A Girl Could Dream
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Now that she wasn't fighting for their lives and covered in sweat and dirt, Leah reminded herself to drink in every moment. As she inched closer to the blinding light, being led (or dragged) by her fairy kidnapper, she watched the barren forest behind her disappear and vague shadows and shapes appear in the distance. Though she felt nothing but Troy's hand, an invisible slight pressure buzzed around her, as if she was trying to shimmy through a plastic straw. And it was so warm in the white nothingness her hands began to sweat. She wished she was still holding onto Edward.
It ended quickly, nonetheless. A few steps through the portal and she was cold once again. The light was replaced by a softer off-white. Snow. It blanketed the ground in front of them. The tree they'd traveled through was on a hill overlooking a quiet town. Against the evening sky, the lights glowed in most of the houses and buildings. It looked cozy, if not too pedestrian for fairies.
"We're here," Troy said, pretty cheerfully for an abductor. "There's a path at the end of the hill." He offered Leah his arm so she didn't trip, but that didn't stop Edward from taking her right arm. She felt like an elderly woman being helped across the street and would have refused both of them if she weren't so exhausted.
The cobblestone path they reached was free of snow, freshly plowed. The once-disappointing buildings were storybook cottages up close; they possessed a rustic, folksy quality, with high, pointed roofs, handmade doors, and mismatched windows. They were all neutral colors, but street lanterns flattered them with a yellow glow. Despite the winter weather, in every yard, gardens flourished, rainbows of color against the white snow. The few citizens they passed hurried along, coats the color of olive, or maroon, or taupe or wheat. A man played the flute on his front steps while his two little boys danced around him. The large windows showed families at dinner. The smell of fresh bread tempted Leah to barge right in.
Leah pulled out of her companions' grasp and turned in a slow circle. "Is this real? Are we in Harry Potter? "
Troy was all too happy to play tour guide. "Just home. It's not much. We haven't done a renovation since the thirties."
"I can tell. My family and I once lived in a house similar to that one," Edward said, pointing to a pretty white cottage.
"It's a bit tongue-in-cheek," Troy laughed. "Sort of a nod to the fairytale elements in movies. Her Majesty had always been a fan of that style. Never thought to change it. She probably never will."
"Which one's hers?" Leah asked.
"We're still in the countryside. Most farmers and fishermen live out here. She lives on the outskirts of the city, but I know a roundabout way. If I weren't so weak, I could've transported us closer," he whined as if he hadn't brought the whole thing on himself in the first place by picking a fight. Leah shared an eye roll with Edward.
Were they really in Washington? It was much colder here than it had been in their world. Her friend shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. She nearly protested. They already stood out too much here. Passerby eyed them with alarm. She looked too dazed and frightened. Maybe too brown, too, she thought, feeling like an outsider in an absence of Quileute faces. Though, at first glance, including Troy and herself, the realm was probably as equally, if not more so, diverse as Forks. But Edward was so clearly inhuman, not just his rolled-up sleeves, but his eyes glowing like a black panther's in the night. The pair of them were dressed in jeans, too, unlike the earthy clothing of the citizens. Not to mention the way people ducked their heads and scurried like rats to avoid being crushed under Officer Troy's boots. Yet the two men were too caught up in conversation to mind.
"Her Majesty simply requests an audience with her," Troy was explaining. He sounded offended. "It won't take more than an hour at best. Of course, Miss Leah is welcome to stay. The queen is very gracious."
"What if she changes her mind? What if she wants to break the fairy's spell? Surely it can't be wise for you all to go around forcing responsibilities on humans."
"The Well-Wishers know what they're doing. They never grant a wish without permission. And not every recipient is given such power. She's special."
"That's what Ella said," Leah interrupted. "But she left without explaining…. Why did she choose me? And what does she need me for?"
"I don't know, nor could I tell you. But I trust Her Majesty will help you identify your path," Troy answered dismissively. He kept silent and stared ahead. Not even Edward dared to question him.
