The Golden Winged Horse

Chapter 18

I hadn't thought about Dad much since I'd been in the fairy realm. To be quite honest between trying to not be eaten and marvelling in the wonders of their world, I'd pretty much forgotten about home.

Tristan was the whole reason I was here. My cause had been pushed to the back of my mind amongst all the magic this world has to offer. Did that make me just as bad as the rest of the adult humans that the fairies all detested so much?

The Queens had very politely asked for me to leave the dress with them before I ventured back home. As much as I loved it, I gladly agreed. Trying to explain a colour changing dress to people would not be a fun thing.

In return, they gave me a sapphire blue silk woven top that felt like heaven on my skin and a pair of white silk pants, complete with some funky little black ankle boots. I looked ready to go to a wedding reception.

Isidora had created us a portal to take us directly back to the woods behind my garden. Otherwise, we would have faced a long journey back through all the lands to reach the doorway I'd initially entered through.

Hugging Kaisa like I'd never see her again, I kissed her velvety muzzle and said my goodbyes. Then, fussing the dogs, I covered myself in their lavender scent and promised to return to them as soon as I could.

"You will be coming back once we have Tristan," Calico said, taking a hold of my hand. "We won't be gone long."

Whilst his words exploded joy inside me like fireworks, I couldn't help but wonder why I would be coming back. Stood in front of Isidora's magic portal though, watching wind whip around the Queens Court, now was not the time to ask questions.

Aeden stood to my right and took hold of my other hand. The portal looked like a twilight night sky, a deep midnight blue mixed with blurs of black and white sparkles of stars. We all walked towards it. I sucked in a deep breath and held it, expecting something like the tumbling fall I'd had to endure before.

When nothing happened and I realised we were in fact back on earth, I let my breath out and looked around me, shocked. The portal had been a direct gateway to home. What I'd seen with the sky and the stars was exactly how the world was at the moment. I guesstimated it must be around three of four a.m.

The huge oak tree loomed next to Calico and it was at that moment I realised he and Aeden weren't fairy sized. They were human sized.

I gasped. "What? How did...how...what...?"

Calico grinned. "I asked Isidora for a little booster."

"But you...but...why?"

His eyes softened and he squeezed my hand. "Let's talk about it later."

Aeden dropped my hand like a hot potato and wandered off, gazing all around him like this was a place he'd never visited before.

"Such beauty and serenity," he said, looking up into the night sky and sighing. "And peace. Such peace. But then in a matter of hours, madness and chaos will rain upon this place like nothing, and then fade into this amazingness once more. It's a circle, a stunning circle of dysfunctionality."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Calico. "What the...?" I whispered.

Calico smirked. "My brother always fancied himself as quote the poet, sometimes with a dash of philosophical wonderings."

"Oh," I said, trying not think of how painful the next few hours could be. "What are we doing first?" I asked. "Getting the flowers or Tristan? The home isn't open for visitors until after breakfast so Gran will be the last stop."

"Well, considering we're going to have to go past your house to get to the original site, we may as well grab Tristan whilst we're here. May stop the poor animal fretting once he sees a friendly face."