The Sylph Queen of Edenworld

CHAPTER 2 - NILLY

Nilly woke, more tired than rested.  Her room was still dark, the air crisp.  Roosters crowed, heralding the coming dawn.  It would not be long before the entire crannog was awake and lighting their cook-fires for morning meal.  The thought of food made her tummy groan louder than the roosters.  Nana Tena had refused her questions last night and ordered them straight to bed with no evening meal— not that there was any game to cook.  That decided her day.  She would skip morning meal and go hunting in the Dell to fill their bellies properly at evening meal. 
        Her ears prickled uncomfortably thinking about the Dell Woods.  The snow would have swallowed the pool of blood, left there by the butchered doe.  Could the beast that did it still be close by?  Could Nana have been right?  Was it possible there was a rent?  Any stories she was told as a child or monstrous beasts abducting wayless wanderers always involved one of these world-wounds.  ‘No,’ she told herself with a tug on her braid.  The idea of rents were ridiculous.  The world was just the world, plain and simple.  There were no hidden worlds behind it.  But still…maybe she would range in the much safer Blanaberry Forest today, even though it bored her dull.  The game was smaller and more abundant, but at least there would be no strange happenings there. 
        Fully equipped, she pulled open the hatch in her floor and ran down the steps to the hearth room.  To her surprise, Nana Tena was awake and milling to and fro in her under clothes. 
        ‘Ranging again today, just as I suspected?’ she asked, placing a handful of throwing spears on to the table beside lengths of rope and a collection of awls and daggers of varying sizes.  It looked like she was readying to come with her.   
        ‘What do you think you’re doing, old woman?  I range alone.’
        'Not after yesterday.  It is not safe.  The ranger men are rowing for Blanaberry forest after dawn, as are the lumber men.  You will accompany them.’
        'What!?  No.  I will not!’
        ‘Yes you will.  That is final.  You will accompany them across the Esterlake and you will range in pairs, as they do.’
        Nilly laughed.  ‘Pairs?’  Is that why you are readying yourself?  You are going to learn the skill of ranging your ninetieth fifth year?  Nana, what happened yesterday was just happenstance.  There are no such thing as sylphs or fairies or sprites any other silly things you make up in your stories.’
        ‘Quesht, Gnilsia!’ Nana shouted, her voice trembling.  ‘Do not question me!  You are not as clever as you think!  The things you don’t know about the world we live in could fill the Esterlake five times over!  You will do as I say.  You will go with the rangers and you will range in pairs!’
        A knock rapped on door. 
        ‘Who in Edenworld is calling at this time of the morning?’
        ‘Your ranging partner.’  Nana Tena opened the door to a very excited Eveen, with an even more excited Truffles skipping around her heels.  ‘You didn’t think I would be traipsing around Blanaberry Forest after you in this dreadful weather, did you?’
        Nilly’s jaw dropped.  ‘Oh no.  Not her.  Anyone but her.’
        Nana Tena ignored her protests completely and began loading Eveen up with the supplies she had gathered.  ‘Quite the contrary, Nilly.  You two are perfectly suited for the task.  You, Nilly, will teach Eveen to be brave and strong and stand up for herself while Eveen will lend you her keen wit and wisdom.’  She fixed the last leather strap across Eveen’s chest, securing a bag and spears to her back.  ‘There, Eveen.  You are ready for a day of hunting.  Are you excited to put all that we learned yesterday into practice?’
        Eveen nodded maniacally. 
        ‘Wonderful.  There will be much to do when you return with adequate supplies.’  Nana Tena crossed the hearth room and grabbed Nilly about the shoulder.  ‘One thing before you go.  You both must promise me to wear these and not take them off at all costs.’  Pulling her towards the door, Nana Tena held her hand out revealing two grey rings of dark, dirty metal. 
        ‘What are they?’
        ‘Iron rings.’
        'Is this about that stupid rent?  Nana, there is no such thing!
        'If there is no such thing, then what does it matter to wear a ring up on your finger?  Do as I say.  One for each of you.  Do not take them off.  Now go, out with you.’  The front door slammed shut and locked from behind with the bar lock. 
        Truffles skipped merrily about Nilly’s feet, obviously sharing Eveen’s enthusiasm for ruining her plans.  Nilly ignored the piglet and thrust one of the rings into Eveen’s hand, forcefully enough for it to hurt. 
        Eveen squealed and shook her hand as tears began to trickle down her freckled cheeks. 
        ‘Tears already!?  We haven’t even left the crannog!’
        ‘But…you didn’t…you didn’t have to…’
        ‘Queshst.  Stop crying this instant.  If I am to be stuck with you for the day, I will not listen to your pathetic whimpering.  Man up!  And another thing, Nana Tena said nothing about the pig.  Tie him up or I’ll spit him for sausages.’
        Truffles oinked crossly, as if he understood every word.  Eveen tried to cease the flow of tears as she put the iron ring on her finger and made to grab Truffles up into her arms but a highly offended Truffles dodged her swipe.  He trotted four paces away, cocked his leg like a hound and relieved himself onto the ground.  Then, with an indignant oink, he skipped off into the mist and left them.
        ‘And they call me rude and offensive!?  One thing I’ll say for the little porker— he knows when he’s not wanted…as much as I can say for his owner.  Let’s go.’
        Reaching the east dock, Nilly wrenched at her braid with frustration.  Nana Tena had not been lying.  The timber men rowed a fleet of twenty currachs across the inner moat towards an opening in the crannog wall, held aloft by the pulley operators, while a large number of ranger men and their apprentices gathered about the dock, organising their numbers into the remaining currachs.  Blanaberry Forest would be swarming with crannog folk today.  This would hinder her hunt and make sneaking off into the woods alone, very difficult indeed…that is of course, if she got a currach at all. 
