Adam was panicking. What was he thinking picking up a strange girl in the middle of the forest and bringing her to his home. He had gotten her inside his house through the back door and past his parents. He was now looking over the unconscious girl lying on his bed. He had dropped her on top of it with as much care as he could. He then sat on the bed hoping to catch his breath.
"What was I thinking?" Adam asked himself. "I am going get in so many problems, but I couldn't just leave her there completely defenseless."
Adam looked at the downed girl and couldn't help but feel attracted to her subtle figure. She was fairer than the girls he usually saw in his everyday life. Her golden hair was amazing and he could swear that it was almost glowing. He got up from the bed and walked next to the girl's face. He now was getting a good look at her round face and couldn't help but feel attracted to her innocent looking sleepy face.
"You're kinda beautiful in an innocent sort of way," Adam said before moving a strand of hair out of her face. "Hard to say no to a face like that... And that sounds a little creepy."
Adam noticed something odd on her face. He narrowed his eyes as he finally spotted the pink heart-shaped cheek marks. He first thought that they were a scratch or a bruise. Adam pressed his thumb on her cheek -hoping that it was paint- and slowly tried rubbing it off. But the marks remained much to Adam's terror. He remembered the stories that he'd heard from the church and the stories of the knights about the Fablefolk that had cheek marks.
That they were the rulers of the different races of the Fablefolk. Kings, queens and princesses...
Adam retracted his hand at the thought.
"Oh this is just great, the first girl I bring home and turns out that she's a Fablefolk princess," Adam surmised in a whisper before a groan caught his attention.
Adam looked back to his bed and saw the princess waking up. She groaned and rose at a slow pace. She rubbed her forehead before feeling a sting. She winced at the pain before rubbing her eyes awake.
"Ouch, that stupid pig really did a number on me," Star winced. "I'll turn it into bacon next time I see it."
Adam stood dumbfounded. He expected a princess to be more refined or at the very least kinder. He held his tongue hoping not to scare her or put her in a frenzy. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life as a frog-squirle or a stone statue. His mind raced to think of something, a weapon or a protective charm. He then remembered something of the stories: iron. The weakness of the Fablefolk was iron. Adam thought that if he could get something, be it a spike or a horseshoe, then he could defend himself and his family.
Just then, Star spotted Adam. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the human.
There was a silence as they stared at one another. Neither one was making a move against the other. Time seemed to drag on as if time stood still. Adam could feel the sweat of his forehead drip down across his face and drop from his face. Star was sweating like if she was inside a furnace as she was looking around the room.
Adam could swear that his heart was going to jump out of his chest if he didn't do something. He armed himself with courage, took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"Hey," Adam said sheepishly.
"AAAAHHH!" Star screamed before she jumped back against the wall.
Star jumped and bounced like a wild animal. She jumped over Adam causing him to duck under the pouncing wild woman. She continued scurrying and clawing around the space, kicking and sending clothes, and tools flying while screaming.
"Please, stop- let me explain," Adam begged as he caught his old wood carved knight.
"I will not listen to your lies, human! I am Star Butterfly! And you shall fear my power," Star said as she tried to climb the wall she was pressed against.
"Please, my name is Adam Lakestone. Do you remember what happened?" Adam asked hoping to calm her down.
Star began to thinking and recalling what had happened before she lost consciousness. She remembered being chased by the big boar and then she crashed against a tree.
"I was chased by a beast and then I was struck in the back by a falling tree," Star said trying to sound strong and confident.
"You actually crashed into a tree," Adam replied under his breath. "I brought you here because you were unconscious and I couldn't just leave you there."
Star narrowed her eyes at Adam. She had been raised to never trust the words of the Children of Man. She began recalling all the stories that her nanny had told her about them. How they would betray each other for baser things like money and titles. How they would massacre all the Fablefolk without remorse and how they sought to gain all the power that the Fablefolk were destined to posses. But she also remembered one more thing, their hearts were easily led astray and swayed. Star smiled at this thought and a plan was put together in her mind.
"Oh, I see," Star said as she calmed herself. "I am so sorry for the mistake on my part. I hope I can make it up to you. Adam was it?"
Star straightened herself before walking towards Adam while swaying her hips.
Adam's eyes went straight at to those hips. He blushed at the sight of the slightly curved hips moving. Like any young man, he was curious of the female gender and was unable to control his hormones. He was doing his best to hold back and keep his cool. Despite the bright blush on his face.
"Um, yes. I'm Adam," Adam replied as he tried to stop himself from drooling.
Star was right in front of Adam now and traced her finger against his chest. A light pink light came out of her hand and into Adam, making him feel light headed. Her own magical insurance that Star liked to use from time to time. She began to trace circles on his chest making him swallow his spit.
