Bluebells Difficult Spell

You humans are funny creatures. Always rushing about like there's no tomorrow, constantly fussing about what's on that thing you call a television or that invention called a computer. You never take the time to appreciate the living world we both inhabit that you seem intent on destroying.

    Perhaps that's why we are not allowed to mix with your kind. We have developed a sophisticated civilization right under your very noses, yet you have no idea we exist. Stories of our species have been passed down throughout your history it seems, but you simply view them as fairytales. A pity, because there is much I feel you could learn from us. But every time you are walking in a field and you spot something moving in the bushes, or hear something rustling in the grass, or see a flock of birds take off for no reason, chances are it will be us going about our daily business.

      My own daily business was the reason I didn't want to get up that morning. I yawned loudly and gave a stretch, before running my hands through my long blue hair and sweeping it behind my pointy ears. I kicked off my sheets and walked over to the mirror in the corner. I stared at my reflection, before giving a flutter of the wings on my back as I stretched them for the day ahead.

    My name is Bluebell, and I'm a Nymph. Though I am actually thirty four years of age, our species mature and age slower than humans, so the equivalent age for a human girl would be when some of them go to something called 'University.' Curious, as I was currently a student myself.

    And when I looked at the enchanted hour glass on the beside table, I realised I was late for my first seminar.

    Emitting a panicked yelp, I rummaged through my room looking for something clean to wear. I quickly changed out of my night dress, and put on a long sleeved blue top, a purple mini-skirt, turquoise tights and blue, high heeled ankle boots. Our fashions may closely resemble those of humans, but our clothing is actually made out of woven leaves, plants and petals, as opposed to the variety of fabrics you use. Also we have to make sure there are holes in the back of our tops for our wings to fit through.

    After quickly tidying myself up in the mirror, I bolted out of my room to grab some breakfast. My two housemates were already awake, and neither seemed all that surprised to see me up this late.

    "We did think about waking you, but if we did you'll never learn," Fern told me as she read the newsleaf from where she was sat in her toadstool armchair.

    "Whatever happened to that alarm bell I gave you for your birthday?" Marigold asked as she tended to her potted dandelion, which towered over us in the corner of our living room.

    "I lost it!" I grunted as I darted into the kitchen looking for food.

    Grabbing a slice of Nymph bread and hungrily stuffing it into my mouth, I heard Marigold yell, "You really are the most disorganised girl I've ever met Bluebell."

     Now I guess it sounds like my two housemates were having a go at me. Don't worry. We're actually the best of friends, and have been since we were tiny. I mean, even tinier then we are now, but you get what I mean.   

    A glass of actual mountain dew in my hand I moved back into living room and searched for the book I had been trying to swot from last night. Fern watched me searching with a look somewhere between amusement and exasperation. She'd always been a lot more organised than I had, but that was to be expected given she was the rising star of our defence force. She was a skilled and agile warrior, well trained with the weapons of our species. Today though was her day off, and she had dressed appropriately in a green dress made out of woven grass and the straps made out of green vines. The hem reached just above her knees, and she wore flat pumps created out of bay leaves. Normally she held her long green hair back in a ponytail, but today it fell loosely over her shoulders.

     Marigold had returned her attention to her dandelion, feeding it with water from the highland spring. Her waist length golden hair draped about her as she knelt to the ground. Her outfit consisted of an orange tank top, bright red mini shorts, bright orange tights and red, high heel mary-jane shoes with blossoming flowers on the buckles. Marigold had a sweet nature and a passionate love for nature.

    Oh and did I mention Marigold is a princess in the Nymph Royal Family?   

    "Where did I put it?" I muttered frantically as I searched. "Professor Pear is going to kill me!"

    "If I investigated him for murder every time you say that, I'd be chasing a serial killer right now," Fern told me.

     "This isn't funny Fern!" I snapped, as I threw aside the buttercup petals we use for cushions. I heard Marigold giggling. She seemed to be finding it hilarious.

    A knowing smile forming on Fern's lips, she grabbed my book which had been hidden under a pile of newsleafs, and held it up for me to see. "You're a star," I breathed in relief as I grabbed it. "You up for a night out in the oak tree later?"

