Mystactral

Titania

There is a smell of smoke and dead heat from a fire in the air. The Dragon King, ThunderingRoar, is destroying the last forest elf city in Mystactral. My husband, Cedric, ushered me towards the Midnight Woods. There are many names for it depending on where you live. In the North, it’s called Shadow Forest or the Forbidden Forest. The people there are not of the forest, so they fear what they do not know. They see the woods as a place of danger instead of life. The West and the South areas of this land call it Midnight Woods, it is the home to many fairies and other beasts of myth. To the East, the trees become redwoods, the pine, oak, and maple trees thinning out to nonexistent, so it’s called Redwood forest. If you go far enough, in the heart of Midnight Woods, you will come across Fairyblossom Creek. It is a small fairy village. That’s where we’re headed.

The worst part about fleeing with Cedric wasn’t the dragon destroying our home. The problem is I’m about to have a baby! And very soon.

I tripped over a tree root. Luckily for me, Cedric was at my side and caught me before I fell very far. I made certain I didn’t cry out, otherwise the dragon would know we were alive.

“Thank you.” I gasped, a bit breathless.

“Hmm, c’mon, we’re almost there,” He whispered and pulled me along. We ran as fast as we could go, never making a sound. We whisked past bushes and trees, across rivers and past creeks and clearings.

Finally, we reached Fairyblossom Creek where fairies of all shapes and sizes, big or small, young or old, live. The roads are made of light gray cobblestone. The houses of the fairies are up in the forked branches like tree houses but made for living in. There were some homes made from giant flower petals that folded outward and others out of lightweight wood. The air felt lighter, as if existing in the fairy inhabited area made your body float. It didn’t matter if you have wings or not. It made running with a pregnant belly much easier.

The shops and other local places (like the mail sail or food markets) were on the ground. The empty plaza awaiting the dawn’s traveling traders and merchants. The wild, spindly nature that occurred seemed to only grow in certain spaces. It was as if the plants listened to the fairies. “No growing past here,” they’d whisper into the leaves, and the undergrowth would listen. At night, small spheres of illuminating lights dotted the land. They came in blues, greens, or yellows hung in the leaves of the trees and bushes. On occasion, the flowers and some houses as well.

The village’s street lamps, created with black steel in a cane shape, lit our way. There were jars inside, holding a large candle that burned all night long. The metal bars engulfed the jars like cages. Cedric and I raced down the cobblestone streets, our shadows enlarged by the lights.

We progressed our way towards the medical care center. The big red plus sign was the brightest light. We made ourselves at home when we arrived inside.

Cedric

The baby was coming! We’ve only been here three days and he was already here? It was a relief that Titania and I were already at the medical care center. The few following moments were frantic as nurses rushed her to her room. I said my last farewells and ended up waiting outside. A bit later, I heard my baby’s cry from inside. A fairy nurse came out, looking solemn. My stomach lurched, and my face flushed hot.

“I’m afraid I have… grave news.” She said very with a small voice, not making eye contact, then paused. Her eyes looked glassy and her voice tightened. I’m certain the other nurses bullied her into this task.

“Well, are you going to tell me, or are you going to stand there all day?” I asked impatient, rubbing my blond hair. I am terrified. My heart beat faster; my palms were sweating. My hair was a rumpled mess and I stared at her, not focused on much. I was listening.

“Cedric, while giving birth to your son Thersel, your wife… she, she--”

“N-no! Don’t you dare say it!” I found myself almost screaming at the fairy nurse. I already knew what fate has in store for Titania. I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t. Other patrons stared our way. The nurse looked uncomfortable, I ignored them. She continued.

“She’s dead, Cedric. She lost too much blood, there was nothing we could do...” She replied, her tone gentle. “If you want to see your son, you can go inside,” Then she turned hurriedly and left me alone.

Out of all the mothers in the entire world, why Titania? Why her? I thought. After a while of grieving, I did go and see the boy. He has brown hair and vivid green eyes. His skin was incredibly pale, like his mother, and he has a birthmark on his forearm. He was warm and rather pinkish and imp looking, but I loved him all the same. I smiled down at him, and then picked him up. Then I looked at Titania next to my right side. She’s covered up to the collarbone, in a white blanket, all the blood removed from the scene. She looked like she was only sleeping, except her skin was chalk white and cold.

“We have a beautiful baby boy, Titania. I wish you could see him now, with me, and watch him grow up. Like a real family.” I murmured in tears. I moved the black hair off her face, clinging to her because of the sweat. She put up a good fight.

The baby fell asleep in my arms. I’m sorry that I have to do this to you little one. I thought.

A few mornings later, Thersel and I headed out of town; the Fairyblossom Orphanage was a few miles away. I buried Titania. I couldn’t bear to be in this wretched village any longer, despite all their care and hospitality.

I headed towards the orphanage, a quiet place in the middle of the forest, off a small trail headed to nowhere. I put Thersel inside a basket along with a note. I added baby formula (a form of support) and what I thought should be Thersel’s favorite stuffed bear. It’d be a good companion now that I was gone.

I knocked on the door and hid behind a few bushes.

An old fairy woman answered. Seeing that no one was there, she was about to close the door, until she heard Thersel whimper. She beamed at the little boy with great joy. Seeing the note by him, she read it:

My greatest apologies for leaving, you with my son, but I hope he isn’t too much trouble for you. He was born two days ago, and his mother died giving birth to him. Again I apologize.

P.s. the boy’s name is Thersel

I had to get rid of him. He reminded me too much of Titania. The memories all came flooding back at once, the love we shared in our long, adventurous lives. But now she was gone, and I couldn’t take care of him all on my own. I hated leaving the last of my kind alone. Yet I knew he’d be better off staying with an orphanage owner than a no-good father, running from the Dragon King. My body wracked with guilt, but I held my hiding place all the same.

“So, I’m guessing your mother was Titania and your father is Cedric, am I right? They were the two Elves that came a while back. No matter, here’s your new home.” The last part was very faint, because she walked inside and closed the door. My heart lurched with grief to my loss, but in a way, I was glad I didn’t keep him.

Satisfied, I got back on my horse and rode away. I never looked back, and never returned.