Things are about to happen.
The next day.
Wendy and the others looked on from the doorway.
"Is something happening to Eva?" Ethan asked concerned.
Wendy did not know how to respond but smiled and shook her head.
She felt Arthur pull at her dress, but she could do nothing but pat him on the head, as Doctor William and her parents stood inside her bedroom.
As they came out, the children all stepped away from the doorway.
The doctor looked tired, he had been at the inn all night and it was almost lunchtime.
Their mother looked at the floor with one hand on her head and their father just looked at them.
"Back to your chores!" He said irritated.
"Is she going to be fine?" Wendy asked instead.
"Can I speak to you two in the kitchen?" Doctor William's voice was nothing but a whisper.
Her brothers all looked at Wendy, as their parents and the doctor disappeared into the kitchen behind the bar.
She forced a smile and knelt down to the twins' level. "Can you two go cheer up Eva? I am sure she is bored."
Edward and David seemed to know what she was hinting at and smiled.
"We can all cheer her up," David smiled.
"That sure is more fun than doing chores." Edward agreed.
When the boys went into Eva's room, Wendy went into the kitchen.
The adult went quiet, as she stepped through the kitchen door.
"I told you to do your chores." Her father said sternly.
"Is Eva getting better?" She asked instead. When no one answered her, she added. "You are scaring me by not telling me."
Her mother slowly came closer. It was like she had trouble walking. She wrapped her arms around Wendy. "These things are not … I do not know… " She looked so distressed and hugged Wendy tighter. "You are still young…"
Wendy gently pulled away and put her hands on her mother's shoulders. "I am 17 years old."
Her mother blinked at her and put a shaking hand on her cheek.
"Wendy," the doctor said quietly and looked over at the innkeeper, who sat on a stool with his head in his hands. "Your sister, she is very sick … she…" he looked like he was in physical pain. "There is nothing I can do…"
A few days later
Eva breathed deeply. "It feels nice."
Wendy forced a smile and walked back to the bed from the now-opened window.
"We will get in trouble if mother finds out." She said and sat down on the bed.
Eva gave a tired smile and coughed.
"What are the others doing?" she asked. Her breathing was quick, and swallow.
Wendy whipped sweat off her sister's face and pulled the thick cover off her chest.
"Father is tending to the bar. We have been getting a lot of guests throughout the day since the leaves started falling. Arthur, William, and Ethan are helping him … mother is cooking … David is taking care of the stable … and Edward is hunting…"
"Why are you not out hunting…?" Eva huffed and tried to sit up. "You could at least go see the elven queen…"
Wendy smiled and helped her sister sit up and poured her some tea.
"I am just glad to spend some time with you…" She smiled and sugared the tea, before handing it to her sister.
The young girl coughed and then looked out the open window.
She was strangely quiet for a moment.
"Do you think I will survive 'til next summer?" She asked and looked at Wendy.
Wendy froze.
Eva did not look sad or scared, she just looked tired.
"Eva…" She whispered.
Eva breathed loudly and smiled tiredly. "I hope I do, if so … can you take me to see the elven queen?"
Wendy felt tears sting in her eyes.
"Do not talk like that." She dried the tears off with her sleeve. "You are going to be fine…"
Eva's cough sounded like it came from somewhere deep inside her and blood flowed out of her mouth.
Wendy franticly cleaned off the blood, while Eva continued to cough.
When the fit ended the girl leaned back on her pillow.
Wendy cleaned her mouth off and took the bloody mug and took a mug filled with water from the nightstand.
Eva looked even more exhorted than before. She just stared at the water.
"It hurts," she said in a very grown-up tone. Then tears at the edge of her eyes. "It hurts very bad…"
Wendy hugged her. Not caring about the blood strain underdress.
"I am so scared…" Eva sobbed in a raspy voice.
Wendy rubbed her hand up and down her sister's back. "I know … I know…"
Two weeks later
Eva's coughs echoed out into the dining hall.
Wendy bit her lip and balled her hands into fists.
