A Fairy Story, James Gerard [a court of thorns and roses ebook free txt] 📗

where the sun set and sobbed, “There…I must go there: For something is horribly, horribly wrong.”

 With that said Foster flew over to where the bag of pixie dust was stashed and took it in his arms. Looking to the land of the setting sun, he hovered over the new garden creation.  And with a heart aching so bad he did not know if he had the strength to handle whatever is he would find.

 But like Lilly, he could only hope that somewhere along the way a sign from the Father would be given. And when that sign would be seen or heard or felt, he knew the given joy of such would overcome any barrier he might face: even the barrier of a hurting heart. 

Foster Finds his Way

 Foster soared through the crystal blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds.

 Weeping bitterly he paid no attention to the mellow meadows below with carpets of fresh stalks of green grass.

 He took no notice of the wildflowers with yellow and red and blue and purple petals.

 Crystal clear lakes with water so clean and fresh and with fish having fun flopping about the slick surfaces did nothing to ease the sadness.

 Rivers roaring through the forests of strong and mighty pine and oak and cedar and elm and fruit trees of all kinds could not soothe his sorrow.

 Red Robbins and blue jays and yellow canaries and white doves and blackbirds flying up to him with happiness in their hearts did nothing to lift up his heart.

 Cottontail rabbits and their white and fluffy baby bunnies along with mice and their wispy whiskers waving could not take away his wallowing.

 Even the buzzing bees and lovely lady bugs and wet wiggly worms so happy to see him could do nothing to make Foster feel any better.

 And it was not that he did not care about all the beautiful flowers and trees and lakes and rivers and his forest friends showing him such love by wanting to cure his aching heart, no: For he simply wondered if there were any cure for the increasing pain in his humble heart at all.

 But it was not just the doubt over whether his aching heart could ever be cured, but the fear of stopping.

 Foster believed that if he took the time to greet every one of his forest friends he would not make it in time to help his fairy friend failing to stay alive.

 Foster just zoomed ahead intent on finding his fairy friend.   He looked below hoping to catch a glimpse of the spot where the pain and hurt was coming from.

 His aching heart skipped a beat as a village was spotted.  And although he felt that at one time a very terrible, terrible event happened at the village, all that was there now was hope and happiness—sadness was felt not at all.

 Thoughts urged to pass by in peace.  A voice spoke softly in the mind that the only help that was needed was help in returning the fairy friends to the land where they once lived.  But he did not understand completely the message in the mind.  And while he may end up regretting what he was about to do, Foster decided to see what the voice was trying to tell him. 

 As he dove towards the village the sense of happiness increased.  Somewhere amidst the strong and mighty trees filled with houses reaching high up into the sky on their sturdy branches, amidst all sorts of furry little creatures, Foster knew there was a fairy friend to be found.

 “There,” cried Foster as the flailing arms of a fairy friend was spotted.

 “Finally,” the fairy friend shouted even before Foster could land.  “Finally everyone is returning.”

 “Who are you?” Foster asked while still weeping.

 “My name is Loxie.”  Loxie walked up to Foster hovering just above the ground.  “What is wrong?  Why do you cry?  Where are all our fairy friends?”

 “One of our fairy friends is dying,” sobbed Foster.  “I must find…I have to find her.”

 Without another word Foster fluttered high up into the sky and flew away.

 Within seconds a host of hungry hawks came diving down and began nipping at his heels.  But with a burst of energy Foster shot forward and left the hawks far behind.

 A sense of sadness came shooting into his heart.

 There, he could feel, in those cliffs is…is a sad fairy friend but I am not sure if it is she that is dying.

 A thought to fly by the fairy friend that was stranded was considered but a voice softly spoke in the mind telling him that help is needed there.

 Foster shot yet faster forward and came soaring close to the cliffs.

 As he approached the arms of a fairy friend were frantically flailing.

 “I cannot believe it,” the fairy friend cried as Foster hovered just beyond the cliff.  “After all these many, many seasons I am rescued.”

 Foster cried, “She is not here.”

 Foster pressed his hands hard against his aching heart and wept bitterly.

 All of a sudden he was lost.  The pain was too intense.  He could no longer think and began to rise up in the sky.

 The fairy friend called out.  “Wait!  Please do not leave me here alone.”

 “Somewhere a fairy friend is dying but I do not know where.  I must go and find her before it is too late.”

 “Please, my name is Leena.  I am a wind fairy.  I have been so alone since that very horrible, horrible day.  Will you please take me home?”

