Pixies vs. Fairies (The Fairy Rose Chronicles #3)

by Kailin Lauren Gow

  Pixies vs. Fairies

  Fairy Rose Chronicles™

  Book 3

  By

  Kailin Lauren Gow

  Published by Sparklesoup Inc.

  (Formerly Sparklesoup Studios, Inc.)

  First Published 2003

  Copyright © 2003 by Kailin Gow (Kailin Lauren Gow)

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher except in case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Published by Sparklesoup Inc.

  For information, please contact:

  Sparklesoup Inc.

  14252 Culver Drive, #A732

  Irvine, CA 92604

  First Electronic Edition

  Published in the United States of America

  2011

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Date

  Pixies vs. Fairies

  by Kailin Gow

  p. cm. - (The Fairy Rose Chronicles)

  "What's in a name? That which we call a rose

  By any other name would smell as sweet."~

  William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

  Chapter 1

  Fairies vs. Pixies

  Dear fellow fairies and friendly humans,

  you may be wondering what is the difference between fairies and pixies. That, my dear, is a good question, but apparently in the land of the fey, there are quite a few differences, which I have yet to figure out myself.

  In human lore, or the lore of the SIGHTLESS, as I call humans because they cannot see us fairies, without a touch of magic or a drop of fey blood in them; there is no difference. Pixies are fairies, and fairies are pixies. The SIGHTLESS has us all bunched up together. Brownies, elves, and gnomes, too – in the SIGHTLESS world; we all look the same, talk the same, and even dress the same.

  Needless to say, the ability to not see the differences, is precisely why humans are called the SIGHTLESS.

  I am afraid to admit, however, sometimes many of the fey cannot see the differences, as well (especially when glamouring is used), and in the case of pixies versus fairies; not being able to see the differences can be a matter of life and death.

  Chapter 2

  Pixie Surprise

  “Alistair!" I called out. “Alistair, where are you?” he had vanished, completely vanished into thin air. If it were not for the words of warning from the pale blonde-haired pixie with jagged teeth and amber eyes who attacked us with a stream of green fire; I would have believed Alistair had vanished on his own. He was, after all, the gorgeous fifteen year-old alchemist apprentice to the Summer Palace, where I am a Summer fey.

  Alistair’s magical abilities was beyond the average for a fairy of his age. Because of that, he was chosen to be an apprentice in alchemy, which required some degree of magical abilities before apprenticeship can assume. It was also the apprenticeship I wanted. However, I was too young to begin, at age 13. I was also just a fledgling in magical abilities. Hence, I was not appointed an apprentice in alchemy, but was instead, an apprentice in harvesting.

  Rodney had ensured being a Harvest Fairy was a noble appointment from the Summer Queen, herself, but as I did not cared for the endless responsibility of providing the whole of the Summer Kingdom and even most of Feyland food and the source of food; being a Harvest Fairy was an appointment I did not look enthusiastically upon.

  I wanted Alistair’s apprentice, yet Alistair wanted to be a knight like my brave and handsome red-haired brother Rodney. Speaking of Rodney, he would know what to do… Alistair had vanished, along with the pixie. I should have known more about pixies and the dangers they present to fairies, but all that training and knowledge came when we start our apprenticeship. Apprenticeship was all important in helping us reach our potential as a full-grown fairy that it was also then that we learn the harsh truth about our beautiful, but dangerous land…Feyland.

  I called out once again. “Alistair! If you are playing around, showing off your ability to disappear and become invisible, then I applaud you. You have become invisible. But where are you? Show yourself!”

  “Rose!” I heard my name called from the distance. “Rose, where are you?” It was Rodney.

  “I’m right here,” I said rushing out to where Rodney was, teetering at the edge of the wheat field where Alistair and I had ventured to. In the last few weeks since Alistair had begun training me in magic, ever since the play where I had to play Juliet to his Romeo, we have become close. Even close enough to give each other chaste kisses.

  I was a bit young, I know, but Alistair was only two years older than I was, in SIGHTLESS age. We were, in theory, the same age as Romeo and Juliet when they fell in love. But tell that to my big brother Rodney and my ever watchful parents.

  “Rose!” Rodney called out again. “We’ve been looking for you and Alistair.” He flew over to me, flying the remainder of the distance away from the field to the edge, which borders my parents’ cozy cottage in the Summer Glen. “There’s warning of pixies around on Summer lands. Father sent me to tell you and Alistair.”

  My face fell. “It’s too late,” I said. “We met one out in the fields. He was pale, with jagged teeth, and he can throw flames of green.” I looked down. “He said something about fairies using pixie magic is forbidden and that because it was used, someone must pay.”

  “One of the fey, then, of course,” Rodney said.

  “The pixie disappeared, and when he did, Alistair was gone, too,” I said.