     "Get to the academy and we'll talk about having a night out when you'll get back," Fern told me.

    "Ok ok I'm going," I exclaimed as I tucked my book under my arm and made my way to the front door. I heard them bid me farewell as I stepped outside into the glorious sunshine.

     The front door brought me out onto a balcony built into the side of the old larch tree in which our flat was situated. I looked around at downtown Daffoville, a major city home to thousands of Nymphs, hidden in a piece of woodland humans never visited. The air was filled with my neighbours as they flew to work. After another lazy yawn I began fluttering my wings until they became a blur behind my back. I took off and then shot into the air, joining the long line of flying commuters as I began my journey to the Grand Mage Academy.
      


     All Nymphs have magical powers to some extent, but some of us are more adept at magic than others. When I was a little girl it was noted that I had abilities well beyond my other classmates, and it was swiftly decided from that point on I would be educated as a mage. It meant I was reassigned to a special school where I focused on honing my magical powers. Following that, all I had to do to become a fully qualified sorceress was complete four years at the Grand Mage Academy. I was in my first year, and I was currently trying to make sure it wouldn't be my last.

     "Your tendency for lateness is a becoming a tiresome habit Bluebell," Professor Pear grumbled after I barged loudly through the door to the seminar room.  

    My face flushed a bright red as the heads of all the students turned to face me, a lot of them sniggering among themselves. "Sorry Professor, I swear I'll be on time next week."

     "After hearing you say that last week, I'm not overtly enthusiastic. Just take a seat please."

    Trying to control the awkward jolts in my stomach, I saw my friends Reed and Primrose beckoning me to take the seat they had reserved for me. Apologising the students I had to squeeze past, I soon slunk into the chair and covered my face with my hands.

    "Another tough morning?" Reed asked knowingly.

    "Don't ask," I whispered in reply.

     "Now Bluebell has graced us with her presence perhaps we can return to the business at hand, namely learning to control the very energy that flows through all living things, and using it to connect with the plants and animals that..."

    Sighing, I gazed first at Reed, a young man with long green hair pulled back into a ponytail, and then to Primrose, a girl my age with shoulder length pink hair who wore a pair of thick glasses made out of hollowed out plant seeds. I then faced Professor Pear, an elderly mage over a hundred years old, his wiry yellow hair standing on its ends as he placed a tiny daisy in a pot on a wooden table top.

    "When you connect to the life force of a being such as this daisy, you can bend them to your will. You can control them directly, turning a plant that normally cannot move into a powerful ally. The incantation needed for this very simple to learn, but very difficult to master. That is why, for this session, we will concentrate on simply increasing this daisy's size. Now, do I have any volunteers?"

    Primroses hand, as always, was up in the air before anyone else. "Does anyone apart from Primrose want a go this time?" the exasperated professor asked us. No-one said a word as Primroses hand inched further into the air. "Alright Primrose. All you have to do is stare directly at the object you wish to manipulate and say..."

     "Quintesitam!" Primrose interrupted in a firm and assured voice. Almost immediately the daisy on the table began shaking, as slowly but surely it increased in size and height. Soon it was so tall it towered over us, and the pot began to crack as its enlarged roots pressed against it.

    "Reducias!" Professor Pear exclaimed. The plant quickly shrunk down to its original size, like time was being reversed. "Thank you very much for another fantastic display Primrose," he beamed at her, to which she smiled contentedly to herself. Normally she's a really nice girl, but she likes nothing more than being top of the class.

   "Think I might try that on a chestnut kebab sometime," Reed joked quietly. I gave a snort of laughter that echoed loudly throughout the room.

    This didn't amuse the professor one bit. "Perhaps you would like to give us demonstration Bluebell, seeing as you find it all so amusing."

      Butterflies ricocheting around in my stomach, I gazed at the daisy and said in a nervous voice, "Quintesitam."

     I could feel a surge of energy flowing through my body as I focused all my attention on the daisy. It responded to my enchantment by twitching a little. Then slowly its stem began stretching to the ceiling and its petals began to expand. I held my breath, hardly believing what I was doing.

    Then the daisy burst into flames.

