Tales of the Fairy Anthology

by Catherine Stovall

  Lorie had stopped listening, her jade eyes unfocused and brimming with tears. The replay of the accident filled her thoughts, dancing like a slow motion horror flick across her frontal lobe.

  “Matilda. My sweet, Matilda,” she whispered as the tears broke free and trickled down her face.

  The doctor looked at her questioningly, concern written on his kindly face and pen poised to record in her chart. “While unconscious you talked about, Matilda. You told several of the nurses she was a fairy. Who is this Matilda?”

  Lorie smiled a sad smile and nodded her head. “The bike, I named her Matilda. I thought…well, it doesn’t matter now. Just the pain I guess, at the accident, I thought I saw her as a fairy. Silly, I know.” Despite her acceptance that the vision had been a hallucination, she still sounded saddened, as if she had lost a friend.

  In way of acknowledgement the doctor gently patted the cast that covered her leg, “I have a ’76 Panhead, and her name is Cherry.”

  ****

  During her conversation with the doctor she learned of her injuries, of her treatments, and that she could go home soon. From the nurses, she learned far more interesting information. Her visitors, while unconscious for five days, had been a strange mix. Of course Dani had come daily, and was on her way as they spoke, but others had come as well. Eric and Gwen had come. Eric because he felt obligated to, despite his self-righteous-I-told-her-so attitude. Gwen had apparently accompanied him because she was threatened by Lorie, even when she was unconscious and her face was a black and blue mass of stitched bruises. Her mother had called every hour, unable to come because of her health and the great distance. The typical visitor list in, in Lorie’s opinion, except for one.

  The nurses described him as tall, handsome, friendly, and certainly charming as they fanned themselves. Lorie was confused at first, she didn’t know anyone named Harold, and she couldn’t think of a single person who would visit her that fit the description.

  “And you’re sure his name was Harold?” she asked, voice full of concern. The idea of a stranger sitting by her bedside while she slept creeped her out in all sorts of ways.

  The bubbly nurse, whose name was Mariah, nodded vigorously. “Oh, yes. Very sweet man. Harold Wright was definitely his name. In fact, he usually comes by about this time every night.”

  If Lorie’s jaw had not been so terribly sore, they would have had to pick it up off the floor and sew it back on. Mr. Wright…was here. Holy shit! Why? Oh my God! He saw me like this! Her thoughts ran wild, as if someone had put her brain in a blender and hit puree. She was so distracted by trying to figure out why, she never heard him walk through the door.

  His brilliant smile went all the way up to his bright blue eyes, but then quickly faded when he saw her face. The pure and utter shock written there stopped him in his tracks as he fumbled with the flowers he carried in his hands.

  “Um…hey, Lorie,” he stammered as he looked from her to the floor.

  “Hi.” She couldn’t stop staring at him, and she knew it was making him uncomfortable. “What are you doing here, Mr. Wright?”

  He took a hesitant step forward, his eyes full of a strange hope that Lorie didn’t understand. “I’m not sure. I read about your accident in the paper, recognized you from the photo. I…I felt I had to come.” He fell silent for a moment, waiting to see if she responded, and when she didn’t, his face fell a little more. “Remember when I told you that the Universe calls us to places and people for some unknown reason. Well, this is sort of like that. I felt responsible for you buying the bike, and for your accident. I just needed to know you were okay. I’m sorry if I’m intruding, this must seem awful strange, and now I’m babbling by the expression on your face.”

  Despite the pain in her face when she smiled and uncaring of the way she had to wrap her arms around her broken ribs as they shook, Lorie laughed. “Oh, my. That was a mouthful. Come in, sit down. Visit for awhile.” Holding out her hand for the spray of spring flowers, she asked, “Are those for me?”

  He crossed the room, his brilliant smile radiating once more, as he presented the colorful boutique.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a glimmer of plum purple and a shimmer of iridescent air. The Universe or fairies, she thought as the gentleman took a seat and her hand.

