by J. E Hanson
“My name is Rosalie Ocean, and I’m a water fairy,” I said.
Poppy stands up, and she points at me, “If you’re a water fairy, then you’re not supposed to be here! You belong with the other water fairies. You’re not supposed to be here at all!”
“She does belong here, Poppy. Her parents are no longer with us, and her grandparents are taking care of her now,” Mr. Puck tells Poppy, and the rest of the class.
“But a water fairy needs to be with them! My parents hate water fairies! They are really bad fairies!” Poppy looks at me mean.
I look at Mr. Puck, and start to cry. “Rosalie's grandparents are sky fairies. She is a McCloud and an Ocean. The McClouds are the only ones left from her family. You are acting exceptionally rude, Poppy. Now sit down.”
Poppy is being a big meanie, and she even pouts for not getting her way.
The next person who sits next to me takes his turn, “My name is Ashe Pines, and I’m a land fairy. I say that Rosalie needs to stay here!”
“Thank you Ashe and your uncles would be proud of you for standing up for Rosalie.”
“My uncles remind me that you have to protect the princess no matter who she belongs to. When I grow up, I want to be just like them someday.”
“I’m sure you will make an awesome Enforcer one of these days.”
Mr. Puck points to the other girl, and she doesn’t look very nice either, “I, for one, believe that water fairies need to be on their own side. My name is Holly Vines, and I’m a land fairy. It matters, because the water fairies will find out about her, and they will take her anyway.”
This scares me. Mr. Puck sighs and he looks at me, “There’s no need to scare Rosalie right now. She’s been through enough. Right now we need to focus on our letters for today.”
We talk about numbers and letters. Mr. Puck taught us new words. I wrote my name down on a piece of paper. We work on numbers, and math is my favorite subject.
Mr. Puck asks nicely, as he holds up a picture, “What flower is this?”
None of the land fairies answer, but I know. I raise my hand, and Mr. Puck smiles at me, “Rosalie, do you know what this flower this is?”
“That is a geranium, Mr. Puck.”
“You are correct, Rosalie.”
“Oh look at Miss Rosalie, who is nothing, but a big know-it-all!” Poppy rudely interrupts the class, and the mean fairies laugh at me.
Mr. Puck sighs and moves his hand to his forehead, “Poppy… you need to stand in the corner for five minutes, and think about what you said to Rosalie. That really was not very nice.”
Poppy stomps her feet, and she stands in the corner of the room. Mr. Puck shows us more pictures. I’m the only one to guess all the flowers, and the trees from his pictures. I’m thankful for Mrs. Spears, who taught me all about the flowers and trees. The bell rings at the end of the day.
Uncle Oberon greets me at the front doors, “How did your first day of school go?”
I walk away from him with my head down.
“She had a rough day with some of the kids in the class. They feel that she doesn’t belong, because she’s a water fairy. I think your parents need to adopt her as soon as possible. I’m afraid the kids in the class are right, and it will only be a matter of time, before the water fairies come for her.” Mr. Puck answered his question.
“I think that would be best for her too.”
They look over in my direction with worried looks on their faces. I can no longer help, but feel sad.
I want to cry, but my uncle makes me laugh, “Can I tell you a secret, Rosalie?”
“Sure.”
“I never really cared too much for land fairies anyway. They have the worst egos and attitudes. How about I take you home, and see what Skylar made? I know Skylar has some awesome food waiting for us at home. So what do you say, squirt?” He makes goofy faces at me.
“You’re so silly, Uncle Oberon.”
Ashe’s uncles pick him up. Oren and Foster Pines smile at me. I wave goodbye to Ashe, and follow him home.
I run along the dirt road. Skylar greets me at the front door, “Slow down, Rosalie! How did your first day go?”
I ignore her, and sit on the floor playing tug-of-war with Jazzy. Jazzy has his strength back, and he no longer looks like a skeleton.
Uncle Oberon shakes his head, and he draws a line at his throat.
She frowns, “Well, everything will be okay. I have fantastic tasting pizza that is waiting for you with super cheesy breadsticks to die for.”
