Page 48 of Chased By the Fairy

He brought his eyes away from her with shame, wishing he could share in her glee, when all he felt was disappointment and despondency. It didn’t help that his fondness for Cindy had died upon the realisation she was turning a blind eye to what was really happening to him.

He wondered if Miss Mole had done something to blackmail Cindy into aiding her cruel plan. That was what he was choosing to believe, at least. It made him feel better about being in her presence.

The wedding chapel he was in was made of glass shards. His gaze followed a small beam of sunlight that was allowed to come in so it could make the colourful glass glitter and shine. Thebuilding was beautiful, even if it meant his doom.

Some of the glass on the walls reflected his own face like mirrors, and he brought his eyes away from them constantly, hating how dismayed he appeared. He looked tired and depressed, to the point even his hair looked lifeless.

Bells began to chime, and his blood raced in his veins.I don’t want to do this.

And yet he turned to look to the entryway door with a forced smile, watching Sally being walked down the aisle in a white dress by a groundhog who could see for her. Her white veil no doubt made her near-sightedness even worse.

Two little mouse sprite children carelessly threw ripped pieces of white petals, making the room smell of daisies and other floral scents.At least it hides the smell of dirt.

Rows upon rows of people observed him standing there as her groom to be, happily grinning. It felt as though all of Burrow City had come to witness the event.

He didn’t miss the stares of a few men who appeared jealous as they glared at him, but they wouldn’t know Sorrel would do anything to trade places with them.

Cindy was in the front row, and she was crying, waving a hanky in greeting when his eyes met hers. His smile grew more broken at her joy.

Then Miss Mole’s feet met the bottom step of the podium on which he stood, and fear like he’d never known clutched at him. His breaths sawed in and out quietly as he watched her climb the steps, and he worried he’d start having a panic attack at any moment.

I can do this. Think of Greta. This is for her.His hands shook as he lifted them so he could push back the white veil covering her mixture of mole and human features, wishing it was a different face he revealed rather than the one he saw. Althoughhe wanted it to be covered in hair, he didn’t want it to be a feminine face of fur.

Even now, despite his heartache, he still wished it was Cypress by his side. He swiftly pushed down the rising thoughts of him when he remembered the prince was marrying someone else in the spring next week.

He still didn’t know who, and he was glad he didn’t. A prince or a princess from a neighbouring kingdom? How did Sorrel ever allow himself to believe he would be worthy of a prince in the first place?

He was as valuable as the dirt that would bury him for the rest of his life, at least to something like a flower fairy. To the burrowing animal sprites, he was like a chunk of gold, but that didn’t bring him pride or joy, like it might have someone else.

He didn’t realise he hadn’t been paying attention to the ceremony until the vows were to be exchanged. It made sense he’d come to his senses right at the most devastating part, where all he wanted was to back away from this room. He would have much rather he signed his name away to this woman in a daze than remember agreeing to this.

Sorrel clenched his eyes and wished he was somewhere else. He wished he would disappear. His stomach was so tight with tension he felt nauseous, and he clenched his eyes harder when he wished someone, anyone, would come save him.

He’d told Greta he’d be a knight in shining armour for the world, but where was his knight when he needed one?

“And do you, Sorrel Maclarren,” the mouse sprite said up to him from his little book, forcing Sorrel to open his eyes to look at his furry face, “take Sally Molethrum, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

His vow clogged in his throat.I don’t.He wanted to say no. It was all he could think.

“I...” he stuttered, before giving her a pleading look.Please, stop this. Please don’t make me do this.

Her joyful face instantly hardened, and her black eyes narrowed on him, her pink spiky nose twitching in his direction with irritation.Make the vow,was what her eyes demanded.

“I...”

“Stop!” A familiar voice rang through the chapel.

Sorrel looked towards the door with hope as it bashed against the wall before that hope was instantly swallowed with terrible despair. A different furred sprite had entered with a sword.

Even though the voice sounded familiar, all Sorrel knew was that someone else wanted him. A stranger. He was tired of being chased by sprites. First Mr Toad, then Jeffers the beetle, Miss Mole, and now this other random sprite.

It was too much. His heart couldn’t take much more.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he whispered to himself.

“What did you say?” Sally snapped, making him look back at her as she gave him a sneer.

“I won’t marry you.” Then he pointed to the sprite who had interrupted the wedding. “I won’t marry any of you! I don’t care who you are – all I want is to go the fuck home!”

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