by Nancy Gaskin
The Feast
The sound of flutes and drums drifted in through the window, the pixies ran to the window and began to cheer as they clambered out of the window and into the crowd. Illona was shaking her head at the rudeness of some folk and Adella was making some final adjustments to the tiara on the girls golden ringlets, Lillianna endured the same treatment from Adella and then she reached out and took the girls hand and they walked out of the door and were immediately surrounded by a festival of colour and sound. As they made their way to the platform many different creatures came up to touch Lilliannas hand in reverence and to also get a peek at the little foundling everybody had been talking about. Lillianna waved to someone and motioned for them to come to her, as Dagmar was trying to look around in all directions at once she spotted a very handsome man fly to Lilliannas side and gently kissing her on the cheek. “Sweetling this is Thandraug … in human they call me Randolph. My darling I would like you to meet Dagmar our foundling” with a gracious bow Thandraug lifted Dagmar’s hand to his lips and gently kissed it, all the while looking closely at the child’s face “Please call me Randolph, my darling wife” glancing cheekily at Lillianna “has this need to be so formal at times.” Then straightening he took Lilliannas hand and placed it on his arm and took the girls hand in his other and led the little party to the platform.
The table last seen empty by Dagmar now nearly groaned under the weight of all the food and decorations, surrounding it were some of the most beautiful chairs the girl had ever seen. As they reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the platform they heard a trumpet fanfare and the whole crowd went wild with cheers as a man and lady wended their way through the crowd from the opposite side. Lillianna smiled and fluttering her wings and flew to meet the pair, whilst Randolph and Dagmar walked up the steps. They arrived in time to see Lillianna curtsey and then kiss the lady and then did the same with the man, all the while busily chatting to both of them, turning around with a wave of her hand Lillianna was indicating Randolph and Dagmar and turning back still speaking to the pair.
Randolph looked pleased to see these two faeries and walked over to them to bow to both and then taking the pretty ladies hand and kissing it lightly, then turning to the faery man bowing and then grasping his hand to shake it. The auburn haired lady was during this exchange looking at the child indicating for Lillianna to bring her over for the pair to meet. Dagmar was feeling a little foolish standing there watching all this formality and hugging, which did not make sense to her. Lillianna flew to the girls side and took her hand with a bright smile “Come sweetling I would like for you to meet some very special people” walking over to where everybody was now standing in silence waiting for them.
“Your Highnesses I would like to introduce to you our foundling Dagmar” turning to the girl “Sweetling may I introduce Her Highness Titania Queen of the Fae and King Oberon King of the Fae” stepping back slightly Lillianna made room for Dagmar to curtsey and meet the royal pair. Titania took the girl by the hand and enfolded her in a loving hug as did Oberon after she turned to him. Not a word was spoken, not just by the royal pair, but by the whole crowd, there was total silence as the introductions were made. Titania turned to Lillianna smiling “You were right when you said she had her looks. Let us go and feast and get to know each other better. Come Dagmar, come and sit by me.” Leading the way Titania took the child by the hand and led them to the table, choosing a seat. Out of nowhere pixies appeared pulling out chairs and unfolding napkins. Oberon seated himself across from the girl and Lillianna sat on the other side of her with Randolph next to his wife. “So sweetling what do you think of our beautiful realm?” asked Oberon smiling down at the girl, “Oh sir it is just lovely here!” responded Dagmar shyly, having never spoken to a king before let alone King of the Fae. Titania rescued the child by clapping her hands and saying, “Uruviel! Bellmaethorion! There you are, about time you found your way to the feast. You come alone?” without waiting for a reply she turns to Dagmar saying “Sweetling, I presume you have met my granddaughter Uruviel in human it is Niamh? This is her husband, Bellmaethorion which in human is Wouter” Smiling she then turned to her granddaughter and Wouter and blew them an affectionate kiss. The food was beginning to arrive on floating platters ranging from berry tartlets wrapped in thin pastry topped with jelly to extravagantly designed fruit platters with exotic looking fruits in colours which the child had not seen before nor give names to. Before the food arrived three large candles were placed on the table in a three pronged candelabra. Titania lit the first, a white candle and said in a solemn voice “From forest and stream; From mountain and field; From the fertile Earth's nourishing yield;” she then lit a large red candle “We now partake of divine energy; may it lend health, strength and love to us.” she lit the last, a black candle “Blessed Be” Plates were placed in front of everybody, by busy pixies that were so small it took three to carry one empty plate, and glasses were filled by industrious faeries, with delicious berry juice. Oberon placed some delicious slices of a very yellow fruit and encouraged the child to try it, cutting into the fruit Dagmar found it to be juicy and after the first small morsel passed her lips she could not even try and find the words to describe the deliciously sweet flesh. The flesh had a smooth texture and the taste was sweet, but not sickeningly so, mixed with a honey dew melon flavor. Noticing how much she was enjoying the fruit Oberon indicated to the faery with that particular fruit tray to place more of the delicious fruit on to the girls’ plate. Titania turned to the child “Well sweetling I see you like our delicious fruits, this one you are eating is as fruit we harvested during spring and summer from the ‘Summer Meadows’ and we call it Summer Meat. I am happy to see you have a healthy appetite. May I ask an impertinent question? How old are you little one? Where do you come from in the human world child? Who takes care of you in your human home?” Dagmar chewed and swallowed hastily not wanting to have the Queen waiting “I am twelve years old this spring and I live with my grandparents in a small village near the big forest, your highness.” answered the girl. Wouter turned to Lillianna “Was that not the same of the village you once visited many cycles ago Lilli?” “I am not sure Wouter; there are many big forests and many villages. The one you are thinking of was near a larger lake with a small village nestled between forest and lake, as I recall” Dagmar blinked in surprise at Lillianna “That sounds like my village! We have the forest behind us and the lake before us” as Dagmar spoke those words the music began in earnest and so did the festivities.
