Fairy Tale Read online

  Kindle Edition

  February 2014

  Copyright © 2014 by Christina E. Rundle and N. McKnight

  Kindle Edition, License Notes

  All rights reserved: no part of this novella may be reproduced without written permission from authors. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the authors.

  Visit Christina E. Rundle at

  www.cerundle.com

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, places, incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be mistaken as real. Any similarities to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Art provided by N. McKnight

  ISBN: 978-1-939631-07-7

  Fairy Tale

  By

  Christina E. Rundle and N. McKnight

  ONE

  A small village nestled within the crescent of a large and dense forest was said to be the home of the most enchanting maidens to be found the world over. Peddlers and merchants sang stories of their beauty, but none as grand as the tale of the gentlewoman who became a fairy of the golden season.

  As the story was told, a young woman, one day, caught the eye of the Autumn Fairy Court. As lovely as the girls of this village were, this girl exceeded them by the beauty of her heart, which loved passionately and without restraint. For this reason, the fairies took her away from her home and made her a fairy so that the goodness of her love would be immortal.

  However, to do the maidens and fairies of this story their deserved honor; the story must be relayed with all the details that have been lost over the years to the forgetfulness of mortal minds.

  oOo

  The chill air drifted through Aleida as she walked with the heavy basket of deliveries. Her shadow crawled along the empty path before her and the expansive forest stretched towards the new sky behind her. For generations, her family lived on the farm nestled closely to the woods and several times a week she journeyed from the tree line to the town. Dawn was a peaceful time of day with only the birds stirring. The peace broke when a rooster crowed. Farmers pulled themselves from warm beds to tend to their fertile fields. Clouds of smoke plumed from chimneys, scenting the air with burning pine wood. The village was awake.

  The last house on her route sat on a grassy hill dotted with plump white sheep. The gray mortar and stone home was dark against a deep blue sky slowly transitioning to the purple hues and final red rays of morning light. The fire in the hearth pressed warm, golden light against the muslin curtain. Below the windows hung flower boxes that cradled lush vines and delicate flowers clinging to summer life.

  Aleida unlatched the gate, and entered. Her heart fluttered against the confining stitches of her bodice and a nervous sweat slicked her palms. She looked forward to making this stop the most when she made her milk deliveries.

  This was the home of Aleida’s dearest friend, and the most beautiful woman of the village. Here lived the maiden Jacquelyn, with eyes as peaceful and blue as the summer sky, long hair that shined like the golden wheat in the distant fields, and a smile as warm and sincere as a mother’s first smile to her child.

  Her eyes drifted to Jacquelyn's window. ”How lucky I must be to often see your face first in the morning, but how cheated I am that you are not the very first thing I see when I open my eyes.”

  How she longed to make Jacquelyn her own. She could imagine what the men would say to discover such an affair. Despite the joy the thought brought her, Jacquelyn only knew Aleida as the milk maiden. Fair Jacquelyn was far too busy with the attention and affairs of her suitors to adore Aleida the same way.

  "Are you talking to yourself?"

  The question startled Aleida from her thoughts. Had she been talking out loud?

  Aleida faced Jacquelyn, who pondered her with a cool gaze. Aleida took the moment of silence to study her. Jacquelyn's curly hair fell loose around her slender shoulders. She wore a dress as blue as her eyes, modest, though not as simple as Aleida's clothes. The comparison left her self-conscious in front of Jacquelyn. She wished she had taken more time to improve her appearance by fixing her chestnut brown hair. She had no money for the dainty jeweled pins and hair strings that coveted women adorned their tresses with. She had little to offer by way of looks, compared to Jacquelyn, and less by way of wealth.

  Aleida pulled a milk jar from her basket and handed it to Jacquelyn in hopes that those eyes would cease their studying gaze before they found her faults. Their fingers brushed only for an instant, but for that instant her heart beat fast. Perhaps it was a meaningless overlap of hands, a gesture without intent on Jacquelyn’s behalf? Aleida cursed her mind for over-thinking the meaning behind a simple brush of fingertips; however, she could not deny that the graceful Jacquelyn rarely did anything without intent.

