Harvest Moon, Part 12

I took my first step inside, pushing past a massive hedge of vines that seemed to be the best way in. Most other sections were sealed off with branches, guarding entrance like a speakeasy bouncer. Crossed and stern. There was a little light that could fight its way through the heavy foliage. It took me a moment to adjust, but there would be enough during the day for me to see. I'd worry about night fall when it actually came, maybe I could be in and out before then. Yea, if I kept telling myself that it might work.

There wasn't a noise or smell other than the creek of branches and the bouquet of oak and ash. Though, I did manage to spot a few animals. Birds that hung in the trees, eerily silent and watching my every move. As if I carried bits of food with me.

I stepped carefully over arching root and tangled heather. It was all that could conceivably have been called a path. It meant that I could actually walk every so often with a foot in front of the other. On occasion, I still had to stretch up over what may have been a fall tree, though it had become entirely covered in moss and looked more as the grassy floor of the forest.

I had probably walked for a good thirty minutes before I had to sit down and catch a breather. No luxury of cabs or carts out here. And all the sleep and booze certainly hadn't help maintain my stunning physique. The Old Man would have had my head for the shape I was in.

“Get up,” he'd say. And probably add a jabbing with the nearest sharp instrument. “How do you even get tired? Sore in the bones and muscles? You don't got any, almost certainly ain't got a heart about to give out.”

“I get hurt and weak just like anyone else,” I would say back.

He stroke his beard and laugh, “but you're not like anyone else. You're not like me. You're not like humans. You don't share one damn thing in common with any of us. So, how do you get tired like us?”

“Because,” I'd get a little angry, raise my voice maybe throw my arms in the air. Stupid teenage stuff. “My arms are worn down. I can't lift them. I can't catch my breath.”

“You've caught it enough to yell at me,” he'd hoist the axe and continue through the trees. “Now come on, if you've not scared the prey off from the shouting, he's most certainly fled during your nap. I'm not letting this one get away.”

I stood up and soldier on. I didn't need to hear anymore from my imagination. Certainly not if it was going to taunt me. I pushed through some brush and continued on.

“How are you expecting to hunt anything the way you tromp around? You sound like a thunderstorm, just warning everything in your path of the danger. I'm lucky I get a single meal with you around,” he'd keep taunting. Easily dodging branches that I'd miss and wind up with them in my face.

I spit and shove one aside, “then why do you bring me along?”

“Ho, why do you think everything is about you?” he'd turn and give me that look. His eyes would twinkle. If he had eyes. Not that layer of skin just shaped over where they should be. He'd waggle his eyebrows. And he'd look ridiculous.

“Well-”

“Shush boy, we're almost upon it.”

Through, the mighty branches of an oak tree, barring us entrance but enticing us enough with the sight of a beautiful white stag. It stood, radiant, beside a small creek and leaned down to take a delicate sip. As magnificent as Faery was it held one image after another. Each greater than the one previous. I'd have never thought I'd top this one. But it wouldn't be long.

Its ear twitched on occasion. It would lift its head and look over its shoulders. It knew we were out there, but for the moment it risked the cool drink of water.

The Old Man didn't make a sound. He held a single finger to his lips then began to stalk away, not yet drawing the mighty axe from his back. I did as he taught me. I kept still and low, matched my breathing to the stags to hide the sound of my breath. He took long, deep and filling breaths. At times that made my chest burn. If the Old Man knew that he'd certainly make a comment about me lacking lungs.

I'd sit. I'd wait. As he taught me, until I learned how to close the deal and end the hunt.

Then it came. It was like the wind as it flew through the clearing, the axe he bore cut through heavy branch as though it were strips of paper. It finally ended, imbedded in a trunk across the way. Had I blinked, I'd have missed it. But as my eyes returned from the axe, I found no sight of the fallen stag.

“You missed,” I shouted and stood. “Blaming me the whole time and in the end, you missed.”

“I didn't miss.” The voice stated, as he moved through the trees and into the clearing.

“The stag's run off.”

“The stag wasn't the point. The hunt in the end is never about the kill. It's about the hunt. One day you'll learn that.”

He wrenched the axe from the tree while I rounded the branches and found my way in to join him. Crows and ravens, carrion birds had encircled us. The Old Man lifted his nose into the air, “hunters who don't hunt. What a funny thing. Looks like they'll have to find someone else's meal to steal.”

A wave of his hands sent the birds scattering.

Birds.

Hunters.

Damn it, I missed it. My head turned upwards. No birds sat in the branches above me. But what would, there was no food out in these woods. Not a spider. Not a fly. In all this time, not one bit of anything other than plant life had appeared. Save those birds.

So, then, why were they here? They had found something to eat. More than seeds and fruits. They were waiting. Strategically. Something had fed them. The Lady of the Harvest? The children? It didn't matter. Iron John had said the other hunters. He meant the birds.

I silenced my thoughts, and shut my eyes. Allowing my ears to find the rustle of feathers. A call. They were not far. I turned around and hurried to follow my only clue.

Harvest Moon, Part 11

Without Corrigan, I had to hail another goblin cart. It took about every bit of shiny I brought with me to get the driver to take me to the edge of the forest. I chatted with him the whole way, trying to get anything that might help me once I stepped inside. He didn’t know much, but he could at least give me an estimate of its size. I could spend a lifetime in there searching, he said.

We arrived with the light of the new day dawning. The day of the Harvest Moon. Which meant, I barely even had twelve hours to search. To top it off, my limbs were growing heavier and useless from the work they put in the past hour. I may not bleed like humans, but I still get tired. And even worse, I had polished off my flask before we arrived. I knew I should have picked up something while at the party.

My driver was quick to leave after dropping me off. Where goblins fear to tread, that certainly said something. Trees rose up before me, it felt like I had returned to the city. Steel and glass replaced by wood and foliage. From my understanding, the world hadn’t known forests like this one for awhile. Light would hardly penetrate its cover. And more often than not, the trees were wider around than a cable car. Any sort of creature could live in there. And the worst always found themselves Faery’s darkest places. Though, the eerie silence emanating suggested nothing lived in there. A thought which was even more worrisome.

I stood at the edge. I needed an advantage. And didn’t really like the idea I had in mind to get it. Nonetheless, I stood there a mere foot from the forest. Took a deep breath and called in a clear voice, “Iron John! Iron John! Iron John!”

There was a rush of wind that blew through the forest and nearly knocked me on my rear. I held fast to my hat and bared the brunt of it. I clenched my eyes shut as debris kick up and flew all around me. Leaves left tiny cuts on my exposed skin. I was going to need another patch job when this was all done. After it had died down, I slowly stood up straight and opened my eyes.

He was a mass of tangled hair. From chest to head to genitals, luckily for me it hid mostly everything. Iron John was really more beast than man at this point. I’m still not sure how he got the iron moniker attached to his name, his skin was rough, yes. But if they meant it was like iron, I didn’t see it. More than likely, he either added it himself with the iron striking fear into any from Faery who would call him. Or they gave it to him to denote some untouchable status.

Iron John crouched on all fours, his knees bent with arms sticking down between them. He had a curious bend to his head. Even through the beard, I could make out the rotten and crooked teeth. Browned from God knows what.

He cackled. Or coughed, and his eyes lit up when he saw me, “Elroy, good to see ya again old boy.”

“Have you cut your hair, John?”

He went into another fit and smiled up at me, “seen the old man yet?”

“No,” I shook my head. “And I don’t intend to.”

“Oooo, he’ll be awfully mad at me if I tell him I seen ya and he didn’t.”

“So, don’t tell him.”

This time he wheezed, “then why are ya here?”

I pointed to the great forest behind him. He twisted back round and stared at it then shook his head. “Tsk, old boy, you don’t want to go in there. Too dangerous.”

“You’ve been in there then.”

“Well, yea, a few hunts with the Old Man.”

I grinned, “then you might be able to tell me where I can find the Lady of the Harvest.”

“Ai, that information I know. But I can’t tell you that.”

“Figured as much,” I said while folding my arms over my chest. “And you’re beyond bribery.”

“Information like that can’t even be bought. Now why do you want to see her for?” he said.

“She’s got two kids.”

“Ai, the sacrifices. Every year it’s a real shame. These Court Fae they have no idea how to fully use their changelings.” he licked his cracked lips.

Was he trying to press me to ask the same questions as Corrigan? I didn’t have the time to play his games, “well, I can’t ask you for information on the Lady of the Harvest. But as always, you can assist me on a hunt.”

