Once Upon a Time

by C J Preece

  “Your gun.” The owl had fluttered down to land on the donkey’s shoulder.

  She passed it to the jaguar, who backed deeper into the crowd. “Chains,” said the owl, and a monkey pulled her arms in front of her, clamping heavy manacles round them. She winced as they were locked in place, pinching her skin. The bloodhound she had shot at earlier came forward, blood on his muzzle where shards of concrete wall had been driven in by her gunshot. Her ammo belt disappeared back into the crowd and the donkey and bloodhound flanked her while the owl went to the door and spoke to someone on the other side. She couldn’t make out the exact words but it sounded like passwords were being exchanged.

  The door was dragged open and she was yanked forwards by the monkey. The owl fluttered ahead, disappearing into the gloom of the throne room. The monkey led her in, nearly pulling her over. She squinted in the darkness until she could make out the dim shape of the Hawk ahead.

  The Hawk sat on a perch high above his subjects, gold leaf on his talons and a deep purple cloak over his back, fastening around the neck by a solid gold chain. He puffed his chest as she was dragged into his throne room, cocking his head to see her through first his left eye, then his right. She saw an ugly scar across his beak, and even from a distance she could see that his right eye was bloodshot.

  “Such a present you bring me,” he said to the guards on either side of her. “Why is she not in the dungeon?”

  The donkey at her left whuffed nervously. “She said she wanted to talk to you.”

  “Fool. Maybe next you can bring the Family to my throne room, or some other enemy, sure to kill me when they get the chance?”

  “Sorry my lord.”

  “Get out of my sight.”

  The donkey didn’t hesitate, galloping clumsily from the throne room. On her other side the bloodhound shifted back and forth on his paws.

  “Since you are here,” the Haw now spoke directly to her. “Do you truly have a message?”

  “I do,” she said, keeping her voice as respectful as possible. It was difficult, being surrounded by so many beasts. “My lord I come with ill news of your foes.”

  “I have many foes, all of them with ill feeling towards me. What makes you think you have new information?”

  “A companion of mine has been taken.”

  “And you think I did this?” He flapped a couple of times, reminding her more of an indignant duck than a proud leader. “What would possess me to take one of the Pure?”

  It was a name she had heard before, and usually with that exact same tone. “Don’t worry, I know you didn’t take her.”

  He settled immediately. She wasn’t an expert in bird expressions, but she thought she knew someone looking for a deal. “Then why come to me?”

  She could have smiled, she had him. “Goldilocks has been taken.” There was a gasp from nearly everyone in the room.

  “The Family.” She had never heard a hawk growl. It was a very odd sound. He seemed to forget about her at once, turning to a lion at his side. “Organise the troops. We strike at once while they are distracted.”

  “A word of caution my lord,” she said in her most obsequious tone. She hoped that the beasts wouldn’t be able to hear the sarcasm that she really felt. “It is not the Family. The Ass has her. He wants to take both your thrones. While the Family is occupied with Goldilocks he will move against you both.”

  Her words had the intended effect. The room went quiet again and she was back in control. The Hawk shrugged out of his cape, stretching his wings out to their full width. The size of the beasts still amazed her sometimes. At his full height the Hawk stood as tall as her, and his wingspan nearly touched twenty feet. For a single moment she wondered whether making deals with devils was really in her best interests. She pushed that thought away. Think Goldilocks. Only Goldilocks.

  “How do you come by this information?” The lion asked while the Hawk was still busy being angry.

  She shook her head. “That’s not how this works,” she said. “I’ll fight with you, I’ll kill for you. But don’t ask me to betray someone’s trust.”

  He bowed, a real bow from the knees and everything. Some of the animals, no matter how corrupt their lives became, still retained a little of the old honour. “I trust you will not betray us either then.”

  She returned his bow, wishing his honour was real, instead of a half remembered fever dream. Five minutes with a Terminal and he’d kill his closest friends simply because they were there. Corruption made everyone feral, it was just a little more obvious with the animals. “I’m not interested in your wars sir. But you are the only choice if I am to retrieve Goldilocks.”

  The Hawk had calmed down enough. “And why am I the only choice?”

  She forced a smile. “The Ass is the one who has her, so I obviously couldn’t go to him and ask politely to take away his only bargaining chip. And if I tell the Family she’s here they’ll tear this place to the ground trying to get to her.”

  “I thought all humans wanted this place torn to the ground.”

  She didn’t have an answer for that, and spent several seconds trying to think of anything to say. “The Corruption is spreading, you must have seen it.” She waited until he had nodded. “All of the Pure want to believe that it can be stopped. That’s why I’m here, that’s why she’s here. If anyone is going to be able to fight the Corruption, it’s your people.” Even as she said it a horrible doubt entered her mind. Belle had talked about the Corruption spreading. Was it possible? She pushed that aside as well. If she was going to convince the Hawk to let her roam free during the battle she needed to seem totally sincere.

