Challe took a step forward. “But there is another way,” he said. “A way to slowly clear out the stagnant residue of the last five hundred years: to join hands with the humans, to coexist with them, and to create the relationship we both need.”
“Is that really a way forward?” One of the fairies, sounding exhausted, grumbled unbidden.
“Fairies by nature make even better candy crafters than humans,” said Challe. “That’s precisely why the humans safeguarded the silver sugar fairy, keeping her alive. If the Silver Sugar Viscount’s plans work out, you will have the chance to get your wings back and live as silver sugar fairies. You’ll be just like human candy crafters. But that won’t be enough to change the world. After that, it will probably take many decades, many centuries even, over which both fairies and humans will have to change.”
It wasn’t fair to the fairies, of course. It was no easy feat to ignore their present lives in order to focus on a future that was hundreds of years away.
Challe himself had been captured by fairy hunters and bought and sold. At that time, all he had desired was freedom, and he hadn’t been able to think about anything beyond that.
But since he’d regained his wing, he’d learned that in present-day Highland, there was no place where fairies could live freely in any true sense.
He had also discovered that humans and fairies were not incompatible, and that it was possible for them to live together.
The person who had taught Challe all this was the girl now listening to him with an earnest look in her eyes. It was as though she felt a personal responsibility in his words.
That’s right.
A memory suddenly came back to him of when they’d first met. He had spurned Anne for saying she wanted to be friends, and she had responded.
“That was something Mama and I believed. But ideals and dreams won’t ever become reality if we don’t act on them. So I’m doing just that, taking action.”
Those were her words.
Even now, she was saying the same sort of thing to the fairies. She hadn’t changed.
Challe knelt in front of Allele and placed his hand on the fairy’s shoulder. “There’s a possibility that fairies and humans will be able to live together,” he said. “And there remains a chance we might slowly take our world back. We might reclaim the songs that you and the woman you’re looking for sought. Someday.”
The fairies timidly gathered around Challe, still confused. They all stared at him in wonder.
After a little while, Allele raised his head and cast an imploring stare at Challe with his crimson eyes. “Who exactly are you?” he managed.
“Yeah, who are you?”
“Who?”
The fairies asked him this in hushed tones. Their hoarse, fearful voices seemed to imply that they instinctively understood they were asking something they shouldn’t.
“Nobody special,” said Challe.
“That’s a lie,” one of them said. “You’re different. There’s something unique about you.”
Challe stood up and casually shook his head. “Even supposing that I was someone of note, that doesn’t mean I can do anything for you. If we want to change the world, handing absolute power to one individual won’t help. Each and every one of us needs to be determined to do their part. That’s why I’m asking this of you. I want you fairies to seize this opportunity, even if it means joining hands with the humans.”
Allele looked pointedly at Challe. “And if we take this chance, we’ll be able to take back the world we want?” he asked.
“Someday. It might take a decade, or a hundred years, or several centuries. It will not be quick.”
“Several centuries, or even longer, is fine. But we’ll be able to get back our songs, too—the ones we should be singing?”
“Absolutely.”
Challe had no positive proof, but he believed in the possibility. So he put all his determination into his answer.
Without so much as blinking, Allele announced, “In that case, I’ll go back. I will follow you.”
He bowed to Challe as if it were only natural. When he did, the assembled fairies slowly knelt and followed his example.
“We will do the same.”
“We’ll go back.”
Their words of quiet resolve spread like a breeze flowing across a grassy meadow.
Their determination didn’t come from the promise of their own freedom and happiness. Rather, they were looking a hundred years or more down the line and basing their decision on that. Their words of conviction had a sorrowful quality.
In response, a vivid thought came to Challe.
I need to see with my own eyes where the human king’s vow leads.
The other fairies’ feelings strengthened his own. As did the sight of Anne, standing at the lake’s edge and staring anxiously as the others knelt around him.
I can’t afford to fear walking alongside the humans… Anne…
He stared at the small young woman with her skinny arms and legs standing amid the fog. Despite her petite frame, she was a flexible and resilient creature.
…I never want to let you go.
Those feelings were just as firm and unwavering as his desire to create a future for his fellow fairies.
If Anne, a human, was bound to Challe, a fairy, it might make her unhappy. Fearing that, Challe had sealed off his affections for her and encouraged her to seek a future with Keith.
But he saw now that he, the very one who had urged the other fairies to resign themselves to walking hand in hand with humans, had given up on staying with Anne out of fear.
Challe needed to take a good hard look at his own feelings.
I don’t want to let her go. I want to protect her forever.
That was the one thing he’d never doubted. It was always clear and constant. But how should he deal with it?
Challe quietly issued an order.
“Stand up, everyone.”
The fairies complied and rose to their feet.
“We will return to Hollyleaf Castle.”
The fairies nodded without eagerness, but calmly, as if they had reached some great understanding. Then, along with Anne and Challe, they started walking in the direction of Hollyleaf Castle.
It was a little after noon when the fairies arrived back at the castle. Weary from their day and night on the run, they seemed relieved when they stepped into the entryway.
“Anne! Challe! And everyone else!”
Noah came running from the first floor of the west wing, where the workshop was. Behind him was Emere.
“Noah, Emere, we’re back.”
Anne caught Noah as he launched himself at her and patted his smooth purple hair.
The fairies looked a little embarrassed in front of the others. Emere stared at their grass-stained clothes and muddy faces and shrugged with an exasperated smile.
“My, you’re all dirty. Go shower off and clean yourselves before you start working, okay?”
Allele glared at her and made an unpleasant expression. “We don’t need you to tell us that.” Then he turned to Anne. “Is that all right with you?”