by Zara Zenia
I didn’t receive one. The fairies exchanged a glance with each other and the pink one pointed toward the perimeter of the gated hedge that I had attempted to flee only a few minutes ago.
My hopes dashed and I felt my emotional stability crumble as I noticed the dragon now perched on top of the hedge. Its giant wings were outstretched beside it and its eyes were black and ireful.
Its clawed feet had sharp talons at the end that looked like they could shred anything they encountered in a matter of seconds.
I sighed, feeling defeated. “Not that dreaded dragon again.”
All three of the fairies began to squeak and flutter their wings animatedly. They nudged their tiny little chins in the direction of the beast that sat as if watching guard at the row of fence lining the castle’s property.
I studied the fairies, wondering if they were an intentional source of comfort sent to console me in some fashion.
“Are you…good fairies?” I asked. I hoped that it wasn’t a trap.
Each one of them nodded diligently. Their beady little eyes shimmered with excitement.
“Can you get past that dragon?”
I didn’t want to get my hopes up for being that lucky, but the question had to be asked. It was astounding to me how they had distracted the dragon in the first place without getting themselves killed in the process.
The fairies smirked as if they held onto a mischievous secret. They began to fly away.
“No!” I shouted, and then realizing that I might call attention to the dragon again I winced. “Please…come back,” I said, switching to a more careful whisper.
I dared a look over my shoulder at the dragon. Its eyes were shut. Its chest rose and fell rhythmically. It appeared to be dozing off into what I hoped would be a deep slumber.
The fairies began to race back in my direction, stopping again several inches in front of me. They hovered there in the air for a few seconds and gave wary glances to the dragon.
“It’s asleep,” I whispered and pointed.
The fairies nodded and sniggered softly again as if they didn’t have a single care in the world.
“Come…” one of them said in a squeaky voice, “with us.”
I felt my jaw slacken and droop in shock. “You all…can talk?”
“Of course, we can talk, silly!” the blue one yelped in a piping squeal.
I took a step backward, smiling but still reeling from the surprise. “Thank goodness.” I placed my hand on the top of my head. “It will be so much easier to communicate with you if you can talk.”
“We will help you,” the pink one affirmed.
“You can get past the dragon?” I asked again, remembering that they had yet to answer that part for me.
The fairies chuckled and peered over their shoulders at the snoozing dragon. “The beast is foolish.”
“It sure looked like it wanted to eat me for lunch,” I said cautiously.
“Don’t worry,” the blue fairy assured. “We will make sure that won’t happen.”
“Where am I?” I asked.
“A village called Andromeda,” the golden fairy responded.
I stared at it blankly. “Andromeda, like the galaxy?”
The golden fairy gave me a confused look and blinked back.
I shook my head. “Never mind.”
“We can show you were you are, and where you are not allowed to go on the property,” the pink fairy said with a gleam of pride.
“Sure.” I nodded as they continued to twirl and flip around me. “You guys are making me dizzy. Could you sit still for a few seconds?” I chuckled lightly to let them know I was only playfully teasing.
“We can if it bothers you,” the blue one said.
I gave it a sheepish smile. “Um. Thanks. I guess.”
“Follow us,” the three of them beckoned in unison as they began to speed away quickly from the awning on the side of the castle.
“Wait for me,” I said, careful not to shout to wake the sleeping dragon. I jogged to keep up with the trio, all the while scoping over my shoulder every now and then to make sure that the dragon hadn’t woken up and was following behind us.
I was also on the lookout for Jinurak and Nora, should they pop out to reveal their location at any moment. I was starting to realize that anything could happen in this strange world. I also was beginning to suspect that nothing was exactly as it seemed, especially since there were fairies and dragons roaming around on this castle’s property.
The fairies took me along the perimeter of the property. We came to a brook. It was moving rapidly. Water splashed and sprayed against slick rocks and pebbles. It was peaceful and calming to hear the sound of the water rushing by.
I craned my neck, leaning over the edge of the embankment to peer at my reflection on the surface of the water. The sun was glistening on top of the water too, making it appear like shimmering silk.
I looked the same as I always did. My chestnut hair was still pulled up into a French braid that I had done myself before leaving my cabin to go to the airport. It seemed like a million years ago since I had stood in front of my foyer mirror putting it together, but at the same time, it didn’t seem like it was that long ago.
I now seemed to be wearing the same green shirt and jeans with snow boots that I had been wearing when I left my house too. Everything about this situation confused me.
I let out a deep sigh. The fairies seemed to feed off of my melancholy mood. Their little foreheads wrinkled, and they pouted out their cherry red lips as they studied me.
“A setting this beautiful should make me feel relaxed and at harmony,” I said with a chuckle, looking at them.
The blue one fluttered down onto my shoulder and sat there for a few seconds. Its little body tickled my skin as it gazed at me curiously with rosy cheeks.
“I’m fine,” I said. “Really.”
Although it was nice to experience their company. I didn’t even know what kind of mental condition I’d be in if I had to endure this perplexing situation all by myself.
