The Last Fairy Tale

by Lowell, E. S.

  “Then off we go!” Locked turned in the opposite direction and started walking, Olivia trailing behind. There was no path on the forest floor, but Locke seemed to know exactly where he was going. Olivia turned her head this way and that, taking in her surroundings. She couldn’t believe the sheer beauty of the place. The way the sun shone through the trees as it sunk into the horizon was enough to keep her happy for the rest of her life. She was in a daze, entranced by what was happening around her.

  A gust of wind suddenly blew through the trees, and the leaves waved down at her. She looked up and waved back. It felt a bit strange, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Another gust of wind blew, and this time, Olivia closed her eyes and listened. She thought that she could hear music. She was then reminded of the song that she had heard before she met Locke. She glanced at him and saw that he had what looked like a violin slung across his back.

  “Was that you playing the song back there?” she asked.

  Locke glanced back at her and quickly returned facing forward, embarrased. After a few moments, he said, “Yeah. It sounded terrible, didn’t it?”

  “No, not at all!” she exclaimed, shaking her head. “It was the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. Did you compose it yourself?”

  “Yep,” replied Locke. The compliment seemed to wash away his embarrassment, and he held his head a little higher. “I actually composed it as you rested. It’s a song that sort of mixes how I felt when I first saw you and the time of day it was.”

  “It was lovely,” said Olivia. “Can you play it again?”

  “I’d be happy to,” said Locke, looking toward the sun, “but we need to pick up the pace and get to my hut. It’ll be dark soon.”

  Olivia noticed that the sun had almost disappeared behind the trees. The forest was growing darker by the minute, so she heeded Locke’s advice and began walking faster. They walked for a short while longer until Locke slowed. “We’re here!”

  They had come to a small hut built between two trees that dwarfed the hut. It was made entirely of intricately carved wood, as if its builder spent years handcrafting each curve and corner. Open windows flanked a small door in the center of the hut.

  Locke walked over to the door and opened it. He looked back at Olivia, who was still examining the hut, her mouth hanging slightly open. “Well, come in! I’ll make us some supper,” he said.

  Olivia slowly walked into the hut, admiring every detail on her way through the door. As they entered, a light suddenly filled the dark room. Olivia looked up at the light, shielding her eyes. It came from a round orb that hung from the center of the ceiling.

  “Is that… a lightbulb?” she asked.

  Locke followed her gaze and then chuckled. “Well, yeah, I guess you could call it a lightbulb.” He walked to the back of the hut and hung his violin on the wall next to many other wooden instruments. “Never seen one?”

  “No,” said Olivia, still fascinated. “So this is…electricity?”

  “Electri-what?” asked Locke.

  “It’s just that I’ve never really seen electricity working up close. It’s neat.” Olivia stared intently at the orb.

  “What on Aeldyn are you talking about?” Locke asked.

  “Aeldyn?”

  “Wait, let’s talk about your electri-whatever first,” said Locke. “I’m curious.”

  Olivia felt a bit confused. “That lightbulb is powered by electricity, right? It’s basically a vacuum with a filament made of metal inside that burns brightly when electricity gets to it.”

  Locke looked dumbstruck and then sheepishly grinned. “This is fascinating. First, I meet a real live human, which is already almost too hard to believe, and second, she’s telling me that science is a real thing. You’re talking about science, aren’t you?”

  “Well, yeah,” said Olivia. “You wouldn’t be able to turn on that light without some sort of science involved.”

  Locke laughed. “This is awesome. You’d be surprised how accurate those old storybooks are. I thought they were all just for fun. You know, to teach the children right from wrong and whatnot.”

  “I don’t understand,” Olivia said. She looked over at Locke. “If science is a myth to you, then what is running that light?”

  “Magic, of course.”

  “Ah…right,” Olivia said, nodding. She was beginning to feel weak again. When am I going to wake up? she thought.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Locke asked. He walked over to Olivia and held her by the shoulders to keep her from swaying. “Why don’t you sit down over here?” He escorted her to a small wooden couch and helped her lie down.

