When Reality Died.

[Remiel]

Robin watched her for a moment. Then he sighed deeply, and reached across the table to take her hand.

"I know. This all must seem overwhelming to you, Your Highness. I wish your visit to the Sunlit Lands had occurred in...better circumstances.  I would have liked to show you the Rainbow Fields, or taken you sailing on Glassy Lake.  But these are dark times for the Faerie Kingdom, Princess."

He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.  "There is power in you, I know it.  I have seen it before, and I see it still.  You may not know how to tap it, or even remember the old words, but ... it's there, believe me.  And your people...the people of this kingdom.  They believe in you.  Just your presence alone will strengthen their resolve and their will to fight.

"You are not alone, Your Highness.  I will be with you, for as long as I can.  We will find friends...people who can help us.  But we must move quickly."

[Kaileikehi]

Jude frowned, grasping hold to is hand tightly as though she were scared to let go. His hand was incredibly familiar and safe, full of the comfort it had brought when she was small. "I don't understand... I mean... I don't... I can't..." She fought inside herself, trying to find the piece of her that understood, that knew what he was saying. She tried to register it... and couldn't. "Please stop calling me Princess and Your Highness.... it's overwhelming..." She clung even tighter to his hand. "I want to help, I really, truely do, but I don't know how."

((Sorry so short.))

[Remiel]

Robin watched her for a moment, studying her expression intently.  His blue eyes wandered back and forth over her face like a typewriter, as if trying to read her thoughts, her memories, her fears.  Tiny specks of gold twinkled from within the blue, like fish leaping from the surface of a clear blue lake.

Then he smiled.

"Don't worry about that, Pr-- Jude.  You'll know what to do, when the time comes.  I know you will."

He squeezed her hand tightly, then let go. 

"I have to go talk with someone now.  Please finish the rest of your soup, Your H--Jude.  I'll be right back in a moment."

He walked to the entrance of the cottage, and, with a reassuring grin at her over his shoulder, pushed the door open and walked out, letting the door close behind him.

By now, rosy beams of sunlight were filtering through the windows and the cracks in the cottage roof.  The crickets had grown silent, and the trill of a bluebird filtered through to Jude's ears.

Something else flittered in through the window.  At first, it looked like a moth or a bee or a small golden hummingbird, as it buzzed through the air.  But when it settled on the table by Jude's hand, she could see that it was, in fact, a tiny girl.  A girl with golden wings and golden hair, so long that it covered most of her body.  In fact, she didn't appear to be wearing any clothes at all, but that was all right, because what bits of her that weren't too small to see were mostly hidden by the hair or the wings.

She blinked up at Jude with disproportionately huge eyes, and made a soft, lilting buzzing sound.  It almost sounded like a question.

[Kaileikehi]

Jude nodded and bit her lip, a bit wary of being left by herself in the cottage, but if he felt she would be safe here, then she would trust his judgement. She was tempted to follow him, to beg to not be left alone, but remained in her seat. She sipped further at the drink and ate a bit more soup before the little wings girl flew in and landed beside her.

Startled but enchanted, Jude blinked and leaned foreward to get a better look at the tiny creature. She was a beautiful little thing, twinkling and fluttering. When she spoke, Jude frowned, only hearing a tiny whisper of sound. "I'm afraid I cannot hear you..." She held out a friendly hand, offering it to the creature. "Won't you come closer to my ear, please darling?"

[Remiel]

The fluttering, twinkling, shining thing looked at Jude's hand, and then looked at Jude.  She blinked her long (well, relative to her size, anyway) lashes at the girl, and made a sound like "?"

Then, without warning, she took flight, swooping in a tight arc in the air, diaphanous wings flitting, and landed on the very lip of the ceramic clay cup.  She peered down at the remainder of the honey-sweet amber liquid left within the container, and then, after a moment or two, fell in with a *sploosh*

[Kaileikehi]

"Oh no!" Jude cried out with a scream. She grabbed the cup and tipped it over, the liquid rushing out onto the table along with the tiny creature. She scooped her up with wide eyes. "Are you alright? If you wanted some, I could have gotten you some in a small glass...."

((gah))

[Remiel]

The amber liquid spilled out as Jude upended the cup, and the tiny winged creature tumbled out with it.  She rolled over several times, eventually ending up on her bum.  She seemed dazed, but not unhurt, and made a sound like "!" before hiccuping wetly.

The door creaked open, and Robin's steps announced his return.  "Jude, I'd like..." he began, before spying the scene upon the table.  "Oh no," he murmured, but there was no panic or horror in his voice, only amusement.  He made his way to the table, and caressed the creature's tiny face very carefully with a fingertip.

