The Wishing Well

  On the far wall was a large fireplace.

  It took up most of the wall. There were pots boiling on the stove top and in another part of the oven bread was baking. Everything was being heated by firewood. I looked around to see candles around the room on the walls, tables, and in every corner. There was no power.

  Where was I?

  Evver sliced me some bread and cheese and then added some fresh fruit. I made sure she ate before me. My teeth sunk deep into the warm, thick, and delicious bread. I was too wrapped up in the food to focus on the sad glances my way. Most were human, but a few were fairies like Evver. Just like her, they all walked. None of them flew. I would later learn it was because King Tommit had their wings clipped.

  During my second piece of bread we had another visitor.

  He was enormous!

  Both of his hands were filled with firewood. A gigantic smile played along the lines of his lips. Caught up with talking to the others, he didn’t notice my prying eyes. He was laughing and joking as if he enjoyed his time there. For someone so large, he had a childlike demeanor. He reminded me of my friends’ four year old little brothers.

  “Kazor, we have a new friend.”

  The giant’s eyebrows rose. Slowly turning himself around, his eyes met mine. They were kind and trusting. Nothing like I was expecting.

  “Hello,” his voice shook the pans on the wall. I forced a smile.

  “She doesn’t speak.” Evver offered, while another fairy walked up and patted the giant on the arm. He looked hurt. Kazor’s bottom lip started to rise into a pout. His eyes were shining like he was getting ready to cry.

  “Why don’t we give her a little time? You remember your first night here, don’t you?”

  He nodded sadly. Opening his mouth, he seemed as though he wanted to say something more, but thought against it. Hanging his head, he turned and left the room. Tears dropped on the table.

  I felt gentle pressure on my hand. It was Evver.

  “It’s okay. Don’t let his size fool you. Kazor is only a child. Between the ages three or four, we aren’t really sure. He loves new friends and he is finally settling in. Part of him has forgotten just how scary it is, but I remember.” Her normally sparkling eyes clouded over. I could tell she was remembering something which brought her great pain. I didn’t have many friends, none actually. It was easier to watch me be bullied from the sidelines. Anyone who had attempted to stop my torments was then added to the list of people whose lives needed destroyed.

  I didn’t blame them.

  It was easier for me to be alone. Yet looking at Evver now, and seeing her pain, made me want to be there for her. My empty hand covered hers. I tried to make the words escape my lips, but failed miserably. I was certain my body was still in shock. She smiled at me, touched I had tried.

  “It’s fine. It was another lifetime ago. Maybe sometime I will tell you the story. Right now, it’s time to get to work. Stay near me and I will show you what to do.”

  I nodded and quickly followed her.

  *

  At the end of the day, my whole body ached.

  I was already sore from my tumble down the well. Now, after hours of scrubbing floors, my hands and knees were bleeding. Once again, Evver bandaged me. Then she let me take her cot while she slept on the floor. I had only known her a few hours and I already felt closer to her than anyone in my life. Whatever I did while I was there, I had to help her–the others too. In the short time I spent with them, I had been given a tiny glimpse in their hearts. It was clear they were all here against their wills. Just like me.

  My dreams were terrifying and violent.

  I awoke gasping for breath.

  Expecting to wake up in the warmth of my own room, my heart crashed when I opened my eyes to Evver. Her worried, misty eyes found mine. Dark circles formed around her normally clear eyes.

  “Good morning. I hope you got some rest. We need to dress and eat. Then we need to get started for the day. I will explain more later.”

  I forced myself to comply. Looking at her eyes, I could see she was worried about me. It was obvious she hadn’t slept well. Feeling bad about that, I climbed up quickly and vowed to do better today. By the end of the day, my body trembled with exhaustion.