  Rodney’s eyes widen, and his hand flew to his brow. “No, not the pixies. I was supposed to watch out for, chaperone Alistair while he was apprenticing here. The Duke of Autumn Springs, his uncle, had specifically asked me to keep him safe.”

  “Are pixies that bad?” I asked.

  Rodney looked around, as though he was expecting an attack. Then he took my hand, and whisked me as fast as he can go, pulling me, and flying with me using his fairy wings. In the air, he said quickly. “Pixies had hated fairies for as long as we can remember. They do not consider themselves fey, but they believed Feyland belonged to them.”

  “We are not at war with them, are we?” I asked. Feyland had always had its share of war, and the longest, most destructive war have always been the one between the seasonal fey – Winter and Summer.

  “Not officially, Rose.” Rodney exhaled. “Pixies don’t officially declare anything. You have to understand. Although they’re like us and have a King, royalty, and hierarchy; they’re more animalistic. We have rules, and they don’t. They’re like the other fey – minotaurs, centaurs, anything besides fairies…but some of them – the royal pixies have strong magic.”

  “Stronger than fairies?” I asked.

  “Stronger than fairies,” Rodney said.

  “Will Alistair have a fighting chance against them?” I asked.

  Rodney looked worried. He ran a hand through his thick wavy hair, the same color as mine. “Rose, pixies eat fairies.”

  Chapter 3

  Alistair

  I nearly rushed Rodney into our parents’ cottage. “Where’s my fairy wand?” I asked, gritting my teeth. “We need to go after him, right now, Rodney!” I looked frantically around. “Go get your sword!” I ordered.

  Rodney waved his sword up and down. “I already have it, Rose.”

  “Rodney, but Alistair…Oh my…” my eyes began to sting with unshed tears.

  Rodney placed his hands on my shoulders to steady me. “Calm
down, Rose. We can’t rush into a territory full of Pixies. Especially you. You’re not even trained yet.”

  “But I can sword fight pretty well,” I said. “I even know how to glamour. Alistair taught me.”

  “Alistair may be a fairy, but he’s from the Autumn Springs, which is a neutral territory. Fairies from Autumn Springs are neither for Summer or Winter. The pixies tend to be quite political. And he’s the Duke’s nephew. Alistair is from fey royalty. Not all the pixies are bright, but even the most ignorant ones have some pig sense. They know having a royal fey in their hands is like currency.”

  “He was glamoured as Romeo,” I said. “A human, his role in the play, when the pixie showed up.”

  Rodney raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “I was glamoured as Juliet…”

  Rodney raised his other eyebrow, looking suspicious. “And?”

  I shook my head. “We were trying to act out a scene from the play…”

  “But the play’s over,” Rodney said. “Although you two make a cute couple.”

  “Yes,” I said. “It’s over, but we, ah…” I blushed red. Rodney did not know Alistair and I had become much more than friends, much more than tutor and student over the last few weeks. “Oh never mind,” I said.

  Rodney grinned a huge grin. “Is my little sister Rose growing up and noticing cute boys now? I mean I’m glad your first boyfriend happens to be my best friend Alistair, who is a pretty decent guy…”

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” I said, blushing even more. “He and I just started holding hands…”

  Rodney gave a great big smile. “And kissing maybe, I bet.”

  “Oh no, not that,” I said, feeling mortified that my older brother knew I and his best friend had kissed sometimes. I shook my head. “It’s confusing, but it also feels good,” I said.

  Rodney laughed out loud. “His uncle will be surprised. His uncle practically had all the girls in Autumn Springs paraded before Alistair, just to make sure he would find a girlfriend. But Alistair was not interested.”

  “That’s comforting to know,” I said. “So many girls as competition.”

  “But his uncle will be surprised Alistair fell for a Summer girl.” Rodney patted my shoulder. “That’s good.”

  “Why is that good?” I asked, confused. Did I miss something? Autumn Springs or Summer or Winter…what does it matter? Or does it matter?

  Rodney looked apologetic and even a tad serious. “I’m sorry Rose, it wasn’t really planned that it would be you, but Alistair is here for a reason.”

  “Yes, to train to become an alchemist,” I said. “Alistair told me.”

  “That and also because we were hoping to make a political alliance between the Autumn Springs and Summer. Winter has grown stronger and stronger. Summer needs alliances to sustain and even win this war, Rose. Alistair is the Duke’s only heir, and the Duke is Autumn Springs’ head of state. The Duke is Autumn Spring’s equivalent of a king…one who is aging and wants an heir who is prepared to take over.”

  My expression of surprise was frozen on my face.

  “Rose, you can pick up your jaw from the ground.” Rodney laughed. “You are girlfriend to the heir of Autumn Springs. Alistair is equivalent to a Prince there.”