“Ai,“ he his teeth barred. “I can do that.“

He stood up, full height. Which was surprisingly tall, I’d only ever seen him stooped down on all fours. He ran faster that way. I didn’t realize how much it intimidated me, but my arms shook a little and I took an instinctive step back.

Iron John put a strong hand on my shoulder as he passed me by. I nearly toppled over when I caught a whisk of his musk. It was pungent and strong. I remember he was always downwind from everything during hunts. This time he gave up an advantage.

“You’re not the only one who pursues this prey. Watch for other hunters,” he said and continued behind me. “Good hunting.”

“That’s it? Just a cryptic-” as I turned to follow him a gust of wind blew and there was no trace of Iron John to be found. “message.”

I sighed, and turned back to the forest. Other hunters. The Dietrichs didn’t hire anyone else. I mean, they wanted me to fail. I was just hired to keep up appearances. So, who else would want these kids? It couldn’t be that simple though. It wouldn’t be people or Fae. There was something else to what John had said. But I wouldn’t find that out until I stepped inside.

Harvest Moon, Part 10

“As you know, bleeding cotton isn’t common for Fetches,” she said while beginning to move around me. Keeping her pace with the music. “Ash for Fire Court. Feathers for Air. Seaweed for Water. And straw for Earth. But none, not a one of them use cotton.”

“And I get a choice, this information or the children?”

She nodded, “it’s your choice.”

There were a number of questions, that had to be answered. If I knew who made a fetch like me, I could narrow my own search. I’d searched as I could. But, it’s not like I had too much time to pursue my own interests. And Faery, it’s not small. In the past years, I had barely scratched the surface. I would be searching for more years to come. One name though, it’s enough.

I stood their silently, looking down at the bits of cotton still spilling out of hands. Corrigan’s cold smooth hand lightly touched my cheek, “perhaps we should get you fixed up first. Get your mind on the matter at hand.”

I was able to stitch myself back together once we returned to her hall. Corrigan had no problem with leaving the party early, she had made enough of a show and was more than happy to leave the talk of the night.

From the room, I could watch the fields outside while stitching the cotton back underneath the flesh. They toiled. None over the age of eighteen. Some were already showing the signs of a lengthy time in Faery. They took on the properties of their overlords, some had horns, maybe fur. They were all being warped, everyone of them.

But the Dietrichs would not have that luxury. They didn’t have that kind of time. I could hang around in Faery for years. I wouldn’t change. Years of life, I’d have to search.

I slipped my suit back on, and went outside to make my decision.

“Still you prefer that thing? I offered you more fitting clothes,” she said as I exited.

“I like this just fine.”

“Very well,” she waved her hand. And glided through her hall. Her statues once again the focus of her attention. She refined them again, smoothed out imperfections.

I poked at my stomach through the fabric of my clothes, everything felt back to normal. “I’ve made my decision.”

She tried to hide her delight as she moved towards me, “so soon? I thought you would require at least another few minutes or so.”

“I don’t have the luxury of time.”

She stepped away, returning to her work. “Of course, you do. Once you know-”

“Then they don’t have the luxury of time.”

She stopped working. Silence hung in the air as she slowly turned around. “You’re choosing the children?”

“I’ve made my decision and now I’m waiting.”

“But, surely-”

“I have years to figure out that answer,” I said. “they don’t have time for me to search for the other. Now tell me what I want to know.”

She growled. I’ve done many things to frustrate her. But this was different, the light began to dim. The temple was closing in around me. Corrigan moved, and I lost her in the all consuming black.

“You want to know where they are?” her voice was hard to track, she was moving too fast. I stood there and tried not to use my eyes to find her. “They’re in a forest, just at the edge of this realm. Somewhere inside, you’ll find the home of the Lady of the Harvest. Where in the forest it rests, I cannot tell.

“No one knows how to reach it. They say that only those she chooses may find their way to her home. And that Elroy Reardon, is the information you sought.”

“That was easy,” I said. I had come through from the west, her entrance was to the north. My left. I slowly turned.

“Then our agreement is complete.”

There was a finality in her words that stopped me cold in my tracks. Our agreement, I realized, was the only thing that kept her from attacking me.

“But we are not finished. You have brought iron into my home. An action most unbefitting a guest. I have no choice but to defend myself.”

Scales scrapped against the marble floor, something large had replaced her form. Many Fae are shape shifters, I’ve had a theory even their true forms are a mask, something humans can understand. There were rumors of Corrigan. What she looked like underneath, of course, no one lived to tell.

I kept my eyes shut. Clamped them down hard. Then I tried my best to make my way towards the exit, doing all I could with only my ears and nose to guide me. There was a sort of musk, something living moving around quickly. It slithered. Moving from front to back of me.

Nose and ears only do you so good for so long. I couldn’t sense the length of reptilian flesh stretched out in front of my feet. My foot caught and down to the floor I went. Even though I knew I had fallen into darkness I couldn’t fight the reflex of opening my eyes to catch my fall.

Something stopped me. I held in air for minutes as I stared back into the two green glows upon the floor. A narrow slit centered in each. Eyes. I was staring into eyes. More specifically, Corrigan’s eyes. Many adventures were locked behind the doors of her temple froze in a state of fear as they met her gaze. Was I not moving because I had already become like them? Was this what I would see for all eternity?

They blinked. A human blink. A surprise blink. They shook. Slowly, the lights began to fade up. I was standing, I hadn’t fallen. But Corrigan stood before, looking just as she had before. For once, I was looking deep into her eyes. I’d have never known they were the eyes of a snake. I never dared a look, even sneak a glance.

I put my hands to my chest. I looked around. I was not stone. Not a statue. And Corrigan couldn’t believe it. Her voice was locked in her throat, she fought to surface it.

She stumbled back when I stepped forward. She could no longer look me in the eye. She kept her gaze on the ground, away from mine. I could have threatened her. There was more she knew and in the back of my jacket I still had my iron blade. With it, I could get her to lead me to the forest. Hell, I could even force her inside with me.

Instead, I left her there. Left her sitting in her mighty temple. I don’t know why I wasn’t turned to stone when I met her gaze. But I didn’t have time to answer that question. Maybe I’ll have to come back, though, there’s no way she’ll ever welcome me back in her door again. At least not with some plan to tear me to bits. She thought she always had an advantage, I just took it from her.

I didn’t have to ask around for the forest. None knew it as the Lady of the Harvest’s forest. But they knew it enough from other legends. Those that go in, don’t come out sort of stuff. I could hire a guide to get me to the edge, but after that I was on my own.

Harvest Moon, Part 9

I stabbed him in the back. It was actually rather easy, I still had the knife and he had his back to me. He was in his human form, weak and frail. The knife went cleanly through his skin, I made sure that I wasn’t hitting anything vital. I just needed him to bleed.

Adolf turned around, a look of genuine surprise upon his face, “wha, what are you doing? The duel has ended.”

“Has it?” I asked, reaching over his shoulder to pull the knife from his back. Pale blood dripped from the floor to the tip. I cleaned it off as best I could, while staying hunched over. Keeping my belly hidden.

“You were wounded, I felt it,” he insisted, taking a step towards me.

“You were indeed greatly wounded, Elroy Reardon,” said Titannia as she descended her lofty position down to the dance floor.

“I was wounded, but I did not bleed,” I kept the ruined costume tight to my abdomen.

“Impossible.”

Murmurs rose from the crowd, soon they all were shouting agreements while Adolf and Titannia paced around me.

“Show us, then," he added a growl to the command.

More cries for a reveal. I guess, it was false hope that made me think they’d go off my word. Either I reveal now, and suffer for it later. Or I hide the facts beneath the outfit, suffer even more gravely this very instant. I didn’t like this information getting this far out, but I took that risk when I made the challenge to first blood.

I straightened my back and held my head high, pulling away what I kept hidden.

True, they all saw four great marks carved into my flesh. But the sight of what fell from it caused quite a gasp. Tufts of cotton puffed out from beneath the skin, it tumbled and rolled into little balls as it hit the floor softly. Titannia nearly broke her teeth grinding them.

Adolf laughed, it was less intimidating this time, “you’ve still lost look there, you’re bleeding right now.”

“True, but I don’t bleed blood. And the duel was to fist blood, I have spilled none.” I said through my teeth.

“What?” Adolf reered back, “why that’s not what the ruling means.”

“But it is what the ruling says, and it doesn’t matter what the heart of the matter is,” I began to collect myself, when I got back to my clothes I’d be able to patch up the wounds with some needle and thread I keep around. “Isn’t that right, Lady Titannia?”

