Books & Stories

Baron Von Monocle and the Island of the Fae

A short story in which Baron Theodore von Monocle tries to rescue an Atreblan count's son from the Fae in return for aether fuel. He ends up trading Harkerpal's Electrical Field to the Fae for a fuel well, and leaves the boy with them.

Baron Von Monocle and the Island of the Fae

Baron Von Monocle and the Island of the Fae

Author: Jon Del Arroz Type: Short story Length: about 4,400 words

Baron Von Monocle and the Island of the Fae is a short story in The Adventures of Baron Von Monocle series. Baron Theodore von Monocle takes the Liliana, called here "the Grand Rislandian Airship", on a mission to secure aether fuel from Atrebla. The price is a visit to an island of the Fae.

Synopsis

The negotiation

Rislandia has two more airships about to come online for its fleet, and it needs aether fuel. Theodore negotiates with Count Eberle, lord of the Stanley Estates in the Atreblan Kingdom's wealthiest province. Eberle is a former military man and an admirer of Rislandia's propeller-based flight. Theodore notes that the Atreblan estate is bigger than King Malaky's palace back home. Atrebla is at peace, does not want weapons, and has "one of the finest navies in the world". Eberle says it may be beyond his means to convince King Eakin to part with the fuel. In the end he admits what he really wants: his son has been taken by "inhuman devils he calls fae". Theodore promises to travel to the island.

Harkerpal's field

Aboard the airship, chief engineer Harkerpal demonstrates a new defensive device to the crew: an electrical field strung between two metal rods across the mess-hall doorway. A coin flicked into it sparks and drops. Harkerpal built it because "ever since we had issues with the Zenwey people boarding our airship, I wanted to find a way to secure the engine room." Theodore rejects it as too dangerous for daily use ("A person could get burnt to a crisp"). He briefs the crew that they have "all personally encountered the Nightmen of Zenwey and the hobgoblins of southern Zarma", and that their mission is to rescue the count's son.

The island

Ensign du Bangle brings the ship in over a hot, humid island. Theodore, in his red cape and top hat, leads a landing party that includes Master Sergeant Everett. Inland, he calls out to parley, but smoke suddenly rises from the airship. Something has broken into the engine room. Private Russell slides down the rope ladder to report that winged, fanged creatures attacked the unarmed engineers. As he speaks, he is killed by silent darts.

Four Fae appear. They are female, nude, blue-grey, winged, with obsidian eyes, and they speak in chorus. They order the humans off the island: "He said your kind would leave our island and never return." When Theodore asks to see the boy, they raise a sandstorm. When it clears, the boy is standing with them. He is about twelve, with long, brushed brown hair, and clearly well cared for.

The trade

Theodore offers the Fae something that "can rid you of us pesky humans forever". Harkerpal protests that he cannot cover the whole island and that giving the creatures advanced technology is dangerous. Theodore answers that without fuel there is no fleet, and without a fleet the Wyranth are emboldened. Harkerpal rigs field generators from spare motor parts, and they are lowered to the beach on cargo pallets with a mobile transformer. Once the Fae are inside the field, Theodore burns a copper coin in it to demonstrate. The original plan was to trap the Fae and grab the boy. But the Fae refuse to give up "the progeny" and instead offer their "lifesblood": oil, which Harkerpal identifies as aether fuel. Everett points out that Rislandia owes the Atreblans no allegiance and that the boy is not being abused. Theodore switches off the field and agrees to the deal. The Fae say he "chose wisely", meaning he chose not to deceive them.

The return

Three days later, over spicy tea from "Perrtyon" (Perryton), Theodore lies to Eberle: they found no creatures, only a well of aether fuel, perhaps left by Eberle's own men. Grief-stricken, Eberle says even the great Baron could not rescue his son. Theodore tries to lighten the mood with a pun, "Life isn't faerie, as they say", and Eberle orders him out.

Characters

Settings

Technology

Chronology

The Rislandian Timeline places this story in the 3rd Year of King Malaky XVI's reign, the year of Zaira's birth. The story itself refers to earlier "issues with the Zenwey people boarding our airship" and to the crew having met the Nightmen of Zenwey. The timeline dates the Zenwey trade expedition to the 5th Year. This is flagged for the author.

Text notes

The story's spelling "Perrtyon" is treated as a typo for Perryton.