by Zora Marie
“Do any of you understand the language of the humans?”
“Oh my gosh! She... she knows our tongue! Quick, go get someone of the royal family.” One Fairy with the wings of a luna moth said.
Two of them shot off towards the sound of water. It took her a few to process their words as they spoke in quick spurts, like the jingle of bells.
Soon, a little Fairy Prince and Princess appeared.
She bowed her head as the Prince asked in a language the others understood.
“Where did you learn our language? Of all my fathers before me, we’ve never met a human who could speak our language.”
“I learned your language as a small child on the mainland when I lived in Elyluma. A wise elf taught me many languages, many long forgotten by man and Dwarf alike. I didn’t quite believe my ears when I heard the whispers of the Fairies in the trees. The language your people speak is one that has been long forgotten by the Fairies of the mainland.”
The little Prince fluttered his painted lady butterfly wings as he stood a bit taller.
“You lived among Elves? But Elves hate humans!”
“That may be true of some Elves, but most of the Elves on the mainland have fought many wars alongside the humans. They have their disputes, but they get along fine with humans who are not as greedy as most.”
“You speak as if you aren’t one of them. But if I should believe my eyes, you are human.”
“You are neither right nor wrong in either of those judgments. I was created to look as though I am human, though I am not.”
He fluttered his wings as he processed that, then he flew off. “Come, I believe our parents should like to meet you, dragon riders.”
The little monarch butterfly-winged Fairy Princess took flight alongside her brother.
“Come, the insects have cleared a path for you this way. Just watch out for the mushrooms.”
They followed the Fairies to the edge of a pool of water dotted with lily pads. A small waterfall glowed blue and green to one side of the pool and a stream trickled out the other end. There was a downed tree along the edge of the water, and it was there the Fairies had them sit while they went off to find their parents.
In the absence of the Prince and Princess, ten little leaf people, wingless Fairies, watched over them.
She understood the need for the guards quite well, while the others were nervous with the little leaf people watching their every move. The longer they sat, the more leaf people she noticed. They watched them from the trees, and some rode small birds.
Time passed, and she whistled a little tune with the birds. One drew close and perched on her finger. The sparkling color drained from her rider’s face. Zelia stroked the little bird’s breast.
“You’re a beautiful bird, but it’s time you go back to listening to your rider.”
With a tweet, she fluttered back into the sky.
Finally, the Prince and Princess returned followed by their parents, all clad in clothes made of leaves and flower petals. They were almost a mirror image of the royal Elves she once knew.
“Why do you bring humans to our home?” the King asked in their quiet and pretty language.
“He thought you might find it interesting that I speak your language. Though I only appear to be human. And I was taught your language by your distant relatives, the Elves,” she replied in their language before the Prince could.
The Fairy King pulled back and made two quick passes around her.
“Well, you look human enough though you do not speak or compose yourself as one. Do your companions understand our language?”
“I’m afraid not. They know only their own language, where I have been taught all the languages known to the higher-born Elves.”
With that information, the Fairy King changed languages though his voice was still tiny. “I’ve never known Elves to teach humans their knowledge. No matter how Elfish the human may act.”
She smiled. She had never thought of how much Eadon and Alrindel had influenced her in the time she’d spent with them.
“What, you did not know how alike you are to the Elves?”
“I didn’t realize how much Eadon and his son had imprinted on me. They took me in as one of their own when I was an infant, thanks to Queen Eleanor.”
The Fairy Queen flew forward.
“Speaking of formalities and such. I do not believe any of us have exchanged names. I am the Fairy Queen Fairon. This is my husband King Forgon. And our children Prince Flon and Princess Flaina whom I believe you have already met. What are your names?”
“I am Zelia.” She continued naming the others in the order they sat beside her.
The Fairies bowed.
“Glad to make your acquaintances. Now why are you on our fair island?”
“I thought you might be able to help Zelia,” Dotchavitch said.
“It’s complicated. I’m not human, wizards created me to kill the gods. I just don’t want to hurt anyone else, but they can control me. We... I was hoping you might know of something that can help.”
“If what you say is true, I do not know of anything that can give you what you wish for. But I can give you a piece of advice, you cannot run from the Wizards of the Guild. I assume they are who you are talking about, in which case only their deaths will free you.”
“Surely not all of them have turned, dear,” Queen Fairon said.
“They would all have to help willingly to create life, unless some were deceived.”
“Do you think an elf with telepathy could be deceived?” Zelia asked.
“Anyone can be deceived, even royal Elves.”
“Could one change someone’s memories?”
“For a short time, but the memories would return, eventually.”
“Thank you King Forgon.”
“For what?”
“I know where I’m going.”
Zelia looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, and they had traveled a long way that day.
“You guys should go ahead back,” she said to her companions.
