The Journey of Two Sisters: Book 4 of the Kinstone series

The breeze shifts overhead, causing the trees to sway in the opposite direction. My crying steadies as something begins to fill the glen, something familiar, some otherworldly scent. The more the scent permeates the glen, the stronger it becomes. But my cries continue unchanged, almost ignoring it.

The sound of rings clanging against each other soon fill my ears as I feel a hand brushing against my face.

My heart shudders, thinking that it’s my mother, having followed after me from the Manor. I open my eyes, expecting to see her, but instead my eyes were met with a pair of deep emerald eyes, set within a pale, almost milky setting, and shrouded by long, pitch-black hair. My eyes grow wide as I recognize to whom these features belong to.

“Titania,” I whisper.

The fae queen smiles warmed as she kneels beside me, “Hello, my Little Fox. It truly has been some time, hasn’t it?”

I continue to stare into her eyes. A slight tingling of fear rises within me, along with a great sense of surprise that she is sitting in front of me once more. But it isn’t that I afraid of her anymore. We had been basically pen-palling each other since Mom adopted me last year. In that time we had become, to my knowledge, friends.

No…the fear is simply due to her once again showing up in front of me. The last time I had “seen” her was last year when I was at the Heathrow airport with members of my coven while on a trip to Italy.

I had seen her in the terminal, where she simply came to see me I think. She actually was able to slow down time and mask her presence to where only I was unaffected. All just because she wanted to see me.

I sit up and bow my head to her, “Your Majesty.”

I feel sheepish in her presence. But oddly enough, there is no overwhelming pressure, no sense of fear within me. When I first met her, I felt like a fox caught in a trap, scared and unable to move.

Her smile warms, but shakes her finger at me. “No. You and I are far too close for such formalities. It is and ever shall be ‘Titania’, my Little Fox.” Her hand continues to caress my cheek. She then sits down onto her knees.

“Come, my dear little one,” she says softly, patting her thigh.

All of my tension seems to fade away as I lay my head onto her leg. Her hand gently strokes my body, moving ever so tenderly across my body. “Always such a beautiful child,” she says. Her words seem to sing as they flow into my ears. “Such lovely eyes, a deep shade of sapphire with specks of ice-blue, a rare trait even in this vast world of ours.”

My cheeks blush a little more.

She pans around the glen, listening as the wind gently blows against the trees. “There is something about this place that feels tied to the fae in some manner. The little stones even bear markings of the fae.”

“This place has always felt otherworldly in a way to me,” I say, smiling. “As if detached from the rest of the Estate.”

She nods gently, “I would have to agree, my Little Fox.”

I smile softly, feeling her caressing my hair.

Being like this feels like I do whenever Mom holds me, feeling warm and safe.

Well…not quite. Mom is Mom, there’s no real comparison. Being with her is as natural as drawing breath. May it be the mana-bond between us, or due to our destined bond. There have been days where I often forget that I wasn’t born to her. But on the other hand, I really was, just not in the traditional sense.

But with Titania…I don’t know. It’s like being with the part of you that isn’t tided down to who you think you are. I think for me it’s because I’m not fully human anymore. No idea.

“I’ve missed you, my Little Fox,” she says, stroking my hair. “I miss reading your lovely little notes you would send me. There are times when seeing a note from you would bring such light to my day.”

My cheeks blush deeply, “I’ve missed you as well.” I giggle, “I still have to thank you for sending all of those gifts to me. I really loved the dress. It…it made me fantasize that I was fae princess. I even imagined sprouting little wings.”

She grins. “I am so happy to hear that, Little Fox. However as for growing wings,” she chuckles, “that is truly a fantasy crafted by humans.”

I giggle softly, yet then sigh. “I’m sorry for not writing you. I’ve…kinda been a little occupied lately.”

I feel her twirling some of my hair, lightly brushing it over my ear, “It’s quite all right, little one. I know you’ve had to endure such great trials as of late. So many trials for a small child to endure.”

I peer up at her, “Thanks for sending my mom to me. I’m really grateful you did.”

She smiles, “You are quite welcome, Little Fox. For you, I would gladly do anything in order to help.”

In that moment, I thought of asking her to bring Marron back to me. But…no. I want to find her, I want to talk to her, but not simply have her reappear in front of me. While it be rather easy for Titania to find her, in a way it would feel wrong.

