The Fairy Tale

by Talia Haze

  I put my pipe to my lips and played an old goodbye song Anna used to sing to us before we would leave the house to play. I didn’t know what else to do. I had only known Depash for a day and Nee Gus for a few hours, but I felt as if they should be honored somehow, especially since a burial would be impossible.

  A flute suddenly joined my song. I was so startled that I paused for a moment. Across the shimmering pond and in a high branch, I could see just the silhouette of a boy, leaning on the trunk and playing along beautifully. I crossed my legs under me, leaned back and played. The whole forest seemed to join the in song; the bullfrogs added percussion, the leaves rustled the melody and the crickets hummed the high harmony. The gleaming water lit the scene as our concert played into the night.

  ~

  I awoke late the next day. One of the maids had cracked open my window sometime earlier, letting in a cool, autumn breeze. I pulled open the drapes around my bed and quickly dressed myself in a simple green frock I found in the wardrobe. It was made for someone much taller than I, so I bunched the skirts as I walked. I grabbed my pipe and quickly left my room.

  The House of the Arohna was far more active during the day. Once I turned the corridor, the halls became full of all kinds of dignitaries, courtiers, soldiers and runners. I easily made it through the mayhem, all greeting me with “Good morning, Moura,” before I walked through the door.

  The forest had done my senses a world of good. The rest, the soft bed, the warm air, the smell of the trees. Everything felt so peaceful and…right.

  I sat on the bench from the night before. The pond looked so plain in the daylight…not at all the magical, vibrant blue like I remembered. Perhaps it was special just for me, perhaps the woodland fairies enchanted it in honor of my coronation.

  The fair maiden Gabriella’s coronation. I smiled softly. I hadn’t imagined much since we began. I suppose there hadn’t really been a need.

  I put my pipe to my lips and played few notes. Could I summon the elf from the night before? I wasn’t that surprised when I received no response. After a few more tries, I stood and tried to navigate to where I saw him sitting in the trees. Was he even real? Did I imagine him like I imagined the gleaming blue water?

  Just a plain oak tree. The leaves crunched under my feet as I looked up into its branches. I sat at the base, looking back towards the pond. There was the bench; perfectly framed within autumn foliage. Perhaps I didn’t look real either, sitting there in such a picturesque manner. A faint melody broke the silence.

  I stood instantly to my feet and looked around. I couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from…again! I spun around and around. Finally, I put my pipe to my lips and played the melody back.

  “Hello?” My voice echoed in the stillness. Only a few birds chirped in response. Suddenly, the flute broke into a lively song. I stepped quietly on the soft moss towards the sound. My heart thumped nervously in my chest. I didn’t know where I was going; I didn’t know who I was about to meet. I never made a friend on my own before. What would I say? Was I even allowed to talk to people? Was it safe? Did I need a guard?

  The boy played away as I inched myself closer to the tree he sat in. I gripped my pipe tightly, clutching it to my chest. My heart pounded so loudly and I couldn’t still it. The song finished and he smiled down at me.

  “Alé!” he greeted. I suddenly forgot both elvish and Lyngarian.

  “I’m Gabriella,” I stuttered. Of course I am. I bit my lip. I was just crowned the night before! Everyone knew who I was! What daft thing to say!

  The boy was more gracious. “I am Lindius.”

  He finished his descent down the tree and stood before me. I lost my breath for a moment. Elves looked so different than what I fancied in my tales. So green, and so very tall. Lindius stood four heads taller than I, but was, as I found out later, only a year older than me. His skin was a deep green, like the undergrowth of a forest, and the shaggy hair that wisped in front of his eyes was the color of a root. His perfectly thin lips sat low on his oval face and his eyes were bright orange…usual for an elf, but so unusual and wonderful for me to see.

  He was more than gracious. I must’ve stared at him for several minutes, but he just stood quietly and smiled. My manners finally returned. “I’m sorry,” I faltered. His smile just grew. “I never saw an elf before.”

