Exchange Fic #8: The Lustre of the Firmament, Part One
The actual identity of the writer will remain secret until all the submissions are in and posted.
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Title: The Lustre of the Firmament, Part One
Author: jamethiel_bane
Recipient: aliasheist
Prompt: 2)The Descent into the Underworld. There's a looooooot of mythological material on the topic. Reference one, and show me Sarah's (eventual) return to the Labyrinth, whether it's five or five hundred years later. (Extra points if the myth referenced is not Greek in origin.)
3)Another World. I would love to see an AU, whether it's a role reversal, sci-fi, historical fantasy, steampunk, fairytale, anything. (Except high school AUs, DEAR GOD NO.)
(Yeah, I kind of did two out of three)
Rating: MA for language.
Plot Summary/Author's Notes: “You ever work out that sometimes chains aren’t made of steel, you let me know."
So. This is an elf!steampunk (elfpunk?) retelling of Tam Lin, which involves a descent or sacrifice to hell. It is so Very, VERY AU. Influenced by Farscape, The Iron Dragon's Daughter, Inuyasha, P. C. Hodgell, Sheri S. Tepper's Marianne trilogy, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, every city with guilds ever, Celtic, Russian, German, Roman and Greek mythology, Dianna Wynne Jones’ Fire and Hemlock, a steady diet of the unexpurgated Grimm Brothers and Abney Park. There are bilingual puns, because my sense of humour is just that warped.
This is epic. I have the entire thing plotted out, but it kind of got away from me. So this is the first part of the story, at approximately 18500 words. At current thinking there are two other parts, probably of similar length. It will be completed, but probably at a fairly glacial pace. However, I hope you enjoy Book 1.
Huge thanks go out to
the_antichris, and
kathalcyon for betaing and cheerleading. They are of the most rocking persuasion, and any remaining errors are my own. Also, special thanks to chameleongirl79 for allowing me to whinge at her over IM and not killing me, even though she knows where I live, and to
seperis for audiencing and encouraging me to write.
I have whinged about this to any of my friends who would listen. To all of you: thank you, and I’m sorry.
The title comes from Emerson, with thanks to
harpers_child
Concrit and discussion are welcomed.
The entire world was composed of porridge. Sarah stared at the bubbling pot and wondered briefly if it would ever run out, or if the pot would be full when the world fell down in shards.
"Stop dreaming, girl! Stir that pot or it'll end up sticking. The porridge must be of an even consistency!" Spritch bustled by the bank of stovetops taking up the left wall. He tasted the contents of a pot that was being stirred by a brownie and nodded. In the back wall were ovens that were recessed into leviathan bone, and a gigantic hearth on which an entire goat carcass roasted. He ducked as a tray of pastries was taken out and placed on the bench, clapped his hands together and raised his voice. "SERVICE IN TEN. LOOK LIVELY."
The kitchens stirred in a flurry of action. Steam formed clouds in the air and the pungency increased to a point where Sarah could no longer smell any one thing. Teams of sprites flew strapped stacks of plates the length of the vast benches, nearly braining a brownie as they dipped to avoid the rib bones that buttressed the room. The sprite's harnesses briefly became entangled in the clockwork which lead from the throne room to the pits, but they tore free with a high-pitched chitter of annoyance. Cogs rained down on a gremlin, bouncing off his sparsely haired head and plopping into the bowl of custard he was stirring, and Sarah ducked at the screech of rage as a hastily flung ladle sailed over her head. The ladle bounced off a rusalka, who hissed, turning to reveal an impressively pointed set of teeth.
"We'd better get this out. Here, I'll help." Hoggle had appeared at her side, without her noticing.
"Thank you, Hoggle! You're a life-saver!" Sarah braced herself to lift the pot down from the stove. "Got it?" At Hoggle's affirmative grunt, she released one handle onto his upstretched hand and wheeled around. The pot barely cleared the ground as they began laboriously shifting it towards the dining hall. They staggered to the side to avoid a minotaur with a platter of roasted meat and finally lurched to a halt in front of Head of Hall Truckle, who ticked an item off a long list without looking at them and said "Over there!"
They deposited the pot in front of a harassed looking wolf-girl who pushed it into place with one hand while lifting a platter of eels over their heads with the other. Sarah stared briefly in amazement, and then staggered sideways as Hoggle tugged her out of the way of a tray of steaming leek and blackbird pies. She grabbed two off the tray as they passed, dodging the korrigan's snap, tossing them to Hoggle. If she could just get outside! The sun had just risen over the clouds and it was going to be a glorious day. Whirling and sidestepping as Hoggle ducked under the tables and ran the length of the hall, Sarah bumped into the Fuath.
"I'm sorry, Fuath." Sarah ducked her head and stared at the hem of the Fuath's green dress, edging away. No one wanted the Fuath's attention.
"Young…" the Fuath stared into the middle distance as a young hob whispered ingratiatingly in her ear "Sarah. Sarah Williams. You are a kitchen drudge, are you not? But not for ever, oh no. Why, we see great things for you, Sarah Williams. Walk with me."
Sarah's eyes almost flicked up to meet the horror of the Fuath's noseless face, but she remembered herself and fixed her gaze firmly on the Fuath's spiked tail. A nixie snickered the expression on Sarah's face, probably because Sarah could feel the terror freezing her features. Sarah leaned as far away from the Fuath as possible.
The Fuath dropped a webbed hand on Sarah's shoulder and Sarah stifled a shudder as the clamminess penetrated through her thin shift.
"You see, Sarah, I don't think you quite understand the... exigences of keeping a leviathan such as the Goblin Kingdom running. Why, his Majesty himself said to me the other day-"
Riders swept by and the Fuath and Sarah squeezed to one side. The Fuath opened her mouth to continue when a young goblin came running up.
"Your Fuath-ness. You need to be seeing this. You need to be seeing this right now."
The Fuath looked at the goblin consideringly. "What is it, Runcle?"
"It's that Ludo! The dhole boys cornered him again and-"
The Fuath swore venomously and turned to go. Sarah heaved a huge sigh of relief and then the Fuath looked back. "Sarah Williams."
Sarah couldn't help it. Her gaze flicked up to the Fuath's face.
"-it was hilarious." Hoggle drained his tankard. Sarah looked around. She was in the servants' Common Room and judging by the shadows, it was late afternoon.
"That bitch," said Sarah.
"Eh?" Hoggle sniffed, and then blew his nose on his sleeve.
"I-it was morning, and now it's not. That BITCH. She took the whole day!"
Hoggle gestured for a refill. "She's the Fuath. You know what she's like. One step from the Teg."
"That doesn't make it right. It's not fair."
A wood-may leaned over the table and sneered at Sarah while re-filling Hoggle's tankard. "That's right, Princess. It's not fair."
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Ruslana." Ruslana propped the tray she was carrying on her hip and dumped a bowl of stew and a bread roll in front of Sarah, deliberately brushing Sarah with her thorn-encrusted elbows. Sarah just as deliberately didn't wince, and leaned forward. "Hoggle, why doesn't somebody do something? They've got no right to just take like that!"
"We don't do anything because they can take like that! It's only a day!"
Sarah opened her mouth again and then closed it as Toby ran in and flung himself at her. "SARAH! You should have seen it! It was awesome! We were testing the rigging on Melchior, the new dragon and then Sir Didymus took me up. We did loop the loops and everything!"
"Toby, it's very good of Sir Didymus to take you up, but you have to remember not to bother him." She hugged Toby tight with one arm-after ten seconds he started to squirm and she released him with a kiss on his forehead. Toby scrubbed at his forehead and then at his dripping nose with the same hand.
"'Twas no bother at all, fair maiden!" A short ginger kitsune with wiry hair bowed low over Sarah's hand and kissed it. "The lad is most valiant and would prove an asset to the Brotherhood of Riders."
Sarah withdrew her hand sharply and lowered her voice "He's also human, not one of the Teg. You know they'll never let him-it's a miracle they let you, and you're not human! It's not fair to give him false hope like that."
Sir Didymus gestured in the air and presented the flower that had just appeared in his hand to her with a flourish. "My lady, the only false thing about hope would be not to have any."
Toby grinned at them. "I'm going to ride a dragon, Sarah. I won't be stuck in the pits!"
Hoggle snorted into his beer, but Sarah ignored him. "Sir Didymus-"
Sir Didymus flashed Sarah a charming smile. "Thomas. I insist."
"Thomas, then. You simply cannot ignore the reality of life in the Castle like that. As humans, we're too valuable to risk. If we die out there, our lux animae is wasted."
Hoggle laughed out loud "Who was protesting that life wasn't fair and they had no right a second ago?"
Sarah flushed "I don't think it's right. But like everyone else here, I keep my head down so it doesn't happen to me."
Thomas arched an eyebrow knowingly at Hoggle. "Ah. The Fuath?"
"A whole day." Hoggle sipped his ale.
"My lady, you have been most greviously used. I can only ask that you allow me to make amends in some small way." Thomas began patting down his pockets exaggeratedly. "Now, where did I put that-?"
Sarah waved her hands desperately in front of her face. "Noble Knight," she began. Thomas's face lit up and he pulled a scarf out of his pocket. And then his face fell, as he continued to pull a conjoined string of scarves. "Sir Didymus!" Sarah sharpened her voice, but Didymus still didn't appear to notice. He threw the scarves onto the table, and Sarah grabbed the pile of material and pushed it to the middle. Thomas pulled a toad out of another pocket and gave it a startled look before setting it on the weathered wood. "Please, Sir Knight-" she said, pleading.
"Fair maiden, I have it this time. Just let me-" said Didymus.
Hoggle pulled Sarah back cautiously. "Hoggle! This never ends well. I have to stop him!" said Sarah.
"Because everyone else has been so successful? You'll never stop him," said Hoggle.
"That doesn't mean I shouldn't try."
Sir Didymus pulled a clockwork rooster out of his doublet, sighed, and threw it on the table next to the toad. It started ticking, and then ruffled bronze neck feathers and crowed a coarse clash of metal. Toby reached out excitedly, and in doing so jostled the lantern on the table. A bit of lux animae wafted out and onto the table. The rooster bent grindingly and drank from the puddle, then straightened, looking much more alert. He strutted a step or two, and appeared to catch sight of the toad. The toad phlegmatically shuffled to the left, and the rooster followed, an actinic light shining from his copper eyes.
Hoggle drank deeply from his ale. Sarah regarded the toad and the rooster dubiously. Sir Didymus was still muttering and patting his pockets, and she reached over and took his hands. "Sir Knight, you are valiant and chivalrous, but this offense is not yours to make reparations for," said Sarah, smiling at him.
Sir Didymus looked touched, and then bowed deeply over her hands, pressing a kiss to the back of them. "Fair maiden, your kind heart is only exceeded by your wisdom," said Didymus.
The rooster sidled closer to the toad, and Hoggle signalled for Ruslana. "A meal for the boy, and ale for the lot of us."
Sarah frowned. "Juice for Toby."
