Lella
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As I mentioned in the story details, this story is my entry for the SSSC V contest. If you liked my story, please vote by leaving a 'favorite'. Thanks.

The swings were a favorite pastime for young children of the Soto Empire. Almost every household had one. It could be considered a symbol of happiness and a place where children found their inner peace.

 

Young Marie was the daughter and only child of a noble family. Her father oversaw the markets in the city and owned the Gillis Trade Union while her mother portrayed a generic housewife and noblewoman.

 

As Marie was of noble birth, she didn’t have many friends and would instead spend most of her days swinging on the swings her father had built for her on the Sunset Hill by the trees.

 

One day, while Marie was playing on the swings, she saw a shimmering light in the forest. Curious, the young girl waited for her nanny to look the other way before slipping into the trees to find out what the light was.

 

As Marie delved deeper into the forests, the surrounding lights became dimmer and dimmer. Because she was focused on the shimmering glow before her, the young girl did not notice.

 

Soon, Marie arrived at a grassy clearing. As she looked around, a bit dazed, she wondered where the glow had gone to.

 

Suddenly, she heard sweet laughter. Marie turned towards the sounds and saw a young girl about her age. The girl was dancing while twirling a golden ball in her hands, her twintails flowing in the wind. The shimmering glow came from the golden ball.

 

Mesmerized, Marie walked up to the girl, startling her in the process. The young girl cried out in surprise and hid behind a tree, more out of shyness than in fear. As she peeked out from behind the tree, Marie greeted her energetically.

 

“Hello!” Marie exclaimed with a smile. “My name is Marie. What’s yours?”

 

However, the young girl blushed and continued to hide behind the tree, burying her face in her hands as she hid. Curious, Marie walked towards the tree and stepped behind it to get a good look at the embarrassed girl. That’s when she saw something different about the girl.

 

“My, what lovely ears you have!” Marie cried out when she saw the girl’s pointy ears.

 

The girl’s face reddened again as she peeked through her fingers. “R-Really?”

 

“Yes. They’re very dainty.”

 

“Y-You’re not a-afraid of m-me?”

 

“Afraid of you? Why would I be afraid?” Marie asked curiously.

 

“I…I have this.” The girl uttered as she showed Marie her wings.

 

“Y-You have wings! That’s so cool!” Marie clapped her hands in marvel as she stared at the girl’s silky wings.

 

“You think…you think my wings are cool?”

 

“Yes! Let’s be friends! I’m Marie Gillis, and you are?”

 

“F-Friends?” The girl brightened upon hearing the expression. “Mm! I’m Lella Elmbeam!”

 

*******

 

Lella Elmbeam was the only child of the Fairy Queen, and she was the most beloved of all. The fairies lived peacefully in the forests by Sunset Hill, away from humanity and other species.

 

Like most fairies, Lella Elmbeam would frolic in the fields at the heart of the forests. But, as the daughter of the Fairy Queen, it was a bit hard for her to find genuine friends.

 

Most fairies were afraid to play with her for fearing of getting on the queen’s bad side. While the remaining fairies were only treating her well in order to garner some favors from her. Lella knew about this because she was rather sensitive to lies.

 

And so, on the day when almost all of the fairies were resting, Lella decided to play in the fields by herself. As she enjoyed herself, she suddenly heard a noise.

 

Turning around, she saw a young human girl around her age. Lella cried out in surprise and quickly hid behind a tree. Lella waited a few moments before peering out to see if the human had left, but that didn’t happen.

 

“Hello!” The human girl gave a friendly yet toothy smile. “My name is Marie. What’s yours?”

 

She wants to know my name? Why? Mother said not to trust humans. They’re all evil meanies! Lella’s face reddened as she thought about this but her legs were too shaky to move. So, she could only bury her face deeper into her hands and tried to ignore the human girl. Hopefully, the human girl would get tired and leave.

 

But her tension rose as she heard the human come closer. It was almost as if she was right next to her. Then…she heard the human compliment her ears. No one has ever done that to her before.

 

Lella blushed as she peeked out from behind her fingers. “R-Really?”

 

“Yes. They’re very dainty.” The human girl confirmed.

 

“Y-You’re not a-afraid of m-me?”

