Chapter 33

Chapter 33.

      Varkus scrambled to find something to defend himself.  He ended up with the rotted rope in his hands, he squeezed it lightly before it hardened like a rock.  Varkus then climbed up a small ledge in the cave where he looked down on the spider. 

“Varkus, I can’t use my hand!” Gwen yelled across the cave, looking at her bleeding wrist.

“Hang on!” Varkus called back, looking around and seeing the spider right under Gwen, preparing to grab right onto her.  Varkus jumped off of the wall and not having a care in the world about his own life as he slammed the piece of rope into the spider’s head.  The spider hissed, rubbing her head with its legs. 

“The rope is breaking!” Gwen yelled, hanging on for her life.  She felt tears welling up in her eyes, watching as Varkus jumped on the back of the spider, repeatedly hitting it with the rope.

“Varkus, any second now!” Gwen called, looking up at the rope which was holding her up by a thread.

“Hang on, Gwen!” Varkus immediately left the spider and ran to Gwen’s aid as the rope snapped.  With a grunt, Varkus slid on the ground, catching Gwen right before she hit the ground.  Terrified, Gwen clung onto Varkus.   He could feel her tears on his chest, but he could also feel how uncomfortable she was, yet he still didn’t regret telling her that he loved her.  The spider was too weak to do anything, allowing time for Varkus to carry Gwen through the spider’s cave and escaping on the other side.

“Are you ok?” Varkus said softly, looking down at Gwen. 

“I’m fine,” she mumbled.  Varkus took a deep sigh and gently placed Gwen down, leading her to a small room inside an old tree stump. 

       The room was fairly small, but there were two beds both cleaned and made up neatly.  The room was lit with a small vase which was glowing with yellow colored crystals inside of it.  There was a little coffee table in front of a leaf chair in the corner.  Varkus temporarily wrapped a piece of frabric around Gwen’s wrist before she walked over to the coffee table where she saw a picture frame of a happy family; a mom, a dad, and two young boys.  Varkus walked over and sat on the couch right behind Gwen. 

“That was my family, this used to be our home,” Varkus said quietly.

“That was your family?” Gwen asked, sitting down next to him.

“I know, hard to believe.  That was before my dad died…,”

“Varkus, I’m so sorry, I had no idea…,” Gwen said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.  He looked up at Gwen with tears in his eyes,

“He was a solder for Nocotee, but one of the solders accidentally speared him, thinking he was a frog due to the color of his uniform.  When he died my mom went downhill fast.  She hated those Nocotee people, and swore she would kill them all for what they had done.  Since then she raised Kroy and I to follow in her footsteps.  I just wish that he were still alive, otherwise none of this would have happened and you wouldn’t be hurt.” 

Gwen looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say next.  Varkus smiled softly, gently grabbing Gwen’s hand in his.  She pulled away immediately, looking at him with wide eyes.  She picked at her cuticle for a moment, thinking.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“No, I am really not.  We’ve known of each other for so long but we never knew who we were as humans.  I don’t want my kingdom to suffer because I fell for the enemy,” Gwen sighed.

“I understand…but anyway, I think I can heal your wrist, I remember a trick my dad taught me,” Varkus added, changing subjects.

“Go ahead,” Gwen replied, flinching slightly at the pain in her wrist continued to worsen.  Varkus placed his other hand over her wrist.  He grabbed a small vile filled with orange liquid and poured a drop of it onto her wrist then placed his hand over it again.

“This helps the liquid go in quicker,” he said, looking at Gwen who was intrigued by this process. 

      After a few short minutes, Varkus held his breath and slowly removed his hand.  Gwen’s eyes widened, looked directly at his.

“I-it’s totally healed!” Gwen exclaimed in shock.  Varkus smiled widely, laughing slightly at Gwen’s reaction.

“You’re welcome,” he said sarcastically.

“Varkus, thank you,” Gwen smiled.  Varkus sat there grinning from ear to ear.  He knew Gwen could never love him, but that didn’t change the fact her loved her all the same. 

“It’s late, I think we’d better go to bed,” Gwen said, walking over to one of the beds.

“I agree,” Varkus added, going into the other bed across the room.

“Goodnight” Gwen whispered.

“Night, and Gwen?” Varkus asked.

“Yeah?” she replied.

“I’m sorry,”

“It’s alright.  Can we just go to bed?” Gwendolyn groaned, turning to the other side so she faced the wall.  With that, they both fell asleep.

