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"This way!"
Kujo Tenn lets out a breath and nods, clasping the knot that keeps her cloak from flying away. She climbs over the fallen tree trunk and pushes aside the shrubbery covering the small passage buried in the dirt.
Behind her, she can still hear the royal soldiers' rushed footsteps closing in and their shouts questioning her whereabouts. Even with her head start, they've already caught up. Clicking her tongue, Tenn pushes herself into the passageway and pulls the shrubbery back over it behind her. The branches snag on her skirt, causing small rips in the fabric, but she finds it hard to care when she's already covered in dirt and leaves anyway.
She keeps tense, staying still as the soldiers walk past her spot. She could hear them deciding where to go, shouting at each other, and growing increasingly frustrated. She only relaxes when she hears their armored footsteps walking away.
"That was too close."
A small weight settles on Tenn's shoulder, letting out a small sigh while leaning against the side of her neck. Tenn tries for a reassuring smile, but it proves to be difficult after all the exhausting running she's done.
"Are you okay?" Tenn asks.
"Y-Yeah. Fine."
The fairy sitting on her shoulder is small, only about the size of Tenn's middle finger. Her hair is short, reaching her small shoulders, and is the color of light turquoise, while her clothes are made from leaves and flowers. Of course, the most eye-catching thing about her is her green, translucent wings that remind Tenn of moth wings, the size almost as big as the fairy's body. They flutter and drop a sprinkle of fairy dust.
"I think we're okay," the fairy says. "Just go through here and we'll reach it."
"You're sure?"
"Yes! Just because we got lost a few times…it's not my fault! It's been years, okay! My memory's foggy." She grumbles. "Anyway, I am sure! Just go keep going."
"Alright." Tenn catches her breath and straightens before making her way down the dark tunnel with the fairy on her shoulder as the only light source.
The two of them have been running for at least an hour now—well, Tenn has. The fairy, Haruka, has been guiding her through the forest, giving directions in the hopes of leading her to the supposed Fairy Glade somewhere deep inside—Haruka's home.
Never in her life did she think this was where she would be at twenty years of age. Running away from her princess role to save a fairy. Haruka came into her life around a month ago, at her coronation as the crown princess. A merchant had presented her with a birthday gift and pulled out a small music box that seemed innocent at a glance. Only later did she find out the box housed a sleeping fairy. A fairy who'd been taken from her home.
Fairy wings can fulfill wishes.
But there's only one way to take them, and they can't grow back.
She knew then that she couldn't leave Haruka in the hands of the other royals. Who knows what they could be planning? She couldn't trust them. The fairy was weak from her slumber. Defenseless. She wouldn't have been able to protect herself had anyone come to hurt her. And judging by the soldiers trying to catch them—definitely under someone's orders—Tenn had been right to run when she did.
"Tenn," Haruka tugs on a strand of her hair to get her attention. "Don't get distracted. Please. We're so close."
"Right. Apologies."
The path only gets darker the further in they go. Fortunately, it seems like Haruka has regained enough strength to use her powers. Every so often, the turquoise-haired fairy would set up orbs of light that helped brighten the space enough to see the path Tenn needs to take. At some point, the greenery along the walls has slowly faded, replaced with nothing but rocks and moss. She has no clue where the hallway would take them, but judging from how Haruka vibrates excitedly on her shoulder, it must be a good sign.
"I can feel it," Haruka says next to her ear. "We're almost there."
Then there's light that explodes all around her.
Tenn winces at the brightness, squinting her eyes. At first, she sees nothing and hears nothing except Haruka's surprised gasp. Her senses come to hear slowly. She hears the sound of running water, feels the breeze against her skin, and finally manages to open her eyes.
The Fairy Glade isn't what she expects. But then again, she has no idea what to expect of a fairy home in the first place. All she knows is the heavy feeling in the air that isn't usually present back in the kingdom. A pathway stretches in front of her, lined with tall, curling trees and colorful flowers. Sunlight peers down between the trees, lighting the path in an almost ethereal way. It's jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Haruka hops off her shoulder, looking around her home with wide eyes. It must be both saddening and exciting to be back home after so long being away from it.
The fairy sniffles and looks back at Tenn, her golden eyes filled with unshed tears. "You did it," she whispers. "You brought me home."
"Well, I did promise," Tenn replies with a genuine smile.
Haruka nods before wiping her tears. "Why not rest here for a while? It should be safe here. You must be tired from all that running."
"Are you sure? The other fairies won't mind?"
But Haruka shakes her head, her lips curling into a sad smile. "There are no other fairies here other than me. And even if there were, they wouldn't mind. They're all just that trusting."
But before Tenn can ask what she means by that, Haruka is already turning around and flying deeper into the trees. Of course, she knows what Haruka told her once before: that she was captured by hunters before being kept by that merchant. But was that all? She also remembers the fairy talking about her grandmother and friends, but where are they now?
Haruka returns not long after, carrying a bunch of flowers in her arms like roses, peonies, and daisies. With a small huff, she dumps the flowers in Tenn's lap, who's now sitting on the grass, before she herself stands on the former princess's knee.
"Why would you sit on the ground?" Haruka questions. "You're human royalty."
Tenn laughs, nudging the fairy's cheek lightly with a finger. The fairy grumbles and half-heartedly pushes away the finger with an annoyed huff. "Forget I asked!"
"I don't mind the ground," Tenn answers anyway, grabbing one of the peonies and turning it in her hand. "And I don't think they'll consider me royalty for much longer, seeing as I ran away."
