"Rex," said a sharp voice.

The young fairy stopped mid-attack, spun around, and let out a frustrated curse. "Why can't they just leave me alone?"

Two fairies were rushing toward them. The first, a tall fairy, wore a gown made entirely of vibrant yellow flowers, each petal shifting and rustling as if touched by a gentle breeze. Her blonde hair was elegantly styled in an elaborate bun, adorned with delicate, fluttering butterflies that seemed to dance in the air around her. The second fairy was draped in a gown that sparkled like a cascade of sewn blue and white crystals, glistening in the sunlight with an ethereal glow. Her long, wavy blue hair tumbled down her back like a waterfall, and in her hand, she held a wand topped with a large, gleaming blue crystal. Both fairies had piercing amber eyes, the same striking hue as Rex's.

Trailing behind the two fairies was the lanky old fairy that Rex had threatened earlier.

As they approached, the elderly fairy gestured towards Briar and Leon. "That's the human he captured and caused all the chaos," he said.

The two fairies gasped, their eyes widening in shock as they took in the sight of Briar and Leon.

"What are you doing with them?" thundered the yellow fairy, her voice ringing with authority and fury.

Rex straightened up, puffing out his chest as the fireball in his hand grew larger. "I caught the spies," he declared with a triumphant sneer. "They're here to assassinate our mother. If you hadn't interrupted, I would have killed them."

The blue fairy's eyes widened in horror. "Kill them?" she echoed, her voice trembling with disbelief. "They're just children!"

"And that makes them the perfect weapon, doesn't it?" Rex snapped, casting a venomous glance at Briar and Leon. "Who would suspect children? The fairy queen is clever and devious."

"Shut up, Rex!" snapped the blue fairy, her voice cracking like a whip. "Stop being obsessed with the fairy queen. She doesn't want our land."

"And you!" the yellow fairy turned her fierce gaze on the soldiers. "Release the children this instant."

The soldiers, their faces masked with uncertainty, looked from Rex to the two fairies, clearly torn between conflicting orders.

"I said leave the humans and go make yourselves useful by helping the villagers with the disaster my foolish brother has caused!" the yellow fairy shouted.

At once, the soldiers loosened their grip on Briar and Leon, the magical strands dissolving into thin air. Then, without another glance at Rex, the fairy soldiers turned and hurried off.

"Why did you dismiss my army?" Rex thundered, his chest heaving with barely contained rage. "I have the authority. I need their help with the spies!"

"We are not spying!" Briar interjected quickly, her voice trembling yet firm. The two fairies seemed like they wouldn't try to blast them with fireballs and listen to their side of the story.

"Silence!" Rex barked, turning on Briar with a fierce glare. He then faced the yellow fairy again. "I caught them, and I'll decide what to do with them."

"Never," the blue fairy retorted. "It is mother who will decide their fate. Now, stop creating more trouble for yourself and go use your army for something productive."

"And wait for mother to return and punish you," the yellow fairy added with a stern look.

Rex's face contorted with disbelief. "And what about the spies?" he asked incredulously. "You think I'll just leave them with you? Am I stupid? You two are so careless."

"Listen, Rex," the yellow fairy said. "We are older than you and have higher ranks. So, little brother, you must follow our orders. When mother returns, she will decide what to do with the humans. Now go."

Rex's eyes flared with frustration. He yanked off his helmet and hurled it to the ground with a loud clang. "I know you're taking advantage of your position!" he shouted, his voice cracking with bitterness. "You're jealous because I'm mother's favorite. You want to steal the credit for capturing the spies, but I'll never let that happen. The entire village knows I caught them."

"The whole village also knows you set it on fire and nearly killed two humans who haven't been proven guilty," the blue fairy said pointedly.

Rex's face darkened with fury. He glared at his sisters, his jaw clenched tightly, then turned and stormed off, his wings flaring angrily.

The blue fairy turned her attention to the old fairy, who had been watching the argument from a distance. "Thanks for informing us," she said.

"Can't let him burn down our only home," the elderly fairy replied gruffly, shaking his head before turning to leave.

With the old fairy gone, the two sisters shifted their focus to Briar and Leon. "Who are you?" asked the blue fairy.

"I'm Briar Rose," Briar said.

"And I'm Prince Leon," Leon added, bowing slightly. "Also known as Prince Charming."

The fairies gasped, their eyes widening in amazement. "Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming."

"If Rex had known that, he might have tried to kill you sooner," the blue fairy said.

Suddenly, Briar's vision blurred, and a wave of dizziness swept over her. She staggered, reaching out for support, and clutched Leon's arm as her legs threatened to give way.