Chapter 32

Chapter 32.

      With that being said, the Hobgoblins tied Gwen and Varkus back to back with rope, fearing Gwen, they put on metal chains on her wrists, and tied Varkus’ with rope.  They then tied one of each of their wrists together with rope before lowering them into the cave.  They then sealed the top of the cave with a rock, the cracks on the side of the rock were their only source of light.  Gwen shifted uncomfortably in the ropes and Varkus remained silent.  They could hear the Hobgoblins above,

“Release Maybella,” one of them said, with that Gwen and Varkus heard a hissing noise.  Varkus was the only one who could see the terrifying beast as Gwen was tied facing the opposite direction. 

      Varkus could feel Gwen struggling to get out behind him, she was scared.  He knew that he couldn’t blame her, he was too.  He looked over to the dark corner where he saw six glowing green eyes.  At once he knew that was Maybella. 

“She’s there isn’t she?” Gwen asked quietly.

“Yeah…,” Varkus replied.

“Hey, Varkus?”

“Yeah, Gwen?”

“What really was your reason for not killing me...?”

“What?”

“You know what I mean.  We are both about to be killed so it doesn’t matter either way now,”

“Gwen, promise you won’t kill me?”

“I promise, but I don’t know if Maybella will,” Gwen cracked a small smile.

“I know it makes me a disgrace to my family by saying this…but Gwen, I-I l-love you..,” Varkus said shyly before turning bright red.

“W-what?” Gwen said stunned, turning her head as far as she could, trying to see Varkus.  He turned his head as well, soon they were nose to nose. 

“I’m sorry…,” Varkus whispered.

“Why on earth would you love me? You are the enemy! I could never be with someone who wants me and my kingdom dead,”

“Fine, I did want you dead originally, but that changed.  Now it’s my mom and brother who want you dead, and I’m sure I’m next…,” Varkus swallowed hard.

“Look, we can figure this out later, but we need to get out of here, and fast,” Gwen said, changing subjects as the spider was pulling them closer and closer to her fangs. 

“Gwen, if you can help me untie my hands I can rot the ropes,”

“Ok, let’s see, we are backwards, so if I pull a little bit on your right wrist, then a little on your left,” Gwen said as she talked to herself, tugging at the ropes on Varkus’ wrists.  With one final tug, Varkus was free.  He began falling towards the ground before he was stopped by a sudden tug.

“Ah!” Gwen yelled, both forgetting she had the chains on her wrist which now dug into her flesh at the weight of Varkus on the other end.

“Gwen!” Varkus called up before gripping the rope,

melting it away, and landing on the ground.  With sweat dripping from his face he looked up, finding himself face to face with the spider.

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

      That night in Nocotee, Gwendolyn tossed and turned in her bed.  Annabelle and Nixie were staying in the guest room.  She knew that her people wouldn’t stand a chance against Varkus’s army, and if she didn’t do anything they’d all be dead.  With that thought burning in her mind she got up and began to pace across her sleeping quarters.

“What am I going to do?” she said to herself.

“If I don’t go we are going to be killed, if I go I could be killed…but I know what I have to do.”  Gwen got up and started changing.

      When she finished getting dressed she was wearing a very figure flattering outfit.  She had on a corset top made form vines, with a boat neck styled neckline and sleeves.  She wore leggings made out of spiders silk, with a short leaf skirt over it.  As for shoes, she had on a pair of boots made of the scales on a pinecone and painted green.  She grabbed a stone sword from her closet, and tied it around her waist.  Gwen pulled her hair into a braid, weaving her flower crown into her platinum hair.  She didn’t pack anything other than the sword, and took off into the night.

      She traveled for a few hours before reaching the border, where she found the Hobgoblins sound asleep.  Gwen carefully crawled under the divider where she heard a familiar voice,

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Of course, it’s you,” Gwen sighed sarcastically, before looking up and staring Varkus in the eye.

“You don’t seem too happy to see me,” Varkus replied, extending his hand to Gwen.

“I can get up on my own.  I don’t need help from a filthy piece of scum like yourself, Varkus,” Gwen snapped, standing up.

“Anyway, why are you here?” Varkus asked, running his hands through his hair as he cleared his throat.

“To talk to you actually,” Gwen replied, tugging at her earlobe.

“Oh? About what?”