Toby looked up in protest and Sarah frowned at him fiercely. He puffed a breath of air that briefly raised his blond bangs, and poked at the toad, which ignored him stoically. The rooster arched over the toad and pecked it. The toad looked sour, Toby looked fascinated, and Sarah sighed.
There was a crash as the door flung open and a group of a dozen Riders strode into the room. "Wench! Mead!" Sir Owain, the tallest of the group, flashed a charming smile. A beetle girl raised her iridescent elytra, letting the filmy wings underneath partially unfold, leaning forward onto the table with excitement. Serafima poked a head covered with feathery flames out of the kitchen, saw the Riders and rolled her eyes. Sarah caught Serafima's eyes; they shared a conspiratorial smile. The Riders strode over to a table. The sprites occupying it hastily grabbed plates and bowls as they could manage and vacated. Sir Gaheris swept the table clean, half-finished bowls clattering and spilling their contents on the floor. There was a mutter among the sprites, and Sarah heard a hissed "Let it go!" A green hob rushed forward to lick up the spilled food, and a gremlin bustled around collecting the bowls and hurrying them into the kitchen.
"What are they doing in here, anyway? They've got the Dining Hall! Not like they have to eat down here with us common folks." Hoggle said, watching the Riders with a sour expression on his face. Sir Didymus looked at Hoggle steadily, and Hoggle said "Beggin' your pardon there, Sir Knight. I always think of you as one of us."
Sir Didymus bowed deeply "And I, for one, could wish nothing more than to be counted as such."
Ruslana came forward with serving tray, bearing hastily filled goblets of mead. She moved around the table dispensing them, hastily putting down the tray as she was pulled onto Dinaden's lap as he seized both her and a goblet with equal greed. Owain looked at Ruslana and then looked away with a set expression. Ruslana stared at Owain murderously for a second and then forced a smile onto her sharp face. Sir Didymus muttered "Here now. That's not chivalrous!"
Sarah laid an absent hand on his arm. "Hush. Ruslana can take care of herself," she said. Hoggle chuckled earthily. The inhabitants of the Common Room appeared to hold their collective breath.
Serafima flickered out of the kitchen, and placed a jug unobtrusively next to Ruslana. Ruslana grinned and refilled Sir Dinaden's goblet, and shifted her weight until she was hanging off the edge of his lap, held by his hand across her hips. Sir Dinaden absently drained his cup and put it down on the table, where Ruslana refilled it.
Sir Dinaden shifted in his seat, then winced, putting his free hand on his belly. He belched sonorously, which was greeted with cheers from the other Riders. Sir Dinaden released Ruslana to use both hands to hold his stomach. Ruslana slipped down from his lap and went over to the kitchen, where she stood in the door.
Sir Owain raised his goblet. "Riders!" The Riders raised their own drinks back and yelled raucously. Sir Owain got up and stood on the table, and goblins scurried to clear the brass lanterns full of precious lux animae off the table before Owain's gold-inlaid boots kicked them over. "My Lords!" The Riders yelled louder and waved their goblets. Fae at nearby tables ducked to avoid the flung mead.
Sir Dinaden had fallen sideways onto the bench and was clutching his gut and moaning. His gut was starting to writhe alarmingly. Sarah regarded Sir Dinaden with caution and said quietly "Toby. We'd better go."
"But Sarah, I haven't eaten yet!"
Sarah broke open her roll, slopped some stew into it and handed it to Toby. "There. Now we have to go." She loaded their dishes onto the tray in the centre of the table. A small speckled troll trundled over to collect it.
"The lass is right, young Toby. You should listen to your sister." Hoggle displayed his usual survival instincts by going to the wall, to give as wide a berth as possible to the table of Riders.
Sir Didymus bowed deeply and said, "Fear not, My Lady! I will protect you!"
Sarah ignored the fact that she towered head and shoulders over him and curtseyed as she got up. "Your chivalry becomes you, Sir." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toby reach back to the table, but by the time she turned around he was staring at her innocently, standing beside the empty table and dribbling stew down his arm. She grabbed Toby's other arm and pulled him after her, following Hoggle as they skirted the floor.
Sir Owain was still speaking on the table. "And it is on this very day, this glorious day, that we lead the raid on Drowned Ys and did what no other city has done in a hundred years!" Sir Dinaden sat bolt upright, turned a peculiar shade of greeny-grey and clutched the edge of the table. Sir Owain continued. "We rode our dragons right into the bitch and we TOOK HER HEART!" He brandished an organic-looking bundle the size of a large dog, that was glowing blue-white. "Enough lux animae for the whole year! And you know what's better?"
"What?!" the Riders chorused, drinking deep.
"Why, that we-bitch Goddess." Sir Dinaden had leant forward and vomited all over Owain's feet. Half-digested fish-heads slimed Owain's gold-inlaid boots, and the entire room recoiled from the stench. Ruslana laughed so hard she had to grip the door frame to remain upright. Owain looked down at the wreck of his fancy boots with narrowed eyes and then over at Ruslana. He flicked fish-heads off his boots as he went, scattering Teg and lesser fae alike with ichthyic slime. An echo of power started to sound around him and Sarah thought desperately Shit, he's calling on his dragon, ducked lower and hurried Toby along the wall.
Ruslana waited in the doorway, still laughing, until Owain was almost within arm's length (harm's length, whispered a voice in Sarah's mind) of her. She cast her lashes down, and swept a deep curtsey. "Fath-I mean, Sir Knight. I see that your great feats do not extend as far as your feet. Unless the raid on Drowned Ys was accomplished by smell? Certainly, I can see that such a thing would make them quail." Ruslana looked at Owain's thunderous face and burst into gleefully vicious giggles. "In case it is not plain, bathe thyself, thou reeky fen-sucked hedge-pig!"
Owain gave a strangled roar, and reached for Ruslana. Giggling helplessly, she ducked back into the kitchen. The aura of power around Owain increased, and his hand dropped to the knife at his side.
"Oh, balls," said Hoggle. Hoggle grabbed Toby's right hand, Sarah grabbed Toby's left hand, and together they ran for the door out of the Common Room, to the Cloisters, Sir Didymus trailing behind them. Almost to the door!
There was a crash and a clatter and a crunch and then Sir Owain was flung backwards out of the kitchen, landing on the floor with an audible thud. The light in the Common Room changed from dim blue-white to a warmer, more dangerous orange glare. Serafima appeared in the door of the kitchen, her alated arms growing longer until the pinions of flame touched each wall of the Common Room (a good fifty yards each side. With the portion of her brain that wasn't taken up with Get out, get out, get out GET OUT GETOUT, Sarah wondered how big Serafima actually was). Serafima's crest raised and the air sizzled. She paced forward and mantled over the unfortunate Owain.
"What are you doing in my kitchen?" Serafima's words came out as a wash of heat. The entire Common Room seemed paralysed. Sarah weighed up the advantages of moving and not-moving for a minute and then prodded Hoggle into motion. The group edged towards the door. Ten yards!
Sir Owain rallied. Sarah tried desperately to shut him UP, goddess, just let him apologise, Herne the Horned One, how can bravery lead to THIS MUCH STUPIDITY stealthily make the door before he opened his mouth, but she was too late.
"I? I was merely trying to discipline your kitchen wench!" Owain had raised himself up on his elbows, and didn't appear to notice Serafima's hackles rising. "Your staff is in need of a firmer hand than they receive! Your girl poisoned one of my Knights!"
Serafima's voice rose in a screech. "First of all, Sir Knight, I take responsibility for my own. Secondly, are you accusing me of serving poisoned food?" Flames shot from her wings and Owain fell back against the floor, eyes wide. Serafima raised her head. Her eyes were white, and Sarah flung herself forward, landing over Toby in the doorway and stuffing her fingers in her ears as a fireball expanded from Serafima.
There was a tremendous boom, and then the flame was gone as quickly as it arrived. Sarah raised her head cautiously. Gremlins huddled on the floor. The Riders appeared stunned. Serafima looked vaguely shocked too, which was-good?
Sarah turned her head and saw a pair of calves encased in leather boots. Oh. Not good.
"What," said a calm voice above her head, "Is this."
The stunned calm of the room disappeared. Sir Owain picked himself up, only to prostrate himself on the floor again, babbling excuses. Serafima dropped a polite curtsey and then retreated to the kitchen.
Ruslana entered the Common Room from the kitchen rather precipitously, clearly having been thrown out by Serafima. Sarah stifled a smile and Ruslana glared at her, before dropping her head and attempting to blend in with the walls. She'd actually begun to change colour from her usually greeny-brown when Jareth spoke again.
"I am so pleased to see my Riders are in such high spirits."
Sarah winced and quietly rolled off Toby, crawling back until her feet hit the door jamb and then pushing up to press her back against the solidity of the wood. Toby shook himself and then rolled upright. He started patting the pockets of his tunic. Sarah tried to catch his eye, but he avoided her gaze and she didn't dare make a sound. Jareth strolled forward, and Sir Owain pressed his face into Jareth's boots. Jareth shoved Owain away with a careless kick, then frowned at a goblin until it seized a piece of cloth and began polishing his boots. Sarah reached out and yanked Toby into the shelter of the doorway and slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle any cries of protest. Toby squirmed in her grasp.
"I suppose asking why there was a fireball in my servants' Common Room would be pointless?" Owain had, by this stage, recovered some of his dignity and puffed himself up to answer, but Jareth punctured his bombast before it began. "Owain-why is there a chicken on your foot?" Owain looked down, and indeed there was a chicken. Toby's chicken. Sarah closed her eyes in horror, and then snapped them open again as Toby squirmed out of her grip to go and collect his pet.
"Serafima. Do you have an explanation?" said Jareth.
Serafima poked her head out of the kitchen, crest demurely lowered at the back of her neck and blue eyes downcast. "No, Your Majesty?"
Jareth raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps I should rephrase. Serafima, give me an explanation." There were strange harmonics in Jareth's voice and Serafima was drawn out of the kitchen.
"I.." Serafima began, obviously fighting the Influence.
The chicken had been edging away from Toby warily as he tried to lure it back to him. It edged until it bumped against Jareth's boot and paused, seemingly fascinated by the shiny surface. Jareth looked down in surprise. Serafima backed away until she reached the door to the kitchen and then disappeared into the dark. The rooster pecked Jareth's boot.
"What is this metal thing?"
Jareth swooped down, grabbed the rooster by the neck and raised him to eye-level. The rooster, obviously possessed of more bravery than sense, raised his comb and attempted to crow, but his throat was throttled by Jareth's grip, and all that came out was a distinctly unmusical clank. Jareth regarded the rooster with an air of weary jaundice, then twisted his gloved hands over each other in a complicated looking gesture. The rooster condensed, seeming to grow transparent for a second before coalescing into a crystal ball. Jareth turned the crystal ball and looked into it, then carelessly flicked it from one hand to the other.
"Please, Your Majesty, may I have my pet back?" said Toby.
