The child in the woods

"But why don't they like you?" The child asked, in a whisper, almost to them self.

"Because they are scared of our power and what they can't understand." she replied obviously upset by the question, despite the great number of times they had already answered. They young child looked up at the beautiful woman standing next to them, who had tears close to spilling out of her violet eyes. The child carefully stood and reached up to cup the woman's cheek and wipe away a tear with their thumb, feeling guilty for making her cry. Smiling, the woman took the small pale hand in their own while using their other hand to lift the small body off of the log and carry them. "We must be going," she said quietly leaning towards the child's ear, "he hates to be kept waiting." The child chuckled as they were carried off into the woods.

He reached towards the woman to take the child and kiss them gently on their for head. An adoring smile, which was almost too sweet, displayed on his face, as wrinkles surrounded his eyes. Holding the child closer and checking that the woman was following closely, his feet left the ground as he began to fly.

They soon came to the large oak, which they called home. He hovered, then promptly landed. Nestled in his arms the child felt safe and once he laid down to rest they swiftly fell asleep.

Slowly, the child rubbed their eyes. They were seated on the females lap. Drowsily, they looked around for the man but they soon realised he must have gone off to hunt. It was her day to look after him again then. Realising the child was awake she hugged them before getting up to cook breakfast. As she flew and walked the light breeze ruffled her thin, beige dress. The child knew that if they were to go out the breeze would be cold but they also knew that the woman was, like the man, different from them self so she would be fine in the breeze.

After eating the female flew them to a nearby river. The day warmed as it progressed and the breeze stopped. Together, they played in the river, thankful for its crisp, clean, cool water which was a blessing in such a hot day. But, despite playing from soon after sun rise till the sun had just passed from being right above them, it still felt too soon when she left.

In the afternoon, he told the child stories. He used his magic to make characters and move them. His golden eyes were alight as he retold the stories of his past and present. Soon he began moving with the characters, playing his part amongst the stories, becoming more and more animated as the stories progressed.

Too quickly it was time for bed again. She came back and after stuffing them self with meat and fruit and berries, the child felt very tired. Very soon the child fell to sleep and the fairies know what they had to do cried, silently all night.

Years later, no longer a child but now a young adult human, they went back into the forest. They knew that they may not be accepted by their fairy parents once more as they were as a child but the human longed to see them again.

After walking for quite awhile the human knew they were being followed and asked their parents to show themselves. The parents refused saying they should have stayed at the town they were left in. Knowing how to sway their mother's heart but feeling positively evil for doing so they asked if they were hated or not loved. The woman burst out from the trees shouting about how they wanted a better, more human life for them and why they wouldn't accept it while their father looked on sternly.

They told their mother, who had likely not aged a day, of their wish to stay with them and their longing of the forest and after much discussion they were allowed to stay.

The mother wept at the loss of her child. She cursed and she used her magic in an attempt to bring them back. Nearby, the father knowing how futile the attempt would be simply looked at their child aged with wrinkles and grey hair and wept silently at their loss. The child had not known that the parents had sent the child away for the parents' sake as well as the child's.