  “Thank you,” she mumbled. “Maybe it’s just that I’m finally starting to wake up from this dream.”

  Locke looked at her concernedly for a moment. He put a hand on her arm and smiled. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll cook you up some special imp stew, and you’ll be feeling better in no time.”

  “Right,” said Olivia weakly. She didn’t know if she had said it out loud or just thought it. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, and soon she had fallen fast asleep.

  * * * * *

  Olivia woke to the sound of knocking and slurping, like someone was eating noisily with a spoon. I must have fallen asleep in the dining hall, she thought. After she rubbed her eyes with her fists, she stretched her arms, opened her eyes, and looked around. She noticed that she was in a small house made entirely of wood, consisting of one large room, with each corner serving a different purpose.

  One corner had a small hammock strung up near a collection of books. Another corner held a workbench for crafting objects, and many wooden instruments hung on the wall above it. The other two corners served as a kitchen and dining room and a sitting room combination. A round, floor-to-ceiling column stood in the center of the house. The base of the column was hollowed out and held a small fire with a pot hanging over it. Olivia sprang to her feet and quickly looked over at the creature eating noisily at the table.

  “Aaaah!” she screamed. “You are real!” She began to back away, her hands in front of her as if to hold the creature back. “Stay away!” She ran around the column to hide from the creature.

  Locke stared at her, his eyes wide in surprise. He held a wooden spoon close to his mouth, which hung open in mid-bite. He swallowed hard, and a drop of stew fell from the spoon and back into the bowl, making a loud ploip as it hit. He smiled awkwardly, looking confused.

  “I’m serious!” Olivia said as she peered around the column at the creature. “Why am I here, and how are you real? Am I insane? I’m obviously not dreaming. Where is this place and how do I get back to the orphanage?” She stopped for a moment as a thought struck her mind. I have to get back to Nachton.

  “Wow, you humans are pretty forgetful,” said Locke, putting his spoon down and rising from his chair. “All I know is that I was to meet you at the Old Oak, take you to my hut, and then travel with you to the Great Fairy’s Hollow the next morning. I know that it’s weird, at least it is to me, but maybe eating some stew will help you calm down. We can talk about my world, and I’ll answer any questions you have. But please, just come and at least have some tea.”

  At the mention of stew and tea, Olivia noticed the pleasant aroma filling the hut. The smell made her realize how hungry she was and her stomach rumbled. Convincing herself that the imp wasn’t trying to harm her, she agreed to eat and walked over to the table. She saw her father’s journal at the edge of the table. Locke watched as she quickly picked it up and hugged it to her chest.

  “That dropped to the floor when you fell asleep,” Locke said. “What is it?”

  “It’s my father’s journal…or my diary,” she replied. “It’s both.”

  “Oh, okay,” Locke said. “It must be very special to you, the way you hold it and whatnot…”

  “Yes,” said Olivia, “it is very special to me.” She sat down at the table, still hugging the journal.

  Locke walked to the pot, dipped an
other bowlful of stew, and returned to the table. He handed the bowl to Olivia, along with a spoon and a wooden goblet of water.

  “We’ll have tea after.” Locke sat down and resumed eating.

  Olivia placed her diary in her lap and looked at the stew. Floating in the golden broth was a mixture of leaves, nuts, and mushrooms. Olivia wondered if it was edible. The steam coming up from the bowl carrying the wonderful smell almost made her not care.

  “What’s in this stew?” she asked, stirring it around with her spoon.

  “Cabbage, acorns, uh…” Locke poked around in his own bowl with his spoon, looking for other ingredients. “Honey mushrooms, salt, pepper, dried onions, and…I think that’s about it.” He looked up at Olivia and smiled. “It’s an old recipe my mother and I created. It’s basically the standard imp stew recipe, but with honey mushrooms instead of oyster mushrooms.”