"Would you be so kind as to allow me to thank you for your galant actions?" Star asked as Adam blushed at her words. "I promise to be as kind as you want."
Adam could feel his tongue get tied up as he looked for an answer. His body began heating up, making him uncomfortable with how close Star was to him. He had little experience with the opposite gender and going this fast so quickly was making him uncomfortable. He wanted to push her away but her alluring blue bedroom eyes were making it difficult for him to take any actions.
"I-I am very flattered miss. B-But i don't even know your name," Adam said, hoping to get her off of him just enough to think of an escape plan.
"My name is Star Butterfly, princess of the Butterfly dynasty and I am going to show you my gratitude," Star said with an alluring cat-like smile.
Star's hands reached out towards Adam's face. He feared that there was no way to get out of there. He tried to talk but his words were cut short by the door opening.
"Hey, Adam, dinner is almost...," Jason said before seeing what was going on. "Ready,"
Adam and Star turned to face him, with Adam screaming 'thank the gods' in his head.
"Um, son who is this?" Jason asked before his eyes landed on Star's cheeks.
Adam noticed this and used this chance to escape Star's grasp and bolt for the door. He quickly grabbed his father and shut the door behind him. He pressed his back against the door, releasing a sigh of relief.
"Thanks for saving my life dad," Adam said before turning to his stupefied father.
"Son, who was that girl? Was- Was she a Fablefolk?" Jason asked before turning around to be sure that no one was around to hear his words.
Jason quickly pulled his son to meet him at eye level, grasping him by his shirt.
"Adam, why is that girl in your room? Was she trying to suck out your soul? Bewitch you?" Jason asked in a panic. "You didn't take or receive anything from her did you? Stay here I'll go get some iron, that ax will do just fine."
"Dad, please, calm down. I had no idea she was a Fablefolk," Adam replied catching his father before he left. "I found her in the forest while she was being chased by a boar and got knocked out. I thought that she was a girl that got lost and I wasn't thinking straight!"
"Ok, I get it son. You did a good thing without thinking, son. But if the Warriors of the Sun find her we could be in serious trouble not to mention that the truce could be broken," Jason said before calming down enough to think straight. "So far we're the only ones that know she's here. You keep her in your room and I'll go get some iron and we'll get her out of the city before anyone sees her."
Adam nodded and set out to do what his father had told him.
Jason ran down the stairs, passed his wife and younger son. He then looked through his shop for a pair of iron pliers, an iron horseshoe and the ax that he had been working on.
"Dad, when is Adam getting down here?" Duncan asked as his father grabbed the pliers and the horseshoe.
"Um, he'll be right down. The roof of his room has a damaged part and we are trying to fix it," Jason said in his best attempt to lie before grabbing the ax. "We'll be right down," he added before rushing back up the stairs.
Jason return to where Adam was and handed him one of the pliers and the horseshoe.
"Anything?" Jason asked his son.
"No movement, she could've gone back to sleep," Adam believed and hoped.
"Alright, we go on three," Jason said as they stood on both sides of the door. "One. Two."
"Three!" Adam screamed before opening the door and both of them ran in with iron pliers in their hands.
The two men looked around the room only to see that it was empty. They scanned for any signs of the Fablefolk princess, but aside from the mess there was no sign of the princess. Jason then spotted the window was open.
"She must've gotten out through the window," Adam said as he stuck his head out.
"Oh thank goodness," Jason said with a sigh of relief. "We dodged a lot of problems just now."
"We can't just let her run around the city like that," Adam said. "She could get hurt or hurt someone. I- I gotta find her!"
Adam then ran past his father and grabbed a brown worn jacket. He went out the door before Jason could say something to stop him. Adam ran down the stairs and out the door of the shop, ignoring the calls of his mother. He held on to the pliers and pocketed the horseshoe as he ran through the street while looking for any signs of Star. He was frantic and filled with guilt for what he had done. If Star got hurt he wouldn't forgive himself or worse if she hurt someone else. He had no time to waste thinking like that. He had to find her.
Meanwhile, Star was bouncing around the city streets looking at the people while giggling in wonder at the sights.
"Wow, so this is a human city," Star said before jumping over a sleeping old man. "It sure stinks here. Would it kill them to use an aromatic spell?"
Star kept on their way, skipping without a care. She passed some children that were helping their mother sell some merchandise. She giggled before grabbing a necklace and leaving without paying. The woman demanded payment but Star paid no attention to her while she put on her new necklace. She spotted the local bakery and zoomed to the front door -where some freshly baked bread and cupcakes were cooling. She grabbed a cupcake and swallowed it down without a care, unbeknownst to the hard working baker.
