by A V Awenna
***
Tefyn was thinking of the first time he had met Blackbird, and Pefryn too.
The fairies had travelled to Annwn seeking justice for Pefryn’s parents. She and her cousin – technically third cousin, but family was family where they came from – had always looked after each other. Her charm and intelligence complemented his courage and directness, and they were known as a formidable team in their home valley. Blackbird had gone to sort out their lodgings whilst Pefryn had gone to the palace to lodge their suit. She had joined a long line of people, not realising she was entering herself as a contestant to win Tefyn’s hand in marriage rather than as a petitioner for justice.
She hadn’t been the only fairy in that queue, but all the others had been sent by elfish owners who couldn’t be bothered to wait in line themselves. Tefyn had insisted that anyone should be able to apply, provided they weren’t already married, and had insisted there was at least one fairy in the final selection. The conservative elves had allowed that through, knowing none of Annwn’s fairies would be bold enough to apply. But Pefryn wasn’t from Annwn, and the unfamiliar name had been entered before anyone could put pressure on her not to bother. In fact, as so many of the elves had brought fairy servants with them, it was only when the tiny winged woman stood up as her name was called and approached the elves judging the applicants that people realised what was happening.
Her answers to the initial round of questions were confused and confusing. It didn’t take long for Pefryn and Tefyn to realise they were talking at cross-purposes, but it was long enough for them to take a liking to each other.
Despite their differences, their wit and wisdom recognised its match in each other. He was tall and strong, but gentle and thoughtful; she was tiny, but feisty and diplomatic in equal measures. It wasn’t long before Tefyn realised this was the woman he wanted by his side. And any worries about settling down to married life evaporated when he met the wide-eyed cousin, open minded, true hearted, loyal to those who deserved it, and deadly to any who crossed him. Tefyn didn’t question that Blackbird was part of his new family. He loved the two fairies more than anyone else in his world, and it was the fear of losing both of them that had overwhelmed his reason and blinded him to Hafren’s deceit. He was trying to explain this to Blackbird now.
‘Do you understand?’ Tefyn asked. ‘It wasn’t just that I thought I was losing Pefryn, but that I was losing both of you.’
‘But we’re cousins!’ Blackbird exclaimed.
‘Third cousins,’ Tefyn stated. ‘Even first cousin pairings are permitted, if not encouraged. And Hafren is so clever – he manipulated the situation so it looked that you’d been sharing my bed, and when you took flight, it seemed an admission of guilt.’
‘I just wanted to get out of your way,’ Blackbird said. ‘Talk to you from somewhere you couldn’t reach me.’
‘I know that now,’ Tefyn replied. ‘And I’m sorry, so sorry for what happened. I almost killed you – I wanted to kill you; I was so far beyond reason. You were careless. You knew you had enemies, and there were others who doubted my wisdom in leaving you to chaperone Pefryn. The two of you had the highest Place of any fairies in Annwn.’
‘Still lower than any elf,’ Blackbird said.
‘Granted,’ Tefyn replied, ‘but it was still too much for some. Even nice people can have prejudices. There are many who still think fairies can’t handle responsibility. I gave you and Pefryn responsibility but as soon as I was out of sight you ran about playing games like children.’
‘That’s so untrue. We carried out our duties, as well as any elves. But we got them done quicker, because we just got on with things instead of wasting time on ceremony. That’s why we had so much free time,’ Blackbird said. ‘We weren’t hurting anybody, and Annwn ran as well as it ever did – better in fact, for the fairies – they knew they could approach us and we’d hear them fairly.’
‘It was too much for some,’ Tefyn said. ‘You ignored and broke so many rules – subtle rules, incomprehensible to you maybe, but important to the higher placed elves.’
‘What rules?’ Blackbird said. ‘No-one minded – no-one important to us, anyway. The only ones who complained were the ones who can’t abide fairies whatever we do.’
‘But that’s the point,’ Tefyn said. ‘They were looking for reasons to show you couldn’t hold your place, and they didn’t have to look too hard. You ignored too many elfish customs.’
‘And what about fairy custom?’ Blackbird said. ‘Of sharing, and trusting, and accepting others for what they do, not who they are. Of making judgements according to fairness, not the height of the Place or the size of the bribe. Allowing people to explore their true nature, not expecting everyone to be ‘sweet’ or ‘grand’ the whole time.’
‘Change takes time,’ Tefyn said. ‘When I was a young man, most elves barely recognised that fairies were people. I couldn’t have taken Pefryn as a partner in those days. Yet now many would consider allowing fairies to vote or sit in council. I was on the verge of proposing it, but I couldn’t now. Your recklessness undid years of hard work.’
‘Ach, stupid elfish nonsense,’ Blackbird snapped. ‘I did nothing wrong, and look how I’ve suffered. Look at what I’ve lost. My wings; my magic; my Place. I worked so hard for Annwn; now I don’t even have the right to enter the gates.’
‘That will change soon, I promise, for you and Pefryn. There’s something up here I want to show you,’ Tefyn said. ‘It may help us heal one another – or at least, help us decide whether it‘s possible for you to respond to magic.’
‘And what about my wings? What happened to them?’ Blackbird asked.
