Chapter 118: Bargains and Betrayals

The sun rose over the village of the fairies and trickled down its golden rays into serene gleam of their natural habitat. But to Viktor and Alfonso, this place had no meaning since the two had stood at one end of the village square and sweat oozed from their foreheads. In the morning, the two were carrying giant stones up the valley into their fairy supervisors' watchful gazes, whose faces denied every possibility of an act of misbehavior. "This is preposterous," Alfonso grumbled, wiping the back of his hand across his face. "We are not prisoners-we are hostages. And now they are making us do their dirty work." "Shh," warned Viktor, glancing at the guards standing around them. "We need to find a way to get them to trust us. Complaining isn't going to help." Alfonso tossed another stone onto the pile with force and glared at Viktor. "You really think there's trust to be won here? They loathe Lleus-and, for that matter, us. They're not going to save us regardless of what we say." It wasn't until later that night, once more, that both found themselves in the company of Eldarion and the fairy council. This time, however, the ruler of the silver-winged fairies had as much contempt for them as curiosity. "Anything to say?" Eldarion asked, itching his back with his staff. "Yes," Viktor said, stepping forward despite the weight of his chains. "We understand your pain and your anger. Lleus may have wronged you in the past, but he's not the same man he was then. He's changed and is willing to make amends. If you help us save him, I swear he'll give you the key to your realm." The fairies murmured amongst themselves, their soft susurrations rising and falling with the breeze through the trees. Eldarion gave no reaction. "Do you take us for fools?" he said icily. "You say nothing worth hearing. We have no surety of Lleus's word. Why should we take a risk to help you? Alfonso stepped out, speaking on a completely flat note. "Because when Lleus is dead, that's dead as well-being allowed to ever return home. He's the only one who can offer you anything close to that. Think this through-this might just be your last chance". Eldarion regarded them, his bright eyes flashing a moment of uncertainty. Then he shook his head. "You have given us no reason to trust you. Until you prove otherwise, you will remain in our service." The days that followed were hard labor: the toughest jobs, like digging irrigation ditches, rebuilding what had been destroyed, and carrying weights around the village, were left to Viktor and Alfonso. One couldn't even sneak a sneer; the fairies wore their displeasure on one's face, meaning the men never had a chance to rest. "Either they torture or play with us." Alfonso growled, pushing his cart full of boulders up the hill. "Probably both," Viktor replied dully. "But we have to do this. And if we give up now, we will never see that spider rose flower." On one evening that Viktor and Alfonso spent sleeping in their tightly mashed tent, both overhear the guarded words spoken by two night guards that stand outside of. The council has decided," one of them said. "The mortals will be sold to the elves. Adam Weasley's troops are coming to fetch them." Alfonso's ears went rigid with alarm as his eyes flew open to their full diameters. "You heard? You're sending us over to the elves! Viktor's jaw squared. "Not on your life. Not that we have to let this little elf-man treat us disrespectfully. Because it will also be just as well, and most probably worse in the case of Adam Weasley getting defiled paws on us. We got to convince these fey for reason before it is too late." The following day, Viktor and Alfonso were dragged once more before the council. Viktor was much more desperate this time. "You are making a grave mistake," he said to them with the firmness in his voice respectful. "If you hand us over to the elves, you're not just condemning us—you're condemning yourselves. They'll have absolutely no care about your plight, your realm. They'll destroy you like they do everything else standing in their way.". Eldarion frowned but said nothing, his face a mask. "Lleus is your best hope," Viktor said. "Save him for us, and he'll give you the key to your realm. I swear it on my life." The silent council exchanged uncertain fairy glances with one another until at last Eldarion spoke up. "You are bold, mortal," he replied. "But this cannot be bought with words only. We shall have to continue discussing this matter further yet." --- Elves Arrive Just as the council was almost coming to an agreement, a distant horn let out a blaring sound. The fairies stilled like statues, their eyes wide with horror. "They are here," a guard whispered softly. Adam Weasley led his legion of elves into the village, making a bright splash in the sunlight through their armor and fixed faces. Adam himself was handsome, the cold blue eyes surveying the villagers with disdain. "Fairies," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "I hope you have what we came here for." Eldarion stepped forward, his face a mask of indifference. "The mortals are here, as promised." Viktor and Alfonso were dragged out, their chains clinking with each step. Adam smirked, his eyes passing over Viktor. "Well, well," he said. "Perhaps Viktor is no longer as formidable now that he is in prison. Tables did indeed turn." He only glared at him but said nothing more. --- The Dilemma of the Fairies As the elves prepared to carry Viktor and Alfonso off, the argument between the fairies erupted like a flame: "Are we really going to give them to them?" she whispered. "Yes, they are right about the elves. They will use and discard us." Eldarion raised his staff to quiet them. "That is enough," he said. "We have much to consider carefully. This will affect not just us but generations of our kin. Adam, who couldn't wait, stepped forward. "What's taking so long?" he asked impatiently. "We don't have all day."