"Pixies," he explained.  "They love ambrosia, even though it's not good for them.  They get drunk very easily off it." 

" :-) ", said the pixie, rubbing herself against Robin's finger.  He scooped her up gently in both hands.  Then he lifted her to his face and blew gently on her wings.  She giggled, a very sharp, tinkly sound, and as they watched, she took off, flying around the room before eventually finding an open window and escaping from it.

Still smiling, Robin turned toward Jude.  "Jude, I'd like you to meet someone.  This is Sir Xander of the Ethereal Knights, Guardian and Protector of the Sunlit Lands."

At his cue, something stepped forward from the doorway.  It was a...suit of armor, but dwarf-sized.  That is to say, the tip of the metal helmet was at the same height as the top of Jude's head as she sat at the table.  Within the helmet, there was...nothing, just empty space where a face should have been.

And yet, a heavy metal gauntlet raised up and snapped into a salute, armoured fingers striking the brow of the helmet with a metallic ting sound. Chainmailled heels clicked sharply together.

"At your service, Your Majesty," came a tinny echo from somewhere inside the helmet.

[Kaileikehi]

"Ambrosia?" Jude tilted her head to the side. "Pixies?" She was curious, as she watched the little creature zoom about and then disappear out the window. She was sad to see her go. It would have been nice to have gotten to know the little thing despite not being able to hear a thing she was saying.

Her head was still facing the window when Sir Xander came in, and she turned it at the sound of his feet hitting the floor. She blinked and stared at him in shock, wondering whether she should ask if he could see without a face or not, but figured that would be rude. Instead, she rose from her seat with a smile and cautiously made her way over to him, sticking out her hand for him to shake. If he was ok by Robin, he was ok by her. "It's nice to meet you Sir Xander! I'm just Jude, ok?"

[Remiel]

The helmet didn't move.  If there was a face under there, it would probably be staring at Jude's hand in shock.

The helmet turned, and looked at Robin, who shrugged. "She doesn't remember," he said. "Don't be rude, Sir Xander.  Shake hands with your Pr-- with Jude."

Slowly, very carefully, the suit of armor raised its arm with a creak of iron.  A heavy steel gauntlet grasped Jude's hand, gripping it with extreme care.  It felt, of course, like a metal gauntlet ought to feel like; it was cold, and slightly oily.

"I am honored to meet you at last, Your H.."

Robin cleared his throat meaningfully.

"...Jude," finished Xander.

[Kaileikehi]

Jude laughed, grasping his gauntlet firmly and shaking his hand up a down with a smile, not seeming to care what it felt like. "Robin says it isn't berry season, but what about apples? Are those in season yet?" She beamed at them both, dropping his hand and twirling about to stare at Robin inquiringly. "Would we be able to make pie?"

She was suddenly very energized, something about the ambrosia or soup she guess. She spun back around. "And Sir Xander! I suppose you're going to come with us, to search for people, who will help us save the Sunlit Lands right? We'd need a good trusty knight along of course." She nodded to herself. "I know Robin likes pie, do you like pie? My favorite is a berry quartet, you know, blueberries, and raspberries, and blackberries, and strawberries... But Robin said they're not out this time of year... pity." She frowned and skipped back around the table to pick up the spilt cup and started wiping up the ambrosia with her already soiled nightgown. "I think we're gonna have some good fun, despite the dark forces."

[Remiel]

Robin put his hand out, to object as Jude began to wipe up the spilled ambrosia with her nightgown.  "Um...Jude..." he said, hesitantly.  "That's probably not a good idea, unless you want to have dozens of pixies clinging to your dress the moment you step out of here.  Hrm.  Perhaps we should find you something else to wear."

Sir Xander, meanwhile, shuffled his armoured boots, somehow managing to look embarrassed and awkward, which is quite a trick to do without any kind of facial expression, or, for that matter, a face.

"Your Highness, I regret to say I will not be joining you.  By your leave, I must marshal our forces here and prepare our defenses.  I wish I could go."

Robin shook his head. "Peace, Sir Xander.  We all know you are needed here.  Jude will be just fine.  I will be with her."

"As you say, my Lord.  Where will you go?"

"To seek the help of the Nac Mac Feegle."

The suit of armor gasped, a metallic echoing noise.  "The Mac Feegle? But they're not... that is, they're..."

"Yes.  I'm quite aware.  But we need all the help we can get." 

The gauntleted hand saluted reluctantly.  "As you say, M'lord."  Turning back to Jude, Xander said, "Your...Jude? It was very nice to meet you.  Perhaps someday we can make blackberry pie. I'm sure it would be delicious."

