Faerie

By Stacey Jaine McIntosh, A.S. Charly, Cindar Harrell and 3 more

Stories about faeries have captivated people the world over - children and adults alike.

Join us in tales of mischief, wonder and adventure where creatures of light and dark await.

 

Featuring 14 stories by 13 authors.

 

Vonnie Winslow Crist | Zoey Xolton | Sasha Hanton | Joshua D. Taylor | G. Allen Wilbanks | K.A Masters | Daniel Purcell | Cindar Harrell | Stacey Jaine McIntosh | Rachel Pudsey | Angela Zimmerman | Galina Trefil | A.S. Charly

 

 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stacey Jaine McIntosh
• Release date: Jun 24, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393684541

Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Stacey Jaine McIntosh is the author of ten short stories. "Freya" and "Blood Sacrifice" were published late 2011 and "Fallen Angel" published in 2012. "Life or Death", "Exiles of Eden" and "Morrighan" published in 2013. "Red" and "The Summer Girl" were published in June 2015 and "The Hunter Million" and "Shadows of Annwn" are due to be published later in 2015. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband and four young children.

Book preview

And now about the cauldron sing.

Like elves and fairies in a ring.

Enchanting all that you put in.

–William Shakespeare

DRAGONSKIN

VONNIE WINSLOW CRIST

TAKING PITY ON THE woman crying in the royal gardens, Granny Elder, tree fairy of birth and death, decided to reveal to Queen Glynnis how to break the curse which kept her childless.

Cease your weeping, dear. I, Granny Elder, can help you, whispered the ancient fairy as she stepped from behind a massive holly bush. A spell was spoken by a jealous rival on the day of your betrothal. It is that spell—a curse, in truth—which prevents you from becoming pregnant.

The queen stood, then dabbed her eyes with a hankie. You can remove this curse?

Taking Glynnis's soft hand in her rough, gnarled hands, the elder tree fairy explained. Tonight, by full moon's light, you must peel the skin from two onions. Next, you must eat every last bit of the onions—even if your mouth burns and your eyes water. Once they are consumed, you need to toss their crinkly, outer skins into the fire, then go to bed. If you do everything exactly as I have instructed, before midsummer's eve, you will give birth to a set of twins.

Thank you, Granny, said the queen with a bow of her head. Please, let me give you a reward.

No, answered the fairy. No reward is necessary. I only ask for your promise that you will always be kind to your children. And should you no longer want one or both of them—you will give them to me.

Of course. The queen's words had barely left her lips when the old woman vanished in the growing darkness.

Heart thumping faster than the hoof beats of a cantering pony, Queen Glynnis hurried back to the castle, stopping by the kitchen to pick up two onions on her way to her bedchambers. Her fingers trembled as she peeled one of the onions. Anticipating its burning tang, she took a deep breath and bit into the root vegetable's white flesh. Though her tongue smarted, her nose dripped, and tears slid down her cheeks, the queen consumed the first onion as instructed.

Eager to break the curse, she didn't remove all of the dry exterior skin layers from the second onion before taking a bite—rather slipping off only the top layer. After consuming the second onion, she gathered all of the crumbling, brown skins together and tossed them into the fire.

It is done, she told the moon as she scrubbed her hands again and again in a vain attempt to remove the oniony odor from her fingers. Next, she gargled with mint water a dozen times hoping to rinse the taste of onions from her mouth.

As luck would have it, her husband was delayed two days in a distant corner of the kingdom by floods—so the queen didn't have to reveal to him the source of her sour breath and onion-scented hands. By the time King Harold returned, the smell was gone. Therefore, only Granny Elder and she knew of the curse and its undoing—and Queen Glynnis was happy not to have to discuss magic with her husband.

BY AUTUMN, THE CASTLE, town, kingdom, and surrounding lands were abuzz with the news that Queen Glynnis and King Harold were to become parents in the new year.

