Suddenly, Seaira came to an abrupt stop, throwing Ariana off kilter for a moment. She tried to steady herself on the edge of the ship but missed the railing. Nimby caught her arm and righted her. “Easy there.” He leaned toward her as the glittering door of the red carriage opened. “I wasn’t expecting this. They know. They must.”
“Who knows?” Ariana asked.
“The Fierien family, the family who hopes to marry their son to you. They must know you are on board. They must have some pretty good spies.”
“Could they simply feel my power like I do theirs?” Ariana asked.
“It doesn’t work that way. Fairies cannot sense things the way we do,” Nimby answered.
“How do you know? Especially if there’s intermarrying between pixies and fairies?” Ariana asked.
Nimby pursed his lips. ‘It’s more of a...family gift. Something our family has that other beings do not.”
“Wait, Nimby. Our family? Are we related?” Ariana eyed the short, stout, curly-headed pixie.
“That’s a story for another time, youngling. Put on your best fake smile for now, and remember to be careful with your temper,” he answered.
She knew when her questions were being avoided, but she stored it away in the back of her mind for later. She plastered an expression of polite disinterest on her face, the one she used on potential suitors back home.
Nimby tied Seaira to the dock and put down a bridge-plank for the retinue of fairies to board her. He stood near the bridge and motioned with his head that she should stand next to him. She placed herself by his right arm, Wot following behind her and cowering behind her legs as four very wealthy-looking fairies began to climb the ship’s plank, encircled by bulky, muscular guards wearing the same eye-smarting red the carriage was painted.
The first of the family to board was a boy only a little taller than her. He had bright, flame orange hair and the strangest yellow eyes, almost cat-like. He would not be bad looking except for the pull of his scowling lip and his general air of “better than thou.” Ariana could only guess this was Gunthar. She sighed, wondering if there would ever be a suitor she could get behind. It would make life easier. She’d yet to be attracted to any heir thrown her way, and she knew immediately Gunthar would not be any different.
Gunthar stopped at the top of the bridge. The two fairies behind him, a female with midnight-blue hair and black eyes and a male with red-orange hair and beard and burnt orange eyes, must have been his parents. Ariana could not see the fourth of the party to exit the carriage. Whoever it was seemed to hide behind the three dominant fairies.
“Welcome, Fierien family, lords and ladies of West Endowa, I welcome you aboard my humble vessel,” Nimby intoned in a voice that was just barely polite. He gestured to Seaira’s deck with a swoop of his hand. Ariana tried to look smaller than Nimby, hide behind his arm, but it was fruitless. She was simply too tall.
“Humble is right,” Gunthar sneered. “This is the great Seaira? I expected...more,” he mumbled.
Ariana frowned and whispered to Nimby, “How rude. Seaira is a beautiful ship.”
Ariana almost jumped at the soft, breezy caress of a reply from the ship, “Thank you, Princess. You, too, are beautiful. The silly young fairy knows we are both beautiful, but he will pretend we are not to make us feel unworthy. Stand straight, heir of Pieramu and all of Endowa. Do not allow it.”
Nimby smirked and nodded silently over the ship’s reply. Ariana felt so honored by hearing the ship’s voice that she immediately stood straighter and prouder.
The rude boy’s parents followed behind him, as though Gunthar were the commander of their little family. His father inclined his head to Nimby, “Greetings, Nimby, First Marauder of the Queen’s Special Forces. We are honored by your request. We beg leave to ask to join the border patrol’s normal forces in touring your ship. We hear that you carry unusual cargo.” The bearded fairy looked at Ariana with a judgmental raise of his bushy brow.
Nimby didn’t even look toward Ariana when he answered, “Don’t I always? That, sir, is why I am First Marauder to the Queen.”
“Hmmmm. I thought it was because you are related to the Queen. My mistake,” answered the haughty woman with blue hair, as her husband smirked unreservedly over the slight.
