The King knew what time it was from the sounds he heard. They were not chimes from a bell, nor the tick of a clock. No, he could hear the screams coming from down the hall. The screaming occurred every night at 9. But tonight was different. The shrieks were not only of terror, like they had been, but of agonizing pain.

I wiggled my tools on her checkered floor. Grandma wasn't awake yet, but I loved to get up early to see deer, or squirrels!

As I watched the deer walking to the woods, she came up behind me.

"How about some breakfast, dear?"

She always made my favorites. Once I heard the sizzle of the pan, I jumped up to help. I set the table just right, and pulled out the ketchup for the eggs.

We ate our breakfast as she asked about our plans for the day. As always, we would make a trip to the library!

Once we had finished the dishes and gotten dressed, out the door we went. We saw my aunt, who had just showed up. She sat there with a cigarette to her mouth. Grandma grabbed the newspaper from the porch, and whacked my aunt across the head!

"I thought I told you, no more smoking at my place!"

My aunt apologized, embarrassed, and told my grandma she came to mow her yard.

"Well, good," Grandma said. "It's getting too tall."

She walked me away, since I had been coughing from the smoke. We got to the car and drove off. Once we had arrived at the library, my coughing hadn't stopped. As soon as she heard the splash of the fountain, Grandma took me to get a drink. Once I'd stopped, I almost ran to grab a book.

Once I had gotten one, I sat down to read. The library cat came beside me and tried to hit my book. I swatted at the cat and she ran off.

Now I was getting hungry. Grandma checked my books out, and she told me we were getting a surprise. I was so excited as we pulled up to the Wendy's drive-thru. One chocolate frosty, just for me! I ate it as quickly as I got it, and soon I was asleep.

The next thing I knew, I was back home. My day with Grandma was over. I went to the phone and dialed her number to set up another day together.

My mind is like a glass jar

With empty, open space.

When something happens to fall in,

It bounces all over the place.

People place things in my jar,

Their worries, doubts and fears.

No one takes into regard

Slowly the edge nears.

Finally, I reach the point

Where I can't hold another speck!

I'm filled to the brim and there's

No space in my wide-rimmed neck.

Maybe someone can smash me

Into the smallest pieces.

I would be broken, but relieved

When my burden releases.

Or is there another way?

Perhaps someone could

Come by and empty me.

I truly wish they would.

My mind is like an empty jar

People like to put things in.

For once, I wish that they

Would ask how I've been.

I wish that I could see you

From more than just a distance.

Looking through my screen, I can

See all that I'm missing.

I know your life is yours to chose,

But why can't I just see you?

Since I can't do that, I'll settle

for watching at a distance.

Hello! My name is Maquis, and I can't quite remember how long I've used Prose. It's been about five years I would guess. I normally use this as an outlet for my droopy feelings, and I'm also using it as inspiration to write my book, which is going very slowly.

In my personal life, I have finished college, and started teaching 5th and 6th grade in a private Christian school. I love what I do, and I love to write. I love making friends, but ironically I have social anxiety. I also have ADHD, which causes me to being on avidly sometimes or to not come on in weeks. I try to be consistent, and honestly I've gotten better. I'm happy to be here and use the available resources, and to just enjoy myself while writing.

I worry for my friends and family.

They could die at any moment.

Though, one time is settled in cement,

Because fall is the time of death.

I wish I could have saved you.

I should have tried talking to you.

But there's only so much to do,

When fall is the time of death.

I didn't want to hear it,

But Dad had to call to tell me

When you could barely even breathe.

Because fall is the time of death.

I could not believe it

I'm never going to see you again.

I've wasted the time we were given.

Because fall is the time of death.

When I say, "I hate fall."

I don't hate the pumkins and leaves.

I hate the times when tears are on my sleeves,

Because fall is the time of death.