"Are you all right, princess?" the yellow fairy asked urgently, rushing to Briar's side.

"Are you injured?" the blue fairy inquired, stepping closer, her eyes scanning Briar for any signs of harm.

"That stupid fairy hit her with a spell, and now she's weakened," Leon said angrily.

The yellow fairy's face contorted with rage. "A life-draining spell," she spat, shaking with fury. "Rex cast a life-draining spell on a human. What if she had died? Our reputation is already terrible enough as it is."

"What is a life-draining spell?" Briar asked, her voice trembling.

"The spell slowly drains the life energy from a person," she explained, pausing for a moment. "Until the person is dead."

"But you have nothing to worry about," the blue fairy interrupted quickly, moving closer to Briar. "Let me see." She pointed her wand at Briar's chest. Chanting softly, she released a warm, golden glow from the wand that enveloped Briar.

Briar felt the warmth spread through her body, a soothing sensation that seemed to chase away the cold tendrils of weakness. She tried to stand without any support, but her knees buckled. Before she could collapse, the yellow fairy and Leon caught her.

"It didn't work on her, sister," said the yellow fairy, her eyes clouded with concern.

"You mean you can't heal her?" Leon demanded, his voice rising in anger.

"Our sister Viviana is the best healing fairy," said the yellow fairy. "She will heal the princess."

"Let's go to her place," suggested the blue fairy.

"Wait," Leon said, his tone skeptical. "Why should we trust you? Who are you?"

"I'm Evalina," said the blue fairy.

"And I'm Lilliana," added the yellow fairy. "We are daughters of Viatrix. Unfortunately, Rex is our brother."

"Viatrix," Briar gasped, her breath catching as she tried to push away the unexpected wave of drowsiness that swept over her. "I need to see her."

"Sure, we will take you to mother," Evalina promised. "But first, let's treat you."

"Sure, we will take you to Mother, but first let's treat you," said Evalina.

Briar nodded, too weak to argue. She leaned on Leon as they followed the sisters through the village. The village was bigger than Briar had assumed. Thankfully, most of the village hadn't caught fire. As they walked by, the fairies stared at Briar and Leon in astonishment but remained silent since Evalina and Lillian were accompanying them.

"We're almost there," Lilliana said. As they approached, Briar saw a small castle nestled on the outskirts of the village. The castle's towers soared into the sky, each one topped with a vibrant red flag adorned with golden fairy wings. A massive stone wall encircled the castle, and fairy guards, armed with spears, patrolled carefully.

The guards at the gate gawked at Briar and Leon, their expressions a mix of curiosity and wariness. However, they said nothing and allowed them entry as Evalina commanded. The fairies led them through the gate and into a large, lush garden behind the castle. A clear pond shimmered in the center, reflecting the deep blue sky above.

As they stepped into the garden, Briar was overwhelmed by the fragrance of a myriad of herbs and flowers. The scents of lavender, basil, rosemary, sage, ginger, and thyme mingled in the air, creating a soothing, aromatic atmosphere. Briar noticed several herbs she couldn't identify, their colors and shapes as vivid and enchanting as the flowers of the enchanted garden. However, they seemed like they wouldn't attack Briar. But she couldn't be sure, so she kept her distance from the plants.

"Look, that's Viviana, our little sister," Lilliana said, pointing towards a fairy seated on the ground with her back turned. Viviana hummed softly to herself as she carefully dug a tiny hole in the soil and planted a seed.

Evalina approached her with a smile. "Hey, Viviana."

Viviana continued to hum, lost in her own world, her head bobbing up and down with the rhythm of her song.

"Viviana!" Lilliana called louder.

Startled, Viviana stopped humming and turned to look at her sisters. "Oh, Evalina, Lilliana!" she exclaimed, standing up and wiping her dirty hands on her gown. She shared the same delicate facial features and amber eyes as her sisters, but her short, dark hair set her apart. She appeared younger, with a sense of innocence and curiosity that seemed to radiate from her.

Her eyes widened as she noticed Briar and Leon. "Where did you find the humans? Who are they?"

"That's Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming," Lilliana said.

Viviana let out a small yelp. "What?"

Evalina quickly recounted the events that had transpired, describing how Rex had cast a life-draining spell on Briar. "I tried to heal her, but the spell seemed too powerful," Evalina explained.

Viviana's expression softened as she turned to Briar, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, princess. I'll fix it soon. Come with me."

Viviana guided them to a dome-shaped glass house at the end of the garden, nearly enveloped in thick ivy. The house was dotted with several windows and a circular door. The ivy clung to the structure like a protective embrace, and tiny flowers peeked through the greenery, adding splashes of color to the glass walls.

