Alice Queen of the Faeries

I trod on the wet pavement, my hair matted and my mouth bloody..... i walked slow at first, then, i ran. My feet smacked hard against the roadway, as i cringed at every step i took, i remembered the screams of all the people i had once known. I found a wooded area and ran through the thistles without any heed to the sharp pains my feet felt. I had to get rid of my tormentors.... so i ran as hard and fast as i could. Adrenalin rushing through my entire body and my brain, all thoughts were irrational and sparatic. I felt the cold January air on my arms and legs and feet, and all of my body shuddered.... I didnt know where i was going or what i was doing but i knew that all i needed was to be free even if i did die in the wilderness of Kentucky.... I stopped running and fell to my knees..... i quivered as i stopped breathing to hear around me, the moon was high in the midnight black sky..... I heard the faintest of noises and cringed, but then heard footfalls on the pavement not so far behind me. I lay there motionless as if i were about to shatter into a million pieces. I looked to my right and saw a small cave-like opening and slowly crept over to it so as not to make even the slightest sound to give myself away.\par1

I heard them behind me, so i crawled a little bit faster to get to the entrance of the cave. My heart raced as i flung myself into the mouth of the black hole. I fell far and deep into a pit of nothingness and felt every piece of roots hit me on the way down into the obyss. I hit the bottom with a splash, and felt the warmth of the murky liquid that i had fallen in, strangly i could tell it was red and i tasted it. I touched my hand to my mouth and felt the soothing calm of the sweet liquid. It was something I couldnt even begin to discribe. The taste danced on my tounge as if to flirt with my tastebuds and to torment my mouth all at once. Something held out its hand to me and i touched it feeling the warmth of its skin against the frighteningly freezing skin of mine. The thing came close to me and held me at its heart and tried to warm me, but I felt as if this illusion was just here to mock my needyness. It picked me up and sloshed out of the liquid onto a solid earth and held me stil close to its body. I felt hair as soft as silk and as thick as the musky fur of a bear, and it began to lay me in a bed like object and layed a heavy quilt of flowers that warmed me quickly. Before it covered me it cleaned my feet and undressed me so that i lay there helpless and naked in its arms, it cleaned my cuts on my belly and breasts and it then covered itself and me with the blanket of flowers that kept me warmer than any blanket i had ever owned.....2

My eyes drooped as I fell into a deep sleep and clutched the thing as if it were a once lost lover, and it clung to me too kepping me feeling safe and warm through the undieing night. 3

chapter two-4

I woke under a candle lit sky of earth and a room that was lavishly lined with old books and beautiful bounty of pillows. I looked under the blankets and blushed a horrible pale pink. I covered my head with the quilt of flowers and began to shake uncontrolably. I felt so scared that they would come back to make me be their sex-slave and waltz naked as if clothing never mattered. When i was able to wear clothing I was able to run outside and to try to feel free in the little caged room that was outside. Something the size and weight pawed at the quilt's exterior, so i let the quilt fall and there sat a beautiful black cat that meowed and purred at my hands and face. I cuddled it so close that i am sure that I almost strangled it twice. It pulled away finally to fall to the floor but when i went to look at the floor from the platform i had been laying on the cat was not there, but instead there was a man that looked to be in his twenties laying there with black beautiful hair like the cat's and with tattoos on his arms, his ears were slightly pointed and his mouth curved in a beautiful smile. His face curved perfectly and his eyes like ice, he got up off the floor and meowed at me happily. I remembered that i was uncovered on my top half blushed that horrid shade of pink again and then hid my face beneath the flower blanket. I felt his hands upon the outside of the blanket and tugging at it. I screamed lightly as I was uncovered, his smile turned into a look of concern when i let tears fall from my eyes, his warm hands lightly wiped them away gracefully. He cradled me and for the first time i heard him speak.5

"You are ok here in my cave, i saw them and what they did to you and I led you here... your predators will never find you again as long as you stay here with me and my kind," His smile lightly returned as he spoke, he held me close as i clutched at him tightly as he spoke of my tormentors. I found courage within me to respond after a long silence.\tab\par6

"What are your kind and why cant we live in the city where i belong?" I replying trying to sound steady. \par7

