The Fairy Without a Talent – Chapter 15
The breeze was even more serene that morning as I strode out into the early morning mist. Not far behind me, Cocoa stretched his tiny paws as he skittered to keep pace with me.
Nudging the side of my free hand, I just scratched his velvet chestnut ears with a fond smile as I felt the wind flutter the ends of my hair. Peering up into sky, I caught the shrill call of something new as its shadow cast its reflection across the morning dawn.
Wow, Nora sighed as the marvelous bird disappeared pass the trees. As Cocoa ducked beneath her feet, Nora breathed, "What was that?"
"The Never Sky Bird," Nora heard Queen Clarion say as she came walking over in a plain long violet petal gown with soft, gentle lily slippers on her feet. On her head rested a simple lily as her long honey blonde hair rested in a pretty bun with two tiny wisps framing her simple face.
"The … Sky Bird?" Nora murmured, noticing that the Queen was missing her tiara.
"Yes, he has been here for as long as I can remember," the Queen said, thinking mostly to herself. "Hmm, I do believe that he is here for something … maybe someone, if I am correct …"
"Queen Clarion?" Nora asked, tilting her head to the side.
A quiet flutter of wings made both of them gaze up to behold a bird colored the breath of freshly fallen snow as a series of welcoming coos warmed through her throat. Landing to earn a cuddle from Queen Clarion, Nora's blue eyes started to tear as the dove turned a fond smile towards her, too.
"Nora, this is Mother Dove, one of the many Never Doves that nest and make their homes in Pixie Hollow's Hawthorn Trees," Queen Clarion said with a smile. "While many Never Doves migrate to other parts of Never Land from time to time, she chooses to stay here with us. I sometimes wonder if it's because she's grown too fond with us to go with her own kind, but it's a treasure upon itself that such a friend like her would find her way into our hearts. She has helped us for many a time, and in doing so we do what we can to care for her as well."
Folding in her shimmering feathers, Mother Dove bent down her curved head as her brown eyes met Nora's.
"She knows of your story, Nora," Queen Clarion said gently.
"She can help me?" Nora asked as Mother Dove raised her head with a smile.
'I can, but only you can find yourself.'
"That's what everyone tells me … Wait …" Nora started to say as Queen Clarion nodded her head.
"Unlike most creatures, Never Doves have the ability to understand us fairies even without an animal fairy's help. They are often the ones that help us transport the seasons to the mainland."
Understanding, Nora calmly petted a hand against Mother Dove's neck feathers as her eyes peered up to follow the Sky Bird's path. "Then, why did the Sky Bird just fly on by when it did?"
"Well, that is a question only Mother Dove can answer, for he is her oldest friend. And, this day marks the anniversary of the first day they met several seasons ago. On this day, they meet at the edge of Cloud Haven on the very high spot of Pixie Hollow. It is the only safe and spacious spot he can go. To commemorate their meeting, they then exchange gifts to give one another before they have to part again," Queen Clarion said, revealing some hanging from one of her dainty wrists. "I proudly hold on to Mother Dove's gift as she goes to meet her friend, and at just the right time, it gets tossed into the air where a similar treasure will land to meet to be hers in tune as the Sky Bird turns to follow the North Winds back home on one of the far corners of Never Land."
"Wow," Nora chuckled as Queen Clarion settled herself onto Mother Dove's back as her gaze met Nora's. Holding out her hand, she asked, "You want to come along?"
"Would I?" Nora exclaimed, joining Queen Clarion as Mother Dove took off into the morning shadows.
Climbing ever higher, Nora looked over her shoulder down over Pixie Hollow as the wind rushed up to greet her as it sent her brown hair fluttering, her wings glistening. Smiling, Nora just sighed as the gurgle of Havendish Stream came up to meet her with the carrier of the breeze.
"I hear the wind across the plain
A sound so strong that calls my name …"
The sun's rays came streaming out behind the clouds as it joined Nora's voice, warming the quiet tears forming in her eyes.
"It's wild like the river,
It's warm as the sun.
Yeah it's here,
This is where I belong.
A stream of musical coos joined her as her as the Hollow sprung to life around them. Looking up, they saw the stars blink open as they twinkled along as night turned to day.
"Under the starry skies,
Where eagles have flown.
This place is paradise,
It's the place I call home"
"The moon on the mountains, The whisper through the trees, The waves on the water," Nora heard as Queen Clarion lovingly placed a hand atop her young fairy's as the sky shimmered several colors as a rainbow came soaring just beneath them as a cloud sheltered them, light rain pouring atop them in rhythm.
