Of Fairies and Noontime

Her Story

The entire room felt a shock. Lady Larkdale let out a bloodcurdling scream, her body coiling up like the snake she was.

Tears stung her once confident face. She couldn't even stand anymore. Blood stained what little was left on her back as her wings fell to the floor, now lifeless.

"HUMANS!" She shrieked, pounding her fist on the cold, hard floor. "Brilland, do something!"

Lord Brilland was frozen. His wand was clutched in his bony fingertips. "Your highness, they're too strong! He brought a knife to a magic fight!"

"Just kill him! Kill them all!" Larkdale demanded. Her voice was a harsh scream that echoed through the room.

Catra turned to Heartwinger. "Now!" She cried.

Heartwinger nodded, waving her wand in the air. In a moment, the tip of her wand turned into a torch, orange flames dancing on top.

Larkdale looked up, seeing what was unfolding. "Don't you dare, Mistress, don't you even dare!"

Heartwinger held up the torch, her face as cold as stone. "This is what I should've done years ago. Lady Larkdale, you have made your bed. And now, you must lie in it." Heartwinger pressed the flames against the walls, catching them on fire.

Larkdale screamed as she tried to stand, but failed miserably.

"Come on! Get out!" Ellabelle yelled, grabbing Lue's wrist and turning back to Dask. He was still in the corner next to Hadley.

It didn't take long for the entire Council building to be engulfed in flames. It was, after all, a stump.

A large beam supporting the building fell, nearly crushing Hadley's leg. Dask ran to her side, shoving his knife in his pocket and grabbing Hadley. He wasn't the strongest twelve year old alive, but he had just enough strength to move her out of the burning building. Just before they reached the stairs, Dask planted the tiniest kiss on her forehead, making Hadley smile although she was still unconscious.

As the heroes escaped, Brilland dragged Larkdale across the floor. She screamed in agony and pain all the way. Her body was weak, and the smoke entering her lungs was just making it worse.

Ellabelle, Lue, Catra, and Mistress Heartwinger had made it outside to watch the flames eat up the rest of the stump. Dask and Hadley were still inside, trying to find a way out. Each time he'd find a sufficient escape route, it would be covered by burning boards or engulfed in flames. As he made it to the base floor of the building, he realized he was trapped.

Lord Brilland and Lady Larkdale had jumped out of one of the windows in the throne room, landing semi-safely in a bush down below.

After a few minutes, Ellabelle began to panic. She tried running back into the burning building, but Lue grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"No, Ellabelle. We have to wait out here." Lue said gently.

"They could be dying! I have to help them!" Ellabelle cried, trying to wriggle free of his grip. Lue didn't let go.

"I can't lose you too." He whispered. "We have to wait here. It's safer."
"But I can't lose Hadley, either," Ellabelle cried. Her brother encased her in a hug, in which she spilled all her tears onto him.

"If you went back in there, we'd lose all three of you," Lue tried consoling her, patting her on the head. "I'm so sorry."

The four of them stood together, crying and waiting. Their weapons were laid down at their feet. They were done with the fight.

The smoke rising in the sky and the smell of ashes began attracting a crowd of fairies that lived near the stump. They were all shocked and devastated, wanting an explanation.