In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:
The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1
Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing. It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice.
Now back to our story, already in progress.
The conversation with the Star Sailor gradually devolved into esoteric discussions about runes and geometries and Mama - bored by it all, I'm sure - eventually wondered off to, as she put it, "Go annoy Junior some more."
The Star Sailor took me below decks to show me some of the Elven runes that he used to create the Sky Ship. He wouldn't show me all of them, as he told me that various Elven factions have been trying for decades to sneak in and steal his life's work. Any knowledge they might wring from me would only aid them in their efforts.
"They are trying to steal the Sky Ship?" I asked.
"Well, yes and no." He answered, "While there are some who would take the ship itself if they could, most of them are trying to learn how it works in order to either build their own, or devise a way to destroy her."
"Why would they do that?"
"While I stay aloof from politics as a rule. I count among my friends the current King of All." Star Sailor explained. "He does not trade upon his friendship with me, or we would no longer be friends. However, as my friend he does have access to the Sky Ship when he is in need, and that gives him enough of an advantage that the other factions are hesitant to oppose him. Those factions would like nothing better than to take that advantage away. Losing access to the Sky Ship wouldn't ruin him, but it might embolden some of the fence sitters."
The tour through the Sky Ship was amazing with the Star Sailor stopping to show me runes that he thought I would enjoy seeing. Many of the runes he showed me were very similar to the Kinderling runes I already knew. The Kinderling version was much simpler while the Elven version was more beautiful, each one practically a work of art, and I couldn't see how they were connected. There wasn't any kind of bridge or lattice connecting the runes like I was used to, the runes just seemed to flow into each other naturally. With permission, because I didn't want to ruin everything by doing something forbidden, I quickly drew some of the rune forms as I saw them. The Star Sailor seemed amused.
"Yes, that is pretty good, but there is a lot of nuance that you have missed." Star Sailor said with a smile, "Do not feel insulted or disappointed. It took me centuries before I was able to craft in that much detail. Indeed, it took nearly thirty years to draw all the runes on the Sky Ship the first time. Even then it wouldn't so much as leave the ground. When I looked back at the first runes, they looked like the scribblings that a child might make, so I started from the beginning and redrew them all. I ended up redrawing the while thing three times and failing each time, but I was gaining experience and skill. Each time the Sky Ship would move a bit little more and I would go back and see where I failed. Some said it was folly, that the Sky Ship would never sail the skies. Then on the fourth try, when I was about half way through the re-drawing of the runes, the ship started to float upward out of control. Luckily I was the only one aboard at the time. I kept drawing and eventually I was able to take control of the ship and fly her. As soon as I returned to Elven lands, the then-King tried to take her from me."
"What happened?" I asked, surprised. I couldn't imagine anyone trying to take something like that. Then I remembered that one of the first things Baot demanded was for my no-see-me charms to be confiscated and given to HIS militia, saying that I was hoarding equipment vital to village defense.
The Star Sailor laughed. "I flew away. A century or so later, he ended up losing his position. Elven society does not tolerate failure. His disregard for ownership rights was unpopular but he managed to weather that storm. But to say he would take the Sky Ship, yet fail to do so left him vulnerable to any upstart decided to declare themselves King and had the prestige to defend that claim. Eventually someone succeeded."
"Is that how you decide who is King? By popularity?" I asked, incredulous.
"Not popularity precisely." The Star Sailor answered. "There have been Elven Kings who were widely unpopular even. It's hard to put into words. Take the King of All for instance. He gained prestige from his exploits in the wars and other things he has done. He gained a lot of prestige from his mastery of runic magic. He is one of the few Elves who have managed to fly the Sky Ship without me being on board, although he can't do it well. He also gains prestige from being my friend, and from his friendship with the Mystic, your mother, as well as an impressive number of other - themselves high prestige - Elves and those who have been named Elf-friends. For that matter, I believe he would gain prestige from a friendship with you, I certainly feel that I have, although for me the friendship itself is worth far more than any prestige that I might gain. Beyond that, yes he also gains prestige from his popularity. It's all interconnected, much like these runes."