  “Thank you. The milk from your farm is so sweet; I can’t drink any other farmer’s milk. What would I do without you?” Jacquelyn withdrew into her home and began to shut the door.

  “Jacquelyn” Her breath caught when Jacquelyn hesitated and reopened the door.

  She cradled the jar of milk, like a bundle of flowers, to her bosom. “Yes, Aleida?”

  Aleida’s heart blazed, flushing her cheeks and putting a cold sweat on her brow. She lowered the basket, hoping Jacquelyn wouldn't see how her fingers trembled as she assembled the words in her mind. What a long journey it was from mind to mouth when it was her soul she planned to expose.

  “Jacquelyn, I greatly enjoy seeing you each morning, like this, even in these brief moments, it charms me.”

  Jacquelyn's brow arched in suspicion. With all required courtesy of a behaved woman, she replied. “I might say the same to you. I look forward to your friendly words to start the day.”

  Aleida mustered her courage and stepped forward. “I hope we might spend more time together. Perhaps I could take you to town today. We could eat crumb cake and throw stale bits of bread to the birds.”

  “What is this nonsense about? We have been to town plenty times before. What has you so nervous now?” Jacquelyn questioned.

  Aleida had to fight the desire to retreat. Her throat tightened, making it difficult to form words. Despite the cold air, heat clung to her skin. If she didn't say it now, she never would, but standing in front of Jacquelyn, her carefully rehearsed speech now felt sorely empty of the true way she felt.

  She fought the stammer. “I’m… possibly… in love with you, Jacquelyn.”

  Jacquelyn's gentle blue eyes sparked with tension, briefly freezing time. Finally, an autumn breeze drifted around them and broke the spell, fluttering their dresses and sending Jacquelyn's hair back over her shoulders. She felt the need to end the silence, but Jacquelyn beat her to it.

  Jacquelyn turned away, her blonde hair hid her face, “Oh Aleida, how cruel of you to put me in this position. I do not... I could not ever love you in the way you profess to love me. It is not proper for a woman to feel like this towards her friend.”

  Aleida’s heart cracked and the warm embers poured forth, searing through her body and engulfing the delicate butterflies in her stomach.

  Jacquelyn went on. “I would never feel that way for a woman. I simply could not.”

  Aleida turned from Jacquelyn as tears blurred her vision. Shame, humiliation and pain gripped her mercilessly, closing over her lungs and choking her. She could not stay, not a minute longer. She willed herself to walk and keep a composed pace until she made it to the fence. The village was awake she couldn't bring herself to walk through the people pouring out onto the streets. She picked up her skirts and dashed down the path towards the forest.

  First she ran from the shame, second she ran with the humiliation that drove her further and further into isolation, and finally she ran to feel the pain in her legs, feet and lungs and not her heart. When she had nothing left to run on, she stopped and leaned against the rough black bark of a linden tree. Her legs gave out and she fell, with exhaustion, to the floor.

  The squirrels tilted their heads, and the birds peeked from their nests, but the beings within the tree looming over Aleida were completely unaware of her presence.

  TWO

  A mischievous mascot of the autumn equinox leaped from one branch to the next, gripping the lush green leaves in her hands and turning them an array of rich amber and bright reds. A little here, a little there, the autumn fairy trailed outward.

  Linden, the autumn fairy, grabbed another green leaf in her small hands, when a flick of light caught her attention. She dropped down to the branch, barely escaping the grasping fingers of a swooping summer fairy. She looked up at the summer fairy cutting through the air like a shining arrowhead, armored in colorful dark beetle shells. Agile dragonfly wings swiveled to turn the summer fairy and bring her speeding towards the autumn fairy again.

  Linden jumped to the next branch, grabbed another leaf and turned it from green to gold.

  “Stop that. They look better green!” The summer fairy insisted.

