Nadine was released from the infirmary by the time the sun started to set. She spent the hours chatting to Taven. She was quite surprised by him. He was nothing like he seemed. Yes, he was a Royal but more of liberal than the conservative kind. He liked the idea of disabling the order lines between Royals and Underclasses. He was an absolute loner and rebel.
He didn't even like being a Royal! The only good he said that came from his position was that he could go to the clubs and party.
Nadine just stared at him admiringly, her head propped up with one hand. His voice was so relaxing to her ears. Then she remembered, Julius Rovan was stashed in her hollow.
"I need to get home! Ow!" she stated, interrupting him while standing.
"Watch it!" he said steadying her to sit properly, "why?"
"My friend will be expecting me," she said half in truth.
"Here, let me take you. There is no way you can get home without use of your wings," He said helping her up.
"That's very kind but..." Nadine was about to decline.
"Please? It's the least I can do," Taven said and his hand tightened around hers. He felt very guiltily about what his 'kind' had done to her.
"Okay then, where is Artugo?"
He looked surprised, "You remembered his name?"
"It was, after all, the first bird I've ever ridden. Of course I would remember his name," She said and smirked.
Taven returned the smile and they walked out of the palace infirmary.
It was hard for Nadine to walk right with her wings in such the shape they were in. Taven helped by holding her arm all the way to the bird hanger.
Artugo was taking a bird nap when they entered.
"Artugo!" Taven hissed with a smile.
The bird's eye opened sleepily and rolled down to see his owner. Artugo squawked in annoyance at the interruption.
This time, Taven set Nadine in front of him so that she wouldn't fall off the great golden eagle. She remembered the last time she rode.
"Why are you shaking?" Taven asked looking down at her. He could feel her vibrations.
"Flying so high, knowing I can't fly myself...it unnerves me just a bit," Nadine answered.
"It's going to be all right," Taven assured her and grabbed the reins, so his arms were on either side of her protectively. "Up!"
Artugo beat his golden wings and hopped out of the hanger and dove. Nadine closed her eyes because it seemed they were going to dive right into the ground.
The cool mountainous air blew through her barky brown colored hair. It whipped at Taven's torso, but he didn't mind. She shivered and dug her face into Artugo's warm neck feathers and held especially tight.
"Nadine, Look!" he nudged her.
She slowly opened her eyes and gasped. They were flying high above the kingdom and she could see everything! Glass Lake was glittering in distance while the volcanoes of the fire sprites loomed in the horizon. She dared look down, they were still flying in the coniferous part of the wood.
"It's beautiful," Nadine breathed in astonishment.
"I'm glad I could show you," he said, very happy that she was pleased.
"Thank you," she replied.
"No problem," he said and reigned in so they flew lower. Nadine's hollow was part of the outer Alklair Underclass realm that was governed by the Ashant Burrows. All Clubs were named after the place they were in and the founder.
Ashant Burrow was in the underground catacombs, founded by a Royal fairy called 'Ashant'. Coko Grotto was located in the blue caverns in the grotto, founded by a fairiette named 'Coko' who was half Aquatic and half Earthie, Chaiha Heights was in the tallest lair of the rainforest founded by a Dynasty relative named 'Chaiha', Helia Hills was a great meadow-like rave in the tall grasses of the rolling hills founded by a very new age Royal Fairy named 'Helia', and Jarrow Grove was a club in the forest branches founded by a mysterious fairy that no one knew, but his name was 'Jarrow'.
Even though fairies are immortal and look forever 20, they can be killed. The mysterious 'Jarrow' was killed by an angry Royal mob back in the day so they had appoint a new club owner who took the lordship of the club and it's surrounding realms. All the clubs in the kingdom no longer had their original founders as lords. They were either appointed as it or chosen by the previous owner. Not all fairies wanted to own a rave club all eternity (or until someone came along to kill them). So they would take a leave of retirement and choose someone else.
There were ten realms in all. Alklair and Numont in the Ashant Burrows, Cyviles and Urain near the blue cavern grottos, Chickloa and Ledger of the rainforest boundaries, Vearce and Lowart near Helia Hills, and Krials and Ragoon of the grove and forest. The palace of the Royal Dynasty ruled overall these realms and boundaries.
Taven landed Artugo on a branch above Nadine's hollow.
"This is where you live?" He asked helping her down from his bird.
"M-hm," Nadine nodded. She didn't want him to see what a lowly place she lived in.
"It's cozy," he said walking to the hollow's entrance.
"No it's simple poverty," Nadine mumbled bitterly.
Taven stared blankly at her, "Well it still looks cozy."
Nadine couldn't get mad at him for not knowing a scum hole from a palace room. He was a Royal and he'd never been to such lowly living knots.
Nadine opened the hollow door and immediately was pushed to the ground. Someone was pinning her down.
"What the hell?" Taven yelled and wrestled the thing off her. It was dark in the hollow, the fire must have gone out. Nadine struggled up and ran to the fireplace.
"ƒÍß∑!" she shouted and held out her hand. Flames sprouted up, lighting the whole place. She turned to where Taven was wrestling.
Another fairy was fighting with him. She rushed to him and helped pry off the mad fairy.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my home!" she cried pulling back the stranger's dark brown locks.
"Eahhh!" he cried and whined, twisting out of Taven's grasp, and looked up at Nadine.
Taven stood and took a good look at the savage fairy. His dirty face and bloody hands made Taven sick to his stomach. But when they opened their eyes to glare at Nadine, Taven gasped.
"JULIUS?"