Skylar scores again, as I shove her tasty food in my mouth. My grandparents laugh and joke with me.
There are loud knocks on the front door. Jazzy stands up, and he barks at the front door. Uncle Oberon snaps his fingers, and he turns his bark off. He still barks, but no noise comes from him.
Grandma frowns and she stares at me, “I will be right back.”
My grandparents follow the knocking sound, as well as my aunt and uncles. Grandma slowly opens the front door.
There are five men standing there in blue loincloth shorts, “We were notified to pick up the minor Ocean child. Are you hiding a water fairy in your home?”
“I’m still your queen and you shall address me as such! Please show me the proper respect!” Grandma yells at them.
The five men bow in front of my grandma.
“What is to come of the minor child, should I agree to let you have her?” Grandma asks the men.
“Please don't let them take me! I don't know them! You promised that you would protect me always! You can’t let me go! You just can't!” I beg them.
The water fairies frown, and shake their heads at me, “We only know of one family member who is left. Unfortunately, he’s serving time for a crime against another fairy. She will have to serve the remainder of her youth by working in the Pits.”
Uncle Oberon stands right in front of them, “We will never allow that to happen her. Rosalie is a princess, and no princess of royal blood should ever serve time in the Pits! I thought Blaze had other family members!”
“Blaze, Rosebud, and Phoenix are the only known Oceans. If you can produce another Ocean, then she won’t serve time in the Pits. We will give you two weeks to produce another Ocean, and that is all the time you have. Otherwise, she will spend her days there,” the men in blue argued with Oberon
My grandma looks at my grandpa, “What if we adopt her instead?”
My Uncles Oberon, Everest, and Aunt Skylar look at me happily.
The men in blue look at each other, “Since she has no parents left, and her uncle is serving time in prison, we see no problem with the adoption, as long as Rosalie Ocean agrees.”
I slowly walk over to them. “You should realize that you will no longer be considered a water fairy. They must adopt you, and if they adopt you, your last name will remain McCloud,” they talk to me.
I think for a minute, and came up with a better idea, “If I use both names, what will happen?” The men stare at each other. This thought confuses my grandparents.
The man with the blue hair and blue loincloth shorts looks at me, “That’s okay with us, as long as McCloud is the last name. Therefore, your name will become Rosalie Summer Ocean-McCloud. Your royal Majesties, you may sign the adoption papers right now.”
My grandpa snaps his fingers.
My grandma takes me to another room, “Do you realize that grandpa and I will adopt you until you are of legal age. This means that we are your legal guardians until you are sixteen. Is this okay with you?”
“I don’t want to leave! Never make me go, and I thought you loved me!” I beg grandma once again.
Grandpa joins us and he squats down, “Of course we love you. We just want to make sure that this is okay with you.”
We return to the front door, and I look at everyone, “This is okay with me.”
My grandparents took the large piece of paper, and signed it. The water fairies sign it along with Skylar, Everest, and Oberon. I have to sign my
name too. They apologize to us and leave.
My grandpa picks me up, and he laughs, “We will celebrate your adoption at the Fall Harvest! What a better way to celebrate!” He tickles my sides, and he makes me giggle. I squeeze my new family tightly. I went from having nobody to five people who love me. I am the luckiest girl in the entire world. Uncle Oberon snaps his fingers, and returns Jazzy’s bark. Even Jazzy is happy to have a family too.
I’m glad that I never have to sleep again either. My outfit was blue, and now it’s green. Actually, the color is more teal as Skylar says. Either way, I’m wearing green. I look odd to the other fairies, but I’m cool to Ashe and Daisy. I think Ashe likes Daisy a lot more than he likes me, because he always pulls her hair. He even talks about her a lot too. I spend seven days a week in school instead of five. I really don’t know anything about the schools on Earth, because I never went. Uncle Oberon was the one who told me that.
~~~***~~~
On Saturday, I stay at Daisy’s house, and Ashe Pines is there too. Daisy has a huge forest behind her house, and Jazzy comes with me too. We decide to have an adventure in the forest, by playing hide-go-seek.