Adding a bowl of harrowfruit to the table, the plant elf made her finishing touches to her breakfast table. There were five spots; one for each member of her family. Each of them liked something a little different. Her husband, Tedee, was happy with just the harrowfruit. Bruin, her oldest child, hated the idea of fruit, and only ever wanted a slice of toasted bread. He had been this picky since childhood. Next was her first daughter, Loli. She loved a good smoothie in the morning. Most elves wouldn't do it without the proper tools, but as an elf with plant Lore, working with fruits was easy. Then it was her youngest daughter, Lynna. Lynna would eat almost anything, but she especially loved eggs with a bit of peppers. The plant elf would do anything to see her smile, and didn't mind the extra work it took to make the perfect breakfast.

"Alright, everyone, breakfast is served!" After those words, she could hear the thumps of foosteps down the wooden halls. Loli arrived first, as she most likely had been up for hours. She focused a lot on her outward appearance, and less on her mastery of Lore. She had inherited the plant Lore from her parents, but she was apathetic at the learning of it. Once Loli had made her way to the table, she kissed her mother, and sat down to eat.

The next to reach the kitchen was Tedee, and where most of the noisy footsteps came from. When he was younger, everyone assumed he was a stone elf. He was large, with a round middle. He was the reason all the doorways in the house were overly tall. He built them that way. He gave his wife a big kiss, as their daughter looked away in embarrassment.

Bruin sleepily walked in. He was a mimicry elf, and most people knew since birth. Mimicry elves are born with at least a streak of pink hair. Sometimes, it's the whole head. But in Bruin's case, it was his bangs that hung over his face. In the market when the other boys would bully him and call him 'Pinkie', he would often get vengeful, and he had been known to get into many fights over it. Recently though, he had taken to changing his appearance to his father's, or to someone else he knew. At least he wasn't bullied for that. He said good morning to his mother and father and sat down to eat his toast.

Lynna slept in a lot, and this morning was no different. Tedee had sat down, and said to his wife, "Staecy, please sit down. You know she won't come out for awhile."

Staecy shook her head. "No, dear. I will wait. But if she doesn't get up shortly, I will go and get her"

Tedee shrugged and began to eat with his children. After they had finished and started to leave for their day, Staecy resolved to wake her daughter. She walked down the hallway to the youngest's room. She knocked, hoping Lynna was awake and just getting ready. As she feared, she heard no voice. Staecy opened the door and looked at the bed that her daughter slept in. That's when she noticed, her daughter had not slept in it that night. Staecy searched the room trying to see if her daughter had used the room at all since Staecy had cleaned it. To her dismay but not surprise, Lynna hadn't used it last night.

Staecy focused her Lore. As intensely as she could, she reached out to Bruin, the only other member of the family to have telepathy Lore. Bruin, get your father. Lynna left last night and didn't come home again. I need help searching for her.

Within a minute, Bruin replied. Sure, Mom. We're on our way. Check the top of the tree, she likes to hang there a lot.

And just like that, the third search party for Lynna this month had begun.

_________________________________________________________________________

Sunlight streaming on her face, the sixteen year old woke up from her night of flight. She was the only fairy that lived in the neighborhood. Her parents told her to hid that fact away. They were worried that she would be taken away if the authorities found out. Lynna knew that they were probably right, but she never got a chance to practice flying.

Tedee and Staecy were great parents, even if they weren't blood. They had told their children that both Bruin and Lynna were adopted. Bruin's parents had died tragically, but no one knew about Lynna's, other than they had higher stations. When her parents found her, they tried to relay information to the proper authorities, but it seemed that the information didn't get far. Once they had gotten attached, they decided to raise the fairy as their own.

Lynna always wondered about her real parents. But at this point, she would always choose Tedee and Staecy over anyone else.

Lynna sat up on the high branch she had fallen asleep on. What time was it? She had been in the air all night, and when she sat down for a time, she must've dozed off. Her parents were probably searching for her at this very moment. Oh, how she wished she had telepathy Lore! That would make things easier.

It would be simple for Lynna to fly down, but since it was day, and in the forest, someone could see her. She'd have to climb down.

