"OWEN"! I screamed on the top of my lungs. Immediate and rapid thudding brought Owen charging into the room nearly tripping through the door frame.
"OWEN! THEIR BACK"! I spun around to show him my sparkling golden-light wings.
Relief washed over his face as he smiled, "Oh good... Their beautiful".
"I know"! I squeaked. Though I knew there was no weight behind that compliment, I couldn't care less. He left the room with a sigh.
"Owen"! I yelled after him as I floated into the air. He popped his head back inside, his eyes finding me when I spoke again.
"Owen, you need to open the window"! I pointed with a beaming smile.
"Right", he smiled with a chuckled as he proceeded towards the window. Before he could even have the window a third of the way open, I flew out, dashing through the air with speed, but quickly turned around landing back on the sill.
"You're not going to close it are you"? I asked eagerly, restless to take flight again.
He shook his head with a chuckle, "Wouldn't dream of it".
I squealed taking off into the air towards my tree.
"SHAE"! I screamed, flying through my door and landing on shae's floor with my arms spread in a hug. "Oh, Shae I've missed you so much"! I sat up quickly, "Oh the letter! I need to check the portal"!
I heard a shake before I flew out the door. I flew as fast as my wings could carry me, and dipped down towards my portal. Hmph no letter... Oh well! I shrugged and took off into the air and flew as fast as I could back to Owen. I was there within minutes. I flew through his window and dove down as I was aiming to go down the stairs. But, I miscalculated and hit the wall with a bang.
Owen stepped out into view at the bottom of the stairs, "Ri, was that you"?
"O-w-w", I groaned as I held my head sitting up from the top stair.
"Oh my God, are you okay"?
"Are you kidding"! I shouted as I stood up quickly almost falling over. I caught myself against the base board, "No headache will be able dampen my mood! Not today"!
I teetered forward a few steps before dashing down the stairs towards Owen. He took a few steps backwards in surprise but caught me when I hit his chest with a tiny thump.
I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt as he chuckled, realizing it was my version of a hug. "Thank you so much for taking care of me when I was grounded".
I felt a soft breathy laugh on top of my head and his thumb phased through my wings as it brushed down my back, affectionately trying to return the hug. "You're welcome".
___
The weeks had grown a bit colder, and I knew that Shae was right, asking Owen to help me with the moss would shave days off the time it would take me to insulate Shae. This particular morning was 'Sunday', as Owen called it. A day he didn't need to work at the bar. So, I flew off towards his house knowing that he'd most likely be free. To my surprise, he was sprinkling some type of seed around the orchard.
I landed in the fig tree above him with a giggle as I watched him casually toss seed onto the moist dirt. I grabbed my Fae blade, and silently flew to the fig that seemed directly above his head and cut its stem. The fruit dropped down from the tree, but Owen had moved within a moment, not even barely noticing the fig.
He moved under the orange tree, as this new game brought a playful brightness to my eyes. Quickly, I darted into the orange tree and sliced through a stem. The orange dropped to the ground behind him, hitting the soil with a thud loud enough to make him pause and look back at the fruit. It amazed me how much ground humans could cover, even if moving slowly.
He looked up into the tree behind him skeptically for a brief moment before returning his attention back to the seed. I darted into the cherry tree, quietly picking a cherry, and then holding it out ready to drop while stifling a giggle.
Three, two... drop. The cherry plummeted downwards only to bounce off Owens head. I dashed behind some leaves as he froze.
"Alright, Ri", he chuckled out, looking up in my direction. I covered my mouth with a giggle and remained hidden. I peaked out to see him set down the bag of seed, and then walk towards the house.
What? Was he really so quick to give up? I scratched my head in contemplation. He disappeared around the corner where the door was, and I heard the sound of the door open and close.
"Really"? I said softly, my wings drooped but a moment before they carried me towards the door.
I rounded the corner and "RAH"!
