Beary Tales

by Jennifer Malone Wright

  As Leilanni prepared to respond, Katya gasped. Her face ghostly white, she stared into the mirror.

  Nita rushed to her side, “What is it, Kat? What do you see?”

  Katya’s fingers turned white as she clutched the armrests of her chair. “It’s Goldalynn.”

  “Is she coming?” Nita asked.

  A loud crash like someone had thrown a chair through the large plate glass window came from the lobby.

  Katya whimpered as her eyes locked on her friend. “She’s already here.”

  “Butchy!” Nita screamed as she spun towards the door. “Get the men to safety, she’s here!”

  Paul growled, shoving Leilanni behind him. “Don’t you dare, Butchy. You’re going to need all of us for this battle.”

  Butchy had no time to respond as Goldalynn shot another blast of magic into the beaded curtain that sent beads flying like little missiles in every possible direction.

  Completely taken off guard, Pricilla rushed toward Goldalynn saying, “I’m calling the law. What do you think you’re doing?”

  Goldalynn raised her hand and Pricilla floated into the air. Laughing manically, the witch twisted her hand sharply and Pricilla flipped upside down with her arms to her side.

  The other women in the salon screamed and raced to the door.

  “Oh, hell nah!” Shaniqua exclaimed. “I did not sign on for this exorcist bullshit. Come on, Regina. We out!”

  Regina grabbed a pair of scissors from her workstation and holding them in front of her like a knife, slipped to the side of the crazed witch and ran out the door.

  Unlike Regina, Shaniqua almost sauntered out. When she reached the open door, she turned and hollered, “It’s straight, Miss Pricilla. Don’t you fret none. I’ma call my boys. They fixin’ to be all up in here in a bit. Gonna bust a cap in that grudge-lookin, evil-ass motherfuckah.”

  Goldalynn’s lips pulled to the side in a wicked grin. “You do that, little girl. They can all die today.” With that she flicked her wrist and sent the sofa flying at the entry door.

  Shaniqua ducked and ran down the sidewalk screaming for somebody named Ramon.

  Goldalynn made another quick motion with her hand and Pricilla’s body hit the wall with a thud. “Now where were we, dears? Oh yes, you have something I need and you’re going to give it to me.”

  Leilanni slipped around Paul, shoving her arms out from her sides. Every pair of scissors in the salon rose into the air. “You want to cut some hair, bitch? How about we cut some of yours?”

  Simultaneously, Goldalynn’s hand shot out in front of her shooting a blast of dark magic into Leilanni just as the blonde sent hundreds of sharp scissors flying at the witch.

  The blast caught Leilanni in the chest, blowing her backwards into Paul and knocking him off balance.

  Goldalynn waved her left hand, deflecting the onslaught of cutting implements to the side, dodging them completely. But in her haste, missed the flash from Butchy’s wand. The blue light caught her in the shoulder and slammed her into the mirror of the first workstation. Shards of glass exploded onto the floor.

  Paul hovered over Leilanni. “You okay?”

  She nodded and grabbed his offered hand, allowing him to pull her up. Back on her feet again, Leilanni let out a bloodcurdling war cry and clenched her fists. All around mirrors crashed and shattered, leaving bits of jagged glass covering nearly every inch of the floor. “Butchy, get them out!” Leilanni ordered as she raised the shards of glass from the floor.

  Goldalynn’s eyes darted between the two, trying to figure out which posed the most danger. Butchy with his wand and fairy magic, or Leilanni with the millions of pieces of glass pointed at her.

  “You’ll never win this. You both know you can’t beat me,” she taunted.

  Butchy’s jaw jutted forward in defiance. His eyes narrowed with determination and his right hand tightened around the wand.

  That was what she needed to see. The fairy was the biggest danger after all. Without warning, she sent a massive blast of dark magic towards Butchy.

  Leilanni seized the moment and sent the jagged pieces of mirror into the witch.

  Both Butchy and Goldalynn screeched in pain as they hit the ground.