As the path curved around hills and danced along streams, the village led into an empty dirt path. Not a soul passed them. The snow began to fall as Troy led them through a wide, lantern-lit tunnel, not unlike those Leah had seen on roads. At the mouth, lining both sides of the walls, were dozens of guards. They stood at attention, not speaking to their neighbors, though they were only ten or so feet apart. Each one saluted Troy as he passed. All suited in powder blue uniforms like Troy. On their hips were sheathed swords.
What would they need protection from? They were safe inside their own little magic bubble. Leah hoped it wasn't a special force deployed to ambush Edward or to trap her in this place.
Troy made a fist, and when he opened it, a sphere of baby blue light, almost like a crystal ball, appeared in his outstretched hand. "Stay close to me," he ordered his captives.
At the end of the tunnel was a round wooden door. Troy knocked a dozen or so times, in a pattern Leah couldn't follow, and it swung open, revealing a narrow curving hallway with the same brick walls as the tunnel. Troy slowed his pace but kept silent as he pushed a door open to another hall, revealing an entryway to a building. The sudden change took Leah's breath away. Portraits and still-life paintings hung on the white and gold walls. Potted blue irises fragranced the room from their corners. She could nearly see her reflection on the shiny hardwood floor. On each side of the room were double doors. Those on the left were blocked by two more guards.
"Has she arrived?" Troy smiled.
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
The lovely gilded doors opened to a long grand hall with high ceilings. Blue hung on the white stone walls, depicting a royal crest and phrases in a foreign language. Leah relished in the pleasant warmth and candlelight chandeliers hanging above them. It was her only comfort as she took in the sight before them: Across the room sat the straight-backed and silent queen on her throne, an intricate glass chair with three-foot petals fanned behind her, forming the back. It looked like she was sitting in the center of a blooming flower. To her side, sat a young woman in a simpler glass chair. On either side of the throne and platform stood half a dozen finely dressed men and women, probably nobles. They wore in either suits or poofy dresses, all in lilac, peach, periwinkle, rose, and turquoise. The perimeter of the room was lined with the militia, some dressed as finely as Troy, in shades of blue. The swirling pastels gave Leah a headache.
Halfway, Troy dropped to a knee and motioned for Leah and Edward to copy him. A little warning would've been nice, Leah thought as she nearly collapsed. She glared at Edward, who stared coldly at the monarch until he conceded defeat and mirrored her.
The queen's voice rang out, "You have done well, Major Berry."
Troy rose to his feet and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He marched over to her and took his place at the edge of the steps, just to the left.
Her Royal Highness was nearly swallowed in a mint green ball gown with transparent balloon sleeves. Her little feet poking at the bottom donned matching slippers. The other royal to her right wore a matching lavender dress. Both women wore intricate silver flower crowns and too much blush.
"Leah Clearwater. It is lovely to see you again." The queen's voice was loud and commanding yet warm and welcoming. Familiar, too.
"Ella?" Leah called out, her memory catching up to her. Some of the nobles huffed at the informal address.
The queen was unrecognizable at first glance. Her auburn hair was now gray, her wrinkled cheeks sagged even further, and her skin bore liver spots. Ella had aged twenty years in a few days.
"Yes, it's me. Not as beautiful, but I knew giving you power would take a toll on my health. Our official meeting was delayed due to my recovery," Ella said.
"Not a Pyrrhic victory, then?" Edward asked. To the untrained eye, he was the embodiment of civility, but his tight smile flashed a hint of a threat.
"A worthwhile sacrifice," the fairy queen replied. "Edward Cullen, you've met my granddaughter, Princess Echo."
Echo! Echo, the fairy who had tried to strike a deal with the Cullen family. Leah had forgotten they were related. The brunette princess shared the same pale white skin and green eyes as her grandmother, but she didn't carry herself with any regality. Her brows remained furrowed, either in stress or irritation, as she curtsied.
"Despite her...disappointment, Echo spoke very highly of you, Edward," the queen said.
"She said little of you, Your Majesty. Who knew we were in the presence of royalty?" Edward drawled out, fixing his glare on the princess.
'Don't even think about it,' Leah directed to him. 'We'll be dead and gone before midnight.'