As Star continued on her path she began to notice the people around her, but not because of her actions. She looked at the people in the streets and could only wonder why some of the people were wearing rags and were looking so gloomy.
"Why are these guys so down? If they're so sad they should just do something that make them happy," Star rationalized without any common sense.
"Oh worn out souls! Come and gather!" a voice caught Star's small attention before a bell was rang. "For it is time for the daily gathering. All who seek comfort or a place to rest are welcomed."
Star turned to the source of the voice and saw a group of ten priests wearing brown hooded cloaks with ropes tied around their waists. Their heads were shaved in a bowl form and had rosaries around their necks. They stood in front of a church with worn white stones and had a large stain glass window at the entrance. The monks were then surrounded by a mob of people before following them to the inside of the old worn church.
All the people that entered the church sat in the old church pews as the head priest started the sermon.
Star looked around the old church's inside, taking on the surroundings around her. There were three columns on each side of the church, stained glass windows with figures of knights facing against Fablefolk. At the very front was an altar with a silver chalice and a tall cross, and next to it a podium where one of the priests opened a book and read.
"We give thanks to the gods that in their grace have helped us, the Children of Man, to thrive in this harsh world," the priest began his sermon. "Let us learn from the past and face the troubles that lay ahead. We are aware that life is hard but tomorrow is always a new day and for that we must give thanks."
"Amen." the congregation replied.
"I wish to start this day with this theme; responsibility. We are all free to make our choices in life, but we must be aware of the consequences," the priest said getting the attention of the church. "Taking responsibility for said actions is the result of understanding the choices that you've made. If you steal, you will face the responsibility of said action. If you cheat, you will face the consequences of your fouls. But if no one holds you responsible for your actions, then we must hold ourselves accountable for our actions."
Star stopped paying attention to the priest when he started talking about responsibility. She had had lectures about that since she was little from her mother. She could never get away from that boring stuff, and whenever she did something fun her mother would give her cold lectures on the subject. Star wanted to be a free spirit and by Glossaryck she was going to be free even if it killed her.
"And as we remember our actions, we must also remember the words of Glossaryck, the Mad Monk," the priest said, catching Star's attention. "Through his ancestral book, he warned us of the insanity and malice that the Fablefolk are capable of. Spurring the Warriors of the Sun to fight against their wickedness, their inherit evil, and unbridled hatred for humanity. And as such we must be held responsible for the fate of the future if the peace were to be broken."
Every word that the priest said made Star angrier and angrier. Magic crackled through her hands as they began to glow green. Her eyes narrowed against the priest before she decided to shut the priest for all his lies.
"Now, let us pray for our brothers, sister, mothers and fathers that are amongst the righteous-" the priest said before a green blast of magic struck him and sent him flying off of the altar.
Everyone turned around and saw star, her hair flowing upwards, her eyes glowing white and green magic lightning shooting out of her hands.
Fear filled the attendants as Star growled at them like a feral beast.
"Yeah, you better cower in fear you fools! You dare to slander the name of the prophet Glossaryck and use him to excuse your actions," Star growled at the fearful crowd. "You started the war, but believe me that I, Star Butterfly, princess of the Fablefolk, will end it!"
Star fired more blasts of magic at the church windows, causing people to scream in fear and run out of the church. As the people ran and chaos spread, Star couldn't help but feel like she was the queen of the world. But as quick as that feeling vanished when an arrow flew through the air and passed her face. She turned around and saw four knights aiming their swords and arrows at Star.
"Stand down, Fablefolk!" one fo the knights said.
"Aw man," Star said.
Adam heard the explosions from a street away and quickly ran towards it. He knew that this could only be a misunderstanding.
"Star was probably provoked into doing whatever she had to do to defend herself," Adam thought to himself before stopping himself.
Why was he thinking like that? Ever since Star talked to him he couldn't get her out of his head. Adam shook his head before running to the source of the chaos keeping his mind clear of any other thought. He passed through the multitudes of fleeing people, pushing through their fear filled screams he managed to get to the source of the explosions. He was forced to drop the pliers that he had with him. He was now almost unarmed.
"You have got to be kidding me," Adam said looking at the mess in front of him.
The church was burning from the inside, a large stack of black smoke coming out from the structure and in front of it was Star battling against four Warriors of the Sun. The smell of burning stone and wood casted a dark cloud of smell on the square. Star fired blasts of magic at the knights forcing them to dodge and roll out of the way before charging to attack.
If Adam thought that the situation was bad before now it was a great mess. He needed to get Star out of the square and fast. Hopefully before she murdered someone, or him. Adam ran around the chaos, keeping to the shadows of the night and the black smoke. He ducked as a stray blast of magic passed over his head.
