Chapter XIX - Another Home
The Legend of Leanna Page: Vol. I
You’re reading The Legend of Leanna Page, the page-turning mythopoetic queer literary fantasy. *Click here for the Table of Contents and start of Volume I*
Previously: Leanna was banished from Masor and ran to Pavoline to try and save her father from Guiomar’s wicked plans, but she was too late. She is now in the dungeons of Pavoline hoping Kennedy and the fairies can save her from being executed at dusk. Will she escape? Where will she go next? What will happen in the kingdoms? Read on!
Leanna had known fairy warriors. Indeed, she spent part of her life with them. Still, never once had she had the opportunity to observe them perform their work. It was only late afternoon, and yet she was near certain she had fallen into another dream when, sitting in the center of her cell, she saw a score of green wisps of light flutter into the dungeon and each find a place, hidden, in its every crevice. The guards blinked and looked round, but settled back into their posts, unsure. Looking directly ahead of her now, Leanna found a shrunken pair of wings glowing blue, and a young peasant fairy she would come to know as Nientz gesturing for her attention. She gave it, and the fairy brought her hand over her nose and mouth and motioned for Leanna to do the same. The prisoner raised a curious eyebrow, but brought her kerchief up, shielding her breath.
She watched now as Nientz removed half-opaque spheres from her satchel. The spheres were, in truth, of considerable size, but appeared to Leanna as small marbles in the miniature fairy’s hand, which now glowed as Nientz deployed them, placing them on the ground and rolling one each to a guard in the hall. The opaque quality of the spheres had been due to a thick fog held within them, and they now turned entirely translucent as the fog escaped, filling the air around the guards and persuading them all into a sudden slumber. Leanna smiled with amazed respect upon hearing a satisfied chortle escape from Nientz.
After a brief hesitation during which the mist settled upon the dungeon which now had no conscious human save Leanna, the tall, verdant, winged warriors began enlarging themselves and emerging from their concealments. The score of them circled round the barred wall of her cell and she saw now, as they did of her, that they shared the same state of youth. While most all the fairies gawked at the human object of their mission, still sitting, amazed, on the ground, one came forward and aimed a steady bolt-spear at the lock of her cage. The prisoner shielded herself from the coming detonation, but none came. Instead the warrior sent a careful set of minute lightning sparks into the locking mechanism and inaudibly unclosed the cell door as though it had never been locked at all. This warrior, a tall, broad-shouldered girl with a knot of thin, chartreuse hair pulled neatly to the nape of her neck, maintained a cold stoicism as she swung the door wide and stood away from the opening. A shiver of concern struck Leanna with the worry that her rescue was, to some, an unwelcome assignment by the queen’s heir, but all anxieties melted from her consciousness when Kennedy, wearing a magnificent smile, stepped from behind the warriors, into view. Leanna mirrored her countenance and accepted her now outstretched hand to raise her from the floor. An active stillness hovered over the assembly as its leader and purpose stood gazing at each other, apparently each in renewed awe of the other’s loveliness. The warrior with chartreuse hair signaled impatience with a cough, and, at the sound, Kennedy regained her urgency.
A variety of gestures from the Alquorian heir set the fairies into a ready airborne formation. Expecting her confusion, Kennedy took Leanna by the hand and, offering her a knowing wink, set off in flight, wrapping her arms around Leanna’s waist, holding her tight, maintaining a position of safety in the center of the fleet. Nientz remained close behind them as they were encircled by the formation of flying warriors. The human girl, this being her first time traveling through the air, lost all sense of danger and let loose numerous exclamations of glee. She felt Kennedy’s silent laughter against her back and returned her attention to their purpose. They now soared through the halls of Pavoline, taking the paths unhaunted by servants and guards on a route the warriors had scouted upon their arrival, flying past bedchambers and armories, leaving the stairway to the dungeon far behind. Flying silently, the warriors were undiscovered, and thus unchallenged, for much of the escape, but as they neared the grand entrance, turning into the decorated antechamber that sat before the open courtyard, the stationed knights saw them clearly and readied for battle, calling to their fellows for assistance. The chamber was soon flooded with knights donning the emerald-green crest of the Ranzentines and holding their swords and shields aloft, ready to strike. Despite knowing naught of the technique, Leanna thought to wrench free of Kennedy’s grasp and aid in the battle for her escape, but even as the thought occurred to her, she was made instantly aware the extent to which her exertion was unneeded.
