ShipTeaser

  The kobold grasped the pickaxe in furry paws and smmed it down into the rocks that were softly illuminated by the nterns strung up on wires across the tunnels. The reassuring shopact jolted him, aruck again and again, chips of rock flying, and the motion was echoed by many other kobolds, all busily w away, with pickaxes, hammers, shovels and more.

  “Look-see, reasures!” one barked excitedly, pulling free a number of s of shinial.

  “Yes-good, keep digging and we will find more!” A Foreman barked happily, and after keeping some for himself, the kobold tossed the rest into a mine-cart, to be taken away. With renewed vigour at his rade’s find, the kobold tio hack at the rocks, striking until his paws were tingling and his muscles were ag with a warm, reassuring glow. It was good to mine, without being forced into it like sves, grubbing in the dirt, as had happeo the kobolds too many times in the ret past.

  As he was thinking this, his pickaxe shattered the rocks in front of him, strikial with a delightful ried, his eyes opened wide, and he bent down to brush aside the scattered debris, only to be greeted by a most wele sight, glittering silver-blue metal ores, as well as some shiny blue gems, not sapphires, but something more precious.

  “What happy-joy! Bluesteel ore, bluestones!” he barked, delighted, and that drew over many more kobolds, as well as a few other workers, mostly dwarves, who now had their own mines, but sometimes went into the kobold ones, when searg for specific resources.

  “Most impressive, quite the find-haul!” the Foreman barked. “Bluesteel is highly-most sought after. Much rewards, many praise!”

  The kobold grinned, showing his es. “Yes-quite. But the bluestones are best of all!” To kobolds, bluestones were lucky, and a favourite c gift. Taking his share, the kobold then passed the rest of the ore and bluestoo the cart. It was amazing that they were allowed to keep a det share of their treasures, not being worked like sves, and as another kobold began to wheel out the full cart, the kobold went back to work, seeing if his luck would hold and further treasures would be uhed before the end of his shift today, when perhaps he would go see a kobold specialised in crafting, or perhaps a dwarf, and see if he could have a neckce made, as there was a kobold he had his eye on, and her fur was as soft as silk, her ugh iious and her manners kind….

  ********

  Pushing the heavily-den cart along the tracks, the kobold watched many of his kin e and go. It was strange seeing so many from different s w the mine, as usually the kobolds tried to hide, to be beh notice of the pure-blooded Fae that ruled the Seelie Court. Seeing the occasional ratkin or weaselkin in the mine was enough to make the kobold tremble a little, but he soon steeled himself, knowing that other than a bit of disdain, he wouldn’t suffer any worse fate.

  “Well, that looks a fine load.” Okin said, ing over. He was wearing goggles and heavy overalls, as well as thick gloves. Even so, his exposed fur and skin was singed and stinking. Instinctively, the kobold panicked, seeing the presence of a beastkin Fae, even one from a reviled group like the ratkin, before he remembered where he was.

  “Yes, not bad-terrible.” The kobold barked nervously. “Many ores and gems. Some shioo.” He said, referring to a number of red and e Etherites that had beehed.

  “Great, great, good work.” the ratkin rubbed his gloved hands together, tail shing happily. “We barely keep up with demand right now, even with all the other mines. Did you get any bluesteel ore?” he asked, and the kobold barked agreement.

  “Excellent. If I could trouble you t it to the workshop area, that would be appreciated. Boss Ixitt has a new prototype that needs a ton of it…” with that the ratkin strode off, leaving the kobold to sigh in relief. The relief was short-lived though, as another voice soon spoke out.

  “Well, that was rather iing a versation.”

  The kobold nearly released his mine-cart in panic, before calming down. “You startled-scared me!” he protested, ashamed. Nothing bad had happened since he and his fellow sman had emigrated from the backwaters of the Seelie court. In fact they had been weled warmly by other s, and the Fae here did nothing. Even so, old fears still lingered, and it would take quite some time before the kobolds and other persecuted creatures of the Court who had found their way here could fully trust true Fae.