Queen Titania and King Oberon took to their wings and flew to where a space had been cleared for dancing and began with the traditional first dance. Randolph stood and bowed ceremoniously to Dagmar asking her with a wink “Would you like to dance with an old man sweetling?” holding out his hand for her to take. The child blushed and took his hand “I don’t know how to dance Sir.” “For a start I am not a Sir, sweetling, Randolph will do nicely and second, I will show you how to dance so never fear. I promise not to embarrass you!” and with that he took her in his arms and began to dance, but it was not on the ground, they were flying! Dagmar gasped and hung on tight “Relax child I will not let you fall, here stand on my feet and you will be able to enjoy yourself more than having me in a strangle hold” Randolph said with a chuckle. The girl took his advice and placed her feet on top of his and felt a little better as he fluttered his wings and danced through the air in intricate patterns. Many other faery couples joined them and the air was filled with music, murmured conversation, laughter and wing flutters, Lillianna joined the faery dance with Wouter whilst Niamh sat and watched the beautiful display from below clapping her hands in time. When the music finished, Randolph returned the girl, with flushed cheeks and breathless with the exhilaration of having flown, to the platform setting her down near her seat. Still smiling he assisted her into her seat and then took his own.
As the evening wore on and the wild dancing exhaust
ed the revelers, small groups broke into song, some merry yet others hauntingly beautiful. Dagmar sat and listened, resting her head on the back of the chair focusing on the closest group who were singing a merry song in another language which sounded strange yet familiar to the girl. Concentrating on the words the girl began to feel sleepy, with a jerk she sat up. Sensing that something was bothering the child Lillianna leant over and asked “Are you alright sweetling? You look as if you are about to take flight.”, “I was just thinking that it must be late and I had better get back home. Not being ungrateful but I don’t want to have my grandparents worry about me “said Dagmar with a sigh. Lillianna smiled “Ah sweetling I am sorry but they curtain is at its strongest at this moment and we cannot return you. I am certain that your Oma and Opa will know that as long as they look after your shadow you will return to them, because you have fae blood in you I suspect so do they and thus they would know what to do” Feeling a little reassured the girl relaxed and began to listen to the singing again, but this time the words began to make a little sense. They were about a faery and her husband ran away to protect her unborn, or so it sounded, they never returned but news reached the kingdom that the faery died and the father returned to his own people. It was a sad song and it made the girl sad, small tears escaped her closed eye lids and slid like small diamonds down her cheeks, noticing this was Niamh who went to comfort the child “Hush sweetling, all is well. What is making you so sad you cry?” A little embarrassed Dagmar explained “It was the song Niamh, I don’t know how but as I focused on the song I began to understand the words. Was it about a faery who ran away and had a baby and she died and the father went away? That is what I understood.” A little surprised by this Niamh nodded “Yes it is a sad song and yes you understood the words, it is a legend of long ago. Maybe after you have had some rest you may wish to listen to some legends told by true story tellers?” Looking pleased Dagmar nodded and yawned at the same time causing a laugh to bubble out of Niamh, taking her by the hand the faery flew them to another section of the palace, through several archways stopping in a room filled with gentle star light and a massive bed. Gently helping the girl into bed, Niamh pulled back the silk sheet and encouraged her to rest her head on the pillow arranging her hair around her face, pulling up the sheet to her shoulders the faery kisses the girls cheeks, forehead, eyelids and lastly the lips, before stepping back and watching the sleeping child “Blessed Be little one, may sweet dreams be yours” and flew quietly out of the room.