"We will see my little one, but first we must get you dressed for your welcome party, not many humans live as long as you do when they come here in such a frenzie, but i liked you because you are special.... not that such talents as yours not be recognized to you, you must get this all of the time," he paused seeing my puzzled look then began to explain, " your voice sounds like the faeries of the water worlds and your graceful dancing is like no other muse i have ever laid eyes upon," he smiled as he finished. then handed me a robe and ushered me into a bathing room where he drew me a bath and began cleaning me with care, i tried to push him away but he insisted that i be cleaned by his careful hands. His touch was so alien on every inch of my body, I blushed as he delacately touched parts on my body that my tormentors had been the only ones to touch. He caressed my skin and washed my hair as if he were careing for something that were so valuable. I was so used to being kicked by men and being forced to do things that i had not wanted to do, that i felt like i was being cared for as if i were all too precious of an item.... an item, that is what i had been, all that i had ever amounted to. \par8

He brushed out my red brown hair and then he ushered me into yet another room where my name was on the door, he opened the door and pushed me inside with only my robe on. He wispered to me through the door.\par9

"this is a room of all of the dresses i had made just for you, as i have said before i have seen everything, because i know you, please find something that you think is best for a formal ball and then come back to the hallway, i will take you from there," he smiled and then he shut the door quietly behind me. I gazed about the candle lit room, and gazed at all the beautiful gowns that had been made for me. I sat down on the floor and began to sob, i had no idea why this creature had been so kind to me and what i had done to deserve such a quick rescue, but i could not resist the temptation to take a gown from a hook and hold it to my skin... it felt as soft as the fairy dust that i used to get when i was a small child at the mall in my favorite store. I looked about the room and began to ponder what i should wear for such an occasion, i was so swept up in happiness when suddenly i saw a dress far in the back of the room that i had dremt of once a long time ago. It was a light colored green like what i thought faerie wings would be colored, and it was like a silk that could never be snagged and it was a simple dress that was still so extravagent, one that i always thought belonged on the pirates of the carribean on the body of the beautiful miss Swan.\par10

I felt so wierd that i was putting something on that seemed so perfect for a perfectly fucked up human being. I had it on and then began to walk towards the door and opened it to find the young man with a handsome deep, dragon green suit on and black sash with medals covering it. He bowed low to me and then offered me his arm and he led me into another room, his arm left mine and i was left standing there as he opened a box with something that shimmered in it. He put a sparking necklace about my throat and then wound his fingers into my short scraggly dry hair and massaged my head, my hair was suddenly longer and healthier looking. He put his fingers into my hair agian and made it curl at the ends and then put it up partially and pinned it with something that looked like a real faerie person that i could have seriously thought that he had just told to behave and be nice. He pinned some more sparkling things to my hair and then reached into a huge wooden chest that lay in a corner. \par11

He reached into the chest and drew out a short sparkling silver dagger with a light green stone on the center on its hilt. It reminded me of a miniature version of the broadsword that lionell from thunder cats had. He reached in yet again to retreave a set of velvet cloaks thet had two glistening silver crowns, one which looked like it were of silver leaves with little green dew drops on the tips of its ends of its drooping leaves and the other of thick thorns and thick brambles with the same dew-like drops of green on it as well. I watched as he unfolded the cloaks carefully and then gracefully draped one about my shoulders then fixed the clasps shut. He then placed the crown of delecate silver leaves upon my head and then settled his own cloak around his shoulders. He placed the bramble-like masculine crown upon his own brow and then held his arm out for me to hold, so i took it and we walked into the next room which was a great stair with a huge ball room filled with the people of the fae, some with fish-bowls over thier heads to keep water about them, others with fire for hair and some with ice on thier brow. some were dressed in leaves while others were dressed in other fineries of the forrest. \par12

They quieted and then gazed at our entry into the cavern-like room. Then a roar of cheers were sent up in hollers and many whoops of joyful glee. I was unsure of what was happening but i would soon find out that there was more to me being his date to the ball of the wonderous fae folk and an accessorie. I watched as the cheers died down and he began to speak.\par13

"My fellow folk of magic and wonder, i have at last found my queen and now will wage war with the titans of the human relm, I have succeeded in finding a pure human soul who will fight by my side and be my lover and the bearer of a new begining. Let the ceromonies begin!" he finished his announcement as i began to feel ice-like again. So this is what i was ment to be? his little doxy? I wouldnt dare be treated as so. So i began to cry as if i were about to die, i had no strength in me to try and fight my way away from him. He frowned and then held me close again like he had the evening before and he wispered into my ear.\par14