 

“Afraid of you? Why would I be afraid?

 

Lella bit down on her lower lip and pulled out enough courage to unravel her wings for the human girl to see. “I…I have this.”

 

“Y-You have wings! That’s so cool!”

 

She thinks my wings are cool! I-Is she a nice person? Lella couldn’t help but ponder when she heard the girl’s exclamation. “You think…you think my wings are cool?”

 

“Yes! Let’s be friends! I’m Marie Gillis, and you are?” The human girl smiled again.

 

Friends? She wants to be my friend? My first friend! Since she was born, Lella wanted a true friend. The human girl, with the brown hair settling on her shoulders, did not know her background and didn’t care if she was a fairy or not. Yet, she still wanted to be friends. Lella felt that the young girl – Marie – could be trusted.

 

“F-Friends?” Lella mumbled. She scanned Marie’s face for a few seconds before brightening with resolution. “Mm! I’m Lella Elmbeam!”

 

*******

 

As days went by, the two young girls became best friends. They played hide-and-seek in the forests during the day and swung on the swings throughout the evening. The two young girls’ absences garnered varied attention from their loving parents.

 

For Marie’s parents, they assumed that their daughter was by the swings as she usually was. But, as for Lella’s mother, the days of running off to who knew where and coming back home so late in the evening was rather suspicious to her.

 

When the Fairy Queen asked if her subjects had seen Lella, none of them could give a definite answer. So, one day, the Fairy Queen decided to follow Lella on one of her usual escapades. Little did she expect to find her daughter playing with a human girl.

 

However, the Fairy Queen did not rush out right away. Instead, she watched for a while longer before heading back to the village. She thought that when Lella came home tonight, she would reprimand her then.

 

Today was a special day for Lella. Marie had offered her to take in some sights at the city and try out some local delicacies. Having been curious about the human cities since she was a baby, Lella immediately agreed.

 

Before they set out for the city, Marie gave her a hooded robe so that she could cover her ears and her wings. After everything was prepared, the two young girls descended from the hills and headed straight for the city.

 

The two best friends spent the whole day exploring the local restaurants and sightseeing the different sculptures and artwork decorating the city center. Everything was going splendidly well until Marie spotted someone familiar in the crowds.

 

Since she ventured out despite her parents warning her not to, Marie panicked a bit in fear that the person would snitch on her parents. In a hurry, the young girl grabbed Lella’s hand and dragged her to an alleyway to hide.

 

Despite not knowing what was going on, Lella ran with Marie. However, in the midst of their haste through an alleyway, the young fairy tripped and her hoodie slid off of her head to reveal her pointy ears.

 

In a hurry, Lella covered her head again and cautiously looked about in case someone had seen her ears. Seeing that there were no one else aside from her and Marie, Lella sighed a breath of relief before quickly catching up to Marie. While the two exited the alleyway from the other side, a shadowy figure lingered from one of the rooftops before disappearing from sight.

 

*******

 

A man with a rat-like appearance entered a clothing store with an excited look on his face. He glanced over at the storekeeper and knocked on the counter a few times – one long knock followed by three short raps.

 

The storekeeper expressionlessly rapped on the counter twice before asking. “What colored clothing do you want?”

 

“Red.” The man replied. “Blood red.”

 

The storekeeper widened his eyes slightly before asking. “Is it time?”

 

“Yes. I have solid information to help our cause!” The man exclaimed.

 

The storekeeper rushed to the doorway and looked outside. Then, he closed the door and hung a ‘We’re Closed’ sign. The storekeeper then motioned the man to follow him to the next room where a middle-aged man, exuding a noble aura, sat and meditated.

 

The noble man opened his eyes upon noticing the two presences and looked at the rat-faced man. “What news do you bring?”

 

“I saw something that could overthrow the Gillis family once and for all.” The rat-faced man slowly answered.

 

“What? Tell me quickly!”

 

“While I was tailing the youngster from the Gillis family, I found that she was hanging out with a demonfolk. They seemed very close.”

 

“Demonfolk? Is this true?”

 

“Yes, my lord, it is the truth.”

