by Moshe Harel
I wasn’t really surprised to find that Dorna and Carl were also invited. Both were very impressive pixies/fairies regardless of possessing a lot of magic. The elves couldn’t ignore them any more than they could ignore me and Brian.
I had another surprise, though. As we reached the dining room, I found Ella, Edi, and Kathy there. After some excited greetings, we all sat at the table to enjoy an excellent meal with only minimal talk. It was only after starting the desserts when the queen moved the conversation to a new subject. “I heard that your little Tracey left a very big impression today. Can you tell me what happened?”
I passed the question to Dorna, who repeated what she had already told me. I then added our afternoon experience.
“You grew gills? Both of you?” Ella asked, fascinated by my tale.
“Well, yes. It was Brian who actually thought of it and suggested it to me.” I didn’t really understand her fascination. She’d already seen me change size and form at will. This was much easier, really.
“But Tracey did it instinctively, if I understand right,” the queen noted as if expecting me to approve her observation.
“It seemed so,” I agreed. “She doesn’t understand how unusual that is. Well, she’s only two years old.”
The elves shook their heads bemusedly. Dorna and Carl seemed not to follow. I decided to add some more information. “She’s been watching some television programs featuring a child mermaid as the main character. She said she swam like that imaginary character.”
“What’s a mermaid?” the queen asked.
Dorna supplied the answer. “It’s a legendary being that’s half human and half fish, from the waist down. It appears in many legends but is also featured in children’s films and books. Humans are fascinated with everything that has unusual abilities.”
The queen thought for a short while, probably trying to find any relevant information in her vast memory. Eventually, she spoke. “There once were water-fairies, way before I was born. They used to live in the rivers and swam better than they flew. They disappeared long ago. Nobody can tell if they became extinct, moved to some hidden place, or just merged with the main fairy body. It looks like Tracey has inherited at least some of their abilities.”
It was at times like this that I wished I was normal. Sometimes, being magical turns out to be too much of a burden. Luckily, the queen didn’t notice my mood as she continued talking.
“The way she takes to water is fascinating and her use of magic seems to be instinctive. Has she done anything else of note?”
None of us could remember anything. With the way our life was going for the last few months, we could have also easily missed such deeds, being too preoccupied to notice anything that didn’t need our immediate attention.
“Has she tried flying?” the queen insisted.
That was actually something that kept intriguing me. Every time I visited the pixie village, I noticed babies and children with wings, and it looked like they could fly even before they learned to walk, yet fairy children, growing as human ones, were unable to transform into their fairy form before reaching magical maturity. Was that due to the fact they were growing as humans or due to living on Earth and not on Avalon?
“She hasn’t tried yet, as far as we know,” I answered.
“Has she seen you fly?” she continued.
“She didn’t really have a chance. We were too busy most of the time and I was also pregnant, and that reduced my urge to fly,” I explained.
She smiled. “Try flying while here and let her see you. I wonder if she would join you.”
I was no longer sure about what I could expect of my little daughter. I knew Kathy’s son, who was nine months older than Tracey, didn’t show any signs of magic, yet he certainly took after his father, acting more like an elf child than a fairy child, at least until then. Evidently, Kathy was also interested, as it could probably apply, at least partially, to her son and to the daughter in her womb too.
Still, when we returned to our apartment, we let all thoughts about children, parents, and duties fly away, as Brian and I let our bodies do the talking, enjoying some long due togetherness that our studies and our other duties were depriving us of.
The next morning, we left a well-fed Nick with his elf minders and took Tracey for a walk in the surrounding woods, knowing them to be safe. Dorna and Carol joined us. Tracey was fascinated again, watching the various trees, the flowers, the insects, and the few little animals we could see. In a way, it was like taking her to a park, only this one was bigger and older than any city park on earth, and certainly more natural.
We reached a clearing and set a modest picnic. We got all undressed, as was our custom, and then Dorna transformed and started flying, followed by Carl. I could see Tracey’s eyes alight with interest as she followed their flight. They transformed back after landing, a few minutes later. I asked Dorna to watch Tracey and then Brian and I transformed and started flying. This seemed to be too much for Tracey. She started chasing us on her chubby little feet and then stopped and concentrated for a moment. It all happened almost at once. Her body shrank to baby-fairy size and her wings formed, seeming bigger than her whole body. A moment later, she was flying towards us, shouting, “Mommy, Daddy, I can also fly, like you!”
I was more shocked by her transformation than by her flying. I had to learn how to do it after my sixteenth birthday. She was barely older than two and she was doing this without ever being taught. I wasn’t sure if this was due to her powerful magic or just because she was a fairy in Avalon. It was mind-boggling any way I looked at it.
We spent a few minutes flying, doing all kinds of aerobatics, which Tracey seemed to enjoy very much, and even going up to the top of the trees, once we were sure that Tracey could handle it without endangering herself. Dorna and Carl joined us, both being very attentive to our little girl. They had already known how pixie children acted, but Tracey was born human and was not exposed to other fairy children before.
