Big Sisters

“Oh, stop being such a drama queen! Just take the money and let’s go!” Kayleighe spread her wings as far as she could in the cramped tunnel, bruising the joints a bit as they hit the rough concrete sides. Her big sister had witnessed something that would change the Saiges Dragons’ plans for the Royal Bureau of Border Control job fair they were holding this weekend, but the Ogre standing in front of her waving a fistful of Earthian Cash really wanted her to just move on and say nothing.

“But Earthian Cash is not as valuable as Fairy Silver! And besides, the story I could tell would probably get us a lot more money from the Dragons!” Lillybelle was not only a drama queen, but she was also quite mercenary.

“Right, and if you tell the Dragons, they could kill you anyhow! You know how they are. Let’s just take this money, exchange it for Fairy Silver at The Grafval Fungal Gardens. They have a kiosk there where nobody will know it was us changing the money. We have to stay safe, if they find out we are involved in this in any way, we will be in great danger from the Dragons. This money could go a long way in getting us out of here.

The two Fairies, Lillybelle and Kayleighe Jumpysong, were a long way from their home in the Avonwall Wood. They had left six months ago on a Discovery Quest in an attempt to find a way for their parents to escape the spell cursed on them by a group of mean Witches – death by evaporation on their respective one hundredth birthdays. But that’s another story for another time. Right now, the sisters needed to get as far away from the Dragons and Ogres as they could.

The job fair being put on by the Dragons that weekend was to find more suitable Border Patrol agents to handle the influx in illegal crossings by Lizardfolk, Valkyrie, and Vampires over the past several months. Trolls were traditionally chosen as agents because of their fierce demeanors but they were not happy with the conditions of the job and were leaving. The Dragons saw this as an opportunity to stabilize lives for members of their Thunder. The Dragons were not as fierce as Trolls, even when gathered into a Thunder, but because of their fire-breathing capabilities they thought they were more suited to be crossing guards. Plus, they were much crueler when it came to eliminating the problem.

The Ogres, on the other hand, wanted the jobs for their Torment. They had devised a plan to prevent the Dragons from holding the job fair. Unfortunately, Lillybelle had come upon the Torment of Ogres earlier that afternoon and overheard their plans. She was sneaking away when Blorog caught her, dragging her into he Torment circle by her wings.

The Ogres offered the bribe to Lillybelle, thinking (correctly) that Fairies were greedy and would take the money. They didn’t want to kill her, as it wouldn’t look good when they presented themselves to the Royal Bureau of Border Control. The Ogres didn’t like to kill Fairies, unlike the Dragons, who would kill anyone they thought would get in their way. Ogres preferred to buy their way out of touchy situations.

Kayleighe caught up to Lillybelle just as she was trying to negotiate with Blorog. They had walked into a tunnel that led out of the grove where the Ogre Torment was meeting.

“Fifteen hundred Earthian Cash is all I am authorized to give you for your silence. If you don’t take it, I will have you imprisoned in Raven Wing Prison until after we defeat the Dragon’s plan.” Blorog waved the handful of cash at Lillybelle again.

“Raven Wing Prison is the worst!” Kayleighe’s wings flapped in frustration. “I heard they torture Fairies there – we need to get out of here and back home. We’re never going to find a cure for the evaporation spell!”

“Evaporation spell? Was that spell cursed by Fiona Delacroix?” Blorog quit shaking the hand full of cash and turned to Kayleighe.

“Yes, she and two other Witches cursed our parents last year when they refused to allow the Witches to enter the Fairy Glen. They were trying to steal cuttings from the Banksia Cone plant that grows there. It’s apparently the only one around. Why? Do you know her?”

“Yes, I do. Maybe we can work something out – you keep your silence,” he glared at Lillybelle, “and I will give you this cash plus help you with your quest. Deal?” He turned his attention to Kayleighe.

“Deal! Let’s go! I’m afraid the Dragons will find us in here.”

“Don’t worry about the Dragons, they can’t find us in here and, if our plan works, they won’t be a problem at all anymore.” Blorog turned and walked back to the Ogre Torment.

“Wait! How about that cash? And helping us find the cure for the evaporation spell? I can still go to the Dragons if you don’t pay up!” Lillybelle’s hands on her hips and quivering wings belied her calm voice.

“Hold on, little one. We’re going to get the cure right now. Once we have that taken care of, you can have your money. Just follow me.”

The clearing was empty, all the Ogres in the Torment had gone, so the three of them, Blorog and two Fairies, skirted around the edge and moved into the trees at the far side. They trekked through the forest in silence, aware of the sounds around them. Lillybelle was concerned that Blorog wasn’t going to pay them, Kayleighe was sure the Ogre was really leading them to the Raven Wing Prison, and Blorog was wondering how to get rid of these pesky Fairies without jeopardizing the plans to stop the Dragons. The Witch, Fiona Delacroix, was his friend and he hoped he could talk her into reversing the spell.

