by Moshe Harel
“I know there are. Brian is a male fairy. You’re going to be one too.”
Bob looked at us incredulously, his gaze shifting between us.
‘Let’s demonstrate,’ I told Brian.
A moment later, we both transformed, keeping our clothes. By this time, Brian no longer needed to cast the penis shrinking charm separately; it was just a part of the transformation, like shrinking our clothes was.
Bob seemed enchanted as we flew around the room several times, before transforming back. “You think that I’m like that?”
I quickly checked his magic. It was still mostly hidden, despite being quite strong. “Not yet. It will take a few more months before your magic is revealed. Until then you’re only a youngster with an extremely strong sex drive and some weird dreams. Luckily, you’re also very attractive, so you can usually satisfy your sex drive.”
He blushed and mumbled, “Thank you.”
I turned serious. “I hope you use precautions.”
His face reddened again. “I make sure of that. Besides, most of the girls I’ve been with were older than me and were already on the pill.”
Brian smiled encouragingly. “That’s good. Keep using every precaution you can. Even after learning to use your fairy powers, it’s still better not to rely on them, as your partners need the reassurance, and none would normally believe you can use magic.”
He nodded sadly. “I know. It was very difficult to believe even about Sophie. Now . . . I just don’t know.”
I felt some pity for him. “Well, you missed dinner last night. Emily also had some interesting news.”
“She’s not a fairy. Is she? She’s too young for that!” he responded, about the same as I expected.
“No, she’s not a fairy. Have you looked at her back recently?”
He frowned, trying to understand why I asked that question. “You have those faint lines on your back. I was wondering why I never noticed them until recently. I think Emily also has some markings. I only noticed them once, when we were at the pool, but they are different than yours.”
“Sure! She’s not a fairy. Yesterday, after realizing she was already using magic, I took her to Avalon. I expected her to change on arrival, but she didn’t, yet a few minutes later, she sprouted feathery wings. She’s an angel.”
Bob looked like he was hit on the head. It took him a moment to come back to his senses. “Isn’t there anybody normal in this family?” he whined.
It made me laugh, and Brian couldn’t restrain himself as well. “Why? Mom and Dad are perfectly normal,” I managed to say after a while.
Bob sighed and then smiled reluctantly. “Judging by their children, I wouldn’t say they’re normal. At least they seem normal, though.”
I moved to sit at his side and hugged him lightly. “You already know that Gran is a fairy, so Mom has some fairy genes in her. Dad as well, so it seems, or none of us would have been a fairy.”
“And Emily? She’s not a fairy,” he retorted.
I really had no immediate answer to that. “I’m not sure how it happened, but lately I’ve found that many magical beings, at least those who look like humans, have a common ancestry and are not really different species; more like different races. Maybe that explains it, although I’ll need to think of that some more.”
Bob let it go, returning to the previous topic. “When will I become a full fairy, able to use my powers like you?”
Brian answered this time. “It will happen close to your seventeenth birthday. I’ll make sure to teach you all that you initially need to know, and later—during the summer vacation—I expect you to join our Fairy Club. You may even find your mate there, or at least a willing and able sex partner.”
That seemed to raise his spirits. “I’ll be looking forward to that,” he said.
That night, after returning to our apartment at the campus, while rocking Tracey to sleep, I thought about Emily. Why was she different? I would have understood if she was a fairy. Although only one of four, statistically, inherits the fairy traits with parents like mine, there’s a distinct possibility that more than one will inherit them, as statistics deals with chances only, not specific cases.
I then thought of her as a young child. I remembered that she had nice golden hair that got darker, turning to brown—like mine—only close to her fourth birthday. Mom had used to be so enchanted by her hair, that she used to call her “My little angel.” She kept calling her that from time to time even when she grew up. It made me a bit jealous sometimes.
I already knew that magic could be influenced in many ways, and even by non-magical beings. Could Mom’s words change the magical girl she was holding, turning her from a fairy into an angel? I felt like I really needed to discuss that with Gran. Maybe she could know.
‘Gran, where are you?’ I tried to reach her.
‘I’ve just returned from a meeting with the goblins. Is there a problem?’
‘No, Gran, no problem. I was just missing you.’
She didn’t answer. Instead, I saw one of the walls changing into a portal. A moment later, Gran was hugging my shoulders, careful not to wake Tracey, who had finally fallen asleep in my arms.
“What is it, dear?” Gran asked me, looking concerned.
“Nothing to worry about,” I answered quietly. “Let me put her in bed and then we can talk.”
The cot was still in our bedroom—the only bedroom in our small student apartment, and I could see that Brian had fallen asleep while reading some course material. I put Tracey in bed and tucked her in. I then took Brian’s book away and covered him with a light blanket before returning to Gran and cuddling with her.
Gran embraced me, just the way she had been doing when I was much younger, giving me some reassurance that I hadn’t noticed I needed. “Tell me now,” she urged me.
I told her about Emily and then about Bob. Gran listened attentively and didn’t interrupt until I stopped talking. “I understand that I missed a very interesting weekend,” she said, smiling. “I still don’t see what’s bothering you.”
