Charlie
Joris had told him that the will-o’-the-wisp was held captive. This shocked Charlie. Molly and Lucas, on the other hand, were shocked that he had befriended a will-o’-the-wisp.
"Are you insane?", asked Molly. "This forest is dangerous. Sirens. Kelpies. And who knows what else will want to eat us. And you make friends with a will-o’-the-wisp? And a siren on top of that? Boy! And Joris runs after a sylph that he absolutely had to look for, only for fairies to scare you away? I've watched this long enough. This stops now."
"Are you two tired of life?", asked Lucas. "Or are the creatures so enchanting that you came up with ideas?" He laughed, causing Molly to give him an evil look.
"I'm an adult and Charlie is seventeen. We can make our own decisions", said Joris, annoyed. "This siren seems to be very friendly, and so is the Sylph. And this will-o’-the-wisp needs help. It didn't hurt Charlie, why shouldn't he make friends with the little light? Molly? You are overdramatic."
"What?" Molly blinked. "Soldiers wanted to arrest us! And why? Because you two and Lucas wanted to be rebels! We might have been killed! And you two aren’t careful again!"
The dispute went on throughout the day. At night, Joris did not sleep under the tarpaulin, but under one of the trees. Charlie waited for Nanno at the river as usual.
It wasn't long before his pretty head peeked out of the water, followed by the rest of his body. Nanno came ashore and sat down a little closer to Charlie that night. At the sight of Nanno's beautiful and extremely naked body, Charlie almost forgot what he wanted to talk to him about.
"Hello, Charlie!" But Nanno also seemed worried. "Two of my friends know about you... Us? I'm afraid that could cause trouble."
"What?" Charlie forced himself to look the handsome boy in the face and not somewhere else.
"Yes. My best friend is angry with me. I hope he doesn't tell the elderly. But so far nothing has happened."
"Oh... Maybe it's not that bad?"
"Maybe", Nanno agreed. But he didn't sound convinced.
That night fireflies buzzed over the water again. And briefly, Charlie spotted two sirens who briefly looked out of the water and then disappeared. Nanno sighed.
"That was William and Elsa", he murmured.
Charlie didn't know what to say. But there was another problem. One that he might be able to solve. "Fairies hold the will-o’-the-wisp captive. At the waterfall. Will you help me save it?", he asked.
"The will-o’-the-wisp?" Nanno stroked his wet hair. "Why are they holding it captive? Fairies don't do anything like that. I think. I don't talk to them that often... Usually, I eat them..."
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Will you help me anyway?"
Nanno nodded. "Yes. Let's go to the waterfall. Now! Before my people stop me from visiting you... Or whatever..."
"Would they?" Charlie didn't like the prospect, but he was happy about the help. Nanno was a bit wobbly on his thin legs, but the two quickly made it to the waterfall. They didn't notice that Molly had woken up and looked after them worriedly.
"Hellohoooo!", Nanno as they stood close to the waterfall. "Are you awake? Is someone at home? Hehey!"
Charlie grinned for a moment. Then, two tired and bad-tempered fairies flew out of the waterfall. They flew past the flowing water. Charlie hadn't seen that there was a small entrance. The fairies complained softly.
Nanno grimaced. "Yes. I know it's late. So what? We're here because of the will-o’-the-wisp!"
Again, the fairies complained.
"I don't care that you've been asleep!", snorted Nanno. "And no, I don't want to eat you."
Charlie looked at him puzzled. "Nanno? Maybe you should be a little more polite?"
The fairies nodded. Nanno snorted. "Why? I am already polite enough. Instead of eating them, I ask for your little friend!"
Outraged, one of the fairies pulled Nanno's hair. The other moaned and pointed to Charlie.
"What do they say?", he asked.
"That they don't trust humans and don't tolerate them at their waterfall." Nanno shooed the fairy out of his hair. "Are you holding the will-o’-the-wisp captive?"
The fairies said something. Nanno sighed. "The will-o’-the-wisp brought you fruit, fruits that grow at their sanctuary and spent time with you. Both are prohibited. You and the other humans are intruders. Unwanted. You live too close to their waterfall. The fairies believe that it brings misfortune when humans come to their waterfall. But the will-o’-the-wisp did not want to listen, so they keep it inside their home. For her own safety." The little fairy pulled Nanno's hair again scolding.
"Misfortune? Why?"
Both fairies pointed to the water complaining. "Humans once poisoned the water. It has been a long time ago... Many fairies died. Humans wanted to get rid of us sirens... What? Really?" Nanno looked at the two fairies in shock. "Something like that happened?"
The fairy nodded while the other continued to pull Nanno's hair.
Charlie smiled and gently took the fairy, who pulled Nanno's hair, in his hands and freed Nanno's hair from her tiny hands. "Please don't do that", he said. The little fairy scolded. The other landed indignantly on his hand and seemed to want him to release the other fairy.
"I'm not holding your friend captive", he said, opening his hand. "The will-o’-the-wisp is my friend. My group did not know that this waterfall was important to you. We didn't want to be rude. We got lost and looked for a place to rest. We don't want to harm you. Please forgive us. I promise that we will treat the nature around us with respect."
The two fairies looked at each other briefly, then nodded.
"Would you let my friend go?"; asked Charlie. "She is not in danger with us."
Again the two fairies nodded, then they flew back into the waterfall. It took a few minutes, but then the will-o’-the-wisp followed by a handful of fairies flew out of the waterfall. Cheerfully, it flew right into Charlie's arms and pressed her little face into the fabric of his clothes.
"Hello little friend", Charlie greeted her, supporting her with his hands. Then he looked at the fairies. "Thank you very much."
The fairies were chattering happily. Then the will-o’-the-wisp flew up to Charlie's face and kissed his cheek. "I like you too", he said flattered.
Nanno snorted softly.
"What's wrong?", asked Charlie. "Thank you for helping me."
Nanno nodded, but he looked at Charlie's little friend. He was jealous. The will-o’-the-wisp also noticed this and said something to him in her chirping language. Nanno blushed. The fairies giggled.
"What did she say?", asked Charlie, amused.
"She said I could kiss you too," Nanno murmured. Now Charlie blushed too.
But he made up his mind. Shyly, he leaned over to Nanno and kissed his cheek. The fairies cheered and the will-o’-the-wisp clapped her hands. "Better?", asked Charlie.
"I think so", Nanno murmured. Shortly after, the fairies gave them some fruits as a sign of reconciliation, for which Charlie thanked them. Then, he said goodbye to his new friends and went back to the river with Nanno and his little friend.
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