The entire Common Room turned in unison to stare at Toby who was bravely marching towards the Goblin King. Sarah was frozen in horror, Didymus whined quietly deep in his throat and Hoggle grunted.
"Huh. Obviously got brass ones, he does."
Sarah turned to stare at Hoggle in disbelief, and Hoggle qualified, "Talking about the rooster!"
Sir Didymus nodded enthusiastically. "Indeed he does! I got him from an artificer in the pits, and I assure you he is anatomically correct!"
His tail wilted along with his enthusiasm as Sarah turned her disbelieving stare on him.
Jareth had decided to be amused. "Well, you're a likely lad, aren't you! And what's your name?"
"Toby, Your Majesty. Toby Williams. And that's Hancock."
"I-see." Jareth regarded the-crystal-ball-that-had-been-Hancock with an enigmatic look. Jareth bent down to Toby's level and held the ball out. "Your pet? Well, I like to see a lad with a little initiative. As a matter of fact, you've reminded me of my mission here."
Jareth straightened up. "Hear this-the Court of the Faerie Queen is coming to treat in two days time. Serafima, you will work with Truckle and Spritch to ensure a magnificent feast. I want young Toby here serving-outfit him as a page. Owain-" Jareth's gaze rested for a second on the fish-slimed hall "Clean yourself and this mess up, man." With that, Jareth turned to exit the common room, throwing the crystal ball over his shoulder as he did so. Toby dived to save the ball as it first became larger, then recognisably became Hancock again. Hancock opened his wings and desperately tried to fly. He landed with a noisy crash on the common room floor, bending the bronze feathers on one wing. Sarah huddled against the doorway as Jareth swept past her and felt, more than saw, a smirk.
"Well," said Hoggle. "That's a hell of a mess."
Toby's pocket croaked.
Sarah kicked her feet out over the edge of the leviathan. The stacks were warm against her back and clouds moved leisurely by below over a patchwork quilt of greens. They were over farming country at the moment. Hopefully that meant that the raids would net a grain other than oats. Spritch cooked well, but tended towards unexpected flourishes. Time before last, the porridge had had puffin's feet in it. Sarah considered herself lucky that Serafima cooked for the servants. She'd rather have good plain food any day!
Claws clicked on the metal platform behind her and Serafima said, "Young Sarah Williams, should you be out here?"
Sarah turned and grinned at Serafima. "Should? Weeeell, technically speaking, probably not, but Truckle sent me to give a message to the Riders and didn't specifically tell me to come straight back. So I'm taking an hour."
Kobolds toiled in the distance, mining the excess leviathan shell at the edge. They dumped the metal scale, each flake many times bigger than a human, into a cart sitting on rail tracks. A kelpie waited patiently until the cart was full, ready to pull it back into the pits to be processed. Sarah knew that each kelpie was as tall as she was and half again, but from this distance they looked like ants. But then, they were living on the back of a leviathan-to it they must all seem like ants. She wondered if the leviathan even realised that thinking beings were living on it.
The Cloisters spread out from the mining and branched between buildings like veins. Sarah saw a familiar blond head by the Dragon Mews, with Sir Didymus next to him.
"There you are." Serafima sat down on the edge next to Sarah, and placed a plate of bread, cheese and fruit between them. Sarah grabbed a slice of apple, paired it with a slice of cheese, bit into it, and moaned appreciatively.
"Serafima, why don't you run the main kitchens?"
Serafima held her hand over the plate for a minute before choosing a slice of roast pumpkin and topping it with salted ground nuts and spice. "Mostly because I can't stand the Riders, dear. Idiots. Thinking I would poison food!"
Sarah looked at Serafima for a second and Serafima looked back seriously before her beak gaped in a grin. "The poison was in the drink, of course!"
Sarah laughed. "Of course!"
"I'm a cook, not a chef. Oh, I can do all the fancy twiddles, but I don't enjoy them. I'd rather spend my days making things taste good than look good. Which is why Spritch is head of the main kitchens-he cares about appearances."
Sarah nodded, and spread a slice of bread with dried pear paste and topped it with blue cheese. There was silence for a moment, and then Serafima said "And what were you thinking about so seriously, young Sarah?"
"This and that. Do you think the leviathan knows that we're alive?"
"Oh, absolutely! Didn't you ever wonder why you only ever see leviathans this big when they're cities? They don't grow that big in the wild, y'know. They need a steady source of lux animae to get this big and then keep growing. And the Teg are the ones who can channel lux animae into a pool and the king-"
"Or queen," interrupted Sarah.
"Or queen," agreed Serafima with a smile, "are the only ones who can link with the leviathan to feed it the lux animae."
Sarah took a huge bite of bread and spoke around it. "Oh. Is that why the king can tell it where to go?"
"It is indeed. I don't know what your parents were thinking, not telling you this before."
Sarah swallowed, and shrugged. "I don't know what they were thinking either, but I doubt it was about me."
"Has anyone heard from your mother, child?"
Sarah looked down at the platform and traced along the edge of a scale. "There was a rumour that she'd left Drowned Ys for the Eastern Wastes, but no one knows for sure. I can't even speak to anyone who spoke to her directly in Drowned Ys."
"Oh, child." Serafima drew Sarah to her plump chest, and Sarah allowed herself to be comforted by the scent of cinnamon and myrrh that wafted from Serafima's feathers. The pocket of Serafima's apron moved.
"What-?" Sarah drew back and Serafima laughed and upended her apron. Hancock tumbled to the deck, all ruffled bronze indignance and copper curiosity.
"That damn bird!" Sarah flicked his wattles, which rang with a warm chime. "Why don't you serve him up for dinner?"
"I doubt even my skills can make metal tasty, if you're not a dragon. Besides, he drank lux animae. He's as alive as you or I! It was only a tablespoon, true, but how much life does a metal rooster need?" said Serafima,
Sarah brightened. "We could feed him to a dragon!" Hancock tilted his head and then pecked viciously at her hand. Sarah withdrew it just in time. Hancock's beak struck the deck and the impact shivered through to his tail feathers.
Serafima laughed. "Dragons get fed the choicest of scale. They're fat and lazy, when they're allowed to be! Why would they want to go chasing one scrawny chicken around? Because Hancock would almost certainly object to being eaten. And what would Toby say?"
Sarah grimaced. "I don't know why he needs a rooster as a pet. Although it's better than the damn toad." Hancock preened under their gaze and then began strutting round them aimlessly.
Serafima sighed. "Hancock was chasing the toad through the kitchens this morning. Spritch was eyeing them for the porridge pot. I managed to pick up Hancock, but the damn toad got away. I don't know where it is."
"Mmm." A breeze stirred up one of the clouds below and a tuft drifted up to the edge of the leviathan. She kicked her feet through it, enjoying the cool damp. "Serafima, Toby's got his heart set on being a Rider. I don't know how to discourage him."
Serafima looked sad. "Do you think you should?"
"We're-Serafima, we're human. That rare beast, 100% human! We're too valuable as a source of lux animae. You know they'd never let Toby on a dragon. They won't even let me down when we dock at the markets to trade!"
Serafima raised a sardonic eye-crest at Sarah. "Ah, but Sarah, you're not only a source of lux animae, you're a source of potential sources of lux animae. Of course they're not going to let you go."
"I wish the Teg could generate their own lux animae. I'm sick of losing days every time I catch the Fuath's eye."
"Losing days happens to us lesser fae too-though not with as much frequency. Less lux animae, y'see. I think we all wish the Teg could generate, dear. I'm amazed that no one's tried that particular experiment. Imagine it-the gathering and channelling of the Teg with the generative powers of a human!" Hancock stopped strutting for a second and eyed them, a look of unexpected intelligence in his mad eyes.
"I'd hardly call you a lesser fae, Serafima. I didn't even know you could do that-" Sarah's hands shaped the air incoherently-"in the Common Room before."
"I'm just a cook, Sarah. The fire powers do come in handy, I will admit, but I am just a cook."
Sarah crumbled up a slice of bread and scattered it before Hancock, who scratched the ground but appeared otherwise uninterested. Serafima detached a small bag from her waistband and upended it on the platform. Steel and brass shavings heaped between them. Hancock clucked, sounding content and then began pecking at the metal scraps. Sarah looked at Serafima and Serafima shrugged. "He's like a dragon-made of metal and needs metal to grow," said Serafima.
"Speaking of dragons and Toby-how am I going to persuade him away from being a Rider? It's an impossible dream," Sarah said.
"I think it depends on how hard you dream. Look at all this!" Serafima's gesture encompassed the entire leviathan. "Leviathans in the wild are maybe ten to fifteen yards. Dragons are smaller than a person-unless they find an easy source of ore, they just don't grow! Dragons prey on leviathans! And yet here we are. Dragons you can ride on, dragons that the folk bond to, leviathan-cities-"
"Firebirds as cooks!" Sarah smiled at Serafima teasingly.
"As you say. Firebirds as cooks. I'd better get back to the main kitchens-there's a lot of work to do. More, 'cause those damn Riders grabbed more people when they raided Drowned Ys and I have to make sure Spritch doesn't spoil the food, produce a feast AND train up new staff-speaking of which, there are some humans. If you could come and help with the orientation, it would be appreciated." Serafima gathered up the plate and swept the crumbs from the bread and the metal over the side. Hancock gave a squawk and chased after the metal shavings, and Sarah shrieked and grabbed him by the tail as he dove over the side.
"Idiot bird." Sarah tossed him up onto her shoulder, where he wobbled briefly. Serafima chuckled and reached out a clawed hand to scratch his throat. Hancock crooned a brassy shimmer and arched his neck.
"Come on, girl. There's work to be done."
Sarah ducked under a fall of gauzy silk and into the door of the hall. Sprites were flying the silk up to decorate the ribs that vaulted the Dining Hall. She smiled at Sir Didymus, who was directing a crew of goblins into scrubbing the tables that ran the length of the hall. Truckle saw her and called out "You there!" but Sarah ducked her head and held up a hand.
"Can't stop, Head of Hall, I'm on an errand for Serafima!"
Truckle didn't look happy, but didn't detain her any further as Sarah hurried into the kitchen. A dark-haired man was standing by the main bench, gaping at the activity around him. Sarah tapped him on the shoulder.
"You're the new guy? Serafima asked me to show you around. Hand me one of those baskets by the bench, grab the other and follow me."
Sarah weaved through the kitchen, then looked back. New Guy was standing slackjawed as an eight-foot-tall gryphon carrying a tray of freshly baked pastries bore down on the bench that New Guy was standing at. "Oh, for crying-" she reached out and yanked him out of the way. "Lesson one, New Guy. About the only thing that will get out of your way are the sprites, and that's just 'cause you're bigger than them. Everything else, get out of its way, especially if it's carrying something hot. Now, follow."
"That-that was a gryphon!" New Guy was stammering, but at least he was following. Sarah passed the stoves.
