Richard Tuttle - Sapphire of the Fairies

Arik realized that he had shed hisshirt for the first time in weeks and stared at the faces aroundhim. There was nothing but praise in those faces for a performancewell done and he laid his head back down on the ground.

“That was the finest displayof swordsmanship I have seen in years,” complimented Garth as hetossed a towel to each of the fighters. “Perhaps you two are readyfor a session with me this afternoon.”

Many times Garth had used a swordsession with him as a threat to those who were acting cocky, butArik and Tanya knew that this offer was entirely different. Theyrealized that they had impressed Garth with their expertise andthat brought a smile to each of them. The crowd slowly broke upwith some fairies lingering to catch a last glimpse at Arik’schest, but he did not notice them. Midge flew over and landed onArik’s upraised knee.

“I am certainly glad that Idid not take your offer of practice,” Midge commented. “You bothknow how to handle a sword well. I saw some of our army instructorswatching and a few of them took notes on your movements. You saidyour father was a fisherman. How did you learn such a skill at yourage?”

Arik sat up and grabbed his shirt.“Garth has been teaching us,” Arik replied. “Tanya had professionallessons and I learn from her as well.”

Tanya reached over and put her hand onArik’s arm as he tried to put on his shirt. “May I look at itfirst?” she asked softly.

Arik’s face reddened, but he nodded andTanya sat up to examine his chest. Over his left breast wasengraved a reptile, which resembled a snake with legs. The reptilesported a large pair of wings and had a forked tongue protrudingfrom its mouth. What amazed Tanya most were the colors. The reptileitself was a bright green and the wings were black. The eyes andprotruding tongue were a vivid red.

“It looks like an artist’spainting,” Tanya stated. “Not just any artist, but a very wellskilled artist. This came from that rash you got inTagaret?”

Arik nodded and started to put hisshirt on, but Tanya reached out and ran her finger over the tinydragon. “Amazing!” she commented. “I wonder how one of those wouldlook on me?”

Arik turned redder than the reptile’seyes and he quickly shrugged his shirt on. Tanya caught hisreaction and blushed herself. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud,”she chuckled. “You will NOT imagine it on me,” she added as sheplayfully swatted his shoulder.

Midge leaped into the air as Arikjumped to his feet and extended a hand to Tanya to help her get up.“I will have trouble not imagining it, now that you have mentionedit,” chuckled Arik. “Let’s go see if the others have any ideas onhow we are to find this Crown of Light.”

Midge landed on Arik’s shoulder as theyreturned to the campfire and helped themselves to coffee. Garth,Kalina, and Niki were sitting and talking to Queen Mita and theconversation was centered on the Crown of Light.

“We had the Sword of Heavensto help us find you,” Garth was saying. “We have no such aid infinding the Crown of Light. I have no idea even where to startlooking for it.”

“We can not have come this farjust to fail,” sighed Kalina. “The Ancient Prophecy led us to theSapphire of the Fairies. The Fairy Prophecy must have a clue tolead us to this Crown of Light.”

Queen Mita shook her head. “There is noclue in the Prophecy and no mention of anything that will lead Arikto it.”

Garth smiled every time the Queenmentioned Arik and the Crown of Light. She accepted all of theRangers as being part of the expedition. She accepted Garth as theleader of the Rangers, but when it came to the Crown of Light, shenever left any doubt that Arik was all who mattered.

Midge flew off in a hurry while Fredrikand Tedi returned from their staff practice. They had also gatheredan audience who applauded, but the fairies’ enthusiasm was clearlyfor the swordplay exhibition.

“Perhaps if we knew what wewere looking for, we would have a better idea of where to look,”Arik suggested. “Do you have any books that have pictures of thecrown?”

Queen Mita tilted her head and lookedat Arik. “I can show you a vision of it,” she offered. “I forgetthat you are not versed in the ways of fairies. We have the abilityto create visions from thought. All I have to do is think of apicture of the Crown of Light and project it.”

Queen Mita turned towards the fire anda cloud of smoke congealed above it. The center of the cloudstarted glistening and as the smoke dissipated a shiny, gold crownadorned with sapphire gems appeared. Everyone gasped at thelifelike image as it rotated over the fire.

“How large is it?” Tanyainquired.

Queen Mita smiled and pictured herselfwearing the Crown of Light. The added perspective broughtrealization of how small the article actually was.

Fredrik shook his head and frowned. “Weare expected to find something that small and all we know is thatit is somewhere in the world. If everything depends on us findingthat, we might as well go home.”

Kalina stood and walked around thefire, slowly examining the crown. Garth watched her and shook hishead. “It is the same from every angle, Kalina,” he statedfrustratingly.

“Sorry, Garth,” she repliedabsentmindedly, “but something is tickling my memory. Queen Mitacan you visualize it in the palm of my hand, or any hand around thesame size?”

Queen Mita wrinkled her brow for amoment. “Open your palm,” she requested.

Kalina held her palm flat and QueenMita landed in the center of it. Next she projected an image ofherself in Kalina’s palm and projected it over the fire. The imageshimmered slightly as she altered it to include the Crown of Lighton her head. Then in an eye blink, Queen Mita disappeared from thevision and the Crown of Light rested on Kalina’s palm.

“Does that help?” the Queenasked.

“Yes,” shouted Kalina. “I haveseen this crown and held it in my very hand not twenty years ago. Iam sure it is the same one.”

“Great,” shouted Tedi. “Whereis it?”

Kalina’s face clouded with frustration.“President Suarez of Cordonia showed it to me just before OscarDalek’s wedding. He thought it would make an unusual wedding band,but Callie declined it.”

“Well let’s go to Cordonia andget it back for the fairies,” exclaimed Tanya.

“The Cordonian Royal Palacewas buried under a mountain in the Collapse,” Garth stated.“Actually that is not a correct statement. The Palace merged withthe mountain is actually a better description. In all probability,the Crown of Light is now part of the mountain. Even tearing themountain apart piece by piece would not recover the crown in anycondition that we would recognize.”

Despair fell over the group andeveryone fell silent. Fredrik started moving a pebble around withhis staff and Tedi tried to shift his seat a little farther awayfrom Niki who kept trying to lean against him. Garth and Kalinastared at each other across the campfire and Queen Mita flewherself down to the ground. Arik looked around the campfire at thesullen group and rose to his feet.

“My father did not raise me tobe a quitter,” Arik announced, “and I know Prince Midge willaccompany me if no one else will. Are the rest of you in this onlywhen the way is easy?”

“Give the man a tattoo,”scowled Niki, “and he thinks he can bring a mountain to itsknees.”

Garth stood and placed his hand onArik’s shoulder. “Pay no mind to whiners, lad,” Garth smiledbroadly, “and never doubt your abilities. The Rangers are bound forKantor and if it is a mountain that must be conquered, then amountain will fall before us.”

Tanya leaped up and started rolling upher gear. Kalina gently touched her on the arm. “In the morningwill be soon enough, warrior,” Kalina smiled. “We have the chanceto enjoy the hospitality of the fairies before we depart and youstill have that session with Garth this afternoon. I look forwardto watching it. It has been a long time since a woman made Garthcry.”