The Orphan King and The Witch of the Woods (KINGDOM Arthur X Female OC)

Ch. 10: The Land of Fairies

Arthur stayed in the guest chamber for one night, before he eventually decided to venture out. And when he did, he had quite a difficult time navigating his way out of the queen's palace. It seems he had never really grown out of not getting used to large spaces. Eventually, though, help came to him when a familiar male fairy approached him from behind, almost startling him in the process. "Are you lost?"

Arthur jerks. But at the same time, he turns and quickly recognizes the fairy that he had seen talking with Lily in the forest. "Oh... you. Sam, isn't it?"

The fairy nods, before he floats down to walk beside the young man. "Correct! And you must be Arthur, the boy who grew up taking care of Lily." The two proceed walking, and Arthur just follows, believing Sam would eventually lead him out of the palace.

"Ah, yes... Is that how Lily spoke of me?" Arthur asks.

Sam, in response, laughs before shaking his head. "I'm afraid not... A little bird told me, actually." A small frown forms on Arthur's face after hearing that, but it soon disappears a second later. It did not escape Sam's notice, however. "Why? Were you hoping for at least a small sign that Lily is somehow still glad to see you?"

Arthur doesn't respond. Though, it was clear from the very beginning. He wanted to know if Lily was just as glad to see him as he was to see her. But what was he to expect after he failed to keep his promise to her that day? Not only did he fail to do that, but she was also abducted by fairy queen on that same day. Well... though it seems she's living a better life with the fairies now.

Sam watches the young man's actions as they walked. Though he couldn't really tell what the latter is thinking, you could say he already had a clue... "She must have been everything to you. I apologize on behalf of the queen for taking Lily from you." He begins to bow, but Arthur quickly shakes his palms at him.

"No, no! You don't need to apologize! I... I'm actually glad that you all took care of her well." The young man looks away, and he slowly drops his hands as he continues. "Probably even better than I could ever have."

Sam eyes him, but he doesn't say anything anymore as they eventually continue walking. "So you two were orphans? Is that all you remember of your childhood?"

Arthur lightly shrugs. His story as an orphan was never so significant, however, and so he never really thought to talk or even think about it. "Well, yes. I grew up an orphan and that's all I remember. Lily, however... well, she was abandoned at birth as well, but she had a little souvenir from her parents, I assume, when she was found."

At the thought, a certain memory flashes through Arthur's mind, and soon, he hears the sound of a baby crying in early day from his memories.

There's Gertrude opening the door of the orphanage for that day, and then there's Arthur standing behind her and gripping her skirt, a little intimidated but nonetheless curious, and then on the doorstep, there was a basket.

"Oh, looks like someone left a child here, again."

That's what Gertrude had said that time. As if she were used to these kinds of situations. She bends down to examine the basket, and slowly lifts the cloth covering the baby. Immediately, young Arthur's eyes seemed to shine at the sight of the little girl's face. Though she was crying, her whole being seemed to glow with an aura unlike any other.

Immediately, the boy felt a connection. But just at that moment, something else catches his attention... when Gertrude lifts a silver necklace, shaped like an incomplete moon. And incomplete indeed it was, for around it were subtle bumps looking for something to connect to.

Gertrude turns to Arthur after discovering the jewelry, scanning his reaction. But the boy seemed just as clueless as she was. She only sighs before turning back to the baby in the basket. "It looks like our new companion must have come from a prestigious family," she speaks before she gently lifts the baby in her arms, cradling it and hummin to calm her down. "I apologize, my dear, but it looks like your life won't be any better here. But we'll all be treated the same anyhow... Now what shall be your name?"

The baby quiets down, and Gertrude suddenly feels a light tugging on her dress. She looks down, and she sees Arthur pointing towards the fields, to a small group of three, white flowers glistening in the sun and morning dew.

"Lily," the boy speaks, and Gertrude smiles at his suggestion.

"Indeed. 'Lily' sounds just about right."

"She had a silver necklace with her when she came to the orphanage. Because of that, we suspected that she must have come from a prestigious family, but it makes me wonder why she would be abandoned. Our matron still has the necklace, however, and we were planning to give it to Lily once she's eighteen... Though, we did sort of lost the chance to do so already," Arthur states as he slowly returns to the present. Beside him, Sam nods along as he listens.

"What about now that you've finally found her again? Can't you give the necklace back to her?"

Arthur eyes him, then he chuckles awkwardly as his next words sound rather like some sort of request. "I would have to go back to Viridus to retrieve it first."

Sam laughs in response, and he opens a door before them. "Well, I'm sure the queen could consider your favor." He then steps aside to let the young man pass, and Arthur looks past the door, his eyes soon widening at the sight before him.

It seems there really is more to Wallowing Woods than what the people spoke of it.

Suddenly, the forest seemed to have become much, much wider. A whole civilization of fairies with their houses all built on top of each other to the very top of the crown of the forest buzzed with much liveliness past the palace doors. The whole village was wide — No. The term "village" wouldn't be enough to call a place like this. It was a kingdom of fairies. Beautiful, shimmering creatures with the ability to fly and move swiftly enough to escape the human eye. All of this were right infront of Arthur's eyes.

"Wow! This is amazing! So this is what lies beyond–"

"What lies beyond the borders?" Suddenly, a girl fairy with bright, red hair appears before Arthur, floating upside down as she meets his eyes. She surprises him, however, and it causes the boy to stumble and almost lose his balance. If it weren't for the girl grabbing his hand and helping him regain his balance again.

"Woah!" Arthur yelps before he finally steadies his stance. And when he does, he looks up only to be surprised yet again by the girl fairy's presence, as if he only noticed her now. "Oh!"

"Oh, sorry! Did I scare you?" the girl asks as she finally floats upright before settling down on the floor. She pats herself down, and before long, she soon looks at Arthur, eyeing him curiously. "You must be the new human. You look just as baffled as Lily when she first came here."

"Ah... yes..." Arthur can only reply, still rather surprised.

Then Sam speaks from behind him. "And it seems you still have a knack for shocking visiting humans, Lucy."

"Ah... Lucy is her name?" Arthur wonders after hearing the name. Then his eyes wander towards Sam just as the latter steps up beside him.

"Now, aren't you supposed to be helping Lily in preparing for tonight's banquet?" he asks, to which Lucy giggles awkwardly.

"Well, you see... I got curious–" the girl replies as she plays with her hair. But she soon gets cut off when a different penetrates through the air, calling the attention of the three.

"Lucy! Where are you?!"

All three immediately recognize the voice, but it was Arthur who quickly turned first to look towards the newcomer. And upon him doing so, the eyes he meets widen upon seeing him. And his own follow shortly after.

There stood Lily, dressed like a lady in a simple, white dress and her hair held up by a ponytail. And for a second, Arthur almost saw her as one...

A lady.