"Yep. And that's a gremlin, and those are sprites, and that-" Sarah indicated Ruslana, who sneered at her, "is a wood-may." She reached over and grabbed a bowl of sweet carrots with sesame from the stove beside Seraphima and tossed it at New Guy, then grabbed a second one for herself. "This is the main kitchen. Food for the Riders and the Court gets prepared here. Us servants eat in the Common Room, where the food's usually better anyway. It's round the back, to the left of here. I'll take you there later." Serafima smiled at Sarah. "Usually, no one cares if you eat as you go, but with the feast, ask before you grab something unless you know that there's enough."
"But-you didn't ask." New Guy sounded bewildered.
Sarah stuffed her mouth full of the contents of the bowl and spoke around it. "'at's because I know there's enough." Sarah placed the bowl on the trolley of dirty dishes and ducked out the side door, into the Cloisters."That was the kitchen, and these are the Cloisters. Stick to them, unless you know where you're going-dragons don't eat flesh, but they're not above taking a snap at something that irritates them. You don't want to be under their feet in the Landing. Also, the Riders like to scare the lesser fae. We use the cables to strap to in times of high wind. Make sure you always have a harness and clip on." The covered walkways branched, and Sarah took the right branch. Up ahead was a huge scale set at a slight angle in the ground, with a bar attached. Sarah nodded to the lindwyrm beside the door, and then waited as it squirmed over and wound round the handle, the scale edging over as the wyrm contracted. "Lindwyrms understand our speech, but we can't understand theirs. They're poisonous, so never try and open this door yourself-even if you got gloves, it weighs more than you do. If a lindwyrm isn't here, grab a troll. They're not affected by the poison. Do you understand, New Guy?"
"Why-I, yes, I understand." New Guy hastily swallowed carrots, and looked around bewildered. He placed the bowl on a strut beside the scale.
Sarah sighed and grabbed a torch from a barrel beside the door, dipping it into the fire. "You'd better collect that on the way back. In the leviathan, we use fire-they're largely fireproof, since they're born in lava. Up on top, we build from what we raid-mostly metal, straw and wood. If it's flammable, we use lux animae. Be careful with it, it's precious and-" Sarah glanced sideways at Hancock, who was still perched on her shoulder, "unpredictable. Speaking of lux animae, look down when you're around the Teg."
"Why, are they that stuck up?" New Guy sounded surprised.
"They're thieves. They'll steal lux animae from you if you meet their eyes, and you'll lose time." They walked past a room spilling out gold light into the passage, and Sarah nodded into it. "Salamanders sleep in there. Nice things, but they get hot if they get excited. Best if you don't go in."
"I.." New Guy stopped in the middle of the passage and threw his basket of food down. "Look, can you stop treating me as if I'm stupid? I'm new, but I am able to think! And my name's Mark."
Sarah propped her basket on her hip. "But I-" Hancock twisted to look at her, and she took a deep breath. "Sorry. It's just this damn feast, and everything has to be perfect, because you bet his majesty will notice if it isn't. But you're right. Shall we start again?" Mark smiled at her and she noticed that he was-kind of cute, actually. "Hi. I'm Sarah. Where are you from?"
Mark took her hand and shook it. "I'm Mark. I'm from all over, although lately from Drowned Ys."
"Wow-actually from Drowned Ys? The raiders bought back a huge bundle of lux animae from there! Can you imagine? What's it like living with so many humans?"
Mark held up his hands. "Living with humans is nothing special-this is AMAZING, though. I've never even seen half of the folk that live here. Ys is a pretty big city, and I've heard that there are gryphons out in the Haunted Heights, but I've never actually seen one! Is lux animae that glowing stuff?" Sarah nodded, and started walking again. Mark picked up his basket and strolled behind, starting to laugh. "It's precious?"
Sarah thinned her lips. "It makes the leviathan fly and grow! So yes!"
"It's just-we have an entire river of the stuff in Ys. It floods every night!" Sarah glared at him and he held up his free hand. "It's the truth! Would I lie to a pretty girl?" Hancock made a leap off Sarah's shoulder and scrabbled at Mark's chest, clawing and pecking. "The hell?"
"Hancock! What in leviathan's name-" Sarah grabbed at the rooster, holding down his wings and cutting her finger on one of his pinions. "Ouch! I'm sorry. I don't know why he did that." Hancock escaped from her grasp and ran up her arm to her shoulder again, where he glared offendedly at the world.
"No harm done." Mark extended a hand to her basket. "Want me to take that while you stop your finger bleeding?" Sarah looked unsure, but let him take the basket as she hunted through her pockets and bound her finger off with a scarf. "Anyway, I don't know why you'd think the worst of me! I'm completely trustworthy!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and grabbed her basket back from Mark. "Absolutely trustworthy? Whole rivers of lux animae? Who ever heard of anything like that!"
"Can I ask questions?" said Mark.
"Sure. This place runs on gossip, so I don't see why you should be left out!"
"Where are we going?"
Sarah's jaw dropped and she looked blank for a second. "Didn't I say? Usually everyone eats in the Common Room, but we've got no time for that today. Besides, Serafima's in the main kitchen, so we're bringing food to the pits."
"... What are the pits?"
"You're-no, you're not kidding. Sorry, you don't know this stuff. Um, well. You know how leviathans are constantly growing? Well, the shell grows first and then the leviathan inside grows to fit. If you keep taking the shell from round the edge, the leviathan doesn't grow any bigger, we get metal to make stuff. Sometimes we stop mining, but bigger means slower too, so we don't generally. Um. What else? The metal gets refined in the pits, which is where everything gets made." They passed a ladder, leading up to an opening in the shell above. "The dormitories are up there. No light and it's pretty cramped, but all we ever do in there is sleep, so it doesn't really matter. Anyway, the pits are pretty horrible-dark and hot. There's a lot of light-sensitive fae down there, so carry your own light source and careful where you wander 'cause a lot of things will eat you if your light goes out. You'll probably end up in the pits after the feast."
Mark looked around and made a face. "Great."
"Unless you have any other skills?" said Sarah.
Mark shrugged. "I used to work as a baker."
"Oh! Then you won't be in the pits. You'll probably be with me in the kitchens!" Mark smiled at her and Hancock shifted discontentedly and clucked. She reached up a hand and scratched Hancock's chest. "Almost there. Hey, Mark?"
"Hmm?"
"Why aren't you freaking out more? I mean, you've just been seized by raiders."
"What, your Riders? They're not so scary. Besides, why would I freak out when I've got a pretty girl to charm?" He smiled at Sarah and Sarah smiled back. "Seriously-I've spent most of my life travelling. And I've always wanted to see a leviathan. I figure when I get bored, I'll just leave!"
Sarah snorted. "My dad, Toby and I came here when I was eight and Toby was just a baby. I don't think you're going to find it easy to leave."
Mark puffed out his chest. "No one can stop me from going where I want to!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and Hancock fixed a mad eye on Mark. "How would you get out then, genius?"
Mark's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Then: "Oh. Erm. Well, I'll keep it a secret until the crucial moment!"
"Uh huh." Sarah shared a glance with Hancock.
"Well, I'll be sure and take you with me when I go! Your beauty can only inspire me to greater courage!" Mark bent and kissed her hand and Sarah blushed.
"We'd better hurry." said Sarah, looking away from the torchlight in the hope of disguising her flushed face. Hancock fluffed his feathers with a musical sound.
"One more question," said Mark.
"Mmm?"
Sounding plaintively confused, Mark asked, "Why do you have a metal chicken on your shoulder?"
"Sarah Williams! Plates to the kitchen to rewash! Everything must be sparkling."
Sarah planted her fists into the small of her back and arched until her body was bent like a bow. Achelois, her back ached! She grabbed the stack of plates, supporting it on her hip. She trudged across the hall. Leviathan. The end of this day couldn't come soon enough.. She got to the heavy push door of the kitchen, turned and leaned back against it. Who had closed it? Then she heard voices. Ruslana, and... Mark?
"Drowned Ys is amazing. You know that all the secrets of the world come there? There's someone called ‘L'Inconnue' who knows everything."
Sarah peeked through the porthole window in the door. Ruslana was at the sink, and Mark was leaning on the dish-trolley beside her. Ruslana flicked water at Mark. "If it was so amazing, why'd you come here! Oh right-you were captured by Riders."
Mark grinned at Ruslana brilliantly. "Riders? They're not so scary. I've spent most of my life travelling. And I've always wanted to see a leviathan. I figure when I get bored, I'll just leave! And I'm not likely to get bored when I'm talking to a pretty girl such as yourself!" Sarah's lips parted. That was the exact same speech he gave to her!
"Huh. I bet you've got no idea how you actually would leave." Ruslana wiped a plate half-heartedly, watching Mark out of the corner of one eye.
"I do too! But I'll reveal it when the time comes." Mark sounded mysterious and important.
"Well, you'd need a dragon, or a flying fae. But none of the fae here would help you, and have you worked out how you bribe a dragon? Or even talk to one?" Ruslana said.
"I... no. But I'm sure you'd help me, wouldn't you, sweetheart?" Mark leaned in, seemingly untroubled by the way Ruslana's thorny arms were moving back and forth as she scrubbed a pot with particular viciousness.
Sarah kicked open the door and marched over, dumping the stack of plates loudly on the trolley. "I thought I was going with you!"
Mark grinned, and slipped an arm around Sarah's shoulder, drawing against him. He rested his chin on Ruslana's shoulder. "You can both come with me! The more beautiful women, the better!" Ruslana snorted and elbowed him with malice, and Sarah ducked out from under his arm. "Sarah?"
Sarah couldn't make her voice work for a second, and then said "I thought-I. Sorry. I have to go now," and she averted her face and ran from the kitchen.
"Great view from up here," said Hoggle. Sarah jumped as Hoggle sat down beside her on the stairs halfway up the largest chimney stack. The crumbling brick behind her radiated warmth, and Hancock was pecking at the lichen that grew on metal deposits from the smoke. Sarah turned away to wipe her face, grateful for the gathering night. Fluffy cumulus clouds were still bathed pink by the setting sun and cumulonimbus clouds advanced their anvil-heads with the darkness. "You want to talk about it?"
Sarah sniffed, and smiled wanly. "Not really-I just. I was stupid, and it was embarrassing. I just want to be special and to have adventures. I guess there's not a lot of chance of that here." Her gesture took in the smoking stacks, and the bustling Landing. Acthnici and Salamanders had been let out of the pits and were wandering around, causing what was no doubt chaos from the ground, but bathing the Landing in a golden glow. Truckle was looking harassed and directing goblins in polishing the scales, and will-o'-the-wisps giggled as they bounced through the air.
"I think," said Hoggle slowly "That adventures would be downright uncomfortable for folks as is having ‘em. History ain't made by sitting at home."
"Oh, it's just. I wish. I wish-," said Sarah. The sky lit up as lightning flashed between the clouds. Hancock screeched, and Sarah sighed and picked him up as a crash of thunder sounded.
"Come on, girl. There's a storm coming, and I don't mean just the weather," said Hoggle, spitting over the side.
Sarah gathered her legs under her and stood still for a second, the strengthening wind whipping her hair around her.
