Status: still in progress
The Ebony Secret
Fen
The dawn was fresh and clean, as if it had had taken the previous day's events out of the world. Alexis pulled her achy and shaky body so she could try to walk back home. She was terrified of what she might find there. She walked, not knowing if she was getting closer, or farther away from her house. When she knew she could not take the endless, mindless walking any longer; she settled down under a large, grandfatherly oak tree.
Then she heard it; music vaguely familiar to her ears, yet still new to her as well. Then, she was hit with realization. It was Lassirra's flute! She wouldn't have ever mistaken that sound. It was a unique sound to her, pure, beautiful music.
She first wondered if she were dreaming. She looked at her arm,dirty with grass stains and mud, and pinched it.
“Ow,” she whispered to herself, “I guess I'm not dreaming then.”
She now had no doubt that it was real, she did not know why, but like before she wanted to follow it as deep into the forest as it could go, like she was being pulled by a magnet. The early morning forest smelled like dew and wildflowers. She almost thought she could smell the music, it was that loud. She got up, walked to a tree, turned a corner and finally ended her suspense.
Lassirra was sitting under a tree, flute in hand. She was playing it gracefully, and then she noticed that Alexis was watching. She looked wary for a moment; but then seemed pleased to find her.
“Follow me.”
Then, Lassirra began to run and Alexis tried her best to follow her and keep up. She ran through nettles and thistles, and her legs stung badly, but she still was determined to see what Lassirra wanted to show her.
They finally, after a long time of running, came to a large, darkening clearing. The sun was beginning to set very quickly. Alexis was surprised that it had taken the whole day to get there. Lassirra and Alexis waited until what must have been midnight. because the silver slivered moon was high above their heads. By then, Lassirra had acquired a very bright and green aura of light around her. They watched their surroundings, and one by one, several other small beings; ranging from a few inches to a few feet came into the clearing.
They gathered around her, purple, blue, yellow, green and pink night lights brightening a tense child's room. Alexis was a little frightened, but mostly in awe of the peculiar lighted beings. Lassirra walked a way from Alexis and took a tall one with purple dragonfly wings away from the loose gathering and talked to her. As they talked , Alexis heard one word, “Ebony”.
When they joined the group once more; Lassirra asked for a private conversation with Alexis. They walked a few feet away while the group murmured.
“Now, Alexis; I don't think that I'll be able to deliver this information to you properly, so I'll let my elder, Fen explain to you what's going on. Although she isn't the queen of the fairies; she knows a lot about you.”
Fairies. Now that's what they are, Alexis thought. She had heard of fairies before, little beings with wings that granted humans riches and happiness, but sometimes took their children and exchanged them with fairy changelings.
Lassirra turned her over to Fen, which apparently was the purple one with dragonfly wings. Fen began to speak.
“Hello Alexis.”
Alexis returned her greeting.
“I understand you met Lassirra last night.”
“But it was a dream. I-”
“I know that, Alexis. Lassirra sent you that dream so that you could meet her here tonight. She apologizes for the inconvenience of Mr. Simmons.”
Alexis' eyes started to tear up.
“It's alright, dear, your parents are fine. Just a little bit tedious, but that is fine because they've been like that their entire life.”
“How are they-” Alexis asked, confused.
“Hush.” Fen whispered.
Alexis looked at her. She had transparent lilac dragonfly wings and long, wavy brown hair. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties; if she were a human, but she was clearly something else, like all the other creatures in the clearing. She was wearing a stunning dress of large, round black petals.
Fen caught her admiring her dress.
“Ah, those are black rose petals.”
Alexis' eyes widened in surprise and wonder.
“Where did you get those?”
“Ebony, dear, I'll tell you about that later. Right now, I need you to help. To help bring back the secrets of Ebony. I understand you come from a rather wealthy family?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so, Lassirra said that was the reason that Norman Simmons was trying to take you. Easy cash; how selfish the world has become.”
She continued.
“Your family; they look down on the beautiful things in life, imagination, Mother Nature, childish play. All they care about is your education and scholarship, even though you live miles into the woods; with barely any good job opportunities coming your way for a while. Work is good, though, but they needed to fuel your mind with creativity, not monotonous work and study.”
“But what about that deer Lassirra was riding in the dream?”
“The deer, his name is Ghusoon. He is her deer she rides between the worlds. I can take you to see him later.”
“Where is he?”
