Light Above, Fog Below Pt. 1

June 15th, 2009 |

I sat up and struggled to pull myself out of a large mass of white flowers that were threatening to smother me. Opening my eyes, I shoved and pushed the giant blooms, only to find that the large white flowers were only big fluffy pillows that had been placed all around me on a large downy bed.

Bright morning sunlight filtered down through the forest canopy and pooled on the floor beside me. A pillow had slid off the bed and was now moving across the floor, seemingly by its own power. I reached up and twirled a strand of my hair between two fingers.“Where am I, and how did I get here?” The thought floated in my mind like a leaf on a pond. I rubbed my eyes and watched as the pillow ran into the wall. A moment later, a pointed green hat burst out from under the pillow.

Odette followed the hat, her hair all disheveled. She shoved the pillow off of her and scurried across the floor. “Oh missus! Oh, your awake! Saints be praised, your awake.” She climbed the mountain of pillows that were scattered around the bed then pulled herself up my arm and hugged my ear. “I waited right by yer side missus, I never left ya, not for a moment, no sir, not for a moment.”

She was quivering with excitement and relief. I wiped a tiny gnome sized tear from my ear lobe and plucked her off my shoulder, then cradled her in my hands. “Odette! I thought I had lost you. I was floating on a leaf in the middle of a huge pond and I almost sank when a storm came, but you weren’t there and I couldn’t see the shore.” I held Odette, rocking back and forth and she hugged my thumb.

“T’was the light from the crystal that saved us missus. It glowed so bright the the elves saw it and came for us. they’ed been told to watch fer us just like I told ya, an none to soon, the goblins were wantin us fer their dinner I think.”

Odette gave my thumb a long squeeze then waded across the mattress, sinking in up to her chin with every step. She wrapped her fingers around a delicate chain that was attached to the clapper of a silver bell and tugged. The chime echoed through the forest.

Suddenly, the trees came to life. Eleven folk were everywhere. Spirals of wispy smoke began to curl out of chimney tops scattered throughout the trees. I pulled my gaze back from the activity in the tree tops. “Odette, your an elf alarm clock!” She turned and smiled at me, making her way back to my lap. “We’ll be havin company soon.”

The curtain across the entry was pulled back just as Odette finished tucking the last of her curls up under her cap. Elendain moved through the entrance and came forward with her hands outstretched. “My dear, you have no idea how relieved the faerie court will be to know that you are safe. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Elendain, Mistress of the Elvenwood. We are honored to have you with us.” She glanced at Odette. “And your little friend too. She is a true and faithful companion, she showed incredible grace under pressure.” I noticed Odette blushing at such lavish praise.

“Queen Alina has been notified that you are with us and will be sending an escort for you. The faerie, Cythia, has been remanded to the flower faeries winter realm and will no longer be a problem. I would love to take you on a tour of Elvenwood while we wait for your escort, that is if your knee will allow it.”