A flap of wings sputtered blue fairy dust through giant hoops of violet-colored mana, finally stopping near a congregation of trees filled with tiny houses on their bark or branches. Several fairies watched the newcomer arrive.

 

“Ah, Neynali the Traveler!” A village fairy flew up to her. “If you’re looking for your sister, she’s at home.”

 

Neynali nodded, adjusting the backpack strapped to her wings and flew straight to the house at the top of the highest tree and landed on a leaf. Her feet bounced from the landing. 

 

In typical fairy fashion, she kicked the wooden door open and was subject to a sickeningly-sweet sight. Her sister and a wingless one feeding each other like a newly-wedded couple. “Ew! Gross!” Neynali grimaced.

 

“Neyna? Back so soon?” Her sister asked. “Come in!”

 

Neynali flung her backpack across the room and jumped on a makeshift couch, making the wingless one roll her eyes in disapproval. “Get me some food, Rachel!”

 

“Aren’t you twenty winters already? How about settling down and making your own food for once?” The wingless one scowled at Neynali.

 

Rachel sighed and prepared her a plate of strawberry - half a strawberry, cut up into bite-sized pieces. “Thanks Rachel. You’re the best. I got no idea how my sister managed to snag a human.” Neynali completely ignored Rachel’s advice.

 

Her sister, in an attempt to diffuse the situation, said lightly,“So, you’re finally back! Can’t wait to spend time toge-”

 

“Actually I just came here for a quick snack. I’m heading out to the human realm right after this!” Neynali exclaimed, interrupting her hopeful sister. “It’ll be my first time there!”

 

“A-ah...I see.” Forlogned, her sister gave her a warning, “Before you go, you should know that humans have low opinions of us fairies. They think we kidnap people and bring them to our Otherworld forcefully. They might even try to syphon your spirit energy.”

 

Neynali felt a shiver up her spine. “Will do! I’ll avoid all humans!”

 

Finishing her meal and drink, Neynali said her goodbyes to her sister and Rachel and went to the Seamstress portal that connected the Otherworld to all other realms. “By the Seamstress, grant me safe passage to the human realm!”

 

After her chant, she dove into the portal and found herself staring at a night sky. So many twinkling lights met her gaze. “Wow…” she nearly fainted at the sight, “Pretty stars.” Then, something caught her attention.

 

It was a splash of water. A droplet hit her face. A human would’ve simply wiped away the droplet, but the fairy was flung hurling through the air. “Pleh! What the!” In a panic, she turned to the source in battle formation. There, she saw a figure bathed in moonlight and water.

 

The figure - no, she had long straight blonde hair that hugged her shoulders and back. Her clothes - noble in nature, were stuck to her skin, and her exposed pale white legs seemed to glisten in the moonlight.

 

Wanting to get a look at this human’s face, Neynali thoughtlessly flew right in front of her face, startling her. “Eep!” She squealed, falling back into the lake. Thankfully, she was in shallow water and propped herself up quickly. 

 

“A...fairy?”

 

Whoops, Neynali thought. She promised her sister she wasn’t going to reveal herself, only to do so moments later.

 

The human gazed at Neynali, observing her. One thing Neynali noticed about her stare was that it was laser focused on her transparent wings that emitted a soft blue glow.

 

She reached her palm out cautiously, and Neynali, in a trance, dutifully landed on it. “I’ve never seen a fairy before. What’s your name?” The noble woman said, her voice tinted with wonder and curiosity.

 

“Neynali.”

 

“Neynali? That’s a wonderful name. My name is Erianna.”

 

“Um, hi, Erianna.” The fairy blushed and Erianna smiled. 

 

This sparked a sort of kinship between them. Neynali flew and landed on Erianna’s shoulder, enjoying the view of the moon as Erianna skipped along the shallow river. “Would you like to come with me?” Erianna suddenly spoke up, her feet dancing through the water.

 

“Like a sleep-over?” Neynali perked up and jumped off Erianna’s shoulder. 