"This way," Viviana said softly as she produced a small, ornate key from her pocket. She slid it into the lock and twisted it with a satisfying click. The door creaked open, revealing the interior.

Inside, the room was spacious, adorned with plants that seemed to breathe life into the very air. Vines climbed up the walls, twisting and turning like serpentine guardians, while unusual flowers bloomed from every surface, their petals glowing faintly with an ethereal light. The air was thick with the heady scent of blooming flora and the subtle undertone of damp earth.

Viviana led Briar to a wooden bench near a large, round window that offered a charming view of the garden outside. "Please, have a seat," she said.

Briar hesitated for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the plants that surrounded her. She couldn't shake the memory of the flowers in the enchanted garden. But there was a calmness in Viviana's demeanor that made her want to trust the fairy. Taking a deep breath, she sat down.

"Let me see," Viviana said, taking Briar's hand. Her fingers were cool and soothing. She examined Briar's hand for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly before she gently released it.

"How bad is it?" Lilliana asked anxiously. She kept casting worried glances at her sister and Briar.

Viviana sighed. "It's bad," she admitted, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a slender wand. "But don't worry, it's nothing my plants can't heal."

Briar's heart pounded in her chest as Viviana placed the wand on her head. A faint warmth spread from the point of contact, radiating down her spine. "Stay still," Viviana said softly.

The fairy then lifted the wand and aimed it at the ceiling. Long, green ivies began to unravel and slither downwards like living tendrils. When the ivies touched her skin, Briar screamed and sprang from her seat, knocking over a few flower pots in her haste. Soil and shards of pottery scattered across the floor, and the room was filled with the earthy scent of uprooted plants.

"What happened?" Viviana asked, rushing to Briar's side.

Briar took a deep, shuddering breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. The fear she felt in the enchanted garden had surged back to the surface. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "It's just that I don't like magical plants. They... they remind me of those awful plants in the enchanted garden."

Viviana's expression softened. "Don't worry," she said, placing a comforting hand on Briar's shoulder. "These plants are here to help, not harm. I promise they won't hurt you."

Briar returned to the bench and allowed the ivies to coil gently around her hands.

Next, Viviana dropped few roots in a glass of water and handed it to Briar. "Drink this," the fairy said.

Briar hesitated, staring at the glass. The scent alone was enough to make her stomach churn, but she knew she had no choice. She pinched her nose and gulped down the liquid, grimacing as the bitterness hit her tongue.

"Good," Viviana said. "It will help to cleanse the toxins from your body. Just give it some time, and you'll start to feel better."

Briar nodded, her eyes watering from the bitterness of the drink. Despite the taste, she could feel a warmth spreading through her, a sign that the potion was beginning to work.

Viviana turned her attention to Leon. "Are you hurt?" she asked.

Leon shook his head, though he looked wary. "No, I'm fine," he said. "But... does your plant also eat humans?"

Viviana's eyes widened in surprise. "No," she said quickly. "These plants are meant to heal, not harm."

"The enchanted garden tried to eat us," he said.

Viviana gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "You were attacked by the garden?" she asked.

"Yes," Briar confirmed, her voice shaky. The memories of the garden's thorny tendrils and carnivorous plants still haunted her.

"I'm surprised you are alive," Evalina said. "Those plants have been known to consume even fairies."

Leon nodded grimly. "The river tried to drown Briar as well."

"What?" Lilliana exclaimed, putting a hand on her forehead. "Princess, you are incredibly lucky to have survived."

Briar shuddered at the recollection and then remembered something unsettling. "I saw my reflections in the river," she said, her voice low. "Can they predict the future?"

"Rubbish," Viviana said, shaking her head. "The reflections you saw were the water hunters, nasty creatures. They can't predict the future, but they can mimic your form. They read your thoughts and use them against you, luring you into the water to steal your soul. Never get close to them again."

"Did they predict something for you?" Evalina asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"No," Briar lied, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

"Anyone want fresh pineapple juice?" Viviana asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yes, please," Leon said eagerly, rubbing his throat. "Running from your bloodthirsty brother and his army has worn me out."

Viviana chuckled and disappeared for a moment, returning with five glasses of golden pineapple juice.

"Here you go," Viviana said, handing out the glasses. Briar took hers gratefully, savoring the sweet, refreshing taste that washed away the remnants of the bitter potion.

"This place is not safe for humans, especially ones as young as you two," Evalina said. "Why did you come here?"

"We need Viatrix's help," Briar said between sips. The sweetness of the juice was like a blessing, lifting her spirits.

