“Which is?” Grom asked when Ellen said she might have an idea, but then stopped speaking immediately after.
“I think it would be best if I looked into it before voicing it aloud,” Ellen said. “It’s best I don’t draw her attention if she isn’t watching us.”
“Who?” Grom demanded, receiving a blank stare from Ellen in return.
“Oh,” Grom said, her words catching up to him. “Alright. But do it fast.”
Ellen gave a nod of agreement.
“Wait!” Syril said before Ellen left.
“What?”
“Is your cousin seeing anyone?” Syril asked. “It’s not a problem if she is, it just changes my approach.”
Ellen laughed.
“I’d tell you to stay away from her, but I don’t have to. You’re not her type,” Ellen said.
“I could be,” Syril said. “I’m adaptable.”
“Not that adaptable,” Ellen said seriously.
“What, she’s not racist is she?” Syril said, narrowing his eyes.
The idea that such a beautiful woman could harbor such hate made him sad, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d faced it, nor even the first time he’d overcome it.
Though in that one instance, the woman in question had falsely claimed the act nonconsensual when he’d been found in her room the next morning—but it very much had been.
“No, it's not that,” Ellen said. “Just drop it.”
And then she vanished, teleporting away, leaving her glass of wine behind. And then, after a moment, that vanished too.
“What do you think her cousin’s problem is?” Syil asked. “Do you think she dislikes bard?”
“She better bring that mugback or I’m going to hear about it,” Grom grumbled. “She needs to stop turning all the glasses into mugs and keep using the same one!”
“How are things going with her,” Syril asked.
“Great,” Grom said. “It’s terrible.”
“Which is it?”
“It’s going really well, which is terrible because I can’t keep up with all these lies,” Grom said, putting his head in his hands.
“ All these lies?” Syril asked.
Grom rose three fingers one at a time, punctuating each action with a statement.
“Cland. Revan dwarf. Her name.”
“Well, that last one isn’t exactly a lie,” Syril said. “At best it's an omission.”
“Oh, is it?” Grom said, feigning relief. “I’ll make sure to make that distinction when I come clean to her.”
Syril laughed.
“Like that’s ever going to happen.”
“It is,” Grom said. “Tonight.”
“Very funny,” Syril said
“I’m not joking,” Grom said, stone faced. “I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t want to lose her but it's eating me up inside.”
“I think that’s a mistake,” Syril said. “But I won’t stop you. Any requests for what I am to say at your funeral?”
***
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Ellen poured over the books for hours, searching for references to what she sought. The being was well known, but as was her nature, what was known about her wasn’t as often as not false as true. Already in her brief survey she’d found multiple contradictions. The only thing she had not seen was a mention of this particular figure ever granting powers to a cleric.
As far as Ellen could see, it all fit together perfectly, but… dare she say the name aloud?
“Hmmm,” Ellen said to herself, knowing what she ought to do but not wanting to actually do it.
She looked around the section of the library she had to herself, making sure none were in sight, then cast as spell to create a sound barrier and through gritted teeth said, “Fairy godmother.”
The pages of the books laid out before her began to rustle despite there being no breeze. Soon, verdant green leaves started falling from above, swirling to the ground in the windless air. More and more leaves fell until Ellen couldn’t see past them and then without warning they all exploded outward, leaving behind a woman with an unearthly beauty. She wore a glimmering dress of blue and white that sparkled as if it were made of diamonds. She held a wand, tapping it in her hand contemplating as her large butterfly wings behind her fluttered gently.
“Hello daughter,” the fairy said.
“Not your daughter,” Ellen said, “And you’re picking up all those leaves before you leave.”
“How I’ve missed your spunk,” the fairy said.
“That’s weird,” Ellen said. “I’ve missed nothing about you.”
“Oh, you,” the fairy said, smiling as if it were a joke. “You know that I cannot lie.”
“I’m aware,” Ellen said. “I’m also aware you side stepped confirming you would pick up the leaves when you left.”
“Very perceptive of you,” the fairy said, still not agreeing to the chore. “How is Newt doing under your care?”
“He’s…” Ellen sad. “gone through some changes.”
“Oh?” the fairy said, intrigued. “Do tell.”
“Better if I show,” Ellen said.
Ellen made a gesture, and Newt flew out of a tear in reality that disappeared as quickly as it appeared. On seeing the fairy, it let out a murderous caw and dove straight for her, murderous intent in all six of his eyes—three of which were on his back.
The fairy waved her wand, and the strange bird froze in the air.
“My, my, what have you done to him?” the fairy asked, tapping the tip of her wand on her chin as she circled the frozen bird.
“Nothing more than he deserves,” Ellen said.
“I don’t know,” the fey said. “Bonding him to a monster from beyond our concepts of time and space seems a little… over the top.”
“Forgive me if I don’t consult you on ethics and morality,” Ellen said dryly.
“So, why have you summoned me?”
She turned away from the raven and looked Ellen up and down, taking in her loose-fitting robe and messy hair, barely keeping the hair out of her face.
“Do you need a makeover for a ball? That is my specialty,” the fey said.
“I thought it was making deals to kidnap children,” Ellen said.
“It’s not kidnapping if they are taken as the consequence of a deal,” the fairy said in a lecturing tone.
Ellen chose not to point out once more that that hadn’t been a denial.
“No,” Ellen said. “I don’t want any help from you, just information.”
“What are you willing to pay for this information?”
“How about I ask you the question first,” Ellen said. “If it’s intriguing enough I’ll…”
Ellen stopped, knowing what she would offer but not wanting to say it.
“Give you the cipher to get through my anti scrying spell.”
“Ellen dear, you’re interesting, but I have better things to do than watch you make terrible decisions in your love life,” the fairy said.
“Read that slip of paper…” Ellen said, pointing to the desk where it had been before the magic not-a-breeze had blown the paper around.
The fairy reached up into the air and grabbed a piece of paper that Ellen was certain hadn’t been there and began to read it. Her eyes grew wide as she read.
“And this dwarf is travelling with you?” the fairy asked.
Ellen nodded.
“I’ll look into this at once,” the fairy said, then gave a disapproving click of her tongue. “Do try to clean yourself up before I check in on you. Honestly, I’m embarrassed to call myself your fairy godmother at times. Why can’t you be more like your cousin? And this mess. How can you study with paper and leaves strewn about?”
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