The Fairy Club

by Moshe Harel

  Edi also looked very content, and much more serious than I remembered him from when I first saw him. Being married and a father seemed to have done him good.

  Gran surprised us when she told my whole family, “I have some plans for Christmas. Don’t make any other plans for that day.”

  We still had the traditional Christmas Eve dinner, sang some songs and watched the special programs on television, and then enjoyed the presents under the Christmas tree in the morning. “Due to the way he was brought up, Dad usually frowned at Christmas celebrations. ‘The Christian world is only celebrating the birth of a Jewish child some two thousands years ago,’ he said, but he still gave us presents, although we didn’t have the tree,” Brian told me, making me aware of how complicated Joshua’s life must be, with his two conflicting ways of life.

  Once we finished handling the presents and eating breakfast, Gran urged us all to get properly dressed for the colder weather farther north and to join her in the living room. She was waiting impatiently there until we were all present. “We’re going to visit my parents,” she told us all. “I’m going to open a portal to a secluded place, not far from their home, and we’re going to walk the rest of the way. Be careful as it is probably covered with snow.”

  Gran waved her hand at the wall, making it become a portal, and we all passed through, finding ourselves in a public garden, too small for the children to come for playing in the snow. The tall hedges kept us hidden, but the snow cover was quite thick, making me thankful for having worn warm boots. I still used a bit of magic to clear some of the snow, making it easier to walk.

  We only walked for about ten minutes, before we reached the house where Gran’s parents were living. As she knocked on the door, her brother opened it, smiling widely at us and urging us in.

  This was the first time any of us, excluding Gran, visited that house. It was not large, barely big enough for raising three children, as I saw it, and it was also clearly old, although meticulously maintained. Gran’s parents were waiting for us in the living room, sitting on two old rocking chairs. They both stood up as we came in and smiled at us, seeming happy to see us all. This was not the first time any of us saw them, but it was the first time we came there to visit. Gran was clearly very excited. Once the greetings were over, she took me to one of the rooms.

  “This is where I grew up,” she said, opening the door. The room I was looking at seemed to have been frozen in time for about forty years. Although she had not been living there, her parents kept that room clean and well organized, as if expecting her to come back and use it. I wondered what they really felt about their weird daughter.

  Gran moved in, walking like she was in a dream. “I used to do homework here,” she said, pointing at the small desk with the single wooden chair in front of it. “And I slept here,” she sat on the bed, which seemed freshly made. She glanced at the walls and smiled at the yellowing posters of some singers and groups that were popular during her teens. I had only heard about some of these when listening to oldies on the radio when I was studying for my finals.

  “After my sixteenth birthday, this bed had seen a lot of activity. Both my parents were working then, and I used to have at least two male visitors each day before my siblings would arrive home. I had a lot of fun those days, until I found I was pregnant, that is.” Gran was reminiscing, her face taking a certain aura as if she was suddenly young again.

  Her expression changed. “I was then banished. For too many years I was longing to come back here to cuddle with Mr. Bear and feel loved again. It took your intervention to make that happen, Sophie, and I could never thank you enough for that.” She was holding an old, half-bald teddy bear and pressing it to her chest.

  A moment later she came back to the present. “Well, your room was much nicer at that age. Now, let’s rejoin the family.”

  When we returned, I saw Mom cuddling to her grandmother, and both had moist eyes, while Dad was talking with Gran’s brother and her father. I was surprised to see her sister talking animatedly with Brian. “Here comes your beautiful wife,” I heard her say as I came near.

  Brian turned his head and smiled at me, making me feel even more loved than usual, as I joined them.

  We didn’t stay too long there. After about two hours, I could see that the old couple was getting tired. Gran had probably noticed this as well. She stood up and urged us all to get ready. We each took our leave. I also checked the health of the old couple and silently released some near-clogging in a few arteries. It couldn’t make them healthy, nor lengthen their lives by much, but it could make their time less painful.

  Gran stayed a bit longer. We quickly reached that garden, and I opened the portal back home.

  We only spent a short time at home, before we used another portal to take the whole family to visit Brian’s parents, who had invited us for lunch, sparing us the drive.

  I was surprised to find Ella there. “How are you? Is everything fine?”

  Ella smiled. “Better than fine. I finished reading all the books of interest in the main library, and I have a lot of fun. I really like it here.”

  “Don’t you want to go home?” I asked.

  She laughed. “I visit my parents every few weeks and I take part in all the activities I’m expected to. My new ‘adventures’ even brought me a few suitors, although none is interesting enough to spend more than a quick shag with him.”

  “Is that how you refer to it in Avalon?” I asked teasingly.

  “Oh, no! Mom would never allow me to use any such words, although some elves use just as dirty a language as many humans.”

  “Aren’t you looking for a mate?”

  “Not yet. I’m a bit too young for that. I may become interested in another decade or two, but right now I just want to learn some more and enjoy myself.”

  As someone who had found her mate the first time she had sex, I couldn’t really understand her feelings, although her reasoning was quite logical. I was curious about something else, though. “I know you can find magic in others. Have you found anybody magical since coming here, except for the ones we all know?”

