Away with the Faeries

Chapter Seven

 Go back? I had no place to return to, no home. Yes, my mother may have begrudgingly opened her doors to me but that wasn't home. It never was. That was a polished prison decorated with plastic people. A lump formed in my throat as my bottom lip quivered. I had no home. Maybe it was better that I was here, then I wouldn't be such a burden on my family anymore. Burden? Was that really what I was? A homeless, disappointing, burden. Who chooses education over the damned Olympics.

My sister would have her pretty little family, and my mother had my poor father to pester whenever she snuffed out a problem. Silently I wondered how long it would take for them to even notice my absence. Would they care? They'd likely celebrate. The thought sent a tear flying down my cheek. Quickly swiping at it I buried the idea deep inside my mind. They were family, not monsters. A chill racked my spine as a sickening question filled my head; who's to say there's a difference?

"Shut up," I cried, slumping to the floor with my head in my hands.

"Uh," Lana's mouth fell agape, "Excuse you."

My eyes prickled with tears; "Of course, I want to go back." But the words felt all wrong. Swallowing hard I watched as Lana nodded slowly.

"Sure babe, whatever you say."

"Now tell me," I said gazing up to Lana from where I sat slumped against the wall, "Why am I here?"

Lana shrugged, "I have no idea, this," she gestured over me, "is not even supposed to be possible."

"Well can you tell me something you do know because I'm freaking out!"

"I know two plus two is four," she remarked. Tiredly my head fell back against the wall, I was doomed. "Ok, ok," Lana said quickly, "Like I said you're in the Erde Kingdom, probably. I don't know for sure. There's a very large chance we could be in any of the other six."

"There are seven kingdoms," I stressed, eyes widening.

"Oh sweet butterscotch," Lana pinched the bridge of her nose, "I am not explaining the entire history of The Seven Kingdoms to you."

"Give me a run down," I said, "I'll keep up."

Suspiciously one of her dark brows rose, "If your brain explodes it's on you." With a deep breath, she began. "Years and years ago birthed a diverse and foreign land filled with creatures and plants of all species. The creatures got along fine and were happy until they weren't. And like all rational beings who need conflict solved, they went to war," Lana rolled her eyes as if reciting a passage she had read to the point of memorization. "There was blood and gore, you know all the good stuff. That's when the original two kingdoms were created, The Ignis and Erde Kingdom.

"But it doesn't stop there, because people were still not happy. And so more war. Yay. The Erde Kingdom breaks off into three new nations, Bana, Aer, and Anima. Then the Ignis Kingdom citizens see the revolutions taking place in Erde and decide to try it out as well. With the help of Aer a new kingdom is formed, The Bloed Kingdom."

My head felt like static; with a hand out in front of me, I held up the six fingers I had ticked off as Lana told her story. "What about the seventh," I asked.

"I was getting there," she mumbled, "A hundred years of sunshine and rainbows later the Merfolk inhabited an island just off the border of Anima. But that was all a long time ago and now things have changed, positions of power have shifted along with borderlines. There have been alliances made and even more enemies. But one thing remains the same," she said drawing in a breath, "The Erde and Ignis Kingdom remain at war."

"Right now," I gasped. What I had been privy to so far of this elusive Erde Kingdom didn't seem like a nation at war. The woodlands I had awoken in were peaceful and beautiful. Not warring. Where was the blood, the gore? Did I really want to see it if it was out there?

"I said right now, not right here," Lana clarified cheekily.

After a brief moment of silence I spoke again; "Why did Marcel freak out when he discovered I was a human?" The question seemed to fall from my lips, it must have been bothering me more than I thought.

"Do I look like a giant brooding Faery to you," she asked, "Here's a thought, go ask him."

"Lana," I pleaded. 

She slumped her shoulders in surrender; "It could possibly be because Bloed has allied with Ignis. And the Bloed Kingdom is the Kingdom of Humans."

Oh, sweet cheese whiz. Marcel must have thought I was a spy or worse.

Rubbing a hand over my face a shaky sigh escaped my lips; "Now what," I asked, "I've been dropped in the middle of a warring kingdom with no idea what to do or where to go."

"As you said, you're in the middle of a war; that leaves you with two options," Lana smirked, "Fight or flee."

Fight or flee, and go where? Neverland, at least there I'd belong. I laughed at the thought. I didn't belong to France, America, or any of the Seven Kingdoms hell I didn't even feel like I belonged to my own family. It was looking like I was left with only one option. Marching over to the door I swung it open. Two pairs of amber eyes landed on me as I tore into the room.

"I'll be your ally."