The Fairy King

Not human

Chapter Four
“Not human.” I muttered to myself. The spikey silver haired guy sat down facing me.
“Huh, impressive. You’re still conscious.” He smirked at me.
“Knock it off, Bryant.” Gerry said shoving him over on the foot stool. Gerry sat down to face me. I looked into those familiar green eyes. He had a small smile on his face. The stubble on his chin was growing more pronounced.
“You’re a leprechaun.” I said nodding my head. He nodded slowly with me. Our hands both resting on our knees were only an inch apart. He was gripping his together tightly as if he was trying not to touch me. I reached out and took both his hands in mine. His smile grew.
“Not freaked out by that?” he asked. I laughed softly.
“No, not that.” I sighed running a hand through my hair. Gerry gripped my shoulder.
“Come on talk to me. What do you need to understand?” he asked. A million questions ran along my mind. But only one was important right now.
“What am I?” I asked. Suddenly the archer near the fire place moved to the window. Everyone turned to look at him.
“You might want to speed things up a bit. Not sure how long these wards are going to hold against all of them.” He pointed. We clustered around the large picture window in front of my house. It looked like most of the town was out there. No, that wasn’t right. The things out there were not part of the town. Gerry pulled me back.
“Long story short, you’re the son of the fairy king. He is dying and is calling all his children home to see who should rule after him.” Gerry took a deep breath as he had said all of that at once. He pointed over his shoulder at the window.
“All of those things out there are sent to kill you. If the king dies without a successor the court and the crown go up for grabs. It will be a free for all in fairyland. The ruling family has been in charge for eons.” He paused to look at me. I could see he was wondering just how much was really registering.
“These guys.” I gestured to the archers. Gerry rolled his eyes as the silvered haired leader stepped forward. He held his hand out to me.
“Bryant Stargazer, son of Julian; commander of the Kings guard.” He introduced himself. Gerry turned to him as I took his hand to shake it.
“Just why are you here anyway?” he demanded. “Raven was under my protection.” He glared at the other boy.
The boy smirked, still not letting go of my hand. “Dad sent us out to bring the children home. Said I could pick my target.” He turned that shining smile on me. “I picked him.” He let go of my hand as we heard what sounded like the side of the house being torn off.
“We should go. Please tell me you have a portal?” Gerry exchanged looks with the archer.
“Now is not the time for your little pissing match, McNeal. No one is after your gold.”
“No, just my best friend…” Gerry muttered.
“It’s this way. In the boy’s bedroom.” Mrs. McNeal called from the top of the stairs. Bryant rushed over to the two archers on the couch. He hoisted the girl up, wrapping her injured arm across his shoulders. The other one moved with them. He put her other arm around his shoulders.
“Let’s go.” Bryant demanded he glanced back to the window. I moved forward.
“Give her to me.”  I held out my arms for her. She was barely conscious. They looked at me like I had just grown a third head. I sighed. Moving to take her from them. The one who had stayed with her moved to block me.
“Look, don’t be stupid. If it comes to a fight you guys are better prepared than I am. Let me carry her so you can fight.” I demanded.
“Sounds like a royal to me.” The archer by the window growled. Gerry glared back.
“What royal do you know who would carry a wounded solider home?” he demanded. The archer glared at him then turned the fierce scowl to me. Bryant ducked out from under the girl’s arm. He pushed her gently toward me. Turning he scooped up her quiver of arrows. The other guy slung her bow over his shoulder, keeping his own in his hand. I picked her up into my arms.
Mrs. McNeal lead the way up the stairs, her husband right behind her. I followed with the girl. Gerry was at my elbow, a light hand on my back. He seemed to get shorter as we neared the top of the stairs. The remaining four archers paired up. They came up the stairs behind us.
At the top I glanced back down. Bryant was last to take to the steps. He had placed himself in-between us and whatever was trying to kill us. I wondered where he learned battle strategy from. I waited for him at the top.
“If you’re the leader why are you putting yourself in the most danger?” I frowned at him. Gerry took my elbow.
“Because he is not the leader. I am!” He guided me down the short hall to my room. Once we had all gathered inside, Bryant shut the door. He leaned back against it. Mrs. McNeal was looking under the bed, her husband searching the closet. Gerry was looking between the two of them.
“Come on where is the door?” The angry archer asked. The couple looked at each other.
“It should be here.” They appeared to be stuck. An old memory came to me. When I was about three to about six, I had an imaginary friend. He had lived under my bed. His name was Edward. He would talk about his homeland. He had showed me the door once.
“Are you looking for Edward’s door?” I asked looking confused.
“You know him?” Mrs. McNeal looked at me. I nodded my head.
“Yeah he was my imaginary friend when I was a kid. He lived under my bed.” I said.
“He wasn’t imaginary. You had the sight to see fairy creatures.” Bryant said moving to the bed. He slipped under it. I heard him knocking on the floor.
“Edward lived under my bed, but that isn’t where his door is.” They all looked at me. “He came from the attic. He showed me the door once.” I said. There was a loud crash from downstairs. The whole house shook. The room began to tilt.
“How do we get to the attic?” Bryant asked as he moved to the door, bow in hand. He had an arrow ready as he opened the door. I slipped out behind him as he let go the arrow. Something fell from the banister.
