The walls, ceiling, and floor were all plain white and seemed to glow, giving off the light for the room. There was a small cot along the far wall, which seemed to extend out of the wall itself, with a simple foam mattress on the top. A fairy sat on the mattress wearing an elegant purple dress, her long blue hair disheveled, looking down at her hands. When the fairy looked up, Ela’s look-alike stared her in the face, identical except for her clothing. Anger rose in Ela’s chest.
“Hello, love,” Impostor Ara cooed. “Who is this you have with you? A cousin?”
“Cut the act,” Phoenix said, flatly. “We know what you’ve done, shifter. Right now, we’re here to get Ara’s memories back. Then later, you and I are going to have a nice long talk.”
“Shifter? My memories? I don’t know what you mean, Phoenix. What are you trying to say?” Impostor Ara blinked innocently.
The more the impostor tried to act her way out of the situation, the more anger grew in Ela’s chest; despite her anger, she knew she had to contain herself to break the spell. She put on her best sympathetic face.
“This is all just a big misunderstanding,” Ela soothed the impostor, getting a look of surprise from Phoenix. “I just wanted to meet the legendary Queen Ara. Everyone tells me we look so much alike. I’m not sure how it happened, but it appears someone got us confused. Please forgive me for the confusion, my queen.”
Ela crossed the room and knelt at Impostor Ara’s feet, discreetly reaching for the dagger in her cloak.
“I see. Well in that case, all is forgiven. We will get to know each other later. You are most welcome in our home, but for now I must rest. Escort me to our room, darling?”
As Impostor Ara went to stand, Ela plunged the dagger through the impostor’s bare foot. She pulled the dagger out and scrambled backward as the impostor screamed in pain and surprise and stumbled backward onto the bed. The impostor’s facial features started moving as though trying to shift, but she was unable to do so due to the magic-restricted room. The impostor shrieked loudly in frustration, her foot already beginning to heal due to the biological properties of her shifter blood.
Everything came rushing back to Ela. The past 700+ years flooded through her mind at once, the good, the bad...everything. She recovered her memories, fully becoming Ara again.
Ela, now Ara, didn’t have time to dwell on any of it, though, because the impostor jumped off the bed in outrage and made a dash for her.
Phoenix moved to intervene, but Ara threw her hand up, sending out a glowing, blue protective shield around both herself and Phoenix that caused Impostor Ara to bounce backward and fall onto the bed. Ara then pointed her index finger toward the impostor and twisted it quickly, tying the impostor up with magic as though she’d used an invisible rope.
The impostor struggled against the restraints but was unable to break them.
Ara sighed in relief and stood. Phoenix momentarily enveloped her in his arms. She noted his warmth and remembered how he always stayed warmer than anyone else, as though he carried a fire inside.
“Come, love. We’ll deal with her later,” he said.
They turned to leave the room.
“Wait, you can’t leave me here,” the impostor called out. “What about our baby, Phoenix? Would you really leave him and his mother in these conditions?”
Ara sucked in a sharp breath and looked at Phoenix wide-eyed. Her heart broke a little hearing those words. In all their years together, she’d never considered the possibility of Phoenix being with anyone else. On top of the flood of memories, this information was too much. As queen she’d learned separate her emotions from her logic to handle most situations impartially, but as a heartbroken fairy she required a private moment to process this.
“You’re fine, shifter. You brought this on yourself. Stop whining,” Phoenix snapped.
He pressed his hand to Ara’s lower back and guided her from the room. He murmured, “Ara, we have a few things to discuss. Please remember, foolish as it was, I genuinely believed she was you.”
He shut the door behind them and quickly began sealing it again, the seals shining bright gold with his touch.
Ara drew a deep breath. “Phoenix... I... I need to walk away for a minute. I need to process... Give me a minute...” She didn’t wait for a response. She turned and quickly walked up the hallway, out a door that led to the gardens.
Chapter 8
The gardens connected to the villa had always been Ara’s favorite place to relax and think. She’d always held a special connection to nature and felt most at home there; the sentiment was followed closely by her love of her office, which was essentially an indoor garden. The villa garden was private and quiet; no one would bother her.
Outside the door was the edible herbs section; just past that was a large vegetable patch; enclosing all that was a small orchard that stretched over a few acres. The town radiated outward from where the orchard ended.
The gardens were beautiful, colorful, and well-maintained, as always. As she watched, several tiny pixies--who were no more than six inches tall with pointed ears and noses, defined eyebrows, and shimmering feathered wings--flew about harvesting items throughout the garden, probably for use in the witches’ potions.
Though stereotypically the term “witch” might bring a female with negative connotations to mind, male practitioners were also dubbed witches, and most witches weren’t evil; it was simply a term referring to a highly skilled magic practitioner who specialized in spells and potions. The royal witches were a mix of male and female practitioners who excelled at potions and spell work. Likewise, good and bad witches existed, just like good and bad fairies. The stereotype the word often evoked meant nothing. Ara trusted the villa witches implicitly.
Evening had arrived at the villa and the sun would soon set.
