Follow the Arrow

Chapter 5

Last night certainly got... complicated.

And I'm not just talking about my run in with a teal haired wizard. I'm talking about explaining where I'd been all day to the people of my village. I was only supposed to be gone for a couple hours; back before noon. But I returned late at night, way past the time of that annual supper we eat. I had made it back to the village when I noticed no one was there. After calling out various names, and walking around the place Tessie came running at me, followed shortly by Lovella who called for Lillah, Adelinda, the twins, and the fairies. I got a hug that resembled a tackle and a dozen questions shot at me at once.

I was told they'd been searching for me for hours. Ever since Leif asked about me. He was wondering if I had brought back what he asked for, which I didn't even bother grabbing after running off from the wizard, and he started asking around. No one had seen me, only Lovella told them all I had left to be a lone, which caused a panic. They all said they’d been worried I'd gotten hurt or been found by a wizard- which didn't happen anyway. I found him. I knew though. I knew they thought I had done something to myself.

But I lied like I had never lied before. I went on about how I wandered aimlessly for a long time, without paying attention to the sun at all. Then at one point, I climbed up in a tree for a snack, ate then lied down and fell asleep. I even went into detail about having dreams that my parents returned, a nightmare about running into wizards, then another dream about an average day at the village. I feared it had been too much, but I guess they were so happy I was alive and not dead, they just kept hugging me and passing me to the next person to hug.

After a few rounds of embraces, and a dozen apologies from me, they all lead me back to my treetop home where they all bid me a good night and allow me to part ways. Only Lovella, Flo and Fay follow me, and that's because they all live here with me. I made sure my adoptive sister is alright before hitting the hay, and then ignore Flo as she tries to ask more questions.

But I couldn't sleep. Not a wink. I was too... excited, honestly.

I had lain in bed all night, staring up at my ceiling or out the window, thinking about what I just got myself into. I'm going to be meeting with Zane; a wizard. Just thinking of it makes me giddy. I'm secretly meeting with a wizard. Just hours ago, I was convinced they were all evil. And for all I know, they may very well be, but I've found the lone exception. It's hard to imagine the awkward teal haired man I met as evil. No, it's unimaginable. It's not possible.

This morning, I get up as I always do. I stretch my limbs then look out the window to the sparkling lake. I wave to the mermaids, Lillah and Adelinda. I laugh to myself at how different they are. They're sort of like Flo, Fay and I. We're all fairies, but different types. Lillah and Adelinda are both mermaids, which anyone can see from up here with their lake green and periwinkle tails glittering in the morning sun. But if you saw them from under the surface of the water, the difference would be more apparent. While Adelinda would look exactly the same, Lillah isn't something I'd want to see while swimming late at night. After dressing into my clean clothes, I say good morning to Fay, Flo, Lovella and Tessie. I grab an apple and chomp into it to avoid any conversation. Then I head out to make my rounds around the entire village to see who needed what. But today, it seems no one wants anything. I go to the one person who almost always needs some spice or plant or anything because if she doesn’t need anything, then I know for sure something’s up.

"Harriet!" I call from her window.

My biggest customer opens her front door and smiles wide at the sight of me. "Oh, it's my little flower. Hello, Orchid! How are you?" She gestures inside. "Come in, come in."

"I'm fine, Harriet. Thank you." I follow her and lean against a table full of brews and serums. "I just came by asking if I could get you anything while out on my run today? Low on any ingredients, spices, anything? Anything at all? It looks like you've been doing a lot lately so I predict you are, aren't you?"