Relief washed over the siblings when they finally spotted the road. A second wind bubbling up inside them, they hurried along to make up for lost time. The road was well maintained, and they managed to get across it without any trouble.
Finally, their journey had reached its destination when they came across a gated entrance. On either side was a wooden fence stretching along a wide open field to the east and several fields with various crops to the west. Down the middle and straight up north they found a yellow house two stories tall, sitting on top of a small hill. Looking carefully, the two siblings saw movement on one side of the house, but it was too far away to make out what exactly.
“This must be Danaus’ place. Just act natural, okay?” Spiracles warned.
“He’s not a criminal, Spiracles. Everything in this place says that he’s just a farmer.”
Spiracles winked, “Exactly! Keep up that thinking, but let me handle him.” He adjusted his cap and started trotting to the yellow house, while his sister rolled her eyes and followed him.
“Aw, little changelings!” came from a female voice. The siblings made an abrupt stop and looked around the field until they spotted an orange hippogriff’s head in a patch of tall grass. She started making her way toward them until she’d exited the grass. She wore a stained blue button-up shirt, sleeves unevenly rolled up and her violet mane was pulled into a knot with some leaves stuck to it. “Ooo so cute, I could eat ya!” She appeared friendly enough, but that was before they noticed the gleaming machete in her claw.
“AAAHH!” the siblings screamed, Calyx jumped and hid behind Spiracles who slowly backed away from the rough looking greeter.
“Wait! I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!” The hippogriff dropped her machete and flew gently towards them, giving them a welcoming smile. As she landed by the scared siblings, her eyes widened. “Oh no, you two look terrible!” She crouched and inspected their scratched up chitin, thenproceeded to gently caress Spiracles. “Those geese tore you up like a rag, huh?”
“Yeah… how’d you know?” Caryx asked.
“Easy, Gawlfer’s obnoxious pet birds are the only things that would do that around here. Bloody Oak is a peaceful place and Gawlfer has been nothing but trouble ever since he moved.”
She placed her talon on her chest and said, “I do my part to keep the trail clear as possible for visitors travel on, but it’s no good when his birds keep harassing anyone who uses it. I keep warning him, but now he’s definitely crossed the line.”
“Actually-” Calyx began, but was quickly cut off by Spiracles.
“We appreciate your concern and all, but what my sister wanted to say is that we can't really afford getting sidetracked. We’re on our way to Danaus.”
“Oh cool, I'm Facia Fairytale, his wife.” She flared her wings. “Welcome to Aura field, our sweet home. What ya can I help you with...?” She scratched her beak thoughtfully. “Perhaps, treating those awful wounds?”
“Nah, we changelings are made of tough chitin and can take this and much more,” Spiracles said posing his scratched up body.
“I’d like to get this all cleaned up, actually,” Calyx said as she looked herself over.
“We just want to talk about a favor with your husband,” Spiracles said as he turned to give Calyx a quick glare, to which she just rolled her eyes. "Of course, I'm more than willing to repay it. So if you can lead us to him we can discuss more on it.”
She cocked her head. “A favor? Do tell! Dan and I work mostly together on everything. What made you come here?”
“Our father got taken by the RAF a while back in the plaza market,” said Calyx. “Then they chased us down for no reason.”
“Oh dear!” She covered her mouth in shock. “Are you two completely on your own here?”
They both nodded with a sad look on their faces.
Facia squeezed both changelings in a tight hug. “Don’t worry little changelings, we certainly can take you in!” Both Calyx and Spiracles let out a pained groan as they felt her sharp talons digging in their skin. “Don’t you worry about a thing, all this terrible business is over. You two can be part of our family. Ooooh, I’ve always dreamed of having kids of my own!”
“WHAT!? NO!” Spiracles pushed to keep his face out of her chest. “We want him free. We’re asking you to help dismiss the charges.”
“What!?” Facia eyes widened and promptly let them go.
“Please, we think something terrible will happen to him,” Calyx added. “He has a serious illness that needs to be taking care of daily, and worst of all, he doesn’t know how to read… must be having a hard time now."
“T-this is some case with the law, it’s far too big and complicated for us to do anything about.” She stood up, but when both siblings ears drooped,she gave them a worried look. “I’m sorry, but this is an issue that should've been brought to a lawyer, or perhaps to King Thorax.”
“Well, that’s just great.” Calyx turned to her brother frustrated. “See!? That’s what I said in the first place!”
