Maleficent

Chapter Six

The bed creaks as I climb down the ladder and I freeze, terrified that I will be caught. Mab rolls over in her sleep and I don't move until she settles down. My sisters were so shocked by the news of the coming war that they did not notice that when they came into our room late in the evening under my covers I was wearing fighting leathers. I waited until they fell asleep and then I sat up, crawled over to my trunk and slid my sword into the sheath that runs down the grove of my spine. I arm myself with smaller daggers and strapped my shielding jewels over my gauntlets. Mor was so tired that she was out instantly but Mab took a bit longer. Silently, I climb out of the window and run through the forest, sprinting away from our cottage. The full moon glows brightly over the forest, lighting up the darkness and illuminating all the roots and stones that litter the forest floor. My breathing becomes laboured, I am moving as fast as I can. If they wake to find me gone, Mor knows almost all of the hidden places in the forest but not the ones on the other side of the jasmine fields. I skid to a halt in front of a massive tree and start to climb. Once in the branches, I swing across the forest, never touching the ground, heading for the sweet scent of jasmine. Wynn has forbidden us from passing them but with the threat of war hanging over our heads, no-one will be looking for me tonight. The wind makes the hair that I tied in a tight braid whip around and smacks me in the face. When I reach the fields I grin wickedly and whistle, one long haunting note. Rustling comes from the fields and a beautiful black horse with feathered wings emerges from the massive plants.

"Cassia!" I call out, running over to her. She whinnies softly and pushes her muzzle into my hand, searching for treats. "Sorry, pretty girl. I'll get you something when we get to the Anope." I tell her softly as she fixes me with her sharp stare. "I promise. Now, can you help me up?" She trots over to a fallen tree and I use it as a stepping stool to climb onto her bare back. I grip her mane and pull myself up, just in time for she is impatient to fly and starts to gallop across the flat plain before the jasmine fields. At the end of her "runway" Cassia launches herself into the sky. This is my favourite part of flying with her, that moment that we leave the ground and everything but the skies become insignificant. The crushed jasmine plants release their mesmerizing scent and I shout with joy as she flaps her wings harder, pushing us up into the clouds.

Just as I am about to hit the ground her wings snap out again and we are flying. Cassia tears through the skies, heading for the mountain that rises above this part of the forest. We have taken this route so many times over the last seven years that Cassia could fly it with her eyes closed. As there is no need for me to do anything I use the moment to appreciate the wild beauty in this territory and the sense of adventure that beckons me, even now when all is calm and sleeping. Below us, the will-o-the-wisps are sparks of light and moon-flowers are blooming, covering the forest floor in a carpet of burgundies and indigos. A sudden gust of wind from the coming storm blasts Cassia to the side and I grip tightly to her mane as we tumble through the air before she manages to right herself. The harsh point of the rock face suddenly looms before us and Cassia lands heavily on the ground in front of the big carved door that marks the entrance to the caves that the most of the fae here dwell in. She waits for me to slide off her back before leaping off the cliff and flying away. I let her go, knowing that she will always come when I call her, and bang the iron door-knocker three times then wait. A peephole is shoved open and a sweet voice rings out, like the peeling of crystal bells.

"Who is- Oh! Maeve!" She cries out and the heavy door is shoved open. A young faerie with blonde hair, barely five summers old, stands in the in the entrance and launches herself at me. I break out into a smile and pull into a tight hug as she babbles on about her studies and how she was getting good at long-distance flying and why, oh why, couldn't Mama let her start to train her horse yet?

"Hello, my beautiful girl!" Laughing, I carry her inside and nod at the bewildered guard who probably had no idea what he signed up for when he volunteered to watch Elena for the afternoon. He lets her go with me only because I am well-know around here -if I wasn't Lillian would have given the poor male a tongue lashing for letting her precious child go somewhere with a stranger- and have permission from the ruling Lady to go wherever I wish. There are many tribes of fae in this territory but a large number of them belong to the same tribe as Elena and Lillian -the Anope tribe, who learn to ride the wild wind horses that are like Cassia but without feathered wings, at a very young age- or others very similar, such as the Aiste or the Nacluv. The Nacluv and the Anope are currently in a dispute over territory, as the Nacluv wish to have possession of the hot springs in the mountains to forge their weapons and the Anope refuse to give up their temple that lies right beside the springs.

"Lady as fast as the wind, help my mind be as quick as lightning. May I drink from the waters of your knowledge, and pass through these halls in your eternal grace. In your eyes may I shine. Like a spark of fire struck. From hoof against the stone."As I carry Elena through the caverns towards the great hall where most of the tribe can be found, I say the traditional prayers for the blessing of the goddesses Epona and Macha to the large statues that guard the entrance. The Anope is a heavily religious tribe, and though I worship Hecate in lieu of Epona, I still offer my respect. Their main deities are the goddesses of horses and war, but they have many beautiful temples through the mountain with the largest being the massive temple to Epona at the top of the Anope mountain hall. The crystallized walls can be seen shining from the other side of the fields. They act as a beacon for the pilgrims that come to worship here every year three days before the winter solstice -Epona's holy day- and the Anope tribe holds a massive festival that lasts for over a week. I have attended the festival for the last five years, and every year it gets even bigger. The scent of fir, warm apples and crisp snow fill the air and the mountain sings with children's laughter. Gifts are exchanged and the music never dies. We are right in the thick of the preparations that are being made for this year's solstice, and almost every night I help hang evergreens through the halls with Elena and Lillian. I follow the sounds of conversation and laughter through the stone halls until I enter the massive chamber in the heart of the mountain. A tall female with white-gold hair that matches Elena's is talking to a group of fae as I arrive and Elena leaps out of my arms.

"Mama, mama! Look who came!" She cries as she grabs my hand and half drags me towards the cluster of faeries here for the solstice as Lillian turns around. She smiles gently at me and I embrace her. As I pull away she looks down at me and her face becomes grave.

"Hello, Maeve. I wish I were seeing you under different circumstances, but we need your strength." So she does know everything, I think to myself. At the change in Lillian's tone the fae that she was talking to surround us. Some I recognize, like the twins Renia and Sebine -glassmakers-, but others are unfamiliar. All, however, watch me carefully, and Elena ducks behind her mother's flowing robes.

"How can I help?" I ask. "Let me do what I can to protect this place. I owe you all that much." I will defend this land until my last breath, as I have a debt that runs deep. When I was overwhelmed by my powers, Lillian taught me to control them to avoid going mad. Every time I needed help, someone was there for me. It is the least I can do to slowly repay them for the kindness I have found here. Even if I did not owe anyone anything, I love it here, and will not see it destroyed. A guard runs into the room, and stops so suddenly, he almost falls over forwards. He clears his throat as he stands to attention, causing Lillian to start.

"Oh yes. Come with me." She says and walks away without seeing if I am to follow. Lillian is her mother's daughter, and a daughter of Lady Brir of the Anope waits for no-one. I have only met Lady Brir twice, and both times she had a strong, burning presence. I was left with no desire to request an audience with her again. I scramble to catch up with her as the crowd behind us disperses and the sounds of Elena starting to argue with her arriving tutors fades out behind us. The clipping of Lillian's riding boots echoing through the empty halls is the only sound, and the mountain is silent as if the plague had befallen the Anope tribe. She leads me to the mountain peak and the temple, where every single spellcaster that is of age has gathered in an incomplete circle. We take our places within it and join hands to make our individual powers stronger. The priestess of the temple, an old woman with white robes, begins the chanted spells and slowly we all join in.