  Other than the heavy breathing of the group and Goldalynn’s whimpering, the room grew silent.

  Butchy groaned, rolled to his side, and slowly made his way to his feet.

  All eyes in the room stared at Goldalynn lying on the floor with glass sticking out of her like a pincushion.

  Leilanni took a step towards the witch.

  “No, Lee Lee, I’ll do it,” Butchy said softly.

  Wand raised and ready, his footsteps crunched broken glass as he walked towards her.

  “Enough, dear heart,” the Queen’s voice echoed.

  “What was that?” Nita asked.

  “Who is it?” Katya joined in.

  A golden light, pure and blinding as a thousand suns, filled the room. With it came the scent of wildflowers in full bloom on a clear summer’s morning.

  Everyone covered their eyes to protect them from the blinding rays, and when the light receded, the fairy Queen stood before them in all her glory. Her gown wafted around her like fluffy blue clouds. The diamonds in her crown sparkled like the evening stars.

  Her eyes moved from Goldalynn’s wounded body, to the group around her. She shook her head sadly, saying, “This is not the place for what must come.”

  Confused, the group watched her in wonder as the room went dark.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Only seconds ago, the small group had been in Rupunzel’s Hair Emporium. Now, suddenly they were in the very graveyard where the first spell had taken place. The place where magic had collided and turned the girls into humans. The place where this twisted tale began.

  Goldalynn lay on the moist earth of the graveyard, holding fast to her chest wound. The girls stood above her in a semi-circle, their men at their sides, and their crazy Fairy Godfather across from them ready to protect them if need be.

  The Queen of the fairies was there as well, standing across from the group of misfits. She appeared to stand taller than any of them and although it was pitch dark outside, the delicate woman was bathed in glowing magical light. The illumination radiated from her so brightly, Goldalynn clearly saw her surroundings.

  She glanced around until her eyes locked on William’s grave. It was well cared for, even though she hadn’t been back to visit his grave for quite some time. She had been so busy dealing with the bears she hadn’t taken time to make the short trip.

  Well, she was here now. They probably intended to bury her secretly so that no one would know she was gone.

  She knew her wounds were bad. Blood seeped from under her fingers where she tried to hold it in. The sticky fluid poured from her injuries far faster than she would have liked. When she took a breath, her lungs seemed to gurgle and gasp as they tried to fill with air. But it was the drops that worked their way over her lips and slid down her chin that confirmed it. When blood comes from your mouth, you are dying, that much she knew.

  “What in the hell? How did we get here?” Leilanni demanded, stepping forward only one pace. Paul reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her back to him.

  “Don’t go any closer to the witch,” his voice was soft, but firm.

  “Have no fear.” The Queen tilted her head toward Leilanni as she spoke. “I have brought you all here for a reason, which shall be explained. As of this moment, the fight is over. The witch, Goldalynn, will not live.”

  She is going to kill me, Goldalynn thought. Who would have thought my demise would be executed by a fairy queen.

  The Queen looked down to where Goldalynn laid, the jewels of her crown glittering in the light of their own illumination. “You are dying, child, you will not survive the night. The wound is too great and healing would not help you now.”

  “Let’s leave her then.” Leilanni boldly suggested to the queen. “Why bring us all here?”<
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  The Queen’s eyes flicked back over to the blonde woman, holding fast to her mate’s hand. “This,” the queen spread her arms wide. “Is where it all began, and is yet where it shall end.”

  Nita calmly stepped forward and dipped into a tiny courtesy. “Your Majesty, what of the curse … and the breaking of it? If Goldalynn dies, we shall never be able to return to our bear forms.”

  “I shall address that momentarily. Right now, our priority is Goldalynn, she has only minutes before death claims her.”

  Goldalynn felt waves of pain wash over her, she wanted to cry out, but she held it in. Why would this fairy Queen care what happened to her? The blonde was right, they should leave her here to die beside her William’s grave.

