"I can't believe we're back, can you?" Acacia smiled at her friend, Aaliyah, as the pair entered the grounds of their school, Neketah Academy. Neketah Academy was one of two schools on the planet Neketah. Neketah was a realm in the Magic Dimension, much like the realm of Magix.
"After last year, I'm surprised Headmistress Penelope didn't postpone classes until the north wing of the school gets rebuilt," Aaliyah said, shaking her head lightly.
As the pair walk, a girl runs up to them. She's huskier in build but still relatively svelte. "Aaliyah! Oh! I'm so glad I found you. It's me, Shannon! Do you remember; we were pen pals over the summer," she grinned.
Aaliyah blinked as if processing this information and then smiled. "Shannon! It's nice to meet you in person, finally!" the older teen hugged the other.
Acacia cleared her throat, interrupting the pen pals. "Hi, Shannon! I'm Acacia, but my friends call me "Sia." The blue-haired girl greeted the youngest of the three with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Sia!" Shannon smiles, joining the older girls as they walk closer to the academy's building.
As Aaliyah pointed out different areas of the building to Shannon, Acacia put each hand on the girls' shoulders. "Hey, I think that kid is in trouble over there."
The three of them nod and move toward the younger-looking female getting scolded by one of the academy's teachers.
"You can't possibly be a student here! You're far too young, and we'll have to call your parents to pick you up immediately. Neketah Academy cannot have children simply running amok."
"But I…" The younger girl suddenly grew quiet as she looked up and listened to the academy staff member.
The older girls whisper to each other. "Okay, so what's the plan?" Acacia asked.
"Shannon, will you distract the teacher? Acacia and I can pull her out of there." Aaliyah asks, looking at Shannon with concern.
"But- I don't even know the faculty names yet-!"
"Her name is Neytiri, and she's the Deputy Headmistress. She may seem hard-headed, but she's got a soft spot for curious minds. Just pretend to ask her questions and try to make her forget that the girl is there,"
"Okay, I'll try," Shannon agrees.
"I won't have it! Come," Neytiri reaches out to grab Neve's hand, but Shannon jumps in the way and starts to ask questions nervously.
"Um, Deputy HeadMiss! I'm new, and I was wondering if you could tell me about the programs at Neketah. My parents told me the pamphlet arrived just today, and well, I'm already here, so I can't read it, can I?" Shannon chuckled nervously.
As Shannon distracted the Deputy Head, Aaliyah and Acacia took Neve by the hand and started toward the door. They manage to avoid the ever-so-keen eyesight of Deputy Head Neytiri and give Shannon a thumbs up.
"W-what's going on?!" Neve cried out as soon as they got inside.
"Hey, hey, it's alright. I'm Aaliyah, and this is my friend, Acacia. We're sorry for grabbing you like that, but Deputy Head Neytiri would've probably put you on the next shuttle home if we hadn't interfered." Aaliyah smiles. "I'm a second year here,"
"Same, second year," Acacia smiles and raises a peace sign.
As the duo talk with Neve, Shannon, out of breath, joins them. "H — hi!" She smiles. "I'm Shannon; I'm new here too," she offered her hand to Neve.
Neve shook Shannon's hand, starting to smile. "This is my first year here; I'm-."
The other girls looked at her. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you seem young to attend this academy as a first-year student," Aaliyah said.
"I know, and I am, but I need to train now. I can't wait three years. The Academy accepted my application because I needed to control my powers. With my… mothers gone… I'm all that my people have." She paused. "Other than my uncle, he only holds the title of Regent until I return to Glacia and hold my coronation."
The other girls glanced at each other. "Wow, you must be the youngest queen in the whole of Magix…." Acacia said.
"I'm sorry to hear about your moms," Aaliyah & Shannon added.
Though they had just met, the older girls hugged Neve, which she gladly accepted. "Come on; I'm sure the headmistress will sort this out with Miss. Neytiri, we should head to the main hall to sign up for classes." Aaliyah said.
"And this one leads us to the grand entrance hall." A voice said from around the bend. "Oh wow!" A second voice said. Suddenly, Neve bumps into the stranger and falls to the ground with them.
"Oof!" The stranger exclaimed.
"Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!!" Neve jumped to her feet and offered her hand to the girl.
