Faerie Hollow // fiction

A vine- covered abandoned stone house with a tree growing through. Just before you entered Faerie Hollow. Quartz crystal clusters line a carpet of pine needles toward the entrance. Dandelion wind carried the faerie’s music, it was hard to put up the decorations for the Syrup Festival without dropping everything and dancing. Several times Euphrosyne was bopped on her head by Thalia, who had a lazer focus on her flower arrangements in the Dining Hall, because Euphrosyne would take some moss and throw it playfully in the air. “Empress Josephine will be here soon!” she squealed. Her creative juices were flowing and Euphrosyne could not sit still.

      Agalia hung the banner “WELCOME EMPRESS” over a glittering door. Her graceful wings sprinkled dust wherever she went, and through the dust small buds began to bloom. Enormous amorous sleeves swell out from the bodice of her silk dress that changed colors as she passed by. The table had been set with adorable deserts, milk and honey.

     All the fairies in Faerie Hollow were gathered with their garland crowns. A soldier appeared at the main entrance with his acorn helmet and rose thorn spear; a river rock hung over his chest as a breastplate, his dragonfly wings at attention but he was smiling and nodding his head to the beat of the night.

    Every one was enjoying themselves, Euphorsyne fluttered her iridescent wings not caring who was watching. It was Thalia who stared at the Full Moon with a worried expression. Her wings opened and closed slowly.

Where was the Empress? Usually she was here before the Full Moon had risen completely over the forest.

Then a hand fell softly on her, she turned to see Euphorsyne , to her surprise, in her fern-fitted dress .

“Why are you way over here? Come dance with us!” She gave her friend some sweet bread. Empress Josephine is late, Thalia wanted to say, but thought against it in case her bad thoughts came true.

    She put her worry to the side and tucked her black hair behind her ear revealing dainty moonstone earrings, “I thought I heard the Lady of the Lake.” She thought she heard the Lady tonight, whose sobs meant misfortune.

   The music brought out the nearby family of raccoons who love to see the fairy fire works and the fairies were always generous, sharing their sweet bread, berries, and cakes. Raccoons and foxes caused mischief for the people in Suburbia, using their stealth to sneak in delicious smelling food. At the table they brought tales of another world outside of Faerie Hollow. One of the raccoons was scratching his belly after eating the sweetest corn.  “Some of them have been trying to track us but we always get out in time with the food they throw away! Be careful teeny tiny people of the forest, they are hungry for something else, and by all the food we find in the trash, it’s like a hunger that is never filled!” The raccoons rarely called them faerie and turned their pointy nose to the feast before them
.
  “They want our land too,” Said an older raccoon, and one of the fairies with the most musical spirit, who came from Littledale (closed away from Surbia by a fence) flew up on the old raccoon’s head and with her gossamer touch, his worry about the future generations was put out.

   Agalia smelled the royal highness’s perfume before she saw her. Empress Josephine’s princess gown made of Lily of the Valley and Fireweed petals accentuated her divine wings that bounced the moonlight off of them. She was fixing her crown of hummingbird feathers, her hair falling over in some places. The soldier offered his right arm with the elbow bent. She delicately curled her hand around his arm and he lead her to the altar. Her sweet scent brought the fairies to the main room of the chapel and everyone quieted down.

Thalia breathed a sigh of relief on seeing her friend sit on her throne, but she looked lighter. Her eyes were sad.

Her mole adviser appeared to her side, sniffing his nose in her violet perfumed direction. "Spring has arrived." He stated matter of factly.

The Empress passed him a smile and waved to the other forest fairies. Everyone turned to see her radiating the room with her natural dewy skin.

"I have a very special summons for you, Lady Empress." said the mole in his official way. Always advising. "The Prince of the Spring Fairies has requested that you meet him."

"Is he here?" She looked in the crowd for his fiery red hair or his bumble bee.

"He was here very early, Lady Empress, hoping you'd be here and no doubt, hoping to spend quality time before the festival began. He had to go as the Summer Heat threatens to droop the French roses."

She stood straight at attention when she heard the word roses. She felt her eyes water, though it was a week into April she never cried unless it needed to rain.

"Tell the Princess I will show her around my kingdom'," recited the mole importantly. "That's the words he said. "All expenses paid," He said, blinking madly, trying to see Lady Empresses expression.

It's good to get your mind off of roses, she thought. Imagine the adventures she'd have at the Bay. It sounded thrilling to get away from her troubles.

"When?"

The mole pondered for a moment. "The Prince said "On Beltane.' He understands how busy you are initiating changes and growth for Spring. " He scratched at the dirt. "It would be good for you,"

The month of April was heavy with rain, and so was the Princess's mood. Dark thoughts clouded her mind like a thunderstorm.

"But I have no red roses to give him," She said with sorrow in her heart. Even the mole noticed the sad rhythm in her voice. The grass reached out to her. The sun warmed her skin. The sky turned the blue color of a robin's egg for her. It was like all of nature around her was trying everything to make her happy.

Thalia, following the sweet scent of violets, came up to the throne. She was the oldest. She got here on her trumpet swan. She noticed the Princess's hair had fallen over her eyes and moved it out of her face. The hair was messed up under her crown so she fixed that too. "Well look who finally showed up!"

Despite how she felt about her roses, seeing her friend cheered her up immensely. She got up on her feet and floated down to her and they chatted away about how much the season has changed things.

"So i have to tell you something." Josphenie started saying slowly.

"Okay."

"There's no going back once I tell you. It's that big. You won't believe it."

Euphrosyne laughed. "What is it?"

"You wish it was funny, but it's not a joke, once I tell you." She waited until they had walked into the courtyard. No one was there but them.

"Okay, what happened?" Euphrosyne laughter had died down and she was more serious now.

Josephine would say it as straight and narrow as she could. No beating around the bush. She sucked in a deep breath. "There will be no roses at all this year. I cannot grow them."