Ch. 38 Dark Jungle
"Take cover!" ordered Clarion.
Fairies flew in all directions,finding hiding spots.
"Queen Clarion,we must get inside," Autumn said.
The queen took one last look at her kingdom before leading the ministers into the meeting room.
The four high ranked fairies flew into the meeting room and quickly locked the doors and closed curtains.
'Are those the same hawks that attacked Milori?' Clarion thought to herself.
Cautiously,she peaked behind the curtain and out the window.
"What do you see?" asked Winter.
Clarion observed the hawks' feet.
They were covered in armored boots.
"Those hawks..."she paused,"...are Jungle Sprite armies."
"What?!What do they want here?!"
"We already told them they are not getting wings!"
"Wait,what are they doing-they have fire!" Summer yelled and pointed out the window.
Clarion looked out,sure enough,the hawks now carried fire lit branches.
The evil birds called out again in their screechy voices,only animal talents could understand.
"Screeeeeeeeeeeeam screeeeeeeeeeeeeech eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!"
"What are they saying,Queen Clarion?" Autumn asked.
Clarion looked calmly at her ministers.
"They are going to drop the sticks of fire on Pixie Hollow if they don't get what is wanted," she explained.
"What?!"
"Absurd!"
"By the second star!"
Clarion turned away from the ministers.
What they wanted was her...
Flying to the window,she opened it and blew wind at the branches of fire,blowing them out.
"What are you doing,Queen Clarion?!"
"Trying to hold them up until we have a plan," she answered.
"Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek
Miloooooooooooooooooooooriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiii," one screamed at her.
The wind she was gathering for another big gust stopped and disappeared.
"That one sounded a lot like it said Milori," Summer said.
The ministers turned to face their queen,they saw a pale faced beauty.
"That's because they did," Clarion whispered.
"What is it they want?" Autumn asked.
Clarion looked back out the window solemnly.
"Listen to me,"she turned to the ministers.
They watched and was ready to do anything their queen would say.
"It's me they want and i have to go with them-"
"But-"
"No-"
"What-
Clarion cut them all off.
"Please listen,i am going to send a messenger to tell you where we are and Milori will know what to do,"the queen said.
The ministers slowly nodded.
"Please tell Milori what happened and that i'm fine," she said.
The ministers slowly nodded again.
"Daina has already left,try to keep this from her," the queen pleaded.
After finishing her reminders,Clarion flew to the window.
As soon as she opened the window,a branch on fire fell to the ground.
"No!" Clarion sped out the window and to the ground.
She used her water talent and put the fire out before it spread.
"Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech queeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!"
The hawks all dove to the ground where Clarion stood calmly.
"Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!"
-'You must come with us to the Dark Jungle.'-
Clarion nodded and took off.
-'We need to stop at the edge of the jungle first.'-
The head hawk told Clarion.
The fairy queen nodded and flew towards the edge,surrounded by hawks.
When they landed,a tall male sprite ran to them with chains in his arms.
Without a word he walked closer to Clarion.
"I have orders to chain your hands," he explained.
The queen glared her death glare and hissed,
"You will not touch me!"
He stumbled back in fear.
When regaining his balance he nodded and led her through the forest,the hawks on their tail.
"We are almost there," he said.
Clarion paid no attention and just floated along.
When she looked at the quiet sprite,he was staring at her wings.
She looked away and took in her surroundings.
This was a thick jungle.
It was green,but the canopy of trees blocked the light and made it dark.
Flowers,vines,trees,and bananas inhabited the jungle.
"We are here."
The sprite brought her from her thoughts.
Ahead,was a big tree covered in vines.
"Go towards that door," he ordered,pointing at a small door in the tree.
Clarion flew to the door and opened it.
Darkness shown ahead.
Looking around,she saw many torches lining the walls.
"It is quite dark,but i have forgotten my flint rocks," the sprite said,checking his pockets.
A frustrated sigh came from Clarion.
The sprite watched as she waved her hand once and all the torches lit.
"Woah..." he whispered.
Clarion went on down the hall.
"The first door on the right is where we are going," the sprite-man said.
'What am i going to do?I can't leave or else Pixie Hollow will be burned to the ground.'
Clarion was getting slightly nervous,but she didn't let it show.
The fairy wasn't listening to the sprite as he babbled on and on.
"Prince Neferus said that someday we all will have wings."
Clarion sighed,he obviously didn't know how dangerous it was for them to.
He kept chattering.
"You know i bet you will make a wonderful queen for the Dark Jungle and-"
"Queen?!" Clarion burst out.
The sprite stumbled back.
"Y-yes."
With that,Clarion swept her hand in front of her stomach and the lights went out.
"Hey,who turned out the-Ow!" the sprite walked into the wall.
Clarion took off as soon as she swept her hand and headed for the door angrily.
"Prince Neferus,shouldn't she be here by now?" asked a small sprite.
"Yes," he answered bitterly.
He could not stand this sprite,she had a secret only he knew of.
"I can feel her anger," he smiled evilly.
Just then the doors blew open and a harsh gust of wind entered the room.
The beautiful Queen of Pixie Hollow followed.
The sprites cowered in fear as she flew towards their prince.
"Ah,we were expecting you,Queen Clarion," Neferus smiled.
"How dare you?!" came the queen's reply.
He just smiled.