I screeched as my wings faltered briefly, not expecting him to be hiding around the corner. I was quick to dive into the brush 6 feet behind me. I hid there and I huffed and wheezed trying to catch my breath as my hand covered my racing heart. A smile grew slowly on my face, as I heard Owen belt out in laughter.
"Oh I'm sorry, Ri", He laughed out his words, "I didn't think you get that scared".
I floated out of the brush landing atop the stone bench, and bent over trying to catch my breath with a smile.
"You.." I huffed with a pointed finger, "that was a good one", I said breathlessly standing up moving my hands to my hips.
He chuckled to himself as he made his way over to the bench and knelt in front of me. "Are you alright"? His concern was lightened by his highly amused tone.
I nodded with a smile still trying to catch my breath, "Whew".
"So, what's up", He said with a light-hearted pitch still showing remnants of laugh.
"I..", I huffed, "Wanted to... ask your help with something", I forced the words out. My breath just starting to catch and return to normal.
___
"I really appreciate you helping me", I said loudly and hovered a little further away from Owen as he stumbled over a rock. He caught himself athletically, and looked down behind him with a small scowl as if to tell the rock not to do it again.
"Yeah", he said breathily and then looking up to me, "what are friends for"? We continued toward the wooded area where I had discovered the bed of moss.
"I could do it myself, but... honestly, it would take me like 3 days". I continued flying backwards in front of him as we spoke. The path began to disappear as we began to make our way uphill. Slow as he was compared to my flight, with him carrying the moss, we would only have to make one trip.
"I get it", he smiled, "But why do you need the moss anyway"?
"It will help insulate Shae for the winter", I watched him stumble slightly as the incline grew steeper, "I only brought as much as I could carry from Avalon, so I don't have much when it comes to protection from the cold".
He nodded and used the trunk of a young birch to pull himself up further. As he climbed, we grew silent. It was a steep trek and I didn't want to take his focus away from his footing. After about ten minutes he paused and stood up straight to catch a breath, and smiled with a breathy laugh.
"Should'a warned me about how steep the climb would be. I would have brought some water", he said and braced himself on another birch with one hand.
"Sorry," I giggled, "I honestly didn't realize it, since... you know—"
"—You can fly"? His brows shot up playfully.
I crossed my arms with an innocent shrug, and looked over my shoulder towards our destination, "It's not much further, I promise".
He nodded and continued his climb, "so... when you left Avalon, did you know you'd arrive here"?
"Here as in...".
"As in Brookview".
"Oh, no. Actually, everyone's portal is different, so I didn't know where I'd end up".
He paused, "S-o-o, what if you landed yourself in a place where there was nothing but snow"?
"Then, I would have gone back to Avalon to prepare better", I laughed, "But I've read multiple journals and accounts from Fae who have traveled here; hardly any of them showed up during a cold season when they traveled at the beginning of the first quarter calendar".
He nodded with slight confusion, "I see—"
"—Oh its here"! I flew a few feet to the left and looked back to see Owen peering around a tree. He made his way over to me as I drifted down landing on the bed of moss. He pulled of the pack he called a 'back-pack', and knelt down in front of me.
"Right", he breathed out, as he pulled a shoveling tool out of his pack. "How much do you need"?
"I think about 2 feet", I said gesturing to the area, "we could always use a bit extra".
He nodded and I drifted into the air as he dug into the moss. Part of me felt awkward about it; watching him do the work I felt I was supposed to be doing. But it took him far less time than it would have taken me. That was one thing that humans had over the Fae; they worked efficiently because of their size. That, and 'photographs'. After about ten minutes, he finished and put the moss into a clear bag, then back into his pack before putting the pack back over his shoulders.
It took far less time for us to go down the hill then it did up, and the silence seemed to disappear the closer we got to Shae.
"So, the winter's here aren't pleasant", I said flying 12 inches beside his eye level.
"Well, not if you don't like snow", he laughed.
