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Come Fairies, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame!
William Butler Yeats
~~~~~~~ The battle ran on for weeks. Fairies and Goblins at war with each other over the mountain of Grianan of Aileach. It was unnecessary. The massacre’s only reason for being was the greed of the Goblins. They wanted wings. Specifically the Pearl Fairy wings. The iridescent wings which shone like pearls, and were laced with gold. She was the most powerful fairy to be born in 400 years. The fairies fought to protect them. Unbeknownst to her.Kaia begged her father to join in the battle, she had almost mastered her control over her magic and she could help. She was the best healer among them. But he would have none of it. However, like most stubborn 180-year-olds she ignored him and found herself on the battlefield, using her powers to heal those fallen.The battle was a horrific sight, fallen Fairies already fading into the dirt, their wings having been torn from their bodies. Goblins at every corner, using their strength to fight through the magic the fairies were throwing at them.Archery Pixies stood in rows, shooting sequence after sequence of fire arrows into the incoming herd of Goblins. The Goblins batting the arrows off like flies. It was an impossible battle. The Goblins had grown strong in the century since they last challenged the fairies and the humans expanding populations meant the fairies could only practice their magic in private.Kaia finished healing a Pixie and sent them on their way but not before unsheathing the golden sword and running into the battle, tucking her wings together as she slid underneath a Goblin and sliced into its legs. The Goblin cried out and fell to its knees, she came up behind it and buried the sword into it's back, watching as the tip poked through on the other side.Pulling it free, she turned around to fight another oncoming enemy, using the sword to block the attack with one hand and the other to used her magic to send the Goblin high into the air. She jumped up, launching herself after the Goblin. She used her legs to kick him back down to the earth. Her favourite trick.It was then that the Goblins formed their final attack. Allying themselves with the Faeries- the evil kindred of the Fairies. Their power was dark and used for destruction. They had broken away from the Fairies eons ago. The dark cloud ran over the floor of the battlefield like a storm. It searched out the Fairies still on the ground and climbed up them, disintegrating them from their very spot. The Fairies could not fight both, so the decision was made to flee, to take the Pearl Fairy and hideaway. Little did they know, they had already lost the war.
Chapter One
Kaia woke with a start, her eyes taking time to adjust to her surroundings. She coughed at the dust filling her lungs. Pain seared through her back causing her to cry out. She didn't dare to move. Her eyes darted around her, black smoke rose from the fallen Fairies as they faded into the dust. Fire burned the trees in the distance. From beyond that, she could see the stone ringfort that the Fairies called home, destroyed.She needed to move. She needed to get off the battlefield before the Goblins returned. Using her arms she pushed herself up. The dull ache turning to a ripple of agony. Screaming, she pushed through it, pushing herself into a sitting position.It was then that she felt it, through the pain on her back. She slowly looked over her shoulder. Fear replacing the pain. Her hope shattered when she could no longer see her pearl wings, replaced instead by a seeping wound. She began to weep, burying her face in her hands.The very essence of her had been stolen. She felt violated, abused, ruined. Her iridescent wings had been severed from her body. Cut through with a cutter blade- designed specifically for the removal of fairy wings. She had only seen one once, the jagged edge and silver tip had made her weak with fear.The blade was created to cause as much damage to a Fairies back. Right where the wings grew from. The scar that it would leave would forever remind her that her wings had been stolen. The realisation hit her like a blow to the stomach. She would never be allowed to return home. She would never be able to see her father again. And worst of all, she had lost her magic.She couldn't say how long she was there, but when she opened her eyes next, she was warm. She blinked a few times and made a small whimper of a noise.“Hello, don’t worry. You’re safe now.” a brunette lady said softly, tucking the blanket around Kaia’s neck. They were moving. She guessed they were in one of the human's automobiles. The movement made Kaia feel uneasy but the woman's smile helped her to relax as she drifted off again.
“Kaia! Come down from there right now!” Her father yelled from the ground, looking up at the small fairy in the apple tree, her legs wrapped around a branch as she reached for the reddest apple she had ever seen.
“Father, don't worry! We’re Fairies! We can fly remember? I’m not going to fall.” She giggled stretching as she reaches further. Her legs released, a small slip that sent her falling to the ground.
“Kaia!” Her father called out as she dropped to the Earth. Only a metre off the ground her wings picked up the wind and caught her. She giggled as her father walked towards her with his hands on his hips. She landed with a soft ‘thud’ and held out her hand. The crisp red apple sitting on her palm.
“What was she doing out there?” Kaia heard a male voice say as she was pushed along on a bed of sorts. Cool, artificial air hit her face as she began to blink.“I’m not sure, she has an injury on her back though, I need a closer look.” The woman who had spoken to her earlier said. They hadn’t noticed her yet, so she closed her eyes again. Listening.“The infirmary is set up for you Doctor Magnus.” the man said. Once they were alone, Kaia opened her eyes again and looked around the bright white room, squinting as her eyes adjusted. She slowly pushed herself up, the pain was significantly lesser replaced now with the stiffness of her joints.“You’re awake again.” the brunette says softly, walking over to her. “I am Doctor Helen Magnus, do you want to tell me your name?”Kaia stayed silent, her fear was controlling her. She pulled her knees up and held them close to her as a comfort. She tucked her face into her knees and allowed silent tears to fall.“That's alright, we will get there.” She smiles “You’ve been injured, may I check?” Doctor Magnus moved to her back and pulled aside the gown she had been changed into at some stage. “Dear God!” she exclaimed, raising a hand to her mouth, “You’re a Fairy.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.” William Butler Yeats~~~~~~~
Chapter Two
Doctor Helen Magnus sat in her lab, her chin resting on the palm of her hand, a perplexed look on her face as she stared at the blood tests on the sheet of paper in front of her. She knew Fairies existed, but she had never met one before and she had no idea how to treat them. Especially one that no longer had wings.
