The Chronicles of Ravensong

by Ravensong

5. Into the Summerlands

Chapter 5

Into the Summerlands

The very air clung to Raven as she stepped through the door between worlds. For a second she could not breathe, the air was so tight. Then with a pop, she was free. Her jaw dropped.

Eiru was stunning. A million shades of green as far as she could see. Except for the sky. There every shade of the rainbow danced in an eternal borealis.

She and Fás were in a field. There was no path, only old cairns here and there to mark the way to the nearby forest. Fás was already past the first cairn, and still moving. He had not noticed that she was not with him. Raven looked back, hoping for one last glimpse of Graz.

Two standing stones, twins of the ones in Corvid, met her gaze. The graceful winged, bipedal creatures here, though, were worn yet colorful. Precious stones were inlaid into their wings, which sparkled and shone in the ever shifting light of this place. Raven’s ears drooped. The portal had closed behind her, all she saw was more field.

She turned back toward Fás. He was past the second cairn, still moving. She broke into a fast trot to catch up to him. The breeze picked up, carrying sweet and exotic scents to Raven. She slid to a stop. The breeze also carried tiny… things. Raven squinted her eyes and gasped. They were tiny ponies with gossamer butterfly wings, and every bit as colorful as her fellow ponies in Equestria. They laughed as they rode the wind, fluttering their wings for more speed.

Behind them were tiny winged creatures. Raven gasped. They looked just like the statues only very small. At most, three acorns stacked might equal their height. They did not notice Raven, they were so intent on chasing the tiny ponies.

They whirled and swirled in the breeze, yelling and laughing. Raven could not help but grin at their antics. The moment shattered when Fás called out to her. She frowned at him and ran to catch up.

“This place is dangerous.” Fás admonished her.

“You could have waited.” Raven retorted. She kicked a pebble ahead of her.

“You should have kept up.” He snapped back.

Annoyed Raven pranced ahead. “Not my fault you have no heart.” She snapped in return. She kicked out at him, her hooves flashing. Fás jerked his head to the side, his jaw still hurt from when she had last kicked him. She laughed and bolted towards the wood.

Fás growled. Of all the possible beings in all the worlds, ‘Lio had to pick one that would be difficult. He did not change his pace. This was his home, and he knew she would wait for him at the edge of the forest.

Raven had no intention of waiting for him. She quickly changed her mind when four bipedal beings stepped out of hiding and leveled weapons at her. She sat and slid to a stop. They were tall, taller than her, standing at around six feet. They wore leather and wooden armor, their blades made of bone and green stone or wood. Raven tried to give them a friendly smile but that faded in their stare. Their eyes were star marked voids, the same as Fás.

He was chuckling as he caught up. Her ears flattened along her neck at the sound. But she started as he entered her peripheral vision. She knew he could change his shape but this was somewhat different. Fás wore a crown of stars.

The guards took one look at him and saluted, standing to the side to allow him to pass. Raven stayed close to him. The suspicious stares of the guards made her skin crawl.

Soon the tree canopy covered them, and the shifting multi-colored light faded into shades of green. The smell of ancient trees and moss enveloped her. All Raven could do was follow Fás in mute awe.

They started seeing others, more of Fás’ people as well as other species. Raven was silently thankful when Fás quietly took to giving these beings names. Breezies and fairies were what she had seen earlier. There were also griffons, which she knew. She was surprised by the oddness of the centaur as they galloped past. Water spirits were named naiads and the water horses that played in the streams with them were niskies. Fás explained that there were also tree spirits like the naiads, only they were called dryads.

The sleek, spotted dogs that accompanied some of the Aes Sidhe were called pookas. Fás explained after one ran up to them and licked Raven on the nose.

Raven had started to relax and enjoy the exotic sights and sounds of this primal forest when they came to a great hedge, a living wall that stopped their progress. There was a commotion at the gate. Fás chuckled. The odd bipedal goat, he explained, was called a satyr. It was drunk and the guards were not happy. As they waited for the gate to clear, Raven tried to imagine what was behind the hedge.

Fás leaned over to her and whispered into her ear “While here, do not reveal to anyone your true name.”

She gave him a puzzled look but nodded. After a moment’s pause she asked, “Wait. Does that mean I don’t know your name?”

He chuckled. “That’s right.”

By this time, the guards had ushered the drunk satyr away. Fás, chuckling, started through the gate. She shot him a glare and followed. There was a pain of sadness in her heart. If Graz was here, he would have explained about the names. She shook her mane and holding her head high, she followed Fás through the gate. She wanted more than anything, to make Graz proud of her. Just like, once, she had wanted from her father. In her heart, she knew she would rather die than let Graz down.

All thought fled when they cleared the gate. In this place, the forest grew with a purpose. The tree branches grew to together, intertwining in an intricate weave to create a castle of trees. Brightly colored glass nestled in the gaps to form windows that sparkled in the green shifting light. They entered together, guards nodding or saluting Fás. Raven’s wonder grew. What a first glance was carvings, turned out to be patterns grown in bark. The interior was white and looked like marble with rainbow patterns dancing around the structure. But the floor was warm with the life of the living trees.

In silent awe, Raven followed Fás through this fantastical structure until they came to a large room with an equally large curved table. Fás motioned her to a seat at the edge of the room and left without a word to her. She sat and watched.

Creatures were slowly coming into the room. Some took seats around the outer curve of the table. Others seemed to be messengers, bringing information to those seated and taking information away. Not even half of the seats had filled when Fás entered with two others of his kind. One was older, much older, and was listening to Fás talk as they entered. The other looked angry and turned away rather than enter the room. The older male seemed to sigh, then he waved Fás away and took a seat at the highest point of the table’s outer curve. Meanwhile, Fás returned to where he had left Raven and sat down without a word.

