The Lost Fairytales

Chapter 12

I froze. Why were they glass? Why was Scarlet half glass? Why did she seem okay with this?

Before I could even begin to utter these questions, Scarlet sighed and stood. "Apparently I would've been fine and not need new legs if I had been in water. Let's keep that in mind for next time." Next time? Do you really have such little faith in our running? "Anyways, these function just like normal legs. Just, you know, glass. And they're bullet proof!" She added, smiling.

"Why would Nameless have guns?" Asen asked. Scarlet laughed nervously, and it was then I saw she was barely holding it together. I bit my lip. She was still in her old clothes, and a fairy--probably the one that healed her--was still sitting around patiently. I'm a little confused as to how a fairy and an elf could be siblings, but I'm not going to be rude and ask.

"Thank you, ma'am. Can...can we have another pair of clothes for her?" I asked the fairy. She looked a lot like the elf man, only shorter and with translucent wings. And those horrible peircing eyes. She blinked and looked at Scarlet. "Of course." She said, and stood. She left the room, a pair of clothes appearing in my hands seconds later. I've never gotten used to that fairy magic.

Scarlet went to get dressed, the rest of us standing anxiously in the bakery. Oskan broke the silence. "Are we...are we going to stay for the festival?"

I wanted to look. To find Linsday. Each day we waited, the fainter the trail would get. She might even be dead, and we're following the Nameless who carry her blood on their lips. But they needed to releave stress--all of us did. Tonight would be needed.

"If you guys want to." I said, and Oskan relaxed a little. Asen didn't; in fact, he tensed up a little more. I frowned, wanting to ask him what was wrong, but Scarlet came back. She wore a similar outfit to mine, only she somehow aquired some gold jewelry and rubies. "So, are we going?"

"No."

She paused in confusion for only a beat before smiling. "Whatever works for you! When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow night. Leaving during the day wouldn't be wise." Asen cut in. Scarlet sighed. "So today and tomorrow we wait around. What are we doing the whole time exactly?"

Oskan smiled while walking over, wrapping his arms around her. "There's a festival going on. Princess--the ogre who owns the shop here--said it was to celebrate the rains."

I smiled at the two of them as they continued to whisper to each other. I don't know Oskan that well, but he seems like the perfect guy for Scarlet. They look so in love, and I'm glad she found that.

"You look sad."

I screeched and jumped away. Princess laughed. "You're quite the jumpy one."

"Not unless someone sneaks up on me. And I'm not sad." I protested.

"In your eyes. You want what they have."

"No, I really don't."

"You want someone to care about you. Maybe not love like that, but someone to have your back. I wanted that too, and I finally got it. Just wait, little satyr."

"I'm not a satyr. I have knees."

"People who stand out only want to fit in. Just accept my words." He said before walking away. If I'm being honest, he weirded me out a little bit. A man should not have that much information stored in his brain.

Asen shuffled over beside me. "What's wrong?" I asked. He shook his head. "Nothing, I just...it's so dead out here. I miss the plants."

"Is that all?"

"Well, um...I also don't trust this place. It's not documented by The Council."

"What?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's fine. I'm just not sure we should stay here for very long."

I nodded. Anything that wasn't under Council rule was dangerous. Their own rules, their own ways. They could get away with anything, and I don't want to risk that.

"Ah, sorry for making you worry, it really is probably nothing. Jahric--Princess's husband--said there's going to be something called sabar magli there."

"What's that?"

"Pretty sure it's just fried cactus. And then, of course, dancing. Games. Cool clothing. Normal festival things."

I frowned. He was smiling, but his tone implied he was still on edge. Before I could say anything, Princess came over and asked us to help set up for the festival. He was planning on giving out cinnamon rolls. I wanted the paper holding it more than anything, but I kept my mouth shut.

The town centre was a little more busy, people bustling about to set up for the upcoming events. There was a huge marble fountain in the middle, a dirt road circling around it. There were tiny stores, and in each of the alleys were tents selling things and people setting up for the festival. I admit, I got a little excited when I saw a facepaint stand. By the time we had gotten all the bread and cake from the shop, it was late in the day, maybe about four. And really hot.

Asen sat on the fountain. It was dry, no water in it at all, but Princess said once the sun set water would come. The smell of sugar and spice was in the air, so Scarlet was going everywhere to find out what they were coming from and getting recipes. I'm pretty sure she's already promised to use Princess's grandma's cupcake recipe. Oskan was following behind excitedly.

I sat down beside Asen. "So, it starts in about half an hour. Are you ready?" He asked.

"No. The Nameless might have followed us."

"Well, yeah. But aren't we only staying to try and forget everything, if only for a night? This place might make me uncomfortable, but it doesn't mean I can't enjoy it."

I looked away. He was right, actually. I'm just a party pooper. I poop on the partiest of parties.

He sighed. "Well, what's thefirst place you're going to go to?"

"Face paint."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to eat the paint or...?" He asked, smiling. I glared, making him laugh. "Okay, okay. What are you going to get?"

"A bunch of cactus flowers. The myth about this town is that a girl was thirsty and only had cactus flowers. She ate them, they poisoned her, she died, and her body became an oasis."

"That's...that's really dark..." Asen said, looking at me worriedly.

"Jahric's sister is creepy. She told me about it."

He shuddered. Music started playing and Scarlet ran over to us, hands filled with paper in another language. "Do you guys know Arabic?" She asked, panicked. Oskan was on the verge of laughter.

"They gave them to you in Arabic?"

"I didn't ave the heart to tell them I couldn't read it! Now I have to learn Arabic." She sighed, though a grin split her face. That made me relax. Scarlet was happy. Oskan was happy. Asen seemed somewhat happy.

We would be fine, if only for tonight.