"I wish I was anywhere but here."
To Part Two
****
Title: The Lustre of the Firmament, Part One
Author: jamethiel_bane
Recipient: aliasheist
Prompt: 2)The Descent into the Underworld. There's a looooooot of mythological material on the topic. Reference one, and show me Sarah's (eventual) return to the Labyrinth, whether it's five or five hundred years later. (Extra points if the myth referenced is not Greek in origin.)
3)Another World. I would love to see an AU, whether it's a role reversal, sci-fi, historical fantasy, steampunk, fairytale, anything. (Except high school AUs, DEAR GOD NO.)
(Yeah, I kind of did two out of three)
Rating: MA for language.
Plot Summary/Author's Notes: “You ever work out that sometimes chains aren’t made of steel, you let me know."
So. This is an elf!steampunk (elfpunk?) retelling of Tam Lin, which involves a descent or sacrifice to hell. It is so Very, VERY AU. Influenced by Farscape, The Iron Dragon's Daughter, Inuyasha, P. C. Hodgell, Sheri S. Tepper's Marianne trilogy, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, every city with guilds ever, Celtic, Russian, German, Roman and Greek mythology, Dianna Wynne Jones’ Fire and Hemlock, a steady diet of the unexpurgated Grimm Brothers and Abney Park. There are bilingual puns, because my sense of humour is just that warped.
This is epic. I have the entire thing plotted out, but it kind of got away from me. So this is the first part of the story, at approximately 18500 words. At current thinking there are two other parts, probably of similar length. It will be completed, but probably at a fairly glacial pace. However, I hope you enjoy Book 1.
Huge thanks go out to
the_antichris, and
kathalcyon for betaing and cheerleading. They are of the most rocking persuasion, and any remaining errors are my own. Also, special thanks to chameleongirl79 for allowing me to whinge at her over IM and not killing me, even though she knows where I live, and to
seperis for audiencing and encouraging me to write.
I have whinged about this to any of my friends who would listen. To all of you: thank you, and I’m sorry.
The title comes from Emerson, with thanks to
harpers_child
Concrit and discussion are welcomed.
The entire world was composed of porridge. Sarah stared at the bubbling pot and wondered briefly if it would ever run out, or if the pot would be full when the world fell down in shards.
"Stop dreaming, girl! Stir that pot or it'll end up sticking. The porridge must be of an even consistency!" Spritch bustled by the bank of stovetops taking up the left wall. He tasted the contents of a pot that was being stirred by a brownie and nodded. In the back wall were ovens that were recessed into leviathan bone, and a gigantic hearth on which an entire goat carcass roasted. He ducked as a tray of pastries was taken out and placed on the bench, clapped his hands together and raised his voice. "SERVICE IN TEN. LOOK LIVELY."
The kitchens stirred in a flurry of action. Steam formed clouds in the air and the pungency increased to a point where Sarah could no longer smell any one thing. Teams of sprites flew strapped stacks of plates the length of the vast benches, nearly braining a brownie as they dipped to avoid the rib bones that buttressed the room. The sprite's harnesses briefly became entangled in the clockwork which lead from the throne room to the pits, but they tore free with a high-pitched chitter of annoyance. Cogs rained down on a gremlin, bouncing off his sparsely haired head and plopping into the bowl of custard he was stirring, and Sarah ducked at the screech of rage as a hastily flung ladle sailed over her head. The ladle bounced off a rusalka, who hissed, turning to reveal an impressively pointed set of teeth.
"We'd better get this out. Here, I'll help." Hoggle had appeared at her side, without her noticing.
"Thank you, Hoggle! You're a life-saver!" Sarah braced herself to lift the pot down from the stove. "Got it?" At Hoggle's affirmative grunt, she released one handle onto his upstretched hand and wheeled around. The pot barely cleared the ground as they began laboriously shifting it towards the dining hall. They staggered to the side to avoid a minotaur with a platter of roasted meat and finally lurched to a halt in front of Head of Hall Truckle, who ticked an item off a long list without looking at them and said "Over there!"
They deposited the pot in front of a harassed looking wolf-girl who pushed it into place with one hand while lifting a platter of eels over their heads with the other. Sarah stared briefly in amazement, and then staggered sideways as Hoggle tugged her out of the way of a tray of steaming leek and blackbird pies. She grabbed two off the tray as they passed, dodging the korrigan's snap, tossing them to Hoggle. If she could just get outside! The sun had just risen over the clouds and it was going to be a glorious day. Whirling and sidestepping as Hoggle ducked under the tables and ran the length of the hall, Sarah bumped into the Fuath.
"I'm sorry, Fuath." Sarah ducked her head and stared at the hem of the Fuath's green dress, edging away. No one wanted the Fuath's attention.
"Young…" the Fuath stared into the middle distance as a young hob whispered ingratiatingly in her ear "Sarah. Sarah Williams. You are a kitchen drudge, are you not? But not for ever, oh no. Why, we see great things for you, Sarah Williams. Walk with me."
Sarah's eyes almost flicked up to meet the horror of the Fuath's noseless face, but she remembered herself and fixed her gaze firmly on the Fuath's spiked tail. A nixie snickered the expression on Sarah's face, probably because Sarah could feel the terror freezing her features. Sarah leaned as far away from the Fuath as possible.
The Fuath dropped a webbed hand on Sarah's shoulder and Sarah stifled a shudder as the clamminess penetrated through her thin shift.
"You see, Sarah, I don't think you quite understand the... exigences of keeping a leviathan such as the Goblin Kingdom running. Why, his Majesty himself said to me the other day-"
Riders swept by and the Fuath and Sarah squeezed to one side. The Fuath opened her mouth to continue when a young goblin came running up.
"Your Fuath-ness. You need to be seeing this. You need to be seeing this right now."
The Fuath looked at the goblin consideringly. "What is it, Runcle?"
"It's that Ludo! The dhole boys cornered him again and-"
The Fuath swore venomously and turned to go. Sarah heaved a huge sigh of relief and then the Fuath looked back. "Sarah Williams."
Sarah couldn't help it. Her gaze flicked up to the Fuath's face.
"-it was hilarious." Hoggle drained his tankard. Sarah looked around. She was in the servants' Common Room and judging by the shadows, it was late afternoon.
"That bitch," said Sarah.
"Eh?" Hoggle sniffed, and then blew his nose on his sleeve.
"I-it was morning, and now it's not. That BITCH. She took the whole day!"
Hoggle gestured for a refill. "She's the Fuath. You know what she's like. One step from the Teg."
"That doesn't make it right. It's not fair."
A wood-may leaned over the table and sneered at Sarah while re-filling Hoggle's tankard. "That's right, Princess. It's not fair."
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Ruslana." Ruslana propped the tray she was carrying on her hip and dumped a bowl of stew and a bread roll in front of Sarah, deliberately brushing Sarah with her thorn-encrusted elbows. Sarah just as deliberately didn't wince, and leaned forward. "Hoggle, why doesn't somebody do something? They've got no right to just take like that!"
"We don't do anything because they can take like that! It's only a day!"
Sarah opened her mouth again and then closed it as Toby ran in and flung himself at her. "SARAH! You should have seen it! It was awesome! We were testing the rigging on Melchior, the new dragon and then Sir Didymus took me up. We did loop the loops and everything!"
"Toby, it's very good of Sir Didymus to take you up, but you have to remember not to bother him." She hugged Toby tight with one arm-after ten seconds he started to squirm and she released him with a kiss on his forehead. Toby scrubbed at his forehead and then at his dripping nose with the same hand.
"'Twas no bother at all, fair maiden!" A short ginger kitsune with wiry hair bowed low over Sarah's hand and kissed it. "The lad is most valiant and would prove an asset to the Brotherhood of Riders."
Sarah withdrew her hand sharply and lowered her voice "He's also human, not one of the Teg. You know they'll never let him-it's a miracle they let you, and you're not human! It's not fair to give him false hope like that."
Sir Didymus gestured in the air and presented the flower that had just appeared in his hand to her with a flourish. "My lady, the only false thing about hope would be not to have any."
Toby grinned at them. "I'm going to ride a dragon, Sarah. I won't be stuck in the pits!"
Hoggle snorted into his beer, but Sarah ignored him. "Sir Didymus-"
Sir Didymus flashed Sarah a charming smile. "Thomas. I insist."
"Thomas, then. You simply cannot ignore the reality of life in the Castle like that. As humans, we're too valuable to risk. If we die out there, our lux animae is wasted."
Hoggle laughed out loud "Who was protesting that life wasn't fair and they had no right a second ago?"
Sarah flushed "I don't think it's right. But like everyone else here, I keep my head down so it doesn't happen to me."
Thomas arched an eyebrow knowingly at Hoggle. "Ah. The Fuath?"
"A whole day." Hoggle sipped his ale.
"My lady, you have been most greviously used. I can only ask that you allow me to make amends in some small way." Thomas began patting down his pockets exaggeratedly. "Now, where did I put that-?"
Sarah waved her hands desperately in front of her face. "Noble Knight," she began. Thomas's face lit up and he pulled a scarf out of his pocket. And then his face fell, as he continued to pull a conjoined string of scarves. "Sir Didymus!" Sarah sharpened her voice, but Didymus still didn't appear to notice. He threw the scarves onto the table, and Sarah grabbed the pile of material and pushed it to the middle. Thomas pulled a toad out of another pocket and gave it a startled look before setting it on the weathered wood. "Please, Sir Knight-" she said, pleading.
"Fair maiden, I have it this time. Just let me-" said Didymus.
Hoggle pulled Sarah back cautiously. "Hoggle! This never ends well. I have to stop him!" said Sarah.
"Because everyone else has been so successful? You'll never stop him," said Hoggle.
"That doesn't mean I shouldn't try."
Sir Didymus pulled a clockwork rooster out of his doublet, sighed, and threw it on the table next to the toad. It started ticking, and then ruffled bronze neck feathers and crowed a coarse clash of metal. Toby reached out excitedly, and in doing so jostled the lantern on the table. A bit of lux animae wafted out and onto the table. The rooster bent grindingly and drank from the puddle, then straightened, looking much more alert. He strutted a step or two, and appeared to catch sight of the toad. The toad phlegmatically shuffled to the left, and the rooster followed, an actinic light shining from his copper eyes.
Hoggle drank deeply from his ale. Sarah regarded the toad and the rooster dubiously. Sir Didymus was still muttering and patting his pockets, and she reached over and took his hands. "Sir Knight, you are valiant and chivalrous, but this offense is not yours to make reparations for," said Sarah, smiling at him.
Sir Didymus looked touched, and then bowed deeply over her hands, pressing a kiss to the back of them. "Fair maiden, your kind heart is only exceeded by your wisdom," said Didymus.
The rooster sidled closer to the toad, and Hoggle signalled for Ruslana. "A meal for the boy, and ale for the lot of us."
Sarah frowned. "Juice for Toby."
