The Age Of Arma Gedeon

Chapter 25, Home Again

Urshawn takes them in and sets Parmaria down on the newly laid flagstone entry.

Erray closes the large door as he comes in, "Wow. I wasn't gone long."
The flagstone is level over the whole top layer. Three wide, shallow steps realign to the downward spirl. A metal rail lines the flagstone, guarding the hole.

Shelving runs high on the walls of the upper space of the vent house. Lighting comes in from the windows that line the shelves. Hundreds of Fairies peer down at them.

A smooth masoned oil shelf runs high down the spiral's wall, burning soft red-yellow light.

Dirk skips up onto a step, "Hey, Erray, you're..."

Parmaria spins into Urshawn's arms and makes fearful noises as she tries not to cry or scream.

Urshawn holds her, "It's alright, Love. You came to see them, remember?"

Erray softly tells, "She's afraid of Fairies, but the Were Lady is so brave she came to welcome you."

Dirk fusses, "Scared of Fairies? Well, I guess, everyone has the right to one irrational fear. What cha wan me do?"

Urshawn tries, "My Lady, may I introduce you to Erray's Sprout?"

She gently asks, "What's a Sprout?"

Dirk sasses, "A well paid hostage."

Erray and Urshawn glare at him, until Parmaria's giggle gets loud enough to hear.

Erray touches her shoulder, "My Lady?"

She gently turns and takes her hood down, "He's as sassy as you."

The Fairies above gasp and whisper, making Parmaria look up.

She shudders, "That's a lot of Fairies."

Dirk smirks, "That's not a lot."

Urshawn gently asks, "Would you like to go down to a fireplace?"

Parmaria admits, "My courage doesn't work underground. This is as far as I can go."

Urshawn worries, "Guide us, Parmaria. What would you like?"

A fairy calls out, "Get Jicky, Dirk."

Erray asks, "Who's that?"

Dirk's crown blinks into view once, "A chatter bomb of a pixie." He looks up, "Clear off. We're too much for her."

One calls down, "Can we jump in the hole still?"

Urshawn puts his arm around Parmaria, "Quickly please."

Fairies jump and rain down in the hole.

Parmaria squeaks many times, but it only takes them a minute.

Dirk sits on a step, "Can I jump, too?"

Before Erray decides if he should fuss, a pixie in orange pants and a brown collared pull over shirt, runs up the path, "What, Dirk? I just..." She stops before the steps and her eyes turn red as she gets a better look.

Parmaria's eyes widen, "But for hair and eyes, it me."

Erray admits, "Looks like your tiny sparkly, purple haired sister."

Dirk points at the pixie, "That's Jicky."

Parmaria offers, "I almost forget. I brought a gift."

She gets the bag out, "You are smaller than I imagined, I don't know if it will do."

Parmaria sits down crosslegged on the flagstone and waves the fairies closer, but flinches when they are before her.

Erray kneels down beside her, "It's alright. They won't hurt you."