Aloi Who Learned To Fly

Our Secret

Mick wrapped his sister in a hug. "It's magic, Aloi, magic. We must tell Papa," he said.

"No," Aloi yelled. She'd raised her voice so loudly that Mick began to cry.

"I'm sorry, brother," she said. "I just don't think-no one should-it must be our secret. Okay? Me, you, and Mel."

Mick was confused. He tilted his head at her as he stroked the fur atop Mel's head. "Why?" he asked.

Aloi was puzzled herself. She wasn't sure why it felt so wrong. After years of hearing the stories of flying Faeries by the bonfires she couldn't embrace her new found skill. If the Elders and the rest of the community knew, she would not be accepted as one of them. Aloi wanted to be accepted. There was no logical reason that she could give to Mick. She just knew in her heart that it felt wrong and it must stay hidden.

"Trust me as your elder sister, Mick," she said. "Wouldn't it be fun? Something just for you and me? Mama, Papa, and no one else needs to know. You can talk to Mel about it if you like."

"Will you fly again," Mick asked. His eyes were as wide as he could possibly make them. Mel chattered at his chest, jumped up onto his shoulder, and climbed around his neck to sit upon his other shoulder. She stared up at Aloi also awaiting an answer.

Aloi leaned in and whispered to the two of them, "does she fear I will do it again and you won't be there to see? I'll be sure that you are because it's something that I can only share with the two of you. A special trust between brother, sister, and squirrel. Do you understand?"

Mick nodded and Mel chirped. They walked to their pine stepping over the needles as they went. The air was cooling as the sun sank behind the trees bending golden rays of light through all the empty spaces. It made dazzling patterns upon the ground. Spots of light that twinkled like magic dust.

Her bunny friend Pinch greeted them in a clearing near their back garden. Aloi scooped him up and nuzzled her chin against the top of his head. "You'll never believe what just happened," she whispered into his long floppy ear.

He was a darling gray bunny, fluffy, with long floppy ears, and a pink nose with black spots. They were the best of friends. Aloi found him abandoned three summers back. He was all alone in an empty rabbit burrow beneath the carrots in the garden. He had cried out to her, in his baby bunny speak, and Aloi knew exactly what he said, "I'm cold." Aloi took him in her arms immediately and they were inseparable.

Aloi flapped her wings a few times to see if they would actually move when she wished them to. It was a wonderful feeling. She flapped them again and this time her feet lifted slightly off the ground. She gasped and clasped her chest hoping nobody had seen her. Though it scared her terribly, it also thrilled her. Perhaps she could rise so high as to see all of Grovenglen in one tiny spot on the ground. It would look just like a meadow, perhaps. The tops of the trees with all their glorious green texture blended and swaying like grass in the wind.

She pushed the thought aside. There was no way that she could get away with it. Someone would see. Another Faery or worse a gossipy animal friend that would sneak off and tell it's Faery what it witnessed. The next thing she knew she would be an outcast. Perhaps even forced to live and work with the Elders. That would be worst of all.

Pinch squeaked and peeped.

"I can't tell Papa, you understand. Just hush and we'll talk more about it later," Aloi said. The bunny twitched his nose with disapproval and hopped off to the back garden to look for fireflies.

"Hello, hello, Aloi. Mick."

Papa was standing outside the doorway to their burrow. His hands were full. He carried, piled up on top of each other, many different colorful cloths. It was their mother's work to weave and create clothing for the rest of the Faeries. Papa helped. He collected different items from the forest; berries, bark, corn, pine nuts, flowers. Anything that would boil and dye the cloths. Most of what the Faeries wore was simple and some would say bland. Especially compared to the glorious metallic tones of the Temple priestesses in Volcanire.

Aloi looked at Mick sideways. He looked up at her and grinned. There was no hiding that they had a secret. Papa looked down at them and scratched a bit at his ebony beard. Then he said, "What have you two been up to?"

"Oh, nothing," Mick said. "I got stuck up in a tree. Mel climbed up there and I couldn't let her be all by herself so I followed. I got up too high and was afraid to come down. Aloi helped me."

"It was terribly silly," Aloi said. "Papa, what are we going to do with him?"

"If I remember correctly, you yourself were caught in a tree on more than one occasion." Papa laughed.

Aloi blushed. It was true. But did she have to be reminded? Now she could climb anything she liked. Maples, oaks, cedars, or anything else. Willows were her favorite. She loved the way that they swayed in the breeze and their leaves seemed to shimmer and glitter in the light as they moved. They liked to grow next to water as well which was one of Aloi's favorite things. She wondered what it would be like in Lakenrive where the entire country was covered in water. She wanted to ride in one of their trunk boats. She wanted to swim in the many pools and ponds and lakes. Another of her many daydreams.

"I think I'll go for a swim," Aloi said. Perhaps a cool dip into the Mirrored Pools would clear her head.

"I want to go," Mick yelled. He bobbed on his knees excitedly. He always wanted to tag along.

"Papa!" Aloi said. She was annoyed with Mick not understanding she sometimes needed privacy. "If it's no difference to you, Mick, I'd rather be alone. I need some time for myself. Consider it a thanks for saving you from the tree."

Papa nodded and handed a few pieces of cloth to Mick. "Mick, come along with me. After you help me sort these, we can have some fancy pine nut turnovers. They've just come along the trade lines from Lakenrive. From Dim the Pieman. He's-"

"-The best baker in all of the Elementia," the three said in unison. It was no secret Papa was fond of sweets.

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