The queen prompted Echo to speak with a hand gesture. The girl's voice was rougher than Leah expected. "I couldn't give away my birth or rank. I suppose it's rather hypocritical to say, but I couldn't trust you yet. Not before we were allies."
"We still are not allies," said Edward.
Troy stepped forward, hand on the hilt of his sword.
Queen Ella raised a hand. "Let him speak, Major."
Edward straightened. "Forgive me, but I'm hesitant to swear my loyalty to the people who have swindled both me and my friend. You have forced a heavy responsibility on a young person. While I understand it is her choice to ally with you or not, one cannot argue you have the upper hand. You have gone so far as to curse me, to ensnare my family into a dangerous feud with nomads. My first impressions of you and the princess, Your Majesty, are deceivers and cheats."
Shouts erupted in the throne room. The nobles shrieked, calling "Send them away!" and "Blasphemers!" and "They're going to kill us all!" Six soldiers stepped forward with guns targeted at both Leah and Edward. The guards by the doors drew their swords and positioned themselves in a fighting stance. The princess yelled something above the uproar and waved her arms, but Troy stood en garde in front of her.
Then something odd happened.
The queen laughed. A great big belly laugh that echoed off the walls and silenced her subjects. People uncertainly shuffled back into place, as if embarrassed by their reaction.
"Oh, dearie, you're a clever one! Deceivers and cheats! We can't lie, but fairies are the biggest liars in the world!" She wiped her rosy cheeks. "You are half right about your friend. But the 'curse' as you speak of it, was in no way linked to Princess Echo's plea. She simply realized she had a card to play, an opportunity to sway you, and like a smart negotiator she acted. However, the day I granted your heart's wish, to be unburdened by your vampirism, I did so with sympathy. I am plagued with a charitable and giving heart.
"Last year, I blinded your sense of smell in the hopes of giving you love. I gave you a gift that threw off the course of your life. Even a fairy queen can admit when she has erred so gravely."
"You'll take it back?" Leah asked, amazed.
The queen tilted her head. "My child, it would be near impossible to do so. But I will grant any wish, within reason."
A wish!
Edward answered, "If Leah asked, would you release her from your contract?"
Leah turned to him with a frown. How could he waste a free wish like that?
"Yes…" the queen said slowly. "But she will not. Upper hand or not, I can see she came here decided. There is a hero in you yet, Leah."
Leah was afraid to move. She held her breath and willed Edward to choose wisely.
Edward sighed, and stated his wish as plainly as if he were reciting. "Then, I want you to offer the same protection to the Quileute people. Vampires, werewolves, and fairies, all working together to protect our home. All previous treaties void. A fresh start."
"That's rather idyllic, especially for you," said Ella.
"It's not my idea, it's Leah's. And she shall have it," Edward declared.
The queen was silent a long moment, leaning back into her throne. For a minute Leah wondered if she would throw them out. Finally, she said, slowly, "I take it Princess Echo neglected to tell you about the tribe's most recent history with us? That they disobeyed their treaty with us seventy years ago? That they want nothing to do with us?"
Seventy years ago? Edward looked just as lost. This hadn't been popular information, then. A flame of anger rose up withing Leah. She clenched her fists. "That's unfair. Not everyone can just wave a wand and zap away bad guys."
"No, but you had your wolves. All we sought was asylum for one of our own. She had a grandfather on the reservation. They tossed her out when they realized two vampires were hunting her." She grimaced. "Spineless."
Leah was aghast. "That's not…" But how could it not be true? Ella wasn't lying about the werewolves. They were the very ones who signed the treaty with the Cullens.
She wanted to defend her tribe. Maybe the girl was a troublemaker, a rogue fairy? Or maybe they were fending off another threat? But would she be treated the same by her people? Should she be in danger, which side would take up for her, her tribe, or the realm?
Edward stared up at the queen. His voice without emotion, he said, "Allow my family to return -"
"A waste of a wish," the queen clucked.
"It's not my wish. I'm keeping that. You'll grant it when I decide what I'll need. Figure out how to convince the council to allow my family back. Someone needs to look after Leah out in the real world."
