Three Word Wednesday-The Fairy Stones Part 2

Three Word Wednesday-The Fairy Stones Part 2

If you missed part one click here

Crinkle; verb: form small creases or wrinkles in the surface of something, especially. the skin of the face as the result of a facial expression; cause (something) to make a crackling or rustling sound; noun: A wrinkle or crease on the surface of something.

Demand; noun: an insistent and peremptory request, made as if by right; verb: Ask authoritatively or brusquely.

Navigate; verb: Plan and direct the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transportation, esp. by using instruments or maps; find its way, esp. over a long distance; (of an animal or bird) find its way, especially over a long distance.

The Fairy Stones Part 2

     I opened my eyes slowly a thumping pain still behind my crinkled eyes. A heavy fog was everywhere and I couldn’t see or navigate two feet in front of me.

'ere noo wha urr ye lassie?” a strange voice at my elbow demanded.

“Who are you?” I demanded frightened but hiding it I could now see the six foot tall man with a shock of red curly hair to his shoulders. His eyebrows were also thick and fuller then most and red over bright eyes the colour of my favourite emerald necklace,

“A'm Jaime Ferguson.”

“Are you the Jaime grandfather pleaded for the return of?”

“Is yer Grandfather a rid headed Ferguson wha doesn’t blither a lot?”

“Yes I guess that’s Grandfather.”

“Then a'm Jaime. Would ye be Elizabeth?”

“How do you know my name?”

 “I ken you.”

“But how do you know me?” I asked but he didn’t answer.

“Mah faither main hae begged th' fairies fur mah return .Ah huv bin 'ere alang time, whit year is it?”

“It is the year of our lord eighteen hundred and fifty two.”

“Tis bin sixteen years 'ere in this netherworld and den in dis fog. I cannae hawp tis bin sae lang. Ah cam athwart oan a body ay th' days, 'at th' spirit warld considers sacred, a leap day in 1836.”

“You are claiming you’ve been here at the fairy stones, in the fog for sixteen years? You’ve been there since the year of our lord eighteen hundred and thirty six? ”

“Dae ye ken whaur yer Elizabeth?

“I am in the circle of the fairy stones.” I answered.

“Aye ye wur in th' fairy stanes bit nae anymair.”

“Then where are we?”

“We ur in th' netherworld, halfway atween th' real world 'n' th' fairy world. Time moves fest in th' netherworld.yoo coods hae aw ready bin haur almost a year.”

“Nonsense what has bewitched you?”

“You hawp in witches bit nae th' fairies?”

“I believe in only what my eyes tell me.” I answered annoyed.

“Is this a normal rowk? 'n' whit dae yer een tell ye”

“My eyes tell me it’s a thick fog that makes it hard to see.” I insisted but somehow I was worried. The fog was thicker then I had ever seen it, and where was Grandfather? He wouldn’t have just left us. Where had Uncle Jaime been that Grandfather thought he must sacrifice me?”

“Whaur is ma sister?”

“My mother?”

“She isnae yer mither.”

“Of course she’s my mother.” I answered angrily.

“She’s mah sister 'n' she teuk you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Ah cam tae th' stanes 'n' met a maiden 'n' we made a baby. Her faither wis heich in th' fairy court 'n' he wis angered that mah wean wis noo sharing his bloodline. He cast me intae th' netherworld 'n' then tae punish mah fair Eolande. Fur yer birth he cast th' wean oot. Ah hae bin haur in thes fog since yer birth.”

“You are saying you had a child with a fairy named Eolande but they gave that child away and placed you here this place you call the Netherworld?”

“Aye bit ye dinnae ken. Mah sister wis barren 'n' she cam tae th' fairy stanes tae beg fur a boon o' a child. Eolande's faither thought it a fit punishment fur me 'n' Eolande tae lose oor wean tae th' sister ah loathe.”

I was stunned did this explain my mother’s coolness toward me? She wanted a child but she didn’t understand me. But what of the man who had always been my father? He loved me I know he did. This couldn’t be true. No one truly believed in fairies. They were just tales told to the gullible. Weren’t they? I starred around I still couldn’t see anything around myself but heavy air and fog. I became frightened.

“A've frightened you. I'm sorry. You ur a wean o' th' fairies as weel as mine. They dae nae listen tae mah plea fur release bit thay wilnae keep ye a prisoner.”

“But there’s no one here. It’s like we are in a land of nothingness.”

“Aye tis bit thay come wance a day tae lea mah fairn, 'n' thay wull tak' mah plea tae thair King, or mah name isn’t Jaime Ferguson.”

“Have we long to wait?” I asked beginning to believe him.

“Not long., thay come soon.” He said turning as if he heard something I didn’t in the fog.

       A light burnt away the fog as if a door had opened. A figure appeared light from within as well as without. She was beautiful to behold her hair like mine gleamed like spun gold in the light. Her eyes were the same odd violet colour as mine. She spotted me and her eyed grew wide as saucers. She blinked away unshed tears and walked arms out stretched towards me. I wondered who she could be and then I saw Jaime’s face. He looked like man who had seen steak after going hungry. She pulled both our hands and we stepped into a land like I’d never seen before. It was lush and lovely. Greenery was everywhere and flowers. I felt a peace and contentment come over me. Then a figure stepped in front of us on our path and I could sense the fairy who greeted was frightened. I too became frightened but Jaime, the man who claimed he was my father, stepped in front of us in a stance of protection.

to be continued next Wednesday

© Sheilagh Lee   February 29, 2012

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