“You can come here anytime you want,” the blue fairy said in a consoling tone. “You will be safe here.”
“Hopefully I won’t have to spend too much time here.” I laughed. I looked at them. “If you um…know what I mean?”
I swallowed hard when the fairies exhibited behavior that led me to believe I wasn’t really going anywhere away from here any time soon.
I gazed back at the water, relishing in the sound of the babbling brook as it bounced and playfully dripped down the little narrow stream. It was a steady and constant noise that brought me comfort.
“Everything is going to be okay,” the fairies told me in a reassuring voice.
It was difficult to believe at the moment, but I had to trust them. I didn’t have anyone else to turn to and it didn’t appear that they were trying to trick me in any capacity. Not yet, anyway.
“That dragon sure is hostile, huh?” I mentioned.
The fairies nodded in sorrowful agreement. Their demeanors had shifted slightly. They seemed almost subdued now.
“So,” I said and glanced over my shoulder. “Where is it not safe to go on the perimeter of the property?”
The three fairies exchanged another look of apprehension with each other. Then slowly, the pink fairy let out a delicate shudder and slowly extended her frail arm out in front of her, pointing to something across the horizon.
“You can’t go…there.”
“No,” the blue fairy agreed with a diligent shake of her head. “Not now, not ever.”
I craned my head over my shoulder and squinted, attempting to locate where the fairies were pointing which ferocious foreboding reflecting in their eyes.
I saw what looked like horse stables off to the right-hand side and toward the back area of the castle lawns. The horse barn had several stalls, but from this distance it was too difficult to assume whether they were empty.
The roof was a little tired and worn down and there w
ere some panels on the side that had been chipped off from weathering over the years. The stable was the same fiery red as the dragon’s scaly skin.
I shuddered at the memory of the wicked beast and its giant scales glistening intimidatingly under the heat of the sun.
I glanced back at the fairies who were staring with gaping jaws and wide, fearful eyes at the stables.
“What’s in there?”
Part of me didn’t want the fairies to reveal the answer, but part of me had to know for my own safety what was inside of that ominous looking barn.
The fairies visibly gulped. They kept their eyes locked on the stables but didn’t say a word, nor did they look at me.
I continued to stare at them for several seconds. Finally, I couldn’t take the silence hanging in the air any longer.
“Well whatever it is that’s lurking around in there, I promise I won’t go near it if you tell me it’s out of boundaries.”
The three fairies seemed to be broken of their hypnotic spell in staring with dread at the stable off in the distance.
“Good,” the blue fairy said with a diplomatic nod. “It’s a smart choice for you to make.”
“Will you ever tell me what is in there?” I just had to ask. I couldn’t help myself.
The blue and gold fairies exchanged a wary glance and then looked at me. “You will probably find out soon enough.”
“There’s not another dragon hiding in there?” I chuckled nervously and swallowed hard.
“No.” The fairies shook their heads somberly.
I sighed and plopped down on the side of a slick rock next to the embankment. I propped my elbows up on my knees and gazed absentmindedly into the water. A delicate breeze fluttered across my back.
“Nothing makes sense right now.”
I gave the fairies a defeated smile and felt warm tears pool in the corners of my eyes.
The fairy’s expressions wilted like a flower devoid of sunlight and water. Their eyes drooped sadly, and they buzzed closer to me, peeking at me through curious eyes.
“What’s wrong?” they asked in unison.
“Something just doesn’t…feel right about this place.” I sniffed and wiped my wet cheek with the side of my hand.
“We can help you feel better,” the pink fairy said with affection laced in her voice.
I gave her a friendly smile and sniffed again. The tears had stopped leaking down my face, but I was still rattled inside. I exhaled slowly and tried to relax, even though I knew that a dragon was perched on the gates of the castle grounds and there was something dangerous lurking inside the stables from afar.
“Do you have names?” I asked them.
They looked at each other as if confused. “We don’t…know what you mean?”
“What can I call you?” I asked. “You must have names?”
They pondered and frowned. “No…we never…no one ever…gave us names.”
“Oh.” I nodded and smiled.
“You can call us anything you want,” the gold one said with a pixie smile.
I chuckled. “Okay. Sure.”
I looked at them and contemplated. “I think you will be Aine.” I pointed to the gold one.
She blushed. “Aine?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “It means radiance. You emulate radiance. I’m a poet.” I laughed. “By day.” I rolled my eyes. “If I ever get out of here…”
“I love it.” Aine fluttered her wings and burst through the air with beaming pride.
“Good.” I laughed. They were a glorious distraction to my current woes.
“What about me?” The pink one squeaked happily, floating right above my face.
“You…you are very special. You can be called Rose.”
“Rose? That’s perfect because I’m pink!”
“Absolutely.” I smiled, charmed at how I was making them so fantastically happy. It lifted my spirits too.
“And me?” The blue seemed suddenly bashful as she blinked and gave me an expectant stare.
“Hmm…” I thought on it a moment. “How about Sage? It is one of my favorite flowers back home in upstate New York, and your beautiful color reminds me of its vibrancy.”
