Caelum's Creed

Chapter 12: Winglight, Home to the Fay Maidens

As the sunshine pierces the clear glass windows of his office, a place where he can be alone with his thoughts. Books scattered around his beautiful mahogany desk, polished and shining. Books about the Gods and their myths that has made it's way among the masses, gracefully turning into a form of religion. He has spent the past years of his life as the king of Orion, a king that has an undeniable thirst for knowledge. His navy blue eyes scanning pages of the mysterious books, his jet black hair illuminated by the bright sunlight that beams behind him. He hears running footsteps from the other side of the golden door. Soon follows the knocks of Sarah, her majesty's servant.

"Your majesty!" She yells out. Rather startled by the servant's unusual behaviour, he stands up from his desk and replies.
"Sarah, you may come in! What is the matter?" The king sternly asks in worry as the servant makes her way in.
"It's princess Divina!" The servant swiftly says, still trying to catch her breath.

His eyes widen in worry. He runs out of the unorganized office without hesitation, making his way into his daughter's bedroom. Only to find her in her mother's embrace, both of them smiling so brightly.

"Divina?" Was all he can say, joy and relief floods his heart.

"Father!" The princess replies so cheerfully. The king approaches the two, pulling the both of them into a tight hug. His little girl, his beloved wife, the two of them is worth the entire world to him. Seeing them in this joyful state after a month's worth of stress. It was truly a man's weakness, yet it also serves as a source of unwavering strength. He lets go of the hug, now staring into his daughter's eyes.

"Divina, what is the last thing you remember?"

Meanwhile, in a kingdom not so far away, a magical haven for the well known "Fay Maidens". Beautiful witches that practice magic concerning the balance of life and beauty in nature. They are usually recognised for their extreme beauty, commonly their brightly coloured eyes and oddly coloured hair with their pointy ears. And most of all, their humongous and alluring wings that resembles that of a butterfly's. Yet despite their attractive looks, the citizens of nearby kingdoms claim that these witches are incredibly hostile and malignant. As they would lure young men into the forest using a bright magical light of hypnosis, only for them to never be seen again. Yet, the creed believes these rumours to be false.

"Amber! Get back here!" The girl that appeared in the princess's vision runs through the rose fields, butterflies following her every move, the scene is uncanny to Divina's dream. A tired woman with olive green butterfly wings being dragged by her shoulder blades run through the rose fields aswell, chasing the mischevious girl.

"Owe the Queen is going to kill me!" The woman yells out in irritation and fear, stutters escaping the gaps between her words.

The girl continues to sprint through the flowers, leaving flying petals in her wake. It has only been a few months since she was found wandering tbrough the sakura trees in Green Lake Kingdom. Little is known about her past, except the girl being born frail and sick and her being of noble blood, she is a complete stranger to the Fay witches. But of course, the Queen can't help but feel sorry for her. Putting the malignant rumours Green Lake kingdom has set upon their kind aside, it is their obligation as Fay Maidens to care for the weak and to provide shelter, to provide a family for those who do not have either. Amber is a perfect example, both her parents neglecting her emotions and instead raised her as a human doll. And her sickness still slowly tearing her body apart. Besides all of this, the Queen knows there is something special about her. That there is more to her besides that childish and innocent smile.

Both Amber and the Fay Maiden make their way back to the village. A beautiful haven of wooden houses and towers decorated with all sorts of flowers. Fay maidens flying from house to house, dancing and singing with a smile shining as bright as their eyes. For a girl that has spent her entire life indoors and a weak body setting a boundary for her pure soul, the past months she spent here in winglight was a dream come true. The Fay Maidens wave at the girl still entranced by their beauty, she waves back at them, her smile of innocence clearly shown.

They finally enter the castle of the queen, a stone infrastructure with vines and flowers hanging by it's walls. The inside was just as alluring with stained glass ceilings leaving the entire castle in bright coloured lights. The Queen rises from her throne, her orange wings hanging by her back, her long brown hair braided by her spine and her yellow eyes and dress sparkling by the sunlight shooting from the open window.

"Amber! Olivia!" The queen yells while reaching her hands out as a gesture for a welcoming hug. She pulls the two into a tight embrace.

"Where are the two foxes?" The little girl asks, her voice quiet and composed. "Worry not, they're resting in your room."
When the maidens found Amber wandering through the sakura trees that faithful day, she was accompanied by two foxes. One with apple red furr and the other with an oak brown shade.

"Which reminds me, you should take rest aswell, Amber. I'm sure you're exhausted after playing in the rose fields all day." The queen says in concern,

"Very well, my queen." Amber bows as a gesture of respect before heading to her room by the nearby hall, her boots stomping on the stone floor sends echoes through the quiet castle guarded by fairy maidens in leaf like armour.

"My Queen." Olivia mutters in obvious ascance. "Olivia? something the matter?" The queen replies in worry, what may her sister be concerned of?

"The girl, Amber. There is strange magic within her, although her bloodline stems from Green Lake, a kingdom that alienates magic."
"You've noticed it aswell?" The queen smiles and asks.
"It's quite hard not to notice her aura when she is surrounded by all that nature. Both animals and plants alike have a strange attraction to her." Says Olivia.
"Is that so?" The queen chuckles. "She may indeed be very special, for a human."
"Do you think it's something we should be worried about?" Olivia replies.
"Of course not!" Exclaims the queen. "The magic I see in her is pure and beautiful and so is she. If anything, we must nurture whatever is in her."

The conversation was cut short after another little girl enters the castle with seven Fay Maidens by her side. "Mother!" She yells out running towards the queen, the colourful lights emitted by the stain glass ceilings reflect upon her pearl white hair and the clear light piercing through the windows resonating in her clear ice blue eyes. She pulls the queen into a tight hug and as she releases, she excitedly asks.
"I've finished all my lessons for today! May I please play with Amber now?" The girl's purity can't help but make the queen agree.
"Okay okay Lycaen, but don't be too hectic. Amber is exhausted." The girl's already joyful eyes lit up in even more excitement
"Of course mother! I promise I won't be too rowdy!" The girl giggles as she sprints away and towards the hallway.

Olivia turns to the queen.

"Perhaps Amber isn't the only one."