The Little Water-Faerie

Contrary to what her youngest child surely believed, Queen Turchina *did NOT* enjoy yelling at or being angry in any way with her sons. Though, still, she didn't really much succeed in calming the swell of ire that immediately rose within her when Sebastian appeared in the throne-room with a shamed/chagrined Pinocchio and just-as-sheepish Tod and Mewsette in tow trailing behind him. Kit's, Iandore's, Victor's, and Barley's alternately pale or just as blue her own faces were wreathed in sorrowful hurt, while Severus' and Edmund's dark eyes flashed with irritation and furor in Pinocchio's direction.

All of it made the junior member of 'famiglia reale Belmagio' flinch and flush rose-red in the face- no, *TOADSTOOL-red*. He didn't open his mouth to speak- he just meekly looked up at the Queen of the Water and Wood.

She loured down at him with a glare both frigid and burning before venturing to speak herself. "-Do you realize *how IRRESPONSIBLE* this is, 'uomo giovane' (young man)? Your brothers are only here for. *One. Phase*. Of the Blue Moon. Can you imagine *ANY ONE of them* -even *Kitteridge, Victor, and Barley*- MISSING this kind of event?? -Well?"

Pinocchio swallowed hard and bit down on his lower lip while glancing down at his shoes, either rubbing or clutching at one of his near-scrawny pine-pale arms dapped here and there with either azure-blue feathers or scales. He shook his raven-haired head. "N-No, ma'am. You're- You're right. I'm s- *'M sorry*- I'm *AWFUL sorry*...!"

Seeing his genuine regret and remorse, the burning ice thawed a little in Severus', Edmund's, and 'Madre's' eyes and hearts.

Even though this wasn't *QUITE true*, Tod swam forward, bowed, and interjected, "H-*Hey*! C'mon, now- it wasn't *'NOCCHI'S fault*! We were- We were exploring, and a shipwreck almost kinda-,"

"*Tod*!!" Mewsette hissed in warning.

*Oops*- too late. Tod both squeaked and gulped, darting behind Pinocchio, trying to avoid his Mama's own yellow eyes burning sternly from her usually kind feathered face.

'*Thanks AN AWFUL LOT*, Tod- *NOT*...'

"'*Shipwreck*'???!" Severus hissed in surprise, shock, and worried protective anger in tandem with Edmund, Ian, and their mother. "You went to *the SHIPWRECKS* again?!"

Victor went even more pale than his usual. "P-Pino-Pinocchio, those- those waters are d-dan-*DANGEROUS*! You could have been- Y-You could have *been HURT*- or- or k-ki-KILLED!"

Another flinch- then Pinocchio stood up a little straighter and said aloud with a *Look* in his big blue eyes, "I'm- *I'm FIFTEEN YEARS OLD*, 'Madre'- 'fratelli'! I'm *not a child* anymore! You don't hafta worry about me- I CAN *take care 'f myself* by now!"

Turchina sighed heavily and shook her feathered head. 'Twas *almost FUNNY* how children *NEVER* seemed to understand the IMPOSSIBILITY of such a thing- worrying about one's family members, however grown in years or emotionally mature they were. "But I *DO worry*, 'il mio piccolo' (my little one)- I *do* worry. This- OBSESSION *with HUMANS* has to *STOP*, and *stop YESTERDAY*."

"'Obsession'?? 'S not *an OBSESSION*! I just wanna *know more about them*, Mamma; that's all!"

Kit looked over at his youngest brother with sad concerned eyes. "Trust me when I or anyone else says this, 'Nocchi- you know *ALL* you *NEED to know*," he breathed.

Pinocchio pressed his lips together and clenched his fists at his sides, swimming forward a little with a stubborn look in his own azure optics. "Kit, I *barely* *know ANYTHING*! And neither do the rest 'f you, or anyone else in Misthaven! We can't even *go to the surface* outside 'f the woods like we used to..."

Turchina's heart and soul ached as much as her temples which she rubbed while groaning inwardly, '*Not this again*...' "*WHY* do you have to be so- so *STRONG-minded*?? *Just like* your 'zia', and your 'padre' to a point-!"

