A Fairy's Tail

By Tessa Tracy

Solace has a huge problem. Unlike normal fairies, she has a huge color-changing tail and is different in every way, causing the fairy kingdom to shun her. She must find her imaginator so she can be transformed into a regular fairy. Solace teams up with a formidable angel with a penchant for vanishing unexpectedly. Together, they search through the time mists, but her quest stirs up big trouble for her godmother and the dragon king. With worlds colliding with time, will Solace discover that she’s not so different in the ways that count?

62

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781098093815

Book preview

cover.jpg

A Fairy's Tail

Tessa Tracy

Copyright © 2022 by Tessa Tracy

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

For Sage, who at four years old asked for her very own fairy tale.

For all my grandchildren, who love to read.

Chapter 1

I’m a freak, a misfit, a total weirdo freak!

Solace screamed at her mirrored reflection.

"Why, why, why me? My sisters are gorgeous. My brothers are amazingly handsome. And then there is me, a freak!"

Every fairy in the kingdom conforms to the fairy standard, not more than two feet tall or shorter than one foot, blond hair, lovely porcelain skin, small ears, and one small set of translucent wings topped off with perfect features. I, on the other hand, have red hair, freckles all over, am a disgusting four feet tall, have huge elfin ears, a huge double set of wings like a butterfly (though they are pretty, iridescent green with red edging), but worst of all, I have a tail! It’s not even a regular tail, like some animals have. No, my tail is six feet long with a heart on the end. Not only that, but it changes color with my mood, so everyone knows what I feel—no privacy there! When I’m angry, it’s red, when I’m sad, it is blue, and when I’m happy, it turns into a rainbow of shimmery colors. Actually, it is pretty and handy. I can pick up things with it, kinda like having an extra hand. But I have to get rid of it ’cause I’m a fairy freak! I know all fairies are the product of some human’s imagination, and some idiot went to a lot of trouble imagining me. Everyone in the kingdom agrees that I must find my imaginator and make him or her redo me properly. After all, as the daughter of the fairy king, my family has a serious reputation to uphold, and no one could look at me without doubling over with laughter. Folks can tolerate the rest of me, but that tail is too much. It’s ludicrous and has to go, the sooner the better. While I’m at it, maybe I could get my name changed to a decent fairy name, like Aurora or something.

So not having much choice, with her tail black as night, Solace set out to find her imaginator in the realm of humans.

Thus began the adventures of Solace which, as you will see, is about a real fairy tail. Solace had been in the earth realm numerous times but always in the company of fairy folk. Though they were generally polite and tried not to laugh in her presence, she knew that she made them uncomfortable. So out of consideration for their feelings, she ceased going with them on fairy missions. Now, however, she was alone, very alone. She was often lonely and felt out of place, but she had never been alone before; she wasn’t afraid exactly. After all, she had plenty of magical powers, and nothing could really harm her as an immortal. But she missed company. At home, she had her siblings and unicorns to ride or fairy animals to talk to or play with. Being alone was hard to get used to.

Her tail was dark blue to match her mood of despondent self-pity. Though the day was sunny and mild for early spring in the mountains where she found herself, she was oblivious to the beauty around her. Sitting on a log by a rushing stream, swollen with snowmelt, she was preoccupied, thinking, Why me? It isn’t fair. I hate my imaginator!

At first, Solace failed to hear the sobbing of someone nearby. But when the sobs turned to loud, abject wails, she roused from her angry introspection and walked downstream to investigate. Around a bend in the path, she came upon a human girl, about ten years old, crying in anguish on the river’s edge. Solace immediately shape-shifted into a young woman and knelt by the girl.

My child, whatever is the matter? Why are you in such distress? She asked.

My little brother fell in, and I couldn’t catch him in time. Now he’s dead far downstream, I’m sure! I was supposed to be watching him, but I got distracted picking flowers. And now he’s gone forever. My parents will never forgive me. How can I even tell them? How can I live with myself, knowing what an awful thing I’ve done?

Now, now, don’t talk like that. I’m sure he will be fine. I will find him, and you will see that all will be well.

Solace had no way of knowing if this was true. She prayed she wasn’t giving the girl false hope.

Wait here please, and I will go look for him.

As soon as she was out of sight, she shifted back to her natural form and swiftly flew along the river, searching and hoping she wasn’t too late to save him. In seconds, she saw a little blond head pop up and then submerge in the torrent. Swooping down, she grabbed the small body, hooking his shirt with her tail and lifting him to shore. She held him close, radiating heat to warm his frigid body while breathing love into his open mouth. Soon he gave a great shudder and vomited a geyser of water. Slowly he regained consciousness and dazedly looked at her. As awareness returned, he suddenly looked terrified and started to scream and struggle against her. Belatedly, Solace remembered she was still in fairy form and had forgotten, in all the excitement, to shift. Quickly she cast a spell of forgetfulness and sleep over the child and then flew with him just out of sight of his sister. Walking the rest of the way, she shifted again and came upon the girl who was still crying abjectly.

Here’s your brother. He’s just sleeping from exhaustion, but he’s all right.

The girl took him in her arms. Her tears of sorrow turned to joy.

Oh, Sam, Sam, I thought you were dead!

He woke with a cry.

Sis, put me down. You’re squashing me! Why did you think I was dead?

You fell in the river and were swept away. Don’t you remember?

No, I can’t remember anything but playing right here just a minute ago. Who are you? he asked, noticing Solace standing nearby.

That’s the wonderful lady who saved you from drowning, Sam.

My name is Solace, and I know you are Sam. But what is your name, young lady?

Oh, I’m Sage, ma’am. I’m ten, and Sam is four, and we want you to come home and meet our parents. Please have dinner with us.

I’m sorry, Sage, but I must be on my way before nightfall. You had better get Sam home and into dry clothes before he catches a chill. Take care of each other with love. Bye now!

She quickly walked away, turning once to wave to the youngsters before disappearing.

Once out of the humans’ sight, she reverted to her natural shape. Her particular species of fairy—for there are numerous types—was two feet tall, with delicate features, golden hair, and small gossamer wings that glowed with a lovely soft light. Of course, Solace wasn’t at all like any species of fairy. By human standards, she was quite beautiful; by fairy standards, she was an unacceptable aberration. The brief interlude with the children had taken her mind off her woes, but now they returned with a vengeance. The sooner she found that blasted imaginator, the sooner she could return to her life and live as a normal, proper fairy. So having no need of sleep or rest, she continued on her quest through the mists of time. She felt sure that when she was in range of her imaginator, her senses would alert her, and she would hone in on him. She was certain it would be a male as she couldn’t believe a female would conjure up someone like her. It must have been a crazy prank to invent a fairy so opposite of the norm. When she caught up with him, she was certainly going to ask him what the heck was he thinking! The more she thought of him, the angrier she became, until she fairly lit up the night sky with a blazing red glow. Suddenly, a jet of flame shot up in front of her out of the forest gloom. Startled, she stopped in midflight, not sure what