“I have a question, well two actually,” I ask.

“Ask me anything, my little one.”

“First, did you know about me before I was born? I mean…well…you know what I mean.” My fingers dig into the soft grass.

“No, I did not, my dear,” she replies. “I speak truth when I say the first time I even caught a glimpse of you was of when you and your mother traversed the shire two years ago. Something about you drew me towards you. Something familiar, yet also something else buried deeply within, waiting to burst forth.”

I tilt my head, something familiar?

Titania then peers into my eyes. Her smile warms as her face seemed to sparkle with the look of acknowledgement. “It seems you have undergone yet another wonderful transformation, my Little Fox. Your eyes seem younger, as though something within you has been lost, yet now you are complete.”

My cheeks burn even more. She caresses my cheek, “Now, what is your next question. For I believe another has been woven in with it.”

I look away slightly, “Did you know that my birth family was going to die when you said that I had a ‘beautiful yet tragic fate’? And that I was also going to be adopted by Rachel?”

The fae queen gently twirls more of my hair. “When I first laid eyes upon you, I saw Death’s shadow hovering close by, yet never dare wished to touch you. It was as though something else were protecting you, shielding you to where you would soon find where you truly belonged. Its form is that of a mist yet never dark, filled with an unknown quality. Even for someone such as I, I find it truly difficult to describe it.”

I look up at her, a bit confused.

She chuckles, “But to further answer your question, I will say that while I am indeed quite powerful, I am no omniscient. As I said, there are still things in this world of which even I have no knowledge of.”

I sigh, curling up into her.

Her hand seems to glide effortlessly through my hair. I blush softly, feeling it becoming softer with each pass.

“Now, want to hear a secret?”

I nod timidly.

“I believe you were meant to be born into our world,” she says. “Your heart and soul seemed to have been destined for us, and yet you weren’t among us. A heart born longing for a world where one can truly be free.”

She then chuckles, “Well now you are. You simply took a little longer to arrive to us.”

I giggle softly. “So you knew then didn’t you?”

“I did, but none of that ever mattered to me. All I ever seen within you is a beautiful little girl.”

My cheeks feel as though they were on fire.

Her smile seems to dim slightly, hearing her let out a sigh. “I have a slight confession for you Little Fox,” she says, now soundly sullen. “I…was the one who sent you the Xur’canah. I knew it and you were linked somehow, and so had to get it out of the hands of that foolish and cruel man. I knew he had been searching for it, so I whisked it away and had it brought to you.”

My heart thumps in my chest as I look up at her. I don’t know what to say. While doing that helped in the short term, it instead pointed a bigger target on my back. My eyes dart away, still lost in thought.

Titania gently reaches in between my ear and begins stroking it. I let out a soft whimper at her touch, but bit it back.

“I had no idea of the lows that man would steep to. Wanting to kill you in order to reclaim it. To want to then resurrect you and use you to create havoc and chaos against your own family.” Her voice grows angrier by the moment, now feeling the pressure of her aura pressing heavily against my body like a vice.

I wince, clinching my fists, trying to allow it to flow over me as I learned to when Mom and I trained after meeting Titania. But her presence was still worlds stronger and still much heavier than my mother’s. I groaned softly under it, feeling it harder to breathe.

Titania looks down, and quickly calms down. I let out a long breath. “Do forgive me my Little Fox,” she says.

I take a few deep breaths, centering myself. “No need to,” I reply, smiling up at her.

She smiles, stroking my face. “Now, will you do me a favor and assume the form for which you are known to many as.”

My cheeks burn softly as I stare at her. My hair turns from dirty blonde to a soft, pinkish strawberry-blonde. My ears flop up over my as nine long fluffy tails unfurl over my legs, covering me in a blanket.

The fae’s eyes glitter with surprise and awe. “You truly look magnificent my dear little Aria.”

I then feel her stroking my ears, causing me to coo like a child. She chuckles; leaning over and gently blew into them, causing me to wince, coiling tightly into a ball. “Now more than ever do I believe you are a part our world my Little Fox. Or rather, the Fox Princess of Colburn.”

I still feel my cheeks burn softly as my fingers twirl in the grass. “You’re not a part of our coven, are you?”

She chuckles sweetly, “No my dear Little Fox. But I know of its members, and its founders. Two of which I know personally. That Miriam, if riled enough, can make some fae quiver in fear.”