 

“Yes, you’re a traveler aren’t you? How about staying with me for a while?” She said, looking at Neynali’s backpack.

 

Neynali smiled. “Sure, we’ll have the best sleep-over ever!” 

 

Erianna moved away from the lake and walked barefoot to her mansion. If a maid saw her in that state, they’d lecture her over her unlady-like behavior. At this point, however, she didn’t care if she got caught. She’d found this delightful, childish creature who didn’t care at all about who she was and gazed at her in curiosity and amazement. She felt...good about herself for once.

 

The noble didn’t know why she invited a fairy - a creature known for their misdeeds, into her own home, but her gut told her Neynali was harmless.

 

In Neynali’s eyes, she saw the mansion as a huge house made out of rock and painted in hues of blue. Why do humans like to encase themselves in rock?

 

Neynali hid in Erianna’s hair, while Erianna avoided any maids heading her way. Erianna finally arrived in her room. Her companion poofed out of her hair and sniffed the air, smelling lavender and a hint of cinnamon. She turned her gaze towards a candle and realized its source.

 

Erianna removed her clothes and started to change into her nightwear when Neynali adopted a look of concern. Wait, I heard in stories that nobles never dress themselves. Isn’t she a noble?

 

She didn’t want to put too much thought into that, but had to ask, “Why didn’t the maids dress you? I thought human nobles got dressed up by maids.”

 

“That’s not wrong,” Erianna’s sad smile caught Neynali off-guard, “So you could consider my situation unique.”

 

“Unique...how?” Neynali pouted as she flew near Erianna’s face a little too close. Erianna could smell a slight scent of wood radiating off of the fairy. In a strange way, Erianna enjoyed it. It felt peaceful, so the next sentence flew out of her mouth surprisingly easy. She felt charmed by the winged creature.

 

“I’m the fiancee of the first prince, but I’m seen as a joke, nothing more,” she continued, “He’s a year younger than me, but we should’ve been married three years ago. Every time the wedding is about to pop up, he always manages to find a way to delay it. All because of a girl named Alexia…”

 

Wedding, Neynali thought, Isn’t that something super important to humans?

 

“You probably think I’m just complaining, aren’t you? I have an entire mansion, a whole team of maids at my beck and call, and I’ll never grow hungry. My problems are nothing compared to a commoner’s.”

 

Neynali jumped on Erianna’s right hand that rested against the bed, “Rachel, my sister’s lover, once told me that problems should never be compared, but overcome. No one’s problems should be ignored.” 

 

The fairy jumped back a little, surprised and proud of herself with that mature statement. Erianna smiled and rubbed her thumb over Neynali’s head, which irked her and bit Erianna, which felt more ticklish than painful.

 

Erianna laughed.

 

“Thank you, I needed that.”

 

“Needed me to bite you?! Weirdo!”

 

“Not like that!”

 

They strayed away from heavy topics and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Neynali danced in the air as Erianna became mesmerized by the sparkling fairy dust her wings let out. 

 

Like some kind of trance, Erianna couldn’t take her eyes off of the otherworldly creature who laughed without a care in the world. Those wings, to her, represented freedom from the chains that bound herself. In the moment Neynali circled around her, swirls of fairy dust wrapped around Erianna, making her forget all about her painful life. 

 

Those swirls of blue dust were charged with moonlight, adopting a luster of sapphire brilliance. Within those streaks of illuminance, Erianna could’ve sworn she saw glimpses of another world; a kinder, more naive world.

 

For an instant, Erianna couldn’t help but feel jealous toward Neynali and her seemingly-boundless and childlike freedom. 

 

Then, a notoriously selfish wish formed in that bundle of insecurity she called a heart. A selfish wish was etched deep in Erianna’s soul. 

 

She wanted to stay with Neynali. 

 

And in that very first night they met, Erianna swore to herself they would never separate. No God or King would be able to force them apart.

 

Of that, Erianna was sure of.

 

*****

The noble girl was clad in a very conservative, almost funeral-like attire, which contrasted heavily against her naturally-silky blonde hair that was curled for gatherings.

