Chapter 27: Earth and Water

Princess Ava seems restless beside her Queen Mother. It seems time is of the essence for her.

Suddenly she turns to her King Father, as soon as the throne room is almost empty excluding a few Water fairies left behind to assist them for what they might require.

"King Father, I would like to seek your permission to allow me to join our rangers on their mission at the Orange Haven. I am your best ranger. Overseeing the mission would be for the best interest of our people."

Princess Ava bows to his King Father.

"My daughter, our other rangers can handle this mission. It is agreed upon that it would only be to observe. There is no need for your presence there."

Queen Meridian stands, and then pulls her daughter from her bowed position.

"Queen Mother, I have every right to be with the rest of the other rangers! King Father has prepared me so well and being a ranger, it is my duty to do so!"

Princess Ava faces her mother with defiance on her voice. She dislikes being treated like a fragile princess.

"Ava, I told you that you are the Princess of this realm. You should remain here with us!" Queen Meridian talks in a soft voice but with so much finality.

"Please mother...How would I fully gain the respect of our rangers if you would exempt me from the same duties they are fulfilling?"

Princess Ava is pleading now.

"Queen Meridian, my dearest Princess Ava, end this bickering now."

King Oberon gently interrupts his wife and daughter. He is merely making a request.

"My Princess, I grant your appeal to join our esteemed rangers. You are definitely right. You are my best ranger. I have seen how hard you trained with the others."

The King explains further.

"My Queen, our daughter is old enough to make her decisions, just like what our son has done too." King Oberon reminds the Queen. Again, he tries to speak softly to his Queen.

Queen Meridian glances at her husband's direction with so much contempt as she could muster. With a resigned look, she embraces her daughter as a sign of her acceptance of defeat.

Princess Ava smiles jubilantly. She knows that she won here.

"Mother, I promise I would be careful. Do not fret so much! I have the blood of a fairy warrior!"

Princess Ava gives his father a quick embrace. She bows slightly to both and turns to leave in a hurry.

King Oberon signals the remaining fairies in the throne room to leave him and his Queen alone. The fairies do so quickly, closing the entrance after them.

Left standing after her daughter's departure, Queen Meridian decides to exit as well.

King Oberon grabs his Queen's arm swiftly but gently and makes her face in his direction. He meets her eyes.  Both King and Queen staring back at each other with their purple eyes.

The Queen glares hotly at her King, turning hers in deep shade of burgundy. King Oberon breaks their eye contact but refuses to let go of the Queen's arms.

"Mer, please...Do you still blame me for your son's choices? He chose to rule another realm. He is old enough to make this choice. Besides, he is happier now with Queen Alina." King Oberon humbly pleads to his Queen.

"You are the reason he left! Do not forget for a single second that you are not to blame. Merlion would have chosen to be here. Yes, he fell in love with his Queen but he could have stayed here with her!"

Queen Meridian speaks softly but she might as well have shouted, with all the spite her words conveyed. Her eyes are full of fury in them.

"You have tried so hard to put our Princess in his shoes. You made her a ranger when you know very well that her place should be by our side, as a Princess!"

"Now, you are sending her away too? Have you lost all your care for my feelings?"

"You are the King and I am aware of my responsibilities as a Queen."

"But you have seemed forgotten that first and foremost, I am a mother. My children try to flee from you but in doing so, I am left too..."

Queen Meridian's voice is now full of anguish.

"Perhaps I have been just your Queen for you and not your wife..."

With that last statement from Queen Meridian, King Oberon finally releases his grasp on her. Queen Meridian takes that as her cue to leave. She does not look back at all.

"I am sorry..."

King Oberon sits on his throne with all the regret and sadness surrounding him.
 
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Princess Ava is in a rush when she changes out from her dress to her black ranger clothing. She carries her sword in her scabbard and places her daggers on both her side sheath.
            
The Princess sees the rest of the Water rangers. Ailsa is already in front of the rangers of Water fairies. She stands side by side Aramir and Cleon, who are the commanders of their kindred rangers of Earth and Air fairies respectively.
            
Aramir sees the Princess immediately and waves to her.
            
"Our Princess Ava has decided to join us so it seems..."

He politely acknowledges the Princess' presence.
            
All the rangers bow in unison and give way for Princess Ava to pass.
            
"Please, I am not your Princess for now. I am a ranger just like all of you. I believe we have wasted so much time on such pleasantries. Let us be on our way."

The Princess commands as she walks ahead.

Aramir, Cleon and Ailsa follow after her and so does the rest of the rangers for this mission.

There are twenty fairies in this surveillance mission on the Orange Haven. They comprise of six rangers from each realm, with an addition of one swift water fairy messenger. The Princess completes their number.
            
The night sky is pitch-black when their group finally emerge from the Azure River.


The rangers noiselessly traverse the rocky part of the river bank. This leads to the border of the Orange Haven.
           
The Air Fairy rangers have already summoned the magical mist in the air surrounding them to camouflage their approach in the Fire Fairies' territory. It is a cause for dispute when fairies from the other realms come unannounced or uninvited. However, the circumstance for this act is a different matter. The presence of the Dark Fairy in this realm is enough reason to make an exemption.
           
For now, this mission aims to find out the status of the Fire Fairy realm. Is the Orange Haven under siege by the Dark Fairy or are their people willing accomplices to rage a battle with the other Fairy realms?

Princess Ava is on the lead, with Aramir by her side. Cleon and Ailsa are positioned on opposite ends of the group. Caspian and Cleo, possessing the best ability in camouflage, venture a little further from their position to scout ahead for any fire fairies who might be on a look out.

All the rangers are very alert especially in such a dark night. The group does not use teleportation on this side of the realm. The less magic they perform, the lesser chance of detection. They patiently walk, trudging along the rocky terrain of this realm.

As the temperature rises, the group is aware that they are at the end of their border separating the Orange Haven.
           
Princess Ava raises her right arm to signal everyone to halt.