She turned to the Fairies. “If you do not mind, I would like to learn more about your people and your guards before I leave. I won’t be able to return.”
Fairon and Forgon exchanged a glance.
“I won’t leave you alone here,” Dotchavitch protested.
“I won’t be alone. Besides, I’ve spent a great deal of time on my own; I’m capable of taking care of myself.”
“Here, I’ll stay with her if it makes you feel better,” Kafthry offered.
“Me too,” Keller interjected.
Dotchavitch rolled his eyes. “Fine.”
With that decided they turned back to the Queen and King for their approval. The little leaf men showed their disapproval of the idea with crossed arms.
“We can sleep with our dragons in the clearing on the edge of the woods if that would make you more comfortable with our presence. Also, there is no need to feed us. I assure you I only seek to learn more about your people. Although the Elves hold vast knowledge, their knowledge is limited when it comes to Fairies and leaf men since so few stayed on the mainland. I wish to return with at least something to teach Eadon.”
26
The royal Fairies debated and eventually accepted Zelia’s offer, then said good day to the other dragon riders.
After they had left, the Queen and King excused themselves, leaving Prince Flon and Princess Flaina to answer her questions.
Zelia asked many questions, most of which pertained to their magic and culture. To make things easier for the Fairies and to make the leaf men more comfortable, she spoke in their language.
She learned that there are distinct groups of Fairies, though they all treat each other as equals.
“So, you’re divided up with different classifications like
the Elves?”
“Depends, can you give me an example?”
“Royals, healers, bowmen, and swayers are the major groups.”
“Hm, not exactly. We’re divided up by tree, water, flower, mushroom, moss, bird, bug, and a great deal of other things. But we all work together to keep the island alive and happy.”
“So, you are all swayers of sorts, beings who can influence the growth of other things with song?”
“You could say that.”
“So, what about the leaf men?” She glanced to the little men watching her, and their demeanor lightened at the mention of them. “I have heard even less of them.”
“Well, you could compare their abilities to that of the elvish bowmen.”
After she had asked as many questions as she could think of, Flon and Flaina had questions for her.
She answered their questions as best she could though some things they mentioned she had very little knowledge of.
The leaf men had warmed up to her. A younger leaf man who had a larger, pointy nose asked, “Tell me this, you have so many powers, yet you carry many weapons, why?”
“You can’t always rely on your powers as they’re not always the best tool for the job. Besides, it’s rather hard to blend in as a human if you go around using magic all the time.”
“How well can you use all the weapons you carry?”
“I’m best with the bow and do well enough with the sword.”
“I should like to see your skills with the bow and sword, if for nothing else than to learn.”
“There are a few things I could show you, but I don’t have a skillful enough opponent here to show you much.”
The leaf men pointed to Kafthry and Keller. “What about these two?”
She laughed and was glad the boys couldn’t understand her.
“They’re far better with an axe than a sword.”
Keller sat forward. “What are you guys talking about?”
“They wish for me to demonstrate my sword skills on you.”
He edged away from her. “Um, I’ll pass on that invitation. I’m rather attached to my head and limbs.”
“No worries, I rather like you being in one piece too. But there is one trick I could show them that won’t endanger you.” She drew her sword, and its surface glinted in the evening sun. “Draw your sword and hold it out in front of you as if you were sizing up your opponent.”
“Why does it have to be me?” He groused and pulled his sword. “If I were your opponent, I would just give you my sw—”
She lunged and before he knew what happened, she held his sword alongside her own.
Kafthry elbowed Keller as he sat back down. “If only you could see the look on your face.”
Keller glared at him.
“Oh, lighten up,” Kafthry said.
She sheathed her sword and faced the leaf men.
“That’s all I can show you with them.”
“Where did you learn that trick? Your footing is a great deal like mine, but what you just did there is something I have never seen.”
“It’s a Dwarf trick. It’s really simple, you just circle their blade with a quick motion to loosen their grip, then fling it out of their hand. If you’re good, you can catch it.”
The leaf men nodded.
Zelia paused to look at the sky peeking through gaps in the treetops. It was getting dark; they would have to return to their dragons soon.
27
“Kafthry, Keller, it’s time we head back to the dragons before nightfall. In case we leave before we see you again, thank you for answering my questions and allowing us to stay.”
Prince Flon flew in front of her and bowed.
“It was my pleasure. Though I wish you could stay another day.”
She smiled as the wind blew through her hair, blowing towards their dragons and the mainland.
“I do too, but the winds are calling me back. If these two could keep up with Raven, we’d head back tonight as I travel by the stars quite well.”
The Prince bowed again. “Well, it was a pleasure to meet you. Goodnight.”
He moved from their path and gestured for her to continue.
