A Choice

Chapter Nine

The fairy that stood before me was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her dress looked like it was made out of jewels that were grounded into dust and carefully sewn into the dress. Whoever had made the dress was a truly talented fairy. The care that had to be put into it and the polishing of the thousand jewels. Even though it seemed like this was the dress the fairy wore most often, it looked brand new, glinting in the little rays of sunshine that found its way through the cracked roof the attic. Every time the fairy moved it was like a wave of sparkles magically appeared on her dress.
Her hair was also filled with jewels and in a perfect bun. Not a hair was out of place. The crown she wore on her head was big and had diamonds dangling from the arcs of the crown. The fairies wings showered down like a waterfall. They were silver with a blue in the middle. It looked like they kept changing from gold to the silver. The fairy all together looked like an ice queen. Even her face had a blue tint to it. But the cruel face that most ice queens are supposed to wear in stories was not on this woman's face. Instead it was the exact opposite. It was a look of joy.
"Evangeline!" the fairy said again with more confidence, "Its me Fiona."
Fiona was the name of the past. A name I had long forgotten until now. A name I never thought I would hear again because Fiona had died. She went in the forest one day and never returned. Some said she was killed by a wild animal and others said she killed herself out of grief, but no one found a body. I myself thought she had run away. Fiona was a strong girl and wouldn't kill herself out of emotions. I had told myself every night when I was falling asleep, missing my only friend who truly cared.
I was seven at the time when her mother died. She was the princess and I was one of the nobles. Fiona was my tutor. She taught me how to be a proper lady and how to read and write. We would ride horses together around my house. My horse always going a little faster, me being a rebellious tike. She had a younger brother whom I only saw once because he was always busy preparing to become king even at age four, when I first met Fiona. Fiona was an older sister to me. My real older sister hated me and would never play dolls or dress up, but Fiona always did. I loved her, I truly did. When she was gone, I thought I wouldn't make it through. I hid in my room, wanting a sister who truly cared about me to come and play with me. A year after she left, Vladmire arrived in town. He then destroyed the palace and killed the king.
​"Fiona? You were killed," I said trying not to believe that this amazing woman here was my childhood friend.
​"Yes it's me. I wasn't killed, I was kidnapped," Fiona said telling Jasper and I her tale of how she became a fairy.
​I couldn't believe it. If Fiona has described the man she knew, Vladmire had caused my unhappiness before I  knew him. I had been telling myself all these many years that she was gone. To get over her. To rejoice in her memory. I could not have her ghost looming over me like this. Not when I'm on a quest for Vladmire, not when my freedom, the thing I wish for everyday, this close.
​"No, your not Fiona, I was told Fiona was dead. I cried countless nights over her. If you really were Fiona why didn't you come back?" I whispered, afraid I might cry.
​"I couldn't. No one liked me there except you. And what would they think, the princess is now a fairy? I cant be changed into a human, its one of the only downsides of being led here," Fiona said with the kind smile I had missed so much. The smile that only existed in my dreams of her. This was Fiona, for she only could have such a true smile.
​"Fiona..." I said weakly, forgetting I was trying not to cry, I rushed up from my hiding place, pushing Jasper off my lap where he still lay, and hugged her. All the years of wanting to smell her sweet aroma and see her smile again was in that hug. I hugged her as tight as I could, worried that she would vanish again if I didn't. She was back, my sister was home.
​That night, Fiona held a great big party for Jasper and me. Everything was so beautiful. The instruments were played by no one and floated around the tables. The jester created amazing illusions. There were rabbits being pulled out of thin air, and the smoke from the fire curled to become a snake. The table we all sat at was very long. It was curved around a stage and guests only sat on one side of the table to see the show. The stage was beautiful, the background changing to different nature scenes. There was a waterfall surrounded by mountains and jungles, there were forests filled with fireflies and flowers, there were oceans, and lastly there was a castle on a hill, overlooking a vast jungle of the most greenest trees you ever saw. The curtains of the stage were a shimmering red and sparkled every time the wind hit it.
​Once the Jester was done with his show and the clapping died down, the main course was served. Fiona sat in the middle of the table, with me on her left, and Jasper on her right. The fairies dressed in chef uniforms carried out identical plates which were set in front of each fairy. There were many foods that I had never seen before and I was just about to reach for one of the many delights set before me when Fiona slapped my hand away from the food. I scowled at her for not letting me eat the food until I remembered something Vladmire had told me when he just came home from being in a fairy village.
​"No matter how good looking the food is my dear, never eat the food or drink the drinks of the fairies. They will try to trick you, but don't because if you do, you will turn into a fairy yourself."
​Fiona was reminding me. She was now turned to the other side, blocking Jasper from eating the food. Jasper wasn't too pleased with this and clawed at her, trying to reach the food, but she then warned him and he stopped just like that.
​That evening we stayed at the palace. I had asked Fiona if Perri could come stay with us for her kindness and bravery. Fiona gladly accepted the notion and Perri showed up with her little amount of belongings.
​"Wow, look at this place, I mean I heard of its beauty but wow," Perri looked around in amazement. The palace was a pale white and glittered when it hit the sun. The downstairs was made up of the dining room, throne room, and all the other various entertainment rooms the fairies needed. Up the staircase were the bedrooms. Fiona sent me to one next to hers and Perri had her own on the other side of the fancy hallway.
Once alone in my room I had a good look at my bedroom. It had a huge bed that when I sat down on it felt like I was sitting on the clouds. There was a huge closet behind a door across from the bed and mirror above a desk.
​"Don't get too comfortable, princess," Jasper said as I was lying down in the bed, "We have to get the sword."
​The sword! I forgot! I rushed to Fiona's room, wanting to say goodbye to my best friend one last time before leaving her again. When I came in, Fiona was at her desk doing her hair. It seemed weird to see such a normal thing being done by this beautiful fairy.
​"Ah Evangeline, do you like your stay?" she asked, spotting me in the mirror.
​"Yes of course, but we have to go," I started, I told her of why I came into the forest and the quest to find the sword.
​"Oh," she said after I was done with the story, "Then I must come with you, you might need a fairy to help you." She then winked and motioned for us to go out of the room.
​"Great," said Jasper, rolling his eyes, "The last thing we need is a queen to come along. She's going to cry when she has to get her dress dirty."
​ Fiona came out then looking very different. She wore dark pants with a dark green shirt instead of a dress. She wore boots and her hair was up in a ponytail. Even without fancy clothes she still looked beautiful beyond any other person.
"Now for your wardrobe," she said looking at my sad, old clothes.
She pulled out a wand hidden in her sack she carried and pointed it at me. A white stripe of glitter came from the tip and circled around me. When the glitter was gone I looked down at my outfit. It was very similar to Fiona's except that I had a belt that had a knife inside of it. There was also another empty place to put a weapon.
"For the sword," she said when I was looking at it. With everything packed up and ready to go, Fiona said goodbye to her subjects.
"Until I return, I will put Perri in charge in my place, and should I not return she will be the rightful queen."
With that Perri came onto stage, as shocked as everyone else. Fiona gave Perri her crown and whispered something into Perri's ears that I couldn't hear. Perri nodded, looking sad at whatever was said. Fiona grabbed my hand and we were off. I had put Jasper in the bag that Fiona had gotten for me with her magic. Apparently, it was very comfortable and could fit whatever you want in it without making it heavy at all.
When we came to the border of the kingdom Fiona pointed her wand at the sky. The white glitter came out again and poured over us like water. I closed my eyes and felt myself getting bigger. When I opened them again I was standing at my regular size on the other side of the mushroom circle. Fiona was on my shoulder. We then took off.