Chapter Text
Grey. Was the word Sugarfly would use to describe her life. Not technically grey, the colour, but they were close enough in shade. The Faerie kingdom’s lifeblood flows in silver, seeping into the ground, the leaves and in her very dough. Looking down at the kingdom, she watches young faeries frolic in the grass, their songs like chimes and bells in the wind. Older faeries work the various jobs needed to keep the kingdom running. Some record songs, others cook for the long banquets, others sing of stories passed. Guards stand watching in every corner. Sugarfly yawns, languidly gripping her fork.
Years of guarding the silver tree allowed her to study every inch of it. She knew every nook, every cranny, every branch of the silver tree. From the texture of the bark to the name of every plant that made their home at the roots. She could recognize every creature and spore that wandered passed. Some say the colours of the Faerie Kingdom were the most beautiful you would ever come across in your lifetime. Having watched them more times than she could count, she could no longer notice the appeal. Sugar yawns again, tears pricking her eyes.
It was all so dull.
“Sugarfly!” A familiar voice like bells sung. She hastily returns back to position, back and weapon straight. Twinkling chimes become louder, followed by the sound of flapping wings. A faerie lands beside her, familiar and welcoming.
“Silverbell. What brings you here?” She wondered.
“Can I just check on a friend?”
“Of course, Sliverbell cookie.” Sugarfly rolled her eyes, not out of annoyance. Silverbell takes his place beside her, setting down his bow.
“The faeries are hosting the banquet for Elder Faerie Cookie’s birthday. Do you want to check it out?”
“Don’t we have like all year?” Sugarfly sighed.
“The previous one only lasted six months.” Silverbell countered. “Besides, it’s more fun with you around.”
“I don’t know…” Sugarfly muttered.
“Oh c’mon! Everyone will be excited to see you!” With a flick of his wings, Sliverbell jumps off the tree.
“Race you!” He zooms off to the ground. Sugarfly wasn’t going to lose so easily.
Unfurling her wings, she propelled herself off the branch. Adrenaline rushes into her veins, boosting her speed. Feeling the wind between them, she soars in the perpetual dark sky. Laughter erupts from her, inexplicable joy flooding her soul. In the distance, Sugarfly spots Silverbell, leisurely flapping his wings. She quickly overtakes him, accelerating higher into the sky. At last before the banquet location, she makes a loop-de-loop and dives straight down. Just before landing, she does another spin and flutters slowly to the ground. A large group of faeries had been watching her stunt. They started clapping as soon as she landed. Sugarfly cookie soaks up the applause, bowing to the group.
While other faeries had small wings that barely grew past half their body length, Sugarfly’s were large for faerie standards. Wings so large enough to engulf her own body in them. It was why Elder Faerie had suggested she become a silver guard.
Though she would come to regret that decision.
“That was amazing, Sugarfly!” Sliverbell commented from behind.
“Thank you, thank you everyone!” Sugarfly waved to the crowd. She allows her wings to stand tall, basking in the faerie lights. A sudden blur of silver flies in front of the crowd. The happy chatter died down, replaced by a heavy silence. They knew who it was. Stern, piercing eyes of a commander looks back at her.
“Sugarfly.” The faerie said.
“Mercurial knight.” Sugarfly greeted.
“Shouldn't you be guarding the silver tree?” Mercurial knight questioned.
“I asked her to come here!” Sliverbell squeaked, looking alarmed. “It was only for a little while!”
“Sugarfly can speak for herself.”
“Can I not take a break?” She huffs. Mercurial knight sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Please tell someone if you are leaving your post. I don’t want another repeat of last century.”
“Yes, Yes. I will, I will.” Sugarfly sighed. Satisfied, Mercurial knight leaves the party grounds. The crowd of faeries murmured among themselves before dispersing back to their post. Sugarfly turns to Silverbell.
“I gotta get back now. See you at the party?” He gives a reassuring smile.
“It would be wonderful.”
The dusk begins to settle and the party is in full swing. After the customary cutting of the large, silver decorated cake, Elder Faerie burns the slice as a peace offering to the witches. This has been the tradition for nearly a millennia as far as Sugarfly was aware. She had to pinch herself trying not to fall asleep in front of the king. Long tables served dishes of every kind imaginable. Some faeries were serving nectar, held in a bellflower cup. It was a novelty, and several faeries were delighted by the little thing. Once everyone had eaten their fill, many began to move to the dance floor.
The traditions that the faerie kingdom had was completely unlike anything that any other nation would do. Celebrations could last years depending on the subject. Faeries do love their parties. They had that sort of elegance and whimsy that you would hear in fairy tales. Nothing of extravagance and grandeur.
Fireflies and glowing shromes had been used to light up the night. Desaturated cool colours of pink, blue, green purple faeries started to indulge themselves in laughter and merrymaking. A few had started singing. Sugarfly watches from afar, having finished her cup of nectar. She spots Silverbell dancing alone, before Mercurial knight joins him. She smiles faintly, she has seen how it ends. Faeries pass her without acknowledgement, too busy having fun. The sounds and surroundings began to blur the more she looked at the scene. The lights and faeries began to blur, all morphing into an inexplicable mixture of greys. Sugar grimaced. She started to remember why she hated these parties.
Avoiding the gaze of partygoers, she slowly sneaked her way out. The sound of the party still could be heard, despite being unable to see it anymore. Flying silently, she goes deep into the forest, picking a few nearby flowers. Once she deems it enough, she flies to the silver tree, reaching the bottom. The intricate glass coffin sat quietly under the shade. It lay surrounded by lilies, the person inside resting peacefully.
