The Chronicles
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Where the Fairies Fly and the Girl grows up
2. New beginnings
Last edited by Juniper Kelly on 22 Mar 2022, 22:10, edited 2 times in total.
The Chronicles
CHAPTER 1
I’ve been in this moment so many times before, but only in my dreams. A part of me still questions if I’m awake or not. I just hope I am, for I’ve been waiting for this day to come for a long time now. When you grow up in a world of magic, you might think nothing get’s boring. If I know anything about magic, it’s that it’s not all about wands and sparkles. There’s a whole dark side to those wands and sparkles that, sometimes, aren’t even worth it. But I’ve grown up surrounded by people who try and keep me safe, and that might be one of the reasons I’m so eager to leave. I’m just so done with living in a world surrounded by a barrier, keeping us from the rest of the world. Well, by us, I mean everyone but the council members; my mom included. In fact, my mom is mother nature herself. I’m sure this is where everyone tells me how awesome that is and lucky I am, but let me stop you right there. Being the realm’s ‘princess’ means no privacy, no fun, no adventures, nothing. That’s not lucky, I’ve always wanted to be free. Not that I don’t love my mom, she’s amazing, it’s just that… I can’t help but feel I need a break. I did get lucky there, though. What better way to take a break than to go to the Elemental school? It means I get to leave the Nature realm, for starters. I also get to go to the middle realm, which is every girl my age’s dream to do. Apparently, there are cute boys there, but not that I care about boys or anything.WHERE THE FAIRIES FLY AND THE GIRL GROWS UP
The sound of someone knocking on the door meets my ears and I glance up. I’m pretty sure it’s Aspen, my ‘maid’ a.k.a the lady my mom hired to make sure I don’t run off or something. “Who is it?” I ring out just to be sure. It would be awkward if I let some random person in my room straight away. But the feeble voice that rang back told me it was Aspen. “You can come in, the doors not locked.” I don’t even bother to open the door since I’m busy packing. “Not that my door has a lock anyway.” I lost that privilege the moment I tried to lock all the maids out since they were annoying me. I still smirk at the memory of chaos that brought me a few minutes of freedom. The door clicks as it opens and the old lady steps in. “Are you finished packing, princess?” Even though she calls me this so many times, I still roll my eyes. In a good mood, I just choose to ignore it and instead shove my last pair of socks in my luggage before zipping it up. “Yeah, just finished.” Without looking I can tell that Aspen is checking her watch, even though I’ve been keeping track of time. No way I was going to miss this opportunity. “I’m super excited, actually. I’ve been thinking about it all last night.” I shove my feet into my shoes on the way out, trusting Aspen will grab my bag for me. Sure, it’s a bit rude of me, but if she wants to constantly stand around me like an annoying fly, she could at least be helpful.
I head out the door then grab the doorframe and turn around, excitedly.
"I'm guessing we have to go soon?" The hope is clear in my voice since I really was excited to leave.
"Soon, if I'm right you DO have enough time... to... eat and say goodbye."
I raise my eyebrows at the last part. "You mean mom actually doesn't have a meeting?"
"Well, she did, but I believe you canceled."
"Oh. That's nice of her I guess." I glanced at Aspen then spun on my heel. I don't know why that annoyed me, but I hate the fact that people would be okay with her canceling just so she could say goodbye to me. She was always busy with her meetings on special occasions, but she has time to say goodbye? Either that was a lie or... I don't know what.
As I round the corners of the tree castle, I can hear the distant talking of my mom and her council. Basically, the people who help her make decisions... like canceling a meeting to say goodbye to her daughter. I might be just a bit paranoid, but I swear they stop talking as soon as I come in, making me think something was wrong. Or they were talking about me. Either way, I was pissed that they weren't telling me what they had a problem with, it wasn't like I was a kid anymore. I stood at the top of the staircase, gazing at the awkward adults standing at the bottom of the staircase in front of the huge castle doors.