  When Linden caught another leaf, the summer fairy chucked a berry at her friendly rival. Linden caught the berry and ignored the golden tipped leaf in favor of the earthly treat. She walked along the winding tree branch to savor the juice of warmer seasons.

  The summer fairy leaped to her branch and reached for the juicy berry. “Stop- Don’t eat that. Give it back!”

  Linden took another large bite of the berry that filled her small hands. The dark juice dribbled down her chin as she grinned in response to the demands. The summer fairy stomped a foot with
animated distress and charged the autumn fairy. Linden dove out of the way scarcely in time to keep her berry.

  The fairies darted along the branches and filled the changing tree with life; green leaves shivered and yellow leaves bloomed as the fairies took refuge in the foliage, fighting over the berry.

  They bit back their amused laughter for the game of rivalry. Linden perched on the edge of a thin branch, with the berry balanced in her hand, out of reach of the summer fairy. Her rival watched her with suspicion, but was not able to find any sign that Linden would take flight again. Linden smiled and with a curling finger invited the summer fairy to take it.

  When the summer fairy was in front of Linden, close enough that Linden could smell the fresh scent of blooming flowers and sun-warmed earth; she leaned in and boldly stole a kiss from her warm rival's lips. The summer fairy sighed into the kiss, her breath warm like a summer breeze. Her hands wrapped around Linden’s waist and pulled her close. Warm flesh met cool skin as their limbs tangled. The summer fairy dipped Linden back into a deeper kiss and Linden’s body melted into the affection. Her long sinewy arms lowered and the berry balanced precariously in her hand, almost forgotten.

  The summer fairy drew back and looked upon Linden’s closed eyes. The fairy of autumn was engulfed in the passion of seasonal sensations and did not notice as the warm arms of summer moved away from her body. The summer fairy snatched the partially eaten berry with both hands and jumped away with a victorious laugh.

  Surprised by the sudden lack of support, gravity took Linden’s breath as she fell. She quickly fluttered her wings, but only managed to slow the descent. She landed in a heap of autumn leaves, fresh from the trees and still soft. Lying flat on her back and catching her breath, she caught a wink from her rival, before the summer fairy fluttered into the air with the berry in her hands.

  "See you next summer!" The summer fairy called.

  "Yes, at the start of fall," Linden returned. She would accept her defeat gracefully for now and leave the green leaves alone for a little longer.

  She pulled herself from the pile of dry vegetation and brushed off. In the silence of the forest, she felt the heat from another creature, one far larger than her. Linden’s attention drifted to where a human sat upon the forest floor against her tree. The maiden had eyes the same vibrant green as the feathers on a hummingbird and hair the same dark, rich brown as a pine marten. Her dress was modest in color, a mixture of fall and winter. Long, delicate twigs and crunched autumn leaves were teased into her hair.

  She was beautiful, for a human.

  oOo

  Aleida silently watched the bright colored creature standing in the pile of leaves. The village folk spoke of them often but this was the first she’d ever seen.

  The fairy reflected the spirit of autumn as though she sprung from the season itself. Her skin was pink like the tip of one’s nose when chilled by the brisk air. The hair closest to her scalp was the same golden yellow that slowly consumed a leaf when the summer green abandoned it. The spiky tips of her hair were vibrant shades of orange, amber and red, like the trees surrounding her.

  Small gold and red leaves were tied around her long, sleek waist. Long red fox hairs were braided together to make thread and decorated with small flowers, petals and beads in intricate designs to garnish her body rather than clothe it. Her gossamer leaf veined wings fluttered, lifting her off the ground.

  When she looked up at the fairy's face, she realized the fairy was studying her as well. Aleida quickly wiped at her eyes and imagined how she must look with a tear streaked face, dirt stained clothes, and foliage in her messy hair.

  "Excuse me, I didn't mean to stare," Aleida said as she self-consciously pulled some twigs from her hair and started to smooth it.