  She turned a bit pensive. “None of the ones I’ve been with, but at the movies, there were two times that I sensed a powerful magical presence. I couldn’t find them once the lights went on, as everybody was moving to the exits. There was also that time I sensed someone magical in a mall, but he was on a different floor and I couldn’t reach there quickly enough.”

  “You could have used a portal,” I suggested.

  “In the middle of a busy mall? Quite unlikely. It could only cause problems.”

  We left it at that.

  27 Gordon

  The spring semester was just as busy as the previous one. I was too occupied with my studies to pay much attention to anything else, except for having sex with Brian. My pregnancy was also becoming heavier, and I hated the way my walking turned out, almost like a fat duck’s. I knew that it would only take about two months or less until my daughter was born, and I could barely wait.

  I was attending a lecture, one I didn’t take along with Brian, when I suddenly sensed a powerful magical presence, just outside the wall. It moved a bit to and fro and then settled near the door. I wondered who it was and what he was looking for. At least I knew it was a male.

  I let Brian know about it before leaving the hall when the lecture was over. ‘Be careful. I love you,’ was all I got for a response. Once I came out of the door, I saw a young man leaning on the wall opposite the door, as if waiting for someone. He was quite handsome, but a bit short, at least for me. He seemed reluctant as he noticed me, but only for a moment. He straightened up and promptly approached me.

  “Mrs. Levi, I’d like to have some words with you and with your husband, if you don’t mind,” he said very politely.

  “Brian’s lecture is due to take another hour or so,” I told him.

  “We may be able to reach some understanding even before,” he suggested. “I’ve made a res
ervation at a nice restaurant, not too far from here. He may join us there, once his lecture is over.”

  I wasn’t sure if this was acceptable. A short message to Brian made me understand that he didn’t mind, as long as I felt it was safe. “Fine. We may wait for him there. I hope it’s not too far, though, as I can’t walk too well in my condition.”

  He smiled understandingly. “Of course not. It’s practically across the road. I saved us a table in a private room.”

  We used to visit that restaurant every few weeks. Being relatively expensive, it catered mainly to older faculty members, but we could also afford it occasionally. I wasn’t aware of it having private dining rooms, though.

  “Oh, I forgot my manners. I should have presented myself earlier. I’m Gordon Haviland, at your service.”

  I smiled and let him lead me to the restaurant. At the back of the main hall, behind a decorative curtain, he showed me to a small corridor, where three private rooms were located, each having its own curtain over the entrance. Gordon moved aside one of them and led me to the elegant table. He held the chair for me and helped me get comfortable before sitting opposite me. “I suggest you send your husband a message, so he can find us, once his lecture is over,” Gordon suggested.

  I had already sent Brian the message, but I didn’t think I should divulge that ability just yet. I took my phone and sent Brian the requested message.

  A waiter came to check on us. “We’re waiting for additional company,” Gordon said. The waiter left us silently.

  He now looked at me. “Junior Sophie, I think it’s about time I properly present myself. As I’ve already told you, I’m known here as Gordon. On Avalon, I have different names, but the one I’d like you to know me by is King Gor, the new ruler of the Goblin Nation.”

  I was not as surprised as he had probably expected. Since we started walking, I had scanned him in all the ways I could. His magic was quite strong, almost on par with Ella’s, but it was not elfin magic nor fairy magic, although I couldn’t identify it. I had no problem finding that he badly wanted to talk to me and that he had no harmful intentions, or I would have not let him lead me there. “I’m honored, your majesty, and I’m quite surprised. I thought that the goblins were unable to leave Avalon.”

  He smiled, almost shyly. “It’s not leaving Avalon that we can’t do, it’s transforming into human form. As you and your elfin friends have demonstrated, that is not strictly necessary.”

  I concentrated for a moment and quickly penetrated the illusion. He was still about half my height and quite stockily built, but quite handsome, for a goblin, and he was unarmed.

  He looked appreciatively at me. “It’s humbling to see how my best illusion can be easily compromised by you. No goblin, not even the ones more magically powerful than me, could do that.” He went silent for a moment. “You should know that I was trying to find a way to reach an agreement with the fairies for quite a while. We’re not known for subtlety or for politeness, and for good reasons, I must confess. The way my people handled inviting Fairlady Edith for a visit proved very devastating, and I’m sure you had a part in it.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, unwilling to admit anything.

  “I know that Fairlady Edith is your grandmother. She must have contacted you in some way, once she was brought to our palace. Because her escorts didn’t know how to act, it made her consider her situation captivity. She was actually free to leave, yet nobody bothered to give her the password to get out of her room, nor the passwords needed on the way out. They were just waiting for me to return from visiting somewhere else on Avalon, so I could talk with her. I was on my way back when I saw the two giants towering above our palace. One of them looked suspiciously similar to you, Junior Sophie, and the other looked like your mate.”

  I didn’t accept or deny his assumptions. I just asked, “How do you know so much about us and about the elves?”

