Kissing the Fae

Chapter 13 - Magical Paper

"Can't we just use our power to be there real quick?"

All of us were exhausted. Today is the last day of our quest but we still don't have any idea if we're getting near to the Achlys or still far.

Terran was the pathfinder. But even he doesn't know the answer to my silent question.

The Achlys was erased from our map to stop people from being curious. They have warned everyone to not even think of stepping their foot to that dark place; even us.

Perhaps the King didn't think of it. That I — his daughter would do something that he forbids. I don't have any choice but to break the rules he made. His decision made me do this, and he can't blame me for it.

The Pixies were dangerous, who knows what would happen to us once we saw them?

I'd make sure that there won't be any fight that would cost our lives. We will be wounded, but we will not wither.

My agenda wasn't to anger them. My only purpose was to acquire their power of illusion. If they would give us conditions before I could have it, then I'd be willing to pass whatever it is.

There's no obstacle that I wouldn't accept. In the name of power, I'm willing to risk my life to have it.

"We can't," I answered Deniz for the nth time.

"Why? The bird can, why can't we?" he asked again, now frustrated.

"Deniz, we're all exhausted from this quest. Today is our third day and I trust the bird that he could take us to the right path," I explained calmly. "The bird can because it has wings. I don't, so no one must be left behind. We're all in this together, right?"

I even had the time to joke around.

"Besides, among us, only these little fairies can fly."

Terran laughed but I could hear the weariness in his voice. With that, I sighed in guiltiness.

We're all tired... But I knew this was nothing compared to the future that awaits us in the Achlys. We will all be wounded, that's I'm sure of.

"Our princess was right, Deniz. We're inland, you can't swim in-ground, right?"

Deniz chuckled at his remarks, realizing what Terran said.

Shaking my head, I held his arm to rest it on my shoulder. He leered at me, which I just replied with a smile before watching the little fairies in the air, as well as the bird that seemed to be enjoying flying as it guided us.

Even until now, we still haven't heard it make a sound. I just wanted to confirm if I can really hear it talk. If not, then my hunch was right that my ability was exclusive only with the blue Jaybird.

That bird. I need to see it again. I need to see it shift.

How is he related to the Queen Mother?

"I could summon the water here to do it for me," Deniz boosted.

I felt his arms tighten around my shoulder which I ignored.

"Uh, not in my sight," Terran fired back.

My forehead knotted, confused. What's not in his sight?

Dismissing the thought, we continued to walk down the empty ally.

We have crossed cities after cities, but only a few have people in them. It seems like the majority of the towns we bypass was either unoccupied, which was impossible, or perhaps people were hiding inside their homes.

Despite the absences, I could feel some presence. So, I knew there were still people left behind. I just don't get why they hide...

"I think we're not going to make it today," I heard Rin who went near me. "The bird isn't giving us a signal, Rani Letisha. I have doubts that this wasn't the right path towards the Achlys. Maybe that Jaybird fooled us..."

"Rin, I trust him," I assured her.

I felt the loyalty that Jaybird has for the Queen Mother. He talked with assurance, the conviction in his flaming eyes was there. Also, the Queen Mother won't lie. Not trusting the bird also meant that I doubted her.

She wouldn't put us at risk. I trust her words.

"Let's trust the bird. I knew it wouldn't fail us, okay? Trust me..."

Sighing, she flew away, following Tia and Zah.

Deep inside, no sign of doubts creeps in my heart. I gave my full trust to the Queen Mother, and that Jaybird. If ever this won't go well, I will.

At least, I'd know who to trust and not. Even if it was the Queen Mother, if this won't lead us to the right path, I will no longer give my loyalty to those who would betray me.

"Are you sure about this though, Rani Letisha?" Deniz whispered in my ear.

I looked at him. "Deniz, the Queen Mother wouldn't betray me. We will arrive in Achlys, okay? Don't worry about it."

"I'm not worried..." He sighed deeply. "But yeah, I think we just need to keep moving and wait until that bird stops flying."

Just like that, the bird let out a long growl.

My eyes widened and without a second thought, I ran to catch it in my hands when it stopped flying, wings were wounded when they landed on my palms.

"S hit!" I heard the guys cursing under their breath.

"He needs to be treated!" I hissed when I saw the bird, closing its eyes slowly.

My eyes caught the small sharp weapon that digs on its wings. I carefully took it, and studied it with my eyes when I saw something carved on its metallic material.

"Achlys..." I read, almost a whisper.

We exchange knowing glances.

"We're in the Achlys now..." I told them, then my eyes fell back to the bird that was now slowly losing its air.

