¤ My Fair Flower of Beauty!

By the time they finished delivering the fishes, it was already evening.

The trio dropped by the Potions shop, where they were persuaded by the fairy alchemist Edel to purchase some bottles of potions. ‘You’ll need them one day, and besides, they do not break easily!’ She had pushed them into Ida’s unwilling hands, telling them over a growing hubbub outside the Potions shop. (Silver thought she heard some muffled shouts of ‘Let’s just take this out in the Potion Shop!’ before they were kindly showed the exit through the back door.)

The sun continued to shine mildly in Orbis though, giving people the strange feeling that it was still early morning. However, it did not stop Ida from stifling a yawn. She looked as if she was about to topple over in weariness.

‘Let’s find shelter.’ Silver said with concern. She started to head to Orbis Park, where she remembered Hella had said she could find her housekeeper, Elma.

‘No, no. It’s okay. If you guys still want to continue travelling, you don’t have to accompany me.’ Ida protested faintly. ‘I am just tired from… the… healing…’ Her last words came through a huge yawn.

‘Nay, good maiden. We desire some rest in your delightful company.’ Jaysen clapped his arm cheerily around Ida’s shoulders and dragged her, blushing furiously, along with them.

Elma, having already received orders from her mistress, welcomed them warmly into the house. According to the matronly housekeeper, Hella lived together with Madam Spiruna for her apprenticeship and came back only occasionally to check if everything was fine.

The house looked cosy, even for its large size. Bringing them down a corridor that had warm oak panels on its walls, Elma showed the party their rooms. ‘Jaysen sir, your room is that one of the right side. Ma’ams, you have the one on the left, if you don’t mind sharing.’

Silver nodded politely. ‘No problem. Thank you, Elma.’

‘I hope you find everything to your comfort.’ The housekeeper bowed formally, and then retreated.

‘I am going to start reading the journal once we get settled down.’ Silver told the other two, moving towards the left door. ‘Come to our room when you are done, then we can start.’

‘Mm, okay. Just don’t start without me.’ Jaysen disappeared into his room.

Entering the room, Silver took off her Blue Maro and hung it on a hook by the door before flinging herself, fully dressed, onto one of the beds. She stretched on the crisp linen sheets, feeling the aches of the day in her limbs, then grimaced. The side where the Yeti had hit her still hurt a little.

‘Are you okay?’ Ida came into the room after Silver, gently putting down her little travelling case next to the other bed.

‘Just an old injury.’ Silver said.

‘Let me see it.’ Ida moved over to Silver’s bedside and examined her. The bruise was not completely healed and painted Silver’s pale skin a colourful splotch of yellow and purple.

‘I can heal that.’ Ida said confidently. ‘Don’t fight me now. Just relax.’ Murmuring gently, she laid her fingertips on the bruise. Her grip on her Fairy wand tightened as green sparks leapt from her hand and disappeared into the bruise. Magically, the bruise shrunk under Ida’s hand, and then disappeared completely. But hidden under that bruise, there was still a scar running down the side of her ribs.

‘What’s that scar?’ Ida touched it curiously.

Silver sat up quickly, and hastily pulled down her red Piettra top. There was still a dull ache from the old scar, but the nagging pain from the bruise was gone. And I doubt that scar will ever go away. She brushed off that thought, and smiled at the cleric. ‘It’s, ah, nothing. I had it for ages. Thank you.’

‘No problem.’ Ida smiled back shyly. But her emerald eyes were still held an enquiring look as both of them changed out of their travelling clothes.

‘Are you ladies ready to admit a handsome knight pining for company into your most esteemed presence?’ Jaysen’s voice could be heard through the thick oak door.

Rolling her eyes, Silver made to get down from the bed, but Ida stopped her. ‘You should take a rest first. Healings can take away quite a bit of energy from you.’

She went to open the door. Jaysen tumbled backwards into the room in a clatter of armour as the door swung inwards. It looked like he had been leaning against the door, despite all common sense. Lying on the floor, he looked upwards and started, ‘Ah, I missed you, my pearl- Oh. Hi, Ida.’

Ida lent Jaysen a hand to get back to his feet. ‘I just gave her a healing, so she has to rest a bit.’

Jaysen put on a concerned face as he started towards Silver. ‘Why, my fair flower of beauty, where are you hurt? Tell me who dealt you that grievous wound, and I will avenge you!’ He proclaimed grandly.

‘Thank you for your dramatic concern. It’s nothing major.’ Silver leant down the side of the bed to pick up her backpack. ‘Besides, I already killed whoever that had done it.’ She continued dryly, pulling out Salmer’s leather-bound journal.

‘If you say so,’ Jaysen shrugged as he abandoned his heroic pose, and sat down next to Silver on the bed. ‘Come now, let’s just start reading the journal.’ He bounced enthusiastically, making the whole bed shake.

‘Yes, let’s.’ Ida joined Silver on the other side.

Flipping open the book, Silver started to read from it, her voice rising and falling as she read out the tale on the yellowing pages that old Salmer had penned down so many years ago…

¤ Verchiel

That night, Aurora could not sleep peacefully. She tossed and turned in her little cot, strange images flooding through her mind without stopping. One moment, she was sitting side by side with a green-haired fairy, a thin golden circlet on her own brow. The next moment, she found herself glaring into the green eyes of the same fairy, her hands gripping tightly onto a low ledge behind her back.

