“Redpath's Journals: Honourable Retribution” (5)

I barely had time to slip in thanks to them the next morning which made me even more worried. Seeing the fury of activity and the sour face on the other three retainers of the household killed my worries. I slipped into the grand hall to hide under a table when Lord Kestrel looked in my direction. I had still not received from him acceptance of my place in his group and would not force him to decide at this chaotic moment. I did fear he would tell me to leave which kept me hidden while the other three helped me from being discovered directly by the Lord of the house.

“I understand your anger at my decision of your duties.” Kestrel stated at them. I had never seen him being so direct with his words to his companions. “I need the three of you in place to help in your area of expertise.” he said calmer. I watched as they each glared in turn at him. Cole's glance slide to me under the table beside Lord Kestrel and a small mischievous glint showed in his hard eyes. “Repeat my orders to each of you!” Kestrel snapped angrily at them.

“I am to act as messenger and runner to keep the Council abreast of the events of the meeting.” Cole answered first. I spotted from my vantage point that as his eyes meet mine, he touched his right ear like a signal for my to listen closely to the words spoken. My ears perked up as I waited for the rest of the orders that angered the team.

“I am to act as the informer to the Royal Court of Atlantis.” Sert snapped back. I held back choking as I discovered that both of Kestrel's strongest guardians were turned into errand boys leaving him virtually unprotected.

“Deal with the Royal Kitchen who will be catering this event.” Meli mumbled. The sharp hiss of my intake of breath was lost in Kestrel's reply.

“Correct!” he interjected loudly. My mind skipped into a single repeating thought: I would be Lord Kestrel's lone guard from my hiding spot. “I will be perfectly safe.” he continued easier. I smelt the hard smell of mixed animal as the doors to the room slowly opened. I did not need to see them to know that the three Captains stood there with a mixed group of Royal Guards at their back. I barely noticed Cole looking towards the Captain and back at Kestrel and myself because of my disappointment.

“We are here as requested by the Council of Atlantis with the blessing of the Holy Throne of Atlantis.” Ent reported to Lord Kestrel. I could see his confusion as his hands flexed slowly at his side.

“Take your places so my team can stop worrying and do their assigned tasks with a clear heart.” Lord Kestrel replied. I watched from what was now my permanent hiding place at the back of the hall as the team walk out of the room. I shivered knowing that with this many animals in the room, I could not truly be hidden from their sharp noses. It took nearly an hour before I relaxed as none of the Guards that had spread themselves around the room spoke of me.

“It is a little odd that the Council asked for us to be here.” Curd stated. His voice sounded from one end of the room.

“They were even polite and grateful when we agreed to fill their request to secure this meeting.” Ent commented back. His voice showed him speaking at the opposing end of the room that Curd stood. I could see Rez's heavy boots moving in total silence a few steps behind Lord Kestrel's swift step. “You are too quiet Rez.” the lead wolf added.

“Nothing needs be said at this time.” he replied. His deep rumbling voice made my hair stand on end as I felt once again that he was angry. But it was also very calming that he or the other Captains or Guards had not pulled me out from under this covered table. Now Curd statements to me at the training grounds truly sunk into my brain. “Short of killing you, we could not stop you.”

“I warn you all now that I might harm these little winged idiots if they resist to these negotiations.” Kestrel stated bluntly. His voice had a hard edge I had never heard in it before. “Do not interfere in any way.” he ordered them. “Hold your positions and watch in silence.” he added. I felt these last words were not meant for the Guards or Captains but for me. It could simply be the egoistic feline nature but I was not the only one that noted it as targeted at a different person.

“Easier for some of us than for others.” Curd remarked. He was purring as he spoke the words reflecting my thoughts. I was the one being told my duties within this room. The chuckle that followed proved to me that they all knew I was there but saw it as my designated position. Like all cats, I dozed off to the sounds of Lord Kestrel's feet and the soft padding of Rez at his heels. It is not to say I was not alert enough to hear the fluttering of the first set of Fairy wings entering the room nor the actions of Curd and Rez to let me slip into Kestrel's shadow as he greeted the group from the Royal Kitchens. I could smell Meli soft perfume and the head Royal Chef's alcoholized sweat over the dozen or more other kitchen helpers carrying trait of food and drinks for the Fairies and the Guards. Rez grunted to hide the small grumbling of my stomach. I slipped back under the edge of the tables and snaked my way around the feet of the Fairies taking place at the table to reach a spot close to Lord Kestrel’s chair.