She accepts Neve's help and stands up. "Oh no, it's alright-!"
The six girls crowd around each other, smiling and laughing. "Oh my gosh, you're so cute!" The other girl said, smiling at Neve. "I'm Anriche! This girl is Mirabelle." She gestured to the girl that Neve had bumped into.
"It's nice to meet you!" Acacia smiled.
"We're sorry for bumping into you guys; we weren't watching where we were going-!" Mirabelle said.
"Don't worry! By the way, I'm Aaliyah, and this is Acacia, Shannon, and oh! I don't think I got your name yet."
"Huh? Oh, I'm Neve Zima of Glacia."
"We were just on our way to class sign-up," Anriche said.
"Us too!" Shannon peeped up.
"Then let's all walk together!" Aaliyah smiled.
"Come on, girls, it's this way to the class sign-up! Follow us!" Mirabelle called.
"Okay!" Neve said.
"Let's go!" Shannon added.
The six of them walk into the main hall, and they see many students gathered for a speech from the headmistress.
The headmistress comes to the top of the stairs. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Neketah Academy."
"That's the headmistress. Her name is Penelope Crait. Did you know she was in line to become Queen but stepped down to run the school?" A voice said from behind the girls. "Her daughter goes here too,"
The girls turn around and find a young man standing behind them. "My name is Harrison," he chuckled. "Sorry if I startled you. I'm always here for the opening speech, and you'll probably see me occasionally. My girlfriend just transferred here."
"How do you know so much about the headmistress?" Neve asked curiously.
"Oh, she's my aunt." He smiled at the younger fairy.
"Harrison!" A new voice called.
"Coming, Justine!" He smiled at the girls and waved before taking off. "Well, it was nice to meet you all; good luck with the school year!"
The girls watch him leave and suddenly start to chuckle. "I didn't know the headmistress had a nephew," Shannon said, tilting her head.
"Well, she's the Queen's older sister, but I didn't expect one of the Princes to be so young. I expected them to be in their twenties mostly." Acacia added.
"Oh, he is. Neketah Academy only has an age minimum, not an age maximum." Aaliyah said. "That's why Neytiri was so hard on you earlier, Neve. The normal age for an entering student is fifteen years old, not twelve."
"I see; I'm glad they made an exception for me." Neve smiled.
"LADIES! PAY ATTENTION!" Neytiri shouted from the stairs.
"Thank you, Tiri," Penelope said, chuckling softly. "Now, girls, settle down. I have an important announcement to make. This year Neketah Academy will be offering special classes as a requirement. You may take classes to fulfill this requirement: Elven History and Uses of Magic, Dwarven History, Cultural Etiquette, History of Dark Elves, and the History of Witches. You may fulfill your special requirement now or in the future as you attend Neketah Academy, and it is the only way you will be able to graduate with full credits."
Neytiri whispers, "Headmistress, do not forget the North Wing."
Penelope nodded to Neytiri, "Yes, of course. Please be aware, students, that the North wing of the school is restricted until reconstruction is completed. Anyone caught going into the north wing may be faced with expulsion. Class sign-up begins in twenty minutes. Take the opportunity to explore the programs and decide what you'd like to do this year~ afterward, the day is yours to enjoy, and classes will begin on Monday!"
"What will you guys sign up for your special requirement?" Neve looked up at the older girls with curiosity.
If this was a new program, then that means none of them have taken a required class yet, and they could take one together if the four of them ended up choosing the same one.
"Do you guys recommend taking the requirement in the first year?" She added.
Shannon looked at Neve. "Yea, I have the same question. It's a new program, so these classes must not have existed last year or the year before, right?"
As the students were talking, wondering what class they should take, one said, "Sign up for them all if you're unsure." The unknown, ambitious female then made a pen appear in her hand and signed up for each class. She was also new to the school and had a fiery spirit.
The girls glanced over to the other who spoke. "Are you sure that's a good idea? That's like twelve classes at once. Don't you want a day or two to relax and think about homework answers without having to rush or spend six hours on it?" Aaliyah asked, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's hard enough with the normal classes. Now there are extra ones to take." She mumbled softly.
The other people around them nodded and glanced at each other.
Acacia stepped up to a table. "Well, I like you," she chuckled, pointing at the stranger. "You're a little crazy, but the best people are." She signed up for all the standard classes and two special requirement classes.