  Olivia dipped her spoon into the stew, raised it to her mouth, and slowly slurped. She had never tasted anything but Crud before and had no idea what to expect from other foods. The stew had a sweet, earthy taste, not unlike the smell of the ground she had observed earlier. Accented with the dried onions and honey mushrooms, the concoction was delightful. It warmed her and immediately made her feel better. She felt her strength returning.

  “It’s delicious.” She slurped another spoonful.

  “Thank you,” said Locke. “Now, on to those questions. I have lots of questions of my own, but we’ll need to be going to bed soon, so I’ll let you ask them all for now. Deal?”

  “Sure,” she said, nodding. She took a sip of the water. It tasted clean and fresh. In comparison, the water at the orphanage tasted like chemicals. She took in a mouthful, then swallowed and asked, “Where are we exactly?”

  “Exactly? We’re in my hut in the northern region of the Elder Forest, which is in the southern parts of a land called Aeldyn,” said Locke. He picked his bowl up and tipped it, pouring the rest of his stew into his mouth. “Does that answer your question?”

  “Yes, I guess,” said Olivia, unsure. He had answered her question, but he had created so many more in the process. “And you were sent to retrieve me from the Old Oak? By the Great Fairy?”

  “Yep! Exactly,” said Locke. He stood up and walked over to a cabinet that held pots and pans where he grabbed a small pot and took it to the fire in the center of the room. “Would you like tea?” he asked.

  “Yes, please,” she said. “I’ve never had tea before.”

  Locke straightened up quickly, bumping his head on the hearth. He slowly turned around, wincing and rubbing the top of his head. “You’ve never had tea? Oh my. Oh wow…” He returned to the fire. “Well, you’re about to have tea, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.”

  Olivia giggled. She felt much better after eating the stew and drinking the water. However, she was still having trouble convincing herself it was real. “So, who is this Great Fairy?” she asked.

  “Well, from what I can tell,” Locke started. He stood up and carried two wooden mugs of tea over to the table. He then continued, “he’s sort of like our village elder, Old Sequoiak, except he’s a lot older. Everyone sort of looks up to him, because he’s old and wise. He gives the people of Aeldyn advice when they seek it.” He sat the mugs down and slid one over to Olivia.

  “Is he your leader then? Like a king?” Olivia asked.

  “What? Wait, this must be another human concept. There isn’t a leader of Aeldyn.”

  “There isn’t? Then who is in charge of keeping order here?” Olivia asked incredulously.

  “Keeping order? Keeping order of what? What are you even talking about?”

  “Oh, well, never mind, I suppose. So, you’ve never met the Great Fairy?” Olivia took the warm mug in her hands and smelled the tea’s strong, comforting scent. She held the mug close as she let it cool.

  “No, but I’ve always wanted to,” Locke said. He sipped his tea. “I’d like to ask him some questions. You know, because he’s so old, he must know pretty much everything, right?” He chuckled.

  “Well, how did you get orders from him if you’ve never met him?”

  “Oh, his messenger told me,” Locke said. “Your tea is probably cool enough to drink. Why don’t you try it?”

  Olivia slowly brought the mug to her lips, the steam warming her face. When the tea touched her lips, it burned, but only for a second. As she swallowed it, it warmed her whole body. The taste was exactly as she had expected, sweet, cozy, and relaxing.

  “It’s wonderful.” Olivia smiled at Locke.

  “I knew you’d love it!” Locke laughed. “I can teach you how to make it if you’d like. Anyway, do you have any more questions? It’s almost time for us to hit the hammock. Gotta get up pretty early.”

  “If this is real, and I’m almost convinced that it is, then will I ever get to go back to my own world? There are people there that I care for.” Olivia said, gazing into her mug. She was thinking about Nachton and the other children.

