"My queen, I don't know who this is," one of the guards tried to say before she got a mouth full of pink dust.
"It's alright. I would recognize that voice anywhere!" the main fairy said annoyed. "Viniria, what do I own the pleasure?" she faked a smile, fluttering her enormous wings in a somewhat threatening manner.
"Flora, dear," Viniria said through her grinning teeth. "How have you been?"
"A lot better knowing your kind was gone for a long rest," she said blunt. "What happened, couldn't find a comfy sleeping position?"
"Well, as you know, things happen and not everyone can hide under a bubble all their life," Viniria retorted, tossing her hair.
"Well, what can I say? Some of us are just lucky I guess," Flora said tilting her head smugly away from her. "Still it was nice off you to drop by. Any special reason that you are here?" she added, curious. The fairies turned toward the intruder.
"It is a long story. I would hate to bore you with it," Viniria swayed her arms, with the guards finally letting her go.
The fairies turned to their queen. "We love long stories. It must be truly something juicy for you to be so desperate as to show your face here," she stated arrogantly.
Viniria bit her tongue, stretching her mouth in a bad attempt to smile.
The two stared each other down like a pair of tomcats in heat. Still, they kept their composure. For a while…
Meanwhile, high up among the branches, the dexterous prince struggled to move through the thick leaves. He carefully checked each section, looking for even the smallest fruit. Still, he found nothing. With each barren branch, his anxiety grew. "This is not looking good. I can't have come all this way for nothing," he thought, beginning to sweat.
His magical friend was by his side. In one moment, the small bird chirped with joy. "Aidan, I found them. Over there!"
The prince looked up. "Oh, thank Heavens! I was beginning to get worried," the man uttered, with a relived puff.
He quickened his pace and found three small fruits covered in glistening gold. They felt heavy in his hand, making him wonder if they were edible. However, there was no time to waste.
"Now I can go back to Zora. I dread how she is managing without me."
"Chirp! Chirp! Yes. What a sweet but reckless girl," his little companion added.
"Making Vinira come to help me while her life is in such peril. I simply hope the good forest creature got back home quickly," he stated more to himself than to Chirp.
His train of thought was interrupted by loud shrieking.
"You forest brute! I hope your entire family burns!" said the voice of the fairy queen.
"You leave my sister's out of this! It is not their fault that you are a frustrated pigmy cow!" Viniria screamed in a high-pitched but still distinguishable voice.
"She's still here?" the king gasped. Aidan and Chirp looked at each other surprised. He wrapped the magical fruit into his pocket and quickly got down.
"How dare you! Do I look remotely like a cow to you?" Flora uttered, shivering from rage. "I am the embodiment of beauty in this world. And I will not let anyone say otherwise!"
"What is happening?" Aidan asked confused and turned to Viniria. "Why are you doing here?"
"Not now. Can't you see I'm busy?" the forest creature spitefully declared.
Flora displeasingly glanced at the descending prince.
"You know this, this thing?" Flora scowled, acting revolted by her presence.
"Leave him alone. He has nothing to do with this," Viniria yelled.
Stepping carefully, the young prince met many judging doll-like eyes. Passing the grumpy forest guardian, he whispered near her, "I don't know what is happening, but is it really that necessary for you to cause such a riot? We are their guests, after all."
"We'll talk about it later, now leave," she uttered under her breath.
Having no other choice, the two guests quickly obeyed, moving away from the two powerful creatures. It did not take them long to continue their shouting match, screaming all kinds of insults at each other.
"This is so typical of you. You were always jealous of me!" Flora could be heard from behind the green gate.
"Of you? Ha! Don't make me laugh!" Viniria declared with a scoff. "Why would I be jealous of something I could swat like an annoying fly?"
The young man eavesdropped worried. Chirp sat on his shoulder, seemingly bored. "Chirp! Should we go? We got what we were looking for?" he sang.
"And don't get me started on all the things you borrowed and never returned!" the fairy squeaked a scornful retort.
"What for? It's not like they would fit you anyway!"
"We should. However, Viniria could get us home quicker. And it would not be proper to leave her stranded here."
Chirp bowed his head, uncertain.
"Let's give them some time. I'm sure they'll run out of insults shortly," Aidan said sitting on the grass.
At that moment, on the other side of the magical fence, the two fairy creatures' ears were steaming from rage. Exhausted, they looked away from each other, crossing their arms sulky.
"Face it, Viniria. You could never come to terms that I was always more beautiful," the queen uttered with her nose up.
The disguised guardian laughed out loud. "In your dreams, dear. In your tiny, tiny dreams," he said smug.
The fairy queen side-glanced her with a salty grin. "Even so. I was more desirable to you-know-who," Flora stated, smiling seductively.
This was the last straw for the guest. "Now listen here you thimble!" the forest guardian yelled, losing all restrains.
The fairy queen gasped, beside herself from shock. "Guards! Remove this, this, this... creature from my sight!" she yelled, pointing.
All the fairies quickly picked up green strains from the ground and aimed at the intruder. Water emerged from the hose-like things, first in small amounts and then in pulsating streams.
The disguised forest guardian was pushed outside the gate with a burst of water large enough to fill a medium-sized river. Aidan, who was nearby, heard the water. Standing up, he was perplexed by the tall wave carrying his magical friend. Too near to avoid the mighty stream, he was accidentally picked along for the ride.