Daughter

I open my eyes, the vision of the distressed fairy still vivid in my mind. “I’ve found someone,” I declare, my voice steady with purpose. “Let’s hold hands so we can teleport together. We don’t know what we’ll be teleporting into, so stay ready.”

The group exchanges a look of determination, no words needed. Daisy, Marco, Maya, and I link hands, forming a circle of trust and strength. With a deep breath, I close my eyes again, focusing on the location that appeared in my vision.

In the blink of an eye, we’re no longer in the forest. We stand in a small, dimly lit cabin. The scent of old wood and damp earth fills the air, and the soft sound of sobbing echoes from the corner of the room. A woman sits on the floor, her shoulders shaking as she cradles a small wooden doll in her hands. She jumps, startled, when she sees us appear out of nowhere.

“Hello,” I say gently, stepping forward with my hands raised to show we mean no harm. “My name is Lenora, and these are my friends Daisy, Marco, and Maya. Your pain drew me in. What has happened?”

Her tear-filled eyes meet mine, the weight of her sorrow clear on her face. Her lips tremble as more tears spill down her cheeks. “They took my baby,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “They took my little girl.”

My heart clenches at her words. I kneel beside her, my presence calm and reassuring. “Please, tell me everything,” I urge softly.

She grips the doll tighter, her knuckles white with desperation. “I was hanging rags on the clothesline when they came,” she explains, her voice shaky. “They were dressed in black… ravens. They cast a paralysis spell on me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream as they took my baby—my Maggie. She’s only three years old. She must be so scared…” Her voice cracks as a fresh wave of tears falls. “Please, Lady Lenora, save my girl.”

I reach out and place a comforting hand on her arm, my heart aching for this mother and her lost child. “How long ago was she taken?” I ask, trying to calculate how far they could have gotten.

“About ten minutes ago,” she answers. “The paralysis wore off just before you arrived.”

That’s enough time for them to gain some distance, but not too far. There’s still a chance. I take the doll gently from her trembling hands and hold it between my palms, focusing my magic. The connection between the doll and the child is strong. I close my eyes, allowing the energy to flow through me, my senses expanding outward.

In my mind’s eye, I see them—three ravens, their dark cloaks fluttering as they carry a small, crying girl. My heart tightens at the sight of her tiny, tear-streaked face.

I don’t hesitate. In an instant, I teleport to the scene and freeze time, trapping the ravens. The world around me stills, and I move quickly, grasping the little girl’s hand. Her body is trembling, her small frame wracked with fear. I focus my power and teleport her, along with the raven holding her, back to the cabin.

The room seems to swirl as we reappear. I place Maggie safely into her mother’s waiting arms, the two gasping in unison as time resumes. The mother clutches her daughter, tears of relief streaming down her face as she hugs Maggie tightly. Both of them cry, their sobs a mixture of joy and heartache.

The raven, however, isn’t as lucky. The moment he realizes what’s happened, he tries to cast a spell, his dark magic swirling around him. But I’m faster. With a flick of my wrist, I summon ice, freezing his hands and legs before he can do any harm.

I step closer, my eyes narrowing in anger. “Why did you take this girl from her mother?” I demand, my voice cold and unyielding.

The raven glares at me, his dark eyes filled with hatred. “I will never tell you, you w***e,” he spits, his voice dripping with venom.

Without hesitation, I grab his chin, forcing him to face me as he struggles to break free. Concentrating, I reach into his memories, sifting through the darkness that clouds his mind.

A scene emerges—a conversation.

“Bring me all fairies under the age of ten,” a voice commands. “They contain a crucial ingredient to release our master.”

The memory begins to distort, the edges blurring as something unnatural takes hold. I snap my eyes open, and I see the raven convulsing, froth spilling from his mouth. His eyes turn black, and before I can act, his heart stops beating. He slumps, lifeless, in my grasp.

I grimace, releasing him as I sniff the air. Poison. The gutless coward ended his own life before I could get more information. There’s nothing more to be done.

I teleport his body back to where I found him, leaving it behind. The other ravens are long gone. I curse under my breath, frustrated that I couldn’t get more from him.

Returning to the cabin, I find the mother and daughter still locked in each other’s arms, their tears now ones of gratitude rather than fear. I clap my hands, summoning a simple meal for them—warm soup and bread. “Eat,” I tell them gently. “You both need your strength.”

They begin to eat, their hands still trembling slightly from the ordeal. I kneel beside them once more, my voice soft but serious. “The dark sorcerer has cursed all fairies,” I explain. “You’re unable to access your true selves or your powers. I can break the curse, but you must be willing. You’ll be able to protect your daughter, but you may also face more dangers. Are there any other fairies nearby that you know of? I’ll need you all to protect each other when I leave.”

The mother looks up at me, her eyes wide with hope. “Yes, kind lady, please lift the curse. I want to be able to protect Maggie—and the other fairies. There’s a village just over the hill,” she adds eagerly.

I nod, placing a hand on her shoulder and another on her daughter. I let my light flow through them, feeling the curse loosen its grip. It shatters, and the mother’s true form blooms before me—radiant, powerful, and full of life. Her daughter, once pale and sickly, now appears healthy and vibrant, her small frame glowing with newfound vitality.

In tears, the mother kneels before me. “Thank you, Queen Lenora,” she whispers, her voice filled with gratitude.

I smile down at her, warmth filling my heart. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s go find the others.”

We all hold hands, and with a final surge of magic, I teleport us to the village over the hill.