CHAPTER VI
As soon as the chariot lifted into the sky, everything below us began to fade — the golden fields of Sunflower Land, the bustling market, the distant whispers of the palace. All of it shrank beneath us like a painted memory, and what replaced it was something far more breathtaking.
The sky.
Endless. Open. Beautiful.
The clouds rolled beneath our feet like soft rivers of light. The sun shimmered like a crown above us, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't trapped inside a duty, or a name, or a prophecy.
I was… free.
I leaned forward slightly and let the wind kiss my face. This was the kind of world I had only dreamed of. The kind of life no princess — no future queen — ever really got to live.
In that moment, something shifted inside me.
"When I become Queen," I thought silently, "I'll change this. I'll let fairies roam freely. I'll let them live where they feel most alive. I'll never lock them away with rules and old traditions."
A quiet promise to myself.
But that warmth in my chest didn't last long.
Because the silence around me… wasn't normal.
Too quiet.
Uncomfortably quiet.
I hadn't spoken a word in what felt like ages — and neither had Flash. That bird, who usually never stopped talking, sat completely still near the front of the chariot. His wings folded neatly, his eyes darting around nervously. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost — or worse, was trying not to be seen by one.
Chiko, usually tumbling around or playing with Rira, was also eerily calm. No playful flips, no silly grunts. Just stillness.
Even Rira, our loyal flying carpet, floated with an unnatural stiffness.
Something was off.
But it wasn't just them.
It was the driver.
The one guiding the chariot — supposedly part of Aurelia's court — was acting strange. And I mean really strange.
I glanced forward cautiously.
He hadn't said a single word since we took off. That was normal enough, maybe. But what wasn't normal was the way his attention kept drifting back… specifically, not to Aurelia, not to me…
But to Olivia.
From his seat, he kept glancing into the mirror attached to the chariot's frame — the kind enchanted mirrors used by royal guards to watch their passengers.
But this wasn't watching. This was staring.
Every time I looked at him, his gaze would snap away — too quickly to be innocent. Then slowly, after a few seconds, his eyes would creep back into the mirror… clearly trying to get another look at her.
And Olivia?
She hadn't noticed. She was sitting beside me, calmly watching the skies, completely unaware of the stranger's interest.
I narrowed my eyes at the driver.
His movements were subtle, but obvious if you were looking for them — a slight tilt of the mirror, a slow lean over his shoulder as if checking the reins, all just excuses to sneak glances at her.
And that's when it clicked in my head.
"Oh no," I thought, horrified.
"This guy… this chariot driver… is a total creep."
I folded my arms, staring at him with deep suspicion.
Of all the fairies in Sunflower Land, he had to be some weirdo who'd never seen two royal fairies before, and now he thinks he's going to flirt his way through the clouds? Seriously?
He wasn't even being subtle about it anymore — he tried adjusting the mirror again. This time, I saw his lips part slightly, like he was about to say something to Olivia.
Nope. Absolutely not.
My jaw tightened. I leaned slightly closer to Olivia, pretending to adjust my hair while keeping one eye on that mirror.
He thinks we don't see him? He thinks he's being slick? Ugh. These kinds of guys are the worst. Give a fairy wings and he thinks he owns the sky.
I was officially on alert now.
Because something about this entire flight felt wrong — not just the eerie silence, not just the stiff mood from Flash and Chiko…
But this man.
This silent, veiled chariot driver.
He wasn't just creepy.
He was pretending to be someone he wasn't.
And somehow, I knew — deep in my gut — that if I let my guard down for even a second…
Everything could fall apart.
I couldn't take it anymore.
That chariot driver… his behavior had gone too far. His eyes kept drifting back toward Olivia like a moth to a flame — watching her every movement, drinking in every glance she gave to the skies. It was uncomfortable. Obvious. Disgusting.
Enough was enough.
I stood up in the chariot, my voice sharp and commanding as I shouted, "Stop the chariot! Right now — I said STOP!"
The winds howled around us as the chariot slowed slightly. The driver's head tilted toward me, his voice surprisingly calm. "Is something wrong, Princess? Why are you asking me to stop? We haven't even reached Crimson Cove yet…"
I narrowed my eyes and took a bold step forward, pointing straight at him.
"You. Don't act innocent. I've been watching you this entire time. You've done nothing but stare at Olivia like a creep! What do you want from her?! What is it you're even doing here?"
His silence said more than any words could.
A heartbeat later, he stammered, "N-no, Princess… you're mistaken! I would never—"
But before he could continue, he turned his head slightly — and I saw it.
That smile.
A slow, twisted, knowing smirk that curled at the edges of his lips like a serpent preparing to strike.
And then he turned to Aurelia.
His eyes locked onto hers — and I saw it happen.
His lips moved ever so slightly… almost imperceptibly. But I knew that motion. I recognized it. Spellcasting. A hypnosis spell.
A soft shimmer crossed Aurelia's face. Her pupils dilated. Her posture straightened slightly, too perfectly. Like a puppet being pulled into position.
She turned to me with a sweet but vacant expression.
"I know this pixie well, Princess," Aurelia said gently. "He's a kind soul. A good one. You must be mistaken. There's no harm in him…"
Her voice wasn't her own. Not fully.
Her words matched his lips like an echo with a delay. His influence controlling her tone, her thoughts, her judgment.