  “I can’t really answer that one,” Locke said with a frown. “But perhaps the Great Fairy can answer it!” He looked at her, his mouth spreading into a wide smile, but Olivia was still staring into her mug. “I know that this is all too much for you to take in, Olivia,” he said gently, “but it’s a lot for me to believe, too. You’re a great person, and you’re fun to have around, so I’m glad you’re here. Besides, the Great Fairy wouldn’t have sent for you if you weren’t special. I’m sure that he has his reasons.” Locke paused and looked into his own mug. “And I’m sure he’d tell you how to get back if you asked. You know, if you wanted to.”

  Olivia looked up at him, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile. She loved what little she had seen of Aeldyn and the time she had spent with Locke, but it felt wrong to be there. She felt a strong need to return to the orphanage and help everyone. But what could I do? She sighed. “I’ll go with you to see the Great Fairy.”

  “Great!” Locke exclaimed. “I’ll get you some blankets and a pillow and get your bed fixed up. Is the couch okay?”

  Olivia giggled. She felt a sense of belonging around Locke, one that she had never felt at the orphanage until recently. “Sure, that’s fine.”

  Locke sprung from his chair to gather the pillow and blankets, looking happy and eager to please his company.

  “Locke,” she called to him. He looked around the giant stack of blankets he was carrying. “Thanks for being a good friend.”

  Locke became extra energetic as he fumbled around for a way to reply. He made her bed on the couch, holding his head high and telling her how it was the Great Fairy she had to thank and that she didn’t have to be his friend at all and that he didn’t really mean that, but he was just saying…

  * * * * *

  As Olivia lay on her makeshift bed, listening to the snores coming from Locke’s hammock, she thought of all that had happened recently. She thought about the deaths of Ms. Canterbry and Mr. Dewberry and about the desolate world that she had seen outside the orphanage. She thought about falling through the tree into this world and meeting Locke. Then she thought about the next day and wondered if she’d even be able to go to sleep. She rolled over on her side and pulled the blankets up over her face.

  Chapter Six

  It’s Not a Dream

  Olivia awoke to an unfamiliar sound. It was soft and strangely pleasant, like a song that had no rhythm or consistent melody. Her eyes snapped open as she remembered where she was. She sat up and looked around. Sunlight was pouring in through the windows of Locke’s hut. She shielded her eyes as they slowly adjusted to the bright light.

  On the nearby windowsill, a bird as bright and blue as the morning sky hopped back and forth as it sang the lovely song that woken Olivia. It suddenly stopped as it noticed Olivia sitting up on the couch and watched her, chirping and tilting its head this way and that. Suddenly, it flew away, causing Olivia to jump in surprise. She looked over at Locke, who was sleeping precariously on his h
ammock. His head was hanging off one side while one of his legs was dangling from the other. A long string of drool hung from his mouth.

  “Locke,” Olivia said in a whispered shout. He didn’t move. She tried again, “Locke.”

  “Hmm?” he mumbled. “I like the stew, yes…I like daisies…too…” He rubbed his face with his hand, breaking the string of drool and smearing it across his cheek before dropping his hand and snoring again.

  “Locke!” Olivia didn’t bother to whisper this time.

  “Aaah!” Locke shouted and sprang swiftly from the hammock. He ran around aimlessly for a few seconds, a blanket wrapped around his foot. Then he looked over at Olivia. “Oh my twigs! You’re here! It was real! Holy toadstool!”

  “Uh, I’m the one having trouble believing I’m here, remember?” Olivia giggled.

  “Yeah, heh heh.” Locke sheepishly cut his eyes to the side. He paused for a second, thinking. Then his eyes widened as he looked at Olivia. “Twigs! What time is it? We’re gonna be late!” He kicked the blanket from his foot and grabbed a cloth sack from under his hammock. “Hurry, we gotta pack!”

  Olivia grabbed her journal from under her pillow and watched as Locke frantically ran about the hut shoving things into the sack, including a book, a chunk of wood, a small pouch, a wooden container, and a blanket. Olivia wondered how such a thin sack could hold all the items without tearing. Probably has something to do with magic, I’m sure, she thought, not really believing herself.