  I had worked hard in my life, but never anything like this. Only able to eat a few bites of dinner before I fell asleep, my head was resting on the hard carved wooden table. I awoke hours later and found myself snuggled deep in a real bed. The mattress was made of feathers–probably from a golden goose. It was the softest thing I had ever felt. Evver was gone, and there was no one else in the room with me. There was light coming from down the hallway. Peeking around the corner, I couldn’t help but be curious. Following the dim light, the more steps I took the brighter it grew. It led me back towards the kitchen. Sitting at the table was Evver, Reber, another fairy, and a boy I didn’t know.

  My feet froze in my tracks.

  Sitting at the end of the table was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. He was human, and breathtaking. Dark walnut locks fell over his dazzling blue eyes. They danced in the candlelight. He looked upset. I wanted to reach out and smooth the furrows on his perfect brow. It was hard to see what he was wearing. Sitting down, he had his hands linked together, as if he was praying. I wanted a closer look.

  Inching nearer, I wondered what had him so upset. My body was still weak from exhaustion and my ninja skills were seriously lacking. My legs gave out and I toppled over and fell in the doorway. They all jumped up to come to my rescue. Thankfully, the only thing hurt was my pride. I flushed with embarrassment. I tried to pull myself up. A strong hand reached out to help me up—taking it in mine without realizing just who it belonged to. The touch was electric. It sent charges into my dormant heart. Looking up, his gaze was locked on mine.

  He smiled at me.

  His eyes crinkled around the edges. Warmth emitted from his features. Something in the back of my mind told me that this was an important moment for me.

  “Are you alright?” His velvet voice rang in my ears. I nodded. “Come sit down.”

  His hand remained grasping mine. His remaining arm wrapped around my frame to steady me. He led me to the table, and chose the seat next to me. My hand felt a sting of pain when he released it. Concern tugged at his eyes.

  “I heard we had a new addition. My name’s Cassius. I work here in the stables, taking care of the Kings animals.” He could have told me he was from the moon and he played with Martians and it wouldn’t have made a difference. “What’s your name?”

  Evver started to respond for me, but my mouth had a mind of its own.

  “Aurora.”

  His eyes widened at my voice, while Evver smiled at hearing my first word since I arrived. I was still surprised that my brain had allowed a word to escape.

  “Aurora,” his lips played with each letter of my name. It did strange and unexpected things to my rushing heart. “Welcome to the family.”

  My eyes widened. Confusion must have been covering my features. Family? Evver put her hand ever so gently on Cassius’s shoulder.

  I felt a sudden and painful jab of jealously strike my stomach.

  “I haven’t had time to tell her our stories yet.”

  My heart sunk at her use of the word “our.” It was ridiculous the way this boy was affecting me. Understanding rang in his face.

  “Are you tired? Or could you hear a story or two?”

  I was wide awake after his touch.

  “Yes, please.” That was better, two words this time. He smiled warmly at the sound of my voice.

  “Evver, do you want to go first?” he asked, being the gentleman I knew he was.

  “No Cas, why don’t you go first?” She smiled lovingly at him. He returned the look of love. I was surprised at just how much it hurt.

  “Sure. First, Aurora, can you tell us where you are from? It might make things easier to explain.”

  I panicked. If I told them the truth, t
hey would think I was crazy. Fear surged through my pumping blood, imagining where crazy people were carted off to here. I decided to keep it simple—I was a terrible liar. Even though I had just met Cassius, I was certain the deceit would ring in his ears.

  “I was being chased. I was trying to hide from a group of thugs chasing after me.” Fear edged my voice, thinking of it again. I tried to remain calm. “I fell down and woke up in Para…”

  “Paradan,” Evver finished for me.

  “Yes.” My eyes searched theirs for answers.

  “How about a little history lesson first?”

  I nodded, grateful for any information to fill in the many blanks.

  “Paradan used to be a wonderful, glorious, and strong country. We were well respected by the outer-lying kingdoms. King Windom was a great leader, a beloved king. He was kind, loving, and merciful to all. We all lived together; humans, fairies, giants, trolls, dwarves, and even the dragons.”

  My eyes widened at the mention of all the mythical creatures. He laughed.

