The Little Fairy

Chapter 5

Freed

Vidia grabbed the flag tightly and slid down, the cloth slipping roughly through her fingers. She tightened her grip as she got close to the end. She grabbed at it as she didn't slow much, then she stopped, hanging at the end. Her legs swung helplessly with the wind as she glanced around to see if there was any way to not just drop from the flag.

Nope.

She let go. Thanks to Jacquie's training, she landed on her feet, then rolled to absorb the impact.

Jacqiue – she'll come looking for me. Vidia scanned the area frantically for a hiding place. She saw a set of wooden stairs next to her, leading up to a house. She dived through a crack in the wood and huddled underneath, peering through a crack to see if Jacquie had followed her down yet. She pressed her ear to the damp ground to listen. A spider scurried past and paused, not used to seeing fairies. She glared at it and it hurried on its way.

"Vidia!" She heard Jacquie screaming her name. She slid down a support post for the porch roof. "Vidia!" she yelled again, looking around in a panic. "Vidia?"

Two large pigeons landed near her, but Jacquie barely paid any attention. "Oh, gee whiz! I've killed a Pixie Hollow fairy!" she spoke to herself, horrified. "Vidia? Where are you?"

The mourning pigeons hopped toward Jacquie.

They want their mid-rain snack. Vidia guessed. She pulled back into her hiding place. She'll be fine. Vidia told herself, assuringly. She'll beat them, then go to meet Cassie. I'll wait until she's gone, then go find Tink and Fawn.

She leaned against the wooden stair frame, and her hand landed on something metal. She glanced down and saw the dim light reflected off the fork. Jacquie's best weapon. She heard feathers flapping loudly down the street, and turning to peek again, saw two more birds landing for their feast. Jacquie stopped yelling for Vidia and turned to meet her enemies. She reached to her belt for the fork, only to find it wasn't there.

"Drat!" she exclaimed, then reached over her right shoulder to grab the pencil in the holster on her pack. She paused.

Why did I let Vidia carry the pack?

Simultaneously, Vidia realized that she had the pencil.

Why did she let me carry the pack? Vidia looked back out at the birds, trying to figure out a plan. Jacquie was backing away, but another bird approaching caught Vidia's eye. Jacquie was trapped.

Vidia kicked out the rotting wood to squeeze out from under the stairs more quickly. The spiders stared in dismay as light burst into their wet, dark home, but Vidia ignored them, moving back out into the light. Her feet pounded the street as she sprinted toward Jacquie, her mind whirling as she tried to concentrate.

She'll be dead and gutted when I get there – distract them!

"Over here!" Vidia shouted, waving the fork and pencil in the air. "Yoohoo! Hey! You don't want her – she's too tough!"

Two pigeons glanced up. Vidia's breathing quickened, but she didn't slow, she kept racing toward them.

"Vidia! Thank goodness!" Jacquie exclaimed, "Whoa!" she dived to the ground and rolled out of the way as a pigeon snapped at her. "Throw me the fork!"

"I can't throw that far!" Vidia shouted back.

"Then think of something!" Jacquie dodged another pigeon's beak.

Vidia slowed to a stop, two pigeons heading for her.

"Shield yourself!" Vidia yelled. "With your talent! Quick!"

Jacquie turned, surprised.

Vidia took a deep breath, trying to slow her triphammer heartbeat. She used every spark of magic she could find left inside her to create a wind circling Jacquie, leaving the birds outside.

Most of the birds flew away, terrified. The braver ones waited only a few moments to find other prey. The street was clear except for the whirlwind viciously encircling Jacquie. Vidia let the wind burst. Jacquie stood there, using her storm talent to shield herself, then she let the weather-barrier fall.

Vidia sprinted toward her, shoving the fork back in her belt and sliding the pencil into the pack.

"Are you okay?" she asked, anxious.

"A little bruised." Jacquie was breathless, and sat down, resting for a moment. "Good strong wind you made there." she managed.

"Nice barrier." Vidia smiled and sat down next to Jacquie. She passed her the fork. "We should each have a weapon after this."

"Yeah." Jacquie took it gently, running her fingertips over the tarnished tines. "Thanks, Vidia."

"No problem – how far are we from Cassie's home?" Vidia got back to business. Sooner we get there, the sooner I'll get back to fairy camp.

"Not far."

"How long will it take us?" Vidia asked.

"It'll take only an hour or two, but then I'll stop for the night to make sure I'm fully alert when I meet Cassie." Jacquie hesitated. "Right there, when the pigeons attacked me – you could have left, but you didn't. You chose to help me instead. I didn't think you would do that – I'm sorry."

"I was just trying out being a normal, decent fairy." Vidia replied, then grinned. "It won't happen again."

"I'm going to try out being a normal, decent fairy in return." Jacquie decided. "Just this once."

Vidia fell silent, watching her guardedly.