Her sister had been getting sicker and sicker. Her pale skin had gotten a gray color and her eyes had gotten dull.
She could not take it anymore.
She could not take sitting by Eva's bedside and telling her stories of the fairies, while the shell of her sister smiled tiredly at her in between coughs.
She could not take the pitying looks from the villagers who came to offer food for them. Even Miss Elizabeth had come with gentle eyes. She had sat and read to Eva for a while and cried when she left.
She could not take her younger brother looking to her for reassurance that Eva would get better.
And she could take lying to them.
As the coughing fit stopped and her mother came out of the room with bloody cloths and a lost expression.
She could not take it anymore.
She turned on her heel and ran out of the door.
She made it to the stable and franticly saddled up Temper.
The horse watched her quietly and did not react to the young woman's desperate movements – even though she had not even entered the stables to see him for a long time.
She swung herself onto the horse's back and kicked him into a gallop.
The horse raced out of the stable and toward the forest.
She clung to Temper, as the trees passed by in a blurring vision.
She let the tears fall and sobbed and stifled loudly.
She had no idea where she was going, or what she even doing.
Temper started slowing down, and Wendy franticly kicked at the horse's side to make him go faster, but the horse continued to slow down until it stood completely still.
Wendy bit her lip in anger and continued to kick at Temper.
"Gallop!" She yelled and continued.
Suddenly Temper stood up on his hind legs and threw her off.
She let out a scream as she glided through the air when she stopped.
Wendy looked up and saw the elven queen look at her puzzled, as she gently put Wendy down on the ground.
Wendy…
The unfamiliar use of her name made her freeze for a moment.
"I…" She didn't know what to say. Should she apologize for yelling at Temper? Should she just go back?
Her Majesty put a pale, gentle hand on her wet cheek. Tell me…
Her words her hypnotic and Wendy felt the tears flow again.
She broke down and cried. Her legs could no longer bare her, and she collapsed on the ground.
Wendy sniffled and mumbled something; she did not even understand. She had not even realized that she was lying in her head on the elven queen's lap and that a hand gently stroked her hair.
As she looked up, she saw the elven queen looking back at her confused.
The beautiful being dried her wet cheek with her hand and looked at the droplets in her palm, like she sometimes looked at shiny stones.
"It is my sister…" Wendy said and buried her face in her majesty's dress. "She is very sick…"
That makes you sad…? The echoing voice sounded confused.
Wendy looked up, and the queen nodded and continued to stroke her hair.
Wendy laid her head back down on the elven queen's lap.
It felt nice and calming.
"She is in pain and dying and there is nothing I can do to help her…" she whispered in between sobs. "She is not going to make it to Christmas … much less Spring…"
The elven queen just silently and gently stroked her hair, as Wendy told her everything.
"I would do anything to take away her pain…" Wendy mumbled and finally looked up at her friend.
The beautiful woman dried her wet cheek off with her hand and looked at the droplets in the palm of her hand with fascination. The same way she looked at the stones and flowers Arthur, William, and Ethan gave her.
"Have you ever lost someone?" Wendy hiccuped.
Her Majesty looked at her with her deep, faraway eyes. Perhaps … but I have long forgotten…
She almost looked distressed. There was a time … we felt both pain and joy … now we have laughter and song…
Wendy felt the tears burn in her eyes again. All Eva talked about was playing and dancing with the elven folk again.
She dried her tears, when a thought came to her, as the being in front of her smiled gently and caressed her face.
"Can you save Eva?"
The blue orbs glittered at her and pale, white hands encircled her face. I have the power to take away her pain … though I wonder if that is saving…
Wendy knew did not understand the warning in the elven's words, but she smiled at the thought that she might be able to help her sister.
"Can you save really her?" She asked desperately.
Her Majesty smiled at her. It is well within my power … to do so…
Wendy smiled and took her friend's hands. "Please, please help her." She said. "If you do … I will … I will stay with you in the forest forever."
The elven tilted her head and caressed her face.
I have asked so many times … for you to join me …
She elegantly stood up and helped Wendy up.
