The return back home

The wind howled furiously as the brisk air nipped at the nose of the few townspeople who were outside at the late hour. Sniffles sounded out throughout the small crowd as they rushed to get into their homes to be away from the cool weather. Smiling up at the full moon, he held his daughter in his arms. He loved the calm and stillness of the night. She sneezed and he immediately looked down at the three year old girl. “Guess I better hurry hm Ryse?” He asked the girl with a smile. She looked up at him sleepily with her beautiful light brown eyes that glistened in the light of the full moon above. As the stars twinkled she nodded and uttered out a soft, “Cold.” The man holding her nodded and sighed, “Where almost there, princess.” He mumbled and kissed her forehead, pulling her closer to his body. The mocha skinned man looked around and began walking through the town once more. The man made sure to bundle his daughter up in the warmest clothes he could get for her including her favorite wool blanket from her mother that resided in the dark green bag on his back.

“Traveler!” He heard a voice shout from behind. Glaring he reached in his pocket and pulled out an old rusted dagger. He shifted his daughter to his chest and held the dagger in front of him with cold eyes, “State your name and business.” He glared, searching his surroundings for any danger.

“Is that anyway to greet an old friend, Malyce?” A female voice asked from behind him. He turned around with his dagger pointed to her and he groaned with an annoyed look. “Faerie! You scared me half to death! You really are a sorceress! Sneaking up on people like that.” The woman chuckled and ushered for the man to follow her, “Let’s get my goddaughter out of the cold.” Hurriedly, Malyce followed the woman named Faerie through the night to an inn near the outskirts of the town. After checking the room Malyce laid his daughter down on the bed and kissed her forehead softly as she curled up in the blanket. He pulled out her black wool blanket and a stuffed animal and placed them near the sleeping girl. Sighing he sat at the table with Faerie with a serious look. Faerie leaned back in her chair with her eyes closed and arms crossed. She wore an off the shoulder black dress with a large slit on the side showing her thighs. Her legs were crossed as they two sat in silence. Malyce breathed in shakily and leaned in, “Tell me, what of the kingdom of Calinda?” He asked not sure if he could handle the answer.

Faerie bit her lip and opened her eyes with a sad look, “Destroyed.” Malyce breathed in sharply and casted his gaze down. He then looked up and made eye contact with the sorceress before him, “And River? What has become of the mother of my child?” Faerie looked away without saying anything and Malyce placed his head in his hands taking a second to digest the information. “Malyce I’m—-”

“Don’t apologize Faerie. You have nothing to be sorry about. Tis’ my fault. I should have been there for her.” He sighed and placed a hand in his hair that was locked neatly, that sat at the back of his head in a ponytail as one lone loc rested at the side of his face. The woman before him shook his head, “No Malyce, you can not blame yourself. Nor can you ponder the loss of your ex-wife. We must move on, not only for our sake and hers, but for Ryse’s.” Faerie stood up and walked over to the man. She then placed a calming yet firm hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her with sad eyes, “She needs you Mal.” Faerie stated and Malyce nodded. He stood up and looked at Faerie, “What’s the plan?”

“Build your kingdom back up from its ashes Sire.” She smirked and grabbed a bag that had various books and clothes in it. “I told you to never call me that.”

“Well you are the king of the fallen kingdom aren’t you, My liege?”

“I am. But you calling me such names seems as though you're making a mockery of me.” He glared and she smiled, “Always, your highness.”

“Grab Ryse and let’s go. We have to meet with the Barn Owl in order to rebuild your kingdom.”

“Barn Owl?” Faerie rolled her eyes, “The oracle. Well, essentially. You ask a question, the Barn Owl answers. Yet you may only ask three questions every thousand years.” Faerie explained and grabbed a map from the cover of one of her books.

“Luckily, this town you chose to meet at is fairly close. It’s only a few minutes walk into the woods.” She said, showing him the path on the map. Malyce nodded seeing the sun rise. “Tis’ morning?” He asked, feeling as though it was just night.

“Yes it “tis” morning.” Faerie said, mocking him and rolled up the map placing it in her bag. “No dilly dallying. Grab your child and let’s go.” She ordered and rushed out the door. Sighing, Malyce grabbed Ryse careful not to wake her up and placed all her things back in his bag as he rushed to meet up with Faerie. Once he caught up to her she handed him two apples and nodded towards him as she ate her. Her chestnut colored skin glowing in sunlight as her tightly coiled black hair spread out around her head with her black witches hat blocking the sun from her hazel eyes. Malyce sighed and looked at his daughter who began to stir with a smile. “Morning princess.” He told her and she smiled sleepily, “Morning Daddy.” She said as he placed her on his shoulders, “Wanna go see an owl?” He asked her and the girl perked up and smiled immediately. “Yes! Yes!” She cheered and the man chuckled, continuing to follow Faerie as he handed his daughter sliced up apples.

The group of three reached the mouth of the forest. Taking a deep breath Malyce looked at Faerie who held a big smile on her face. “It’s a straight shot through the path then a sharp left. There should be a hill with vines and through the vines there is a cave.” She explained as she read a book that was in her hands. Malyce lifted a brow in curiosity, “Where are you reading from a book?”

