Footprints in the Snow

by Heather McAlendin

  Pegeen bounded happily into my outstretched arms and I held her tight, breathing in the scent of her. Her hair had be decorated with flowers and ribbons and she looked every inch like one of the wee folk. I kissed her face and hair until she squirmed to be let down again.

  Queen Maeve outstretched her long, slender hand and entwined Pegeen's chubby fingers with her own. Pegeen stood, transfixed by her beauty and the kindness expressed on her face.

  This young one is the key to life for us Maggie Mae. Without more like her, the darkness that has encroached upon the realm will engulf us all and the world will never know we existed.

  “Dear lady,” I began, hesitant to speak but as she had a hold on my grandchild I felt I had no choice but to speak my heart. “The world is a much different place than it was when even I was young. You must know that. Children grow up so quickly as do their hearts and minds.”

  Their minds and hearts are poisoned by heresy and falsehoods about us! Falsehoods told by adults who choose to harden themselves against things they do not understand. They allow fear to rule their world! You were different. You are part of us!

  Pegeen shrank back as Queen Maeve's voice rose to such a pitch it shattered the silence. Woodland creatures both big and small disappeared under bushes and behind foliage to escape their queen's wrath. The air around us crackled with an electric energy. I felt the hair my arms stand up in response. I grabbed Pegeen and tucked her under my arm in order to try an protect her from what may happen.

  As sudden as the queen angered, her face softened and tear trickled down one cheek, dropping to the ground in the form of a tiny pink diamond which she then held out to Pegeen in apology.

  Pegeen's cherubic face looked up at me and I winked at her. Reassured, she reached out and took the sparkling diamond for the queen and stared at its brilliance. “Wow! Cool! Thank you.”

  “I don't know what it is you want me...us to do to help you my lady.” I knew I had to discover the reason that Pegeen was taken and we had to get back to my daughter before she feared the worst for both of us.

  Come and dine with us. N'ere worry about the time above Maggie Mae. You have been missing for only a blink of an eye. I will then explain what it is I desire.

  I gathered Pegeen to my side and followed the willowy queen and her attendants to a grand hall which looked to have been carved out from a grand, ancient tree.

  Even in the human world I had not seen anything grander than this hall. A long, hand carved wooden table was the focal point of the room. Surrounding the table were chairs of every shape and size to fit the smallest to the tallest and everyone in between. On the walls hung loosely woven garlands of chamomile and lavender.

  Queen Maeve bade everyone sit down. Pegeen and I sat at her right hand while a young flit of a creature sat directly at her left. I assumed this young fae was the queen's own hand maid. When she was assured everyone was comfortable, a sharp clap of her hands alerted the staff that the food was to be served.

  Pegeen and I sat hand in hand as we watched trays upon trays of various fruits, vegetables and sweets were piled high in front of us. Large mugs of a honey fragrant drink were poured and after a brief moment to allow the queen's hand maid to taste from each tray, we all began to feast.

  “What is all this stuff Mamo? Mommy doesn't allow treats at supper time.” Pegeen whispered. Here eyes seemed as large as her plate as she watched all the pastries and chocolates mixed in amongst the fruit and vegetables.

  “Mommy would tell you that in order not to insult your host, you can taste a few things you'd love to try, even if it is a sweet. This is a special occasion my wee love.”

  My answer was a smile and Pegeen's tiny hand carefully lifting a cream filled pastry and some berries onto her plate. I could not help but laugh. As a child it would have been my dream to be able to eat sweets as part of my meal.

  I do hope the meal is satisfactory? My cooks do not often have human guests at the table.

  “Oh yes my lady.” I answered politely. “I think my granddaughter would agree.”

  Pegeen could only nod at Queen Maeve as her mouth was full of the cream filled pastry. The queen's laughter filled the air like the sound of bells chiming. It was a wonderfully joyous sound.

  So it would seem. How lovely. How lovely indeed!

