Fairy Fire : Come Winter’s End
Chapter 2: Midnight Memories
Place: Timberest, Siog Riocht,
Lilyn’s Square outside the gates of Emberfrost Castle
Date: Early Nollaig, 1599
Miri was not your typical fairy. She looked normal enough, a tall girl with dark hair. Her magic, however, was NOT standard issue by any means.
From the earliest age, her powers were rather unique. Displaying the ability to use light, ice, and wind. (Plus a few others little “quirks” her aunt didn’t have any classification for.) By the age of six, she had mastered all of those acquired skills.
Even the high-level healing abilities that most Masters had difficulties with she took too easily. Including perfecting “life light”, a skill which only a handful of High Masters could execute correctly, but this small child was able to use it with precision.
Focusing on training the child to control her magic was Nan’s top priority. It terrified her to think about what might happen if Miri couldn’t contain it. She had once seen a glimpse of the havoc the small girl could cause. Total devastation was the only way to describe the incident. So they worked together for hours each day, training to ensure it never happened again.
This was the reason her Aunt Tiernan was so desperately trying to find her a proper instructor. She was no longer able to help train her niece, as Miri had surpassed her own realm of expertise, and she kept manifesting new abilities Nan had no experience with.
Nearly everyone Tiernan had met with told her it was impossible to master both light and ice skills; no fairy had both types of magic. Most of them refused to even meet with the youngling. Finally, the Masters at Timberest agreed to see her.
To be more specific the Masters of King Brogan’s court, under Lord Eldhigh of Berwyn’s charge. It was then at the age of 6, she had the opportunity to prove all the naysayers wrong.
“Impossible!” Masters Brodie gasped as Miri locked him in ice alongside Masters Elda and Liliwyn.
Gracefully she levitated them in an ice bubble over a light shield.
“What sort of trickery is this?” Master Liliwyn protested as she struggled to break free.
“Absolutely Remarkable!” Master Elda smiled in pure awe and delight.
This had made young Miri smile too.
Well until she saw the looks on the faces of the growing crowd. Slowly they had surrounded them to watch her.
She observed how their expressions changed. In a full spectrum of emotions.. from held looks of amazement, followed by fear, disgust, and lastly anger.
“She’s a dark fairy.” Then the grey-haired man in the front said.
“A regular child can’t use such high-level light skills,” shouted a short blonde woman.
“This is an abomination,” one woman from the large group yelled.
“Someone stop her!” A woman loudly commanded.
This startled the little girl, who had been so proud of her accomplishment a moment before, was now afraid because of their negative reactions.
She lost her concentration on the bubbles and dropped Masters Brodie and Liliwyn on the ground hard.
“ To have such power at such a young age…” he paused “Is unfathomable,” Brodie stated as he stood up, brushing the snow from his knees and cloak, very confused by what he had just seen.
“Quite remarkable isn’t it?” Master Elda added, gracefully landing on the fresh snow.
“The child can use different skills and abilities simultaneously it’s unheard of.” Master Liliwyn muttered.
Still sitting where she landed trying to grasp what she had just experienced.
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t believe it.”
Their statements only fueled the crowd further.
Miri raised a light bubble around herself, lifting her hand she was ready to fight if necessary.
“Grab her and take her to Lord Eldhigh, he will know what to do.” A man said as he moved closer to the girl.
“Nobody is taking me anywhere.” Miri thought. She electrified the bubble and held her stance, preparing herself to teleport. The group gasped when they saw this and cautiously continued towards her.
Suddenly an ice wall rose between the girl and the crowd.
“That won’t be necessary.” Master Elda commanded. Looking towards her everyone could see the ice wall was Elda’s magic.
“This child is no abomination, she is a rare spark. I will happily accompany her to meet Lord Eldhigh. If you will come with me, little one, I’m sure my brother and his wife would be delighted to meet someone else with rare abilities like theirs.”
She extended her hand to Miri offering it in a slow peaceful motion. The child looked Elda over… She was tall with long brown hair, a gracious smile, and kind blue eyes. Then taking a deep breath, closed her eyes and focused on the light surrounding the Master.
“She’s telling the truth.” Miri thought, could feel it, her light was pure and true.
Lowering the bubble she reached out and took Elda’s warm hand. “Can they teach me new things?” she asked, looking up at the Master as they started to walk towards the palace.
The woman held her hand tightly.