All eyes fell upon the Queen of the Earth Court. Her knuckles cracked audibly as she drew fists. Then took a deep breath and relaxed, lifting her chin above my head when she spoke down, “truly, by the laws of the contest the winner is Elroy Reardon,” the last word drew a snarl in her lips, “fetch.”

Some of the crowd cheered, or that’s what I took it as. They didn’t all strictly have mouths, sometimes it’s hard to tell what noises they were making.

“There’s more,” I said before Adolf and Titannia could slink back behind the Court, for now I had their ears. “The contract for the Dietrich children is void.”

“Under what grounds?” The wolf growled and advanced towards me, though a hand stopped him in his tracks. Titannia rose above him and moved forward.

“You can prove this how?” she asked.

I unrolled the piece of parchment, and pointed straight to the bottom, “this was signed by Mrs. Dietrich.”

“Exactly,” Adolf cried from behind. “the mother of the children, she may make such agreements.”

“Not if she’s dead,” I eyed Adolf.

“No, the young woman-”

“That was his fiancé,” I should have known. Dietrich wasn’t the kind of man who could sign away his children. Even if he were getting a pair of shiny new models in return. Women are dangerous, and it's not just the Fae.

Titannia’s glare snapped to Adolf as the wolf began to shrink and stammer his voice, “we were running out of time. And her demands, they’re so precise.”

“You knew,” she said, slowly prowling towards him. “you knew and still you bring this dishonor into my Court?”

Just as with the fight, now more and more the crowd was moving away.

“Please, my lady,”

“You may no longer speak to me in such terms, thrice you have proven yourself unworthy of my love. Thrice, you have brought shame upon this Court.” her voice grew deeper, trailed from the very stone floor gaining further depth with each word and moment.

“Please-”

“Be gone!” she shouted, and the stone opened like a great maw. Anyone who has seen a rockslide, knows that earth could move fast and in the blink of an eye Adolf was devoured. He was not dead. She still would not openly slay another in front of her Court. But, either way his fate couldn’t have been a pretty one.

The audience remained silent, not wishing to draw her attention. At this point, I could care less. I was untouchable for the moment, and I had to press that advantage.

“Jacob and Margret were taken in no trade. And with no Rite of Claim. By those laws, they are free to leave.”

“Such is the law Elroy Reardon,” her voice made my body tremble. “Should you find them, you and they are free to leave.”

“Should I find them?”

“The laws state we can not hold them. However, they do not state we need assist you in their removal,” her eyes gleamed.

“And you won’t tell me where I can find them.”

She was beside me, I hadn’t even seen her move. It was as though she simply moved through the stone to arrive in a second. It stopped my breath when all of a sudden she was leaning in for a whisper, “no, I hold no oath to you. No contract.  I could tell you, but you and I both know the price is more than you can bare. Fetch.”



"One last thing Mr. Reardon," she spoke her voice becoming more seductive, the echo dying slowly. "The Lady of the Harvest determines our take on this final day. You doom far more lives than two children. You should learn to see a good deal when one is before you."
I chose my words carefully, “go screw.” And made my way toward the crowd, Titannia may not be offering but there was one Sidhe in this Court who had an oath to me. And despite her best efforts, I held up my end of the bargain.



Paths were cleared for me, the iron knife still in my hand. At some point, Titannia had called for the festivities to return. The band struck a few chords and before you knew it, the party was back in swing.

There was a feeling I couldn’t shake as I moved through the crowds, eyes. Someone was watching following. I took my time, weaving this way and that hoping to shake the feeling. But always, I was watched. Tailed. Most likely, more than one. If I had to guess, Adolf’s cronies. They couldn’t do a thing to me here, but once outside…

 I found Corrigan at the corner of two buffet tables. She applauded me lightly with gloved hands, fingertips on the palm. She had to take care not to spill the flute glass of mead she held. Her face was glowing with adoration.

“Hail to the returning champion, well done Elroy.” she took a long sip of mead from her glass. “Well done. That Adolf was such a bother. Did he even offer to share a little of the honor of the children with me? No, but I suppose it best I don't have that sinking ship around my neck."

I swatted the damn thing out of her hand, “nice try. Now I’ve had enough of your games. You’re going to tell what else you know. Now.”

Her lips curled, “are you going to threaten me with the knife?”

“I don’t have to. Our agreement still stands.”

“Well, you’re just no fun.” She rolled her head languidly to rest her chin in the palm of her hand, pouting slightly. “Our night is only half over you know, you haven't fully lived up to your end. So, how about I make you a deal?”



Her smile was all teeth, she took a big heaving sigh. Accentuating her figure among everything else.

“No more deals.”

“Oh, but you want to hear this one, my dear Elroy.” she put a hand beneath my chin and lifted my head. I made sure to keep my eyes out of hers. “This one is a simple choice. To end this night early, I’ll give you one of two pieces of information. Either I can tell you where you would find the Dietrich children.”

“Whatever gets me to the children first.”

She released my chin and held up a patient finger, “wait to hear both choices first.” She pursed her lips, “now I can tell you where you would find the Dietrich children. Or, I can give you what your heart truly desires.”

If I had a heart, it skipped a beat.

“I can tell you, who makes a fetch of cotton.”

Harvest Moon, Part 8

The audience had given us plenty of room. We were going to need it. His limbs did not stay proportional to human or wolf, something gangly and in between. Making his reach was a good six feet, getting in with my measly dagger wasn't going to be easy.

He snuffed and paced, waiting. His lip always curled back in a constant growl. Titannia was holding back the signal, it was making him angrier. Which would just turn into some bloodlust frenzy soon. Normally, I’m all for an angry attacker. It puts them off. But this guy was meant to be angry, like a berserker, blind rage made him a better fighter. Nervously, I wrung the grip.

I took a deep breath and tried to shut out the noise of the crowd’s growing anticipation and frustration. He was bigger, it meant he wouldn’t be able to sneak around. He’s loud. His breathing. His heartbeat. It was all loud. And now that he had changed he developed a musk that hung on the air like a heavy blanket. Luckily, it was no worse smell than you might find on the streets of Notion City or the Wilds of Faery. I could handle it.

With my eyes shut I wait, then it happened. The crowd’s noise fell into a gasp, and the wolf moved. Titannia had given in the signal.

I turned the blade and leap forward into a roll, moving as the wolf tried to flank. If he gave in to his more bestial nature he’d attack like a beast. But he had no pack to assist, advantage mine.

Sure, enough he had round the dance floor and come back to my position. I narrowly avoided his claws with my roll. Though, Corrigan’s outfit for me didn’t fair so well. Guess it was a good thing I wasn’t allowed to come in my suit.

He was already off after the attack and moving again, he was fast and would be on me in a second. I sprang straight into the air, tucking my legs up with me. The beast rushed underneath, he was going to try and cut my legs out from underneath me. Bring down a fast opponent just like a wolf. But again, I managed to avoid him.

Though, it wasn't by enough. I stopped midair with a bit of a jerk as the hand caught my ankle. He may have been mostly wolf, but there was a little human left. Like the thumbs, for example, it held fast and I was dragged back down to the floor with a hard slam.

I managed to distribute the blow, and turn my head away. It hurt a hell of a lot more, but no blood flew from me. I bounced against the hard stone floor and rolled for a few feet.

Then a couple hundred pounds of fur and muscle and claw were upon me. His hands ripped chunks of stone free from the floor as he tried viciously to strike my face with the damn things. I guess if he made me bleed and killed me in the first blow he would still be within the terms of our duel. So, he was still able to think clearly.

Great.

Underneath him, I wouldn’t last much longer. I squirmed with my hips and pulled myself down, away from his arms and better placed at his midsection. I drove the knife upward.

It was like stabbing a rock. The blade hit with a heavy clunk and rebounded, with no visible mark what so ever. There was a laughter that rolled his belly, and I tried to strike it once again.

A back leg kicked, and caught my shoulder. Slamming it back to the floor, stopping the blow and sending my dagger flying through the air. His other foot followed suit, driving down onto my second shoulder and pinning me hard to the floor. No claws dug in. He could have won, but he wanted the killing blow in one. Hey, how about that his rage was working in my favor.

I tried to push up on his legs, I struggled and I kicked. Well, flailed might be a more appropriate term. But there was no weak point in his back legs. Someone had constructed a building squarely on my shoulders.

Then I could smell it, a stench that overtook me and made my head swim. Uncleaned flesh still lingering on teeth. I looked up to hide his massive head had bent under himself, and the maw was approaching my head. Jaws open wide to take a big bite. I got a close enough look to get a view of some of the bits stuck in there. A piece of a nightcap. A scrap of red fabric. The urge to vomit was stronger than the urge to get away.

