400 years ago
The night got colder till almost all of the fairies were crouched together near the fire talking in loud, cheer-filled voices. Only some were still moving and running about – mainly the young fairies whose spirits were yet to broken by years and years underground without the moonlight. Sally and her friends were playing a game of tag but soon that erupted into a fight when Ruby's son flew to catch someone rather than chase them on the ground. Julius and Fred got the nod from the 'wives club' to go and mediate and pulled each other up from the grass. And they grinned at each other as they walked towards the commotion.
"Now, I'm afraid we're going to have to arrest you troopers for causing a disturbance of the peace." Said Fred with a completely straight face.
"Yes, yes. Very unfortunate incidence but we have to do our jobs."
"You're going to arrest us, Daddy?" asked an excited Sally.
"'Fraid so, 'fraid so. So if you'll just hold out your hands for the shackles," all of the children bar 2 held out there hands immediately, "I'll start to… tickle you!" And he lunged at Sally with his arms outstretched.
This wasn't a particularly smart move (as anyone who has ever been with a group of young and eager kids would know). They were all over him in seconds and attacking him themselves. After a moment of council with some of the kids who couldn't quite reach him, Fred joined in and tackled his Captain to the ground. Every one of them was laughing hysterically and in Julius' case squirming all over in an effort to get away from the tiny hands that plagued him.
It only stopped when Ruby Rushes the sprite flew over and picked up one of the kids on the very top of the human pile, rising up into the air and taking the squealing kid with her. The rest of the villianous children fled their tickling rampage to gaze up at the giggling boy in the sky and hold out their own arms in an effort to fly as well.
Julius lifted himself onto his elbows and Fred help to pull him to his feet. Julius took his first full breath in minutes, before looking up with a huge smile at the fairies in the air. Other sprites had risen to the air and occasion, while the ones still on the ground had a small but persistent crowd around them pulling at their clothing.
Julius and Fred were making their way back to the adults when Sally came bowling through the crowd and ran straight up to her father. Julius was bending to catch her but she managed to stop herself just before she collided, looking up at them with a sickly sweet smile on her face that both Fred and Julius recognised.
"Do you have something that you want me to do for you?" asked Julius.
Sally smile turned a little shifty and nodded.
"Well, are you going to ask me?"
"You know how Uncle Patrick used to pick us with his magic and lift us into the air. Well… could you do that to?"
"Could I do it? Maybe. Will I do-"
"You know what I mean Daddy."
"I'll give it a shot. Just try to hold still when you're up there. It's much more difficult to hold up someone who is moving."
Sally gave her father a huge hug before backing off a bit. Fred did so too, standing behind a little way and watching. It was definitely difficult use magic for telekenisis, especially on a person. Julius closed his eyes for a moment befor opening them and focusing on Sally. Blue magic began coming out of his right hand and lifting Sally up into the air. She gave a little squeal, then became still as she remembered Julius' warning. Then she was the height of the others in the air and sourrounded in the glowing light of the magic. The other children were all pointing at her, gazing in awe at her feat of flying without wings.
On the ground Julius grinned as well.
He looked happy enough so Fred left his friend to go look for Simon who had disappeared a while earlier. He headed towards the same bushes where Simon had been and was roughly pushed aside when Simon came sprinting out.
"Julius! Julius! Captain! Listen to me!" Julius turned his head to look at the running figure of his friend taking in the fallen figure of Fred. "There's Mud Men coming. A whole village full. They were having a trial for an accused witch when they saw the light. Get Sally down! Everyone get down!"
Julius acted immediately - giving orders to turn the blankets over a half dead tree; erase all traces of the fire and gathering; prepare the camouflage and gather the people under the tree; a sprite to go to the Fairy Fort. He was giving orders to his men and civilians alike but the tone of his voice was such that it held the authority so the fairies did it without asking. They were almost ready in minutes from when they first had a warning.
Then Julius turned and began to lower Sally slowly to the ground. She started to pout and protest but it quickly changed to submission when she looked at her father's face. Sally was almost on the ground when a missile thrown from behind hit him on the back of his head.
Now
As Simon Sycamore entered the office he had thought that he was quite well prepared for anything which might happen. He hadn't expected this.
After almost every year of visiting his old friend on this day he thought he was emotionally ready for the routine. He would come. Stand doing nothing, just watching the face before him. He would feel his guilt and Root would feel his pain.
And it wasn't the day you would expect would be the one that held the greatest significance for a man like him. Death day's. Birthdays. Anniversaries. They were the ones traditional for mourning and remembrance. Most who saw from the outside would consider this to be almost sacrilege - people had died but it seemed as if he was grieving for--
Well, anyway. This day was more symbolic and more special for him personally and it meant that nobody was able to intrude on his introspection. Not even those standing before him.
"Do you remember Fred?"
Simon just nodded. It wasn't really a question that needed an answer. He leant forward expecting - well, hoping - for something more but it didn't come. That was usual.
Simon was just watching the man behind the desk and not saying anything. It wasn't enough to just be here because he wasn't doing any good… but there wasn't much that he could do in any case. No, it was much better to be here doing nothing with the possibility of helping, than not being here at all. That would make it seem as though he had forgotten that it had ever happened. Root needed to know that someone else was remembering.
Root seemed to forget the presence standing before him - or didn't care that it was there - and leaned down and pulled his whisky bottle from the bottom draw. He took a swig and saw the picture of Maple and Sally in the very bottom. His hand stopped halfway to his mouth and he slowly put the whisky down. His eyelids blinked ferociously as the eyes behind them glistened.
Simon couldn't see what his old captain was looking at but he was sure it was important. It was one of those feelings. It could also be the look on his face that told Simon this.