"This is too much. Why would I do so?"
"My family will fight only if there's a war. But me, I'll be your protector for as long as Leah is with you."
The queen smiled. So warmly, so sweetly, she looked like an old lady falling asleep in a rocking chair. "Lovely. We have our Guardian. And now a Hunter."
Leah sat in a small study - a square room with dark wood panels, only occupied by a desk and wing-back chairs, a lit fireplace, and bookcases. The only thing fascinating about the room were the people in it. A vampire sat to her right, having been still and silent for the last ten minutes, as if he'd retreated inside his head. Across from them, at the desk, was the fairy queen, who hummed loudly while sipping her tea, as if she were alone.
Leah slammed her teacup onto its coaster, sloshing hot liquid onto the oak desk and her hand.
"That was a gift, you know. An expensive one," the queen singsonged.
"Forgive us if we're becoming homesick, Your Highness," Edward spoke, his first words since they'd been escorted out of the throne room. "Others will come looking for us, given our visit was, a surprise, at best."
The queen smiled gingerly. "You're right. The two of you will work well together. You're protective, clever. Charming when necessary. And you, Leah, you're much more independent and adaptable than half of the drones in my guard."
"What's with the psych evaluation?" Leah barked.
"I'm just marveling at the good fortune of all our paths crossing. You two have the makings of great warriors."
"Warriors?" Edward questioned. "We are not at war."
"Oh, it's just an expression, my dear boy. We only finish fights, we're much too busy to go starting them."
"With what?" he asked. Leah nodded along, hoping to finally learn what they could not from books.
"Our government is split into sectors, one being the Senators. They assist me in all decisions, so this is not as much of a monarchy as it appears. I'm more of a president, only better dressed."
"And they're the ones that wanted us here?" Leah asked.
"That was my idea, in each of your cases, but I managed to sway them in the end. The other sectors approved, too," Ella said. "We've also got our Educators, who help young ones to control their powers and the Scientists who develop advancements in spells and new applications for magic. These three are the most essential. So many fairy kingdoms descend into chaos without proper guidance, as many have learned the hard way."
The hard way? If these civilized fairies could get up to this much mischief, what happened when a bad seed was born with this much power? Were they as much a threat as vampires?
Leah started to interrupt Ella, but Edward shook his head, very slightly. He had a warning; he had pierced something together. She only hoped it wasn't that there were guillotines waiting for them outside.
Ella stood and crossed the room to grab a dusty old tome from a bookshelf. "The last three sectors, though, make life worth living - both for those inside the realm, and those outside." She dropped the book onto the desk, stirring up dust. Of their own accord, the pages turned slowly, then faster, faster, and faster.
Leah wiped her watering eyes. A fancy-schmancy castle and not one maid to clean some nasty old books? Finally, the pages slowed and settled. Leah and Edward leaned forward to peer at the pages only to jump back. The font, along with the diagrams and drawings, peeled clean off the paper and expanded, projecting several feet above the book in silvery-blue ink.
Ella leaned down and whispered, "Thank you." To the inanimate object. Huh. Maybe she was senile.
The floating display showed a whimsical lush garden, with people sitting on top of oversized leaves and ornate flowers.
"Ironically," the queen said, "people have the most trouble wrapping their heads around the Preservers, though they fulfill the purpose for which we were originally created. To protect the plants, to strengthen the environment, to preserve nature. An admirable path for any fairy."
The ink melted and swirled before forming new images, but luckily those dusty pages didn't move. Ella grinned at the thin baton, held daintily in a woman's hand, with vibrant silver sparks springing from the end.
"Well-Wishers," she announced. "Often called fairy godmothers by outsiders. If only we could offer the commitment to earn such a title. Instead, I and the others must limit ourselves in wish-granting, lest humans will -"
"Wait. Aren't you the queen?" asked Leah.
"I should hope so!" Ella laughed. "But every monarch must lead a sector of the government of their choosing during their reign. When Princess Echo is crowned, she shall be head of the Protectors."
The images above them were nearly real. Medieval knights on horseback and on the field battled against simple figures, an unnamed enemy. They were striking down their foes quite easily, judging by the fallen bodies.