    The class laughed around me as my face became redder than the glowing embers floating around the room. Professor Peach however didn't find my effort the slightest bit funny.

    "You have to work harder on your concentration Bluebell. You have real ability, just like the rest of your family, but you lack focus and drive. It's a real pity."

       I slunk into my chair and stared at my desk glumly. I hated being compared to members of my family. I guess it was inevitable really, given how my grandfather was the Grand Mage, the most powerful sorcerer among our people. He had performed magic more powerful than anything I had dreamed of conjuring, yet remained the nicest grandfather I could have ever wished for. But everyone expected me to follow in his footsteps, and the pressure put on me by people like Professor Peach was driving me mad.

     At least I had Marigold and Fern, who were in similar situations to myself. Marigold's own grandmother was the Nymph Queen, ruler of our people, and was fifth in line to the throne. Though Marigold was far from being a spoilt, pampered princess, and instead was a fantastically normal girl who loved nothing more than having a good time with her friends. Fern's father was the head of our defence force, and she had followed in his footsteps by joining the force aged twenty nine. She was fiercely loyal and always stuck up for us when we were in trouble.

    They were the best mates in the world, and I was looking forward to spending some quality time with them after this nightmare day had ended.

     Little did I know the real nightmare would begin when I got home.



    It was turning dark by the time I walked through my front door. I locked it behind me and yelled, "Hope you guys are up for a night at home instead. I'm knackered."

     I heard them calling me, but their replies seemed muted slightly. I ambled along our entrance hall in the direction of the living room. I was looking forward to collapsing into my chair, kicking my boots off and settling in for a girly chat. As I walked into the living room I shouted, "I was thinking about using the orb of voices to order a take-out chestnut pizza. Does that sound ok with...?"

     When I saw Marigold and Fern sitting in their respective mushroom armchairs I froze on the spot, lost the use of my voice and dropped my books to the floor in shock. My friends were writhing about in their seats and trying to talk to me, but were unable to move or communicate because they had been tied up and gagged.

      Their legs had been bound around their ankles, thighs and above and below their knees, with brown coloured rope which had the occasional blue flower growing from the cord. Their hands were tied behind their backs, and they were prevented from flying by ropes that not only pressed their wings into their bodies, but also wound above and below their breasts. A black coloured fabric was pulled over their mouths and tightly fixed around their heads, trapping their hair underneath the cloth.

     "Bbbbblllbbblll. Wwwwccchhhh mmmmm!" Marigold cried through her gag as Fern thrashed about, trying to shake off the ropes binding her.

    "What happened?" I asked, finding my voice again. "Hang on, I'll get you free."

    With my magical abilities, all I needed to do to unravel the ropes tying my friends up was utter the correct enchantment. Trouble is, us Nymphs need to speak an enchantment in order for it to take effect. And before I got a chance to utter the required words, someone behind me said, "Mufflisca!"

    Before I could react some black coloured fabric suddenly appeared on either side of my head, flying through the air as it wrapped over my lips. The ends wound around my head and hair, before making two more circuits forming a thick layer over my mouth. I emitted muffled cries of shock as I tried to pull it away, but I was unable to stop the ends knotting themselves tightly behind my head.

     "Bondara!" the same voice barked behind me. Suddenly the air was filled with flying rope, exactly the same as those binding my friends. I swatted at them with my hands, but only succeeded in entangling my wrists in the magic cord. Spurred on by the powerful enchantment, the ropes wound themselves around my wrists, before tugging my hands behind me. I pulled against them as much as I could, but the spell was too strong. Very quickly my hands were pulled into my back underneath my wings. They were crossed over before the ropes began winding around them both, swiftly and effectively binding them together.

    I was so preoccupied in what was happening to my hands that I was completely oblivious to what was happening around my legs. I only became aware of the ropes coiling themselves around my ankles when they were drawn together tightly. By the time I tried kicking them off it was too late. Ropes were already being fixed around my thighs and above and below my knees. I gasped as the ropes bit into my skin through my tights. I tried moving my legs, but all I could do was wriggle my knees up and down.