None of us needed to worry. Tracey seemed quite aware of her limitations and flew down as soon as she started feeling tired. She landed perfectly and promptly transformed back. We did the same before I hugged her tightly, kissed her, and congratulated her for her first flight.
That evening, the queen was delighted to hear about Tracey’s flight. It looked like she had actually expected her to act that way, but she wouldn’t explain it when I asked her explicitly. She only said, “Your daughter seems to be as unique as you. Her talents are different and diverse and her power is immense. She may be able to continue your work and advance it much farther, once she grows up.”
Later, after dinner, she suggested, “Why don’t you take her to play with some pixie children? I believe it may be very good for her, and she can already transform, so size won’t be a problem.”
Dorna adored the idea. “As long as we keep our visit short enough, we can leave Nick here and return on time for his next feeding. I can even return early if you like, but I’m not sure if our arrangement will work correctly while you keep your fairy size.”
I didn’t think it could work. When in fairy form, my breasts were proportionate to my body, and my whole fairy body was smaller than my human breasts. Had they been hollow, I could probably sit inside, in my fairy size, along with Brian and Tracey and still have some spare room. “We’ll keep it short,” I said.
The next morning, Dorna opened a portal to the pixie village soon after breakfast. We passed through, changing size before that. Tracey did the same, not even needing us to urge her. We left Nick with the two elf maidens.
Dorna had probably passed a message about our expected visit before we arrived, as the chieftain and her advisers were already waiting for us, while some young mothers with children who were seemingly close to Tracey’s age were also waiting. After the official welcome, Dorna suggested to accompany Tracey and let us spend some time with her leader. We accepted reluctantly. None of us wanted this vacation to be spent on politics, but this
seemed unavoidable.
Luckily, the chieftain only wanted to show us how her community was changing and adapting to become an integral part of the fairy nation. I was delighted to notice that the males were now as free as the females (although just as horny as before). She had also started educating the children in a more structured way, organizing a kind of open school, where children were taught every other day, letting their mothers handle the rest. I thought that was a good compromise, keeping the traditional way of learning and supplementing it with the structured lessons. Some of the older children seemed delighted by this new method.
We still had time to join the younger children and Tracey. They were playing under adult supervision in a grassy clearing adjacent to the village. Even the smaller children were flying easily, landing on flowers and shrubs. Some couldn’t yet walk and only crawled awkwardly, their wings coming in the way of smooth movement. Tracey didn’t seem to have a problem. I saw her flying among some flowers and then landing, making her wings disappear, and walking freely to join some other children.
Dorna looked at me and smiled. “I still can’t make my wings disappear when in pixie form, although they are shorter and don’t make me stumble. Tracey’s wings are much larger, compared to her body. I wonder if that has any special meaning.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know about the meaning, but it also took me some time to realize I could do it. She seems to do such magic instinctively, without even thinking.”
Tracey seemed to enjoy herself. By the time we needed to go, she had already made two tentative friendships. I didn’t expect them to last, though, as her playmates would grow up much faster, keeping their small size. In a year, she would be three years old, while their equivalent age would be about nine or ten.
We transformed back as soon as we returned to our apartment. Tracey did the same, not needing us to say anything. “If she’s already so powerful, how will she be when she reaches maturity?” Dorna asked, not really expecting an answer. I was also wondering about it. I really hoped that her powers would not prove to be too much of a burden. I knew mine were, at times.
43 Guests
We found two invitations waiting for us, along with the messengers. One was from the angels, the other from the goblins.
I first turned to the goblin messenger. “I’m sorry I have to decline king Gor’s invitation. I’m here with a baby that can’t yet change his size and needs me to feed him, and with a small child that may not yet be trusted to change, so we can’t come for a prolonged visit. We’ll try to come for a short visit, though, just like the visit to the pixie village, leaving the children here.”
The goblin nodded understandingly. The goblins were still unable to change their size and form, making my reasoning more acceptable.
I was much happier with the reply I could give the angels. “We shall come in two days and stay for two more days if it’s alright. Can my two friends join us?”
The angel messenger smiled. “Any friend of yours is welcome. Please wait at the edge of our wards for your escort to come and lead you in. Everybody is eager to see you again.” What he didn’t say explicitly was also understood—I shouldn’t blast my way through their protection; It wasn’t the friendly thing to do.
The rest of our stay there was spent similarly. We swam and tanned at the river, dived there with Tracey, visited the pixies, flew a bit, and talked to the elves. Tracey loved it, especially diving and flying. Nick also seemed to be more relaxed, making it a really enjoyable vacation.
As promised, we also paid a short visit to the goblins. This time it was purely a social visit, with small talk, jokes, and good food. No politics was discussed, and Gor only mentioned in passing that he would like to meet us on Earth in a few weeks. I was sure this would not be just a social call.
We packed our stuff two days later and opened a portal, reaching close to the Angel Halls. A moment later, six gold-clad angels appeared and formed an honor-guard, escorting us into the cave. We were first led to two apartments. Brian and I got the larger apartment, where a small bed and a cot for the children were already in place. I was surprised to find windows there, open for the breeze from the sea to come in. I thought we were deep under that mountain.
