Chapter 4: The Waters of Menehune

Regan looks around as the snippets of conversation intensify into a twisted facsimile of laughter. "Oh knock it the hell off!"

"Aye, I understand. You have my word," Admiral promises, solemnly.

REGAN

The chaotic clamor abruptly stops upon Regan's exclamation. After a moment of silence Regan can make out the dark silhouette of a hulking human-sized figure stepping into a bank clearing with a gruffy huff. Even under the night-time jungle canopy Regan recognizes fey-like features, including large antlers protruding from the figure's head. The figure kneels and a bird flutters from a nearby tree to perch on the figure's hand.

Silence remains...



ADMIRAL

With Admiral's assurance Aldran continues:

"The boy you saved, Nai Nai was never meant to be here. He was meant to be exiled with his mother, cast out from the River Court as the law demands. His father, Prince Varendel, loved a naiad of the Emerald Glades, a fey of no noble standing. Her name is Saphielle. She is of the pools that lie hidden in green-shadowed dells. She was wild and free and her beauty and spirit captivated Varendel. But for his love, she was condemned, and for bearing his child, she was cast into exile."

The Fossergrim’s gaze grows distant, as though watching an old memory ripple across the water. "But the Queen… she couldn't bear to lose the child, her grandson, her own spirit. Though Naidra rules with the cold wisdom of the river, her heart is still a mother’s heart. So she took the child, stole him from the path of exile, and placed him here, where no noble of the court would look, among the lost and the forgotten."

His voice drops lower. "Saphielle never knew. She believed her son had been lost to her, taken by the judgment of the court, never to be seen again."

The Fossergrim turns his gaze back to Admiral and Cordey, his expression heavy. "Naidra used to visit the child, though he never knew her true nature. She came disguised, a wandering naiad who hums water songs. She called him Nai Nai before the others. He knew her as his grandmother, but not as the Queen."

The Fossergrim sighs again with grief. "She believes him safe, because she believes the River Court does not look here. But if she learns what nearly befell him—the hag’s enchantments, the whispers of darkness in these waters—she will know that she has been blind. And she will be desperate to protect him."

He lets the weight of those words settle before adding, "She would not risk losing him. If she fears her deifiance of the River Court may be revealed… then she will bargain on your terms, not hers."

He steps forward, meeting Admiral’s gaze. "That is what you hold over her. Not defiance. Not force. But the truth she cannot afford to face."

Regan takes a moment to eye the figure before telling the others, "Stay here. Stay alert."

With that, Regan will make his way towards the fey figure. "Well met. I'm Regan. What brings you out tonight?"

REGAN
Jin nods in understanding and agreement with Regan. He then looks firmly at his troupe, Tasya, Mischa, and Caspian, as if to pass on Regan's orders. Taresh, despite not responding directly to Regan, nonetheless appears calm and alert.

Regan then swims a short distance from the skiff and quickly makes it to the bank, stopping 70 feet or so from the figure. The moon shines through trees and Regan is able to get a better look at the figure as he makes an address. Regan sees a weathered fey, broad of frame and a bit gnarled with time. His massive horns twist like the roots of an elder tree. His skin is marked with bold spirals of deep blue ink.

"Regan is it?" scoffs the husky antlered fey in response to the address. "That was less than a kind way to address my birds," he says sternly. "It's not their fault you journey on Waters of Menehune."

"Well it was less than kind of them to be a distraction with all the noise, so I guess there's plenty of fault to go around. We have to figure out the least damning option of the choices Queen Niadra provided us with, and fey have a bit of a reputation for being... let's say, cunning. Far moreso than most people. So tensions are a bit high at the moment, you understand," Regan replies. His tone, his stance, all being kept neutral to the best of his abilities. This fey is an unknown, and while Regan isn't willing to lie to him (or apologize - they're just birds), he is mindful of the information offered as this unknown fey may not be trustworthy.

The bird flutters off the fey's hand, back to the trees, and fey looks over at Regan standing in the moonlight, his gaze appears to be one of interest, but otherwise is hard for Regan to read.

REGANThe muscular fey lets out a rough chuckle, low and gravelly, as one of his birds flutters down onto his shoulder. The bird cocks its head, its throat swelling as it mimics Regan’s voice perfectly, down to the same intonation and cadence.

"Cunning...Tensions are a bit high..."

The bird tilts its head the other way, then continues in an entirely different voice—silky, measured, and unmistakably noble.

"One does wonder what the Queen whispered to them...A private audience?..."

The fey clicks his tongue, brushing a hand down the bird’s feathers as it hops along his arm. He doesn’t look at Regan—his gaze is set on the shifting trees, listening to the wind.

"Aye, tensions. Choices. Least damning paths." His smirk is thin, sharp. "The Queen sings to you, and the lords come scurrying. Heh," He scoffs with a bitter chuckle. "Must’ve been a fine tune. Sounds like you’ve got a few nobles who don’t like being left out of a fine song. You step into the River, the River Court expects to feel the ripples."

Another bird flutters down from the canopy and lands beside the first, its throat flexing before it lets out another eerily perfect mimicry, this time mockingly clipped, impatient, regal.

"The audacity...Did she not think we’d notice?...We we not called."

Yet another bird lands and speaks in a commanding tone in a similar voice to the first, "Find Rookstem and his birds!..."

The old weathered fey finally looks back at Regan, his expression dry and amused.