"What's your name?" Shannon asked, smiling as she signed up, Neve following behind.
The stranger smiled at the four girls. "I'm no one of importance." She said softly, not knowing what would come or what role she would play. With those words, she left the girls to explore the campus grounds and memorize the most efficient pathway to her classrooms.
"Who was she?" Neve asked, looking over at Aaliyah & Acacia.
The pair shrugged, "We have no idea."
"THERE! There she is, Miss. Crait." Neytiri said, pointing at Neve. "There's the child."
Penelope pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose and looked at Neve. "Professor, I think you are mistaken," Penelope began.
"But Headmistress, she's just a child!"
"Yes, but she is also the youngest Queen in all of Magix; Queen Neve of Glacia. I admitted her into the school under special circumstances. Don't you remember? I explained it to the teachers last week."
"Oh really-? Hm. I was expecting someone a little … older." Neytiri admitted. "My apologies, Queen Neve." The deputy head nodded to the younger girl and the headmistress.
"My apologies, girls. Professor Neytiri can be a bit enthusiastic about regulations." Penelope smiled. "It's wonderful to have you all."
The headmistress then walks away.
"Well… what do we do now?" Neve asked, looking at her new friends.
As the six girls talked, the fairy who had boldly signed up for all of Neketah's classes walked through the corridors holding tightly to her "pierced heart" shaped necklace; the heart had an arrow through it.
She looked into one of the classrooms and noticed one of the professors sitting at their desk muttering to themself. The girl knocked on the door frame and entered the room when he looked up from the papers on his desk. "Good afternoon, professor. I'm sorry for disturbing you. I was looking around the academy," She said to the professor.
The Professor smiled at her. "Trying to memorize the least time-consuming route to each class?" He asked with a knowing smile.
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Just the little twinkle in your eye. The mark of an ambitious student." He gestured to the closest chair, "My name is Professor Mitalas Gorasson. I teach Magical Philosophy and the History of Dark Elves." Mitalas then used his magic to make it move closer to the desk. "Please, sit. Would you like some tea?" A teapot hung in the air beside them.
"Oh, no thanks," she said, smiling. "Professor, I know I'm new, but I was wondering if I may be of some help to you somehow, " she asked, glancing at the papers on his desk. She wanted to be productive in any way she could. "I happened to notice that you seem to be frustrated.."
Mitalas looked down at his paperwork and smiled lightly. "Ah, thank you for the offer; perhaps you could help me sort through these permission slips? I received all of them at once and now must separate each by year."
He paused for a moment. "May I ask your name, Miss?"
The female fairy looked at the professor and smiled as she answered, "My name is Mia," She walked over to his desk and took a pile of forms. "Professor, may I see the attendance roster to memorize it? It will help me sort the forms out for you easier based on each student's year," she said.
"Yes, of course," Mitalas nodded to Mia and handed her the roster for his classes. The names were in alphabetical order AND sorted by year.
"Do you perchance have a photographic memory, Miss Mia?"
"I do," Mia said. After reading the roster, she returned it and began sorting out all the forms based on years. The First-year students on one side, second years on the other, and so on. Heradomia stacked the papers together, all in order based on the roster. "The first-year students are on top, and senior years are on the bottom, Professor," she said, smiling brightly.
"Intriguing-" Mitalas watched as she organized the papers so quickly.
The professor smiled at her, "Thank you for your help, Mia." He said gratefully. "I hope to see you in my class in the future," Mitalas nodded, holding his hand to shake hers.
Mia smiled gently. "I believe you will! If you need help again in the future, I'd be more than delighted to offer my assistance," she said, shaking his hand. "It was nice to meet you, Professor Mitalas, but I have to go settle my things in my dorm room," She exchanged a nod with the professor and left the classroom to arrange her dorm to her liking.
Mitalas nodded respectfully to the girl. "Fair dreams, Miss. Mia." He replied to her and returned to his paperwork.
Meanwhile, the six girls Mia had met in the main hall had finished signing up for their classes and left to settle into their dormitory.
Neketah Academy was a large school that provided on-campus dorms and dorms in the central city. Part of Neketah's tuition cost covered rent for approximately ten studio apartments. However, the group of girls who find themselves becoming friends come across the rooms they are to live in for as long as they attend the academy.
