Dragon Blossom

Faeries don't exist.

The little light settled on Eri's cheek, the little one stirred in her sleeping bag, uncomfortable, the light insisted until Eri woke up completely, she looked at it sleepily at first, but soon the excitement of seeing what she thought was a fairy pushed her to stand up and try to catch it, her parents, who were sleeping next to her, didn't seem to notice anything, maybe they were very tired. The fairy made two circles in the air, which for the little girl was an invitation.

The fairy left the tent and Eri followed it running, a fairy wouldn't take her to a dangerous place, they were kind beings that granted wishes to children like her. It led her into the forest along the same path she had traveled that morning, but somehow it seemed much clearer and easier to navigate. Eri knew where she was going, and indeed minutes later, although it had taken her an hour in the morning, she arrived at the spring clearing. Many other lights were waiting there for her, perched on the branches and leaves of the trees illuminating the clearing in the middle of the black night. Over the water of the spring, a large number of lights fluttered, Eri approached to look.

In the water, she saw her reflection; she looked older, wearing a silk dress over which she wore a steel breastplate; her horns were smaller but her wings larger; Eri admired the vision wondering what they were trying to tell her when suddenly another reflection appeared in the water as if something was next to Eri; it was a huge horse, very pure white, a long mane fell down its neck like a maiden's hair, a long spiral horn protruded from its forehead shining faintly; both reflections looked at each other like old companions. The vision changed for a moment; Eri could see her father much older, riding a similar horse but with wings and no horn, flying towards what seemed like an iridescent blue mountain.

Suddenly the reflection in the water was completely normal; Eri saw herself and the lights looking at the water. She turned to look for where the horse would have been but there was nothing.
—Pure of heart, thanks to you and your father this valley is once again a sanctuary for us; you are worthy of me but not ready yet; I will enter your life soon. Today I want to reward you but your wishes are beyond my reach; they depend on your own hearts; instead I will help you with your purpose.
—Sir, I can't see you; who are you? Are you a fairy?
The lights in the trees flashed brightly blinding her.
The sunlight filtering through the branches woke her up to hear screams.
—Eri! —It was mom; she sounded angry no more like sad worried.
—Erifreya! —That was dad if he called her Erifreya he was going to punish her.
She got up with heavy eyes; she was in the same clearing with many little bugs on top and around and what was strange was seeing mom's horse by her side drinking from the spring.
—Mommy Daddy here I am!
Both arrived almost at the same time from different directions. They ran towards her and hugged her first although they yelled at her afterward.
—Mommy I'm sorry fairies brought me, they told me weird things I don't understand and there was a horse with a horn in the pond...
—Oh Eri I'm sorry  these little bugs are called fireflies, they glow at night and live near water, mom's horse went looking for water, it's pretty but it's not a unicorn —Dad always explained everything, this time, she felt he was wrong but both mom and dad had been very scared,  it was better not to make them angry or maybe they would punish her without sweets for a week like when she had broken her dress trying to fly.
—Unicorn?
—I promise to tell you the story tonight, right now we need to let everyone know we found you, we can still go look for Pegasus and make use of the day.
—Okay, I'm sorry dad I'm sorry mom I promise not to go out without permission again.
Eri spent the day with her parents looking for traces of that Pegasus. Eri found a feather, dad found footprints by the river but they couldn't see it, maybe it was afraid of them.

That night they moved camp things to the fairy clearing which made Eri very happy, maybe everyone would see what she had seen weren't those bugs dad said.

But they didn't come. Eri looked everywhere, she even saw those bugs. Their glow was very small, mom's horse didn't resemble the one she saw either as white as it was.

Daddy Frey finally told story.
—The unicorn is a horse with a magical horn, with it can heal sickness and protect the innocent. Many knights want to catch it but a unicorn can only be ridden by pure-hearted women.

—Love —mom always told stories better, dad always forgot some part —tell her that the unicorn appears on the Artemia coat of arms, or that two thousand years ago, there was a knight woman who faced an army of orcs riding her unicorn.

—That's what I'm getting to... The goddess of peace created the unicorn from the prayers of a little girl; her city was being attacked by monsters; the girl took refuge in the temple, prayed all night until the goddess saw the purity of her heart and sent her the unicorn, which healed her injured legs and took her on its back to another nearby city. The girl grew up learning to fight and years later, ended all the orcs in the region; for her bravery, she was the first queen of the new kingdom that is now Artemia; her unicorn became the coat of arms of her family and over time, of the entire country.

—Daddy, was the girl also a dragon like me?

—I don't think so Eri, you are very special; there was never anyone like you before, as far as I know.

Mom took her in her arms and laid her down.

—Even if you weren't a dragon my girl, there will never be anyone like you —she kissed her on the head and squeezed; Eri loved that, and her words were kind. Mom knew how to make her feel good.

A shadow covered the light of the stars for a moment; the sound of flapping wings put the adults on alert; another monster with a gentleman's face?

—That was the Pegasus, I'm sure —said dad. He got up and gave one of those impossible jumps he knew how to do to climb a tree; he stayed there for a while when no one said anything. When he came down, he was excited; his face was funny because he almost never smiled like that.

—I could see it; it flew straight towards those hills. Its nest must be there.

—Sit down Frey; we'll go look for it in the morning; if it's not there it will have to come back; tonight you're not going to risk yourself.

—Okay love.