Chapter 3: A Beautiful Friendship Begins

Two misfits have a growing interest in each other.

 Like my mother, I almost always kept my wings tucked away.  They were somewhat weak from lack of use.  Not so with my legs.  Since I ran or walked almost everywhere I went, my legs were strong and quick.  I’d never raced anyone, but would bet good money I could outrun anyone in the kingdom, man or woman.  So I ran back to the dance, a little thrill traveling through me for being able to do something for this mysterious stranger.  For being able to do something for anyone, really.

 Everyone at dances always treated me as invisible.  Instead of hurting my feelings, it came in useful for once.  I wouldn’t have to explain to anyone where I was taking all the food.  I also grabbed Lumenovus a seed husk full of wine.

 When I returned to him I was red-faced and out of breath, bearing a small feast.

 “Did you run?” he asked in disbelief.

 “Well,” I gasped, “I hate when people stare at my wings, or laugh at them, or...”

 “No, I just meant...  You really hurried, for me?  You didn’t have to do that, or any of this.  Thank you.”  He had a wide, easy grin of pure gratitude.

 “Well, here.”  I handed everything through the bars.  “I hope you enjoy it,” I added, looking him in the eye.

 “Thank you,” he said again, his expression sobering as he looked back at me.  He sat with his food, and I heard him sniff.

 “Are you...  Crying?” I asked.  Yes, I could see moonlight reflecting off of tears in his eyes!  “What’s wrong?”

 “Nothing,” he half laughed, half cried.  “Nothing’s wrong.  I just haven’t seen a bit of kindness for a long time.  Now on top of visiting me you’ve brought me all this food, and drink.  Fast as you could, at that, as if I mattered.  I can’t tell you what it means to me right now...  It means everything, and I don’t even have any way to thank or repay you.”

 “You’ve already thanked me, twice.” I said.  “And listened to my own silly problems.”  Then the alcohol spoke again for me.  “If you really want to repay me, will you tell me more about the witch?  And why she shrank you?”

 He finished what he was chewing, and looked at his cup of wine.  “Why?  Well, I can’t really talk about that, not now.  There’s some things about it that I need to figure out for myself, before I can really say anything about it.  It’s confusing...  For now, I’ll just say there’s something I wouldn’t do for her.”

 “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

 “Not at all.  Your interest is quite flattering, to be perfectly honest.”

 I was glad he was focused on his food, because I felt myself blush.  “Have you any family anywhere?”

 “No, I’m just a traveler.”

 “How did you happen across the witch?”

 He gave a smile which let me know the wine was working on him as well.  He spread his hands comically and said, “Traveling,” with a gentle laugh.

 I laughed with him, and hated more than ever to see him in that cell.  He was no thief, and certainly no danger to anyone.

 “Really, she heard me speaking at an inn.  That’s what I do.  I travel and speak to people.  Most don’t like to hear what I have to say.  She did.  Or, looking back, maybe that was all an act.  It should have upset her as much as anyone, if not more.  Like I said, it’s all confusing right now, I just need to sort it out...”

 “Well, what do you have to say?”

 “I’m a little overwhelmed to get into it right now,” he said apologetically.  “I don’t think it would apply to you folk, being immortal, anyway.  In short, I talk about how I think we should live.  Just sharing thoughts.”  He yawned.  “I’m a little drunk, and I have the first full belly I’ve had in days.  I’m enjoying your company very much, but I must ask your forgiveness if I happen to doze off.”

 “Of course,” I said, and I felt my cheeks flush again.  I was shocked to realize how foreign a feeling it was to be welcome anywhere.  No one had ever wanted me around, not since my mother was alive.  It was a nice feeling, and I liked being around him, too.  There was something relaxing about it.   And I still wanted to know more about him, but what?

 As before, he spared me the burden of making conversation.  “Can I ask you something now?”

 “Please,” I said.

 He paused to gather words in his mind.  He was nervous about something.  “I don’t want to offend you, so I don’t know how to ask.”

 I worried when he said that, and resolved that even if he did offend me, I’d act as if he hadn’t.  After all, there was so much he didn’t know about us, he was bound to make some kind of indiscretion.  “It’s okay,” I urged.

 “I don’t mean to be calling you a liar or anything but I don’t know how else to put it.  Did someone really call you ugly, ‘in front of everyone’ as you put it?  I mean I believe you, I don’t think you made it up, I just don’t...  Understand?  Maybe what I’m asking is, is there a story to go with it?  I just can’t see it happening.”

 All that nervousness, about having me think he doubted my word?  A girl’s opinion didn’t count for a thing, why should he even care?  Was it because I had brought him food?  He was so different from us I never knew what he was going to say next, but I was enjoying it.  I laughed.  “You were worried that I’d be offended just because you didn’t believe something I said?”

 “No, I do believe it,” he pleaded, so desperate for me to believe him that I had to laugh again.

 “I’m not offended,” I smiled.  “And I don’t understand some of the things you worry about.  Yes, he insulted me in front of everyone, what’s so hard to imagine?”

 “Just...  Why, or how, or...  What did he say, exactly?  How did it come up?”

 “Well, I do believe why was already covered,” I said, pointing toward my back.  “I don’t know how much of a ‘story’ there is, but here’s what happened...”

Reviews

[Sarah]

This is a short chapter connecting the initial meeting of the two and whatever happened. I think it was very well done in the fact that it built suspense. Especially at the end of the chapter when the reader is left not knowing. I like how in the beginning Lavender connects how she keeps her wings hidden to her mother. It's somewhat contradicting since her mother always told her how beautiful she was, yet keeps her own wings concealed. It makes me want to know if she really believed the words she was telling her daughter. I enjoyed the dialogue throughout and it really shows the contrast between the fairies and humans. Lumenovus wasn't sure if Lavender would be offended. I'm not sure if this is a contrast, but either way, it shows that they aren't similar and they both had different upbringings. Well done, and I look forward to reading the next chapter!