The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry

While The Kind One was rushing headlong through the dark forest to get home and save her loved ones from whatever disaster loomed from the breach in the portal, her husband, Bill found himself in the grip of panic. He didn’t know why until he looked from the kitchen window and saw a beam of green light, like a laser, striking the outer leaves of the ivy hedge. Where the light touched the leaves shriveled and burst into teeny specs.

He didn’t know what it was, or where it was coming from, but he felt sure that it was something bad, something very bad. Bill ran through the house gathering the chihuahua’s and their kennels and ran to the back door to escape. A small strident voice coming from the floor demanded that he not leave without them. For the first time, in his memory, he was confronted with the two ankle high gnomes living under their sink. The Kind One said they were there, but he didn’t believe her, until now that is.

~~~~~~

The ghostly faerie in the  mist appeared just after the heartfelt plea to Arial had left my lips. I rationalized that this must be how Arial intended to get a message to me in her absence. The mist spread silently through the trees, crawling over the ground and sending wispy curls up into the lower boughs of the dense pines. It spread quickly toward me, completely surrounding my legs up to my knees. With her long white hair swirling around her face in slow motion, the faerie moved closer, always staying inside the mist. When she was just feet away, she held out her hand so that I might come forward to grasp it with my own.

I stood, mesmerized, all the fear and panic melted away. My thoughts were as foggy as the mist. Wasn’t there something I needed to do? What was it? I remember running…running away from… someone? Something? I just can’t remember now. I looked up into the large dark eyes of the spectral faerie hanging in the air before me, her translucent white hand stretched out. She smiled and spoke in a soft, melodic voice. “You escaped from their clutches just in time my dear, you would have been dinner for the Undak by now. Come, take my hand and I  will carry you to safety.” The air around me grew thick, making it hard to breathe and I found myself swaying to the faerie’s seductive promises. The forest took on a dream-like quality. I rubbed my eyes and spoke into the darkness, “What was I thinking?” My slurred words sounded like they were bubbling up through soft, thick, mud.  “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway does it, I’m safe now.” The mist sent soft, caressing fingers sweeping through my hair and around my head. The faerie’s eyes held mine and I raised my hand to grasp the thin white fingers.

Our hands clasp and a sharp, momentary, jolt of pain shot through my arm, pushing the euphoria I felt out of my mind. I tried to scream but shock and pain had taken my breath away. The only sound that came out of my mouth was a stunted gasp. My arm went numb and I was jerked off my feet and into the center of the glowing mist.

The foggy white tendrils that had been weaving silently through the trees pulled back suddenly, like weird alien beings returning to the mother ship. Then the light went out, plunging me back into total darkness. I couldn’t feel the ground and I couldn’t feel my arm but I felt the rush of air on my face so I knew I was moving, and moving fast. Every now and then the tips of leaves would brush through my hair or a branch would scratch my cheek. I tried to struggle, to pull away from the thing grasping my hand but every time I tried, I just ended up swinging wildly back and forth. And each time I would hear a deep crackling laugh, as if my frantic attempts to free myself were somehow amusing.

I was growing weaker, I could feel the last of my strength evaporating like mist in sunshine…sunshine, how long had it been since I had seen sunshine? I couldn’t hold my head up any longer and it lolled to one side. I…must…stay…conscious. Arial, where are you? I must… get back to…Bill.

Suddenly, a shower of tiny golden orbs lit up the sky. They fell through the forest canopy and darted right for me like they had a mind all their own. “Oh…look… fireflies. They’re beautiful!” My voice sounded faint and far off. Holding my free hand up I let the shimmering points of light surround my finger tips. They moved over and around my hand and swirled down my arm  making my skin glow translucent pink. To my dazed mind it felt like they were sniffing me, like my Chihuahuas do after I have been scratching an unknown puppy. It tickled.

“Hi.” I wiggled my fingers. “Hi there little lights.” My new shinning friends stopped and pulled back, I watched as they merged together into one large, pulsing ball of fiery light. “Oh man, I’m sorry, did I scare you?” I don’t think at t his point I would have been surprised if they had answered me. The sphere had grown razor sharp spikes and now each tip was pulsing. “That’s pretty too…”

The creature clutching my hand came to a jarring halt and spun around to face the blinding ball of golden light. An angry shriek of defiance pierced the blackness as the spiked orb catapulted toward its mark.

My hand was released, and as I fell toward the ground I saw the thing that had bewitched me. It’s massive head was waving side to side in agony. The broad forehead wrinkled up in pain and its slanted black eyes glazed over as the last shreds of life pour from its hunched, bony frame. Its leathery wings drooped and it began to fall…right behind me.

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009-2010

“Winter Procession” by David Delemare

Transporting the “faerie way” has a tendency to make me slightly dizzy, I think it has something to do with molecules rearranging…

We always arrive in the realm outside the palace, appearing  just at the bottom of the broad stairs that lead up to the ornate double doors of the royal home. Because this was a special occasion, and because Arial wanted to make her first visit to the newly arrived queen spectacular, she made sure that our whole entourage appeared right in the center of the Grand Hall. Personally, I thought it was because she was showing off for her mother, but she insists it was…”just for effect, in honor of Yule”.