 

Neynali hid in one of Erianna’s many curls, peeking out of the blonde strands of hair to look at Erianna’s acquaintances. 

 

The noble girl adopted a bubble of equanimity as she spoke to a boy a year younger than her, who had another girl attached to his arm. 

 

“Prince Ernest,” She curtseyed, “And Lady Alexia, it is my pleasure to see you two again.” Neynali could tell there was a bit of a bite in her words when she felt Erianna’s mood spike negatively. She rubbed her friend’s neck in an attempt to soothe her.

 

They were at a party of one of Erianna’s friends, the daughter of Duke Mallonton. Well, friend was a relative term. Erianna and Ashley were only ever surface-level friends. Add in the fact that they had an age gap of four years, the two slowly started to separate. 

 

“Evening Prince,” Ashley appeared behind Erianna, flashing a smile onto Ernest, “...and Alexia. I’m glad to have you visit me during my birthday.” She had a slight frown when she noticed Alexia, but didn’t say anything outwardly hostile. 

 

Erianna didn’t like how Ashley practically disregarded her in this situation. Weren’t they both daughters of a duke? Didn’t they grow up together?

 

Yet Ashley conspired to take the seat of fiancee from Erianna and planned to be Ernest’s one and only lover. 

 

A cradle-robber in the making, Erianna thought.

 

“Yes, well, I’m glad I finally convinced Lady Alexia to accompany me to a noble’s party. As a commoner, she was quite reluctant.” He smiled warmly at Alexia, “But now we’re here, and I’m so glad she’s finally expanding her wings. Like an angel.”

 

While the four conspired, Neynali watched Alexia with intense focus. Something was wrong with the girl. She was clad in a holy aura, impressive enough to be the next ‘Saintess’ as humans called them, but her holy energy was corrupt somehow. Like some kind of dead force was controlling it. 

 

A transmigrator! Neynali finally realized. These beings, in the eyes of the fairies, were parasitic spirits that took over a host and inherited all their skills, memories, and power. Some might even be able to prophesize the future. That was what was so terrifying about transmigrators. 

 

She noticed Alexia having a slight smile expand her lips ever so slightly. Neynali already hated this lady.

 

The fairy concentrated way too much on the transmigrator when she felt Erianna move away. After a good distance from the trio, Neynali found herself looking at the setting sun. She poofed out of Erianna’s hair, gazing over her soft features stricken in inexplicable sadness.

 

She hovered, taking in Erianna’s grimace and mirroring it. “A-are you okay?”

 

“He....suggested me to be a concubine.”

 

Neynali stayed quiet.

 

“Prince Ernest didn’t say it outright..but he hinted at the desire of me being his side woman. A trophy, a flower to look pretty with no real power. No thorns. Locked away only to be used as an heir maker!”

 

She nearly screamed. 

 

So Neynali did the only thing she could do. Whiffing out blue magic that encased her entire body, her form radiated a holy azure light, gradually heightening her size. She grew until she was Erianna’s size.

 

Her clothes and backpack disappeared, replaced by a leafy dress that barely covered her frame. With determination, she pulled Erianna into her, against her chest. Her woody scent slowly calmed Erianna down. 

 

“Is it true that fairies can take people to Otherworld?” Erianna askd, with a tinge of hesitation...and hope?

 

Neynali kept silent.

 

*****

 

“...What did you say?” 

 

“You are going to wear this dress for your birthday celebration,” Erianna’s father gestured towards a red dress that was very revealing in terms of the chest, neck, and arm areas. For nobles, it was a very gaudy dress that was held up by a maid.

 

“Father,” Erianna said calculatively, “You have heard the rumors of the Prince planning to take me in as his concubine, rather than a fiancee? This dress wi-”

 

“I don’t care if he takes you in as a wife or as a concubine. So long as you produce his children, we will be related to the royal family.” Before he left the room, he added one last comment, “And get rid of those curls. They make you look childish. You have been a woman for over two years now, tomorrow shall mark three.”