"Awgh", I breathed out crossing my arms, "I'm not a fan... BUT, at least it will be an adventure"! I ended with a positive cadence.
He chuckled looking at the ground, "You really like new things, don't you". He noted.
"Of course! It's hard to describe but, it's like I need to know more".
"More of what"?
"Everything", I shrugged.
"Aren't you scared at all? I mean, coming to a new world, not knowing what adversities you may come across"?
"No," I paused in thought for a moment before continuing, "It's daunting surely, but the fact that's it's so unknown is what makes it an adventure".
"Was it hard? Coming here and leaving your family"? He glanced up at me briefly before returning his sights to the path.
"Undoubtably. But this place brought me a sense of peace I guess... I don't need to look far to find something new, and..." I trailed off noticing the emotion behind my next words.
"And"?
"And I don't have any rules and responsibilities here. I don't have to worry about anything except whatever I choose to worry about", I said plainly, hoping he forgot the night I cried to him a month ago. He looked up at me with a raised brow and amused eyes. Yup, he remembers.
"And what do you choose to worry about"?
"Right now? Insulating Shae", I smiled as we both continued down the path.
He chuckled as he spoke, "Maybe you're used to hiding your insecurities in Avalon, but you do know that you don't have to hide them from me. Right"?
I rolled my eyes, "It's a habit". He looked at me briefly to see me pause my flight. He stopped and stepped up closer to me as I put my hands on my hips and looked down. "In Avalon, if I didn't break any rules, no one had anything to worry about and nor did I... so that's how I acted, like nothing was wrong".
"And you broke the rules often, I take it".
"Everyday... and whenever I was truthful with someone, it hurt them even more. I am blunt, but emotions... they're hard for me".
"Okay", He said simply.
"Okay"? I looked up at him in confusion, "Okay, as in your upset, or Okay as in—"?
"—Ri," He laughed again, "Okay, as in I understand. I just wanted you to know you don't have to do that with me". He laughed and shook his head as he continued down the path. I took a deep breath, and flew after him.
"I do miss my family.. and Marv," I said floating in front of him. "But, I wouldn't trade this place for anything". I looked around as Owen made an opening through Shae's branches.
"So what got you into the most trouble, you'd say"? He asked as I flew up into my room. I pushed everything to one side as Owen began to pulled out the moss.
I dusted off my hands and flew up to my balcony. I looked down at him organizing the moss and brushing off some of the dirt as I leaned against the balcony and looked up in thought, "Well, if we don't count my curiosity... then games".
He chuckled as he stood up ripping of part of the moss to hand me. He looked up as he lifted up the small area of moss and I took it from him. "Games", he asked playfully, "What kind of games"?
"Like.. Racing", I shouted from inside my room as I set the moss down tightly, starting along Shae's wall. I fluttered back up to the balcony, "Marv and I would see how fast or high we could fly, which ...was against Avalon Rule".
"Huh", he nodded with his attention at the moss in his hand as he ripped off another piece, "And, how did your curiosity get you in trouble"?
I laughed awkwardly, "Heh, Well... for example... There was a spell that farming Fae would use to water the gardens and groves. And", I took another piece of moss from him and brought it inside as I adjusted my volume, "It took about 10 Fae to water the gardens I worked at. Each using the same spell at a certain distance".
I flew back up to the balcony, "I just thought it would be easier if one person did it and just made the spell bigger", I shrugged as he nodded handing me another piece of moss and I took it back inside, "I ended up flooding the whole farm".
He let out a deep chuckle, "You flooded it"?
I pounded in the moss and flew back up to my balcony to see his eyes smiling as bright as his lips, "I flooded the whole farm. I ended up getting kicked out of my apprenticeship, and they almost lost 3 months harvest".
"Oh Ri", he laughed with a playfully censorious tone.
"What", I shrugged self-consciously and then smiled gesturing to the space in front of me, "I left didn't I"?