I.

“Little boys play and rest and scream
Little girls stare and sleep and dream”

I was seventeen. Time to be a Fairy.

I had never been excited about my birthday. Aidan bought me strawberries every year, which was a sweet gesture, but that was about it really.

This year, though, it was different.
I was becoming an adult, according to the OtherWorld standards.

Soon I would be assigned a mission by one of our sages and sorcerers. What I didn't know was, what kind of mission would they give me? The community hardly recognised me as one of them, I doubted they even wanted me to work... Aidan was determined to get things right, so he decided to include “human studies” in our sessions that year, cutting my free time in half. He thought that, with my gift, I would be called back to the other side of the Portal.

Sooner or later, I would meet humans “for real”, and not only in my head. I was terrified.  My very first encounter with that man, many years ago, left me empty, exhausted for days. And if I remembered well, the streets were grey.

I've never had a good feeling about the lack of colours.

Human studies consisted in reading notebooks about various missions from Fairies and studying what they brought back from the Human World: newspapers, empty cans, books, make-up (weird powders made of something unknown that some humans applied on their faces to look prettier. Interesting concept. My Kind would only put paint on our faces for ceremonies, or for war.)

Aidan brought me what they called a comic book one day. about a fairy in a distant world.
Beautiful drawings and even prettier words about what no one out there could see. They didn't know we existed for real, yet some of us kept saving their lives.
They wrote us as legends. Strange little world, the Human dimension.

Free time became rare. I was always either studying or meditating. My hands were constantly glowing, but the dreams were somewhat quieter. And there were fewer people in my head. “Your subconscious is probably making room for your mission said Aidan. I guess you were thinking about the Council a lot these past few months, am I right?”
He was. I spent all my free time building impossible scenarios in my head, trying to know what they would ask, and where we would send me.

Of course, I was scared. Who wouldn't be?

II.

"Meira! Get ready!”

5.00am on the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Strawberries on the table.

I was seventeen.

“Come on Meira, you have fifteen minutes to get some clothes on, eat and go!”

Aidan was such a mum, sometimes.

I washed my face with flower water, a birthday tradition, got dressed, and was about to eat my first strawberry of the day when Aidan stormed in my bedroom, throwing a white silk dress on the bed.
Very thin, mid-length and barely covering my shoulders, it looked more like an evening gown, less practical than my usual sleeve tops.

“Wow, are we going to a ball?”

He was wearing his official war costume: black trousers, white silk shirt, and a black jacket covered in gold round patterns, like flowers, on his sleeves.

Mother used to wear the same motif on her dress.

“Nice one, joker. You just need to be a bit more presentable when you meet the Council.”

“Well, I am already!” I was wearing my black trousers and my  boots. Comfortable enough.

Aidan looked at me, and mocked me a little “Well, you are...for a girl from the woods, not for a soon-to-be Fairy!”

Since when did that giant Archer become all about looks, I had no idea. Confusion may had shown on my face, because he added: “Okay, I just want the Council to see that I raised you decently and that you know a few rules of social life.”

I smiled. He was really becoming a mum.

I decided to keep my trousers and boots, just adding the silk dress as a top. I would never be a normal Fairy anyway, so why even try? And to be honest, that was a great outfit for the occasion. 
I tried to put my hair in a bun but failed miserably and opted for the good old ponytail instead. 
Mother's pendant glowed lightly around my neck.

I was ready.

When I finally joined Aidan at the door, he sighed: “Never going to follow my advice, I see”.

I winked: “Not my gift, my dear Aidan. Not my gift.”

The Council was right in town, based in a rather impressive house built into our earth and covered in grass and magical flowers. The Council Gardens were equally amazing, green, with fruit trees and roses everywhere.

According to an old legend, Oonagh, the first Fairy, asked The She for shelter after she landed on the land, and The She was so impressed with her good and incredibly vibrating energy, they elevated the building from itself and made a house out of Nature for her.
The House became sacred and home to the Council, to protect and respect our land, and our peers.

In the Winter atmosphere, everything was pale blue and quiet. Our flowers kept growing and flourishing, helped by our good energy and the extra care given by the Fairy Gardeners. One of the highest functions we could get in our world. The more connected to Nature we were, the more respected we became.

Silence was exquisite. Aidan and I didn't exchange a word during the journey, and now, surrounded by the Land, I was less and less incline to talk. I just wanted to be amazed by our Nature, to feel protected and blessed.

As we walked past the Gardens, two guards wearing chasubles greeted us and walked us to the Council Doors, where honey flowers and snow-piercers where growing in peace.

The Council was only a few feet away.

“Aidan” I whispered, suddenly feeling oppressed by all this beauty, and what it would represent for me. 
For who I was, and who I was about to become.

“I didn't dream last night.”

And then the Doors opened.