  I shook my head then, trying to wake me up from my dream. Had I known who Alistair really was or what he really was, I would probably have felt too shy to be around him at all! “Rodney!” I cried. “All that doesn’t matter, now, does it, unless we can get him back.”

  “That’s the thing, Rose,” Rodney looked even more apologetic. “Because of who Alistair is, if the Duke finds out the heir to Autumn Springs was kidnapped under my watch, not only would Autumn Springs be angry, but Summer would be in trouble, too. No one from the Summer Court should know.”

  I swallowed. “Then it’s up to you and me to get him out. No one else must know.”

  “Except a few others who can help…”

  Chapter 4

  Unlikely Allies

  After what Rodney had told me about pixies being animalistic and that they eat fairies, I had hoped Rodney would be able to get an army of Summer Knights to storm through the Pixie Lands and search through every forest, every stream, every cave, and every rock for Alistair. With just Alistair and myself; I did not think it was even possible to travel the length of the Summer Kingdom north to the Pixie Lands and then search everywhere for him.

  If it was not for Rodney’s ability to understand the sensitivity of the Summer Court and Autumn Springs diplomatic relationship, then I would have immediately stormed out to ask for help from my friends August, Emily, and Melony – all three girls, close to my age, and new at fairy magic. “What about my friends…” I asked Rodney. “Do you think they can help fight the pixies?”

  Rodney shook his head. “Unfortunately because they haven’t been trained as you have, by Alistair, to glamour and because they have not been trained as you have, to fight in swordfight by our very own mother; I’m afraid they will only be in the way. And if they can’t hold their own, then we have to worry about them.”

  “Very well, but who can help us? Alistair has been gone for a little while now. We must hurry and get to him before something…” I felt my voice rising to a point of hysteria. I was worried about Alistair, and getting frustrated at the lack of help available. “Surely, if his uncle knew, he would not think to blame you or Summer for losing Alistair.”

  “Ah, but the pixies are clever…well, clever enough. Chances are this was planned, and they wanted to cause problems between Summer and the Autumn Springs.” Rodney said. “Who knew pixies would jump into the middle of everything?”

  “Listen,” I said, barging through the door to our house with Rodney following. “I don’t have time to sit and wonder why they took Alistair. They took him, and we have to act.” I rushed to upstairs to my room, and called Rodney downstairs. “I’m changing into pants and getting my own sword. Meanwhile, big brother, you can tell Mother and Father what happened.” With that, I wasted no time in changing out of my elaborate dress and into my sword fighting outfit for the days I would practice sword fighting with Rodney. The outfit made me look more like a pirate princess than anything else, with its high boots, white shirt, leather vest, and leggings. Then I took my magic wand, tucked it into my inner leather vest pocket, along with a dagger. The steel sword my mother had forged for me was the right length and weight for me. I sheathed it and had it hung around my waist. I then tied my hair back with a leather band, tight and woven in with the braids to keep my hair in place. When in combat, the worst thing to have is hair in your eyes, and lots of it.

  Ready with what I needed, I bounded down the stairs, feeling grown up and confident. The stakes were high…Alistair was in trouble, yet this was also my first dangerous mission with a knight, and my first foray into Pixie Lands. When I landed on the last step of the stairs, Rodney was ready in his civilian clothes – black pants, white shirt with a leather vest, and leather boots. Besides him, wearing similar outfits as Rodney and I, and armed with daggers, crossbow, and a sword; were my parents.

  “You’re coming, too?” I asked Mother and Father.

  Mother grinned, “What and miss all the fun of beating pixies? It’s about time I show some payback.”

  Rodney and I exchanged looks. This was the first time we have heard of any pixie experience Mother had.

  “Plus, we couldn’t just let our two children go alone to fight the pixies,” Father said. “We’re a family, and if you two have to go somewhere dangerous, and do something dangerous like fight pixies; you bet it is a family affair.”

  I would have groan aloud if it were not for my parents standing there looking so proud of themselves for being able to fit into their own sword fighting outfits (which they probably outgrew hundreds of years ago). I looked over at Rodney, and the best he could do was shrug.

  “I did teach Rodney everything he knows about sword fighting,” Mother said. “And now look at him…a full-fledge kn
ight at Summer Court.”

  “My sword fighting wasn’t so shabby either,” I muttered.

  “And I taught Rodney everything he knows about archery,” Father said.

  “I could have picked that up easily too, if you have taught me,” I muttered again.

  “Now Rose,” both my parents said turning to address me, “we trust you are very handy, too.”

  Father added, “Otherwise, we wouldn’t trust you to go with us. Usually we would not even encourage you to go, at your age, but we know you are as capable as any young man with a sword and a crossbow.”