Picture if you will: you're walking through downtown with this human-sized fairy trailing along behind you- begrudgingly so. He's taller than most human men, and much more attractive. You get lots of stares- judging stares. Meanwhile he's getting lots of more flattering attention. Girls and women of all ages drool, men look visibly threatened. It's obvious to all that the fairy does NOT want to be here. Yet he maintains a stoic, almost vacant expression while I'm unintentionally and quite dreadfully blushing ear-to-ear. I hated this. I felt like a monster, and it's clear that most people around me saw me as such too. Hell, I'd think I'm one too if I was in their shoes! It was the most embarrassing journey back home of my life.
I led the fairy home; him not making a sound the entire way. I didn't have the nerve to look at him again either, until we were on the elevator going up to my floor anyway. Nervously, I peered at him from the corner of my eye. His were closed and he had the world's most unimpressed scowl spread across his face. When my lips eventually parted but no sound came out, he sneered bitterly. "Don't try and make idle talk with me. Only speak to me if you've got something serious to say," he scoffed, surprising me. There he is, ordering me around again. This should be fun…..
We exited the elevator and I continued leading him down the hall to my apartment. "Here's where I live," I said, feeling instantly so stupid the moment I did. Course he knows I live here! I'm opening the door with a damn key right now! Unlocking the door, I let him go inside first; I could tell by the look on his face he did not like what he saw. Closing the door behind me, I meekly went inside, standing a fair distance away from him. I knew he didn't like me and didn't want to make things worse- well, worse than they already were. He glanced back my way as I anxiously took off my shoes, staying in the corner near the door.
"U-Uh, w-we won't be here long. I…. Er, we're going to Lewiston in the morning." Silence. "I uh, am entering a sugar sculpting contest there… for the Royal Candy Fair." Still silence. "W-We'll take the train. The who trip shouldn't take more than a couple of days; a week tops." Even more silence! My brain was really starting to rattle now. "D-Don't worry. I'm not expecting you to work as my servant or anything. Just think of yourself like a companion," my hands clasped together in front of me; a gesture which I hoped placated him.
FINALLY he scoffed again, dragging his eyes away from mine in an unenthused manner. "Let me see if I get this straight? You bought a warrior fairy…. for companionship?" "Uh, no! Um… W-Well you see, i-it wasn't really my idea…. the idea of buying a fairy. I never wanted to own one." He closed his eyes deliberately. "Yeah right." "No, it's true! Owning a warrior fairy…. w-was my father's idea. I-I guess….. I guess me to have a little extra protection…. S-Since I'm a young, single lady and all."
The fairy's eyes slowly reopened to glare over at me severely. His gloved hands balled into fists down at his sides. "So my job is to protect you, is that it?" "Er…. W-Well yeah, I suppose so." To my surprise he crossed his arms, lowering his head a touch. "I knew it; you ARE weak and helpless…. pathetic. It seems like a simple enough task. Heh, I'll even throw in a kiss, as a special service," he mockingly smirked my way and I felt my cheeks start to sizzle again. The idea of this beautiful fairy kissing me….. Well, actually I'd like that, but I wanted to keep our arrangement strictly professional, or as professional as it could be. Shaking my head and keeping my hands clasped tight, I had to close my own eyes for a second.
"No, I don't…..! Look, I'm not going to take advantage of you." "Heh, what do you think this is? You're the master; I'm the slave, remember? What kind of arrangement do you call that?" He demanded snidely and I sighed, lowering my shoulders slightly. "What if I paid you? The same rate as a human bodyguard," I inquired and he dropped his chin a tad again, still unimpressed. "Fairies have no use for money. We're legally not allowed to work for cash or purchase anything with it. There's nothing you can give me to subsidise my services," he said, and an immediate idea rang through my head, making my eyes widened a little.
"Then how about your freedom?" The fairy didn't verbally respond to this, but did open his eyes back up and look at me. Our stares met and I looked at him intently, honestly….. My chin lowered a touch. "I'll hire a lawyer, and do what I can to get out of that clause in my dad's will. Once that's settled, I'll give you your wing back." His eyes narrowed onto me suspiciously. "You're lying…." "I am not! I'll do it; I don't even want a fairy. I don't "own" you; I'll never see it that way, ever," I fired back and he chuckled under his breath. "Didn't you hear that bastard? Don't treat me like a human, or you'll regret it, scarecrow." "Well, too bad! I'm going to! You're not my servant, and you're definitely not my slave." "I think the courts would disagree with you there. You DID sign my licence papers, after all; you are legally responsible for me, just like the owner of every other pet," he smirked again.
