Splendid Fall

Ch. 34 The crown is heavy

Chapter 34

To fight off the giants would have been useless. Not that she could.

Birdie was encapsulated in the protective bubble Wren had captured in before being pounded on by the glass giants. She felt like a fish in a fishbowl as Taft, one of the giants, carried her into the sand palace in the palm of his shimmering hand. The other giant carried Wren and the silver haired woman. Birdie watched them with her hands against the shield, her eyes never leaving Wren until they came to a splitting path and Taft began to take a turn.

"No, wait!" Birdie banged on the shield. "Where are you taking him?"

The woman with the silver hair spoke in a low voice to the others as they all rushed forward to help her carry Wren away.

"Where are you taking him?" Birdie demanded once more.

But her words fell on deaf ears. She was helpless as the giant carrying her began to descend down a dark stairwell and into a cellar. Torches lit up the narrow passage that was just big enough for the giant to shimmy through.

"What is this place?" Birdie asked, looking around.

"The pit," Taft's heavy voice rumbled.

"Why am I here? Where is she taking Wren?"

"The Prince will be taken care of."

"Taken care of?" Birdie felt a lump in her throat. "How?"

"Princess Esma will heal the Prince."

"That woman....she's a princess?"

"Our princess," Taft said.

"Why does Wren get special treatment and I get the pit?" Birdie frowned.

"You're a moor," Taft said.

"Are you sure?" Birdie arched her brow. "Look at me....I'm a fey."

For a split second, Taft hesitated. He looked down at the bubble in his palm and slowly lowered his nose to take a whiff of Birdie.

"You're a moor," he said with confidence. "You smell like a moor."

"Are you going to eat me?" Birdie stared up at the giant. "I have a family you know. And I am a princess too. My baba is the sultan and my mom is the witch supreme. I come from a long line of powerful kings and queens."

Suddenly, the giant began to chuckle, making Birdie wobble.

"A crazy moor," he said. "Sultan of what? The glass lands?"

Birdie didn't reply as she heard the iron gates of a jail cell be pushed back. She backed up against the shield and braced herself as Taft lowered and rolled her into the cell.

"Stay here," he said, tapping on the shield like a fishbowl.

"Really?" Birdie huffed. "Damn, there goes my plans of sneaking out of here and rolling away like a hamster."

"Ham-ster," Taft tested the word out on his glass tongue.

"A fearsome monster with sharp teeth and paws of vengeance," Birdie said. "I would hate to summon one here and terrorise your people."

Concern flashed across Taft's hard face. He looked at Birdie for a few seconds before ducking out and slamming the iron gates shut. His heavy footsteps marched off into the distance leaving Birdie to sit in her bubble in the dark cellar.

Wren, Birdie opened her mind-link. Are you alright? Where are you?

Holding her breath, Birdie stood as still as she could. She wished she could make her heart beat slower as she waited for a response.