fallon-elizabeth

[fallon-elizabeth]

Fallon and winter in Barley.

[fallon-elizabeth]

As Fallon got older, her training intensified. It was a method to not only help control her raging teenage emotions, but also temper her budding powers.

Plus it made both Alex and her birth father, Raoul, feel better knowing Fallon was fully capable of dealing with whatever Fate decided to throw at her. Mostly…

[fallon-elizabeth]

…Sweet 16…

[fallon-elizabeth]

She now knew the truth…but it didn’t make bearing the burden any easier..

[fallon-elizabeth]

When she was strong enough, Alex left the babes in Aviva and Seth’s capable hands, and took Raoul and Fallon out into the nearby forest to have a long waited discussion. Alex gingerly took a seat on a fallen tree trunk, Raoul carefully helping her down, before taking a seat opposite her in the ground. Alex offered Fallon a smile, and patted the spot next to her. “Come sit with me, love. Raoul and I have something we want to talk to you about.”

Fallon looked at them both apprehensively, feeling her anxiety and worry rise. She hesitated to sit, despite Raoul’s encouraging smile and nod. “Is…everything okay..?” She asked, inching her way onto the log as if it might burn or bite her. “I swear I didn’t do anything.” Raoul’s booming laugh caused her to flinch, but Alex’s solid hand on her shoulder steadied her. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Fallon.” Alex reassured her, offering another encouraging smile. “But what we need to discuss with you is important, and can’t be repeated or shared with anyone else. Do you understand?”

“Not even with daddy?” Fallon asked, once again worried what this conversation would entail. “Not even daddy.” Alex affirmed, glancing briefly in Raoul’s direction. “You’ve question why you can’t change your appearance around people, and why you can’t show people the cool things that you can do.” Despite the fact that Alex’s words were a statement, Fallon nodded anyway. “Yeah, and you wouldn’t —“ But Raoul interrupted her. “Let your mother finish, Fallon.” He reprimanded firmly. Fallon ducked her head and hunched her shoulders, but didn’t snap back. “Yes, I know we’ve kept that information for you. You weren’t old enough to understand the significance or the danger, but Raoul and I believe that you are now. Especially after what happened.” She meant when she nearly died. “Okay…” Fallon said slowly. “So what’s the big deal?”

Alex hesitated a moment, breathing in deeply to prepare herself. “The big deal is…that you are a Fae, Fallon. A metamorphmagnus…or chameleon. A rarity even in the Fae world. Very few people alive can do what you and Raoul can do. Even fewer remember anything about your kind.” Again her eyes drifted to Raoul, who only nodded for her to continue. Fallon glanced his way as well, brows furrowed and lower lip sucked in between her teeth. “Because you can change what you look like — can look like anyone you’ve met — that is dangerous. If people knew — even family like your uncle Caspian — they would use you for their own gain. They’d turn you into a weapon that they could use. You’d cease to be a person to them.” Alex paused there to let everything sink in, giving Fallon time to process and ask whatever questions this knowledge caused her to have.

“So..that’s why you always called me special? Why we had to train away from everyone, where no one could see? Because there aren’t lots of people like papa and I? Because you didn’t want anybody to see?” She waited for Alex to nod before shifting and glancing down to her feet, falling silent as she thought things over. “So I won’t ever get to be myself around anyone else, right? I’ll always have to hide my favorite part of myself.” She sounded glum, and defeated. Alex struggled to her feet as quick as she could manage, shocking Fallon into looking up at her. “Now you listen to me.” Alex started, her voice heated and vehement. “Being able to change what you look like is only a tiny piece of who you are. You’re also brave, and smart, and strong…” Raoul piped in. “…and a talented artist.” Alex shifted to glance back at him, nodding. “A great fighter, and an even better big sister. Your gift does not define you, understand?” Fallon nodded slowly, her eyes big as she glanced down. Alex reached down gently to grab her chin, forcing her to look back up, then slid her hand to her cheek. “I know how hard and horrible it is having to hide a part of yourself, and I desperately wish I could fix this for you so you don’t have to feel this pain, but all I can do is fight to make the world somewhere where you don’t have hide anymore. But Raoul, daddy, and I love you so much. And Raoul and I are always here to talk about things and answer whatever questions you might have, okay?”

Fallon nodded again. “I’m going to go back to the cottage, but Raoul is going to stay in case you want to talk to him about anything. Dinner will be ready when you get back.” Fallon nodded again, watching as Alex slowly picked her way back through the brush towards Aviva’s place. She didn’t speak again until Alex was long gone.

“Papa…how did you do it? Hide part of yourself all the time? Keep such a big secret..?”

[fallon-elizabeth]

When you learn the truth about yourself…and the world suddenly falls apart…

[fallon-elizabeth]

Father and Daughter.

[fallon-elizabeth]

Her youthful face with the all too knowing eyes. Eyes that held far more wisdom than one so young should have.

[fallon-elizabeth]

Beauty may be dangerous…but intelligence is lethal.

[fallon-elizabeth]

Beautiful and…so grown.

[fallon-elizabeth]

“I’m angry, mom. I’m angry at dad. I’m angry that he’s not here when he should be. That he went off with that woman alone. That he’s picking his job over us…” Fallon let it all spill out one night as they sat just outside Aviva’s cottage while the twins were still sleeping. The moon was bright that night, full as it bathed the world in a yellow-white glow. “I’m angry that I have to constantly hide who I am — from everyone. Even family. It’s not fair.”

It wasn’t fair. Alex knew that as well as Fallon did, but she also knew what would happen if the world knew what Fallon was capable of. Even family would use her for their gain. She would be a weapon and a tool that they could use. Her daughter would cease to be a person, and would lose what little was left of her childhood.

But how did she explain that to a young girl who had no idea just how powerful and unique she was…?

[fallon-elizabeth]

“So, Baxter…what you in for? Did you eat Auntie Avi’s pie?”

[fallon-elizabeth]

And sometimes that village is an army…

Sometimes it takes a village.

[fallon-elizabeth]

“We do what we have to to survive…”

[fallon-elizabeth]

“What message would you like me to give your father?” Caspian had asked.

Fallon had to think carefully, because the words she truly wanted to say would only upset her mother and get her no where.

“Tell him we miss him and that he should be here helping momma take care of the twins. And that if he doesn’t get here soon, he’ll be in trouble…”

[fallon-elizabeth]

Occasionally she opted to go riding…when her mother nagged her enough about spending too much time being a caretaker…riding was freeing, and it allowed her to see more of Barley’s wilderness.

[fallon-elizabeth]