Before the Fall: An Air Faerie Story:Part Three

     We failed the project because I refused to talk to Jennumara when she tried to apologize in class.

     "It's just that I would really get into trouble with my family if I ever went to the Underclouds. It's not that I don't like you, I just think we shouldn't really hang out outside of class."

     I sat unimpressed in my chair, raised an eyebrow, and moved my head so I could look past her at the chalkboard. She sighed irritatedly and whipped around, slapping me in the face with her ponytail. It stung more than usual.

     Over the next few weeks she tried to engage me dozens of times, a few times as I was walking home. I always ignored her. I didn't want to be friends with someone who would make me feel so terrible about something I couldn't control.

     "I really overreacted, it's just that I've had bad experiences with people from that area. You're nothing like them though, so I'd really like to stay friends, Baelia."

     "I'm sure your family aren't those sell-outs who shopkeep for a living. It's way beneath faeries to do that."

     "You're a shoe-in for the FES program anyway, so you'll be high-caste before you know it."

     The last comment finally got to me. I was passing by the library on my way home from school and Jennumara caught up to me.

     "JEN!" I yelled. She froze, staring at me. I almost backed down, but to my detriment, I didn't. "I don't want to be your friend. If it's so important to you, go be friends with someone else who's high-caste. I didn't choose for my life to be this way, so I don't want to hear you judge me for it!" I yelled.

     I watched her face go from surprised to cold. She wasn't glaring, she didn't look angry, she just looked detached.

     "Okay, Baelia. Whatever you say."

     I remembered the day, a few months later, when I got a letter from the school office. It told me that I had been given a secret special opportunity to show my skills in from of the current FES officers, to see if it looked like I was a good fit for the program. It instructed me to go, alone, to the Ice Caves of Terror Mountain, two weeks before our graduation. I was ecstatic. The letter told me that my application would be invalidated if I told anyone about it, or if I didn't show up to the meeting site.

     I rode the elevator down to Terror Mountain later that week, excited to finally have my dream come true. It was hard for me to find my way through the labyrinth of caves by myself. Eventually I found a big open cave with tunnels leading off in at least eight different directions.

     "Hello?" I yelled. I'd only then started to wonder if the letter was a prank. No one knew I was there, and I was horribly lost. I heard a voice call back, too distant to make out what it said, but I flew towards it quickly. As I rushed towards the bright light of the Terror Mountain sun at the end of the tunnel, I was nervous, excited, and overall, happy. It was the last time I remembered feeling that way.

     "Hello, Baelia."

     My heart dropped at the sound. It was a voice I knew very well. I rounded the corner and saw her, draped in a warm black cloak.

     "Jennumara?" I whispered. I was scared, but mostly, I was confused. Why was she here? Was the letter just a way for her to bait me into speaking to her?

     "I'm sure you want to know why you're here," she purred, smirking. It wasn't warm like it used to be, when we were still friends. It was as cold as the ice that surrounded us. With a start I realized that the ice really did surround us. The tunnel I'd come from had sealed behind me. Now the only exit was the large opening to Jen's back.

     "I have a problem that you can fix for me," Jen chirped cheerfully. "Now sleep, darling." She didn't even move, but the magic hit me hard. I felt my eyes forced close, my mind swirling and confused, trying to understand what was happening.

     "Goodbye, Baelia." Jen whispered, and I thought I saw her crying before I blacked out.

     I woke up with a start, struggling to get out of the sleeping bag, it suddenly feeling too confining. It was dawn. I sat on top of Tavi's sleeping bag, my legs pulled close to me, huddled and scared. I didn't think that Jen meant for me to get out of the cage. What if she found out I survived? Would she track me down? I shuddered. I never wanted to see her again as long as I lived.

     It felt like hours, but the sun wasn't even fully up before Tavi woke up.

     "Morning," she muttered sleepily. I tried to smile at her, but my mouth wouldn't go the right way. Tavi hopped up and started rolling up her rug.