In the meantime, he just had to keep the Fairies occupied so they didn’t have a chance to get to the Dragons. Fiona and her friends usually hung out at the Javawocky Joint, a Witch coffee house near the Frozen Lake. When they got to the coffee shop, Blorog gave half of the Earthian Cash to Lillybelle and told the two Fairies to stay out of sight until he could talk to the Witches.

“This is crazy, let’s just go. He gave us some of the cash and I don’t think the Witches are going to help. They were pretty mad when they cast the spell. We can get away now, and nobody will ever be the wiser.” Kayleighe tugged at Lillybelle’s sleeve.

“No! Let’s wait and see. Don’t you want to help mom and dad?”

“Of course, I do. But I don’t believe that … that … Ogre … really knows the Witches that cast the spell. It’s just too convenient.”

Just then Blorog and a small woman exited the coffee shop and started toward the two Fairies.

“That isn’t the Witch that cast the spell! See, I told you! We should have left. They’re probably trying to trap us.” Kayleighe looked around frantically.

Just then there was a frantic cry from the forest behind the coffee shop. The underbrush rustled and then was quiet. In fact, the whole forest was quiet. No birds calling, no frogs croaking, no insects buzzing, nothing. Suddenly a baby dragon burst out of the trees, followed by a much bigger dragon – obviously the mother. She grabbed the baby by its tail and swung it up over onto her back, between the scaly spikes running down it. She then sniffed at the Fairies, snorted some smoke and disappeared into the forest with her baby.

“Oh, it was just a baby Dragon who got away from its mother. Nothing to worry about.” Blorog wiped his brow with a shaky hand. He was obviously more nervous than he wanted anyone to notice. “Um, Fairies? I’m sorry, I never did get your names. Um, but this is Tara Brevil, she’s Fiona Delacroix’s cousin. She was there when Fiona cast the spell on your parents.”

“Hi. I’m Lillybelle, and this is my sister, Kayleighe. I do recognize you now. You were the one in the back behind the Witch cursing our parents.”

“Yes, and I’m sorry about my cousin. She is a bit excitable at times, and she really wanted those Banksia Cone seeds. The nectar produced by the fruit of that plant is magical. I wish I could help you, but Fiona isn’t here, and I don’t have the recipe for the potion to reverse the spell.”

Blorog looked from the Witch to the Fairies, thinking about something; his eyes narrowed, and his brows squeezed together. “I have an idea. How about you Fairies giving some of the seeds of that plant to the Witches and they reverse the spell? Does that work for both of you?”

“I’m pretty sure Fiona will go along with it, if the Fairies are willing to share the seeds.” Tara smiled.

“But what about the rest of the cash? I can still tell the Dragons what your plans are – it’s not too late. The job fair isn’t until this weekend.” Once again Lillybelle put her hands on her hips, fisted this time, and flapped her wings.

“Come on Lillybelle! Let’s just take Tara and go! She can help our parents and at least we have some money.” Kayleighe was urging her sister to follow her. For some reason she was quite anxious to get away.

“I’m going with you all to the Fairy Glen to make sure you don’t back out on our deal. You promised not to tell the Dragons our plans and I’m going to hold you to that. I’ll give you the rest of the cash when we reach the Glen.” Blorog set out in the direction Kayleighe was pointing.

The odd-looking foursome, a Witch, two Fairies, and an Ogre, marched through the forest for a couple of hours, reaching the Fairy Glen just as the sun was going down. Kayleighe kept looking over her shoulder, as if expecting them to be followed. Once they reached the Fairy Glen, Blorog handed over the rest of the Earthian Cash and left them. Tara went to the Banksia Cone bush where she saw a few fully ripe cones on the ground.

They were full of the magical nectar and each of them had several seeds still attached. She picked up three cones, nodded to the Fairies, and went promised to bring Fiona back in the morning with the potion to reverse the spell.

“You know, if you and Fiona would have just asked my parents for the seeds or the cones, I’m sure they would have given them to you. You didn’t have to try to steal them.” Lillybelle told Tara.

“I know, and again, I’m sorry. Fiona and I will be back in the morning, I promise. A Witch never breaks a promise.”

As they watched the Witch leave the Glen, Lillybelle sighed. “I wish we had been able to tell the Dragons the Ogre’s plans. I don’t like the idea of Ogre’s guarding the border. They will want to pay everyone to go back, and you know what will happen to our taxes then!”

“Don’t worry, big sister. It’s all taken care of.” Kayleighe smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“You know when that momma Dragon sniffed us? Well, I whispered the Ogre’s plan to her then. Blorog was just so nervous with her so near that he didn’t notice what I was doing.”

“But you didn’t know the plan!”

“Yes, I did. I watched you watching them and I hear the whole thing.” She spread her wings, soared up and around the Glen, then swooped down near her sister. “Just because you’re older, doesn’t mean you always are smarter, big sister!” She laughed and flew around the Glen again.