"Oh hey, look! Some of us are rooming together!" Shannon said, pointing to the list of names on the door.
"Okay, so it looks like me, Acacia, Mirabelle, Joanne, Shannon, and Neve." Aaliyah read off the names. "Shannon and Neve in one room. Mirabelle & me in one room, and it looks like you're rooming with a girl named Joanne, Acacia,"
"But where's Anriche?" Neve said sadly.
"Oh, look! I'm over here!" Anriche was standing at a different doorway a few ways down the hall.
The girl waved goodbye to Anriche, who went inside her dorm to meet her flatmates. As they were chatting outside, they started to talk about where they came from.
"I'm a Nymph Fairy from the Kingdom of Acadia on the planet Olympus," Mirabelle said, her pale skin suddenly fading to green. "I'm a Daphinae Nymph. Well, I'm half Satr, but I don't have horns yet."
"Cool! I'm from Neketah, more especially the Enchanted Forest. My father raised me; he's a Buck."
"You mean his name is Buck?" Mirabelle asked.
"No, he's the enchanted white deer that legends tell live in the forest." Acacia smiles softly.
Meanwhile, Heradomia had been walking to her dormitory, lost in thought. She thought about what her first year would be like, about who she would meet for her dorm mates. However, unknown to her, someone had requested for Heradomia to have a dorm all her own where she would live until she finished school.
As Mia walked, she also thought about what kind of fairy she would be. She didn't know what kind she was or even who she was. While in deep thought, the girl suddenly sensed danger and accidentally bumped into the headmistress before her. She knelt apologetically. "My deepest apologies, headmistress. I didn't see you," Heradomia said as she looked at her.
"Please allow me to help you to your destination, Madam. It's the least I can do after bumping into you so rudely," Heradomia said, feeling very guilty for what happened.
The older woman chuckled softly and helped the girl to stand. "It's alright, my dear. It was only an accident." Penelope smiled softly at the young fairy.
"You are Mia, yes? I was hoping I could speak to you before the semester started. How lucky that we've run into each other here,"
She took Mia's hand in her own and patted it lightly. "Will you walk with me?"
"Yes, I'm Mia, headmistress. It would be my honor to accompany you, ma'am," Heradomia said, joining the Headmistress. Mia kept up with Penelope's pace so as not to go too fast or fall behind. She wasn't sure what the headmistress wanted to talk to her about but decided to wait until the elder spoke.
"Have you tapped into your powers yet, Mia? There's no shame if you haven't yet, but it will be important for the future."
Penelope walked with Heradomia, leading the young fairy to her office. "I know that you do not know much about your past or family, but perhaps the discovery of your powers will help to unlock this information."
"Unfortunately, headmistress, I haven't yet. I'm not even sure what kind of fairy I am, so I don't know my role, " Heradomia said while walking. "Though, something odd. I keep having this dream about this man, " she told her.
The headmistress looked at Heradomia with concern. "A man? Hm. You don't see anything else? Any indicators as to who he is?"
This was an unprecedented event for Neketah. Every fairy has come to the school with the knowledge of themselves and their powers. "Mia, I would like to personally work with you and see if we can uncover your magical abilities. Would that be alright with you? I know you've signed up for all the classes, including all the extracurricular ones. I hope it won't be too much of a strain."
Heradomia's eyes brightened from a dull magenta to a hot pink in hopeful excitement. She gasped softly, "Headmistress, all I ever wanted was to know who I am and where I come from, and where I belong. I would gladly accept any help you can give me, and delighted to work with you. Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.
"Well, we will certainly do our best," the headmistress smiled. "Now, as for your scheduling, we shall meet every Tuesday, & Thursday, and every other Saturday. It would just be the two of us, but perhaps in the future, I could introduce you to the other girls whom I'm training,"
She picked up some papers and tapped them lightly on her desk. "Now, before you leave, I have something important to say. You see, someone has arranged for you to stay in a suite that's yours. I'm worried this may impact you as the school year starts. I encourage you to socialize and make friends with the girls in the same hall as you. Alright?"
"Of course, I understand. Thank you again, Headmistress." Heradomia said as she looked at her. She wrote down her class schedule for the private lessons. "Is there anything else I should be aware of, Miss? Also, is there a teacher's aide position that's still open? I want to be able to assist Professor Mitalas or perhaps one of the other teachers if you allow it." Heradomia smiled softly, wiping away the last tears of joy from her face.
