Novalunian Frontier: The DovePort Journals

Chapter 7: The Treehouse

Romina headed outside to the backyard where the treehouse stood. The treehouse was initially created as a sanctuary for the fae of the forest as a peace offering when Vasya and Onni gained the land. When Raziel got older he took over tending to the fae on the highest floor of the treehouse. The whole thing wrapped around a massive golden oak tree blessed by the forest fairies. There were three levels, but when Romina headed closer to it she realized there were now four levels. A new room had been added attached to the platforms. Fairies flew around giggling at her as she watched a tree be taken over by wooden planks and vines as they built a whole new section of the treehouse.

Fairies flew to and from her room carrying her books and giggling as they flew. Romina had never known fairies to be so helpful. At the base of the stairs sat her brother Raziel smiling at her. He winked at her when her gaze reached his. All manner of offerings were laid out on the stairs to the fairies. A few of them were sitting on the steps with him taking breaks before returning to work. Raziel gently shooed the fairies next to him away before signaling Romina over. Romina sat on the steps next to him, he used his one wing to shield her from the fairies flying around. "They like you" he commented.

"Clearly" Romina commented as she watched these tiny beings create a whole new treehouse just for her. "Is this your doing?"

"Kind of, they had the idea. Elroy came with a message about you being of age to learn magic and the fairies wished to help. I know you have a familiar but they told me if you ever need help feel free to ask" he said staring up at the new platforms. He stood up and brushed fairy dust and pollen off his legs. He held his hand out to Romina, "shall we see what they have done?" He said with a dramatic bow. Romina giggled and took his hand.

The pair traveled up the newly crafted stairs and passed by many fairies giggling at them. As they passed the fairies they began to follow them. By the time they had reached the top they had a whole colony of fairies following them. Raziel opened the doors and gestured for Romina to come inside. The fairies all waved at her as she turned and entered, they dispersed all through the forest like usual. The fairies had crafted a huge library into a tree. Bookshelves decorated the walls with openings for windows. One particular window had a larger ledge than the other two and a table resting in front of it.

"Looks like they want offerings every once in a while, don't worry I can tell you what they like" Raziel commented before looking around at the books, "or maybe you can learn that yourself. It looks like they've robbed my place too" he commented looking at the familiar books he had read over and over again.

"Did they steal your books?" Romina asked looking at him. Despite not being related to him he looked very similar to Vasya. He had short dirty blond hair that always lightened in the warmer seasons from exposure to the sun. He had a scar on his face that crossed over his eye but caused no damage. His jaw sat weirdly on one side as he had broken it, but weirdly it healed almost instantly leaving him with a crooked jaw and smile. He could feel no pain anyways. He had warm skin and one wing, the wing matched the opposite wing his twin had.

Uriel and Raziel were avian twins, a very rare occurrence of them. The pair shared a set of wings between them. They were identical despite being of the opposite gender to each other, also a rarity. "No big deal, it's a library anyways. Maybe we can raid Dad's to fill the shelves" he commented looking around the mostly empty shelves. Onni had a library inside the house, but this was not her father's library it was hers.

"He would say no and you know that," Romina said staring at him, he stood only a bit taller than she did. Raziel and Uriel stood a bit shorter than Aleron did.

"Maybe not? It is you after all" Raziel commented as he sat at the table. "Hm, comfy chairs," he said impressed with the furniture.

"Are you implying I'm the favorite?" Romina asked a bit put off by his implications.

"I'm just saying that it's you, he might not say no," he said shrugging his shoulders

She glared at him. "You do think I'm the favorite! How dare you!" Romina huffed at him very offended. In truth, she was probably his favorite, but he should have just outright said it. Maybe it would have hurt less.

Raziel shrugged his shoulders again before raising his hands in defense, "I never said anything like that. Besides if anyone is the favorite it's Aleron" he said as he rolled his eyes. "You have seen his home away from home right?" he said as he lowered his arms back down.

"No"

"He has this campsite in the forest that he 'escapes'-" he made that quote-unquote motion with his fingers- "to when he doesn't wanna be home," he said as he rolled his eyes and lazily stood back up. "Well anyways, you have fun I'm gonna go see what they stole from my room," he said making his way back to the door. Raziel left Romina in the library. After a bit, Romina was joined by her familiar Toast who walked in sheepishly as if she had something to be ashamed of. Romina didn't mind that Toast had stayed with her brother while she was gone.

Romina wandered around the small room grazing her hand along the walls. She began to wonder what exactly triggered her new ability, was it touch? Could it be specific people? Hard to tell when it's only happened a few times. Vasya seemed unfazed about it happening like they had seen it happen before, Romina wondered if this was maybe a ravalian ability.

Perhaps Winfrey had a book on things like that, maybe she could borrow it. Or maybe her father did.

She sat at the table and stared out the window, fairies perched themselves on the sill giggling and talking. Fairies had their own language they spoke, typical beings don't understand them. This allows them to get away with many things. Sometimes they bless beings they like with the ability to understand them, but that is based on each individual fairy. If one fairy blesses you that is the only fairy your ill understand. It is best to make many fairy acquaintances instead of just one.

Using a fairy as a sort of translator is rather rude. Or at least they think so. Some fairy species do not care if you understand them or not. And some species have their own languages separate from the usual ones. Like the neptrin, they are Esporia's water fairies. They speak their own language typically spoken by rivereems and mermaids as well. Rivereems are water-based onuterrans with long fishlike tails and short horns. They are excellent at fishing and swimming for rather obvious reasons.

Esporia was the home of all the fairy species, including relmians. Relmians are an uncommon species of fairy humans. They are small in size but are more human than fae. Sometimes they have wings like fairies do but they typically do not due to their human genetics. Like onuterrans and kinurians they took over the role of humanity when the war was over.

Romina hadn't read much of the history books, she didn't much like the idea of the war itself, but she knew the basics. Humanity decided their strange human-like co-inhabitants were getting too powerful and taking too much land. So out of fear of their own extinction, they attacked. This caused the formation of alliances, kingdoms, organizations, and many other odd domino affects things. In the end, humanity nearly extinguished itself in its own fear of dominion over the lands it had once owned.

Most humans seen today are seen as inferior for their lack of special abilities. What is left of humankind are descendants of those who sided with the supposed 'inhuman' beings humanity wished to kill. It had been nearly 50 years since the war and most of the humans who survived are still around to tell their tales. Unfortunately, the kingdoms and towns all still lived in fear of another war ever since, most of them are closed off and no longer take in beings who need help.

That is why Vasya and Onni made Doveport, they wished to prove that humans and 'inhumans' could live in peace.