  Beholding the speaker, he paused, astohe figure was a kobold, yes, but not one of the e kobolds that made up the vast majority of the popution, but… blinking in surprise, the kobold muttered a few words. “To see one such as yourself here, a pure, high kobold…”

  “I hardly was expeg to be here myself. There are so very few of us left.” The small, dust-covered man said, looking like a dwarf at first ghough on closer iion one would see that his proportions were less short and stocky, and more childlike and thin. The man wore dusty overalls and was carrying a hat burned with a flickering indigo glow. “o be nervous. We don’t look down on the s who… who ged.”

  The kobold whimpered a little at that. It was the ge that had relegated the kobolds to little more than persecuted toys and sves to the stronger, purer Fae. Others had ged as well, such as goblins. Few of the old race were left, and they were far more furtive thahe kobolds, though he had seen some lurking within this Territory…

  “o be shamed.” The high kobold soothed. “I came because I heard rumours many kobolds made this nd their home, and they were happy here, free from tyranny. I see you are still mining. Good. I like the mines.” The high kobold smiled, and for a moment his skin looked stony, but that erhaps a trick of the flickering ntern-light. “So, tell me, how does my estranged kin fare?” He reached down into the cart and sorted through the ores and gems. “Are you being worked unfairly, exploited?”

  “No not-never.” The kobold decred, still somewhat awestrueet such a rare kin here, of all pces. “We pay tithe yes, but we get to keep-cim much, and we have homes to live, security. Fun.” The kobold sometimes watched the weaselkin musis practice, ae his fear of weaselkin, he found the music beautiful. “Good food for all, safety too.”

  “I see.” The high kobold let the ore drop from his fingers. “Well, perhaps I shall… dig a little deeper… and see what else I find out…”

  ********

  “Yes, great, over there!” the ratkin, one of the many mortal engineers under Ixitt, one of his numerous sons, gestured to the loading area that had been structed. As the kobold emptied out the maals and ores onto the rge ft surface, other ratkin, weaselkin and dwarves began to sort the metals and ores, sending important ores to be worked with Alchemy, while the metals were sent down a different tramediate use.

  As the kobold retreated, his task plete, the ratkin had already fotten him, like his father, oo get engrossed in his work to the exclusion of all else. Gathering up the bluesteel ores within, he quickly carried it to the first testing area, where the earlier prototypes of the Alchemy mae were waiting, atteo by numerous mortal engineers of many different races.

  With his chest puffed with pride, the ratkin was delighted to be part of what was surely the rgest sihering of mortal engineers in the nds of the Fae. Well, he amended, adjat to the Fae, at least. It had even gathered some foxkin and other inquisitive Fae, and while some had worried they might be spies, trying to steal secrets and sabotage the efforts towards progress, his father had decred them to be trustworthy, true seekers towards enlighte, stists and mortal engineers all, so they had been accepted. So far there had been no issues.

  “Great, more ore!” one dwarf said, eager, rushing over to see the spoils. “That’n be bloody excellent. T’st load was diverted tae Master Bjarki’s fe, workin’ on ons for t’princess and the boss man. About time we be getting’ our share, right?” His grin was broad, and the ratkin couldn’t help but agree, though obviously they were sedary to the needs of the Territory owners.

  “Well, that’s why it’s good that we have so many miners nowadays. I hought I’d be gd to see so many kobolds and dwarves about. More miners, more resources!”

  “Yes, I am quite-quite ashamed myself.” One weaselkin engineer said happily. The ratkin had worked with him before, as he was one of the group that Prince Shaetanao, the father of the princess here, had fostered, but with father and daughter reuhe ability to e and go was taken franted, as everyone knew how overly doting the Prince was towards his you child, and the mortal engineers were taking advantage of that to join Ixitt’s grand schemes.

  “Father always did say that just as it was foolish to revile all ratkin merely because Sheshelob had led most of us in rebellion and into the arms of the Unseelie…” The ratkin said wryly. “It is as foolish aructively ignorant to denigrate goblins, kobolds and others who have ged over the turies…”

  “To think that stubborn, spoilt brat of a princess was-was the o in all these diverse Fae.” The weaselkin chuckled, knowihe bad temper and legendary arrogance of Shaeu Tu Shae Dannan. “She has most-most definitely ged.”

  “Father says so as well. Master Ulfuric too. Well, it might be because of her chosen husband. Father says he is rather fasating. I’ve barely had ce to speak to him, more’s the pity.”

  “Well, mortals do have some strange ideas. Speaking of Boss Ixitt, where is he? I would have thought he’d be here for the - round of testing.”

