Fairies of Desire

EPISODE 6

All eyes were on me.

I felt the blood in my body go cold, and my wings dropped in shock. I opened my mouth to say ‘no’, but I was speechless.

I didn't love Prince Sorren. I didn't know him. I didn't want to marry him. I most certainly didn't want to be engaged to him.

It was in this moment as well that everything was crystal clear to me.

While yelling and scolding me, my father had almost slipped up on revealing my surprise engagement. Queen Blossom had almost congratulated me for my engagement when we first met. And my mother couldn’t even say it to my face as we had floated to the throne, moments before I was proposed to.

It explained why my parents were just so desperate to make it all go smoothly.

This Spring Equinox Ball wasn't just for the engagement of my sister and the arrival of spring. It was a celebration of my engagement, too.

To Prince Sorren.

Sun Clan awaited my answer. And I couldn't speak. Prince Sorren looked at me, concerned. Yet he said nothing. He shifted uncomfortably on the ground with his knee.

My mother quickly flew in front of us, blocking the crowd from our view.

"Let us celebrate the engagement of both princesses of Sun Clan!" She spoke.

Without a thought or question, the fairies of Sun Clan cheered in victory. The music began again, and everyone toasted in our names and glory. The dancing began again, and so did the drinking.

Prince Sorren rose from the ground. He looked at me with concern as he did so. I still didn't have the will to speak. How could I?

He looked at my mother and then back at me.

"It's okay. I'm not mad. I don't blame you either," Prince Sorren said quietly to me. He then turned away and walked back to his parents.

Hearing the Bone Clan prince say this to me made me also realize that he didn’t want to marry me either. While it comforted me slightly in hearing him say this, I wanted to apologize profusely to him. I didn’t mean to embarrass or leave his proposal unanswered.

Prince Sorren, I’m so sorry, but I can’t marry you! I don’t know you!

My mother steered me away and back to my father and sister.

King Roland looked enraged. "You had one word to say..." He said, gritting his teeth. His wings fluttered in anger. "You had only one job to do, and you couldn't even do that right!"

"How embarrassing for Sun Clan!" Helena said, waving her fan. "Father. Mother. Why do I have to share my engagement party with her? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Come on, everyone. Please calm down." Queen Lohnni said. "They are now engaged, despite if Silver didn't say anything."

My heart began to race as fast as my mind. My pale wings were twitching in shock at what just happened.

“Fall can't come soon enough.” King Roland said, pinching his nose again. “The moment they are married, she will be sent away to Bone Clan. Silver won't be a stain upon this family no more.”

I looked at my father in surprise. Was that their main reason for wanting to marry Prince Sorren? So I would be forced to leave for a new clan with my husband?

I thought about my home. My bedroom. The Great Tree. The seemingly endless large meadow we had for territory. And finally, I thought of…

Thorn.

I looked around, panicking. My heart raced again.

If I left for Bone Clan, Thorn would be alone here. Would he drink himself to his death or be completely forgotten by my clan? Would he visit me? Would…. He come with me to Bone Clan if I asked him?

Regardless, I felt it in my heart that I didn’t want to leave my home. Despite what the fairies whispered about me, this was the only place I knew.

"N-n-no..." I muttered.

King Roland sighed, not hearing what I said, obviously. "I'll have to talk to King Rheagis." He said, "Silver. You are coming with me and properly saying yes to the proposal this time."

"No."

"What?"

"I said no!" I said loudly.

My family froze around me.

Helena spoke up first. "Quit being ridiculous! You must accept the proposal!" She said sternly. “Any princess of the Sun Clan would be thrilled to marry a royal prince of another Clan! Consider yourself lucky to have such an honor!”

Queen Lohnni placed a hand on my shoulder. "Silver, sweetie, I'm afraid this proposal doesn't come with a choice."

I shook my head and moved away from her touch. "Last I remember, proposals are yes or no questions," I said.

I couldn’t stay silent on this. Normally, I would keep my opinions to myself and just take the scolding and harshness of their decisions. But not this.

Anything but this.

"Silver--

My father interrupted my mother. "Quit being stubborn. This engagement is going to happen! We must find King Rheagis and tell him you will marry his son in the fall."

"What?!" Helena and I said together.

Helena slapped her fan closed. Her monarch wings flapped in rage. "Father! I am to be married in the fall! I'm already sharing my engagement announcement with Silver! Surely you are not having me share my wedding day with her as well?!"

"It will be easier that way." King Roland said, uncaring about what Helena felt about the situation.

"Is… this a bad time?" A voice asked from behind us.

We all turned and saw Queen Blossom floating behind us. She landed on the floor and bowed before us.

"My husband wishes to speak to you, King Roland. I’m afraid he is quite …confused."