  I raised the mug to my lips and took another sip, all the while wondering why we were here and why the Queen wanted Pegeen.

  There are no secrets here Maggie Mae. You forget I know your every thought. 'Tis part of the reason why we are fading away into eternity. The thoughts of humans are so coarse and disagreeable in this age. I thought your world was one of tolerance and acceptance? Our attempt to ensure that has failed I see.

  I coughed and placed the mug back on the table while trying to gather my thoughts. “While it is true that there are those in my world who go above and beyond the ability to put the lives of others above their own, there are those as in your wold that choose to hold bitterness and fear in their hearts.”

  Queen Maeve looked thoughtful as she nodded in agreement. Her eyes seemed distant and sad.

  And it is because of fear and intolerance that both our races shall fail if we do not change this way of thinking and being.

  “Just how do you propose to change this? I know there is a reason why you have kept my wee girl away from her family.” I asked hesitantly. The fae queen was well known in myth and legend for her quick temper. I did not want to be on the receiving end of her wrath.

  Do not fear my wrath dear one. Your family has kept the faith for generations and your blood is mine own. I wish that to continue with the new generation. We have been introducing young humans to our world since we noticed the blackness taking over. I can only hope it is not in vain.

  I looked up at the queen and then back at Pegeen as she continued her feast of sweets and fruit. “Have you seen any other children here?”

  Pegeen nodded and her curls bounced too and for ans she did. She wiped her mouth with one chubby hand and grinned broadly. “Oh yes Mamo! I have made a lot of new friends. Most have gone home though.”

  By the look on my grandchild’s face I could tell she was not enjoying the fact that she too would have to return home from the faerie realm.

  “You will indeed come home with me so your Mommy can stop her worrying.” I answered while taking a napkin to wipe the smears of chocolate and fruit juices from her cheeks.

  Encourage the child to speak of her time here. It is the only way left to spread our existence. We can no longer hide. It is in hiding that our myth has become more important than our true existence.

  “Harder said than done my lady. I have a an adult child of my own. She no longer believes and will accuse her own child of telling tales. How can I change that?”

  Bring her here or allow us to speak with her. It is the jaded mind that will cause the downfall of more than just we. Humans have no faith.

  I nodded my head is disagreement. “Humans have a lot of faith but at times it is place in the wrong things. Admittedly we like to believe in things we can feel and see. Your kind live amongst us unseen and unknown.”

  The balance between our worlds has been difficult to maintain. The veil is torn and now we find ourselves fighting for our lives. Each child brought here has been returned to your world with a message.

  I looked with empathy at what this great queen was trying to accomplish. It saddened me to think perhaps this world; one I enjoyed as a child was soon to be nothing but a fading memory. “I am bringing the child back and we will do what we can but I can't promise things will change. You have great magic here my lady. Can this thing not be fixed?”

  Queen Maeve rose to her feet, looking every inch the ethereal faerie queen.

  My magic is waning and it has been for some time. Even my own court has not been aware of this until now. Our fuel used to be the belief in our existence; the stories mothers told their children and the joy that come from those stories. The modern world has no place
for the likes of us. Please, take your grandchild and go home but pledge you shall return so we can speak with your daughter. Maggie Mae, please promise.

  As I too stood, I grabbed Pegeen's hand and pledged I would do my best to return. My heart was heavy with the truth that I may never see this grand lady or the wee folk again. The queen could only smile sadly and wave as we departed for our natural home.

  Pegeen was delighted when the three “ladies” she saw dancing in the snow in my backyard guided us back to the spot where I first come to this place. Each fluttered high in the air, circling her head and placing a tiny kiss on each cheek.

  A suddenly as we came, both Pegeen and I stood hand in hand, ankle deep in the snow, blinking in the sunlight. We were home.

  Chapter Ten

  “Peg! Oh god Peg you are safe!”

  My daughter's screams of joy filled the air as Pegeen jumped and ran into her mother's arms. I stood by quietly watching the pair as they kissed an hugged and cried. “Oh Morgaine, what do I say to you so that you can believe?” I thought as I followed them into the house.