With that, the armor turned and tromped out of the cottage.

[Kaileikehi]

"But... I like the pixies..." Jude grinned and dropped her nightgown back downhaving finised clearing up the mess. She frowned looking down and realizing she was covered in ambrosia and whatever that red liquid in the cup she had broken had been, probably wine. "I could go back home and change...?" She was then distracted by Sir Xander leaving and she frowned. "Oh, it would have been nice to have him along... But we'll manage." She lit up, smiling at Robin.

Jude made her way around the table and promptly hugged him around the middle.  "Robin? Who are the Nac Mac Feegles? And why is Sir Xander so wary of them? Are they bad? And if so, why would we ask for their help?" She breathed, yes, she remembered him even better now. That old familiar naturey scent washed through her and she buried her face against his front, nuzzling rather affectionately. "I missed you."

[Remiel]

  "The Nac Mac Feegle aren't...bad...exactly..." said Robin, wondering how he was going to explain it.  "They're just more sort of...unrefined.   Unpredictable.   More to the point, they're not your people.  They're... strangers to the Sunlit Lands. Foreigners. They came from somewhere else.  They're really decent folk, though, once you get to know them," he added. "Usually.  But they're incredibly brave, and fearsome in battle.  With the Mac Feegle on our side, we might just have a chance."

He seemed surprised when she reached out to throw her arms around his middle.  But then he smiled, laying his arm across her shoulders.  "I missed you too, Jude," he murmured. "I missed you too."

Indeed, he smelled of everything good and magical about childhood.  He smelled of warm summer days, and pine trees, and (curiously enough) snow.  He smelled of grassy fields, and dandelions, and wildflowers.  He smelled organic, like a forest in full bloom, or a farmer's field at harvest time.

[Kaileikehi]

"Well then, I suppose we must find them, if they are brave and unafraid of battle as they sound to be had we not?" Jude smiled, beaming up at him with great delight. She snuggled up to him affectionately, her thumb finding it's way into her mouth as it always did when she was afraid or very comfy. "Nac Mac Feegle.... such a strange thing to call someone... I wonder where they got that name?" She pondered thi aloud as she relazxed, letting his scent swirl around her and [lease her to the point of sheer joy. "How will we find them, and when do we begin?

((GAH! I'm soooooooo sorry! My internet has been down and I'm stuck on the downstairs comp and it sucks but yeah. And I'm sorry it's short.))

[Remiel]

Robin observed Jude tuck her thumb into her mouth, but his only response was to smile.  No one would ever mock or make of Jude for nibbling on her thumb, not here. Not in the Sunlit Lands. Not in her kingdom.

"We must leave shortly," he told her, gently letting the hug unwind.  "We must meet the Mac Feegle up in the highlands, near the Skybreaker Mountains.  The way is long, and treacherous, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. I have a few friends who can aid us."

He carefully untangled himself from her and stood back, looking at the thin material of the dressing gown, now soaked in ambrosia. "We should first find some clothes for you.  How's your arm?"   He gently touched the elbow of her cast.

[Kaileikehi]

Jude beamed at him, letting go. "Well, let's leave as soon as we can then. I want to meet the Feegles." She bounced about happily, her messy hair bouncing with her. She kept her thumb firmly in her mouth, talking around it with ease. "How far, exactly, is this journey? Who's going to help us? Are they nice? Well, I suppose they must be if they're your friends, huh Robin?" She was still unsure about trying to save the kingdom and whatnot, but an adventure sounded lovely. A chance to take her mind off of her sister. "What're their names? Are they like you or Sir Xander or different?"

Glancing down at her cast she blinked, having forgotten it was there. "It twinges sometimes but my doctor says I'm healing up nicely considering how messed up it was. They had to put in a little metal thing one part was so crushed, but that's just until the space between the bone grows back." She tilted her head, looking down at her arm curiously. "He said it should be completely better in two more weeks."

[Candybot]

[would like to play a character of Nac Mac Feegle, if it's okay.]

[Remiel]

(Anna -- it's certainly fine by me, but Jude's not quite there yet.  If you can be patient with us for a few days, they'll certainly be a role for you. That is, of course, if it's okay with Kaileikehi.)


"Let's go, then," he said.  "I have a friend who can get you some nicer clothes, and she might even be able to do something about that arm. "  Releasing her, he strode up and opened the door of the cottage.  Behind her, the grandfather clock -- the only thing in this world that didn't quite belong, that belonged to a world of funerals and ambulances and hospital rooms -- ticked away the seconds, its pendulum swinging from one side to the other.

