6. Strangers

Then the pain stopped and my vision cleared. I was still in the park. Only this time, it looked different. What I hadn't been able to see before, I could now. In front of me was a short boy (I say boy because he sure didn't look like a man) with the remainder of a syringe in his hand. He'd almost look normal if it weren't for the soft gold tinge in his skin. Oh, and the large wings protruding from his back. They looked like crepe paper, but as they flapped effortlessly behind his back it was obvious they were very powerful. He had soft pixie-like facial features, with slightly pointed ears and upturned eyes. He couldn't have looked anymore than fifteen or sixteen, but there was something behind his eyes that made him seem older. He wore a simple pair of shorts (not something a human would wear) that were so exquisitely made; it was surprising they were so simple. His chest was bare, showing off the muscles that stretched across his stomach and back. He had deep silver tattoos all over his body, looking like mercury had been injected into his skin, shimmering and shinning in indistinguishable Celtic patterns. He was covered in a transparent film of what looked like an invisible plastic.

The pain was completely gone and I found I could stand up again. My hand seemed to have healed, my knuckle no longer bruised and broken. It was very strange. I had dropped River's package, but at that moment I couldn't care less. I was seeing more than any normal mortal human should see. Because the thing was, the park, Jasper Park, was more than just a park. The trees I'd seen with my human sight were gone. And now all I could see was curled, gnarled, living, thriving trees that fell about the park. They swayed and talked, moaning with the wind. Mostly they were green with beautiful flowers coming off the leaves. They looked alive. In fact, for some reason, I got the feeling they were.

Everywhere in the park was evidence of fey life. Anything remotely human was gone. There was no trace of anything unnatural at all. Not metal, especially not iron. Flowers and water were in abundance with small animals that didn't belong in a mortal world. But the thing was, it wasn't sweet and gold and harmonious, as would be expected from a fairy tale. Even though everything was alive and growing, there was some sort of sinister undertone. Something cold and evil about it all. Dark. To the fey, magic must be natural, but it didn't seem to fit within this world. This earth. It didn't seem natural or safe or good. It seemed sly and wicked. Almost immoral. As if it were some sort of sin. Some sort of evil temptation.

Anger swept through my body quickly.

"I am Kial, from the Natsu Court," the faery said to me with a grin. I decided I despised him for showing me this stupid world.

"What are you? Some sort of pixie?" I spat.

"Actually, yes," the pixie smirked.

"What is this?" I asked, pointing to the newly discovered fairy tale within suburbia.

"This is real," he said simply.

"So what was I seeing before?"

"A glamour."

"A glamour?"

"Yes, an illusion. We fey are very good at glamours." The pixie grinned and did a small hop on is feet, his wings lifting him off the ground for a moment. He hovered, then lowered back down to earth. "The outside of River's mansion is a glamour. Just wait till you go back and see it for real." The pixie giggled and hopped again. I assumed that was what the transparent film was – a glamour.

"Can I give you your stuff now?" I asked. I picked up the package again and handed it to the dancing pixie. He smiled and took it from my hand lightly.

"I think I like you Giselle. Grace was much too scared to ever play with the fey," Kial told me. Grace. The previous maid.

"I don't intend to play, thanks," I said.

"But you already are," Kial grinned, without any more explanation and a soft tinkling laugh. I ignored it. I remembered what River had said to me and I placed my hand on my forehead, then chest, then in front of me. Kial grinned even wider. He reached into the pocket of his shorts and plucked out a small parcel.

"Thanks," I said out of habit.

"Don't open it till you are out of the park. It doesn't do well for the fey."

"Is it iron?" I asked.

Kial shook his head. "But it is a metal. For you. River requested it."

I nodded, slowly. "What's the Natsu Court?"

"It is the court of fey in this territory. We have a queen."

"Are there other courts?"

"Oh, yes. The Aki Court, Haru Court and Fuyu Court."

"Oh." I nodded again. "And they have their own territory?"

"Of course."

"Where are they?"

"Well, the Fuyu Court is in the city of steel. Very strong fey there. Haru Court is in the east. Many ocean fey. And Aki Court is in the west."

"I see." Again, nodding. "Am I going to get sick?" I asked. Kial looked at me as if it were a strange question. "You injected foreign blood into me. Generally, unless it's from the same species and blood type it can be a problem," I explained.