     "The line's moving, Baelia! Let's go!" she chirped, stuffing the rug and sleeping bag into her now near-bursting pack. I clumsily got to my feet and walked with her along the cloud-paved street.

     It took only a few hours to see the queen. The line moved steadily, so that it never really seemed worth it to sit down, and my legs ached. Faeries weren't meant to stand for so long. Tavi mostly stood quietly, looking over her notebook. I felt too shaken up from my dream to talk to her. Tavi had been nothing but kind to me, but I didn't feel like being friendly. I wondered if I'd ever be able to make friends again.

     Before I knew it, we were in the palace. The cold marble floors felt strange.

     By now some of the faeries in the line were giving me odd looks, seeing me shuffle around on my feet, my wings hidden under my cloak.

     "Halt!" one of the guards at the door to the throne room shouted. I flinched. "State your business with the Queen."

     "It's a private matter we need the Queen's assistance with." Tavi told them, pushing her way in front of me and glaring up at the guard.

     "Tavi, no, it's okay," I whispered, doing my best to keep the ever-present tears under control. I took off my cloak. The guard gasped, as did several people in line behind me.

     "You can see why I'd like to see the Queen." I told the guard quietly. They moved out of my way and pushed open the door.

     The throne room was probably beautiful, but I didn't take it in. I walked past the guards, the sound of my feet against the marble echoing all around me. I looked at the floor, stepping forward until the doors closed. I started and looked behind me, to find that Tavi had stayed behind.

     I looked up and had to look away. The Queen was dazzling, so beautiful and bright. She stood next to the throne, scepter in hand, staring at me. The shock in her face scared me.

     "Queen Fyora," I whispered. I tried to curtsy but the strain on my legs made me fall on my knees instead. She flew towards me, sinking down to the floor with me.

     "What happened to you?" She whispered, horrified. I felt tears dripping down my face. I kept my face down.

     "Another faerie… captured me. She stole my name… and clipped my wings."

     "Who?" the Queen asked. "Things like this have been outlawed for centuries. There's barely record of them…"

     "Her name is Jennumara. She's a dark faerie I… used to be friends with. She found out that I was low-caste… and she did this." I could barely choke out the last of my explanation, I was sobbing so hard. The Queen rested a hand on my head and shivered.

     "She really did it. She stole your power." the Queen seemed troubled. She floated away from me and sunk into her throne.

     "What do you mean?" I asked. I looked up to find the Queen staring off into the distance.

     "For years, faeries have believed that the amount of magical power they have is something they're born with, a random chance sort of thing. Some win the magic lottery, some don't. That is a falsehood that's been encouraged to prevent things like this." Fyora rose from the throne and started pacing, agitated.

     "A faerie's name is what gives her the magical power she begins with. Her wings amplify it. As she grows, her power becomes more deeply intertwined with her name, her identity, and her ability to fly. You have no name, no ability to fly, and very little identity. It's surprising she didn't remove your memories, too." the Faerie Queen explained to me.

     "I don't think she was planning on my escape." I muttered.

     "I'm sorry, dear, but I don't think I can help you. It's impossible to return a stolen name. In the few recorded accounts of this happening, most of the nameless faeries didn't recover. It's challenging to adapt to life without magic. The most I can do for you is set you up with a job you don't need much magic for."

     "You can't help me?" I whispered. My worst fears were true. Fyora was the most powerful faerie there was. If she couldn't help me… There was nothing left to be done. I pushed myself to my feet.

     "Please, wait," Fyora asked. "I'd like you to work in the main quest center here in the city, where I can keep an eye on you. If this Jennumara ever comes back to bother you, I'd like you to be close, where you'll be safe." I gave a curt nod of my head. "Also, it's not safe for you to go by your old name."

     Well, I could see the logic in that, though part of me protested. It was the only thing I had left of who I used to be. It was the name my mother had chosen for me. It felt like betraying her to use a different one.

     "From now on, you will be known as… the grey faerie."