One of our escorts noticed my surprise. “It’s a magical window,” he explained. “It’s a modified portal that connects your wall with the side of the mountain facing the sea, allowing air and light to pass while keeping the solid matter out.”
I nodded appreciatively. “That’s a very ingenious way to make the caves more inviting and remove the feeling of confinement.” I thought I could adapt the idea for some of the inner rooms at the Fair Palace.
Once we settled in, our escorts invited us to meet David, their leader, again. Just like the first time, they led us to the door but stayed out.
David was just as glad to meet us as the first time, yet he paid special attention to the children. He checked Tracey, nodding appreciatively at what he found. “She’s already very powerful. With you two as her model, I’m sure she’ll advance Avalon even more than you’re already doing.”
He then turned his attention to Nick and gasped in surprise. “How can it be? An angel born to two fairies! I don’t think there ever was anything like that!”
“You think Nick is an angel?” I queried.
David seemed very sure. “His magic is clearly Angel Magic, there’s no doubt of that, although I can also sense a bit of fairy magic in him, but not enough to make a difference.”
He frowned in thinking and then brightened up. “Well, you’ve already said that we’re all one species, and your sister seems to prove it. With your son’s magic being what it is, there can no longer be any doubt—we’re one and the same.”
He then frowned again. “How will you raise him? As an angel or a fairy?”
I smiled. “As a boy. If he shows his magic early, I’ll have to teach him some more. I’m sure Emily will also help, and he doesn’t need to be either angel or fairy. He can be both and neither.” My smile widened as I remembered Kathy’s boy. “I think he, along with some other children, show us the future by reuniting all our different groups into one.”
David moved his hand along his beard contemplatively. “Indeed, he’s the embodiment of our future. We’ll be happy to teach him all we can, once he’s old enough.”
His face brightened as he turned to another subject. “Well, you’re on vacation, so—no more serious talks. How do you like your apartment?”
Brian answered this time. “It’s very spacious and we really like the windows.”
David smiled. “Yes, one of the better ideas of my predecessor. They do make a difference, don’t they? Now, you may also visit the beach, if you like. Just ask one of your escorts to show you the way, or simply use a portal. We also have a heated pool, if you prefer warmer water and no sand. It even has an area specifically for little children. Tracey may love it.”
He then turned to Dorna and Carl. He was clearly interested in their work on the runes, but he was also eager to get to know them, despite their young age. I found it funny that he found them as impressive as I did. “You two are also opening a way to a better future. I expect to see many changes from you.”
We stayed there only a bit longer, until lunchtime. We then let the children rest a bit, a time we spent mainly on sex in our own bedroom. Judging by their flushed faces, Dorna and Carl did the same in their own apartment. When Tracey woke up, we decided to swim a bit. The window showed us that the sea was too rough for swimming, so we decided to try the pool. We left Nick with one of our guides, who volunteered to keep an eye on him.
Unlike most pools on Earth, that are various shades of blue, this one seemed to be made of gold. There were three pools in the large cavern. One was long and deep, appropriate for most kinds of water sports; another was roughly square, varying in depth from knee-deep to chest-deep, allowing leisurely soaking in the warm water either lying down or standing with friends. The third was round and shallow, as
appropriate for children younger than five or six. I knew Tracey wouldn’t even look at it and I was debating within myself if I should take her to the smaller pool or the bigger one.
We all disrobed as we arrived. Dorna and Carl jumped into the square pool, probably thinking of more than just swimming. I led Tracey to the edge of that pool, expecting her to go right in. She didn’t. She looked at the pool and then her expression turned to disgust. Not quite understanding, I directed her to the deeper pool. Her expression only deepened. “Don’t you want to swim?” I asked her.
She shook her head, her disgust evident.
“Why not? You love swimming, don’t you?”
She pointed at the pool. “Dead water. No fun.”
That made no sense to me, but Tracey seemed unwavering in her opinion. Another angel who was enjoying the pool approached us. “Is there any problem? Can I help?”
I probably felt like many mothers to toddlers, who already form their own opinions but still lack the ability to express them. “Despite loving to swim, she doesn’t like these pools. She calls them dead water. Do you have any idea why?”
The female angel smiled. “We’re too high up the mountain to use water from a river or the sea. We collect rainwater and recycle the water in the pools. She may be sensing the fact that the water isn’t fresh.”
Tracey was hiding behind my legs since that angel approached us, but I could feel her approving of the angel’s words with a vigorous nod.
I barely held a sigh, wondering if I caused so much trouble for my parents at that age. I didn’t think so. A large part of the difficulties was her newly found magic, while mine only surfaced at sixteen. I forced my mind back to the conversation. “Do you have another place for swimming, one with fresh water?”
“There’s a small bay that’s nicely protected and not too deep. It even has a cave connected to it, with some water inside it. Most of us prefer the pools, but you may try it.”