Magix

Chapter 6: The Prairie Fairies

It began with a slight jolt, then quickly hovered a few feet above the tall grass. I stared over the mass of fairies below, their tiny forms even more minuscule from the height. Then with a subtle lurch the carriage began to climb speed, quickly covering distance.

I gazed out the window completely awestruck, watching the feathering purples blur beneath me. Tiny dots of lilac flowers streamlined out of my peripheral.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Queen Nora asked, and I met her soft grey eyes.

"Yes," I say just above a whisper, then I glance at David's frame lying across the seat in front of me, "I'm really worried about him."

"How bad are his wounds?" she asks then eyes my swollen ankle, "and yours?"

So I explain everything that had happened with the werewolves.

She nods, "alright, I'm sorry that the both of you had gone through all of that, but more peril awaits," she looks at me sadly, "he needs a lot of rest and healing salve. You lot will be staying with me at my castle until your next riddle is solved. That way I can make sure you and your friend have all the medical attention and help needed."

I nod, unsure of how else to answer. What other dangers would we possibly have to face?

The rest of the ride is uneventful, I almost find myself falling asleep. Only when the carriage slowed down I jolted, wide awake.

A large willow-like tree loomed into view, its gnarled roots jutted out of and then back into the relatively flat ground. Mushrooms and lone flowers speckled the scenery, adding color to the otherwise dreary purple of it's trunk. Prune colored leaves looked to drape off of the branches.

'Haunting but beautiful,' I think to myself.

"This is my castle," Queen Nora says, she then answers my questioning gaze with a secretive smile.

When the carriage lands, rather jerkily might I add, we step out of it flanked by the guards and start walking towards the monstrously large tree. It's size catching me off guard, reminding me that we're all merely the size of human sized pinkies.

"Behold," the Queen cries, "my home abode!"

She then raises both her hands and closes her eyes for a moment, when she opens them again I watch in awe as the same creamy plume curls out from her hands and reaches the base of the tree.

When the glittering haze disappears a large gate of reinforced steel is revealed.

I meet the Fairy Queen's eyes with my own surprised ones.

She gives me a smile bordering on mischievous, "shall we?"

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The castle from the inside is nothing short of grand.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful harmony of purple wood and dark grey cobble. The wooden ceiling is high with dangling chandeliers, smooth stone pillars stood at the borders of the rooms for support, and tall arched windows that lined the walls.

A beige carpet with gold flowing designs was laid out in front of us from the entrance to an elegant staircase. The swirls looked similar to the ones in Queen Nora's dress, glinting and almost moving as you blinked them in.

"My two most trusted maids, Jiles and Laia," she nodded at the two pretty fairy maids dressed in forest green frocks who had made their way towards us, "will escort you to your room. The guards will bring your friend to my best apothecary people."