"Teachers assistant?" The headmistress contemplated for a moment. "Perhaps it would be a good experience for you, but because this is your first year… It might be better if you were a Junior Assistant." She pushed her glasses up.
"This means you'll learn from the current teacher's aide, who you'll meet when classes start."
"I'm a fast learner. I like to challenge myself, but I understand and will respect your wishes," she said respectfully to the headmistress. "May I ask? When do we begin our lessons, ma'am?" Heradomia asked.
"Midweek. And mind you, the position of Teachers Aid is filled, which is why you're receiving the Junior Aid position. After the present Teacher's Aid graduates, the position will be yours." The Headmistress smiled. "And I hope, as you say, you are a quick study as he will graduate early at the beginning of spring. It's a long way away now, but considering the school breaks between now and then, time may feel like it will slip away."
Penelope pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose and smiled softly again. "Now. Please submit this form to Deputy Head Neytiri by this Friday. Lessons begin this Wednesday, and your Junior Aid position begins next Monday."
Heradomia listened to the headmistress and smiled as she took the forms in hand. "Thank you for the opportunity to work with you, Headmistress Penelope, " she said, shaking the older woman's hand. Mia then left the office to go to her dorm to rest for the night.
As heradomia walked to her room, she suddenly bumped into the girls she'd met earlier, accidentally dropping her papers. "I'm sorry I didn't see you guys there! Oh-!" she realized it was the girls from earlier. "Hello again, everyone." She had a smile on her face as she bent down to pick up her papers.
The other girls help Heradomia pick up the other papers. Acacia tilts her head at Heradomia, rubbing her forehead like she is trying to remember something.
"What did you say your name was, Miss? I'm sorry to pry, but you look very familiar. I can't seem to place where I know you from."
She suddenly started to get a headache and sighed in frustration though she raised a cheerful smile on her lips. "I'm sure I'll figure out where!"
Neve smiles at her friend. "Um, hey, the six of us are having a slumber party tonight in our dorm." She said sheepishly.
"You're right down the hall, aren't you? Why don't you join us?" The youngest of the group smiled up at the older fairy. "It'll be my first sleepover, and I'm sure it'll be fun!"
Heradomia grinned happily. "My name is Mia, and I'd be honored to join you girls for your sleepover," she said, taking the papers from the girls. "Thank you for helping me pick these girls," she said with a smile as she walked with them to their dorm. "I have only been to one long ago as a little girl before I moved," she said to them
"Was it fun?" Neve asked with a smile.
The girls chuckle at Neve's curiosity. It can't be easy to be a Queen yet still a child. People will want to take advantage of that.
"Mia, we'll leave the dorm door open for you. Why don't you grab some pajamas and join us in the antechamber? We've set up there but kept the bedroom doors open to have the space and do some activities." Aaliyah smiled at Mia.
"Yes, I enjoyed it very much," Heradomia said to Neve, walking with them. Then Aaliyah suggested she go to her dorm to get pajamas and that their door would be open for her. "Thank you, um-?"
"Oh! I'm Princess Aaliyah." She said, extending her hand to Heradomia.
The others now started to introduce themselves as well.
Acacia waved, "I'm Acacia,"
"I'm Mirabelle or just Mira," said the green-skinned nymph.
"I'm Shannon," the lavender-haired girl flashed a peace sign.
Now the young one was last. "I'm Queen Neve,"
Heradomia smiled and curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."
The girls smile, "Nice to meet you as well, Mia," the group stops at their dorm.
"We'll prepare another sleeping bag. Just bring a pillow," Aaliyah smiled.
Heradomia smiled as she looked at the girls. "I'll be back soon, girls. I'm going to fill these forms out and then come back," she turned and walked to her dorm to get herself ready for the slumber party.
When she reached her dorm, Heradomia went inside and to her closet. She picked out her favorite pajama outfit, a nightgown with a hot heart shape bust center. After she got dressed, she sat down to work on her forms. She didn't like leaving anything for the last minute and decided to fill out the junior teacher's aid form tonight before she went to the slumber party with the girls.