"I will fight these disgraceful titans to secure your dignity once again, for i am naught but your lover, and i swear that by the light of the moon and stars that i will make them all pay for ruining your beauty...." he trailed off and then kissed my lips for the fisrt time, and then said, " I, Spike, King of the Fae will solemnly swear to love and to protect the until the day that my last breathe be swallowed up whole by the depths of the angel fae of the heavens, will you trust me? My dear sweet Alice, please say that you will," he looked into my eyes meaning every word that had ever been of his utterance into, and for my ears to hear. I kissed him deeply to say that it was a "yes," reply and i smiled giddy with excitement. He and i walked gracefully down the steps into the main hall of Fae who were pleases with us and then the band of musical tiny creatures began to play and to sing as if thier life were worth nothing more and nothing less.\par15

\tab I fell into the mood of dancing and gleeful excitement and wonderful things were dancing in my head, i felt so alive and able to be happy and yet so free to do as i please. We danced half into the next three nights and then we feasted for one evening and then danced for another three or four evenings, each in a new room, never once getting exhausted in our giddy excitement of future fulfillment. I laughed and was merry for several days over and over we danced the waltz of the Fae and we trod upon the floor of flowers that smelled so beautiful as we stamped upon them. We ended the dance on the tenth day and slumbered for at least another week. I was so afraid to fall asleep, for it was as if i would miss something marvelous, but i slumbered so deep that i think i could have been dead. I woke on the night of the seventeenth day we all awoke to take council in the forrest. I was to sit in on the councils for spike because he had to have soldiers fitted with all manner of things that were needed for war. \par16

\tab I sat in the council taking countless amounts of notes on parchment like paper. I thought that my arm would fall off as i wrote down every last detail like the courtroom stenographer... it was quite amusing to most of the Fae that i took so many notes at my leasure and read everything that i could about what i needed to know about the lineage of the Fae royalty and then spending listless nights trying to map out evey square inch of the forrest and the rest of the united sates and most of europe. The fae all over the world would disable the power connections, throw off military connections and destroy all intelligence, leaving me as the last human alive on earth, which would make me a hot commodity, which is something that i shudder to think of.\par17

\par18

Chapter three-\par19

\tab\par20

\tab I fell asleep at a desk in the large study room of spike's palace, whislt i had been taking all types of notes on war tactics and planning out what would be most effective... i decided to make a proposal to save at least one girl and one boy child of each culture to keep safe from the fighting and starvation. I thought it cruel to try and force every single child to perish with the rotten of the rest of the world. Spike saw my notes and had already approved my plan to save a boy and girl child of each nation before i even had time to present my notion to the council members. He carried me off to a bed and laid a note for my eyes to read on the desk in the corner of the room. I lay there so drugged with sleep that i was in final peace after weeks of trying to wrack my brain for a way to make my reasonings seem concrete. I woke the next morning to find the note to read,\par21

\tab\par22

\tab Alice,\par23

\tab\par24

\tab please join me in the garden of the south side of the castle so that we may discuss the matters of our future and why i signed off on your notes before you presented them, \par25

\tab love your dearest\par26

\tab Spike \par27

\tab\par28

\tab I sighed and then tucked the paper into a pair of boots that i had fallen asleep in, I went to the nearst kitchen to retrieve a biscuit so that i could have just a little bit of added energy. I went out on my jaunt to the south side of the castle to get to the garden. I couldnt wait to get the explanation of why he would put my bills into motion without me even asking him to. It's not as if i needed an extra bost to overrule the council, i could do it all on my own, not that it hurt me that my future husband takes the same side as i do on saving children who are innocent. I felt better having something on my stamache and happily trotting along the long corridors to try and stay up in spirits. I found Spike standing in the garden with a bundle of wonderful flowers, tons of honey suckle and roses and all types of things that seemed magnificent and wild. I found myself showered with gifts and baubles that sparkled and shined as if they were made of the very stars in the sky. I simply put them aside because they were meaningless unless given with love, and i knew naught if they were given with love or in hopes of being impressed by such coin needed to perchase them. I cared for Spike as he cared for me, but i would not toyle over simple tresures that were so valuable to a material world. \par29