Ara made her way to the orchard and sat on the ground behind a large fruit tree, out of sight from both the villa and the town. She leaned back against the trunk and let out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
All her memories flooding back had been a blessing...but also a bit of a curse. In addition to the beautiful memories, such as her exquisite wedding day to Phoenix, also came the painful memories--the battles they fought and the tough decisions they faced as leaders. She and Phoenix did everything together. The memory flood made her relive all the good and bad moments all over again.
Tears filled her eyes. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, trying to hold the tears back.
Those painful memories weren’t all that bothered her, though, and ultimately weren’t what made the tears break free.
Ara and Phoenix tried for centuries for a child. The best medicine practitioners reassured the couple that nothing was wrong physically and that a child would come when the time was right.
Though, at the time, Phoenix had believed himself to be with Ara, Phoenix now had a child on the way with someone else. She felt wounded--cheated--that she was not the fairy sharing that with him.
Ara covered her face with her hands and let the tears flow, sobbing quietly.
Phoenix’s warmth enveloped her as he knelt beside her and crushed her to his chest. She knew him without looking; his warmth and smell immediately identified him. He was always warm as a raging fire--his mother used to call him her “favorite little fire-bird”--and, despite living in the mountains, he always smelled like coconuts.
She pressed her face to his chest and cried until she ran out of tears.
Phoenix held her close and stroked her hair soothingly, letting her vent her negative emotions.
He softly hummed her favorite ballad as he held her; the steady vibrations from his chest comforted her.
When she finally leaned back to look at him, she saw the same heartbreak and tears reflected in his face.
Phoenix cupped her cheek with his hand and locked his gaze to hers. “I don’t know how to make this up to you, Ara. But I will spend the rest of our lives trying.”
When Ara softly nodded
her assent, Phoenix pressed his lips gently to hers, a light touch that took her breath away.
As he deepened the kiss, she was reminded of their first kiss all those years ago. Two awkward kids with no idea what they were doing, but they made it work and learned together. They had been each others’ first and only in everything...until now.
Ara gasped and leaned back, startled by the realization. Phoenix also looked startled for a moment, then understanding crossed his face. He caressed her cheek with his thumb and pressed his forehead to hers.
He stared into her eyes and whispered, “We will take as long as you need. But have no doubt that you have always been--and still are--the only one for me. You are it for me. There will never be anyone but you.”
Ara knew she had to move past this. It wasn’t Phoenix’s fault; he’d been deceived. They all had. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
Ara gave Phoenix a small smile. “It’s just going to take some time to adjust to all this,” she said. “I just got my memories back and now this...it’s a lot to take in, Phoenix.”
Phoenix hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. “I know, sweetheart. We’ll take all the time you need, and we’ll get through this together.”
After taking a few minutes to comfort each other and collect themselves, the two went inside for dinner with their guests. Phoenix remained nearby the entire time, doing the little things he had always done to show her he was there for her--holding her hand, rubbing her back softly, squeezing her knee reassuringly.
Lynx, too, stayed close to Ara, his instincts making him extra protective of her during such an emotional time. He even pulled her aside at one point to get her reassurance that she was okay. He seemed satisfied with her affirmative response and relaxed a little more throughout the evening.
The companions sat up late, sharing stories, catching up, and getting to know each other better. When everyone grew tired, Maddox showed Lynx and Chrysantha to the guest rooms, while Ara and Phoenix headed toward the master suite.
Phoenix stopped her before she opened the door. “I would’ve taken care of this already, but with everything happening today it didn’t occur to me... If you want to sleep in one of the other rooms tonight until the shifter’s items are removed, I have no problem with that.”
Ara shook her head. “I won’t be chased out of my own home.”
“Okay.” Phoenix nodded. “But I should warn you...the room has been fully redecorated.”
Ara turned the knob and swung the door open. What had once been a light and airy open room, with three brightly painted walls and an entirely glass outside wall that overlooked the town (enchanted to keep others from seeing in, of course), was now painted a dreary brown. The closet remained in the same location, but that was the only feature remaining the same. What was once driftwood furniture and decorations that resembled a beach house was now all new and gaudy...not at all to Ara’s tastes. Even the king-sized bed was replaced by a mattress that looked way too overstuffed on which to sleep comfortably.
Ara looked at Phoenix. “What happened here? You agreed to this travesty?”
“It’s not that bad. You get used to it after a while.” He shrugged. “At the time, I thought it was what you wanted.”
“Yeah? Well apparently you need to learn to tell me no sometimes,” she scoffed.
The corners of Phoenix’s mouth tugged upward slightly but he remained silent. It was true; he rarely told her no.
Ara could not sleep in this room as it was, and definitely not in the bed the impostor had shared with Phoenix.
Ara crossed to the center of the room. She closed her eyes and pictured their old beach-themed room. Focusing on that image, she held her hand in front of her, palm facing outward. She began to chant and slowly spun her body in a full circle. A blue glow emanated from her hand and slowly reached out to touch the walls. She spun this circle three times. As she progressed, the room slowly changed back to its original decor--paint, furniture, and all.
She smiled when she finished, the blue glow dissipating. “Much better.”
Phoenix laughed.