It took me a moment to organize my jumbled thoughts into some coherence. “It’s not about Bob. He’s a fine young man and very conscious. Brian will teach him the basics and then he’ll join our Club in the summer and I’m sure he’ll do alright. I’m wondering about Emily, though.”
“What exactly is bothering you? According to what you said, she’s conscious of her powers and able to use them perfectly, removing all the dangers that her new sex drive may create. So . . .?”
I didn’t know if this was the right phrasing, but I still needed to answer. “I don’t understand. We’re sisters. It wouldn’t have shocked me had she been a fairy. How come she’s an angel? Why did she come to her powers so young? The angel leader said it was much younger than normal. Do you have any idea?”
Gran caressed my face, just as she had been doing since I was a little girl. “While I may know quite a lot that you have not yet learned, you already know and understand much more than me. I’m sure you thought about something by now.”
I squirmed, trying to cuddle even closer to Gran. “Could it be because Mom used to call her ‘My little angel’ when she was really small, before her hair changed to brown?”
She contemplated it for a bit. “That’s certainly a possibility. You’ve already shown us that many of the magical species are actually one and the same, and the difference is mainly in their magic. Those words, at such a young age, could possibly have much influence. We may never really know, though. Is Emily happy about it?”
I smiled, remembering how enthusiastic she’d been. “Yes, very happy, and she had learned quite a lot during our visit there. She attended a four-week course and then returned in time for dinner, the way we use time-portals.”
“Isn’t that what really matters? If she’s happy and safe, then you don’t need to worry. We may find the answer you’re seeking or we may not, but that doesn’t really matter.”
I nodded, barely keepin
g my eyes open. Gran noticed.
“Now, I can see you’re really tired. Go join your mate in bed. We shall talk some other time.”
I left her side reluctantly, returning to my current role as a mother, a wife, a student, a fairy, and a Junior. I suddenly missed being a little girl. Gran hugged me once again, and then opened a portal and vanished. I joined Brian in bed and fell asleep almost before my head reached the pillow.
32 Unexpected Vacation
Tracey started crawling even before reaching her first year. Keeping track of her while trying to study for our exams was quickly becoming a nightmare, as nothing and nowhere seemed safe from her. We needed Ella’s help at babysitting and we also found some more help, and it was still very difficult to keep our little inquisitive darling safe and to keep everything safe from her as well. I was looking forward to the summer vacation, hoping to get some well-deserved rest.
Of course, neither my daughter nor Gran cooperated. Tracey learned to walk only a few weeks after her birthday, making us look fondly at the times she could only crawl. Gran came to visit a day after our last exams, carrying a large pack of papers.
“I need you to conduct the Fairy Club at a new location,” she said, not minding our much less than enthusiastic faces. “There are no fairies near where we conducted it for the last few years, except for Bob, but I found several young fairies about five hundred miles from there. I’ve already hired a place for the summer. You’ll need to use a portal to reach there and back, and you should take Bob with you, at least until he learns how to do it.”
“Don’t you think we need a bit of vacation?” I whined, not very maturely, but I didn’t care.
Gran looked at me, seeming a bit bewildered. “You can always take a vacation in Avalon. Except for having accommodation ready at the Fair Palace, being Juniors, your elvin friends would love you to visit, the goblins would feel honored and it looks like you’ve also made the angels welcome you. Spend there as long as you like and make it not count on Earth, that’s all.”
I felt a bit betrayed by her words as if all we were doing counted for nothing, before it actually sank in. Brian was faster to reply, “That’s actually a very good idea. I wonder why none of us has thought of it.”
Gran smiled understandingly. “It only occurred to me to act this way when I passed my thirties. I was working myself breathless until then.”
I was quick to grab that chance. “Can you babysit for a few minutes? I think we’re in bad need of a vacation.”
Gran’s smile widened. “No more than an hour—remember that I’m not as young as you and this little darling takes a lot of energy to keep safe.”
We didn’t need her to urge us. We quickly collected some items we might need for a week-long vacation, including the stack of papers she had brought in, and reached Avalon within minutes. We spent two days in our assigned apartment in the palace, mainly catching up on sleep and on sex. We then visited the elves and were invited to stay at their palace for as long as we wanted. The queen was eager to talk with me about Emily.
“I heard that your younger sister has been found to be an angel, the first one born outside of Avalon for many generations. Can you tell me how you found out?”
I thought that Emily wouldn’t mind. She was really a very open person, and hiding her nature for a few weeks until she told my parents had been hard for her. I also felt very proud of such a talented little sister. “Yes, Emily found out about her magic and started using it shortly before her twelfth birthday, although she didn’t yet know she was an angel. Then, when she told me about it and asked to visit Avalon, we accompanied her and let her lead, and she found the Angel Halls.”
“You made quite an impression on them, passing through their heaviest defenses like they were thin paper. How did you do it?”
I shrugged. “I couldn’t let Emily wander alone. She was my responsibility and I wasn’t yet sure about her abilities. I know better now.”
“As do the angels. Junior Sophie is not one to be stopped by anything if she puts her mind to it. Even king Gor speaks highly of you.”
“You’ve been in contact with the goblins?” I blurted out.