"You can go."

A bird flew overhead. From the corner of her eye, Vidia saw a rat scurrying down the other end of the street, splashing through puddles. A human carriage slowed to a stop at a crossing nearby, but Jacquie and Vidia remained sitting in the street, not really noticing what went on.

"What?" Vidia finally found a word suitable to reply with.

"You can go to your friends." Jacquie repeated. "The normal fairies. I'm so near to Cassie now that your Fairy Queen can't stop me."

"If she wanted to." Vidia snorted a laugh. "Which – she might, actually." Vidia paused, thoughtfully. "Thanks, Jacquie."

"You're welcome." Jacquie got up. "You know, you're a pretty pleasant traveling companion." Jacquie turned and walked away.

Vidia didn't move. That's a first. She thinks I'm pleasant? "Something is seriously wrong with that fairy. She muttered, smiling, then climbed to her feet.

Where am I, anyway? Vidia looked around. Jacquie was close to the post she'd slid down earlier, and seemed to mean to climb back up. She'd be gone in a minute or two.

I've got her pack. Vidia realized. She'll have to carry it the entire way – and what if she runs into pigeons? Or rats or something? There is something seriously wrong with me, too.

"Jacquie! Wait!" Vidia yelled, and dashed forward. "Jacquie!"

Jacquie stopped, startled.

"Your pack." Vidia panted, slowing to a stop. "You forgot it." Vidia pulled it off her shoulders and handed it to her friend.

"Thanks."

"Hey -" Vidia paused, then made up her mind. "I've come this far – I might as well finish with you."

Jacquie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm coming with you." she announced, firmly.

"That's ridiculous." Jacquie protested. "I kidnapped you."

"And this 'Cassie' fairy doesn't sound safe to me. There's strength in numbers." Vidia pointed out.

There was silence for a moment.

Jacquie stared at her. "You're crazy."

"Besides, you'd miss me."

Jacquie sighed, shaking her head in astonishment. "I think I would." she admitted. "All right – let's go."

The Little Fairy

Jacquie pulled herself up to peek over the edge of the roof. The sun hadn't risen in the east yet, but the sky was just then turning to a dim gray.

"See that chimney over there?" she tilted her head toward it.

"Yep." Vidia nodded.

"Look just to the right. It's camouflaged so humans won't see it, so it might take a minute." Jacquie pointed. "That's Cassie's house."

Vidia saw it after a moment, as it was painted exactly the same gray as the roof. "That's a really big house."

"She keeps a lot of secrets." Jacquie shrugged. "Must take some space." she hoisted herself up over the edge of the roof. She scanned the area carefully. "Looks clear – come on."

Vidia scrambled over the edge of the building. "Okay, let's get this over with."

They started walking toward the house, but Jacquie stopped short, holding up a hand.

"What is it?"

"Sh."

"I don't hear anything." Vidia whispered.

Jacquie didn't reply. She glanced around, then suddenly looked up. A chimney loomed up near them, and on top stood another fairy.

"Ah!" Vidia yelped, surprised.

Jacquie just took a step back. "Nataly? What are you doing here?"

"You know her? Who is she?"

"Nataly. A professional bodyguard."

"Cassie has a bodyguard? And you didn't tell me before this?"

"I don't even know if she works for Cassie." Jacquie murmured. "Shut up."

Nataly jumped off the chimney to land gracefully in front of them.

"So you're working for Cassie?" Jacquie guessed.

"I am."

"Why does Cassie want a bodyguard?" Vidia hissed.

"Shush." Jacquie didn't look at Vidia. She held her hands out, palms facing Nataly. "We're here to talk to Cassie. We're not hostile. I'll put my pencil on the ground. I won't act dangerous in any way."

Nataly stiffened as Jacquie pulled the pencil out, but Jacquie simply put it down on the porch. She kicked it gently away. "We need to talk to Cassie."

"You won't talk to Cassie." Nataly said. It was no request.

"And why not?" Vidia put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow.

"She doesn't want visitors."

"It's urgent." Jacquie said, impatiently. "I need to speak to her."

"She won't see you."

"I will speak to her with or without your permission." Jacquie said, warningly.

"If you do not leave immediately, I will throw you both off the roof." Nataly threatened.

"Oh, look here!" Vidia said, pointedly. "You haven't even asked her if she wants to see us! Can't you just do that?" She took a step forward.

Nataly took a step forward to meet her, and suddenly punched her in the face. Vidia spun around from the blow, and, losing her balance, fell on her face.

As Nataly threw the punch, Jacquie dived to her pencil, and rolled to her feet, holding the weapon tightly in both hands.

Vidia blinked and rolled into a sitting position, trying to clear her now fuzzy head.

Nataly stepped toward Jacquie. "Leave. Now." she ordered.

"Not a chance, Nataly." Jacquie said, gravely. "I'm not going anywhere."