Fluttershy

Zoe

Nathan's face was almost transparent as he turned to the door. 

"Get up and don't say a word." He barely whispered. I did as I was told and stood by the bed. I had stopped breathing by then. Nathan grabbed the door with a shaking hand and pulled it open.

A short man with metals and golden chains on his formal white suit stood in front of Nathan. His apparel looked like a prince, but his face looked like he was too old to be one. He looked around thirty or forty, and stood like he was a proud man with his metals. What was odd though, unlike everyone else here, he didn't have a jewel on his forehead, and that scared me. I didn't care what Nathan said, I bit my lip anyway. If he had heard what Nathan had shouted a few seconds ago, he would know that I was not Quinn and I would be hanged. Who cared if my lip was torn through when that happened.

"Hello, Highness, Nathan." The man said.

"Hello Gideon." Nathan said like he was holding his breath too. "What can we do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if I could ask Princess Quinn something." The man now known as Gideon said. Nathan turned to me, giving me a look that probably either said "I'm so sorry," or "You're dead meat."

"Um, of course." I said nervously.

Gideon came into the room and stood in front of me. I could feel his eyes staring me down, but I refused to look away. I might have been caught, but I didn't want it to look like I was a coward and giving up.

"What type of cake do you want?" Gideon asked.

I did a double take. "I'm sorry, what?"

"What type of cake do you want for your coronation? The cooks down in the kitchen need to know so they can get the ingredients." He repeated.

"Uh...." I hesitated. I saw Nathan behind Gideon, eyes faintly glowing.

Dragon Devil Food.

"Dragon Devil Food please." I said. Gideon made a mark on a pad of paper he had in his hand and nodded.

"Great, thanks!" He said. "And congratulations!"

"Um, thanks." I said. He put the pad away and walked out of the room. Nathan shut the door and looked back at me, relief in his face. "That was so close-"

"Shh, just wait, he could still be at the door." Nathan said, putting his palm on the wood of the door. His eyes started to glow a little more. I stood in silence, waiting for the OK from Nathan.

A few moments past, and Nathan finally let go of the door.

"What were you doing?" I asked.

"It's a skill that only guard fairies can do. We can see through anything as long as we have access to it." Nathan replied. "We're good."

I slowly let the air flow back into my lungs, a hot shiver going down my spine and legs. Relief flooded into my body, and I slumped to the floor.

"I swear, my life flashed before my eyes. I could see the light........and my grandma." I laughed. Nathan smiled, but didn't say anything. Instead, he joined me on the platform of the bed feet. "So, who was that, exactly?"

"That was Gideon Harmshil. He's the castle's head, besides the King and Queen of course. He's my boss and everyone else's." Nathan replied.

"But, I thought you were the head."

"No, I'm the head of security. But he's the head-head of the castle, like the servant's main go-to guy. Everyone either answers to you, the King, the Queen, or Gideon."

"Why didn't he have the......" I gestured to my forehead jewel.

"Oh, well, just like humans, we can be born with different defects. He has a condition called Butterfly Syndrome. It's a genetic condition that leaves a fairy completely powerless, like a butterfly. He has wings though, just no magic." Nathan explained. "There's also a condition called Quiverer Syndrome where a fairy has half the power that he or she needs to survive."

"Okay, slow down. What's a Quiverer?" I asked.

"It's shaped like a fairy, but about a fourth of our size. It's skin glows different colors at night to scare off enemies, but that's it's only power."

"Don't tell me that some fairies' skin glows!" I yelled.

"No, no, they just have half as much magic as they need." Nathan laughed. "But on a more serious note, we need to be careful around Gideon from now on. If there was even a slight chance he had heard something, we could be in grave danger. So, don't speak more than you need to, and please don't do anything like you did today."

"Fine, but no more puppeting." I warned him. Nathan smiled and nodded like we came into an agreement.

---------------------

"No, Ruldiare." Nathan said, rolling his tongue.

"Ruldiare." I repeated.

Nathan was teaching me what I had to say in the native language of fairies at the coronation. It wasn't going very well.

"You have to get this by tomorrow's practice!" Nathan said.

"Why can't I just write it on my arm? That's what I do for History class!" I said.

I was on my knees in the middle of Quinn's bedroom, while Nathan circled around me. Apparently I had to be on my knees in front of the person who crowns me at the coronation. Nathan had translated the words for me to better understand them, but it was like trying to read Shakespeare in Spanish.

"Because, people will notice the black marker on the future Queen's palm. Now, try it again." Nathan ordered.

"Nathan, it's past midnight, can't I go to sleep? I hadn't had a normal night's sleep in a week and a half." I whined.

"Fine, fine, go to bed and ruin your identity. Why don't you do me a favor, will you thank me while your hanging from a noose for giving you a good night sleep?" Nathan half-yelled. "Again!"

"Ruldiare Monstroso Yeviet." I said.

"What, are we children?" Nathan asked.

"Ruldiare Monstroso Yeviet!" I said loudly, but something changed in my voice.

"That's it! There's the accent!" Nathan smiled.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It's Quinn's DNA taking over your speech for you. It gives you the right accent for the speech from your mouth. Now, what does that mean?"

"I solemnly swear to govern the people of... then I say Fluttershy." I responded.

"Good. We'll be done by 3." Nathan said. I groaned.