‘Why do you ask? They were damaged beyond repair.’ Tefyn replied.
‘Because Terra has healers who can do wonderful things,’ Blackbird said. ‘They can reattach severed limbs so they are good as new. They use all sorts of materials to replace parts that were broken. Maybe they can heal me.’
Tefyn spoke gently. ‘I’m sorry, my friend. After you were exiled Hafren wanted to throw your wings on the city midden, with all the other refuse. But I took them and locked them into a cold store to keep them fresh. I didn’t know what to do with them, but they were yours, no-one else’s, and it seemed it was up to you to decide their fate. But when I went to check up on them, I opened the door, and the room was full of feathers. Someone had plucked each one, and left them loose about the place.’ He sighed. ‘I gathered them up; now they are in a sack beneath my bed. Maybe you can do something with them.’
Blackbird was quiet, head bowed. Tefyn didn’t know what to say, so let him be for a while. Eventually the fairy raised his head and sighed.
‘Come with me.’ Tefyn said. It was an invitation more than an order. ‘The sun will soon rise, and I have something wonderful to show you.’
Tefyn had been watching the horizon, where the gold of the sun was cresting the ridge ahead of them. Already the colours of the world were changing. The valley before them slumbered in blue-grey shadows, but crimson sunlight was glowing on the snow-topped mountain behind them. He stood up and headed for the rock cleft where the stream had its source. Blackbird took a long look over the landscape before following.
Using the stepping stones he’d placed there years before, Tefyn led them inside. Even tiny Blackbird had to duck to make his way to the back of the cave, where the spring gushed hot and steaming out of the rock. The quiet sounds of the mountain were silenced in here, and the steamy air was filled with the gurgling of the water. There was little light inside, so Tefyn felt his way to the back of the cave, memory his guide. Blackbird’s fairy vision saw the interior in sharp greyscale. He could see clearly the rock seat that Tefyn was groping towards, the hole where the hot spring bubbled forth, and something else too. He wondered if Tefyn knew about it.
But as the rising sun cleared the mountains it shone directly into the cave, and Tefyn, his night-blindness
gone, gestured at the same spot. ‘See,’ he said, ‘sun crystals. I discovered these when I was a young man – but they’re stuck fast in the rock face. See how charged with power they are! Put your hand here.’
He gestured towards the largest crystal in the vein – a flawless piece longer than an elf’s hand. After a little experimentation, Tefyn managed to find the flowlines in the crystal, and guide the stored magic into Blackbird. The fairy grimaced.
‘Go slowly,’ Blackbird gasped. ‘It’s like I’ve rusted over. Oh, but it’s good; pain and joy together.’ His voice was hoarse, and sweat ran down his face.
‘Should I stop?’ Tefyn asked. ‘I can feel it flowing into you but there’s so much resistance.’
‘No, it’s wonderful, like rain after a long drought. Oh, this is living!’ Blackbird said.
‘I’ve stopped guiding it, but it’s still flowing. It’s just you and the crystal now. Are you healing?’ Tefyn asked.
Blackbird didn’t reply, but reached forwards with his free hand and wrapped his fingers around Tefyn’s burnt and damaged ones, massaging them gently. ‘That stings!’ Tefyn complained, but he held on. Soon not only were his fingers flexing with Blackbird’s, but the dull, grey flesh began to blush pink. It was draining for both of them, and as the sun moved beyond the cave opening, the stored magic began to fade. Tefyn tried, but failed, to move his fingers without aid. Frustrated, he snatched his hands from Blackbird’s grasp.
Exhausted, Blackbird sagged against the cave wall beside Tefyn. He wiped tears of exhaustion from his eyes, then took Tefyn’s damaged hand in both of his and kissed it. Another tear fell onto the back of Tefyn’s hand. Tefyn murmured in surprise, then withdrew his hand and held it up in the gloom.
‘I know not what strange magic you worked then, my friend,’ Tefyn said. ‘But that gesture made all the difference. It will need lots of treatment, but this will heal.’
They sat for a few moments recovering from their exertion, watching the last of the direct sunlight slide along the cave wall. Blackbird’s feet were in the warm water, and his trouser hems were getting soaked, but he was too happy to care. He had begun to heal Tefyn, and surely if Tefyn was no longer ‘damaged’ that removed one of Hafren’s threats. But then he remembered Demali, and realised the elf would soon be returning from Terra. He should be with Demi when the elf returned. Tefyn seemed to be thinking the same thing.
‘We should leave now,’ Tefyn said. ‘The gates to the city will be opening soon, and it won’t be long until your Little Friend Walks the Walk.’
While Tefyn fumbled his way back into daylight, Blackbird’s fairy vision spotted something in the stream – a piece of the sun crystal. Taking it into his palm, he followed Tefyn outside.
Blackbird sneaked a look at his new crystal once he emerged into the sunlight. It was a small piece, but as pure and flawless as the one he and Tefyn had just used. He wondered how long it had lain in the water, and whether that had weakened or strengthened its powers. As he turned it to inspect it, it flashed rainbows across his skin. If nothing else, it was pretty.
He tucked it into the waistband of his trousers and followed Tefyn, across the ledge and the rocky slope, through the meadow, then along the subtle path that led towards Annwn.