Though no one said anything to the queen, many members of court as well as commoners were relieved to hear of the upcoming birth of a royal heir. Male or female, a child would soon be born who would rule after its parents were dead. The promise of continuity gave more peace and security to the kingdom than a great army could ever have brought.

As the months slipped by, the royal parents-to-be grew increasingly excited about the coming prince or princess. Queen Glynnis had decided against revealing to the king Granny Elder's promise of two children—afraid she was wishing for too much. One healthy child was enough.

On the last day of March, shortly after King Harold had departed the castle on a hunting trip, Glynnis felt the first labor pains. At the same time the court physicians and midwife were summoned, the queen secretly sent one of her maidservants to the woodland home of Granny Elder. When the babies were born, the queen intended to finally reward the crone for her help with enough gold coin to last for years, and perhaps, for the woman's lifetime.

The maidservant quickly returned with Granny Elder. Then, the pair quietly stood in a corner of the queen's chambers while the midwife and her assistants took care of Queen Glynnis. When the first baby was born alive and healthy, there were smiles on everyone's faces as the girl child was swaddled in the softest cloth.

Wait, exclaimed the midwife. There is a second baby.

Moments later, another child was born.

Everyone leave, screamed the midwife to her aides. She then motioned for Granny Elder to come to the bed. It is a demon, muttered the woman. We must kill it before our queen sees the monstrosity she has birthed.

The tree fairy touched the midwife's arm. "Now, you must leave the room. Go tend to the first daughter. I will watch over Queen Glynnis and her second child."

Eyes wide with fright, the woman nodded and left the queen's chambers without a backward glance.

Swaddling the second girl child, then gathering the squalling infant into her arms, Granny Elder stood beside the queen. Glynnis, you didn't follow my instructions exactly, she said as she pulled back the edge of the blanket to reveal a squirming dragon.

Exhausted from the birthing process, the queen could only gasp at the sight of the dragonet.

You ate the skin of the second onion, so your second daughter is covered in dragon skin. A mistake while practicing magic is not something which can be changed easily.

I cannot show her to the king, said Glynnis. What should...

Hush, I will take care of her. The elder tree fairy stroked the dragon child's cheek. When the time is right, she will return to the castle.

The queen nodded.

I just need a name for her, said Granny Elder.

Her sister's name will be Linnet—for she is flaxen-haired, said Glynnis. As for my second daughter, she shook her head, wiped away tears, then continued, her name shall be Kiera—for she is my little dark one.

It's a lovely name. The crone, who was the fairy of beginnings and endings as well as elder trees, nuzzled the dragonet. Do not worry, my queen. I will raise Kiera with love and kindness. She will learn all that I know, then one day, she'll return to her rightful place within these walls.

As Granny Elder started to leave, the queen called, Wait!

The old fairy woman stopped, then turned around.

I know her appearance is my fault. Is there nothing that I can do to take away her dragon skin?

No, replied Granny Elder. But one day, another will have the chance to return her to her human form. Without further comment, the crone vanished with Kiera Dragonskin.

DAYS BECAME WEEKS, weeks became months, months became years. Then, for the eighteenth time since the birth of Princess Linnet and Kiera Dragonskin, spring greened the royal gardens and woodlands beyond.

On the first of April, Princess Linnet heard a strange clicking noise beyond the garden walls. Curious about the repetitive sound, she slipped away from her drowsy nursemaid and wandered into the forest at the edge of the castle's grounds. She'd gone only a short distance when she came upon a thatched-roofed cottage. An elderly woman sat in front of the structure knitting.

I'm Granny Elder, said the crone as she laid aside her needles and yarn. I've been waiting for you. She stood, opened her cottage's door. And so has your twin sister.

You're mistaken, answered Princess Linnet taking a step back. I'm an only child.

The elder tree fairy smiled. It might seem so to you, but I can assure you that Queen Glynnis birthed a second daughter on the last day of March eighteen years ago. But because of her appearance, she gave Kiera Dragonskin to me.

Dragonskin! Linnet frowned. What sort of name is that?