  “I can't believe this! I just came back from filing a missing person's report. Where have you been?”

  Understandably, Morgaines's emotions went from joy, to frustration and anger at the loss and the reappearance of her child. She reached forward and grabbed Pegeen's shoulders shaking her until her head bobbed with the effort.

  “Mommy stop it! That hurts!”

  I held back from rushing to my granddaughter and allowed her mother to take in the fact that she was indeed safe and sound.

  “I'm so sorry Peg. But you scared Mommy very badly today.”

  Pegeen wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat and sniffed loudly while staring up at her mother with large, confused looking eyes. “I was okay Mommy. The ladies took care of me. Ask Mamo! She saw them too! They didn't want to hurt me.”

  I could almost feel the skepticism in Morgaine's eyes as she stared up me. “Please Ma, don't tell me this has to do with those bloody faeries again!”

  “Mommy, they don't like to be called faeries! Call them wee folk. They told me so! Right Mamo?”

  I nodded at Pegeen and patted her on the head. “Perhaps you need to go to your room for a wee rest. I think mommy and I need a bit of a chat.”

  Pegeen gave Morgaine and I a kiss and toddled off down the hall to her room, humming a strangely familiar song as she went.

  “Over hill, over dale...” I hummed just under my breath so Morgaine would not hear. I cracked a smile when I realized it was the same song I remembered my own mother humming while she bathed me.

  “Ma, this is serious. Where was my daughter all this time? And please no more stories.”

  Morgaine's angry voice jolted me back to reality. I knew I had to take control of this conversation before it got out of hand.

  “Morgaine, please sit down and we'll have a spot of tea.”

  “Ma,” she began.

  “Sit down. Please!” My voice was a bit more demanding that I had intended but I needed to get my daughter quiet before I could explain the reality of the faerie realm and Queen's Maeve's fate.

  Startled, Morgaine went into the kitchen and sat at the table. I rarely yelled so she knew I had something serious to tell her.

  “Before you say anything else Morgaine, I need you to be open minded and just listen to what I am going to tell you.”

  “I can't...”

  I held up my hand in a rush to silence her. Once she started I'd never get a word in edgewise. “Does Pegeen seem alright to you? Is she unharmed?”

  Morgaine nodded in agreement but her jaw was firm and clenched in the frustration of having to remain silent for so long.

  “You have to understand there are things in the world that you and I may never comprehend. You think the fae as a myth; a story to be told to children.”

  “You know I do Ma. It's nonsense.”

  I shook my head sadly and then asked Morgaine to think back to when she was a child. “Do you have any memory at all of something that may have happened that you can't explain.”

  Morgaine sat and just stared at the floor in disgust. “No. Never.”

  “Think my love. A time in the garden when you were helping me pick lavender and lilacs.”

  I could tell by the look crossing her face that she was struggling to ether remember or trying in vain to forget.

  “Damn it Ma I was a child!”

  “So you do remember?” I asked quietly. I had pushed her enough but had to force her mind open.

  After squeezing here eyes closed, tears began streaming down Morgaine's face. “But it's not true. It was just all your stories Ma. I was little, just like Pegeen. She doesn't know better.”

  “But she does know better my pet. Children don't need a reason to believe, they just do.” I reached out to grab Morgaine's hand but she pulled away.

  “How can you expect me to believe in this? How can I believe in anything anymore? Those “ladies” are not real. They can't be!”

  Morgaine's shoulders hunched over as she began to sob. Her heart was broken and it had little to do with the wee folk.

  “It's alright to miss your husband. I still miss your father, but life goes one. We go on and have to face the dawn every day. He would not want you to be this dead inside. You are alive and Pegeen is alive and there is a power out there that needs you; needs us to survive.”

  I waited for her crying to stop before going into detail about what had happened to myself and Pegeen earlier that day. I told her about the great lady and what was happening to her and her kind. “There is a darkness enveloping their land. The same type of darkness that is enveloping your own heart I think.”

