X Marks the Faerie

"You haven't fallen for me have you? That's a dangerous thing to do with a faerie you know...." I felt the pang in my chest as my own words sent me back. My mind was reeling.

The leaves were frosted with the morning dew, and the flutter of wings could be heard by the butterflies that made their debut into the cool air. It was a personal wonderland for those of the faerie race. Nothing seemed to be out-of-place, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. "WATCH OUT!" I ducked as I saw an acorn fly through the air.

I ducked and moved. I turned, hands on hips, and glared at the faerie who had thrown the acorn. "Naizel, this is no place to be playing. Go out in the fields." I barked at the child. He tucked his chin in to his chest and walked away.

I dusted my skirts and started off in the opposite direction. Sometimes I wondered if being a princess was the best thing for me. My father was a bastard, and my mother usually took my father's side in everything. I wasn't allowed to do much of anything. I looked down briefly, and looked up too late. I ran right into a man. I backed away and looked up, prepared to throw some kind of insult his way as to why he should watch where he's going, but he was already apologizing.

"Kysha, please forgive me." I just shook my head. I was irritable, but his eyes captured mine, and all insults washed out of my mind. "Don't worry about it. I don't think I know you." I didn't know majority of the workers.

Father didn't like for me to socialize myself with a lower class. He straightened as if he was trying to impress me. "I'm Sindri." He stated. I nodded and mentally rolled my eyes. "That tells me a lot Sindri. What is your status?" I was definitely interested if he was of nobility, but father would kill me if I were to mingle with a man of low class.

He cleared his throat. I had to admire him for a minute and I accidentally tuned him out. He was tall, and bronze. His hair was the darkest shade of night, and his eyes were like honey. It was really a pleasure to look at him.

My eyes sought his again and I tilted a hip to one side and crossed my arms. "Nice to meet you. " I said and I side-stepped to let him pass but he decided to further the conversation.

"You're not trying to run away from me are you? I mean, we just met and I can't say I've ever had the pleasure of being in the presence of a princess before." He beamed at me. I pierced my lips together and rethought myself. "What was it you said you do?" I asked. "I'm part of the faction that helps flowers emit their fragrances." He said proudly. "I'm not really supposed to socialize with...." I started to say but he cut me off. "With who? People like me? The lower class people? Without people like us, flowers would hold no value to the world, it would be as bland as a blade of grass!" He proudly stated.

His honey colored eyes were especially vibrant now. I was slightly drawn to them. I shook my head. "But you don't understand, it's my father." I meekly said. "Ha! Who's to say who you can and can't love?" He said with ferocity.

"What? Who said anything about love??" I said shocked. Before I could say anything else, he stepped up in front of me with his nose just millimeters from mine. It felt strangely natural, I could feel his magical aura and mine fusing. He then grabbed hold of my hand and leaped upward with me in such an elegant speedy fashion. I gasped from the thrill.

We then swooped downward, through the leafy tree tops. "Where are we going?" I asked. He smiled at me. "Secrets are what faeries thrive on my dear." We flew through the lush landscape and onward towards the rocky cliffs which I had never before thought of going to.

What could possibly be there? I thought cynically to myself. We swooped closer, and entered through a small hole on the side of the rocks. Darkness. Total darkness, yet he was flying me through it at an incredible pace as if he knew what lied within it. I felt a little nervous about what lay in wait for me. Before I could think more on it, a burst of amber-like light enveloped my eyes. Such a breathtaking sight was before me.

Small and enclosed in this cave were thousands upon thousand of little mushrooms poking out of the cave moss. The mushrooms were what lit the cave up and there was a pool of water which reflected the magnificence of it all. Truly a romantic spot if I ever did see one.

When we landed I put a few feet in between us. I crossed my arms again and huffed. "That was a dangerous move." He raised a brow and his eyes laughed at me. It was insulting! "How dare you kidnap me away and and-" He cut me off. "Take you to a quiet place. Away from the harping and clutter? You should thank me."

I laughed aloud now. It was true, he did lead me to a great escape. Though it was no time to be giggly and childish. "That doesn't matter, you still kidnapped me, and I'm sure my father will not be happy." He picked up a stone and tossed it.

"Who says he has to know? He doesn't know about this place." I let my body relax. "Really? He doesn't?" I was curious as to how he happened upon such a glorious place. He shook his head. "He doesn't. I found this place when I was younger. No one else, other than you, has laid eyes on this place." I felt special now. I was the first to see this place. I was also going to make it a point to be the last person.

It was a selfish act, but I did need to get some time to myself from time to time. I admired the beauty some more before completely relaxing and sitting down. "Thank you." I rarely said those words, and he knew it.

He chuckled a bit and sat beside me. "Well, you're welcome. Anytime you want to come here, just tell me. I'll be more than happy to bring you." I hmphed. "I bet you would." I mumbled. He obviously didn't hear me, and leaned in to listen. "You're too close, back off." I said, a bit more acid in my voice than I had intended. He did as he was told and I sighed. "Sorry. I don't usually have male company." My father was the reason for that. He never let men close to me. I was a prize possession. A jewel, and father had yet to find a 'suitable' mate for me.

The idea of being married off to someone of my father's choosing made me sick. He nodded in understanding and gazed out at the beauty. "Well, you better get used it. I'm not going anywhere." For the first time, I was content with it.

For faeries, love can happen very quickly and the feeling of it is more intense than that of any other species and right now, I was feeling the full effect of that. Our eyes were locked. There's no turning back now. He leaned in first and I pulled him closer. I Loved every second of it. His lips tasted of sweet honey suckles with a hint of cherry. Breathing heavily and about to scream from the sheer excitement of the feelings overtaking my body, I pushed him away.

"What's wrong." He gently asked. "You know what's wrong..." I said almost in tears. He hung his head low. "Yes, I know....I'm sorry." He knew very well what the gravity of the moment meant. Any keen faerie would be able to smell the sweet aroma of love that was engulfing our bodies.

Which also meant, my father would be more than outraged, this was a devastatingly serious situation. "It's okay, I know what to do." He said firmly. I looked at him puzzled and then it hit me.... "NO!" I screeched.

"You can't do that! It's been at least a millennium ago since something like that has worked, and plus, my father already knows about it, he won't care my dear!" I was about to burst with so many different emotions. "I'm different, you'll see. I'll make them take me serious." He seemed certain. I surely do hope he's right. Because if he fails, he shall pay for his failure with his very life.