The sun had just set over the horizon when they made it back to the dragons. Dotchavitch had left a small pack with a few things to eat in it, so they all ate and lay down to sleep. Keller wanted them to take turns taking watch, but she assured them the leaf men would not hurt them while they slept.
She could just make out a faint elvish chant emanating from somewhere in the forest as she fell asleep.
>
A huge army of Darkans moved south across the land towards a stronghold of the humans east of the Faithful Mountains. She didn’t know the land that well, but she knew enough.
The scene changed, she looked down at The Hold, the Kingdom of the Mountains’ fortress where they go in times of dire need. The sky was lit up with the light of the stars, and elvish bowmen marched to the gate.
Her dream moved closer.
“Alrindel?” she muttered.
He was at the head of the Elves alongside Koin. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could tell enough to know the Elves’ help had been accepted.
Her dream lurched forward in time.
The Darkans had gotten inside The Hold’s outer walls and were slaughtering everyone in their wake, even as they retreated to the inner wall. She watched helplessly as a Darkan ran a sword into Alrindel’s back, the blade piercing the front of his chest plate.
Koin caught Alrindel as he staggered, choking on his own blood. And with a strangled breath, he collapsed.
She screamed out in her dreams and could almost feel the pain he felt. She felt the pain of losing him before he had been lost before she could see him one more time.
>
Drenched in sweat and shaking she shot up, suddenly wide awake.
“Zelia, are you okay?” Kafthry reached towards her.
She retreated from his touch and stood next to a tree on the edge of the island, the cold breeze coming off the ocean doing nothing to calm her nerves.
“Zelia, who’s Alrindel and why were you just muttering his name in your sleep? Are you okay?”
She took a deep breath and sank down against the tree.
“Alrindel is kin, an elf. He took me in as his sister.”
She shuddered and shivered in the cool night air.
“I have to get back to the mainland. I can’t…” Her voice cracked as she buried her face in her hands.
“You can’t what?”
“Let him and all those people die like that.” She choked back her sobs and pulled herself together. “If you can’t follow me, then stay here and I’ll have one of the others come get you. I have to go.”
Keller and Kafthry climbed onto their dragons and followed. Evergreen and Elm struggled to keep up with Raven as they shot across the ocean.
When the fires on Dragon Island came into view, Elm and Evergreen were panting hard.
“Can you two get them back from here?” Raven asked.
“Y... yes,” they wheezed.
With their reply, Raven’s pace quickened.
Dotchavitch and Johnol were walking up as she landed.
“Can I borrow a ship? I have to leave,” she said.
They followed her for a few paces. “Why?”
“War is stirring on the mainland.”
Keller and Kafthry climbed off their dragons and explained what they knew in a rush.
>
“Don’t go doing anything rash. You should calm your nerves before setting out to sea,” Dotchavitch said when he caught up.
She stuffed the clothes Dotch had given her in a pack.
“No, I should go now while the sea and the wind are ready to push me bac
k. The fields were already in full crop, that means I only have until the end of summer to cross the sea, skirt around The Mountain of the Old Ones, and climb to the summit of the Faithful Mountains. Land travel will take over a week and that’s if I don’t stop to sleep or eat.”
“You won’t do anyone any good if you kill yourself trying to get there.”
She slung the pack over her shoulder, and Dotch handed her the blanket off the bed.
“I know. I only said it, so you’ll understand how much I have to hurry if I intend to save Alrindel’s life.” She stopped midstride, she owed Dotch a better explanation than this and she knew she needed his help to get back. “Alrindel was… is my brother. He took me under his wing when we were children. We did everything together. Competitions with him are part of why I’m so good with a bow. I would probably just be the wizards’ puppet if it weren’t for him and Eadon taking me into their family when I was an infant. I wouldn’t be shown his death unless I can change it.”
“And that’s what I will do.” She said it more for herself than she did for him. “So, you see, I have to go. Will you help me? Please?”
Dotch let out a long sigh. “Yes. You can take the smaller ship. It’s a boat I found after the dragon trappers raided it last year and it hardly works for fishing, anyways. I don’t think the men will string me up for giving it to you. And since they just got back, it’ll be ready to go.”
“I wish I had something to give you in return.”
“You saved our village, it’s the least we can do. But you won’t be able to take Raven with you. It’s too small.”
“Raven already said she feels bound here. Hopefully, she’ll understand.”
Dotch nodded. “Then go say goodbye to her, I’ll get things ready for you.”
“Thank you Dotch, really.”
>
Zelia found Raven staring out at the ocean, waiting for her. “I’m sorry I’m leaving like this.”
“I could come with you.”
“No, Dotch says the ship won’t hold you. Besides, the humans on the mainland would hunt you down and kill you. It doesn’t matter if you are friendly and I can’t risk losing you like that. Besides, I need you to take care of them for me as I won’t be returning.”