Some brought on the belief that Fae anatomy is different from that of a human’s. They hoped to curb teenagers from leaving the bosom of their own race when met with the overwhelming beauty of the Fae. It doesn’t mean a thing, Fae have every bit the same stuff beneath their garbs as the next person. Sure, they might be a little strange, maybe made of a different material. Or look a little more animalistic. But the simple fact is, they’re still there.

So, when I nailed the wolf in his genitals. His howl went three octaves higher and he crumbled up in a fetal position like any fully equipped male would do. I drunkenly hurried to my feet, disoriented was my normal state of mind so at least I was feeling right at home and scrambled to search for my dagger.

It hadn't work before, but then perhaps I was just aiming in the wrong spot. My search wasn't long, a piece of iron would send Fae in the area scattering. I looked for where the crowd had moved far away from the dance floor. The blade glistened in lights of the party, a semi-circle of creatures had moved away from it. All keeping a good ten feet away. It wasn't difficult to walk right back in and snatch it up.

There was a split second the carrion breath was on me, then by my collar I flew across the dance floor. I tried to roll with it as best I could. Arms up to guard my face. And skidded to a stop just a few feet before Titannia. I didn’t need to look up to know the smile she had upon her face, she was hoping that wolf would kill me in one blow. Hell, Corrigan was back in the audience somewhere with the same thought and smile.

Claws came from all angles. He had changed strategy, with the audience only a few feet to my back by keeping in front and striking from the sides, I couldn’t escape. With each attack, I tried to parry and riposte. The blade landed multiple times on his arms, but still no blood fell. He came from my left, I managed to move in and only get the forearm across my head. I kept them from rending my flesh, but I stumbled. Too dizzy. Too disoriented. Usually, if I’m this way I just have a good long sit down.

The right came in, low and across my belly intent on spilling everything out in a dramatic show. I leapt back. But the mass of Fae to my back stopped me a few inches too short. Four marks scored through the doublet, ripping the fabric to shreds while tearing across my skin.

I fell to all fours immediately, clutching at the wound and trying to breathe. Trying to think. Adolf howled and turned his back on me. He stretched his arms wide, triumphant. He hadn’t finished me off completely. But at the very least, he had struck.

His form returned to that off a man. Much smaller now though, it must overtime build up in him till he reaches a breaking point. He would have fit in that suit of his perfectly now, had he not turned it to ribbons to fight me.

Titannia rose. She eyes gleaming with pride for the man parading in the nude before the whole court. The cheers grew boisterous. None could hear much else above of them.

Harvest Moon, Part 7

I pushed my way through the crowd, shoving aside goblin and troll alike. Size didn’t seem to matter, they all folded by easily until I had stepped onto the dance floor and found myself thrusting a finger at the big guy and shouting.

“He deserves no acclaim for what he has done!”

The room fell eerily silent. And it was then that I realized I just stepped out and accused him going only off Corrigan’s word. Sure, she promised me the information. Only problem was, she hadn’t given me anything to go off of. I was blindly throwing accusations.

Titannia didn’t bat an eye, “well, Elroy Reardon. You’re reputation precedes you. However, I had no idea you’d be so brazen as to interrupt me.” She stepped down slowly from her small podium. Her moves were heavy, yet she did not stomp. More of a slow lumbering. It reminded me of a bear pacing its food.

She rolled her shoulders, and under the full fur gown she wore, it really added to the whole bear look. A gorgeous creature about to tear my head off. That is until, the big guy in the small suit step forward and took a knee before her.

“Please, my Lady, it would do you no honor to bring yourself down to his level. Allow me to deal with this matter,” he never looked up to her. Not at her eyes. Not even up to where my eyes were set on her. Uncouth, thy name is Elroy.

She considered his proposal, all the while looking to me with fire in her eyes. I had made things rough the past couple of months, not directly to her. But this was incidentally the final straw. She wanted to deal with me herself. But the fire subsided as she gazed around at her Court. Not here. Not amongst the murmurs of the party. To take action in front of this large a crowd, it’d be the end of her reign.

So, instead, she bowed to her man, “you do me great honor, Adolf. I’ll leave this matter in your care.” Her hand extended and the man, Adolf, kissed the ring upon it. Then she shot me a gaze. If looks could kill, I was half expecting her to childishly stick out her tongue too.

Titannia slowly back behind her Court and returned to her lofty position above them all. She waved her hand and smile down the length of the dance floor to me, “what matter do you bring to the Court today Mr. Reardon?”

“I come to challenge Rite of Claim!” my fists clenched and I tried not to let slip that I was sweating. It was only the doublet that caused it. But it'd be like blood in the water whatever the reason.

Whispers broke out all around us. But they were silenced by Adolf laughing. His great stomach shook and rumbled beneath his suit. The silence he caused had a different air then Titannia’s. Color left the faces of our audience. They didn’t fear him for political reasons, it was strictly physical. And his laugh scared them.

“Do you come with more? Names? Faces? The fact that I even took them? Perhaps even some evidence that I had not made Claim?” he crossed his arms over his chest and dug his feet into the floor.

“Jacob and Margret Dietrich,” I withdrew the photo that had been given it to me and held it up high for all to see. “They were taken from the City. They were under constant watch and no known patches of Fog exist in the area they live. This means, they had not stumbled into Faery and no Fae holds Claim within the City limits. Therefore, when taken you could have made no such Rite.

“And under an oath, one of your own kind fingered you as the kidnapper,” I wasn't about to drop Corrigan‘s name. If I got out of this and she lost some of her standing she probably consider me a new statue in her private collection.

“You’re correct, Mr. Reardon,” he smiled all teeth. “I did not have Rite of Claim.”

“Then, the children will be returned-”

“I didn’t need it,” he slowly stalked towards me.

“Without it, especially in the City is grounds for King and the Irons stomping their way right into Faery and-”

“The children were lawfully traded.”

“Traded?” I took in a deep breath, and blinked. “What do you mean traded?”

Adolf held a sheet of paper up, “traded. By their parents.”

Without hesitation, I grabbed the sheet of paper. It was old sheep parchment, hand scribed, and notarized. A weird out of place feeling, who the hell would get such a thing notarized?

“You have done me a great dishonor today, Mr. Reardon. I have no choice but to earn it once again,” he continued, as I tried to read through all the legal jargon. “I demand satisfaction.”

The slap spun my head around and stung my cheek. I hadn’t even seen him pull the glove. He was incredibly fast for his size. As I turned back to face him, the crowd had begun to whisper among themselves.

“A duel has been established!” Titannia cried from her seat of power, sending the crowd into a frenzy of cheers. Damn Corrigan, I could see her smug smile. She had planned this all from the get go. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. She knew every bit of information, but just wanted to bait me with one that would send me out to get myself killed.

Adolf and I walked down the dance floor. The shouts and cries had grown more blood thirsty. Some of the more unsavory types had begun to foam at the mouth. Too much dancing at this party, not enough blood. It was a walk that seemed like an eternity till we stood before Titannia, the voices had died down as she spoke. “Duels have long since been the method we use to absolve disagreements in our Court. Adolf, as the aggrieved party, you may choose time and location of the duel.”

“If it doesn’t not displease my lady,” he said stretching a little more under his collar. “I ask that this duel begin here and now.”

She fought the smile, not well enough, “it would do no harm to our Harvest rituals and I should think make sporting entertainment for our celebration. Your request is granted.

“Elroy Reardon,” she said turning to face me with a furrowing brow. “As the challenged you may select the manner in which the duel is won. The most common options are to the death, to first blood-”

“First blood,” I interrupted her again, it was doubtful I’d get another chance. “To first blood.”

“Very well,” she said and adding an upward turn of her nose. “choose your weapon-”

There was a cry through the crowd, as a pair of Changelings burst in front of us. “Boss!” They both cried. “Wait, you gotta stop this!”

I recognized the voices. One was larger, more troll like. A light green skin tone that was stretched tight over rippling muscle. His teeth were oversized and he had an incredible underbite. I still had soreness in my jaw from where he punched me the other night. The other was smaller, a bit more wild. He had the horns and legs of goat. That explained why a couple of those kicks were a little more solid and a hell of a lot more painful.

“Silence!” he spoke harshly as Titannia eyed the men. "You dishonor me further!"

They cowered from both his word and her gaze, “but…”

“I said SILENCE!” he barked.

They slowly backed away, but eyed me suspiciously. I gave them a little wink then returned to the matter at hand

“Now then, if we’re through with distractions Adolf?” Titannia spoke.

