To Peter’s surprise, Estelle happily took to such mundane tasks as sewing the ripped balloon and splicing frayed ropes. Celery mumbled something about sewing gems inside the balloon, though he didn’t catch what enchantment she had planned for them. The entire canopy had been dismantled and sorted into piles, and he stood there with Marla dreading putting it all back together.
“If we abandon the cannons, there will be far less weight for us to carry,” he suggested.
“Terrifying things, really. How else would we defend against a dragon while in the air?” Marla asked.
“Hmm. Maybe not, then. Technically we don’t need the wings in order to fly or even steer. They’re mostly for gliding in case the balloon goes cold.”
“Do they really need to be able to fold up like that? Your toy had rigid wings.”
“That was to reduce the size of parking space we need. Not necessary to get back to the city, no, but the airship will take up more room when not in the air.”
“Why not build it from living plants instead of dead ones?” another voice asked from behind him.
Turning to see Honeyhips, Peter blinked a few times. “I don’t know how one would go about it, for one. When it’s dried out like this it’s a lot lighter, for another. Stronger, too, usually.”
“Your dead plants aren’t as strong as my live plants. Celery is pretty good at enchantments for a quarterling.”
“I don’t think we have time to grow and shape plants. Besides, plants tend to die when you pull their roots out of the ground.”
“Not when the roots are in pots, silly. Let’s see if your dead plants remember how to be alive.”
Peter looked at Marla, whose eyes widened as she held up empty hands and shook her head. Running her hands over the basket, Honeyhips walked around it. In her wake, buds swelled, and shoots burst forth, unfurling leaves.
“Much better,” she said proudly when she came back to stand in front of Peter. “I’ll have to make some pots, though. I’ll be back.” She skipped off into the trees and vanished from sight.
“She’s a little strange,” he said.
“So are you,” Marla answered, though she seemed too surprised to give her usual laugh.
Groaning, Peter stopped procrastinating and started rebuilding his airship.
Either the four women had been joking about the orgy, or they were every bit as tired as Peter. Regardless which, he woke rested, if a bit stiff. It had gotten surprisingly chilly after the sun set, so they were all huddled together for warmth. The living moss Honeyhips lined the basket with was comfortable to lay on, making for a good night’s sleep. The irregular tapping sound suggested that it was raining. Thankfully the deflated balloon was secured above the basket, creating a tent.
His bladder became too urgent to ignore before the others woke, forcing Peter to try extricating himself without disturbing them. He thought he had managed it, but the whiny grumbles as he walked away sounded like at least one was only feigning sleep.
When he returned, Peter started trying to figure out breakfast, but Honeyhips and Celery quickly appeared to chase him off. Pretending he was only leaving because they needed water, he carried some skins down the hill in search of a flowing stream.
The forest was peaceful and quiet. Walking downhill until he heard the sound of a waterfall was relaxing and loosened his back. When he finally broke through the underbrush to the waterfall, it wasn’t anything special. There was, however, a large enough pool of clear water for Peter to fill the skins he had brought.
A brief flash from the exposed clay of a bank caught his eye, distracting him. Approaching, Peter found a crystal face that barely protruded. It took at least twenty minutes, but he managed to free what turned out to be a crystal point the length of his forearm. A dunk in the stream and rub with gravel showed it was nearly as clear as glass and lacking any impurities to give it colour. Satisfied, he stood and started back the way he had come.
Not long after that, he realized he had no idea how to get back to the Sky Turtle.
Hoping he had chosen the right hill, Peter kept going.
“What’s it doing?” asked a rough voice above him.
“Carrying a big shiny,” a second similar voice answered.
“See that, but why?”
“Because it can. Would if you could, yes?”
“Too big.”
“For you, not it.”
“Shh, it hears,” said the first as Peter paused and looked up into the trees. Two ravens were perched up there pretending to be more interested in preening than watching him.
