Wings of Fairies

The Secret

Chapter 1

Wings of Fairies

Part I: The Secret

“Very quiet this night,” she murmured, as she placed another dish in the kitchen sink.

Hayley Hymes was a young single mother, living in a country styled house with her seven-year-old daughter, which was situated just a few kilometres from town. She preferred it on the outskirts of town rather than within the town. Out here, she had much more needed privacy than what the town could provide her with.

Blowing her short, blonde yet growing fringe out of her eyes, she headed to the cupboard to retrieve the broom. Hayley proceeded to sweep the wooden floorboards of all the dirt that was left by her daughter's muddy shoeprints that were imprinted on the floorboards earlier in the day. After all, tomorrow was a very important day and the house needed to look its best.

Placing the broom back in the cupboard she headed upstairs to put her daughter to bed. Knowing her little one, she'd still be hyper active and want to stay up late. Before Hayley walked up the steps, she paused at her reflection when passing by the long mirror. She toyed with the ending strands of her hair, they still felt sharp only having got it cut in this morning and Hayley knew she'd have to get it cut soon again if she wanted to keep it at it's current length - boy short.

Hayley continued her way upstairs, the staircase creaking ever step she took, pausing at her daughter's bedroom door. She twisted the doorknob open, to be greeted by the sight of her daughter jumping madly on the bed like it was a trampoline. Every couple of jumps, she'd the complete a flip or two.

When she saw her mother standing in the doorway with an eyebrow raised, she stopped jumping and was in a sitting position bouncing on the bed until the springs stopped moving.

“Mum,” she giggled with false giddiness, all she could think about was her mother's anger. “Aren't I talented? I can flip on my own bed!” Then smiled proudly, whilst playing with her brunette pigtails.

Hayley smiled, “I'm not angry if that's what you're thinking. And yes, that was very talented.” Hayley frowned; knowing the reason her daughter could flip so easily on her bed with very little effort. “You should get some sleep now dear.” Steering her thoughts away from that train of thought.

“But I don't feel sleepy.” She protested.

“Uma please, get some rest. You'll need your energy for tomorrow,” Hayley explained as she pulled the bed sheets for her to climb into.

“Why?” Uma replied but got into her bed anyway.

Hayley thought about answering her question now, the truth, her life, everything. Although, telling Uma now would leave her up all night, asking questions, shouting at her mother for not telling her the truth sooner amongst other things.

She shook her head.

“Okay then, will you tell me a bedtime story instead?”

“Not tonight sweetie.” Hayley bent down to tuck her in. She placed a kiss upon Uma's forehead, “Goodnight.”

Uma watched as her mother turned off the light, shut the door and left her in the darkness with a lot to contemplate. What was this about you'll need your energy? It wasn't as if her own mother was keeping her a secret from her, was it?

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Around noon the next day, Hayley placed Uma in the living room alone while she busied herself in the kitchen making sandwiches. Uma found this very strange for her mother to be `busied' with anything. This image was so wrong. It was like her mother was playing host, but there was no one to be hosting for.

A strangle crackling sound caught Uma's attention and she turned her head the right, away from the open kitchen door. The sound was followed with a bit screaming - but there was nothing in sight.

All of a sudden, a girl appeared out of nowhere, falling from the ceiling screaming.

“Ahh! Crash landing! Crashing landing!” she shouted, “Ahh!”

A loud bang occurred as she hit the floor. Uma still recovering from the unbelievable sight that had occurred, stood up and walked around the coffee table to see a dark skinned girl in a pink fairy suit sprawled out on the wooden floorboards.

Uma could feel her heart pounded at this occurrence, and began to feel sweat forming on her brow. She gulped, and then Uma gathered up all her courage for what she was about to say, “Get out!” she cried, proud that her voice did not waver. “Or I'll call the cops!”

The young girl - who looked roughly Uma's own age - seven -, picked herself up. “Like they'd stop me,” she replied with a smirk. To prove her point, she began to float in mid air.

Uma gasped and stumbled backward. What on earth was this? Was this some kind of stunt?

The girl guessed her train of thought. “Maybe your mother should tell you what I'm doing,” she said. “My name's Whistlen and I am your fairy godmother!” She watched Uma's horrified expression. “Just kidding! I'm just a fairy!”

Uma shook her head stubbornly. “No,” her voice shaky now, “fairies don't exist. So I don't know how you pulled that fancy `out of the sky' stunt either but all I know is that I will call the police if you don't get out of my house!”