"Faery blood is magic," Kial said simply. Then he turned, flicking his wings, and skipping away. I heard him hum a song, which I could've sworn was familiar, but couldn't pick it.

Slowly, I backtracked my way out of the park, hoping that I wouldn't run into more faeries.

It was as I was following the path that I caught sight of a fly. Only, I had a feeling it wasn't a normal fly. It was glowing. And sightly bigger. Maybe the size of my fist. A sprite. It was following me. I paused, and waiting. The glowing thing caught up to me, whistling softly. It stopped and settled on a branch of a tree beside my head. I turned to look at the creature.

"Are you owned?" it asked me in one of the highest voices I've ever heard.

"I don't understand," I answered. The thing wasn't quite human looking, although it did seem to have all those features. No, that's not true. It had a long body, but its legs weren't human. They were thin and wiry, the feet clawed. The body was skeletal, and looked as if the skin had been stretched over the bones in order to fit. It's arms extended out into two leathery black wings, delicate and membranous. The head was small and rounded, with sharp canine teeth pointing over the bottom lip. It looked like a bat. A tiny, minuscule bat with human features.

"Who knows your name?" it asked. I wasn't entirely sure of the gender.

"Many people," I answered, still confused.

The bat frowned and shook its head. "Are you River's? It is true? Are you the new one?"

"Um… I guess so."

The little bat clapped the end of its wings – I guess its hands – together in excitement. "Will you play with me?"

"No. No, thank you. I must go home," I informed the sprite.

"I am Enda," it told me.

"Giselle," I replied.

"Giselle Belle," Enda sang, making a tune out of the rhymed words. "Giselle Belle. Giselle Belle. Giselle Belle."

"No. Just Giselle." I wasn't fond of the name Giselle Belle. Johnny had been the only person to ever use it. The exact reason as to why I didn't like it.

"Just Belle?"

"No. Just Giselle."

"Fine," the faery huffed. I turned and began to move away. "Wait!" Enda squealed. She flew after me, zipping beside my ear and landing on my shoulder. I was startled for a moment, as I felt her claws catch my jumper, but relaxed quickly. I kept walking. "Will you play?"

"I can't."

"Can I come home?"

"With me?"

"Yes," Enda nodded, lifting her shoulders, smiling and clapping again. I could feel the breeze from her wings on my neck.

"And River?"

"I…" Enda paused, looking at me. "River? You live with River?"

"Of course."

Enda leaned over and pressed her small hands on my cheek, whispering in my ear, "Does he hurt you?"

"I suppose," I answered, stopping myself from shrugging before I threw Enda off my shoulder.

"Does he scare you?" she continued, whispering.

"Yes. Does he scare you?"

Enda looked over he shoulder then back to me. "Yes," she said softly, nodding. "He's not born of fey blood. But now he's no longer of human blood. He's not natural."

I pondered this comment for a minute. I'd reached the end of the park and was ready to leave. Enda flittered off my shoulder, her soft glow illuminating the air around her.

"Will I see you again?" she asked me, hovering over the border of the park and the road.

"I suppose. Maybe," I shrugged. Again, Enda looked over her shoulder before flitting over to my face. She touched my nose softly, closed her tiny eyes and mouthed some words.

"To watch over you. To stop River. For dreaming," she said to me. "You are very beautiful."

I didn't answer.

"I give you my luck," Enda said. I nodded and quickly turned, crossing the road. When I turned again, I guess I expected the park to go back to the normal human view I'd seen on my way. It didn't. Instead, everything around it seemed different too. Signs of faery life were everywhere. Everything was glazed over. Sharper, more defined, but also sort of blurred. Sinister. Cold.

The wind blew some of my hair over my eyes, sending a chill down my neck. I shivered, pulling my jumper around me. Then I remember the package that was in my hand. I studied it. The packaging wasn't paper, but the skeletal membrane of dried out leaves, crusted and coloured. I undid the ribbon that held it together and watched as the wrapping flew away in the wind. Finally, there was a soft gold charm sitting in my palm, a gold chain dangling from it.

The charm was small, no bigger than a fingernail, and made of soft, bright gold. It seemed to glow. The charm itself was a small design of many gold wires twisted in together to form a Celtic-like pattern. The chain was a simple gold strand made of small links. I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. Put it on? Or not?

I dropped it into my pocket. I'd ask River later.

