New Beginnings

Chapter 4: The Encounter

The forest was always so beautiful. It never failed to bring a smile to his face. His smile made her smile, and her smile made him feel nervous. Diane's purple eyes scanned the horizon, and when they landed on Harlequin, her face was enveloped in red, making her nibble on her pigtails nervously. "I can see why you loved living here. It's so peaceful." She said softly. Harlequin's eyes slowly ventured down her body, making his face burn. "Yeah... Can I ask you something Diane? If... if we ever got married, would you... God this is awkward. Would you wanna have a baby? W-With me?" The giantess looked surprised at the question, but managed to calm down enough to stutter out a retort. "I-I could i-imagine it..." Her words made him feel stupid for asking. They'd been dating for nearly three years, longer if you count the time when it wasn't 'Official.' The fairy shoved his hands into his pockets, fiddling with a small black box, hidden away from sight.

Now? No... no. Not yet. Too early.

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Diane waved a hand in Harlequin's face, trying to grab his attention. He suddenly snapped back to reality, blinking and shaking his head. "Hmm? Yeah?" He asked, looking at her worried face. The giantess frowned, crossing her arms angrily. "Did you hear any of what I said?" Harlequin looked quite confused, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry... I wasn't listening..." Diane sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, huffing angrily. "I was saying that I saw some people in the forest, and I asked if we should go check it out." Harlequin frowned, looking to where Diane had pointed. There indeed were a few people whom looked like children arguing. "Stay here. I'll deal with it." He said, a slight growl escaping him. Pushing off of nothing, the fairy quickly made his way down to the people, landing on the soft dirt.

The two who were arguing had their weapons out and were threatening each other. They were badly scarred as well. Once Harlequin had landed, the others whom were egging on the fight shut up and stared at him, slack jawed. After a moment, Harlequin tromped forward, grabbed one of the fairy's by the shoulder, and spun him around, hissing. "What is going on here?!" He demanded, narrowing his eyes. The fairies were very startled, and it showed by their wide eyes and shaky breaths. "The fairy king... He has returned..." One mumbled, too astonished for anymore words.

The crowd suddenly erupted into cheering, making Harlequin's ears ring painfully. He held out his hands and gestured for them to calm down. They quickly quieted, looking at him in anticipation. "Have you come to save us Fairy King?" One fairy asked. "Hold up, hold on. Save you from what?" He asked, trying to make sense of the confusing situation. Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the forest, making the fairies don their weapons. Holding up a hand, the fairy king told them to wait as he pushed off the dirt, ascending above the tree line. What he saw made his stomach lurch. An albion... but they were all destroyed in the Holy War! Weren't they? Calling Chastifol with a flick of his index finger, Harlequin began to advance. That was... until he saw a fairy approach calmly.

He was too far away to see what was actually happening, but he could swear the two oddities were conversing. Until the red wearing fairy sliced the albion in half with a turn of his head. Harlequin gasped in surprise, moving backwards slightly. What the hell was that? How is that fairy so powerful to slice an albion in half?! After the shock from what he'd seen dissipated, Harlequin began to follow the red one as it flew to the sacred tree. Harlequin's chest felt tight with anticipation. They'd destroyed it so easily. What were they? Trying to force the stutter out of his voice, Harlequin called out to the fairy. "Hey! Come here!" He shouted, holding up a hand and waving it wildly as he tried to make them stop. They did not. He shouted again, forcing his body to go faster to catch up, but before he could, they were gone, now lost in the twisting labyrinth of chambers in the sacred tree. He figured that they had to leave sometime, so he should head back to Diane.

Landing on the Giantess's shoulder, Harlequin kissed her cheek and looked down at the fairies gathering at her feet. Why were they not flying? Harlequin hopped down, landing with a kingly demeanor. "Why are you all not flying? You have your wings, and even without them, fairies can fly." He asked, amber eyes scanning scarred faces. No one spoke up. "Well? I'd like an answer." He asked, crossing his arms. A very gruff looking fairy finally opened his mouth, answering a one question, but raising two more. "Those abilities were taken from us. We can't use our magic, only Gerheade's roots." He muttered. Harlequin's expression was one of horror. He couldn't imagine being forced to walk everywhere. The two questions he now had in his head bounced around in his skull, giving him a headache.

The fairy held his forehead, and was startled by the loud sound of Diane shifting to reach into her backpack. After hiding behind a tree, Diane came back in her smaller form, holding her large stomach with two hands. Grabbing her husband's shoulder, Diane smiled comfortingly, despite the sudden pain she felt in her abdomen. "Maybe we can find out more tomorrow. It's getting late." She suggested, her hand venturing down to his, intertwining their fingers. Harlequin nodded, looking to the fairies. "We need a place to stay. Would any of you be willing to open your homes for my wife and I?" A few of his subjects raised their hands, and he picked a very sweet looking female with kind eyes. They made their way to her home, getting settled inside.

Notes: Heyyyyyy! I'm getting better at updating quicker. I'm back up to 1000 words and I'm so froggen happy! I'll try and update as quick as possible, but it might be slowed drastically because allergies and I'm not coping well.