Whistlen rolled her eyes, the purple and white makeup that covered her face creased slightly. “This is not your house - or your home. Come on you've known that all along!” Something snapped in her eyes, and Whistlen abruptly looked apologetic. “I'm sorry! I have such a bad memory sometimes! I forgot you were the Chanted daughter! Me and my big mouth, my mistake, you don't even know yet!”

Uma was slowly making her way to the kitchen, her mother would explain this and make the pink, chatterbox girl leave.

Next to the pink girl appeared a man. Same skin tone yet different makeup - more navy blue. His entrance was much more graceful than the girl's. He had an aura of calm about him - authority. He helped Uma up off the floor and gently touched her shoulder.

“We are not here to hurt you Uma. Could you tell me where your mother is?” the kind stranger asked.

Uma didn't want to answer, but she felt compelled to. “In the kitchen,” she pointed.

“Thank you. My name is Darrell Chester.”

“I'm Uma,” she replied.

He nodded then left her there with the strange girl and headed into the kitchen. Uma turned around to see the strange girl making herself comfortable, she sat down on the lounge - dirty shoes and all - and sat cross-legged over the soft fabric.

“Whistlen was it?” Uma asked.

The girl looked up and rolled her eyes. “I said that was my name didn't I?” Whistlen responded.

“Why are you here, you and that man?”

Whistlen rubbed her chin and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think I should let your Mum explain. Why she has kept it from you since you were younger is beyond me!”

“Uma! Whistlen! Lunch is ready!” Hayley called from the dining room.

The dining room was fairly plain although it did hold a certain amount of class about it. There was a long rectangle table with three chairs at either side and one chair at each head of the table. Hayley seated herself at one head of the table and Darrell sat down on her right side. Uma sat down on her mother's left and Whistlen sat down next to Darrell.

They all tucked into their lunches without complaint and Uma sat there playing with her food with her fork. She watched her mother carefully, wondering if she would speak up first. When she didn't, Uma stopped playing with the piece of lettuce that she had been and dropped her fork on the table deliberately with a bang.

“So are you going to tell me what is going on Mum? Or are you going to hide it from me for a few more years as she pointed out?” Uma pointed at Whistlen.

Hayley's eyes turned to Whistlen, and she looked away blushing.

“Mum?”

Whistlen looked up. No one was starting the conversation so she thought she might as well start. Raising one side of her lip, she began to talk. “Umm, Moon Haylienda? Can you say it, before temptation makes me say it?”

“What?” Uma replied astonished. “What is she on about Mum?

Hayley stared blankly ahead at the wall. How could she say it? This was the day she had been dreading ever since Uma turned three. How could she bring her daughter into this sort of world at this time? When everything could be destroyed?

She was about to start speaking, but a young boy roughly around the age of ten entered the room. He had dark jet-black hair down to his shoulders and his makeup was much like Darrell's - in the form of a mask, but his was black. He also wore dark torn clothes with no shoes; his feet left dirty footprints behind.

He sat down next to Uma without a word and began to help himself to some salad. Hayley smiled weakly at him, to which the boy did not return.

“Uma this is Kane,” Hayley introduced.

Kane turned his head and glanced over her. His eyes made Uma feel uncomfortable, as if a doctor was examining her. “Hi,” he snapped and turned back to his food.

Uma frowned at Kane. He had been in her home for what - two minutes? And he was already judging her.

“Mum why are all these people in our house? You act like you know them all, but I've never met one of them in my life!”

“These are friends of mine, and members in the court.”

Uma stared at her mother. `The court' comment made no sense.

“I'm sorry I never told you this earlier Uma, but I just wanted you to have a normal childhood and -”

“Mum! You're not making any sense!”

“You're a fairy, Luna. From the moment you were born.”

“Fairies don't exist,” Uma retorted her voice shaky. She felt pressured into a corner to believe such things existed. It was like being told there really was a Santa Claus, after you were already told that he did not exist.

“They do Luna, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth sooner,” Hayley replied, her hand reaching to Uma's.

“They don't exist and stop calling me Luna!” Uma shouted. She pushed her chair back, which slammed to the ground, and raced away upstairs to her room.

Uma collapsed on her bed, face into the pillow as she started to let her tears flow freely. All this information that was just given was not helping the headache she had been suffer for a while.

Her mind was having an internal battle, a good side and an evil side, fighting with words, torturing Uma's soul.

“They hate you, every single one of them,” the dark side snickered.