Terran checked the pulse of the poor thing and later looked at me with his eyes, feeling sorry.

"We need to bury the bird, princess..."

I felt bad. But somehow, I knew there were things that need to be sacrificed in order to get what you want. The bird has done its job; to guide us towards the Achlys and now that we're here, it is gone.

With that, I'm thankful.

I wonder if the bird knows that its life would be taken away once he said yes. I wonder if the blue Jaybird knows that whoever he sent to take us to the dark place, will die.

How unfair it was. For us to get there, someone needs to sacrifice.

"Rani Letisha, we need to go," Deniz called when we finished burying the poor bird.

Sighing, I placed a fruit beside it before I stood up. We're near the Achlys, the Pixies were the ones who killed it.

"Just more steps and we will be there," I told them.

We're in the middle of nowhere. There were no trees around, or even a house and anything. All of us were standing in open ground, alerted. The Pixies were giving us a sign, and I wanted them to know that we weren't here to pick a fight with them.

But how?

"Give me the bag, Terran..." I motioned the package the Queen Mother gave us.

He immediately handed it to me.

"We need to send back a message, Terran. I think the Pixies know we're coming but don't know who. They're probably going to beat us up before we can step to their territory."

"Alright, alright. So, what shall we do?"

They went near me as I busied myself going through the stuff. I was breathing heavily, hoping to find something that would help us. We need to inform them that we weren't here to die or to shed blood.

Clearly, the Pixies have no mercy. They kill without remorse. And even if we wanted to fight them, we couldn't. 

They might use the power of Glamour. And it isn't good if we'd be put in an illusion where they'd make a fool out of ourselves, making us fight each other to survive.

I can't let that happen.

"We just need to find something, Deniz. A weapon, a pen, or what, so we could send a message before we go to the Achlys. I can't let anything bad happen, okay? We need to make sure we're safe once we step foot to their place."

"We can fight, Rani Letisha."

Raising my head, I glared at Deniz. "We don't know what those Pixies are capable of, Deniz. Shut up."

"Rani Letisha," he called. "We can fight! What are you so worried about?"

"Deniz, shut the f uck up," I heard Terran hissed beside him. "We won't fight them. We have another purpose and fighting with Pixies is not one of those, so f ucking calm down and let Rani Letisha think."

The fairies were back on land. I was thankful that they didn't fly as high as the bird earlier, or else, they'd join the bod in the ground.

I was about to lose hope when I saw something at the bottom of the pack. Quickly, my hand went to take it and when my eyes discovered what it was, hope arose in my heart.

A piece of paper.

Sitting on the ground, I took out the pen and wrote a message for the Pixies, and formed a bird out of paper. I've done it before, and it was the Queen Mother who taught me a way to send a message in a situation like this.

All her paper has her blessing. It would fly on its own once thrown into the air.

"Oh, geez. That trick... I wish I could have at least one piece of this paper," Terran chuckled afterward.

They knew about it. But never had the chance to get a single paper the Queen Mother gave to me.

After I finished it, I stood up and looked up at the sky. The sky was now slowly turning dark. Since we left the Acres Kingdom, I also missed the beautiful horizon we have there. Outside our palace was too lifeless...

Even the sky was too glum.

For three days, I realized that our kingdom was different from others. Ours was filled with godly mysteries and beauty, but outside... It was as if the other baronies' rulers lost their will to continue blessing their domain for what happened in the past.

Each realm has its own history. We just chose to get back on our feet, but with those greedy directors.

"Fly high..." I whispered.

I threw the piece of magical paper in the air, and its wings started to quill as it flew.

"We will just wait here for the meantime. I'm sure the Pixies would send something back to us."

I gaze at Deniz who was silent.

"I'm sorry," he uttered and I just tapped his shoulder.

Walking past him, I sat next to Terran.

"Hey, princess..." He scooted a bit to give me some space. "I guess this will be our longest journey with you in it. I can't wait to clap my hands at our success, princess."

Smiling, I shook my head. "Don't celebrate early, Terran. We don't know what awaits us in the Achlys. Who knows what would happen."

Terran grabbed my hand. He held it tightly and I felt a weird feeling that ran down my spine.

I shrugged it off. We were like this when we were seventeen. It just felt a bit awkward...

"Nothing bad will happen to any one of us, princess. That we promise you. Trust our abilities, okay? We will make this. You'll come back to the Acres Kingdom and prove to the directors that you deserved your position."

"What if I can't?" I gawked, thinking of the possibility of failure.

If I fail, maybe the only reason was that I died.

"That's honestly a possibility..." he countered. "But we're here to help you, princess. Deniz and I, we won't fail you."