Chapter three, prince loch

I am in awe. This my first time ever leaving the swamps! considering I just turned 15 years old 2 months ago. It's just…magical. There are twisted trees that are flourishing with fragrant fruits. The whole forest is filled with tiny babbling brooks, and golden fairy dust. I am in such a trance I trip over my own feet. And due to the shock almost burned the whole forest down! I need to be careful here, for it is dangerous. As we venture down deeper to the center of the forest I notice the queen talking to her most esteemed Royal guard. when all of a sudden he must have said something that upset her, for she started raging with a mix of panic and fear. and something much much deeper, murder. Ack! I thought to myself. What is wrong with me!? How dare I think so lowly of thy esteemed royalty! I glance back over to the queen and then notice her starting towards me! Well now I am freaking out! I have never had anybody of a high ranking walk in my direction!!! Let alone the queen herself speak to me! "Amber," she says in a soothing voice. Now, I am not dumb. My queen may be determined and loyal but she is not sweet like this. Especially towards commoners such as myself. I could only wonder what importance I am to her. "WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!" Some guy at the front of the line screamed at the top of his lungs. Ok good. Saved by the weird announcer. We make it to the section of the forest that the fairies have claimed as home. And all sit down at the masterfully carved logs supposedly used for chairs. The mermaids were already here, sitting in a pond at the front. I'm guessing they got here through the winding rivers surrounding the forest. And of course the fairies were already here considering that this is their homeland. The elves had not yet arrived, there was a snack table at the back behind the seating area. So naturally that is where I gravitated towards. There were no meats. Mainly just fruits. LOTS of fruits. There were plenty that I have never heard of. I picked up a pink ovular fruit with green spikes curving up the edges of it. I started studying it, tipped it upside down, picked at the spikes… gave it the works. When suddenly a fairy just about my age emerged from behind a bush (creepy) the fairy had green curved wings that looked like grass. He had a darker skin tone yet bright blonde hair, Interesting. “Dragonfruit.” he said. I broke out of my trance “uhm what?” “the fruit you are studying” he continued. “It's called a dragon fruit.” “oh!” I said,then immediately fumbled for the dragon fruit but ended up dropping it. The elves emerged from the thick tree line, bowed to the rest of the royalty from the other environments then they too took their seat. “Oh! Well, it looks like I have to go. The speeches will be starting soon, goodbye….” he paused. I was very confused like UHM FINISH YOUR SENTENCE. But then I realized that he was looking for my name “Amber.” I said calmly. “well ok, goodbye amber.” Then he disappeared. For some reason I felt sad… even though I have not yet formally met the guy. Heck I don't even know his name! I slowly dragged my feet towards my seat then realized that he dropped some pendant of sorts. After calling out for a while, I realized he was gone, and I put the pendant in my pocket for later. But right now I should take my mind off of loch and onto the gathering,it's my first one! So I sat down completely ready for the speeches about to be given by the separate environments. The fairies started, considering that they were the hosts this year. Queen Fiona stepped up to the mushroom,(that is currently being used as a stage) and began her speech. "Welcome Mermaids, witches and elves! I am very glad all of you made it tonight. As you know, this year's gathering is being held in the fairies forest and we have set out some of our finest fruits and vegetables, so feel free to help yourself to those." She temporarily stops and turns to see a mermaid around my age waving her arm in the sky. She clears her throat and pipes up her voice. "B-But us mermaids can't reach the snack table." The rest of the mermaids nod in agreement and a witch from the back stands up. It was the Queen's personal enchanter,Orion. He walks up to the mermaid King,bows, then asks for his necklace. Every Creature gasps. Everybody knows that this pendant went down in generations. From queen aqua, to prince Riptide, to princess bubbles to finally, king Atlantic. So in short. He would never hand it over. Orion whispers something in the king's ear and then Atlantic nods and hands him the medallion! Orion clasps the sacred jewelry in his hands and chants something. “Incantare hoc wisiorek Licere Nereides vagari inala” His eyes glow and he is lifted inches off of the floor. As Orion slowly descends back to the ground he hands the pendant back to the king who is wading in the river yet somehow still, face frozen in terror. "WHAT KIND OF WITCHERY IS THIS!?" Orion responds abnormally calm for a king screaming at him "you see I have made your pendent even more valuable. By letting the Royal pendent grant you legs on land, and tail at sea." The king cautiously clambers onto the muddy forest floor and is encircled by a dome of a golden sheen. As it fades… the king was laying there with no tail! (Or clothes) the king, embarrassed, dives back into the waters. And then bows graciously. The fairy queen clears her throat rather loudly and clearly annoyed. Orion too, bowed an apology and stumbled back to his log at the back. Queen Fiona continues her speech almost as if there was no interruption at all. "As I was saying, feel free to help yourself to the snacks we have provided at the back. Now I shall start with why we are all here. This year we have had 217 births and 110 deaths." Every creature in the audience bowed their blessings and condolences. The queen bows as well then speaks up and starts to list the names of the newly born. "Leaf, lily, cloud tuft, ceder, Diana,  " the fairy queen continues listing names as my mind drifts to the fairy with grass wings. I wonder where he is, why did he run off in such a rush? The fairy queen starts to list names of the deceased. “Bramble,pine,daisy, I wish I could see him again. I thought to myself once more. Maybe if I- my train of thought was interrupted by queen fiona. “I now call up prince loch! My son, who is now attending this gathering for the first time.” There were applauds coming from the crowd. But I just stood there in shock, as the very same fairy stepped upon the mushroom. My mind was racing. Noooo I can't be friends with a prince there is no way that would ever work! I sighed and looked up at the sky. It was two ticks to nightfall. “Well it seems that this year's gathering is taking longer than expected. I Would not wish for you to travel a double day's walk beneath the stars, so you may all rest at night in the forest.” the fairy queen said. “We shall continue during sunrise. Now, mermaids shall rest in the rivers, Elves may stay over near the mushrooms…..” the queen continues yet all I can think of is loch. It is now pitch black and I start to trudge off to my tree, when suddenly something emerges from the shadows.