As she entered her room, she immediately walked over to her window and drew heavy curtains across it, hiding the bleak and dismal city lights from her sight. Tossing on a pair of loose pajama pants and a matching tank top, she walked over to her bed and sat down on the edge, digging her toes into the soft carpet, lost in the memories of past birthdays.
The dreams had begun the night before her tenth birthday, and as each new birthday came around, so did they. Lyria had a feeling that tonight would be no different, but she eagerly anticipated the next morning, for it would either bring an end to the dreams, or an end to life as she currently knew it.
Sighing, Lyria roused herself from her thoughts and reached over to turn her bedside lamp off. Plunged into blackness, she slipped into bed and quickly fell asleep, letting herself fall into the world of dreams.
Lyria was walking along a stone hallway. All was quiet until she heard, “I’m glad you’re here.” Whirling around to face the owner of the voice, Lyria felt the wind rush by in a strange way across her back. Peering over her shoulder, she perceived vibrant wings opening and closing in a slow, methodic rhythm. Gasping, she turned back around and looked down at her attire. She was adorned in a beautiful ball gown, with colors and designs so intricate, that she felt as though she could spend hours admiring it, without ever fully understanding it. Bare feet peeped out from beneath the folds of her dress, and she stuck a foot out, wondering at her lack of shoes.
Looking back up to the person standing in front of her, she saw a kind, elderly lady, who also had wings fluttering behind her. Blushing, Lyria looked down at her feet and mumbled, “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand.”
“Don’t worry child, you are not yet expected to.” She reached out a hand and gently touched Lyria’s shoulder. “They call me Flora. Follow me, and I will show you around. Then everything will become clear. Although,” she glanced back at Lyria with a cynical look, “your feet might become cold, we do not have carpet in the castle. It is unnecessary as our feet rarely touch the ground.”
Nodding that she understood this statement, Lyria watched in amazement as Flora leapt into the air, and then flew off down the hallway, turning left into the first door. Mistrusting her own newly discovered wings, as Flora had known she would, Lyria followed on foot, jogging in order to keep up.
As Lyria also turned into the door, she was brought to an abrupt halt by Flora’s out held hand. “That’s your mother,” Flora whispered in her ear, allowing her a brief glance of the regal lady seated on a throne, before she dragged her back out of the room.
“Wait!” Lyria cried, struggling. “How can that be my mother? This is only a dream!”
“If that is what you choose to believe, then I will not stop you, but when you turn sixteen, you will realize that I am not lying to you.”
“Why sixteen?” Lyria asked, but she received only Flora’s back and a beckoning hand. Following Flora as she yet again took off, Lyria was led up multiple flights of stairs, finally stopping when they reached a solid wooden door.
“This is the top of the castle,” Flora stated as she turned around to face Lyria. “It will be windy when we venture out, but if you remain near the wall, then you should be fine.” So saying, Flora opened the door and stepped out, Lyria close behind her.
“All of this is yours,” Flora swept out a hand to encompass the castle, the grounds, and the surrounding forest, “Well,” she corrected herself, ‘it is your family’s.”
When Lyria threw her a questioning look, Flora proceeded to explain further. “The land did not always look this way. When you were younger, a babe hardly out of the cradle, neighboring kingdoms attacked, and your mother, the queen, was the only one strong enough to defend this place. However, she did have one weakness.” Flora glanced at Lyria with a meaningful look.
“You mean me?” Lyria asked.
“Yes, I do. Your mother knew that if anything happened to you, she would lose her will to fight, so when you were two, she put a spell on you and sent you to live in the mortal realm for fourteen years. Once the spell wears off, you will be brought back here to claim your rightful place as our princess and future queen.”
Lyria opened her mouth to say something, but Flora cut her off. “Our time together runs short. When you return here for good, you need not worry about those you knew in the mortal realm, they will forget of your existence. You will be reunited with your mother when you turn sixteen. Goodbye for now.”
Lyria suddenly sat up in bed. Today was the day. She was finally sixteen. Due to the darkness in her room, she was unable to see her surroundings, to know if she was indeed in the land of the faeries. Throwing back her covers, she leapt out of bed and ran across the cold floor to the window, wrenching back the curtains.
Labels: 2008: Digitalis
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This is by Kelsey Hogeman I believe...
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