I heard them chattering amongst themselves while I snaked around the room trying to hear the voice that I had learned of the dark plans from. My nose tell me of the Guards rotating in and out of the room to have a chance to eat without offending the Fairies with the coldness of their eating habits. The smell of the food had me holding my stomach which protest. The lack of time forced my to miss my morning meal and my stomach told me that noontime was passing without it receiving flesh to satiate it's needs. I barely noticed the edge of the tablecloth lifting but smelt the bloody stench of the hunk of meat being held under the table. I snagged it quickly before moving back to Lord Kestrel's feet with my prize. I ate slowly still listening to hear the voice that would let me know who I must attack the moment the opportunity offered itself. I sat at Kestrel's feet feeling useless as the voice did not show itself in the room and he waited in silence for the guests to finish eating.

“Any treaties and contracts you presently had with Atlantis, by order of Crown and Council, are rescinded and become null from this moment!” Kestrel stated suddenly. I quivered as he raised to his feet to face the Fairies. I heard the crinkling of his fist connecting with the surface of the wooden table. “You will not be able to use them to force the Holy power of Atlantis upon your enemies.” I heard him proclaim to the silent room. I was ready to dodge out and slaughter the first Fairy that moved against him. All that happen was screams of outrage and dishonorable behavior from Atlantis towards it's oldest group of allies.

The smell in the room suddenly shifted as I saw feet and legs forming from nothingness next to Kestrel's feet, Silence slowly filled the room as even I swallowed hard at the stench of fear and awe that filled the room from the Fairies.

“You wish to abuse my people as pawns in your little internal disputes?” a voice filled with harsh disdain thundered in the silence. My nostrils filled with a smell a kin to feces from the Fairies in the room with only a faster breath showing their state of fear and shock at the being present. I could not tell at that time that I smelt the fragrance of Odin, great deity of Atlantis behind the fearful stench of the Fairies. “I back this man to solve all these problems and it would be best that you heed and accept his words and actions.” the voice of this god stated to them. His feet vanished as they had appeared when he turned to walk away.

“I believe it is best to rewrite all the treatises and contracts as one unifying treaty that leaves no room for questions or pressure upon Atlantis for minor issues.” Lord Kestrel stated to them. His words were followed by the sounds of scrolls unrolling before each group of Fairies present.

“As Royal Fairies' representatives, we can agree that this specific treaty could be used as a base for an all encompassing ideal you are considering, Lord Kestrel.” she said calmly. No whispered comments were made to her. I heard the chair scrape the floor as she stood. “Many of the separated mounds might wish to have personal clauses added for each of them.” she admitted. Her voice was soft and nearly pleading as she spoke. “We will stand behind the all encompassing parts of the treaty without question but cannot support any individual clauses.” she added. Her voice and word sounded like someone trying to push away any problems that her kit and kin would cause.

“I thank you Lady Sherena but, if it is not all encompassing, it has no place in this treaty.” Lord Kestrel replied hard. “One for all equally or no deals with Atlantis ever again.” he continued blunter. I could feel the tension tighten in the room at these words. I listen to hear the whispers from the one that would betray her own people for power. “Even your so-called rebel mound must be allowed to agree to these proceedings.” he stated.

My nose itched as a smell I could not place touched it with a new fairy scent. The new Fairy's odor was not truly new to me as I recognized it from the mound we had visited with nasty effects. In my mind flashed the memories of frozen Fairies exploding at the contact to Lord Kestrel's fist. I moved without thinking to place myself as close to this Fairy's feet with a feral urge to protect him. The sickly sweet scent of Cole entered the room as I watched him walk to the opposing side of the table I now hide under.

“By the order of Council and Crown, these letters of support are to be given to you as a sign of good faith between Atlantis and your Fairy Mound over your actions of late.” Cole proclaimed to the Fairy. I fought the urge to attack his feet as I heard an edge in his voice that sounded to my ears like derisive mirth. The sound of the mixed claws on the marble held me back as I noted four sets of furry legs taking guard positions behind this Fairy from the shattered mound.