\tab I sat in the midst of a patch of fire Fae as they played with my hair and toyed with a simple necklace that i had on. I taught them how to hum in a harmony as they made thier little fires and played with others. I sat on the ground with my dear Spike and began to drift to sleep when i heard the aweful screaches of a young girl nearby. I bolted upright and ran to the aid of the young child. The tormentors that i had just been rid of had just kidnapped a new toy. I refused to sit by and watch this one, so i dashed to her aid and broke down the door to the grimey house and held my dagger at the first brute's throat. and he released the girl's hair, as the other clutched at the bedside for his gun i felt Spike turn up behind me and point his broadsword at the other brute's throat. I slit the man's throat and reached for the girl. The young girl was frightened by everything around her, and her mind like a moth flittering in the light of an outdoor lamp. I held her close and ran back to the garden and let her play with the fae until she fell to sleep with her little fingers curled in my hair. \par30

\tab I soon fell asleep there too under the tree of the fire fae, letting Spike and his guardsman carry us into my rooms to let us lay in silent peaceful slumber. I drempt that i could save the children so that i could have a perfect world, but i was only allowed two children from each region. I woke with the child clinging to me as it played with a black cat, the cat that was Spike, my dearest tiny Spike. He playfully nipped at her fingers careful not to hurt her in any way. \par31

The child was only around I would have to say around the age of five or six. A beautiful black haired Native American girl. Just thinking of taking her in as my own child made my heart warm and I felt that since I was now twenty- three, I could take care of a child. I would need the aid of a nurse maid and have dresses made just for her of the same lavish silks and beautiful hues of red and burnt orange. Just then I thought of something, what name would I bestowe upon her if she wanted a new identity? So, I asked her;32

"Young one, what is your name?" I said softly as not to scare her away and make her feel safe.33

"Mariah, it means the wind in my native language," she said still playing with Spike as a cat.34

"would you like a new name and to begin a new life here with me in this place?" I asked still unsure of the childs reaction.35

"I want my name to stay the same, but I would love to live here with you and the kitten!" She said giggling giddily as she played still.36

"Well, then it is settled you will be my daughter and I will do my best to teach you well. Would you like a nice warm bath and to pick fruit in the garden and have tea with me?" I asked in more of a motherly tone.37

"Oh! Yes, that would be great!" she said smiling, but this time she looked up at me with eyes like Spike's, a crystalic icey blue.38

I took her into the same bathing area that I was taken to my first night. I also brought her some things for her to wear, a beautiful burnt orange dress, the glittery fabric gave her an autumn like princess faerie girl look. Her tan skin and blue eyes were vibrant like the sun rays that poured from the sky on a summer day. "Come with me Mariah, we will get bicuits from the kitchen and a full tea pot of sweetened hot tea in a basket and pick fruit from the garden." She clung to my hand as we made our way through the castle into the kitchens and then out to the orchard.39

"What is your name?" Mariah smiled and asked politely in between biting into a fresh green apple and sipping her tea. "Well, if you would like you could call me Alice or mom, it is absolutely up to you my dear little one," She smiled and replyed "I would like to call you mom, because I have never had a mom before," She smiled ever so sweetly and then tackled me with a hug. I hugged her back and I kissed her forehead taking her up in my arms just as if she were my own.40

Just then horns were blown and I looked up to see dark clouds like nightmares darkening the skies. The fire faeries ushered us into a sprint back to the castle, I had Mariah on my back to carry her as we all ran into the building, "The humans have brought darkness upon us, we will have to remain indoors your majesties," The guardsman who guarded the door said while bolting the door shut. "Remain calm and I will have Vasuvious escort you back into the main chambers where your husband resides as of now," the guardsman Vasuvious popped out of the wall much like a fixture that suddenly comes to life to take us to Spike.41

We entered the main chambers where Spike was sitting in a throne- like chair as soon as we entered he sprung to his feet and rushed over to us. "What has happened? The skies are black and horrible feelings rushed at us, why?" I began asking in a flurry of words. As Spike drew near he picked up Mariah and inspected her for any signs of bruises or cuts. "My dear," he said, studying my face deeply like he did the first time we met, "The war has begun, but the children could not be saved accept Mariah, when you rescued her she was the last left not filled with hate and bitterness. She is the only pure soul left my love, and for that we should be very thankful."42

