“Okay, food”
“Check”
“Goblin clothes”
“Check”
“Prune juice”
“Prune juice?”
“Yeah, it’s browny-purple. Rubbing
it on our skin will help make us look just like goblins, although Ben’s colour
change might give us away”
“Oh right. Prune juice-check”
“Maps”
“Check”
“Swords”
“Check”
“Spears?”
“Check”
“Water”
“Check”
“Bows”
“Check”
“Arrows”
“Check”
“That’s it.
We won’t need to wear the prune juice for a few days yet, but it may be best to
put it and the goblin clothes on just before we pass over the gnome plains.
That way we can convince the gnomes that we are travelling goblins and have a
safe passage into the Glen-goblins and gnomes are as close as fairies are to
sprites and pixies Starr, so once we convince the gnomes, the goblins will be easy
to persuade. I think we should leave now, the other fairies won’t pester us
about what we’re doing then”
Christian and Ben nodded after
Paul’s speech, and Starr, not wanting to be left out, nodded too.
“Anything wrong, Starr sweetie?”
“It’s just . . . what about your
wings?”
Paul looked thoughtful, and Starr
couldn’t help but think how cute he looked while doing so.
“Goblin clothes are baggy . . .
Chris, can we hide our wings successfully under them?”
“If we still have enough magic by
then”
Paul gave him a pointed look, and
led Christian and Ben into another room. While they were gone, a young looking
wingless fairy walked into the room. At least, that was Starr’s perception of
her. Starr hadn’t noticed that the girls ears were slightly pointed at the top,
or that her wide eyes sparkled with something the fairies were incapable of
possessing. She made eye contact with Starr, who realised she wanted this girl
as a friend. The girl seemed to be thinking the same thing as Starr.
“My name is Maria Starr, Maria
Arredondo. No, I’m not a fairy, I’m a pixie”
“How did you-”
“Pixies have the ability to read
minds, to know things without being told, a bit like what Paul can do but
stronger, and a little more personal. Paul’s left you out of their discussion because
he doesn’t want you to know how quickly the magic’s leaving them. But it’s
going Starr, it’s going fast. They’re going to have to be extremely resourceful
if they want to reserve enough to fight the goblins. I think I can trust you
enough with all of this” Maria summed Starr up, hugged her close, and then
handed her a small, brown, drawstring pouch-bag. “This is pixie dust. Its magic
is extremely powerful, so much so that a pinch of this dust is equal in its
effects to a group of full-strength fairies. I must caution you however, that
you use it only when Paul, Ben and Christian’s magic fails them, or when any of
those three, King Mark or yourself are in danger. You cannot be wasteful, any
of you, or this attempt to rescue King Mark will be a vain act, and one which
cannot be repaired”
“I understand Maria. How do I use
this dust?”
“Use it the way the pixies do-look
inside your heart, know yourself, and follow your common sense. Try to keep
your mind on your goal though-focus and belief give the dust its strength”
Maria kissed both of Starr’s cheeks,
whispered “Hide the pouch, don’t let them know until the time is right”, and
disappeared out of the room, just before Paul, Christian and Ben re-entered.
Starr shoved the pouch out of sight quickly. Paul gave her a curious look, then
half-smiled.
“We’d better be going, the sooner we
go, the further we get, and the sooner we can kick goblin butt. Want to fly
with me, Christian, or Ben?”
“I’m not fussed, but I’ve flown with
Ben twice-”
“Great, you’re coming with me” he
smiled. The four of them lifted the packs on their backs and armed themselves
(Paul refused to let Starr carry a sword, and passed her a dagger instead. His
reason being that he wouldn’t allow a girl to die in a swordfight over his
feud), before Paul held Starr tightly around the waist, making her giggle, and
telling her to hold on to him around the neck, tight enough to hold on but not
so tight that he was strangled.
The sudden proximity between Paul
and Starr, along with their hidden attraction, was making them both have
trouble breathing. Christian nudged Ben and whispered to him, and they both
laughed hysterically. Paul turned to look at them, his cheek brushing against
Starr’s.
“What’s so
funny?”
“You two! You’re holding on so tight
that you can’t breathe!”
“Well, sorry for trying to make sure
our Starr doesn’t fall”
Christian winked at Ben, shaking his
head, then fluttered to the door. Paul watched him leave then lifted Starr and
followed. Ben walked to the door after them.
“Good riddance to this place” he
sighed, walked out of the door, shut it firmly, and then flew off into the
night after his friends.