Dura Tree Tales The Quest

Chapter 11 - The marble cave

'Welcome, Son of the White Witch, Welcome to you King Alberich and Prince Rupert.' They all said in unison.

Alberich and Rupert were taken slightly aback by the address, as they had addressed Jacob first. Then again if it hadn't been for Jacob they wouldn't be here now. So credit where credit is due.

Felix let them right into the middle off the chamber and offered them to sit down and rest for a while. Also Alberich would have preferred to move on further he couldn't decline the offer and so they all sat down, drank some of the fresh cool water was given to them, ate some of the nut and fruits the animals had prepared for their visit. Rupert's curiosity took the better of him and he asked Felix again to tell the story how his Dad had met him and how he had helped that his Mum married his Dad. Felix took a look at Alberich, like he was asking for approval. Alberich knew well enough if Felix wouldn't tell the story Rupert wouldn't be a good travel companion and he would hassle him from now on until he found out the details.

So Felix sat down and began:' I first met your father shortly had become the King of the Fairy Kingdom. He was a shy, unhappy and far too young for the responsibilities of the kingdom. But his own father had be killed during a battle against the dwarfs of the mountains. So Alberich was crowned on the day his inauguration. Due to Alberich inexperience, a lot of the elfin folks turned against him and even his own mother tried to pull the reign onto herself. There was no one in the court that he could trust anymore. The only reprieve he had were his long walks into the woods. Here he could be himself, nobody would tell him what to do and what to say. I had been watching him for weeks from a distance and felt sorry for him. So I asked myself what I could do to make him believe in himself. Eventually the chance presented itself to me while I was on my regular patrol through the woods when I was at the edge of woods and got myself caught between some brambles and willow sticks. They took hold of my tail first and kept pulling me more and more into their tangled web. There was nobody around, so I couldn't call anybody for help. As it happened Alberich walked right by where I was kept captive. I let out a little bark and lucky Alberich heard me. He looked very hard to find out where the noise was coming from and then he saw me. "You poor fox, how did you get into this situation? Don't you not know that the willows and brambles is the part of the woods are entangle anything that comes to near to them."

"No, I never knew that." I lied.

"Oh, oh you got yourself into a right bad spot there then. Let me think now do I get help you." With that your father started pathing up and down in front of me, while the willows and brambles are kept pulling and pulling.

"I don't want to hurry you, but soon will be unable to move at all."

Alberich stopped and started reciting the following words:

"Willow weave, Willow bend

Brambles wrangle, Brambles clutch

Weave away, Bend over,

Rupert joined in that this moment and completed the rhyme with Felix:

Stop your wrangle and Open your clutch

So we can reach the witches hutch."

'Oh I see you know that poem' Felix said with smile.

'Yes, my sister Leah taught me just before we left.' Rupert answered proudly.

'So you know what happened next?'

'You got free I guess, but that doesn't explain to me how my Dad met my Mum.'

Felix smiled again and continued: 'One thing at the time my young friend. As you rightly said the willows and brambles stopped and your Dad reached into the hedge and pulled me out by both of my front legs. I landed right in his arms and we both fell to the ground. And so our friendship began. I thanked your father and told him what a brave young king he was, it did the trick, and his self-esteem grow a little and from then on every day a little more. We used to meet up every day and we talked, sometimes played, but most of the time we just enjoyed our friendship. Until one day we both where sitting near the bog lake when a young girl came walking towards us. She was a rare beauty with her black hair and white skin. Your Dad was smitten straight away, but when she finally spotted us and came over to us, he just couldn't bring out one word. So it was up to me to ask her name and how come she was walking all alone in the woods. She told us her name was Maeve from the Meadow and she had only recently moved here from over the mountain range. As she loved to watch the birds and other wood animals it was part of her daily routine by now to pay the woods a visit. While she talked your dad just blushed. She looked at him tentatively and asked me what was wrong with him. I just told her that he had a sore throat and just couldn't speak today. She laughed the most wonderful laugh and your Dad lost his heart there and then. She kept chatting for a while longer and then parted from us. Your Dad nearly killed me after she had left over the fibs I told her about him. But what is a Fox to do with an overly shy young man. We didn't see her for weeks, also we both hoped every day to meet her. We lingered around the lake for hours, come rain or shine. Then eventually near Beltane day when she was actually waiting for us at the lake. She smiled and greeted us like long lost friends. Your father finally got all his courage together and talked to her. He didn't wanted her to know that he was the current Fairy king and made me swear not to tell her a word. Of course I didn't utter a word. She had to figure that out for herself. Anyhow once your Dad has found his voice he seem not be able to stop and he told her all about the woods and where to find the best berries, or how to watch the owl's coming out of their borrow or find the water voles and frogs along the lake. Their friendship blossomed and it grew into deep love. So one day your Dad told me that he wanted to propose to Maeve, but she was still unaware that he was the King. So he asked me to tell her the truth and propose on his behalf. She would believe me for sure as she trusted me. Can you believe it, a girl trusting me the fox. Ah well I protested and protested. In the end he twisted my paw and on the next first day of spring I finally reviled the truth to Maeve. She was first surprised and a little angry, but eventually she had admit that she loves Alberich whatever he maybe or is. But she requested that Alberich, if he wants to marry her has to propose himself. Thankfully I had stalled and hadn't gotten to that. So I reported back to your Father and he had no choice to ask your mother himself for her hand in marriage. As her parents were both dead and there were no other relative the engagement was announced at Ostara to the whole fairy kingdom. The folks were very happy for the young couple and even the old queen had to admit that Alberich had made a great choice. So on the next Beltane they got married.

