CHAPTER 29
It was over three hours later when I began to feel something. This wasn’t like the haze, I felt a sickly dizzy feeling and had to swallow hard and breathe deeply so I wouldn’t faint. Wave upon wave of these feelings came over me and at first I fought it. I realised this made me feel worse so I tried to calm myself down and let the feelings wash over me.
This worked and rather than feeling ill; the waves were pleasurable and I became relaxed. The people at the table disappeared and I could feel myself lifting up and suddenly shot forward at great speed. I never liked roller coasters or fast rides, so all I could do was close my eyes and pray I didn’t bang into anything. At last I felt myself slowing down and felt brave enough to take a peak.
It was daylight, and I could hear jolly music blasting all around me. I was about to look around, when I remembered the words from Charlotte telling me to look straight ahead. I wasn’t taking any chances. I soon realised I had chosen well, I could see ahead several of the fairies I knew to be from the Unseelie Court, the evil ones. I also saw Ettin, a three headed giant, and Eachy, a human-like lake monster. I soon realised this was the outer kingdom. This area was full of evil and if I had turned my head, they would have seen me, and I would surely have died. If I looked straight ahead, I was invisible to them.
I said a silent ‘thank you’ to Charlotte, and before I knew it I had entered a slightly darker place. Here it was twilight, and I found myself slowly descending to the ground. I could feel the peace straight away, and knew I was in the Royal Kingdom. I looked around and gasped, it was the land from my books; right down to the lanterns entwined through the trees.
I saw the fireflies, and the fields of flowers; how could this be? I was still in shock when a large humanoid creature came to meet me. He had a deep, growling voice, but his face betrayed kindness and serenity. He bid me to follow him, and off we went towards an archway made of tree branches, stretching across to meet each other, and entwine their arms. We passed under the archway, and once again, my breath was taken away.
Before me stood the most beautiful castle I had ever seen. It was even better than those seen in fairy-tale books. It was coloured with a rainbow of pastels, and circular towers rose in to the air and glistened as though they were encrusted in diamonds. We entered golden doors into a hall of crystal floors and cream fur rugs dotted around.
We walked through the hall and into another room, smaller, but just as impressive. At last I had come face to face with some of the Fairy Royalty, and all I could think of to do, was courtesy.