  “Apparently father has returo the mortal world. Damn, I wish I could go as well.” The ratkin pined. “It sounds like there is so much to see and learn. These guns we are making, they are inspired by mortal ons, yet apparently they are feeble in parison to the best mortals achieve.”

  “I wonder why-why Boss Ixitt is not here? After all, his experiments oing lightning are most important to him.” The weaselkin engineer pined as the modified prototype of the Alchemy equipment was brought over. It was a strange boxy device, in which the materials to be purified and separated were pced. The bluesteel ore ut within, and the sides, inid with shards of Etherites and alse, twisted patterns of metal threads, lit up as the mortal engineers poured in their aether.

  “I hear he has found someoeresting to verse with….” The ratkin mopped at his sodden fur as the device activated, the Etherite shards glowing, several of them shattering explosively. “…by the moons, another partial failure.” The ore had been purified, the bluesteel and other metals within separated out, and it was noticeably more effit than Alchemy alone, but even so, it was too often breaking for tinual use.

  “I guess that is why-why Boss Ixitt wishes the lightning? Do you uand it?”

  “I am afraid not. Father expined, but I don’t quite get it. Oh well… at least the bluesteel is ready for the on manufactory…” Putting doweaming box, notig that in addition to the shattered crystals, some of the wires had snapped, melting away, he sighed. ”I’ll go and see if we find any more Etherites we requisition, you work on repg the… circuits, I think father called them?”

  As his fellow mortal engineer waved him off with a bitter snort, he found himself w just who his father could have found that was iing enough to keep him away from all the advances in mortal engineering here…

  ********

  Quae, the ratkin maid-in-training, headed towards the Rhyming Tree to rendezvous with her fellow maids, her steps dragging as she passed the haughty-looking and ill-omened raven-haired elf who oversaw some of the military pnning ierritory. Scores of weaselkin and ratkin were lining up in strange formations, armed with many of the strange neons her dad had put together. Shaking her head as she passed, she felt bad thinking of the elf as unfortunate, merely because of her hair colour, even if that was traditional. Her dad had ofteiohat zy stereotyping and ging to pathetic mysticism was going to be the downfall of the Fae.

  Uhe shadow of the colossal Tree, she could see many of the rge bees that inhabited the Territory were buzzing about, pollinating the rge orchards and many pretty fl pnts and medial herbs that were growing there. A tall, red-haired figure was talking to the bees like they were pets, patting one occasionally, others water.

  “Good, yes, keep it up. There’s plenty more ar avaible. And Akio really liked your honey. So I’d be most grateful if you could… oh, yes, I don’t mind.” Somehow the Dryad was interpreting the buzzing and also the sweeping of the reflective wings. “Another hive here would be fine, so long as you don’t bother those who are busy.” The Dryad’s smile was kind, and for a moment Quae was lost in watg her, before she realised her mistake and bit back a curse. Clutg the hem of her maid outfit, so uhe ones back at Court, yet very pretty, so that she could run unimpeded, she was going to try and make a break for it when she spotted a familiar face, and called out, waving.

  “Brother, over here a sed!”

  At her call, the mortal engineer, bundled in thick gloves, coat and goggles, rushed over.

  “Quae, sister, what do you need? I’m in a hurry, I need more Etherites, the Alchemy Box blew up again.”

  “I don’t care about your stupid box.” She sniffed, letting her hem fall, hands on hips. “If I wao be a mortal engineer I would be, like you and my other brothers and sisters. No, I need you to check if Head Maid Hyath is in the orchard. I know she likes to grow things there, and … I don’t want to run into her.”

  Her brave Qualia quite the exasperated look, as if to say that she was wastiime doing something foolish, befreeing. A mier he was back, saying there was no sign of her. Relieved, Qualia dashed towards the Rhyming Tree, hurrying through the orchard, waving at her brother. “Thanks. I owe you one!”

  Not paying attention to his muttered pints, she reached the Tree and started leaping up the woodehat spiralled around it, until she reached the top, where a stunning view of the Territreeted her, as well as soft, pleasant music, the weaselkin musis uillyae practig some strange melodies, which sounded nothing like traditional Fae songs.