Heradomia was almost finished filling out the forms when she felt another sense of danger. It was the same one from earlier. Odd. I had this same feeling when I ran into the Headmistress. I thought it was her, but I was wrong… Something else is afoot. The young fairy thought to herself as she stood from her chair to follow where she believed the sense led.
In the pitch blackness of nightfall, four cloaked females sneak away from the academy grounds.
"Shh. Quiet down." The leader said softly.
"Sorry, Mystia…" The other replied.
"Fine, fine," Mystia responded. "Morena, are you sure they won't realize there are duplicates in our place?"
Morena nodded. "I'm sure."
"Good, then let's go. Ursa, Kamila, come on." Mystia leads the girls away from the gate and into the enchanted forest.
Heradomia stood on her balcony that overlooked the enchanted forest. In the distance, she glimpses the four witches as they leave the Academy. She felt lucky to have the innate power to see fantastic lengths, even at night. "I knew it."
Mia turned, dropping everything, and ran back to the dorm of her new friends. "We have a problem!" She exclaimed. "Witches are in the forest," the young fairy paused, "I don't think they're friendly." She added.
The five girls glanced at each other and stood up. "There's no time to waste," Aaliyah said. "Let's follow them."
Shannon put her hands on Neve's shoulders. "You should stay here, Neve. It'll be dangerous."
Neve shakes her head. "I can't let you guys go alone-!"
They all change back into their everyday clothes.
"This way!" Aaliyah shouted, transforming.
Acacia, Mirabelle, and Neve all transform.
"Mia! Will you come with us?" Acacia extended her hand to Heradomia.
Mirabelle took Shannon's hand, and Aaliyah took Neve's hand.
"Lead the way!" Aaliyah said to Heradomia.
Heradomia gave a firm nod and used her magic to change into her regular clothes. She took Acacia's hand and led them in the witches' direction. "Take a left, Acacia," she said, using her other hand to point.
Heradomia looked back at everyone, "Let's stay close and on guard. We don't know what we're going to be in for, girls." she said and continued to lead the girls into the forest. Though it was getting darker, she could still see due to her vision ability. Her eyes kept up with the witches' trail, even from a distance.
Using their wings to fly, the girls who could transform followed Heradomia's directions to the letter.
"Aaliyah, slow down. I can't keep up!" Neve cried out, breathing heavily. All of a sudden, her wings started to flicker in and out. "What's happening?!"
Her hand slipped from Aaliyah's grasp, but she was caught by Mirabelle, who happened to be under them. Shannon helped Mirabelle to stabilize Neve in the air despite not having wings. They were now floating toward the ground in a small circle.
When the girls landed, they noticed they were in a strange clearing. The forest seemed to surround them, preventing them from going any further.
Aaliyah turned to Heradomia. "Can you still see the Witches, Mia?"
"What will we do if we can't follow them?" Shannon asked.
"What if we're lost?" Neve said, nervous.
Mirabelle and Shannon squeezed the younger fairy's hand.
"Even if we can't find them, it's late. If the forest is too thick, we won't be able to find out way back to the Academy." Shannon said.
"Mia, instead of looking for the witches, can you find a white stag? He's the protector of this forest. He'll protect us for the night." Acacia explained.
Just as she was going to search for the witches, Heradomia heard Acacia ask her to search for the white stag. "You got it," she said and looked for the stag. Mia found him to the west of their location. "This way, follow me, girls," she said as she ran in that direction.
The girls came upon a new clearing where a white stag stood. The stag approached them and nuzzled his antlers against Acacia's cheek.
"I know, I know, Dad. But we only left to stop some witches, and we got lost." Acacia said, sighing. "Oh!" She stood aside for Ivor to look at each girl.
"Aaliyah, you know from last year. These girls are my new friends; Shannon, Mia, Mirabelle, and Neve. Girls, this is my dad, Ivor."
Ivor stared into each of the girls' eyes. "Your friend's mind is blocked, daughter." He turned to Acacia, speaking telepathically to everyone.
"Her." He lowered his head toward Mia.
"What do you mean?" Aaliyah questioned.
He raised his head. "Powerful magic prevents her from realizing her true potential."
Heradomia looked between Acacia and her father. She bowed to him respectfully but was confused about what he'd said. This new information only raised more questions about herself and made her feel lost. "Would you all excuse me? I want to be alone for a bit," she walked away from the girls and Ivor, the white stag.