  “Goldalynn.” The Queen turned back to her once again. “Love is the most powerful magic there is. You have felt this incredible thing, for what you and your William had was real. When you lost him, a part of you was lost as well. William added balance to your life, a balance which dissolved when he was no longer with you, causing you to have a brush with insanity.

  You have not been yourself these last months. The true Goldalynn with the caring and loving heart would have never harmed another for her own gain.”

  This was true, but Goldalynn could not make the words, she only nodded her head once as tears escaped the corners of her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

  “I am going to give you a gift, instead of punishment. It is not my place to judge you, nor to order your death. I do this, not because I care about you, it is love I care about. When I see true love, I can’t help but want it to prevail.”

  “I … don’t understand,” Goldalynn managed to breathe out. Her voice barely a whisper, as her body was weakening by the second.

  “The truth of the matter is this. When you and William wed, he gave you a band of melded fairy gold and you slid the same onto his own finger. When he was killed, death did not claim him as it claims most humans. The rings linked his spirit to the fairy realm and it is there that he now resides.”

  “He lives?” Goldalynn could not believe her ears were hearing this.

  “His spirit lives. He shall never be able to move about in the human world, but in our realm, he can reside as long as he chooses. You, shall have the same choice, for you wear the ring.” The Queen tilted her head again, question twinkling in her eyes. “Would you like to cross into our realm and be with William … or would you like to die a human death?”

  Goldalynn lifted her hand just a bit, so that she could see the ring. “I…” Confusion and pain muddled her mind so much she thought maybe she was hallucinating. It couldn’t be far off, since her insanity had caused her to hear William talking to her.

  “Goldalynn, is this what you choose? You must make haste with your choice, your time is short now.”

  There was no choice. It was William. “Yes.” A strangled cry escaped her throat. “I choose William.”

  “So be it.” The Queen lifted her arms and spread them wide. A flash of golden light burst forth near William’s grave. “William, come and retrieve your love from the human world.”

  A collective gasp could be heard from those who watched the scene unfold. The girls, their mates and Butchy, were all stunned by the sudden appearance of the handsome blond man who stepped through the glittering golden light, and into the graveyard.

  “Goldie.”

  Shock resonated throughout Goldalynn’s body. How could this be? There he was. Her William, just as solid and real as he ever was. He took another two strides and then knelt down by her side. “I told you not to give up on me, Goldie.”

  “William. Is it really you?”

  “Yes, love, it’s me.” He reached down and drew up her hand, clutching it between both of his. “I’ve come to get you.”

  Goldalynn smiled weakly, “Come to take me to the fairy realm, have you?”

  “Why, Goldie, don’t you remember, fairies don’t exist.”

  If she could’ve mustered the strength, she would have laughed a good one with him. She clearly remembered telling him that when he showed her the ring. “I … was wrong,” she choked out instead.

  The queen stepped up beside Goldalynn and William. “The time has come. You must take her before she is gone completely.”

  William glanced up at the queen and gave a quick nod. “Come with me now and we shall live happy ever after.”

  “But … I’ve done so … much.” She threw a glance to the girls. “I … I need to … apologize.” She accentuated her last sentence with a horrendous wheeze and more blood bubbled up between her lips.

  The queen nodded. “They have heard you. Now, go with William.”

  For a moment, Goldalynn appeared to struggle with the idea of how she was supposed to go with William. Did she get up and walk? Was her spirit supposed to leave her body? How exactly was this done?

  Luckily, the queen intervened, “Goldalynn, grasp both of William’s hands and simply let him lead you.”

  William reached out, extending both his hands out for her. Feeling as if her arms were made of lead, she slowly reached up to meet him. When their fingertips connected, a burst of golden light sparked from the touch. Goldalynn’s eyes grew wide, but William ignored it and entwined their fingers together.

  “It’s time now.” He pulled her up in one swift movement and another collective gasp was heard from the bystanders as Goldalynn’s spirit was drawn from the shell of her body. For a moment, the spirit Goldalynn shimmered with transparency, as if struggling to stay solid.

