Damselfly could see the prisoner better now; the woman was around twenty years of age with straw-colored curly hair that had knots from a lack of brushing. Uriel’s eyes were sparkling blue, they shone like sapphires in the light, and Damselfly found herself wanting to know this woman’s story.
“You want to go to the Evergarden?”
“Yes,” Uriel agreed. “I know it sounds crazy.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Damselfly reassured. “Because I want to go there as well.”
Uriel looked genuinely concerned. Her eyes softening, she pushed back hair from her face and spoke from experience.
“Do not make the same mistakes I made.”
“Tell me your story,” Damselfly pressed.
Uriel attempted to straighten her rags. She came closer so that only the prison bars separated them, and while she retold her story, she attempted to work on the knots in her hair.
“I was born Uriel Benavere to a noble household in the Magicgarden. My parents are well-respected and wealthy aristocrats who loved me very much. My parents opposed the Fairy King when he was a little-known sorcerer trying to gain power. They became afraid that he would seek revenge on our house and hired a group of soldiers to protect us. One of these men was different from the others. It is hard to explain why I believe this. I can only say that I watched him, and over time I became convinced there was something special about him.
His name was Kimson.
One day my family and I were travelling via carriage to the bazaar. I was excited to see all the stalls and my mother had promised I could purchase one item of my choosing. We were accompanied by our guards, including Kimson, who I watched through the carriage window. He rode a beautiful white horse like it was an extension of his being. He looked so handsome in his uniform that I could have stared at him all day without tiring.”
Uriel seemed lost in her memory; she stared into space as if her words had conjured the pictures there.
“What happened next?” Damselfly asked.
“We were ambushed.
A band of Sprites, evil fairies under the control of the Fairy King, surrounded us riding Baywolves that snapped at the horses and panicked them.”
“What does a Sprite look like?” Damselfly questioned.
“Sprites are nothing like the fairies in children’s stories. They have been corrupted by the Fairy King’s magic and they live to serve him alone. Sprites are usually between three and four feet tall with green skin. They have sharp teeth, dark eyes and excellent hearing.”
“Can they fly?”
“No, Sprites cannot fly. They are the only branch of the fairy family that does not have any magical abilities, which is why they are so obsessed with following a powerful magician. Don’t underestimate them though; they ride vicious Baywolves who can run faster and further than any horse, except maybe Winter.”
“Who is that?” Damselfly wanted to know, lost in the story.
“I am jumping ahead in my narrative,” Uriel cautioned. “We were ambushed by a group of Sprites; they fired arrows from yew bows, and the soldiers sought to defend us. I witnessed Kimson amongst the melee before my mother pulled me away from the window. I was more afraid for his safety than my own, and when our carriage became stuck, it seemed we would not make it out alive. Then something heavy collided with the carriage, forcing me to hit my head against the interior. I was disorientated and somehow managed to find myself outside in the middle of the battle. Our guards were brave men; they tried to defend us, only they were no match for the army of the Fairy King. Many were wounded or forced to flee, leaving only a handful of soldiers including Kimson between us and the Sprites. I thought we were all going to die, and all I could think about was how I never told him how I felt. When he saw me standing there, I could read the same regret in his expression, for the longest moment we simply stared at one another and then I saw a Sprite aiming his arrow at Kimson. I do not know what happened but I suddenly felt this power rise inside me and without conscious thought I deflected the arrow.”
“You used magic,” Damselfly stated.
“Yes, I do not know how,” Uriel confirmed. “I had never shown any signs of magical ability before that day; however, my feelings for Kimson seemed to manifest into something tangible and powerful. The Sprites fled, fearing magic.”
“Why do Sprites fear magic if they follow the Fairy King?” Damselfly queried.
“They follow the Fairy King out of fear, not loyalty,” Uriel explained.
“Then what happened?”
“My parents sent me to the Matriarch, a powerful sorceress who could help me learn to control my magical inclinations. Kimson came with me as my protector. The Matriarch became like an older sister to me and helped me control what little magical talent I possessed.”
“You are not a great sorcerer?” Damselfly asked regretfully.
“No, I have little power,” Uriel confessed. “Truthfully, saving Kimson from the arrow was the greatest feat of magic I ever managed, even under the Matriarch’s tutelage. Kimson would often encourage me when I struggled with my training. He became my everything and we were deeply in love with one another.”
“I did not realise it was going to be one of those stories,” Buttontail complained.
“Be quiet,” Damselfly scolded. “I want to hear more.”
“I fell pregnant just before my twentieth birthday. I did not have a chance to tell Kimson because we were all swept up in the rebellion led by your family against the Fairy King.”
“You fought in the rebellion?” Damselfly asked.
“Yes, although I admit we offered little support. Thankfully, we were successful and the Fairy King was exiled to the Evergarden. It was only later we realised that
