A Faery Love Story

Years ago there was a fair young faery named Belisana. Her skin was white and smooth as porcelain, her eyes were emerald green, and her red hair was long and flowing. Belisana lived in the Old Forest. One evening she sat atop a toadstool looking around the forest. All the faery girls were dancing around merrily. They loved living in the forest. They had found their true love. Yet, the fair young faery knew that, although the forest was full of young faery lads, not one of them would ever step outside the forest. They were content living among the trees.

Belisana was tired of the forest. It was always so dark, with just glimpses of the sun. She hated the towering trees and just a few scant flowers here and there. She longed to feel the sunlight on her skin and to find the faery lad that would make her heart sing. She dreamed of a life in a garden full of blossoming flowers and a pond to dip her feet in.

Just then, a bird flew by.  It startled Belisana. She looked up to see her friend LilyBet watching her intently. 

"You're a strange faery," LilyBet said, "Amin dele ten' lle" (which means, I'm worried about you.) "You don't like dancing at twilight. When was the last time you danced all night and made a faery ring, instead of just sitting there staring out into nowhere?" 

"Oh, I'm not staring into nowhere.  I can see plenty. I see thousands of flowers all wet with the morning dew. I see lilies, and hollyhocks, and foxglove, and more." Belisana answered.

"You're hopeless," laughed LilyBet, "We're forest faeries and that's all we know. Why dream about places you can never go?" 

"But I will go," Belisana thought to herself.

"Anyway," LilyBet continued, "I was just going to invite you over to my house tomorrow" It was Ehtele'mele, the Vernal Equinox.  A Mid Summer celebration time of singing, dancing and laughter. It was a celebration of life and new beginnings. LilyBet lived at the far end of the forest and Belisana had never been there. She wasn't allowed to travel so far. Her parents always worried too much.  But this year her mom promised her she could go to the Mid Summer Celebration.  Belisana was eager to go because she wanted to be closer to the edge of the forest, where perhaps she could catch a glimpse of the outside and dream about a life outside of the forest. 

"I'd love to come." Belisana replied.  

"Good," said LilyBet, "I'll have someone meet you along the way. "

Belisana went home.  She lay in her feathery bed staring at the stars.  How far away they were, yet she felt like she could just reach out and touch them.  "Just like the fields of flowers I dream about." She thought.  "So far away yet it's almost as if I can smell them."  In a moment she was fast asleep.

The next day, after tending to some chores, Belisana gathered flowers for a new garland to wear.  They were all white to match her dress.  She stopped at a river that ran down the middle of the forest and glanced at her reflection, then hurried on her way to LilyBet's.

When she neared the edge of the forest Belisana saw the most handsome faery she had ever set eyes on, and he was walking towards her.  She couldn't believe it!  

"Belisana?" he asked.  She could only nod.  "I am Torin, " he continued, "LilyBet sent me to show you the way."  

Belisana couldn't believe that LilyBet had never told her about Torin.  There was something about him.  She couldn't quite place it, but she knew he was different. She enjoyed talking with him.  It was so easy, like she knew him forever.   

Once they got there, Belisana felt the excitement in the air. 

"Mae govannen," LilyBet's mother welcomed her. 

"Well," said Torin. "I must be going.  Until next we meet." He bowed towards Belisana and then he was gone. Belisana felt her heart sink.  She didn't know why, but she had hoped he would stay. The feeling didn't last long though. There was much to do.

Belisana and LilyBet twisted their flowers to form a garland for their hair.  Then Belisana helped LilyBet pick out a dress.  She always had the nicest clothes.  They flew into the kitchen to help LilyBet's mother.  There were so many sweet treats to prepare.  Belisana counted ten different kinds of icing.  Her favorite was the pink one with silver sprinkles.  It was hard to keep their hands off them. LilyBet's mother generously gave each a sample, and admonished them to hurry and finish their preparations. 

The other faeries gathered outside in the growing twilight. LilyBet and Belisana joined the growing crowd just as the music began. The faeries joined together in a circle to begin the first dance of Ehtele'mele. Then the faeries' voices rose in harmony as they sang the traditional Faery Nightsongs. The music called out to Belisana and she could no longer resist. Before she knew it, her wings carried her right into the midst of the circle, and she chimed in with the rest. 

Belisana's face was flushed.  She felt so free.    She danced and sang, and before she knew it, the stars came out.   Belisana was breathless.  She stopped and fluttered over to the edge of the forest to rest. The moon shone down through the leaves, bathing Belisana in its gentle glow. 

Belisana  glanced back at the circle.  LilyBet was still dancing and her hair was flying in the wind.  Belisana wished she had her golden blonde hair, it was so fine it looked like it was spun from silk.  LilyBet could have her pick when it came to finding a suitor.  She was tiny and beautiful and she had the sweetest smile.  But Belisana didn't want to be the kind of faery that just sat there and smiled sweetly and never talked about anything meaningful. 

Just then, Belisana thought she saw a figure walking in the distance. "No, it's just my imagination," she thought. She started imagining she was  gazing at the moon while sitting in the middle of a garden,  The garden was full of every flower she could think of, and hidden in a corner of the garden was her own little house.  

What are you looking so serious about?" a voice startled Belisana out of her reverie.  

Belisana turned to see Torin leaning against a nearby tree.  How handsome he looked in the moonlight.  His golden skin shone and she could see the outline of his muscles.  Belisana, feeling herself beginning to blush, looked away and didn't answer him right away.  "I didn't mean to disturb you," Torin said as he turned to leave. 

"No, you're not disturbing me." Belisana quickly answered.  "I just needed to get away."  

Normally Belisana would keep her innermost thoughts to herself, but she knew she could trust Torin. "I was just sitting here looking out as far as I could see and imagining a life away from the forest," Belisana replied.  

"I know how you feel," Torin replied.  "I too dream of someday living outside the forest.  I often go out exploring.  I just came back from the most amazing place.  It had the biggest field of flowers I've ever seen.  It was full of foxgloves, and hollyhocks, and..."

"And lilies." Belisana finished.  

"How'd you know?" Torin asked curiously. 

"Because I've seen such a place a million times in my mind," she answered. "I only dared but hope such a place existed."  

"I was afraid to dream once too," Torin replied, "But then I decided to go and find out for myself what things were really like outside of the forest. It's so different.  You can actually see the sun shine and there is so much to do. There are houses and people too!"

Now Belisansa knew why he seemed so different to her.  He was a dreamer.  Never had she met anyone who shared the same dreams.  But more interesting was the fact that he actually acted on his dreams.  He went and found the place she had so often dreamed of. 

Torin sat next to Belisana as he described the places he had been.  Belisana, listening intently, wondered what it would be like to have Torin take her with him on his explorations. Their conversation continued, and time quickly passed by without them being conscious of it.  So absorbed were they in each other that neither heard LilyBet approach. 

"Oh there you are Belisana, I've been looking for you all over. What are you two up to?" LilyBet asked giving Belisana a knowing look.  

"I was just resting for a spell when Torin came along and we started talking."  Belisana answered hoping LilyBet wouldn't say anything more.

"It was fun chatting," Torin said standing up to leave, "I hope we meet up again."

"So do I." replied Belisana as she hurried after Lilybet.

"I just knew you two would get along," LilyBet smirked, "You are so much alike, talking about faraway places.  I swear you both have your heads in the clouds."