  “King Windom died suddenly. He wasn’t married, and there was no heir to claim the throne. Chaos ensued. King Tommit showed up and appeared to be honest, at first. Most were thankful. He promised to put our kingdom back in order. He promised peace and prosperity for everyone and everything living in Paradan.” His eyes darkened at the memory. Cassius’ hands twisted into angry fists reliving the moment.

  I wanted to reach out and comfort him.

  “Suddenly, there were rumors of unexplained fires. Houses were being burned. Entire rows were gone overnight. King Tommit always seemed incredibly distraught by the heinous events. He would graciously step in and find the occupants new homes. But they were always far, far away from where they had lived originally. Still, they were grateful to have a roof over their heads and somewhere safe to live. It wasn’t until it was too late that people realized they were all being herded. Soon the neighborhoods were empty of everyone—except humans. People started an uprising. This is when the King’s Destroyers moved in.”

  I had stopped breathing. I let the air out quietly. Evver had huge tear drops falling down her tiny cheeks. Sometime during the story, Reber had gotten up and left. Cassius’ eyes were black as midnight.

  The darkness they had experienced echoed in his eyes.

  “If you spoke out, or fought back, you were either killed or brought to the castle for slave labor. Fairy wings were clipped. The giant’s parents were killed, only their very young children survived. All of the trolls were relocated from their precious truffle farms. And the dwarves? Well, they were made to do the giants job of harvesting the beanstalks, a dangerous job previously done by the giants. It has been a very dark and troubling time, ever since. I was raised by fairies and giants. I never knew my human family, so seeing them treated this way…” His voice disappeared for a moment.

  A great deal of pain lingered in his brilliant blue eyes. They reminded me of home on a cloudless day. I wished there was a way I could take all of it away and make him forget it ever existed. I wasn’t sure why his pain had such an effect on me. Finding his voice, he continued.

  “We all want to change things, but unless a true heir steps forward and is willing to fight to rejoin our country, then all will be lost. It’s good that Evver here got herself in trouble. At least now I can keep a closer eye on things at the Castle.”

  She bowed deeply.

  “Happy to be of service,” a silly smile replaced the tearful stare.

  “I am sorry, but why does Evver being in trouble help things?” I thought of the girl who had quickly become my friend. Knowing she would never fly again broke part of my spirit.

  “After Evver was caught and forced to become one of King Tommit’s slaves, I had to do something. I got hired on at the stables. Someone has to keep an eye out for her.”

  The words were bittersweet to my pained soul.

  “I am glad. It’s scary here. I’m grateful you have someone looking over you.” I said, meaning every word I spoke to my new and only friend.

  “Yes, Cas is the world’s best big brother.” She said, hugging his neck. I almost choked on my tongue when I heard those words.

  “Brother?” I asked dumbfounded.

  “Yes, my parents were the fairies that helped raise Cas.”

  “And I have been getting her out of trouble ever since.”

  She half-heartedly hit his arm. My emotions were on a killer roller coaster. My heart, brain, and stomach were battling each other.

  “How are you, Aurora? Do you need to take a break?”

  His concern touched me. Taking a deep breath, I tried to control my breathing, but failed miserably.

  “I’m fine. It’s just a lot to take in.”

  “I could tell that you weren’t from here,” Evver piped quietly in. “The clothes you were wearing and the paint on your face and hands. Well…I didn’t recognize any of it.”

  Thinking of my attire, it must have been so foreign to her. I looked down at my bright purple nails and saw how ravaged my manicure was after two days of scrubbing floors. Having sparkling nails didn’t seem so important anymore.

  “I admit, things are very different here.” I paused, looking at the candle lit faces around the table. “But it’s nice to have some friendly faces to look to.”

  “Aurora, you are not alone, not anymore.” Cassius’ words were like a gasoline to my already simmering fire. He reached over and put his hands on mine. The reaction was immediate and explosive. My entire body quivered, looking into his eyes, I could see the electricity pass through him, as well.