"I *am* her nephew 'n his son...! Same- Same 's Sev'rus, Kit, Victor, Barley, Edmund, 'n Ian."

Now her half-hollowed core was *BURNING* as the Wood Sprite hummed in agreement, though added in sorrowful bitterness, "'Si'... Foolish enough to be taken in by the *HUMAN world*, the both of them."

Another hard lip-bite paired with an ear-flick and tail-lash. "If you would- *If you would JUST LISTEN* and *try to* UNDERSTAND...!" Pinocchio protested in plaintive frustration, his large cerulean eyes *BEGGING* them to PLEASE *TRY TO comprehend and concede*, at least just a little.

But of course, to *NO avail*. Such High Prince Severus proved as he intoned cold and quiet, "We *HAVE tried* and *TRIED* to 'understand' you and this compulsive irrational *FIXATION* of yours' *long enough*- every single one of us. But as long as you are in *OUR MOTHER'S ocean and forest*, you WILL obey her rules; *our laws*. -Do YOU *understand THAT* *crystal-clear*, Pinocchio Edward Seth Benjamin Belmagio, or must such be spelled out in every which way before it begins to sink into your head filled with ridiculous fluff?"

"*Severus*!" his siblings and their Mates hissed, and the eldest Prince flinched himself upon seeing the *HURT* clear as day on his normally-rosy face framed by a flop of raven bangs. Those big blue eyes quivered and shimmered, both his body and lips trembling- but before Severus could apologize for that last which even stern 'Madre' glared at him for, Pinocchio rigidly bowed, slowly turned around, and forced himself to walk out of the throne-room as calmly as possible, with Tod and Mewsette following at his tail as mostly usual.

The rest of his family sighed and slumped down in their seats.

"-Even *I* have to admit that that last was a little *TOO far*, Severus Absolem Tobias Alan Belmagio. I *WELL know* that your own patience was wearing rather thin, and *why exactly*, -but 'twas still rather *BAD form*."

Severus' dark eyes stung as much as his heart, and he rubbed at them while hanging his head, his own curtain of longish ebony locks near-hiding his thin pallid face. "I- I know, 'Madre'. I was *TOO hard* on Little Woodenhead... It'll be *a MIRACLE* if he deigns to speak to me in a MONTH, whenever we next see each other."

"-Sebastian."

"'Si', Your Majesty?"

"Our young Pinocchio needs *constant supervision*. Someone to watch over him *ALL the time*, day and night- and YOU are just the cricket to do it. Yes, you already serve me as my majordomo ...but there is no better way to serve 'la famiglia reale Belmagio' than to make sure that our beloved 'piccolino' *stays out of trouble*. Yes?"

What else could Sebastian sigh as he bowed, "...'Si, vostra maesta- si, le tu altezze' (Yes, Your Majesty- yes, Your Highnesses)"? Educated crustacean with options though he was, he had been playing 'governess' for Pinocchio practically ever since the boy was born; simple as that-! Now, he would be *BORDERLINE babysitting* aforementioned sweet but headstrong teenager of a faerie prince...
Well, might as well start now- no time like the present.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

Pinocchio could barely see straight as he fled the throne-room. His body moved of its own accord, leading him up above to the place that had become a refuge whenever he felt troubled, sad, hurt, frustrated, angry, or just plain wanted to relax: his hidden forest 'grotto'. His secret, personal, private, most special place filled with the treasures that he'd collected over time ever since he was five or six years old- impressive brass fixtures, ivory carvings, books, paintings, bottles of every shape and size, a toy here and there, clocks, music-boxes, containers full of various or all-the-same bits and bobs...

Being surrounded by so many *WONDERFUL* human things usually made Pinocchio smile at least a little- but now, currently, after shrugging his satchel off of his shoulder, taking out the 'dinglehopper' and 'snarfblat', and placing them in/onto their to-be-established places, he sat in the center of them with his head lowered, feeling *NOTHING* but *heavy hurt*. Tears swam in his eyes and dampened his cheeks as his half-empty heart *ACHED* and CHURNED inside of him.

"-'Nocchi?"

