Birdie

My brother is as mad as a hatter! He'd throw a falcon in a pot of soup, just to see if it made the grass grow! I smile at this, but I know I shouldn't. Growing up, my mother didn't talk much about her brother and when she did, she had nothing nice to say. Maybe it was the fact that he had never shared a dime of his fortune with us or maybe it was because after her parents died, she was forced to raise him for a few years- and that could not have been easy. Whatever the reason was, I just don't understand.

It's funny how the death of someone you know and love can make you question the way they really were in life. My mother and father had always seemed to be nice, charming people but now after analyzing what my mother had said about her own brother- well, it makes me wonder. Did we let Jackson eat with us because he felt like part of the family or because that is part of Law when it comes to slave owning? Did we avoid Marvin, the man who was missing a few fingers but was friendly to everyone, because my mother told me that he wasn't in his right mind or did we only avoid him because my mother didn't like his deformity?

Now that I'm reflecting the actions of my parents, there's only one thing I'm sure they didn't lie about, their fear of the city. A silly fear, but I admit I share it. They always told me that the city was a disgusting place, filled with advancing technology that would ruin our Kingdoms- technology that would put an end to us all. In the city, they didn't have the open fields and fresh air; they had the smog and diseases. The city had buildings as tall as the sky, while we had small farmhouses. They had machines to do their work, while we had slaves. Everything between the country and the city were different and that scared my whole family. It's ironic that they died because of one of the biggest technological advances of their lifetime.

Silently, I roll over on the -my- bed. Everything in this room gives me the feeling that I don't belong here, that I'm intruding on something private, but I just lay still and take deep breaths. Back home, if I was finished with my schoolwork, I'd go ride my horse, Champion, for hours on end. Or at least until dinnertime. Unfortunately, in my decision to give up the house, I had to sell Champion along with it. I sigh and try not to focus on it. Luckily, there's a knock on the door.

Before I can even get up to answer the door, it opens and Tinsley steps inside holding a brightly colored dress in her arms. It's a faery style dress, a style only offered here in the city or if you're lucky enough to find it in the small village markets. As I stand Tinsley smoothes the dress down over the bed and smiles down at it. I look it over. "There's no way I can pull that off."

"Oh, don't be silly!" She giggles. I'm glad to see she's ditched any fear of me. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to around here. Like a sister or something of that nature. She picks it up, taking my wrist in her delicate hand and leading me toward the closet on the other side of the room. I feel like I should be worried, but all I notice is that her skin is as cold as ice. She opens the closet to reveal a sort of runway that leads to a large mirror. I don't even have time to marvel over the fact that this closet is so huge before she pulls me inside. As if out of nowhere, faery girls appear and swarm around me, stripping and dressing me, fixing my hair.

When they're done fixing me, I step into view of the mirror and am taken aback. My dark brown hair has been pulled back into an elegant bun, my bangs and some of the hair on the side of my head hangs down in tendrils. Bright fey flowers have been woven into my hair. I can tell they're fey flowers because I watch as a neon blue flower slowly fades out and back in as a bright yellow. Somehow, Tinsley and her friends have done something to my soft blue eyes. They now have an electric blue color that would definitely stand out in any crowd. But honestly, the thing I'm most impressed with is the dress. It's short and strapless, the hem barely three inches above my knee. The dress is made of a shimmering yellow material that gets tight around my middle but then flows outward expertly. As I watch, a ring of tiny roses grow around my waist, circling me. In the mirror, everything about me just shines and I can't help but smile.

"Tinsley, this is amazing!"

"Compared to the more elegant faeries back home, this is nothing," she giggles.

"Thank you, Tinsley." I say and give her one of the most genuine smiles I can manage.

"No need for thanks," she pauses before continuing. "Come, Master Edwin is waiting for you."

We both exit it the room and start walking down the stairs but something stops me at the entrance to the second floor, something that I feel concerns me. The sound of Tinsley's footsteps becoming distant makes me realize that this floor doesn't concern me, at least not yet. I catch up with Tinsley just as we get to the ground floor and I'm even more dazzled than the first time I saw it. Soft lights have been hung around the room, illuminating the places that the decoratively placed candles can't. Music finds it's way to my ears. It's an eerie melody filled with sharp trills and a quick beat. Oddly enough, it makes me feel happy. Around me, in the area I waited in just a few hours prior, faeries dance to the song with a smile plastered on each face. There are maybe fifty faeries, but that's just in here. Something tells me that there are more around the house.

"What's going on?" I ask as Tinsley links her arm with mine.

"Master Edwin let’s us servants have the house for festivities while he eats. It usually takes hours because he gets so lost in his thoughts." She tries to lead me off to a hallway, but my feet start going toward a pale faery boy whose eyes are as clear as diamonds. She quickly whispers in my ear. "Don't. Faeries get a little naughty when they have fun. If you start dancing now, you won't stop until your feet are bloody stumps."

I gasp and let her lead me down the next hallway. On each side of me, suits of armor line the walls, the helmets all-missing. A headless warrior? I question the meaning of the decapitated knights. My Uncle may be a little off, but I'm sure that everything he owns, everything he has that decorates his house, and they all mean something to him. If he's anything like me, and I believe he is, he doesn't have anything that doesn't have a reason to be there. Tinsley taps her knuckles against the large floor-to-ceiling door once before it opens by itself and we step inside.

