Aegis

  ( Winterwish )

  The quartet stood in the infirmary hall, listening to plates clunk and straps tighten.

  Only when the metallic sounds ceased did Bubblebun open the door. "Yo, 'sup, ladies?" Iridescent eyes locked onto Sunshine. "Wait, what's she doing here?"

  "Cutiehorn saved all three of us," said Winterwish. "We thought we'd come and thank her together..."

  Bubblebun remained solid within the doorway, her arms crossed firmly. "About that. How did you even end up stranded on that bell tower? Why did you need us to fly you to safety?"

  Winterwish struggled to find the right words. She'd promised not to reveal the secret of Sunshine's magic-gleaning eyes, but without that defense, it was impossible to explain why she'd been so overwhelmed.

  Thankfully, Cutiehorn spoke up. "Don't cause trouble, Bubblebun. Let them in."

  The rabbit resisted for a few seconds, before reluctantly stepping aside.

  Winterwish tried to be strong as they entered. She placed the breakfast bundles upon a table beside an empty bowl, and greeted Cutiehorn with a smile, even as her heart sank. A painful lump swelled in her throat at the sight of the armoured knight's vacant side.

  "Thank you for the food," said Cutiehorn. "How're you all doing?"

  "Nevermind us, Champ', we came to talk about you!" said Merrymint. "In fact, we should organise a celebration in your name!"

  "Party!" roared Cherrychomp.

  "Oh, please no," groaned Cutiehorn. "I was just doing my job."

  "Seriously, Cutiehorn, thank you." Winterwish would not allow their saviour to shrug away her sacrifice as if it was nothing. "I know words probably aren't enough. I doubt we'll ever be able to make it up to you, but... we wouldn't be standing here today if you hadn't come charging in like that."

  "You're our hero," cheered Merrymint. "Forever and ever!"

  "Enough, enough! I get it already." Cutiehorn shook her head, whipping stray silver strands as if she couldn't bear to hear any more.

  The room quietened. All eyes had turned to Sunshine. She'd tugged the sleeve of her robe up to the shoulder, and held out her left arm.

  "...Sunshine?" asked Cutiehorn.

  "It's yours," said Sunshine.

  "...What are you talking about?" asked Cutiehorn.

  "I want you to take my arm," said Sunshine. "You've seen me fight. I'm not lacking in brute strength. It'll serve you well."

  The room was stunned, except for one.

  "No," said Cutiehorn without hesitation. "I am honoured, truly, but no."

  Bubblebun leaned closer to the knight. "A fairy to fairy transplant could work..."

  "I don't care whether it would work or not. I acted to protect my sisters, not take from them."

  Bubblebun clicked her tongue. "At least think about it."

  "There is nothing to think about," said Cutiehorn. "I have given my answer."

  Sunshine inhaled unsteadily. "Let me atone for my failure." Golden orbs glanced around the room before lowering, as did her voice. "Please..."

  A tense and awkward silence followed whilst Cutiehorn closed her eyes in contemplation. "...'If only I'd done this', 'What if we'd done that'. I've heard all too much of it since I awoke. You're all acting like you're responsible for my decision. As if you're all to blame for my actions. Actions which saved lives. Actions I'd repeat in a heartbeat. I appreciate the apologies and the gratitudes, but now it's time for you to respect my choice and move on. We have a duty to fulfill. Let us focus on protecting the queendom."

  As reasoned as the response was, Sunshine did not take it well. Air hissed through pressed teeth. Her body trembled.

  Uh oh...

  Winterwish crept forward. "Maybe -"

  But Sunshine would not be interrupted. "As your elder. As firstborn. I demand you let me fix this."

  "Let's just calm down." Winterwish's words went unheeded, like the squeaks of a sparrow caught between two lions.

  Cutiehorn slowly rose to her feet. Her will was near-palpable. Heavy and unyielding, like a fortress. "Seniority grants no authority here. There is but one in this palace I kneel to, and it is not you, Sunshine. I respect you. I have always respected you. But I will not cow to you."

  "...Is the mantle of hero that important to you?" hissed Sunshine. "That you'd spit in the face of your sister?"

  Bubblebun's face flared with fury. "You b-!"

  A silver gauntlet shot up, halting the ballerina before she could finish. "That's quite enough."

  Cherrychomp had flinched at the sudden rise in volume, and sank back to hide behind Merrymint. Winterwish felt like joining her.

  Please, Sunshine. You don't have to do this. You've been doing so well!

  "No," growled the feathered fairy. "I will not be reminded of my weakness every time I look at you."

  The tension broke like a bursting dam. Winterwish tried to rush forward, intending to hurry Sunshine from the room, but all too late. She couldn't possibly hope to compete with Bubblebun's explosive speed. Her ribboned grip caught Sunshine by the throat and slammed her against the wall, cracking plaster.

  "I this! I that! Me, me, me!" screamed Bubblebun. "Did you ever stop to think the world doesn't revolve around you, Sunshine?"

  Winterwish grabbed at the lunging wrist to try and ease the pressure. A second later, Merrymint joined her, even if Sunshine herself made no effort to fight back. For once, the firstborn wasn't wide-eyed. If anything, she appeared calm, like she couldn't care less if her head was torn right off.

  "I said that's enough!" Cutiehorn hauled Bubblebun back, causing Sunshine to drop to the floor. Silver eyes glared at the rabbit. "Corner!"

  "...Corner?" asked Bubblebun.

  An armoured digit pointed across the room. "Corner."

  "Oh come on! I'm not a kid," said Bubblebun. "I get it, ok? I'm done."

  Cutiehorn did not repeat herself a third time. She didn't need to. A few more seconds of stern gaze were enough to break her closest sister.

  "This is ridiculous," groaned Bubblebun as she made for the corner.

  Sunshine was conscious but unresponsive, like a puppet of severed strings. Winterwish and Merrymint checked her over, but couldn't identify any traces of serious injury, though whether that was owed to her resilience or Bubblebun's restraint remained unclear.

  Sabatons strode forth. A shadow loomed. "Sunshine..." Cutiehorn sounded disappointed. "Do not look upon my lacking frame with pain, but pride. When all hope seemed lost, you acted. If you hadn't rid me of my corrupt limb, half the people in this room would be dead. I understand that you have regrets. I dare say we all do, but let us not waste time in self-pity. Instead, let our scars fuel a more determined future. You can't make up for past mistakes by punishing yourself, but you can change the path you're yet to walk. Work with us, Sunshine." She extended her silver gauntlet toward the fallen angel and awaited acceptance.

  It wasn't the first time Winterwish had witnessed the gesture between the two. The first time, Sunshine had appeared almost ready to take the offer. Almost.

  The feathered fairy's deadened expression stirred. Eyelids pulled back, not with wrath, but realisation. Fingers twitched. Her arm began to rise. Though just before the palms could meet, who should enter the room but Splishsplash. Like a flower robbed of light, the hand shrank back.

  Hel no!

  Winterwish took her chance whilst the others were distracted. She grabbed Sunshine's forearm and thrust it forward until marred meat met metal. The firstborn blinked in surprise as the armoured grip hauled her to her feet. Winterwish might've forced the hand herself, but fate would deny her sisters peace no longer.

  One step closer to unity!

  She met Sunshine's glower with a sheepish smile.

  Splishsplash carried a crate into the crowded room, before setting it down and lifting its lid.

  "Come right in," muffled Bubblebun.

  "My entry was already successful," said Splishsplash. "...Is there a reason you are staring into a corner? Is there an issue with that part of the room?"

  "I'm just passionate about ninety-degree angles right now," grumbled Bubblebun.

  The merprincess nodded without further question, then reached into the crate and pushed a layer of crispy straw aside to retrieve the first of its contents. A wooden shield, painted grey.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Haven't I seen that somewhere before?

  Cutiehorn accepted it uncertainly. "Uhm... thank you?"

  "A gift from a child," said Splishsplash. "I tried to explain such a thing was useless, but it only made him cry."

  "Wait, what?" asked Cutiehorn.

  Bubblebun risked a sneaky peek over her shoulder. "Isn't that Mordy's?"

  "Oh you're right!" said Cutiehorn.

  That's it! That's where I recognise it from, The Rainbow City Orphanage! ...Wait a second. Everyone's here, right? Don't tell me...

  Merrymint frowned. "Did you just say you made him cry, Splishsplash?"

  "Unintentionally," stated the merprincess. "He has insufficient mental fortitude."

  "He's a child!" groaned Cutiehorn.

  "Still, he's a tough kid," said Bubblebun. "It's not like him to cry. Plus, doesn't he kind of need it for his outfit?"

  Cutiehorn tested the gift's balance, then twisted and turned it to meet imagined attacks. "He must've heard I lost mine. Or worse, he was watching."

  "That'd seriously suck," Bubblebun told the walls. "We better go visit as soon as Titania lets us."

  Cutiehorn nodded and prodded at the flaky grey, sending thin fragments drifting down to the carpet. "Definitely. Maybe we could fix it up for him first. I mean, this paint is pretty worn. It's barely -" She stopped mid-sentence, studied the back of the shield, then glanced around the room.

  The shifty expression only lasted for the briefest of moments. If Winterwish wasn't already suspicious, she might have missed it just like everyone else. Perhaps Bubblebun, who knew Cutiehorn better than anyone would've caught it, yet she was still stuck facing the corner.

  Dammit...

  "...Anyway, we'll handle it." Cutiehorn turned to place the shield to one side as if the matter was settled.

  Gotta do something!

  "Hey Cutiehorn!" Winterwish blurted, before lowering her tone to try and sound more natural. "Is there something wrong with Mordy's shield?"

  I sure hope that wasn't too obvious. We might not get another chance like this.

  Cutiehorn looked toward Splishsplash and shuffled awkwardly. "...There's a message..." She lifted it once more.

  "What?" Bubblebun took the chance to escape her sentence and return to Cutiehorn's side.

  "The child did not inform me of this..." said Splishsplash.

  An armoured hand rubbed back and forth, ridding the wood of pigment. A coating that, despite its appearance, must have been applied very recently. The more words that became visible, the closer the group huddled and the more gasps rang out, until the message and a crude drawing of a child with a brass scope were revealed in full.

  Cutiehorn read it aloud. "Be careful. The baddy is a Fairy Princess..."

  Merrymint shot Winterwish a disapproving look. One she could only wince from. It was hard to defend Puddingpuff's use of the orphanage to spread word, but at the very least their sisters now knew the truth, and neither herself nor Cherrychomp would be suspected of disobedience.

  "This is some kind of joke, right?" asked Bubblebun.

  The merprincess said nothing. Her placid pools shifted from the words to each present. The entire time, an index finger tapped upon Loyalty's shaft.

  Finally, Cutiehorn and Bubblebun seemed to remember that Splishsplash wasn't the only one who might know the truth. Cherrychomp clasped her hands over her mouth as if to prevent any admissions slipping out by accident. Winterwish averted her gaze, unable to look them in the eyes having kept something so important from the sisterhood. Yet as guilty as she felt, no scalding or blame came.

  "So this is what Queen Titania didn't want you telling us..." muttered Cutiehorn. "I'm so sorry, you two. It must've been hard."

  "Splishsplash... why did Queeny want this kept quiet?" asked Merrymint. "Doesn't it put us in danger?"

  Stern sapphires met with doubtful emeralds. "...I do not question the Queen's orders. Neither should you."

  "Of course," said Merrymint. "But Queeny doesn't lie to us, right?"

  Splishsplash remained silent, her finger still tapping.

  "Merrymint asked you a question," said Sunshine.

  The tapping ceased. "Please refocus your attention on this." Splishsplash returned to the crate and delved deeper into the straw.

  Heads were shaken, eyes rolled, and a tongue clicked, as if nothing the box contained could possibly impress the group. But they were wrong.

  "I believe this one will serve you better."

  In Splishsplash's hands was a second shield, though not of grafted planks. Prismatic metal sparkled with every imaginable colour. Ornamental flourishes accentuated fluctuating hues. Its construction was immediately obvious to all present. The sisterhood's long-overdue second faesteel armament had finally been granted.

  Winterwish gnawed upon her tongue whilst others gawped in amazement. With conflicting emotions she watched Sunshine's gaze fall to the floor.

  "It's beautiful!" said Merrymint.

  Bubblebun pored over the embellishments. "It has all of our emblems!"

  From a tidal wave to a juicy cherry, the crest represented every one of the Fairy Princesses. There was even a new icon. A snowflake. The largest was positioned in the centre, its horned prominence suggesting it was protecting the smaller surrounding symbols.

  "You've gotta name it something cool," said Merrymint. "How aboouut... Sisterhood!"

  Winterwish thought it was a wonderful name, so was somewhat surprised when Bubblebun's ears flopped.

  "...M-maybe. I'll think on it." Cutiehorn slowly slipped her hand through the forearm strap and grasped the grip. Despite faesteel's reputation for being indestructible, she handled the metal as if it were so brittle the slightest breeze might cause it to crumble. "I didn't know we could spare the faefire..."

  "In truth, the situation is not ideal," said Splishsplash. "But we did not know our stores would be tested to such an extent when we supplied the master smiths. The refinement process began months ago, when the recipient had yet to be decided. Considering recent events, I suggested its use in forging your new shield. "

  "...And Queen Titania was ok with that?" asked Cutiehorn quietly.

  "Correct. She agreed you were the wisest choice now that you are officially leading the team."

  "Wait, what?" asked Bubblebun. "So that's what you've been so coy about! Why didn't you tell me?"

  "I was waiting for Queen Titania to announce it," said Cutiehorn. "It's not like I could just declare I'm in charge."

  Bubblebun, of course, clicked her tongue.

  "Well, we woulda done as you said before anyway, but still, congratulations, Cutie'!" cheered Merrymint.

  "Cutie'gratulations!" roared Cherrychomp.

  Infectious applause began to spread. Even Sunshine managed a slow, reluctant clap, though her gaze remained low.

  Splishsplash moved to return the crate's lid once more. Just before the wood slid into place, Winterwish glimpsed something a little unusual.

  Candles? I'm sure we already have plenty of those in the palace already...

  "With matters settled, you are free to leave the infirmary." Splishsplash lifted the box. "But not the palace, of course."

  As cheer died down, looks of dissatisfaction were passed around.

  Cutiehorn sighed. "...You're really not going to explain anything about this enemy Fairy Princess, are you?"

  "You are now as informed as I. Queen Titania may be disappointed with this development, but..." Splishsplash halted by the door and looked back. "...I am glad you will all be better prepared for the dangers ahead." With that, she took her leave.

  "...Well this blows," said Bubblebun. "I mean, the enemy thing. Not the shield thing."

  Cutiehorn rubbed her chin. "How are we to prepare when we're bound to the palace?" She looked to the window. "Ideally we'd go out and train, but..."

  Winterwish frowned.

  Right. I feel way stronger than when I first emerged, but fighting a more experienced Fairy Princess for real? There's no way I'd come out on top. Not yet.

  Merrymint snapped her fingers. "We don't have to go outside to train! We have everything we need here!"

  The group looked to her skeptically.

  "Don't you see? What better way is there to practice catching a Fairy Princess..." Merrymint paused for effect, before flicking her spectacles. "...than to catch a Fairy Princess?" She swung dramatically, as if commanding an entire army. "Cherry', it's chase time!"

  With neither hesitation nor warning, the little red fairy bolted from the room, leaving clothes swishing and hair whipping in her turbulent wake.

  "No going in the Nursery!" called Merrymint.

  Bubblebun huffed. "We've got a serious problem on our hands and you want to play games?"

  "Actually, I think it's a perfect idea." Cutiehorn took up one of the breakfast bundles and tossed it to Bubblebun, before taking the second for herself. "Why don't you form pairs and have yourselves a little friendly competition while I track down Puddingpuff and give her the news."

  There's no need for that, but it's not like we can stop her...

  "Are you sure?" asked Winterwish. "If Titania wants this kept secret you might get in trouble..."

  Cutiehorn shrugged her shoulder. "So be it. They want me to serve as the sisterhood's aegis, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

  "Well, ok." Winterwish assessed the potential partnerships. Their family dynamic was anything but robust. "...It doesn't seem fair to have Sunshine's wings and Bubblebun's legs on the same team." She leaned in to bump the firstborn's side. "So how about me and you buddy up?"

  Lustrous lanterns blinked. "...What? You want me?"

  "I need a fast partner if I'm to stand a chance," said Winterwish. "Think we can win?"

  The feathered fairy stared. Then she panned the room. Finally, her focus rested upon the faesteel in Cutiehorn's hand. "Sure. We can win."