Sage grinned. “Then that is what my name shall be from now until eternity.”
“Good.” I nodded but my stomach consequently flipped with unease.
Eternity? Did I really have to spend an eternity here? I still needed to figure out where Jinurak was, all the while trying to steer clear of the dragon and its beloved master, Queen Nora.
“You still look a little…frayed.” Sage gave me a concerned look.
“I’m sorry.” I sighed. “It’s just…I’m looking for someone.”
“We are here to help you.” Suddenly Sage’s expression was poised and professional.
“You keep saying that…” I trailed off because I didn’t really know what it meant to receive their help.
Nor did I know exactly what I needed.
The fairies were slightly evasive and not exactly forthcoming with information about my whereabouts. Did they know more than they were letting on? It certainly appeared to be the case.
As if tapping into the same wavelength as my spiraling thoughts, Rose flew right up next to me.
“You can trust us.”
I met her gaze and she didn’t falter. She didn’t flinch. She was serious.
“I will do my best.”
I gave her a polite chuckle. I picked up a stick off the soggy ground and pushed it around in the dirt. I wrote my name in cursive and it left an indentation in the soil.
“Your name is Ariana?” Rose craned her neck curiously to look at the letters on the ground.
“You know how to read?” I felt impressed and inspired.
“Yes.” Rose seemed sheepish to admit her gift, although I didn’t know why.
“We do too.” Aine pointed to herself and Sage.
“Interesting…”
“What?” They seemed confused as they gave me a perplexed glance.
“I don’t know. I’m thinking.”
I stood up and brushed off my knees. I glanced over my shoulder. I couldn’t see the dragon from here.
“Do you, um…do you think you might be able to get a message to someone for me?”
“A message?” Rose asked.
“Yes.”
I pointed in the direction of the gate where the dragon was inevitably prowling, just waiting on me to slink back so it could antagonize me further.
“You sidetracked that… thing before. Do you—do you think you could maybe do it again?”
“We can.” Sage wore a confident expression. “The dragon is a female. Her name is Marigon and she is a prized possession of Queen Nora. She is here to guard the castle and keep you locked inside of it.”
I cringed and winced as rising pressure began to build in my head. I felt the agony of a migraine searing at the back of my head and my temples throbbed.
“This can’t be happening.”
I had a feeling that Jinurak had nothing to do with this strange world I was living in, but I had no way to prove it yet since Nora had yet to reappear from anywhere and Jinurak was also nowhere to be found.
“The dragon is a brute,” Aine mentioned.
“Stupid…foolish mongrel if you ask me,” Sage said scornfully.
“Easily distracted,” I said with a hopeful ring.
Rose smiled. “Exactly.”
“So, how do you get past it usually?” I studied the fairies, wanting to know more about their skill set.
“We are small enough to go right under her nose,” Sage said proudly.
“She can’t catch us,” Rose said. “She’s tried before…but she…can’t.”
I narrowed my eyes as a theory crossed my mind.
“The dragon’s goal is to keep me within the walls of the castle, but does that also mean that she can’t get past the walls either?”
“That’s correct.” Aine nodded. “But we can.” The misc
hievous smirk on her face was uncanny.
“Excellent.” I nodded and smiled.
A burst of optimism rushed through me.
“I need to get a message to someone,” I said. “Since I don’t have a phone or a computer to access at the moment, I’m hoping that with your help, I’ll be able to get the word out to the…person I need to connect to.”
To my surprise, the fairies seemed a little hesitant. They gave each other reluctant gazes and then looked at me.
“What sort of message are you talking about?” Sage asked.
I licked my lips excitedly, refusing to derail any further. I was going to embark on this quest to talk to Jinurak and I wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone stop me this time.
“I need to get a message to a Trilyn man named Jinurak. I know his email address and phone number by heart. I don’t know how else to communicate with him aside from the aid of technology.”
“Okay…” Rose seemed skeptical but there was a flicker of interest brewing in her eyes.
“If I give you the message, do you think you can help me get it to him?”
“Probably.”
Aine’s nod of approval gave me a flutter of confidence. I had to take it and run with it.
“Great.” I exhaled slowly. “Just tell me what I need to do.”
“You will probably have to crypt the message somewhat,” Aine said. “So that once we send it along, no one besides Jinurak will be able to receive or read it before it arrives to him.”
“I can do that.” I nodded.
I was a poet. I could be clever and encrypt a message if I had to put myself up for the challenge. I was desperate to get the word out to Jinurak that I was trapped inside of some weirdly gated castle with a dragon looming around, just waiting to bait me and hurt me.
The fairies still looked like they needed a bit of convincing. They seemed a little squeamish at the use of technology as a resource for communicating.
“Jinurak is a kind gentleman,” I said in a persuasive tone. I gave them a kind smile. “In spite of what this Queen Nora might tell you.” I used air quotes to describe her name.
“She told me that he is the reason I am a prisoner here, but I know that’s not true. I believe it in my heart. I know he must be out there somewhere…” I glanced at my feet, “looking for me.”
