I Do Believe In Faeries #Wattys2016

Part Three

"Where are we?" I asked, I shivered in my clothes. We were in a damp tunnel made of pixie dust, but water was running down the sides in ice cold streams, and collecting at the bottom of the floor, resulting in freezing ankle deep puddles. 

"We're heading for the core." Peter replied. Suddenly, a blinding white light erupted over them. "We're here." They stepped out of the tunnel, and into the massive hall that had just appeared from nowhere. I held back. "Are you coming?" Peter asked, Tigerlily walked on,clearly entranced by the beautiful hall, but I was wary. Too much had happened in the last forty-eight hours for me not to be the least bit suspicious.

"I don't know about this..." I trailed off. 

"Do you want to find out about your parents or not?" Peter asked, his voice surprisingly solemn, compared to his normal mocking tone. 

"Yes... But-"

"But what?" He cut me off. "Trust me." He extended his hand to me, and I took it. He flew backwards, pulling me forward, as my feet left the ground. Ten seconds later, I was standing in the glittering hall.

It was a massive circular structure, with Greek style pillars surrounding the centre. At the back, parallel to the passage, stood two thrones. A man and a woman sat at the thrones. They were the size of small humans, both with long, silver hair, perfect features, green eyes, and kind smiles.

"Katherine." The woman spoke up. "The girl who wants to know about her parents."

"Yes." I breathed, overwhelmed by all I was seeing.

"Let us tell you a story." The man waved his hand, and our surroundings changed. "Once upon a time," He began, I found myself back in the streets of London. "A young faerie fell in love with a human boy. This boy was homeless, and lived off wit, and thievery." I saw a good looking boy of about nineteen, with a cheeky smile, and features not unlike my own. Then I noticed a glittering figure watching him. "The faerie girl watched him, day and night, waiting for the perfect time to aproach him. But when she did, he shunned her, not believing in magic. She fled back to Neverland, overwhelmed by grief; and sought out a way she could become human, and live forever that way." He finished, and the room changed back to its original form.

"And did she?" I asked eager to know more.

"Would you be alive if she did not?" The woman cut in.

"I don't know." I admitted.

"She did. But she lived only three years. There is always a price to pay for magic. Hers, was that she and her human lover, would die on your third birthday." The man explained.

"Why would they do that? Did they even consider how I might feel?!" I retorted, a sudden wave of anger hitting me like a bullet in the chest.

"Pretty soon, you'll figure out just how far people are willing to go for love." The woman said gravely.

~ ☆◇☆◇☆ ~

I sat in my room, the faerie Queen's words echoing in my ears like a broken record: 'pretty soon, you'll figure out just how far people are willing to go for love...' I laid down on the soft: fuchsia, saffron, and teal bedspread.

"Katherine?" I sat bolt upright. "It's just me. No need for that." Peter pulled my dagger, which I had insinctively grabbed, out of my hand.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"You are the prickly one." He teased. I scowled at him.

"I'm not prickly!" How could one person have so much annoying locked up inside of their body?!

"Yes, you are proving my point right now." He sat down next to me, but I recoiled.

"Stop it!" I retorted. "And give my dagger back!" Without warning, he flipped off my bed, and flew into the air.

"Come and get it." He stated, with a devious smirk. I flew after him, but I wasn't very good at flying yet, and I nearly collided with about one hundred and twenty trees. The sun was setting, and the sky was alive with brilliant shades of pink, orange, red and blue, all merged into one canvas, clear of clouds, and thoroughly spectacular. I then noticed that we were loosing altitude, and Peter landed delicately on the ground. One of the Indian mats had been laid out on the ground, a beautiful feast had been arranged in the middle, with two pillows on either side. I couldn't help but smile, then I glanced at Peter.

"W-whats this?" I stuttered, as he handed me my knife.

"Just a little picnic." He shrugged. It was anything but little. There was sliced strawberries dusted with icing sugar, a large ham that was still covered with orange slices and cloves, a thousand different kinds of breads, a rich Greek salad, and iced lemonade. "I didn't know what you liked so I got a bit of everything." He added, taking my hand, and leading me to one of the pillows, before sitting on one himself.

"It's... Beautiful." I breathed. "But why for me?" I asked, still taken by surprise.

"Because your the only girl on this island that I have ever... Liked." He admitted. I cut off a slice of bread, biting into it, so I wouldn't be expected to answer. Peter... Liked me? I always thought he liked himself better than anyone.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'm still trying to work that one out." He replied, picking at the salad.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I can't remember." He stated, as if it were nothing out of the ordanairy to not know ones own age.

"You can't remember?" I chuckled. "You are peculiar folk here." I muttered.

"One could say that. Or they could say we are extraordinary folk here." He suggested, with a smirk.

"Maybe I'm the peculiar one."

"I wouldn't say that." Peter replied.

"Why do you take people here?" I asked him, when we were halfway through desert (ice-cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce... I was in heaven...)

"To free them. I was raised an orphan, in an orphanage, and I hated it. So I started taking the orphans here. We call ourselves: 'The lost children'. Lost boys; Lost Girls, that's the way it works. Everyone has so much fun." He explained. I smiled at him.

"That's very thoughtful of you." I took a bite of a chocolate strawberry.

"I've never known someone not to like it here." He added. "Lie down." He told me, glancing at the sky.

"Why?" I asked warily.

"You'll see." I obeyed, moving my pillow so that it was on my head. Then I saw what he meant. The sky was now dark, Peter had lit the candles just before desert, but he blew them out, because there was no longer any need for them.

"Wow." I breathed. The stars and moon were out, and so were the faeries. They were dancing above our heads, showing off, too, I imagine. But their bright, vibrant glow illuminated the scenery. "Peter..." I trailed off, unable to find words for how I felt.

"Shh..." He whispered. I smiled, my mind clear for the first time since before Neverland.

"Where have you two been?!" Another voice broke the silence: James.

"What are you doing here?!" Peter demanded, clearly furious.

"I managed to get it out of Tinkerbell. She was not impressed." James replied.

"Well, what is it?!" Peter shot.

"Your little friend should probably come see." James scowled.