On the way home it was cold and I was hungry. I was also very freaked out by just how much fey life was around. It startled me. I saw things that really scared me. Tall faeries with long silver hair that floated around their heads like they were in water. Tiny little faeries that hunched and muttered, stumbling below human's feet. Children-like faeries with tiny devil wings and horns. I assumed they were all from the Natsu Court, but I couldn't be sure. I ignored them mostly, hoping they wouldn't notice I could see them. Did they somehow know I now had the Sight? Or was I safe if I ignored them?

I passed a bakery, and walked in, glad for the warmth and lack of faery creatures. With River's money I bought myself a cheese roll. As I was paying, the door opened behind me, and I heard a very familiar voice. It was deep and husky with a light laugh in everything he said. Tom. He was one of the many sleazy boyfriends I'd picked up from school but never kept very long. The girl at the counter handed over the paper bag my roll was in and I took it carefully, trying not to draw attention to myself, which I knew was stupid since I doubted Tom would even remember me. But surely… could River have got to everyone I knew. That's a pretty big task.

Maybe, just maybe.

I turned, catching Tom's gaze. He stopped for a moment and looked at me carefully. If there was ever an example of tall, dark and handsome, Tom was it. With deep, dark, chestnut hair, beautiful golden skin and a sly smile always plastered on his face, he'd always been a lady's man. He was with two of his other friends I barely remembered, apart from the leers I'd gotten from them – similar to the ones I was getting now. Tom gave me his lopsided smile, which always meant he had something planned, and walked, without much hesitation, towards me.

"Do I know you?" he asked me. This was an obvious pick up line that I was obviously meant to respond by saying 'no', and he'd say something corny like, 'would you like to?'

"Technically you do, but your memories have been removed by a friend of mine so you don't remember me."

"Well, I haven't heard that one before," Tom laughed. I smiled. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around before."

"Giselle. I live near the mansion," I told him.

"You go to school? I haven't seen you there." Tom moved a little closer to me.

"I'm new to the neighbourhood. My family just wants to get settled before we begin schooling," I told him, proud of my own lie.

"Well, maybe we could," Tom shrugged, "catch up some time."

"Sure." I paused. "How about now?"

Tom grinned. "Now?"

"Why not?"

"Sounds good," Tom answered. I smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him away. I looked back at his face. He wore an expression of excitement and mischief. His friends began to follow, but he shooed them away.

I had a feeling I was only doing this to spite River, but I wanted it anyway.

"Where should we go?" Tom asked.

"Anywhere you want," I flirted. "Take me away." I did a twirl.

Tom grinned. "I know just the place."

We followed an old bike trail, which was slightly overgrown, to a small creek. We followed that down to an old willow tree. The long, stringy branches swayed softly with the cool wind, as if it were trying to say something. It flopped over the side of the creek, blocking out the sun, and giving an almost hidden away feel; even if I could hear the cars driving past in the nearest street. I was surprised I couldn't see any fey. I would've thought this would be a great fey hide out. Apparently I'd been wrong. Maybe it was the boundary of some territory.

"This is beautiful," I said to Tom, generally amazed. "Why didn't you ever take me here whe-" I stopped myself a little too late. Why did I keep living life as if nothing had changed? Why couldn't I just remember that I wasn't what I was before? That I never could be? Ever again?

"What?" Tom asked me, turning so he was facing me. The tree trunk was behind me; I was almost leaning against it. I felt a little cornered.

"I was just… thinking of something else. Sorry."

Tom shrugged. "Happens to the best of us." He grinned, leaning forward. God, he was so cocky.

I backed up, slightly. My heel hit the side of the tree trunk, making a scratchy sound.

"You're not… attached, to anyone, are you?" Tom asked me, pressing one arm on the tree, near my shoulder, so his face was much closer to mine.

"Well…" Yes. Absolutely. "Sort of."

"That's why you're nervous?"

"Yeah. A little."

