The Ebony Secret

Now, Alexis found herself in a deep, beautiful forest. It was even more beautiful then the one at home. There were gorgeous wildflowers and mosses growing on every inch of the forest floor. Alexis was hesitant to step anywhere in fear that she would crush something.

She heard a jingly bell and turned around. Floating next to her, was the tiny pink fairy that she had seen earlier at her milk bowl.

“Hello,” she said to Alexis, “I'm Diantha. I believe we've met?”

Diantha had fuchsia-pink hair, like some of the wildflowers surrounding her. She was wearing a dress made out of pinkish leaves and tiny pink florets. She had a tiny, but beautiful smile that was highly contagious to Alexis. She smiled back at her.

“My queen told me to be your guide tonight, my lady.”

“Nice to meet you.” Alexis said, still smiling.

“Follow me.” Diantha said

“I don't want to crush-”

“Ah, don't worry.”

Alexis now had her small white butterfly wings that she got when she was visiting Ebony. Remembering the place, she asked Diantha.

“Diantha? Wait.”

“Yeah, Alexis?”

“Nobody ever told me what Ebony was exactly.”

“Ah, exactly what my task is, follow me.”

Diantha flew away very quickly, like a dragonfly. Alexis almost yelled at her to stop, but found out quickly that her wings could propel her through the air. She found it exhilarating to fly at almost the same speed as Diantha.

Diantha stopped at an old, light brown tree stump. She sat down on it and tiny shoots of wildflowers shot out of the wood. Around them were golden yellow and deep purple wildflowers.

“Sit here, Alexis.” Diantha said, patting a spot next to her that flowers than sprung up from.

Alexis sat next to the flowers and looked down at Diantha. The little fairy began to speak.

“If you're curious to know, I am, and many of the other fairies you saw last night, flower fairies.”

“Do you have a certain type of flower you are?” Alexis asked her.

“Yes, actually. Most of us do. Mine is lantana.” she held one of the small flowers that were on her dress,“Now, Ebony. Ebony is one of the realms, or worlds that fairies live in.”

Alexis nodded.

“Your realm is one, too, but we tend to stay invisible. That's why you don't see us. We're everywhere, you just can't see us.”

Then Diantha stopped talking long enough for Alexis to notice the forest even more. The wildflowers and mosses grew all along the floor and even in the trees. The trees were large, old oaks and other trees Alexis couldn't identify.

“Ebony is one of the darker worlds. There are many others that are dark, but a lot that are light as well. Same thing goes for fairies, there are both light and dark. And dark doesn't necessarily mean bad.'

She paused, and fixed one of the lantana flowers on her dress. Alexis noticed that there were many of the flowers growing around the forest, bright pink and intoxicating.

“You'll be able to tell when you see a bad fairy. They don't feel good to be around. Nasty, vile, things.”

Alexis heard a cruel cackling. She shuddered and tried to picture the image of the thing that would make that noise.

“Ebony only houses good fairies. Do you know what ebony is, the wood?”

Alexis thought, and said, “Yeah, a scholar taught me that its a tree that lives in the tropics. It's dark wood.”

“Good. At least we know all that education wasn't all a waste. It's a shame though to see them wasting you childhood years.”

“I've only read one fairy tale, and I had to do it secretly. My parents think it rots my mind to read them, because they're not real. But if they are real, why don't they let me?” Alexis asked.

“Well, most people don't believe in us. And lots of the few people who see us don't believe in what they saw. Our queen, Maeve, knows something about you. She won't tell me, because I'm not very high in rank. I hope she tells you soon, after your tasks are over.”

“I don't understand what my tasks are, Diantha.”

“Your tasks, they're just to listen. To listen and be open to these dreams. You'll need to know them. The whole world needs to know these dreams, Alexis” Diantha said, looking spaced out and distant. “Now I'm afraid I have to let you go, although it's been a pleasure.”

“Thank you.”Alexis said, trying to absorb the beauty of the surroundings before they disappeared.

The light dimmed, until there was no light left at all, and then Alexis woke up in her own bed, Polly curled up beside her.

She stuck her hand under her pillow to see what Diantha had left her. Disappointed to only feel sticky honey from the previous night, she wondered where it could be.

Polly was awake now, and staring at her neck, eyes darting back and forth. Alexis felt around at her neck, to find what felt like a large stone on a chain.

She took it off her neck, and the dim light from the rising sun showed inside the clear crystal, there was a pink lantana flower, fresh and beautiful. Alexis wondered how it could have gotten there. Clutching it, feeling how cool and smooth it was, she fell back asleep. While she fell asleep, she heard Diantha say, “Norman Simmons is a bad fairy.”