  Mischief and Magic

  I flipped through the dusty pages of my father’s ancient, magic book, searching for a new spell to learn. Everything I already knew was starting to seem old, boring. I needed a little more excitement in my life.

  Running the tip of my finger over the fragile, yellowish pages, something caught my attention. An invisibility spell.

  How fun, I thought. That would be sure to stir up the other fairies. It would also be massive payback for all the mean things they’d done to me.

  I stood up in the middle of the deserted library, balancing the book in my hand. The book had specific instructions for the spell.

  Under the light of the full moon, repeat the words, Una Luna Saleena, three times. It is only then the one who holds the power will become as visible as the air.

  That seems simple enough, I thought. But how will I know if I have the power it was referring to?

  I was deep in thought when a loud pop sounded right next to me, causing the book to slip from my hand.

  "Damn, Ernie.” I glared at him as I fumbled to catch the book before it hit the floor. “You know I hate it when you do that."

  "Sorry, Myra, but it's an emergency." Ernie panted as he gazed up at me with his big, brown eyes.

  I held back from rolling my eyes at the short elf. He was a bit melodramatic at the best of times. An emergency to him could be something as simple as the window being left open in a rain storm.

  "Alright, what is your emergency?" It wasn't like I would get any peace now unless he told me.

  "The pixies have taken Carly," he said, sniffing. Tiny tears rolled down his rosy, red cheeks.

  Carly was Ernie’s pet dragon fly. Why the pixies would have taken his stupid bug was beyond me. But who was I to question their actions. They probably did it so they could make fun of Ernie. He didn’t have much rolling around in his little elf brain. Yes, pixies were that mean. Horrible little creatures.

  "Where have the pixies taken her?" I asked, reaching down and placing my hand on the top of his head.

  "I don't know." He shook his head as he continued to sob.

  I let out a heavy sigh. The fact was, I really didn't want to go hunt down the pixies over a stupid little dragon fly. Yet, I couldn't have them running around messing with my subjects either.

  Actually, it was my father who ruled all of fairy town. Yeah, real original. He was the king of the fairies, and since I was his daughter, everyone said I was lucky and had everything anyone could ask for.

  Sure, I had my own flying horse and my father lavished me with gifts, but the truth was, I didn’t feel so lucky. I had no love, and I had no friends—not anyone I could trust anyway. Except for Ernie.

  I turned and leaned down, placing the book on the table. The movement caused my crystal amulet to swing back and forth. I held my hand over it to settle it since a majority of my magic was held inside. All fairies had magic, but the amulet held my extra dose since I was the princess.

  "I shall go see what the pixies have done with little Carly," I said, turning back to Ernie.

  "Oh, thank you, thank you, Myra. How shall I ever repay you," he said, dropping on his tiny knees and bowing down.

  "Get up Ernie,” I said, rolling my eyes, “you are coming with me. You don't need to repay me."

  Ernie got to his feet and followed me out of the library and into the garden.

  Now, I thought to myself, where would the little buggers take a dragonfly? I gazed out to the forest in the distance. They were quite fond of trees. I supposed that would be the first place to start looking.

  With Ernie on my heels, I trekked to the edge of the forest. A nymph was standing near a large tree, running her hand
s through her long weed-like hair.

  "Hey, nymph, have you seen a group of pixies carrying a dragon fly?" I asked, knowing how foolish it sounded.

  She glanced up at me, noticed I wasn’t a man, and then she went back to grooming herself as if I weren’t even there. That was so not happening.

  "Seriously, are you going to ignore the daughter of the king when she has made a request?" I asked, tapping my foot. I was well known as a warrior princess. She would not ignore me. I wouldn’t tolerate it.

  Her head snapped back in my direction, and she gave me a snide look, but her youthful face still looked pretty. She sighed heavily. “Yes, I saw them. They went into the darkest heart of the forest. They were laughing and carrying on in the way that only pixies can do.

  "Thank you," I said, disliking the whiny voice nymphs had.