“Don't listen to that! It's not true. Whoever they are - and your mother - you know they love and care for you, now that is the truth!” the good side soothed.

“They all hate you - run away from them!”

The voices inside her head kept rising and rising until she could not stand the voices in her head anymore. Then they stopped, the voices in her mind ceased at the moment Uma's bedroom door opened. She lifted her face from her pillow to see Whistlen walking in her room and shutting the door behind her.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Fine, just fine.” Uma snapped in response.

“Okay, okay,” Whistlen jumped on the end of her bed. “You know, being a fairy isn't that bad if that's what you're worried about.”

“It's not that.”

“Is it cause your mum didn't tell you?”

“Not really, it's just my head,” Uma explained. “It really hurts.”

“Ah, now I know what you're on about. It is something that happens to all fairies. When you're first told that you are a fairy, your mind is opened to the magical world and in the magical world there are many different creatures. But like all living things some are good and some are bad and there are mind stealers - mainly weak ones that will try to convince you on being good and evil.”

“Mind stealers?”

“Duh! People who steal your mind! Anyway, these mind stealers are weak so they can only put thoughts in your head. Basically good and evil are trying to convince you to join their team.”

“Uh-huh.”

“That's normally how fairies go bad - most get poisoned at a young age.”

“Wow,” Uma said.

“Yeah, your mum did teach me a lot about fairy law and the magical world all up.”

“Are there Kings and Queens in this magical world?”

“Yes, fairies being most powerful of the magical world came to power. Although I think your mum can tell you more about that.”

Uma nodded but hugged her pillow tightly.

“You know, being a fairy isn't the end of the world! It's fun, you can fly for starters.”

Uma cracked a smile. “You can't fly very well though.”

“Better than you!”

“There's another thing I've been wondering about,” Uma started, idly stretching her arm. “If you're all fairies, then where are you wings?”

“It is common these days to hide your wings. I don't know how you do it, but most kids get their parents to do that for me when they're little.”

“Why hide them?”

“There are many portals in the normal world to get to the magical world, depending where you live, it can be more connivent to hide them. Like if someone marries a human, hiding them is normally better to begin with I guess.” Whistlen explained.

They sat in silence for a few moments until Darrell's voice drifted upstairs, “Whistlen! We're going now!”

“Coming!” Whistlen shouted through the closed door. “Well, I'll be back tomorrow so we can talk more then. Bye!” She waved as she left Uma's bedroom.

Uma waved half-heartedly in return before laying back down. Her eyes drooped closed back to open and before soon, Uma fell asleep.

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Later that night, Uma awoke around seven o'clock and headed downstairs for a glass of water. Just as she opened the kitchen door, her mother was drying the dishes from most likely, lunch and dinner.

“Sweetie, you're up. Would you like some dinner?”

“No,” Uma responded as she pushed past her and got a glass of water from the tap.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, it's just, I wanted you to have a normal childhood. Away from the magical world.”

Uma rubbed her throbbing head again, her eyes were constantly drooping and she felt so drained on energy. “Mum.”

“Yes?”

“My head is hurting so much!” After she managed to get that sentence out, Uma screamed in agony, as her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor.

“Make a decision of all decisions darling! Good or evil.”

`Good! I choose good!' Uma shouted in her mind.

Then the voice ceased and all traces of lack of energy disappeared.

“Feel better?” Hayley asked.

“Much better - the voices - they're all gone,” Uma replied, smiling slightly. She then turned the conversation back where it needed to be. “I want to know why you had those people over today and there was something that Whistlen said. Something about Kings and Queens - although she said you should explain that to me.”

Hayley put her hand behind her head and sighed. “Well they are all my friends and Darrell and I, we're dating - you know - we like each other a lot.” Uma giggled and Hayley rolled her eyes. “I am the fairy Queen.”

That stopped Uma's giggling.

“Making you the fairy Princess.”

Uma's jaw dropped and she pointed to herself. “Me? A fairy Princess?”

“Yes,” Hayley replied. “And tomorrow we go home.”

“We are home!”

“No, this is just the place where I thought it would be best to raise you. I never have thought of this place as my home - not since your father left anyway.”

“Oh…” Uma mumbled. She never knew her father, he left not long after she was born - or at least that's what she remember of the explanation.

This house may not have a sentimental value to her mother, but it held so much for her. She remembered her mother taking pictures of her first day in kindergarten. The first time she had her pet kitten. Her first sleepover with her friends, she had so many memories tied to this house.