“B-but Pa told us that Danaus could help! Don't you two have contacts with the region's underworld or something?” Spiracles asked, looking for anything to get out of this mess.
Facia shook her head. “We’re just a couple of farmers, I have no idea why anyone would say that.” She sat and crossed her arms. “To think he knows us like- who is your father anyway?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Polistes.” They both replied in unison.
Facia’s eyes went wide as her wings flared once more. “I…” She shook her beak and stood up. “Come, little-lings. I’ll show you to Danaus.”
“So you do know our dad!” Spiracles stated as they both followed the big hippogriff through the trail in the open field, finally getting close to the big yellow farmhouse at the end of it.
“Umm no, not really. I never got a chance to meet your father.” She got off the trail, going left and the changelings followed. “But I'm still very grateful.” She signed. “If it wasn't for him, I never would’ve met Danaus. My true love bug.”
“Aww, how cute! It really pleases me to hear that dad helped you out somehow.” Calyx trotted to the hippogriff’s side. “Polistes isn’t a bad changeling, just misunderstood. I hope he gets to meet you so you can see for yourself.”
Facia gave a soft smile. “Don't worry, we'll bring your father back--Gah!” She immediately ducked and shielded the changelings with her wing as a pipe levitated just overhead.
They got up to see a huge water tank that sat at the far left of the field, standing firm on wooden beams right next to a stretching field filled with unknown plants.
“Dan!” Facia shouted as several pipes soared throughout the field landing between the plants one after the other. “You almost gave me a crossbill beak with that!”
Beneath the water tank was a purple changeling looking at a blueprint with his horn glowing. He flicked his head to them, then got up and trotted their way.
“Sorry hon, you alright?” Danaus eyed her up and down, ignoring the two little changelings on her side. “I was trying to be as efficient as I could mounting up the irrigation system.”
“I'm okay.” Facia glanced at the field, half of it already having lines of steel pipe sitting there. “Hmm, sure is looking neat, good job.” Facia got on Danaus side and extended her wing, her feathers gently caressing his back. “Just keep an eye out when you do that hun.”
He touched her beak and smirked. “Hm, a crossbill would be interesting though…”
Every feather on her body bristled as she furrowed her brows.
Danaus let a sheepish smile and. “It was kidding! You know I love you just the way you are, my blooming Sunset Dahlia.” He then turned to the little changelings standing in awkward silence. “You kids…” He noticed the scratches on them and turned to Facia. “Let me guess, the geese out causing trouble again?”
“Yeah, but we can talk about it later. There's something more important, Dan. This is Spiracles and Calyx, the children of Polistes.”
“Really!?” Danaus sat down. “Wow time really flies fast! Last time I ever spoke to him was when he moved to Thorax's hive. Now look, he has kids, all grown up and all. What's that ol’ rascal been up to?” He glanced around. “Where is he?”
“The RAF took him… they're going to take him to prison,” Calyx said and watched as Danaus eyes widened. “Can you help him out? The last thing he told us was to reach you.”
Danaus felt some talons gently stinging his shoulders, he turned to look at Facia who rested close by his side giving him a half smile. Uncertain on what to expect but, nevertheless, ready to support the outcome.
“Of course, your father was the only changeling that had my back when the Union turned on me.” He reached out his hooves to their shoulders. “I'll gladly return the favor and bring him back to you, little-lings.” The two siblings smiled at him and Calyx tail wagged side to side. The sight warmed Danaus’s heart, then he glanced over the scratches and stains on them. “You two have been through enough for today, so go ahead and clean up at the house. You’re free to use the restroom on the second floor. Wouldn't want that old-ling to see you two like that, huh?” He winked.
“Thank you, sir,” both changelings said in unison.
“No problem.” He smiled. “I'll head out now and bring Polistes back before the end of the day.”
“He's an efficient changeling, you can trust him on that!” Facia added.
“Now go on, Facia will join you in a minute.” Danaus waved at them as they made their way to the house.
“You sure you can do it, Dan?” Facia asked.
Danaus took a deep breath and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Yeah, there's… a method. It's ugly, I know you definitely won't like it, dear.”
Facia covered her beak, her eyes filled with shock and her feathers bristled. “Oh Dan…”
“No, I'm not busting him out like some lunatic! I haven't lost my mind yet.”
The hippogriff let a sigh of relief, letting all her feathers to lay down.
“So bring me, the saddlebag, dear,” He said as he turned to head over to the backside of the house.
“What do you need that for?” Facia asked. He paused, then turned to face her.
“Where else am I going to carry the bribe?”