(( For the purposes of this story, Mikhi (Myxie) is fourteen years old. ))
Mikhi stared for a moment at the object in her hand. It was a white, long-stemmed rose, clenched tightly between her fingers. She turned the bloom upwards and filled her nose with its sweet scent. In the other hand was a leather strap. Following it as it weaved through a background of yellow feathers, she suddenly realized she was riding a chocobo. She leaned forward to wrap her arms around the creature, aware of its strong muscles and the occasional rumbling of its throat as it let out a chirp. Looking past the neck of the bird, Mikhi could see many flowers and small, brightly colored strips of paper landing on the cobblestones below her.
Mikhi sat up straight and blinked her eyes. The midday sun was blinding ahead of her, so she squinted and glanced around. To one side rose a line of stone buildings reaching towards the sky. On the other side stood a towering wall with many market stands leaning against it. Though Mikhi had never been there, she could tell from the hot, dry wind blowing on her cheek that this must be Ul’dah.
A strange sound from behind her caught Mikhi’s attention. She turned in her saddle to see a large procession following behind her. There was a small carriage being pulled by two chocobos directly behind her. Behind that, a giant creature with long, flailing arms strained against the magical bonds that caged it. After a sickening groan the bonds gave way with a loud snapping sound that echoed through the streets. Bystanders screamed and ran in horror as the lumbering creature lurched into the carriage in front of it, sending a spray of splintered wood in all directions. Mikhi grasped desperately for the neck of the chocobo as it reared, trying to cover her head from the wave of debris.
Mikhi sat up again and squinted into the sun, though it wasn’t as bright filtering through the canopy of the forest. Her head jerked around in confusion, taking in the trees of the Shroud. In her lap was a book on Ul’dah that Uncle Ori’to had brought the previous autumn for her to read. Mikhi blinked for a moment and sighed, realizing the parade had been a dream. She raised her hands to the horizon, placing one over the other to gauge the height of the sun.
“Two handspans? Momma’s gonna kill me!â€
“Ah knew ah ‘eard somethin’ makin’ noise up ‘ere,†came a deep voice from behind her.
Mikhi’s head jerked up and turned to look over the fallen log she was seated against. Moving up the hill towards her was the largest Hyur she had ever seen or even heard of. She stood up and backed away from him, backing up the ridge towards the cliff that hung over her family homestead. The Hyur made easy, long strides up the hill, angling up the hill to the cliff face before moving straight in Mikhi’s direction. The terrible grin he displayed with several missing teeth and one broken at a sharp angle made her feel sick. His eyes traveled up and down her body, then he spoke again.
“Imagine my surprise ta find a purty young wench like you ‘ere. The mistress o’ the wharf’ll give me a purty purse for a fresh fish like you. If’n me an’ the boys don’t spoil ya first, that is.â€
Mikhi’s heart sank as the Highlander finished his threat by teasing the lone, triangular tooth at the front of his mouth with his tongue. She looked down over the cliff to the family stead. With all her strength, she hurled the book in her hands towards the nearest house. It fell softly in the brush at the edge of the clearing, and no one stirred below.
“That’s my family’s house,†Mikhi said, trying to muster her courage. “They’ll come looking for me.â€
“Issat so?†asked the Hyur. He stopped for a moment and laughed at her. “An’ are you gonna fly down there ta them, or are they gonna fly up ‘ere ta rescue ya?â€
Panic overtook Mikhi, and she started running. Behind her, she could hear the Hyur whooping in delight as he made chase. Mikhi could hear him gaining on her, his long Highlander legs beating more confident strides. She glanced about desperately, looking for any advantage. The cliff was suicide, sheer, tall, and rocky. The hill declined in a steep angle, but it was her best chance. The Hyur was tall and lanky without a tail. He’d have to take the hill slower than her or risk tumbling down it and cracking his skull on a tree trunk or loose boulder. Mikhi plunged headlong down the hill, her feet barely keeping up with gravity as she descended at a breakneck pace.
Her tension eased a little as she heard the Hyur stop above her and slowly start making his way down the steep embankment. Mikhi skidded to a halt against a tree to look back at her pursuer. Much to her dismay, he still had a broad smile on his face, despite his slow descent and losing ground on her.
