You know that feeling when you are doing something totally okay but it feels like if anyone saw you doing it you would get in trouble?
Yeah, that’s what it felt like, sneaking around town in the middle of the night.
Our small group was walking casually through the streets of Portside as the harpies watched overhead. Not a single one of them moved, but I could feel their eyes on us. I waited for them to leap down and start clawing at us.
“Act normal, fairy.” Emelina leaned over as I walked next to her. “If you act like you aren’t supposed to be here, the harpies will end up searching us.”
She skipped back over, the two wizards going silent.
Right, the illegal fairy was supposed to act normal. Still, her words did have meaning. They told the guards they were going to go to the academy and it would be stranger if we didn’t. I just didn’t like walking bare in front of our enemies.
So, we walked right past them.
Once we were out of their range, Sora was able to sit up and talk to us without getting feathers in his mouth.
“So, two more weeks until the big six zero birthday. What should we do this month?”
“Wait, did you just say that Yasmin is turning sixty?” Arwen halted, the cart stopping with him. “You look like you’re twenty years old or something like that.”
“Well, technically I’m eighty-four years old Arwen.”
He turned to face Emelina; eyebrows raised.
“What? I’m not a human and I age differently. You humans are so strange, you age so slowly but die so quickly. It really is so strange when you think about it.”
“And when were you going to say this, Emmy? Was I supposed to know you weren’t our age?”
Emelina and I shared a laugh. “Arwen, this is what you humans do. You look at someone and assume so many things about them. We, most magical creatures, understand that looks are nothing. Someone old can have no experience and those that look young could be older than you. Nymphs are special, they shoot up but once they reach a certain age they don’t really change.”
He took a deep breath and we continued walking.
“Anything else I should know about you guys or what you can do?”
“Well, I don’t like too much heat or fire and yeah. I think that’s it.”
“I have four birthdays each year.”
“I absolutely have no idea to do with my wings when I’m standing and they are surprisingly heavy.”
Marakin shook her wings, hitting Sora as she let out a grunt and several small honks to join in with our conversation.
Arwen tripped on a rock, jerking the cart as he stared at me.
“Is that why you’re sixty? And how do you have four birthdays in a year?”
“Simple, I age up each month. So the twenty-third of each month I age a year. We mature faster than humans and live longer. Fairies are really just humans that were blessed by the angels. That’s the story anyway.”
He just shook his head and faced forward. He though we were so weird, imagine how it was for me? Some humans have magic but others don’t. Even if you have magic, it’s different for everyone. Fairies all could fly and could encourage nature. That’s it.
Silence surrounded us as we walked in the star light. As we got further away from town, more and more trees popped up and soon we were in a forest.
It was different to have trees so close to the ground. The leaves were smaller and they kept touching me. Sometimes it felt like a Roller was crawling on my arm or something. Still, it was pretty to see the stars through the trees, filtering through and shining on us.
We got tired pretty quickly, and soon we set up camp so we could all sleep. Emelina was asleep within minutes while Arwen and I stayed up.
“I said I would take the first visit, Yasmin. You can sleep by Sora if you want.”
Sure enough, Sora was snoring by Marakin’s side.
I crossed my legs as I undid my braid. I didn’t want to stay up with him, I really should sleep because we have a lot of land to cross.
Yet, I couldn’t.
Arwen was interesting. By the light of the fire, his skin glowed along with his eyes. They were dark during the day, sometimes almost black; now they were the color of amber and honey. I stared at him, falling down into his warmth.
I wanted to know more about him. His family suffered and yet he was the top of his class and was probably skilled enough to serve the dragons. He never would, but how long had he been fighting? What would he do afterwards? Why was I even curious?
“Yasmin?”
“What?”
He smiled and I stared down at my feet. What was wrong with my heart?
“Are you alright? I asked you a question and I didn't get your answer. You can sleep, I’ll watch over us.”
I probably should, I was acting funny for some reason.
I stood, shaking out my braids and throwing them back over my shoulder. I looked down at him; his eyes were a fire all on their own. I swear, I heard him say something and heat climbed up my face and I ran away; hiding in Marakin’s feathers.
What was that, Yasmin! What was wrong with me?
I was born to help Sorata, to move his life along and find his happiness. I couldn’t get distracted, and defiantly not by a boy!
I was too old to be distracted like this. Falling in love was something newbies do, people who were weak or needy. I wasn’t anything like that, I was stronger.
Yet, as I laid with my dove, I couldn’t get his eyes out of my head. Then there was his little smile, or when only one part of his mouth moved to the side. Oh, and when he ran his fingers through his curls. They were bigger than my Renri’s tight coils. Arwen’s were big enough to twirl around my finger and watch it bounce.
This wasn’t working!
At this rate, I wouldn’t sleep. I would just waste the night away thinking about one of our team members. Which, wasn’t going to help us.
I should think about the dragons. We need to reach the rebels and then see if they have any plans. Launch an attack and recruiting would happen next. I bet Arwen could convince people to help us. When he smiled, it always seemed like he was shining. I blame his smooth skin, or the bit of hair growing on his jaw. His very angled jaw. Of course, it wasn’t too angled where it seemed strange but enough to notice. Especially when he rubbed it as he pondered.
I let out a groan and I rolled in my leaf bag.
This had never happened to me! And it wouldn’t happen to me.
The mission, think about the mission.
When we defeated the dragons, we would need to change the government. Sora doesn’t want to be a leader, at least not now. We could make a council of all the races to support equality. Arwen would fit perfectly, supporting the magical humans. I bet he could even run the wizarding school. He seems the kind of man that would work well with children without it coming on too strong.
I opened my eyes, staring up at the sky. I think he said something, but the idea of him finding me pretty or complimenting my hair really wasn't helping my situation. But his soft voice as he stared at me; I couldn't get it out of my head.
I'm screwed.
I think I’m falling in love with Arwen Devoted.
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