  “How can you compare some kind of faerie story to my life?”

  I lowered my gaze then stared back at her intent on making my case before she flew off into a rage. “Regardless of what you think or what you feel you know about what I am telling you please remember this much; your daughter is as alive as are you. What are you going to do with that life?”

  Morgaine lay her head down on the table and cried. I silently slipped the sparkling pink diamond that Pegeen had received from Queen Maeve under my daughters arm and sat down, waiting for a reaction.

  Slowly, she raised her head,looked down at the table and then back at me. “What is this?”

  “You wanted proof? I'd say there is a wee bit of truth right there in front of you. You have too choose to believe.”

  I knew I was becoming impatient but I'd have gotten no where by appearing cross with her. “After all,” I thought. “Where would I have gotten a pink diamond?”

  Morgaine picked up the pink gem and stared at it, intent on finding fault or a lie within it. I knew she could not find any.

  “It's real?” She asked as she brought the diamond up close to her eye. It was flawless. “I...who gave this to you Ma?”

  “Was not given to me. This was a gift from Queen Maeve herself to the young one. It belongs to Pegeen. Pet, do you not even believe your own eyes?”

  “Just like the garden...” Morgaine's voice trailed off and she got up, clutching the diamond in her hand.

  “Where are you going?” I asked as she turned on her heel and hurried own the hall. I heard a door slam and objects being moved around. I waited in the kitchen and hoped she would comeback and let me in on what she was up too.

  It only took a few minutes for my answer. Morgaine returned with a small wooden box in hand and tears in her eyes. She placed the box on the table and pointed to it. “There,” she said in a high pitched voice. “It's in there. I kept it. I don't know why I kept it but I did. You open it Ma. I just can't do it.”

  My heart pounded wildly in my chest as I very slowly and gently began to remove the lid from the box. I suddenly felt a warm presence at my side and looked down to see the top of Pegeen's head.

  “What are you doing Mamo?”

  “Well my love, you will just have to watch and see. There may be a s
urprise in this box.”

  She stood very still and stared intently as I finally took the lid off the box. Whatever was inside was wrapped in fade blue tissue paper. On top of the paper were bits of dried flowers.

  “Was this lavender?” I asked. Morgaine just nodded and continued to watch in silence.

  I shook the dried lavender aside and peeled back the layers of tissue to reveal a shiny bit of what looked like glass. Once I lifted the fingernail sized stone from the box and polished it on my sleeve I was amazed to see what could be the twin to Pegeen's own pink diamond.

  “Oh god!” Morgaine exclaimed as she collapsed to her seat. Pegeen rushed to her side and hugged her tight.

  “You have one too Mommy! It's the same as mine! Did you see the queen too?”

  I held my breath as I looked carefully at the second pink stone. I could hardly imagine my own, seemingly skeptical daughter keeping something such as this for all these years. She had indeed encountered the wee folk and remembered them well.

  “Is this why you have fought so hard to ignore all the signs Morgaine? You knew all this was real but you refused to accept the truth.”

  Morgain reached over and ruffled her daughters curly hair then sighed heavily, heaving her shoulders with each breath. “In truth, I did not remember the diamond until I saw the one you just gave to me. I locked the memories away as we all do when it comes to childhood fantasies Ma.”

  “Not all of us,” I replied gently. “It is because of this thinking that a whole race of unique creatures will soon be no more. When our imaginations die, so do a part of our souls. A synergy we have with the universe is lost and as a result that energy that once fed a proud ethereal race is now diminishing and the fae with it.”

  “What do we do?”

  A simple direct question and not the one I was expecting from Morgaine.

  Chapter Eleven

  The three of us gathered on a circle under the cool, moonlight sky like ancient priestesses or warrior women entreating powers from the great goddess. Pegeen stood there in her tiny pink winter jacket and matching mittens, yawning due to the lateness of the hour.