She folded her wings, brushing the white feathers down. From her perch in the tallest tree on the highest cliff she could see everything. The whole of her world stretched before her, in all its colorful glory, and she loved it.
As much as she loved the wind in her face when she thundered down from a great height. As much as she loved the warmth of he sun when she rose above the clouds to greet it. As much as she loved feeling the energies of the earth as they spun together around her.
With a sigh she sat back in the tree until something above her cracked. She looked up, climbing to the snapped branch and put her hands around it. As she shut her eyes she breathed deeply, synchronizing her energies with that of the tree itself. In her mind's eye she could see the fibers of the tree reforming, making stronger bonds, and mending.
When she opened her eyes she smiled, withdrawing her hands to kiss the branch that appeared as though nothing had broken. "There, that's better isn't it?"
Turning back to the sky she closed her eyes again, feeling the wind on her face and rippling through the feathers on her wings. A slight twitch in her fingers signaled her body's response to the elements and the focus of her finely attuned senses on following where the wind went. Senses that had her tipping to her toes to fall from her height.
The rush of the fall straight down thrilled her. Wings tucked tightly to her body the air roared in her ears. Then, at the last moment, her eyes opened as her wings did.
Catching the thermal just right she shot straight up into the sky, steering slightly to correct course. With enough wind under her she aimed for an island in the middle of the large lake that grew and shrank with the rains to form the moors. Passing the other creatures of her home with waves and spoken greetings she landed lightly, pulling her wings back to avoid knocking any of the smaller creatures over with an ill-timed buffet.
The shrill twittering amongst a group of sparkling fairies colored like varieties of roses drew her attention. She walked over to them, smiling and clearing her throat to inform them of her presence. They immediately hushed, giving a series of looks back and forth amongst themselves, and finally the largest and brightest of the fairies spoke.
"There's been an incident."
"What kind of incident?" They all paused, as if unsure how to describe what they meant. "I'd rather you spoke frankly since it's giving you such trouble."
"The border guards found a human skulking near the caves."
"The diamond caves?" She pivoted, narrowing her eyes toward the specified location. "When was this?"
"Just minutes ago. We were in debate as to how to tell you."
Without a response she lifted off, jumping high before opening her wings to beat a tattoo in the air. The water skimmed beneath her, the creatures there following her progress, as chittering noises of those following filled her mind. She blocked them out to dedicate all her concentration on the problem at hand.
Within a few feet she saw the stout, rock figures holding their clubs at the ready. Two of them bashed against the cliff, reaching large hands toward a crack but not having success in drawing their prey forward. She landed, fluffing her wings to knock the two forward.
"That's not how we go about this." She reprimanded and they stepped back, looking downcast and properly chastised. "We handle this like the civilized beings we are."
One of them munched its rock jaws at her, grinding out a sound that had her giving an exasperated gasp. "I don't care if he looks like food, he's not. He's our neighbor and despite his obviously poor manners we treat him with respect."
She stepped forward, shooing the others back a distance and tried to peek into the hole. "Hello? Are you still in there?"
"Yes." The voice was hollow, echoing over the diamond walls.
"Then come out please. You'll frighten the crystal foxes if you stay in there much longer and they're in breeding season. Their pups need to feel safe and you're in the way."
"If I come out those ugly rock things'll bash my head against a wall and leave my brains to leak from my skull."
"That's rather graphic and not at all true. They're simply exploring and they don't know how breakable your lot is." She sighed, "You've got to come out or I'll be forced to drag you out and you won't like it."
Slowly, creeping almost as if he expected any moment to be beaten with a weapon, the man emerged. She held her hand out to him and he stepped closer. When he went to take her hand she drew back, shaking her head.
"I meant for you to give me what you've taken."
"I haven't taken anything." She raised an eyebrow and he dug in his pocket to withdraw a few diamonds.
He dumped them in her hand and she weighed them a moment before holding out her hand again. "There are more."
"I need these to buy food or I'll starve."
"And if you remove them from the moors they'll be dust. Further, they're the food for growing crystal fox cubs. Take them and you'll kill them."
He stopped, "I didn't know that."
"Few do." She extended her hand, "Please."
He dropped the diamonds in her hand and she tossed them back into the cave. She dusted her hands off, clapping them together, and noticed his stare. With a quick turn of her head she followed the path of his eyes of her wings. As their eyes met he shook himself, "I'm sorry. I've never seen an angel before."
She laughed, "I'm hardly an angel."
"What else has wings as white as yours?"
"Doves, swans, a few pelicans…" She stopped, "Have you never seen a fairy before?"
"No."
"Then you don't know all fairies have wings?"
"Are they all as beautiful as yours?"
She laughed, "My wings are unique but that's because of the kind of fairy I am. All fairy wings are functional and beautiful in their own way."
"I wouldn't know. You're the first fairy I've met."
"Then you've never come to the moors before?" He shook his head again and she directed her hand toward a path. "Then let me help you find your way back out of them."
They walked to the edge of the trees, his dazed eyes letting her know he was completely turned around and would not find his way inside again. They walked to a line of staggered stones, each carved with a menacing face and pointed teeth to warn away the unwary or the foolish. She waved a hand toward the open field before them and he finally snapped back to the present.
"There you are, your home."
"It's not my home. Not really."
"Then where do you call your home?" He pointed to a castle in the distance and she brightened. "You're a prince?"
He paused, "No, I'm just a servant. But one day… one day I'll be a prince."
"I'm sure your parents would be very proud." He hung his head, "Do you not have any parents?"
"They died, with fever, when I was a child."
"You're a child now."
"I'm a man now." He stuck his hands to his hips. "I'll be twelve soon and that's old enough for anything."
"I guess if you risked the moors then you are." She nodded her head toward him. "I wish you well and warn you not to try returning here."
"Why?"
"It's dangerous." She motioned back toward the trees. "They won't be forgiving a second time and if I'm not there to help then you might end up with your brains leaking from your skull."
She went to jump to the sky but stopped when he spoke. "What if I did want to come back? To visit you?"
"You'd have to ask for me or they wouldn't know you. And you'd have to give them your name so I'd know you." She faced him, "What is your name?"
"They call me Green." He extended a hand, "And what do they call you?"
"Anna." She shook his hand, smiling at him. "But I'd still say you should stay away. The moors are no place for your kind. Just like your world is no place for me."
"Maybe not yet. But one day it could be." He released her hand. "Thank you, for saving me Anna."
"You're welcome Green." She shot to the sky, spreading her wings to catch a thermal and rose higher.
From her position she watched him crane his neck backward to see her before walking away. She felt a rise in her chest as he kept looking back. Despite all her words to him to stay away, she wanted him to return. She wanted to see Green again.