"Well," I say as if I caught them doing something wrong. I technically haven't, but they were acting like it. "Is something... wrong?" I prompt, but none of them spill the beans.
Instead, my mother puts on her winning smile and holds her arms out to me. I'm sure this is where I run into her arms and cry, but I don't. Instead, I sit on the stair railing, which my mom hates when I do, and slide down.
At the bottom I walk to my mom. "Bye, mom."
"By, my little flower. Good luck."
She cups my face in her hands and soothes my hair. She acted as if this was the LAST goodbye. Which it wasn't. It couldn't be.
"... Don't worry. I'll kick some Dark Cloud butt for you and send it back in a letter."
My mom smiled at the joke, but that was about it. "Right. Okay. SO... I guess I'll be leaving, then?" My mom smiled sadly and nodded.
"Aspen is taking you to the train."
"Why can't you?" I ask aggressively.
"Honey, I-"
I shake my head. "Whatever. Bye. I can go myself." I grab my luggage from the confused Aspen and storm out, slamming into the door. I turn to the guard angrily.
"Open the door." I hiss. Shocked, the guard did so. I shoved through the door, than turned around
"Bye." I repeated.
"Bye, Ivy." My maid said.
"G-goodbye. For real now. Like, bye." I glance to see if anyone else is saying goodbye, but they're already turning away.
"Yeah." I say to myself.
The Chronicles
what? Not me finally adding the part I wrote in November but forgot to add here
“Princess Ivy!” It wasn’t Aspen, not this time. This time it was a rough voice of one of the female guards. They think they can stop me with guards? I peered over the edge of the railing, still far up from the ground. Curse this tall tree. Of course, the castle had to be built on the tallest tree there was. And the biggest, at that.
I could hear the thunk sound on the wood that told me the guard was not only getting closer but picking up the pace.
Well, then so would I. “I’m LEAVING!” Like the crazy girl I was, I screamed this to the guards.
I knew from run-away attempts that there was a soft and padded area somewhere under the stairs. It was for dropping our boxed hand-me-downs, which were brought to the Giving Charity in the middle realm.
I know I was acting crazy but at the same time, I was panicking. I really thought they were trying to hold me back.
I gripped my luggage and tossed it over the side hoping it landed on the padded landing. I jumped onto the railing and turned around to stick my tongue out and make a face- made for moments just like this. But when I turned around I could see the fierce look on the guard’s face... About a foot from mine. Female guards were the scariest. You can’t tell me otherwise. Still I pushed off the railing with my hands and tried to get away. A moment of falling was cut short as I felt someone- something- grip my ankle. I looked up and saw the guard with her hand outstretched. But it wasn’t her hand gripping my ankle, it was a vine.
The fact that they knew to at least send one with powers after me made me feel a bit better.
“Princess Ivy.” The woman said, and I kicked at the vine. “Let me go!” I patted my pockets.
“I’m sure it's here- I-” The guard held up a pocket knife.
“Looking for this?”
I glared at the guard, angrier, if possible than before.
“Give it.” The Guard pocketed the tool. “I have a… delivery from your mom.”
I craned my neck to see what she pulled out. “Are you gonna let me up then, argh”
The guard actually considered this, which got me mad. “Nah, but here you go.” She handed me a wrapped parcel, covered with layers and layers of leaves. Whatever was in here, it was valuable. “Wow. Thanks. All this for nothing, huh?”
The guard nodded.
As I talked, though, I was focusing on the vine. I’ve done this before- if I channeled my energy enough it would work. Release! Release me!
I could hear the vines whisper thoughts. Yes, yes, that’s right. C’mon.
The guard turned to leave, thankfully not noticing the small vine creeping into her pocket where my pocket knife was stored. The vine dropped the tool in my hand and I quickly shoved it up to my sleeve. To be honest here, I was shocked it worked. But I didn’t have time to reflect on how or why I just did what I did, I had to go now. The guard turned back and looked at me with worry. “Be careful-”
But I was already gone, falling and screaming internally, realizing how insane I was.
