"Fear not, thy Majesty. She may yet be saved."

  A Fairy Tale

  Absolute serenity. Blissful embrace.

  It was the deepest of sleeps. An endless ocean as dark as it was still.

  Then came a nurturing brightness from beyond. Its warmth tempted senses to surface. Silence gave way to the drumming of life. Soon other muffled sounds accompanied the beat, some calming, others calamitous.

  ...What am I? ...Where am I?

  Each time the familiar radiance visited, she discovered more of herself.

  Muscles begged to stretch. Eyes yearned to open. Her heart pined for adventure and belly growled like a ravenous beast.

  It's time.

  She struggled and squirmed, clawing at crinkly threads until the silk split asunder, yet was unprepared for the storm of sensation that would follow. She tumbled from her cradle and hit the ground hard.

  Ouch! This feeling... it's known as pain.

  Dizzying hues swirled. Every breath filled airways with honeyed tingles. A mess of sound steadily tuned into recognisable words.

  "Wonderful find, Cherry'! Bring it here!" sang a musical voice.

  Fleecy fabric smothered her shoulders. She clutched at the blanket and pulled it tight until she felt safe and secure once more.

  "I'll betcha can find her something to eat too," said the same voice.

  A second responded in hyper-enthused screams. "Yeah! Am on it! I gots this!" Its origin rushed by as a blur, both bold and intense.

  That colour... we call it red!

  Not yet ready to handle such volume and speed, she looked to the closer and calmer of the two figures. A reassuring expression greeted her. One she immediately wanted to mimic, as if the exercise was contagious.

  I know this too! It's a smile!

  Large spherical lenses magnified blinking emeralds. A hat hosting two serrated leaves sat atop hair of shimmering shamrock. "Ahoy-hoy!" chirped the friendly face. "Welcome back to the world. How're you feeling?"

  She forced a shaky nod.

  "Tremendous! I'm Merry', or, Princess Merrymint, if you prefer prim-and-proper. It's marvellous to meet you!"

  She opened her mouth. When meeting someone new and presented with a name, it was only natural to give one's own, yet nothing came to mind.

  I have to say something! Talk!

  Her first attempt sounded as a pained croak. After an eye-wateringly sore first swallow, she tried again. "I... I don't know who I am."

  Merrymint laughed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry, that's totally normal. You've been reborn a Fairy Princess, just like me and Cherry'! As for your name... well, we'll figure that one out in time. For now you can call yourself Newbie."

  "Newbie," she echoed. Even in her dazed and addled state, she knew it was no real name, yet it was all she had.

  Gold inlay snaked through polished marble. Ornate pillars stretched up to support a huge dome of stained glass that surrounded them with windows rather than walls. Waves of butterflies danced above a garden of abundant blooms.

  "Where are we?" asked Newbie.

  "The Royal Palace! The Nursery, to be exact. This is where me, Cherry', and all your other sisters emerged too." Merrymint nodded toward a suspended cluster of large white orbs.

  They were a dozen or so, smooth yet fluffy, like the stuffing of a soft toy woven tight. The cocoon hanging just above Newbie's sprawled feet was torn open. It had served as home for a long, long time, yet no more.

  She had so many questions, but before she could even figure out where to start, the noisy blur returned.

  A pint-sized princess skidded to a stop. Calf-length pigtails and a belt of knotted cherries swayed with momentum. She was panting rapidly, not from physical exertion, but excitement, like a puppy at playtime. In each outstretched hand was a bucket filled with fruit. "Apples an' pears!" she roared triumphantly.

  "Golly, you're the best, Cherry'!" said Merrymint.

  Lively rubies and a wide grin of sharp teeth turned toward Newbie. "Apples or pears?"

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Newbie wasn't sure, and didn't care to think. She took one of the ripe fruits in each hand and started to gobble. Sugary juices flooded her mouth with every satisfying crunch. As soon as she finished one, she moved on to the next, biting, chewing and gulping to sate the hunger within.

  Before long, both buckets were entirely empty. Newbie snapped back to her senses and wiped her chin.

  What sort of first impression am I making? They must think me an animal!

  "Attagirl!" said Merrymint. "You worked up quite the appetite in there."

  "How long?" Newbie's voice became a little easier to summon each time she spoke.

  "That's kinda tricky to answer," said Merrymint. "It was different for all of us, and I don't think Queeny keeps written records."

  "You've been sleepin' a long time, Sis'!" shouted the little red fairy.

  "Not so loud, Cherry'," said Merrymint. "Remember when you emerged? It was a lot to take in, right? Start by introducing yourself."

  "Princess Cherrychomp!" She screamed her name whilst raising her arms and jumping on the spot.

  "I'm... Newbie, apparently."

  Cherrychomp let out an astonished gasp. "Newbie? That used to be my name too!"

  Merrymint let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. "Sorry about her. She's always like this. Do you think you can stand?"

  "I can try," said Newbie.

  With Merrymint supporting one side, and Cherrychomp the other, they worked their way towards the vast viewing panels.