  The Hawk ruffled his feathers. He clearly liked the thought of being strong enough to resist the Corruption. Except that now she wasn’t afraid for her life she could see the signs on him. His feathers weren’t lustrous, in fact they were greasy and dull. Where once he had claimed shining white wings, a beautiful speckled crown and deep golden breast he was now brown, perhaps a splash of beige. The lion likewise was khaki, not gold, his mane missing tufts of hair. The Corruption was worse than she could have imagined here. The wolves, out in the forests where she hunted, were still bright eyed and fierce, sleek coats and sharp teeth, alert for the hunt. These animals were dying.

  “You would fight with us?”

  “Until Goldilocks is free.”

  “And not after?”

  “I expect that to get her back I will have to kill the Ass and his guards, if not some of the Family as well. If that isn’t good enough for you…”

  “No, no. If you believe you can, then by all means feel free to take on all of your enemies. We will amuse ourselves with the soldiers while you cut the head off the snakes.” He shared a look with the lion that she didn’t trust, then turned to her. Hawks were incapable of smiling, but she imagined he would have been now. And it would have been just as insincere as her own. “When will this momentous occasion be taking place?”

  “Tonight at the town meeting. The Ass intends to reveal her, driving the Family to an attack right then. You were supposed to be unaware, taken completely by surprise.”

  “But instead we will have our own surprise.”

  “I need to collect a few items.”

  “Of course.”

  “No escort?”

  “I trust you will return as long as the golden haired girl is here.”

  “You trust correctly.”

  “One of my men will follow you to the edge of town, and bring you back to me.”

  “Of course.”

  The deal was all but concluded. But the room nearly throbbed with tension. No one wanted to ask the obvious question.

  “If you don’t trust me,” she said finally. “Trust that I will do anything to bring her back.”

  “Very well. You should leave now. My personal guard will go with you.” A leopard leapt from behind a pillar and stalked over to her. It claws clicked on the stone floors, but she could s
ee they were almost entirely blunt. Misgivings were piling up faster than she could push them away.

  “Are you going to take these off?” She asked, holding up the chains.

  “Of course, how silly of me to forget.”

  Her chains released she bowed properly. “I thank you for your kindness, and look forward to completing our deal.”

  “As do I, Pure.”

  *

  Renard was waiting for her when she returned to the bike. “Have things gone your way?”

  “The Hawk is going to support me. We’re going to attack the Family and the Ass together. I have free reign of any and all.”

  “Then I’m sure there will be a few less poor dumb beasts roaming the Farm when this night is done.”

  “I’m not here for a slaughter.” She grabbed her bag and opened it, taking out a couple of the heavier weapons.

  “And yet you are here. Of all the Pure Belle could have commanded, she sends you. The fighter.”

  She paused, staring at him. “That note was for me, that’s why she sent me.”

  “I brought that note to Ateer a month ago. The darling retiring Belle, in all her infinite wisdom and tact, decided to not make any envoy to the Farm to retrieve a fellow? I find that hard to believe.”

  Unfortunately, so did she. To cover her discomfort she went back to the bag, examining the metal tube and trying to decide if it was worth it.

  “I know what that is,” Renard said. “Although I can’t imagine how you would have come by a Vajra. They’re not exactly common.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “One you must regale me with some time.” He uncoiled a little and leaned in closer. “They are notoriously difficult to control though. Unless you’ve been a deity in disguise all this time?”

  “No such luck.” She pushed the tube to the bottom of the bag. “But I don’t need to control it, I just need it to go off.”

  He moved back again, one eyebrow rising. “Such advanced strategy I see here. What else does your plan entail? Perhaps shooting?”

  “Now is not the time Renard.”

  “Well when one is about to engage in mortal combat with a hundred foes, I would have thought humour might make your inevitable death a little more bearable.”

  “I thought it was you who once told me I was too stubborn to die?”

  “Indeed I did. And I pray that is still the case. I shall want my book remember.”

  She hoisted the bag onto her shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your book. And then we’ll thankfully part ways.”

  “You ought to be careful with the few allies you have. You may find that when all of this is done you have even less.”

  That got her attention. She stopped at the road and looked back at him. “What do you know Renard?”

  “Many things.”

  “Belle said something was coming. Something old. What have you heard?”

  “Nothing you will not learn soon enough. And sooner than you would like.”

  “Don’t play with me.”

  “I would advise the same. Don’t ever think yourself clever enough to outmatch me.” She met his black eyes and shivered. Not for the first time she wondered who or what Renard really was. Then the moment was gone and he was his smiling self again. “Little cub it is a burden, not a gift, to know too many things. It is hard sometimes even for me to keep them straight in my magnificent brain. You are better finding these things out in their time. For now, your beauty awaits.”

  Still shaken, she hitched the bag a little higher and turned away, marching back to the Farm.

  Chapter Five: Goldilocks

  Being in chains a second time wasn’t any better than it had been the first time around. They weren’t locked, but they were heavy, and the bull on the other end was pulling her along at a fast pace. She had planned to stumble a few times for show, but now she found herself struggling to stay on her feet. Her bag was hanging off the bull, with nothing to give away its true contents.

  There was a large fire blazing in the centre of the square, casting long shadows up onto the dull grey walls. Hideous misshapen silhouettes of animals, impossible to distinguish more than claws and teeth. The Hawk’s delegation joined the crowd, and she shrank a little to hide behind the wall of flesh.