     As the ropes binding my wrists were knotted tightly, the only option I had left was to fly away. But my assailant was prepared for this, and the enchanted ropes began to wind themselves not only around my upper arms above and below my breasts, but also around my wings. They were drawn into my body, the tops sticking out over my shoulders and the bottoms protruding from either side of my waist. I tried to take flight, but the ropes fastening my wings into my back meant I couldn't even flutter them.

    Soon the last knot had fastened itself, leaving me trussed on the spot unable to move. I tried using some spells to get rid of my bonds, but the only noise I could make through my gag was a pitiful, "Mggggffff, hhhhhhlllllmmmm sssssnnnnntttt bbbbbnnnnt!"

     I then heard the voice of my captor laughing behind me. "You know, for someone with your family history, I was expecting a much greater challenge," a female voice whispered into my ear, before she gave me a rough shove.

    "MMMMGGGGMMM!" I cried as I fell to the floor with a thump. My vision was filled with strands of blue as my hair fell over my face. I shook them out the way as I wriggled about, turning about so I could face our assailant for the first time.

     It was a woman with long black hair, dressed in a dark top and skirt combination with brown ankle boots. She resembled a Nymph, but with a very pointy nose and long fingers with claw like nails. The biggest difference was that she had no wings on her back. My eyes widened in horror when I realised we'd been captured by a Pixie.

     Nymphs and Pixies weren't so very different once upon a time. Many scholars suspect we originated from the same species. But over the centuries our cultures grew further and further apart. We Nymphs are peaceful, thoughtful and naturally cautious. Pixies are brash, impulsive and incredibly mischievous. We now considered them to be enemies, and the feeling was mutual. They loved nothing more than causing us trouble.

    A Pixie man dressed in black emerged from the shadows and stood beside the woman. They both stared at their trio of struggling captives with big smiles on their faces. "Excellent work Briar," the man congratulated.

    "It was my pleasure Nettle," Briar smiled. "I love nothing more than putting a couple of little Nymph snobs in their proper place."

    "Llllmmmm ssss gggggmmm ppppllllss!" pleaded Marigold, as she outstretched her legs trying to kick off the ropes binding them together.

    Cackling Briar asked her companion, "What do we do with them? Sell them into slavery in the honeycomb mines?"

     The three of us gave desperate cries into our gags. Countless Nymphs had been kidnapped and sold into slavery by Pixies in the past, never to be seen again. We wriggled and strained with renewed vigour, desperate to avoid sharing that fate.

      Nettle knelt down beside me and tugged on my bonds, testing their effectiveness. "No, these ladies have powerful families. With them as hostages, we can have complete control of this entire city."

       Briar skipped past me and sat on the armrest of Ferns chair. She pulled one arm around my friends shoulders and used her other hand to twiddle a strand of her green hair playfully. "Just imagine the head of your defence force ordering his troops to let us do what we want, just to keep you safe," she giggled at her.

     "Yyyyyllll rrrrggggtttt ttttssss, iiiii ssswwwwrrr tttt!" Fern growled through her gag, the ropes fixing her hands behind her back being the only thing preventing her from showing this trumped up little Pixie what she was really capable of.

     "We should wait for cover of darkness before we move them," Nettle said as he tugged on Marigolds gag viciously, causing her to whimper behind it.

    Bounding to her feet Briar said, "I'm going to have a rummage through these girls stuff. See if they have any good loot on them."

    "I'll go outside and fetch back up," Nettle replied. He then addressed us directly by saying, "Don't bother struggling. My companion is quite the sorceress. No one has ever managed to escape from her enchantments before." With that they left the room, leaving us to come to terms with our captivity.

     As I began thrashing about I realised he hadn't been lying. The ropes were fastened so tightly all I could do was squirm along the floor, making the little blue flowers protruding from my ropes jiggle about obliviously. I tugged at the cords binding my wrists but found no slack, neither could I find a loose end with my flailing fingers. I wriggled my legs up and down trying to loosen something, but the cords wrapped around them at four different points refused to budge. I could feel the tops of my wings brushing against my hair as I tried using them to shake off the bonds around my upper body, but they were just as useless as my other limbs. Despite our wings being able to carry several times our own weight, they weren't meant to be pressed into our back like this. After minutes of struggling all I succeeded in doing was rolling about in a circle and exhausting myself.