 

“Good! Well done! With this information, I can try stirring the masses in to believing that the Gillis girl is a witch. With how doting the Gillis family is of their daughter, they would surely deny it.”

 

“But my lord, how would we get the public to believe us? We have no proof.”

 

“Then, find a way to get the girl together with the demonfolk. If the public sees it, then there’s no denying it. But first, spread the rumor that the Gillis’s only daughter has a relationship with the demonfolk and that she might be a witch or maybe the entire Gillis family are demon worshippers.”

 

“Yes, my lord, at once.”

 

*******

 

The day went by quickly and the two girls separated. Lella hurried home while Marie sat by the swings, swaying back and forth happily. Soon, her nanny came looking for her and brought her home for dinner.

 

As soon as Lella arrived back to the Fairy Village, her mother dragged her aside for questioning. “Where have you been?”

 

“I-I was just playing in the forest.” Lella stammered but the look on her mother’s face told her that it was useless to lie.

 

“Did you meet that human girl again?” The Fairy Queen pressured on.

 

“Y-Yes.” Lella muttered in resignation, her head bowed.

 

“I knew it. How many times have I told you that you shouldn’t make contact with humans? They’re all evil!”

 

“But Marie isn’t evil! She’s my best friend!” Lella tried to defend her friend but her mother would have none of it.

 

“Where did you go today? Tell me the truth!”

 

“I-I went to the city.”

 

“The human city?! Do you want to ruin us all? What if someone saw you?”

 

“B-But no one did! I was wearing a hoodie to cover my ears and wings.”

 

“Even so, I forbid you from interacting with that human girl from now on! Guards! Lock Lella in her room and do not let her out!” The Fairy Queen snapped her fingers and summoned two fairy guards who grabbed the unwilling girl and dragged her to her room.

 

As Lella pleaded for her mother to let her free, the Fairy Queen could only sigh. “This is for your own good. You’ll thank me later.”

 

*******

 

Meanwhile, while Lella was being grounded, rumors about Marie having interactions with the demonfolk quickly spread. Many did not believe that such an innocently-looking and kind young girl could be a witch so they dismissed the rumor as false.

 

However, though the rumor was dismissed, it still persisted somewhere in the back of their minds. There were some who had caught glimpses of Marie sitting listlessly on her swings while staring at the trees surrounding Sunset Hill as if pining over something.

 

After a week without evidence along with how peacefully the Gillis Family destroyed all claims, the locals stopped thinking about the rumor. Maybe there really wasn’t something going on with the young daughter of the Gillis Family? But one day, that changed.

 

Lella, who had been grounded for more than a week, found a way to escape. She wanted to meet Marie one more time, even if it was the last time. Marie was her first friend after all.

 

Carefully hiding from the patrolling fairy guards, Lella made her way out of the forest and headed for the Sunset Hills. As soon as she saw Marie swinging on the swings, Lella called out with emotion.

 

Marie saw Lella run towards her and tried to prevent her from coming over but it was too late. Because Lella left in a hurry, she forgot to disguise herself and her ears and wings were displayed for all to see.

 

And a good number of people saw. Not only did the guards who were assigned to protect Marie saw, people from the rivaling family who were spying on her saw as well. This was solid evidence that Marie was interacting with the demonfolk!

 

The guards rushed out to protect Marie from the demonfolk while some of those who spied in the distance rushed back to report and stir up the locals. Despite Marie trying to reassure the guards, one of them still pulled out his sword to attack Lella.

 

As Marie screamed in horror, a flash of gold pierced the guard in the temple and killed him instantly. A fairy guard with gold armor appeared behind Lella. He was one of the royal bodyguards whose sole purpose was to protect the Fairy Queen and her direct descendants.

 

Seeing the dead guard, the other guards drew their swords. However, Marie stepped in front of them and blocked them with her arms raised. She looked back and told Lella that she needed to leave.

 

Having noticed that she had caused a huge plunder, Lella reluctantly left with her royal bodyguard, leaving Marie alone to deal with the aftermath. While Lella was being brought back to the Fairy Village, a few expert scouts managed to follow them back and discovered the entrance to the village.

 

Meanwhile, the Gillis Family found out about Marie’s interaction with a demonfolk and proceeded to pack up everything. If they stayed put, how will they explain everything to the townspeople?