  “That is fine,” he replied. “I never saw a human before.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought! But it wasn’t so ridiculous. He laughed too and offered me his arm.

  “I would like to show you something. Shall we?”

  I took a deep breath and his arm. We shall. He gently led me through the trees atop a mossy path. No words were exchanged, but there was plenty to look at. The woods were so unlike those in the fairy route. Perhaps it was the smell. Wet and earthy, with hints of late flowers. The birds’ chorused loudly and the bullfrogs croaked in response.

  Lindius’ stride was long, but he was attentive. I could take in the beauty of the forest without the worry of tripping. Soon, the trees thinned, and when I looked ahead next, we stood at the ruins of a small stone castle. It sat on a grassy knoll among large boulders and old bricks that were strewn about everywhere. The wilderness had taken over decades ago, and vines or moss grew on the many stones, nearly blending them into the surroundings.

  “It is grand, indeed?” Lindius’ proud voice broke the silence. He gently patted my hand against his arm. “It is said that this was once a grand kingdom…before Agyra fell, at least.”

  “Fell?” I repeated. “How did it fall?”

  “That is uncertain,” Lindius answered. “It is almost if these people disappeared. If you were to look, you’d find plenty more stone ruins around here, some blackened or in tiny bits. Not far from here is a large graveyard. We keep the graves by order of the Elder Elf, but no one knows what actually happened here. At the fires tonight, you’ll hear a few frightful tales about this place.”

  I smiled as I looked around the ruins. Tonight? Had he already made plans?

  “Now, this is how it goes,” Lindius added, suddenly. “Anyone with the blue cloak on is the It-One. The object of The Game is to find the red flag and get back out here.” He patted the oak tree we stood before. “Once you get out here, you ring that bell, telling everyone inside that you won The Game. If you get tagged by the person with the blue cloak on, they will say ‘telo’, or ‘you are it’. And if someone tags you, you can’t just tag them back. You have to first wait for ten minutes before you can tag them.”

  “That sounds like a wonderful game,” I answered with a sigh. “Shame we’re the only ones here.” I wondered if we could go back to the kingdom to get more elves.

  “We are not.” Lindius’ voice broke into my thoughts. “The Game starts at sun-up and ends at sundown. Everyone just comes and goes as they please. I was waiting for you to wake.”

  And he waited for me! I was ecstatic. Lindius’ smile broadened at mine. “I hoped that we could play together again for my friends. We played so well together last night, I just thought…perhaps if you became comfortable with us and met some of the other elves you would not mind…?”

  “I’d love to!” I replied. The magical night was real after all. All my feelings of insecurity vanished, and I became so excited. “I can’t wait! Is there anything else I need to know?”

  “One thing. A trick is if you have the flag and you get tagged, hide it somewhere close by. The flag must be showing, at least half of it. Then, find someone quickly, tag them, get the flag, come to the tree and ring the bell.”

  I nodded excitedly and started up the knoll. Lindius gently pulled my hand. His hand was large and felt only a little coarse. “Final word, Moura, I promise. Do avoid Benjii. He is about three heads taller than you, and has bright orange hair.”

  “Why avoid him? Does he cheat?”

  “No, he is just…rude. Do not trust him.”

  Chapter Five

  Telo!

  Lindius led
me inside and we paused in the foyer. Sunlight poured through the huge, arched windows, revealing the moss-covered floors and vine-encased walls. I felt as if I were suspended in time; underneath the moss and vines, a beautiful palace once stood.

  Several birds now nested in the crannies of the low ceiling. The open foyer boasted a crusted glass chandelier as its centerpiece. On each side of the foyer, identical corridors stretched far out of sight, green with moss. A huge statue of Pegasus stood near the door, just off to my right.

  I jumped when Lindius gently clasped my hand, releasing his arm from mine. I had forgotten that he stood with me. “Here we part.”

  Part? I unconsciously gripped his square hand tight. “You are not alone, Moura,” he added, staring at me deliberately. “There is no need to be afraid. At your command, all will come out of hiding.”