  "A Fairy Princess..." Newbie formed the words carefully.

  "That's right! Do you remember what it means?" asked Merrymint.

  Newbie scrunched her brow and wracked incomplete memories. "That means... I'm magical, right?" She didn't quite believe it herself.

  "You bet!" said Merrymint.

  Despite Cherrychomp's small stature, she had no issue supporting Newbie on her own when Merrymint slipped away.

  "But there's so much more to it than that!" Merrymint flicked her spectacles before striking a series of dramatic poses. "To be a Fairy Princess is to be a protector of the queendom! A defender of peace! To inspire courage and fill hearts with joy! To ensure every child can sleep soundly at night! Super strong, super swift, super skilled with super spells! Truly, we are idols of hopes and dreams!"

  Merrymint appeared to take great pride in the performance. Her fanciful buttoned tailcoat and bow tie made it all the more theatrical. She even brandished a showman's stave which she pointed and spun to better captivate her audience.

  Cherrychomp's eyes twinkled with wonder. She was so impressed that she ceased supporting and started clapping.

  Newbie wobbled from one foot to the other until she found her balance. A deep breath served to reassure herself. The weakness in her limbs was easing.

  "But, yeah. We're magical too, obviously!" Merrymint raised a hand and splayed her fingers. A brief rush of wind spiralled forth and sent jagged leaves twirling through the air.

  Even though the gust was aimed away, Newbie felt refreshment caress her face and tug at her hair.

  "Magic time!" said Cherrychomp. "Can I, Merry'? Can I, can I, can I?" She vibrated with enthusiasm.

  But Merrymint didn't seem too keen. "Aw, I'm sorry, Cherry'. You remember what Queeny said, right?"

  The hopeful smile flattened. Cherrychomp lowered her head and bumped the tips of her index fingers before her chest. "Munchers is for outside only..." she mumbled with puffed cheeks and pouting lips.

  "Some other time, ok?" Merrymint scratched the little red fairy's scalp, an action which made her leg twitch and shiny shoe tap.

  Newbie looked to the closest window, just a few paces away. She was determined to finish the journey by her own strength. Unsteady soles shuffled forward. "The Royal Palace. The queendom. Fairies and magic..."

  Have things always been this way? Just how much changed during my metamorphosis?

  The Nursery's tower held them high. Cylinders of white stone sprouted around it, topped with spires of pink slate and fluttering flags. Most were shorter, but one stretched so far it pierced a rainbow arching directly overhead.

  "That's... tall," said Newbie.

  "That's the Sky Spire!" said Merrymint.

  Far below, candy cottages spilled down a hillside toward a forest of twisty, twirly trees. Lush greens sprawled to the horizon in every direction, broken only by peculiar villages dotted throughout.

  "I hope you're not afraid of heights?" asked Merrymint.

  "I don't appear to be," said Newbie. "It's quite the view. I could gaze from here for hours, yet there are so many places I want to see up close too."

  "Just wait until you see it at night!" said Merrymint.

  Newbie was so snared in wonder that she accidentally bumped her forehead upon the glass. That was when she noticed the faint, unfamiliar face peering back at her. It was pretty and framed with icy white hair. A petite button nose held a hint of blush. Snowflake shaped pupils resided in crystal eyes that blinked when she blinked. No regular human had such whimsical features.

  It's true! I really am a Fairy Princess!

  That was when something stirred within. A haunting chill. Wintry harshness claimed her lungs and crept up her throat. Ghostly mist numbed her tongue and spilled from crackling lips. Frost blossomed upon the window. Spiky lines split and spread until her reflection was no more.

  She was about to cry out when the force suddenly retreated, like an abyssal leviathan that'd barely disturbed the surface. It was the briefest taste of magic, yet it left Newbie trembling from more than just its cold.

  "Wh... What was that?" she rasped.

  "Golly gosh, that must be your power!" Merrymint applauded. "Looks like your magic is kinda icy."

  Cherrychomp sucked in a huge gulp of air. "Make it snowin'! Make it snoowin'!!"

  Merrymint waved her arms for calm. "Steady now. Let's give her a little time, ok?"

  The two girls were so delighted that Newbie couldn't bear to mention how much the experience had frightened her. She simply clenched at her blanket to try and ease the shivers whilst watching frozen stars thaw. "...I'll be able to control it with practice, right?"

  "For sure!" said Merrymint. "I can't wait to see what kinda flashy things you can pull off once you've mastered your magic! But first," she snapped her fingers, "clothes!"

  "Dress up time!" roared Cherrychomp.

  "R-right!" said Newbie. Finding something to keep her toes from the marble sounded perfect.

  "Then we can give you the tour. I can't wait to introduce you to Queeny and the others," said Merrymint. "Everyone's gonna be soo happy to meet a new Fairy Princess!"

  Newbie followed her new sisters, equal parts thrilled and daunted. There was so much she had to learn about her new family, the palace and magic. In truth, she'd feel utterly lost if the first two faces she'd met hadn't been so wholly supportive.

  I hope they're all this friendly...