Two by two, the verdant fairies displayed their valor, peeling off the edges of their ever-symmetrical formation and performing their battle-dance with carefully rehearsed spontaneity. Each knight that tried their hand, leaping up to meet their flying foe or thrusting an aptly aimed poignard towards a heart or wing, was met with perpetual disappointment as, in response, they encountered a faultless deflection and lightning attack from the fairy’s spear. Leanna noted, however, as she watched the Pavol knights fall upon the ground, that all in the end were left unaided or unconscious, yet too left constitutionally unharmed. When the last number of knights standing began a retreat, the fairy warriors all pointed their spears to the grand oak entryway and, with a magnificent flash, sent the double doors flying to the limits of their hinges, leaving ample space for the party to exit with smooth celerity into the open air.
Leanna saw the stake that had been readied for her execution in the center of the yard, now to go unburnt, and, in relief, she let loose a celebratory laugh, spreading her arms wide as she soared with Kennedy in the path of the warriors high above the castle and toward the Wood. Kennedy spun so her wings faced the ground and the whole of Leanna’s weight fell into her embrace as together they looked up to the clouds, floating ever nearer to the Sky. The party entire began to relax and, as they flew peacefully on their way, Kennedy sang one of her poems into Leanna’s ear.
SKETCH OUR SOULS
Whence may we turn when our river runs dry – When all we feel is hurt? We search the earth from East to West and find No solace in the dirt. Rivers may gleam and they glide on the land, Yet they remain confined. We are the ones with no limits except The limits of the mind. Holding each star and each rain that doth pour, Lamenting not the weight, The Sky doth not fall, only grows and expands, Directing us to fate. Destiny vast with such dreams that do stir, I marvel at us now. Rivers alone cannot hold what we are, So Skyward must we plough. Clouds swirl within us and mist sprays around, So never could we dry. Never beholden to borders unjust, We sketch our souls through Sky.
They remained in their airborne embrace for some time, Kennedy instinctually blazing the trail towards Anwansi with Nientz and the warriors in tow, and Leanna watching the Sky gracefully darken above her with not a care of their current direction, noting the stars that began to welcome her into another night, feeling at last safe and free. At length, they began to be surrounded by branches and greenery, and Kennedy whispered in Leanna’s ear, “Art thou ready?” She knew not what for, but Leanna nodded assent and grasped onto Kennedy’s arms as they tightened around her. The fairy spun round again and, in concert with the rest around them, made a steep dive into the depths of the Infinite Woods, leaving trails of green, blue, and purple-white sparks intermingling with Leaves in their wake.
When the group’s feet touched ground, all looked curiously to Leanna to see how the human had fared in the vicious descent through the Infinites. She met their eyes with an ecstatic smile, and quickly fell into favor with the adventurous bunch.
“Great gramercy to you all,” she said, and received only humble nods as the troop began to amble across the Forest floor towards their home. She turned to Kennedy. “I cannot thank thee enough,” she said.
Nientz hurried up beside her. “We were told a spectacular being had been jailed unjustly by Guiomar of Pavoline, and required no further persuading.”
Leanna smiled to her but then grew worried at a scoff from the chartreuse-haired warrior some paces ahead. With a sigh, Nientz corrected herself.
“Most of us required no further persuading.”
Kennedy offered Leanna a look of assurance and explained, “That is only Phidia. She is kind, but despises defying decrees initially, even when they are wrong. Her spite is not aimed at thee; it falls on I tonight and shall disintegrate with the sun.”
Leanna turned sharply to Kennedy. “What decree hath hither been defied?”
“Oh, none, truly! Only a little order from the Elders not to rescue thee.”
Nientz chuckled at Kennedy’s confidence and Leanna looked to the laughing fairy, alarmed. A nod of her head confirmed for Leanna Kennedy’s words.
“The Elders ordered such and still thou didst charge a score of warriors to accompany thee?”
“Peace, Leanna,” the royal fairy urged. “Thy life was at stake, and we have all defied the Elders for far less. All my friends here are underage as we are and can be deployed by no royal command. Despite their varying levels of enthusiasm on this occasion, all are hither of their own accord and all are allies who shall guard one another, with strength or wit, from the Elder’s disapproval.” Those walking near who heard Kennedy’s speech turned round and offered nods of affirmation, save Phidia who remained forward yet still slight could be seen agreeing.