    Marigold wriggled her body from side to side as she tried to shake something loose. When that didn't work she got to her feet. Hesitantly she gave a hop forward in the direction of the window. On her fourth hop she wobbled, her high heels not proving to be adequate footwear for this sort of activity. It was on the sixth hop that she lost her balance, and with a muffled scream she toppled to the floor. After landing she hauled herself into a sitting position and resumed her intensive struggles, her long golden hair flying about her body as she worked.

     Fern sat very still with a look of intense concentrated on her face. She had struggled so hard the hem of her skirt had receded past her mid thigh. Behind her back I could see her wrists working hard as she tried to pry a knot loose. At the same time she wriggled her feet in an attempt to retain circulation, in case a hasty escape was ever needed. She was approaching her predicament as methodically as ever, though it wasn't doing her much good.

     Tired from my struggles I lay on my back and stared up at the ceiling. I realised struggling alone wasn't going to me out of this. Briar had performed exceptional magic, and obviously had had plenty of practice using these spells. If I was going to free Marigold, Fern and myself I had to fight back using magic enchantments of my own. Looking around the room my eyes were drawn to Marigolds potted dandelion in the corner, and I had an idea. But with this rag over my mouth it was neither easy to say or do. I had to get rid of my gag.

      I shook my head and moved my lips in an attempt to loosen the fabric. Again Briars magic meant they remained fixed around my mouth and head. I needed some help. "Hlllmmmm mmmm gggggtttt tttttsssss ggggggg fffff!" I mumbled at Fern.

     She nodded, apparently understanding me. She rose to her feet and began hopping over to me, her flat pumps easier going than Marigolds high heels. When she reached me she knelt down, and waggled her bound hands in my direction. "Oooovvvrrrr hrrrrr bbbbllllbbblll!" she grunted at me. I squirmed across the floor until my face was positioned behind her back. Fern then began attempting to grab hold of my cloth gag with her fingers.  I lay perfectly still as she managed to grasp the edge of my gag. She began tugging on the cloth as much as she was able. I held my breath as I felt it begin to slip away.

    "Just what are you two are doing? Bonciara!"

    I yelped as I was suddenly jerked backwards, like I had been hooked on an invisible line. I clattered to the floor some distance away from where I had been before. The same thing had happened to Fern, and she was pulled back into her mushroom chair. She stamped her feet in frustration and growled obscenities into her gag, realising our plan had been foiled.

      A pair of blue, knee high boots with green ivy twining around them like laces walked into my line of vision. "Tthhhhssss rrrrr mmmmnnnn!" I cried, recognising them immediately.

     "Nice boots. Mind if I borrow them permanently from you?" Briar jeered as she knelt down beside me. I also recognised Marigolds mauve winter scarf wrapped around her neck, and Ferns acorn shell beret on her head.

    The Pixie girl smiled sweetly at me for a while. Then she took one of her fingers with the claw-like nails and began dragging it up my left leg. I groaned and tried to shake her off, but my feeble attempts to resist only amused her.

    "It has been a long time since I had such a pretty trio of Nymphs to play with," she cooed as she drew her finger along my thigh, right up to the hem of my miniskirt. "We are going to have so much fun once we arrive at our lair."

     "LLLLVVVV HHHRRRR AAALLLLLNNN!" Marigold bellowed mutedly, in an attempt to distract her.

     "Ok settle down. If you want to go first you could have just asked," cackled Briar, as she skipped over to where Marigold lay sprawled out on the floor. "Nice shoes by the way," she added as she pulled off my friends red mary-janes. She began to tickle the soles of Marigolds tight clad feet, making her prisoner giggle into her gag. She was very ticklish: don't ask me how I know that.

     But it gave me the opportunity I needed to complete what Fern and I had started. I silently shuffled over to the corner of my mushroom armchair. I began rubbing my face against it, trying to get the gag to slip. I could feel it continue to slide down my jaw. I just needed more time.

    Then Nettle returned, now flanked by two other Pixie men dressed in black. "Stop fooling around Briar. It's all quiet out there. Time to take these ladies on a little trip."

