The Dragon's Keeper

We had been walking for hours, and I was getting hungry. By the grumble of James' stomach, I was sure he was too. But it wasn't like it was the first time either of us had gone hungry. It happened when you were little more than a slave. But neither of us would say anything.

Midnight had already been digging in the dirt for grubs.

My feet started to hurt and I knew I would get blisters. But I wasn't going to complain. I knew we were in a hurry.

Suddenly we came upon a field of flowers. But they were sad. I don't know how else to describe them.

They looked brown and rotten. The smell reminded me of the left overs on the dishes I would wash. A flower had no business smelling or even looking the way those did.

There was a dark aura coming from the meadow. It looked like the whole place was covered in a dark cloud. I've never seen flowers look so gloomy.

"It's their magic," James explained, after seeing my face. "They have lost it all. I'm surprised the flowers are still upright, at this point."

I felt like crying. I didn't even know flowers could lose their magic. Something like that should never happen!

"Midnight, can you help them?" I asked.

Tears welled up in my eyes. This was so sad! How could people live without colors and beautiful smells, or happy chirping of birds?

Midnight made a chirruping sound and sent yet another pulse of his beautiful magic through the air.

As Midnight's power touched each flower, fanning out around him, the flowers bloomed into a rainbow of colors. The fragrance was sweet and happy.

Peace settled in my soul. This felt right! This was how it was supposed to be!

Then, I heard a giggle.

"What was that?" I asked.

James looked around in shock. He shrugged his shoulders looking confused.

There wasn't anyone for miles around as far as we could see. So where did it come from?

There was another giggle; and another. Soon, we were surrounded by happy sounds.

Looking around, we were surprised to find we were not as alone as we had thought. Little fairies popped up from inside the flowers!

"Thank you," a little pink female said.

"We thought we would all die." A little green male responded.

"You brought our magic back!" shouted a little boy fairy.

A swarm of fairies made a funnel in front of us, and suddenly there was food right there.

"Wow!" Jamie whispered.

Both our stomachs growled at the sight of food. I have never smelled anything so heavenly in my entire life!

If I was dreaming, please leave me here to dream in peace! I never want to wake up! In fact, I may have died and gone to Heaven, and that would suit me just fine!

"You saved us! Let us save you. Join us for our feast of celebration!" A young fairy girl giggled.

So, Jamie and I sat down and ate with the fairies. We feasted and chatted with the small beings. They were very noisy for such little things!

We watched as they frolicked and joked with each other. They would play and dance around. Music floated on the air, like there was a symphony in the wind.

We watched the young ones play with the flowers. They played a game of hide and seek. I didn't know fairies knew how to play that game! ( Not that I was allowed to play with other children. But I have watched from afar.)

We watched as the older ones showed the younger ones how to properly care for the animals and plants.

The more they tended to the earth and her flowers the happier the atmosphere grew. A lightness came upon the meadow, lifting the gloom from the very ground. It was a beautiful thing!

The little ones played with Midnight, giggling as he chased them around, playfully.

Suddenly a rainbow appeared across the whole meadow. Cheers erupted everywhere. The fairies were so happy!

It was a beautiful thing. Magic restoring nature.

But the time had come for us to leave.

An Elder fairy gave James a gemstone.

"Any time you are hungry, just rub the stone, and food will appear. Take it with our thanks for restoring our magic to us," he bowed to us.

We bowed back and waved to all the fairies as we made our way through the

meadow.

They cheered and cried as we skipped our way through the field of now blossoming fragrant flowers, and said goodbye to our new friends.