  That was true. I suddenly felt like Angel.

  I hastily released his hand. I hadn’t realized I still tightly grasped his fingers. How humiliating. My entire face must’ve been red. Lindius remained gracious, and just smiled.

  “All is well. This is your home now. Look around and keep your eyes open for the flag. No one hides it here on the first floor, though. It is too easy.” He quickly bowed over my hand before running up the staircase. “Aléni!”

  A word I was familiar with. My heart slowed as Lindius disappeared from view. “Aléni,” I replied in a whisper.

  I took one gentle step into the castle, and then another. The wind blew gently through the windows and crumbled walls. The old chandelier twisted in the breeze, the dark glass reflecting the sun’s beams through spots that weren’t coated in dirt. Some of the rays reflected into my eyes, almost burning them.

  Lindius said there were other elves around, but they hid so quietly, and everything was so still, I felt as if I were all alone. I walked down the corridor to my left and gently pushed open the closest rotted door. I was far more interested in exploring the place than playing any game. The whole place felt so dreamlike. The bed was rotted, and the blankets frayed, and the chair was smashed into dust-covered pieces.

  A wooden cabinet had fallen back in the corner and was covered with a torn cloth. I removed the cloth to find that the cabinet had several dolls with dingy and stained dresses. The dolls were made from either porcelain or clay and a few of them had small golden crowns or tiaras on their heads.

  The doll in the center instantly drew my eyes. She was a glass doll with painted turquoise eyes, pink lips and dressed in a red gown with gold trim. She reminded me so much of Connie that I had to stare.

  A thump down the hall reminded me of what I was doing. After a panicked look around, I slowly climbed into the wardrobe and gently closed the door. My crown caught on the sleeve of one of the old gowns. I gently pulled it from my hair and after untangling it from the gown, I fixed it under my skirt. Better keep it safe and out of my way.

  Only just after I settled, the door slowly creaked open. I remained motionless and caught my breath. An elf with a bright blue cloak on quickly browsed the room before leaving again, not bothering to close the door behind him. I waited quietly for a few moments, straining my ears to hear his soft steps fade down the hall.

  I pushed open the wardrobe door to find a young man standing by the cabinet of dolls. He wore a bright red tunic with gold stripes going the long way down the sleeves. The tunic’s long neckline was lined with gold and a black cord kept it tied together. He had a gold belt around his waist and a rapier on his side. He stood silently with no expression on his face. I was so startled to see him that I almost fell back into the wardrobe.

  “Hi,” I greeted in a whisper. He was gone. “Where were you…”

  I paused and looked around. What happened? Was he even there? I blinked a few more times. I certainly thought that we were only non-elves in the kingdom at the time. The past two days had been so unexpected and strange that I didn’t know what to make of it. Perhaps I had lost my senses again.

  Another quiet thump echoed down the hall. I leaned from the doorway to find the It-One walking back towards the foyer. I waited until the tip of his cloak disappeared behind the wall before taking a deep breath and quickly stepping down the corridor, towards the servant’s stairs. After another darting glance behind, I quickly climbed the stairs, skipping every other stair as I ascended. My haste was a mistake. The elvish gown I wore was too long for me and I forgot to pull high the skirts. I tripped myself and landed hard, crying out loudly as I fell.

  I wasn’t injured, and quickly covered my mouth as I dashed down a corridor and into another bedroom. I dropped to the ground and rolled under the bed, the It-One passing the bedroom only a few seconds later.

  “Me solei?”

  Next to me under the bed lay another boy with fuzzy orange hair, wide frame and bright eyes. I huffed in disbelief. The one elf I was told to avoid, I ended up hiding with. I groaned softly and dropped my head on my hands, covering my face. The elf didn’t know what to make of that response and tried again in Lyngarian.

  “Who are you?”

  I looked up. I hoped I didn’t seem too rude. “I’m Gabriella,” I answered. He grinned. His smile was just as broad as Lindius’ and so beautiful against his green skin.

