The Fairy Without a Talent – Chapter Eleven
"Hurry, Torum," Bluebell called racing down through Needlepoint Meadow as she looked to call out to her brother. "Nora's at the Fairy Hospital. I told her we'd meet her straight there."
Flapping his wings, Torum flew faster to keep pace with his sister as she shot off like a rocket. Cupping his hands, he called, "Bell, slow down. We have to go through Reception first before we go in." Catching up to grab his sister lightly on the wrist, he said, "It's protocol, sis."
Landing, she stuttered, "But … Nora needs us! I should've gone with her to the Winter Woods; I didn't even know that she had broken her wing when she fell into that cavern. I should have been there!"
"Bell, we don't know if her wing is broken," Torum said, trying to calm his sister down.
"They say there's no cure for a broken wing!" Bluebell exclaimed, making her wings up as they flapped meekly behind her.
"Bell, hush!" Torum said, raising his voice a little. Looking up, he saw that he was making a scene as two fairies peeked out from the reception area. Smiling apologetically, he rubbed a hand through his dark hair before sitting his hands on his sister's shoulders. "Bell, listen, please. I'm worried about Nora, too, but I don't think we should be overreacting. If we walk in there acting like this, they'll never let us in to see her, alright?"
Seeing his sister nod, he continued, "Nora's strong, we know that. And, she wasn't alone when it happened. Before she was taken in, I got a good look at her wing from a distance, and it honestly didn't look that bad. Based on what I saw, it was just a …"
"But what if it isn't? What if Nora won't be able to fly, again?" Bluebell started to cry before Torum shook his head at her.
"It won't be that, sis, trust me," Torum said, turning towards the opening. "Now, are you coming or not?"
"Of course I'm coming, that our sister," Bluebell said, running in, not even aware of her blue-violet hanging askew on the side of her blonde hair.
Fluttering into the reception clearing, the first thing the two siblings saw were a couple of fairies already in line.
"Well, I guess we better get in line," Torum said, flying over to step in line.
Joining him, she whispered, "I just hope Nora's alright."
Fluttering up to the reception window, a poor fairy dressed in blue struggled to lift a brambles covered wrist to touch the little green ladybug that stood proudly next to the curtain. Wincing, the small water talent fairy allowed her arm to drop as the curtain opened up to reveal a tall fairy dressed in yellow with a quill and leaf clipboard in hand.
"May I help you?" she said with a polite smile.
Ow, the poor fairy sniffled as she turned to wrist to reveal the thorns wrapped around her wrist.
"Ooh, Brambles, from a new bloomed thorned rose bush, no doubt," the receptionist observed, checking her clipboard. "Not an emergency, take a seat," she said, pointing to the chairs.
"What, that is clearly an emergency," Bluebell exclaimed, jumping up into the air. "Just look at her poor hands, she must be suffering, poor thing!"
Overhearing Bluebell's outburst, a young fairy with pomegranate purple hair and huckleberry blue eyes peeked out just as the receptionist shot a serious gaze towards Bluebell as Torum gently lowered her back into line.
"Bluebell," Torum sighed, shooting an apologetic gaze back towards her as she just wrote something down on her clipboard.
"Excuse me, Triage," the young fairy said, flying out into the open and up to the edge of the window. "I do believe that one fairy is correct, a bramble thorn case is pretty serious."
Pushing open the curtain, Triage took one look from the young fairy to the fairy that sat with her arm cradled on her lap. There were no doubt bramble thorns bustling about her river boots as well. "Alright, take her to Room Three, and someone will be there shortly," she said, turning back to her work, closing the curtain as she waited on the next customer.
Shooting Bluebell a thankful and genuine smile, the young fairy dressed in purple and pink immediately flew over to the young water fairy to help her inside.
"Torum, I'm sorry, but I had to speak up," Bluebell said, noticing that Torum's eyes followed the two fairies into the tree.
"No, I'm glad you did," he said, looking at her with a smile.
After two more cases, it was finally their turn as Bluebell turned to look past the desk.
Noticing, Triage clicked a sharp, "Ack-hmm. Window."
With a slight encouraging nod from Torum, Bluebell tapped the ladybug, who buzzed twice before Triage finally opened the curtain once more.
Noticing them, she slightly arched her eyebrows over her glasses as she smiled a polite smile, saying, "Patient's name?"
"Nora," Torum said, with a nod, "We're her brother and sister. May we see her?"
"How is she?" Bluebell asked.
"Ah, the one with the scratched wing. Room 4, down the hall," Triage gestured with her quill. However, before they moved, she smiled as she said, "And, don't worry, I think she's fine," no doubt seeing the anxiety on Bluebell's cheeks.
"I can take you there," the young fairy said as she peeked her head out the door once more. "I was just there myself, come on I'll take you to her."
"Thank you," Bluebell said, flying right in.
Smiling at Torum, she said, "My name is Mia, by the way, in case you were wondering."
Following her in, he listened as Mia continued, "I do believe Triage means well, but she's only doing her job as a receptionist. Don't let her picky manners confuse you, though, she is quite sweet."
"Are you a nursing talent fairy, too?" Bluebell asked, curious.
