Smoothing her blue and white dress, Trina goes through the handful of daisies she has picked. Sitting down on the faded blanket placed in the field of tall grass, she searches for the best flowers to make a gift for her mom. Intertwining the stems for the daisy crown, she forces herself not to look at the Old forest beyond. It scared her to sit within the shadows of ancient gnarled trees. Her mom said they were guardians of the outlaying hills and their cottage. Focusing on finding the perfect flowers, she tried not to imagine those trees edging closer. Quietly sneaking up on her. Holding the beginnings of the crown, Trina started to hum to take her mind off of The old oaks.
She must have been imagining things within the dark folds of the forest. Dancing within her peripheral vision a small greenish light pulsated and created shapes in the air. Soon it has moving faster than any lightening bug she had ever seen. Picking another flower off of the pile she had picked earlier, she wove it within the other stems.
Besides, fireflies only came out at night and never with those colors. She carefully laced another flower within the others. Nearly dropping the half made crown, Trina swore someone had spoken. Glancing around to see who could have sneaked up on her, no one was there. It had not sounded like her mother. Besides her mother was in the back.
“Good morning, child. How are you? No, you are not imagining things. May I ask your name?” The voice in her head was airy. It reminded her simultaneously of the meanderings of a brook and that of a light breeze. Such radiant beauty inside her head made her think of music and dancing and fun. Placing another flower within the woven ring, she glanced up. The light had stopped just within the confines of the tree line. It gave off such a warm pulsating glow that she couldn’t help but smile.
“I am not supposed to talk to strangers.” Alistrina took another flower.
“And rightly so. I go by many names. Etain, Maeve, Afdis, Ceinethne. Have you not heard of me?”
Trina shook her head almost forgetting the daisies in her hand.
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance. You may call me Ceinethne. I have always loved that name.” The ball of light brightened a soft blue hue.
“My name is Alistrina. But my friends just call me Trina. Nice to meet you Ceinethne.” She placed the final flower within the crown, making the circle complete.
“Very well. Do not fear Trina, for I am incapable of hurting any child. I merely wish to speak with you.”
Trina paused. A light couldn’t hurt you could it? It didn’t look like any fire she had ever seen. It couldn’t hurt to talk to a light. She would just have to be on guard. Her mom said the forest could be bad if you became careless. Smoothing out her dress With one hand she stood. The other holding the completed crown for her mother.
“Okay. If you just wish to talk. That seems safe.”
“Great! That is wonderful!. So many do not have the heart or the time to speak anymore.” The voice was laughing now. Excited it fluttered around a bit as a bright pulsing glow turning into every color Trina could imagine.
“However, speaking such as we are tires me. It is hard to speak like this and fly. It is nearly day and I do not have much time. I must return to my home before day breaks. The sun would burn my wings and without them would die.”
Trina didn’t understand how a light could be speaking to her in the first place. Hearing that the light would die trying to talk to her within day light almost made her weep. She didn’t want to be the reason for anyone’s pain, let alone the demise of a special creature such as this. Gaining courage, and curiosity getting the best of her, Trina decided to find out what this light was.
“Of course. As long as we just talk out near the forest, I would be pleased.” Cautiously getting up, Trina slowly walked toward the tree line.
“Oh thank you, Trina. I am so pleased to have someone to talk to. It gets awfully lonely sometimes playing games all by myself.”
Trina gasped. It finally dawned on her as to who was speaking.
Oh, are you a fairy? I have never seen a fairy before. You are so beautiful!” Trying to remember what stories she had heard about fairies. Never giving any though to the fact they may be real she never paid much attention to anyone who had spoke of them. Mostly she thought they were mere stories to keep little children from causing trouble.
“I saw you siting here all alone and had to see whom it was. I was wondering if you wanted to play with me for awhile?” the light began to fly faster in small zig-zaggy patterns.
“I am sorry, but my mom said i can’t go in there by myself.” Pointing toward the forest. “
I could get lost.”
“Well, all alone you would most certainly lose your way. You’ll be with me. I would never let you get lost in my home.” There was a slight pause wen Ceinethne asked a question. Trina could hear the sadness in the tone.
“Is your mother Delaney?”
“Why yes. you know my mother?” the news shocked her. How did Ceinethne possibly know this? Not once did her mother ever speak of meeting a fairy!
“Yes I knew your mother as a child. Even when she was about your age, even playing, she loved her rules. Is she still the same?” Ceinethne turned a deep blue, then brightened back to a golden yellow.
Nodding, the girl smiled sadly knowing all to well the truth.
“It’s always work. and learning and chores. I get very little time to play anymore.” Since her father died she had to help her mom. Now and again It would have been nice to play some games. Getting her mother to relax was very difficult.
“I told her that I have the magic to make her fly. Your mom didn’t like that. She turned red saying that she was too busy and thanked me. She would love to play later but told me she never, ever wished to fly. No matter the game, and ran off. It took awhile, but your mother did come and join me in the forest. I never did convince her to fly. We would talk for hours. I see she never mentioned it.” The look on Trina’s face was of shock and amazement. Trina could feel the light make a noise to her that sounded like a sigh.
Trina thought this was all a dream. Here a fairy who says she not only knew her mom, was now telling her that her mom was offered the chance to fly and didn’t take it? Trina was speechless.
“My mom didn’t want to fly? How can you make me fly? How is that possible?” the thought of dancing around in the air as this light was doing now, thrilled her.
“All of my games are more fun when you can fly. I am the queen of fairies and with that comes magic. Except my powers only work on other’s within the forest itself. Where it stays nice and dark and never gets too hot.”
Looking skeptical now, she still remembered she had to be on guard.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth? As a queen you are bound to the truth, aren’t you?”
Ceinethne’s light dances in and out of the limbs high up and sounds of laughter echo through her thoughts.
“Of course. What a smart girl you are! I am bound to the truth. The thing of it is,” said Ceinethne her light fading now. “The older you get, the less you’ll be able to play my games. And of all the children in the area you are the only one i knew who would be perfect for games and fun. I will not force you. Just know that I will only make this request once. If you say yes, I only ask you to have fun and keep my secret from everyone. I am glad Delaney kept her secret. I know you will do the same.” Ceinethne danced more turning purple.
Although she would love to fly and play fairy games, Her heart was heavy.
“I would very much love to play. Oh, and to know what it was like to be a fairy! What if something happened and i had to be a fairy forever? I would never see my momma again. I don’t know…”
Ceinethne’s light dimmed for a second. then lightened a bright green.
“Oh no my dear, I will turn you back when we’re finished! Most children wish to be turned back. I will admit that only a few have wanted to stay a fairy, but that hasn’t happened for a very long time.”
Trina looked back at the cottage. No lights had been put up yet. No glow from the fireplace. Her mom was still working in the back with the chickens. Biting her lip, Trina looked at the fairy light.
“Alright. If you promise to turn me back after we are done, I will agree.” The fairy light brightened to the point Trina had to look away for a bit.
“Agreed. You will have so much fun! I will show you games and let you meet some of the animals in the forest. I can’t wait! We must hurry. It is growing light, and I’m afraid I have been away from my home much too long. I’ll show you. If you follow me, once we get inside, I will use my magic to turn you into a fairy.”
Trina suddenly grins. She couldn’t contain herself! the light danced circles into the darkness of the forest. Forgotten that she still clutched the crown of daisies, she made a path through the tall grass toward he ancient oaks. The bent and gnarled branches swallowed her into unknown darkness. looking back, her cottage is getting lost within the thick trunks sitting within the underbrush. Soon she forgets to look back and is focused solely on the light guiding her into where Her mom told her never to go.
Russell's Ramblings 