“Stop running downhill. His mates are waiting there for him to drive you out,†a high-pitched voice whispered into Mikhi’s ear.
Mikhi looked around frantically, but couldn’t find the source of the warning. Straining to look down the hill, she spied what might have been a strip of red cloth, barely visible and clinging to the bark on the side of a tree. The man chasing her had a bright red strip of cloth for a sash as well, from which hung a short, heavy, curved sword. Mikhi looked around frantically again, trying to find somewhere in the middle that she could hide.
“That large boulder, a hundred yards away along the ridge. Run for it!†The voice in her ear was insistent.
Mikhi pushed off from the tree and made a break for the boulder. Above her she could hear the Hyur running nearly parallel to her own track, angling to intercept her path.
Mikhi reached the boulder first. As she turned the corner around the boulder to look for a hiding spot, she ran headlong into the flank of an enormous stag. It reared in surprise, knocking Mikhi to the ground. She rolled to the side into a crevice underneath the boulder as its hooves stomped to the ground. The creature was the largest stag she had ever seen and displayed an unbelievable rack of sharp horns as it leaned down to stare at her where she hid underneath the rock. Mikhi and the stag stared at each other for a moment before both heard a loud stomping of boots against rock. Mikhi could feel the Hyur moving along the top of the rock through the stone pressed against her back.
“Gotcha!!†yelled the Hyur as he took two large steps then leaped off with both feet, turning around with his feet apart and his arms spread wide and hands open to catch the girl.
Mikhi watched in slow motion as the confident smirk on the Hyur’s face collapsed into a mixture of confusion and terror. As his feet plummeted towards the ground, the stag’s feet reared. The great beast brought its antlers to bear, and as the Hyur’s feet landed in the muddy ground, the stag plunged one of its horns into his unprotected chest.
With a cough that sprayed a fine mist of blood into the air, the Hyur fell backwards and raised his arms. The stag reared again, kicking at the pirate with heavy hooves. Mikhi rolled out of her hiding place behind the stag and crouched against the boulder. Looking past the battle, she could see two more men, not as large as her assailant but still larger than Mikhi, scrambling up the hill.
“Now’s your chance! Run!â€
Mikhi didn’t even look around to see where the voice was coming from. She pushed off the rock and ran at full speed along the ridge. The two Hyur saw Mikhi and changed course. Behind her, she heard the Highlander curse at them in a wheezing voice.
“Help me... ya bleedin’... fools!â€
Reluctantly they drew their swords and turned back towards their comrade in battle. Mikhi kept running for a long time. She reached the end of the ridge where it declined down to the forest floor. She turned back and ran along the front of the cliff face until she was exhausted. There was a small cave that she knew nearby, so Mikhi crawled inside to hide and catch her breath. It felt like it took an hour to regain her breath, but she eventually calmed down and listened. No one appeared to be following nearby. She took a deep breath and began to relax.
Suddenly, she was keenly aware of a light coming from the back of her small cave. She turned and could see standing there at the back of the cave a small person with softly glowing skin and delicate, moth-like wings. The creature studied Mikhi for a moment then scowled.
“It’s not polite to stare, you know,†admonished the tiny woman in a high-pitched voice.
Mikhi closed her mouth then gaped again for a moment, trying to say something. Finally she managed to blurt the words out.
“Who are you?â€
The winged creature cocked an eyebrow while shaking her head.
“Has our influence dwindled so much?†mused the small woman. “Don’t you know it’s poor form to ask for names? Names hold power, little one!â€
“Little one?†Mikhi scoffed. “You’re one to talk.â€
The light coming from the creature’s skin flared in a brilliant flash, and its voice echoed cavernously throughout the small cave.
“I mean small in life! Small in experience! I saved your hide today, mortal, and you will show me respect!â€
Mikhi cringed as the words reverberated in her ears. “Sorry! I’m sorry! I meant no disrespect.â€
The creature calmed and moved closer. For a moment the two examined each other.
“As for what I am,†continued the tiny woman, “a country bumpkin like yourself would be well served to know. I am one of the goodly folk. For many an age mortal kind has respected and feared our dominion over nature.â€
“A fairy?†asked Mikhi, leaning forward and examining the creature.
The fairy cringed and leaned away from Mikhi’s face.
