| "Once Upon a Wing
" Chapter 1 Beneath the clouds that surrounded the enchanted world of Eixip lay a forest hidden amongst the thick trees. Indeed enchantment ruled this place where no one was permitted to enter--neither magic monster that lurked in dark shadows of the rest of the forest, nor woodland elves that would try their mischief on this land and make a playful attempt to cross the river of Op, that held guard over Eixip. The elf would end up all wet and fail miserably, turned away. For the sacred waters were protected by a powerful nymph whose gentle spirit watched over the delicate beauty beyond the waters since time forgotten. Keeping what lie inside this realm safe from fiery monsters and dangerous dragons, greedy dwarves in search of riches, of crystalline gold, mischievous elves and most of all--above all else--the nymph of the water named Sallie--was bound and determined to keep the sisterhood of five immortal fairies within under her motherly protection, safe and to the utmost--pure... But as legend has it, though the spiritual warrior within Sallie shrinked from the memory--there was once a man who had made it through her defenses somehow. A single human who had done the impossible, Sallie thought. She had all rule over magic and spells and bewitchment in the enchanted barrier she had erected over this glen. This human had somehow communicated with a sister within. He had somehow lured her out of the safe confines of her home. This was a feat unbelieved for the Sisterhood of fairies were well known far and wide for their fearful skittishness to take to their fairy wings in flight at the mere glimpse of a stranger of any race. And especially of the unknown something not a single one of them had ever seen--nor been with-- A mortal man. Sallie herself, powerful spirit of the water, could not believe she let her guard so down even as she slumbered in the deep river currents. Or was it that the man's power of persuasion was so intent even she could not shield the Sisterhood of Eixip from it? Or perhaps was the beautiful golden blonde Fairy of Dreams, Leia, so enthralled and taken by the visage of the man across the blue river and what his dream was whispering to hers... Whoever was at fault, the day had come and gone. The fairy had returned to her home, unharmed, with a dreamy look on her face, the subject of excitement of the other four sisters within the glen. But Leia would not speak of her encounter, nor of her special visitor. But the way the once serious fairy would now dance on her light toes and sing about the crystal fairy palace told tales to those who knew her best. She went with him of her own will. They all knew that as they had known before the evidence of the encounter came to bear forbidden fruit--their pure sister, Leia, had been with a man that day--and, as a result, was no longer immortal because she was no longer pure as the rest of them devoutly remained. However, the curious among them wondered that, though she had lost her purity, she had undeniably gained something else. Something intangible and unreachable--beyond the touch of their own fairy hands... Intangible--until the day yet one more sacred sister joined their fairy ranks. But this vivid, orange-haired sprite was not entirely theirs. Yes, she had the fairy wings and whims of spriteness, but she had something more than the rest of them. For beating within her tiny chest was a half-human heart--along with the beautiful dreams of a man from long ago... And
so, one special fairy so named Mariemaia was
born that day. But in the fairy world it takes the end of
one living thing to bring forth a new, as the Fairy of
Dreams Leia's pure heart understood and accepted. |
