Of Fairies and Noontime

Allies

Hadley sat near the wall, banging her head against the crusty metal bars. The dungeon was silent. The only sound that came from anywhere was her head against them. Pound. Pound. Pound.

Hadley swallowed. Being trapped in a dungeon wasn't all it cracked up to be.

Suddenly, Hadley heard one of the doors creak open. She sat up, eyes wide. Who was next in line to get on her nerves before her imminent death?

She heard footsteps down the hall. Her heart pounded inside her chest. She couldn't have another mind-numbing conversation with Lord Brilland. That man had the brains of a brick.

To her surprise, it was Mistress Heartwinger.

"There you are!" Heartwinger said in a low whisper. "This dungeon goes on and on..."

"Err... pardon my asking, but what are you doing here? Is it time for me to go?" Hadley asked, mimicking slitting her throat with her finger. Heartwinger quickly shook her head.

"No, no! I'm trying to delay that as much as possible." She said.

Hadley's ears perked up.

"I'm afraid that these lands are in grave danger, so long as Lady Larkdale is in power. If she's willing to execute someone because they're a different species, just imagine what she'd be willing to do to those of her own kind? And, heaven forbid, those who are brave enough to disagree with her?" Heartwinger asked, a fearful look in her eyes.

Hadley just sat there, listening and thinking. She never would've expected a species so innocent-looking as fairies to be this intense.

"I need to know when enough is enough, and they've more than crossed the line. Their motives aren't for the good of the people anymore." Heartwinger sighed.

"Well... have the fairies ever tried standing up to her? Rising up against her?" Hadley asked.

Heartwinger shook her head. "They're too afraid. And, quite frankly, I am too. Like I said before, who knows what she and the other council members would do to someone who merely disagrees with her." She replied. Her voice was shaky.

Hadley was nervous. The situation was even more severe than she thought if a member of the Magic Council was this afraid of it.

"I'm going to try to help you as much as I can. I'm afraid that Larkdale won't be swayed from her decision, but I'm going to try as hard as I can to make things right." Heartwinger said, nodding firmly.

Hadley felt unexpected tears in her eyes. "Thank you so, so much." She said, hoping that her sincerity would show. "But please be careful. I'd hate to see you hurt,"

Heartwinger shrugged. "I have nothing left here," She sighed. "I have to stand up for myself, and for you. No one else is going to do it for me. I can't even talk to my fellow council members about this because I'm afraid they'll rat me out."

Hadley held onto the bars, looking up at Heartwinger with a sympathetic look on her face. People were willing to sacrifice themselves for her, just like that?

"If I could give you a hug right now, I would," Hadley sighed.

Heartwinger smiled, but her face was overpowered with nervousness. "We'll have to take a rain check for now, kid." She added.

Heartwinger turned to the door. She looked back at Hadley one last time, as if to tell her "don't worry, it'll be alright," but she never whispered a word.

Hadley was left alone once more, and now she was even more worried about Heartwinger than she was about herself.