“We prefer the term fae, if you must. Fairy is a scholar’s label, and a little bit rude, I might add.†The fae wagged her finger in Mikhi’s direction.
“Oh, alright,†responded Mikhi. “I’ll keep that in mind.â€
For a long moment, the two stared at one another. The fae had an expectant look on her face. Mikhi continued to examine the creature, then realized she was staring and looked away.
“Well, I really do appreciate your help today,†began Mikhi as she stood up and angled towards the entrance to the cave.
“HALT!†declared the fae in an authoritative voice.
Mikhi turned her head towards the tiny woman and realized that she couldn’t move her feet. They stuck as if frozen to the cavern floor. She glared at the fae.
“What is this?†Mikhi demanded.
The fairy sighed as she flew to the entrance of the cave to hover in front of Mikhi.
“Mothers these days must care nothing for their children. In days past, an outburst like that would have warranted a lightning bolt or transformation for a year or some other fitting punishment.â€
Mikhi continued to glare defiantly. The fae studied her for a moment before laughing and continuing.
“But I can see that you’ve got spirit, so I’ll let it slide this time. You, however, owe me a favor.â€
“A favor?†Mikhi looked a little surprised.
“Yes,†continued the tiny woman. “You owe me a favor. Do you think that stag did as I requested out of the kindness of his heart? He’s fine, by the way. Escaped after holding those men at bay for a few minutes while you ran, thanks for asking. He did it because I called in a favor. He was a scrawny, stub-horn when I first met him, and now he’s lord of the herd!â€
The fae leaned her head forward and placed her index fingers pointing up on each side of her head before splaying out all her fingers and strutting in a circle. Mikhi couldn’t help but laugh at the spectacle, which drew a glare from the fae.
“Where do you think you’d be right now if I hadn’t intervened?†asked the tiny woman.
Mikhi’s tail lowered and her ears fell flat against her head. As she thought about the question, her skin started to go pale.
“I... I don’t know.â€
“Exactly!†said the fae. “I expended my own resources and put me and mine in harm’s way to rescue you, so you owe me a favor.â€
“Alright, I get it,†responded Mikhi, slightly annoyed. “What do you want?â€
The fairy drifted to the ground and brought the palm of its left hand up to its cheek. While it thought for a moment, it drummed the fingers of its hand against the side of its face.
“A bowl of honey and a bowl of cream.â€
Mikhi stared in astonishment. “That’s it?â€
“I’m not finished!†protested the fae. “Every equinox, spring and fall, in this cave, for the next five years.â€
“That seems fair,†said Mikhi as she extended her hand.
The fae quickly grasped her hand and shook it vigorously.
“Just so we’re clear, this is now a fae pact,†warned the tiny woman. “If you break our pact there will be dire consequences. Dire consequences!â€
Mikhi chuckled as the fae pointed a finger in Mikhi’s face.
“I think I get it now,†Mikhi responded. “Can I bring you treats at other times too?â€
The fairy shook her head while waving her hands in front of her chest. “Oh no! You can’t buy favors from a fae. It doesn’t work like that.â€
“Nothing like that,†Mikhi said, shaking her head. “Just to say ‘hi’ or something.â€
The tiny woman looked genuinely confused. “What? Why?â€
“Because you seem like a nice person,†said Mikhi with a smile.
For a moment, the fae just stared at Mikhi. Then she crossed her tiny arms over her stomach and started laughing. She fell backwards onto her butt, laughing while she sat on the ground. She fell further backwards, her wings splayed out on the ground behind her, laughing while her feet kicked wildly in the air. She continued laughing as she rolled back and forth on the ground, first to the left, then to the right. Her laughing turned to gasping as she pushed off the ground onto hands and knees. A tiny hand brushed away a tear. It fell to the ground, a single silver speck, and where it landed a patch of clover immediately grew and bloomed in many tiny flowers. As the fae stood, she released the last few chuckles left in her chest then turned to face Mikhi.
“If you can make me laugh like that again, I just might show up.â€
“MIKHI TRIKHEL!†Grendar’s commanding voice echoed through the forest.
Mikhi looked to see which direction her mother was coming from. When she looked back, the fae had vanished. She smiled and found that she could move her feet again, so she started walking back towards the homestead.
At least she’d have a good excuse for why she stayed out late into the morning this time. If Momma believed her....
