1 Prologue: Leaving Home

The wind tossed the trees, painting the ground with an assortment of leaves and causing the guards standing outside of the brown doors to become worried. They exchanged looks meanwhile, those behind the doors left the wind unnoticed. Past the soldiers, past the large brown doors, stood a couple in a heated discussion. An argument between hushed tones and shown through figurines as a child play on the floor of the kingdom's battle room. The Queen and King's slim figures moved as they explained their plan using their map, their wings anxiously fluttering now and then behind them.

"If we attack there, innocent villagers will become casualties. We should attack closer to the dock. Infiltrating through there would allow us to attack the Fallen Fae who are guarding there before leading directly to their headquarters." Queen Aegean removed the miniature soldiers from the mountains and moved them to the doc, showing her plan.

"That will take too much time, attacking out of the mountains allows for more coverage and we'll be able to go straight to headquarters. We may have the pixies on our side, but we should attack where more land and less water is involved." King Aegean argued, trying to retrieve the soldier figurines from his wife.

"Time? Too much - Cray Aegean since when has time been more impor-"

"Mommy, can I have a pet lizard?"

"Not now honey," the Queen lowered her voice, "there are people's lives at stake. You're not going to argue that they are less important than time merely because they aren't your own subjects."

The Queen and King continued their hushed arguing as their daughter pet the black lizard. She tucked her blue hair behind her ears so she could peer more closely. Its smooth shimmering black scales glimmered in the light of the room. She gently ran a finger down its spine and the lizard snuggled against her wrist. A second lizard appeared under the little girl's small cape. She gasped in excitement, eyes about to explode as she spotted a third. They cuddled against her ankles as she stayed squatting to petting them. The first one licked her hand and she giggled, its bumpy tongue tickling her hand.

"I like you too." She whispered, "Mommy never did say no." She scooped up the first one and placed him on her shoulder before picking up the other two in her hands.

"Daddy, what do lizards eat?"

"Squirt, not now daddy's busy too." The King paused, realizing his daughter's words. "Wait, lizards?"

He and his wife looked over to their daughter and her three lizards. Looking back at each other anxiously, the Queen shook her head.

"Harmony, where did you get the lizards? Mommy wants to... make sure they're safe." The Queen only took one step as the brown doors were burst open and lieutenant Celia barged into the room, panting.

"They're in Willows Eve! They're coming!" Celia shouted in between breaths. "King Jasper is already on his way."

"Alert the castle's guard immediately, and get Harmony to safety." The Queen looked at her daughter, "without the Lizards." Harmony frowned at her mother's lack of appreciation for her lizards.

"Aw, but I'd love to meet the girl." The wind flooded the room, knocking the figurines over and causing Harmony to fall on her butt. Everyone's eyes were stuck on the figure in the doorway. His large black wings assisted the wind's turbulence as he hovered in the doorway. His face covered by a black robe that covered all of him but his hand that he was pretending to admire.

"Jasper." King Aegean's voice was full of spite.

He turned, to face the family, "It's King Jasper." His silver eyes glanced around the room before falling on Harmony, "you like my pets?"

Harmony frowned, understanding that meant they couldn't be hers," Yeah." He whistled and they scurried over. He settled on the ground and lowered his wings.

"You too, come here." Harmony stood up. The King and Queen bit their tongues, knowing they needed to wait for Golden Flurry to come as long as Harmony was there.

"If you touch her..." the King began to threaten. King Jasper smirked and carefully took Harmony's hand.

"My what lovely blue skin you have." King Jasper complimented mockingly. Harmony ignored his comment, staring at him. "What?" He lowered to meet her gaze.

"I like your eyes." Harmony grabbed his cheeks, genuinely amazed. The King was speechless for a second before chuckling and removing her hands.

"Harmony! Come over here." Queen Aegean had enough of King Jasper's show.

"My, your child is definitely an apple far, far from the tree." Harmony looked at King Jasper one more time before obediently going to her mother. A breeze drifted into the room and King Jasper smiled.

"Your army awaits, is she joining?"

"In your dreams, Alvia!" A young pixie appeared before the queen. "Take Harmony. You know the drill. Take Leonus with you. Don't turn back, the kingdom is no place for a child anymore." The parents kissed Harmony's head before giving her to Alvia, who rushed off while soothing Harmony with a sleeping siren song.

Alvia went to the weapons room, both the portal and Leonus were there. Her purple skin dancing with color as the flames shone light through her iridescent wings. Leonus' work was hidden by his large white wings, the fire accentuating his dragon scales. She stared at the long white hair that flowed over his muscular back. She hesitated before speaking up.

"We need to go. Jasper has infiltrated the castle, they want Harmony to go to the human realm." Leonus hammered his sword harshly and tossed it into a water bucket. His large stature usually made Alvia feel safe, but today it just made her feel small.

"This isn't right." Leonus turned and walked over to Alvia. She held Harmony close as she avoided eye contact. "How come the princess is rushed to a whole different place while everyone and their children are still stuck here?"

Alvia walked over to the far wall, drawing symbols in the dust to open the portal. Leonus had spoken up about his disagreement with this plan since the King and Queen introduced it at the beginning of the war. He saw Harmony's ability to leave as an act of cowardice and selfishness since other children were not having the same pleasure.

"It's not up for discussion. It's our job, and you know fae are the ones who power the core. Having at least one royal fae will be better than none if worse comes to worst." Alvia finished and turned to face Leonus as he walked over.

"I'm not going. I'm not leaving everything we've worked so hard for behind. If she grows up here, it will help her become strong and build character. Instead, she's learning to run away." Leonus tilted Alvia's chin gently. "Stay here with me, please."

Alvia's heart ached for her fiancé but was heavy with the duty she knew she would fulfill anyway. Many knew Pixie's held strong grudges, and it was all because they don't go back on their word. They hate lies and false trust. Similar to their element, water, they never forgot. If she backed out, she would feel unbearable guilt for her whole life.

"Leonus, I love you." Leonus felt relieved as Alvia lifted herself and kissed him. "I understand."

"Good. I'll protect you and everything will work out, okay?" Alvia looked at him sadly, he thought he had gotten her to stay. She sighed, things were not that easy.

"I also understand, pono ke aloha i kekahi palekana*." The portal swirled to life behind Alvia as she kissed him passionately before throwing herself backward into the portal. Leonus was stunned before grabbing out for Alvia who was already gone. The portals dispersed after her, leaving Leonus heartbroken and angry.

*translated to "love must be some protection"; Pixie language is Hawaiian. Alvia is telling Leonus that love requires some safety.