“Hello, White Lily.” The coffin remained silent. A gust of cold wind blows past, earning a full-body shiver. Sugarfly places the bouquet of flowers beside the coffin, joining the pile of other flowers placed.
“It’s Elder Faerie’s birthday today. Can you believe he’s going to be 1181 years old already?”
Sugarfly looks down at the glass casing. White Lily’s features remained unchanged, body pale and unmoving.
“It still feels like yesterday that you were here, regaling us with your travels of the world.”
The coffin stays unmoving. Sugarfly touches the lid, its material icy cold.
“White Lily, do you believe that a mere faerie like me, could see the world beyond this kingdom?”
“There’s nothing for me here.” She continued
“Everywhere I go, I only see dull, grey trees and leaves, floors and walls, my very dough…”
“You talked about the ruby walls of the Hollyberry kingdom, the dazzling robots of the Vanilla Kingdom. All those pretty things…”
“And you saw them all! A cookie!” Sugarfly cried. She pulls at her wings, scales shedding rapidly. Sugarfly blinks rapidly, sucking a shallow breath.
“What’s the use of these large wings if I’m not allowed to fly out of here?” She sobs. Sugarfy briefly caught her reflection in the glass, sobbing further as she did. Tear Stained cheeks had already begun to stain her clothes and her wings drooped sadly. She shakes her head, roughly wiping away the tears.
“Goodnight, White Lily, I hope to hear your adventures again.” She trudged away from the tree, no longer feeling the energy to fly. She managed to find her way to her home, if you could call it a home. Her ‘home’ sat in a tree hollow, high up the bratches. It was a single room, with only the bare essentials, other than the vanity table beside her bed. Sugar glass was a rare material in the Faerie Kingdom and the more reflective it was, the more expensive it became.
Sugarfly stared intently at her reflection, scrutinizing her wings. Her wings, like all the other faeries, were the same, dull translucent grey. Other than size, there was really nothing special about them. They were only good for flying, what else can they be of use for? Sweeping leaves off the path? A knock from the door snapped her out of her brooding. She quickly goes to answer it, shaking away her thoughts. She opens the door, Silverbell standing at it.
“I was wondering where you left. You disappeared from the party.” He stated.
“Sorry about that.” Sugarfly mumbled an apology “Is it still going on?”
“Eh. Most of the faeries have knocked themselves out, but a couple are still going strong.”
“Please, don’t stand out there. Come in!” Sugarfly opens the door wider, beckoning her friend in. Silverbell takes a seat at her lone table, looking around while waiting. Sugarfly was no terrible host, and had begun brewing a pot of tea.
“Wow, Sugarfly. Did you redecorate?” He comments gazing at the walls.
“I haven’t had the chance to for awhile. Sorry.” Once the water has come to a boil, she takes it off the fire. Grabbing a jar of biscuits and her favourite painted teacups, she started pouring for each of them. Silverbell smiles, blowing at his drink.
“Thank you so much for having me, Sugarfly.” He thanked.
“It’s really nothing. It would be improper of me to not invite you!” Sugarfly replies. Smiling as she did so, taking her seat opposite Sliverbell. She realized herself staring into the cup, her reflection staring back in the liquid. The thoughts became louder, and she found herself looking to her friend.
“Silverbell.” Sugarfly started. “Do you ever feel bored doing your job?”
“Not really. There’s always something to be done. Intruders, pranks, party planning, there’s never really a dull moment in this kingdom.”
“Yes, but have you ever wanted more?”
“Like what?”
“Leave the kingdom! See the world!” Sugarfly exclaims. “C’mon! Don’t you want to know what it looks like?”
“Why would you want to leave? You’ve got everything here. Food, friends, a purpose…”
“Yeah, but who really likes what they're doing? Or are they only doing it because it’s all they know?”
“Did you know? In the Hollyberry kingdom, the people there celebrate in ballrooms and on the streets, nothing like here! They don these gorgeous, dazzling dresses dancing into the night!” Sugarfly flourishes her hand dramatically, wings rapidly flapping behind. “All those large, pouffy, beautifully made dresses…Those shiny, glittery jewels…Who wouldn’t want to wear them?”
“I don’t know, Sugarfly. Those dresses sound uncomfortable.”
“And-And I heard that all the trees have leaves of green, not teal, real green! They don’t have spores floating everywhere! You don’t see that in the Faerie Kingdom!”
“But…Elder Faerie…the beasts looming over us…”
“You would want me to be happy right?” Sugarfly finishes.
“Maybe…When White Lily wakes up, you could ask her to bring you on your travels.” Silverbell quietly suggested. Her wings stilled.
“Oh, I…guess that is an option.” She muttered, feeling her wings droop behind.
“I-I should leave.” Silverbell quickly pushed out his chair. “It was nice talking to you. I could invite you to my place next time.”
“That sounds lovely.” Sugarfly whispered, holding open the door. He stops short of her tiny porch.
“Goodnight, Sugarfly!” He smiles reassuringly.
“Goodnight, Silverbell.” She softly replies. He leaves as quickly as he came. As soon as he was out of sight, She shuts the door, slumping against it. She should have known he was against it. Why would he support her leaving the only place they knew of? Sugarfly’s gaze falls on the vanity mirror. She approaches it, studying her appearance more. But the more she looked at it, the more she hated it. Her eyes felt heavy but she still needed to clear the dishes. Once that has been done, she slumps into bed. She feels sleep overtake her, and as soon as she wakes, will be met with another, monotonous day.