“About the fact that your Crognards have crossed the border.  Why are you here?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“To kill you, but…,” he sighed deeply.  Gwendolyn looked up at him expectantly.

“But I can’t…,”

“What?” Gwen asked, slapping a hand over her mouth.

“I can’t kill you,” he replied under his breath.

“Why?”

“Because…,”

“Because why?”

“Does there have to be a reason?” Varkus grumbled.

“There’s always a reason.  Now, what’s yours?” Gwen asked yet again.

“I can’t do it,” he replied.

“But why?”

“I said I can’t! Ok?” Varkus yelled, not remembering the Hobgoblins on guard.

“Why…?” Gwen asked, stunned at what she just heard.  Soon she and Varkus were chained together and led by three Hobgoblins, spears in hand, to a dark black pit.

“Where are we?” Varkus asked, never being here before.

“The Pit of Gwendoldwarf,” she replied.

“The pit of what?” Varkus asked again, still confused.

“This is where Maybella lives,”

“Who’s Maybella?”

“You’ll see…,” Gwen said biting her lip.

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

   “What do you two propose we do about that?” Elphina asked.

“Depends on how you want us to approach the matter,” Kroy chimed in.

“We could go after the queen,” Varkus said quietly, afraid of what his mother might do to him if she didn’t approve of his idea.

“You have it all wrong, darling.  You don’t go after the queen, you go after the thing keeping her alive…,” Elphina replied.

“Air? But wouldn’t that mean we’d die too?” Kroy said, startled.

“No, you idiot! The pendant!” she replied.

“Oh! That makes much more sense.”  Elphina nodded, she then looked over at Varkus.

“Tonight, you will go to Nocotee, and while she is sleeping, snag the pendant from Gwendolyn’s neck.  When you do that all the power will be ours!”  Varkus sighed,

“Yes, mother,”

“Varkus, can I trust you or do you need help?” Elphina snapped, looking at the thorn covered vine in the corner of the room. 

“That’s how dad died…,” Varkus mumbled.

“You don’t complete this mission, and you will be next.  Understand?”

“I understand, I leave as soon as the sun goes down and I know she’s asleep,” Varkus nodded.

“Good.  Don’t mess this up,” Elphina growled, walking out of the room.

      Kroy, speechless at what just happened, took a deep breath as his mom left the room.

“Dang man, will you be able to do it?”

“I have to, what other choice do I have? If I don’t Miss Elphina will kill me…,”

“That’s true, not that I’d mind because I’d turn your room into my evil lair,”

“Kroy, the only thing evil about you is that you consider yourself evil.”  Kroy rolled his eyes and left the room, leaving Varkus to think.

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

      After a quick mean of sunflower seeds and honey, Nixie and I headed out, each of us having a dagger which was a sharpened rock attached to a carved wooden handle, strapped around our waists with some vines.  This was in case we were attacked again by those Crognards, or something worse.  Nixie unharnessed her huge monarch butterflies, which to the people of Nocotee had the same equivalent to them as cars do to us.  However, cars are nowhere near as much fun as butterflies.  I looked at Nixie with confusion,

“Um, how do you get on?” I asked, feeling my face flush red of embarrassment.

“You put your foot in the stirrup and climb up, haven’t you ridden a butterfly before?” she replied.

“No, but I rode a horse once or twice,”

“Good enough.  Get on Flutter just like you would a horse, as you call it,”

      After that ‘thorough’ explanation, I managed to get on.  Nixie then clicked her tongue and the butterfly took off, I followed her lead and soon we were flying through the air.  I never felt so free, I threw my hands up and yelled “Woo hoo!” as loud as I could.  I couldn’t help but smile as the crisp air brushed through my hair.  I looked to my right and saw the sky turning a brilliant pink and orange as dusk was approaching.  This gave the tree Gwen showed me a pinkish tint to all the dream filled leaves.  I had never seen anything so beautiful in my whole life.  I knew we were close to home.

      Nixie gradually pulled both of our butterflies to the ground in front of Gwen’s tree where we got off.  We sent the butterflies off and immediately noticed something weird.  It was quiet, the usually busy ‘town hall’ was totally still.  Nixie and I exchanged glances before we heard a familiar voice.

“Annabelle, Nixie, inside.  Now.”  It was Gwen, and we could tell by her voice something was wrong.  With that we followed Gwen inside the tree where guards locked at least twenty locks on the door.  Inside people were screaming and talking amongst themselves, children were crying, and even Marissa and Clarissa were behaving, which never happens.