    "Oh how exciting!" exclaimed Briar as she dropped Marigolds feet. "What do you reckon, princesses first?"   

    "PPLLLLSSSSS NNNNMMM!" Marigold cried as one of the Pixie goons approached her. She tried scooting away on her backside but was unable to prevent him from picking her up and slinging her writhing body over his shoulder.

    "LLLLLTTT HHHHRRR GGGGMM!" Fern snarled, wriggling harder than ever as the second goon approached her.

      I looked up and saw Nettle walking towards me, a triumphant smirk on his face. "Ready to go sweetheart?" he asked me in a mocking voice.

    And it was at that point that my gag finally fell away.

    Taking a deep breath through my newly liberated mouth, I hauled myself into a sitting position, focused all my concentration on the dandelion in the corner, and I shouted at the top of my voice, "QUINTESITAM!"

     What followed next was beyond anything I had ever expected. I guess the stress of the situation amplified my powers exponentially. Yet at the time I didn't register what I was doing. All I could focus on was making our house plant grow taller.

    And grow it did, with such vigour and ferocity that the flower soon not only reached the ceiling, but began pressing against it. Vines began splitting off from the stem as it thickened and began climbing up the walls. There was a shattering noise as its pot broke apart, as a multitude of thick roots spilt out onto our living room floor.

    And I could feel it growing. My life energy and that of the flower became intertwined like holly climbing an oak tree. It didn't matter that I was tied up now. Now I was partnered with the dandelion I could control its movements via our shared life force.

       The goon carrying Marigold lost his nerve, and dropped her onto the nearest armchair before scarpering. He was quickly joined by the second goon, leaving Briar and Nettle to fend for themselves. "Do something!" Nettle ordered his accomplice.

     "Flashtarna!" Briar bellowed, raising her hands towards the plant and firing blue bolts of lightning at it. Yet the dandelion was barely singed. The magical energy coursing through its body meant her magical attacks were useless. Both Pixies realised this, and at the same time decided to make a hasty retreat.

     But I wasn't going to let them get away. I sent a flurry of vines from the plant in their direction. Briar screeched as they wound around her arms and torso, while Nettle vainly battled against the whipping vines before they wrapped around his legs, pulling him to the floor. They were then picked up by the vines and were suspended in mid air. Nettle was held upside down by his ankles and barely struggled, knowing he was beaten. Briar however, continued screaming every spell and incantation she knew in a vain attempt to get free, sparks and flashes of light shooting out from every part of her body not covered by vines. Deciding I had had enough of her voice, I sprouted a large leaf which I curled around her mouth and head. Underneath this thick leaf her cries were muffled and unintelligible.

    "Relosas!" I said calmly and clearly. At the sound of my spell the ropes binding me immediately transformed into bright blue petals, which began floating throughout the room as though caught in a breeze. My liberated limbs broke apart and I stretched them out thankfully. I could hear Marigold and Fern crying out, though now in amazement as opposed to fear. I then spread my wings and took flight, hovering in the air at the same level as Briar. She shot me a look filled with anger and frustration as I gave a relieved laugh.

    "I'll be taking my boots back now, thank you!" I smiled at her.



    "And that's how I perfected the Quintesitam spell," I told my classmates a week later, having just relived my experience for them.

     To my surprise they all began applauding. The loudest noise came from Primrose and Reed, who gave loud whoops from where they were sat on either side of me. But no-one in the room looked happier than Professor Pear. He continued to smile happily as he beckoned the class to quieten down.

    "I am very, very impressed Bluebell. You displayed a level of magical enchantment that many sorcerers take years to reach. I don't suppose you could repeat your feat for us sometime?"

     I shook my head. Since my ordeal my magical abilities had returned to normal. I could remember what I had done and what it felt like, but I couldn't remember how I had done it. "Sorry professor. It just sort of...happened."

     He didn't look that upset. "I wouldn't have expected you to have been able to. Yet it has given us a glimpse of what you are truly capable of. I'm now very excited to discover what the future holds for you Bluebell."

     "I think I know how we can activate Bluebells abilities professor. Maybe if we tie her up again..." Reed began to tease, before I cut him off by bringing my book down on the top of his head.