Mikhi stared for a moment at the object in her hand. It was a white, long-stemmed rose, clenched tightly between her fingers. She turned the bloom upwards and filled her nose with its sweet scent. In the other hand was a leather strap. Following it as it weaved through a background of yellow feathers, she suddenly realized she was riding a chocobo. She leaned forward to wrap her arms around the creature, aware of its strong muscles and the occasional rumbling of its throat as it let out a chirp. Looking past the neck of the bird, Mikhi could see many flowers and small, brightly colored strips of paper landing on the cobblestones below her.
Mikhi sat up straight and blinked her eyes. The midday sun was blinding ahead of her, so she squinted and glanced around. To one side rose a line of stone buildings reaching towards the sky. On the other side stood a towering wall with many market stands leaning against it. Though Mikhi had never been there, she could tell from the hot, dry wind blowing on her cheek that this must be Ul’dah.
A strange sound from behind her caught Mikhi’s attention. She turned in her saddle to see a large procession following behind her. There was a small carriage being pulled by two chocobos directly behind her. Behind that, a giant creature with long, flailing arms strained against the magical bonds that caged it. After a sickening groan the bonds gave way with a loud snapping sound that echoed through the streets. Bystanders screamed and ran in horror as the lumbering creature lurched into the carriage in front of it, sending a spray of splintered wood in all directions. Mikhi grasped desperately for the neck of the chocobo as it reared, trying to cover her head from the wave of debris.
Mikhi sat up again and squinted into the sun, though it wasn’t as bright filtering through the canopy of the forest. Her head jerked around in confusion, taking in the trees of the Shroud. In her lap was a book on Ul’dah that Uncle Ori’to had brought the previous autumn for her to read. Mikhi blinked for a moment and sighed, realizing the parade had been a dream. She raised her hands to the horizon, placing one over the other to gauge the height of the sun.
“Two handspans? Momma’s gonna kill me!â€
“Ah knew ah ‘eard somethin’ makin’ noise up ‘ere,†came a deep voice from behind her.
Mikhi’s head jerked up and turned to look over the fallen log she was seated against. Moving up the hill towards her was the largest Hyur she had ever seen or even heard of. She stood up and backed away from him, backing up the ridge towards the cliff that hung over her family homestead. The Hyur made easy, long strides up the hill, angling up the hill to the cliff face before moving straight in Mikhi’s direction. The terrible grin he displayed with several missing teeth and one broken at a sharp angle made her feel sick. His eyes traveled up and down her body, then he spoke again.
“Imagine my surprise ta find a purty young wench like you ‘ere. The mistress o’ the wharf’ll give me a purty purse for a fresh fish like you. If’n me an’ the boys don’t spoil ya first, that is.â€
Mikhi’s heart sank as the Highlander finished his threat by teasing the lone, triangular tooth at the front of his mouth with his tongue. She looked down over the cliff to the family stead. With all her strength, she hurled the book in her hands towards the nearest house. It fell softly in the brush at the edge of the clearing, and no one stirred below.
“That’s my family’s house,†Mikhi said, trying to muster her courage. “They’ll come looking for me.â€
“Issat so?†asked the Hyur. He stopped for a moment and laughed at her. “An’ are you gonna fly down there ta them, or are they gonna fly up ‘ere ta rescue ya?â€
Panic overtook Mikhi, and she started running. Behind her, she could hear the Hyur whooping in delight as he made chase. Mikhi could hear him gaining on her, his long Highlander legs beating more confident strides. She glanced about desperately, looking for any advantage. The cliff was suicide, sheer, tall, and rocky. The hill declined in a steep angle, but it was her best chance. The Hyur was tall and lanky without a tail. He’d have to take the hill slower than her or risk tumbling down it and cracking his skull on a tree trunk or loose boulder. Mikhi plunged headlong down the hill, her feet barely keeping up with gravity as she descended at a breakneck pace.
Her tension eased a little as she heard the Hyur stop above her and slowly start making his way down the steep embankment. Mikhi skidded to a halt against a tree to look back at her pursuer. Much to her dismay, he still had a broad smile on his face, despite his slow descent and losing ground on her.
“Stop running downhill. His mates are waiting there for him to drive you out,†a high-pitched voice whispered into Mikhi’s ear.