He said, “I must admit, I missed this room. And come to think of it, I was a little surprised when ‘you’ redecorated this place piece by piece instead of with your magic. But I never suspected it wasn’t really you. I’m sorry, my love. It’s glaringly obvious now.”
Phoenix walked over to Ara and slid his arms around her waist, pressing against her back. She relaxed in his arms and the two looked out the windows at the distant lights of their kingdom.
“We’ll plan a getaway soon, just the two of us. Maybe to that tropical island you love.” He brushed her hair aside and tenderly kissed the nape of her neck.
“We’ll see.”
The current situation with their kingdom came to mind, and anger rose in her chest.
“First, we must sort out all this nonsense about non-fairies being banished, jailed, or executed. What were you thinking, Phoenix? I would never propose something like that; I wouldn’t even listen to someone else propose it.”
She pulled away and turned to face him.
Phoenix sighed and rubbed his hand down his face before he leveled his gaze to hers. “I know that. But that infernal shapeshifter wore down my defenses.” He looked exhausted. “All year, she kept providing me documents and ‘proof’ that her allegations were true. The intensity of the claims gradually escalated. I thought she was you, so I never doubted the reports’ credibility, but apparently they were entirely falsified. I sent a few knights out to verify after talking to Maddox today, and they reported back that none of it is true.
“Two weeks ago, she guilt-tripped me, telling me she was pregnant and asking if I want our child to grow up in a realm war-torn and scarred by an uprising against the fairies...against our family.
“She presented me with a proclamation, and I went along with it because our first responsibility is to protect the interests of Quarrin. With non-fairies organizing against us, phase one of the protection plan asked all non-fairies to leave, reducing both potential enemy numbers and innocent casualties.
“I thought it was in the best interest of the kingdom in the long run. You know I wouldn’t make that decision lightly.”
Ara sighed. “I know. I’m just glad the error came to light before the proclamation was enacted. A hunting party, a culling, for any non-conformers, because of their race... I still can’t believe it. The kingdom would be shattered. There’d be no return from that.”
Ara rubbed the back of her neck and shoulders, the day weighing heavily on her.
Phoenix held her gaze.
She continued, “The impostor’s future also needs discussion. Although I want to make her punishment as uncomfortable as possible, that will obviously have to be postponed until the child is born. After that, I’m all for public reprimand for being a traitor.
“Floggings, medieval stocks... I’ll even consider bringing back gladiatorial combat. Prison is too easy of a punishment for her. I have no problem conjuring an amphitheater and tossing her in with dagger and a couple of werebeasts to see if she can hold her own. Shifter or not, I think the beasts will do a fine job with her.
“Then you and I will, of course, raise the child as our own with no mention of this to anyone. Neither the child nor the public should ever know any different.”
Hope flashed in Phoenix’s eyes. “Do you mean that?”
Ara nodded. “Of course. We’re one. Your child is my child. Our child.”
Phoenix wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Thank you, sweetheart. That means so much to me.” He kissed her temple. “I love you, Ara. Entirely.” He squeezed her tenderly for a moment, then loosened his grip.
“You’ve been through so much. Let me care for you tonight.”
Phoenix took a step back, kicked off his shoes, pulled his shirt over his head, and tossed it aside. He stripped his belt off and tossed it, as well, but left his slacks on.
His body was well-t
oned; he obviously still trained for combat regularly. She could clearly see the tattoo on his right inner forearm now; it was one she knew well. A tree of life encircled by the words “Veritas” and “Aequitas” -- human Latin for truth and justice. It depicted how he tried to live his life: with harmony, balance, truth, and justice. He and Ara had always embraced a strong sense of righteousness and justice in their lives. Ara had a matching tattoo between her shoulder blades, though the woodland fairies had never mentioned it to her.
He stepped behind her and gently helped her out of her dress, his fingers trailing delicately over her tattoo, then motioned for her to lie down on the bed. She crossed the room and laid on her stomach. Phoenix proceeded to give her an amazing, full body massage. He sang softly to her as he worked, soothing her with his words as well as his touch. The tension melted from her shoulders and neck, and she eventually fell into a relaxed, peaceful sleep, snuggled into the warmth she’d been away from for far too long.
Chapter 9
Ara awoke lying on her side under the covers, bright light streaming through the windows. Phoenix snuggled next to her, one arm possessively over her waist, sound asleep.
The familiar sight of the sun in his messy hair as he slept brought a warm feeling to the pit of her stomach. Counting the number of times she woke to that exact view over the years would be impossible. This fairy was the constant in her life. After their marriage, they’d never spent a night apart--with the exception of the past year.
She and Phoenix had many, many good memories together, but her mind drifted to her favorite.
Centuries ago, when she and Phoenix were still teenagers, a group of rogue bogeymen began stealing fairy children from their beds. Bogeymen were manifestations of terror and didn't have an actual corporeal body, making them difficult to handle. Fighting them took significant magic.
Bogeymen mainly frequented the human world, but occasionally a rogue or two showed up in Quarrin. Fear fed them and made them stronger. This time, several banded together and started abducting fairy children for their personal fear supply.
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