The Guardians Of Aneroma

8. Finals & Partols, like Oil and Water

"Well, that dark fairy you have battled, Grace, is bad news." Grace stared at the queen expectedly. The queen pursed her lips, the gears in her head turning. 

"What is it?" Grace asked. 

"I fear.. Grace, a personal attack from an opponent's army means declaration of war." Grace looked at the ground. 

"When?" 

"Queen Helen shall strike us when we are most vulnerable, I believe." Queen Elena seemed more anxious than Grace found her when she had entered. She wondered if that woman had ever smiled in her life, or witnessed a happy moment. Usually, Grace felt delighted in any celebration. 

Do fairies have any celebrations?

"Do fairies.. have any celebrations?" Grace asked, realizing that she had said the question out loud. The queen was caught off-guard by the question and Grace could only think about how childish she sounded. The queen's lips twitched into a sad smile that only lasted for a split second. She turned away. 

"Of course. We like to celebrate any success made by our army, or our guardian." She pointed at Grace with her hand, "We also celebrate our own new year, the day I was crowned as the queen and, Gratitude day." 

"Gratitude day?" Grace asked. Elena nodded. 

"It's when you show gratitude for those you hold dear to your very core. Those who you appreciate their help, or those you remember how they stood by your side." Queen Elena started to go up the spiral stairs beside her throne to reach the balcony. She gestured for Grace behind her back. Grace looked beside her and shrugged. She followed, sprinting until her feet were right behind Queen Elena's long dress. 

"What do you give them? Gifts?" 

"Lanterns. Most people paint on them. Since I am a busy woman with no skill in painting whatsoever, I get them done with my personal artist." Grace smiled. 

"Do you have people you are grateful for?" Grace asked. It was a stupid question, but it was hard to find Queen Elena giving lanterns. Grace imagined her sending them the lanterns with a messenger, then acting coldly when they asked if she had actually given them a gift. 

"Who doesn't have someone they feel gratitude towards, darling?" Queen Elena asked, finally reaching the balcony. With a swipe of her arm, the doors glowed a bright blue and opened on their own. 

Grace was tempted to ask who the queen was thankful for, but she figured it would be a personal question. 

"I do not know how the conversation shifted from talking about an enemy invasion to Gratitude day," Queen Elena said, "Given the fact that gratitude day comes in three human months." She looked at the line where the endless dark blue skies and the small houses of the fairies and wingmarket meet. The night was chilly, sending shivers to Grace's bones. 

"We need to form patrols all around Syndioma and in the human world, near your portal." 

"Why does she want to attack?" 

"Queen Helen wants your pendant. Turns out, one way to open a portal to the void is through your pendant." 

"Then what are we waiting for? We go there first and finish the Murdhellous ordeal before she does!" Queen Elena shook her head, looking down from the balcony at the gates of the castle. 

"I am afraid not, Grace. Queen Helen's core is dark magic based. She is the only dark fairy in existence, besides all of the dark fairy clones she made, like the one you fought, and also Murdhellous, but hopefully after we get rid of him, we won't need to mention his name ever again."