  “That is a strange enough name,” he exclaimed. I scoffed.

  “How is it stranger than Benjii?” I retorted. The elf smiled gently and rested his head on his hands.

  “You were warned about me. By who?”

  I stuttered. He didn’t seem angry, but I didn’t want to start a fight between him and Lindius. “No one,” I finally said. His smile grew. “I probably just heard someone call you yesterday.”

  Benjii laughed. “Try again,” he said. “I was not even here yesterday as I went hunting four days ago and only just returned late last night. You will have to do better than that, Outsider.”

  I went silent. I couldn’t do better. But I didn’t have to answer, did I? That is certainly how Connie would handle such an awkward situation. Benjii quietly studied my face before crawling out from under the bed and offering me his hand. “Come then, Gabriella. I know where the flag is.”

  I remained where I was. “How could you know that?”

  “Because I hid it last,” he answered, shaking his still-outstretched hand. “It is on the top floor under an old piano.”

  That was reasonable. He clutched my hand, helping me to my feet. We walked to the door and peeked around it. No one was in sight.

  “Come, Gab,” Benjii whispered in a voice so quiet that I almost didn’t hear him. After another cautious look around, we darted down the hall. I followed him down corridors, up flights of stairs and in and out of rooms. I wished to explore the deserted place; everything was so surreal. Under the grime and the dust, and the years of neglect, you could see someone’s home. It was just so strange. One of the rooms we passed still had plates and a goblet set up on a small table in the corner. It was like it was frozen in time.

  Benjii walked far too fast for me to truly take anything in. He was used to the place. I was about to ask him to slow down and tell me about the palace, when he suddenly ducked into a cabinet. I was so startled that I fell back, crashing into a huge laundry basket. I quickly kicked the dusty, musty clothes over me and lay perfectly still.

  Through the buttonholes of an old shirt, I could see a blue cloak pass over me. I stopped breathing so I would not move at all. I could hear him moving around, but I didn’t know if he was out of sight range. I closed my eyes and slowly let air back into my lungs, hoping I didn’t move too much. How strange it would be to see a breathing laundry basket!

  Seconds later, Benjii pulled the clothes off of me. “Come on.” He grabbed my hands, pulling me to my feet. “Let us go.”

  We walked out of the hall, up a flight of stairs and into another bedroom. The room was filled with sheet-covered furniture and dust. “I hid the flag behind the piano,” Benjii said as he pointed.

  Someone thundered up the stairs from behind. “Ateleino!�
� a voice called. “Tia mi!”

  “Hide!” Benjii slipped into a wardrobe. I ducked under the piano sheet. As I scanned the perimeter of the sheet, making sure I was completely enclosed, a flash of red caught my eye.

  A red flag! Even if I were caught, I would have an advantage!

  I wouldn’t be caught, though. Benjii’s pant leg stuck out of the wardrobe door. I would wait until the It-One caught Benjii and would just dash out of the door and hide somewhere before Benjii could catch me.

  The It-One was in the room. If I put my face close enough to the sheet, I could see his silhouette. He walked towards the bed and away from me. Could I just run? I had the flag. All I had to do was outrun the boy with the cloak, ring the bell and I would win.

  An awful noise rang though the air. It took me only a second to realize it was the piano. I leaned toward sheet and could make out things being hurled at the piano keys. Benjii’s arm was hanging out of the wardrobe door, throwing rocks or something at the keys.

  The rat! I quickly folded the flag and tucked it into my slipper.

  “Telo!”

  The It-One pulled off the sheet cover, gently touched my arm and untied the cloak. “You do know the rules, yes?” he asked in Lyngarian as he handed me the cloak. I nodded and glared as I watched Benjii run out of the room. The other boy nodded too and dashed out after him. I stood where I was for a moment, clutching my gown and swaying.

  The disappointment and the embarrassment and the hurt…I didn’t know what to do with my hands. I should have just listened to Lindius…but Benjii was so kind to me! I thought I would give him a chance, and make a new friend in the process, but he tricked me!