"You and he need not worry, Queen Blossom. Silver will agree--

I stepped forward. "No! I'm sorry, but I can't marry Prince Sorren!" I said quickly. “I-I-I’m sure your stepson is kind, but… I don’t want to marry him. I just can’t…”

Instead of being angry, Queen Blossom only smiled at me. She walked forward and held my pale hands.

"I know you don’t. I understand. However, I just wish you had told my family about your secret sooner."

I looked at her, confused.

"Told her what?" Queen Lohnni asked behind me.

"Allow us to all speak together on the situation. Come, let us go to my husband and son. They are with Thorn right now." Queen Blossom said

Thorn? I thought confused.

As Queen Blossom disappeared into the crowd, Queen Lohnni came to my side. "What is she talking about? Why are they with Thorn?" She asked me.

I said nothing because I had no clue. I was just as confused as everyone.

I followed the Bone Clan Queen, and my family followed behind me. We all finally met up in the middle of the dance floor.

Thorn was smiling and talking to King Rheagis. The two were drinking a dandelion wine together, obviously in deep conversation. They talked and smiled with one another as if they were the best of friends.

Meanwhile, Prince Sorren stood to the side, looking awkward. Not drinking anything. Upon seeing me, he looked at me wide-eyed but averted his gaze after a long moment.

King Rheagis turned to us and then smiled at me.

"Ah, there she is! Little lady, you threw us all for a loop!" He spoke.

King Roland pushed himself in front of me. I staggered to the side, feeling pushed away and rudely moved.

"Rheagis... I apologize… I hope this drunk hasn’t given you any trouble, my lord."

"Who? Thorn?" King Rheagis said, slapping Thorn on the back. "Me and this drunken snail go way back. We fought against Void together! You got yourself a good fairy, King Roland. Glad to hear you got yourself a great future son-in-law!"

"A what-- King Rheagis, I'd like to discuss Prince Sorren and Silver's engagement." King Roland said, shaking and dismissing King

Rheagis's last comment. "I do apologize for her behavior. I'm afraid Silver can be a lot of trouble and has appearance problems, but I promise she will make a great princess to the Bone Clan in time. She will bear the future clan’s children and strengthen our bonds."

I looked at my father, angry that he would say those things about me.

Before anyone could speak, Thorn cleared his throat. "Yeah, that engagement is not happening."

I looked now at Thorn in confusion. My heart began to race. I thought back to everything Queen Blossom said.

Oh no, Thorn, what did you do?

It was just as I had feared. Thorn again had schemed up another plan on the spot. This time, involving all the royalty.

Thorn came to me and pulled me away from my family. He stood behind and wrapped his arms around my waist. Resting his chin on my hair, he looked my father in the dead eyes.

"I would also appreciate it if you addressed my fiancé by her proper royal title as well. She is the princess of Sun Clan and therefore should be addressed as such."

Despite the music, despite the crowd dancing around us, despite the whole aura of the ball, everything seemed to go silent.

King Roland and Queen Lohnni gaped in surprise. Helena opened her hand fan and walked away, speechless. Prince Sorren shifted uncomfortably where he stood and avoided eye contact with Thorn and me. King Rheagis and Queen Blossom at first smiled happily, but after seeing my parents' reactions, their smiles faded.

I froze. I did the best I could to remain expressionless at first. Then I slowly forced a smile on my face.

"W-w-what do you mean?" My mother asked, looking at Thorn.

For a long moment, I thought over what Thorn had said.

Why Thorn had done this, I didn't know yet. But right now, Thorn had given me a way out of this arranged engagement with Prince Sorren. This could be my chance to stay home and not be sold off to another clan that could grow to hate me.

"Thorn and I have been keeping it secret.... For when the time was right to reveal it." I said slowly.

"You mean, you are actually engaged to Thorn?!" my mother exclaimed.

"You mean, you actually didn't know about it?" Queen Blossomed asked my parents.

As Queen Lohnni shook her head to Queen Blossom, King Roland pointed to me and Thorn.

"There is no way I will allow you to marry this cowardly, wingless, drunk!"

"Hey now, King Roland, that's a bit--" King Rheagis said sternly, stepping forward to defend Thorn. However, Thorn interrupted.

"Your daughter and I are peas in the same pod. We are both outcasts in our own clans. We have our own flaws. We are each other's best friends and confide in each other in everything." Thorn explained. "Besides, wouldn't you rather marry her off to someone she actually knows?"

Prince Sorren raised his eyebrows but didn't look offended. He stepped forward and spoke.

"I think you should give them your blessing, King Roland."

My father looked at the prince, crazed.

"What?! Silver is your betrothed!"

"Well, not really. She never did say yes…and besides, if her heart belongs to someone else, then who am I to compete?" Prince Sorren explained. "We may be royalty of the clans and the same age, but we don't know each other. To be honest, my heart too belongs to someone else...."

"Sorren..." Queen Blossom warned her stepson.

I smiled at Prince Sorren. I was grateful he wasn't angry with me or anyone tonight.

