A Fairy of Heart

Noticing Ailrees did not mind what he cooked and would only touch the fruits on the table, Valory gave Caleb some looks. "she didn't even touch it, my good man... do better, will ya?"

The young man had fixed Nick a platter, too, but it didn't take long for him to start munching off the girl's plate... if she wasn't going to eat it, he might as well.

Caleb knew there wasn't anything wrong with the food, he'd made it better than he would've were it for himself. But fair enough, if it wasn't to her liking, he wasn't going to duel on it... Valory's looks didn't cease, though.

Annoyed by the stillness in the room, Caleb threw an attempt to start a conversation.

- So... you into fall? – he asked given that the girl's eyes were fixated on the view out the window.

- Hm? Not specifically, but yes. Truly, even the harshness of winter has its beauty, doesn't it? Letting everything falter and die, just so life can begin anew next spring. – she said smiling lost in the calmness of the view. - It's the string of hope I'm grasping onto, I suppose. - she murmured to herself.

- It's a bit too early for me to get philosophical, but yeah, I guess. At least let me get another beer before I end up overthinking my way into depression. – he said jokingly.

- Fetch me one, too, mate. Cuddling season is upon us and my bed's been too damn cold. - Nikla joined in the convo complaining.

- Shut up. There's been no shortage of bodies on your bed, liar. - Valory called her brother off.

- It don't count if they leave before I wake up. - he replied with his mouth full of food.

- Wait,

what season are we in? – out of a sudden, Ailrees asked, intrigued.

'Could it really be fall already?'

she pondered. Her last memories were in spring

... how long had she been out for?

- Actually, it's summer. Mid-summer. Don't know why I said fall, guess the weather has been weird lately. – he answered to her double surprise.

- The colors,... they came earlier this year...

why? - she murmured to herself – could it be? -

- What? – Valory asked, curious.

- I ... I think ... - Ailrees stuttered with somber eyes and her smile gone, for she thought a thought so daunting she hardly could bring herself to say it out loud,

– I think... the forest is dying. –

- What's the big deal anyways? Isn't that what you just said happens every winter? – Nick questioned with his platter in his hand, heading to the couch.

- No. Well, yes... but that's not what I meant!

I think the forest is dying, for good...

something like an everlasting winter. -

- Not doubting you or anything, but...

that seems just a tad little far-fetched, doesn't it? – Valory questioned trying not to be rude.

- Yeah, climate change and all, you can't stop the seasons from following. – Caleb agreed with the blonde.

- Under normal circumstances, no.

But you can if you rid the forest of its fairies... - Ailrees argued.

- Now she's just talking nonsense, even I know that.

There's no such thing as fairies. – Nick responded.

- Not anymore it appears. - Ailrees sighed overwhelmed by the realization.

I surely wish I'm wrong,

but I think I might be the last one. –

So far, Ailrees still had hope she'd return home and somehow everything would be alright. Clearly, that wasn't the case. For the winds to be blowing so cold and the season to be so advanced, her people must be gone,

and with them, their magic, too.

- I failed them. And there is nothing I can do about it, stuck in this useless body! – she ranted, not understanding why her sister did that to her.

Why would she turn her human, even if to save her?

Ailrees was alone, without all she held dear.

"What was the point?" she wondered.

- Bro, I want what she's having!

She tripping hard, matte. - Nick joked. but if there was some left, he would take it...

- Don't be mean, Nick!

It could be the painkillers, right? - Valory said looking at Caleb awaiting validation, but he shook his head. They didn't give her anything at the hospital.

– maybe PTSD? – she threw it out in a mouthed murmur. The blonde wasn't going to call Ailrees crazy then and there, even if they were all inclined to consider she had some loose screws...

The girl seemed to truly believe she was a mythical being and was deeply upset.

- Okay... So, let's say, uh, if we were to play along...

what can I do to help? –

Caleb asked trying not to think too deeply about it. What if she told him to fight goblins and gnomes? I don't think the neighbors would be pleased to have him rampaging on their garden decor, to say the least.