 

Unfortunately, before they could step out of their front door, a mob of people burst through the entranceway. The head of the family – Marie’s father – roared out with anger. “How dare you trespass my home? Have you no fear for the laws?”

 

The leader of the mob was actually the head of their rivaling family – Trevor Mette. He stepped forward and stared down at the head of the Gillis Family. “Marcus, where are you guys going in such a hurry? You’re even packed. Are you moving?”

 

“W-We’re going on vacation. Is that a crime?” Marcus Gillis gestured.

 

“Of course not. However, I have witnesses that your daughter is a witch.” Trevor Mette nonchalantly remarked.

 

“That’s nonsense! How can Marie be a witch? She’s only twelve.”

 

“Children at the age of twelve are old enough to make their own decisions.”

 

“Even so, what proof do you have that she’s a witch?”

 

“I have witnesses.”

 

“Ha! From your men? What if they lied? I could also say that you are a devil worshipper and my men could vouch for me as well.”

 

“Hmph! Still trying to deny it? Fine, I have another piece of evidence!”

 

“W-What evidence?”

 

The head of the Mette Family turned towards Marie and grinned. “By now, my scouts must have found where that demonfolk is hiding. In a few hours, we will raid that place to the ground and kill all of the demonfolk…even the one that you were interacting with.”

 

Marie couldn’t help but pale at Trevor Mette’s remark, her reaction gave away everything. Seeing her reaction, the guards from the Mette Family drew their swords while the guards from the Gillis Family reacted similarly.

 

Though the rest of the mob did not see Marie’s expression, the tension in the air was so thick that it could block arrows. Marie’s father tried persuading the crowd saying that there wasn’t anything going on and no one got hurt.

 

But right when he mentioned that no one got hurt over these false rumors, one of the mob remembered something. “Hey, didn’t someone say they saw one of the demonfolk kill a guard from your family?”

 

“T-That….” Marie’s father tried to refute, but how could he when that actually happened?

 

“That’s right!” Another person confirmed. “I recall him saying that the guard was only trying to protect Marie and when the other guards wanted to attack, Marie blocked their way!”

 

“This!” Marie’s father could not find any words to explain and he wasn’t able to have that chance as more people bombarded him with heated questions.

 

“Why aren’t the guards saying anything about this matter?”

 

“Did you cover that up?”

 

“Why did Marie protect the demonfolk?”

 

“Has she sold her soul to them already?”

 

“Is she a witch!?”

 

“She’s definitely a witch, isn’t she?!”

 

“Kill her!”

 

“Kill the witch and the demonfolk!”

 

“Kill the witch!!”

 

“KILL!!!”

 

“Kill!” Trevor Mette aimed his sword at the Gillis Family and a massacre ensued.

 

*******

 

Lella couldn’t sit still as she worried about her friend. She wanted to make sure Marie was safe. After struggling for a while, Lella finally decided to venture out once more. But this time, however, her royal bodyguard appeared to stop her.

 

“Please! I just want to know if Marie is ok!” Lella begged her bodyguard to let her go.

 

“No, young miss. My duty is to protect you. And what you are doing is very dangerous.” The bodyguard replied with a shake.

 

“Then, come with me!”

 

“T-This….”

 

“You don’t have to worry. I won’t meet her. I just wanted to make sure she’s alright. I’ll leave as soon as I see her safe and sound. No one will notice me!”

 

“Alright.”

 

Lella and her bodyguard rushed back to the hills to check on the Gillis Family. But what they saw was something gruesome and unforgettable.

 

Bodies littered the streets – most of them were guards from the Gillis and the Mette Families while some were from the mobs. The bodies were dismembered and some even had their eyes poked out.

 

Afraid that something might have happened to Marie, Lella rushed into the building where she saw more bodies. The maids and servants were mutilated and beaten to pulp. It clearly showed the hatred the locals had for the demonfolk and any who associated themselves with them. Even the servants were not freed from such a fate.

 

Further in, Lella saw a woman with her limbs chopped to pieces and her face sliced clean off. Clear shock still remained on what’s left of her face when the woman died. The face was found a few meters away. If one were to look closely, they would recognize that the face was that of Marie’s mother.

