You felt a little odd as you and Tulipelle left the large dining area. The fact that it resembled a sort of summer camp gave you the impression that the Queen commonly entertained guests of all kinds. However, the tender rubbing of Tulipelle's wing against yours as the two of you walked gave you the more obvious sign of how things presently were.
"Heh," you commented.
"What's heh?" Tulipelle asked.
"I was just thinking on how so much has changed for me," you said to her, and glanced down at the orbs on your chest that the dress Tulipelle had let you wear managed cover fairly well but left your cleavage open for anyone and everyone to see, "apart from the obvious."
"How so?" Tulipelle asked curiously, with one eyebrow raised.
"Well," you began and gave her hand a soft squeeze, "I didn't have a girlfriend on Earth... let alone BEING someone's girlfriend."
"Girlfriend..." Tulipelle mused slowly and looking very interested, "I assume that a human term for those who are romantically involved with each other?"
You nodded, "Yes. When a human and woman date they are boyfriend and girlfriend. Though... I'd assume fairies have a different term since we're all female."
"Yes," Tulipelle nodded a smile and then to your surprise she gripped your arm in one hand and then wrapped her other arm around your shoulders, "a pair of fairies who are dating each other are called heart-friends... because their hearts begin to beat for each other."
You actually felt your heart flutter a little as Tulipelle explained.
"Well... I've never had a heart-friend before nor been one," you said to her, "but you are very beautiful, and I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather have teach me how to be a fairy and be my heart-friend... though you will have to be patient as I get used to things."
"Oh... I can," Tulipelle answered, "and... I'm actually quite glad you aren't upset with me over... you know... turning you into girl..."
"Well, do most fairies have some issues related to trusting human males?" you asked her.
"To a degree, yes, but I probably exaggerated a bit when I said you wouldn't be accepted at all as a male," Tulipelle told you.
You held Tulipelle to you, "You may have exaggerated, but you may not have been entirely wrong... and getting mad over it won't change anything."
"Thanks, Irisette," Tulipelle said to you.
The two of you leisurely walked out of the dining area, and part of your mind was wondering on what to do next when you were both confronted by a the guards that had brought you to the Queen's palace in the first place. Captain CometDust was with them, and looked as duty driven as she did earlier. You immediately got the sensation that you were in trouble.
"We were just getting breakfast," you said to her.
"Understandable," Captain CometDust nodded, "but the Queen and Royal Enchantresses have finished their deliberations, Ms. Irisette MoonGlow and Ms. Tulipelle SilverDust, please come with us."
There was nothing that either of you could do. Both you and Tulipelle were soon following the curving hallways until you came back into the throne room. There on her throne sat Queen Rafflesianna GossamerWing, but two her left and right were a couple of other fairies. Like all other fairies, they wore clothing that seemed to be made out of leaves and flower petals of various types. These other fairies' clothing, however, looked more like a religious monk's robes or a medieval fantasy story's mage's robes. These had to be the Royal Enchantresses. Tulipelle curtsied as she approached, and it took you a moment to remember to do so as well. It is after you did so that the Queen spoke.
"Your arrival and the way you arrived on Gaia is very concerning, Irisette MoonGlow," Queen Rafflesianna spoke calmly.
"I... I didn't mean to trespass, your Majesty," you said to her, as your crossing into Gaia was completely by accident.
"You are not trespassing, even if you hadn't consumed fairy food and become one of us, you wouldn't be trespassing," Queen Rafflesianna answered, "It is, after all not as if you are the first Human to come to Gaia and become a fairy..."
You and Tulipelle both looked on with some concern.
"But normally when fairies or humans cross between Earth and Gaia it is done so in a controlled area and thanks to a controlled spell," one of the Royal Enchantresses spoke, "the fact that you fell into Gaia, Irisette MoonGlow, would mean that the natural barriers between our worlds could be breaking down."
"And this can be dangerous for both us and Earth," a second Royal Enchantress added, "our worlds are to exist in a balance and if the borders are so weak that you fell into our world without casting a spell, than something has thrown off the balance."
"What do you wish of us to do, my Queen?" Tulipelle asked.
"For the moment, Tulipelle SilverDust, because your interest and studies of the Human world has drawn you closer to the borders of Gaia, and it wouldn't surprise me if you've journeyed between Gaia and Earth, we need you map the portals between Gaia and Earth that you know of and report to us on how unstable they are," Queen Rafflesianna instructed, "that will give us the best indication of how out of balance things are within my domain here in Gaia."
Tulipelle slowly nodded, though the instruction left you fairly nervous. You'd only just become a fairy and had a lot to learn just to be able to function.
"What about me, your majesty?" you asked.
You watched the Queen smile to you, which in a strange way reminded you of how your mother had smiled to you when she wanted to express her pride in you.
"You may help Tulipelle SilverDust in anyway you can," Queen Rafflesianna gave a smile, "you are new to our world and need some time to adapt... and Tulipelle, because of her interests, would be the best suited to help you adjust and learn your magic... and working together, you might be able to give us some insight on what is throwing off the balance between our worlds."