The fairy blinks up at her, and Tenn can almost see the guilt on her small face, though she didn't need to be. It was Tenn's own decision to make a promise and run away, whatever the consequences were. She was prepared to handle everything. Running wasn't pleasant, but she couldn't deny the exhilarating, almost freeing, feeling it brought even as she ran out of breath. She doesn't think she would come to regret it in the future.
Now, how can she convince her friend of this?
Haruka sits down cross-legged and gestures for the peony in Tenn's hand, which the former princess hands over. Her hands seem to glow, fairy dust sparkling in the air, as she twists and weaves the flowers together skillfully, her expression set in concentration.
"What are you making?" Tenn asks, handing her another flower.
"An enchanted crown," Haruka mumbles, her wings flickering. "The glade doesn't allow human visitors, so…you'll need this to enter further."
They sit together for a long time, their surroundings quiet except for the rustling leaves. When she finishes, Haruka looks immensely proud of her work. She grins, hoisting up the flower crown before placing it on top of Tenn's head. The crown doesn't fit exactly, slightly too small, but it rests snugly as long as Tenn doesn't tilt her head too much. She brushes one of the flowers with a smile.
"How do I look?"
For a second, Tenn could've sworn she saw Haruka's cheeks turning red, but the fairy looks away, clearing her throat. "You look fine," she says. "Now come on, there's somewhere I want to take you."
Tenn adjusts the flower crown before she follows Haruka deeper in the glade. Walking through the trees is almost dizzying and disorienting. It feels like walking through a labyrinth, even though she's walking in a straight line. But she feels like she would've gotten lost if not for Haruka showing her the path forward.
At the end of the path, the last trees curl against one another until they form an archway that frames the view up ahead. A beautiful, sparkling pond stretches in front of them, the water so clear and clean it isn't hard to look at what's below it. In the middle of the pond is a small patch of land where a tall, beautiful tree grows, swaying gently. It's definitely something important; the magic that surrounds it is so thick that it's palpable even for a human like Tenn.
"This is the heart of the glade. It's what keeps the magic alive and the place hidden." Haruka sighs, settling back down on Tenn's shoulder once more. "I've missed it here…and I've missed everyone who used to live here."
"What happened to everyone then?" Tenn asks, looking around at the beautiful yet empty glade.
Haruka's wings shake anxiously, dropping more fairy dust against Tenn's clothes. "Don't know. After a glade has been found by hunters, the fairies inside usually leave to find a new home altogether. It's too risky to stay behind." The fairy swallows, drooping. "It's good if they've left. That means they're still alive somewhere. I just hoped…"
"Then, what are you planning to do now? Will you go and find them?"
"I'm not sure. They could be anywhere in the world, and I'm too weak to find them right this once." Haruka sighs. "I'll stay here for a while to rest, then I'll search for them."
There really is no one here, Tenn thinks as she observes the glade for a few moments longer. It reminds her of her room back at the palace. She loved it once, when everything in her life was filled with more joy and love. It had everything she could ever want and need, yet as the years go by and the palace becomes cold, the room felt more like a prison. An aching memory of how things used to be, and how they could've been had things been different.
Would Haruka feel the same for the glade?
And then, when she does leave to rejoin her family and friends, how long would her journey take? How long will she face the dangers alone?
"Tenn?" The fairy calls out when the silence continues for longer than a minute. "What—"
"Haruka, I would like to stay with you."
The fairy blinks, stunned, then jumps off Tenn's shoulder, hovering in front of the former princess with a deep frown. "What? You can't stay here, you have your own life!"
"Well, it's like I said. They won't consider me royalty for much longer. Running away was an act of rebelling against the royal family—a betrayal. I won't be able to return. Not unless I want to be tried as a criminal."
"But that's so—"
"Which is why I want to stay here with you, or wherever it'll take me. Of course, I won't force you to do anything. But I really do want to stay by your side. I mean it wholeheartedly."
"Tenn…" Haruka purses her lips. "It won't be easy, though! Fairies have different lifespans and lives, and I don't know what will happen when we find my family again. You're still human, and it might even take your entire lifetime to find them! Are you sure you want this? There's a chance it'll be a life of endless traveling without a home! Are you absolutely, absolutely, sure?"
"I am," Tenn smiles, reaching out to brush the tip of her finger against the fairy's cheek. "Truthfully, you're the first friend I've had in years. There's nothing for me to go back to. If I could spend my lifetime making sure you won't be alone, at least for a while, then I'm willing. If you'll have me."
Her fairy's frown and concern don't ease just yet. She grabs Tenn's finger tightly before letting herself smile slightly. "I really can't win against you. Alright, then. I'll accept as long as you swear you won't abandon me. I…don't want to experience that again."
"I swear."
The moment those words escape Tenn's lips, a very bright, almost blinding, glow covers Haruka's entire body. When Tenn manages to half-open her eyes, something crashes against her and sends her toppling into the grass. Her breath stutters in her throat when she feels something soft, sweet, and warm press against her lips. Her eyes widen from the surprise, but the feeling is not unwelcome. Definitely not. She stares up at Haruka, no longer a small fairy, who leans above her. The girl almost looks human except for her wings tucked against her back, and if they stood side by side, then Haruka might only be a few inches shorter.
But it's still Haruka.
The now human-sized fairy smiles down at her, lips slightly glossy from their brief kiss. "Now we have a pact. Hope you never regret this decision, Tenn, because there's no taking it back."
Tenn feels her cheeks growing warm as she continues staring at the beautiful girl, in awe of how the golden sun is highlighting her figure. Her heartbeat makes itself known, and Tenn finds herself wondering if falling in love is supposed to be this dizzying.
"Never."