"They don’t like what they weren’t invited to, and now they want to hear the music secondhand. So they come looking for old Rookstem, hoping his birds were listening. Hoping I’ll let them pick through the echoes."

The birds laugh, a chittering sound that turns into scattered voices, all mimicked in the noble’s same tone.

"The audacity. The audacity. Did she not think—did she not think—"

Rookstem absently flicks his wrist, sending the birds flitting back into the trees. He shifts his weight onto his gnarled walking staff, his expression still unreadable.

"And you? You’re just hoping the chorus don’t call for blood."

His voice lowers slightly, taking on a rasped, knowing edge.

"But you lot keep thinking in mortal ways. You ask which choice is ‘least damning.’" He gestures to the trees, the ever-moving wilds, the untamed water. "Fey don’t think like that. We don’t pick the smallest fire—we pick the one that burns prettiest."

Regan hears the rustling of unseen wings as Rookstem flashes a grin and steps back toward the shadows.

"So go on, then. Dance to your tune. But don’t look to me for a kinder song."

Many birds, still hidden among the branches, repeat his words in their scattered, layered voices.

"Dance to your tune. Dance to your tune. Don't look to me—don't look to me—for a kinder song."

Admiral listens intently to the Fossergrim’s story. "Thank you for trusting us with this," he says, seriously, once the Fossergrim has finished speaking. "I know you do not share it lightly, and I swear on my honour as a pirate and as captain of the Whisker that we will not speak of it to anyone but Queen Naidra."

Wading back into the water, he bids goodbye to the Fossergrim and begins swimming back upriver with Cordey.

Shrugging, Regan will turn to rejoin his companions and debate the better option.

ADMIRAL
As they wade out from the cavern under the falls, the cool night air mixing with the mist and the surprisingly warm water, Cordey glances over at Admiral.

"You know," he says, "for a pirate, you swear a lot of serious oaths." He smirks, but there’s a quiet respect in his tone.


REGAN
As Regan pulls himself back onto the skiff, Tasya helps him.

"You weren't gone long," she says, tilting her head toward the darkened shore. "That means either you couldn't find the source of that cacophony, or the source was more elusive fey play?"

Jin exhales, rubbing his face. "I wouldn't be surprised if both are true?"

Mischa pragmatically leans forward slightly...hopefully. "Did you find you anything useful?"

"Seems the Lords of the court didn't like not being part of their Queen's meeting with us," Regan says with a shrug. "I was also told trying to find the least damning path is human thinking. Fey don't pick the smallest fire, they pick the prettiest. Which is nice, I guess, but if I have to walk through a fire I don't give a shit how pretty it is, I want the one I'm most likely to survive."

Regans tone failing to hide his frustration at their current situation, he falls silent for a few long moments before adding, "Oh, and the birds hear everything. So be mindful."

"I may be a scoundrel, but I’m a scoundrel of my word," responds Admiral with a wry grin before diving into the water. As much as he doesn’t like getting his fur wet, he’s a strong swimmer, made stronger by Reaver’s power, and he is able to keep pace with the half sea-elf as they swim upriver against the current.

Even so, he is completely exhausted by the time he hooks his claws into the side of skiff and drags himself aboard.

REGAN
When Regan relates that the birds hear everything the group on the skiff glances around at each other uncomfortably in silence. Nothing further is said about the Queens options, but after a while Jin does speak of his desire to reunite his troupe with the ship, which leads the circus members to reminiscing about some past spectacular shows and funny moments aboard their massive vessel while Taresh (and Regan perhaps) mostly just listen.

ADMIRAL
As Admiral and Cordey swim back to the skiff, the water feels as it did before—cool, weightless, alive even. Just like on their way in, nixies trail behind them, darting through the currents with silent mischief. Each time Admiral turns to notice them, the fey vanish into reeds or the shimmering depths, only to continue their playful games the moment he looks away.

BACK TOGETHER

After a while Admiral and Cordey's swim takes them back to the skiff. While circus members chatter about new ideas for acts once they get back into business, Taresh notices Admiral and Cordey splashing near the boat. The monk gives a nod toward Regan to alert him that their companions have returned.

Regan will move to extend a hand down to the two, helping them back in the skiff. He also holds up a finger, indicating for them to wait. Once everyone is in and settled, Regan addresses them.

"While I am excited as all hell to hear what you gents found out during your swimming expedition, be aware: The birds hear everything, and a member of the fey community can find out anything we say... which I assume means any member of they fey court can find out if they convince the bird keeper to share his information. Turns out some of the fey already weren't thrilled to find out their queen had a private meeting with us, so y'know... think real hard about what you're gonna say aloud."

Admiral had opened his mouth to speak but Regan’s warning gives him pause. He chooses his words carefully: "We’re ready to speak to the Queen," he says, hopefully conveying to Regan and the circus troupe that they found the leverage they were looking for, without saying so aloud. "But we’ll have to ensure we aren’t overheard by anyone or their birds."

"Good luck with that," Regan says, looking out towards the trees on the banks. "I guess maybe start by letting her know the birds are listening, and let her handle the privacy part of our chat?"

"In any case, how do we proceed from here? The fey queen disappeared." pipes in Jin quietly, attempting to speak only loud enough for the party on the skiff to hear him.

"Oh. Right. Good point, Jin…" Admiral scratches his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then shrugs and declares loudly, "Queen Naidra! We’ve made a decision!"