"Hey," Tom smiled soothingly. "Don't worry." He ran his free hand over my cheek. "It's okay. You're beautiful, Giselle." He said it as if that were a solution to everything. Then he leant in, slowly, waiting, watching my reaction. I did nothing except breathe. Then, his lips brushed over mine softly. Not quite a kiss, but certainly a hint. He pulled back, looking into my eyes again. He was good at this. And right now, I was enjoying it. Just being with someone real for a while. And being wanted as any normal girl should be. "I could've sworn…" Tom didn't finish his sentence. Instead he brushed his lips over mine again. His face hovered millimetres away from my lips. "You were familiar." Then he kissed me. For real. And it felt good. There was no denying that. He may have been sleazy, but I didn't care. This was what I wanted. I closed my eyes as his hands held me. His arms pulled me into his body. It felt nice. Like he was there for me. His lips moved from my lips, over my chin and to my neck. My hands were in his hair, my eyes still closed, until I felt movement. Or maybe I sensed it. I wasn't sure. But I knew something was there. Something other than us. I opened my eyes slowly. I felt my body stiffen. "Is something wrong?" Tom asked, removing his lips from my neck for a second.

"No. Nothing. I just thought I heard something."

"I can stop…"

"No. Don't. Please."

He complied with my request and kept kissing me. That didn't change the fact that there were three faeries watching us, and small sprites hovering around our close bodies. The sprites were whispering and giggling, giving off small lights and sometimes touching Tom. He didn't notice it or feel it. The other three faeries were sitting beside the creek bed, just watching, putting their hands and feet in the tinkling water. They were all covered in a transparent film, like cling wrap, or spider web, which I assumed was their glamour so they were unseen. Just like Kial.

"Could we play with them?" one of the faeries asked another. It was a female, too pretty for words. She didn't have wings, but neither did the other two. She had hair that looked like it was made of leaves and branches, her skin the same colour and texture of bark.

"They are very pretty," one of the male faeries said, as if it were justification. He looked like water in human form. His hair were droplets in the wind, his eyes cool black stone. "And so full of desire. I feel it from him"

Tom had come back up to my lips, kissing me harder. I would've closed my eyes, if I weren't terrified of the faeries behind us.

"The girl is in misery. She will be mine." This male faerie was tall and willowy. He looked like a shadow was following him; or he was the shadow. His skin was the colour of the night sky, and his eyes pale moons. His voice sounded like the last breath of a dying war hero.

"Tom," I said, pulling away from him. He looked startled. "I need to go. I'm sorry."

"Oh." He looked disappointed. "Will I see you again?"

I began to walk away, pulling Tom with me. We had to get away from that willow tree. It was too dangerous. I needed a main road. The fey wouldn't come near cars.

"I… maybe. At school. I'm not sure. But I really have to go." We reached a small side street. It was enough. I turned to face Tom. He'd been a release for a short time. And I thanked him for that. I gave him a peck on the cheek and said, "Thanks."

He nodded, looking solum. "Anytime."

Making my way back to the mansion I realised just how tired I was. I checked my watch, surprised at how late it was. I needed to hurry or I'd miss dinner.

Before I actually reached the mansion, I realised that what I'd seen before was a glamour. The dark gothic look I'd loved was no longer there. Now I saw the house for what it really was. A marble palace. From another time. Another side of the world. It was so beautiful it hurt. The trees and the driveway and fountain and dragons were still there, just so much more beautiful than before. So clean and exquisite.

Walking up the pathway I marvelled at how beautiful the house was. Each window was the stained glass I loved, and each as perfectly delicate as the rose in the ballroom.

The mansion was also covered in the transparent spider web film that had been covering all the fey I'd seen today. Now I was certain that was the glamour. It was the illusion that made something look like it wasn't. It irritated me. That the beauty was hidden. And that everyone was deceived. I wasn't sure which was more annoying. Which was contradictory in itself.

Again as I walked over the steps to the front door I swear I heard that same voice I'd heard when I hallucinating Mix. Well, it wasn't exactly the same, but it was similar. "Onyx," it said. I spun, searching for the source. But there were only the stone dragons and the fountain. I brushed it away.

I'd hardly got into the foyer before River was on me.

"What took you so long? You are very late."

"Well. A lot of things actually. Things you should have told me about."

"What? What did Kial do to you?" River seemed concerned. Maybe I was going crazy.

"He injected blood into me. It felt like I was burning," I told River, the resentment obvious, and painful.

"Magic begins with blood," River stated simply, all concern washed away.

"Will other fey know? That I have the Sight, I mean."

"Not unless you tell them."

I paused. River waited. "Why did you do it?"

"You deserve to see the real world. The world for what it is."

"But I liked seeing the world for what it wasn't. I was happy with that."