I just made it on the padded landing on my stomach. “Oh crap” I hissed as my arm beneath me jammed into my side. I inhaled sharply as the closed pocket knife dug into my skin, and I pulled up my sleeve, letting it drop on the moss. I exhaled the breath I was holding, relieved to be on the surface in one piece.
A sickening image of a grave with my name formed in my head, ‘Ivy, the girl who rests in pieces.’ I shudder.
Without looking up I could tell that the guard was watching me, but I didn’t care. I was officially out of the castle. I brushed off the stray pieces of moss that clung to my shirt before walking a few feet to grab my luggage. Luckily it didn’t break, which reminded me of the package I was given before I jumped. I picked the package up and pocketed it since it couldn’t be terribly important. Certainly, if it was, my mom would have given it to me herself.
Even then I wasn’t sure I would have opened it right away.
* * *
It didn’t take long to get to the Flower station where all the wooden trains came and went like any other train station. Since the rain was controlled in our region, there was no reason for overhangs here at the station. Luckily that let the sun light up the place naturally which made the whole place seem a lot happier.
Or maybe that was the music of the woodland fairies that played at every corner of the station.
I passed only a handful of kids my age on my way to the ticket gnome, which was located right by a woodland fairy band who were clearly getting on the nerve of the gnome.
By the looks of it, he was a garden gnome before he got here. I wonder what made him change between standing in dirt to collecting tickets, still standing in dirt.
To my great distaste, there was a line in front of me. I crossed my arms and huffed, since the line was mainly adults. They didn’t have a famous school to attend, I was sure.
This was one of those rare times I pulled out the ‘royalty card’, so don’t judge me. I lifted my chin, as my mother taught me to, and I looked at everyone like they were beneath me. That part was easier than you would think for me, since I wasn’t much of a people person. Much less adults.
“Excuse me!”
My voice rang out and at once, every person in front of me looked at me. I gulped.
“Excuse me. Coming through.” I walked past the dumbfounded adults and towards the bored gnome who now looked a bit interested.
I gazed down at him and handed him my ticket from my pocket. “No need to inspect it, its a golden flower pass… '' However, the globe merely rolled his eyes and took it from me. I yawned as the gnome still checked my ticket. I was offended that he didn’t believe me to be a princess, but also pleased. It meant years of being spoiled hadn’t gotten to my head too much.
After what felt like an eternity, the gnome handed me my ticket back as well as a slip for my train. I snatched them from his grubby hands and sniffed. “Thank you. For taking your sweet time.” It was time for new beginnings.
CHAPTER 2
I walked swiftly down the steps that circled around the great trunk of the tree. I’ve lived here my whole life but I just was so happy to be leaving. I could hear the doors creak open from the castle that was now above me and I picked up my speed. My first thought was that they changed their mind and were going to try and lock me up to keep me safe again. “No! No, I’m NOT staying! I’m leaving this castle!”New beginnings
“Princess Ivy!” It wasn’t Aspen, not this time. This time it was a rough voice of one of the female guards. They think they can stop me with guards? I peered over the edge of the railing, still far up from the ground. Curse this tall tree. Of course, the castle had to be built on the tallest tree there was. And the biggest, at that.
I could hear the thunk sound on the wood that told me the guard was not only getting closer but picking up the pace.
Well, then so would I. “I’m LEAVING!” Like the crazy girl I was, I screamed this to the guards.
I knew from run-away attempts that there was a soft and padded area somewhere under the stairs. It was for dropping our boxed hand-me-downs, which were brought to the Giving Charity in the middle realm.
I know I was acting crazy but at the same time, I was panicking. I really thought they were trying to hold me back.
I gripped my luggage and tossed it over the side hoping it landed on the padded landing. I jumped onto the railing and turned around to stick my tongue out and make a face- made for moments just like this. But when I turned around I could see the fierce look on the guard’s face... About a foot from mine. Female guards were the scariest. You can’t tell me otherwise. Still I pushed off the railing with my hands and tried to get away. A moment of falling was cut short as I felt someone- something- grip my ankle. I looked up and saw the guard with her hand outstretched. But it wasn’t her hand gripping my ankle, it was a vine.