Toby looked up in protest and Sarah frowned at him fiercely. He puffed a breath of air that briefly raised his blond bangs, and poked at the toad, which ignored him stoically. The rooster arched over the toad and pecked it. The toad looked sour, Toby looked fascinated, and Sarah sighed.
There was a crash as the door flung open and a group of a dozen Riders strode into the room. "Wench! Mead!" Sir Owain, the tallest of the group, flashed a charming smile. A beetle girl raised her iridescent elytra, letting the filmy wings underneath partially unfold, leaning forward onto the table with excitement. Serafima poked a head covered with feathery flames out of the kitchen, saw the Riders and rolled her eyes. Sarah caught Serafima's eyes; they shared a conspiratorial smile. The Riders strode over to a table. The sprites occupying it hastily grabbed plates and bowls as they could manage and vacated. Sir Gaheris swept the table clean, half-finished bowls clattering and spilling their contents on the floor. There was a mutter among the sprites, and Sarah heard a hissed "Let it go!" A green hob rushed forward to lick up the spilled food, and a gremlin bustled around collecting the bowls and hurrying them into the kitchen.
"What are they doing in here, anyway? They've got the Dining Hall! Not like they have to eat down here with us common folks." Hoggle said, watching the Riders with a sour expression on his face. Sir Didymus looked at Hoggle steadily, and Hoggle said "Beggin' your pardon there, Sir Knight. I always think of you as one of us."
Sir Didymus bowed deeply "And I, for one, could wish nothing more than to be counted as such."
Ruslana came forward with serving tray, bearing hastily filled goblets of mead. She moved around the table dispensing them, hastily putting down the tray as she was pulled onto Dinaden's lap as he seized both her and a goblet with equal greed. Owain looked at Ruslana and then looked away with a set expression. Ruslana stared at Owain murderously for a second and then forced a smile onto her sharp face. Sir Didymus muttered "Here now. That's not chivalrous!"
Sarah laid an absent hand on his arm. "Hush. Ruslana can take care of herself," she said. Hoggle chuckled earthily. The inhabitants of the Common Room appeared to hold their collective breath.
Serafima flickered out of the kitchen, and placed a jug unobtrusively next to Ruslana. Ruslana grinned and refilled Sir Dinaden's goblet, and shifted her weight until she was hanging off the edge of his lap, held by his hand across her hips. Sir Dinaden absently drained his cup and put it down on the table, where Ruslana refilled it.
Sir Dinaden shifted in his seat, then winced, putting his free hand on his belly. He belched sonorously, which was greeted with cheers from the other Riders. Sir Dinaden released Ruslana to use both hands to hold his stomach. Ruslana slipped down from his lap and went over to the kitchen, where she stood in the door.
Sir Owain raised his goblet. "Riders!" The Riders raised their own drinks back and yelled raucously. Sir Owain got up and stood on the table, and goblins scurried to clear the brass lanterns full of precious lux animae off the table before Owain's gold-inlaid boots kicked them over. "My Lords!" The Riders yelled louder and waved their goblets. Fae at nearby tables ducked to avoid the flung mead.
Sir Dinaden had fallen sideways onto the bench and was clutching his gut and moaning. His gut was starting to writhe alarmingly. Sarah regarded Sir Dinaden with caution and said quietly "Toby. We'd better go."
"But Sarah, I haven't eaten yet!"
Sarah broke open her roll, slopped some stew into it and handed it to Toby. "There. Now we have to go." She loaded their dishes onto the tray in the centre of the table. A small speckled troll trundled over to collect it.
"The lass is right, young Toby. You should listen to your sister." Hoggle displayed his usual survival instincts by going to the wall, to give as wide a berth as possible to the table of Riders.
Sir Didymus bowed deeply and said, "Fear not, My Lady! I will protect you!"
Sarah ignored the fact that she towered head and shoulders over him and curtseyed as she got up. "Your chivalry becomes you, Sir." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toby reach back to the table, but by the time she turned around he was staring at her innocently, standing beside the empty table and dribbling stew down his arm. She grabbed Toby's other arm and pulled him after her, following Hoggle as they skirted the floor.
Sir Owain was still speaking on the table. "And it is on this very day, this glorious day, that we lead the raid on Drowned Ys and did what no other city has done in a hundred years!" Sir Dinaden sat bolt upright, turned a peculiar shade of greeny-grey and clutched the edge of the table. Sir Owain continued. "We rode our dragons right into the bitch and we TOOK HER HEART!" He brandished an organic-looking bundle the size of a large dog, that was glowing blue-white. "Enough lux animae for the whole year! And you know what's better?"
"What?!" the Riders chorused, drinking deep.
"Why, that we-bitch Goddess." Sir Dinaden had leant forward and vomited all over Owain's feet. Half-digested fish-heads slimed Owain's gold-inlaid boots, and the entire room recoiled from the stench. Ruslana laughed so hard she had to grip the door frame to remain upright. Owain looked down at the wreck of his fancy boots with narrowed eyes and then over at Ruslana. He flicked fish-heads off his boots as he went, scattering Teg and lesser fae alike with ichthyic slime. An echo of power started to sound around him and Sarah thought desperately Shit, he's calling on his dragon, ducked lower and hurried Toby along the wall.
Ruslana waited in the doorway, still laughing, until Owain was almost within arm's length (harm's length, whispered a voice in Sarah's mind) of her. She cast her lashes down, and swept a deep curtsey. "Fath-I mean, Sir Knight. I see that your great feats do not extend as far as your feet. Unless the raid on Drowned Ys was accomplished by smell? Certainly, I can see that such a thing would make them quail." Ruslana looked at Owain's thunderous face and burst into gleefully vicious giggles. "In case it is not plain, bathe thyself, thou reeky fen-sucked hedge-pig!"
Owain gave a strangled roar, and reached for Ruslana. Giggling helplessly, she ducked back into the kitchen. The aura of power around Owain increased, and his hand dropped to the knife at his side.
"Oh, balls," said Hoggle. Hoggle grabbed Toby's right hand, Sarah grabbed Toby's left hand, and together they ran for the door out of the Common Room, to the Cloisters, Sir Didymus trailing behind them. Almost to the door!
There was a crash and a clatter and a crunch and then Sir Owain was flung backwards out of the kitchen, landing on the floor with an audible thud. The light in the Common Room changed from dim blue-white to a warmer, more dangerous orange glare. Serafima appeared in the door of the kitchen, her alated arms growing longer until the pinions of flame touched each wall of the Common Room (a good fifty yards each side. With the portion of her brain that wasn't taken up with Get out, get out, get out GET OUT GETOUT, Sarah wondered how big Serafima actually was). Serafima's crest raised and the air sizzled. She paced forward and mantled over the unfortunate Owain.
"What are you doing in my kitchen?" Serafima's words came out as a wash of heat. The entire Common Room seemed paralysed. Sarah weighed up the advantages of moving and not-moving for a minute and then prodded Hoggle into motion. The group edged towards the door. Ten yards!
Sir Owain rallied. Sarah tried desperately to shut him UP, goddess, just let him apologise, Herne the Horned One, how can bravery lead to THIS MUCH STUPIDITY stealthily make the door before he opened his mouth, but she was too late.
"I? I was merely trying to discipline your kitchen wench!" Owain had raised himself up on his elbows, and didn't appear to notice Serafima's hackles rising. "Your staff is in need of a firmer hand than they receive! Your girl poisoned one of my Knights!"
Serafima's voice rose in a screech. "First of all, Sir Knight, I take responsibility for my own. Secondly, are you accusing me of serving poisoned food?" Flames shot from her wings and Owain fell back against the floor, eyes wide. Serafima raised her head. Her eyes were white, and Sarah flung herself forward, landing over Toby in the doorway and stuffing her fingers in her ears as a fireball expanded from Serafima.
There was a tremendous boom, and then the flame was gone as quickly as it arrived. Sarah raised her head cautiously. Gremlins huddled on the floor. The Riders appeared stunned. Serafima looked vaguely shocked too, which was-good?
Sarah turned her head and saw a pair of calves encased in leather boots. Oh. Not good.
"What," said a calm voice above her head, "Is this."
The stunned calm of the room disappeared. Sir Owain picked himself up, only to prostrate himself on the floor again, babbling excuses. Serafima dropped a polite curtsey and then retreated to the kitchen.
Ruslana entered the Common Room from the kitchen rather precipitously, clearly having been thrown out by Serafima. Sarah stifled a smile and Ruslana glared at her, before dropping her head and attempting to blend in with the walls. She'd actually begun to change colour from her usually greeny-brown when Jareth spoke again.
"I am so pleased to see my Riders are in such high spirits."
Sarah winced and quietly rolled off Toby, crawling back until her feet hit the door jamb and then pushing up to press her back against the solidity of the wood. Toby shook himself and then rolled upright. He started patting the pockets of his tunic. Sarah tried to catch his eye, but he avoided her gaze and she didn't dare make a sound. Jareth strolled forward, and Sir Owain pressed his face into Jareth's boots. Jareth shoved Owain away with a careless kick, then frowned at a goblin until it seized a piece of cloth and began polishing his boots. Sarah reached out and yanked Toby into the shelter of the doorway and slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle any cries of protest. Toby squirmed in her grasp.
"I suppose asking why there was a fireball in my servants' Common Room would be pointless?" Owain had, by this stage, recovered some of his dignity and puffed himself up to answer, but Jareth punctured his bombast before it began. "Owain-why is there a chicken on your foot?" Owain looked down, and indeed there was a chicken. Toby's chicken. Sarah closed her eyes in horror, and then snapped them open again as Toby squirmed out of her grip to go and collect his pet.
"Serafima. Do you have an explanation?" said Jareth.
Serafima poked her head out of the kitchen, crest demurely lowered at the back of her neck and blue eyes downcast. "No, Your Majesty?"
Jareth raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps I should rephrase. Serafima, give me an explanation." There were strange harmonics in Jareth's voice and Serafima was drawn out of the kitchen.
"I.." Serafima began, obviously fighting the Influence.
The chicken had been edging away from Toby warily as he tried to lure it back to him. It edged until it bumped against Jareth's boot and paused, seemingly fascinated by the shiny surface. Jareth looked down in surprise. Serafima backed away until she reached the door to the kitchen and then disappeared into the dark. The rooster pecked Jareth's boot.
"What is this metal thing?"
Jareth swooped down, grabbed the rooster by the neck and raised him to eye-level. The rooster, obviously possessed of more bravery than sense, raised his comb and attempted to crow, but his throat was throttled by Jareth's grip, and all that came out was a distinctly unmusical clank. Jareth regarded the rooster with an air of weary jaundice, then twisted his gloved hands over each other in a complicated looking gesture. The rooster condensed, seeming to grow transparent for a second before coalescing into a crystal ball. Jareth turned the crystal ball and looked into it, then carelessly flicked it from one hand to the other.
"Please, Your Majesty, may I have my pet back?" said Toby.
The entire Common Room turned in unison to stare at Toby who was bravely marching towards the Goblin King. Sarah was frozen in horror, Didymus whined quietly deep in his throat and Hoggle grunted.