The winter palace, as you would suspect, is made entirely of ice and snow. Every wall glistens. The floors are solid white and the color of choice is blue, every shade you can imagine. It sounds like a cold and foreboding place but I can assure you, it is just the opposite. Faerie magic is a wonderfully subtle thing, you can never trust your senses. What looks cold; is warm, and things that appear at a distance are actually closer than you suspect.  Now, standing in the middle of the winter palace, I was comfortably warm.

The pale ice blue walls were draped with long runs of spruce garland that were decorated with pine cones, holly berries, and snowdrop flowers.Fireflies added their own particular type of twinkle.  Two large oak trees stood sentinel at both sides of the dais, where, instead of one chair, four chairs sat. I had to ask. “Arial, what’s with the four chairs?” I pointed at the ornate stools, each carved with symbols depicting winter, spring, summer, and fall. Arial was busy greeting a steady flow of her faerie family. She looked very proud of her kind as she  turned to explained.”The Festival of Oak and Holly is the only time the four sitting queens are together. The Yule ball is the time for all four seasons of the Fae to come together and celebrate the coming year.”

I nodded and looked around me. The grand hall was quickly filling up with faeries of all types and sizes. Other magical beings where in attendance as well. Elendain and the elves from the elven-wood were here. The centaurs were represented by Serg. There were dwarfs and pixies, mermaids and dyads (the mermaids accommodated by the placement of large fountains down each side of the hall). The dyads pretty much stayed in the oak trees, only coming out to greet the occasional well wisher.  This party reminded me of the one I attended at Midsummer, only more lavish.

While marveling at my surroundings, I was surprised by a sudden flurry of faerie wings. Flashes of blue, yellow, red, and green obscured my sight. Four faeries whipped about my head in an excited frenzy. They were all talking in high tinkling voices at the same time, which made it hard to tell what was being said, it just sounded like a cacophony of jingle bells. Then it dawned on me, these were the first four faeries I ever saw! I held out my arms. Sunny, Bella, Pip, and Ferne all came to rest, two on each arm, wings fluttering wildly in their excitement . “Oh! my dear sweet friends! I am so glad you’re back! Pip, I do believe you’ve grown, and Sunny, are you still a relentless teaser?” Ferne, the plant lover of the bunch, glided up to tuck a sprig of holly behind my ear and gave me a quick peck on the cheek.

While we got caught up on the latest happenings, the lights dimmed and the huge crystal doors at the back of the hall swung open slowly. A path to the throne was made as the guests parted to make way for the procession of queens. As it turned out, I was on the front line after the throng of beings drew back to allow the queens passage. I could see them as they came down the aisle, stopping every once in a while to hug someone or share a few words. I noticed, as they made their way to where I was standing, that the people they stopped to speak with didn’t look at all magical.  I watched as Litha hugged a small woman just a few feet away. She looked up to see me gazing in their direction and offered a huge smile, then practically danced over to where I stood and wrapped her arms around my shoulders in a tight bear hug. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Glancing over I saw the small woman beaming approval and nodding. “Litha?, who is that woman, the one just over there.” I indicated with my head so that the petite little lady with thick wavy brown hair wouldn’t know I was asking about her. Litha turned and bent over as if to remove a speck of lint off of her gown, looking up briefly to see who I was talking about. “You will meet her. In the realm she is known as Sparkle, faerie blood flows in her veins too. She is very popular with the spring faeries, she loves bright colors.”

Before I could ask another question, Orlaith swept over to me with an air of “this one is mine” and took over the conversation. “Kind One, you look absolutely enchanting! This is your first Yule with us I think?” There was an undercurrent of tension between the queen of summer and the queen of winter, I thought, now I see why spring and fall have to separate the two, they are both very powerful in their own way. I hugged her. “Thank you, I can’t take credit, it was all Arial’s doing, you should be proud.” Orlaith took my face between both hands and kissed my forehead then stared at me intently, her blue eyes reaching deep into my soul. “I am proud of both my daughters.”

Did I just hear the queen of the frost faeries call me her daughter? Oh-my-gosh! I was stunned into silence. Orlaith moved down the path as people on either side bowed and curtsied. I started to make my way closer to Sparkle but was stopped by a dainty hand on my shoulder. It was Alina. She was standing, arm in arm, with another faerie I hadn’t met before. “Don’t go running off just yet! There is plenty of time to mingle. You need to meet Mab, the Queen of Autumn.”

The fall had been very short, or time just got away from me, and I realized that I hadn’t been to the palace when Mab reigned. “Your Highness.” I bowed my head and waited. Mab’s laugh was a lot like Orlaith’s, high and tinkly, but her manner was softer, more easy going. I guess that personality trait is a plus if you have to be the go between for Litha and Orlaith. Her hair was streaked gold and rust. She wore it shorter than the other queens and it had a unkempt wind blown look. The Autumn queen’s crown was a circular cornucopia. She was very steam-punk faerieish.

Mab lifted my chin with a finger. “I have a gift for you. If you don’t mind, would you honor me by gathering with the others at the entrance to the palace at midnight?” I promised that I would and as she moved away to take her place by the other three queens I wondered, what others?

