His Dark Fairy

Chapter 10: Forbidden Secrets

Queen Magnolia’s POV

Huddled inside a hollow tree once used as a playhouse the smell of forest surrounds me. I wait patiently but alert for my guests. The trees have always been some of my dearest friends. Soon I sense them nearing the tree and wait for them to climb inside and join me. My sister, who has been posing as Avilee’s mother for twenty years, appears first; she is a bit disheveled and looks to be exhausted and nervous. Behind her is our oldest and dearest friend Olivia, she is Jasmine’s mother, and Jasmine is Avilee’s best friend. 

“Ladies,” I whisper, nodding at them. They nod back  and stare doe eyed at me. “I will never feel like my debt to you will be repaid. I am so incredibly grateful for the both of you and everything you have given up to keep the Princess safe.” I confess. They have been helping me hide her in plain sight and she has grown up living the life she was meant to experience albeit without me. 

My sister sobs quietly, “Maggie, Magnolia, you know I would do anything for you. You are my dearest sister. Being apart from you all these years has been tortuous. It is all for the greater good and we will finally be together again soon. I am honored and beyond blessed that you entrusted me to hide and care for the Princess as my beautiful child, especially after The General and I realized we could never have children of our own. Even though I am really her aunt she will always be like my own child to me. I know it hurts you every day that you have not been with her, but I promise that I just know when she finally meets you she is going to understand, and she will absolutely adore you.” 

Next it’s Olivia’s turn to speak to me. Olivia grasps my hands in hers and stares deep into my lavender eyes before choking back tears and sniffling, “Oh Magnolia she is such a strong girl you will be so proud of the woman she blossomed into. I see so much of ourselves in her and Jasmine. I am so humbled that their friendship grew and grew until they were practically inseparable. I know it will be dangerous for them but The General has done such a great job training and preparing them for this.” 

These women are so amazing. The way they have served me and my princess Avilee is more than anyone could ever ask. I find myself struggling and  blinking back tears trying to stay strong. I have so many emotions flowing through me, excitement, fear, worry, regret, and love. I feel my heart swell with love for these two women. My sister and her husband who have cared for my princess and raised her, they risked their life concealing her and posing as The Duke and Duchess. Then there is my best friend. She traveled here ahead of everyone to blend in and make a name for herself. She lost out on the last few days with her husband, Kallen, who lost his life defending me and smuggling myself and Avilee out of the kingdom. Anyone else might have resented me and blamed me for the loss of their mate, but not Olivia she stayed by my side and continued to risk everything for me and my daughter. Princess of the Moonlight Fairy Kingdom, heir of the Dark Lord, she has the power to unite the realms, but also the power to destroy them all. 

I close my eyes as the tears pool and threaten to splash out. As I do I am transported away to one of my very distant memories. It's the memory of the last day we spent together, myself and my beautiful child Avilee. It always starts before Kallan, Olivia’s husband, rushed her away to safety. We were picking wildflowers near the majestic falls. Avilee had been splashing and playing in a small pool of runoff water from the lake and the falls all morning. She had grown tired in the afternoon sun and snuggled into me tugging at my hair and stroking my face, taking in every detail of me as if she knew it was the last time we would be together. She had regained her energy and begged me to make her a beautiful flower crown. It was always her favorite game to play. She would pick wild flowers and I would leave her in awe as I used my magic to fashion them into a crown to rest perfectly on her head. Avilee was exercising her Earth powers and growing flowers from seeds or healing dying flowers while searching and bringing me the biggest pile of flowers ever for her head. She sat patiently watching my magic trying to mimic it and create a matching crown for me to wear. Just as we had finished and placed the crowns on one another’s heads I felt the Earth rumble in warning. Visions flashed quickly through my mind showing me everything that was to come and the many different outcomes. I wrapped Avilee in a hug holding her close and tight and surrounding us in a protective bubble just as the curse hit the land. The sky crackled with electricity and turned red with fire. I could sense him, I could feel all the anger and rage seething from Holden. I couldn’t locate him because I was using so much of my power to keep Avilee and I safe but I knew. Someone had betrayed us and he knew. He knew Avilee was his and he intended fully to retrieve his child at all costs. Holden, The Dark Lord, has a powerful child. The skies blazed, the electricity flashed for hours before disappearing, the curse was cast and he had retreated back to the badlands. He was weak but confident he would be able to find her and capture her with all of our powers diminished. He didn’t plan for the Divine Goddess to bless me with the power of sight in order to keep Avilee safe. 