She smiled and pulled some stray red locks behind Wendy's ears.
You always decline … yet you will do it for her…?
Wendy nodded – not even thinking about it.
The elven queen let out a giggle and leaned into Wendy, so their noses touched.
I will do as you ask … if you promise to smile for me once again…
"Thank you," Wendy smiled genuinely, feeling relieved.
A few days later
"If there is anything…" her mother said.
Wendy smiled.
"I will call you." She finished the sentence.
"Thank you," her mother whispered with a tired smile, as she went past her.
Wendy sat down on the stool behind the bed and took Eva's hand.
She had become so thin and looked so much smaller than she had been just months before.
"You seem happy…" Eva croaked.
Her eyes were just slits, but she smiled.
"Have you gone to see the elven queen?"
"Yes…" Wendy said and stroked her sister's hair.
"Did you have fun…?" The girl's eyes twinkled a bit.
Wendy smiled and told her a story about going into the realm of the elvens and playing and dancing all day long.
"I really wish I could go…" The little girl whispered hoarsely. "I could dance forever…"
Eva coughed. Tears ran down her face and she looked at Wendy with a pained expression.
The older girl forced a smile and whipped her sister's tears. "Just wait for a moment, I will get you some water."
She made her way to the kitchen.
She had been happy since the elven queen had promised to help, but suddenly she had been overcome with uneasiness that something was going to happen.
As she poured water from a jug into Eva's mug, her eyes caught the night sky.
The moon shined brightly, but the night had an odd tint to it. Like it was still twilight, but it was very late in the night at the moment.
Suddenly she heard the door from the outside into the dining hall rattling loudly.
Confused Wendy stepped back into the dining hall, still holding the waterfilled mug.
The door swung open, and Eva froze as the elven queen gracefully stepped over the doorway glittering in all her beauty.
"What are you doing here?" Wendy asked.
Was this … a dream?
I promise to help…
The elven queen smiled as her voice wrapped around Wendy.
Wendy looked around, not knowing what to do.
Her Majesty gently touched her hand and smiled.
Lead me to her…
Wendy nodded hypnotized and showed her to her and Eva's room.
Eva smiled as they came into the room. "I did not you would come…"
She coughed again and Wendy handed her the mug.
The elven queen's smile seemed to light up the room. Your sister told me … you are sick…
She sat down on the stool Wendy had sat on before and leaned over to stroke the little girl's hair.
"Yes…" the little girl mumbled sadly and looked down. "It really hurts…"
Her majesty lifted the girl's chin and smiled.
Waste no time on sadness … my child…
Eva seemed more alive as she talked and asked the elven queen all sorts of questions about the elvens' way of life.
Wendy smiled uneasily as the elven queen laughed and stroked the little girl's face.
"How long do your dances last?" Eva asked.
Days on … mortals always have a hard time … keeping up with us … I once wondered why…
"I want to dance all day long too." Eva sighed and looked out the window.
I will allow it…
Eva looked at the queen with big eyes. Wendy did too.
"Can you do that?" Eva smiled.
If that is what you wish…
The elven queen's voice echoed for a long time.
Wendy didn't know whether to smile or cry. Her friend could save Eva, just cure Eva's sickness.
The elven queen extended her hand to Eva.
The grey little girl hesitated for a moment. "Will there only be dancing and joy there?"
Her majesty's laughter sounded like a chime of a church bell. We know nothing but …
Eva took her hand and Wendy watched in silence as the elven queen kissed Eva's wrist – leaving a golden mark in the shape of her lips.
They continued to speak, and Eva seemed really excited despite her sickly state.
After a while, the elven queen elegantly rose from the stool and Wendy followed her out.
"You are not taking her with you?" Wendy asked her, as the elven was about to step outside again.
I wanted there to be a goodbye…
She smiled brightly at Wendy before she stepped over the doorway and disappeared, and the night became dark again.
So ... hope you like it.
I have some ideas for the next couple of chapters and I hope you will like it.