Rupert had listened to Felix with great admiration and now asked: 'How come that I never met you before until today, if you are my Dad's best friend in the woods?'

Felix sighed: 'Firstly your Dad and Mum didn't have much time after the wedding to spend in the woods, as the old queen retired and left the run of the whole kingdom to Alberich. He had his hands full with the day to day business, then you all came along one by one. And sadly the White Witch died before announcing her heir and Draco ceased the chance to pull the power over the bog and woods onto himself. The animals had to desert large parts of the woods and only were save either in the enchanted wood or here in this cave.'

'I understand. Thanks for telling me the story. I know now where I get my shyness from.' Rupert nodded.

Alberich smiled and Jacob sat there with open eyes, as he had now lots of questions for himself about the White Witch. But he knew that is was not the time and place to ask. Felix got up from his place and stretched his limbs.

'I think it is time now to show you the path to the enchanted woods, as it is getting late and you shouldn't not spend another night without protection against Draco.'

'But wasn't the plan first to find Draco, drug him and then go the witch's tree?' Jacob protested.

'Jacob, do you really think Draco would let you find him. You better be aware that he knows your plan already, why do you think he was following you and you ended up in the hidden gorge?'

'Are you saying someone had told him?' Alberich said with raised eyebrows.

'Yes! Why do you think the vagrant druid refused your demands?'

'Are you saying, the landloper is a traitor?' Alberich asked with anger in his voice.

'Of course, did you never questioned yourself why he suddenly appeared shortly after your elfin wand went missing? And why you suddenly were not able to talk to the Bee Queen after you had delivered all the extra flowers and she claimed they never got them. Why did they then left the Fort meadow and moved into the bog. Shall I go on?'

'No!' Alberich shouted out. He was furious with himself not to have enquired more about background of the new druid. But then again he remember asking him and only to be fobbed off with some lame excuse. He finally had given up to ask and was glad that they had someone who was able to heal, provide protective spells and inaugurate the young elf's. But then lots of things happened that didn't make sense. Some folks got sick and some even died. Death was something not very common among the fairies. Normally they would live for centuries and only would pass over, if someone got put under a dark spell or had called on the creatures of the white lake.

Oh how blind has he had been. Then a very dark thought crossed his mind. He dismissed it, it was impossible. But Jacob did sense that there was a troubling thought in his master's mind and he just spluttered out: 'Felix, is it possible that the Dark Druid has infiltrated our fairy Fort?'

A huge moan exhaled from all the animals and Felix just whispered under his breath: 'Yes.'

They all looked around and at each other, like they were afraid something could have overheard or even enter the sanctuary of the grotto.

Felix's demeanour now had changed and he was agitated.

'I think you should go now. I will show you that start of the path, but then you are on your own.'

Alberich didn't really understand this sudden hurry, but then this question came back into his head and he said: 'Yes you are right, we have taken up too much of your time already. Thanks for you all for your hospitality and help. Come on Jacob and Rupert, pick up our things, we have to get into the enchanted woods before nightfall.'

Felix got up silently and walked into another corridor leading of the chamber, this time the lighting was very faint and the three fairies followed him without any further greeting or word being spoken.

They soon could hear a waterfall in the distance and then they could see that they were at the back of this water fall. Felix stopped and said: 'That's as far as I go, please make sure you keep to the left once you step out behind the waterfall. You will find a very narrow path along the rock wall, don't look back, up or down. Just walk sideways until you finally reach the tree line. From there you will have to find your way further, I can't help you any longer. Good bye.'