Fairy Roses (An Artemis Fowl FanFiction)

The News

Holly wandered silently down the hallways of Fowl Manor, her fingertips just barely brushing the dark wallpaper and the occasional photograph. She smiled as she looked at the photos on the walls. Family portraits, school photos, and vacation memories. Holly loved these photos, especially the ones with Artemis in them. But she really loved the ones where Artemis was in it, and he was smiling. There were very few pictures like that hanging around the house, but when she did come across one, even though her heart sped up and her eyes watered, she couldn’t help but smile and feel regret deep down in her heart. I never told him…

Her fingertips caressed one of Artemis’s school pictures. There he was, sitting ramrod straight, wearing his red St. Bartleby’s school uniform, hair gelled back from his face, and there was a navy blue back drop. Artemis’s bright blue eyes stood out, and Holly couldn’t help but noticed how handsome he actually looked.

“The photographer had tried to make me smile,” Artemis had told her. “But judging by the way I introduced myself, he should have already known it was never going to happen.”

A few tears escaped Holly’s eyes at the thought of the memory. She shoved her hand in her pocket and continued to walk down the hallway. She stopped suddenly and looked to her left. There, hanging on the wall, was a mirror. It wasn’t a surprise, as Angeline has placed many mirrors around the large house, but Holly felt different now. She stared at herself. Her hair was a monstrosity, she had dark circles under her red rimmed eyes, and she looked disheveled, confused, lost, and tired. But Holly didn’t pay attention to those facts. She was busy studying her blue eye, Artemis’s eye.

She would forever have a part of him. Forever and always.

She moved away from the mirror, venturing farther down the empty hallway, until she came to an open door. Holly peeked inside, and smiled at another memory.

Holly crept silently into the room. Artemis’s desk was facing the wall on the right and his back was to her. Perfect. She took five carefully placed steps into the room, debating whether or not she should shield herself to add to the effect.

She didn’t see it, but Artemis smiled. “Hello Holly.”

Holly’s jaw almost hit the wooden floor in shock. How did he know she was there? She was quieter than a mouse.

“D’Arvit!” Holly swore, laughing. She walked over to Artemis and punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Why can’t I ever scare you?”

“I never get scared.” It took Holly a minute to realize she had said that aloud, but didn’t bother looking around to see if anyone heard. She walked into the room, and for some reason, she felt the need to look at everything. She ambled over to the bookshelf on the far wall and ran her fingers over the spine of one of Artemis’s favorite books. The Crock of Gold.

“My father used to read it to me every night. This book is what inspired me to kidnap a fairy for its gold.” Artemis sighed, and placed the book back on the dustless shelf.”Holly, do you know why I no longer regret kidnapping you?”

Holly shook her head, a look of confusion covering her face.

“Because I would have never met you if I hadn’t, and I am very glad to have met you Holly.”

Holly stayed expressionless as she pulled the slim book off the shelf and flipped through the pages, reading the words to herself and studying the pictures. Even after she finished it, she held it in her hands for a while before she placed it back in its rightful spot. After doing so, she glanced around the room again, taking in everything from the names of books, to the pattern of the wallpaper, and even the color of the floor. Then her eyes rested on a large sealed manila envelope that was lying against the desk lap. Holly rushed over, grabbing the envelope and reading the front.