Mikhi looked around frantically, but couldn’t find the source of the warning. Straining to look down the hill, she spied what might have been a strip of red cloth, barely visible and clinging to the bark on the side of a tree. The man chasing her had a bright red strip of cloth for a sash as well, from which hung a short, heavy, curved sword. Mikhi looked around frantically again, trying to find somewhere in the middle that she could hide.
“That large boulder, a hundred yards away along the ridge. Run for it!†The voice in her ear was insistent.
Mikhi pushed off from the tree and made a break for the boulder. Above her she could hear the Hyur running nearly parallel to her own track, angling to intercept her path.
Mikhi reached the boulder first. As she turned the corner around the boulder to look for a hiding spot, she ran headlong into the flank of an enormous stag. It reared in surprise, knocking Mikhi to the ground. She rolled to the side into a crevice underneath the boulder as its hooves stomped to the ground. The creature was the largest stag she had ever seen and displayed an unbelievable rack of sharp horns as it leaned down to stare at her where she hid underneath the rock. Mikhi and the stag stared at each other for a moment before both heard a loud stomping of boots against rock. Mikhi could feel the Hyur moving along the top of the rock through the stone pressed against her back.
“Gotcha!!†yelled the Hyur as he took two large steps then leaped off with both feet, turning around with his feet apart and his arms spread wide and hands open to catch the girl.
Mikhi watched in slow motion as the confident smirk on the Hyur’s face collapsed into a mixture of confusion and terror. As his feet plummeted towards the ground, the stag’s feet reared. The great beast brought its antlers to bear, and as the Hyur’s feet landed in the muddy ground, the stag plunged one of its horns into his unprotected chest.
With a cough that sprayed a fine mist of blood into the air, the Hyur fell backwards and raised his arms. The stag reared again, kicking at the pirate with heavy hooves. Mikhi rolled out of her hiding place behind the stag and crouched against the boulder. Looking past the battle, she could see two more men, not as large as her assailant but still larger than Mikhi, scrambling up the hill.
“Now’s your chance! Run!â€
Mikhi didn’t even look around to see where the voice was coming from. She pushed off the rock and ran at full speed along the ridge. The two Hyur saw Mikhi and changed course. Behind her, she heard the Highlander curse at them in a wheezing voice.
“Help me... ya bleedin’... fools!â€
Reluctantly they drew their swords and turned back towards their comrade in battle. Mikhi kept running for a long time. She reached the end of the ridge where it declined down to the forest floor. She turned back and ran along the front of the cliff face until she was exhausted. There was a small cave that she knew nearby, so Mikhi crawled inside to hide and catch her breath. It felt like it took an hour to regain her breath, but she eventually calmed down and listened. No one appeared to be following nearby. She took a deep breath and began to relax.
Suddenly, she was keenly aware of a light coming from the back of her small cave. She turned and could see standing there at the back of the cave a small person with softly glowing skin and delicate, moth-like wings. The creature studied Mikhi for a moment then scowled.
“It’s not polite to stare, you know,†admonished the tiny woman in a high-pitched voice.
Mikhi closed her mouth then gaped again for a moment, trying to say something. Finally she managed to blurt the words out.
“Who are you?â€
The winged creature cocked an eyebrow while shaking her head.
“Has our influence dwindled so much?†mused the small woman. “Don’t you know it’s poor form to ask for names? Names hold power, little one!â€
“Little one?†Mikhi scoffed. “You’re one to talk.â€
The light coming from the creature’s skin flared in a brilliant flash, and its voice echoed cavernously throughout the small cave.
“I mean small in life! Small in experience! I saved your hide today, mortal, and you will show me respect!â€
Mikhi cringed as the words reverberated in her ears. “Sorry! I’m sorry! I meant no disrespect.â€
The creature calmed and moved closer. For a moment the two examined each other.
“As for what I am,†continued the tiny woman, “a country bumpkin like yourself would be well served to know. I am one of the goodly folk. For many an age mortal kind has respected and feared our dominion over nature.â€
“A fairy?†asked Mikhi, leaning forward and examining the creature.
The fairy cringed and leaned away from Mikhi’s face.
“We prefer the term fae, if you must. Fairy is a scholar’s label, and a little bit rude, I might add.†The fae wagged her finger in Mikhi’s direction.