I peer up at her, “And the other two?”

She grins, “One is indeed fae. The last is well…let’s just say I do hope your paths cross. He has been eager to properly meet you, but constantly laments not being able to do so.”

“Who is he?” I ask.

She playfully taps my nose, “All in due time my Little Fox.”

I smirk. My gaze then turns slightly serious, “Do you call me your ‘Little Fox’ because I’m a pet?”

She flicks my ear, causing me to wince. “No my dear little one. I call you such because I knew that this was the form you were destined to become. When I first met you here, something within you bore kin to that of a fox. No, you truly were one. This and your cleverness impressed me during our meeting.”

I nod slowly as I listen.

She smiles, “You stood like a fox, watching and waiting nervously for a chance to flee when cornered. When indeed the chance rose, you took it. I truly was impressed by it.”

Feels my cheeks burning even more. The day I met her is one that I’ve never forgotten. Yet while I was scared because of it, I gained a wonderful friend as a result.

“But the truth, my Little Fox, is that I simply love you too much,” she says. “From the moment I saw you, your heart resonated with our world, and I truly sought to safeguard you where I can.”

I smile tenderly, feeling my tails swishing on the soft grass.

Titania then leans over, feeling the brim of her lips against my ear, “I wish to grant you a wondrous gift.”

I look up at her, meeting her gaze with surprise. My lips curl into a smile, “One of many.”

“That I have my dear little Aria. That I have,” she chuckles.

I take a long, deep breath, “I hope I’m worthy of all that you’ve given me.”

She caresses my face, “You have my little one. You are respectful, mindful of those over you. But you are likewise willful and stubborn, qualities I find to suit you perfectly. You have also given me something equally as valuable. You have given me your friendship. I truly enjoy reading all of the notes you send me.”

Titania then grins, “I still love rereading the last note you sent me before your trip to the land of which your true self was born.”

I thought for a moment about what she was referring to. My eyes then grow wide as my cheeks burn hotly. “If…if I offended you, I really do apologize.”

She traces along the rim of my ear causing me to coo softly, “Not at all my Little Fox. You spoke your heart to me, something I treasure. Even if fae can be tricksters and schemers.”

The note she is referring to is when she asked if I’d like to meet a young fae. This was rather odd due to the fact that fae indeed aren’t always straight forward with their words. I knew she wanted to have us become close, but I quickly turned it down. A choice I’m really grateful for, because I met someone that I fell for while in Japan.

Titania continues to stroke my hair, “Now, what I wish to give you is the ability to create fairy roads of your own.”

I slowly sit up and look at her, my eyes growing huge, “You’re serious?”

She grins, “That I am, Little Fox. Now, how versed are with fae magic?”

I sit on my legs, coiling my tails around me, “Well…mostly deflection charms, some basic memory spells, and illusions, mostly using kitsune magic for that. But other than those, not much. Now as for fairy roads, I thought only fae could create them.”

Her head nods a couple of times, “Very true. However, I am able to impart the ability onto others whom are not fae. Yet still there are risks when such beings utilize them.”

I sit quietly on the grass, ever the eager student having found yet another teacher.

The far grins as she eyes my shifting tails. “Normally, a fae is able to open a Road without issue, by simply holding out their hand and opening it to wherever they desire. But with you, you must do so by gathering up fae magic which permeates the world, albeit in more subtle quantities. Something while not uncommon for non-fae to achieve, given your previous studies, to open the portal would require a great deal more of you, which takes more time.”

I nod, listening carefully.

“For you,” she continues, “you will have to gather the magic and form it into a ball, nothing unusual again. But rather than say using it to attack or merely gather up magic, you are using it to force open a doorway. Tell me, you utilize more elemental and spirit magic correct?”

I nod, “Fire and water, but also wind with ice magic. As a kitsune my magic does revolve around the spirit world in a way. Earth magic, while I can use it, I don’t often.”

She smiles, “Well, that is good to hear.”

I blush softly at the praise.

Now,” she continues, “when you use a road, there are two conditions when using them. Either you have been to the destination before, or you must utilize leyline coordinates. You do understand what I am referring to correct?”

My hands fold into my lap, “I do. Their points along the leyline, much like on a map. But instead of following a map, you follow the leyline, pinpointing it along the various branches.”

