The Stepsister Scheme

Danielle watched her disappear into the fading sunlight, then turned back to the wall of thorns. “How do we get in?” she asked. “There’s no gate, no guards or doors.”
    “It’s safer this way,” said Talia. “Doors can be broken. Fortunately, Trittibar gave us the password.” She strode toward the wall, her spine straight as a spear. When she was close enough to touch the nearest thorns, she raised her voice and said, “Diglet. Diglet. Diglet.”
    “What do you want?”
    Danielle jumped. Standing on the road beside Talia was a little blue man with oversized pointed ears and a tangled nest of black hair: a goblin. His skin was a much darker shade than Brahkop’s had been. Yellow fangs curved up from his lower lip, giving him a permanent grin. He wore a vest of soft purple leather with crystal buttons. Matching purple ribbons decorated his black trousers. A single short knife hung at his hip.
    “Who are you?” Danielle asked.
    “I’m Diglet, of course.” Oversized yellow eyes studied Danielle. “And who might you be?”
    “We need to enter Fairytown,” Talia said, before Danielle could answer. “That’s all you need to know.”
    Diglet sniffed. “No need to be rude, Your Highness. I’m just doing my job.”
    “If you know she’s a princess, why did you want to know who we were?” Danielle asked.
    Diglet stepped closer, sniffing again as he neared Danielle. “Commoner by blood, but... .” His bulbous nose wrinkled. “You married a noble, I take it? Got yourself knocked up with a little princeling, from the smell of it.”
    Danielle folded her arms, trying to quell a rush of embarrassment. Would everyone in Fairytown be able to smell her condition?
    Diglet was already moving on to Snow. “Nobles all. But that doesn’t tell me who you are or why you need entry into Fairytown.”
    “I’m sorry,” Snow said, feigning confusion. “I don’t remember where in Malindar’s Treaty it specifies that a member of the servant caste is entitled to question human nobles before allowing them entry into Fairytown. But I do remember on page nine, section four, where those fairies attempting to deny nobles rightful entry shall be subject to punishment up to and including being bound in chains and flung into the chasm by the Dark Man himself.”
    “Easy now,” said Diglet, raising his hands. “Ain’t nobody denying nothing to no one. I was curious, that’s all. It’s not every day we get three princesses showing up at our wall. I’ll be happy to escort you through the thorns. You, too, Highness,” he said to Danielle.
    “Good.” Talia folded her arms. “Shall we get on with it?”
    Diglet took a small step back. “About that.” He glanced around, looking like a cornered animal. “Your friends can enter. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait here.”
    Talia reached behind her back, whipping her short sword free so fast the goblin yelped. “I am Princess Talia Malak-el-Dahshat. My blood is every bit as noble as my companions’. You have no reason to detain me, goblin.”
    “Nobody’s questioning your blood,” Diglet said. His voice had jumped in pitch, and he kept backing away until one of the thorns jabbed his neck. “Trouble is, you’ve been fairy-cursed.” He tapped the side of his nose. “Whatever was done to you, the stench of it still lingers in your blood. You offended someone with a fair lot of power, Talia Malak-el-Dahshat, and I’m not about to let you—”
    “ I offended?” Talia repeated, her voice barely a whisper. Her sword shone in the fading sunlight.
    “I’m sure that’s not what he meant,” said Danielle.
    “Not at all,” said Diglet. He reached up and gave his ear a nervous twist. “I’m sure it was nothing but a misunderstanding. This sort of thing happens all the time. Human maidens seducing fairy princes or—”
    Snow caught Talia’s arm and pulled her away from the goblin. “Diglet has a point. There’s a subsection of the treaty which gives them discretion in barring those who have been found guilty of crimes against fairy citizens.”
    “I’ve committed no crime,” snapped Talia. She glared at Diglet. “Yet.”
    The goblin folded his arms. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. You’ve been cursed by a fairy far stronger than myself. I’ll not be the one flung into the hedge for allowing a fairy foe to wander freely throughout our home.”
    “I’ll vouch for her,” said Danielle. She pointed at Snow. “We both will.”
    “That’s nice