"They train the armies, equip soldiers with spells, select the royal guard -"
"Recruit strangers," Leah finished, smiling to sweeten her tone.
"Make alliances," the queen corrected. "If need be. This clan, the Cosaint clan, was raised from war. Or defense, really. Our founders were known as great fighters and defenders of the villages. Yes, we live to preserve, but to protect is in our blood."
At the end of the speech, Leah wanted to stand and shout. If anything it was reassuring to see the queen believed every word she was saying. They all were united in the duty that rested on their shoulders.
The impassioned gleam in Queen Ella's eyes replaced her cordial smile. Up close, in the firelight, Leah could just make out the dullness of the queen's right eye. Still a bright green, but without the spark and no magic to hide it.
"You can always ask what's on your mind," Ella said. She waved a hand when Leah tried to apologize. "It's alright. No glamour spell will cover it anymore. Perhaps I should show it, to remind others. I lost it trying to play the hero. Every young person aspires to greatness, but few have the wisdom to succeed. Valor does not mean it is time to strike." She poured herself another cup of tea. "Just as fear does not mean it is time to fall back."
Edward smiled politely as if discussing the weather with a coworker. "Meaning?"
Ella sank into her chair. "Should we be on the brink of war, Leah will be our last barrier of defense. As a Guardian, Leah, you will be trained to the full extent of your physical and magical limits. Dear girl, don't look so horrified! I'm not hiring you as my mercenary!"
"But pretty close, right?" Leah growled. She was already too important to kill. Why bother with manners? This was not the peace and satisfaction she'd been told awaited her, once she joined the clan. "I was told I'd find purpose in my powers, not killing."
"And what good are they if you don't use them? Besides, subduing offenders will be enough in most cases. We only kill to protect. If that event, it will likely be vampires, far from innocents. No offense, Edward."
The far-from-innocent vampire shrugged. "Where does that leave me?"
"Ah, yes. Our agreement. Edward, you'll be taking on a position in the Protectors I've been looking to fill for years. Our Hunter. Someone who tracks and eliminates our deadliest threats."
"Now that does sound like a mercenary," Leah started.
"The nomads preying on fairies? Echo told me about the increase," Edward said. "You want me to defend any threatened fairies?"
"Not necessarily. There is a chief offender to our kingdom - the one we suspect is leading their friends to our area."
"Just one vampire?"
Ella continued, "Yes. We believe once we eliminate the threat, we believe that will ward of the rest. That may change to more, depending on these next few months. You will be informed before each hit and given a timeslot to complete it. Once you complete this task, we will release you from your contract, Edward. And Leah, you are under no obligation to stay with us, too, once you've seen us through these dark days. Only then, may you leave."
Leah chewed her lip, considering. "Is that our final offer? What if we fail?"
"I can accept mistakes. I cannot accept cowardice. I think both of you will regret it very much if you break our agreement."
Leah's mouth went dry.
The queen glided over to the fireplace as if she were floating on air. She turned away from the pair as she stirred the fire with the poker. "This is not a threat, it's simply the truth. The things that you want - to protect each other, to fulfill your purpose, or what have you - can only be found through me. Should you cross me, this will end in misery for all."
Leah met Edward's eyes. 'Are we going to die?'
The queen dusted her hands on her poufy skirt. "Major Berry will accompany you home. Leah, In five days' time, your tutor will arrive to train you. Edward, you may tell your family I'll talk to the Quileute council. Keep an ear to the ground. Have a lovely holiday."
Leah ripped open the wrapper on her bacon cheeseburger like a kid opening a Christmas present. Some food was desperately needed after that ordeal.
Across from her in the booth, Edward stared vacantly.
"Can you not," Leah said between bites, "give me that...judgy look...like you haven't sucked cow's blood?"
His golden eyes swept across the fast-food restaurant. It was nearly empty except for the young couple at the register and the teenage boys across the aisle. It didn't matter - the two of them were in the back.
'No one's looking, just say it.'
"If she's going to bargain with the Quileute council, it's only so long before your father finds out that you're involved."