  All I really wanted was to get Carly back and return home. And it really pissed me off that the pixies had gone to the heart of the woods. It wasn't safe there, even for me. I took a quick glance back at the palace before continuing on. There wasn't time to run all the way back and get someone else to do this. Besides, most of the warriors would laugh at me for helping the elf. I knew my brothers sure would. Well, Edwin, wouldn't. Being the oldest had its privileges, I guess. He could be a little overprotective sometimes, but he was still nice to me.

  If only I could send someone back to the palace to inform them I was going into the forest. But, who? The nymph couldn't, or wouldn't, leave her tree. Then I glanced down at Ernie.

  "I have found a way for you to repay me."

  His face brightened, "Anything, Myra. Anything," he said.

  "I need you to go and find Edwin. Tell him I’m going into the heart of the woods. I shall return in an hour."

  His little face scrunched up, as if he was concentrating hard on what I was asking him to do.

  "Did you get all of that?"

  "Yes, Princess," he said.

  "Okay, then repeat it back to me."

  "You want me to find Prince Edwin and tell him that you are going into the forbidden heart of the woods and rescuing my poor Carly."

  "And I will be back within an hour," I added.

  I made him repeat that, too. Then I watched as he popped out of sight. With a deep breath, I stepped into the trees, knowing that I didn't even have a weapon with me other than my small dagger I kept in my boot. This was not my most brilliant plan. There were no paths in the woods, so I just made my own way through the briars and heavy brush protecting the trees.

  The forest was so full of life. Birds chirped high above me in the branches, and little critters scurried along in the leaves covering the floor. Unfortunately, none of these animals could help me. I continued on until the forest grew darker. Night was setting in, and I knew for a fact, being in the forest was unsafe in the darkness, even for me.

  I picked up my pace, trying to locate the pixies before the sun fully set. After a while, I heard soft, child-like giggles a short distance in front of me. Pixie giggles. That meant they were definitely up to something.

  I crouched down, settled my wings, and slowly approached the noise. Peering out from behind a tree, I spotted them. There were five, and they were in a circle dancing around. Inside the circle was Carly.

  What are they doing to her, I wondered, edging a little closer.

  Carly’s wings fluttered frantically, her magical essence causing her to glow brightly. She was clearly stressed.

  I stood up and stepped out from behind the trees. “Gotcha!”

  All five pixies spun around in my direction. Their lips were curved upward, baring their razor sharp teeth.

  “This is not something you need to be involved in, Princess,” one of the pixies said, her voice coming out as a growl.

  “How dare you speak to me like that,” I answered, tightening my jaw. I stepped even closer, showing them I didn’t fear them one bit.

  They spanned out in front of Carly, creating a wall so I couldn’t get near her. “We are warning you, Princess,” the same pixie said.

  I glanced down at the forest floor in search of a weapon of some sort. I’d never seen pixies this volatile before, and I didn’t trust them. Scooping up a large stick, I waved it into the air. “I demand you step away from the dragon fly!”

  Suddenly, a loud noise crashed through the trees behind the pixies. Their small lips lifted into a smile. “We warned you, Princess.”

  Out of the trees stepped an ogre.

  The grayish colored beast looked down at me. His mouth was open, green slime slipping out from in between his crooked teeth and falling to the ground.

  The ogre stepped forward, causing the ground to shake beneath me. He pushed the trees to the side, cracking and snapping the trunks like they were only twigs, as he focused on me.

  I took a deep breath and dodged out of the way as his monstrous arms slammed down right in front of me.

  Damn, Ernie for getting me into this mess, I thought as I peered up at the beast. How the heck am I going to defeat this?

  The sun slipped into the horizon, letting the darkness consume the forest. The amulet around my neck suddenly lit up, giving off enough light for me to see.

  “Myra,” Edwin’s voice came through the trees. He stepped out into the clearing behind me and gasped. “Oh, crap, Myra. What have you gotten yourself into?”

  “It wasn’t me, Edwin.” I dodged another blow from the ogre. “It was Ernie and his damn dragon fly.”

  Edwin pulled his sword out and began swinging it through the air. “Stand back, ogre!”