He bowed his head, “yes ma’am.”

“Then gentlemen, select your weapons and let the duel begin.”

Adolf rose then he and I stalked into the center of the dance floor. Luckily, in her desire to strip me down Corrigan had missed the hidden knife I kept. It was pure iron, which the Fae had a noticeable weakness for. Usually, it’s illegal, by Fae law, to bring it inside Faery. It was one of the few things that kept King at bay. But I really didn’t mind the repercussions. I’d have felt naked without it. I brandished it with a smile and everyone took an audible, singular step back.

Everyone, except Adolf. He continued to grin. I didn’t notice it before, the sharpness of his teeth. Each of them canines. Or I hadn’t noticed it before, because they hadn’t been that way before. I could see it, the back ones were beginning to change. Moving from flat to sharp, pointy.

His suit was groaning against his form pressing against it, he was actually growing right now beneath it. Seams tore, until the thing began to peel off all around him. Till finally it erupted as the fabric could not hold back his bulk any more.

Suddenly, fur, long and shaggy sprouted from all other his body. A dark gray pelt over took him. He reared back as his hands elongated, becoming more like a pair of massive paws before slamming to the ground.

His jaw popped, dislocated and stretched outward along the nose. It flattened out into a wet black snout as a mass of hair covered it, little whiskers at the end. His lips curled back into a snarl, and I looked deep into the eyes of the big bad wolf staring back at me.

Shit.

Harvest Moon, Part 6

I missed my suit. Sure, it was old. And smelt of liquor. And dirty. And a whole host of other unattractive adjectives. But mainly it was mine. The outfit Corrigan had fit for me was beyond out of place. She had me in a bulging shoulder doublet with a frilly shirt underneath. The pants were nearly painted on. And to be quite honest, even I felt the codpiece was a bit too boastful.

Pride thankfully isn’t my vice and I simply swallowed it down and waited Corrigan in the pumpkin carriage. She intended to make me wait, just as much as the party. It would have been well under way by the time we arrived. But I suppose, if she was going to make an appearance being that last one to arrive would certainly give her that.

Another fifteen minutes I spent out there all alone, before she exited her temple and made her way down the steps. I took a deep breath, and reminded myself of the person she was underneath. But that’s the problem with women, it’s hard to forget what’s on the top.

Her legs were long beneath the dress, with a firm shape that were displayed well in the tight fabric. It didn’t conceal her like the toga she wore. This one was entirely meant to reveal, while still moderately covering her smooth skin. If many Sidhe personified their patron element, Corrigan did this almost certainly like a set of gently rolling hills. From calves at the peak, then down for the knees, up again smoothly for the thighs and hips, rolling with her waist into the peaks of her breast. For a frilling loose fitting shirt, I still felt hot under the collar.

“Please try to maintain a little decorum at the gala Elroy,” she said upon her approach, lifting a leg up into the carriage. The slit of the dress fell to the sides  “You’re drooling. Now be a gentleman and offer me your hand.”

I did. She accepted it graciously, and pulled herself inside. And with that we were off.

The ride was short, though I stole as many glances as possible. It was hard not to. I notice she maintained a lack of make up about her eyes, she did say many of the Sidhe would have brought humans along. I suppose that made the precaution necessary.

“What’s the party for?” I asked.

“Tomorrow is the final day of the Harvest, the day of the Harvest Moon. Tonight, we celebrate that event.”

“The Harvest Moon?”

She sighed before smiling at me, “it’s the last full moon of the Harvest season. Because of the early rise of the full moon we will have more light to work the fields. If we perform the rites to perfection, we may even be granted long enough to reap the benefits for a full day with the moon guiding us at night.”

“And since it’s the last day, you’ve got to get all you can.”

“Correct,” she added while pressing her finger to my nose. I rubbed it and looked away. “It was not so important for us till we began trade with Notion City. You humans eat so much, and it’s so hard to maintain even enough for ourselves.”

“That also justifies stealing children off the streets as a work force?There will probably be a few who die in the fields tomorrow."

“Sacrifices, Elory. Sometimes they must be made for the greater good to survive.”

I crossed my arms as best I could with the doublet then decided to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the ride.

The hall was lit brightly by the dying suns light in thousands of gems and crystal when we arrived. There were already carriages waiting off the side and the amount of noise emanating from the hall meant we were late. Quite late at that. Even so, Corrigan took care and patience when stepping down.

Inside, was the party of the year. I couldn’t name the number of strange creatures I saw from off the top of my head. And those that looked human may very well have not been.  It was a ball for everything decadent and odd. I felt at place with the latter not the former.

There was a single entrance, that led down a great stairway to a dance floor. From the look one might have expected courtly dance, some medieval. But everyone was doing the Charlestown to some form of jazz played by a trio of muses. It hurt my ears, but the Fae didn’t notice. They didn’t really appreciate jazz they only did it to fit in with humans. And muses are meant to inspire, they’re not actually good at much else.

As the custom, I stood atop the great stair waiting for Corrigan to enter and take my arm at her introduction.

“Introducing, Mistress Corrigan of the Daoise Sidhe,” not a head turned to pay her any mind. “Escorted by Elroy Reardon of Notion City.”

She couldn’t have planned it perfectly, even the jazz band faltered to silence to turn and see as she stepped out onto the great stair and wrapped her hand in mine. Every old crone, oddity and Sidhe of the bunch stared at the pair of us. It became clear, from the looks of anger I received. To those of adoration for her. Most of them I had taken something dear from, or at least tried. And now here I was with one of their own on my arm.

Their minds were racing. How did she get me here? What did she have over my head? And how could they get it? They’d be plotting against her all night, though it didn’t matter. She got what she wanted, they’d be talking about her all night.

We mingled through much of the night. I kept as far away from the food as possible, or was careful when I ate from the trays. Anything you could have found in Notion City would be alright, but stories floated around about those foods only found in Faery. Some were true and others were myth, but I wasn’t about to test my luck. Eventually, I was able to ignore the hunger pangs.

Around midnight as I was chatting with the wait staff about the missing Dietrich children one of the Sidhe made her presence known. She lightly tapped a thin fork to her champagne glass. The music of the band died down and conversation eventually ended. I had never once dealt with the Queen of the Earth Court, Titannia but I’ve heard a few old Goblin limericks of her. And none did her justice.

She was young, and appeared born of soft earth. Her skin was a light brown tone and hair like wheat in fields. It didn’t shine, it didn’t shimmer. As for most of the women present she did not stand out at all. Yet she was no less beautiful. She raised her arm like a branch and lofted the glass high.

“On this night before the final harvest, I wish to raise a toast. In these times, we must struggle to maintain our way of life as well as the lives of others. However, there are those who understand more than most when the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. It is with that in mind, I truly want to honor our guests this evening. Who without them none of what we accomplish tomorrow would be possible.”

I moved beside Corrigan and looked out over the crowd, “what’s happening?”

Her smile was like a snake. Smooth and poisonous. “We were strained this year, as I said before, hardly would there be enough harvest for both Faery and Notion City. But with the sacrifices of some we’d be able to make the yield.”

The sea of creatures parted to reveal a single figure standing on the dance floor. He slowly approached Titannia and bowed at her feet. His suit strained against the bulk of him while he did this. It was made for someone a number of sizes too small. I guess he had made a run at the buffet. He looked either homeless or wild, judging from the amount of hair covering his body. And I thought I would have looked bad at this place in my suit.

“Appeasing the Woman of the Harvest is not easy,” continued Titannia placing upon the shoulder of the man before her. “She requires not much from us, but her orders are precise. And one of us here, had procured them just in time for the Rites of Harvest. We celebrate tonight not only in tradition, but for the bounty we will reap because of his actions. The moon light shall extend tomorrow, we will have more time then ever to reap from our fields and pluck from our trees. And the crop we find will be swollen, enough to feed twice the normal amount. No mouths shall go hungry this year.”

A great cheer erupted through the crowd. Corrigan’s eyes flickered to me and the edge of her lips rose into a small smile.

“You wanted information for this night did you not Elroy Reardon?”

“Everything involving the Dietrich children,” I said feeling my fists clench. Everything in my head was screaming what she was about to tell me. Sacrifices. For the greater good. Precise orders. They needed two children, male and female. Probably around the same age, twins made that easy.

“The Dietrich children were taken by that man,” she said. I shut my eyes to keep my calm. “And he did not have Rite of Claim.”

Harvest Moon, Part 5

Every muscle in my body clenched, sure I had threatened the girl with the same fate but I never intended to back it up. Corrigan stood there, brushing her hand against the cheek of the statue without a single passing care of the fate she just gave that poor girl. On occasion, you can see it in their eyes. They're still alive in there.