“We don’t have much time.” The guy who had taken care of the girl cried. I moved down the hall. There were three doors off of this level. One was my room; one was grans and one was the bathroom. I moved to the bathroom door.  Shifting the girl in my arms I opened the door  to enter the bathroom.
Everyone hurried in. “Um, kid this is a very strange looking attic.” Bryant remarked. I rolled my eyes without turning around as the house tilted dangerously. The door was buckling from the force of the others trying to get in. I slipped in between the toilet and the sink. There was a small narrow door there. Opening it, I ducked stepping inside.
I moved up the short staircase behind the door. I couldn’t stand up straight until I got to the top of the steps. No sooner had the light from the bathroom closed off, we heard a loud crash. I flicked the light switch on the top of the stairs. Your typical attic looked back at us. Boxes and boxes of my childhood were stocked all around. In the very back was a section covered with a quilt. I knew that was my mother’s things. I had never had the courage to look through them. No one had ever said I couldn’t, but I was never told I could either.
I sneezed as dust got in my nose. Moving to the other side of the attic I made my way around the holiday decorations. Two old sewing machines were in pieces in the corner with a dress mannequin. I pushed past them with the girl. In the very back corner under the slanted roof there was a very small door. I had been so small the last time Edward had taken me through it.
I set the girl down. Reaching out I touched the wood. Shit, what was the special words? It was a different language.
“Come on we are about to be attacked like fish in a can!” Bryant yelled.
“Fish in a barrel.” Gerry yelled back.
“Does it matter if we are dead?” The slivered haired boy cried. Two archers stood at the top of the stairs. They emptied their arrows down the steps. I saw that Bryant and the other archer were already out of arrows. They held twigs in their hands.
“I can’t remember the words to make the world appear.” I said. Bryant shoved me out of the way. He placed a hand against the door. Silver marking appeared along his arm as he spoke so softly, I couldn’t hear what he was saying. A sliver light erupted from his hand. It spread out around a door shape crease. The door clicked open, he shoved me through.
No sooner was I tumbling head over heels into a grassy meadow, than Bryant was barking at me to take the girl. I pulled her feet first through the door. The others tumbled after her. The door began to vanish. A head was coming through. The door sizzled out of sight. The head chopped in half rolled down the small hill to land beside the unconscious girl. I pulled her back away from it, wrapping her in my arms.
“Home sweet home!” Gerry crowed. I only knew it was him because of his voice. He stood right in front of me. He no longer resembled my best friend. His face was covered in a large bushy beard, bright red eyebrows and hair that spilled over his collar. I could hardly see his nose and small green eyes through the red hair. Yet that wasn’t the biggest difference. No that would be his height.
I sat with my legs pulled up tight to my chest. The girl curled in the center of them as my arms wrapped around her. I stared at the little man who was just barley taller than my knee. He turned to me with a grin slicing his face. It slowly slipped away as he looked at me.
“Rav, it’s me.” He said touching his chest.  “This is my normal appearance.” He spoke as if he was talking to a frightened child. Not only had my best friend vanished before my eyes, everyone looked different. Only the leprechauns looked smaller. The others had pointed ears, most of their hair was longer, falling at least to the middle of their backs, and that was in a ponytail. Only Bryant’s remained short and spiky. The fairies had sliver markings on them. Bryant’s left arm had an arrow on it. His right a silver bow. No sign of the actual weapon could I see. He also had twin silver marks on his chin, no other facial hair marred such a striking face.
The others had similar markings and pointed ears. They all regarded me with solemn expressions. “You can let me go now.” A soft musical voice said. Looking down I saw the girl in my arms was awake. Not only that but she had two hands again. The bandages had been removed. She smiled at me with silver lips.
“In fairy we are whole forever.” She pulled slightly back. Bowing as best she could sitting down she nearly touched her forehead to the grass. “Thank you for saving my life, kingson.” She didn’t move.
“You have to give her freedom to stand.” Gerry whispered. I looked at her then back at him. It still was strange hearing his voice coming from this new body. I moved back away from the girl giving her room.
“Um you can stand.” I said pulling myself up as well.
She moved gracefully to her feet. Remaining with her head bowed.
“My name is Ariella, I am in your debt, kingson.” She stood silently for some time. Gerry moved to stand beside me.
“You can ask her to do anything you wish. Her life is now yours since you saved her. She will not move from that spot until you release her.”
“How do I do that?’ I asked him looking between them.
“You can ask her to do something for you now, or tell her you will request a favor in the future.” Bryant said. I looked at the girl.
“You know this realm, the laws and stuff, right?” I asked.
“I do, kingson.” She answered.
“Then to repay me I ask that you help me to learn them. I want you beside me so that I don’t insult anyone or get myself in trouble.” I said. She lifted her head, a large smile covering her thin face.
“On my honor, kingson.” She stated.
“That means no lying, or giving me false information to get me into trouble.” I stated. There was a slight gasp. I looked around. Gerry shook his head.
“A fae cannot lie, kingson. I give you my word I will not give you information that would harm you.”
“Asking about the lying, that was an insult, right?” I guessed. She nodded her head.
“I beg apology, I meant no insult.” I said with a slight bow to my head. She curtsied.
“None was taking but now you understand the insult and will not make that mistake again.” We grinned at each other. I shook my head no.