Saniel’s POV

 

Upon hearing the dragon’s announcement, Saniel left her house for the clearing immediately. As the village magus, she was the second representative for the village along side the elder. And, as someone who was actually in Cundo village when the incident with the dryad happened, there would certainly be no voice with more weight than her own. To this extent, it was in fact something of a matter of duty for her to appear before these nobles of the fey if that was their objective.

 

Before even making it two steps out of her house though, Saniel found her path obstructed by an apparition of light. It was the dryad, the one who dwelt in the village’s nursery tree and who was subservient in some way to the very dryad who lived in Cundo and who caused that deadly situation.

 

“What may I do for you Dryad?” She said with a gentle if not somewhat nervous nod of her head.

 

“I just wanted to express my appreciation to you for keeping the matter of who I’m following a secret.” She said.

 

“I see. Well, it would panic the villagers to learn of such a thing. That is not why you are talking to me at a time like this though, I’m certain.” Saniel replied. Indeed, it was quite transparent what the dryad was trying to get across to her. They did not want the fey nobles to hear about it either.

 

“I am certain they will discover it sooner or later,” the dryad said. “However, it would be… inconvenient for it to be discovered this early.”

 

“Do not worry, I have absolutely no intention of upsetting a dryad.”

 

“Hmm… well, I suppose that will have to do for now.” The dryad said. “Well, I suppose you had best be going before those fairies begin to wonder where the village magus is.” With these words, the dryad’s spirit projection stood out of the way and allowed her to pass. Just as Saniel walked by, the projection vanished right before it left her peripheral vision, causing Saniel to turn to look at the empty air where the dryad’s projection once was.

 

Saniel let out a huff of air as she turned back toward the clearing. Honestly, the entire reason for fleeing Cundo was to get away from the dryad’s influence, but it turned out the dryad followed and beat them back to their own village. Truth be told, Sainel had been terrified ever since and did all she could to try to avoid the dryad becoming angry. Hopefully they can get one of these noble fey to remain here without revealing the information that would anger the dryad.

 

This arrival of these fey brought hope, but that hope was veiled behind a challenge. They had to make it through this encounter while impressing on them the information they needed to give help, while not exposing anything that would anger the dryad. The safe route toward this was so narrow, it was the same as pushing thread through the eye of a needle.

 

Well, the first objective is clear enough. She is going to have to intercept anyone who is likely to run afowl of the dryad’s conditions. She quickly looked through the crowd and located Calanor entering the clearing. There was a crowd, but they easily made way for their respected village magus. This presented another challenge. If everyone took notice of her like this, it meant that there was no chance of her having a secret conversation.

 

Well, if concealing the discussion was not an option, she would need to choose her words carefully. “Calanor.” She said. “Before we talk with the fey, I would like to ask you something. Has anyone visited you recently?”

 

He nodded his head. “I take it they came by your house as well then.” He stated, looking slightly pale.

 

“Yes, this will make things easier I suppose. I will address the lords, can I ask you to find our elder and then talk with your people? I am certain you are more aware than I about which ones may cause problems.”

 

Calanor’s response was a nod, and Saniel hardened her face as she approached the fairy lords. This lord Shugen said he was a member of the justice committee. If they were here to address an issue with the dryad, it ought to be the arbor committee that would come. Why then did the justice committee come? They should be involved in tracking down elves and other fey who had incited a dryad. However, as far as Saniel knew, all the ones who could be considered in any way guilty of incitement were killed in the chaos the dryad had triggered.

 

The crowd made way for her once more and she had a clear path through to stand before the dragon lord and his two servant great fairies who stood on the ground before him. She stepped to the front of the crowd and bowed her head in respect for the noble lords who had come to their village.

 

“I greet you my lords. I am magus Saniel, serving magus of this village. I understand that you wish to know of the events that happened in the village of Cundo?” She said with her eyes respectfully to the ground.

 

‘Indeed, were you a part of the reinforcements sent to Cundo at the time of the dryad’s awakening, magus Saniel?’ The dragon lord asked.

 

“I was, my lord. Myself, 30 of our villagers, and 46 refugees from Cundo are the survivors of the incident sparked by the dryad’s words that were taken as an implied threat. Based on what was said after the incident, I believe those words were spoken in full awareness of what it would cause. That dryad was truly like none I had ever heard of before.”

