CHAPTER VIII
Scent of Seven Lands:
"We'll be reaching Crimson Cove soon," Olivia said with a soft smile, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and nostalgia. Her eyes were fixed ahead, scanning the horizon like someone who'd walked these skies before.
Aurelia tilted her head, curious. "Olivia… how do you know so much about these places? Ever since we started this journey, you've been the one guiding us. It's like you've been here before."
Olivia chuckled lightly, the wind brushing against her cheeks. "I have. A long time ago. When I was very little, my grandfather used to take me to visit the Mother Fairy. We'd travel across lands, often passing through the very routes we're taking now. You see… in our fairyland, the Mother Fairy had three daughters. She entrusted each of them with a different realm, crowning them as queens of their respective lands."
She paused and then added, "But… I only know the name of one of them — my own mother. I never learned who the other two were."
That revelation made my heart tighten a little.
"I didn't know any of this," I said quietly. "It's strange… and a little sad. Why keep that kind of history hidden?"
Aurelia suddenly perked up. "Wait… could Princess Caeli from Ice Land be one of the daughters too? She's always been different. Powerful. Unique."
Olivia nodded slowly. "It's possible. Very possible."
Before I could speak again, Chiko tugged gently at my gown, pulling me toward the edge of the chariot.
I laughed. "Alright, alright, I know what you want, little troublemaker."
I motioned to Olivia and Aurelia to look down with me.
And when we did… all three of us gasped.
Below us stretched a land like no other — a valley bathed in every shade of red, bursting with blooming roses as far as the eye could see. Not just any roses — these were magical. The kind whose scent wasn't just fragrance… it was memory.
A soft, warm breeze drifted upward, carrying a fragrance that hit me like a wave of emotion.
That scent.
That memory.
Suddenly, I was a child again — standing in the garden with my mother, her hand gently guiding mine as we walked through the flowerbeds. She used to tell me stories of the Seven Fairylands, and she'd always say the same thing when we came to this part of the garden:
> "Celeste, this garden holds the scent of all seven lands. It's rare… but this fragrance — this combination — you'll only find it in two places: Frosthevan… and Lunaria Noir."
I remembered looking up at her and asking, "Isn't Lunaria Noir the scary place?"
She had smiled, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
> "It has danger, yes. But its beauty lies in its illusions. From above, it looks like a shadow — black and silent. But when you descend, when you really see it… it bursts into color. Like a secret only the brave can discover."
I had always dreamed of seeing all seven fairylands with my own eyes. Of flying above them, landing among their unique wonders, and knowing — truly knowing — where I came from.
And now, here I was. Living that dream.
Except for one thing.
I had never seen Lunaria Noir.
And a quiet part of me… still longed for it.
As these thoughts filled my mind, a jolt of motion rocked the chariot.
Something was wrong.
Suddenly, one of the horses — the golden one at the front — vanished into thin air. The entire chariot lurched forward, losing its balance. We swayed dangerously in the air, the wheels creaking as we tilted to the side.
"Flash!" I cried, gripping the edge of the chariot. "Where did the horse go?!"
"I don't know, Cel!" Flash flapped wildly, his feathers ruffled from the sudden drop. "It just disappeared!"
The weight imbalance was too much. If we didn't do something soon, the entire chariot would crash down into the rose valley below.
"We have to detach the back of the chariot," I said quickly. "If we keep dragging it, the remaining horses won't be able to fly. It's too much weight."
Aurelia nodded instantly. "You're right. Let's do it."
Working together, we quickly unfastened the golden clasps at the rear of the chariot, separating the cabin from the reins. Magic threads unraveled in glowing spirals, and as soon as the detachment was complete, Chiko leapt with incredible agility and landed on Rira, our loyal flying carpet.
Flash, clearly not wanting to exert too much energy (as always), swooped down and perched gracefully on my shoulder.
A second later, the chariot — now completely free — began to fall.
But before it could hit the rose-covered ground… it shimmered.
It shrank rapidly, spinning like a top until it became nothing more than a tiny golden toy — a miniature replica of itself. The last remaining traces of enchantment absorbed into the roses below.
And the golden horse?
It, too, was gone. No trace. No sound. Just vanished.
We hovered in the air, catching our breath, the sweet scent of red roses still lingering all around us.
For a moment, we were quiet — floating between danger and beauty, between past and present.
Crimson Cove was beneath us now.
But the journey ahead… was just beginning.
I had never been one to use my wings much. Flying was something I had always avoided — not because I couldn't, but because I never felt the need. I preferred walking, running, dancing on the ground. The sky always felt like a place I hadn't earned yet. And now, in the middle of a crisis, I was paying the price for that choice.
As I tried to keep up with the others, my wings strained against the air, unsteady and unsure. I could feel the burn in my shoulders, the tremble in my feathers. I was falling behind, but Flash — my ever-loyal, sarcastic companion — flew beside me, trying his best to guide and support me.
"You've really got to start practicing, Celeste!" he called out, flapping hard to stay beside me. "You're built for this!"
I gave a weak laugh, trying to mask the panic bubbling inside me.
But then — it happened.
My hand slipped.
Flash tried to hold on, his talons gripping my wrist, but the momentum was too much. My body jerked downward, and in the next second… I was falling.
Plunging.
The wind roared past my ears. My wings folded awkwardly, and the sky above twisted in a blur. The world became a spinning mess of clouds, wind, and fear.
All I could think was:
"I should've practiced."
"I should've listened."
"I don't want this to be how it ends."
The ground rushed toward me with terrifying speed. I shut my eyes, bracing for impact. A scream caught in my throat, but—
I never hit the ground.
Just before I would've crashed into the rose-laden earth of Crimson Cove, a pair of strong arms caught me mid-air — steady, powerful, and ice-cool to the touch.
For a moment, I couldn't move.
The world seemed to stop spinning.
Those arms… they didn't feel like a stranger's.
They felt like home.
Like something ancient had remembered me.
Like I'd been missing this feeling for centuries without even knowing it.
There was something about his embrace — the chill of it, soothing rather than cold — like moonlight on bare skin, like the hush of snow falling on a quiet forest. My heart, which had been thundering seconds ago, slowed into a calm, steady rhythm.
I dared to open my eyes.
The first thing I saw was gold.
Tiny, golden buttons glinting on black royal fabric — tailored and regal, the kind worn by nobility. His clothes were sharp and commanding, yet carried an effortless grace.
My gaze traveled higher.
Up to his chest… his neck… and finally—
His face.
His eyes.
Large, soulful eyes that shimmered with a color I couldn't quite name — a mesmerizing mix of deep blue and midnight black. Like a storm trapped in glass. Like oceans meeting the night sky.
His lashes were long, softening the intensity of his stare. His jaw was sharp, but not harsh. And his hair — tousled, falling gently just past his neck — was the color of moonlit shadows, with streaks of faint silver that caught the light when he moved.
He smelled faintly of winter and wild lavender.
Of distant lands and unread stories.
His breath was steady against my cheek — cool, grounding, unfamiliar… but somehow exactly what I needed.
Who… who was he?
I couldn't speak.
All the words in my mind faded into silence, replaced by one echoing thought:
"Have I been searching for him… without even knowing it?"
His arms held me like I was something fragile, something precious — not just a princess who had fallen from the sky, but a girl who mattered. Someone he had been waiting for.
He looked down at me and said nothing.
Just held me.
And I let him.
For the first time… I didn't want to move.
Because in that moment, cradled in the arms of a stranger cloaked in mystery and moonlight, I didn't feel afraid anymore.
I felt found.
To be continue....