Prologue
"Catleya, pack your bags. We will go to Ayortha for a visit." King Charmont told his daughter.
A girl the age of sixteen looked up. She had the tawny curls of her father which reached down to her waist. She had the pale skin of her mother, Queen Ella. But she didn't get the stature of a china doll her mother had. She was rather tall for her age but she had small feet, the size of her mother's. She got the green eyes of her mother too. And most unfortunately, she got the rebelliousness of her mother.
"I don't want to go to Ayortha." Catleya replied.
"Why not?" Char asked.
"It's too quiet there. And what will I do there? Be a mime? No. I won't go."
Char looked at his wife, Queen Ella, who was sitting a few feet away from them. "You talk to her, Ella." He said.
Queen Ella smiled and went there while King Charmont went out.
"Catleya, we will be going to Ayortha to visit Aunt Areida. She misses you!" Ella told her daughter.
"Mother, please don't talk to me like a baby." Catleya said, completely ignoring her mother.
"Catleya, listen to me." Ella looked straight at her daughter's green eyes. "We will go to Ayortha, whether you like it or not. And Catleya, I have noticed that even if you are already fifteen, you still act like a baby."
"Mother, I'm sixteen. Haven't you forgotten that my birthday was a week ago?"
"Oh, sixteen! Anyway, pack your bags just as your father has told you."
"Alright. But then, what if I don't? And what if I have nothing to do there?"
"If you don't, you're in big trouble. If you have nothing to do there, why not talk to Prince Tristan of Ayortha. He is a nice lad. And you haven't seen him for…five years. And he is about you age too."
"Mother, he a year older than me and he doesn't speak. All Ayorthaians don't. That is why I don't want to go near that place. I remember the story Father told me when he was first in Ayortha. The Ayorthaians have energy to say one word."
"Nonsense! Your Aunt Areida, she talks."
"Not much."
"Never mind!" Queen Ella raised up her hands in exasperation. "Pack your bags, Catleya. I know this trip is a bit short notice but, there is nothing I could do."
"You can do something. You can 'accidentally' leave me behind."
"Catleya, you act like a child. Now go to your room to pack. Now."
"Wait a moment."
Before Queen Ella went out, Catleya heard her mumble to herself, "Why didn't I ask Lucinda to give her the gift of obedience? I surely need it right now. Instead when I gave birth, she gave you a ring. Whatever the use."
Catleya sighed when she heard the name Lucinda. Her mother often told her tales about her childhood where there were fairies that she actually talked with and experienced their magic. She said she once had the curse of obedience. Catleya just laughed. When Queen Ella told her about Mandy being a fairy, Catleya laughed again. Mandy didn't show her some magic so she was unconvinced. She thought, if Mandy is a fairy, then why won't she make my Tonic delicious instead of slimy? The only thing that she believed is her having fairy blood. The feet. The tiny feet that made Catleya clumsy. Catleya always hated this feet. She thinks that it not proportional to her height. She always thought, it is a good thing I am thin. If I were fat then I might fall. But even if Catleya didn't believe in Mandy being a fairy and Lucinda the fairy, she believed in magic. It just didn't want to show itself to her.