As I stepped out of the Fairy Kingdom's inn, I couldn't help but freeze. My eyes had become accustomed to the gentle light, but what I saw beyond the threshold seemed to erode my sense of comfort.
The streets of the Kingdom were shrouded in darkness. The sky above them was empty, devoid of sun or moon, as if a heavy velvet veil had been cast over the world.
Time itself seemed to have frozen, devoid of the usual rhythm of day and night.
The darkness was dispelled only by hundreds of tiny lanterns hung from balconies, branches, bridges, and carved arches.
Their soft glow formed paths, illuminating the way for travelers. The light played on the wet cobblestones, giving the city a fairy-tale quality... but it was a strange, unsettling fairy-tale.
Fritte, flying nearby, lowered his gaze and spoke in a quieter voice than usual:
—Our Kingdom is going through difficult times... The light is fading, and even we don't always have the strength to maintain this flickering flame. But the Queen will tell you everything when she's ready.
I could hear a sense of reverence and sadness in his voice, something that was not typical of a child or a playful being. We approached a massive tree that towered over the street.
Its trunk was so wide that it seemed impossible for even a dozen people to wrap their arms around it. Heavy doors made of old, darkened metal were embedded in the tree's bark. They looked uncharacteristically austere and cold for such a vibrant place, as if they had been transported from another world.
Fritte slowed down, straightened up, and gently touched the doors with his palm. They responded with a soft creak, as if they had been opened not by centuries, but by the heart of the tree itself.
And then the fairy's voice changed. Gone was the childish softness, gone was the familiar intimacy. Now he spoke firmly, formally, with exaggerated deference:
—Your Majesty... I have brought her.
I looked at him in surprise. Until recently, he had called the Queen his mother, but now even Fritte's breathing was disciplined, like a warrior before his master.
Even to him, she is more than a mother... she is a symbol that protects the entire Kingdom, I realized as my excitement grew.
The Queen raised her head, a faint smile on her lips. Her gaze softened, like a mother's when she sees her long-lost child.
—You have served well, Fritte...
She spoke softly, but each word was like an order. She extended a slender finger coated with a thin layer of silver powdered gloss and lightly touched his lips.
Then, as in an ancient ritual, she placed her finger on Fritte's small forehead. The gesture was both a caress and a seal of gratitude.
Behind the Queen, the heavy metal doors opened. Their resounding creak echoed through the hall, awakening something ancient.
Inside, a completely different space unfolded, with a soft glow emanating from the stone walls, originating from a massive tree. Its bark seemed to glow from within, emitting a pale, misty light that enveloped everything around it.
On one of the branches, fragile yet strong, sat a girl. She was as tall as I was, perhaps even taller, but she seemed different, as if she were not a human being, but the embodiment of a song or a dream.
Two maids stood nearby, as silent as shadows. They carefully served the girl grapes, one removing the berries from the cluster, while the other placed them in her hands. The girl ate slowly, as if every movement were part of a ritual.
The Queen's face was gentle, and her khaki-colored hair fell in a heavy stream, like a river, spreading across the floor and disappearing behind the throne.
At first glance, it seemed endless, but I quickly estimated that it was no more than two or three meters long. Nevertheless, it was incredibly long.
She looked like a character from an ancient children's legend, almost like a Disney princess transported to this strange world.
But beneath her beauty, there was a detail that marred the perfect picture. One of the Queen's wings was disfigured.
The ragged edges and torn veins revealed that it had long ceased to be a support for flight. Perhaps she had never flown, or perhaps she had once been able to, but had lost that ability in a battle that no one had ever told me about.
To some, this might have been considered an ugliness, but in my eyes, it only added to her allure. There was a special charm about it, not shiny or ostentatious, but real and alive.
Here, in the form of the Queen, not only the fantastic and the fairy-tale intersected, but also the consequences of pain, loss, and choice. She was not perfect, but it was precisely this that made her real.
Fritte, noticing that my gaze lingered on the Queen, slightly bowed his head and pronounced her name.
—More Adelina, Queen of Fairies and Flowers.
His voice sounded solemn, as if every word were an oath. And this name, filled with a strange coldness and soft music at the same time, seemed to take on weight in the air.
Mor Adelina's gaze swept over me quickly, and it was both heavy and soft, as if her eyes held both eternity and human immediacy.
—I have heard of you, child! They say you helped collect the scattered coins, and you also fought the Metal Beast. This is no small feat for a foreigner.
She said in a voice like the rustling of leaves in the night wind. My back straightened involuntarily. My game name sounded as if it had already been woven into the history of this Kingdom forever in the Queen's mouth.
—Perhaps...
Adeline continued, slowly picking a grape from the bunch and bringing it to her lips:
—...I could teach you the ways of the fae. Perhaps even share some things that are not taught to mere mortals... unique skills, or perhaps even magic that is only in our blood.
My heart began to race, and I knew immediately that this was not just a polite offer. It was a chance. Perhaps this was the hidden "game trigger" that would change the course of events.
If the Queen was offering me a mentorship, then I should accept, and the consequences could be far more significant than I could have imagined. I gently bowed my head.
—It would be an honor...My Majesty.
And at that moment, something unexpected happened. Instead of nodding, Mor Adelina suddenly burst into laughter.
Her laughter was as light as the tinkling of bells, yet it was too loud for the quiet hall. Even the maids carrying trays of fruit and jugs looked at each other in surprise.
—Oh, how serious you are! You didn't even realize that you were eager to offer your consent before I made a direct proposal. It's... unusual.
Said the Queen, covering her mouth with her slender fingers. Fritte looked embarrassed, as if he felt awkward for his ward, and I was only more convinced: yes, this was definitely the "trigger" of the game.
After her laughter died down, Mor Adelina leaned forward slightly. She whispered something, the words barely audible, like the rustling of wind between leaves.
At the same moment, her long, infinitely heavy khaki hair came to life. It rose slowly, as if in water, swirling in the air, and like living threads, it gently touched my face.
One lock slid along my cheek, and another wrapped around my chin. The hair gently but insistently lifted my head, forcing me to meet the Queen's eyes.
Adelina's gaze was cold, but there was a hidden warmth in it, as if she were a creature accustomed to being worshipped, but still longing for an equal companion.
—Stop bowing your head, child. I like to be acknowledged, but I don't like to see you bow for too long. Look up at me and speak to me.
I felt a shiver run down my spine. I didn't expect the Queen's hair to be alive!
—You are kind to me. You have a quality that foreigners often lack: respect. And this quality can make you not only an honored guest, but also a subject of my Kingdom... and my apprentice.
At that moment, Fritte soared into the air, his small wings flapping so fast that the air was filled with a light tinkling sound, like the chime of silver bells.
—Did you hear that? A student of the Queen! It's incredible!
His excitement was so intense that he flew around Vroumene several times, almost crashing into Adelina's floating hair.
I felt a mix of excitement and unease. I realized clearly that a new path was opening. But as always in this game, behind any "gift" lay a choice and consequences.