BEAR

We had gone far beyond the realm of my comfort zone in the past twenty-four hours. I had gone to the depths of the sea, travelled by Mermaid back across a wild ocean, almost made a bargain with a miscreant, met an unworldly creature--a faerie--who had beauty I could have only envisioned in dreams. Her mesmerising wingspan branched wider than any of our ships' wind sales, and her dark wings gleamed, reflecting crystal-coloured light. Veins spread across the webbed corners of her pinions, with talons tipping the edges. I had an urge to reach out and touch them. As the thought occurred to me, my fingers ejected from clenched fists by my sides, ready to make contact. She turned to face me. “Don’t even think about it.” I recoiled my arm back to its place by my side at once. To say she frightened me was an understatement.

Could she hear my thoughts? My eyes widened at the possibility. I remembered everything I had envisioned about her earlier, actually, for most of the trip so far. Blood ran to my cheeks, warming them, and bringing more colour to my olive complexion. I looked at the Mermaid, who was positioned next to me, on the faerie’s back. The faerie had not yet displayed her magical ability to remove the Mer’s tail and we were losing time. 

“When are you going to remove my tail?” she repeated my thoughts, growing more impatient, as was I.

“As soon as we reach a spot where I can use my magic without getting into trouble from Sugarland elders. It’s bad enough I'm here, but if I'm using my magic in forbidden territory... Well, I don’t want to find out what would happen. I’m not even allowed to use it back home, and I am out of bounds here, too. Breaking another treaty rule could be catastrophic.” The faerie looked around cautiously. My legs were straddled around her back, my knees crooked in the folds of her wings. The Mermaid was behind me, her large tail dragging on the ground behind us.

“What's your name?” I asked her curiously, as if everything she had just said bypassed my ears. All I could see was her beauty. 

“What?” the two of them asked at once. 

“Mine’s Bear,” I continued without invitation.

“Iris,” the faerie said, shaking her head and peering out at the ground beneath us. We would be very visible to anyone who chose to look at their surroundings.

“This entire journey and you didn’t think to ask my name?” The Mer sounded insulted. Her voice was sharp, like the bite of a Merrow. 

“Sorry, what is your name?” I asked sympathetically, admiring the scenery below--lush trees, the colour of the small fairy’s that floated around Sugarland. It was a colour not used in my village, though I did see a fleck of it on the Mermaids tail; pink, she called it.

“Violet!” the Mermaid interjected almost too urgently as if she were missing out on my attention. I gave her a small smile for her efforts, and she grinned in return. I had thought she was the most stunning creature I had ever seen--and she had been until I saw the faerie.

“Why don’t you focus on the matter at hand, rather than making acquaintances?” Iris stated plainly. 

“Well, I should know who I'm travelling with, shouldn’t I? I can’t put my trust into a stranger,” I replied matter-of-factly, soon regretting my choice of words, recoiling as I felt the Violet glaring at my back.

“Here,” she stated, seeming to ignore my statement. “We will do the magic up ahead. It's only a short walk, but I can’t carry you any longer. I’m too tired.”

I climbed off her back, dropping my feet to the grass, bountiful as it swayed in the slight breeze. I made a point of stroking a long dark feather on Iris's wing as I climbed off. I felt her shudder slightly as I did so. Her sharp, snake-like eyes caught me as I helped the Mer off the best I could. Her weight was astounding. 

We took a seat on the ground and I helped Violet get positioned as she only really had her hands to manoeuvre herself with. “Make it quick! I am running out of time before I'm noticed missing back home.” Violet glared at Iris, to which she returned the gesture. I watched as Iris put her fingertips to the temples of her ashen skin as she focused. “What is she doing?” Violet whispered impatiently into my left ear.

We both watched cautiously and I murmured, “I think she’s trying to heal you.”