His Dark Fairy

Chapter 13: This is Goodbye

Avilee POV

I can’t believe today’s the day. Laying under the magnolia tree on a crunchy bed of leaves looking up at the clouds in the sky with Jasmine everything seems so surreal. We are holding hands and my hair is covered in leaves. Warm to go cups with spicy tea lay next to us. I can feel Jasmine controlling my mood and honestly, today I don’t actually mind it. I can feel the calmness wash over me and settle deep in my soul. I need it, I need her, my best friend understands me so completely and as we lay here enjoying these last moments I am left wondering to myself if I have given enough back to her. Could I have been a better friend, would her life be less complicated without me? 

I let out a deep sigh and blink back my tears, “I’m going to miss this Jasmine. This is our place, everything started here and I feel such a connection to this beautiful tree,” my voice wavers slightly and I find myself running my hands across one of the tree's roots that has surfaced and  is running across the ground. 

She turns to look at me and squeezes my hand a bit tighter. Her big pink eyes are filled with sadness and tears as well. I can see it’s taking a lot of her power to try and maintain the calming waves she is projecting to control my mood. “I know Avilee,” she starts to sob, “I’m going to miss this silly tree, my cozy bed, spicy tea, workouts with the general, and my mom. I am really going to miss my mom.” 

I push myself up to rest on my elbows and turn towards her, never releasing her hand, like it’s somehow the only thing keeping me sane right now. I didn’t even realize the words were leaving my mouth until they were hanging in the air between us. 

“You don’t have to go Jasmine. You don’t have to do this. Whatever it is you can just...I can go alone. You can stay with your mom.” I stammer out. I sincerely can’t stand the thought of my best friend hurting because of me. Suddenly a cool breeze blows across the gardens. The branches above us rustle and shake. Dead leaves swirl in the air and fall to the ground with soft crunches around us. A shiver runs up my spine as if the world is telling us it's not a choice. I lean over and grab the quilt still folded up beside me. We sit up and wrap ourselves in the quilt hundling under the tree sipping our tea, heads pressed together. 

Jasmine finally breaks the silence between us and speaks, “I can’t leave you A. We belong together. It’s destiny that we became best friends, and this is one adventure you can’t tackle on your own. We need each other and we will need all the training we both possess along with our magic to keep one another safe. I’ve given it a lot of thought and I am not leaving you. We will always be there for one another. I just know it.” 

We both just smile at one another and blink back tears. This time it’s me who breaks the silence. “Hey Jasmine, would you think it’s silly to you know, say good bye to the tree and thank it? You know, thank it for all the years it’s given us a safe space to just be us?” I ask. 

Jasmine jumps up first as she exclaims, “No, that’s a brilliant idea!” Before turning to walk towards the tree's massive trunk. “Come on,” she shouts back at me, “hurry up, I think the weather is starting to turn, let's be fast before we get caught in the rain.” 

I hop up and follow her. We both gently place our palms against the tree. I lean my forehead against the trunk, willing the tree to hear my thoughts. I silently send my thanks. Grateful for the space the tree has provided us with all these years. 

Finally I whisper, “Thank you brother tree, I will miss you.” 

The tree branches suddenly rustle as if in response to my thanks. A few moments later rain drops begin to fall from the sky. They are light at first and gradually increasing into larger drops. Jasmine and I are already jogging back towards the castle. I am secretly enjoying that the rain is drenching me. It’s like the tree is crying and mother nature is washing our worries and stress away. By the time we make it back to my home we are drenched from head to toe but I can’t explain the relief I am feeling. 

Come on Jasmine I sing out with a glimmer of hope, “let’s start to get ready for this rehearsal dinner. You can use the guest bathroom to shower.” We are both shivering. As we walk through my front door and into the entryway. 

“Ladies,” The General greets us with a booming voice as we close the door behind us. “Some much needed time in the gardens I presume.” 

He knows me so well. My father looks absolutely stunning dressed in his Formal warrior uniform. He’s wearing a magnolia pinned to his br**st above his medals for the war. I give him a puzzled look and he winks at me and flashes an almost knowing smile my way. I brush the thought from my mind, he couldn’t possibly know about our plans tonight. 

“Why don’t you two get cleaned up. Avilee, your mother has hung both your dresses in your room. When you're done, come to the sitting room. I have a small gift for you.” The general instructs much more softly now. 

I give Jasmine a puzzled look but head to the shower anyway. Once I have finished I stroll to my room and find Jasmine waiting for me wearing a plush spa robe. Her eyes are bulging out of her head as she stares towards the gowns. One of the handmaid's must have placed them on the garment mannequins and they are stunning. I suck in my breath and it catches in my throat as I take in the dresses. I have never seen gowns this stunning in all my years of attending formal events in the castle. They are simply breathtaking.