"She'll find some other way to win them over. Ella can't tell them about me," Leah muttered. If Ella gave away what she'd done to Leah, the council would make the fairies pay. They'd probably send Sam after her.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe food wasn't the best idea right now.
"For now." Edward stared past her, at the loud teens in the back. "I suppose they owe her, for that girl."
"Yeah. But they'll know your family is working with them."
Edward gave her a sharp smile. "Well they don't trust my family and they don't trust the fairies if Ella is to be believed. Why should this surprise them?"
She nodded while she chewed. The fluorescents seemed ominous and bizarre around this time. Idly, she wondered if she and Edward looked odd, tucked into the corner whispering. They weren't anywhere near home, but she was certain she looked somewhat traumatized and his good looks drew attention. Or, they would, if he didn't look so defeated right now. "Sorry about your nose," she told him.
Edward shook his head like it was alright but she was sure it wasn't. "I may not be able to wish the curse away, but, maybe I could wish this all to be over."
"Is it really so bad a deal? You can come back home and get a free wish. I get to see if this is the path for me. You and I kill a dangerous, murderous vampire. Then we go do what we want, easy."
"Leah, what about college? What about your plans?" he pushed. "How can you train for this while going to school? We don't even know when this will happen or how long it will take."
When she burned that junk from college, it had been the end of an era, an era where she was working towards a goal a perfect life. She'd wanted to learn, to be so successful she'd never want for anything. She wanted Sam to come with her so he could start fresh after his transformation. He'd be wasting his brain and his talent otherwise. But she'd said goodbye to college at the same time she did Sam.
Edward gave her a pitying look.
She rolled her eyes. She knew she couldn't outright give up her future because Sam wasn't in it. That was insane. But if there was no motivation anymore to do so, wasn't she just trying to prove a point? She might as well do something she cared about, something that made a difference. "If it were my people, there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect them. I'd look for every possibility I could." And a hundred times in the past, it was her people and so many others, that deserved a defender. She shrugged. "So what if it takes a little while or it's difficult? I don't mind getting my hands dirty."
He eyed her warily. "I didn't think it'd be this easy to convince you to kill people."
She shrugged. "Not all vampires are bad, obviously, but there are many more horrible ones than sane ones like you and your family. I've got the horror story to prove it." Just over a year ago, she'd been (stupidly) in the woods at night and almost became a vampire's dinner. She could still remember the ice of his hands and the threatening glint in his crimson eyes. "And not every person is going to be as lucky as I was."
She wasn't passionate about murder, nor did she have a vendetta against vampires for that one incident. But Ella had given her a purpose and a promise when it seemed like she had none. She'd made Leah realize she was worth more than what anyone in her little world estimated. Leah was strong and fierce and she mattered.
He looked down. "I understand."
Maybe she was being callous. Being a vegetarian vampire, Edward clearly had a strict moral code. She could see this kind of thing bothering him. He'd probably never even killed a person before. Her hand reached across the table to cover his. "Look, Edward, if you're opposed to killing them, I get it. You probably would have a hard time, being one. Hell, it'd probably be as bad for you as it would be for me to stab one of those guys over there in an alleyway. I'll tell Ella that. We'll find a way, I promise."
He winced, looking disturbed by the turn in their conversation. "It's none of that. I just can't help thinking of what could go wrong."
"You don't trust her?" Leah asked. She was too tired to be completely defensive of Ella, especially when she didn't have much of a right to be. One minute she was all sugar, the next she was bitter. In just an hour the woman had been manipulative, stubborn, and defensive. But how much of that was cautiousness and asserting her authority? Hell, did she trust the woman herself? In the daylight, Ella was no fairy godmother, indeed. A determined, strong leader, but never an angel.
Edward rested his chin in one hand. "I believe in her."
"Is there a difference?" She tossed a crumpled napkin at him.
"There is." He gathered her trash onto the tray. "And the cow happened once, alright? It haunts me, so stop bringing it up."
"So touchy, tonight!" she laughed as they left the restaurant. It really wasn't that funny, but she figured she better savor any amusement while they could.