"Well, then we must teach her to never feel pain and suffering and keep her from the outside world until the war has stopped," I said hugging Spike with the child still in his arms.43

"Mariah?" I began, "yes, mommy?" she responded sweetly. "You and I are the last of our kind left, and if we are to survive we must remain here until the war is over, and then mommy, and daddy will make sure that you grow up with everything you need and to teach you all we know. I promise as long as you stay within these walls of this castle you will be safe, will you promise me to stay within the walls?" 44

"yes, mommy I will I promise," She said happily hopping down from Spike's arms, she trotted off in the direction of the grand stair case. I turned to run after her but Spike caught my arm and pulled me close for him to speak in a wisper. 45

"Alice, we have a problem. She will be a risk, we must assign a guard to her unless we want to lose the only human child left," He released my arm and I got light headed, and began to speak, "Spike, she will be with me every day but I have forgotten my promise to you, I should send for Vasuvious to watch her so that I may lead the second calvary into the human world. I have spent many days here with you and now it is time to put this dagger to use," My eyes fluttered from the heat coming from the fire place. 46

"My love, I will have to have the ice faeries and the fire faries and the forest nymphs bestow thier gifts of magic to you. I have powers of immortality and they too must put charms upon you to last you into ethernity," he said in a very serious tone, just then he motioned for faeries and nymphs to approach me. "Escort her to the sacred room of magic and perform the neccesary tasks then take her to the new rooms with the finest herbs and bed to soothe her in her transformation." He then turned to me, "Alice I warn you now my love this will be painful but you will wake up tomarrow stronger immortal and able to cast magic just as I can. The royal magic is stronger which is what you will feel intertwining with your blood, after you wake you will have to be fitted with our special armor and you will have your own weapons forged with magic intertwined within the steel and you will be ready to set out once you have all of the knowledge of our war tactics from the notes you took with the councel," he kissed my lips and held out a cup of warm liquid for me to take with me and then said as if to explain why I would need it, "Drink this after the ceremony and it will ease you into a deep sleep and then wake at the precise moment I will have the weapons master knock at your door tomarrow, he will also teach you how to fight and how to use your powers." Kissing me one more time he bid me off to the ceremonial room.47

"Lady Alice, I am called Alennimum I am the only nymph in all the world left who can perform this ceremony my kind were once dwellers of Ireland but were killed and only I remain. This ceremony, as Spike has told you, will hurt only when we draw blood with the dagger you wear around your waist. It will be useless to you after this is all done, please, follow us." Alennimum lead the way to the vast room that was decorated with gold gilt walls with red trim. It smelled of sage being burnt. There was a fire pit in the center of the room. I took my belt with my dagger in its sheath off and handed it to Alennimum his delecate hands taking it out of the sheath and holding it over the fire. He took my wrist ever so gently and slit from elbow to wrist and I began bleeding. He pulled my arm over the fire and placed the dagger in the center of the fire placing it on the ground flames lapping up my blood as the dagger lay there on the wood. As I held my arm over the lapping flames I began to sway as if there was music being played.48

Just then I felt a sudden rush of pain. My arm was sealed shut and the dagger disappeared leaving a jeweled ring of a large purple heart shaped diamond. Alennimum took the ring out of the now wooshing fire and put it on my finger. Suddenly I felt sick and with hands surrounding me ten faeries carried me to a well lit room with stained glass windows being pelted with rain. There were dried herbs hanging above the bed and lavish fur blankets. The cup Spike had given me with the warm liquid was now freezing cold and was pushed into my hands. 49

"Drink it, it will do you well now that it is cold," Alennimum said forcing me to tilt the cup to meet my lips. I drank it and as I drank I began to feel a rush of blissful drowsiness. I finished it and immediately fell almost to the floor but a big burly elf caught me and plucked me up in his arms and put me in the bed and covered me up with the soft extravegant furs. The next day I was awake and felt a sudden rush of cool air, the window was open, and I could hear screaming. A familiar scream, and then I realized it was Mariah! I ran and pushed the weapons expert out of the way and ran as fast as the wind could blow. I reached the outer door way and saw Spike rushing to Mariah's aid. I ran and took her up in my arms and saw that she had been stabbed in the chest.50

