Away with the Fairies

*°•○Part Nineteen○•°*

It took them three whole days and nights to reach the lake's shore, but it was a much more comfortable journey now that Hans, Louise and Rosalind were accompanied by the two butterflies, Roza, and Roslav, who were all capable of producing anything they needed by their magic. Poor Rolo was still without his wand, like Rosalind.

The moment they finally landed, or better, collapsed exhaustedly on the water's edge, Garrett jumped out from behind the reeds, and Marigold pushed her head through the lake's surface.

"Roo-sa-lind! Princess Roo-sa-lind, you are back!" the Captain croaked as he pulled his best friend in a dripping wet embrace, while Marigold splashed Hans and Louise happily from the lake.

Blue laughed, pointing his wand first at the two of them, then at Rosalind, drying them all up in moments.

The Butterfly Fairy boy did look happy, Hans mused, observing him. He just needed to recall Rosalind now... They only had tonight and the following day left for Blue to remember, and for Hans to remain in Terra Sonalis. Then, he would have to swim through the lake and return home. Their time was nearly up.

Instead of heading to the Rose Castle where Rosalind would have to face her strict and most likely furious parents, the group of friends decided to spend the rest of their time together by the lake.

While the Rose Elves prepared their place to sleep under the nearby willow tree and the tired travellers bathed and washed their clothes in the lake, the news of their arrival spread from the shore across the meadow, and all the way to the Rose Garden.

As they sat down to eat, the small group was joined by several of Rosalind's Flower Fairy friends, Amarylisa and Aspen, and even Rosabea and Rosland. They all insisted on spending the night by the lake with them, hoping that their presence would help Blue, who recognised all of them, to finally recall his and Rosalind's past.

Once he had finished eating, Hans let Rosalind and Louise recount their adventures to the others and stole away from the loud, cheerful company, vanishing behind the long, silvery-green branches of the willow tree unnoticed.

From there, he observed Louise. She looked so happy and full of life, with her shiny, long wings fluttering excitedly while she spoke. With those graceful wings and dressed again in her perfectly clean, white, and red gown, she was as breathtakingly beautiful as any other Flower Fairy present. More, he corrected himself, frowning, when he noticed the regal Rosland clad in ochre and gold, watching her every move. The Rose Fairy boy seemed to be as intrigued by Louise as Blue was by Rosalind. And Louise belonged to them, Hans thought sadly, she had become an inseparable part of Terra Sonalis the instant she had been given that pair of wings by the wise owl...

Louise, suddenly noticing his absence, turned around, and as if drawn by his look, her eyes found him sitting hidden behind the veil of willow branches rippling in the summer evening's breeze.

The moment when no one was looking at her, she reached her friend in his hideout, and there they stayed the entire night, the two of them alone.

"I'll miss you, Louise," Hans whispered once she was sleeping, as he pulled a blanket higher over her shoulders.

Unlike Louise, he couldn't fall asleep for a long time, so when they were woken up late in the morning by the unexpected hustle and bustle caused by the unannounced arrival of Queen Rosamunde and King Rosario, Hans felt as tired and confused as if he had not slept at all.

Apparently, the news of their daughter's arrival and her camping by the lake in dubious company instead of heading directly home as a good, royal daughter was expected to do, reached their majesties overnight.

"Rosalind Thorne, what are you wearing for goodness' sake?" the Fairy Queen exclaimed indignantly, pointing her wand at her daughter, who tried to free herself from Blue's arms and scramble to her feet from their nest of blankets.