Simple Awakenings

chapter four

I thought for sure that I was going to just keep seeing the forest that I have never gone in, and I for sure thought that I was going to be kidnapped. But alas, I wasn't.

The view in front of me was something out of a fantasy novel: there are a plethora of flowers here and there, there are extravagant buildings in the distance left and right some seeming closer and others I can barely see. I don't know what else to say about this.

"Servdon," I start, "please tell me that this is just my mind playing tricks on me and I'm on LSD." At this point in time I really don't care if I'm on LSD.

"No you aren't on...LSD?" Okay, so those drugs don't exist. "Miss Eliese, you are in my home lands. Welcome to the Fire Clan."

Fire clan? Like in Avatar: The Last Airbender? Are there other clans? But where is the Avatar, master of all four elements?

I should ask.

"What's the Fire Clan?"

Servdon gives me a look and I shrug. He proceeds to tell me about all of the clans in the Fae realm.

"So there are six major fae clans: water, earth, fire, air, sun, and moon. Each clan has their own set of rulers that go by different titles and I'm not going to name all of the titles because that would cost me brain juice. But every set of ruler is appointed by the King of Fae. Just recently we had a new King ascend and he's very young. About your age to be exact. But the thing about each clan is that each has a specific entrance to each clan that every faerie knows about. Wherever a faerie is trying to go in the world, there's always a way back.

"Now I'm a special kind of faerie. I'm from the Fire Clan, but after some test came around, I found myself serving the then prince now king. But when he became king, he became ruthless and fired his entire staff he grew up with and sent them back to their original clans unless they had a family. But with me, knowing I was born his side for the longest, he exiled me to the mortal lands and made me live on my own. When I ran into you when you were getting your mail earlier, I had just arrived in the lands hours after being exiled."

Okay this dude didn't answer my question, but I got information about this whole realm.

"Alright that's nice to know. But what I meant was what exactly is the Fire Clan? Like why is it called the Fire Clan in the first place?"

"Well, miss Eliese, how about we walk to my house and I will tell you." He begins to walk with me right beside him. "So depending on who your parents are, whether they are from different clans or not, everyone's personality comes from the name of the clan. So for example, Fire Clan. We can be pretty feisty and sassy but we know when to be serious. Also, if you piss any of us off, we become real hotheads." He also tells me about the other clans: water is calm, earth is straightforward, air is free-spirited, sun is flamboyant, and moon is introverted. "You'll probably see my feisty side when we get to my house. According to the sky, it's probably dinner time and my mom is sure enough not expecting two more plates to be set.' Servdon lets out a long somber sigh and we continue on away from the forest and to his house.

Along the way, he tells me about the different buildings like where he would get food for his family, where he studied before he left for his old position, and some people that he knew. Before I knew it, we arrive at the house where Servdon grew up.

He takes a deep breath. "I think my family got the notice that I've been exiled hours ago, so this is going to be a surprise for them to see me here." I hear him say in a mutter and he then knocks on the door.

Tucking back my brownish black hair, I stand behind him as the door swings open and a woman who looks almost identical to Servdon is standing in the doorway. When she saw Servdon, her jaw drops to the floor and she hugs him tightly.

"Oh my gods, Servdon, what the hell are you doing here?! We got the notice hours ago that his majesty exiled you to the mortal lands! Your sister and I were devastated and Adria couldn't contain his emotions!" The woman cries. This must be his mom.

"Adria. Where is he?" Servdon asks with a tone of concern.

"He's at home. I'll message him to tell him you're here. Please come in you look exhau—is that a mortal?!" Servdon's mother almost shouts when she notices me behind Servdon.

Servdon takes my arm and pulls me to his side. "Yes, Ma. But she can see faeries so I'm taking her to...his majesty...to see what is up. But proper introduction. Eliese, This is Ercit, my mother. Ma, this is Eliese Ardet, mortal."

I hold out my hand to shake but Ercit just hugs me instead. "Welcome, Eliese. It's a...pleasure."

"You don't have to call me Eliese, Ercit. Just Ellie." I tell her as she releases the hug.

"Oh, darling, you look so weary." Well, your son did drag me from my room to the forest behind a church that's by my school and I'm now here at who knows what time. Also, I'm still in my pajamas.

"It's like...two am." I state letting out a yawn.

"Two am?! Dear heavens where you live is so far behind." Ercit says pulling me inside. Can I just say that their house, while looking small on the outside, is so big and warming to be in. It's like the TARDIS from Doctor Who only without a Time Lord on the run. "I can get you something to eat. We actually were just about to have dinner so I can have Hannis set up two more plates. She can let you borrow some of her clothes during your stay."

I let out a sigh. "Thank you for your hospitality, Ercit. Really. But I got to get back home. My brother will probably be worried shitless when he finds out that I'm gone." I tell her.

Ercit's face is expressionless. "Oh, you'll be home in time for you to wake up. In these worlds, according to what I learned from Servdon's father, there's some weird time continuum that I forgot how he described it as." She then flashes me a smile and sets up two more plates at the table.

"Ma!" I hear a feminine voice call from upstairs and then footsteps coming down the stairs. "Who's here?!" Suddenly, a girl who is probably slightly younger than me with dark purple hair wearing simple clothing appears. Her facial expression changes upon seeing Servdon. It goes from the look of boredom that I saw when she arrived to excitement as she runs to Servdon and gives him a big bear hug. "My gods Serv what the hell are you doing here you were exiled!"

Servdon hugs the girl back tightly, almost looking like he is about to cry. "I know, and I still am. But I snuck back in because I need to get to the palace again."

"But why? Atlas exiled—is that a mortal?!" The girl finally notices me. Well it took her long enough since I was standing behind Servdon this entire time.

"Uhh..." Was all I could get out of my mouth. Literally that was all I could get out.

The girl lets go of Servdon and walks over to me and circles around me, almost as if she is inspecting me.

After a moment, the girl speaks. "You don't look harmful as we are taught mortals are, so I guess I can formally say welcome to our house. I'm Hannis, Servdon's little sister. Now I must ask HOW THE HELL CAN YOU SEE US?!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. So I'm going to try and take her to Atlas." Servdon let's out a long sigh.

"But sweetie, If Atlas sees you you'll be executed!" Ercit informs him. Executed? Just for returning? Man, this new king is rough already.