"Mother's help?" Evalina echoed, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "Why?"

"To break the Curse of Thorns," Briar said. "We need the Book of Curses from your library."

"Curse?" Evalina's face darkened, and her sisters exchanged worried glances. The atmosphere in the room grew tense, the earlier warmth replaced by an icy chill.

Briar and Leon took turns explaining everything about the Wicked Fairy and the Curse of Thorns. They spoke of the suffering in Briar's kingdom, the fear that gripped the people, and the urgency to find a solution before it was too late.

The fairies were too stunned to speak, their faces a mixture of shock and anger. Finally, Lilliana broke the silence, her voice trembling with rage. "She cursed you again? Wasn't the sleeping curse enough? Hasn't she already caused enough havoc? Wasn't she satisfied with banishing us from our home?" Lilliana's eyes blazed with fury, and she looked like she could curse someone on the spot.

"It seems like she's vowed to bring mother shame forever," Evalina said coldly. Her eyes were hard, and she clenched her fists. "It revolts me to say she is our sister."

Briar's eyes widened in shock. "Sister?" she asked. "The Wicked Fairy is your sister?" The revelation was almost too much to grasp. She couldn't believe that the Wicked Fairy, the source of so much evil, was related to Evalina, Lilliana, and Viviana—the kindest fairies she had ever encountered.

Viviana's eyes filled with tears, which rolled down her smooth cheeks like tiny, glistening pearls. "She's our oldest sister," she said slowly. "The pride of our mother."

"She was," Evalina added grimly, her tone laced with bitterness. "Before she delved into dark magic, cursed an innocent baby girl, and sparked a war with the fairies."

"Because of her, we had to leave our home," Lilliana yelled. "Our Fairyland, our home."

Briar shook her head, still puzzled. "I don't get it," she said.

"Mowena—the Wicked Fairy you know—wasn't always like this," said Evalina, her eyes clouding with painful memories. "She was incredibly intelligent and ambitious. She aspired to become the next fairy queen. In Fairyland, when a queen retires, she and the elder fairies choose the next fairy queen. A deserving, capable fairy who possesses all the qualities of a ruler and passes all the trials."

"And Mowena was one of the contenders," Lilliana added. "She made it to the final round but failed the last test. Tara completed the final ritual and became the fairy queen."

"Because Tara deserved it," Viviana said. "She was more talented than Mowena and had all the qualities of a true queen."

Evalina shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Mowena couldn't accept it. She was furious. She believed she had been deceived and couldn't come to terms with the fact that she wasn't worthy of being queen. She thought if she read all the books and gained more knowledge, she could change the minds of the elder fairies. Mother, unable to bear her suffering, gave her full access to the magic library."

"A grave mistake," Lilliana said. She looked as though she wished she could turn back time and change everything.

"What we didn't know was that she wasn't just gaining knowledge," Viviana said, her voice trembling. "She was learning dark magic—the forbidden kind." She shuddered as if the very mention of it chilled her to the bone.

"After mastering dark magic, Mowena went to the fairy queen and challenged her to a duel," Evalina continued. "And of course, the fairy queen won. Mowena fled, only to show up at your christening and curse you. She did it just to prove her power, to show the world she was not to be trifled with."

"And then she launched an attack on Fairyland," Evalina said. "She took the lives of countless fairies."

Lilliana's eyes filled with tears of rage and sorrow. "The war between the fairy queen and Mowena went on for months. Many lives were lost. Eventually, the fairy queen managed to capture Mowena, but she escaped."

"The fairies blamed our mother for opening the library to Mowena," Evalina said. "They believed we were aiding her. In their anger and fear, they banished us from Fairyland. Mother accepted their decision, and our family and supporters followed us into exile. Because of Mowena, the whole world views us with suspicion and hate."

Viviana sobbed, burying her face in her sister's shoulder. "Those were dark times," she said through her tears. "The hate, the accusations—it was unbearable."

Briar felt a deep pang of empathy for the fairies. She knew all too well the pain of being hated for something beyond her control.

"We finally found refuge in the Midnight Forest," Lilliana said, her voice cracking with bitterness. "Living like monsters, hiding from the world."

"Mother was deeply wounded by it all," Evalina added, her eyes reflecting the same deep sorrow. "She couldn't bear the shame that Mowena, once her pride and joy, had brought upon us. She closed the library and vowed never to open it again."

Briar's heart sank. "Closed the library?" she asked, feeling the glimmer of hope slipping away.

Evalina nodded sadly. "Yes, Princess," she said. "She will never open it again."

___