The room is a more like a wider, horizontal hallway with a lengthy table in the center that could sit a minimum of at least ten. Faeries hustle around the food filled table, placing silver platters of the finest fruits and meats I've ever seen. There's a large roasted chicken, juicy apples, polished grapes, fresh baked bread, an assortment of wines, and some sort of meat I'm not familiar with. Tinsley lets go of me, only for my wrists to be taken in the hands of two faery boys as the lead me to a chair at the table, facing the window. Looking out, I can see that small fenced in area and the thick woods that surround his manor. I feel the warmth of the slowly setting sun on my skin and my lips curve into a smile.

"Master Edwin will be with you shortly," says one of the faeries that lead me to my seat. I'm unaware that everyone has filed out of the dining room until I'm completely alone. There's a plate in front of me, a set of silverware too. Even a crystal glass for some wine. I don't touch any of it. Instead I drum my fingers along the edge of the table. Eventually the door flies open and my uncle storms in. He's not mad, or at least his expression doesn't reveal he's angry. He just likes to make an entrance, I guess. He walks right past me, rounding the table and taking the seat across from mine. He smiles, his special eyes fidgeting and looking at things other than myself.

"Oh Skye, please help yourself to anything you like!" He exclaims as he starts to pick up platters and bowls, setting an assortment of food down on his plate. I take notice that it's mainly strange colored fruit that I've never even seen before tonight. The city is a strange place, I remind myself.

"You can't possibly eat all of this, can you?" I ask with a giggle. It was rather odd to prepare a feast for two people. Did he eat like this every night?

"Well, of course not, my dear!" He laughs like it's the silliest thing he's ever heard. Something taps the window, causing me to look around my Uncle to see a small bird as it flies slowly past the window. It's a type of bird I don't recognize and the fact that it's flying so slowly makes me curious. The bird's wings are proportionate to its size and the strokes are just right, but the thing seems to be flying at a steady pace. Uncle Edwin's voice takes me back to reality, but when I glance back, the bird has already gone by. "Whatever I don't eat, I have a few of my slaves go down to the village and give the food to those who need it."

"Wow, that's really nice, Uncle Edwin." He lifts his lips into a half smile, his eyes finally focused on me. His face is so smooth, besides his small beard and mustache. His eyes are so special and giving and his smile actually makes me feel welcome in his home. Our home.

A moment of silence passes before he says something. "So, I've contacted the high school in Everstile. Your first day has been scheduled for next Monday."

"I, uh," I stammer. I'm not exactly sure what to say. Back home in the country, in my small town of Ellmis, there were maybe one hundred-fifty kids in my high school. I didn't like many of the people there, however. I didn't even have any good friends. The closest friend I've ever had was Jackson, but he's gone now and I may never see him again.

"I understand how you feel Skye," he says, his eyes on mine. Maybe that's why they're special. Maybe he can feel what others do. Unlikely, but possible. "If it were up to me, I'd just let you stay here, helping me out or just reading one of the many books in my library- but the Law is the Law."

I sigh because I know he's right. When the United States closed itself off from the world, the country broke into chaos. The chaos only got worse when every cell phone; computer, and other communication device were destroyed. Humans went to war with each other, but it didn't last long. However, everything we knew had changed. We abolished the old laws from existence and created maybe fifty or so new ones, calling it the Law. These were major rules for any of the kingdoms; the breaking of any would result in torture or death, nothing less. Things like murder, treason, truancy, and unfair treatment of slaves are just some the things that go against the Law.

"I understand."

"It won't be all bad, however. I've been informed that my apprentice, Pierre shall be attending the same school. You'll most likely meet him tomorrow." I smile at the thought of this. I look forward to meeting this Pierre fellow just for the sake of actually knowing someone around here, somebody I'll be able to talk to.

"Then I should be fine." Another long moment of silence passes. Finally, I stock my plate with the same fruits and meats as my Uncle, pouring myself a small glass of a clear wine. I slowly draw in the smell of the wine, its scent filling my nose with strawberries and sunshine. I take a sip and am very satisfied with the taste of this wine. I've only had wine a few other times, but I don't admit this to Uncle Edwin.

He smiles and lifts an odd shaped fruit to his lips. I pick up the same type of fruit, sinking my teeth into its soft flesh and letting the sweet juice flow into my mouth. The juice instantly clears my mind of any doubt the day had brought on me. It also makes me feel rejuvenated and stronger. I feel as if all of my senses have grown stronger in that moment, but I'm not sure how that could ever be possible. Sadly, my Uncle and I do not exchange any more words as we eat. By the time I'm finished, Uncle Edwin is already gone, but has been replaced by Tinsley. She sits beside me, her white hair tucked behind her pointed ear as she sips on a deep pink colored wine.

"Where did he go?" I ask shyly, a little embarrassed that I'd lost track of time. Tinsley doesn't seem bothered by the fact that he has just disappeared. She doesn't even look the least bit concerned.

"Where he always goes," she says calmly. Seeing the questioning look on my face, she speaks again. "Back to his workshop. He'll probably work through the night. Again."

"Tinsley?" I ask, finally gathering the confidence to ask this question.

"Yes?"

"What exactly is my Uncle's problem?" She turns her petite body to face me. Her face is pale and cold, eyes impassive. She lets out a soft noise that sounds like the beginning of a laugh, letting her smile fade before she speaks.

"He's insane."