Fairy Born

A gift for Molly

Molly stood, as she had for the last eight years, on the beach of the Celtic Sea with her heels in the sand and her toes in the water. Her feet were freezing, but she refused to move from her position. The front hem of her dress was pulled up, being saved from the water’s icy grasp. Her feet were slowly sinking deeper into the sand. Today was her eighteenth birthday and she watched for her father’s ship. She had never met the man before but hoped that this year would be the year he would come for her. This year was different, she just knew it. All she had been told as that he was an important man from another kingdom. What would she tell a man who had been absent all her life? What could she? The wind pulled at her long black hair, her source of shame. Her family all had red hair, all except her. It singled her out and made her feel like she did not belong. Molly became obsessed with the thought of having a father, for her mother moved in with her brother so she did not have to remarry. The birds began to sing and the sun rose higher into the sky. Molly decided she had had enough and turned from the sea, though she cast one last longing glance toward the sea, hoping beyond all reason that she would see sails. When she did not, Molly took off over the hills and across the meadows, running towards home. The balls of her feet slapped against the hard earth, kicking up dirt behind her.   

It was a small house, or at least maybe it was only small because there were so many people living in it. The walls were made of a mixture of wood and mud while the roof was thatched. It was tedious to replace the roof every couple of years but with all of them there it did not take long. Molly’s mother moved in with her brother and son, taking with her Molly and Molly’s brother Kelly. Molly’s Uncle and son did not care much for Molly, though she was not sure why it was as if they chose to dislike her from before she was born. Her brother adored her, doted on her when no one was looking.  

“There you are you lazy girl, where have you been? Your mother needed you.” Her uncle barked as she swept through the door. He was in his usual foul mood and Molly tried to avoid him when he was like this.  

“I was fine, where were you darling?” Her mother’s voice was soft and airy as if she were speaking from a great distance and her voice was carried only by the wind. It was the way it has always been and it always had a calming effect on Molly.  

“The sea. Mom  I was-”

“Looking for your father, I know. He will not come for you, he can not find you.” 

“Why mother?”

“I will say no more on the matter. Now go make your scone dough.” Molly bowed her head and left the dining area to go to the kitchen. It may have been her birthday, it was not celebrated, i was almost as if her birthday was an ominous day.  Her mother often cried on this day. “Remember, do not knead the dough too much, hard not rock hard.”

“Yes, mum.” Molly tied an apron around her waist to save her dress and began to make the dough. Her hair hung down her back as always. She looked out the window as she worked and saw her uncle with his son. They cared for the animals together and Molly felt a pang of jealousy as she watched them. Where was her father? Why did he leave them? Was it because of her? Many men left their women when they were in a family way. Did he love her mother? Was it his family? Did they make him leave? Did he have another woman? 

“Molly, your dough.” Her mother called. Molly looked down in dismay at the mass in front of her. She had kneaded the dough too much and now it was useless.

“Oh Mum, I am sorry.”

“It is fine.” *sigh* “ I will take it from here. You go. Go explore or something. Anything. Just go.” Molly felt the bite to her mother’s voice. Her heart fell a little as she left the house. She took her apron off and tossed it onto the woodpile to be forgotten as she stepped out onto the dirt path. 

 She took a deep breath and started for the forest that lay miles east. She started at a slow pace but as she neared she began to speed up her pace, she was so sure she would miss something, but what, she did not know. She wore no shoes so she often had to slow or alter her course to avoid rocks or sharp stones which only built the tension inside of her. Why did she have to be there? What was so important? 

When she reached the tree line she paused, if only for a moment to look back towards her home, wondering why she felt her time there was now cut short.

When Molly took her first step inside the forest she felt a shift, deep in her soul, as if her whole being was now a different person. With that, came a feeling of loss. What she once was, was no more. Whoever she was, was gone. There was no going back now. She wandered through the trees, not knowing where to go. It was not often she had time to explore like this. She strayed from the path but knew to keep it close by should she lose her way. Branches grabbed at her, pulled her hair and skirt. She pressed on, needing to go deeper into the woods. The birds called to her beckoned her. Molly could do no other than answer their call. 

Molly started to hear faint music. It was beautiful. At first, all she heard were drums but as she drew nearer other instruments joined in like flutes and strings. Right before she arrived she heard a woman’s voice. She sang in a language that Molly did not understand but that didn't stop Molly from feeling the emotion in the song. It sounded as if it were a song of loss. Molly burst through the trees and found herself in the middle of a party. Everyone was dressed like a highborn, though from where Molly could not guess. Who were these people and why were they in the middle of a forest? At first, no one took notice of her but soon everyone wanted to talk to her. 

“What is your name?”

“Where are you from?” She answered each question as they came. Molly had talked for so long that her throat became dry and she reached for a glass but it was whisked away from her. Why could she not drink?

“Molly, I love your hair.” Molly turned to look at the woman and paused. It was not the first compliment she had received for her hair that day and she did not see why so many others had black hair like hers. 

“Thank you.” Molly said with a smile. She glanced toward the sky to see the sun was on its way down and knew she would have to return home. How had time passed so quickly? 

She took off in the direction she had come from and in her rush, she knocked into someone. Her face collided with the cool, metal of his cuirass which left a red spot on her cheek where it had struck. The metal clanged against the rest of his armor. He was not suited for battle, it seemed to be formal armor. The man was well built, so well built that her little frame did not even rock him. Looks of horror crossed everyone who saw and Molly knew she must have hit someone important. She bowed and apologized before running off hardly glancing at the face of the man. Not even seeing his eyes, so like her own, a bright clear blue, watching after her. Nor did she see the circle of gold that sat on his head covered in hair that was black as night.  The man called after her but she did not stop, afraid of her punishment. Most cleared a way for her, they all looked afraid. Where they afraid of her or for her? She glanced behind her a few times but did not see him close enough to catch her. When she left the clearing she ceased to hear the music and she continued on, hoping he would not follow her.