"Let nothing come between this and me.
'Cause everything I want
Is everything that's here."
"And when we're all together, there's nothing to fear," both Nora and the Queen sang as the clouds began to veil the Hollow beneath them.
Ooooooh, oooooh, oooooh, the wind seemed to sing as the clouds parted to reveal the Shimmering Cliffs of Cloud Haven. Lowering, Mother Dove prepared to land as Nora turned to look down upon the Hollow with a proud smile.
"And wherever I wander,
The one thing I've learned, Yeah,
It's to here I will always,
Always return …"
Landing on the soft ground of the cliffs, Queen Clarion helped her young hopeful down as Mother Dove suddenly dove down over the cliffs.
"Mother Dove!" Nora exclaimed, as Queen Clarion gently took hold of Nora's arm to back her away from the dip in the cliff.
"Nora, wait," Queen Clarion, listening for a moment. Sensing movement, Nora followed the Queen's gaze as she said, "Now watch."
Following the Queen's hand, two figures suddenly flew up into the sky – one rainbow majestic and a white light – as they danced an acrobatic display through the overhanging clouds as Mother Dove cooed out to her friend. Answering, the Sky Bird let out a beautiful song as the two friends caught up to times.
"Her best friend," Nora murmured, thinking about her friends back at the Hollow.
"Yes," the Queen said, watching them. "So different, but wonderful together."
"You said that this was the only place where they could meet, to be together."
"That is true, this is one of the few places they can reunite. If the Sky Bird had landed into Pixie Hollow, it might have never been able to fly again," the Queen said, indicating the bird's size.
"Those special moments, they make the time to see each other," Nora observed, listening to their calls. "They're willing to listen to each other's needs, and they compromise as this."
"Exactly, little one," The Queen smiled.
"Is that how it was with you and Lord Milori?" Nora asked curiously.
Nodding her head, the Queen smiled as she remembered the past. "But that had changed when …"
"I know," Nora said with a smile. "But then you found a way when something made it possible for others to cross the border."
Giving her young hopeful a fond smile, the Queen then lifted her head as both she and Nora felt the wind shift direction. "It's the North Wind! Nora, it's time," she said, turning to face her. Unstrapping the bag from her wrist, the Queen looked up to see the two birds coming back as she said, "Nora, help me throw this!"
Joining hands, they hefted the tiny bag into the air as the Sky Bird closed a talon it as the North Wind changed its course. Letting out a call, the Sky Bird signaled out a goodbye as Mother Dove returned with something incased in her beak.
Nora smiled as Queen Clarion held it out for them to see, but Nora's eyes saw it for only a second as her gaze shifted down to her side as her hand pulled a white iridescent crystal from her pocket.
Holding it up, Nora's mind went back home as she thought about all that her friends had done for her and what she had learned from them.
Looking up, Mother Dove and Queen Clarion both watched as Nora's eyes followed the sun's rays streamed out from the cloud that was hiding it. As the ray reflected down to touch the crystal, Nora heard Queen Clarion's wise words echo into her heart.
"When you're back where you started, as your talent brings you home …"
Getting an idea, Nora smiled as she lifted the crystal into the light. Taken aback, she gasped for in the glimpse of her eye, she saw a mystical golden mist trail all the way back home as she looked back to Queen Clarion with a smile.
"… a golden midst will form to reveal it right and true."
Back at the Hollow, morning had risen and Pixie Hollow was awake with activity. However, the main commotion was coming from the Pixie Dust Tree. News had reached a few quiet corners that the Queen was missing and that her tiara was found, untouched.
Looking for Nora, Teal said, "Can you believe the Queen would disappear like that? And, where's Nora?"
River just shook her tired bangs out of her eyes as she replied, "Knowing who the Queen is, I have a feeling she's just fine. But, I haven't seen Nora at all this morning. I heard Cocoa scratching out near my home, but I didn't hear Nora with him though."
"Well, she's probably around here somewhere," Teal said, watching as Bluebell and Torum came flying over.
"We just saw something beyond extraordinary," Bluebell exclaimed as Torum shushed her.
All their eyes ventured up as a shadow flew up over them all and towards the Pixie Dust Tree.
Hey there, back with another update. Chapter 15, and along with this - a song featured by Bryan Adams from the inspirational movie, Spirit.
All credit goes where credit is due, including the keen appearance of Mother Dove and one her friends.
I added a touch of my own history that goes along with the idea of the Disney Fairy book, Queen Clarion's Secret. But, in my view, this happens before all that with Mother Dove's egg.
And, here we are, almost at the end. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and fly with you all soon. :D