Arthur Kirkland swore that faeries existed. None of the others agreed with him, but he remained adamant. Faeries were real. He knew it. And he knew it because he could see them. He'd been able to see them for years. Ever since someone he'd loved very dearly had opened his eyes to them. If only he could still see her. She was around somewhere. Arthur remembered her face when he closed his eyes.
*Flashback*
"Why are you crying? Are you hurt?" Her voice sounded like chimes, cutting through his bawling. He'd been so young, just barely a toddler. His brother Ian had made him run from the invaders. So he'd run, but he'd been scared. So he finally stopped and started crying. Then this voice had spoken, and surprised him out of his tears. "Huh?"
A little girl, barely his own age, sat on a fallen log beside him. She was frowning with worry and asked, "Did someone hurt you?" When he shook his head, she brightened, "Then you must be sad! I don't understand feelings real well yet, but Mama says I'll be real good someday."
The girl jumped off the log and came over to him, dancing to some music only she could hear. He sniffled and asked, "Wh-who are you?" She just giggled. She seemed to listen to someone for a moment, then she told him, "Mama says I shouldn't answer that question. So you can call me Tiana. What should I call you?"
Arthur wiped his eyes, his fear forgotten in the wake of this new girl. "I'm Arthur. Who are you listening to?" He curiously asked, only for her to giggle again. "The faeries of course!" She clapped her hands together in front of her mouth and smiled. "That's a wonderful idea!" Tiana said to no one in particular. Her next question was, again, directed at Arthur, "They wanted to know if you want to dance with them?"
Arthur looked all around, confused. There was nobody in the clearing but them. He decided to agree and play along with it when Tiana quirked her head and shrugged. "Mama says you shouldn't dance with them. But she says I can dance with you."
Without waiting for a reply, the strange girl lifted him off the forest floor and pulled him into a fast dance. He could barely keep up, but it seemed that, in the middle of the wild spinning and moving, he could hear some of the music she heard. Vague shapes of other dancers whirled just beyond his vision and his feet seemed to know exactly where to play themselves so he wouldn't fall.
But it was an extremely simple dance. There were no other dancers. And the music he heard was only the wind movie through the trees. "Who do you keep talking to?" Arthur managed to ask when he found the spare breath. Tiana blinked and stopped dancing. "The faeries, of course! Do you not see them?"
When Arthur shook his head she gasped, "Oh Mama can I? Please can I give it to him?" She dug around in her clothes and pulled out a small vial of clear fluid. Arthur watched her face go from hopeful to serious then split with a shining wide grin. He jumped back when she threw her arms around someone who wasn't there.
She began uncorking the vial as she excitedly said, "Mama says you're some important person or something so you should probably be able to see everyone now 'stead of later when you really need it and you don't got it." He blinked and looked down the neck of the vial at the clear liquid. "But what is it? Faerie dust? Piskie snot? Troll spit?"
Tiana just laughed and jerked her arm, splashing all the liquid onto his face and into his eyes. Arthur stumbled back yelling, "Hey!" But when he could see again, he couldn't say anything. The clearing had been empty ten seconds ago, he swore it. But now they were in the middle of a huge dancing circle. And such odd dancers! Winged faeries spun around with willow legged women. Brownies were two-stepping with elves.
And in the middle of all of the chaos, Arthur stood with Tiana and a tall, regal looking woman. The woman bent down to be eye level with Arthur and gently said, "My daughter has done you a great service, giving you the Sight. The Fair-Folk shall watch over you. Unfortunately, we must go now." Then, she stood up and took her daughter's hand.
But as the rest of the faeries were leaving, Tiana broke free and untied the shawl around her shoulders. "Remember me?" She asked hopefully, handing him the soft purple fabric. Arthur took it and watched her turn to go, staring at the vibrant blue butterfly wings that sprouted from her back.
*end Flashback*
Arthur remembered her alright. He'd never forgotten the reason that only he, out of all the world, could see the other world. There was a world of faeries hidden from normal eyes. And his first friend was the one who showed him this dazzling world. But years later, even after he'd found out her real name, she had never come back. He'd never seen her again. Some nights, he drifted to sleep with that in his head.
"Tatiana, huh? Queen of the Faeries. I danced with the Queen of the Faeries…"