"No, I'm a garden fairy. I just volunteer here sometimes, and it is all worthwhile as I do," Mia said with a smile. "Come on, your sister is right through here."
Nora calmly and patiently sat on the table as the nursing talent fairy, whom was named Clara, looked her over carefully to check for anymore bumps and bruises.
In the corner sat, no less than a foot away, River and Teal as they waited to see what the healer had to say.
Teal rested with an anxious hand to her chin River twiddled the shards in her pocket. Her eyes remained silent as she heard the door creak open.
"Nora?" Nora heard her sister say as they came in.
Turning her head, she gladly turned to see them as she said, "Hey, guys."
Pausing to look up from the moss leaves she was wrapping around Nora's sore wing, "You're sister is going to be just fine. She won't be able to fly for at least a day or two, to make sure this wing heals, but I assure you, it will mend." Smiling, she said, "As soon as I'm done here, you will be free to take her home."
"Thanks Clara," Teal said from where she stood off her seat. Fluttering over, she said, "She sure gave me a scare, especially when we couldn't find the entrance to the Crystal Caverns. Where they fell through was actually a side entrance, and it's being carefully marked by the ice talents as we speak. Lia wanted me to report back to the Border so she would know how Nora was doing."
"Is Lia a frost talent?" Bluebell asked, sitting a fond hand on her sister's arm.
"Well, yes, but she says she is actually an ice talent, so she …"
"… Ices things," River finished, looking up. "How are feeling, Nora?"
"I feel alright, really. I just won't be able to fly for a while, but it might be good to experience something that will keep my feet on the ground for a while," Nora said with a smile.
"Nora hasn't complained even once since she was brought here," Teal said proudly.
"That means she's a good patient, as many are," Clara said, tightening the bandages around Nora's shoulder. "Now, I'll need you to do something for me, dear. Stand a bit and walk around, tell me if the bandages are too tight or …"
Standing, Nora said, "They're fine, Clara. Thank you." To prove it, Nora gave her wings a feeble flap as they gently settled back down.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Torum asked in concern.
"Surprisingly no," Nora said, puzzled a bit herself.
"Fairy wings are extremely delicate, but they don't feel pain," Clara said, arcing her own set of wings. "Wonderfully mysterious they are, but ever so useful, too."
Hearing the door slam open, all heads turned to see Tink panting a bit as she took off her winter coat. "Peri and Snow send their wishes. You doing better?"
"Much, and tell them I'll see them soon," Nora said, smiling at her friends.
"Who's Snow?" Torum said, catching on.
"River's sister," Nora said simply. "She's a snow fairy. She was born from the same laugh as River, like us and Tink and Peri."
"Really? Wow, congratulations River," Torum turned to say to her as River stood to her feet.
"That reminded me, I have to run to give Snow something," River said, bringing out the shards. "Here, this is for you, too, Nora. It's a crystal from the caverns. I thought you might like one for a souvenir."
"Thanks River, I love it," Nora said, bringing the smooth crystal to her heart. "Can you see outside the Caverns, right now?" Looking up into River's eyes, she noticed nothing like she had in the Caverns.
"I'm afraid not," River said simply, slipping them back into her pocket. "But, there might have been something to them to make them be able to do that, just haven't figured it out, yet."
"Well, tell Snow I said hi," Nora said, watching as River flew over to the door.
"I will, and, just so you know, I'll be over as soon as I'm done," River said with a smile.
"Alright, miss Speedy," Nora said with a chuckle.
Chuckling a bit herself, she said, "Besides, you'll have to have someone watch you to make sure you stay off that wing."
"I know, and I appreciate it," Nora said, watching her as she went out the door.
"You're welcome … Windy," River said, pausing at the door, sensing that she caught Nora's eyes narrow playfully In spite. "Hey, it's just until I can come up for a nickname for you. Windy seemed good, because I noticed how much you like the wind around you."
Chuckling softly, Nora just said, "Maybe I do, but I'm not the only one."
"Maybe so, but it fits. See you later," River said as she flew out the door.
"Well, now we've just got to get you home," Bluebell said, "so you can rest that wing."
"I can walk there," Nora started to say before Teal interrupted her.
"Um, I'm not sure of that," she said, crossing her arms. "I don't think a certain little mouse will want you walking the long trek home right now."
"Cocoa, he's here?"
"Yep, and by the way he's waiting out there, I'd say you got a ride," Teal said.
Nora just laughed as she allowed her friends to help her out the door, down the hall, and out into the sunshine.
Watching for him, Nora immediately smiled to see that his little head just perked up as he came trotting over with a quiet squeak. Pinning his snout under one of his hands, Cocoa just squeaked as Nora scratched his head. "Thanks Cocoa."
Here is the next chapter. The receptionist fairy from the movie Secret of the Wings, I don't own her, and I don't know her name, but by the clip from the movie, I am calling her Triage and, to my understanding, I believe she may be a receptionist fairy. Correct me if I am wrong, just couldn't really find what her talent was and her name. Mia, on the other hand, was one of my own personal creation on the site. :)
So, I hope you enjoy them, and fly with you till next roundabout. :)