“Ebony, now go hold hand with the rest of us, we'll be there soon. Don't be afraid.”
Alexis cautiously rejoined the circle, and they all held hands. Her hands began to glow like the rest of the fairies. Before she knew it, they were gone.
Then she heard it; music vaguely familiar to her ears, yet still new to her as well. Then, she was hit with realization. It was Lassirra's flute! She wouldn't have ever mistaken that sound. It was a unique sound to her, pure, beautiful music.
She first wondered if she were dreaming. She looked at her arm,dirty with grass stains and mud, and pinched it.
“Ow,” she whispered to herself, “I guess I'm not dreaming then.”
She now had no doubt that it was real, she did not know why, but like before she wanted to follow it as deep into the forest as it could go, like she was being pulled by a magnet. The early morning forest smelled like dew and wildflowers. She almost thought she could smell the music, it was that loud. She got up, walked to a tree, turned a corner and finally ended her suspense.
Lassirra was sitting under a tree, flute in hand. She was playing it gracefully, and then she noticed that Alexis was watching. She looked wary for a moment; but then seemed pleased to find her.
“Follow me.”
Then, Lassirra began to run and Alexis tried her best to follow her and keep up. She ran through nettles and thistles, and her legs stung badly, but she still was determined to see what Lassirra wanted to show her.
They finally, after a long time of running, came to a large, darkening clearing. The sun was beginning to set very quickly. Alexis was surprised that it had taken the whole day to get there. Lassirra and Alexis waited until what must have been midnight. because the silver slivered moon was high above their heads. By then, Lassirra had acquired a very bright and green aura of light around her. They watched their surroundings, and one by one, several other small beings; ranging from a few inches to a few feet came into the clearing.
They gathered around her, purple, blue, yellow, green and pink night lights brightening a tense child's room. Alexis was a little frightened, but mostly in awe of the peculiar lighted beings. Lassirra walked a way from Alexis and took a tall one with purple dragonfly wings away from the loose gathering and talked to her. As they talked , Alexis heard one word, “Ebony”.
When they joined the group once more; Lassirra asked for a private conversation with Alexis. They walked a few feet away while the group murmured.
“Now, Alexis; I don't think that I'll be able to deliver this information to you properly, so I'll let my elder, Fen explain to you what's going on. Although she isn't the queen of the fairies; she knows a lot about you.”
Fairies. Now that's what they are, Alexis thought. She had heard of fairies before, little beings with wings that granted humans riches and happiness, but sometimes took their children and exchanged them with fairy changelings.
Lassirra turned her over to Fen, which apparently was the purple one with dragonfly wings. Fen began to speak.
“Hello Alexis.”
Alexis returned her greeting.
“I understand you met Lassirra last night.”
“But it was a dream. I-”
“I know that, Alexis. Lassirra sent you that dream so that you could meet her here tonight. She apologizes for the inconvenience of Mr. Simmons.”
Alexis' eyes started to tear up.
“It's alright, dear, your parents are fine. Just a little bit tedious, but that is fine because they've been like that their entire life.”
“How are they-” Alexis asked, confused.
“Hush.” Fen whispered.
Alexis looked at her. She had transparent lilac dragonfly wings and long, wavy brown hair. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties; if she were a human, but she was clearly something else, like all the other creatures in the clearing. She was wearing a stunning dress of large, round black petals.
Fen caught her admiring her dress.
“Ah, those are black rose petals.”
Alexis' eyes widened in surprise and wonder.
“Where did you get those?”
“Ebony, dear, I'll tell you about that later. Right now, I need you to help. To help bring back the secrets of Ebony. I understand you come from a rather wealthy family?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so, Lassirra said that was the reason that Norman Simmons was trying to take you. Easy cash; how selfish the world has become.”
She continued.
“Your family; they look down on the beautiful things in life, imagination, Mother Nature, childish play. All they care about is your education and scholarship, even though you live miles into the woods; with barely any good job opportunities coming your way for a while. Work is good, though, but they needed to fuel your mind with creativity, not monotonous work and study.”
“But what about that deer Lassirra was riding in the dream?”
“The deer, his name is Ghusoon. He is her deer she rides between the worlds. I can take you to see him later.”
“Where is he?”
“Ebony, now go hold hand with the rest of us, we'll be there soon. Don't be afraid.”
Alexis cautiously rejoined the circle, and they all held hands. Her hands began to glow like the rest of the fairies. Before she knew it, they were gone.