The Flight of a Fairy-Story One

Perched upon a small green leaf attached on a strong branch of a tall tree, sat a small fairy peering at the scene that lay below her, her round green eyes framed with thick smoky lashes wide in curiosity. Long black hair cascaded down her back in soft bouncy curls, her skin smooth and deeply tanned. Freckles grazed across her face as if someone had sprinkled dust on her nose. She licked her pink heart-shaped lips and crept closer to the edge of the leaf.1

The day had been a long hot one and she was glad that the sun had disappeared behind the tall mountains and only the moon and stars were left to shine. A slight breeze was blowing though it felt quite warm on the fairy’s naked shoulders. The breeze was causing the leaves to rustle a bit so she was careful to watch her balance it was dark and hard to see but with her excellent sense of sight, she could see perfectly. 2

“ Melina, what on earth do you think you’re doing?” 3

Melina paused, rolling her eyes. “ I’m doing nothing, Summer.”4

“ You were spying on the humans again, weren’t you?” 5

Melina turned to her best friend, Summer. She was a strawberry blonde with pale blue eyes and rosy cheeks. She was wearing a long dark blue dress, appropriate attire for a young fairy, perfectly matched with her baby blue wings. “ I wasn’t spying, Summer,” Melina protested. “ I was just looking.” Summer raised her eyebrows in response. “ They’re completely different! Besides there hasn’t been a human around our side of the woods in ages.”6

“ That’s a good thing,” Summer whispered, her wings twitching nervously. “Humans are dangerous Melina.”7

“ Oh pooh, they are not.”8

“ Last time, you injured your wings real bad,” Summer pointed out.9

“ My wings are fine,” Melina replied automatically, reaching her hand up to touch her delicate silver wings.10

Summer sighed in exasperation, her arms folded across her chest. “ Do I have to get my brother to come and drag you home?”11

Melina’s face erupted in a bright smile. “ Go on then. Get Dimitri to come and fetch me.” 12

Summer uncrossed her arms, realizing her mistake too late. “ Oh…oh no. I wouldn’t think of doing such a thing. Don’t even begin to think that I don’t know about your infatuation with my brother. Believe me, I know. I also know of the complete fascination you two have for going on crazy adventures.”13

Melina adjusted the skirt of her long white dress. “ Oh come off it, Summer.”14

Summer pulled Melina away from the edge of the leaf. “ I’m serious! Dimitri is in enough trouble for abusing the privilege of using magic.”15

“ Honestly, Summer, it’s not a privilege. We were all born with the ability to do so,” Melina argued.16

“ That’s beside the point! Will you just come home?”17

Melina shook her head. “ No, I’ll be fine.”18

“ Fine. Meddle around with humans if it suits you,” Summer replied, flying off.19

Melina shrugged and turned back to the sleeping humans below her. 20

“ Lady Melina, ready for another adventure?”21

Melina stood up and dipped in the required curtsy whenever a male fairy was present.22

Dimitri laughed. “ There is no need for formalities with me, Melina.”23

“ Oh, I didn’t realize it was you,” Melina answered, looking at the handsome fairy with his curly brown hair, gray eyes and large strong white wings. “ There are two humans down there.”24

“ I know. They’ve been there for a few days,” Dimitri said. “ Come on, Melina, let’s just go to the capital.”25

“ The capital?” Melina repeated, a look of disappointment painted on her face. “But…”26

Dimitri wrapped his fingers around hers. “ Come on Melina, let’s go.”27

She smiled, letting her loose curls fall in her face, hiding her pink cheeks. She threw one last wistful look at the humans and sighed. “ All right then, if you insist.”28

They lifted off the branch slowly, their wings fluttering and shot off toward the capital. It was completely dark but both of their fairy sights were tuned in. Melina took a deep breath as they weaved in and out of the trees and sighed happily. If there was anything in the world that she loved the most, it was flying. She was one of the fastest flyers in her community.29

They touched down, their bare feet landing on the soft wet grass. Several fairies were lounging around the waterfall, which was part of a small stream. Some of the young fairies were taking turns jumping into the stream. A few elders were taking care of their children, for they wouldn’t get their wings until they were about eight years of age. 30

Melina hopped a few stones across the stream to the other side and up to a small hill. Melina fell backward and fell on a soft pad of grass. She liked the way the grass felt on her bare skin. Dimitri lay on the grass next to her and for a few minutes they just looked at the night sky. 31

“ What do you think is out there, Dimitri?” Melina asked softly.32

“ Out where?” Dimitri asked, looking at her curiously. 33

She wrinkled her nose. “ I don’t know, everywhere. I’ve never been out of the forest.”34

“ It’s a big world, Melina, but we’re fine in the forest. I don’t think the world would react too kindly to fairies,” Dimitri answered. He leaned over and kissed her lightly, as soft as a butterfly.35