“Oh, my dear Elroy you're not mad are you?” she fluttered her dark brown eyelashes. It was probably right for her to maintain the look of an eighteen year old, she played the part too well for it to be an act. “Was this the one you were here to take from me? That would be such a shame.”

“No,” I said after unclenching my jaw. “she wasn't.”

“Oh,” she waved her hand. “Oh well, waste not want not.” With a playful giggle and a flick of her wrist, the statue moved into the deeper recesses of her office. “Now, then my dear, what brings you here then if not for one of my maidens.”

“My guess, some commission work you did recently.”

“I do plenty of that these days, harvest time is approaching and the Court does need its workers.” She moved gracefully from statue to statue, an incredible feat under the weight of her long and heavily adorned dress. The statues were sanded down, a cheek or maybe a nose as she fought against the imperfections age can have even over stone.

“Well, this would probably be a special case. Two children brought in at the same time.”

She never lost a step, “brothers. It's always brothers. They bring them two, and sometimes three, at a time. Good strong backs that will work the fields.”

“Not brothers, but siblings. A boy and a girl.”

I didn't like the smile she had when as she faced me, “twins?”

“Maybe.” I said with a bit of indignation.

“What do you offer for the information?”

I began to reach into my pockets, I had brought a good many objects and one would be sure to catch her fancy, but she held up a hand to stop me. She glided closer, a bit too close, well within my personal space. Her face was in mine, brown ringlets of hair were falling onto my shoulders. It's not often I choose to look at a woman's lips over her eyes. But for once, I considered the lips far less dangerous.

“No mere trinkets will drain this information from me,” she said while lifting a hand to my chin.  It was cold like stone. “I will take instead a small favor.”

“That's not happening.”

“Ah, yes. That's the Elroy Reardon of legend. The man who doesn't make deals with the Sidhe." She laughed again, her breath heavy on my cheeks. "You have another way of determining the fate of those poor innocent children? Their backs may already be breaking under manual labor. Or who knows? They could have been picked up as dinner to a troll, they do work up such an appetite in these difficult times. How much time to you really think they have?”

Her arm slowly wrapped over my shoulders, behind my neck. It drew tighter as I lingered in response. I still had some wiggle room before the noose tightened fully.

“I want your word that this favor won't bring anyone harm.”

“Not a soul,” she said with a wave of her free hand. And slowly her maroon lips peeled back to her pearly whites, smooth and marbled. “If you agree to my contract, I only desire your employ for one night.”

“That's it? One night?” My mind raced with thoughts of what a night spent with the Sidhe might entail. “One night of work, no harm to fall upon anyone and it does not interfere with my case? For that you'll give me the information I seek?”

“Of course.”

I took a deep breath. Every other option was cold. Women, they all want something and can't just let a man live his life. Though, if I kept my end of the bargain it could bring this case to a quick close. And she was probably right about the kids. They were on borrowed time. Once harvest was over, who knows what need would be left for them to fill. Servant to a Sidhe. Corrigan's newest statue was proof of the fate that held. And it could very well be the best thing to happen to them in Faery.

“Then I agree, by oath and bond, to uphold my end of the deal. For one night, I am under your employ and you shall provide me with the information I seek.”

"Agreed," she said and extended her hand. I lifted it gently and kissed the knuckle. You don't make trips into Faery without learning the ins and outs of Courtly manners.

“Lovely!” she exclaimed, and clapped like a teenage girl. Even if she exceeded that by centuries. Then suddenly, she was pawing at my clothing. Attempting to pull off my hat and coat. “But first, simply we must change you out of these awful drab things.”

“Hey, my clothes are fine!” I said, pushing her hands away.

Her eyes quickly met mine, I averted them just in time. Her brow lofted along with a corner of her smooth lips, “breaking your oath so soon Elroy?”

“No,” I took a deep breath. “May I know why you insist on changing my clothing though?”

“If I am to be on your arm this evening for the gala, then you must dress appropriately. Honestly, a rumbled suit reeking of alcohol will hardly do for a gathering of Sidhe. You shall appear in the finest my maidens can prepare in short time!” She stepped away and spun on her heels with a clap.

“Wait, gala?” There was a rush of attendants, suddenly my arms were being lifted and measured. Each of the girls was equipped with her own tape, and was quite deft at using it. Though, they were taking far more measurements than I was used to. “That's what you wanted me to do? Take you to a party?!”

“All the Sidhe shall have a good man whose arm they cleave to. Were I to show up without one, why I'd be mocked right out of the Court. And besides, what better man to bring in than Elroy Reardon? You're a bit more than famous than you give yourself credit for in Faery, my dearest Elroy. If you accompany me, my favor is sure to be held in a higher regard.”

She beamed before departing, her maidens trailing behind her, all their measurements were taken. Suddenly, the great room was empty save me. First I was asked on a date, now one was forced upon me. It certainly wasn't possible that I had begun to exude some sort of pheromone. What is all this nonsense about good men? I looked down at the rumbled suit I was wearing. It was ill fitting, now that she mentioned it. Oh well, at least I'd get some damn fine duds out of this yet. 

Harvest Moon, Part 4

Best I could figure, they didn’t stumble into Faery. The kids were watched more than most political officials. Which meant they were taken without Rite of Claim, no Fae had claim within the city itself. That was the good news.

The bad news, my next stop was in Faery itself. The heart of the Earth Court. Nine times out of ten missing children were taken by the Earth Court. Cheap labor. Renewable resource. I’ve tangled with the Earth Court’s fetch maker before, sometimes I won and found she had no claim, sometimes she won. And I left empty handed.

I picked up a couple things from my office before hailing a cab to the freeway that led into Faery. Some time ago, a few Fae and Notion City scientists figured out how to make small permanent paths. I didn’t understand how they did it, but it meant I wouldn’t have to pick up a Cartographer’s map. Last time that thing sent me to the heart of the Fire Court. And I was told it was the latest version.

Weather may be strange in Notion City, but you head to any Court held area and you can pretty much bet how to dress. Autumn was taking over, I had the proper coat to keep the brisk wind at bay. And sure enough, after we were through the Threshold all I saw were the golden brown leaves of the trees. Ripe fruit could be easily picked from them. In fact it was, Fae and human, fetch and changeling, were out taking apples from the trees and reaping the fields of fresh wheat, it’d all be on its way to Notion City soon.

I tried not to watch for too long, there were quite a few children in the fields. Those that had stumbled in Faery and fell under rites of claim, and I couldn’t help in the slightest. Not with out breaking a number of old laws and probably never crossing the Fog again.

The car pulled to a stop outside of the town, they weren’t allowed inside. You had to get around by cart. The Earth Court’s realm looked much like something you’d expect from old Roman or Greek times. Most of their lower class lived in very simple farming houses, spaced far and abroad from each other to allow plenty of field.

   

I flagged down a suitable cart. Ass pulled and goblin driven. The other way around might have made for a smoother ride. My driver was hardly paying attention to the road, and shiny things off in the distance drew him too many times off the clear paths through the city. If nothing else at least we were making good time.

As the city approached, buildings of stone clustered together. High arcs and columns, great halls instead of office buildings and apartments. For a moment, I wish I was like the tourists visiting for the changing of seasons. That I could actually enjoy it. But it was another day in the office.

The goblin driver pulled the ass to a halt, and jolted me back into reality. I hopped off, and a little green hand extended as the goblin await his tip. I came with the best in Fae low class currency and offered the little guy a cloth button. He bit down into it then smiled with glee as he kicked the ass into gear. If you can make somebody’s day…

Corrigan’s office, they were trying to modernize, stood before me. Columns of marble stretched upwards, higher than most buildings in Fae. And every place you could fit a pedestal and statue, she had. Each of them were young, her ideal of beauty. Boys and girls it didn’t matter each in their prime, just before they lost most of their baby fat, were out and on display.

A young girl, a temple maiden wrapped in a toga greeted me at the top of the stairs. She kept her eyes downward, never meeting my eyes, “hello sir, is Mistress Corrigan expecting you?”

"Probably not,” I said moving right past her, “but it’s usually better if I get the drop on her anyway.”

I moved through the interior of the great hall, passing statue after statue. My pace kept me ahead of the little legs of the temple maiden. At least until I hit the doors. Stone. Large. Heavy. And magically enchanted to keep anyone not wanted out.

“I’m sorry sir,” said the temple maiden as she caught up with me. “But you can’t go any further. Mistress Corrigan is busy.”

“She has time to see me,” I said.