Unfortunately, your sister has had to pay the price for failed magic. Nonetheless, she is bright, goodhearted, and kind. Are you willing to meet her?

Linnet didn't answer Granny Elder immediately. For her whole life, she'd felt a part of her was missing. Therefore, a twin from whom she'd been separated at birth made sense.

Yes, responded the princess.

The word was no sooner spoken, then a bronze-scaled dragon crept from the shadows of the forest cottage. Linnet, said the creature in the voice of a young woman. Oh, Linnet, you've come for me.

The princess stood still-as-stone gazing into the eyes of the dragon—eyes which were the same sky-blue as her own. Kiera?

Yes, answered the dragon. Then, Kiera Dragonskin held up her right front foot, stared deep into Linnet's eyes, and whispered, touch me, and you will know for certain we are bloodkin.

Without hesitation, Linnet placed her right hand against Kiera's foot.

As Granny Elder—the tree fairy of crossing thresholds—watched, a faint green shimmer surrounded Linnet and Kiera. Then, in unison they said, I know you, sister, and embraced.

AS SHE LOOKED OUT HER bedroom window, Queen Glynnis saw Linnet, Kiera, and Granny Elder approaching the castle gardens. Kiera, she exclaimed as she rushed from her chambers, down the stairs, through the halls, and out the wood and hammered metal door. She paused as she neared the trio.

My queen, said Granny Elder, may I present to you, Princess Kiera Dragonskin.

Your eyes... began Queen Glynnis.

Are the same as mine, said Princess Linnet.

Without further delay, Glynnis stepped forward and embraced both of her daughters.

Greetings exchanged, questions answered, and forgiveness asked for and received—the time finally arrived when the queen and her twins turned once more to the tree fairy.

You hinted long ago that there was a way for Kiera to regain her human form, said Queen Glynnis. Is that still possible?

Granny Elder nodded. She must find a prince willing to marry her without being forced, threatened, drugged, or bribed. A prince willing to not only kiss her at the ceremony, but spend the wedding night with his new bride.

Impossible! The queen pressed her hand to her forehead. Where will we ever find such a man?

You cannot find what you do not search for, said the fairy. But I suggest a double wedding. Send notices to every kingdom, no matter how small, that the two daughters of King Harold and Queen Glynnis are ready for marriage. Many men are sure to arrive eager to marry a princess.

Linnet will have many suitors to select from, said Kiera, but when they see me in dragon shape—they will turn away.

"Then, they must fall in love with you before they see you," responded the Granny Elder, the fairy of transformation.

First, said the queen with a heavy sigh, I must tell the king about the night of our daughters' births—and also, about how I muddled the magic nine months earlier.

AFTER HIS INITIAL SHOCK at the magical origins of his daughters and Kiera's appearance, the king embraced Kiera Dragonskin as his daughter—but agreed that her dragon form must remain a carefully guarded secret until after the wedding ceremony.

Hoping to wed a princess, suitors came by the hundreds to woo the daughters of King Harold and Queen Glynnis. Linnet sat on the podium beside her parents as men brought gifts for the royal family and proclaimed their worthiness to marry Princess Linnet. Kiera sat on the podium, too. But she was hidden behind a curtain which surrounded her on all four sides, so no one could see she was a dragon.

Most of the eligible men focused their efforts on winning the hand of the beautiful Linnet—and she told her parents which of them she'd like to meet in a more personal manner at a royal dinner to be held two days hence. Thirteen gallant princes received invites to what was certain to be an elaborate feast.

A few brave souls approached the curtained gazebo where Princess Kiera waited. Three were obviously from poor kingdoms and unable to provide lavish gifts for a potential mate. Two were elderly—needing a nurse for their last years more than a wife. One was clearly weak in the mind. Unable to talk, he had a manservant speak for him. The last, while well-dressed, apparently sound of mind, and handsome of face—had a pronounced limp.

Though the seven suitors could not see Kiera Dragonskin, she