  The fairy shrugged and landed out of reach. “That is fine… You have never seen a fairy before, have you?”

  It was more a statement than a question. Aleida shook her head in answer. Aleida knew a variety of warnings and adages about fairies since childhood, but none came to her mind now. Caution was held at bay by the friendly and unassuming expression of the fairy.

  The fairy folded her wings behind her, forming a long golden cape. She took a few steps closer, cautious of the human but not fearful. "I have never seen a human so close before... You aren’t what I expected. What is your name?”

  The question caught her off guard. A fairy wanted to know her, a simple farm maiden's name. She recognized herself to be a working woman with hands coated with a fine working dust and whose dress smelled always of grass and animals. She was a simple girl, but the fairy was remarkably intrigued,

  "Aleida." she answered when she found her voice. She spoke her given name, remembering late the warnings not to tell a fairy one’s true name. Her eyes darted to the fairy’s small features and found nothing malicious or mischievous in her countenance. She believed it to be an innocent question and not a trick.

  “Aleida... That is obscure. My name is Linden.” The fifteen inch fairy stepped onto Aleida’s leg, leaving tiny, dirt footprints on her skirt. The fairy continued to stare unabashed at Aleida. “Why are you crying, Aleida? What in the world does such a fair maiden have to mourn for?”

  Again, Aleida felt thrown by the blatant interest taken in her. She anxiously played with the hem on her skirt. If the fairy thought she was fair, she would be enamored with Jacquelyn. Devastation welled inside her, threatening to break her carefully reconstructed calm.

  “I don’t know if you would understand. I fell in love with a woman from my village. But she doesn’t love me.”

  Linden stepped over Aleida’s fretting hands. "Why does she not share your love?"

  Aleida sighed, fighting the flutter of sadness. Tears pressed behind her eyelids and before she could stop them, they fell freely down her cheeks. "She declared that she could never love another woman. If it were not for this body, if I were a man, she would love me as I love her."

  Linden tilted her head. Her blank stare said it was beyond her comprehension. "Why would someone be kept from loving another due to such an unimportant trait as being male or female? To be so arbitrary… one may as well choose their partner based on the color of hair, or the name of your father. A woman loving a woman is a silly problem in the eyes of a fairy, why, I once saw a lady of the sea fall in love with a goat lord. Their challenge was fierce, but their love prevailed. Even so, the matter of being female when one needs to be male is hardly a setback to a fairy."

  Aleida sullenly stated, “Perhaps I should be a fairy.”

  Linden reached up and, with fingers cool to the touch, put a twig with a little yellow leaf into Aleida’s hair and positioned it to her pleasure. The human didn’t move an inch. “That is unfortunate. Becoming a fairy is not half as easy as becoming a man if you wished to be one.” Her large, gold and orange eyes took in Aleida’s features and she smiled to herself.

  Aleida stubbornly said, "You mock me to say such a feat would be easy. I could never imagine how to be something other than what I was born to be."

  Linden stretched up onto her toes and placed a chaste kiss on Aleida’s cheek. "Oh, perhaps for you it would be a challenge, but it is a gift I can give you without too much cost to myself."

  Linden whispered her lips against Aleida's skin. “When the sun is gold and the sky is red, you will appear as a man.” The fairy drew away from her. "Use caution. Only at sunrise and sunset will this spell take effect and give you the appearance you desire. You have until the end of autumn to seal your fate with the maiden.”

  Aleida stared at the tiny creature, unsure what to believe. A few words and a kiss from a fairy surely could not give a person a chance to change her gender, could it? She didn't dare question the fairy's gift out loud. Instead, she stood and cupped her hands for Linden to land upon.

  “Linden...’” Aleida stopped herself before she thanked the fairy. If this gift was true she was certainly grateful, but everyone knew not to be in debt to a fairy, lest they ask for a payment greater than what a human can afford. She spoke, carefully choosing her words, “I will return, when I’ve seen this magic, to tell you if it has done me well.”