The Water Queendom hadn’t changed at all when Phantasia returned from her journey across the Innerworld. And much to her discontent, Phantasia herself had hardly changed in that time, either. She was now dressed in an assortment of clothes she had acquired from her travels – a leafy-green cloak from the Wind Queendom, loose-fitting desert-red robes from the Fire Queendom, and a leather tunic from the Earth Queendom – but her lanky stature, foppish white hair, and pale skin were all the same.

But the biggest disappointment was that Phantasia still had little clues as to her origins. All those months spent in the various Queendoms had taught her about the other faeries, but little about herself. She had picked up as many talents as she could along the way, but excelled in none. Faye had been with her through all of it, and knew just what she was thinking as they glided through the waterfall entrance of the palace.

“You have changed,” she assured her princess. Though water faeries never lied, Phantasia found it hard to believe her.

The Queen awaited them. She already knew everything there was to know about their journey – the waters brought her just as much information as her ambassadors did – and embraced her princess the moment she arrived.

“There is still much we can do,” she said, stroking Phantasia’s hair, “Knowledge and understanding come as much from experience as they do from embracing the flow around us. After all, the world only tells us what the world wishes to tell us.”

Phantasia found it difficult to return to her old routine, especially without Prince Dionysus around to relieve her anxieties. Faye tried her best to fill his role, but she was young and inexperienced. Unlike Dionysus, she wasn’t tainted by the Outerworld.

“You have not failed,” she would tell Phantasia, “You have learned much and grown impressively,” But still the princess couldn’t accept it. There was no proof. None that she could see, anyway. Distraught, she would shut herself away and spend her time focused on the one thing that still motivated her: the mystery Dionysus had left her. The riddle of the World Axis.

Not long after she returned, Phantasia felt something was amiss in the palace. There were more guards patrolling the corridors, and previously public audiences with the Queen and King had become private affairs with tight shielding. Frustrated about being out of the loop, she pressed Faye for answers.

“It was not something that concerned you,” replied her handmaiden, after explaining the whole situation.

“Of course it concerns me!” Phantasia replied, arms flailing – sometimes Faye’s dedication to common sense infuriated her – “He was Dionysus’s lord-in-waiting! If he’s been acting strangely, especially with what’s been going on in the other Queendoms, then it’s something I need to know!”

“Are you suggesting that Ophion is involved with the disappearance of Prince Freyr and Princess Titania?” asked Faye with a raised eyebrow. “I do not see a connection.”

Phantasia began to pace around. “I’m not saying they’re connected, no. Well, they might be, we can’t be sure, but if Ophion is acting strangely…” she stopped and looked at Faye, “Don’t you find it odd that a water faerie like yourself would start vanishing from the palace without a trace?”

“I do not. Prince Dionysus behaved in such a manner on a number of occasions,” said Faye, “Both he and Ophion spent time in the Outerworld, and around humans. As you know, such exposure can erode the behaviour patterns of our kind,”

“Don’t you want answers?” said Phantasia quickly, hoping to appeal to Faye’s natural hunger for knowledge and understanding.

“They will come in time,” she said, “I would certainly be interested in such answers, but it is not my duty to acquire them.”

Phantasia stood for a moment, trying to block out the sounds of the waterfall that fell through the middle of her room. A smile crept across her face as she thought of what to do.

“Do you believe involving yourself in this matter is wise?” asked Faye. Phantasia realised how loud her thoughts must have been and quickly shut them away using the training she had received from the wind faeries.

“You know what I’m like,” she said, grinning, “You really expect me to refuse a call to adventure?”

“That would not be in your nature,” said Faye, and Phantasia could swear she almost caught the glimpse of a smile on her friend’s face. All that time spent with the eccentric princess was finally starting to crack the exterior, she thought, making sure that this time Faye couldn’t hear a thing.

***

Chapter 2
Previous / Continue
(page  1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7)