“They would love to.” she laughed as she grinned at Miri. This put the child at ease and soon she was laughing too. They walked hand in hand towards the amethyst-colored castle. Hearing the sound of the freshly fallen snow crunch beneath their feet as they made their way.
Place: Emberfrost Castle, Timberest, Miri’s Room (Wandering through her memories trying to sleep)
Date: Nollaig 3, 1617, 12:02 am
That day changed everything… in two important ways.
Miri became the prize pupil of Master Elda and her family.
They moved the girl and her aunt, from their forest cottage in EverLight Meadows to EmberFrost castle, and made them part of the royal court. She remembered when she first came through the gem-encrusted gates. Even in Winter, the courtyard smelled of fresh produce and warm baked goods.
The metallic shimmer of the castle pyres was breathtaking. As the towers seem to reach to the clouds themselves. All the pathways were free of snow and there was an amethyst glow from the gigantic stained glass windows that filled the long hallways. Reflecting off the marble floor and brocade tapestries that surrounded them.
There were kids of all ages running and playing stickball. She gazed in amazement at the immaculately manicured lawns with sculpted topiaries. Some shaped like swans and other animals. It looked like something of a dream.
There were however some downsides to living at Emberfrost, She had extra study and wasn’t allowed out of the palace unattended, for fear of what outsiders might do or say.
This was by the order of King Brogan himself.
“Dear little Miri, the world isn’t quite ready for you yet, give them time, child. Until then you will have my special Imperial Guardsmen to accompany you when you leave the palace grounds.” She didn’t like it but she understood.
The King was very kind to her, she called him her Uncle Brogan.
Growing up with his children Hamish, Magnus, Jago, and Fenella like family. She and Fen grew to be very close friends. A small feisty red-haired girl like her mother, Miri would often help her with her water healing spells. She was close to Hamish as well, he and West would always spar and teach her as they did.
It wasn’t easy at first, a lot of the Emberfrost court and its employees were unsure what to think of this tiny magical anomaly.
Lord Leary was especially against the young Miri being part of the palace court. She was not noble by birth as far as anyone knew he had protested. Even though her Aunt Nan was a noblewoman. He saw her magic as “dangerous and uncontrollable” telling the king that many times.
“And that’s precisely why the girls here, to learn to control her power and the lassie is doing a fine job of it too. Isn’t that right Lady Elda.” Brogan had been quick to snap back.
“Indeed she is.” Elda would say with a smile in a way that always angered Leary.
Everyone knew he was upset because his 2 children, Gaira and Jowan were no longer in the top 5 out of their magic studies classes with Lord Eldhigh after Miri’s arrival. He was displeased she was getting all the extra tutelage from the Berwyns. As time passed everyone else came to know her and saw she was a kind heart.
It was only Lord Leary and his unpleasant offspring she didn’t get along with but the rest of the court and staff were kind and welcoming.
She was happy at Emberfrost. Even if it was somewhat a prison, it was the only place she truly felt safe, inside the castle. Where she was free to practice her magic anyway she liked. Without the ridicule or judgment from those who didn’t understand and wanted her banished, imprisoned, or worse.
Now all these years later Miri had learned to never share all her abilities and capabilities with anyone because of this. (Except for West, his powers weren’t exactly normal either.) She knew his majesty had been right. It would take time for people to adjust and understand. So as she developed more skills and abilities “she wasn’t supposed to be capable of” Miri would quietly learn, practice, and master them.
Reluctant sometimes to even tell the Masters Berwyn what she could do. Even though they had always been accepting and most excited as her new abilities came forth. Especially when she developed the time manipulation ability about years ago.
Something that until then, as far as anyone knew, only elves had been capable of mastering.
“Okay, Miri focus” Lord Eldhigh coached her.
She closed her eyes and thought of the ball rolling in front of her.
“Now speed it up just a little” He directed her.
Opening her eyes she held out her left hand. Pointing her two fingers she rolled the ball a little faster and faster still forward and backward waving her fingers back and forth. Then suddenly it had a speed burst and barreled across the room into the wall. Bouncing from side to side like a ping pong ball.
Master Eldhigh laughed “Wow look at the spin it’s got on it this time.”
Watching for a second as rolled back and forth he raised a hand and the ball stopped.
Miri lowered her hand and sighed. This was becoming a recurring event.
“It’s okay you’re still learning. Trying again,” The master encouraged her.
She nodded okay, determined to get the hang of it. Raising one hand
then lifting the other hand she pushed the ball back and forth again between her hands gaining speed as she did. She smiled as Flynn’s striped ball rolled between her magic grasp.