She stood up. She had amazing balance, partially due to the fact she was a fairy but also because she had done this so many times before. She walked down the branch toward the trunk. Once she made it to the trunk, she pulled out the knives from her pocket. She carried these for when the branches were further apart. The next few branches were close enough, so she jumped from branch to branch. When she couldn't jump any longer, she stabbed the trunk with her knives. She climbed down to the next branch, and started to jump again. She easily made her way back to the ground. Once she did, she put her knives back into her pocket.

"There you are. Mom and Dad are worried."

Lynna looked behind her to see Bruin, his bright pink hair hiding his face. She smiled when she saw him.

"Well now you can let Mom know that you've found me and can take me home. "

She started to walk in the direction of town and their home, but Bruin stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She turned back to see him holding up a jacket, and she knew what he meant. She had to hide her wings. If anyone knew she was anything more than a Loreless elf, she would be taken to be with other fairies and not her parents. She might not be able to see them again if she was found out.

She made her way to him and grabbed the jacket. She folded her wings and set them in the back of the jacket. It always made her wings so sore, but this was the best they had. As soon as she had it on, they began to walk toward home.

"There you go. Mom doesn't sound too happy. Dad and I missed out at the shop too, so there's business. But you don't care about that do you?"

"Bruin, you get a chance to practice your Lore all the time. Even Loli could practice if she wanted to, but I can't practice flying unless no one is around."

"I know. I just get tired of keeping your spot a secret. Mom and Dad still don't know where you go. I'm the only one, but I can't keep the secret forever."

"One of these days, Bruin, people will know what I am and won't try to take me away."

He sighed and put his arm around his sister.

"For your sake, Lyn, I hope so."

"And honestly, who cares that I'm a fairy? You remember the stories, right? Fairies didn't really get a choice on whether or not to rule the elves. The elves just put them in charge and 'supervised' using their Lore. That's unfair. It would be like you or Mom or Dad controlling me through your Lore. I wouldn't get the choice to love you. I would be forced to."

Bruin sighed. This was a conversation they spoke of often. But there was nothing they could do. Neither of them could change the system their ancestors created. At least not yet, and not with the resources that they had. But maybe one day. That day might come sooner than both of them realize.

Lying in bed that afternoon

Had me pondering many things

Will I finish college right, or

Sail away on fleeting wings?

When at that moment something

New and strange occurred to me.

Was it good? Was it bad?

I wish I could unsee.

The memory of a broken girl

Who cried at the hands of a monster.

She tried to save her younger self,

But was afraid that he'd abuse her.

The memory of a young mother

Dreading what she had seen.

Knowing that something must be

Done to this boy of fifteen.

The memory of a father's heart

Being ripped at it's core.

He had done all he could to

Help and he could take no more.

The memory of an outraged grandmother

As her grandson had done wrong.

But it wasn't the victim's who

Shared her martyr's song.

The reality of a broken child

Who was only three years old.

She never understood what had

Happened to make her feel so cold.

She didn't know why big sister would

Cry, when the night turned dark.

She wanted desperately to help

But did not know how to embark.

She didn't know why mom was angry

And always said she was sorry.

Mom never did any wrong, and

Yet she constantly would worry.

She didn't know why dad became

Silent and no longer said a word.

Was it her fault he was like this?

Whatever, it really hurt.

She didn't know why her grandma

Constantly stole her away,

To give her and the boy some time

To bond and to play.

She didn't know why brother would

Play in such an awful manner.

She never liked these terrible games,

But he never cared about her.

All at once, these thoughts flooded

Her mind, like a broken dam.

The once innocent girl, was now

no longer "happy as a clam".

No one keep the story from her.

She had known the story already.

But now to her it was no longer

A story, but a reality.

Her fury was sparked and with

The energy she had she yelled,

For the sister who tried, but

Was pulled through this wicked hell.

For the mom who stopped what

Could've been a bigger problem.

For the dad who stopped talking

And became nothing but solemn.