I hid with Jazzy until he finds a squirrel, “Stop, Jazzy!”
Jazzy jumps in the water, and I fell in. The water quickly pulls me under, and I gasp for air, “Someone please help me!”
Jazzy saw me, and he whines. My dog runs away as I try to yell for him, and he refuses to return. Luckily, there is a log in the water, so I grab it and hold on to it. It seems like I hang on forever, when I hear Jazzy’s bark from a distance.
I can hear a voice, “Jazzy give me back my hat!”
I look up and yell for help again.
“Rosalie, is that you?”
Snow Winters flies in the sky. I see him, and wave my hand at him, “Please help me Snow!”
“You’re a water fairy! You need to snap your fingers to stop the water! Can you make it stop?”
I try to snap my fingers a few times, but my snap no longer works.
“Rosalie, close your eyes! Imagine the water stopping in your mind! You are still a water fairy!”
The water runs down my throat. I close my eyes and imagine the water stopping. Snow turns the water into ice, and he walks across it. He picks me up from the ice, and he carries me to the other side. His fingers snap, and the water turns back to normal. I cry in his arms.
Snow hugs me tightly, “You’re okay Rosalie, and I’ve got you, kid. How about I take you to your grandparents?”
“Thanks for saving me, Snow.”
“I promise to always keep you safe, and I’m always here for you.”
My grandparents want to know what happened, so Snow tells them. For the rest of the night, grandma keeps me close to her. She gives me hot cocoa with marshmallows in it.
~~~***~~~
This won’t be the only time an Enforcer comes to save me. The next day Daisy, Ashe, and I play in the forest again. We play hide-go-seek, but this time I see a beautiful butterfly. I run after the butterfly, and I forget to pay attention to where I was going. I fall into a dark hole, and land in a pile of mud. I look up, and yell for help.
Ashe finds me first, “What are you doing way down there?”
I look around the hole and there’s nothing, but dark walls, “I fell down, and there’s no way to get out! Can you find help?”
“I will get my uncle.”
A few minutes later, Foster Pines shows up, “Rosalie, are you okay?”
“I think I’m okay, and I just want out!” I yell.
Foster snaps himself inside the hole. He has a worried look, “I believe that the forest is not a safe place for you.” He snaps his fingers to get me out of the hole, “I will have to take Rosalie home to her grandparents.”
Ashe waves goodbye to me. Foster carries me home to my grandparents, and I’m a muddy mess. Grandma looks upset, “What happened to Rosalie this time?”
“Rosalie was playing in the forest with Daisy and my nephew. She fell into a huge hole, but she seems okay,” Foster explains.
Grandma tries to hide her smile, “My poor little Rosalie,” she stops and continues, “come here, my little baby.”
Foster giggles at me, “Our hands are full with your granddaughter. The forest is not a safe place for Rosalie.” Foster kisses my cheek, and then he pats my head. He snaps his fingers, and disappears into thin air.
Grandma picks me up, “How about I make you a nice hot bubble bath?”
“Will you make hot cocoa with marshmallows?”
“Anything you want, sweetie.”
~~~***~~~
I wish I could stop having accidents, but I can’t help it. This time, I climb a tree with Ashe and Daisy. I climb so high up in the oak tree, and we play “go fish” in the tree. I lost my balance, and I fall out of the tree. I land on the ground hard.
“Are you okay, Rosalie?” Ashe yells at me, and he climbs down from the tree.
I’m crying, but Oren Pines picks me up, “Are you okay, Rosalie?”
I hold my leg, because it really hurts, “I think I broke my leg, Oren.”
“I will take you to my sister-in-law, Sage.”
Sage Pines has red hair with green eyes, and she has a baby inside her belly, “What happened, Rosalie?”
“I think I broke my leg, because I can’t move it. I was playing in the oak tree and I fell,” I answer her honestly.
Dr. Sage Pines hands me vials of elixir, “Let me check your leg, Rosalie.”
