Red Rebellion

Chapter 17

The soft teeth of her brush ran through each blonde lock, pulling each section down to the ends then releasing it back into its wavy curled shape. She sat there in silence, staring coldly into her reflection while continuing to touch up her long-neglected scalp. The room was cool from the morning breeze, which for the the first time since her return, was able to flow freely through the cracked window in her bedroom. Although the bite of a the winter's morning was fierce, it proved to be no avail to quieting the shrieking caw of seagulls circling outside her window. Her fingers tightened around the wooden handle of the brush, furiously pulling at her hair while the seagulls continued their relentless crying.

Three soft knocks suddenly tapped on her windowpane. Elizabeth dropped the brush, immediately jumping to her feet and gripping the dagger taped under her vanity stand before recognizing the blue fairy smiling in from the other side of the fogged glass.

"May I come in?" The fairy politely inquired as her fluttering wings kept her afloat in the air.

Elizabeth nodded and sat back down, inwardly trying to regain control of her racing heart. The fairy gently raised her wand at the window, sliding the paneled frame upwards to make more room for her entry. The winter air gusted at full force as the window slowly rose, sending Elizabeth's golden locks flying back over her shoulders.

"You look well rested," the Blue Fairy calmly stated as she flew gracefully into the room. The fairy slowly lowered to touch down on the dark stained wooden panels. Her wings slowed before curling back into the hem of her dress. "Word has reached me that you've discovered a successful technique which helps you sleep soundly."

"Sleeping under sunlight," Elizabeth mumbled. "A week ago I went into my parents room to look for that other cuff. I figured that maybe with both of them, I'd have better protection from the nightmares. I couldn't find it and got frustrated. But then all of a sudden it got of strange," Elizabeth paused. " Since my Dad has knack for having good hiding places, I gave up after twenty minutes of looking and collapsed over their bed. Then the exhaustion hit me all at once. The curtains had been pulled up letting in light, but at that point I was so tired it didn't matter. I woke up five hours later to the houseworkers asking whether I'm hungry for dinner."

The fairy fiddled with her wand. "So light is the key, then?"

"I'd hardly consider living the nocturnal life a successful technique," Elizabeth muttered. "I'm asleep when everyone is awake. By the time the sun sets, everyone is ready to go to bed while I'm the only one getting up. Honestly, what's the point of being awake when you're all alone?"

"This will not be a permanent solution," the blue fairy smiled assuredly. "We are working very hard to find a solution that will keep Pan away from your dreams."

Elizabeth shrugged, dropping her eyes to the crimson throw rug lying at the foot of her bed. "It's been over six weeks and still we haven't found a charm strong enough to counter him. I'm starting to think there isn't a way out of it. If I want to get back to my semi-normal life, I've got to pay a price for it, right?"

"Not Pan's price. If you continued to follow the path he was leading you down, you would have surely died from bodily illness or fatigue before he found a way to reach you. There's life in you now, Princess. Though you may not see it, the difference in your physique alone speaks wonders of how essential sleep was for you. For now, I'd suggest making the most out of your nights. Attend parties, schedule night lessons, plan dinners with friends and family to compensate for your absence during the daytime."

"You want me to just pretend everything's alright?"

"I realize it's a high request to ask of you. For the sake of your family, your friends, and more importantly yourself, try and return to the life you led before this destruction took hold of you." The fairy's wings slowly unrolled out from her back. "Seeing as you've found a temporary solution on your own, I don't see there being any more need of me here. I'll return to you once we find a permanent remedy to your troubles."