        Not bothering to alert Eveen, Nilly ran the rest of the way up the dock towards the remaining currachs tethered to the posts.  Protests and curses from timber men and dock men alike followed her all the way— no doubt cursing her breaking of crannog etiquette. 
        Dock rule would demand her to speak to Bruin Al’Beara, the head dock man, and wait for him to allocate her an available currach.  Each currach that was allowed out of the crannog that day would be accounted for at days end.  This would alert the men if something dangerous had happened to one of the crannog folk outside the protection of the walls— not that anything has every happened to anyone on this boring, gods-forsaken island.  Bruin was just as much a dope as the rest of the dock men and hated her just as much.  Besides, it had never stopped her before, nor did the opinions of the crannog folk.  Stuff etiquette.  Stuff Bruin Al’Beara and stuff the crannog folk. 
        Nilly threw her spears and ropes into the last currach and readied to jump.  She jumped with fright, surprised from behind as Mhic O’Duinn grabbed her roughly by the hair. 
        ‘Where do you think you’re going, she-beast?’ he growled, spit flying from his mouth with every word.  ‘Get back to the hearth-fire where you belong and let the men range.’  He was the eldest of Darra O’Duinn, the head ranger, and two years Nilly’s senior.  A protruding under-bite and hideous teeth laboured his words and gave him a distinct likeness to a boar. 
        ‘If you’re a man, I’m the Queen of Edenworld.’  Nilly smacked his hand away from her and gave him a light shove to the chest.
        Mhic lifted into the air, flew off the dock and splashed down into the moat. 
        Nilly cursed her stupid strength under her breath.  She didn’t mean to push him so hard.  So much for a quiet get away.  Now, all eyes were on her, each gaze steeped in contempt. 
        'Nilly!  Why did you do that?’ said Eveen, finally catching up with her.  ‘We have to ask Bruin to give us a currach.  Not just take one.’
        Just as Nilly was about to angrily quesht Eveen, Artí— her block-headed, older brother, grabbed her from behind.  ‘Home.  Now,’ he demanded— that stupid red headband making his head look even bigger. 
        Eveen squirmed in his grip.  ‘But…no…Nana Tena…’
        'I don’t care what Nana Tena said.  Does mother even know you’re out here with this… freak?’
        Nilly clenched her fists together, resisting the urge to punch his face in.  Instead, for spite, she grabbed Eveen about the cloak and pulled her towards her.  ‘Away with you, fat-head.  You’re just sore because you know we will catch ten times the game than you will in Blanaberry Forest.  Let her go.  She can come if she wants to.’ 
        Almost pulled off his feet holding onto Eveen, Artí strengthened his grip on her cloak and pulled back.  ‘She’s my sister!  Get your wretched claws off her!’   
        Nilly was about to pull her back when a soaking-wet Mhic, crept up behind her, gripped her into a head-lock and wrenched her head down to his waist.  Not holding back, Nilly jabbed him into the ribs, struck his arm away from her, spun on her feet and shoved him hard into the chest.  Mhic screamed wildly as he flew through the air as if shot from a crossbow, and landed in the waters twenty paces away from the dock. 
        The men on the dock began shouting angrily and rushed towards them. 
        ‘See!  You’re a frea…’  began Artí, but he didn’t get to finish the insult.  Nilly’s fist slammed into his nose in a spurt of blood.  As Artí fell backwards, howling in pain, Nilly grabbed Eveen and pushed her down into the currach, then leapt off the dock and into the boat herself.  She cut the tether with her bone dagger and kicked off from the dock before any of the men could stop her. 
        They skimming across the inner moat as Nilly readied her paddles and used her strength to propel them towards the wall opening, faster than any other currach on the waters.  Shouts and protests followed them, but the booming voice of Bruin Al’Beara carried over them all. 
        ‘Let her go!  The crannog is rid of her for one day then, at least.  Gods be good, one of these days the she-beast just won’t come back!’ 
        Before she had the chance to be offended, Mhic O’Duinn burst out of the water and gripped to the side of her currach, coughing and spluttering to catch his breath.   ‘I’m gona kill you…you filthy she-beast!’
        Nilly wound back her fist, about to do him a favour and knock a few of those rotten teeth down his throat, but…to her surprise, Eveen beat her to the punch. 
        Still crying, Eveen lifted the spare paddle over her head and brought it down on top of Mhic’s head, dropping him thrashing into the water. 
        Nilly’s paddle went limp as she sat and stared, aghast. 
        'What?’ asked Eveen, looking abashed as she sat back down and placed her paddle into the water.  Her cheeks flushed scarlet behind her long black tresses.  ‘You told me to man up.  Now, let’s get out of here before my mother finds out what I’ve done.’ 
        Leaving Mhic thrashing in the water behind them, together they rowed the rest of the way to the opening in the crannog wall and through onto the Esterlake, keeping well awake from currachs containing any crannog folk, who stared and cursed viciously towards Nilly.  She was staring too intently at Eveen to register.    
        ‘What?  Why are you looking at me like that, Nilly?’ Eveen asked, nervously spinning the iron ring on her finger, looking anywhere but directly at Nilly. 
        ‘I’m just wondering who in Edenworld are you and what have you done with Eveen?’
        Eveen giggled.  ‘So you don’t mind me coming to Blanaberry with you today?’
        'Oh no.  We’re not going to Blanaberry today where all the rest of those idiot rangers will be.  We’re going to the Dell Woods.  You might want to bring your paddle.’  Nilly giggled, but Eveen did not.
        Trembling, she took a deep breath and willed the tears in her eyes to disappear.