She starts to check my leg for broken bones. I finish drinking the magical elixir, and the pain disappears. Dr. Sage smiles sweetly at me, “I think your leg will be okay, Rosalie. I believe you need to stay out of the forest. I have called your Uncle Oberon, and he will be here soon.”
Foster Pines walks in and he kisses Sage, while he rubs her tummy, “Ah… did you fall down the hole again, Rosalie?”
“No bro, this time she fell out of a tree,” Oren Pines answers his brother.
Foster hides his smile, “The forest really doesn’t like you, Rosalie. You might want to stay in the grass next time.”
Uncle Oberon walks in, and he picks me up, “Come on, squirt. Grandma has a bubble bath waiting for you, along with hot cocoa.”
“Did she put extra marshmallows in it?”
“Of course she did,” he turns around to Sage, “thank you Sage, Forest, and Oren for calling me.”
Sage kisses my cheek, “We know how it is, and Rosalie isn’t the only exception. Call us if you need anything.”
“Once again, thanks for calling me, and I will talk to you later.”
He takes me home, and Grandma has a bubble bath waiting for me.
~~~***~~~
On Sunday, we learn about words, numbers, and shapes in school. But, the nightmare for me begins.
Mr. Puck whistles to get our attention, “May I please have your attention, kinder fairies?” he pauses, and then he points at the door, “all of you need to line up in a single file line! Today, we’re going outside to join the other fairies.”
I follow behind Daisy, and we walk outside in the warm sun. I look around, and I can hear loud music. There are fairies dancing everywhere. I can see Jesse Hurst dancing from a distance. I think this is odd, and I hold Daisy’s hand. We walk to a special area in the field, and then behind the school. My stomach starts to feel funny. Mr. Puck snaps a radio in front of us.
He grins, and then he turns the radio on, “Today class, we will practice for the Fall Festival. This means that you move from pre fairies to kinder fairies. There is an even bigger prize waiting for you. You will all attempt for the first time to become the overall winner. If you’re an excellent dancer, if you beat all the adults, then you will win the big trophy. Now class, that feat has only happened twice, and both times were from a very, very, long time ago. One was a male fairy, and the other was a female fairy. The competition for the overall winner will be fierce this year. I want you all to remember to enjoy yourselves, and have fun.
I’m going to turn the music on, and all of you will have to dance. And please try to remember to have fun.”
I hide behind Ashe, “Your mom was a great dancer, and you should be great too!” Ashe whispers to me.
I don’t like any of this. “The McClouds are infamous dancers, and this should be easy for you,” Daisy whispers to me.
Mr. Puck wants to review all of our dancing skills. I continue to hide behind Ashe until I see a huge oak tree in the distance. After Mr. Puck turns around, I make a run for it, and sit behind the tree to cry. I want to stay right here.
“What are you doing out here, Rosalie? You’re gonna worry Mr. Puck.”
I look up to see that Jesse Hurst is standing there, “Hi, Jesse. I’m not feeling so good, and I think I ate too much.”
“In that case, let me take you back to Mr. Puck. He can call your grandparents for you.” He helps me stand up, and he takes my hand. The mean girls point at me, and Poppy, gives me a dirty look.
“I found her, Mr. Puck! You might want to call her grandparents, because I think she might be sick,” Jesse yells at my teacher.
“Thank you, Jesse.”
“I hope you feel better, Princess.”
Mr. Puck squats in front of me, “Are you feeling sick?”
I shake my head yes, and he leaves. Another teacher watches us until he returns with Aunt Skylar. This doesn’t look good.
She picks me up, “Are you feeling okay?”
I shake my head no, and she carries me, “Thank you for calling me, Puck.”
Mr. Puck smiles at Skylar, “Thanks for coming so fast, and I will see you around, Skylar.”
My aunt acts weirdly, because she almost trips, but Mr. Puck keeps her from falling. She pulls my hair back, “I need to take you home, Rosalie.”
She carries me home in her arms, and then she puts me to bed, “Are you aware that your adoption will be finalized soon? I can’t wait to have a new sister! The adoption and the Fall Harvest are in exactly two days! Anyway, I hope you feel better soon. You will need to save all your strength for dancing.”