"Huh. Obviously got brass ones, he does."
Sarah turned to stare at Hoggle in disbelief, and Hoggle qualified, "Talking about the rooster!"
Sir Didymus nodded enthusiastically. "Indeed he does! I got him from an artificer in the pits, and I assure you he is anatomically correct!"
His tail wilted along with his enthusiasm as Sarah turned her disbelieving stare on him.
Jareth had decided to be amused. "Well, you're a likely lad, aren't you! And what's your name?"
"Toby, Your Majesty. Toby Williams. And that's Hancock."
"I-see." Jareth regarded the-crystal-ball-that-had-been-Hancock with an enigmatic look. Jareth bent down to Toby's level and held the ball out. "Your pet? Well, I like to see a lad with a little initiative. As a matter of fact, you've reminded me of my mission here."
Jareth straightened up. "Hear this-the Court of the Faerie Queen is coming to treat in two days time. Serafima, you will work with Truckle and Spritch to ensure a magnificent feast. I want young Toby here serving-outfit him as a page. Owain-" Jareth's gaze rested for a second on the fish-slimed hall "Clean yourself and this mess up, man." With that, Jareth turned to exit the common room, throwing the crystal ball over his shoulder as he did so. Toby dived to save the ball as it first became larger, then recognisably became Hancock again. Hancock opened his wings and desperately tried to fly. He landed with a noisy crash on the common room floor, bending the bronze feathers on one wing. Sarah huddled against the doorway as Jareth swept past her and felt, more than saw, a smirk.
"Well," said Hoggle. "That's a hell of a mess."
Toby's pocket croaked.
Sarah kicked her feet out over the edge of the leviathan. The stacks were warm against her back and clouds moved leisurely by below over a patchwork quilt of greens. They were over farming country at the moment. Hopefully that meant that the raids would net a grain other than oats. Spritch cooked well, but tended towards unexpected flourishes. Time before last, the porridge had had puffin's feet in it. Sarah considered herself lucky that Serafima cooked for the servants. She'd rather have good plain food any day!
Claws clicked on the metal platform behind her and Serafima said, "Young Sarah Williams, should you be out here?"
Sarah turned and grinned at Serafima. "Should? Weeeell, technically speaking, probably not, but Truckle sent me to give a message to the Riders and didn't specifically tell me to come straight back. So I'm taking an hour."
Kobolds toiled in the distance, mining the excess leviathan shell at the edge. They dumped the metal scale, each flake many times bigger than a human, into a cart sitting on rail tracks. A kelpie waited patiently until the cart was full, ready to pull it back into the pits to be processed. Sarah knew that each kelpie was as tall as she was and half again, but from this distance they looked like ants. But then, they were living on the back of a leviathan-to it they must all seem like ants. She wondered if the leviathan even realised that thinking beings were living on it.
The Cloisters spread out from the mining and branched between buildings like veins. Sarah saw a familiar blond head by the Dragon Mews, with Sir Didymus next to him.
"There you are." Serafima sat down on the edge next to Sarah, and placed a plate of bread, cheese and fruit between them. Sarah grabbed a slice of apple, paired it with a slice of cheese, bit into it, and moaned appreciatively.
"Serafima, why don't you run the main kitchens?"
Serafima held her hand over the plate for a minute before choosing a slice of roast pumpkin and topping it with salted ground nuts and spice. "Mostly because I can't stand the Riders, dear. Idiots. Thinking I would poison food!"
Sarah looked at Serafima for a second and Serafima looked back seriously before her beak gaped in a grin. "The poison was in the drink, of course!"
Sarah laughed. "Of course!"
"I'm a cook, not a chef. Oh, I can do all the fancy twiddles, but I don't enjoy them. I'd rather spend my days making things taste good than look good. Which is why Spritch is head of the main kitchens-he cares about appearances."
Sarah nodded, and spread a slice of bread with dried pear paste and topped it with blue cheese. There was silence for a moment, and then Serafima said "And what were you thinking about so seriously, young Sarah?"
"This and that. Do you think the leviathan knows that we're alive?"
"Oh, absolutely! Didn't you ever wonder why you only ever see leviathans this big when they're cities? They don't grow that big in the wild, y'know. They need a steady source of lux animae to get this big and then keep growing. And the Teg are the ones who can channel lux animae into a pool and the king-"
"Or queen," interrupted Sarah.
"Or queen," agreed Serafima with a smile, "are the only ones who can link with the leviathan to feed it the lux animae."
Sarah took a huge bite of bread and spoke around it. "Oh. Is that why the king can tell it where to go?"
"It is indeed. I don't know what your parents were thinking, not telling you this before."
Sarah swallowed, and shrugged. "I don't know what they were thinking either, but I doubt it was about me."
"Has anyone heard from your mother, child?"
Sarah looked down at the platform and traced along the edge of a scale. "There was a rumour that she'd left Drowned Ys for the Eastern Wastes, but no one knows for sure. I can't even speak to anyone who spoke to her directly in Drowned Ys."
"Oh, child." Serafima drew Sarah to her plump chest, and Sarah allowed herself to be comforted by the scent of cinnamon and myrrh that wafted from Serafima's feathers. The pocket of Serafima's apron moved.
"What-?" Sarah drew back and Serafima laughed and upended her apron. Hancock tumbled to the deck, all ruffled bronze indignance and copper curiosity.
"That damn bird!" Sarah flicked his wattles, which rang with a warm chime. "Why don't you serve him up for dinner?"
"I doubt even my skills can make metal tasty, if you're not a dragon. Besides, he drank lux animae. He's as alive as you or I! It was only a tablespoon, true, but how much life does a metal rooster need?" said Serafima,
Sarah brightened. "We could feed him to a dragon!" Hancock tilted his head and then pecked viciously at her hand. Sarah withdrew it just in time. Hancock's beak struck the deck and the impact shivered through to his tail feathers.
Serafima laughed. "Dragons get fed the choicest of scale. They're fat and lazy, when they're allowed to be! Why would they want to go chasing one scrawny chicken around? Because Hancock would almost certainly object to being eaten. And what would Toby say?"
Sarah grimaced. "I don't know why he needs a rooster as a pet. Although it's better than the damn toad." Hancock preened under their gaze and then began strutting round them aimlessly.
Serafima sighed. "Hancock was chasing the toad through the kitchens this morning. Spritch was eyeing them for the porridge pot. I managed to pick up Hancock, but the damn toad got away. I don't know where it is."
"Mmm." A breeze stirred up one of the clouds below and a tuft drifted up to the edge of the leviathan. She kicked her feet through it, enjoying the cool damp. "Serafima, Toby's got his heart set on being a Rider. I don't know how to discourage him."
Serafima looked sad. "Do you think you should?"
"We're-Serafima, we're human. That rare beast, 100% human! We're too valuable as a source of lux animae. You know they'd never let Toby on a dragon. They won't even let me down when we dock at the markets to trade!"
Serafima raised a sardonic eye-crest at Sarah. "Ah, but Sarah, you're not only a source of lux animae, you're a source of potential sources of lux animae. Of course they're not going to let you go."
"I wish the Teg could generate their own lux animae. I'm sick of losing days every time I catch the Fuath's eye."
"Losing days happens to us lesser fae too-though not with as much frequency. Less lux animae, y'see. I think we all wish the Teg could generate, dear. I'm amazed that no one's tried that particular experiment. Imagine it-the gathering and channelling of the Teg with the generative powers of a human!" Hancock stopped strutting for a second and eyed them, a look of unexpected intelligence in his mad eyes.
"I'd hardly call you a lesser fae, Serafima. I didn't even know you could do that-" Sarah's hands shaped the air incoherently-"in the Common Room before."
"I'm just a cook, Sarah. The fire powers do come in handy, I will admit, but I am just a cook."
Sarah crumbled up a slice of bread and scattered it before Hancock, who scratched the ground but appeared otherwise uninterested. Serafima detached a small bag from her waistband and upended it on the platform. Steel and brass shavings heaped between them. Hancock clucked, sounding content and then began pecking at the metal scraps. Sarah looked at Serafima and Serafima shrugged. "He's like a dragon-made of metal and needs metal to grow," said Serafima.
"Speaking of dragons and Toby-how am I going to persuade him away from being a Rider? It's an impossible dream," Sarah said.
"I think it depends on how hard you dream. Look at all this!" Serafima's gesture encompassed the entire leviathan. "Leviathans in the wild are maybe ten to fifteen yards. Dragons are smaller than a person-unless they find an easy source of ore, they just don't grow! Dragons prey on leviathans! And yet here we are. Dragons you can ride on, dragons that the folk bond to, leviathan-cities-"
"Firebirds as cooks!" Sarah smiled at Serafima teasingly.
"As you say. Firebirds as cooks. I'd better get back to the main kitchens-there's a lot of work to do. More, 'cause those damn Riders grabbed more people when they raided Drowned Ys and I have to make sure Spritch doesn't spoil the food, produce a feast AND train up new staff-speaking of which, there are some humans. If you could come and help with the orientation, it would be appreciated." Serafima gathered up the plate and swept the crumbs from the bread and the metal over the side. Hancock gave a squawk and chased after the metal shavings, and Sarah shrieked and grabbed him by the tail as he dove over the side.
"Idiot bird." Sarah tossed him up onto her shoulder, where he wobbled briefly. Serafima chuckled and reached out a clawed hand to scratch his throat. Hancock crooned a brassy shimmer and arched his neck.
"Come on, girl. There's work to be done."
Sarah ducked under a fall of gauzy silk and into the door of the hall. Sprites were flying the silk up to decorate the ribs that vaulted the Dining Hall. She smiled at Sir Didymus, who was directing a crew of goblins into scrubbing the tables that ran the length of the hall. Truckle saw her and called out "You there!" but Sarah ducked her head and held up a hand.
"Can't stop, Head of Hall, I'm on an errand for Serafima!"
Truckle didn't look happy, but didn't detain her any further as Sarah hurried into the kitchen. A dark-haired man was standing by the main bench, gaping at the activity around him. Sarah tapped him on the shoulder.
"You're the new guy? Serafima asked me to show you around. Hand me one of those baskets by the bench, grab the other and follow me."
Sarah weaved through the kitchen, then looked back. New Guy was standing slackjawed as an eight-foot-tall gryphon carrying a tray of freshly baked pastries bore down on the bench that New Guy was standing at. "Oh, for crying-" she reached out and yanked him out of the way. "Lesson one, New Guy. About the only thing that will get out of your way are the sprites, and that's just 'cause you're bigger than them. Everything else, get out of its way, especially if it's carrying something hot. Now, follow."
"That-that was a gryphon!" New Guy was stammering, but at least he was following. Sarah passed the stoves.