As she gazed up at the stars, tears streamed down her face. "Who am I?" she asked aloud.
A twig snapped behind her, and there was a brief sound of wings flapping.
"He-do-mia -" the wind whispered. "do-mia-"
"Shush Zepheros, you'll alert her-!" A male voice said softly.
He hid in the bushes and watched the girl.
Neve had followed Heradomia from behind. "Mia, wait!" The twelve-year-old caught up with the older fairy.
She walked up to her and took her hands. "Listen, I know how you feel…" a sigh. "I'd give anything to have memories of my mothers. Knowing the people who love you helps shape you and helps to define you. It's hard when things like this are a mystery. I don't know much about your situation, Mia, and it could be far more tragic than my own, but I wanted you to know that you aren't alone."
Heradomia had stood alone, stargazing. She turned when she heard Neve approach her. Mia smiled softly and knelt at Neve's height to hug the younger fairy. "Thank you, Neve. Thank you for being my friend. You'll make a great Queen one day, and I'm sure your mothers would be very proud of you.
Another twig snapped, prompting Heradomia into a protective stance. "Who's there?! Show yourself!" she shouted, knowing someone was listening to their conversation. "I warn you, I don't take kindly to those who spy on me," she said.
Neve conjured a ball of ice in her hand and stood defensively.
"It's alright, ladies… I apologize if I startled you." out from the bushes came a young man. He was about Heradomia's age. He wore a tunic and a sort of cloth that draped over his arm. "My name is Grey. I didn't mean to cause any harm. I was dropped here by the winds and got lost wandering around." A partial truth.
"Mia, what do you think…?" Neve asked, watching the older fairy's movements.
Heradomia looked at Gray with crossed arms. She was still defensive. "Hmmm, strange that you decided to come this way, Grey," she said, skeptical.
"Why were you spying on us? Or were you spying on me?" she questioned. She was upset. Mia disliked being spied on. "I suggest you choose your words wisely. We won't hold back if you try anything funny," she said, a severe look on her face.
Neve remained on guard.
"Not at all," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't even know anyone was out here other than me. My wind was playing tricks and dropped me into a clearing not far. I stumbled over from there to here and then met you."
"Mia, I think we should go back .." the younger fairy said, a little nervous.
"Are you two sisters, if you don't mind my asking?" Grey looked between the two of them.
Heradomia walked up to Grey, looked into his eyes, and saw he was telling the truth. She returned to Neve's side. When she heard his question, she looked at the younger fairy with a smile, "She is both my friend and someone I see as a little sister," she replied, tousling Neve's hair.
"Where were you going, by the way?" Heradomia asked, looking at him.
"There's a school hidden in this forest that I registered to attend. I would try to find it myself, but then this happened." Grey scratched his head, shaking it lightly.
"I don't mean to bother you on such a trivial matter, but do you know the way out of here?"
Neve smiled when she heard Heradomia call her "someone I see as a little sister." She glanced at Grey. "It's too dangerous to travel in this forest at night. Join us tonight, and we can travel to the portal in the morning."
Heradomia had listened to Grey and agreed with Neve's suggestion. "I agree with my sister; it's not safe to be out here alone," she said, walking with him and Neve. Mia used her sight to find the girls and Ivor.
Eventually, they returned to the others in the group. "Hey, girls," she said. Mia bowed to the white stag respectfully. "Guardian of the forest, we came across a lost traveler. May he stay with us until morning?" she asked him.
The stag nods in response. "I will show you to my home. There you will stay for the night, and then I shall lead the way out in the morning." He spoke to all of them.
"Thanks, Dad," Acacia smiles and hugs him.
A brilliant light engulfed the pair, and Ivor was now standing before them as a humanoid male.
"Anything for my daughter and her friends. Come, come." He leads the group further into the forest, and they come across a large tree. "Welcome,"
He opened the door for everyone.
Most of the girls gazed in awe at the sight around them, but Acacia took in a deep breath and smiled.
She raised her arms to the sky, "Home!" And then suddenly plopped down in a soft chair behind her.
