This morning started the same as the others; with a "good morning Shae", and a "good morning" vibration. I decided to write the letter to my mom first so I could drop it in the portal while I was already out. I opened the small compartment in my pack and pulled out be enchanted Fae paper. I only had four pieces that came with the guide to the other world. I set the other three pieces on my shelf , and sat down at my table With the chair I had made the last time it rained.
I constructed a light pen and began writing:
Dearest Mom and Alm,
You would not believe the most wondrous adventure this world has brought me. Firstly, mom, I am safe as can be! (Well for me) My newest friend is also my landlord. I have built a wonderful home in a kind Willow tree that I have since named Shae. Shae is my closest friend and confidante. (Shae also says hello by the way) This Willow is one of a kind and I'm proud to call it home.
I am so busy learning about this new world, that finding time to write you has been tedious. My explorations are incredible, but that's as much detail as I am willing to share.
I am absolutely happy here and reluctant to tell you that I will not be home soon. But I do not live far from my way back to you, so at first sign of trouble, you will see me again. Alm, Mom, I miss you so much and I love you endlessly. Please send the same message to Marv. I am happy and safe. And I will write to you again soon.
Love,
Ri
I folded the letter and addressed it to my mother before I sealed it with light which engaged its waterproof enchantment. I placed it in my pack and put on my blade. I gave Shae my farewell pat and grabbed a slice of orange for the flight.
I flew to my portal first, and dropped the letter, but didn't leave until I watched it sink in and disappear in a swirl of glowing water. I flew around to see if there was anything I could find. Hardly anything. My most exciting find was a blackberry bush, and I believe I grabbed the last one of the season. When there was not much left to look at, I turned back towards home and came across a bed of cushion moss on the way. Which was a stellar find, because I needed to insulate Shae for the winter.
I cut a long rectangular piece and rolled it up to carry home. And made a small trail for me to be able to find my way back to the bed of moss.
"Shae! I found a blackberry"! I announced setting the large role of Moss down, and then pulling the berry out of my pack. I set it down on the counter next to my orange, as Shae vibrated her acknowledgement of my find. I grabbed another piece of orange to munch on as I unrolled the moss and pushed it against Shae's wall. I took a few steps back and then looked around the room.
"This is going to take at least 10 trips", I sighed.
She creaked in response.
"No Shae, I'm not going to ask Owen. He doesn't even know where I live".
She creaked lowly.
"What do you mean 'why not'? Because I haven't told him".
Shae creaked again.
"Well because I don't know if I want him to know where I live yet".
Shae creaked loudly.
"NO, I AM NOT ASHAM—Shae...don't make this about you".
Shae vibrated in laughter.
"Yes", I chuckled barley amused, "Ha. Ha. Very funny".
After eating lunch with Shae, I decided to go out more a tad bit more exploring. This time, in the opposite direction. I flew past Owen's, noting the huge bin with wheels and other humans as I flew by through the canopy.
After about 5 minutes of flight, I came across a very small clearing, and another building. Another humans house, I suppose. Though it looked far different from how Owens did.
It was tall and white, with a black roof. I landed on a high branch in a crouch as I studied the house's gardens. Short grass surrounded the property, from what I could see. But, what my eyes kept getting drawn to was the open and colorful structure made of wood and metal that lay centered in the middle of the grass.
A faint argument drifted to my ears, and my posture perked as a young human girl stepped out of a glass door. What astounded me was how the volume of the yell increased with the door open and dimmed back to a murmur as she shut the door behind her.
She was clearly running from the ruckus and looked frustrated. Definitely a youngling... had to be younger than Alm. I thought. She sat down on a bench that was chained to a horizontal post on the colorful structure. I stood from my crouch and watch the youngling curiously. She softly swung back and forth on the chain, dragging her feet in the grass below her. I turned to fly off in the opposite direction when it hit me.
A faint tingle; a small wave of sorrow drifted into my heart. I glanced back towards the young human girl and watched her as she faced the wooded area to my left. Nope, Nope. Owen was one thing but testing my luck with a youngling was another.
I turned back and flew off the branch only a few inches, before the sorrow drifted through me again.