The trip back to the Garrison seemed to take almost no time at all. I don't know if it was really that quick, or if the conversation with the Star Sailor was that interesting.
The Star Sailor moored the Sky ship off the end of the Outcropping so that access to the ship would be easily available via a gang plank. He told me he was happy to be able to do so, since so few of the places he visited had any reasonable place for him to dock.
Most of the Elves stayed on board the Sky Ship as Mama guided the King of All, the Star Sailor, and the Lady of the Eastwood, whom we rescued, and of course me, to the outer doors of the garrison. The King of All had a small retinue of Elven soldiers as any King would. I noticed the Captain that I had so much trouble with was not among them. Bez, Tilly, and Father were there waiting for us when we arrived. It seemed to me like they were ready to dash inside at a moment's notice and slam the door closed until they saw that Mama was at the head of the group. Father ran forward and wrapped his arms around Mama.
"I believed you Bonnie, you didn't have to go out and find some Elves just to prove they still exist" They chuckled together, it was such a sweet moment that got me thinking about Mizzy.
Mama made the introductions. "Bez, this is Junior, the Elven King of All, The Star Sailor who flies that little rowboat over there all over the place, and finally the Elven Lady of the Eastwood." Then she turned to the other side, "Junior, this is Bez, caretaker of the Kinderling Garrison at Outcropping. Tilly, the Lady of Outcropping and a formidable rune master in her own right, and Tadius, the sole surviving member of the village council, and also my adoring husband."
There was silence for a moment as everyone seemed to be taking everything in, then Father's diplomatic side must have poked him because he snapped out of it. Good thing too, because Bez, looked like he had swallowed a particularly pungent bite of sharproot and was having trouble breathing.
"Your Majesty, welcome to our humble home. Please come in. We have plenty of room. We can open a wing if you have others with you. Tilly has made the finest mushroom stew, if you are hungry." Father said.
I almost teared up at the mention of Tilly's mushroom stew. In the time we have been at the Garrison at the Outcropping, Tilly's mushroom stew was the definitive piece that made the garrison feel like a home to a lot of Kinderlings, rather than a cold, dark, miserable, hole to hide in.
Tilly - ever the practical Kinderling - shook Bez's arm to break him out of his shock and started opening the door.
The King of All sighed. "Yes, mushroom stew would be lovely." I could tell he was being diplomatic, which seemed a little odd coming from an Elf, this one in particular. Especially knowing, as I do, his strong dislike for the taste of mushrooms.
"What gives?" I whispered to The Star Sailor.
"You remember our conversations about Prestige?" He answered, "Your father is married to the Mystic. If you heard half of the rumors whispered among the Elves about the Mystic... Let's just say, your father has a huge amount of Prestige. If I didn't know better, I would think the King of All is a little intimidated. See how the Mystic walked over to him and embraced him right in front of everyone?"
"They do that all the time, they love each other." I said. The Star Sailor looked shocked. Elves are so weird.
Getting the King of All and his retinue settled into the garrison went surprisingly quick and easy. Bez and Tilly had been hard at work organizing a cleanup of the entire garrison, even the parts that weren't in use. The King of All and his people, of course, had to provide their own beds because Kinderling beds were far too small for even the smallest of Elves, but they had been prepared for camping in the cave, so the warm, dry garrison was practically luxurious by comparison.
I was a little surprised that Mizzy hadn't made an appearance yet, and was getting worried when Tommil and Adiz showed up.
"Mizzy is in the thick of things getting the King of All settled." Adiz explained. "She sent us to tell you she is looking forward to seeing you as soon as your guests are taken care of. She said you would understand."
Of course, Mizzy would see the Elves - at least in part - as my guests and tackle the task of making them as comfortable as possible. I didn't have to wait long to see her. She soon appeared in the great hall looking for me. As wonderful as Tilly's mushroom stew was, for me, holding Mizzy in my arms is really what made the garrison home.
"Tandy, you smell bad." Mizzy said, "Come along, you really need a bath."
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