The Faery Tales Series Volume 1-3: Faery Tales

By Ronel Janse van Vuuren

Shadows.

Magic.

Fae.

Danger.

 

The Veil between the realms of the living and the dead is under attack.

 

Nightmares. Creatures of Darkness. Mythical monsters.

 

As they all go about their lives, whispers of change are carried on the ripples of the Realms colliding.

 

The walls between the Realms are thinning drastically and no-one is noticing. Or if they are, they don't care or pretend it isn't happening.

 

Who is behind it all?

 

Scroll up now to buy and embroil yourself in danger and magic while figuring out who is staging this coup.

 

*The first three books in the Faery Tales series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronel Janse van Vuuren
• Release date: Nov 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215904732

Book preview

The Faery Tales Series #1: The Fae Realm

Blurb:

Shadows.

Magic.

Fae.

Learn their ways – and the original folklore behind the Fae Realm – in six magical stories.

*This is the first book in the Faery Tales series.

The Blue Festival

Sia jumped from the roof and ran down the alley. She didn’t need anyone to see – or know – where she was going.

For the most part, the varsity kids she hung out with as a contemporary had no idea what kind of bargains they were entering. And even if they did figure it out, no-one cared. Having reckless fun before graduating to the real world was what they all desperately sought. If she helped her Court in the process...

She jumped over the hedge and entered the forest. No-one ever went there, not even the most foolish of mortals. After the deaths during the last festival...

Sia swallowed and moved silently through the trees. Dryads glared at her from their gathering beneath the elms; Pixies hissed at her as she ducked beneath their thorn tree; even the will- o’-the-wisps scattered when she came close.

She ignored them all. She had an important task. Finally, she made it to the clearing in the middle of the forest. She picked up a fallen leaf, pricked her finger and ripped the blood on it.

‘Blood of mine, summon those for who I pine.’

It didn’t take long for the clearing to be filled. Faeries of all colours, races and sizes appeared from the borough beneath.

‘You’re late.’

She glared at the man who probably inspired the modern portrayal of vampires as handsome creatures to be tamed.

‘I’ve done my part,’ she said, ignoring his accusation. She never had much patience for him or his posturing. ‘The Festival can go forward as planned.’

He raised an eyebrow in surprise.

‘You found...’

She held up a hand. ‘Just let them know, alright? I have to return before I’m missed.’

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Just after sunrise on a Saturday morning, Sia stood surrounded by intoxicated students. They were the ones who constantly stayed at parties long after it had ended. They were the mortals too reckless and foolish to know when to stop.

She watched as the sea of blue descended on them for the festival. Faeries from all over came: blue water Fae and blue veld Fae; even the blue muse Fae made an appearance.

Sia didn’t flinch when the mortals were led away to dance themselves to exhaustion during the revel before becoming the main course. She had done her part to keep her Court fed and safe for another year. She grabbed a passing Phouka and joined the revel.

Vila

The previous story – The Blue Festival – has a Vila as a main character (Sia).

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According to verified folklore sources.

In Thomas Keightley’s Fairy Mythology (1828), this is how the Vila is described:

VILAS

CHERRY! dearest Cherry!

Higher lift thy branches,

Under which the Vilas

Dance their magic roundels.

Them before Radisha

Dew from flowers, lashes,

Leadeth on two Vilas,

To the third he sayeth—

"Be thou mine, O Vila!

Thou shalt, with my mother,

In the cool shade seat thee;

Soft silk deftly spinning

From the golden distaff." [a]

And in The Forest in Folklore and Mythology by Alexander Porteous (1928):

"A female being peculiar to Serbian mythology is the Vila, who partakes of the characteristics of both the Fairy and the Elf. These Vilas, represented as Mountain Nymphs, live in the forests and hills, and love singing and dancing. They are young and beautiful, with long flowing hair, and are usually clad in white. They often mount up into the air, from whence they discharge fatal arrows at men, but injure none except those who intrude on their revels. There is a Serbian saying – ustrièlila ga vila – meaning, the Vila has shot him with her dart. They are often seen sitting on Ash trees singing, and they converse with the stags of the forest. A Serbian song narrates how:

‘A young deer tracked his way through the lone forest

One lonely day – another came in sadness –

And the third dawn’d, and brought him sighs and sorrow;

Then he address’d him to the forest Vila:

Young deer, she said, "thou wild one of the forest!

Now tell me what great sorrow has oppress’d thee;

Why wanderest thou thus in the forest lonely;

Lonely one day – another day in sadness –

And the third day with sighs and anguish groaning?"

And thus the young deer to the Vila answered:

"O thou sweet sister! Vila of the forest!

Me has indeed a heavy grief befallen:

For once had a fawn, mine own beloved,

And one sad day she sought the running water;

She entered it but came not back to bless me."’

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In my own writing.

The Origin of the Fae: Vila

Vilas are captivatingly beautiful Fae who live in both the Otherworld and the world of the living.

They have beautiful singing voices and are mesmerising to watch when they dance – which they love to do.

They are excellent archers and usually display this skill when mortals interrupt their revels. They have their revels beneath cherry trees.

Vilas have long flowing hair and typically wear white, though they are partial to shades of blue. They are the Keepers of the Blue Festival where all Fae who are blue can enjoy a revel designed to pay their Tithes and build their glamour.

They do not particularly like humans, though they know that it is necessary to enthral them to take part in their revels as sacrifice. They’ll do what they must to lure humans to their special revels. A thick ring of grass, a type of faery ring, remains after such a revel and those who are wise know not to pass, for their life-force will immediately be drained and they will become part of the forest.

They are the peacekeepers of the forest. Any animal or Fae with a problem can go their sacred Ash trees and have the