"NO!" I cried in agony, just then Vasuvios ran out broad sword in hand and rushed to protect me and the now limp body of Mariah. I lifted my hand and put it to her chest and closed my eyes and the stab mark was gone only a hole in her dress remained her eyes fluttered open and she flung her arms around my neck and she began crying.51

"Lady Alice we must get you inside," Spike while hacking down the last tormenter ran to me and ushered all four of us in running. "Spike if she is to live she must undergo what I have to make her immortal if she is to survive!" I said rage turning to angst just wanting to keep her safe. "Alice she is much to young she could die if we do that to her she is not yet old enough by law to be granted such things as you have," he said breathing hard from running and fighting. I held her close and then looked into her eyes, "What did mommy say about going outside? Never, ever do that again, please," She nodded and I put her down. 52

"Vasuvious, watch her more carefully I must go I believe that the weapons master is waiting for me to suit me up and teach me how to use my new weapons," I said gracefully walking out of the room Spike following me closely.53

"Alice, I hope you are okay, I noticed that you knew how to focus your energy to bring her back. How did you know how to do that?" He stopped me gazing into my eyes as if to question what I truely knew. "I didn't, I just felt that that was what I was supposed to do. It just came to me, call it faeries intuition," I smiled, "Are you going to help the weapons master fit me for armor and making a sword and other weapons?" I asked politely. He nodded and then walked with me hand in hand to the hall where the wseapons master had been waiting before I burst out of the room and flung him into the wall.54

"Your majesties," He spoke in a strong voice, and bowed to both of us, "I am Blurn, the weapons master, I see you have your gifts and talents bestowed upon you my lady I witnessed how you saved the child. Impressive for your first spell casting," He smiled and then said, " Lord Spike has been prince for over a thousand years but he knew you would come, it was written in the prophecies. You will be a great warrior no doubt as well as a sorceress," He leaned forward and wispered for only us to hear as the maid servants passed by, "You will be riding into battle on the magnificent white unicorn in the stables, which are under the west towers. He will add extra protection against the enemy, his name is Silver, after all his father was the sargent of the last battallion with Spike's father, Roland upon his back. But that was a thousand years ago, Spike's mother was a young faerie woman who was the one who saw the prophecies and had the elders prepare for you. She knew you would be the one who would be married to Spike as long as you lived through the bestowing of gifts ceremony. The ring you wear is your wedding ring, it was his mother's ring before you, she left it knowing that you would come and make her son very happy," He smiled as he turned pink on the cheeks, "Oh! I forgot, here this is the key to your personal armory we must head there immediately and then you must be married tonight! You will look beautiful no doubt!" Blushing still. He led the way to the west end and right above the stables I put the key into the lock and unlocked it, the door swung open and the entire room was polished like silver. The stones in the floor were even silver as were the stones on the walls.55

"Here is all your armor, finest Steel mended with magic for an unpenitrable seal. Chain mail in the wardrobe cabinet, armor plates in the dresser drawers. Breast plate hanging on the wall right here to your right. Well that's all there is to see, now you must meet Silver the noble steed that will aid you in your war efforts," the gnome lead us down to the ground floor stables just below my personal armory. There he was the most magnificent and wonderous being I had ever seen with his glowing braided mane and his silver white tale.56

"Your highness, I was told I would meet the noble woman who would lead us to victory. What do they call you?" He asked politely, and I responded quietly, "My name is Alice, and I am quite glad to meet the one who will help me lead my new found people into war. I didn't believe that Unicorns were real, I'm just, well, dumbfounded and in awe of such a magnificent creature such as yourself." I said just trying to take in all the beauty of the magnificent unicorn. 57

"You need to hurry to your dressing room soon, your wedding to the prince is in an hour, every creature in the land will be in the grand ball room and clustering into the chapel to see the prophecy unfold. The fawns will play thier pan pipes and the griffons will be soaring above your heads with the forest nymphs dancing and the gnomes beating thier drums and the elves singing with the faeries dancing. It will be marvelous, and you to be the new queen will be the grandest part of the night." He sighed and then turned to Spike, "You must never let her go, even in the hardest of times, don't ever let her die, the prophecy will bear us all a new life of simplicity." Spike nodded and then patted Silver on his flank.58

"Let us go and get ready you have many things to do within the hour in order to ready yourself for our big night," Spike said, kissing my forehead.59