She was about to ask who the other two were when the older male called the room to attention. Raven could not understand what he was saying, but the language he spoke was beautiful. It reminded her of soft singing and the wind in a field.

This seemed to be a court or council. Creatures came in when called, discussions were had, and they left. Fás sat looking bored out of his mind. A sudden thought struck Raven. Her earrings! She rummaged in her saddlebags until she found them.

The talking changed the moment she put them on, the round stones dangling into her ears so that all sound passed through the holes. Suddenly she could understand.

It was every bit as boring as Fás looked.

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Fás nudged her with his elbow. She woke up with a start and blushed slightly as he glared at her, wiping drool off his shoulder. All eyes were on them. She blushed even more. Fás stood up and motioned her ahead of him. Raven gave him a confused look. He sighed and leaned down to whisper into her ear.

“You’ve been called before the council. This is why we came. Go stand inside the curve of the table.”

Raven’s eyes grew wide and she half stumbled, half walked to her position before the council. The assorted beings stared at her and she just wanted to hide. Her knees quaking she listened to the older Aes Sidhe as he addressed Fás. His answer was to introduce Raven. “May I present to the council, Heliotrope’s chosen successor, Ravensong.” Fás stepped backwards, leaving Raven alone before the council.

Silence. Several heartbeats of pure silence. Someone coughed. Finally Raven, not knowing what was required of her, squeaked out, “Hi?”

More silence. The one who first talked, who walked in with Fás, leaned forward and in kind tones asked, “How old are you, Ravensong?”

“I’m…. twelve… um… sir.”

There was an eruption of noise as council members started talking all at once. “Too young!”

“We can not entrust the safety of our people to one so untested.”

“Unheard of!”

“Too young!”

Raven felt shame wash over her as the council leader slammed his hand to the table in a bid for silence. But it was an odd, rustling voice from the entry behind Raven that caused silence to descend.

“If Heliotrope chose her, than guardian she be.”

A slithering sound approached Raven from behind. She risked a look. The female that approached seemed to have bark for skin. Her hair was thickly grown weeping willow branches. She seemed to wear no clothes, her bark-skin leaving nothing to be covered. Each foot fall was slow and deliberate. Tiny roots burrowed into the ground with each foot fall and lifted up with each raise. Tree spirit, thought Raven, this must be a dryad.

“Guardian Willow.” Acknowledged the old Aes Sidhe. “Thank you for joining us.”

“M’lord.” She turned toward Raven. “We who have lived so long tend to forget, we were all young once.” She reached toward Raven and with gentle fingers turned Raven’s head so she could look into her eyes. “But this one is not untested. Her heart is strong. Tell me, child, what did Heliotrope have time to teach you?”

Raven whispered, “How to fly.”

“I see.” A murmur started among the council again, but Willow held up a hand and it fell silent again. “I will train her, in a place where we will have…” She paused and smiled. “Time.” She turned and slowly left the room.

Fás rushed over to Raven. “Follow her!”

Raven gasped and raced after Willow. She sighed with some half hearted relief when she noticed that Fás was still beside her. They caught up to the dryad, making her slow way along the hallway outside the council chamber.

The trio left the palace and proceeded to a nearby clearing. Willow seemed to sigh as they stopped, her legs sinking down into the soil. Raven sat down nearby and Fás sat next to Raven.

“Guardian Willow.” Fás started.

“Just Willow.” She sighed. “Unless you intend to call your friend by such formal titles as well.”

“No.. ma’am.” He seemed to falter. In that moment, Raven suddenly liked him more. Fás seemed more normal in his discomfort.

Raven was about to ask why they called her Willow, was it because of her hair when Willow turned her forest green eyes upon the filly. “Yes, but more because the tree that I am tied to is as willow tree.”

“Tied to?” Raven asked.

“I share my life with my tree.” Willow simply said.”

“Is it nearby?”

“No dear, it is hidden far from this place.”

Fás finally spoke up. “What place were you talking about, Willow?”

She laughed, “None of your concern, little prince.”

Fás bristled at being called little, but Raven was just made more curious. “So, what, you’re just going to take her away?”

Willow tilted her head at Fás. Raven gave him a curious look.

“Well?” He persisted.

“And what concern is it to you, child of summer.” Stated Willow.

Fás stood up, fuming. He started to say something, muttered inaudibly under his breath and stormed off, leaving Raven alone with Willow. She sighed sadly.

“I am sorry my dear child, but he is… conflicted. It is sudden, but the longer we take, the more danger we are all in.”

“Because of… the civil war between the Aes Sidhe and the Aos Si?”

“Correct. But never forget, they are all Tuatha.”

“Oh.” Raven seemed perplexed.

“Are you ready to learn, little Ravensong?” Willow asked kindly.

Raven was still a moment. She thought about Graz and his mother. She thought about Phyra, grieving for a lost egg. She thought about Dulce and Innig and Tremolo and everyone she had met and had started to care for since she fell down into the crater where dragon’s bones slept among eternal rose blooms. She even thought about Fás. What came to her strongest, was when she thought about her father, Cinder. What had been done to him by Skull. What Skull had tried to do to her. And it hit her. What might Skull be doing to other ponies while she sat there trying to decide if she wanted to travel again. Her lips pursed and she looked up at Willow defiantly.

“I’m ready.”

And the glade shifted.