  “We welcome the noble Lord Hawk and his entourage.” It was one of the louder birds, she couldn’t make out exactly which, acting as the town crier.

  “Noble Hawk.” She recognised Mama’s voice at once. Deep and melodious, A dagger hidden beneath silk. She fought the urge to look, she would be seeing all of them much closer than she wanted to soon enough. “You are late.”

  “I was preparing my offering for the night. I think you will find it, and my proposal, more than satisfactory.”

  “The venerable Lord Ass has already intrigued us with his offer. Do you feel yours will surpass that which he claims we want most?”

  “I offer the kingdom, in time.”

  The crowd stirred. This was something for all of them, not only the rulers. Whatever else the Hawk might be, he knew how to sway people to do his bidding.

  “Bring forth your gift.” That was Papa. His voice was deeper even than Mama’s, like rocks crashing together, or the deep roar of the ocean.

  There was a yank on her chain and she fell out into the centre of the ring to immediate uproar. Screams and jeers and calls from a hundred different animals assaulted her. She tried to struggle to her feet, to get away from the heat of the fire, but a talon on her shoulder kept her down. The Hawk spread his wings wide, a Hunter displaying his trophy. She found it difficult to think of a less worrying analogy.

  When the noise had died down Mama spoke again. “The Red Rider. One of the coveted Pure. Worthy indeed, but hardly worthy of a kingdom.”

  “Not to us, and not to the charming King, but what of Him?”

  Silence. Deadly and instant. Even the fire’s heat seemed dimmed, the crackling sparks paused in their flurry. Into the stillness Papa spoke.

  “What madness is this Hawk?”

  “The madness of desperation. Every day our numbers dwindle. There is no space, no food, and the river runs to mud. The Farm is dying. You all know this to be true.”

  The Ass spoke for the first time, his voice a nasal whine that seemed out of place among the rich textures of his colleagues. The lion skin he wore seemed all the more foolish now that war was in discussion. “We have no strength to expand.”

  “But He has a pack. All untouched by corruption. If we had Him on our side then think of all we could do.” He spoke with such conviction that the crowd began to murmur again, this time in assent. In that moment Red feared that she had made a terrible mistake.

  “Wait.” The Ass sounded near panic, a bray nearly escaping his lips. “The Wolf is wild. Untamed. He and his pack are killers. They would slaughter us all.”

  “The venerable Ass speaks the truth,” Mama said. Now that Red could see the Family she was beginning to feel a cold twinge of fear coiling round her stomach. They sat in state on crude wooden thrones, rough-hewn crowns on their heads and dirty stained rags that could once have been robes. Three gigantic bears, dark brown coats and heavy limbs ending in filth encrusted claws. Papa sat on the largest of the thrones, a deep dark mahogany that was straining to hold back his bulk. It had clearly been made when he was leaner. There were deep gouges in the wood, and even as she watched he dragged a claw lazily down the arm, a strip of wood coming away in his paw. He would have been at least twelve feet tall if he stood.

  To his left was Mama, in a throne of pine. She was smaller than Papa, but still showed the signs of her excesses. She had a string of meat hanging from her teeth, and her claws were stained with recent blood. Her eyes seemed dull and watery, but no less dangerous as she looked to the Hawk for his explanation. Red could see that the thin veneer of lordship barely contained her cravings. More dangerous even than Papa in her own way.

  At th
eir feet was Baby, though that name stood more as a nickname than an accurate description. He was a male in his prime, only just in his twenties where his parents were reaching their forties. He was still sleek and powerful, muscles bunched and coiled beneath his fur. But he was missing the layer of fat a bear should have. Clearly his leanness was not from being in good condition. He was watching the other animals with barely concealed hunger. Only his parents’ presence kept him from slaughtering them, that was clear. He seemed to feel her eyes on him and turned to watch her, and behind his eyes she saw only longing for death. She looked away.

  “Consider, my friends,” the Hawk had command of the crowd again. “What He desires most in this world is this girl. And I have her. All we need do is ask Him for His assistance in return for her.”

  “And what if He decides to take her by force?”

  “We can conceal her, lock her where she cannot be found except by our aid.”

  The Family looked to each other, then as one to the Hawk. “Your plan is ill-formed, but it could work.” Mama pulled herself to her feet, her hunched back keeping her at a mere eight feet. Her shadow blocked almost the entire crowd behind her. “We must enter into conference. He must be found, and the message sent. We will require a volunteer.”

  “Wait,” the Ass was braying with every other word now. “Wait, wait. My gift, my gift.” He clopped his hooves and a massive ox emerged from the crowd, a chain around his neck leading back. Red’s breath caught in her throat and she fought to see properly as a human shape was yanked before the fire.

  The ox barged into the shape, knocking her to the ground with a muffled yelp. Her hair fell down to cover her face, but it was unmistakably her.

  “Goldie!” She couldn’t help but shout out to her.

  Goldilocks’ head came up, swinging wildly around. She had been gagged, and a rag tied around her eyes. She tried to stand, but the ox knocked her down again. Red tried to rise as well, but the Hawk forced her to the floor again.