      Gwen took Nixie and I upstairs to her room where she shut all the shutters on her windows and locked her door.  At that point we were getting scared.

“They are here…and they don’t just come in pairs,” Gwen said, her voice filled with worry.

“Who’s here?” Nixie asked.

“The Crognards, that rotten ball of mold, Varkus, has begun sending in his troops.  We are under attack.  We have to defend this tree at all costs, if Varkus gets ahold of one of those leaves he turns that dream into a nightmare.  We can’t let him do that, that’s why everyone is here, they volunteered to fight the Crognards just so their children and loved ones can stay here.”

“Wow…what are we going to do?” I asked, sitting down on her bed.

“We fight.  They started the war and we will finish it.  Ladies, you’re going to want some different clothes for this,” Gwen stated, signaling towards her closet.  Nixie and I looked at each other before nodding in agreement.

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

          As Annabelle and Nixie prepared for their journey home, trouble was brewing on the opposite side of the forest.  The rotten stench of an evil plan was filling the nostrils of Varkus and Kroy.  They had been in discussion over what to do with Gwen. 

“Brother, she can’t be stopped by just us, you saw what she just did to you! I will say, it was hilarious but she is powerful,” Kroy said with a wide grin on his deviously charming face.

“You don’t say?” Varkus replied sarcastically, stroking his chin.

“This calls for a plan…an evil one.  The most evil of evil plans ever! The most explosive, evil, vile plan of all kind that will live on for years to come!” Kroy was now standing on the table and laughing hysterically until he started coughing.  Varkus rolled his eyes,

“Well, what do you have in mind, genius?” Varkus asked as Kroy was catching his breath.  Just as Kroy opened his mouth to speak, the door slammed open.  Both men froze.

      Standing in the doorway was a very attractive, mid thirty year old woman.  She stood there with her hands on her hips and hazel eyes locked on both men.  She had sleek, dark chocolate brown hair which went to right above mid back in length.  She had on a skin tight shirt, made out of dead vines.  Her skirt was a little above her knee, it was made of crow feathers and was torn.  Under that she had on a pair of cobweb leggings.  On her thin legs she wore a pair of black gladiator styled sandals which here tied half way up her calf.  She had very pale skin along with heavy eye makeup and long black nails.

   “What on earth is going on in here? You two are grown men, I should never hear this much commotion from both of you at once!” she yelled strictly at both of them.

“Sorry Miss Elphina…,” Kroy said apologetically.

“Yeah, sorry mom…,” Varkus added.

“You two are enough to make me lose my mind, which I’m surprised hasn’t happened yet with the hogwash you two have come up with!  Now what is going on here?” Elphina’s deep voice echoed off of the rotting walls in the small room.  Kroy was the first to reply,

“Varkus is having girl problems,” he said laughing hysterically until he fell to the floor.

“That’s it!” Varkus took off his cape and with the single motion of his hand he grew tree branches through the floor, locking Kroy in a cage.

“That’s not fair!” Kroy whined from inside his cage.  Elphina’s mouth dropped at what they were doing.  With that she grabbed Varkus by his ear, using her hands she smashed through Kroy’s cage, also grabbing his ear and dragging them both out of the room.

      After walking into the room across the hall, Elphina slammed Varkus on one stool, and Kroy on the other.  Both were rocks carved to make a chair, and on opposite sides of the room from each other.  Elphina didn’t sit, as she stood in the middle of the room, totally silent.  After a few moments, Elphina sighed before speaking.

“Now, would one of you tell me what is going on?” she said, eyeing up Varkus.

“It’s a long story…I think Kroy could sum it up better…,” he said quietly.

“Ok, Kroy would you care to explain what happened?” she said sternly.

“Gladly.  Basically, Gwendolyn came over, literally beat Varkus to the ground, and left.  So now Varkus and I have decided we need an evil plan to get rid of Gwendolyn once and for all,” Kroy replied.  Elphina walked over to Varkus who shifted uncomfortably in his chair at her gaze. 

“Varkus, she was here?” the anger in Elphina’s voice was very evident.  Varkus swallowed hard,

“Y-yes, but I had no idea! The guards had to of let her in!  Some of our Crognards got to their side of the border and that’s what attracted her,” Varkus pleaded.  With that Elphina nodded slightly, and without saying a word she sat down.