Hayley seemed to guess what she was thinking. “The memories aren't tied to this house dear, they are tied to your heart.” Hayley place her hand over Uma's heart. “You keep them with you no matter where you go.”

“Thanks mum.” Uma said, then turned around to see Darrell standing in the doorway. “I might just back to bed. Goodnight mum.”

“Night dear,” Hayley kissed her head and watched as she darted out of the room.

“They grow up fast don't they?” Darrell commented, as he played with his mohawk. Noticing Hayley's glum expression, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards his chest. He rested his head on her shoulder and began to speak. “She'll get used to living in the magical world - give it time.”

“Yeah I know. I'm still keeping secrets from her, something I should never have done.”

“We all keep secrets to protect the ones we love sometimes.” Darrell replied meaningfully.

Hayley understood what he was referring to in a heartbeat. “I know, but how can I keep Kane's secret any longer?”

“Tell her tomorrow, I think she's had enough to absorb for one day. She is just a child after all.”

Hayley smiled, she spun around in his embrace and pressed her lips gently to his. “I think I should get some rest, it will be a big day after all tomorrow.”

“Yes,” he agreed. He kissed her quickly again and walked out of the kitchen. “By the way,” he added. “I think it is time you put your fairy makeup on again.”

Hayley nodded and headed into the nearest bathroom downstairs and glanced in the mirror. She closed her eyes and snapped her fingers, when she opened her eyes; her pink fairy makeup was on. Hayley turned her head to the side and saw her hair's tips beginning to form ringlets. By morning her hair would be long enough and she would have to begin wearing her crown again.

Hayley walked up the creaking stairs to her bedroom and as she was changing into her pyjamas, she began to think. She thought about Uma the most and all the secrets she still hid from her; mainly about her heritage. Uma was more than a fairy - she was also half…

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It was dead silent later that night. It was a new moon tonight and there was not one cloud in the sky. There were no street lamps on the street Hayley lived on yet the night crawler had no problem seeing where he was going.

Dressed in only black, his trench coat gently swayed as he picked up his pace running up the verandas stairs. He tipped his black hat upwards and glanced through the front door's keyhole. Satisfied no one was in the living room, he stood up straight and placed his hand upon the keyhole.

“Closed to open,” he murmured.

The door opened suddenly, and he tapped it open, allowing himself in their home. He pointed his finger at the fireplace, releasing a spark and created a fire. He crept upstairs silently - not even the stairs would creak for this man - and touched each door he passed. When his hand passed over Uma's door, he paused then smiled.

The stranger opened her door and walked around the room beside her bed. He smiled as he looked down upon her, and placed his hand upon her head. She cringed from the contact.

“Enter,” the stranger said.

Uma's eyes opened suddenly and she realised she was not in her bed. She observed the scene around her, noting that she was in a solid brick room with four candles and six plants around her.

The concrete echoed as someone walked forward. “Hello Luna,” he spoke. “Nice to see you again.”

“Why me?” she shouted at the top of her lungs. Uma flung her head back and gazed up through the ceiling to the night sky, the stars twinkling at her confusion.

“Now, now Luna,” he chuckled. “There is no need for that. No one can hear you here. Not even a God.”

“Whatever you are doing, stop it!” she shouted at the stranger.

Through his black mask, his green eyes twinkled at her - mocking at her bravado when he knew deep down she was terrified.

“No,” he replied. “My name is Scott, and it is a pleasure to meet you at last Luna.”

“Why do you keep calling me Luna?” Uma demanded.

“I know that Luna is your birth name, and that your mother - full name - Moon Haylienda gave you the nickname Uma to hide you from me. Unfortunately changing your last name would have made no difference to me. Whether its Hymes or Haylienda, I would always find you someday.”

“So what are you then? A fairy?”

Scott laughed. “I think not. I have many gifts. One of my talents is that I am a mind stealer.”

Uma recalled what Whistlen said. “Anyway, these mind stealers are weak so they can only put thoughts in your head. Basically good and evil are trying to convince you to join their team.”

Uma realised this man was no weak mind stealer; he was corrupting her thoughts and creating new realities.

“Don't worry,” he continued. “Your death will be quick and my son can take the throne from you princess.” He sneered.

“Get out of my head!” Uma shouted as she stumbled backwards away from his approach.

“Get away!” she shouted again, this time her body jerked forwards and out of her bed. “Mum!” Uma shouted.

Hayley hurried to Uma's room speedily and slammed the door open. “What is it?” she asked, out of breath.