 

*****

 

Erianna, out of frustration, ended up cutting her hair to astonishingly short proportions. Her hair, which reached all the way to her lower back even when curled, now only reached to the back of her neck. She gained a very tomboyish appearance. 

 

Her father seethed seeing this, but in the end couldn’t do anything about it when the party was literally in a few hours. 

 

She cut her hair out of spite, but looking back at it now, it was a really dumb idea. Now Neynali had no place to hide, and she desperately wanted her fairy friend to tag along to the party.

 

“But I do have a place to hide,” she said, eyeing Erianna’s dress. “See!” She dove straight down into two fluffy marshmallows, making Erianna squeal. Her face grew as red as a chili pepper when she felt her winged friend dive into her bosom. 

 

“...Pervert.”

 

“Rude!” She felt Neynali’s voice vibrate on her chest. 

 

“Just...don’t move!”

 

“Hehe, they’re pink!”

 

“...”

 

When the party started, Neynali felt the malice from every noble nearby. They all wanted to either exploit or destroy Erianna. The atmosphere was so heavy the fairy felt like puking.

 

“Eni, I don’t like this place.”

 

“Shh, you don’t want to get caught!”

 

After a few hours of chatting up nobles with cordial pretenses, Erianna felt parched and wanted to grab a drink when a man poked her shoulder. She felt slimy from that.

 

“May I offer you a drink, milady?” It was definitely suspicious, and she felt all nobility laserfocus on her. That drink was definitely spiked, but she couldn’t refuse it. 

 

Neynali felt a strange spell on the drink, so she silently countered the spell and let Erianna drink it. 

 

“Thank you, Sir Parker.” Erianna didn’t feel any different. She was thankful.

 

But Neynali searched for the source of all this malice, and fiddled from Erianna’s chest and poofed from below, tracing it to the Prince and the transmigrator. 

 

She hid behind one of the cups as the duo spoke.

 

“That spell will finally show them who that vile woman truly is,” Alexia smiled, “My spell will reveal any hidden form she may have.” 

 

A lie, Neynali thought, That spell turns people into monsters.

 

“Yes, I can’t believe I’ve been so blind to nearly believe in her words. Telling me that she meant no harm and would be amicable towards a dissolution of our engagement. Hah! She clearly had something up her sleeve.” Ernest smiled.

 

Neynali had enough. She throttled to Erianna with abandon, entered her dress, and spoke as quietly as possible, “I’m taking you to Otherworld.”

 

Erianna felt her heart leap out of her chest, but she had to maintain her facade in front of nobility.

 

“...Yes.” With no hesitation, Erianna’s voice pitched higher. “Excuse me, Sir Parker, I need to speak to my father.”

 

“Ah yes, apologies.” 

 

She walked out to the veranda, with Neynali making sure no one followed them. “Do you have any idea how long I waited for you to whisk me away?”

 

“...That prince and his girlfriend were planning to turn you into a monster with that drink. I had to undo the spell.”

 

Erianna wore a sad smile.

 

“I couldn’t let that happen to you. You mean too much to me. If humans can’t appreciate you, then I will!”

 

“I love you,” Erianna breathed. “I think from the moment we met. I know I’m human and you’re a fairy, but maybe...maybe we could make this work.”

 

“I...love you too,” Neynali flew to Erianna’s cheek, giving it a very shy peck, “Maybe I could shrink you with a spell.”

 

“Or maybe you could just become big again.” Erianna giggled. 

 

Neynali cast a chant that felt like the forest whispering to Erianna, promising her days of only happiness and delight. The noble closed her eyes, excited and fearful of gaining freedom. She felt the air change from the industrial smoke to natural oxygen, invigorating her. 

 

She opened her eyes and saw whirlwinds of mana colored in rainbows, fairies swirling across tiny obstacle courses suspended in the air with magic.

 

Neynali smiled, pecking Erianna’s cheek again. “We’ll spend the rest of our lives together, fairy or not.”