“Hi there,” Peter called up calmly. “I have more shinys in my nest. Smaller ones, ones you could easily carry. But I can’t fly and have forgotten how to get there.”
“It talks like us?”
“Heard it.”
“Talks to us?”
“Nonsense.”
“It looks right at us.”
“Yes, I’m talking to you; I can see you and hear you. If you help me find my way back, I’ll give you each a nice shiny.”
“It offers? Why?”
“Strange, yes.”
“Help it?”
“Help it.”
“Oh, thank you. My name is Peter, by the way.”
“Peter.” Both ravens called his name over and over as they leapfrogged from tree to tree, guiding him somewhere. He was a little suspicious, though, as he hadn’t told them anything about his nest.
When he saw the Sky Turtle through the trees, he realized his suspicions had been unfounded. But Peter was surprised to see the balloon was now inflated, the ropes tied in a net over top now flowering vines. The smell of something delicious cooking elicited a rumble from his stomach.
“Do we have something we could share with my new friends here?” he asked as he approached. The two ravens swooped past to land on the rim of the basket.
“Of course!” Celery and Honeyhips said in unison. While they offered some nuts, Peter put down his treasure and retrieved a handful of small crystals.
“As promised, some shiny rocks of your own,” he said, setting out the stones for the birds to choose for themselves.
“Where did you find this thing?” Celery asked.
Peter turned to see what she was talking about. Of course it was the massive crystal. “I saw it sticking out of a riverbank. Why?”
“If I enchanted a crystal this size, it could probably carry the basket back to the city on its own.”
“That would be a waste, I have a better idea,” Honeyhips said, picking the crystal up and running to the front of the airship. She produced pipes from somewhere and started playing a tune. The living basket quickly grew a trunk sticking out like a bowsprit. A head took form, and she put the crystal in the middle of its forehead. Biting her finer, she smeared some blood around it, and something happened.
What happened, exactly, Peter couldn’t say. A stirring in nature, the sense of being in the presence of something old and powerful.
The head turned and swayed side to side. The wings stretched out and folded back in. With a grumble, the Sky Turtle settled in.
“Uh, Honeyhips, what did you just do?”
“Summoned a nature spirit to use this airship as its body. It is ancient and has forgotten who it once was, very happy to have a purpose again.”
“You mean the Sky Turtle is now alive? Like, capable of thinking and reacting without someone at the controls?”
“Yup.”
“How is that useful? What if it wants to do something I don’t want to?”
“It will do what you tell it, and sleep whenever it doesn’t have a current task. I think that finishes things off nicely, don’t you?”
“I guess. Does that mean we’re ready to take off?”
“Yeah. I’m not going with you though. Maybe I’ll find a way to meet you in the city. Like Celery’s house.”
“She lives in a treehouse.”
“Exactly. Bye Peter, see you soon, I hope.” Honeyhips kissed his cheek and ran off into the trees where she disappeared.
“You guys ready?” He asked.
“Yeah,” Marla answered. There were nods from Celery and Estelle.
“It would have been nice if she had shown me how to do this before leaving,” he said. Looking at the others for help, he noticed the furnace was gone. “How do you have the balloon inflated without the heater?”
“The burner was inefficient. Enchantments on the balloon itself now heat the air inside without risking a fire. It’s controlled here,” Celery said, approaching the helm. Pointing at one of the controls, she then adjusted it. The Sky Turtle rose and woke up.
“I don’t know what your name is, but the airship you’re occupying is known as the Sky Turtle,” Peter said. “We need to travel southeast,” he added, pointing. The craft turned in the direction he indicated and started gaining speed.
When the city came into sight, Peter was glad that it had been an uneventful flight. They circled once before landing in the corner of the airfield they had claimed. The Sky Turtle folded in its limbs, curling its neck in as well, settling down for a nap.
Before they had their feet on the ground, guards had appeared and were surrounding them. Horns sounded in the distance, and Estelle cursed.