"You send hawks down on Pixie Hollow because we are trying to save you!" she continued.
Clarion looked around the room,seeing the other sprites scared to death.
She calmed herself down and looked caring at all of them.
"I'm sorry for yelling," she apologized to the sprites,which made them less fearful of her.
"Woah...your wings...they look beautiful," whispered a smaller sprite standing next to Neferus.
The fairy queen smiled at the young girl.
There was something unusual about this sprite.
Clarion just couldn't put a finger on it.
"What is your name?" she asked thoughtfully.
"Heidi," the sprite answered.
It then came to her.
"Animal talents,please welcome your newest fairy,Heidi," Clarion announced.
Everyone began chatting with her happily and welcoming her.
"I'm sorry,i didn't catch your name," Heidi said,looking to Clarion.
The beautiful fairy in gold smiled a dazzling smile.
"Silly me,i'm Queen Clarion," she said,in a friendly tone.
"Nice to meet you," Heidi said with a bow.
"The pleasure is all mine," Clarion answered with a small laugh.
The rest of the day went on as usual,the new fairy met everyone,
learned what she did,and had a tour of Pixie Hollow.
Clarion was in her room at her desk,when a knock came on the door.
"Come in," she said,not even looking up from her paperwork.
Fairy Mary and the ministers flew in solemnly.
The queen looked into their sad eyes.
"What has happened?" she asked.
"Heidi and two other fairies were on a tour,going through the Autumn Woods," Minister Spring said.
"They were attacked by a hawk," Summer said sadly.
"Heidi was never found," Autumn finished.
Clarion's heart sank to her stomach.
'How could this have happened?'
The queen stood in shock and sorrow.
"A search party has already been sent to look for her," Fairy Mary said.
Clarion slowly nodded and swallowed.
Had she lost a fairy,in a way,her child?
Heidi never was found.
At least not by fairies...
"Heidi?" Clarion clarified.
The sprite nodded.
"Oh..."
Neferus cleared his throat.
"Enough of this," he knew the fairy queen knew that Heidi was indeed a fairy.
"Why does she not know?" Clarion asked him softly.
Heidi looked confused at the prince and queen.
"Eh...she...doesn't know what?" Neferus answered.
Clarion's eyes flared.
"You are only adding to the list of reasons i defy you," the queen said loud and clear.
Gasps were let loose around the room.
"That does not matter,i have brought you here to speak of OTHER matters," he said with a sly smile.
"And what would those be?" Clarion asked in her regal queenly voice.
Prince Neferus smirked.
"You are to become the queen of the Dark Jungle," he announced,waiting for her reaction.
Though the reaction he expected did not come.
The queen laughed like it was a joke.
"What's so...funny?" he asked confused.
"Do you really expect me to marry you?"
It was Neferus' turn to laugh.
"If your kingdom,life,Milori,and your baby mean anything to you," he said.
Clarion glared at him.
"If you touch any fairy..." she trailed off,suddenly feeling weak and dizzy.
"You'll what?" he laughed.
Clarion stood her ground,promising herself she wouldn't faint.
"Heidi and Grogs.
Take her to her room," the prince ordered.
The two sprites...one sprite and one fairy...walked to the queen and led her out the door.
A few moments later,they walked into another room,lavished with purple and green sofas and a large bed.
The queen stood at the end of the bed,staring at the two people before her.
"Grogs,i can take it from her," Heidi said,walking to a tray of small 'idk maybe mush' cakes.
As soon as Grogs left,Clarion collapsed to the bed.
Heidi was soon at her side.
"Queen Clarion?"
"I'm fine dear,just need a little rest," the queen replied,putting a hand to her stomach.
"So,is it true you are carrying a child?" Heidi asked as the queen rubbed her rather large bump.
'Is it not obvious?'
"Yes," Clarion answered sadly,she now wished she wasn't.
She was putting hers,Milori's,and their baby's lives in danger,this hurt her deeply.
"You know,i had a dream about someone like you once," the girl said.
"Really?"
'It probably wasn't a dream,just a forgotten memory.'
"Yes,i was a fairy,believe it or not.
I had just arrived and a beautiful fairy in gold,much like yourself,welcomed me,told me
my talent power thingy,and named me," Heidi answered with excitement.
Clarion sighed.
"Heidi,dear,have you ever...considered it to be real?" she asked.
Heidi smiled shyly.
"Yes,but Prince Neferus denied it when i asked him."
"Do you remember any of the fairies names in the dream?" the queen asked.
"Yes,there was Fawn,Beck,Buck,Chip,-"
Clarion interrupted.
"Roo,Tiger,Zoe,and Kat," she finished for Heidi.
"Y-yes,how did you know?" Heidi asked confused.
Clarion smiled warmly.
"Have you ever considered it to be real?" she asked for a second time.
Heidi stood in shock.
"If it was real,then where's my wings?"
Clarion stood up and flew behind Heidi,where her wings should be.
Heidi had a shirt with a low back,though it was covered by a jacket.
"Heidi,please take your jacket off."
Heidi obeyed.
Clarion then examined her back.
There,where her wings should be,were two small thin,jagged wings.
"Someone has cut them dear," Clarion said.
Heidi began jumping around and screaming.
She jumped onto the bed,on the sofas,and lastly onto Queen Clarion.
Hugging the queen,Heidi whisper screamed.
"I had wings!"