Jordon McGillivary trudges across the bridge without hurry, not looking forward to the conversation he must have with his good friend.
SweetPea FeatherFeet is flying over the bridge when she spots the friend she traversed four realms looking for. She quickly yells out "Jordon!"
Jordon turns. "Pea!"
SweetPea lands on the bridge and trots up to him "Where have you been? I have missed you!”
Jordon looks gloomy "I've been looking for you this day"
SweetPea giggles, happy they have found each other at last "What a coincidence. I have flown all over these realms looking for you.”
Jordon smiles at her obvious excitement and then sobers "I have been acting as a courier for packages, traveling to other lands. I just returned from my last assignment last evening"
SweetPea is impressed and says "That sounds like a very important thing to do." She smiles as she thinks of her friend being employed. "But do you find time to play any more?'
Jordon nods and says "When I am at leisure after I hand over parcels, I am able to enjoy the local sports"
SweetPea looks at Jordon and sighs "That sounds...fun. What about shinies and pea shooters?'
Jordon chuckles "No shinies other than those I am hired to protect, or pea shooters in my pouch"
SweetPea pouts "Then you will need me to make you laugh.” She flies up and gives Jordon a big hug
Jordon nods and hugs her fiercely. “I have something to tell you Pea."
SweetPea hears the seriousness in his voice and says "What is it Jordon? Are you all right?'
Jordon nods, sighs and continues, "When I was growing up in the village, I knew a girl."
SweetPea detects something in his voice as he says this and she looks at him out of the corner of her eye and shrugs "So you knew a girl...'
Jordon says "She lived in the village, a merchant's daughter,"
SweetPea says impatiently "I know you grew up with mortals, so of course you would know ... a girl'
Jordon wishes he could be anywhere, any when else. He groans. "Yes, I did. She was fun loving and winsome......" He stammers to a stop. SweetPea’s heart is doing a strange fluttering at Jordon's words and she is filled with dread. He continues "At any rate, we grew up together; playing, learning about life."
SweetPea says " But you are fae. You are my friend now and we play together. “
Jordon McGillivary nods "Yes, I am fae. Gave her a start, it did, to see me with wings."
SweetPea says "Wings are the best things about being fae. With them you can soar over mountains and…” She stops midsentence as she hears Jordon continue.
Jordon realizes he left out an important detail "I saw her again. Last week."
SweetPea says slowly "Did you? And is she still fun loving and winsome?
Jordon says "I found her again Pea, or maybe the gods found us." He shakes his head "No, she is not fun loving. Life has not been kind to her. She needs a friend now."
SweetPea says as she tosses her head to dismiss the subject, "Can't she make friends?' A feeling of fear and loss comes over her. Jordon seems to have changed. It is not that he is sober, he has always been that. It is that he is so sad.
Jordon shrugs "She has changed. She would not find it easy to make friends now, as you do. You are light and air and spunk and people flock to know you"
Jordon tries to explain "I took for granted that when she reached maturity, we would marry. It did not happen that way. Her tyrannical father promised her to another merchant. Knowing him, it was probably with a discounted dowry, tightwad that he is."
Jordon says "It was around the time that my father claimed me. Perhaps her father could not reconcile himself to his daughter being with a fae."
SweetPea shouts "Her father was right! Mortals do not belong with fae! We are different!' SweetPea suddenly understands and her heart drops to the floor. “Jordon McGillivary! Do you prefer her to me?” She shrieks "She is a mortal! She is not even fae! We are fae!"
Jordon McGillivary shakes his head "It is not that I prefer her over you Pea. It is that she needs me more than you ever have. And our souls...." He stops speaking. He starts again "it was as though our souls recognized each other, as old friends, as ...."
SweetPea’s eyes flash and her voice goes quiet. She is suddenly jealous and very, very angry "Jordon if you leave me for a mortal, I will never, never, never speak to you again!'
Jordon frowns "Now Pea, don't say that!" He panics "I'm not leaving you. We aren't together in that way! We are friends, good friends, but friends"
SweetPea starts to cry as he says friends. He has come to mean so much more to her. " I mean it. I cannot share, will not share you with anyone, especially a mortal... a silly girl who can't fly and can't make friends'
Jordon reaches for her "I want you for my friend Pea, you are dear to me. The times we have shared. I don't want to lose that."
SweetPea takes a step back from him. "No Jordon, don’t touch me”
Jordon hesitates "now Pea...."
SweetPea looks at her friend and tears well up. "I swear, if you do this thing, you will never see me again."
Jordon steps towards her with arms out in supplication.
SweetPea steps back again. "No Jordon, I can’t” She whispers “I love you.. "
Jordon says "NO Pea! Don't go!! " He drops his arms to his sides, recognizing that he has hurt her immeasurably.
SweetPea says "I will go between the worlds. That is what I will do"
Jordon McGillivary says "Pea, please do not do this. I beg you do not! NO Pea! Don't go between!! "
SweetPea opens her wings and looks at Jordon. The tears fall over him as she flies into the air. She cries sadly, "Farewell my friend. I will love you forever"
Jordon lifts into the air and reaches out, hoping to stop her, but fails to catch her. He cries out "PEEAAAA!!!" and falls to the ground.
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