“I just had this dream, this man and -”

Hayley cut her off. “It's okay, we're leaving now. He won't touch you again I swear. Come quickly.”

Hayley grabbed Uma's hand and ran into the upstairs bathroom. She brought the stool over for Uma to stand on so she could see in the mirror.

“Close your eyes dear,” Hayley commented. “This will only take a moment.”

Uma closed her eyes and listened to her mother say a brief chant. When she was allowed to open her eyes, she saw her reflection had changed. There was bright pink fairy makeup over her face. The makeup would not smear or run away from water and its shape was like fairy wings across her eyes and cheeks.

“Mum, is this?”

“Yes,” Hayley nodded. “Your fairy makeup.”

Uma stared in awe at her reflection and touched her face softly.

“Uma, hurry and packed then if there is time, get dressed. Darrell, Whistlen are already here and we are waiting for Kane to arrive then we are leaving.”

“To the magical world.” It wasn't a question.

“Yes, I promise I will explain anything you want me to, but right now it is not safe. Your mind has already been invaded and we can't protect you properly in the normal world.”

The moment her mother was out of the bathroom, Uma undressed quickly and threw on yesterdays clothes. She didn't bother brushing her teeth, yet grabbed her toothbrush and hairbrush before sprinting back to her room.

She found on of her schoolbags at the end of her bed and tossed out its contents on the floor - pens and pencils scattered everywhere. Uma opened her wardrobe and tipped all its contents into her schoolbag. Once Uma finished packing, she ran down the stairs only to stop at the sight of Whistlen - in the same garb as yesterday - flying around in the living room.

“Oh yeah! Going home!” she proclaimed cheerfully.

“Okay, you can come down now. Where is everyone?”

“They said they'd be back in a minute - they're doing last minute preparations.” Whistlen watched as she saw Uma eye her technique of flying. “Want me to teach you?”

“Teach you what?”

“To fly.”

“But aren't we leaving in a moment?”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Whistlen said. “Less talk, more fly!” Whistlen flew down and scooped Uma up by the waist and flew out the window. “Isn't this fun?” she shouted over Uma's scream.

“Let's go back!”

“Your turn!” Whistlen shouted, when they were up in the levels of the clouds.

“What?”

“Hold this position when I let you go!”

“Let me go?” Uma began to scream even louder when Whistlen released her grip around the waist.

“Hold it! You'll know when you're holding this position!”

Uma tried to focus as she was falling out of the sky back down to the earth fast. Then she felt it, a strong sensation in her back - wings. She could feel them, small yet flapping strong.

“You're doing it!” Whistlen congratulated.

“It's fun! I can feel my wings!”

“You're not supposed to feel your wings if they are invisible! Oh well, let's fly higher!”

Uma and Whistlen soared into the clouds, flying higher and higher and appreciating the beauty of the earth from above.

“We are so fairies!” Uma laughed.

Whistlen passed her hand through a cloud and laughed too. “I've never flown this high before!”

“And I've never flown at all!” Uma responded.

They continued laughing and flying above the earth until they realised too much time had passed.

“We should probably go back,” Uma said.

“Yeah, lets go.”

As they soared downward, Uma began to feel a strange sensation rush through her body. As if she were fading away and looking down at her hands, she could see she was becoming transparent.

“Uma? What's wrong?” Whistlen shouted, still higher up than Uma was.

“I - don't - know…” Uma trailed off, breathless as she began her descent to the earth.

“Uma!” Whistlen yelled after her, she followed flying down towards her.

Uma fell out of consciousness and the last thing she remembered before she disappeared was Whistlen's panicked face as she flew desperately towards her.

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Thanks for reading!

Glossary:

Mind Stealer: A being that can manipulate ones mind. Can place images, thoughts and create alternate realities in another's mind.

Chanted One: The next one in line to take the throne. With fairies, the eldest daughter from the royal family becomes the Queen first instead of the eldest son in human royal families.

Fairies: In this story, fairies are the most dominant species in the magical world, like humans are in the normal world. Half-blooded fairies look almost human because they can hide their wings. Full-blooded fairies often have different skin colours - like purple - and often don't hide their wings.

Magical World: An alternate reality that runs parallel to our world.

Normal World: The world in which we reside.

This story is a rewrite from my original story “Wings of Fairies” from The Sims 2 website which was published in 2005. Should you wish to read the original (which has pictures) you can find it here:

http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/story_detail.php?asset_id=1 9270&asset_type=story&user_id=1010573

Both versions: The Sims 2 and this one both belong to me.