King Rheagis sighed. "Aw, Roland. Well, looks like we are in a tough spot. I'd say let's just enjoy this ball and celebrate Princess Silver's engagement to Thorn." He spoke. He looked at Thorn. "Congrats, my boy. I wish you happiness. I’m glad to know you won’t die alone now."

“So… you know Thorn well?” I finally spoke up. I ended up holding onto Thorn's hands as they wrapped around me. His warmth and the fact that he had saved me from an arranged marriage comforted me more than anything right now.

“Ah, yes. Back when all the clans were fighting against Night Clan, Queen Blossom, Thorn, and I were close comrades in battle.” King Rheagis explained with a wide smile. “And as well as my late wife, Queen Lily… all four of us stuck together and helped the Light Fairy defeat Void.”

“I also remember you constantly challenging Thorn to flying races.” Queen Blossom recalled, smiling.

“You would always lose,” Thorn said.

King Rheagis shrugged. “I gave you head-starts.”

I smiled slightly. It was interesting to hear of Thorn's past with Bone Clan and his warrior days. Thorn never spoke about his time in the war and rarely talked about his days in Bone clan.

I wonder what Thorn's wings looked like. I wondered. Thorn had never talked about his wings. Nor exactly how he came to lose them.

Queen Blossom nodded and smiled. “I am sorry for the misunderstanding in all of this. But seeing Thorn with someone at last, my husband and I approve.”

"What?! You approve!?"

"Why not? Thorn seems serious. And when he declares something as serious as this, he always goes through with it. Thorn is a fairy of his word," King Rheagis said, looking at my father.

"I don't approve of this at all! I won't! I can't!" King Roland said, shaking his head. His monarch wings fluttered angrily.

"Why not?" Queen Blossom asked.

"Because he's.... He's...a... He has no...." King Roland said. "He... He will just take advantage of Silver. He'll cheat, abuse, and drink his marriage away."

King Rheagis now looked at my father again sternly. “Now, King Roland--

"Princess," Thorn said simply.

"What?"

"I do believe I told you to address my fiancé as her proper royal title. And that will be Princess Silver." Thorn said to King Roland.

King Roland gritted his teeth. "I will address my daughter as I please. And you, you filthy worm, are not her betrothed!"

"Say it," Thorn said, almost in a dark tone.

I then noticed Thorn's grip slowly tighten around my waist. I looked down and saw the veins in his arm slowly glowing white. I looked at his arms in confusion.

What’s happening to Thorn?

King Rheagis turned his head to Thorn, and a panicked look entered his eyes. Queen Blossom came forward and pulled me from Thorn’s grasp.

"Come, my dear. Let us put this whole thing behind us and drink to your marriage! Sorren, join us." She quickly said.

Huh? I twisted my head around to look back at Thorn.

A dark look that I've ever seen before in Thorn, or anyone, was in his eyes. His curly brown hair seemed to move out of his face and reveal his handsome features. The soft and drunken normal look was now replaced by a dark expression.

A part of me was afraid and shocked. I've never seen Thorn angry before. I've never seen or heard Thorn talk like that before.

I don’t understand why he engaged himself with me to begin with... Why is he going to these lengths for me?!

"Come, my dear," Queen Blossom said, forcing me to look away and keeping me walking forward. “Let the Kings talk.”

"What's... going to happen?" I asked her. Prince Sorren came to my other side, guiding us through the crowd.

"Don't worry. Thorn is a good fairy man. He will make a good husband for you." Queen Blossom said.

We left the others to themselves as we stood by the champagne table, sipping in silence. Though other fairies came to congratulate me on my engagement, I felt my mind swirling with questions.

During this, Prince Sorren came to my side. He offered me a glass of champagne, but I refused it.

“I don’t think I can stomach anything after tonight,” I explained.

Prince Sorren nodded and placed it down.

“I’d actually like to talk to you, if that’s okay…” he said.

I looked at him, surprised. “What is it?”

Prince Sorren rubbed the back of his neck. “I have to admit. I’m kind of glad you are already engaged to someone else. I didn’t want to be married to you to begin with. This whole thing was your and my father’s idea. I-I-I’m sorry if that was mean to say!” Sorren said quickly.

I smiled slightly at him. “No, it's perfectly fine. I guess it was more than obvious I didn’t want to marry you either.” I said to him.

“Yeah… but like I said then, I am not mad at you at all.” Prince Sorren said. “I guess this means now I can marry the fairy I want.” He spoke.

I smiled at him again. “They are very lucky to have you, Prince Sorren,” I said.

I then looked back into the crowd. With all the dancing fairies, I saw my mother sitting alone at the table I had sat at, drinking by herself. I saw Helena and Campbell arguing by the entrance of the ballroom. I couldn’t see my father, King Rheagis, or Thorn.

It worried me, and I sighed in defeat.

My mind again swirled with questions that I didn’t have answers for.