“These fools will mess all our plans!” shrieked loud enough to hurt my sensitive ears. I knew this must be the plan of Lord Kestrel bearing fruition with the traitor's thoughts escaping them. I followed the noise with my eyes to spot the female Fairy slowly rising from her seat. She clawed at the air that glowed to my eyes in a vain attempt to be free of Lord Kestrel's mental kinetic grip. I heard chairs hitting the floor as other Fairies rose to their feet but none moved to interfere with this show of true power from Atlantis' Holy Hand. I peeked out more to see the Fairy held high above the center of the room. I glanced quickly and secretively from my hiding spot around the silent room. Pale shocked to silence faces looked blankly at this caged beast that still tried to free herself from the mental iron grip.

“Your thoughts betray you flutter bug.” Kestrel nearly purred. I could not see his face but imagined the predatory grin that turned his normally gentle face into a monstrous grimace. “Should we strip your petty mind bare to find the source of that thought?” he threatened. Two voices tripped over each other at this point.

“Your doing Lord Kestrel?” croaked out from a female and a male voice. The male voice was above my head letting me know the rebellious leader was one of those questioning the obvious. Something about the voices screamed familial ties which could not be proven without a good sniff.

“I knew that the thoughts of betrayal would come to mind once I had their hands tied.” Kestrel stated slowly, “I did not believe I would be this simplistic a trap to catch them in.” he continued with a hint of disdain and a derisive chuckle. I felt a small pull from the center of the room making me look in that direction. I saw a red rimmed orb of pure blackness forming at the feet of the Fairy. My mouth turned dry as I could see her feet and lower leg begin stretching toward this orb of blackness. Scrolls suddenly exploded from her body some how rejected by the red rimmed orb to land upon the tables and floors. One landed at my feet which bore the scribbles of human script. I snagged it deftly and shot it back toward the furry feet behind the table. I saw one feline clawed hand snagging it. I heard the subdued growl from all the Feral Guards that surrounded the outer wall of this meeting room. “Fairies, Dryads, Phoenixes, and a dozen others including some humans working together to remove control of Atlantis from the Council while our Holy Queen destroys the dissidents.” Kestrel stated. The pull at my back increased but I resisted glancing back to the now screaming Fairy.

“She has betrayed us all.” the female voice stated loudly. I hazarded but a glance to spot the white faced Fairy. She held the staff signifying she represented the Royal Fairy House. “Do you remove our right to punish her in our fashion?” she screamed at Kestrel. I could smell her fear. I could smell her anger. I could smell something I have never smelt upon Atlantis. I would later learn this as the smell of utter despair and helplessness. Royal Fairy shuddered visibly from this show of justice.

“What should I do to her before I remove her from existence permanently?” Kestrel drawled. I knew he meant it to sound angry but I knew the true emotion behind his words. He wanted them to beg for a mercy that he would hand to them but only within his means. This show of ultimate power over them would be needed to make sure none of the other would even consider trying to fight the treaty he would force upon them.

“Do not destroy her!” she screamed back. “Our treatment would leave her living in utter madness for such a crime.” she continued. I smelt all her fear replaced by rage. “Fairy law states that her wings are forfeit if she betrays her people causing permanent madness and no chance at rebirth.” she explained. Her colors had returned but hinted to the reddish skin of anger. I heard movement toward the center and spotted the armor clad legs of two burlier Fairies which were still smaller than myself in stature and girth. I could see that their hands sat on their swords ready to draw them against the suspended Fairy. But their movement stopped as the trapped Fairies body rotated to have her wings dangling into the pull of the orb.

I could not look away as the orb darkened and the red rim stretched out to meet the now outstretched wings. The smell of terror filled my nostrils including the hint of feces and urine released from the heightened level of fear caused by what seemed like a small unimportant action. I learned quickly that this action was anything from unimportant. My sensitive ears heard as my eyes spotted that Lord Kestrel controlled that orb like a vicious surgeon. The force increased only towards the wings slowly rending them in chunks. The sound of ripping flesh, membranes, and bones rang in my ears long after the wings were gone from the Fairy's back. The bloody and shredded stumps left no chance of repair even with Atlantian scientific advancements. The ripping sound was not the only thing that haunted me for the rest of this conference. Her howls of pain and insanity shattered what little strength I had left in me. I curled into a ball under the table barely realizing what came after this atrocity and the final moments of this meeting.