Heradomia had followed the others to Acacia's home and entered. She, too, was in awe at the beauty of their friend's home. As far as she knew, this was her first time being in a home, having never had one of her own. "Acacia, Ivor." She turned to them. "I think I speak for everyone when I say your home is captivating. Thank you for your generous hospitality and for allowing us to stay the night in your charming house," Heradomia said politely.
The magical stag smiled softly at Mia. "Thank you, my dear." He faced everyone. "Please feel free to make yourselves at home. The house will automatically expand. Girls, your rooms are on the top floor. You may choose to room with another or have a space to yourself."
Heradomia thanked Acacia and her father once more before excusing herself for the night. When she reached the top of the stairs, she noticed a door at the end of the hallway. Mia approached it, not seeing the name "Amiah" carved above as she entered the room, essentially claiming it for the night.
She walked towards the bed and sat down. The room felt familiar to her, but she couldn't understand nor recall why. She had no idea the room she'd claimed had once been hers. That this place used to be her home and that Ivor and Acacia used to be her family.
As she thought about everything that happened, Mia wiped a few tears away, trying not to cry. She didn't want anyone to see her in such a state.
"Acacia." The stag called while everyone else left to pick a room. "Did you notice the familiar air of this girl?"
Acacia nodded. "Yes, she feels familiar, but I'm not sure why. Do you know?"
He stared in the direction of Heradomia's room. "No. But something is surely amiss."
"If anyone can figure out what's going on, it's you, Dad." Acacia hugs him and then leaves for her room.
As Acacia walked down the hallway, her hand rolled over a carving in the wood. The carving reads: "Amiah & Acacia."
Meanwhile, Shannon walked into Heradomia's room to see if she was alright.
"Mia? Are you okay?"
Mia continued to stargaze while tears rolled down her face. Suddenly, she heard the door open and quickly wiped the salty droplets away before turning around to greet her visitor. "Hi, Shannon," she said, smiling sadly to mask her pain.
Shannon goes over to Heradomia. "Are you okay, Mia? You seem like you have a rain cloud over your head.." she waved her hand over Mia's head and shooed the invisible cloud away. "What's wrong?"
Heradomia looked at Shannon, faking a smile. "It's nothing, Shannon. I'm fine," she paused, "What's going on?"
"Ah well, we're gathering in the living room to make video messages for our families. Why don't you join us? It might cheer you up!" Shannon said with a smile. She wanted to help Mia feel better, but she wasn't sure how.
Heradomia stood and walked to the other side of the room, offended by Shannon's words. "No thanks." She said firmly.
"Mia- did I say something wrong?" She approached her again. "I'm sure you'll cheer up if you join us?"
Mia stayed silent, not looking at Shannon. She was doing her best to remain calm, but she was already upset, and her anger was ready to boil over.
Because they'd just met, Shannon was highly unaware that Mia was alone. She had no bad intentions; nonetheless, her pestering was causing harm.
She held out her hand. "Mia?"
Heradomia turned around quickly, slapping Shannon's hand away. "You know something? I would make video messages for my family, but there's one tiny detail, I have 𝐍𝐎 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲!" she yelled. "I'm not like 𝐘𝐎𝐔 or the others; I 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 have a 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐑 a 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞! I don't even know 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐈 𝐀𝐌!" Heradomia growled, leaving the room. She passed the girls in tears and ran out of the house into the woods.
Shannon stood there, shocked at Heradomia's reaction. She felt terrible for putting so much pressure on her new friend to join them. It didn't matter that she didn't know; she was wrong.
Aaliyah raced into the room and shook Shannon. "Shannon, snap out of it! We have to find her! We have to go after her!"
Shannon snaps out of her trance and looks at Aaliyah. "What? Where'd she go?"
Neve comes in. "She ran off into the forest!"
"Oh no, we have to hurry!" Shannon followed the others out of the room and downstairs to the front door.
"Girls, what's happened? I saw Miss Mia rush away." Acacia's father stared at them.
Grey comes out of his room at the sound of the commotion.
"Mia ran off into the forest!" Acacia exclaimed. "We have to find her before she gets hurt."
.
..
…
….
Feeling guilty for upsetting Heradomia, Shannon and the girls, along with the guardian of the forest, must search for their missing companion in the Enchanted Forest before danger befalls her.
The girls must search by air and land to find their lost friend. Will they find her before trouble does?
𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 in the next episode of
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐱 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛!