Under the Crab-Apple Trees

“Without fear, there cannot be courage. ” - Cristopher Paolini

She is gone. Arletem said.

Stop being stubborn, Aria snapped. Where is she gone to, you big ball of feathers? But Arletem was non-responsive, and after a while, Aria gave up. She sighed. Arletem was probably just unhappy because Ela went on a hunting jubilee without him, she told herself. But it was no use. She knew something was wrong.

Ela was enjoying a fine day of flying in the lazuli blue sky, flying directly through clouds, making large holes in them. It was no time to play though and Ela knew that. She beat her wings with remarkable precision, propelling herself through the sky.

She had regretted leaving Arletem, yet someone had to find Erin. She approached the snow capped mountains in front of her, rising out of the ground like a monster’s jagged teeth. Storm clouds ringed the tops of the mountains. Ela could see crooked flashes of lightning striking the mountains, lighting up the gloomy scene. She took a deep breath, and flew into the turmoil, like an expert high diver diving into the pool.

Erin was sitting in his dwarven room, sulking. Suddenly, he found a presence entering his thoughts.

The others are worried, Ela said.

I expected as much, but there’s really nothing I can do about it right now. Ela snorted.

Maybe you could do something called escaping. Ever heard of that? Ela asked.

Hmmm, Erin said, playing along. I think I might have heard it before.

Well, you did almost have a chance of doing this so-called ‘escaping’ when you most conveniently dropped your friend who would have helped you do it.

Your sarcasm doesn’t help.

I was just saying….

How do you even know about Ingrid? Erin asked incredulously.

Phoenix intellect, Ela replied. Erin laughed.

Now, where are you? he asked.

Ela, in fact, was sitting on top of the mountain, enjoying the view and trying not to get hit by lightning.

Where do you think? Ela asked.

I would hope that you were back with Aria, but somehow I know that’s not very likely. Erin said.

Well, anyways, Ela said, changing the subject. Would you mind asking all those blundering dwarves down there to open the Pegasus hatch?

Sure Ela, no problem, just ask a bunch of dwarves, who wanted to kill me. Erin responded sarcastically.

Well, I’m glad your up for the job. Ela said, and then withdrew her thoughts from Erin. Erin knew the only way around this. He had to find Ingrid.

Aria was now completely infuriated. Ela was not back, and it was lunchtime. Arletem flew down and settled next to Aria.

Have any news, Bird Brain? Aria asked.

In fact, I do. Arletem said, sounding slightly offended. Ela went off to find Erin, and guess what?

A few minutes later, after Arletem’s news, Aria was fuming. How dare the dwarves abduct Erin? And Erin was socializing with a dwarven girl? This was going too far, Aria decided. Everything was spiraling out of her control, but there was nothing she could do.

“So, grey skies, tell me your woes,” Fox said to Aria, in a teasing voice, that sounded like a Giantish opera. Aria threw a pine cone at her, and Fox dodged.

“So wiggle Erin is alive?” she asked dodging pinecones. Aria hurled a particularly big pinecone a Fox. “Boy, you are a bad shot!” Fox exclaimed. But this was going too far, and even Fox knew it. Aria closed her eyes and was surrounded by a magical mist.

“No! Aria! Don’t do that!” Ardrieth exclaimed as she caught sight of Aria. But Aria did not stop. “You, Princess Evelyn, are nothing more than a traitor!” she spat. Pinecones went flying, all missiles victim of Aria’s magic struck Fox in the face, hard. She fell unconscious. Ardrieth gasped. “She is not Princess Evelyn!” Ardrieth said, but it was more of a question than a statement. “Yes, she is,” Aria said, her voice full of hatred.
 “Don’t be stupid,” Ardrieth said. “Wren, would you mind bringing over my saddlebags?” she asked, kneeling over Fox. Trickles of blood were running down her face where the pinecones had impacted.

“Now Aria,” Ardrieth said distastefully. “Tell me, did you poison the pinecones?”

Aria didn’t look at Ardrieth.

“Why?” Ardrieth burst out. “Just why Aria?” Wren had returned with the saddlebags and had quickly walked away from the angry Aria and the annoyed Ardrieth. Aria opened the leather bag and groped around for something.

“Aha!” She said, pulling out a small bottle filled with a golden liquid, wrapped in bandages.

She opened the cork and dabbed some of the ointment onto the cuts the adorned Fox’s head. Then she wrapped the wounds in bandages and tied them tightly.

Aria burst into tears. They rolled down her face, flooding the ground, as she desperately tried to block them with her hands. Ardrieth jogged over to Aria and began to rub her back, comforting her friend.

“I’m sorry.” Aria sobbed.

“I know, I know,” Ardrieth said. “Erin will come back.”


Erin was walking down the cobbles of the courtyard, looking for Ingrid. He spotted Pahalle skulking under a lotus tree.

“Pahalle!” Erin called out. “Do you know where Ingrid is?”

“Why should I know?” Pahalle asked. “And why should I tell, even if I did?” Erin shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“Wait!” Pahalle said, smiling. “She’s sulking just like you. Look at the river.”

On the slow flowing river, in a small boat, sat Ingrid, set afloat, staring into space.

“Ingrid!” Erin called out. She looked up for a second, and then her face hardened.

“What do you want?” she asked, trying to assume a mask of annoyance.

“Could you open the Pegasus hatch?” Erin asked. Even as he said it, he felt the stupidity in the question. Ingrid snorted.

“No, but it opens at midnight,” she said.

“Thank you,” Erin said, walking away.

Ingrid began to row again, casting rippling waves in the still canvas of the water. Erin sighed as he walked back to the birdcage elevator. As he rose away, he thought he heard a distant sob coming from the river. He shook himself, deciding he had just imagined it.

Midnight, huh? Ela asked.

Yeah, but I still don’t see why you couldn’t have used the so-called ‘Phoenix Intellect’ you possess to figure that out… Erin said.

Humph. She withdrew herself from his mind.

Erin stepped off the elevator and watched it sink back down. He almost had turned his back when he saw Ingrid step onto the elevator, rising up to his level. She stepped off next to him.

“I’m sorry for being surly with you,” she said. “Would you like to go to the winter feast tomorrow?” she asked.

“Sure!” Erin said, glad that Ingrid was warming up again.

“Wait,” she said, something different in her tone. “I think I should tell you something.”

“What?” Erin asked.

“I’m not really a girl.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean that I’m not interested in you that way. I feel like a boy inside, not physically, but mentally.”

“That’s fine!” Erin said, clapping him on the back.

Fox’s eyes fluttered open, and she found herself directly into Aria’s blue eyes. She sat up.

“I’m sorry.” Aria burst out. Fox looked closely. Her eyes were red like she had been crying recently.

“I’m sorry as well,” said Fox, “I shouldn’t have teased you.” The two girls hugged, and from that moment on, they were fast friends.

They packed up the saddlebags and left the clearing on horseback. They laughed for the first time in days, and soon, Aria spotted the end of the woods. They camped at the beginning of the field of Erindel.

The sun set over the white snow that covered the field that stretched on beyond the horizon. It sparkled in the rays of the setting sun, like a shattered mirror.

* * *

Far away, Erin was asleep in his bed, and Ela was perched on the top of the tallest mountain, waiting impatiently for the time when the moon was highest. The storm had ceased and Ela could see the farthest stars shining like beacons in the sky.

She tapped her claws impatiently, as she watched the moon rise. She raised herself into the air, anticipating the time when the hidden hatch would open, and a bunch of fumbling winged things that didn’t have even half of Ela’s grace would emerge.

She thought of all the things she would do with them. She imagined chasing them through the clouds like a falcon chasing a sparrow, or would she send gusts of wind to startle their already unstable balance?

As she wondered, time slipped between her talons, and the hatch opened. A flurry of Pegasus flew out. It was as if the top of the mountain had been sliced off. Ela flew in the hollow mountain. It was absolute havoc inside the hall. The impolite Pegasai kept pushing past Ela, and she had barely any room to stretch her wings without knocking one to the ground. She settled down on the golden platform for the night, much to the surprise of the dwarves who were just getting back from the end of the dinner feast.

Erin yawned. It was time to go and meet Ingrid for the feast. Suddenly, he remembered Ela.

Did you get in fine? he asked.

Yes, she said. Go have fun.