The fairy in her infirmary hadn’t spoken a word, she merely tucked herself up and wept. Helen knew it was because of the war zone her and James had been called to, and possibly because her wings were severed in some way. She wished she could help more, the fairy had already begun to heal by herself, a soft orange glow coming from her skin as Helen had watched the skin grow back layer by layer.
Looking at the results in front of her only confirmed the creatures healing abilities. What she couldn't understand was how the fairy did it without her wings, her father had always told her that all of a fairies magic came from their wings. He had spent years studying them and working with the fairies residing in India, and Helen wasn't about to question her father's research but clearly, it came from more than just their wings.
“Any luck, darling?” James asked as he strolled into her office with two classes of cherry. He put one down on the desk and leant against it, glancing at the paper.“I cannot figure out how she is able to heal like that, she should be as close to mortal now.” Helen sighed, placing the sheet on top of her father's open journal and taking the glass. She brought it to her lips and took a sip before resting it on her chin.“I’m sure when she is feeling better she can explain it to us. She is safe now and that's the main thing.” James said softly placing his hand on Helen’s shoulder.Helen nodded in response and looked up at him “Perhaps you can try to talk to her tomorrow?”“Of course,” James agreed “But right now, you need rest. Come.” He stood up and took her hand, she rose from the chair with a small hum and allowed him to lead her away from the desk towards their room.
***
Kaia sat on the edge of the bed in the small room she had been moved to after Doctor Magnus had checked her over. She stared herself in the mirror across from the room, her reflection seeming foreign. Her hair was dull without the sparkle of her wings, her features plain and her body looked disproportionate. She had always been taught vanity, a fairy was as beautiful as their wings. Without them now stood just a girl, with nothing special about her. She looked away, wiping the tear that had dripped down her cheek away. She had cried enough.
She stepped down off the bed, a small gasp escaping her lips as she felt the cold floor on her bare feet. She took a few steps towards the wall covered in books. She smiled, at least not everything was different. She reached out and took off a book titled “Alice in Wonderland”. She opened the book and ran a hand over the foreign words, instantly her brain began translating them. She moved back to the bed and sat down, crossing her legs and placing the book down in front of her. She spent the next few hours entrapped in Wonderland, spiralling down after the white rabbit and talking to mad hatters.
“That was my favourite as a boy.” the male voice said from the doorway, she jumped slightly, she hadn't noticed the door opening. “My apologies, I didn't mean to frighten you.” he smiles “Might I come in?” Kaia nodded, not taking her eyes off the man as he stepped in and moved the chair at the end of her bed to the side. “I am Doctor Watson, I’m a friend of Doctor Magnus,” he said softly, folding his hands together in his lap.
Kaia nodded and mustering up the courage to try their language she spoke “I… am… Kaia.” she said softly, holding eye contact.“She speaks.” Dr Watson smiled“Until… now… I… did not… know… language.” Kaia explained “I understood… but… could not speak” She said, the language flowing out better each time she spoke.“You learnt that quick?” Dr Watson asked, “Did you learn overnight?”Kaia nodded “The book… helps.”“Remarkable.” Dr Watson said leaving back in his chair“You wish to… know what happened to… me?” She said sensing his next question.Dr Watson nodded “If you wish to tell me. We would like to help.”
Kaia looked down at her arm where Dr Magnus had taken her blood, she bit her inner cheek, she had heard about humans who stole Fairies and studied them, taking their wings and then opening them up. Dr Watson placed a hand on the bed next to her, shaking her from her thoughts.“We don't want to hurt you. This place is filled with people who are different. It's called a Sanctuary.”Kaia frowned “Different?” she asked.The Doctor smiled and nodded “Do you feel like going for a walk?”Kaia thought for a moment before nodding.
The creatures behind the glass in the oval room made her gasp, her eyes wide and taking it all in. There were beings she had never met before and some who hated her kind. Her eyes settled on a tank full of water. She walked closer to it and peered in, wanting to see what could be in there. A woman swam towards her. Kaia’s face broke into a wide smile, the merfolk had always been dear friends of the Fairies, often conversing with them over long distances. She placed her hand on the glass instinctually and closed her eyes to focus on the mermaid.
“You are not the same.” the mermaid said softly to her.Kaia flashed a small glimpse of the battle to the mermaid. She opened her eyes and looked her in the eyes, the mermaid felt her pain and nodded to her. “I am no longer who I used to be.”“You will heal.”Kaia nodded softly “One day.” she replied, she looked back at Doctor Watson who stood with his mouth slightly parted.“He wishes to take you to Doctor Magnus, come back soon and we shall talk more.” The mermaid smiled and flashed a good memory to Kaia. She stood for a moment and allowed the warm feeling to run over her body.
“Kaia! Come! We are going to pick honeysuckle!” Saffron smiled, taking the small girls hand and dragging her away from her book. Kaia laughed and battered her wings to keep up with her best friend. They landed in a field sometime later and spent the afternoon picking the yellow flowers and sucking the sweet nectar out of them until they felt sick.
Kaia bowed at the mermaid as a thank you. She walked back to Doctor Watson with a small smile “Thank you.” she said to him as well “We can see Doctor Magnus now.”