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

          Gwendolyn slammed the door shut behind her before storming across the room over to where Varkus was now slop covered and sitting in a bucket, struggling to stand up.  Gwen rose her hands violently as new roots from the dead tree punctured through the floor and straight through every other level of the Crognard and Varkus’s lair.  She gripped onto Varkus’s shirt once again before ramming him against the walls.  Varkus winced slightly at the impact against the wall, but still keeps his eyes locked on Gwen, that is, until she started screaming at him.

“What kind of queen do you think I am Varkus? How could you possibly be so stupid to think that I would kiss the enemy of my homeland! You deserve nothing more than punishment Varkus! Nothing but punishment, disrespect, and hatred you filthy, arrogant, excuse for a human!” Gwendolyn yelled as she shot more roots up through all layers of the lair, causing the walls to crack.

          Varkus remained paralyzed in utter shock after Gwen’s outburst while she threw him to the ground and stormed out of the room, breaking the door open with her foot. 

“Oh, and Varkus, I will never fall for you,” Gwen mumbled before leaving the lair.  Varkus sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

“That queen doesn’t deserve me anyway! And besides, I don’t even like her!” Varkus said with a howling tone in his voice.  Shortly after, another man entered the room dressed just like Varkus but without the cape.  His hair was a tad shorter than Varkus’s and a bit lighter, more along the lines of a gray color.  He had eyes of a deep violet color with gray surrounding the pupil.  The man walked over to Varkus and crossed his arms, glaring intensely at him before shortly going into a laughing fit.

“Hah! Dude that girl totally showed you!” the man laughed, placing his hands on his knees for support as he laughed harder.

“Shut up Kroy!” Varkus yelled at the man.

“Aw, c’mon cut your brother some slack,” Kroy replied with a smirk upon his less grim face.

“What makes you think I’d cut you some slack?” Varkus asked, rubbing a hand over his face.

“Well, you are my older brother by a year, so I’d expect you to have the slightest bit of pity for your baby brother…,” Kroy sighed, faking a pouty lip and looking down at the floor.  Varkus grumbled something under his breath before standing up straighter and looking down at Kroy.

“Fine.  What do you want this time, Kroy?” Varkus sighed again, but deeper this time.

“The pendant,” Kroy replied before stepping out of the room.

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

          As Annabelle waited for Nixie to get back to health, with the queen she had just received a very important letter.

“Your Majesty, you have received a very important letter,” Marissa stated as she walked into the queen’s bedroom with a letter in her hand.

“Whose it from?” Gwen asked sitting up from her chair.

“Annabelle…,” Marissa replied as her voice trailed off.  Gwen’s face became grim as she stood up and gently took the note from Marissa and reading it silently to herself.

“Oh no….,” Gwen gasped, putting her hand over her mouth and handing the letter back to Marissa.

“Marissa, I need to go, make sure everyone gets inside now.  The Crognards have crossed the border,” Gwen demanded before storming out of her room and began traveling deep into the woods.

          Gwen traveled for three hours before reaching the border.  Without a word Gwen stormed past the Hobgoblin guards, who had fallen asleep, and slammed the vines in front of her into the rotten tree stump.  She picked up her pace into a brisk walk as she continued to shove her way past every Crognard who dared to attack her, her head held high.  She reached a dead, rotten, musky tree stump with a jagged top as the tree had fallen, and thorns surrounding the entrance.  Gwen shoved the Crognard guards into the thorn bush as she clomped her way up to the king’s bedroom before she pounded on the door.

“Varkus! Open this rotted heap of trash before I tear it down myself this instant!” Gwendolyn hollered, her voice cracking from the blazing anger in which she spoke.

“Well, well, well, look who has made an appearance, miss Gwendolyn herself,” Varkus cackled from behind the door before opening it and coming face to face with the furious queen, not one bit of joy on her face to be seen. 

“How dare you attack Nocotee? After all these years you still can’t leave us alone!” Gwen yelled, shaking the walls as Varkus remained still as a statue while stroking his beard with his right hand.

“Oh, darling, you just don’t get it do you?” Varkus asked, his voice devious.

“Shut up,” Gwen snapped.

“Ooh! She’s feisty!” Varkus exclaimed in an overly sarcastic girly toned voice while making big hand gestures.