Outside, if she chose to follow, she was greeted by an explosion of...light.  And color.  That was something you could say about the Sunlit Lands.  It was very bright, and it was very colourful.  Long ago, when Jude was in kindergarten, she had been tasked with drawing a place that she'd like to live in someday.  This... place, this world, was exactly like that. 

Except that it wasn't drawn in in crayon, obviously.

Gentle green rolling hills, lush with grasses and flowers, surrounded the cottage; a wide, trickling river gurgled away in the distance.  All manner of birds flit through the air, trilling a song that seemed as complex and as orchestrated as any major civic symphony.  Ahead of her, a tall, white castle stretched, almost to the sun, trellises and battlements and towers almost gleaming.  Colorful banners waved and undulated in the breeze, bearing an insignia of Jude's favorite animal, done in Jude's favorite colors.

"Your castle, Jude," said Robin, smiling in the way of a rich uncle bestowing upon his favorite niece a grand present.

[Kaileikehi]

Jude's heart sped up when she stepped out the door. She blinked rapidly against the sun, her eyes having gone from dark, to dim, and then, to this, the happy brightness she'd always adored. Holding her arm up she stood for a moment, shadowing her face. As soon as her eyes had adjusted she let her arm fall to her side and she blinked a few more times before a smile lit up her face almost as bright as the world about them. "Ohmygoodness! I know this place." She laughed and darted to a cluster of strange flowers, pale pink, Jude's favorite color when she'd been five, with purple stems instead of green and blue leaves. She beamed, bending down as her nose was filled with the most wonderful scent in the world.

"Oh Robin!" She looked back up at him. "We made flower crowns out of these once! Remember? You have to help me make mine because I couldn't quite figure it out. And they lasted for ages, never died, just like the flowers. They never die on the vine and take years when plucked..." She reached a hand out, stroking a petal gently. "Are there still friendship flowers as well?" She looked up at the castle, at the manateea on the flags, the most gentle of animals, so Jude thought. "My castle... oh yeah... I forgot about that. I've always been fonder of the cottage to be honest. Good times here. But the castle is gorgeous too." ((Absolutely. ^_^))

[Remiel]

Just then, something buzzed over to Jude. It was the golden pixie from before.  Making a sound like " :-)", she flew in a tight circle around Jude's head and then, in a succession of random spirals, zipped around the girl until she glomped onto Jude's nightgown just above her left knee.

Another glittering flying thing, this one silver in color, appeared from beyond the cottage and looped wildly from the sky until it, too, clung onto Jude's gown, this time over her stomach.

"Oh, no," Robin said, although he seemed as amused by the events as anything else. "I was afraid this would happen. The pixies smell the ambrosia in your gown.  Quick, let's get up to the castle and change you into some different clothes."

[Kaileikehi]

Jude gasped in shock at first as she became the pixies' happy house of ambrosia. The first two ere quickly followed by a rainbow, red and purple, pink and blue, green and yellow, orange and white. She burst into a fit of giggles as she was clung to, looking down at the little sparkling ones drinking the ambrosia from her nightgown. "They're still so very cute!" She reached down and plucked the smallest, the pink one, from her gown, very gently, cradling her in the palm of her hand. "This one's got flower petals on for a dress... so they're not always naked?" She smiled as the little one took up cuddling up in her warm hand and sucking away at the frilled edge of her sleeve. "And this one still looks fairly young, she's so tinchy."

Very distracted by the pixies, Jude had stopped walking to observe them and looked up to realise this. She bolted foreward, the pixies keeping right along with her, to catch up to Robin.

[Remiel]

"Well, most of them don't see a need for it," he responded to Jude's question.  "But sometimes the younger ones like making dresses for themselves out of flowers, or bird feathers, or leaves.  Each one has her own preference."

By now, they'd made it to the castle, which was like something right out of a fairytale: white sparkling towers, pointed minarettes, pendants flapping in the wind.  A great wooden drawbridge lay sedately across a real moat, in which, yes, brightly colored fish were swimming around.  The doors were wide open, inviting and welcome, and as Jude watched, a column of living suits of armor marched out.  Sir Xander was at the front of the column,  leading the march.  "Company...halt!" he ordered, as Robin and Jude approached.  The suits of armor stopped abruptly, in perfect formation.  "And...salute!" bellowed Xander.

With a chorus of metallic pings, gauntlets struck empty helmets.  The warriors stood at attention until Jude passed.

"Forward...march!" yelled Xander, and the squad began marching again.

