A Modern Fairytale

The king of elementals

Really? Is that all you want? I find it hard to believe, but maybe it will be a breath of fresh air—like a gentle breeze brushing against my cheeks. And if that's all you ask, I'll give it a try.

☆☆☆

Long, long ago, there was a kingdom in the skies—Navitusia. It was built mostly from clouds, varying in density and vibrant with all kinds of colors, looking every bit like any other kingdom on earth. It was a kingdom more chaotic than any other, but due to its location, such disarray was known only to the inhabitants up above. Navitusia was not like Mecrisdale, the land of fairies, where most citizens were either fairies or pixies; it was not like Rectitia, where a man ruled over a variety of species and creatures; of course, it was nothing like Venethema, a kingdom brought into existence by a cursed crown and held together by the imaginative power of one person. No, Navitusia was none of these things—it was inhabited mostly by air elementals, whose stature was close to that of the human but of a stronger build. They traveled freely through the air, and they did so without wings. However, Navitusia was not dominated by them either; there were plenty of water elementals, some fire elementals, and a scarce few earth elementals. If they had one trait in common, it was that they were soulless creatures who knew and felt that fact very well. Individually, they searched for something to fill that hole with; collectively, they traveled around the globe like a looming storm that never did rage.

The never-ending search helped Navitisians acquire an abundance of knowledge about the world below them, but it brought them no closer to it. Occasionally, someone would bring back something they found on land, only to find that whatever they brought back was not what they thought it was. Sometimes, it caused a mild disturbance fueled by curiosity; other times, it almost ignited a diplomatic disaster. In the latter situation, such a disaster could only be evaded by...

King Sepher of Navitusia, an air elemental himself, hovered next to two dead bodies on a cloud. His hair was charcoal black, his eyes sky blue. He sighed, his expression otherwise unreadable. The king knelt, observing more closely the slightly shimmering cloud. It didn't take much to guess what happened—it was always like this.

...I said I'd like to meet her. I didn't say to bring her here by force. But...who came and took her back?

The king turned away—the dead were not his concern. He headed first to his castle, then, after making a few preparations, dropped right out of the sky.

☆☆☆

An invisible force field was formed just as Sepher descended; at least, that was what he assumed it was. The force hadn't been there a moment ago, but something seemed to have sensed his foreign presence and triggered a defense mechanism. He closed his eyes and continued letting himself fall in a straight line down. A force field here would not hinder him. Next, a barrage of unknown substances came flying at him. He held out a palm, stopping them in their tracks and halting the space around them. Without studying what they were, Sepher moved to the side and continued on.

Nothing more was sent to him. The king of Navitusia landed softly on fresh blades of grass. In front of him stood a red-haired young woman.

"Is that what kings do these days?" she questioned, "Barging into one another's territories without a warning?"

"You already know of me then," Sepher noted.

"A bird told me." She shrugged lightly. "Valerie Ginemoux, the prey that ran away."

"That was not my doing, though I'll apologize in their stead," he explained—and then nodded once. "Sepher Andilet of Navitusia."

Valerie shook her head, a hidden smile behind her eyes. "They have apologized with their lives."

"Those force field things—were they yours? If so—"

"No."

"I see." Sepher thought for a moment. "I'll make myself clear so that we have no misunderstandings: I have wanted to meet you, 'warrior princess', but my people seem to have taken it a step too far. Would it be possible to invite you on a tour around Navitusia? Surely you, a fairy, would be curious enough to humor me."

"An invitation, you say," she replied, standing still as a statue. "And yet your kingdom looms over mine, and the air around me is chilled and still."

"And you call yourself prey," he said, "Yet you stand here as if you knew I would land exactly on this spot." Sepher lowered his voice. "And you have lured me here ten days earlier than I had originally planned, and in a different location than I had originally thought."

"Well, then," Valerie mused, lowering her own voice as well, "We seem to have a problem. What do you propose?"

"That I move Navitusia over to the seas, and you treat yourself as the most ordinary, human tourist in my humble kingdom. I ask for just one day from you, though Navitusia won't hover over either of your lands again."

The fairy princess reached out to the king. "Seal it."

"Deal." The king took her offer and kissed the back of her hand.

☆☆☆

For the second time, Valerie found herself in Navitusia again. The kingdom was slowly sailing away from Mecrisdale even as Sepher flew the both of them up above the clouds. This time, without fire in her eyes, she was able to see it more clearly—the substance that made everything in Navitusia, looking like clouds but also not at the same time. The average Navitusian seemed to be taller and stronger than the average...anyone else. It was almost impossible to tell what each person was—they all looked quite distinct. Sepher himself was closer to a human being than most.

Thinking that, she glanced up at the king beside her. He had an arm around her waist as he guided her through the streets, and she didn't even let her wings show—that was the agreement, wasn't it? One day of humanity. When she looked up, she found that his gaze was already on her. If he saw her inquisitive gaze, he didn't address it.

A few feet away, an elemental with blue skin was in a brawl with a human-looking elemental. The fight took only two minutes; then, they both got back up, dusted their clothes, and went on their separate ways without a word.

"Is this normal?" Valerie asked.

"Pretty much."

"Such an interesting kingdom you've got hiding up here," she commented.

"Violence is interesting to you?"

"Yes."

Sepher chuckled. "That's cute."

"What?"

"I didn't stutter."

"I know that."

"Ah, you wanted to hear it again. Alright—I said, that's cute, your being violent."

"Maybe you just have sore eyes."

"Maybe."

☆☆☆

A few hours later, the two sat on a carpet, watching the sunset.

"You should come down here sometime," Valerie suggested, "And watch the sunset from a different perspective. It sure looks different from up here."

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer someday."

"Was that an offer?"

"Was it not?"

"Maybe."

Sepher and Valerie shifted their gaze to each other. They both smiled.

"Though..." Sepher began to say, a little hesitant, "I don't think I can ever get used to life down there."

"Yeah," she agreed, "And I think I'd get bored quite easily up here—it's only one kingdom, with nothing to conquer."

"Surprisingly frank about that, you are," he said, "Well then..."

"Thanks for today."

"I'll see you off—hey!"

Before Sepher could finish his sentence, the fairy had already left—by jumping off the carpet.

☆☆☆

Somewhere in Rectitia, a false angel sensed something. He looked up.

Spreading his raven-black wings, he took off, reaching out with both arms.

"Every single time, I swear...you have wings too, you know?"

☆☆☆

Our time together passed surprisingly quickly. Maybe time works a little differently where you are, or maybe I did enjoy it. Maybe I did want to stop and take a look around, in a world I know nothing about.

A world I now know about.

But I ask again: is that all you wanted? Are you sure?