Chapter 4 - Do you speak?
1487 Words
A couple of weeks later, Nate and Vince continued practicing well into the afternoon. Aaron has gone to accomplish his other tasks.
Too late. She really shouldn’t complete reading an enchantment in her mind. By the time she read the last syllable, she was enveloped by differing lights. Vince looked up from reading his book and watched in astonishment. It looked oddly like the fairy wings, except there are at least three colors. Gold, blue, and green. They were mesmerized for a few seconds. But then, Nate disappeared along with the lights and Vince was stunned. He looked around. He went over the place she was standing moments before. She’s gone.
“Nate?” He called out. Maybe she turned invisible? He called her again a few more times but no one answered. He stood there not knowing what to do, before he decided he must tell his father.
Nate’s heart started beating fast as she does not recognize the new place she’s in. There were glittering lights in most plants and trees. Above is a clear sky but… where’s the sun? There was a hue of green and blue in the air, like a very thin mist. She moved towards a tree and stood next to it as she surveys her new environment. What is this place? Where’s Vince? She asked herself. She looked down at the book she’s holding. Maybe she could use the enchantment again? But before that, maybe she should look around? Gather information about this place and report back to the king. She hid the book in her makeshift bag, under her cloak. Where to go? She looked left and right, before deciding to simply move forward. She’s not seeing any houses or something similar.
She started to relax as she encountered nothing on her way.
She’d never screamed in her life. Well, except when Ariella pulled her from the tower. She screamed as she struggled. She was lifted from the ground and up they went. She looked up to see what was carrying her. Is it a huge bird? She momentarily forgot her fears as she saw a… he should be a fairy, right? But why is he as big as her?
“Who are you?” She asked as she reached out to hold onto his arm. She’s not trusting him not to drop her. He only glanced at her for a second, showing her a very delighted grin.
“Let me down.” She demanded. Would her powers work in this place? She chanted for a small flame. She should really think things over before doing something. She screamed again as he dropped her when he felt the pain on his hand. Why is it that they haven’t found an enchantment that would allow her to control her own body? She fell. Suddenly, she thought of something weird. She held onto the book on her side and chanted. Float. It worked as she stopped falling, but it wasn’t long before the fairy caught her again. She hadn’t had the time to control it to move away, bringing her with it. She groaned as he clutched her cloak. She held onto the neckline this time as she felt as if she’s being choked. Dumb fairy.
“Do you speak?” She yelled as they sped across the treetops.
He didn’t spare her another glance but that stupid grin is still on his face. What is he excited about?
As they moved around a mountain, she gasped as she saw a castle. They were moving towards it. It was glittering with gold and there were those lights that surrounded her earlier.
“Father!” The fairy called out in a loud voice and she winced. He’s calling his father? Who is this guy?
Her heart sped up again as she saw guards flying towards them. Well, she assumed they were guards because of their armor.
“My prince…”, the one who seemed like a leader stuttered into a stop as he stares at her. She narrowed her eyes on them. On the other hand, did he just call this guy a prince?
“She’s got no wings!” Someone exclaimed and Nate understood their… curiosity? But why is the prince excited?
“Make way. I’m showing her to father.”
“Allow us, my lord.” The guard moved forward.
“But… I caught her.” He sounded very reluctant, but why does Nate feel as if she’s being treated like a thing?
The prince handed her over the guard and they continued to fly further into the castle grounds. Then, they flew down and stepped on solid ground. Oh, she loves the ground. Her knees felt week and she slumped on it. She doesn’t like flying unless she can fly on her own.
“Get up. The king will see you.” The prince nudged at her back. Damn these royals. She’s tempted to say she’s royalty. Would that make them treat her better or would that make them treat her as an enemy? She needs to be careful. Slowly, she stood up and walked with the others. So many guards… is she considered a prisoner? But why must she see the king? Can’t they simply throw her into prison so she can check her book? She hasn’t memorized the enchantment yet. On the way, she tried hard to remember it. It was a pretty long enchantment. Four lines.
And then, they arrived. The lead guard knocked on a door and announced the presence of the prince. It was opened and they all stepped in.
“We brought a human.” The prince excitedly announced.
The people inside all looked at them, then, they spotted her. She saw the look of shock, surprise, and astonishment in different faces. There were excited voices.
The king gestured to hush everyone and there was silence again.
“Who are you?” Asked the man she presumed to be king, as he was sitting on the throne earlier. He now stood, taking a few steps closer to them.
“They call me Nate, my lord.” She bowed for good measure. She’s not very particular about rules anyway.
“And where are you from?”
Huh, tough question. Well, no. She knows where she’s from, but she doesn’t know this place.
“From the kingdom of the north, your majesty.”
There were murmurs around, some are sounding excited again. Why are they excited? Surely, they have heard of it?
“Are you really human? You do not have wings.” The king asked and the prince from earlier strode forward to meet his father.
Good observation. Everyone here has wings, Nate noted as she looked around.
“Yes, my lord. I am human. I assume you are all… fairies?”
“Fae.” The prince barked. It seems he doesn’t like the term fairies. His expression was a little scary. Just because I called them fairies? Nate contemplated.
“How did you arrive at our kingdom?” The king continued. By now, she noticed more people are coming in from a door behind the chamber.
“I…” Is it safe to tell them she has magic?
“Do not plan to lie. We will know.” The king warned her, noticing her hesitation.
“I used an enchantment from a book I was reading. I didn’t know what it would do. Would my lord inform this servant what this place is?” She bowed again. She was requesting answers, after all.
The king and the others surveyed her, as she surveys them. Those glittery wings are a bit distracting to her eyes.
“An enchantment, you say?” The king walked until he’s only a few steps away from her.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Are you an enchantress?”
Now the tricky part. Enchantresses don’t have a good reputation, from what she’d read. Should she admit? Wait, he did warn her not to lie.
“Yes, my lord.” She decided to be honest and stared straight into the king’s eyes.
The king liked the firm way she answered. Now, what to do? Should they treat her as a guest? Or should they lock her up?
He sized her up before giving her information.
“This world is of the fae, a dimension separate from where humans live.”
She took the time to digest that. So, she got transported here? Right, she originally thought that the enchantment would allow her to travel from the north to the northeast with ease. She’s not looking forward to days in a carriage. She was even imagining her father’s throne room when she used it.
But alas, what actually happened is not what she expected.
“Does your highness know how I can return to the human world?” She noticed the change in their expressions as she asked.
“You cannot.” The prince barked, moving forward towards her and she instinctively took a step back.
“You must stay here.” He seems agitated, as some of the others. She noticed as she looked around. The king remained calm, though. He extended an arm to stop the prince from reaching her.
“The human will be treated as a guest. Do not forget. She is important.”
Nate could only listen and watch them.
“But she’s here now… the prophecy…”
Upon hearing that word, Nate’s eyes constricted.
Oh, hell no. Not another prophecy.
- Writer
