Mabel watched from the wagon as Aiden started his morning deliveries to the fae. He woke her up early in the morning asking if she could come with him to help. She jumped at the opportunity for a chance to actually see Fae for the first time.
Aiden almost regretted bringing her along. Three times she almost dropped a crate full of potions. And she could not stop asking how long it was until the portal. He swore if he heard Are we there yet? One more time he would turn back and leave her at home. But once they passed through the portal, two mushroom-covered trees curved to look like a circle, she stayed quiet. Looking around the ordinary-looking woods he stopped the wagon and jumped off, “Why’d we stop?” He helped Mabel down from the wagon.
“We’re just taking a break.” She pouted and pet his horse. He fed the horse, who she affectionately began calling Henry, an apple, and released him to graze.
“Will he be ok?” He nodded and they sat down under a tree, not too far from the wagon, “Is this really where the Fae live?”
He nodded again laying down. Mabel picked at the grass little by little with a small pout she didn’t realize she was making, “Are you disappointed?” She pursed her lips and couldn’t decide whether she was or not.
“My father liked to study old Fae stories. When I was little he told me stories about the Fae too. He told me the land the Fae lived in was full of colors only some people could see.” Her voice became quiet and he felt like she was disappearing, “I guess I hoped I could see it like him.”
She felt a warm hand wrap around hers. Telling her everything was alright. She gladly accepted it and lay down with him, “Can I ask you something?” She turned her body to face him and waited, “Did the potion not work?” She saddened a little bit, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
She shook her head, “I, um...the vial, the vial broke.”
“What?” He tried not to yell, really tried not to, “How did it-” He stopped when he saw her trying to wipe her tears before he noticed. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t even try. He thought she could have at least tried to save her Father. And now she was stuck with him. She doesn’t deserve to be stuck with me.
“Aiden,” Her voice lifted him out of his thoughts, “Thank you for being so nice.” He held onto her tightly, as if he were preventing her from sinking into the ground. He waited until she felt ready to move on. Once he helped her back up onto the wagon she bent down to give him a quick peck on the cheek. He froze, trying to process what had just happened.
Comments (0)
See all