“If you’d please make an appointment. The mistress is quite busy.”

“Yea,” I said looking down to the girl. “Snatching little children off the streets can be time consuming.” I quirked my head to the side, “you know you look familiar. I think I’ve seen your missing persons flyer. But that one has gotten old. What are you? Almost thirteen. And Corrigan is still keeping you around?”

The color flew from her face, “wait here sir, I’ll tell her you’ve arrived.”

And with that she stepped up and pulled the door open enough to squeeze her way inside. She watched me the whole time and used the stone door like a shield. A shield from the monster.

I hadn’t finished the swig from my flask before the doors flung open in a dramatic display. I might have dribbled a little, but Corrigan was always theatrical.

“Elroy Reardon!” the voice called from inside, strangely light hearted. “Come in my dear!”

I took another gulp of the whiskey, if a Fae greets you with open arms it’s only cause they’re looking for a good place to stick the knife. Nonetheless, I made my way inside.

Her inner chamber went beyond grand. It’s always a pleasant reminder of how much better than Daoine Sidhe have it than the lower classes of the Fae. Elaborate reliefs were worked into the walls and domes, each depicting scenes throughout both mortal and Fae history. I can never seem to help myself but to enter her chamber with my eyes skyward. She probably did it to keep her guests from focusing on her, and catching her eye.

“Why, Mr. Reardon, you’ve seen that all before and yet your mouth still reaches to the floor. And you haven’t said a word about my newest statue.”

I followed the voice, but was sure not to look into the eyes of the speaker. It wasn’t hard when I got a look at her newest statue. A young girl in a toga, on her knees in with her hands cupped, pleading.

“I’m afraid it just isn’t as perfect as the others, this one had aged a little too long.”

Harvest Moon, Part 3

My head whipped around from the pure force of the blow. My knees wobbled, then simply gave out and I collapsed against the side of the building. I steadied myself as best I could, unable to get my senses straight. Until they both were above me.

No light revealed their faces, it shone behind them and gave off silhouettes. Although, it made them difficult to see, it also made it clear they were not human. The first, the one that hit me, was far too big. He towered above me by a solid foot and a half, putting him well over seven feet tall. And he had the bulk to back it up.

The second was shorter, much closer to my height. But in his shadows I saw the presence of a pair of horns. They curled around his head like a goat’s. He spoke first, “this is your warning Reardon. Just go home, hide in a bottle till this all blows over.”

“No thanks, I was beginning to enjoy having work again.”

The big man’s fist may have been slow, but then that’s the same as comparing an automobile to a bullet. Sure, one is slower but it more than makes up for it in size.

I was about to offer another point, but they didn't let me.

What followed was blow after blow. At first, it was easy to see who was throwing what. A foot from the little one. A fist from the big guy, he really liked to throw them. But within seconds, they all blurred together. They beat the stuffing out of me, and left me in the alleyway. It was awhile before I managed to collect myself and leave. I wasn’t going to let anyone see me like that.

My place wasn’t that far from Chinatown. I would get a few hours to myself. I could patch myself up and do exactly what the guy suggested. I hid in the bottom of the bottle. But at first light, I was going to crawl out and question the kid’s teacher.

I’ve worked cases before. And never once have the thugs come after me that soon and that hard. It meant someone didn’t want me to work it. Well, that someone just ruined my day. And I certainly felt like ruining theirs.

There was cotton in my mouth when I woke up. The bourbon was all gone, so I was left with water to wash it down. I switched into my second suit, it was less wrinkled from having not been slept in. Once I had finished cleaning myself up, I called for a cab and got to work.

The Dietrich’s had given me a "small" retainer to use while I worked the case. It more than covered the cab. And would more than cover rent for the next year.

Notion City had pretty clear class lines, even if people didn’t like to admit it. Public schools had little funding, as the government had lost its hold well before the Guilds and the Courts began to work their way into society’s basic needs. Schooling wasn't a big concern of the guilds, it really didn’t churn much of a profit. So no one picked it up. Windows were shattered. Roads to and from were pockmarked with potholes like the moon’s craters. They even emitted a foul aroma, the smell of decay and death. The Dietrich’s did not go to such a school.

My eagerness to get a little more information got me stuck in the principal’s office for a few hours. The chair they had me sit in was designed for children, not fully grown adults. It was not so much my curiosity that was excited when the recess bell rang, but more so my rear end.

“Please have a seat Mr. Reardon,” the Dietrich’s teacher waved a hand towards her students desk.

“You can call me Elroy, Ms. Hughes,” my eyes gravitated towards the chairs. “And I’d prefer stand, thank you.”

“You can call me Julie, Elroy. Please, Ms. Hughes makes me seem a tad too old.” And she really was not. I was used to the sisters doing my schooling, none of them looked like her. She was nowhere near leaving her forties and knew enough about make up, to know she only needed a touch of it. A classical beauty they called it.

I took out my little pad of paper and shook the thoughts out of my head, “could you tell me more about the Dietrich boy’s accident?”

“Kind of you to call it that,” she gave me a soft smile then began to erase notes from the chalkboard. “It was during recess, not but two days ago. Jacob was playing a rough game with the other boys. I didn’t see a need to break it up, boys will be boys after all. That was until I notice Jacob was injured and the others were backing away.”

“You thought it was strange?”

“It wasn’t the first time they had played that game. And it wasn’t the first time one of them had been injured. But you were a young boy once, weren’t you, Elroy? Nothing gets bigger bragging rights than an injury. Who has the worst, and what can be seen from it. But this time, the boy’s were terrified.”

“Because he bled straw?”

She nodded, “it’s awful. I can’t even imagine what it has to be like for those poor children.”

“Faery is many things. Chaotic is the best way to describe it. It’s hard to say really, to some it’s paradise and others," I said while scribbling a note or two down. "Perdition."

“I didn’t mean the children taken. I meant those left behind, the fetches.”

I blinked and looked up at her. She had finished the chalkboard and had moved back to her desk to sit down.

“They don’t know anymore than we do. They’re given all the memories of those children. Given their lives. For all intents and purposes, they are those taken. Yet the moment we discover we reject them. Fear them. Hurt them. It’s awful.”

"Yea," I nodded. "You have no idea."

“Sorry,” she said and standing back up to tidy the rest of the classroom. “I shielded Jacob from the other boys as their fear turned into anger. I called the father as soon as I could, but his mistress answered instead. Told me to take both Jacob and Margret out of class and she would personally pick them up.”

“Sorry, his mistress came and got them? I didn’t-”

“Oh,” she laughed a little. “Sorry, it’s what we around here call his fiancé. I’m sure you’ve had the privilege of meeting her. She hasn’t left his side in the past month. A gold digger is what she is. Men might not see what’s in her eyes when she looks at her husband to be, but a woman can. She looks at him and sees a paycheck.”

I added a few notes to my book, “did you notice anything before the day the Dietrich boy was injured? Anyone strange hanging around the school?”

She laughed again, it was soft and warming, “have you taken a good look around the school Mr. Reardon? We’re one of those that the Human Only League cries out against. Fae children left and right. Offspring of Fae and human. Honestly, I’m not sure there is anything left in this world that I could define as strange.”

“Someone shady then?”

“No.” she said.

“Anyone other than students, teachers and those connected to the Dietrich family ever visit the children?”

“No,” she replied again with an adamant head shake. It made her hair bounce around a little. Auburn to match the season. “I would have certainly mentioned it when I first noticed Jacob. Whenever they were taken, they weren’t taken from here. I can be absolutely sure of that.”

“Alright,” I said while flipping the notepad closed and replacing it in my pocket. “That should be everything. Thank you very much for your time, Julie.”

“Wait,” she stood and followed me to the door. “There is something I want to ask you Elroy.”

“Me?” I stammered a little. “What is it? I mean, how can I help you?”

“Would you like to get a drink with me?”

Usually I was on the other side of the questions and not used to curveballs coming my way. But in that moment her body language shifted, she angled her hips towards me and gave me a smile that made my knees shake like the punch that knocked me senseless.

“Why would you even think I’d engage in something like drinking?” I asked.

“You investigate missing persons. In this town, that has to be a job that puts more in your lose column than your win. I’m guessing that you need an escape. I was just hoping that you might want to make that escape with someone.”

She pursued her lips a little while she spoke. I couldn’t seem to work mine.

“Corner of sixteenth and Vine, meet me there tomorrow night at around eight. I know this great little gin joint. You like jazz right Elroy?”

“You’re awfully forward, aren’t you Julie?”