  The moment her spirit became full and complete, her body slumped unceremoniously against the ground.

  William then reached down and lifted her into his arms. “You and me forever,” he whispered into her ear.

  Goldalynn lay limply within the cradle of her love’s arms, completely at peace and unworried about what would follow. William turned to the girls and tilted his head in greeting, but also farewell, “My apologies for your troubles.”

  The small group, no matter how angry, hurt and full of vengeance they were, appeared far too awed by what was happening to properly answer. However, Butchy did manage a nod in return. William then turned to the Queen, “Thank you … for everything.”

  The Queen rewarded him with a tight smile. “Go on now, before it’s too late.”

  And then, William faced the brilliant golden light from which he had appeared. The group could only see his back, which appeared a shadow compared to the bright illumination. Goldalynn’s long, dark tresses flowed down over William’s arm and swayed gently in the breeze. Slowly, carefully, he carried his love into the portal to the fairy realm, where they would live happily for as long as they chose to do so.

  So ends the tale of Goldalynn and William, a tale of love and hatred, a tale of how love can be what makes you whole … can be what makes life worth living. However, it is also a tale of how that same love can be your undoing.

  Now what of the girls, I’m sure your thinking.

  And you would be correct, for the tale would not be complete without finding out how our girls fared in the end, now would it?

  After Goldalynn and William left for the fairy realm, the Queen smiled, genuinely happy for them and how their story ended.

  The shimmering golden light disappeared and the Queen finally turned to Butchy, the girls and their men. “Now, I suppose we have a few things to discuss, don’t we?”

  “Damn right we do,” Leilanni scoffed, “Like how are we supposed to return to our true forms now that the witch is dead.”

  “Leilanni!” Butchy scolded, clearly appalled at how Leilanni had spoken to the Queen.

  The Queen lifted a hand, “That’s quite all right, Bartholomew. She has a right to question. Their lives have been turned upside down these last few days.” Her crystal blue eyes focused on the blonde woman before her. “Now tell me, Leilanni, the bold and powerful, do you even want to go back to your true form now that the soul bond has brought you true love?”

 
Taken off guard, Leilanni stepped backward a pace and Paul wrapped his arms around her waist. She had been so concentrated on finding the cure, protecting themselves from Goldalynn and adjusting to her human form, that she hadn’t considered the fact that if she returned to her bear form, Paul would be lost to her.

  “What about you?” the Queen continued, “Nita, who brings balance and calm into our world. Now that you and Mato have found each other, is it your wish to return to your animal form?”

  After a short pause, the Queen finally turned to Katya, “And Katya, the sensitive and joyous, you have love, a soul mate. Would you leave him forever to become a bear again?”

  Before the girls could answer, Butchy spoke up. “With all due respect, your highness. You told me that the girls would be returned to their bear forms when they all found true love.”

  The queen nodded, acknowledging his statement. “Yes, I did tell you that, but I lied.”

  “Lied!” Butchy gawked at his queen. “But, why?”

  She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. “I told you, I’m a huge fan of true love.”

  Butchy, closed his eyes and shook his head as if that would help the conversation make more sense. “Can you please explain?”

  “Yes,” Leilanni demanded. “Explain!” Nita, Katya and the men all nodded their heads in agreement.

  “All right, all right.” She reached up and adjusted her crown and then began to speak. “It wasn’t a curse which turned you all into humans. It was a combination of fairy magic. The spells did collide, but the fairy magic in Goldalynn’s ring overrode the dark magic she was trying to cast. So, in that case, Goldalynn wouldn’t have been able to reverse the spell even if she’d wanted to. This particular mix of spells is permanent.”

  Chris sensed Katya was upset and drew her close to his side. “You … you, lied about us being able change back? We have to stay like this forever?”

  “But like I asked you before, do you really want to go back to being a bear?” The Queen repeated her previous question.

  Katya straightened her shoulders, “I know I want to stay human and be with Chris. But, there are times I want my true form.”