“That’s the way Miri, that’s the way, keep it up.” Lord Eldhigh giggled like a schoolgirl watching his charge learn such a rare fairy skill.
Commander Autumnsby was there too. He had come to watch Flynn’s high-level exams but lingered to see what Miri was doing.
“Faster, faster go!” Flynn and his father cheered.
“Okay now Miri I want you to stop the ball, time freeze it,” Master Eldhigh instructed her.
“Like West does?”, she asked.
“Yes, just like that.” He responded.
Thinking about what West did she held her hand up the same way he does.
Mimicking his moves she lifted her wrist with a spin so her palm faced outward. The ball froze in place immediately.
“Haha yes! That’s it perfectly done.” Her proud Master patted her back.
“Wow, congratulations wean.” Commander Autumnsby clapped.
“Great God! What the hell is going on here?!”
The group turned towards the voice. There stood Lord Leary, who sported a look of shock and absolute fear, and his children the troll twins. (West’s chosen name for the duo).
Jowan stood frozen while his mouth gaped open, as Gaira glared with disgust.
“For fairies, sake close your damn mouth Jowan or you will catch flies in it,” Leary commanded his son with a sneer while pinching the bridge of his nose like the boy had caused him another stress.
“That was time manipulation, surely a man of your years knows what that is.” The Commander sighed.
“Maybe he needs lessons too,” Flynn’s older brother Tieg chuckled as he entered the practice hall.
They all laughed.
Well except the trolls and Leary.
“Son, mind your manners.” his dad tried to hide his smile.
“I see your Unseelie little abomination has learned another tool she can use for our destruction. Time manipulation is an ELVEN skill. NOT a fairy skill. That girl is an Unseelie fairy I tell you and she will destroy us all just you wait and see.” Leary glared at Miri, shaking his finger at her.
She could sense his hatred, seeing it hanging around him like a fiery cloud.
Lord Eldhigh turned sharply towards the callous man.
“Miri just passed her exam. You should be more focused on your own abominations who DID NOT pass. And I will warn you to watch your mouth about my students if you wish your children to remain amongst them. Am I understood?” Lord Berwyn was face to face with Leary, arms folded on his chest, he stood between Leary and Miri.
Leary stormed away, Gaira and Jowan stomped behind him.
“Just what am I,” Miri wondered about herself. In some way terrified of what the answer might be.
She knew nothing of her heritage where she came from or who her parents were. All she knew was her name.. Miri Ellie Brightday, and the woman who had raised her called herself Miri’s aunt (Aunt Tiernan).
She heard that her great Aunt Lilli had led the ribbon fighters in the Northern Wars against the Ogre’s. But if either woman was truly related to her by blood the girl had no knowledge of it. This troubled her that her aunt never spoke of her parents. So did the fact she had never met another Brightday, not anywhere in all the kingdom.
Recently Miri’s secrecy and curiosity had reached new heights. It had all started early one cool morning last week. She woke up and discovered yet another new ability. As the sun peered in through her bedroom like a bright beacon for a new day it woke her out of a pleasant slumber.
“I want to sleep in today, why is the light so bright” she muttered annoyed.
So she raised her hand to move the blue silk curtains with her air ability and suddenly the room went dark. BEFORE she had the chance to close the curtains. Miri set up, startled that the room was pitch black. She had removed any trace of light from the room.
“Dark fairy magic! I have dark fairy magic what the hell, how!?” Miri felt her heart pound hard in her chest.
“I have to reverse this before anyone sees. They will think I’m an Unseelie fairy. I could be banished or worse.” Her mind raced.
“Get a grip and focus Miri,” she said to herself. Taking a deep breath she focused her mind and with a wave of her hand returned everything to normal.
She sighed and collapsed back on her pillows. Unable to decide if she was more relieved or upset she had been able to master and recall the magic so easily.
“I can tell no one about this, not even Master Elda and her family. I must research this one on my own. I don’t want to be banished or cause a panic here in Timberest.”
Rolling over and pulling the warm fluffy blue comforter over her head Miri tried to rest feeling more alone and confused than ever. This had bothered her ever since, causing her to keep to herself.
“I gotta get some sleep, Aunt Nan said she had a surprise for me after morning tea today, and West will arrive for Yuletide soon, maybe he will know what to do. She looked forward to seeing her best friend again. Things were always more fun when the fair-haired elven prince was there.
