Here's Your Sign

Nadia follows Raphael as the chosen one who works to save the world when she realizes she loves the knight.

Naida grinned as she fluttered into the camp. She ignored the glares she felt directed at her from nearly all sides. Everyone knew she was cast out from her kaleidoscope of fairies. That no other group would accept her in their ranks. She had always been odd and pushed to the outskirts of the society. Too loud and quick to voice her opinion and emotions in a culture that valued stoicism. She had tried to fit in, to bend to the cultural norms, but they didn’t last and it wasn’t long before she broke out of it and exploded in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had accepted that she would not have a place in society but she could still have a life worth something. She began traveling with Raphael and her troops on a whim. And before long she considered the silent knight her friend.

Raphael lifted her gaze from the map she was studying. Their world was burning and everyone said she had to be the one to save it. The only problem was that she had no idea how to save it. Sometimes she felt that everything she did just made it worse. That at any moment everyone would decide she was a fraud and call her out. Or worse, no one would think she was a fraud and would never question her decisions and it would cost the world everything.

But then there was the little pink fairy flittering her way through the camp despite the grumbling of the people around them and the pressure would increase and decrease in a confusing mix. Raphael had to save the world as all the mysterious prophesies said she must not because the prophecies said she was the chosen one but for people like Naida who brought sunlight into the world with her sassy remarks and overflowing personality that did not bed for the world around her. But instead of drowning with the pressure of needing to rise to the challenge, seeing Naida gave Raphael hope. She could do whatever was required to save everyone because Naida was part of everyone.

“Hey-io,” Nadia greeted coming up beside Raphael with a bright smile and tipping her head slightly. Her bright eyes practically glowed while Raphael gave a half-wave dropping her gaze back to the map. “You’re not hurt are you?”

Raphael did not bother lifting her gaze, holding one hand flat in front of her chest and sliding the other up in a perpendicular motion up towards her throat.

“Uh-huh.” Nadia rolled her eyes as she fluttered away towards the pack the knight left by her tent. The fairy ruffled through it before coming back with her surprise. “Just because no one else in camp is brave enough to scold the chosen one doesn’t mean I won’t.”

Raphael held up four fingers close together, her thumb folded over her palm facing Nadia, sliding slightly to the right she dropped her ring and pinky finger leaving just her ring and middle finger up, slightly down and back towards the left and closed her hand into a fist, before sliding back towards the right and sticking her thumb and pinky out.

“I don’t care how busy you are.” Nadia reached out and began removing the armor of the knight. “You can’t save the world if you do something stupid like drop dead because you didn’t properly take care of your wounds.”

Raphael sighed heavily but finally turned back to Nadia and let the fairy help dress the wound on her upper arm she had been ignoring and wrap her broken ribs with the first aid kit from her back. When Nadia was done and stepping back Raphael brought her hand flat to her chin, the tips of her fingers brushing her lower lip then uncurled her arm towards Nadia.

“You’re welcome.” Nadia grinned at the slight smile Raphael gave her. The thought that there was nothing she wouldn’t do for Raphael crashed over Nadia like lightning in a tree. She watched the knight’s soft smile melt into a small frown. She tipped her head and her hands moved in rapid movements that Nadia could not translate. The fairy shook her head with her eyes closed. She startled when hands lightly touched her shoulders. Opening her eyes she watched Raphael take one hand off her arms, lightly touching her collar bone with her index finger before using her hands to make the flowing movement in front of her chest with both hands she had made earlier.

“I..” Nadia trailed off. How did you tell the chosen one you loved them? “I have to go.”

She flapped her wings and moved away quickly, feeling Raphael’s fingers brush her wings in a plea to stay and talk. Nadia moved faster.

Nadia didn’t pay any attention to where she was going, rushed from the camp, ignoring the shouts behind her as she nearly ran into soldiers in her race to freedom. She quickly vanished into the trees and began dodging her way through them with her heart pounding in her throat. She was not even sure how long she had flown before her wings gave out and she crashed landed through the underbrush.

Rolling to her back and flinching slightly at the sting of the sticks beneath her Nadia stared up at the sky. Her panting breath slowly drifted back to something that resembled a normal rhythm. She watched the blue sky slowly drift to pink as the sun began setting.

“I love her.” She told the first star to appear in the sky above her. “I love the knight destined to save the world.”

Nadia stared at the sky blinking at the star as if it could somehow tell her what to do. She chewed her lip lightly before letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m no coward. If Raphael can face dragons I can face this.”

Nadia slowly made her way back to the camp, guilt making her flinch as she watched Raphael pacing by one of the fires. Nadia slowly flew over to her, nervously rubbing her arm and not making eye contact until she felt Raphael’s hands on her arms. The knight gave Nadia a firm shake then released her and moved her hands in a small circular motion before pointing at Nadia.

“Sorry.” Nadia flinched then took a steadying breath. “I have to tell you something.”

Raphael’s face was still creased with worry as she tipped her head slightly and gave a small gesture for Nadia to continue.

“I love you.” Nadia said after a moment lifting her chin defiantly. She waited, holding her breath while she waited for Raphael’s reaction. The knight blinked slowly at Nadia for a moment then cupped her face between her hands and brought the fairy’s lips to her own in a soft kiss.