Wingless Mors

Trouble

Flutilia watched as the fairy emerged from the steps, surprised by how young she looked despite her actual age. Fear clouded her eyes when she asked if she was in trouble but Flutilia just smiled warmly,

"You're not in trouble Dewberry."

It was so odd, saying the name aloud for the first time. Thistle was growing restless, she wanted answers now and with a sigh, the Queen offered Dewberry a chair across from them.

"I think it's time we talked, please sit."

Although it wasn't a command Dewberry sat instantly, fidgeting with her long slender fingers. Glancing between the older woman and young man to Flutilia and thistle, she probably didn't even know their names.

"My name is Flutilia and this is my younger sister Thistle, do you know who we are?"

"Um...I know you're from the castle but no?"

Flutilia nodded and took a deep breath about to explain,

"You see, we are-"

"No." The older woman interrupted, shaking her head almost exhaustedly and opened the door to the rain outside.

"Please just leave."

Dewberry looked at her mother with a creased brow, she had never seen her tell anyone to leave even though they got very few visitors her mother had always allowed them to stay and refresh before leaving. Flutilia only blinked at her before speaking while the young man tensed, his wings rising.

"We both know I cannot, you knew this day would come."

"No. I didn't. Last I heard we would never be contacted again about this and now you show up out of nowhere!"

Thistle glared at Dewberry's mother and took a step closer almost threateningly, hate in her response.

"How dare you raise your voice to the Queen."

Dewberry's mother scoffed and held her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes but before another word could leave anyone's mouth Dewberry shouted,

"Can someone just explain what's going on!? Please!"

Silence filled the room until her mother closed the door and sat down with her face turned away, Flutilia taking the chance to sigh softly and look up at Dewberry.

"Dewberry, we are here because things have happened and well...it's kinda hard to explain but we came all this way because there are answers here and..."

Dewberry watched as the Queen seemed lost for words before clearing her throat,

"You are our sister."

Everything stopped in her mind, it was like her blood had run cold as she looked at Flutilia who was trying to escape Thistle's glare and hushed voice, Dewberry turned to Bramble and her mother searching their faces for answers but Bramble looked reminiscent and her mother was avoiding looking at her completely.

"You are our...older sister to be correct."

Older sister? But if Dewberry was the older sister, if she was their sister at all, then she would be the first-born and the first-born would be the Queen, but Dewberry didn't understand she had never even seen the palace before. Thistle looked at Flutilia as if she was insane,

"What are you talking about Til?"

"Dewberry is our older sister. The rightful Queen."

Flutilia laid out a few scrolls across the table and in one there was a family portrait. The small fairy by the previous king and queen's legs indeed had the same flowing white hair and purple wings as Dewberry but she had no memory of this painting.

"Our parents brought you here to Periwinkle Grotto because...you were an abomination."

Dewberry met Flutilia's eyes at the word 'abomination' and found pity, the room staying silent as she continued.

"You were born on the night of a blue moon and our parents admitted that they had barely seen you until this painting was created, afterwards they brought you here and gave you to Periwinkle. They feared you because your appearance was...shocking. Especially your wings."

Dewberry glanced back at her wings resting against her back flatly, confusion mixed with anger since she didn't notice anything different about them. The hair she could understand since most fairies with white hair were ancient, she frowned.

"What's wrong with my wings?"

Flutilia took a deep breath.

"You have Purple Emperor wings. Wings that no fairy has had for centuries, you are the last fairy to have such wings in existence. that along with your hair made our parents fear you so they gave you away and placed me on the throne, but they had mentioned that one day we might return to bring you back...should we need to."

Dewberry slunk into a chair.

"And you need to know...why?"

"Because your wings are special, you deserve to be on the throne as well. Our parents shouldn't have abandoned you-"

Bramble who had been silent this whole time finally spoke, glaring daggers into Flutilia and Thistle who stood there with her jaw hanging.

"They didn't abandon her. Dewberry was not just dropped off with us and became a burden, she's my sister, my best friend. We are family."

She almost smiled at his words but then whispered hurt,

"D-did you know? About all this...?"

"No. Not...completely, I knew mother had turned up with you one day but I didn't know anything else, I swear."