“Oh, alright,†responded Mikhi. “I’ll keep that in mind.â€
For a long moment, the two stared at one another. The fae had an expectant look on her face. Mikhi continued to examine the creature, then realized she was staring and looked away.
“Well, I really do appreciate your help today,†began Mikhi as she stood up and angled towards the entrance to the cave.
“HALT!†declared the fae in an authoritative voice.
Mikhi turned her head towards the tiny woman and realized that she couldn’t move her feet. They stuck as if frozen to the cavern floor. She glared at the fae.
“What is this?†Mikhi demanded.
The fairy sighed as she flew to the entrance of the cave to hover in front of Mikhi.
“Mothers these days must care nothing for their children. In days past, an outburst like that would have warranted a lightning bolt or transformation for a year or some other fitting punishment.â€
Mikhi continued to glare defiantly. The fae studied her for a moment before laughing and continuing.
“But I can see that you’ve got spirit, so I’ll let it slide this time. You, however, owe me a favor.â€
“A favor?†Mikhi looked a little surprised.
“Yes,†continued the tiny woman. “You owe me a favor. Do you think that stag did as I requested out of the kindness of his heart? He’s fine, by the way. Escaped after holding those men at bay for a few minutes while you ran, thanks for asking. He did it because I called in a favor. He was a scrawny, stub-horn when I first met him, and now he’s lord of the herd!â€
The fae leaned her head forward and placed her index fingers pointing up on each side of her head before splaying out all her fingers and strutting in a circle. Mikhi couldn’t help but laugh at the spectacle, which drew a glare from the fae.
“Where do you think you’d be right now if I hadn’t intervened?†asked the tiny woman.
Mikhi’s tail lowered and her ears fell flat against her head. As she thought about the question, her skin started to go pale.
“I... I don’t know.â€
“Exactly!†said the fae. “I expended my own resources and put me and mine in harm’s way to rescue you, so you owe me a favor.â€
“Alright, I get it,†responded Mikhi, slightly annoyed. “What do you want?â€
The fairy drifted to the ground and brought the palm of its left hand up to its cheek. While it thought for a moment, it drummed the fingers of its hand against the side of its face.
“A bowl of honey and a bowl of cream.â€
Mikhi stared in astonishment. “That’s it?â€
“I’m not finished!†protested the fae. “Every equinox, spring and fall, in this cave, for the next five years.â€
“That seems fair,†said Mikhi as she extended her hand.
The fae quickly grasped her hand and shook it vigorously.
“Just so we’re clear, this is now a fae pact,†warned the tiny woman. “If you break our pact there will be dire consequences. Dire consequences!â€
Mikhi chuckled as the fae pointed a finger in Mikhi’s face.
“I think I get it now,†Mikhi responded. “Can I bring you treats at other times too?â€
The fairy shook her head while waving her hands in front of her chest. “Oh no! You can’t buy favors from a fae. It doesn’t work like that.â€
“Nothing like that,†Mikhi said, shaking her head. “Just to say ‘hi’ or something.â€
The tiny woman looked genuinely confused. “What? Why?â€
“Because you seem like a nice person,†said Mikhi with a smile.
For a moment, the fae just stared at Mikhi. Then she crossed her tiny arms over her stomach and started laughing. She fell backwards onto her butt, laughing while she sat on the ground. She fell further backwards, her wings splayed out on the ground behind her, laughing while her feet kicked wildly in the air. She continued laughing as she rolled back and forth on the ground, first to the left, then to the right. Her laughing turned to gasping as she pushed off the ground onto hands and knees. A tiny hand brushed away a tear. It fell to the ground, a single silver speck, and where it landed a patch of clover immediately grew and bloomed in many tiny flowers. As the fae stood, she released the last few chuckles left in her chest then turned to face Mikhi.
“If you can make me laugh like that again, I just might show up.â€
“MIKHI TRIKHEL!†Grendar’s commanding voice echoed through the forest.
Mikhi looked to see which direction her mother was coming from. When she looked back, the fae had vanished. She smiled and found that she could move her feet again, so she started walking back towards the homestead.
At least she’d have a good excuse for why she stayed out late into the morning this time. If Momma believed her....
I'm a tinker! Tinkerer? Hrm.... I'm an artificer! - Myxie Tryxle | Impressions and Memories
