Don't hate me for this short chapter! There will be another up tomorrow morning, I promise! Thanks for being patient with me. I was in a great place with not much to do life-wise when I started writing this again, so I could update more frequently, than I have been lately :) And thanks for the reviews! I feel so touched that you guys have responded this way to this story! Thanks for reading it, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!
They walked into a room wider than they'd imagined. The base of the tree had been hollowed out to create a throne room deep and daunting. It was as though the night sky had been pulled down from the heavens and now resided in this space. They had entered another tiny forest, filled with lush undergrowth. Above them stars twinkled, and a long mossy path lit by small lanterns, led up to a tiny throne upon which sat the Fairy Queen.
Wendy gasped at the beautiful fragility of her. On her head she wore a crown made of twigs and yellow flowers, and her gossamer dress shone white in the strange evening light. She was attended by several female fairies, flitting and attentive. They all stopped what they were doing to stare at Wendy with angry expressions. The Fairy Queen waved them off however, and all that were left were two strange body guards on either side of her throne, not quite as small as fairies with heads like toads and the company before her.
She gazed upon the group with wary eyes and spoke. Her voice was in the tongue of fairies, tinkling and musical. Soaring Eagle nodded at her. "Yes," he said. "They have come to see you about Neverland." He gestured for Peter to speak.
Peter had been around Tinkerbell long enough to know fairies enjoyed flattery, and so he stepped forward with a flourish and bowed low. "Beautiful Queen, we're here to see what can be done about Neverland outside of this mountain. Neverland is dying because of something I did, and I'm here to fix it." He of course did not mention that it was indeed Tinkerbell who had been the offender, but really he had been to blame as well. Instead of talking to Tinkerbell, knowing that her little body could only hold one emotion at a time, he had sent her away without another thought. He should have punished her correctly with a trial or with…something; with what exactly he didn't know. After all, he'd only been a child then, and since that action, everything had become complicated and beyond him. He only knew the way to protect Wendy was to act quickly. He supposed he loved her, even then.
The Fairy Queen smiled coyly at being called beautiful, and beckoned them forward. Only Peter strode to the foot of her throne, miniscule as it was but perched above his head. The others tentatively took only a few steps. She spoke in the language that only Peter and the lost boys could understand from years of being around Tinkerbell, leaving Wendy, John, Michael and Tiger Lily patiently at a loss. Tiger Lily had preferred animals and hunting over socializing with fairies, and had never bothered to learn their language.
"Peter Pan, I have heard of you," her voice like tiny chimes. "Many tales have my ears heard from the one who loved you." Guilt crept into Peter's throat. He nodded. "You have many questions," she continued. "I will answer them with help." She looked at Soaring Eagle. "You will fetch Greenblossom." He nodded smiling, and left the tree.
"No doubt you have heard the tale of Soaring Eagle and Greenblossom," she inquired.
"Some," said Peter.
She inclined her head. "There is magic here that is older than I. It was put in place before you or I came here, and we must abide by it. It rules us and our land. When Soaring Eagle came to find this place, it took him many days. He roamed over the mountain, until he was near death and did not wish to roam any longer. Our home was the last place he wanted to come to and only then is the entrance shown. Those who seek it will never find it." Of course! That explained both Wendy's and Nibs' seizures! Peter looked back at Wendy with a mix of relief and heart ache. She had really not wanted to come, but she had come for him. He didn't think he could appreciate her any more than he already did, but his love grew deeper in that moment. However, so did his guilt.
"Oh!" cried Nibs. He nodded his head along with the other lost boys. Wendy looked around in confusion, and so the lost boys began translating for them as the Fairy Queen continued.
"When the land begins to die, it is because of us. We do not wish it, it is beyond our control. No doubt you have heard we fairies live in a community so closely that we share thoughts, actions and feelings. When one is angry, we all feel its effects. We try to change the one's emotions, but jealousy is the most powerful. We cannot fight it for long."
"Excuse me, your Majesty," said Nibs. "But you don't seem to be jealous or angry."
She threw her head back and laughed, the sound pealing like hundreds of jingling bells at Christmas to Wendy's ears.
"I am their Queen little one, I am above such things. I am their alpha, their head. I affect them."
"Why couldn't you do anything then?" he asked pleadingly. He was thinking about Tink, how much he wanted this to be over so things could be the same again.
She became serious, her eyes focusing on his. "I have done all I can. I affect them, I cannot change them once things are out of my control. Anger is the most powerful." She sighed and turned back to Peter. "Murder is not accepted here," she said. He nodded. "No fairy is allowed to murder. But that means, we do not murder for murder, or any attempt to murder. But there must be a sacrifice. I want you to understand why I regret the magic that brought you here, and why I regret what must be done." She lifted her head as Soaring Eagle came back into the tree. Trailing behind him was a small green fairy. "I have brought your sister Greenblossom to you," he said.
"Tinkerbell," breathed Wendy.