The evening flew by (no pun intended). It was a blur of dancing and music, laughter and wonderful faerie food. Midnight bore down on me like a shooting star and as the time drew nearer I found myself filled with excitement. Who were “the others”? What was Mab’s gift? At five minutes to midnight I made my way to the arching crystal doors of the palace. I wasn’t the only one who was excited. When I arrived there were four others standing in a loose circle. Sparkle was there, she was speaking to a man with a pleasant face and easy going manner. The two other women were talking and laughing like they were old friends, one with thick shinning black hair, and the other with curly golden locks. They all turned to greet me, but before anyone could say anything, Mab appeared in a swirling bronze mist.

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009.

Unlike the faeries of Winter and Summer, the more subtle faeries of Spring and Fall choose a quiet, unassuming nature when it comes to the changing of the seasons. Bulbs are coaxed silently from the ground in the spring. New buds form on branch and bow. When summer gives way to winter, it is the autumn faeries that instigate the slow but steady bronzing of the leaves as the plants prepare for hibernation.

Upon our return, Arial and I were greeted by a shower of golden yellow leaves falling from the Hawthorne trees. The fall faeries have been very busy in my backyard as well as in the forests around the Realm. I reached into my pocket to make sure that I still had the summer queens gift. How appropriate that the fire faeries gift would be lightening. The little box issued an uninterrupted vibration.

There was a sudden rustle of leaves in the branches above us and I looked up to see several faeries jumping up and down in the tree causing a basket full of fresh leaves to cascade down on our heads. “Hey! go easy.” I brushed the fallen leaves out of my hair then turned to see Warren and Odette shuffle up each with a tiny rake in their hands.

Odette was first to reach me. “You sure are a sight for sore eyes Missus, been gone a while now.” She brushed a leaf off of my shoe and smiled up at me. “Not that the Mister would notice. Warren and I have been helpin’ with the cleanup. The toad is in hibernation already, goin’ to be an early winter I think.”  Odette always gives me the update on what has been happening around the house as soon as the sparkles dissipate.

My Chihuahua’s had been nosing around the ivy, investigating the strange smells and nosies that only they can detect, but as soon as I reappeared, they immediately surrounded me, tails whipping, whining impatiently to be picked up. Hearing all the commotion, Bill stuck his head out of the back door. “Hey, there you are. I have been looking all over for you. Have you been to the store?”

I’ve said it before, but it never ceases to fascinate me how time is so divergent between this world and the realm of the Fae, and  Bill’s naivete’ when it comes to my fairy friends is very charming.

Giving Arial a “what am I supposed to say” look,  I walked over to him and circled his neck with my arms. “You are so intuitive! That’s exactly where I’ve been, why don’t you go in and I’ll run out to the car and get the bags.”

His smile got even brighter. “Great, but don’t you need help?” I motioned to Arial to meet me around the corner as I walked him to the door. “No hun, they are small, I’ll get them.”

As soon as the door closed, I darted around the corner of the house and nearly collided with Lilly, my neighbor from down the street. ” Oh! Hi, I’m sorry, I didn’t expect you to be standing there!” Arial was hovering a little above and behind her with one finger over her lips. “I was.. ah…just going to the car…to get some… groceries, yeah, that’s it, groceries.”

Lilly’s eyes twinkled. “Yes dear, I know.” She patted me on the shoulder and handed me a bag. “I have been cooking all day and I made so much more than I could possibly eat and I thought, I’ll bet that nice couple up the street would love some fresh, hot pot roast.” She peeked in the bag. “There’s potatoes and carrots in there too. I think you’ll find that they are done just the way Bill likes.”

I looked from Lilly, to the bag, and back. “Why…thank you… I guess. How did you know that I… At this point I was totally confused. From the first time I had met Lilly I had the feeling that she was somehow different. Charming, but different.

I continued. “Lilly, I can’t take this, it’s to much.” I tried to hand the bag back but she would have nothing of it. “Nonsense dear, like I said, I was cooking anyway.” She gave me a wink, then gently turned me around by the shoulders and gave me a slight nudge. “Go on then, Bill’s waiting for his dinner.”

I took a step or two then turned to thank her once more thinking, he might be expecting his his dinner, but fully cooked from the bag? but when I looked, she had disappeared, leaving a slight scent of roses lingering on the breeze.

You know, I am going to get to the point that nothing will surprise me anymore. Looking up I noticed Arial with a sheepish grin on her face, swaying a little and wringing  her hands. I had to ask,”what was that all about?”. Before she could answer, Bill stuck his head around the corner. “You coming?”

Startled, I jumped, then made my way quickly up the steps. “Yes, yes, here I am. I hope you’re hungry!”  I was hoping that I sounded nonchalant. He took the bag and took a deep breath. “Smells great, lets eat!” To my astonishment, he didn’t find it at all odd that I had brought home a fully cooked roast dinner.

Warren and Odette shuffled quickly along behind us, smacking their lips. “Can we come to dinner?” I noded, and wondered as we all went in to dinner just how Lilly knew Bill’s name.

© Tami Ruesch, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry, 2009.