"Ugh"! I growled, as I turned around adjusting my silver dress in annoyance. "Blasted Fae empathy... Stupid morals! I'm going to end up getting myself killed", I grumbled.
I quickly flew to the very top of a post on the opposite side of the structure of the young human girl. The closer I got, the stronger I felt her sorrow. I knelt atop the post for a moment, briefly stunned that her eyes didn't find me the way Owen's so easily could. She hadn't even a clue that I had entered her proximity.
Her tears pulled at my heart as she sniffled, the yelling had not even paused for a moment. I looked back toward the house, and back down to her. I sighed as my wings fluttered. I wound my hands in a circle creating a sparkle of golden light. I released the sparkle and with two fingers controlled its movements. It swirled and bounced its way in front of the young girl, catching her attention.
She gasped, "Wha-"? She froze as she wiped away another tear, her eyes following the swirling motions of the sparkle. The sparkle floated closer and she held out a hand. I moved the sparkle to float down to her palm, before I promptly stood up sending the sparkle straight above the youngling, only to explode into 1000 smaller light particles around her. Something my father used to do with me when I was a youngling. Though, I did have to make the scene a bit bigger for the human.
She shot up from the bench with a gentle gaping smile as she looked at the golden particles falling around her. When she looked around at the fading lights her eyes landed on me and her smile faded into gentle shock. She shook her head and looked down in confusion before dragging her eyes back up to mine. It took so much willpower not to flee, but my heart was content; her sorrow had already shifted to wonderment.
"Hello", she whimpered softly and gulped down her nerves. "D-did you do that"? She stuttered softly.
Fae's mercy, this child is as nervous as me. I laughed internally, but I already knew I wasn't going to say anything to anther human besides Owen, since... Well, since he'd already caught me talking.
So, I just smiled. I smiled and wound light around my hands again, weaving in the warmth of a hug, before pushing the dancing orb towards her. She smiled and laughed as she watched the orb in front of her. Right before the orb touched her nose, I took off back into the tree's knowing how it would play out.
The orb would wash her in the warmth of a sympathetic hug, and when she would look back to where I stood, I'd be long gone. I sighed in contentment as I flew off further into the trees to continue my day of exploration, making a mental note to avoid this area in the future.
___
The next day I woke up, surprised to see that the wind was blowing harsher than normal. I had no issues flying in strong wind, I would just have to keep an eye out for flying items and falling branches. Something any Fae could spot easily with their normal intuition. I waited until the afternoon when there seemed to be a light break the wind.
I flew fast and carefully, eager to see Owen and his house full of human furniture. I flew to his bedroom only to see that the window was closed. Huh, I thought, that's odd. I flew to the left of his window and peaked around the corner of the house, only to see his 'truck', was gone.
Oh... well he's never gone for that long.
I flew over to his front door, and decided to wait for him sheltering myself in the frame of the window next to it. Sure enough, I waited for only about 10 minutes when I just barely heard the rumbling of his 'truck' through the blowing wind. I stood up, and adjusted my lilac dress as I heard the bang of truck door shutting.
Too eager to see my friend, I waited for only a few seconds before flying to the first corner of the house to peak around. Seeing it was him, and that no others accompanied him, I flew into the open and waved.
He noticed me right away and waved back with the familiar smile I had grown so accustomed to being greeted with. My smile was cut short as my Fae eyes caught sight of a large branch about to break loose and plummet to the ground.... And Owen was about to walk right into it.
"OWEN STOP"! I screamed, fear drenching my body as my shout was drowned by the wind. He couldn't hear me. My breath became frantic, and the limb broke free. I shot towards the falling branch with everything I had. I forced every ounce of will and strength I had into my Fae magic and struck the branch not 24 inches above Owens head.
The collision resulted in a flash of warm light; the limb became ash in the wind, as I was sent sailing into a bush with jarring force. I hit a few branches before falling limp to the ground. My ears rang as stars swirled across my vision. I couldn't move but felt a slight trembling beneath me as a deep voice just barely broke through the ringing, calling out my name. My vision began to blur as I saw the vegetation above me get pulled away by enormous hands. And then everything was black.