"This is insane," Adam said before he saw Star cast a spell that made one of the knights fly through a window. "I gotta get her out of here before she kills them!"
Adam rushed through the chaos as Star held up her hands focusing magic into a sphere of magic. He only had one chance to do this and he had to make it count.
"Any last words, knight?" Star asked before being tackled by Adam.
The magic blast that Star had been preparing was fired directly at the church tower, damaging the structure.
"Are you insane? Why are you attacking them?!" Adam demanded as he struggled to get Star up to her feet.
"Let me go, you! I must end the fight!" Star said elbowing Adam in the stomach.
"No, you have to get out of the city," Adam replied holding back the pain.
Adam saw the knights getting up and looking at them. He could tell that they were getting back their bearings but if he didn't do something he'd be in trouble. He then felt the horseshoe inside his coat. He dug into his coat and grabbed the horse shoe. He pulled it out and whacked Star in the back of her head calming her down.
Star kneeled down holding her head as she felt like her head was on fire. The burning sensation felt like someone put a lit torch inside her head. She almost screamed but Adam took this chance to grab her and run away from the scene.
However, this action was not unseen.
"Did you see that? That boy helped that Fablefolk!" one of the knights said.
"We must tell Captain Loveberry immediately!" another knight added before they ran to their headquarters.
Adam ran fast through the dark streets carrying the wild princess over his shoulder. His heart was beating hard against his chest as his legs sprinted him through the darkness. He couldn't stop, if he did then they would catch him and Star. Adam took advantage of the darkness and his knowledge of the city and moved towards the backstreets. He took a sharp right turn through an alley, hiding in the darkness to catch his breath.
He heard many knights and guards with torches pass and run through the streets. Adam pressed himself against the wall of the alley just as the light of some torches passed him. He overheard the knights talking and hoped that nothing would make them look into the alley.
"They said the boy came through this way," one of the guards said.
"He must be in cahoots with the Fablefolk," added another guard.
"Find them and bring them to the captain, she'll decide their fate. Although I expect nothing less than death for the traitor," the knight said before they went on their way.
Adam looked out to make sure that they were gone. He saw them run towards another part of the city. Adam took in a deep breath as he pressed his hand on his chest. He calmed himself down at last.
"Hey, put me down!" Star demanded making Adam remember that he was carrying her like a sack of potatoes.
"Sorry, about that. But in my defense, WHAT HAPPENED BACK AT THE SQUARE?!" Adam demanded before dropping Star to the ground. "You could've killed someone."
"Hey, they started it!" Star shot back before looking away with her eyes closed.
"Did they attacked you first? Did they set the church on fire?" Adam asked.
"No, but they deserved it for lying about Glossaryck the all knowing," Star replied. "He warned the Fablefolk about their greed and disrespect for the world around them. And how they would sacrifice anyone and anything to get ahead."
"What? No, Glossaryck warned the Children of Man about the Fablefolk," Adam said. "Not the other way around. The Warriors of the Sun and the church have been saying that since before the truce was forged."
"Well then they're lying," Star said before a bucket hit her in the back of the head, knocking her out.
Behind Star stood Adam's father with the bucket.
"Dad! Why did you do that?" Adam asked.
"To get her out of here quietly, the whole city is looking for you two," Jason said. "You need to get out of here."
"I'm not running, this is all a mistake. If I can talk to them they'll understand," Adam said pleading his case.
"Son, they saw you help a Fablefolk escape after she attacked a priest, three knights and burnt a church," Jason said holding his son by his shoulders. "Nothing you say is going to change that. You need to get out of the city. Head north to the St. Tom monastery. The monks will give you sanctuary. Take this ax." Jason instructed givign his son the ax. "I wish I could go with you."
"No dad, I'm the one that's sorry. This is all my fault," Adam said taking the ax. "You may need to lay low, look for Marco he is a good friend he has to help you. Tell mom and Duncan that I'm sorry."
Adam and his father embraced in a hug before he picked up Star and ran towards the exit of the city.
Adam ran deep into the forest with only the light of the moon to show him the way. He wished that this was all a dream that he could wake up. He kept running and running until he tripped and fell face first into the ground. Adam spat the dirt out of his mouth before looking up. He spotted his training tree in front of him but someone else was there.
The woman had long red hair, yellow eyes, pale white skin and had two horns on her head with a flame in between. She wore a yellow and orange dress that shoed her alluring curves and beautiful upper body. She was the most beautiful being that Adam had ever seen. She walked forwards.
"Hello Adam, you've certainly have grown," Hekapoo said with a playful yet honest voice holding out her hand. "We have a lot to talk about."