I'd had enough. Seeing as I wasn't going to win this argument, I let out a LONG, frustrated sigh and entered the half of the room- there were only three rooms in my apartment- that had the kitchen. "I give up," the fairy watched me as I opened the fridge, only to uncover the lack of food inside. Sighing again, I closed the fridge door, thinking more aloud to myself than speaking to him immediately. "I forgot to go food shopping….. Nugh, there's nothing for dinner. I'll have to order something on Deliveroo. Hey, what would you like for dinner?" I then asked the fairy, who crossed his arms defiantly, scowling in my direction. "Don't you know anything about fairies? We can't taste anything, except for apple sugar. Just order me whatever's cheapest on the menu." "I can't do that! Uh…. I guess I'll you what I'm having," I pulled out my phone and unlocked it, while I did that, he simply scoffed again, turning his head away. "It's your money you're wasting…"
We got burgers. We ate those burgers in uncomfortable silence. It was the first time I saw a fairy eat anything before; they didn't consume food the same way humans did. Heh, made me wonder what they had a mouth for. Not wanting to prolong this awkward encounter any longer than necessary, I did the dishes after dinner and went to my bedroom to get changed. When I emerged, I carried one of my pillows in my arm. The fairy was standing over at the window, staring outside of it. I couldn't imagine what must have been going through his mind just then….. He only glanced my way when I re-entered the kitchen/living room in my pyjamas.
"You can sleep in my bed. I'll sleep on the couch," I offered, which was- of course- met with another dismissive scoff from him. "Don't bother. Fairies don't need as much sleep as you "humans" do. I'll stay out here; you just go back and sleep in your bed." "Are you sure? You're the guest, after all," I pressed until he shot me a sudden, stern glare. "I'm not a guest; I'm your prisoner. The least you can do is try not to insult me." Sighing, my shoulders schlumped in defeat- again. "You're right, I'm sorry…." An awkward, pregnant pause ensued as I clenched at my pillow. Come on, Anne; you're not doing a very good job of making him feel welcomed. Maybe if I knew some more about him, I could change that…. Trying to force a smile, I attempted to appear more relaxed now- failing miserably, I'm sure.
"Uh, can I….. Can I ask you what your name is?" "Huh?" He gazed to me slightly taken aback and I flinched. "W-What's your name?" "Why do you care?" "B-Because I want to call you by your name. I-It's respectful…. I-I wanna make you feel respected." "What did I say about treating me like a human?" "It's not that. It's just…. If you tell me your name, I'll call you by it." His glare sharpened a tad before he closed his eyes. "Just call me "Tom" or "Sam"; whatever human name you like." He's not gonna tell me his name, is he? Fine, I'm too tired for this….. Groaning to myself, my own eyes shut wearily. "Alright, I'll call you Crow then, since you call me scarecrow," I said, and to my utter shock and disbelief, this was the first time his lips ever gave so much as a semblance of a smile. His chin dropped and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You humans are petty creatures. No wonder you're so good at destroying yourselves….. and everything else around you," he tacked on coldly. Looking at him sadly, I just decided to give up on becoming friends with this fairy. It's clear he still wants nothing to do with me, and that's not about to change anytime soon… Sighing one final time, my heels turned to head back to my room with pillow in hand, glancing at him from over my shoulder. "I meant what I said; I'll give you your wing back. You shouldn't have to live with someone you hate…. And definitely not if you feel like a prisoner. I don't blame you for hating humans; I'd be surprised if any fairy didn't hate our kind… Especially after what we've done to you. No, I don't blame you at all…."
A moment of silence. "Is it possible that a human can be that naïve? Are you really that stupid?" "Yeah…. Yeah, I think I am. I might be the only human in the world who would free a fairy…. though I really hope I'm not. I don't know how long I'll keep you for; hopefully not long at all. But….. I do promise that while we're travelling, I'll treat you as an equal, as a friend…. Although you probably don't want a friend like me." "Heh, you got that right. Humans and fairies can never become friends," he sneered and my eyes lowered in dismay- an understanding dismay. "Yeah, that's what I thought….."
Another stillness in the air. "You're a strange one, scarecrow. Can't say I've ever seen a human like you before." "That's probably not a compliment," I hadn't meant to say this out loud, and was mortified when I did. The warrior fairy looked at me before chuckling to himself, relaxing his posture slightly. "You're right, it's not. At least other humans have the sense not to waste their money on a pet they'll let loose anyway." "If that's how you feel about me, then why did you ask me to buy you?" The moment I asked him this, his eyes opened to stare back to mine, locking on them intensely. His stare was so intense that I could feel my heart start to race….. He's never looked me at that hard before.
"Don't get the wrong idea. You humans are all the same. I just figure that serving a fool will make things easier for me… And you seem like the greatest fool thus far." I looked at him breathlessly before turning back to hurry into my room. "Good night, Crow," was all I said to him. But before I could close my door I heard him say: "Challe Fen Challe." "Huh?" I only paused to sneak a peek back at the fairy, who was still staring at me. "My name is Challe Fen Challe." "Challe Fen Challe…..?
What a beautiful name."
