With Realmfleet help, Galnyar’s plan to create the first Fae railways (dubbed the Fae Rail Project) was well underway. A quarry from the Eastern District of the forest was contracted with making railway ballast. The rocks had to be cut up in irregular shapes so vegetation wouldn’t grow between the rail ties and would lock together so the tracks would be stable. The Lunar Ridge Quarry was the most productive and had an excitable demolitions expert to manage rock extraction. The expert was a Sprite woman named Kelofel who was one of the few members of the Borg family that was granted amnesty, given that she fought against the Realm Trinity Empire later in the Final War. Something about an explosion always made her giddy. Lardeth was watching the whole operation. An explosion rocked the quarry and Kelofel cheered as the rocks fell to the ground. Once everything settled, an inspection team headed off to make sure all the explosives went off. “That was marvelous!” cheered Kelofel. “Absolutely fantastic!” She turned to the inspection team. “You see, lads?! That’s how I did it back during the War! That is the beauty and majesty of well-placed and well-timed explosives!” Lardeth turned to the quarry’s new engine, a tank engine Mechanica woman named Velmar.
“How is it that she’s never caused a serious accident?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” remarked Velmar. “But she IS a professional and she takes pride in her work.”
“So do I,” said Lardeth, “but I’ve never had the urge to blow something up, even during the War, even when the mission called for it.”
“Fair point. Still, Kelofel’s one of the best demolition experts I’ve seen since I was built. …Then again, she’s the only one I met so far.”
“Oh, that’s well-deserved praise. I worked with her once or twice. She really is one of the best. No matter the size of the rock she brings down, it never damages the rails. That’s a true miracle.”
“A true miracle?” asked Kelofel as she approached the two. “Talking about me, are we?”
“We were,” chuckled Lardeth.
“Well, you can tell me about it when the day’s done. The site’s safe for you to collect the stone.”
“And ALL the explosives went off?” asked Lardeth, still a little worried.
“Well, if it didn’t, Your Highness, you’ll be the first to know!” joked Kelofel.
“…Oddly enough, that statement only makes me uneasy.”
“Oh, lighten up, Lardeth!” chuckled Velmar. “I’m sure everything is safe!”
“Feel free to check,” offered Lardeth.
“All right, I will!”
“Don’t worry,” assured Kelofel, “I’m ninety-eight percent sure all the explosives went off.” This time it was Velmar’s turn to be uneasy.
“…What about the remaining two percent?!” she gulped.
“Don’t panic, no one’s died on the jobs I’ve been on, skin or steel. …I mean, the only times that happened were against the Borg family.”
“…You mean-?”
“No! I know what you’re going to ask, and no! The Borg family is dead! The instant I get married; I’m taking my husband’s last name!”
“Aren’t there those in the Borg family you still love?” asked Lardeth.
“The only ones I loved,” replied Kelofel, “are currently enjoying their amnesty and are eager to give up the Borg name. The Borg family died when Cytanek died.”
“…I’m sorry for-” began Velmar.
“It’s all right, It’s just…still raw for me. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. You didn’t know.” Kelofel’s smile then came back. “That’s why I throw myself into my work! It’s the best way for me to put some distance between me and the Borg name.”
“Well, we all better follow your example,” declared Velmar. “Now, I’m gonna go check to make sure it’s safe, just to be sure.”
“Good on you!” cheered Kelofel. “All the same, if I’m wrong, it was nice knowing you!”
“WHAT?!”
All the explosives DID go off, so the site was safe. Lardeth was perplexed at how calm the inspectors were. “How are you not terrified at Kelofel’s attitude?” he asked a Sprite woman.
“Easy, we all said ‘hi’ to Baldra when we started the job,” explained the Sprite.
“Baldra? Who’s Baldra?”
“That boulder up there.” The Sprite pointed up to a massive boulder on a high cliff. It looked like a perfect sphere.
“…How did nature form that?” muttered Lardeth.
“There are many theories surrounding that,” explained the Sprite. “One of them, the ones tourists love, is that it isn’t REALLY a natural thing, but something a woman carved for herself as a charm to ward us off back when the Fae hated Big-folk. The story says that the woman was named Baldra, so when she left it behind before the Fae Republic formed, we simply called the stone Baldra. We don’t really know, but the local legend is that if you say hello to Baldra, you’ll have good luck throughout the day. Everyone in the Eastern District always says hello to her when they get the chance.” Lardeth arched a cloudy eyebrow.
“Pardon me for saying this,” he said, “but it doesn’t look like time was all that kind to the land surrounding Baldra.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the ground looks unstable and…well…I feel…odd about Baldra.”
“I assure you, Your Highness; the ground has remained stable throughout the entirety of the Republic.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to take your word for it,” mumbled Lardeth.
“You never met Baldra before?” asked Arsha when Lardeth told her about the day, as well as Foresna and Falnii.
“No, and I frankly wish I never did,” remarked Lardeth.
“Why?” asked Foresna.
“It’s partially the stone and…okay, this is gonna sound odd, but I SWEAR I heard the name ‘Baldra’ before.”
“Maybe I can find something,” offered Falnii.
“If it can give me peace of mind on that front, then go ahead.” Falnii kissed his cheek, then headed off.
“Well, I, for one, want to see Baldra for myself!” declared Foresna.
“Well, I’m heading to that part of the forest myself,” said Arsha. “I’m sure I can take you along.”
“Take care,” warned Lardeth.