Soft- gentle, quiet, yet warm and understanding; not fierce, cold, and hard. Pinocchio sniffled and wiped at his eyes as he raised his head, hurt angry and sad bright blue meeting with and locking onto sweet concerned dark brown. Tall, slim, handsome in both a quiet and striking way, smooth dark hair, small neat matching mustache, pale skin tinged with wispy blue from head to foot, clad in a fine black and white suit relieved with pops of color here and there...
'Twas his elder cousin William, known as 'Liam' since he did not much care for the nicknames 'Will' or 'Willy'. Young widower whose beloved wife Eleanor had died of a terrible disease called 'yellow fever' just last year, and had since remained alone save for his twin Edward and *HIS wife* Elizabeth and their servants Ezra and Emma. He would have tried to commit suicide by now if not for his blood and extended family- especially his youngest cousin with whom he was most close to despite their age difference of fourteen years.

The concerned elder noble-born settled beside Pinocchio, gently placing an elegant long-fingered hand on the younger's small thin stiff shoulder. "Are- Are you okay?" he murmured.

"-*It's not fair*, 'Liam. She doesn't- n-*NONE OF them* even HEAR ME, much less l-*listen to* me!" Pinocchio choked out in a frustrated sob. "I'm- 'M just- *NOT* *like them*! I don't see things th' way *THEY do*, 'n *NEVER w-will*!"

William's chocolate eyes melted and throat heated with sympathetic emotion as he now gently stroked 'Nocchi's own soft dark hair and long bluish-grey donkey ears. Not even his beloved much-missed Eleanor or his own twin Edward had had even *an INKLING* about the youngest Water-and-Wood Prince's burning passionate desire geared toward the human world- even to his Mate and blood-brother, he *would NOT* betray such a personal forbidden secret! Next to 'Signor' Tod and 'Signorina' Mewsette, he was the only one whom Pinocchio could confide in about his feelings dealing with such- his *ONLY* *kith-and-kin* who would listen and hear; *WANT TO hear*...
"They don't *WANT TO hurt you*, 'trottolino'- truly, they *DON'T*. They just- want to *protect* you as they couldn't ...'Zietto' Geppy and 'Zia Tenebra'."

Pinocchio sighed shakily. "I know that... But- But *ONE human* killed Father 'n Zietta. Wh-*WHY* blame *every single human*- even ch-CHILDREN?? 'M *NOT* STUPID- I'm *well aware* that there's bad, evil, wicked, cruel humans out there! But- I- I also don't see how a world that makes such w-*WONDERFUL things* could be so 'bad'..."

From there, Pinocchio turned to music and song to relieve his current feelings, his burning emotions too strong to express by mere spoken words. 'Twas far from uncommon for the Fae folk- *NATURAL, even*! And the Queen of the Water-and-Woods' youngest son happened to be gifted with one of *the MOST* beautiful singing voices ever heard from a faerie either male or female- light as a dove's feather, sweet as honey or the most ripe forest berry, warm as sunshine, and clear as crystal even after hitting puberty.

William listened quietly in affectionate, supportive rapt silence, his brown eyes shining.

~"*LOOK AT this stuff*-
Isn't it *NEAT*??
Wouldn't you think my collection's COMPLETE?
Wouldn't you think I'm the boy-
The boy who has *EVERYTHING*...?

Look at this trove-
*Treasures untold*!
HOW MANY wonders can *one cavern* hold??
Lookin' around here, you'd think
'*Sure*; *he's got EVERYTHING*...!'

I've got *gadgets and gizmos aplenty*;
I've got WHOZITS AND WHATS-ITS *GALORE*-
You want *thingamabobs*?
*I got TWENTY*-!"~

First, Pinocchio's eyes roved around each and every one of his treasures with a hint of pride and happiness, running his fingerlessly-gloved hands gently over a set of windchimes, silky scarves, and the spines of various books- flipping open a box full of pocket-watches and screws. But then his absent smile faded slowly, and he looked out and beyond himself with an expression of purest longing.

~"-*But WHO CARES*?
*No big deal*;
I want *MORE*..."~

His voice softened further- became more wistful. It made William's heart ACHE and moved him even further.