- Yeah! What could we do? – the bombshell promptly joined in. Albeit, she was mainly interested in seeing how far the girl would take the delusion.

- Honestly, I don't know. I don't even know if I have any magic left in me.

And if I do, I'm sure it won't be enough to heal the forest. – Ailrees said so desolated she didn't notice the disbelief of the present party in her true nature. It never crossed her mind someone would doubt her.

- Well, we can't just leave it at that, right?

I say, why doesn't Caleb bring us where he found you and we'll see if something springs to mind... - Valory suggested,

and without arguing, they left right away. Otherwise, they'd have to deal with the awkwardness that engulfed the room. Nobody wanted that.

*************************

Although that morning Ailrees felt much better than the day before, she was far from feeling her best. So, in an act of self-preservation, she tried as well as she could to hide it. Not only would her pride hurt to let strangers see her struggle, but she still wasn't convinced said strangers were as harmless as they appeared to be. She vaguely remembered stories her elders would tell when she was little, about how humans leave a trail of destruction wherever they tread, and how one should always be wary of them.

After waking up in their world and meeting Caleb and his friends, she also wasn't so sure they were all that bad.

But the elders should know best, right?

As the group followed Caleb's route, walking by the river and then into the forest, the sound of water became ever so distant after each step. The chaotic calmness was replaced by the rattling of the crisp winds gushing through the leaves and onto their faces. A gentle touch yet so cold, it made their cheeks and the tips of their noses blush in the heart of summer.

Distracted by how well her body was responding to her surroundings, Ailrees didn't notice what felt so uncanny to Caleb: the absolute lack of wildlife.

Every stride into her homelands came lighter and lighter.

She was right where she belonged.

The girl could feel her strength slowly come back and the weight on her bones lift into the air as she filled her lungs with deep breaths. She had hoped this would happen, because as a forest fairy, she was bound to the very land she was born in.

Bound to live in it, respect it, and protect it.

It was as if their souls were an extension of the forest, and their powers were the strongest the closest they were to their birthplace. However, Ailrees had no idea how it would work now that she was human.

Luckily, though it seemed her body was human,

her soul was still one of a fairy.

Upon arrival at the clearing, Caleb was surprised to see that the untimely spring feel that surrounded the area just a month prior was gone. Completely gone. Not even replaced by an early autumn like the rest of the forest, just gone.

The whole clearing had gotten wider and all the plants in it, and enclosing it, were either dead or dying. With the exception of the willow he had found Ailrees under, which still had lush leaves and the last of its blooms.

- How could this be? – Caleb wondered out loud, not making sense of what his eyes were seeing.

- What do you mean? – Valory inquired.

- Last month, this place looked nothing like this! For starters, it was alive and there were flowers everywhere... Now, ... it's dead. I don't know how else to describe it. –

- Oh no,

This is not good!

This is bad... very bad!

Oh Gods, how I wished I was wrong! –

the little fairy let out bursting with anger and grievance as she saw what was going to become of her forest.

The very sight of that place made her heart burn.

That was where she saw her people fall, and now she couldn't stop seeing it.

Over and over again.

Painfully, flames engulfed her chest, growing stronger by the second, and quickly driving her mad.

Everywhere she looked, she saw their faces and heard their voices as they were killed.

Not even closing her eyes could she escape it, making her wish she could simply tear her raging heart out and be done with it.

Trembling and tumbling, with tears running down her face, Ailrees ran towards the great willow and threw herself at its base.

She gathered all the rage and the pain that burned inside and took a deep breath, then, lifted her hand and touched the tree closing her eyes shut.

She was but a single fairy, she knew she wasn't enough.

She knew she wasn't strong enough to heal the whole forest,

but she sure would try!

Letting the woods die was not an option.

Suddenly, a blast coming from below pushed fresh new growth out of all the dead dirt.

And Ailrees collapsed on the ground,

covered by the willow's beautiful blooms.