Melina waited a little and just as she’d predicted, he’d fallen asleep. She rolled over on her stomach and propped herself on her elbows. “ Dimitri? Dimitri?” she said softly. She grinned and started crawling away. When she was a safe enough distance away she stood up and flew back to the tree. She was relieved to find that the humans were still there and still asleep.36

She flew downward and landed softly on the dirt. Her eyes widened at their size. They had looked so much smaller from up in the trees. They had to be over and a half feet, hung compared to her mere six inches. She crept around, careful to not make so much noise. She came up right next to one, who was snoring loudly. Melina wished that they were awake so she could play around. Her wings had mended perfectly since the last time she’d faced humans.37

Melina snooped around, looking through all of their stuff and even nipping a bit of their food. Every once in awhile one of them would stir and cause her to fly five feet in the air. Then she would shake her head and laugh, returning back down to the ground.38

When was ready to leave, she made sure everything was in its proper place. She glided her hands over her silky wings making sure they were ready for flight. 39

“ Well, well, what do we have here?”40

Melina froze, her heart beating wildly. One of the humans had woken up, the male. Her mind kept telling her to fly but her wings were still. Her eyes rose up to trees, praying that Summer or Dimitri were hovering above, but there were no signs of fairy life.41

The human looked at Melina curiously, his eyes wide in disbelief. “ Bridgett, look! Look! I told you there were such things as fairies.”42

The other human rolled over and groaned. “ Aw come on Kevin, go back to sleep. Stop bothering me with such nonsense.”43

The male shook his head, his longish blonde hair swinging from the movement. “ Get the cage,” he hissed.44

Melina’s wings finally started working, making a soft noise as they fluttered. She started to rise up and the male’s eyes widened. “ Oh no you don’t,” the male cried, snatching Melina up in his large meaty hand.45

Melina struggled and tried to wriggle herself free but his grip was too tight. She tried to use her Magic but her fingertips weren’t experiencing the Glow. She could feel her wings crushing under the pressure. 46

The female human had finally pulled her blankets off of her and was sitting up, rubbing her eyes. “ Geez, Kevin, it’s two in the morning, go back to sleep.” Then her eyes widened at the sight of the small fairy clutched in the male’s fist. She crawled slowly to one of the duffel bags and pulled out a small barbed wire cage.47

Melina gasped at the sight of it and started banging her fist and kicking her legs. Her Magic finally started kicking in and her fingertips starting to Glow. She touched the male and muttered the incantation for a heavy burning spell.48

“ Ow!” the male howled, letting go of Melina. Melina fell hard on the ground. Her hands immediately reached up to her damaged wings. “ Oh man,” she groaned, “ the elders are going to kill me.” She got up and started to run as fast as her little fairy legs would let her. She fell backwards as an enormous foot stepped right in front of her. 49

“ Now where do you think you’re going?” the female asked, smiling down at her, the cage still clutched in her bony hands. She bent over to grab Melina but stopped when an additional voice echoed down on them.50

“ Melina, fly! Fly away!”51

Melina looked up and saw Dimitri swooping down towards them, his wings spread wide. “ I…I can’t,” Melina said. “ My wings are damaged!”52

“ Then run!” Dimitri yelled. He took off toward the female.53

Melina’s mind urged her to run but her legs were stationary, her feet stuck to the ground.54

“ Go!” Dimitri repeated.55

Melina whirled around, her soft curls falling her face as she ran toward cover. She tumbled a few times but managed to keep her balance. She dove into a pile of leaves, peeking out cautiously, breathing quickly. Dimitri was laughing, dodging the humans’ flailing arms. He was enjoying himself. 56

Dimitri paused in between both of them. “ Come on and get me!” he called, his hands on his hips. Both humans yelled countless obscenities and ran toward the fairy. Dimitri waited until the very last second and shot up. The two humans ran right into each other with a loud smack. “ Melina, Melina,” Dimitri called softly.57

“ I’m right here,” she called back, climbing out from underneath the leaves. Dimitri flew over next to her and landed, leaves and twigs crinkling underneath his bare feet. He reached over and touched her wings. 58

“ Oh Melina not again,” Dimitri groaned. 59

“ I know. I’m afraid I couldn’t quite help myself,” Melina apologized.60

Dimitri kept his fingertips on her wings, transmitting some Magic into them. “I’m no elder but that should help until we get to the capital.” He scooped her up in his arms and started to fly to the capital. When they arrived there he found a nice patch of old shed bird feathers and lay Melina against them. 61

“ I’m going to go get an elder okay?” Dimitri asked softly.62

Melina nodded, still feeling quite guilty and completely dreading the lecture she’d get for spying and meddling with humans. 63

“ Oh and Melina?” he continued his face close to hers.64

“ Yeah?” she asked hopefully, as his face got even closer. 65

“ Next time you decide to go on an adventure, don’t forget to bring me,” he replied smiling. 66