Snowfall: A Short Story

Chapter Five

Through the thin line of trees remaining between Alia, the fairy, and the village, Alia saw her father standing in front of a group of people, Mother close at his side.

"I'm going after my daughter." His voice was angry. "She's so late - something must have gone wrong."

"Give her a little extra time. Maybe she got sidetracked," a woman suggested desperately.

"Sidetracked? Alia understood the importance of this mission. She would not have become sidetracked." Her father sounded like she had never heard him before - angry and desperate. She hurried forward, dropping the fairy's hand, and burst out of the forest.

The men and women in the crowd gasped, many of them pointing to her. Her father turned hurriedly, his eyes widening when he saw her. Her mother rushed to her, enveloping her in a tight hug and laughing with joy. When she pulled back, her eyes glistened with tears.

Wordlessly, Alia handed her father the basket. She glanced behind her to look for the fairy, but could not see her. Disappointment thudded like a stone in her stomach. Had she left?

But no - the fairy stepped out from behind a tree and walked forward, her wings hidden behind her back. Alia heard mutterings in the crowd behind her.

"Who is this, Alia?" her father asked.

"You'll see," she said, and nodded slightly at the fairy.

She unfolded her huge, magnificent wings and the mutterings from the crowd turned into unabashed chatter.

Alia glanced at her parents. Her mother's mouth was hanging open slightly and her cheeks had two spots of intense red. All the color had drained from her father's face and he placed his hand firmly on Alia's shoulder.

Alia shook it off and walked calmly over to the fairy. "Alia," her father hissed.

The fairy accepted her extended hand, fluttering her wings slightly. "I have a brother," she said simply, and the townsfolk fell silent. "My brother is the last living descendant of the ancient wizards. He...took a regrettable path, to say the least. He has forever been jealous of my power and the respect you wonderful people give me. This year, he finally made his move. It was to murder your daughter" - here she gestured to Alia's parents - "and therefore ruin the celebration in the years to come. Of course, my brother does have a grain of fairness in him. If Alia figured out how to beat his challenge, she got the prize at the end - a small orb of warmth that would save her life. Needless to say, she figured out the challenge rather easily and made it to the clearing. I thought it necessary to escort her back to my village."

Alia's parents had grown paler and paler throughout this speech. Now, her mother sagged against her father while he stood tall.

"We cannot thank you enough for saving our daughter," he breathed, bowing awkwardly.

The fairy smiled, lowering her gaze momentarily. "I did not save your daughter. She saved herself, and Snowfall."

*

"What will you do after the festival?" Alia asked the fairy. They were about to mount the float that would take up the tail end of the parade. No child had ever gotten to ride the float with the fairies, but everything about this festival was different. Alia understood what a huge honor it was. The fairy had also somehow produced another perfect red cloak. Magic must have been both her needle and thread. Alia was hugging it close around herself.

"I shall have to find and speak with my brother," the fairy said after a beat of silence. Alia was glad that she hadn't accidentally overstepped her bounds. "What he did is unacceptable. I am afraid it will come to - " She inhaled a sharp breath and struggled to form a smile. "But we shan't dwell on such dark matters, especially not on Snowfall." She fluttered onto the float and pulled Alia up after her.

There were three other fairies on the float - the first fairy's sisters. They smiled serenely and Alia felt warm to her core. She knew it had nothing to do with her new cloak or recently acquired necklace, either.

The float slowly moved from its position behind the town hall and onto the main road. Alia watched the people as she past them. She knew many of them and recognized many of them. The ones she did, she got the odd urge to introduce herself to. Instead, she waved frantically, grinning so widely she half feared her face might split in half.

After all, she was on a float with four gorgeous fairies moving through the streets of the town she had grown up in. She had passed a wizard's challenge and come out stronger.

This was her village. These were her people. This was her story.

This was her Snowfall.