  The moment quickly passed when we heard a noise in the hallway.

  They both jumped up and blew out the candles. Evver grabbed me and pulled me toward the large pantry. Her fingers found my lips, warning me to be silent. There were two sets of footsteps which passed our way. I’m not sure how long we stood there silently and in the dark. My mind and body were both warring with my ability to focus.

  My body was still responding from Cassius’ touch, while my mind was trying to figure out what was happening. Why were they so afraid? Who had been in the hallway? Finally a light appeared in the darkness. It was Cassius.

  “Better get back to your rooms. I’ll see you both soon.” He slipped out the open door.

  Evver took my hand and led me into the pitch darkness, finally arriving at the room where I had woken up earlier. She seemed to be able to see, and led me straight to my awaiting bed. We sat in silence for several minutes before she quietly spoke.

  “Sorry about that, but we can never let them know my connection to Cas. He is allowed away from the castle. If they found out, they would lock him up or worse…”

  The thought caught in her throat. It caused her great pain to try to voice it. Thinking about the possibility ripped layers off of my racing heart. How could someone I just met have such an impact on me?

  “I understand. I promise I will never tell anyone.” My words calmed her.

  “Thank you, Aurora. The only time we ever get to see each other is during the middle of the night. I hate being away from my family.” The pain which was etched into her words was immense. I thought about being away from my family, and strangely it didn’t really bother me so much. My parents were always caught up in their jobs. I was an only child so I was home most of the time all alone. I wondered what it would be like to grow up with a large family. What would it be like to always have someone around, noise and laughter ringing throughout the house? Always have someone to talk to?

  “I’m so sorry, Evver. Have you thought about fighting back? It seems like no one is happy with the King?” Her eyes widened in terror. She started cowering in the corner of the room.

  “NO!” Her voice was quiet, but it quivered with fear.

  “Ok, ok. Please, calm down.” My hands tried to soothe her. My touch seemed to do the trick. Her breathing slowed and the fear lessened in her tiny features.

  “Thanks. It’s nice to have a friend here. Ever
yone mainly sticks to themselves. I think the anxiety is getting to all of us. We have all seen and heard too many things that have changed us forever.” Her eyes got a faraway look for a moment. Pain was set deep into her childlike features. “Sorry, I am rambling. We both better get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”

  She went to stand and I grabbed her hand.

  “Why don’t you stay in here with me? This bed is big enough for both of us.” I couldn’t stand the thought of my new friend sleeping on the hard cot, or worse, the floor again. Tears touched her eyes for the briefest of moments.

  “Sure,” she said with a relieved smile.

  I lay down and she lay down next to me. Her body twisted in a way where she wasn’t laying on her wings. Her breathing became smooth and gentle in moments. She was exhausted. I wondered how long it had been since she slept on a real bed. Cassius' face, and the words of the story he had told me, took turns consuming my thoughts.

  I wasn’t sure how, but eventually I fell asleep.

  My dreams were of the boy with the blue eyes and of wishing wells.

  Chapter 4

  The next few days went by uneventfully.

  It was the same routine every day. Each day, Evver got more comfortable with me. She would sleep with me every night. It felt like I had a new little sister to take care of. I liked it. At the end of one exhausting day, we were sitting on my bed. I was trying not to fall asleep and she was reading a book.

  “Aurora? Are you still awake?” Her voice brought me out of the slumber for which my body longed.

  “Yes.”

  “I want to tell you my story.” Now I was wide awake. After hearing Cassius talk, I had wondered just how Evver had been brought into custody. “I was young when Tommit took the throne. I didn’t understand why everyone was so happy. King Windom was wonderful. He loved the kingdom’s children. It didn’t matter what type of children: fairy, troll, giant, dwarf, or human. There was never a moment he looked at us differently. I never saw the difference until Tommit took over. You have to realize, I was growing up with a human brother. It was normal for me. One of my teachers was a giant. My babysitter was a troll.”