"Yes." River nodded. "Most humans are."

"And the necklace?"

"It is… for protection."

"And I should wear it?" I asked, pulling it out of my pocket. River moved forward, taking the chain from my hand. He reached behind me, leaning in, bringing the necklace ends around my neck, and catching my hair. His face moved over mine, his eyes holding my gaze. River seemed to take forever to link the catch together, the tips of his fingers brushing my skin. He paused, running his fingers over the cool chain, tickling my skin. I shivered.

"Yes. You should wear it. It will stop fey from hurting you."

"How?"

"Because they know you are mine. Part of the Natsu court, and cannot be harmed." Then, I hated it. I didn't want to be branded as River's. As part of the fey world.

There was a frown on River's face. Confusion. "Perhaps there is something you would like to tell me."

Obviously. I just wasn't sure what it was. "Um… is there?" I asked, generally not understanding what he was talking about.

"A boy, perhaps?" River's eyes were calculating. Cold.

"Um…"

"Do not lie, Giselle. I can smell him on your breath." River looked disgusted. "He smells of desire, need and sex. It is repulsive."

"What would that matter?" I tried to sound breezy. I stepped back, turning away.

"This boy is looking for nothing more than your body, Giselle."

"Well, isn't that all I can have?" I shouted at him. "It isn't as if I can have a real relationship. Ever." There was finality in my tone. I still wasn't facing River.

He was silent. Then, "No woman should be treated that way. It is vile."

"Right," I scoffed. "Because you are the perfect example of how to treat women."

River grabbed me and spun me to face him. "You know nothing of what I have been through."

I laughed. I actually laughed. "Well, sorry River, but you are getting no sympathy from me. You don't deserve anything from me."

River let go of me, heavily. I fell away from him. His next words were said with so much conviction I felt them burn. Brand me. "And yet, I have everything from you." Then River turned away and walked out of the room. He disappeared into the shadows and I slumped to the floor.

"Not everything," I whispered.

Then a reply. My blood froze. "Not yet."

I think the fear inside me blocked out all conscious thought, and I lost all bearings. I could feel cold, and wind. But I saw nothing more that a black tunnel. I was walking. My feet had blisters. My hair was annoying me, flicking into my face. But other than that, I lost an hour or so of my life. I guess I must have just walked. Walked away from the mansion. When I finally woke from my strange daze, I was down a main road in the town. To my right were a whole lot of gift shops with little trinkets and pathetic ornaments. I saw one of a fairy and wanted to scream at the world. Real faeries weren't pretty or cute or sweet or magical. They were evil. Humans were toys. My anger made me shake.

I remembered when as a kid; Adam and I would sometimes catch butterflies that sat on the daisies beside the front window of our house. We'd put them in a small glass jar or plastic Tupperware container. Usually we'd watch them till they died, then get upset, throw them back into the garden and wait for some more. That's what this was. Except humans were the butterflies and the faeries were the ones who'd watch us until we died, for their amusement, then find some more.

To my left was a big supermarket. It was the only thing open at that time of night. The lighting was bright and false. Still, I was cold and thirsty. I found a few dollars in my pocket and decided to buy some juice. My throat was killing me. I wondered if I'd been crying.

Inside the supermarket, it was warmer. Still cold, but warmer than outside. I walked around for a bit, just wandering, looking at how everything was so normal. It seemed so weird. No faery trace was in here. I wondered if it was because of the iron or steel.

I reached up for something on a top shelf, but just as I did, something caught my eye. The blue sweater I had bought my mother from Christmas last year. I turned slowly. It was her. She was walking slowly down the isle pushing a trolley. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. I took a deep breath, with one hope. One small hope. My mother turned, our eyes locked. She gave a look of confusion and walked to me. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. She did remember me.

I smiled as my mother said, "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude."

And my heart fell out of me. That was the tone she used with strangers. I knew it. I looked at the woman who once was my mother. Always shorter than me with a broad smile and laugh lines. The mother who gave birth to me. Raised me. Listened to me cry, laugh, and yell. I looked at her and everything in me shut down. I was vacant.

"Would you mind reaching that tin for me. I've always been short. I should get my son to come shopping with me," she laughed. "At least he can reach the top shelf." And that used to be me. I was the one who reached the top shelf for her. I guess, in a way, I still was.

Except this time I was a stranger, not her daughter.