 

‘I see.’ The dragon lord’s voice echoed through her head. ‘It is very good that a magus was a witness to this event. We would not be able to ask this of one with a weaker cultivation. You are to appear as a witness for a trial which is to be held before the fey court. Has the master hunter of either village survived as well?’

 

It took Saniel a moment to recover from the surprise at what she was just hearing.  There really was a trial being held!? But hadn't the one the dryad held responsible already died? Who were they suspecting? No, before that, she was just asked a question. She couldn’t be rude to the fey lord. “Yes.” She said. “The master hunter of Cundo village is still alive and among the refugees.”

 

‘Very well. The master hunter will also come as a witness. The two of you are to come along with me. Meanwhile, my subordinates will remain to interview those who would be too weak to stand up to the arcane energies at our current location.’

 

So, she is to travel to the capital immediately? This all seemed to be moving rather quickly. However, no matter how much it would inconvenience her, there was really only one response she could give. “Yes, my lord.” So, she would become a witness to testify on someone’s crime, and she had a sneaking suspicion on who they might be. She did not like it at all.

 

-

 

Aerien’s POV

 

This body is ridiculous. I have yet to test out my raw strength, but the more important parts, those being the balance, core strength, and reaction time, all seem to be completely beyond anything a 5 year old should be able to do.

 

I have just completed a fairly complex yoga routine, pulling off floating half-moons and floating into plank positions with absolutely no difficulty. After that failed to challenge me, the old man suggested I continue my routine while standing on the couch, just to add some instability I would have to compensate for. Standing on an unstable surface makes it something like 4 times harder to balance, but I still didn’t even shake or anything while I was doing all this.

 

Of course, the fairy ladies did not like me doing this at all. [Your highness! Please do not do that! What would happen if you fall?] The fairly lady who’s name I had trouble with said. Gilt… something. I know that’s not right, but it might as well be guilt for how I felt toward her after our first encounter.

 

[That’s exactly what I’m trying to find out.] I told her. [I need to find out if this is enough to make me fall.]

 

[Yes, but…] She stammered. The poor fairy didn’t seem to know what to do with that answer and was staggered for several seconds until I snapped her out of it by shifting into a little bit of gymnastics and doing a hand-stand. I was quite conscious of how I was doing it, my upside-down head was facing outward toward the room, that way if I fall forward I can catch myself with my feet and if I fall backward I will be caught by the back of the couch. This just caused her to make a sour face.

 

[Look.] I told her. [I am going to have to test myself one way or another. If it bothers you, you can stand near and be ready to catch me if something goes wrong. If you make a big deal over it and stop me, I will only try it again when you are not looking.] With those words, I switched to a single-hand hand-stand and then slowly lowered my legs. The motion was slow and controlled, I didn’t shake or loose my balance at all, but I still needed to use two hands in order to lower myself all the way to the floor since my center of gravity had to move to do that and so I needed to spread my base of support. 

 

[Well,] I said, [considering my goal was to find my limits in the area of balance, I suppose we could call that a failure.] It looked like I might have to do some circus tricks or something in order to really test my limits like the old man said, the only problem is that I’m not sure if he will let me or not, he will probably say he’s the one who has to do it. Seriously, it was ridiculous though! When the old man was on Earth, he would only just barely be able to do what I just did and feel so safe and comfortable doing it. Well, Gaerien did say something about elves being stronger for their weight, was this kind of crazy balance ability natural for elves or was I something extra special?

 

[I have to know something.] I said toward the fairy lady. [Is it normal for elf children to be able to do the sort of thing I just did?]

 

[Umm… well, your highness. I… am afraid I do not know much about elven children. It shames me to say it, but I am actually more familiar with humans, and even they are rarely present in the great tree.] The fairy lady said. Well, I guess that means I can’t really tell whether or not her reaction says anything about what’s normal for elf children. Mommy ought to know more about elves, but unfortunately she wanted to go and see Ether guy once she heard that he was released and I had Esgal take her. That’s disappointing, but I guess I will have to wait.

