Changeling

Chapter 4

The place of meeting was an old dilapidated stone circle just outside of town. It was a rare sunny day and on the drive there, the fairies had sat on Sorrel's dashboard, sunning themselves and smiling. 

"A rare day for you two, I can imagine." Sorrel grinned, turning off the engine.

"A rare day indeed, mistress." Plarabel laughed, and promptly jumped. It took Sorrel by surprise, how the little creature had transformed so suddenly back into a flower. There following, it began to float along the breeze towards the structure ahead. Flourine giggled at Sorrel's reaction to simple magic and followed suit. The scene was incredible, a small stone circle surrounded by a dark and mysterious wood.

"Of all those town advertisements, they couldn't have mentioned this site?" Sorrel echoed, marveling at the scene.

Once she had entered the circle, something came over her. She should have expected such a place of meeting would feel as magical as it looked, but Sorrel admitted that something imagined couldn't compare to a reality where dreams exist, and the unique buzzing sensation the body took on was something Sorrel could have never put into words.

As she approached the center, Sorrel found a creature resting there. The grey little thing gleamed in the sunlight as if slightly damp. It turned as it saw the trio approach. The eyes were black and beady that beheld Sorrel. It seemed to be coming to a conclusion about her appearance and rose gently to receive them.

"Are all fairies this adorable?" Sorrel said, kneeling to regard Ohdie who had approached her. She couldn't help seeing him as a little toy doll or an animal after all, he was just that adorable. Especially when he frowned so testily.

Taking this as an offense, Ohdie blew spores into her face. Sorrel coughed explosively, rubbing the dust from her eyes.

"Let that be a lesson, mortal." He turned from the trio, hands poised behind his back. "For it is the least of your troubles when it comes to our kind..."

"Ohdie is right mistress." Flourine placated, materializing back into her normal form once she'd drifted onto Sorrel's shoulder. "Not that you should fear the path ahead, but some of these creatures are horrible for mortals to view, and extremely deadly should you cross one."

"Wait- so I'm not just going to be learning the trade?" Sorrel frowned. "Sorry, I know I'm desperate for a new purpose and going through a bit of an ego death, but I'm not far enough gone to want to be involved in the war itself..." 

Sorrel wondered if she left, would the fairies still be bound to her? Had she already signed up for something she could not escape? Fear began to pool in her belly at this.

"You may leave any time you wish, mistress. Just allow us to train you, and you can make the decision for yourself. It would be a shame to waste your power however." Flourine climbed onto Sorrel's knee and sat there. 

"The dangers of the earth falling prey to fairy rule is far more dubious, I can assure you..." Her sister affirmed with a nod of her little chin.

"So what is it exactly that you would have me do if I did join this resistance? What's my job description? I feel like I'm going into an interview with the promise of good pay and no foresight." Sorrel laughed nervously. 

"While you do possess great power, violence is not condoned for anything but defense in the eyes of the plant fae. We would have preventative and disabling measures over death." Plarabel continued, cleaning her petals with tiny hands.

"I feel like that's kind of ineffective with an army of flowers and a few humans..." Sorrel frowned, and Ohdie jumped up and knocked Sorrel with a twig.