For the grandmother who hated

Her as a reminder of his failure.

And for him, who decided his wants

Were worth more than his behavior.

No one knew when she was born. The queen allowed only certain people to be in the circle of knowledge. That was the first red flag the king should have paid more attention to.

The queen was angered that her daughter was born without wings. All royals were fairies. Aside from their wings, they were powerless. The elves, however, contained all the Lore in the kingdom. Legends ago, the elves wanted someone to lead that could never overpower the voice of the people. Thus the fairies became the royals. Fairies were forbidden to marry elven folk, lest any should become invincible and authoritative. When the princess was born without wings, the queen feared.

Shortly after the princess was born, the queen brought a plan to the king. "I have a way to fix this." she told him. He was skeptical, but gave his blessing knowing that if is wife was not satisfied, his daughter's life may be in danger.

For the next three years, rumors of the source of the screams from the castle keep growing worse and worse. The queen hardly ever showed her face to the people. The king realized his mistake, but his realization came far too late. He could not stop the terror that his wife had become.

One night, the shrieks that landed on the king's ears were too much for him. He flew toward the chamber in which his wife had isolated for her plight. After bursting through the door, he saw his small daughter strapped to the table, her mouth open crying in pain. She wriggled and writhed, but it was in vain. The king could not stand to see his daughter like this. He moved to let his daughter free, but his wife stopped him. Her eyes glowed red with anger. She lifted her hands to push the king away, but he simply set her aside. Her fury increased, but that didn't matter. He turned to see an elven servant, one which had been apart of the princess's birth. "You have Memory Lore?"

The elven servant nodded with fear in her eyes. It was at this point that the king noticed the little girl behind the servant. He came up with the only plan he could think of to save his daughter.

"Please," he instructed, pointing to the queen. "Make her forget the princess. Make her forget all of this."

He looked to the little girl.

"I need you to help me."

The queen came back around to stop the king, but before she reached him, the servant held her hands out. The queen's eyes rolled back and she fell down. The servant went to tend her.

While this had occurred, the king untied his daughter, who had passed out from the pain, led the servant girl out of the chamber, and down the long flight of stairs to the courtyard.

It was here that he handed his daughter to the little girl, who held her as a big sister would her sibling. The king kissed the top of the princess's head.

"I love you, Daisilyn. Know that Daddy loves you so much."

He looked into the little girl's eyes.

"Run. Take her far away. Find someone to care for her. Do you have your mother's Lore?"

The little girl nodded shakily.

"Good. Make her forget what her mother did. Give her a new name. How skilled are you at your Lore?"

With a gulp the little girl said, "I can lock my Lore with a word."

The king smiled.

"Lock it with her name. Daisilyn. When she hears her name, she will come back to me. She'll come back when she's stronger."

He caressed his daughter's head as a tear ran down his face. "Come back when I call, Daisilyn. I love you so much."

Just then a scream was heard from the high chamber. The queen.

"Go, go! I'll tend to the queen."

And with those words, the king flew to the high chamber. His large gray wings flapped lightly, but swiftly. The little girl watched for a moment, then turned and ran.

From that moment on, no one but the king, the servant, and her daughter knew that the princess ever existed. The king awaited the day when his daughter was required. Then he would awaken her. And they would be happy, for the first time.

People have not ceased to be with me,

Since that tragic day.

They say it's to keep me company,

And they try to get me to stay.

The only problem is that I

Don't want to be around.

Is it wrong for me to want to sit

With silence as a sound?

Because when I'm alone,

I feel his presence near.

Maybe I'm crazy for thinking this,

But it makes being alone nothing to fear.

So when you try to cheer me

By staying by my side,

The sadness only grows

Because that's when he hides.

Do not be offended if I

Don't want to go out.

Just know that I'm smiling

Because he is about.

I'm tired of the talking

I'm tired of the fun.

I just want to stay home.

With me, and no one.

I want to hear the silence.

I want to be alone.

Because when he appears,

I finally feel at home.