She smiled. “Despite our differences, there were always some connections between the two races, as strained their relations would be, at times. Their new king seems to lead a change, though, and along with you two and your angel sister, this direction may finally hold some real promise.” Her expression changed subtly, becoming more personal. “Ella tells me that your daughter has become a true bundle of joy, lately.”
I sighed. “She’s so energetic and so inquisitive that I sometimes feel like I need a few extra pairs of eyes just to keep her out of trouble. I love her dearly, but she exhausts us both, and every babysitter we happen to find.”
She smiled understandingly. “I remember that period. All my children used to be very inquisitive toddlers, especially Ella. It would do her some poetic justice to babysit your daughter.”
The elves were really marvelous hosts and we enjoyed our stay there very much, spending some of our time studying a few of their ancient books and learning some more.
A messenger from the goblins came two days later with an invitation. “King Gor is welcoming Juniors Sophie and Brian and invites them to visit at his castle. It would be highly appreciated if you could change your size to better fit among the goblins while staying there.”
Both the king and the queen smiled approvingly at us. I also felt Brian’s acceptance. “Please tell the king that we appreciate his invitation and we’ll come tomorrow before noon,” I told the messenger, who bowed deeply and quickly left on his way back.
The goblin messenger had barely left when an angel appeared, carrying an invitation to visit the Angel Halls. Our hosts seemed amused, yet I started feeling worried. We couldn’t refuse the invitation, not after accepting the goblins’ one, and yet I didn’t feel so sure about our ability to return on time. We’ve never used the time portals to go back more than a few hours, and yet . . . it was practically the same procedure, regardless of the time span.
“We’re honored to accept this invitation. We shall come for a visit in a few days,” I told the angel, who bowed and promptly disappeared.
The elf queen’s smile broadened. “It looks like Junior Sophie is already quite a celebrity.”
I frowned. “It’s nice to be recognized for my deeds, but this seems quite a bit too much, considering I’m so young.”
“On the contrary, my dear. Achieving so much at such a young age is quite outstanding and you should be aware of this. Don’t let it get to your head, though, although you don’t seem the type. I’m really glad my two eldest children became friends with you. Together you may bring a lot of needed change to Avalon.”
As much as I understood it, I still didn’t like it, since it meant burdening me with even more responsibility, more expectations, and less time for me and my family. I felt like all I wanted was to be normal, and yet, being a fairy set me way out of any ‘normal’ one could think of. And I really wanted to help advance the fairies and by extension—the whole of Avalon—but I didn’t want to handle it any time soon. Oh, well, at least I had some time to come to terms with it.
The next morning, after having breakfast with our hosts and thanking them for their hospitality, we changed into our fairy form and flew to the goblin palace, where Gran had once been. We’ve been spotted by some lookouts and were soon approached by a group of goblin soldiers in their finery. Their commander approached us hesitantly while we fluttered in the air. “Are you Juniors Brian and Sophie?”
“Yes, we are. Your king has invited us to visit,” I answered.
“We were expecting you to give you a guard of honor. We were also told that you would change to goblin size. Can you really do this?”
I smiled at Brian and we both landed. A moment later, we were goblin-size, yet still maintaining our fairy features. I thought it was for the best.
The commander barked something and
his soldiers arranged themselves in two rows, facing each other. He then led us between the rows, once again talking about the great honor we were bestowing on him. We then proceeded to walk to the palace, whose fortifications had been restored, through the gates and to the main doors, where King Gor was already standing, heading a large group of elegantly dressed goblins.
We weren’t really ready for such an official reception. I quickly transformed my daily clothes to something more elegant, on par with what I saw some of the king’s entourage wearing. Brian did the same, and I noticed a delighted smile on Gor’s face. He seemed to be enjoying this impromptu display of magic.
After the official welcome, we were given a nice apartment, along with all the passwords needed to use it and move around all the public areas of the palace. King Gor regretted being unable to guide us himself on a tour but assigned us one of his advisers as a guide. We agreed to take the tour soon after lunch, which was planned as an official and festive meal in the great hall of the palace.
It wasn’t exactly the relaxing vacation we had initially had in mind, yet the king seemed aware of this being our vacation and made sure not to encumber us with any politics or other serious stuff. We had an extended tour of the castle soon after the first meal, and it was quite an eye-opener, exposing us to some aspects of the goblin culture we’d never been aware of, as well as some artworks to rival any other.
That evening, we had an official ball, preceded by a very ornate dinner. While goblins ate mostly meat of all kinds, they also had some very tasty vegetarian dishes and surprisingly tasty desserts. After eating our fill, just by tasting a small sample of each dish, we really needed some dancing to let our bodies adjust.
King Gor asked me for a few dances. I was surprised he had no dance partner of his own. “I expected you to have some local partner for the dance,” I said.
He smiled teasingly. “Why should I limit my choice to goblin maidens only?” He then turned more serious. “I’m not mated yet and none of the potential candidates attracts me. Maybe looking for a mate out of our community inspired me to check our origins. Anyhow, I’m still a bit young to contemplate mating. By our standards, I’m only a teenager, although I’m already twenty-three years old.”