 A voice softly whispered in his mind.  “How can you save a fairy friend for which you do not know and by which you do not know the direction to find her?”

 “I do not know,” Foster cried.

 “Here, here right now before you my child is also my child.  She is your fairy friend, your fairy sister.  She needs your help Foster.  Will you abandon her for the fairy friend that you do not know?”

 “What do you want me to do?” Foster sobbed.

 “I have given you the power to choose my child—choose.”

 Foster looked up to the crystal blue sky and knew the choice he was to make.  He landed on the edge of the crag and brought forth the bag of yellow pixie dust.

 Leena walked up to him.  She fell into his arms softly sobbing.

The loneliness and pain and hurt she endured for what may have been thousands and thousands of seasons was felt.

 As Leena continued to cry Foster reached into the bag and sprinkled her wings with a handful of pixie dust.

 Leena gasped and stepped back.

 In a matter of seconds Foster watched as she struggled to spread her wings.  Then she smiled as they fluttered furiously.  She hovered above the ground then shot up into the crystal blue sky.

 “Oh no,” Foster suddenly wailed.  “It is too late.”

 Leena came hovering before him.  “What do you mean?”

 “She has died,” cried Foster.

 “Who has died?” sobbed Leena.

 “Our fairy friend has died.  She has hurt for so very, very long.”

 “Oh no!” Leena cried.  “You must be talking about Solange.”

 “Yes, wailed Foster, “that is her.”

 Leena began to weep bitterly: For the loss of her fairy friend was too much for her heart to handle.

 “I failed you my Father.  Now I know you brought me into this world as a finder fairy and I have failed.”

 “I know where she is,” Leena cried.  “I can take you to her.”

 Foster and Leena fell into each other arms.  Neither knew what to do: For it was the first time either had experienced the death of a fairy friend.

Funeral for a Fairy

 Foster drifted along just behind Leena as they feebly floated towards an oak tree.  Just the very thought of finding their fairy friend Solange dead in the oak tree weighed heavy on Foster’s mind and heart.

 Before they left Leena’s aerie sanctuary that was the crag in the cliff, Leena told Foster how Solange found safety in the oak tree.

 Leena began by telling him that the rescue of Solange was necessary because of what the new human king had done on that very horrible, horrible day—the day the fairy kingdom was destroyed.

 She told Foster of the courageous act of the animal fairy Cambria and how she gave up the chance to escape on her own by freezing her flight and crying out to one of her animal friends.  Cambria’s animal friend, a doting dove, bravely came diving just under the falling net.  Although the selfless act did not stop the net from falling, the bird’s back did slow the fall just enough for Leena to swoop in and fly Solange to freedom.

 Leena also told Foster that the last time she saw Solange is when she brought to safety another fairy friend, the tinker Loxie.  But with the desire to save other fairy friends she instinctively flew back to the chaos.

 While tears came flowing out of her eyes and the eyes of Foster, Leena tried to reassure Foster that she intended to come back with as many fairy friends as she could, but she had to flee the fierce and hungry hawks that suddenly came diving towards her.

 With a steady stream of tears she told Foster that it was not her intention to leave Solange and Loxie alone.

 And while Foster could understand, did not blame Leena or Loxie for the lonely and miserable life Solange led nor her lonely and terrible death, the story did nothing to heal the hurt in his heart.

 As Leena stopped and hovered over a mellow meadow filled with yellow and purple and blue and red wildflowers, Foster saw confusion in Leena’s gaping mouth and moving eyes.

 Foster believed it was as if Leena was having trouble locating the tree.  But he did not say anything—he knew Leena’s heart was also aching from the death of their fairy friend.

 Foster just stayed behind Leena as they both hovered hopelessly high in the sky.  Then she quickly leaned to the right and feebly floated over a patch of ground.

 “That is our fairy kingdom,” Leena said with surprise in her voice.  “I do not understand; it had been destroyed.”  She looked to Foster, “Did you rebuild the village?”

 “No,” answered Foster.  “Our fairy friend Loxie rebuilt the village.”

 “Loxie?  Loxie our tinker fairy friend?  But I left him—”

 “No Leena; he left the tree.  I do not know why but like you he left the tree.”

 Leena again looked to Foster.  With teardrops dripping down the cheeks she said, “Except for our fairy village I do not recognize the world below; for thousands of seasons have passed.”

 Foster unexpectedly felt something tug at his heart.  “Do not worry about it Leena.  I