Ariana frowned at the woman who was a few inches shorter than herself. She made to say something to defend Nimby, though she couldn’t be sure what. She didn’t know him well enough to say anything with confidence. She just felt that these people had no right to board Seaira and throw around their barely veiled insults at both the ship and Nimby, who she already respected despite their short acquaintance. But Nimby put a hand on her shoulder, somehow reading her intentions.
Behind the woman, a quiet silver-haired fairy, about her age, walked with her head bowed. Every once in a while, she’d stare at Seaira, as if in awe, then quickly looked back to her feet as though she might’ve gotten in trouble if she were caught looking at Seaira with anything but discontent.
A few men and women in golden tunics boarded Seaira, as well, and Nimby whispered that they were the actual border guards he’d been expecting to meet. The border patrol walked past the haughty family of fairies and started rummaging through barrels, crates and boxes without a word to Nimby.
“See here!” Nimby protested when one of the patrolwomen smacked a crate with the butt of her sword and splintered it. “That’s expensive cargo in that there crate. You can’t just go knocking my supplies about!” He rushed over to where the patrol people were being less than respectful with his boxed goods.
“We know your reputation, Marauder,” the woman spat back. We want to make sure everything’s on the up and up, or we’ll have to confiscate some of your cargo.” She looked toward Ariana with a sneer.
“My reputation has been spotless since I began my work for the crown, I’ll thank you,” Nimby replied. “And I have all the paperwork I need for every single piece of cargo on Seaira. So, if you’ll stop your ham-handed handling of my goods, I’ll see that you get a copy of each.”
The woman stood with her arms crossed. One of the male border agents stepped in and bowed to Nimby. “Yes, please, Captain, that would make things much easier. I am sorry about the cargo crate.”
Nimby stepped back in surprise at being addressed respectfully but pulled a leather bag out of his pocket and went to talk to the polite border patrol agent.
“Myself, I could care less about what the ship is carrying, apart from one particular item,” Gunthar remarked, finally turning toward Ariana, as if he’d been waiting for all eyes and ears to be upon him before taking notice of her.
“I think it strange that you are dressed so simply, Princess Ariana. I would never dress in such a way if I knew I were meeting my future husband.”
“Well, when you meet your future husband, I’m sure he will be pleased with your decision,” Ariana quipped, annoyed by his audacity. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw the silver-haired fairy cover a smile.
“However, since I only just learned of this place, my mother’s existence and the expectations a world of strangers put upon me, I thought it best to be comfortable rather than flashy. I am not trying to attract a mate at this time, but I will keep your advice in mind when the time comes.”
For a moment, Gunthar’s face flushed red in embarrassment. He opened his mouth several times before replying. When he composed himself, it was with a plastered smile and glaring eyes. “You have a sense of humor. That is a nice attribute in any mate, especially when tempered by wisdom, which I am sure will come with age and experience. You must be overwhelmed by all this, Princess, so I will forgive any unintentional slights. Let me properly introduce myself and my family.”
Gunthar crossed to Ariana bowing stiffly to her. “My name is Gunthar Fierien, heir to a vast stretch of land containing the most luscious popia fields in Fuerone and all of Endowa.” He nodded towards the bearded man, who was glaring unreservedly at Ariana. “This is my fat
her, Dracomar Fierien, and my mother Eboneera Fierienfalsta. My sister, Alice, you see over there.” He waved dismissively towards the young fairy who was examining Seaira’s vine-carved railing.
He took a step towards Ariana. She decided not to back away from the intimidating fairy. She stood straight and tall, almost as tall as he, though he was clearly older. “We simply wanted to be the first to greet Princess Ariana Greyzestra, heir to Pieramu and Endowa. We want to welcome you to the Fuerone and to give you a gift that will, I think, come in handy on your journey to Pieramu.”
Greyzestra? Ariana mused. She wondered at the female naming customs of this world. It seemed that his mother, Fierienfalsta, was his father’s last name and his mother’s last name combined. So, her mother was called Seerana Zestra, then. Interesting.