“Correct,” she beams. “Now, unlike when using a mortal map, a fairy road cannot be simply opened by using such means. For even if you know the actual location of your destination, you will not be able to travel to it as you would by normal methods mortals use.”

A smirk rises on my face, remembering when Irina tried to probe my mind when I first met her. My usual mental defenses revolved around using old routes to places I used to live at or often attended. I knew of alternate routes to them, but never actually traveled them.

Hence the line I told her, while you may know of the path, it’s not the same as having actually walked it.

“Since you are not fae,” Titania restarts, “you must maintain some measure on concentration upon your destination, or risk becoming lost along it. If you are not careful, you could even leave the road having lost time. Be it days, weeks, months, or I pray never to happen, years. But for you, the travel will be but a mere few seconds. This will also be true for those whom might go in first before you. For them, the time they exit the portal may be slightly greater than for you. And given the circumstances, you and your party will be separated. But this will only be but a few minutes and a short distance.”

My ears stand erect, listening to her.

“The final thing you must know is if you are indeed traveling with a party, you must be the last one to enter or standing with them in order to close the portal behind you. For it will not on its own accord once you cross the threshold.”

Again I nod, wishing I had a notebook with me. The fae grins, summoning a clipboard and several pieces of paper, along with a pencil. I grin, quickly picking it up and jotting down my notes.

“With all of that said, I will give you two fail safes,” she says. I nod, looking up to her. “The first being if something were to occur in which you would lose your concentration while in transit, the road will take you where your heart feels safest.”

I tilt my head as an ear folds down in confusion, “That’s…cryptic.”

She chuckles, “Not at all my dear. It could be a passing thought in your mind or place where you feel truly at peace.”

I pan around, thinking that the Estate would be such a place. But…there is another.

“Now the second I give to you is when you open the portal, you merely call out ‘Tir Na Nog’, and no matter what condition you are in, no matter if you have either lost concentration or not, you will be transported to my doorstep. While there, no one will touch you.”

I smirk into small chuckle, “If I were to do that, would you let me go?”

“Maybe,” she grins. The both of us giggle softly.

To be honest, most people might think the idea of sitting with Titania, the queen of fae, and laughing with her as if we were normal friends to be completely insane. But that’s not the case with us. While it’s true I’m still respectful and mindful of her, Titania is indeed my friend.

There’s no pressure, no sense of dread or fear while I’m with her in the moment. It’s not quite the same feeling I have while with my yokai aunts, but it’s something along those lines. Familiar and safe.

Titania begins to teach me how to gather the correct magic in order to form the road. It took me a few tries, with the first five attempts sputtering in my face. But once I got the hang of it, we then moved onto actually opening the portal. This took a bit longer and slowly was beginning to drain me.

Again, like with gathering the magic, it took me several tries until I managed to create a small stable portal. The method she showed me was to gather the necessary magic, taking about fifteen seconds. I brought my hands together, collapsing the ball of accumulated magic to then fling them apart, opening the portal.

The next step after opening it, was to send something to a destination. I closed my eyes and begin imaging a place I hadn’t been to in a while. When I did, I opened the portal and tossed a small rock into it.

Titania showed me where the rock had landed, the cul-de-sac overlooking the park near my house in Chattanooga. I smiled with glee, but shirked back when I saw it land on top of a kid riding his bike and watching him fall over.

Again, Titania and I giggled. She also taught me how to incorporate leyline coordinates into the small spell circle, one she had crafted just for me.

Time slowly seems to pass us by, maybe an hour at the least. This is also the longest I have actually spent with the fae queen, and there was no tension, again no fear. This was simply spending time with a friend.

After I closed the last small portal, I collapse into Titania. I felt completely drained. This was much different than most skills and abilities I’ve obtained since I first began my magic training with my mother. I was using magic which simply put, is not really compatible with me. It’s like running a video game meant for another console. But I adapt. I always do. Now I have yet another skill to master. This is going to be fun.

Titania holds me gently, stroking my hair. My thoughts fall back onto my mom and my conversation with Miriam. I let out several soft sighs into her dress.

“What troubles your mind my Little Fox?” she asks.

I slowly open my eyes, “I had a fight with my mom and Miriam over my sister Marron. They call her a traitor and say if she is to come back, she faces expulsion or worse. I told them that I would fight our coven in order to defend her.”