"Yep. And that's a gremlin, and those are sprites, and that-" Sarah indicated Ruslana, who sneered at her, "is a wood-may." She reached over and grabbed a bowl of sweet carrots with sesame from the stove beside Seraphima and tossed it at New Guy, then grabbed a second one for herself. "This is the main kitchen. Food for the Riders and the Court gets prepared here. Us servants eat in the Common Room, where the food's usually better anyway. It's round the back, to the left of here. I'll take you there later." Serafima smiled at Sarah. "Usually, no one cares if you eat as you go, but with the feast, ask before you grab something unless you know that there's enough."
"But-you didn't ask." New Guy sounded bewildered.
Sarah stuffed her mouth full of the contents of the bowl and spoke around it. "'at's because I know there's enough." Sarah placed the bowl on the trolley of dirty dishes and ducked out the side door, into the Cloisters."That was the kitchen, and these are the Cloisters. Stick to them, unless you know where you're going-dragons don't eat flesh, but they're not above taking a snap at something that irritates them. You don't want to be under their feet in the Landing. Also, the Riders like to scare the lesser fae. We use the cables to strap to in times of high wind. Make sure you always have a harness and clip on." The covered walkways branched, and Sarah took the right branch. Up ahead was a huge scale set at a slight angle in the ground, with a bar attached. Sarah nodded to the lindwyrm beside the door, and then waited as it squirmed over and wound round the handle, the scale edging over as the wyrm contracted. "Lindwyrms understand our speech, but we can't understand theirs. They're poisonous, so never try and open this door yourself-even if you got gloves, it weighs more than you do. If a lindwyrm isn't here, grab a troll. They're not affected by the poison. Do you understand, New Guy?"
"Why-I, yes, I understand." New Guy hastily swallowed carrots, and looked around bewildered. He placed the bowl on a strut beside the scale.
Sarah sighed and grabbed a torch from a barrel beside the door, dipping it into the fire. "You'd better collect that on the way back. In the leviathan, we use fire-they're largely fireproof, since they're born in lava. Up on top, we build from what we raid-mostly metal, straw and wood. If it's flammable, we use lux animae. Be careful with it, it's precious and-" Sarah glanced sideways at Hancock, who was still perched on her shoulder, "unpredictable. Speaking of lux animae, look down when you're around the Teg."
"Why, are they that stuck up?" New Guy sounded surprised.
"They're thieves. They'll steal lux animae from you if you meet their eyes, and you'll lose time." They walked past a room spilling out gold light into the passage, and Sarah nodded into it. "Salamanders sleep in there. Nice things, but they get hot if they get excited. Best if you don't go in."
"I.." New Guy stopped in the middle of the passage and threw his basket of food down. "Look, can you stop treating me as if I'm stupid? I'm new, but I am able to think! And my name's Mark."
Sarah propped her basket on her hip. "But I-" Hancock twisted to look at her, and she took a deep breath. "Sorry. It's just this damn feast, and everything has to be perfect, because you bet his majesty will notice if it isn't. But you're right. Shall we start again?" Mark smiled at her and she noticed that he was-kind of cute, actually. "Hi. I'm Sarah. Where are you from?"
Mark took her hand and shook it. "I'm Mark. I'm from all over, although lately from Drowned Ys."
"Wow-actually from Drowned Ys? The raiders bought back a huge bundle of lux animae from there! Can you imagine? What's it like living with so many humans?"
Mark held up his hands. "Living with humans is nothing special-this is AMAZING, though. I've never even seen half of the folk that live here. Ys is a pretty big city, and I've heard that there are gryphons out in the Haunted Heights, but I've never actually seen one! Is lux animae that glowing stuff?" Sarah nodded, and started walking again. Mark picked up his basket and strolled behind, starting to laugh. "It's precious?"
Sarah thinned her lips. "It makes the leviathan fly and grow! So yes!"
"It's just-we have an entire river of the stuff in Ys. It floods every night!" Sarah glared at him and he held up his free hand. "It's the truth! Would I lie to a pretty girl?" Hancock made a leap off Sarah's shoulder and scrabbled at Mark's chest, clawing and pecking. "The hell?"
"Hancock! What in leviathan's name-" Sarah grabbed at the rooster, holding down his wings and cutting her finger on one of his pinions. "Ouch! I'm sorry. I don't know why he did that." Hancock escaped from her grasp and ran up her arm to her shoulder again, where he glared offendedly at the world.
"No harm done." Mark extended a hand to her basket. "Want me to take that while you stop your finger bleeding?" Sarah looked unsure, but let him take the basket as she hunted through her pockets and bound her finger off with a scarf. "Anyway, I don't know why you'd think the worst of me! I'm completely trustworthy!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and grabbed her basket back from Mark. "Absolutely trustworthy? Whole rivers of lux animae? Who ever heard of anything like that!"
"Can I ask questions?" said Mark.
"Sure. This place runs on gossip, so I don't see why you should be left out!"
"Where are we going?"
Sarah's jaw dropped and she looked blank for a second. "Didn't I say? Usually everyone eats in the Common Room, but we've got no time for that today. Besides, Serafima's in the main kitchen, so we're bringing food to the pits."
"... What are the pits?"
"You're-no, you're not kidding. Sorry, you don't know this stuff. Um, well. You know how leviathans are constantly growing? Well, the shell grows first and then the leviathan inside grows to fit. If you keep taking the shell from round the edge, the leviathan doesn't grow any bigger, we get metal to make stuff. Sometimes we stop mining, but bigger means slower too, so we don't generally. Um. What else? The metal gets refined in the pits, which is where everything gets made." They passed a ladder, leading up to an opening in the shell above. "The dormitories are up there. No light and it's pretty cramped, but all we ever do in there is sleep, so it doesn't really matter. Anyway, the pits are pretty horrible-dark and hot. There's a lot of light-sensitive fae down there, so carry your own light source and careful where you wander 'cause a lot of things will eat you if your light goes out. You'll probably end up in the pits after the feast."
Mark looked around and made a face. "Great."
"Unless you have any other skills?" said Sarah.
Mark shrugged. "I used to work as a baker."
"Oh! Then you won't be in the pits. You'll probably be with me in the kitchens!" Mark smiled at her and Hancock shifted discontentedly and clucked. She reached up a hand and scratched Hancock's chest. "Almost there. Hey, Mark?"
"Hmm?"
"Why aren't you freaking out more? I mean, you've just been seized by raiders."
"What, your Riders? They're not so scary. Besides, why would I freak out when I've got a pretty girl to charm?" He smiled at Sarah and Sarah smiled back. "Seriously-I've spent most of my life travelling. And I've always wanted to see a leviathan. I figure when I get bored, I'll just leave!"
Sarah snorted. "My dad, Toby and I came here when I was eight and Toby was just a baby. I don't think you're going to find it easy to leave."
Mark puffed out his chest. "No one can stop me from going where I want to!"
Sarah rolled her eyes and Hancock fixed a mad eye on Mark. "How would you get out then, genius?"
Mark's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Then: "Oh. Erm. Well, I'll keep it a secret until the crucial moment!"
"Uh huh." Sarah shared a glance with Hancock.
"Well, I'll be sure and take you with me when I go! Your beauty can only inspire me to greater courage!" Mark bent and kissed her hand and Sarah blushed.
"We'd better hurry." said Sarah, looking away from the torchlight in the hope of disguising her flushed face. Hancock fluffed his feathers with a musical sound.
"One more question," said Mark.
"Mmm?"
Sounding plaintively confused, Mark asked, "Why do you have a metal chicken on your shoulder?"
"Sarah Williams! Plates to the kitchen to rewash! Everything must be sparkling."
Sarah planted her fists into the small of her back and arched until her body was bent like a bow. Achelois, her back ached! She grabbed the stack of plates, supporting it on her hip. She trudged across the hall. Leviathan. The end of this day couldn't come soon enough.. She got to the heavy push door of the kitchen, turned and leaned back against it. Who had closed it? Then she heard voices. Ruslana, and... Mark?
"Drowned Ys is amazing. You know that all the secrets of the world come there? There's someone called ‘L'Inconnue' who knows everything."
Sarah peeked through the porthole window in the door. Ruslana was at the sink, and Mark was leaning on the dish-trolley beside her. Ruslana flicked water at Mark. "If it was so amazing, why'd you come here! Oh right-you were captured by Riders."
Mark grinned at Ruslana brilliantly. "Riders? They're not so scary. I've spent most of my life travelling. And I've always wanted to see a leviathan. I figure when I get bored, I'll just leave! And I'm not likely to get bored when I'm talking to a pretty girl such as yourself!" Sarah's lips parted. That was the exact same speech he gave to her!
"Huh. I bet you've got no idea how you actually would leave." Ruslana wiped a plate half-heartedly, watching Mark out of the corner of one eye.
"I do too! But I'll reveal it when the time comes." Mark sounded mysterious and important.
"Well, you'd need a dragon, or a flying fae. But none of the fae here would help you, and have you worked out how you bribe a dragon? Or even talk to one?" Ruslana said.
"I... no. But I'm sure you'd help me, wouldn't you, sweetheart?" Mark leaned in, seemingly untroubled by the way Ruslana's thorny arms were moving back and forth as she scrubbed a pot with particular viciousness.
Sarah kicked open the door and marched over, dumping the stack of plates loudly on the trolley. "I thought I was going with you!"
Mark grinned, and slipped an arm around Sarah's shoulder, drawing against him. He rested his chin on Ruslana's shoulder. "You can both come with me! The more beautiful women, the better!" Ruslana snorted and elbowed him with malice, and Sarah ducked out from under his arm. "Sarah?"
Sarah couldn't make her voice work for a second, and then said "I thought-I. Sorry. I have to go now," and she averted her face and ran from the kitchen.
"Great view from up here," said Hoggle. Sarah jumped as Hoggle sat down beside her on the stairs halfway up the largest chimney stack. The crumbling brick behind her radiated warmth, and Hancock was pecking at the lichen that grew on metal deposits from the smoke. Sarah turned away to wipe her face, grateful for the gathering night. Fluffy cumulus clouds were still bathed pink by the setting sun and cumulonimbus clouds advanced their anvil-heads with the darkness. "You want to talk about it?"
Sarah sniffed, and smiled wanly. "Not really-I just. I was stupid, and it was embarrassing. I just want to be special and to have adventures. I guess there's not a lot of chance of that here." Her gesture took in the smoking stacks, and the bustling Landing. Acthnici and Salamanders had been let out of the pits and were wandering around, causing what was no doubt chaos from the ground, but bathing the Landing in a golden glow. Truckle was looking harassed and directing goblins in polishing the scales, and will-o'-the-wisps giggled as they bounced through the air.
"I think," said Hoggle slowly "That adventures would be downright uncomfortable for folks as is having ‘em. History ain't made by sitting at home."
"Oh, it's just. I wish. I wish-," said Sarah. The sky lit up as lightning flashed between the clouds. Hancock screeched, and Sarah sighed and picked him up as a crash of thunder sounded.
"Come on, girl. There's a storm coming, and I don't mean just the weather," said Hoggle, spitting over the side.
Sarah gathered her legs under her and stood still for a second, the strengthening wind whipping her hair around her.
"I wish I was anywhere but here."
To Part Two