“So help me Varkus, if you even dare send another one of your fowl Crognards into Nocotee there will be one less person in this room…and it won’t be me.,” Gwendolyn said with a low stern voice as she grabbed Varkus by the front of his shirt, yanking him down to her level until they were eye to eye.  Varkus gave a smirk before he gently placed his hand under Gwen’s chin and slowly moved closer to her lips.  Gwen loosened her grip on Varkus’s shirt collar, then….slap! Gwendolyn slapped her hand onto the side of Varkus’s face so powerful that he is thrown across the room into a bucket of stagnant swamp water.

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

          “Nixie!” I screamed, lunging myself into the water, not even thinking what could be down there.  I held my breath and opened my eyes as I saw Nixie being dragged deeper and deeper by that blur.  I struggled to swim deeper until I could finally make out what that blur was, and I couldn’t believe it! It was a Crognard!  I was screaming with fear on the inside, but I knew I had to face my fears of the Crognard in order to save Nixie. 

          The Crognards all looked the same as this one did.  They all were about two inches tall with a slouch and covered in warts.  Their teeth were razor sharp and covered in a greenish slime which oozed down their hideous scale covered faces.  They were a light grey color, with keen, vicious eyes which were completely black except for a small corner in their eye which was a light gray but not white.  They had three toes and four dagger like claws which came in quite handy when gripping onto the soggy grass under the water.  They didn’t have much for clothing but an old, cracked turtle shell.  They also held giant clubs with oozing rocks at the tops of them as their backup weapon if their teeth and claws failed.

          My lungs began to sting as I had been under water for about a minute at that point.  I reached as far as I could and finally I grabbed hold of Nixie’s dangling hand.  She looked back at me with panic in her eyes, and at that moment I could tell…she was giving up on me.  My eyes welled up with tears even though I was under water as I yanked on Nixie’s hand, pulling her free of the Crognard’s piercing claws.  I swam as fast as I could up to the surface, my lungs were throbbing, my chest felt like a boulder, and things were starting to go black and blurry.  I knew I was hallucinating and needed to get to the surface and fast!  It took another long, painful, and agonizing minute before both Nixie and I broke through the surface of the water like a popping bubble.  I threw Nixie’s limp body to the shore before I gagged, gasping for as much of the sweet stinging air I could.  I swam over to the side of the stream where I finally heaved myself out of the water.  I looked back thinking we were in the clear, but we weren’t.  The Crognard’s snarling teeth pierced out of the water snapping and screeching as it began to swim towards us.  I looked over at Nixie who was lying motionless on the grass with her eyes closed and her body limp.  I knew she wouldn’t be able to move in this condition so I picked her up from under her legs and back, then I ran for all I was worth. 

          I ran for what felt like forever until I finally reached a small walnut hut with a bright pink orchid on the door and a sign that said “Nixie residence” spelled in pink glitter. 

“Thank goodness,” I sighed a sigh of relief before entering the home and placing Nixie down on her bed made of pink rose petals and pulled a petal blanket over her.  As Nixie slept I made my way out to the small living room where I wrote a letter to Gwen and sent it out on a ladybug as soon as I could. 

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

          On the count of three Nixie and I pushed off of the hundred foot high oak and found ourselves practically flying.

“Woooo hooo!” I yelled smiling the biggest smile I ever have in a long time.  The wind blasted up against my face as I felt the crispness of the wind slightly sting my skin.  My hair quickly became un-braided as I felt my hair tie snap against my back and get whisked away in the wind.  I closed my eyes knowing, and truly knowing with all my heart that for once in my life I was finally free without the pain I once felt.  As I continued to glide on air tears rolled down my face.  Tears of happiness knowing how my mother would have loved to hear about this adventure and that there really are fairies and trolls and anything she could fantasize! She always dreamed the impossible, never letting go of her inner child.  However, as quickly as it started, I opened my eyes at the sound of Nixie calling my name.

“Annabelle! We’re going to hit the water! Hold on!” she yelled.

“Okay!” I yelled back tightening my grip on the leaf.

We both gently glided down against the water, turning our leaves into boats.  We both laid down in our leaves, relaxing as we floated down the stream in nothing but beautiful silence. 

“Nixie?” I whispered.

“Yeah?” she replied.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“You’re welcome,” Nixie replied with a small smile on her face.  As we floated along things were going through my mind a hundred miles per hour.  Things like how was I going to get home? Was my dad okay? Would I be okay? My thoughts were soon interrupted by a sudden and loud rustling in the cattails in front of us.