~"I wanna be *where the people are*;
I wanna see- wanna see 'em DANCIN',
Walkin' around with one's friends or helpmeet...

Flippin' your fins, you don't get *too far*;
Legs are *REQUIRED* for jumpin',
Dancin', strollin' along down a-
(What's that word again??)
*Street*...!

Up where *they WALK*,
Up where they RUN-
Out where they *stay all day in the sun*,
*Wanderin' FREE*-!
*WISH* I could be
*Part of that world*..."~

He stood up and twirled about in a small spiral, his jet flop of bangs swirling about his doll-face as his bright blue orbs for eyes were directed towards the surface beyond the Wild Wood- out into the Wide World. Then he faux-relaxed down on his stomach with his arms outspread as though lying under the summer sun, another faint smile fading and a sad hurt frown taking its place.

~"WHAT would I *GIVE*,
If I could *live out of these waters*??
What would I *PAY*
To spend a day *warm on the sand*???

-Betcha ON LAND,
They *TRY TO understand*;
Bet they *don't* *ALWAYS*
Reprimand their sons or brothers:
Bright young men 'n women
*SICK* of SWIMMIN',
*Ready t' stand*...!"~

He rose and flew up to one of the higher shelves, picking up a well-loved book and idly yet not riffling through the pages- stopping on a page that displayed a young woman quietly dreaming with her pale chin in her hand before a lit candle. He touched the painted red-orange flame both yearningly and wonderingly. What was a *HUMAN fire* like, either burning in a 'hearth' or atop a 'candle'??

~"And *ready t' know*
What *THE PEOPLE know*;
Ask 'em my questions,
And *get SOME ANSWERS*
Like, WHAT'S *a FIRE*, 'n WHY does it
(What the word??)
*BURN*...?

*When's it my turn*??
Wouldn't I *LOVE*-
*LOVE TO explore*
That shore outside and above...?"~

His song reached it's seraphic peak as he flew up again, yearningly stretching out his hand as far as it could reach towards the stone ceiling. Then he withdrew it and drifted slowly back down to the floor, his wet slightly reddened eyes abrim with sadness and longing for what he was barred from.

"*Out of the wood and sea*-
*WISH* I could be...
*Part of that- world*..."~

Then, just as Pinocchio finished his song and broke off with a dolorous sigh that was near a sob, he faintly perceived a sudden '*BOOM*'. Then another- *and ANOTHER*. Something that sounded like it was *sparkling- crackling- popping* as well as thundering...

Pinocchio's ears flicked, twitched, and swiveled- he turned his head over to where the sound was coming from same as William. It sounded ...*COLORFUL*. *Joyful*. A tintinnbulation of CELEBRATION-

Once more, curiosity *BURNED* within Pinocchio all the way from the ends of his ears (*and HAIR*) to the heels and 'nibs' of his feet and literal tail-end. "Whaddya suppose...??"

Neither his 'madre' nor any of his brothers might understand, but he *NEEDED* to *break free*. Pinocchio didn't let himself think twice, let alone thrice. His eyes cleared and dried as he squared his shoulders, clenched his hands into fists, firmed his mouth just a bit, and flew straight out the 'Hobbit-hole' opening.
He didn't once stop, flapping his wings as he inched *closer* *and CLOSER* to the edge of the forest. William, Tod, and Mewsette, for all their own trepedations, stuck right by his side the whole time, much to Sebastian's utmost shock and horror.

"*WHAT*????!!! *Oh, NO, NO NO*- *what do they think they're doin'*??!! STOP!!! *Don't*!"

But *NOTHING* could stop Pinocchio now. Soon, he shot straight out of the wood ENTIRELY ...and ended up hovering over the surface of the ocean, right in front of a massive sailing ship beautifully decorated with bright colorful lanterns from which jaunty raucous music, cheery (and slightly drunken) laughter, and human singing voices could be clearly heard even over the booming crackle and whirring whistle of vibrant rainbow fireworks lighting up the night sky even further alongside the faintly cyanic Blue Moon and diamond-esque stars.