“Of course he’s making a big fuss over it. He’s actually leaving the palace.”
“What?”
“My brother. I was gone long enough for him to notice, and someone must have told him where I was last seen. He’s coming here to escort me back. I’ll be lucky to be able to leave my room without guards following me around now. I can’t stand this nonsense.”
“We could always leave again, we’ve got an airship, you know.”
“Hmm? No, that would just make things worse when I eventually come back. Stay behind me and let me do the talking.”
“If you insist,” Peter said, glad to not be the one having to talk.
“Sister, where have you been?” asked a young man as soon as he reached where they waited.
“I insisted Peter take me for a ride in his airship. It wasn’t as well made as it looked; we were nearly stranded in the wilderness far to the northwest. He was able to repair the Sky Turtle, however, and we rushed back as soon as possible. I had two ladies with me the entire time. He has been waiting for weeks to discuss opening a portal to take him back to his own world with you.”
“I am glad you are returned safe, but you’ve been reckless. Why should I not put your abductor in chains?”
“Fool brother, I wanted to go for a ride and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Let it go.”
A man pushed through the crowd to tap the emperor on the shoulder. He had never met the man but seeing him sent a shock through him.
The man was south Asian. From the Indian Subcontinent.
This stranger from Earth bent and said something for the emperor’s ears only.
“There is nothing I can do for him. His is a matter for the council.”
“Is that the strange advisor you mentioned?” Peter quietly asked Estelle.
“Yes, why?”
“Too complicated. We’ll talk some time later.” The guards escorted Estelle off. “Uh, Celery? Did you recognize that advisor?”
“I told you about him. One of the members of the council you need to work with has been acting strange since she brought him into the palace.”
“Not surprising. We might still be able to do things the legal way, but that’s going to be tricky. Marla, I think we’re going to have to visit the magic district before returning to the palace.”
“It was a bit rude of him to not take us to the palace with him, wasn’t it?” Marla asked.
“Kinda. Let’s go.”
Celery led them to Barnabas’ tea shop.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked when Peter sat at the bar.
“Some new information has come to light, and we need to discuss it.”
“Not now. Come back later.”
“Of course.”
“Wait, does this have anything to do with the missing sister of the emperor?”
“Unfortunately, though she has been reunited with her brother.”
“Good news, then.”
“Sure. Talk to you later,” Peter said, leaving with his companions in tow.
“Would you two like to come up for tea?” Celery asked.
“I’m longing for my bed,” Marla replied, “but I’m sure Peter would love it.”
Confused by Marla speaking for him, he didn’t manage a parting word.
At the top of the stairs into Celery’s home, Peter wasn’t even surprised when he was tackled by Honeyhips.
“You could come here the whole time?”
“Well, yeah, but … I didn’t know Celery before. It’s been a long time since I spent time with people.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, I just got used to being alone in the woods. But you sparked my curiosity.”
“Well. We’re having tea, I believe. Then I’m going to the palace to get cleaned up. This evening we’ll be meeting with Barnabas and his associates to discuss how to get me a portal home. Are either of you interested in joining me for that conversation?”
“I suppose. I’m not going to the palace, though.”
“We’ll wait here, then.”
“Why did you call this meeting, Peter?” Barnabas asked once they were all settled.
“I don’t know the man, but I know where he is from. The mysterious advisor that has the emperor and some others acting odd is from Earth, my world. If magic exists, then it stands to reason it exists back home, too. If anywhere on Earth has magic users, it’s the region he is from. The question is, why is he here?”
“I think the question should be how he is here, not why,” Barnabas corrected. “He must have a way. Unless that’s what he’s looking for. Maybe he’s been stranded here, too.”
“Possible. But we need a plan. I want to get home as quickly as is feasible. I have no head for the conspiring and manipulating of the court politics. What else can we do?”
“This is going to be a long discussion,” Barnabas sighed.