Gunthar nodded to his parents who came forward. His mother spoke in a cold, calculating voice. “Princess, please accept our seal of protection. No Fierie who values his life will dare harm you in our territory with this.” She held up a golden medallion, embedded with rubies. In the center was a flaming torch that sparkled realistically.
Ariana inclined her head. “Thank you.” She was not fooled by the gesture. The fairy woman was clearly displeased with what she saw in Ariana. She looked at Ariana like one might look at a tick on the side of a beloved pet.
Dracomar cleared his throat. “My mate, my children, and I will join you in Pieramu in a few days’ time. Until such time, we hope that your mother the Queen acclimates you to our customs.” He, too, looked at her with some disdain, though the way his eyes searched her left her feeling that he was not as displeased with what he saw in her. That, unfortunately, only made her feel worse, not better.
Gunthar took her hand in his. She fought a war inside herself, wanting to wrench her hand from him but not wanting to escalate any issues that were already simmering under all this fake politeness. His touch was slick with sweat, though he looked unruffled. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess. Please don’t think I am at all deterred or dismayed by your reception. I find that women warm to me over time.”
Ariana opened her mouth to rebut this, but Nimby frowned and shook his head at her from where he stood with the patrolman over Gunthar’s shoulder. “That is nice to hear, to be sure. I will see if it rings true in a few days’ time, when I’m feeling less overwhelmed.”
Gunthar raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. Ariana suppressed the urge to wipe the kiss on her cotton dress as he let go of her hand. Gunthar’s smile was tight as he bowed to her and turned to leave the ship, his stiff parents immediately following behind him. The patrolmen and women followed the Fieren family off the ship.
The silver-haired fairy followed slowly behind the group but stopped when she was in front of Ariana. “This must all be so strange to you, Princess,” the fairy mused, looking around her, past the ship at her family’s back. “You know nothing of any of this, then poof!” The fairy’s voice was lower than Ariana expected. Her eyes were a purple so light they were almost incandescent. Unlike her parents and Gunthar, she did not wear the eye-smarting scarlet that matched her family’s carriage. Instead, she wore a simple dress in grey silk.
Ariana smiled shyly. “It is. Very strange. I feel like I’m in a dream or possibly a nightmare. I’m not sure which yet,” she answered sincerely. She wasn’t sure why she was being honest with the fairy, except that the fairy’s smile seemed as genuine as her words.
“I’m sorry about my brother,” Alice said. “He is not known for his subtlety. I did try to talk them all into giving you time, get used to being in an entirely new world, but they all decided, as is usual, that I’m an ignoramus.”
“I’m disappointed to see that young women are handled in much the same way they are back home,” Ariana mumbled.
Alice sighed. “Not all women. Just heirs, I’m afraid. I want to join the Queen’s Guard. Women can be fighters, healers, teachers, leaders in this world, unlike your own. But heirs...they can only be what their family desires them to be. My mother would like me to become a lady-in-waiting, so that if my brother was to...well, if I needed to take my brother’s place as heir, I would have court training.” Alice’s purple eyes were sad.
“I see. Well, who can say? Maybe I can put a good word in for you, when I get my bearings,” Ariana replied, though she doubted whether she’d have power to do any real good.
Her words did the trick, however. Alice’s eyes lit up in excitement. “That would be very kind of you, Princess, if it’s not too much to ask.” Her voice trembled with hope.
Ariana felt badly for possibly getting her hopes up but decided not to say so. “I will do whatever I can, but please call me Ariana.”
“Truly? I don’t know if my family will allow that.” She smiled under long eyelashes.
“I insist.” Ariana held out her hand to Alice, who took it. Immediately, the pins and needles prick of wrongness Ariana had been feeling since the Fierien family were near dissipated. A new sensation, a feeling akin to hot mint tea on a cold night, overcame her. She squeezed Alice’s hand and the fairy smiled brightly.
“You feel much...nicer than your brother,” Ariana said before she could stop herself.
Alice giggled and her laugh was like a song played on Annabeth’s favorite harpsichord. “I should hope so. I think we shall be good friends,” she replied.
Ariana blushed. “I’ve never had a friend my age.”