“Uhhh, Nixie? What’s that?” I asked nervously, sitting up.

“I don’t know…,” she replied.  As we drifted closer with Nixie in the lead the noise got louder and louder then it happened.  A grey blur shot out of the reeds with a screeching noise, and in the blink of an eye Nixie was underneath the blur and plunging into the water.  With a loud shriek I heard Nixie scream.

“Annabelle!” was the last thing I heard before splash!

Chapter 22

          About a quarter of the way up the tree I soon felt my legs and arms getting weaker by the second.  I looked down and I was already too high off of the ground to jump back down.  I reached my hand up to an oak leaf.  Expecting it to snap, I closed my eyes tightly and hung on for dear life, however I was quickly surprised.  The leaf wrapped itself around my wrist soon to see a rope of leaves forming above me.  I couldn’t believe this! I was being carried up a tree by a rope made of magic leaves!  I took a deep breath, then the leaves rapidly shot up in speed, yanking me up the tree where I met Nixie sitting on a branch, her eyes wide and locked on me.  I let go of the leaves, and the moment I did they returned to normal.

“Annabelle…? How did you do that?” Nixie exclaimed before running up to me.

“I-I don’t know,” I replied truthfully looking down at my hands.

“Huh.  Anyway, do you want to see why I brought you up here?” Nixie squealed excitedly, bouncing up and down.

“I guess so,” I replied, still trying to get over what just happened I walked over to the branch with Nixie leading the way.

“So what now?” I asked, looking down at the rushing waters below.

“This is where the fun begins,” Nixie replied with a smirk.  Oh no… I thought to myself knowing Nixie’s definition of fun and my definition of fun are two totally different things.

“Have you ever been leaf gliding?” she asked me with a devious grin upon her face.

“Huh?” I asked in utter confusion.

“It’s easy, all you have to do is grab a leaf, get on it on all fours while using your hands to grip the leaf, then you slide off the branch and the wind will take it from there!” Nixie answered without the slightest bit of doubt in her voice.

“You sure it’s safe…?” I asked skeptically, backing away from the edge of the branch as I felt the wind picking up.

“You’ll be fine, now here,” Nixie said handing me a leaf. 

“Well, I guess this is the only way down…,” I mumbled to myself before gripping onto the leaf for dear life while Nixie got positioned.

“You ready?” she called to me.

“Y-yeah!” I choked.

“Ok! Then in 3…2…1!”

Chapter 21

          Nixie is a really amazing fairy and friend, don’t get me wrong, though she is definitely a hand full and quite strong for someone her size.  We bolted down the halls, past the balcony, and rode the ivy banister the whole way down the oak stairs. 

“Talk about fast travel huh?” Nixie asked me panting.

“Y-yeah, that was fun!” I laughed behind trying to catch my breath.

“Glad you enjoyed it, because that was just the beginning of what we have to do in order to get to my home!” Nixie smirked before dragging me again.  This time we went out of the tree and into the bustling crowd of people surrounding Gwen’s tree.

          There were several odd looking ‘people’ scrambling to get from one part of Nocotee to the other.  I began to observe what they all looked like as well.  There were women wearing skirts made out of leaves, vine corsets, and vibrantly colored flowers for hair on the tops of their heads.  There were men who were wearing suits made out of pieces pinecone, pine needle hats, and some had sap on their feet in which some were dragging leaves around if you know what I mean.  There were also little children running and frolicking through the midst of the commotion who wore leaf tunics and had flower buds for hair. 

          I quickly felt like a sore thumb as I noticed all the odd looks these people like things were giving me.

“Nixie, umm, how long exactly until we get to your home?” I whispered.

“It’ll be a while, which is why we have some fun along the way!” she replied with a wide smile upon her small thin lips.  I nodded as Nixie continued to drag me out of the midst of the craziness in front of Gwen’s tree.  After a half an hour fight to get through the crowd we arrived at a small stream where it was just me, Nixie, and the water.  Before I even dared to ask Nixie how we were going to get across I looked up to see her already flying up a tree.

“Nixie! What are you doing?” I yelled up to her.

“You’ll see! Climb the tree and meet me at the top!” She called back.  I sighed before gripping onto a piece of bark as I pulled myself up and began climbing the massive oak tree.