A cold chill crept down my spine.
He had her.
That's when I realized the truth — he wasn't just a weirdo. He wasn't just a flirt.
He was a dark magician. A powerful one. And he had used magic to manipulate Aurelia right in front of our eyes.
And if he could get to her… he could get to Olivia.
I didn't hesitate.
With a cry of fury, I lunged forward and shoved him — hard — right off the chariot.
The moment his body fell, tumbling down toward the clouds below, Aurelia gasped sharply, as though waking from a terrible dream.
The spell was broken.
She looked at me, alarmed. "W-what just happened? Why did you do that? Where's the chariot driver?!"
I steadied her, my hands on her shoulders, my voice urgent but calm. "He wasn't who you thought he was. He wasn't part of your court. He wasn't safe. He was a dark magician — like the ones we read about in storybooks. He hypnotized you."
Her eyes widened in horror.
"And he was trying to do the same to Olivia," I added quietly. "I had to act fast… or we could've lost her."
The weight of what almost happened hit her like a thunderclap.
She turned slowly to Olivia — still silent, still unaware of how close she'd come to being controlled.
And then back to me.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I… I didn't see it. I couldn't."
"It's okay," I said gently. "That's what they do. They make you trust them. But not anymore. We're in control now."
Flash, who had been stiff as a statue all this time, let out a breathless sigh of relief. "Finally," he muttered. "I thought I was the only one noticing his creepy little mirror glances. That guy gave me the chills."
Chiko grunted in agreement, and even Rira hummed as if echoing our sentiment.
I looked out at the skies ahead.
Crimson Cove still waited for us.
But now we were flying without a guide.
Without a driver.
Only trust, instinct… and courage would get us there.
And something told me — after what we'd just faced — we were stronger now than ever before.
We'd faced a shadow in disguise…
And won.
Just as the wind shifted and silence settled around us, something unexpected happened.
Chiko reached out and gently held my hand.
It was a simple gesture, quiet and unspoken — but somehow filled with meaning. I looked at him, surprised, but he just gave me a soft nod as if to say, "I'm here. I'll take care of it now."
Before I could even ask what he was doing, Flash — who had clearly been watching everything with his usual sarcasm brewing — squawked from my other side.
"Would you look at that," he said, flapping once for emphasis. "Chiko knows how to drive a chariot, and he's asking you for permission, silly Celeste!"
I blinked in confusion. "Wait, what? He wants to… drive the chariot?"
Flash rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yes, that's exactly what he's trying to say. But I guess subtlety isn't your strength."
I gave Chiko a longer look, and in his eyes, I saw nothing but quiet determination.
Maybe he wasn't just the playful companion I had thought him to be. Maybe, beneath all his tricks and monkey-like charm, he truly was here to protect us. To help.
I nodded slowly. "Alright, Chiko. Take the reins."
With a bright gleam in his eyes, he leapt forward, landing confidently near the front of the chariot, his hands gripping the magical reins like he had done it a thousand times before.
The chariot steadied under his touch, and a sense of safety washed over me — for the first time since that awful magician's presence.
But even though we had cast the danger out… one problem remained.
Olivia.
She hadn't spoken a word since the confrontation. She sat quietly, still under the effect of that hypnotic spell. Her eyes stared blankly at the horizon, and the warmth in her expression was gone — hidden beneath layers of lingering magic.
I felt a heaviness in my chest seeing her like that.
"I have to help her," I whispered to myself.
Flash, now perched beside her, nodded solemnly. "She's still under his spell, isn't she?"
"Yes…" I replied. "But I think I have something that can wake her."
Reaching carefully into the folds of my cloak, I pulled out a small bundle — a delicate sachet tied with silver ribbon and glowing faintly with golden dust. Inside it were soft white flowers, each petal glowing like stardust. These weren't ordinary blooms.
These were Mother's Flowers.
My mother had given them to me before I ever left home — placing them gently into my hands with a knowing look in her eyes.
> "If someone you care about is ever trapped in another's magic," she had said softly, "give them the essence of these flowers. Their soul will find its way back."
At the time, I didn't understand.
But now… I did.
I crushed one bloom gently between my fingers, and a shimmering nectar-like liquid pooled in my palm. It smelled like morning sun and moonlight rain all at once.
"Olivia," I whispered, kneeling beside her. "Please come back."
Gently, I lifted the glowing drop of essence to her lips. Her mouth parted slightly, and the flower's essence touched her tongue.
Nothing happened at first.
But then… a ripple.
Her fingers twitched.
Her breath caught — shallow, then steady.
And slowly, slowly, her eyes blinked. Once. Twice.
And then, life flooded back into them.
"Celeste?" she whispered weakly, confusion swirling in her voice. "W-what happened? Why do I feel… like I was dreaming something strange?"
I didn't answer.
Instead, I pulled her into a tight embrace, tears prickling behind my eyes.
"You're okay now," I said into her hair. "You're safe. I promise."
Flash let out a cheer from the front. "Ha! Knew you'd pull some flower-magic nonsense and fix it. You dramatic queen."
Even Chiko gave a little clap from the reins, and Rira hummed warmly beneath us as we soared through the sky again — this time, steady and free.
The shadow of the dark magician had passed.
And once again… we were all together.
Moving forward.
Guided by trust.
Bound by magic.
And protected — by each other.
To be continue....