“I do wish you had required rescuing in Masor, Leanna,” Nientz said. “I so wished to catch a glimpse of just one of the infamously lost mirrors.”
“Lost?” Leanna inquired, remembering the mystical glass. “I had been told they were gifted.”
“Oh they were! All but one,” she explained, launching into her favorite story. “After the Oxbien finally conceded his defeat to the Wood, he accepted the mirrors as a token of the fairies’ interest in peaceable allyship with Masor, especially strong due to false word of our monstrousness spreading so vast in Pavoline. Naturally, one was maintained at Anwansi to keep open the method of contact. It was utilized only once to invite Emmrand Oxbien into the castle whither his prideful rage at the defeat overtook him and he bludgeoned the mirror to shards and murdered Xelasker Bean who was their only creator! No one has attempted their reinvention from fear the Masorians would make wicked use of such a direct connection to Anwansi, so I have only ever read of them in histories.”
Leanna scoffed, shaking her head at thought of the false Masorian account of the tale. She looked to Nientz who had returned to trotting cheerfully beside her, navy curls bouncing about an azure countenance. “How came you to be among us? Are you a warrior?”
Nientz released another of her chuckles. “No, I am blue through-and-through, and with it have no interest to fight.”
“She does not give herself due credit,” Kennedy assured. “She herself is a creator, just as Xelasker was. Those sleeping-spheres used on the guards are her own invention. You may be no warrior, Nientz, but any queen would be a fool to ban your brilliance from the battlefield.”
“Thank you, Kennedy,” Nientz blushed, small hints of purple revealing themselves on her cheeks.
“Thank you!” said Leanna, and Nientz nodded to assure her it was welcome. “I admit,” Leanna went on, “I marvel at the benign effectiveness of the fairy weaponry. In all the human kingdoms, the bolt-spear is thought of as naught but an instrument of death, a firm case against the fairies in the eyes of many.”
At this, Phidia spoke at last. “The bolt-spear is naught but a weapon when utilized with inexperience and anger, but with training and grace it is a tool of protection and honor.”
Nientz whispered to Leanna, “she memorized that from the rule book.”
“That is how you know it is correct, Nientz,” Phidia rejoined at the jest. Subsequent laughter abated as minds traveled to remembrances of the bolt-spear’s recent history in human hands, and Leanna’s mind followed that thought to the most recent atrocity the owner of those hands ordered upon her own father.
“I imagine many a weapon might be benevolent when in the hands of one other than Guiomar Ranzentine,” Kennedy conjectured, but Leanna was too lost in grief to hear it.
At length, they reached the point of a promontory and peered over its edge to see that the inhabitants of the Anwansi pool below were sheltered and unobserving. Then, with caution and in turns, each fairy fluttered to and from projecting branches, Kennedy carrying Leanna among them, until they floated down the lengthy descent beside the smooth hollow’s walls, landing softly on the piers. All waved their salutations and repeated thanks as warriors, peasant, and royal alike departed to their assigned sections of the watery city. Kennedy brought Leanna carefully around the water’s edge to its opposite side where they snuck behind the waterfall and into the royal caves. When at last they reached Kennedy’s apartment undetected, they fell upon the bed in relief and giggled in their successful plot.
“Surely I shall be discovered tomorrow,” Leanna whispered.
“By then, what are they to do of it?” Kennedy smiled.
“There is still the under-pool.”
“Queen Okalani would never allow it. Thou art safe, Leanna, I assure thee.” She gave her a small kiss, and they both relaxed into the other’s embrace, allowing their eyes to close. Kennedy opened hers again, gazing upon the dark brown countenance of her human beloved, sensing the sadness within. She brushed soft fingers against Leanna’s cheek until she reopened her eyes.
“Thou hast still not told me all that happened last night.”
Leanna felt the loss and betrayal begin to encroach completely upon her, but she temporarily forced them to the side. “Tonight,” she promised. “I’ll explain everything under the peace of sleep.”
Kennedy smiled. “So we are still to dream together?”
Leanna nodded. “I must first briefly dream with another, but then, as in every night to come, I shall be thine.”
They kissed once more, and fell into a deep slumber.
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