  He smiled back, as if reading my intentions, but answered truthfully. “We have our spies, just as you have and so have the elves and the other nations. It’s normal for any large or powerful organizations to spy on its potential enemies and even on its allies. I’m sure you tried to learn as much as you could about us, before coming to rescue your grandmother.”

  “So, what do you want?” I didn’t feel like confirming his suspicions.

  “As I said, I want to look for ways to cooperate and to even try reuniting both nations. According to some ancient books that I’ve found, our ancestors were neither fairies nor goblins or elves. They had a bit of the qualities we each have. As their numbers increased, they divided into several communities. These, after many more generations, drifted apart, turning into goblins, gnomes, dwarves, elves, fairies, and angels, to name only a few.”

  “Angels? I’ve seen none in Avalon or out of it.”

  He smiled at that. “They’re very few and they keep away from most other magical beings, but they’re quite similar to Fairies, except for their feathery wings. They’re also closer to Human size, but you already know that size is a very fluid attribute.”

  He turned serious again. “I thought that there’s no real reason to stay so different. I suspected that we can all become one nation again if we cooperate. It won’t happen overnight, I’m sure. Too many generations of mutual dislike or enmity, too many prejudices to overcome, along with the evident differences, may dictate a much slower pace to reach that unity that I’d like. It may take almost as many generations as it took to grow us apart, but I still hope to make a significant change during my lifetime.”

  I wasn’t sure how long the goblin lifespan was. More than fairies, in their fairy form, I was sure, if only because they were much bigger. Still, his idea was quite worthy, and as Kathy had already proven, elves and fairies were the same species, as odd as it had seemed. Could the goblins be the same? We always thought of goblins as ugly, but they weren’t, really. Most were more robust, wider, and heavier, with a rounder face. I suspected that they were also using some illusions to look more frightening, when on duty. At least Gor seemed to be quite handsome, even without the illusion.

  ‘I’m coming now,’ I heard Brian in my mind. I glanced at the watch. “My husband is bound to join us soon. Maybe we should discuss this with him as well, as I’m not sure I can understand all the implications. Brian is more politically savvy than me.”

  Gor smiled. “Of course. Junior Brian is welcome as well.”

  While waiting, he told me a bit about how fascinating he found life on Earth, what he thought about combining technology with magic, and how he conducted his life on Earth. He was certainly much smarter than we’d been previously led to believe, and much nicer as well.

  By the time Brian arrived, I had already sent him all the main points, but he was still smart enough to seem surprised when introduced.

  We spent some time discussing Gor’s ideas. They were actually very similar to ours and it was quite refreshing to realize that the newer generation of leaders, at least of three races, were having similar ideas about creating a better future for all.

  Gor also insisted that I eat well, due to my pregnancy, and indulged me with some of the most expensive foods at that restaurant, and I really enjoyed the meal. It was nice that he also promised to handle the bill. I wondered where he got his money from. ‘Probably the same way Ella and Edi are financing their stay,’ I thought.

  We turned serious again as we reached the desserts. “As much as I like your ideas, none of us has currently enough influence to move them forward. I believe you should talk with Fairlady Edith for that,” I told Gor.

  “That’s what I tried to do a few months ago. You know how well it went,” he said with a slight smile. “Now, after we’ve talked about this, I’d be happy if you pass the information to your grandmother, and if she agrees, I’d be honored to meet her.”

  “You should know that she’s a very busy woman. I doubt if she could meet you during working hours. I believe she would prefer to meet you in the late afte
rnoon or in the evening,” I tried to make it clear.

  He nodded approvingly. “I suspected as much, and I can easily meet her in the evening if that’s more convenient.”

  “Fine, I’ll try to set a meeting. How may I contact you?”

  He opened his wallet and took out a business card. “It’s fake, of course, except for the phone number. You should also know that I spent about half my time at Avalon, as it wouldn’t be wise to stay away for too long, yet you may leave a voice message and I’ll call back as soon as I can.”

  We parted amicably. I was really surprised how quickly we were becoming friends with a goblin, and not just any goblin.

  “He really seems to be a nice person,” Brian said, confirming my own impression.

  I contacted Gran as soon as we reached our apartment. ‘Where are you?’

  She replied immediately. ‘I’ve just arrived home. Is there any problem?’

  ‘No, all is well. I had an interesting meeting today, though, and I think we should talk about it. Can you come here?’

  Gran didn’t reply. Instead, I saw the wall turning into a portal, and Gran, still wearing her business suit, passed through. She still seemed a bit worried, but seeing me sitting leisurely on the couch, cuddling to Brian, seemed to calm her down.

  “So, what’s the urgency?” she asked, sitting on the other couch.

  “Not really urgent, but it may be important. You see . . .”

  I told her of our meeting with as much detail as I could. Gran listened attentively and let me tell it all without interruption. She then took a deep breath and leaned back, looking as if it was too much to comprehend at once.

  “So . . . this king Gor wants to talk and to start some cooperation with the fairies . . . That’s a very significant change . . . Are you sure he’s honest?”