She smiled as the bell rang, she quickly shifted back into school marm stature, “a girl has to be in this city. All the good men seem to get snatched up really fast.”

Before I knew it, the door slammed open and about a dozen little children flooded in. Some shoved by me, others stared wide eyed. Quite a few were obviously not human, luckily I had spent enough time in Faery that I didn’t give them the same look back.

Once the door was clear, I moved to it and began to swing it close when Julie winked at me, smiled and then turned to face her class all in one swift movement. All the good men were snatched up she said. I didn’t have time to tell her I wasn’t one of those. She’d only be a little bit broken when I didn’t show. But that was better for her than getting involved with the likes of me.

I continued to watch her for a moment through the glass of the door. Then turned my gaze to the rows of children watching her.

Two seats were empty. I left, intending to fill them.

Harvest Moon, Part 2

“They’re twins,” I asked, unflinching. “Right?”

The woman was about to speak up, but Dietrich cut her off. “Yes, Mr. Reardon from my previous wife.”

Her face flared a little red, but quickly subsided. I made a note of that. “So, not your not the mother?”

“Of course not!” She turned her nose upward at the question. "Why would you even suggest such a thing?"

“The times, they are changing,” I said, and jotted another note down. "When is the big day?"

"Hoping for an invitation?" she said with a huff.

"I'm not holding my breath." I looked up to her and set the pencil aside, "I'm curious. If the kids ran off because you're nearing the big day. They may have stumbled into Faery on accident. In which case, they were most likely taken under Rites of Claim and there's hardly a thing I could do were that the case."

They both exchanged a look and nodded. Dietrich spoke up as his eyes returned to me, “we’re to be married in a few days. After the deals went through with the Earth Court so that at least for a few months, I’d be able to be focused on living a married life. But that is not why my children would have run, they love Joan dearly. Like a-” He hid his face once again.

I tapped the pencil, and scribbled something else down all the while watching the soon to be Mrs. Dietrich through the corners of my eyes.

“Could you tell me more about when you learned Jacob was a fetch?” I asked.

I jotted down the name of the school and the boy’s teacher who discovered him bleeding. They told me she would be the best person to ask for all those details. They went on to say that when not at school they were never not under the watch of their future mother, or at the very least a member of the help. All of which were quite trustworthy, they did their best to reassure me of that.

I had them go over some minor details twice. I hadn’t missed a single note, but the jazz was the same each time. Down to the beat. It told me one thing. They had rehearsed the story.

I ended up departing shortly after, both claimed they had an early morning. I said I’d get in touch with them as soon as possible. There was something else about this case that I was missing. If the Earth Court was looking to play hardball with the children, why bother having their fetches made at all? The point of a fetch is so the parents never know the kid is gone to begin with. Unless it was suppose to be a last ditch bargaining chip.

Either way, I knew something was up when I left the Dietrich’s place. There were more than a few questions flying around in my head. Before I knew it the elevator had deposited the driver and I at the lobby level, and we were heading out the door into the rain. The gargoyles didn’t mind it and neither did I. I just shrugged deeper into my jacket before climbing back into the Rolls with the driver.

“Take you to your office, Mr. Reardon?” he asked.

“No,” I said. “Chinatown.”

“Chinatown? Are you sure I-”

I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, “yea, I’m sure. Just drive.”

He grumbled and pulled the car out into traffic. He was silent the whole way up to the gates.

Chinatown isn't specifically filled with people from China. Plenty of other cities had them, so it was easier for the residents of Notion City to call it that when it would be better described as Asiatown. You’d think a town that was suffering from racism towards Fae and fetches would find a way to unite within their own species but I guess it still didn’t stop people around here from seeing a person of different ethnicity and just lumping them in with the next closest look alike.

The place got a bad rap mainly because it didn’t just house a few Asians, but a couple of their Fae that got caught in the Fog years ago. No one really knows how they were here to begin with, tagging along with the beliefs of the people maybe. Either way, they were here. And even the Courts considered most of them pretty strange. Chinatown was a place for the most dejected members of society, cut off completely from their homeland.

I always felt a little better each time I came here.

The driver pulled up to the main gates, most of the streets through Chinatown were still pockmarked with vendors. He wasn’t about to drive through them, not in that boat.

“Alright, Mr. Reardon. Here you go.”

I just tipped my hat at him and stepped out into the rain. Even on the Edge, right where the Fog begins, Chinatown lost much of the usual gray haze of Notion City. Bright reds along with vibrant gold lit the place up like a candle. While Notion City slept, Chinatown was still working.

Through a small alleyway, and the backdoor of a building I arrived at my destination. A little bit of cloth hung about a foot down from the top of a sliding door. Strange characters where printed on the cloth. Japanese lettering. I brushed them aside and stepped into the little bar.

It fit ten people, though at maximum capacity it was more than a little claustrophobic. Tonight, I lucked out. I was the only one.

Ono was behind the counter. As he always was, cutting up little sections of fish and placing them upon rice. It was a dish I’d never developed a taste for. The alcohol he made from rice though…

“Ono, one sake, please.”

“Sah-keh.” He corrected me with a smile before placing the little cup on the counter as I sat down. He lifted the warmed carafe and poured a small amount for me. “You will have some tuna neta as well.”

A little plate of the uncooked fish was placed before me. The older man grinned beneath his goattee, “you aren’t serious, are you?”

His aged eyes brighten as he wiped the back of his hand on his headband, “know know the rule Mr. Reardon. One piece of sushi for one question asked. At least until you gain a taste for it.” He spoke in his usual broken English. He had lived here for a time, probably long enough to lose the accent but I’m guessing it made him seem more mysterious to the outsiders who stumbled into Chinatown for a good time.

I picked up the little fish dish and popped it into my mouth as he began to cut up more.

“What brings you in tonight?”

“I need some information on the Earth Court.”

“Ah,” he didn’t look up while speaking. “What kind of information?”

“Why would the Earth Court have an interest in twins?”

“Oh, it could be all manner of reasons. Just the same as any other Court taking any other child. Sometimes there’s nothing special about it. They just take them, maybe they liked the way they looked. Right now though, the Earth Court needs workers, last days of harvest. Two boys for one would make strong workers.”

I lifted the little cup to take a sip, “it was a girl and boy actually.”

Ono’s knife slipped.

He set it down softly, and went about cleaning it. I hadn’t even realized the woman had sat down beside me until she spoke, “twins, male and female are seen as a step towards a perfect or divine being by some.”

I would have to praise myself later for not jumping out of my skin. I'd like to think I'm not that easy to get the drop on. I turned my gaze towards the woman at my right. She was gorgeous, pure snow white skin. And black hair that nearly shone blue. I had seen her some nights in Ono’s bar. When I first asked him about her, he said she was his wife Inari. Ono was always extremely careful when the woman was around, walking on eggshells. I had to guess he saw her as delicate, even though the only thing that came off that way was her voice.

“Many cultures view twins as two parts of the whole. Beings of perfection. Divine and imbued with special powers. There are many reasons why they might have been taken by the Earth Court. And very few of them are good, Mr. Reardon."

I looked back to Ono who remained quiet before speaking up, “why do you say that?”

“It is most likely they are to be sacrificed.”

“What?!” I stood up from the bar. The ceiling was low, and I turned my head to the side quickly to avoid hitting it. When I looked back down, I found Inari’s seat empty.

“Forgive her please, she’s easily frightened sometimes. But she always comes back.” Ono spoke up, he had begun to cut again. This time with a fresh knife.

“What did she mean sacrifice? Why?”

“I;m, Mr. Reardon. My wife knows more of these matters than I, but she doesn’t know them all. I can guess that she meant, as a symbol of divinity they must be sacrificed in some manner to obtain it. It is still possible she’s wrong, of course. She is not infallible. Only wise.”

I shook my head, “no, not this case. It’s had bad news written on it from the start. If I had to guess, she’s right.”

“Which means you have very little time,” he withdrew the little carafe and the cup. “And means no more sake for you tonight.”

“Hey-” I started.

“No, you go home. Get some sleep. You’ll get more when you bring those children back alive.”

There was no intimidating Ono. He just stood there, his arms crossed with a big knife in his hand. He could have been from a different era, in armor with a large sword. Instead he was a man about a foot shorter than me and easily fifty pounds less.

I still moved away from the bar and tipped my hat to him, “goodnight Ono.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Reardon.”

The rain was still coming down, even in the small alley when I finally stepped out of the building. Nonetheless, the smell of tobacco was in the air. I don’t recall many smokers around Ono’s. Normally just the smell of food.

That’s when the fist came out of the shadows, and struck me across the jaw.