  “Ah, there you are, Velna, Klena.” Qualia saw her instructors sitting at a table towards the edge of the… café, it was called, she believed. Gng around, she could see various Fae seated on tables, enjoyi aion from their daily bours, while others served them drinks and delicious-smelling food. Taking a seat, she let out a long, relieved sigh. Moments ter a server came over, and soon she was drinking a refreshing blend of juices, aing some sort of tasty vegetable stew.

  “Exhausted, I see. Well, it must have been tough-tough, waiting on the princess and the master.” Klena iserated her. “To say nothing of standing before mighty Primal Forest.”

  “Really, that was fine. From what I see, the princess and he won’t punish us too harshly if we make mistakes. He won’t.” she slurped at her juice, careful not to spill any on her uniform. “Really, how you stay calm around Head Maid Hyath. She’s really scary!”

  The two weaselkin maids exged gnces, grinning. “Yes, she is indeed-indeed.” Velna agreed. “Back at the mansion, when… whehi wrong, I worried that she would kill-kill us many times. She takes serving so seriously…”

  “It is her whole life-life.” Klena agreed. “Even now she is one of the master’s es. She could be pampered like the princess, but-but…”

  “I think she o serve to hold onto herself.” Velna finished. “Do not-not judge her too harshly, as we did. She is quite kind, so long as you do your best. And if dahreatens, you would be gd-gd to have her…”

  “Yes, she is a bat maid of old-old.” Klena ughed. “So, while it is just us, let me ask you something.”

  “All right.” Quae agreed, the residents from above. The army was still drilling, smoke was rising from the factories and workshops, everywhere she looked Fae were going about their lives, always busy, but seemingly without oppression. “Ask away.”

  “I wonder why did-did you choose to be a maid? It is not an easy role.” Velna said, a touch of pride in her voice. “After all, we serve the rulers of this Territory, and if we perform badly, well, the Head Maid is ruthless.”

  “Yes-yes. We were bad maids, and were lucky to have a sed ce.” Klena said, eyes distant, perhaps remembering something horrible, and Quae recalled the dark rumours she had heard about the princess and her maids.

  “There are many other tasks that you could do. Like helping out in the…”

  “No way!” she protested. “I’m not following dad and most of my family into mortal engineering! It’s dirty and messy and painful. At least being a maid I get to retty outfits and keep myself groomed. Besides…” she grinned. “Isn’t a maid important? You’re trusted with secrets few others know, able to be a part of your lord or dy’s life. I’ve got ambitions! I’m going to be somebody! Dad keep his explosions and his toys, I’ll work my in my own way!” she chewed her lip then, a little frustrated. “Though dad was delighted when he heard. It annoys me a lot!”

  “Oh. I see.” Klena smiled. “I do not-not think you o worry overmuch. The master does not seem ied in us.”

  “But Hyath is ravished by him regurly…” Velna pouted, eyes distant.

  “Surely you don’t want him to…” Quae said, surprised, and she jolted, startled out of her reverie.

  “No-no, of course not. I was just remembering something shameful. Yet necessary. It all worked out. Klena came back, even if the others…”

  “Well, this gloomy mood just won’t do!” Quae decred, waving. “More drinks. Something stronger!” she cried, and soon they had mugs pced in front of them by one of the servers, a short, human-like figure, looking a bit like a child, with pale green skin and small horns at his temples. As he left, she pursed her lips. “That’s a goblin, right? You don’t see many that still have their sanity nowadays.”

  “Yes, all-all you hear about are the twisted fiends of the Unseelie, the ibals, frenzied warriors and abominable perverts…” Velna agreed. “Though clearly not all goblins have fallen, just like the trolls and giants. A few remain true.”

  “Well, enough of that.” Qualia chugged at her foamy mug, warmth permeating her. “Do you think we’ll be called upon, or do we have some free time? I’d love to go see some of the hts this Territory has to offer.”

  “I think it will be fine-fihe Head Maid said master had other important matters to attend to, that did not-not require us.” Klena drank as well. “You knoarently this is just-just the beginning. The princess says this is modelled on a high-css hotel skyscraper bar, whatever that is. They have pns for a o, a cert hall, which I guess is some sort of pce to hear music…” she g the still-practising musis. “… and more. Ohing is certain. They do not want-want the Fae who dwell here to be bored.”

