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Laurella pouted, but remained where she was as Petunia and Begonia left.

“I don’t see why I can’t go to,” she complained to the king. “If the elves were a problem I could talk to them.” She paused before adding proudly, “I am friends with the Prince of the Elves.”

The king, who had been dozing since the immediate crisis seemed to be over, snapped to attention.

“You have met an elf!?! How did this happen!?! This is terrible news!”

Laurella was terrified by the change that had come over the fairy king when he was angry. She almost ran away.

“BRING ME THE PRINCE OF THE ELVES!!!!!!” he shouted

“Yes King Feather,” the nearest guard squeaked before leaving the throne room as fast as he could.

“Feather?” Something clicked in Laurella’s mind but it only made her more confused. “But that is the name of Talon’s dad.”

“You called, Your Majesty,” came a tired voice from the doorway. Talon walked in to stand by Laurella’s side with Adleig close behind. “I don’t think I have ever been invited to the throne room before.”

“Do you know this human, slave?” the king asked furiously.

Talon glanced at Laurella, his expression calm and reassuring.

“I told you, you were forbidden to talk to any humans in my realm!!!!! You will face much punishment for this Talon!!!!!”

Talon remained calm, which seemed to anger the king even more. “I don’t really care how you punish me //father//,” he replied in a normal tone of voice. “//I// told //you// that I would not allow another human to be trapped here.”

“Don’t be silly Talon,” Laurella said, trying to calm the situation. “I’m not a prisoner. I am here to help with the amolnamy.”

“There is no anomaly Laurella,” Talon said gently while turning to face her. “That is just a story told to keep any humans who wander here calm. Humans actually chance through the gateway all the time. Boys and adults are sent home, but girls, like my mother years ago, are told that the fairies need their help and they must stay. When they are old enough, the King here, or one of his elf lords, takes them for their wife.” Talon turned back to the Fairy King and took a threatening step forward. Adleig stayed near Laurella. “When a fairy marries a human, their child is an elf. King Feather has created a workforce out of his half-breed subjects.”

The fairy king was obviously furious but you could also tell he was trying to calm himself. Finally he got himself under control “Of course, none of that is true Laurella. All we need is your help with fixing the anomaly. Then, when it is fixed, you can go home.”

“And how long will that take?” Laurella asked, starting to doubt. She could not forget how furious the king had looked before. She noticed that while the king was watching her, Talon moved a couple steps closer to the throne.

The king had no answer. Everything Talon had said was true, and the fairy king had no other tale then the one he had already used.

Laurella finally perceived the truth. She glared at the King and took a step back, away from him. The griffin stepped with her, as if set to guard her. “I would like to go home now please,” she said firmly.

To her and Talon’s surprise, the king began to laugh manically. “That is no longer possible! You will never make it out of Fairy City!”

Worried, Laurella looked to Talon for help, but he reassured her with an almost mischievous smile. He was now standing almost right next to the king, who was laughing so hard he did not even notice.

And then it started. Talon gave one long shrill whistle before launching himself at the fairy king. Adleig scooped Laurella onto her back, just in front of her wings, and took off into the air. The girl and griffin flew through a large open window and out of the throne room. Laurella caught one last glance of the Fairy King trying futilely trying to escape from Talon’s grasp.

Adleig flew out of Fairy City and over the Sacred Plains. From the air Laurella could see just how big the fairy realm was. As she watched, there seemed to be a commotion coming out of the city and across the plains. Down below she could hear people cheering; not just the elves and other creature but some fairies too. Adleig flew on but Laurella kept her head turned around to watch for as long as she could.

Adleig finally started her descent long after the fairy realm had faded from sight. She landed just outside the edge of the Crystal Forest, 9 steps from Laurella’s back door. Laurella’s adventure had taken so little time that she even caught just Gregory coming out of his house.

Laurella did not go back into the forest very often after her adventure. She only went occasionally, whenever the purple cloud appeared, to visit her new griffin; gifted to her and watch over by the new king of the elves and the fairies, King Talon.

** THE END **