 

Despite the royal bodyguard trying to drag Lella back, the young fairy girl persisted on. She walked into a room and saw another dismembered and disfigured body. Organs and intestines laid strewn about and on top of the body. It was Marie’s father.

 

Fearing the worst, Lella pushed on. As she entered a room, she saw a couple of men laughing as they hung something over a balcony. When Lella approached the two men, she heard them say the words ‘Marie’ and ‘witch’.

 

They were hanging Marie! Lella burst out in anger and pointed at the two men. “LET HER GO!”

 

A stream of blue color flowed from Lella’s body and concentrated at her outstretched hand, shimmering and a constant rate. With a burst of anger, Lella released the vibrating energy and the raw magical power smacked into both men, knocking them over the balcony to their deaths.

 

The knocked-over men released their hold on Marie. As Marie fell, Lella called out to her fairy guard who appeared beneath Marie and caught her. The fairy guard returned to Lella and notified her that Marie was dying.

 

Seeing Marie’s pale countenance, Lella panicked. “What do we do? What do we do?”

 

“Princess, what should we do with her? We need to hurry back before your mother finds out that you’re missing.” The fairy guard asked.

 

“Mother.” Lella murmured, a flash of light flickered in her eyes. “That’s right! Mother! She can heal Marie! Quick! Let’s return. You carry Marie.”

 

“Understood.”

 

The two fairies rushed back to the Fairy Village, but upon arrival, they saw something horrific. The Fairy Illusion Barrier was broken! If that was the case, then something must have happened to the Fairy Queen!

 

Lella and her fairy guard rushed in and heard crackling sounds. There was an intense sensation coupled with a reddish orange glow. Fire…there was fire everywhere!

 

Lella immediately headed to her house. Along the way, she saw bodies of her friends as well as those of humans. These humans…how did they know about their village? Could they be part of the same group who had attacked Marie’s family?

 

Fearing for the worst, Lella sped up her pace and soon arrived at her house. There, her mother laid dying at the entrance, blood spilling out from various wounds with quite a few arrows protruding from some of the wounds. By her side were many human and fairy corpses.

 

Lella rushed towards her mother and tried to heal her. Some of the wounds started closing but the Fairy Queen grabbed her hand.

 

“Don’t waste your energy. I-It’s no use. I’ve been p-poisoned.”

 

Lella saw the purplish tint on her mother’s lips and cried out in tears. “Mother, I-I’m so sorry! If I hadn’t gone to the human city…if I hadn’t gone back to see Marie…none of these would have happened. Mother, you must live. Mother, I don’t know what to do without you! Mother!”

 

The Fairy Queen gently smiled and held her daughter’s face, using her thumb to wipe away some tears. “Don’t cry Lella. It’s not your fault. J-Just live and I’ll be h-happy. Just–”

 

Before she could finish her sentence, the Fairy Queen spat out a mouthful of poisoned blood. The poison had already reached her heart and her brain. She did not have long to live.

 

“Mother! Hang in there! Mother, you must live! You must! Promise me, mother! Promise me you’ll live!” Lella sobbed even harder as she saw the black blood.

 

“Lella…I…I promise. I prom–”

 

The light in the Fairy Queen’s eyes dimmed and her hand fell to the side. Breath escaped from her lips and her soul flew to the stars. Lella knew that her mother had just passed away but she knelt there motionlessly in pain and murmured that ‘those humans will pay’.

 

Suddenly, she asked her fairy guard. “How’s Marie?”

 

The fairy guard checked Marie’s pulse before replying. “Dead, your highness.”

 

Lella let out a sigh as bluish magic began to flow around her, the blueness flickered from blue to red before stagnating on red. “They must pay.”

 

*******

 

Lella sat on the swings by the forest. She slouched and had a lethargic look about her. The city below flickered and danced with red, orange, and yellow lights. While she waited silently, she looked up at the starry skies and murmured.

 

“Mother…are you there? Did I make the right choice?”

 

Lella sighed once more and turned to her right. There, on the right swing, was Marie…Marie’s soul.

 

“Marie…I promise you. I will resurrect you. Even if I become the demon lord….”

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