I regain enough composure to realize the other Fairies were allowed to walk away unharmed. Only the Royal representative and the rebel leader remained in the hall with Lord Kestrel and a small grouping of Royal Guards or so my nose told me. The rebellious mound leader's foot tapped the floor as I heard the crinkling of papers on the table above my head. I glanced around to spot the legs of the Royal representative who stood at the edge of the table not moving.

“What is it Sherena?” Kestrel stated calmly. The softness in his tone had me a little surprised after the harshness of his behavior so far.

“If you discover more, I would be open to help remove this sickness while you and your people remain a secret upon the world.” she said boldly. “Do whatever is needed to discover the truth even if it means disappearing from view.” she bluntly continued. “I shall order and hand them justice without revealing your part in this.” she stated. “I cannot allow my own people to turn to evil plans against truly noble beings.” she added angry but softer. The room still stank of feces, urine, and fear from the unwinged fairy.

“Why do you really offer this to me?” snapped back the Fairy leader. “You were as ready as the others to destroy my mound without question before this moment of revelation.”

“If I knew why you distanced yourself and why they truly called for your death, I would have fought for your survival!” she screamed back. “I cannot know what is not told to me!” she continued. The smell of anger started slowly filling the room.” “Sending me word would have made me stand with you!”

“Even without proof like you finally saw today?” Kestrel snarled at her.

“We share royal blood in our veins!” she screamed back. “I would believe you just because of that fact alone.” she retorted. I nearly left my spot as she moved to challenge Lord Kestrel. A quick glance showed that no one else had moved defensively by her actions. I held onto my patience listening. “Which mound are tainted from your understanding?” she questioned bluntly.

“Asia is behind this plot.” he whispered back to her.

“Lord Kestrel?” she uttered slowly. “If I can give you the locations of the infected mounds,” she began softly,” can you have them set in turmoil so I may have a chance to remove them from this unjust path?” Silence followed. “You will have a full listing of their location, and defenses within a week or two.” she continued louder. “May this be a sign of my belief in your words alone.” she stated blunter still. She turned at these words to march away. I spotted Captain Ent's feet follow here from the room quickly.

“She will be dead after she has done this for me.” the leader stated. This shattering of the silence pinned me in place. “And they shall run before the others can catch them.”

“Once you have a clue where they may have escaped to, send word directly to me and I will see about locking them into place for their extermination.” Kestrel replied softly. “Meanwhile, I will set some protective measures in place over Sherena.”

“I thank you but please do not let my little cousin notice your protective actions.” he returned easily.

“As you wish little Prince.” Kestrel replied. His armor creaked and groaned suggesting a stiff and formal bow to my ears. “I will make your mound appear as a scene of utter destruction once you have moved your remaining people.” he continued softly. “It is for the best that you become the Secret Fairies, known by none.” he concluded.

“If things go wrong for Sherena,” he began slowly, “she will always have a home hidden away with us.” he said calmly.

It was at that moment that I knew Lord Kestrel's portal were not the ones used in Atlantis. A smell of a thunderstorm filled my nostrils as he opened a gate for the rebel Fairy leader to return home. I half exited from under the table to see Kestrel's broad back closer to the doors of the conference room.

“Captains?” he called softly. They moved as if commanded by the gods' themselves to his side in complete silence. “Keep an eye on the Fairy groups and let me know if any suddenly depart within the next few weeks.” he ordered quietly. A duo of quick salute was returned to him as they remained waiting at attention. “Keep an eye on Sherena since she will make herself a target once she digs into the possible corrupted mounds.” he continued. Another round of salute as both Captains waited. “Dismissed.” he added without thought. The Captain followed by their separate Guard grouping vanished at this single word. I saw his shoulders slump as he breathed raggedly before leaving the room. I followed in the shadows as silently as I could.