"Okay." I said almost too giddy with excitement to even think about the war that was to be waged upon the humans. I walked down the corridors up to the north tower where my dresses were and opened the door to see the pixies pulling out silks and ribbons and wonderous jewels. But the dress seemed so extravagant, I saw a simple cotton undyed white with lace up front almost like a corset in red surrounding the waist and rib cage. I pulled it off the hanger and showed it to the pixies, they shook thier little heads and tried to take the simple dress out of my hands. I pulled it away from them.60

"If it is truely my wedding I should be able to wear whatever I chose, or am I not given a choice? I dont want to wear all those jewels and that gown, I want something simple that doesn't have all that stuff on it, I want only the ring on my finger and the basics, no frills just simple. Okay?" I tried to be clear and precise with my words as not to offend them but they seemed to glow and they put the other dress away and helped me put on the dress that I had picked out.61

"My lady, the dress you just picked out is the wedding dress worn by Spike's mother on her wedding day, but the ring must come off and regiven to you by his royal highness once your vows have been said. The one thing that we really want you to wear is this necklace since you want simple things. It is a silver cresant moon with a star filled with diamonds the queen of the faeries is queen of the night, the mother of all the stars and that bore the moon, there," She said putting the necklace around my throat. It was perfect. Then the pixies evaporated and I was left standing alone. I picked up an old thome that looked long forgotten off the floor and opened it, and to my surprise when I opened it all that had been talked about with the prophecy was written out in a beautifully penned journal, along with dreams and notations, this was Spike's mom's journal. "Wow," I wispered in awe. Just then a voice surrounded me in the room, it sounded rough but melodic at the same time, "Daughter of man, I knew you would come to rescue our people after my time on earth was done my son has waited a thousand years for you my dear, Alice tonight you will be renamed and be given a name of the fae, do not fear keep this journal safe and once the prophecy is completed and the dust settles from the war and we are victorious this book will disentagrate and be no more. My son loves you so young one. May our blood lines intertwine and make wonderful children, beware as a prophecy will show itself to you and you will know what the elders know, I will leave you and you must be on your way to the great hall. Run along now! Don't be late!" It sounded so loving and it seemed like I truely did belong right here in this world. 62

I opened the door to be greeted by Mariah in a rose colored silk gown with a white ribbon in her hair.63

"Mommy! The nymphs picked these for you!" She handed me a bouquet of brightly colored flowers and when I smelled them they were sickeningly sweet but they were beautiful purples, blues, yellows, and one single red rose in the center. Mariah grabbed my hand and we walked to the main stair where Spike stared in awe and then he smiled as he watched Mariah and me walk gracefully as if we were gliding across the floor. He took a bow and then sighed in contentment.64

"I wish my father were here to walk me down the isle," I said with grief in my head.65

"I brought him back to see this moment and to walk you down the isle and then he will pass back into the spirit world," he said smiling, I hugged him fiercly. He motioned for Mariah to come with him, she took his hand and they walked down the stairs together vanishing into the door of the grand ball room. Just then my father appeared out of the thin air. I gasped, and it felt like all the air had been knocked out of me.66

"Father!" I cried. He smiled and held out his arm and I walked next to the spectre who glided down the stairs with me. My mother and father had been killed by my tormentors long ago in our home town of Indianapolis. My father had been a hard working blue collared man, a welder by trade. My mother a successful business woman. We approached the main door to the ball room and then we walked through the door and there were applause from every faerie, nymph, dwarf, and elf, the pixies fluttered around us and the fawns with thier pan pipes playing a slow beautiful tune and we glided down the isle then my father vanished once I was standing next to Spike. The ring bearer was a little elf boy and we picked up each other's rings and once we recited our vows to each other and he put the large amathyst- colored diamond and i put his golden ring around his finger. There were cheers, and hollers and singing. We danced late into the next day and then the festivities ended.67

"The weapon's master has made you a new weapon that will slice through any man's armor," Spike said smiling. I followed Spike as we walked towards my personal armory. We reached the door and I used my key to unlock the door. Once inside there was a armoir standing next to the window that had not been there the day before. I walked over to it and opened it and there it was, the most beautiful sword I had ever seen. An inscription ran down the blade. It was in ancient faerie words that I could not speak, or for that matter, read. I picked it up, it was surprisingly light almost as if it were an empty soda can. It had a jeweled hilt and the sheath was silver and had deep wine colored rubies. I felt a surge of energy run through me as i held it high above my head. It felt like I had been dumped in a hot bath of power.68