In the castle courtyard, a variety of strange beings were visible.  Gnomes, dwarves, giants, elves, fairies, along with all kinds of animals, both familiar and mythological.  As she gaped, a giant sparrow hopped up.  The bird was enormous, easily the size of a pony.  Stranger still, a pair of spectacles perched on its beak, and an apron hung down over its birdy chest. 

"You must be Princess Jude, dear," said the bird, turning its head this way and that to get a closer look at Jude.  "I'm Mrs. Periwinkle.  You probably don't remember me."  Noticing the pixies clinging to Jude's nightgown, she flapped an irritated wing, causing them to scatter. "Shoo! Shoo, you naughty things."

Her tone eased somewhat as the last pixie fluttered dreamily away. She sounded a bit like Jude's grandmother, whose face always brightened into a rosy smile whenever Jude and her sister came to visit.  "Let's get you into some proper clothes, dear.  Do you prefer wearing trousers or a dress?"

[Kaileikehi]

((Gah! Sorry sorry sorry... ^_^;;; ))

Jude smiled. "I think I like them best with clothes. But naked is ok too." She stroked the pink pixies head fondly and gently as her sleeve was suckled. When all the other pixies were shooed away, the pink one stayed, safe in Jude's hand and perfectly content. She waved. "His Sir Xander!" Smiling she skipped past the suits of armor. She paused on the drawbridge to kneel and look down at the little fish with absolute delight. She adored fishies. "They're so pretty!" And back up again to go through the doors and into the courtyard.

She stared up at the Mrs. Periwinkle with wide wondering eyes. Blinking for a few moments before she let out a squeal and promptly broke into a run that ended with her hugging the great bird around the middle just as she had hugged Robin earlier. It was easier to not recognise a humanish face than it was to forget a giant bird. "Mrs. Birdie!" 'Periwinkle' had been beyond her slow to grow vocabulary when she was younger. "I remember! You make everything pretty!" It was a five year old's understanding,. because she didn't remember exactly what it was that Mrs. Periwinkle did besides making things 'pretty'. "Oh.. um... both? A short dress? Over a pair of trousers? THan I could get dirty all I wanted and still appear somewhat proper... right?"

[Remiel]

"Anything you wish, dear."  The giant sparrow seemed pleasantly surprised that Jude remembered her, and extended a wing, folding it around the girl in a feathery hug.  "Welcome back, Princess.  I wish it could have been under more auspicious circumstances."

She withdrew the wing, and shook herself. "Right. You lot!" This was to a mob of smaller birds, who had been watching the scene from the nearest door. "You heard the Princess. Let's make her a short dress and a pair of leggings!"

Immediately there was a flurry of feathers, as every bird seemed to take off at once.  There was chaos, and a noisy din of tweets, chirps, and honks.  Birds flew up with swathes of fabric; Mrs. Periwinkle would eye each one critically, and choose one.  Then they flew back, cutting and measuring and sewing. 

A robin and a bluebird landed on Jude's shoulders, carrying a measuring tape between them.  They stretched it, measuring her shoulders, her armspan, her height, her hips.  The bluebird fluttered up her nightgown, before being scolded fiercely by Mrs. Periwinkle.  "You naughty thing! Off with you!" she swatted the abashed avian.

Through it all, Robin simply smiled and shook his head, leaning against the castle wall with his arms crossed. 

At last the birds produced a pair of purple leggings, and a bright blue dress which stretched down to Jude's knees.

"In here, love," said Mrs. Nightingale, ushering Jude into the room and then closing the door behind her.  "All right, all of you who aren't women turn around and cover your eyes!" she ordered.  Roughly half the birds complied, hopping around to face the opposite direction.  The giant sparrow held the dress, ready to drop it over the girl's head when she was ready.

[Kaileikehi]

Jude watched with absolute wonder. She giggles as feathers tickled her everywhere and the swarm of birds flew in ever which way. It was amazing how they could work so very quickly. Her nightgown was swept upwards and she looked down and hopped backwards as a bird tried to get under it. She didn't know there was such a thing as peverted birds but there you are.

"I.. oh!" She blinked as she was led into the room in what seemed like no time at all. She giggled watching the male birds turn on Mrs. Periwinkle's command. It was astounding how the large sparrow had so much control over the smaller birds, but then, she guessed that's how it was just about everywhere. The bigger people always telling the littler ones what to do. Not quite a bad things when one thought about it, unless it was an over need for power.

Jude took the leggings and tugged them on under her night gown before slipping the white thing down and off her body and holding her arms up over her head as Mrs. Periwinkle dropped the dress over her. She giggled as she was caught in the fabric for a moment before her head poked up and through and she tugged the dress down about herself. "Thank you!"