The fact that they knew to at least send one with powers after me made me feel a bit better.
“Princess Ivy.” The woman said, and I kicked at the vine. “Let me go!” I patted my pockets.
“I’m sure it's here- I-” The guard held up a pocket knife.
“Looking for this?”
I glared at the guard, angrier, if possible than before.
“Give it.” The Guard pocketed the tool. “I have a… delivery from your mom.”
I craned my neck to see what she pulled out. “Are you gonna let me up then, argh”
The guard actually considered this, which got me mad. “Nah, but here you go.” She handed me a wrapped parcel, covered with layers and layers of leaves. Whatever was in here, it was valuable. “Wow. Thanks. All this for nothing, huh?”
The guard nodded.
As I talked, though, I was focusing on the vine. I’ve done this before- if I channeled my energy enough it would work. Release! Release me!
I could hear the vines whisper thoughts. Yes, yes, that’s right. C’mon.
The guard turned to leave, thankfully not noticing the small vine creeping into her pocket where my pocket knife was stored. The vine dropped the tool in my hand and I quickly shoved it up to my sleeve. To be honest here, I was shocked it worked. But I didn’t have time to reflect on how or why I just did what I did, I had to go now. The guard turned back and looked at me with worry. “Be careful-”
But I was already gone, falling and screaming internally, realizing how insane I was.
I just made it on the padded landing on my stomach. “Oh crap” I hissed as my arm beneath me jammed into my side. I inhaled sharply as the closed pocket knife dug into my skin, and I pulled up my sleeve, letting it drop on the moss. I exhaled the breath I was holding, relieved to be on the surface in one piece.
A sickening image of a grave with my name formed in my head, ‘Ivy, the girl who rests in pieces.’ I shudder.
Without looking up I could tell that the guard was watching me, but I didn’t care. I was officially out of the castle. I brushed off the stray pieces of moss that clung to my shirt before walking a few feet to grab my luggage. Luckily it didn’t break, which reminded me of the package I was given before I jumped. I picked the package up and pocketed it since it couldn’t be terribly important. Certainly, if it was, my mom would have given it to me herself.
Even then I wasn’t sure I would have opened it right away.
* * *
It didn’t take long to get to the Flower station where all the wooden trains came and went like any other train station. Since the rain was controlled in our region, there was no reason for overhangs here at the station. Luckily that let the sun light up the place naturally which made the whole place seem a lot happier.
Or maybe that was the music of the woodland fairies that played at every corner of the station.
I passed only a handful of kids my age on my way to the ticket gnome, which was located right by a woodland fairy band who were clearly getting on the nerve of the gnome.
By the looks of it, he was a garden gnome before he got here. I wonder what made him change between standing in dirt to collecting tickets, still standing in dirt.
To my great distaste, there was a line in front of me. I crossed my arms and huffed, since the line was mainly adults. They didn’t have a famous school to attend, I was sure.
This was one of those rare times I pulled out the ‘royalty card’, so don’t judge me. I lifted my chin, as my mother taught me to, and I looked at everyone like they were beneath me. That part was easier than you would think for me, since I wasn’t much of a people person. Much less adults.
“Excuse me!”
My voice rang out and at once, every person in front of me looked at me. I gulped.
“Excuse me. Coming through.” I walked past the dumbfounded adults and towards the bored gnome who now looked a bit interested.
I gazed down at him and handed him my ticket from my pocket. “No need to inspect it, its a golden flower pass… '' However, the globe merely rolled his eyes and took it from me. I yawned as the gnome still checked my ticket. I was offended that he didn’t believe me to be a princess, but also pleased. It meant years of being spoiled hadn’t gotten to my head too much.
After what felt like an eternity, the gnome handed me my ticket back as well as a slip for my train. I snatched them from his grubby hands and sniffed. “Thank you. For taking your sweet time.” It was time for new beginnings.