"Alice, today, we face the enemy. I shall ride by your side and we will be followed by many ancient bloodlines of faeries, nymphs, dwarves, gnomes, fawns, vampires, and werewolves. I have called them each from thier homes in France, America, Ireland, Scotland, and Spain. Many others will be coming soon too, the witches of Salem and the Warlocks of London and the griffons of the high lands along with the other mischellanious creatures. Within the hour we will be at war with the humans. Get ready in here and then meet me in the stables below and then we shall ready our transports and then we shall meet the troops." Spike finished and then I turned to see the fire faeries coming up the stairs to help me change into my armor.69

"Your highness," began a young faerie girl, "I am Zenith leader of the fire faeries we have picked out your dress for your conquest to save the world from the humans," She smiled and had the others hold up the dress, it was black silk with a silver leaf on the front. I walked over to it and then said, "Well, I would like pants to go under this. And then I think it should have two slits one on each side for movement, I can't very well move in a dress now can I," The faeries looked at the dress and then I snapped my fingers and the dress changed. It looked the way I wanted it to look.70

"That makes more sence," I stated. The faeries all nodded and then swept the dress i was wearing off and I was in the dress and pants within a blink of an eye. Then my armor was put onto me by the faeries, care given to make it fit tight but not too tight. I had everything on, but then I walked over to the amoir where my sword and belt were hanging. I took it out and put it around my waist snapping the clasps. I was then ushered over to a vanity table and sat. The faeries pulled my hair back into a pony tail and then snapped a silver vine- like barette in my hair. Then to top it all off they placed a silver crown on my head and then I was finished getting ready.71

"this is it," I said feeling like I had been born for the battle that would ensue with the humans. I was no longer a human, I was a faerie- human mutt mixture but non the less an immortal. I strode out of the room down the stairs, "wait! Lady you have forgotten your cloak!" The nymphs brought it to me and put it over my head and around my shoulders putting the hood down so that I could see. "Thank you," I said smiling. I continued down the stairs and reached the bottom and saw that Silver had been fitted with his own armor. I saw Spike astride a Lion named Daggeroth in his armor and ready for battle. They both smiled and I pulled myself up onto Silver. I sat in the saddle and then the doors of the stables glided open and we trotted out. The army of mythical creatures was here and ready to take action.72

I drew out my sword and so did Spike. All the reports were that every European city had been brought down and all that was left was to take America by storm. I could hear the war cries of every creature, Alennimum popped out of the crowd and handed me my shield which had a faerie on it. Spike had a shield already so we were off creatures following close behind we made our way into the city and then as the people came at us one by one they were cast down and more and more of them died in agony. By the time the night ended we had plundered and murdered our way through several towns and cities within the first three states. We set up camp on the border of Indiana and Illinois. The day time troops caught up on much needed sleep while reinforcements came from other places to plow through the rest of the midwest while we slept, tomarrow we would teleport using our combined powers to the west coast to finish off the humans and then the war would be over and then we would live in peace and the humans would be no more.73

What I didn't know, was that the next day would be the day I would have to give up Mariah to the werewolves. The day light came and so with it came the last day of the war. I was leading the second calvary into Washington State. The humans ambushed us. I told silver that I would be on foot so that he could go back and help keep the castle safe with the others that were sent back to keep things in smoothe runing order at the castle. 74

I slashed through a man and a woman came up behind me and began shooting at me I quickly twirled back and sliced the machine gun in half and then ran my sword right through her. I used my magic to crush tanks and citizens all met their end. I was exhausted by the end of the day, but I had just enough energy to transport back to the castle to lay my head to rest.75

The next day was the day of great celebration as the hate in the world was gone, but so too was my child. I had to give Mariah to the werewolves, because what I had not known was that she was a werewolf by nature, so she in turn must be taken to california to live with her new parents who would teach her everything she needed to know before she transformed. Which brings me to the end of my story, I saw a prophecy unfold about Mariah. I wrote it down in an ancient thome of my own and sent it to her new parents for her to read and see.76

The End. 77