A Curse Of Goodness

The Sighting

My eyes widened. Bron....?

"Alpha Bron!" I exclaimed. "Alpha Bron is the King? That man we saw earlier, the one who was rushing towards us at the party?!"

Ny-ell leaned back in his massive beanbag, still smiling as he watched me. He looked at me the same way I watch a TV show in which I already know the ending. I could tell he was withholding a lot.

"No wonder everyone was bowing their heads! And- And no wonder they all looked so shocked to see him!" I blurted out.

"Very good, Kitten. Very good." He muttered.

The fairy walked away, saying something about changing out of a monkey suit. But again, I was lost in my own thoughts about the man. The King of Otherland. Bron, King Bron.

I felt irritated that I only saw him for a few seconds. I wanted to envision his eyes, but he was so far away I couldn't quite see them clearly. I felt as though I had an itch that I couldn't scratch. It really bothered me.

I wanted to know his facial features. I wanted to hear what his voice sounded like. He looked so mean. Was he really that mean?

            The rest of the evening carried on that way. Me, sitting around and thinking of Bron. Or, the King. I found myself happily remembering his figure and how tall he was. And when I wasn't trying to recall his features, I was thinking about his story. Could he really be as cruel as Ny-ell said?

Ny-ell was busy the whole evening. He was rushing around the house, muttering into the phone and moving around papers. It was fascinating see him go from playful and sneaky, to business and focused. His silly behaviors made me think of my brother Anthony.

"Ny-ell?" I eventually called out.

He looked to me while on the phone before shushing me with a pointed finger to his lips. Then he quickly went back to the papers.

I huffed.

My mind was on overdrive, thinking of King Bron. Honestly, I didn't know why I couldn't shake the man from my thoughts. He was flooding my brain whether I liked it or not.

Perhaps I was too bored. That had to be it, I just needed fresh air. I turned on the couch and examined the cluttered living room around me. It was luxurious and grand, yet filled with hundreds on random items on shelves and tables. Fairies really do love to collect things...

Eventually, I found a jacket that was clearly Ny-ell's. He wouldn't mind if I borrowed it, I'm sure. Laying on top of the jacket were matching gloves, that I swiped too. I slipped on the coat and pulled on the thin gloves, briefly looking back to the room where Ny-ell was pacing on the phone.

                I quickly found the front door and left. Part of me imagined running away, running back home to my brothers. But if what Ny-ell said were true, I am far, far away from them now. Even if he were lying, I still wouldn't know how to get home. I grumbled and stepped down the porch stairs.

               Stepping out into the chilly evening, I took in the scenery around me. For a long moment, I simply looked around at the nature, studying it closely. Was my new friend really telling the truth?

                So this is Otherland...? The trees and grass all looked the same as back home. As did the sky and dirt covered ground. I shrugged and started walking down a worn out path warping around the house.

                 I pulled the coat closer to me as the wind tossled my long loose hair. The grass brushed against my bare legs and I smiled. Somewhere along the way, Bron entered my mind once again.