 

[So, your highness.] The fairy lady said hesitantly. [Are you finished now? I just recently completed your formal robes for the trial appearance.]

 

[Oh! Uhhh… Ok.] I answered. I wasn’t really all that enthusiastic about the trial thing. I am pretty sure it’s going to be the old man doing it anyway, and I’m fine with that. I really don’t want to have to judge Ether guy. I wish I could just tell everyone he’s innocent, but the old man says that mother might overrule that and say he’s guilty if I do that without good reason, and then she will also give us less freedom. He has a plan to make Ether guy innocent without risking any of that, I don’t want to get in the way of it.

 

‘You’re the one who’s going to wear this, shouldn’t YOU be the one trying it on!?’ I said to the old man.

 

 

My child self retreated from the front of my mind, leaving me in control. It was kinda weird actually, I can’t really remember the last time I have been in 100% control since the whole incident where the guy tried to attack Mr. Eirlathion’s house. Normally, we have been mixing our consciousness, but for some reason she decided to cede all control and give it over to me this time.

 

[Well then, your highness, follow me please.] The fairy caretaker said, leading me off. Meanwhile, I was stuck in my own thoughts.

 

Mr. Eirlathion? That’s the name that was in my thoughts just now. How crazy, I even used to think of him as “Ether guy” even in my own thoughts when I was inside my own mind and disconnected from my younger half, but for some reason this time I was thinking of him in far more respectful terms. I know for certain it’s connected to it being my older half in control, but there has to be some other factor.

 

‘Wow! This is weird’ My younger half said, snapping me out of my thoughts. ‘My feet and arms are moving and I’m not moving them! You are! Is this what it always feels like for you!?’

 

‘Yeah, that’s about right.’ I told my younger half. ‘Fun, isn’t it?’

‘Uh-uh! I’m gonna stay here like this!’ My younger half refused. Is it just me, or is she developing some kind of defiant streak? That could really get weird in the future. I suppose I will eventually have to figure out what’s going on with that.

 

Oh well, I eventually arrived in front of the robe that the fairy woman had prepared for me. It had white as it’s primary color, making it look somewhat like an overly formal clergy robe, having multiple layers of fabric of differing lengths trailing down the sides making for a very interesting layered effect, especially considering the stitching seemed to be done in a way to give the shorter portions of fabric a little lift almost making it look like gills on a fish. There was a part in the middle of the longest and lowest layer of fabric around what I would guess is mid thigh level, but there was also a deep violet banner that looked like an overly long floor-length tie covering over that portion as well.

 

[I based the design on the formal wear for fairies, but I had to make some adjustments because you did not have any wings. Also, because your highness does not possess any flight magic of your own, I have enchanted this gown with levitation magic. It will allow you to hover and have some limited mobility off the ground.]

 

I see. I suppose that explains the design somewhat. It is made to look impressive on a person who is suspended some distance off the ground. As I imagine myself wearing this, I think it would actually seem somewhat silly on me with that fish-gill look, but somehow I could really see it working if I am hovering off the ground. Considering everyone in the fey court is capable of flight, it makes perfect sense the formal wear would have flight in mind.

 

[I see. Well then, I suppose I should try it on to see if the fitting is correct.] I said. [Before that though, I have to apologize to you.]

 

[Your highness, you have already apologized to me more than enough for far too many different things, you do not need to keep concerning yourself over it.]

 

[No, but I really do need to apologize for this one. You see, I am having trouble with your name. I would like to fix that problem. Do you think you could tell it to me again?]

 

[Huh?] She seemed like her brain missed a step for a moment as she just stared blankly back at me. [Ahem! Umm… of course, your highness.] She said with a bow. [My name is Gwilitphen. It can be broken down as Gwilit, in reference to the air, and phen which refers to a person.]

 

Person of the air, huh? Gwilitphen. I suppose it fits as a fairy name, although it could also be interpreted in a rather disrespectful way. Well then, Gwilitphen. I will attempt to remember that this time.

---

 

"So Gwilitphen, are you a person as noticable as air, or are you just an airhead?"

                       -Vorquel

 

"She's a mob"

                       -meowingLexi

 

"a mob who only gets a nickname >-> soon"

                       -Roy