Away with the Fairies

*°•○Part Three○•°*

"Captain Garrett," Rosalind said, curtsying politely even as Louise rushed back to Hans and helped him to his feet.

"I did not expect to see you here today, Princess Roo-sa-lind," the toad, wearing nothing but a large, plumed hat and a sword at its waist, said.

Captain Garrett took his hat off, sweeping the sand with its long, white feather in greeting, then put it back on its bald, shiny head.

"Would yooou... like to join me on a waaalk...?" the toad croaked tentatively, a faint blush spreading over his damp cheeks.

Rosalind sighed. "I'm sorry, Garrett, but I'm here with my friends," she said, pointing her wand at Louise and Hans who stood patiently nearby, stunned into silence by the sight of Captain Garrett.

They had never seen anything like him before-- an enormous talking toad wearing a plumed hat.

"Very well, Princess Roo-sa-lind," the toad croaked, sounding disappointed. "I will see you tomooorrow then."

"Garrett, wait, please!" Rosalind called, reaching out to him.

But he was already gone, only a loud splash! and a few ripples on the lake's surface indicated the place where the water had swallowed him.

As soon as he vanished, Louise approached the fairy and put her arm over her shoulders soothingly. The girl sensed how upset Rosalind was and wanted to cheer her up, help her somehow.

"We used to be the best of friends," Rosalind whispered, pressing the heels of her hands over her eyes.

"What happened to change it?" Hans asked, joining the two girls.

"Garrett asked for my hand in marriage. My father agrees, he thinks I should accept his proposal."

"But you..." Louise spoke quietly.

"Garrett is my dearest friend, but I can not marry him. I love Blue."

"Your Butterfly Fairy boy," Louise concluded.

"Yes," Rosalind said, squaring her shoulders, pulling herself together. "I won't marry either Garret, nor Sir Francis. I'll find Blue..."

"Who is Sir Francis?" Hans asked, his eyebrows knitting in surprise. Wasn't one unwanted suitor more than enough?

"My mother's best friend. An old, wise... mole. I'll tell you later. Hurry up now, you two have no wings. It will take us forever to get home," she said, urging them to move.

Hans shook his head and rolled his eyes as he looked at Louise. Even though he felt sorry for the fairy because of all her troubles, he still thought that she was very annoying.

However, he was beginning to enjoy this adventure. As the girls started to walk away, Hans looked back towards the lake, to the spot where, just before Garrett had appeared, he had seen something, someone unusual, peeking out of the deep blue water. He needed to explore this place.

"Not now, Hans!" Rosalind called impatiently.

Louise ran back to him and pulled at his sleeve as he still stood rooted to the spot, lost in his fantasies. He looked at her, then with the last, longing glance towards the shore, he finally followed the girls.

"Is the piece of mirror we lost very dangerous?" Louise asked Rosalind as they walked by her side, their new shoes slipping on the large, damp pebbles, trying to make her think of something else but toads, moles, and butterflies.

"Not while it stays in that water. We'll see about it later. Let's not worry about the mirror today. There's too much to think about right now."

Louise nodded, understanding that Rosalind needed to be on her own for a while. She took Hans' hand in hers, and they slowed down a little, trailing in Rosalind's wake, leaving the fairy alone with her thoughts.