Alice lifted Ariana’s hand, then twirled a pale finger around Ariana’s wrist. The scent of peppermint filled the air as a cool, silvery magic spun around her wrist. When Alice let go of Ariana’s hand, a translucent, icy-looking bracelet hung there. “A reminder that you can always consider me a friend. I know you may not be eager to see my family again, but I hope you feel more comfortable around me,” the silver-haired girl said, before turning to join her family.
“Wait!” Ariana called. She reached out for the girl’s wrist, and Alice extended it. She closed her eyes to picture her teal strands of magic, weaving themselves into an intricate braid. She pushed light into the braid, like she’d done for her own light trinket, which was currently tucked into her carpet bag. She also pushed a little of the feeling that Alice gave her into the braid, though she couldn’t name it. When she opened her eyes, Alice wore a multi-stranded glowing bracelet around her wrist.
The fairy stared at it in awe. “It feels…” Alice bit her lip. “It’s hard to describe. I guess it feels like my favorite chair. The one in our library. Comfortable, warm. Thank you, Ariana. It’s not only beautiful. It’s powerful. It has traces of so many magics that I cannot name them. Your magic is very complex. It’s a beautiful gift to wear.”
Ariana shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s more beautiful than the one you gave me, but it’s how my magic wants to act, so I just go with it. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
Alice laughed. “I love it! And I am sure the Queen will have you properly trained in no time. See you in a few days’ time. Thank you. I will treasure it.”
“As will I,” Ariana replied, feeling both embarrassed and happy at the same time. She could feel the eyes of hundreds of fairies upon her. She waved to Alice as the fairy disembarked and smiled the biggest, most genuine smile she’d smiled in some time.
“You have good taste in friends, young one,” Nimby commented, as he lifted the plank. “Alice is an anomaly in her family, kind and sincere.”
“She is, isn’t she?” Ariana answered, fingering the icy bracelet that reminded her of peppermint tea.
“Come, lass, help me untie the rigging so we can get some distance from all this fanfare.”
Ariana went to help Nimby ready Seaira for sailing, her heart lighter and more hopeful.
Only a few miles from the border, the river, which, up to this point, had been calm, started to roll more fiercely. Nimby and Seaira had to navigate around large protruding boulders. The river became so fast and bumpy that Wot, who’d been hiding from the fairies while the
y were docked, jumped from the ship entirely and began flying just over the deck to avoid being jostled about. He was making grumpy clicking sounds from his position in the air. She thought he was probably not used to flying so much, and was complaining about it, though she could not say why she thought so. Ariana began to wish for wings like Nimby and Wot.
Instead, she grabbed hold of a rope and held on for dear life. The spray from the river splashed her face as they navigated the rough waters and she began to smile. It was just as she imagined days ago, when she closed her eyes and thought of spray of ocean on her face. That moment felt very distant now.
She walked along the rope to the bow of the ship to get a better look at the rough waters, and her heart went from carefree and light to racing and terrified in a matter of seconds. She now understood why the water was moving so treacherously swift. Ahead of them the river widened into the largest waterfall Ariana had ever seen. The sparkling azure waters frothed in waves over the side of a treacherous drop.
I’m going to die. I mean, I thought I might die in the forest, but I am definitely going to die today.
“Nimby!” she screamed.
“No worries, Ari, my girl. Seaira and I have traveled this route many a time. We are prepared.” With that, he undid a rope at the rigging and a great sail billowed out from its folds. He smiled a crazed, defiant smile, raced to the ship’s wheel and gripped it with both hands.
“Are ye ready, Seaira?” He yelled over the crashing waves of the river.
Ariana’s heart was in her throat. The waterfall was mere feet away, and it sounded like the roar of a thousand horse’s hooves clomping in time.
“Nimby!” She screamed again as the ship’s bow crested the great waterfall. It tilted so it hung precariously over the edge, and Ariana could see that they were more than fifty feet up from the frothing, churning, deadly waters crashing into the rocky river below.
Magic Underground: The Complete Collection (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 4) Page 193