“It’s my dad's old journal.” She smiled and he smiled back, “Ah yes, the greatest wizard and adventure of our time, Mr.Ridley.” They continued their walk until they hit the sharp left turn. Once they made the turn the atmosphere changed. That part of the forest felt as if it was being dumped with magic energy frequently. There was so much energy it was overwhelming. After looking for the hill for what felt like forever, Ryse found it while playing with a rabbit she encountered in the forest. She thanked the rabbit as it nudged her little carmel colored leg and hoped away. The group entered through the vines into the cave. Shocked, the two adults stared at the barn before them. “That wasn’t in the journal.” Faerie told Malyce as they walked closer. They entered the barn and found a humongous owl sitting on a nest of straw and gold.

“Ah, it’s been a while since I have been visited by royalty. How can I help you, your majesty?” The Owl said and turned its attention towards Malyce. The man stood in awe as Faerie bumped him with a glare. “Oh! I am seeking guidance as to how to rebuild my kingdom?” He asked.

“There is no need to rebuild something that isn’t broken.” The owl ushered to a pearly white egg that showed an image of a bustling town. “See.”

“But I thought my kingdom was destroyed. Is it not?” Malyce asked in disbelief as he watched the image.

“The fires of this kingdom were put out a long time ago and are in the final stages of being rebuilt. It may have been destroyed before, but it is now new and improved.” The owl answered showing another image of houses being rebuilt.

“Be careful you only have one question left.” Faerie warned and Malyce nodded thinking of his next question.

“What is going on and how can I fix it?” He asked sternly and utterly confused.

“What you are seeing is reality. But it is not the reality you are in. You see, during the war that destroyed your kingdom and seems recent for the mages of the other kingdom sent you, your daughter and your most trusted adviser to a deepest reality. One where you are able to watch your reality while being stuck in another. Truly it is deplorable and despicable magic.” The owl shook its head. “Since you asked a two part question, I will answer the other part. In order to fix the ordel you are in, you must simply do the opposite of your character. Then will you wake up from the state you are in.” The owl showed another image of the three laying side by side asleep while wizards and mages from all around worked on a cure around them.

Malyce opened his mouth to say something but a great gust of wind blew from the cave. He covered his daughters face with his chest and closed his eyes. Once opened he was outside of the cave. “You have received the answers you were looking for. Hurry King and get back home, for you do not belong here.” He heard the owls voice and looked around for Faerie who was pouting. “I can’t believe I’ve been hit with magic to fool me. Me! Faerie! The greatest sorceress in all of the realm of Foreveore!” She growled, “ I will make them pay.” She glared. Then she began to glow a light blue color, “Huh?”

“What’s happened?!” Malyce questioned frantically.

Faerie shrugged. Then she looked at Malyce with wide eyes, “I did something out of character!”

“Really? I know you as someone violent, vengeful, and arrogant. That’s not out of character for me.” Faerie sighed, “That is because you’ve known me since diapers. Most people don’t know that side of me. Like most people don’t know that your actually very mean.” She smiled as she glowed more. “I’m not—” he was cut off by her disappearing into small light blue orbs that flew upwards towards the sky, “mean.” He sighed.

Crouching down he looked at his daughter, “Ryse, baby, I need you to do something important for Daddy, can you do that?” He asked her and she nodded.

“I need you to be mean to an animal.”

“Mean? Daddy say be nice to all livin’ wings’?”

“I know the princess but it’s really important. Daddy will allow it just this once but never again ok?”

The child nodded with a confused look, “If Daddy say ok then ok.” She said and noticed a small black bird. She walked over to it and played with her dress nervously. “B-big stuipd!” She yelled and the bird flew away. She began to glow and she smiled brightly, “Pretty blue.” She said and disappeared.

Sighing deeply Malyce thought for a second. “Faerie said I’m mean but I don’t think that’s it.” He paced around then it hit him and his face grew into one of disgust. “Feelings.” The king hated talking about his feelings though encouraged his daughter to use her words with hers. He wanted her to be better than him. Taking a deep breath he yelled, “I don’t actually hate my ex-wife, I still love her!” Then he began to glow and he smiled brightly.

“Home here I come.” He muttered and closed his eyes.

When he opened them, his daughter was sitting on his stomach poking his face and he smiled brightly picking her up as she giggled. Faerie walked over to them and smiled, “Took you long enough.” She handed him a crown and took his hair out of the ponytail. His locs fell to his shoulder as he placed the crown on his head. Faerie placed a small tiara comb in between the valleys of Ryse’s puff balls.

A female and male knight fell to one knee with a hand on their chests “Welcome home, your majesties and Faerie.” Faerie hugged the knights, “Greet us properly!” She beamed and the knights hugged her back. “We are all long term friends. Right Alice and Alex.” She smirked nudging the male knight, Alex. Alex rolled his eyes, “Considering we are due to be wed I take great offense to that statement.” He pouted playfully and Faerie kissed his cheek, “You know I love you.” Alice smiled and went to the king with a smile and hugged the princess. “Aunty Alice!” She giggled and hugged the woman back.

The knights turned to the rest of the castle that was filled with knights, nobles, mages, and commoners. “To celebrate the return of the royal family, along with the greatest sorceress in history, a grand feast for all!” Alex announced and the castle erupted in cheers of happiness. The king smiled and kissed his daughter's forehead and sat on his throne. “Feels great to be back.” He smiled and looked up at the ceiling, “Thank your Barn Owl.” He muttered and watched as his family celebrated. Faerie glared and grabbed his hand pulling him towards everyone else, “It’s a party King! Live a little.” She smiled, handing him a plate of food as he sat at the head of the table. His daughter and Alice on his right, with Faerie and her fiancé on his left while the rest of the table was filled with knights and knights in training. He sure did miss this feeling of family while he was gone