Her hand twirls more of my hair, “Why would your sister be facing such a fate?”

“After the battle, she kidnapped me in front of my mother,” I reply.

The fae lets out a soft sigh, “Wanting to defend family is a noble act my Little Fox. But do not fight so hard that you risk losing more of it.”

I nod.

I feel her lean over, placing a kiss onto the top of my head. “If you ever need me, even if to talk, merely call for me.”

I smile, “Thank you.” I then giggle softly.

She smiles, “What has my Little Fox giggling?”

“I read in texts where it’s dangerous to say ‘thank you’ to a fae. Often doing so invites them into thinking that it means that you are indebted to them.”

The fae queen grins. “You have indeed been reading far too many books my dear fox. While it may true that fae often seek deals and favors amongst themselves and more so with mortals. But when it comes to you, I seek nothing. Nothing but your continued friendship and love as a friend.”

“Deal,” I said, grinning.

My ears flick up as I hear twigs snapping as I see my mother stepping into the glen. Beside her slowly walks Fenris. His ears are held low and behind his head.

Rachel bows softly, “Greetings Titania. I see you found my wayward daughter.”

Titania smiles, holding me gently to her, “That I have my dear Rivenfeld.” She then motions for both of them to come closer. “The little fox and I were merely spending a little time together.”

I watch both my mother and my bonded slowly step closer to us. She kneels down and opens her arms to me. Titania releases me as I fall back into my mother’s arms, clinging tightly to her. She smiles, stroking my hair, and rocking us gently.

My mother then looks to the fae, “Thank you for watching over her. I know it mustn’t have been easy.”

Titania grins. “She was no trouble at all. But…we did have a little fun, didn’t we?” she says winking to me. I giggle nodding.

Rachel looks down to me, “What sorts of mischief have you gotten yourself into?”

I grin to her, “Not telling.”

My mother rolls her eyes. She then peers down and saw a small stack of hand-written pages. Both her eyes and those of the fae queen meet. A smile rose on her face, “Thank you once more.”

Titania gently nods, “Anything for the little fox. And I must say, she looks absolutely beautiful as a kitsune.”

My mother beams brightly looking down at me, and softly stroking my hair, “That she does.”

I giggle, feeling my cheeks burning. I sigh softly into her chest, “Mom, I…I want to say I’m sorry for what I said earlier, about fighting the coven to defend Marron. But I’m not backing down from it.”

Her hand continues to stroke my hair, feeling it pressing softly against the back of my neck. “I know my darling,” she says, sighing softly. “And you ever shall.”

I smile, looking over to Fenris. I hold out my hand to him. he slowly steps forward, brushing his head into my hand. “Sorry for yelling at you Papa Wolf.”

The wolf sits down and smiles to me. “You truly have become a child, and therefore acted as one.” He then leans in and licks my face, “You are my little girl, and shall always love you.”

I giggle, “I love you too Fenris.”

Titania peers at Fenris. “So this is the wolf which has bonded with Little Fox. To think this is the first time that I’m meeting him. She mentioned him a few times in her notes to me.”

Fenris turns to face, bowing his head to her. “Greetings queen of the fae, I am Fenris, bonded wolf and father to this child.” My cheeks blush softly, stroking his fur.

“A king greeting a queen, with his little princess at his side,” she says grinning. “It is a true pleasure in meeting you.”

My cheeks blush even more, burying my face into my mother’s chest. She chuckles, stroking my hair, “Why don’t we return to Manor sweetheart? Miriam left less than an hour ago.”

I nod. Maybe I should give Granny a call later and apologize to her as well, I thought. I turn back Titania, “Thanks again for everything.”

She smiles, “You are welcome Little Aria. I offer you my support for the coming future, whatever it may be. Know that the halls of Tir Na Nog are forever open to you.”

I grin, “Thank you.”

She smiles, rising to her feet. She gives my mother a nod before slowly fading away.

I sigh softly, having actually gotten used to having the fae queen with me. Short as our time together was, it was still great to be with her again.

Rachel kisses the top of my head, “Let’s go home sweetheart.”

“Ok Mom,” I reply, smiling to her.

She chuckles, “I don’t ever truly think I’ll ever get used to you calling me that.” I grin to her. The three of us stand up and leave the glen.