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Chapter 1: Iris  

            “Before we end our meeting and your regular classes start, I would like to propose a once in life time opportunity that is only available to you Elite Fairy Students,” Donella, the adult Rae teacher, told the fifteen smartest students of the Elysia High School Class of 2012. “Like the previous seniors before you, you are presented with the chance to live an entire school year with Humans. This is the great Elite Fairy Secret I have been hinting to since the beginning of this school year.”

            Iris’s soft, violet eyes became wide and bright with the news. She looked toward her best friend Raedella and noticed that her best friend’s silvery, light blue eyes held the same surprised, excited expression she had.

            “So like I said before students who want to go will spend an entire school year with the humans. You will attend a human high school and you are required to mix in with the humans and become a part of the senior class. You will graduate with the senior class and then experience the pivotal “summer before college”. I will give you more information once the date of departure draws near. Now, who wants to go?”

            Iris and Raedella were the first to raise their hands, followed by their other best friend Kallan.

            “Febrys don’t you want to go too?” Iris turned around to look at her cousin.

            Febrys looked around the classroom and noticed that not a lot of other fairies wanted to go, “I’m not sure.”

            “Oh come on!” Raedella said, “It’ll be fun! Are you sick or something?”

            “No why?” Febrys raised a questioning eyebrow.

            “You have always wanted to live among Humans when you were younger.”

            “Well I’ve grown up and after taking the Human Studies class I’m thinking that I’ll stay in Elysia where it’s safe. They are interesting to study but I don’t think living with them is such a good idea.”

            “Now what’s the point of taking Human Studies and learning about them in books when you can learn by having a field experience like this?” Kallan asked Febrys.

            “You do have a point,” Febyrs recognized his logic. “Fine, I’ll check out the humans in their own habitat.”

            She raised her hand and others around her who agreed with Kallan’s words slowly raised theirs as well.

            Donella looked around the class room and nodded, “Good. It looks like the majority of you have interest in this field study. Before you leave please pick up a permission slip for your parents to sign and an information sheet that explains the basics of this trip. I will let you know when the next meeting will be and that’s all for today. You may proceed to your daily classes and have a good day.”

             As they were walking to their first period class Iris, Raedella, Kallan, and Febrys talked about the human field study.

            “I’m so excited for this!” Raedella exclaimed.

            “I am too,” Kallan agreed. “I just hope my parents will let me go.”

            Iris threw her head back and rolled her eyes out of realization and worry, “My parents!” She looked at her cousin and best friends with pleading eyes, “They are never going to let me go! I have always wanted to go to the Human World but you guys remember how I had to fight to take Human Studies.”

            “Oh yeah,” Febrys said, “I almost forgot about that fight. My mom had to help convince your dad to let you take the class with us.”

            “I don’t know why they are so protective of me! I’m almost 18 and I can take care of myself. I now there was an incident between Fairies and Humans before but things have settled down now that most of the Humans don’t believe in us anymore. I still don’t know why my parents are so strange about Humans.”

            “They are so protective of you because you are the princess!” the three Fairies walking with her nearly screamed.

            “Every parent is going to be protective of their child,” Raedella tried to reassure her best friend.

            “Yeah but your parents aren’t the King and Queen of Elysia! And you’re mother is running this trip,” Iris retorted.

            “You do have a point there.” Raedella half chuckled, “I guess that’s one perk of having your mother as the Elite Fairy Students advisor.”

            “And Kallan you’re parents are going to have no problem with you going,” Iris looked his way.

            “My parents want me to get the best education possible that’s why,” he shrugged.

            “Do you think Aunt Breena will let you go?” the question was asked to Febrys.  

            “If she let me take the class I have a feeling she’ll let me go on the trip. As to convincing her brother, your father, the King, good luck with that one.”

            “Thank you cousin for being so supportive,” Iris replied sarcastically.

            Iris found it hard to focus in her classes the entire day. She kept thinking about how she was going to talk to her parents about the field study and her mind’s eye kept playing a scene that she hoped would not be her parents’ actual reaction.

            She kept picturing herself sheepishly asking her parents if she could be a part of the field study and her father simply exploding.

            Her mind’s eye pictured him pounding his giant fist on the table creating such a vibration that it knocked over glasses and made plates jump. His faces turned a deep burgundy red and he screamed, “I FORBID YOU! You will stay in Elysia where you are safe and where you belong! The human world is not for fairy princesses! Especially my daughter!”

            “Iris… Iris! Are you going to get out of your seat or not?” she heard Febrys’ voice snapping her out of her day dream.

            “The bell rang Iris,” Kallan added.

            “Were you even paying attention in class at all?” Raedella questioned.

            Iris shook her head, “No. I kept picturing my father screaming at me when I asked him about going on the field study.”

            “Come on,” Raedella grabbed Iris’ arm and lifted her out of her seat.

            “We’ll take you home and teach you what you missed all day,” Kallen said.

            “We’ll also come up with a plan to tell Uncle Orin,” added in Febrys.