
"My name is Daphne," Daphne said.
"Ah, of course." Fiadh bobbed up and down in what was clearly a series of bows. "Great Lady Daphne's forest is truly wondrous, on par with a much older dryad's, and it hasn't even been around that long! I mean, yes, her dream is old, but it really only started growing recently! Just think about what it will be like in a decade or even a century!" Fiadh radiated happiness. "If my followers and I could settle here, we could do great things... and we'd be more than happy to share the fruits of our labour in exchange." She paused. "By the way, why did you use an incantation to bring them here? You're more than strong enough to do that without one."
"Because beings not of the dreaming lands tend to react poorly when unwittingly drawn into them while waking. Some even become confused about what is real and what is not. Some even go insane. I would prefer to avoid that, and the incantation makes it clear when the transition occurred."
"Fair enough." Fiadh shrugged. "And apart from everything we mentioned in the agreement, just having us around will help Daphne grow. After all, a dreamer and their dream are connected. The more we tend to this place, the smoother her growth will be. And since she's so young, she might even pick up some dream-related abilities too." She made an annoyed sound. "Especially since no elves have moved in yet. Those people... if they have their way, you won't even think about your dream forest. But since we go here first... hehehe."
Antaria gave Hikari a look. That last laugh was a little worrying.
"The agreement is favourable to us," Hikari said. "And I can see no immediate reason to disagree. However, the decision will be up to Daphne, and if she agrees you will swear your loyalty to her... and to Doomwing in person when he arrives."
Fiadh winced. "But he's scary..."
"Yes," Hikari said. "Which is why you'll be swearing to him in person." She smiled toothily. "I know well the ways of the fairies. You seldom give your words, but once given, they are never broken. Even so, it would be good for you to have a reminder of who you will answer to if you break your vows, and that is assuming Daphne will have you."
The dryad said nothing for a moment. Instead, she walked over to Fiadh. The fairy seemed to sense what she wanted. The glow around her vanished, and she settled onto Daphne's palm. The two of them, dryad and fairy, stared into each other's eyes. Without her glow, Fiadh was incredibly small. It was easy to imagine Daphne just crushing her if she closed her hand. Finally, Daphne nodded.
"If you hold up your end of the agreement, I'll hold up mine."