  “Not just Fae, right? Yokai too. I’ve seehose cats…” she shuddered. ”… something about cats always scares me. Then there’s the bees, and I hear we have living trees too, as well as other races. Plenty of mortals e and go as well. I saw them earlier, but I was too nervous to approach them. I don’t know how dad goes amongst them. Don’t you think that’s odd? How so many groups live in harmony?”

  “Because of a vision. The princess is Fae nobility, and of Yokai royalty too. The master, he is the ruler of this domain, and a man of influence. You see some of the mortals, but some-some that the master loves, they are nobles of the mortal world.” Velna decred. “Together, they want to create their own world. And having quered the Spring of Clear Refles, who - deny them?”

  “Yeah. My dad is crazy for them. Ugh, do either of you know what electricity is? Dad was raving about it st time I saw him, saying it was the ao all his problems. Ugh…” she finished her drink, calling for another. “I’m gd we get paid, so I rex like this. I didn’t think servants got paid. Do you?”

  “Before, it was the honour of serving, but now we are told a fair day of work requires a fair pensation.” Kleed, and a booming, gurgling ugh came from an unlikely source, a troll sitting on aable. It was dev a massive k of meat, likely culled from some sort of massive i, the type that pgued the borders of the Territory.

  “If troll want to eat, troll must hunt. Now troll hu a fed again. Me happy!” he grunted, before drinking from a massive, half-barrel sized tankard.

  “Even trolls see it, it seems. I’m more and more impressed.” Qualia ughed, slightly tipsy. “Well, now that the Head Maid is away, let’s py! I ’t believe dad was all I wao offer Akio a few of my daughters, but he said no, well done on burying the moat!” her snort was bitter. “I’m not doing it for that! Though…” taking ane swig, she gnced up at the silvery skies, lightning fshing across it. “…anyone who build this little empire is worth taking seriously. Especially if they make my crazy dad take notice…”

  ********

  The goblin nodded politely to the weaselkin who was in charge of the café, before scurrying off, his shift over, arms full with a rge ed package. O the base of the Rhyming Tree, the goblin hurried past the groups of many different Fae and other species, heading deeper into the Territory, where he dwelt in a small, yet cosy room. Reag the door, he checked to see nobody was around, then he knocked several times in a pattern.

  Moments ter the door opened, revealing moblins, a dozen of them. Stepping inside he shut the door, before produg some leftovers he had been given after his shift from the heavy buhe goblins fell on them greedily, dev them.

  “I have been here for weeks now.” The goblin said, a little exasperated, but uo tradict the chieftain and his allies, who had takeer in his house, entering the Territory unnoticed, and making no effort to join in with any stru or other work. “The Fae, they do not oppress aher than their haughty attitude, all are treated the same.”

  “It is too soon to be pt. The prihat rules here is a fickle creature who hates lesser races. It is known.” The chieftain spat when he was finished with his scraps.

  “It is known.” The others echoed.

  “Well, I think she has ged, or the rumours were wrong.” The goblin said. “She even plimented me once when I served her a drink, I saw no disdain in her eyes. Besides, you should reveal yourselves. There are oblioo. We are not numerous, not anymore. We should…”

  “Those are fallen s. Not fallen like the vile twisted creatures that were once our brothers and sisters, no, but they have no… no link to the first goblin.” The chieftain shook his head.

  The goblin who was hosting them sighed. “Maybe not, but I have seen unruly trolls or drunk weaselkin be punished for causing trouble or injuring kobolds. I think what I have seen and learned is proof enough. And I ot tio support you all, I am drawing suspi already, when I asked for leftovers. Please, by the first goblin, just at least work.”

  The chieftain frowned. “Well, you are one of us. I shall remain hidden, for I still guard the sacred treasure, our link to the first goblin. You others…” he gestured to his ente. “Go with him and do what you o.”

  Somewhat relieved, but still a little irked the chieftain was shirking his responsibilities, the goblin bowed. “I shall take them to one of the Kamaitachi whanise such immigrants. As warriors, perhaps you might wish to fight, or…” as the goblin ushered them out, he barely heard the words of the chieftain as the door shut behind them.

  “… hope this is a pce we trust. The treasure, it is not safe. Soon we shall have to move it again, and our options are limited…”

  ShipTeaser