Chapter II

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." Roald Dahl.

Jimmy was sitting at the end of a large white marble table and in front of him were all sorts of dishes he never had a chance to taste before. He was surprised because he was expecting extraordinary meals in a fantastic world but they ate exactly like humans. Smoked fish, grilled meat, seafood and all kinds of chocolate desserts.

He wondered how he could eat all these wonders alone with Nylian's company, maybe elves eat a lot?

The master of the mansion was sitting at the other end of the table, at least five meters farther than Jimmy.

He couldn't stop looking at him, not because it was the first time he had met a real elf out of his books, but because Nylian was the most handsome male he met in his life. His long white hair descended majestically all along his back and we could see the brilliance of his blue eyes from far away. Of all the elves he saw inside the mansion, Nylian was certainly the one whose beauty was incomparable.

"I think eating will be more suitable for you than watching me." he heard him say.

The young man blushed as hard as he could be unnoticed in the middle of a tomato plantation. The duke watched him with amusement as he tasted his meat.

"I'm sorry," Jimmy mumbled shyly. "It wasn't my intention to disturb you."

"You did not bother me." Nylian shook his head. "It makes me happy that such a handsome man like you admires me but I think you are very hungry after such a long trip."

Handsome.

Jimmy nodded with a smile and started eating.

"Jimmy," the elf cleared his throat. "What do you desire to do today?"

"Uh? I don't know." Jimmy bit his lower lip. It was amazing how he couldn't rest his eyes on his. His stare and his presence were both very intimidating. "I don't know this country or this world," he mumbled.

"Would you like to walk with me after lunch? I could show you around." Nylian proposed.

"I wouldn't want to bother you,"

"Jimmy, my dear." Nylian chuckled. "It has been years since I have been living the same thing every day, I needed to meet someone new or experience different things, and I have to admit that I am very happy with your arrival."

"Thank you." Jimmy blushed. "That's very nice of you, your Grace."

"So, are we going for a walk together later?"

"With great pleasure."

💎

As promised, they went out together after lunch.

Nylian walked very slowly and with elegance, hands behind his back and chin up. Jimmy was just watching him and trying to imitate him. There were only a few hours since he met him and he already had a great admiration for him. The elf realized this and couldn't stop smiling.

"What's this?" Jimmy asked, pointing to the coloured lake.

“It is beautiful, isn't it?" Nylian smiled. "It is called the Colouribus Conspiratus, the colours of unison. Do you see that couple over there?" he pointed to two strange creatures with green skin and a long pink tail. "Every colour has a meaning, an emotion, for example, red represents anger, white, peace, and pink, love. When they bathe inside, they will stay together forever, despite all the emotions and all the obstacles that will come up in the future.

"Now it's all pink." Jimmy widened his eyes. "They must be very in love."

"Indeed." Nylian nodded and saw how Jimmy was staring at them with a dreamy expression. "Do you have someone you love?" he asked, surprising him.

"Me?" he gulped. "My late father?" he mumbled quietly.

The beautiful elf looked at him sadly and offered him a small smile. "Our love for the family has been in our hearts since our birth, but the love I am talking about now is the feeling we get or the attraction we have towards a female or a male."

Jimmy blushed. "I have never had such a person in my life,"

Nylian approached him and gently put his long hands on his shoulders. "How is it possible?" he asked with a gentle voice. "With such beauty, I am sure you had many lovers."

Jimmy shook his head. "No one dares to talk to me, people hate me and move away from me," he mumbled.

"But why?"

"Because of the colour of my hair."

Nylian furrowed. "What is wrong with your hair Jimmy?" he asked, not believing what he said. "It is very beautiful." he slowly ran his fingers in the diamond hair. "It is very soft and very soothing." he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Oh, how could they hate your hair?"

Jimmy closed his eyes to enjoy this intimate moment. Apart from his late father, no one has ever caressed his hair that way, the main reason is that everyone was scared of it and the second is that humans could not be in touch with it.

"In my world, being different from others is like a crime," Jimmy said. "You need to look like others in other to live peacefully."

"Your world seems very sad and boring." the elf rubbed his chin. "Fortunately you came to Fantasia, here we accept everyone." he smiled. "Mostly beautiful creatures like you." he patted his head.

"Thank you." Jimmy blushed for the thousandth time this day. "Y-you are very beautiful too, your Grace," he mumbled.

Nylian grinned at him, “Thank you, Jimmy."

💎

Jimmy and Nylian walked in the middle of the vast forest. It was impressive how there were hundreds of different creatures, unknown colours and smells that make you dream. Jimmy has never been so excited and happy before. All the books he's read and all the fantastic movies he's watched were nothing in front of the paradise around him at the moment.

They arrived in a small village inhabited by creatures called Pixies. Like the elves, they are beautiful and have long multicoloured wings. Jimmy saw a group of males and females preparing to ride in a kind of huge carriage. Each of them held a mirror and fixed their appearance before entering. "Your Grace, where are they going?" he asked.

"The prince of Rosa must be doing another selection." Nylian rubbed his chin.

"Rosa?" Jimmy furrowed.

"You must be confused." the elf chuckled. "There are a lot of areas in Fantasia and Rosa is one of them, their prince's name is Ayas, he has the power of seduction, you have to avoid looking at his eyes not to risk falling under his charm."

Jimmy widened his eyes.

"These Pixies will show up at the palace and the prince will have to choose some of them."

"But why?"

Nylian smiled and rubbed his hair. "You are so innocent Jimmy." he chuckled. "The prince changes his partner every time he wants to, he chooses the most beautiful creature who will accompany him to the balls, dine with him and of course spend intimate nights in his room. In one word, they are called concubines."

"But..." Jimmy mumbled. "Why are they offering themselves to him?"

"Most are desperate for luxury living or have fallen under his spell."

Jimmy just nodded with a frown.

Nylian looks at him and smiles. "This is why I will not let you go near him, I cannot let such a pretty creature like you fall into his hands."

"You're so kind, your Grace." Jimmy smiled.

The elf just smiled back and kept walking.

They left the village after buying two large Gelatius, a sort of candy made from coloured gelatin.

"Mm, it's delicious!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"I knew you would love it." Nylian chuckled.

Suddenly, they heard a noise on the other end of the forest.

"What is it?" Jimmy asked.

Nylian looked around and widened his eyes when he realized where they were. "Oh lord."

"What?"

"This is the landing ground for pegasus."

Pegasus?

"There are pegasuses too?!" the young man couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, there!"

They lifted their heads to the sky and saw large white pegasus flying over the trees and ready to land on the ground.

"Jimmy, be careful, their landing can be violent!" Nylian shouted for Jimmy to hear him despite the sound of the flapping wings but Jimmy was no longer beside him.

"Jimmy?" he slipped between the beautiful creatures with the golden horn as they bowed to him. "Jimmy!"

There were so many pegasuses he couldn't see his new friend anymore.

He didn't know he had fallen on the other side of the woods. A wing had accidentally touched him and with his frail body, he quickly stumbled on a fallen tree trunk and continued to turn on the dirty soil until he found himself facing a large iron bridge.

He got up, his heart pounding. "Your Grace?" he looked around him and couldn't recognize where he was. The only thing around him was the giant palace he had seen earlier from far away.