  The ogre let out a grunt and smacked him out of the way. Edwin slammed up against a tree, and his sword slid across the ground.

  It was then that I remembered something about earlier. I wasn’t sure if I was powerful enough to do the spell, but it was worth trying.

  I dashed toward Edwin’s sword, sliding over the ground and barely avoiding another devastating blow from the ogre. I grabbed the sword in my hand as I clutched my other hand over my amulet and whispered, “Una, luna, saleena.”

  The ogre shook his head as if he was confused.

  “Myra,” Edwin yelled. “Where did you go?”

  It worked, I thought, smiling. It really worked. I was invisible and nobody could see me.

  The ogre directed its attention on Edwin. As it approached him, Edwin’s eyes grew wide. I’d never seen him fear anything before, but of course, he was also unarmed.

  The ogre stood before him and lifted its huge, bulky arms in the air. Then, it dropped them, aiming toward Edwin.

  “Edwin, move,” I screamed, swinging the sword around.

  Edwin rolled out of the way just as the ogre bent down, dropping his hands to the ground.

  I leapt up on the ogre’s back and slid the tip of the sword through his leathery skin. Green blood oozed from the puncture, and the beast reared back, loudly yowling.

  I dropped back to the ground as the beast lashed about, trying to reach the sword in his back.

  Edwin unhooked a rolled up rope from the side of his pants. He tossed me one of the ends as he stooped and tied his end to the base of a tree. “Tie it to the trunk,” he said.

  I grabbed the rope, knowing I was no longer invisible. Tying the rope around the trunk, I stood back as the ogre’s foot got caught in Edwin’s trap.

  The ogre stumbled backward, losing his balance and falling to the forest floor with a thunderous roar. The tip of Edwin’s sword reappeared through the ogre’s chest, penetrating right through the beast, slicing through its heart.

  “Edwin,” I shouted, racing toward him. I threw my arms around him, embracing him tightly. “I’m so glad you came.”

  “Myra, how many times have I told you not to go into the forest alone?”

  “I know,” I answered, releasing him. “All I wanted to do was get Carly back. I didn’t realize the pixies had an ogre.”

  My gaze drifted over to five wide-eyed pixies huddled in front of a tree.

  “You,” I said, poi
nting at the five of them. “All of you are in very big trouble.” I picked up my amulet and pointed it at them.

  “No, Princess, please,” the five of them begged. But they were too late.

  The amulet sucked all five of them in, trapping them until my father released them later. They had a lot of explaining to do, because their actions weren’t a joke gone wrong, it seemed more like they were planning to use the ogre and Carly to take over the kingdom.

  I walked up to Carly and scooped her into my arms.

  “Come on, Edwin,” I said. “We need to get Carly back to her owner.”

  Edwin and I walked out of the forest. Ernie was standing in the garden when we found him, still sobbing.

  “Hey, Ernie,” I whispered. “I think this belongs to you.”

  He glanced up and gasped. “Carly!” He rushed over and grabbed Carly out of my arms, hugging her tightly. “Oh, thank you, Myra. Thank you so much!”

  “Anything for you, Ernie,” I said, smiling. “Now, don’t lose her again. She is magical, and we don’t want that magic to fall into the wrong hands.”

  “Yes, Myra, yes.” He nodded. “I’ll never lose Carly again.”

  “Okay, Ernie.” I rubbed the top of his head. “You get Carly home. Edwin and I have to go handle some business with my father.”

  Ernie took off out of the garden while Edwin and I walked toward the castle. I couldn’t believe how rescuing a little dragon fly had unveiled just how powerful I could really be.

  Champion of the Forest

  “Please Majesty, the land has suffered enough.” Pip glanced up at the unfeeling black eyes of the power drunk monarch Mab, mad Queen of the Unseelie. Her vision next turned to the lives destroyed by Mab's arrogant use of the power. Tears trailed Pip's cheeks even as the queen raised her hand to strike again. The rumble of laughter crept along her flesh ending with her cringe.