Erin withdrew his mind and got out of bed. He got into his clothes and opened the door. Ingrid was already waiting for him, in a beautiful golden tunic that shone at the slightest sign of light.

“Hello, sleepyhead,” she said, annoyed.

The two walked down to the elevator. They did not go to the golden platform like Erin expected, but down a different stairway that he had not yet seen on a smaller platform. Fifteen minutes later, after a rather bumpy ride on a Pegasus, they were in the hall. All the dwarves were dancing a happy kind of dance, celebrating the winter and the value of nature. Erin was happy, the heights of the joy of life sung in his spirit.

Erin spotted the Queen sitting on her throne, keeping watch over the dwarves like a mother keeps a watchful eye on her children. Then suddenly, the dancing stopped. Erin saw the queen stand up abruptly, and start yelling at something. Erin glanced up. Oh no, he thought. It was Ela. She was showing off her golden feathers and swooping around the high roof of the hollow mountain.

Ela! What are you doing? he asked.

Coming to get you out of here! she said. Aria needs you!

You have to stop! Erin said, agitation in his voice.

Ok, ok! Ela said. Just wait until I get you out.

But it was too late. The Queen was alerting her guards, and they were whisked away on Pegasus towards the phoenix.

“Wait! Wait!” Erin said, waving at the Queen. She did not seem to see him at first, but then she noticed, as Erin and Ingrid weaved their way through the crowd to her.

“Erin, what is that bird?” Ingrid asked him curiously.

“My phoenix,” Erin said. “Long story.” When they reached the Queen, many dwarves had spotted Ela and were pointing at her, like she was a zoo animal.

“Your majesty,” Erin said, bowing. Ingrid bowed as well, though her’s was more forced as if she was holding something back.

“You may rise,” the Queen said. They did, and Erin continued speaking.

“That is my phoenix, if you would let me take her out the Pegasus hatch, I could contain her.” 
The Queen seemed to ponder a moment and then nodded.

“If you leave along with the phoenix, that would be acceptable,” she said.

“No!” Ingrid said, tears glistening in her eyes. “Take me with you,” she whispered to Erin. 
 “That is not acceptable,” the Queen said, standing up angrily. “I will not allow it.”

“I’d like to see you try to stop me,” Ingrid spat back. “Come on, Erin,” she said, tugging him into the crowd.

“No!” The Queen said, rising from her throne, but it was too late. Ingrid had called a Pegasus. It landed, and Ingrid hopped on. Erin hesitated and then settled down behind her. They took off before the Queen could call her Pegasus.

“Come on, Lester,” Ingrid coaxed the horse. “Faster!” They shot into the sky, with the Queen hot on their trail. They were lucky, for it was feasting day, and no one except for them, the Queen, and her guards were in the air.

Ela, I’m going to need a quick escape, Erin told the phoenix.

The Pegasus Hatch is closed, dummy, she said incredulously. Erin closed his eyes. He knew what he had to do.

Erin had never cast magic before, but he had to get the hatch open. He searched his mind, trying desperately to find the well of power that he knew he had. He concentrated harder.

“She’s coming,” Ingrid said. “Fifteen yards by the stone’s flight.” Erin searched. He knew it had to be there somewhere.

“Ten,” Ingrid whispered. There! He had found it.

Erin only briefly triumphed over his accomplishment. Now he reached out with his mind and felt the rocks.

“Five,” Ingrid whispered, panic in her voice. Erin lashed out with his magic. Nothing happened at first, but then he felt the ten stones he had hit crumble, and his energy started draining. He opened his eyes. The hatch was crumbling, and soon it would fall.

“We have to jump,” Erin told Ingrid. She nodded. Ela was only a few feet ahead of them, yet a mistake could be fatal. Erin stood up on the Pegasus’s back. It was wobbly, and he almost fell. Then he took a deep breath and jumped.

He landed hard on Ela’s back, and almost slid off. Ingrid landed next to him, and they straightened themselves. There was now a considerably large hole that Ela could squeeze through in the hatch. The Queen watched in horror as her only heir slipped away from her, and out into the blue of the sky.

Erin whooped and hugged Ingrid. They had made it. Ingrid was staring in awe at the blue sky and snowy mountains below them.

“I haven’t been out of the mountain for so long,” she told Erin.