Another second later, those very same eyes moved further and further away, as Aurora felt herself plunge through the empty sky so quickly that her golden wings seemed to shred away painfully in the rushing wind…

With a gasp, Aurora sat up straight in her cot, her brow damp with cold sweat, the scars on her back burning. Checking quickly around her, she found herself still safe in her room in Salmer’s house. Yet, it seemed as if the darkness in the room was closing in on her. Scrambling out of bed, she dressed quickly and slipped out of the house silently.

The night air was still and breezeless, the chirrup of crickets clearly audible for miles around. Aurora made her way to Salmer’s favourite tree, scaling up the tree’s trunk to nestle in a comfortable curve of the branches. Sitting there, she slowly breathed in and out, trying to calm her racing thoughts.

Although Salmer tried very hard to help her recall her past, Aurora had not been able to remember a single thing before. Before, before… Salmer had used that word so many times that Aurora had started to think of it as the capitalised name of some foreign land she had never seen.

However, after that strange encounter with the fairy in the morning, it seemed as if someone broke open a tightly locked box in her mind and shook all its contents willy-nilly across the floor.

Did I know that fairy from…Before? But why should I? Pressing her palms to her throbbing temples, Aurora buried her face into her knees. It does not make any sense.

Just then, Aurora realised that the night air seemed to acquire a strangely familiar glow. Holding her breath, Aurora peered down through the tree branches. Sure enough, there was a fairy below her, his divine aura unhindered by the thick cloak that he wore despite the summer heat. The brilliant green hair that was left uncovered, and the golden wings that bent under the cloak, identified him as the same fairy lord that Aurora had seen that morning.

‘Come down. I will not talk up at you.’ The fairy ordered in an icy monotone, staring resolutely at the tree’s trunk.

‘I’m perfectly comfortable up here, thank you.’ Aurora retorted, sitting upright now. Her fingers curled anxiously around an overhanging tree branch, as she considered possible escape routes.

‘You will come down now.’ The monotone again, but this time, there was an authoritative undercurrent to it. Clearly, the fairy lord would brook no argument.

‘Fine.’ Aurora faked nonchalance, and obediently descended.

When Aurora touched the ground, the fairy lord closed in on her. ‘What is your name?’

‘Aurora.’ Staring up at the tall fairy, the girl could not help feeling apprehensive. Something nagged in her mind, as she took in his green eyes, and his elegantly boned face. I know him. At least, I think I know him…

‘Just that? Aurora?’ He gave a disbelieving smirk. ‘Yes.’ Aurora nodded, frowning a little at his arrogance. She could not figure out why this fairy lord would come to seek her out.

‘You do not seem to be a native in this village. Were you not born here?’ The fairy asked in a careless tone, deliberately not looking in Aurora’s direction.

Fine. Two can play this game. Unbidden, defiance flooded her, triggered by the fairy’s tone. Aurora leant against the tree’s trunk, and said curtly, ‘No, I was not.’

‘So, where did you come from?’

The girl drew a deep breath. ‘Excuse me, sir, but I believe I have no obligations to answer all your questions-’

The fairy lord interrupted her righteous rant. ‘My patience is running thin. You will answer them, mortal child.’ He looked at her sharply. ‘That is, if you want me to bring you to the Academy. You will have to accept my interview.’

‘Oh.’ Aurora felt the last flickers of defiance die down in her as those green eyes stared at her. Ever since Salmer told her about the Academy, she had a strange yearning to find out more about it. But no one could tell her too much, not even Eriksen who was considered the wisest hunter in the village. And now, she was being offered the precious chance to actually be a student!

‘Do you have any special powers?’ the fairy lord continued.

‘Huh?’

‘Like magic.’ Sighing impatiently, he held out a slender hand, on which danced a warm emerald flame.

Her dark blue eyes grew round at this strange sight. ‘No.’

‘Anything you are good at?’

Aurora hesitated. ‘Erm. I’m quite good at fighting…’

He turned around to stare at her, as if a little surprised. ‘What weapons do you use?’

‘I use a sword most of the time. I’m alright at the polearm and spear too.’

‘Hmm.’ The fairy started to pace around her, leisurely glancing at her here and there. Aurora fidgeted, feeling as if she was being examined like a prize animal on the auction block.

‘Fine. Come to the Selection tomorrow morning at the village market square, and we shall see.’ Abruptly, the fairy lord turned to leave.

‘Wait! I don’t even know your name!’ Aurora scrambled after the fairy.

Without even bothering to turn around, he said. ‘You can address me as Lord Verchiel.’

‘Verchiel.’ The girl muttered, staring at the fairy lord’s receding back. Something was strange about the way the word tumbled on her tongue. The nagging feeling came back, stronger than ever.

‘Lord Verchiel. I will remember that.’

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Links to previous chapters:
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Hee. Sorry, I couldn’t post yesterday. What I’m posting here is catching up quickly to what I have typed out, so I’m getting a little *coughs* unsure. I might come back to edit the stuff in here to fit any changes in story development.

Let’s not have cookies today. How about Sour Skittles? I gave my friend one today, and her pained expression was priceless.