The minute I released the protective bubble she appeared. With a snap of her fingers Avilee was asleep in my arms. She was beautiful, graceful, and her eyes were full of love as she spoke to me. She took my hands in hers and showed me two futures. We locked eyes and nodded in agreement acknowledging what must be done silently. As we did I felt the tingle of power flowing from her into me. My tears flowed in sparkling drops down my face. Just then a breeze blew in with news of the battle, and Kallan came charging up riding on his horse. 

The Divine Goddess spoke and said gracefully, “He has been gifted with full sight. He is aware of his mission and aware of his sacrifice. He has agreed in return for a favor. One day your daughters will rule side by side assuming all the stars align. It is time to let her go and it is time to cloak her and erase all memories temporarily. When she is ready and it is safe you can restore her memories with my blessing. Quickly say goodbye and come with me to safety.” 

I was frozen there, tears flowing and stood cradling her sleeping body in my arms. Kallan dismounted and walked solemnly towards me resting one hand on my shoulder and the other gently on Avilee’s head. The Divine Goddess reached out placing her hand on my shoulder and the other laid across my sweet child’s heart. We closed our eyes and said the words. Enchanting the little girl with the strongest cloaking magic beyond imagination. Swirls of Gold and red surrounded her. Love magic is the oldest and strongest magic fairies poses and many do not have the affinity to evoke it, but we stood in the meadows weaving it around her soul. When the magic settled I leaned down and pressed my lips against her temple, erasing all memories of who she is, who I am, and her magical life in the Moonlight Fairy Kingdom. 

Kallan reached his arms out and I transferred her to his arms. He cradled her gently and promised, “Magnolia I will get her to safety. No one will find her, and Holden will not know about her so long as she never finds her true love mate. As long as she never bears his mark he will never find her and the magic will hold strong. The chances of her finding him are next to nothing. I have made sure of that.” With that he turned and winked at the Divine Goddess and rode off with my sweet princess never to be seen again. 

Just as my memory began to fade I felt the Earth rumble beneath my feet. It was a warning that I was running out of time. I opened my eyes to the present and realized not even a full minute had passed while I was sucked away, stuck in my memory. I let the tears fall freely as I stared into the eyes of my sister and best friend and asked them yet again to take a huge risk for their Queen and Princess. 

“Ladies, one final task,” I whispered, aware of the time and our surroundings, “I need you to make sure Avilee is wearing this. Give it to her as a gift and be sure she is wearing it when they escape. It will help me track her and keep tabs on her and Jasmine so I can ensure they find me safely.” I pulled out a beautiful moonstone necklace carved in the shape of a heart with an intricate gold locket surrounding it. The gold twisted and turned like leaves and vines wrapping the moonstone and protecting it. It dangled from a beautiful gold chain nestled between two large pearls. I placed it protectively back in the deer skin pouch and handed it to my sister. 

“I know exactly how to get this to her,” she blubbered through the tears pouring down her face. She hid it carefully in her dress. 

“I must go, time is not on our side.” I exclaimed as I reached out to wrap them both in a hug. “We will be together again soon,” I promised, “ let's say the words together one last time for strength and safety.” We held hands and whispered quietly as the same gold and red swirled around us wrapping us one final time as we worked to steal the Princess back. 

With that I turned and flew into the dark forest cloaking myself in magic and disappearing to wait for the return of my daughter, Avilee  the Princess of the Moonlight Fairy Kingdom. Deep into the forest I flew past the barrier and towards an unknown location full of rogue fairies and survivors waiting for the return of their Queen and the long lost Princess.