~Faerie Kiss~ Short Story

A haunting melody rang through the air as the Scottish Guard began to play their lost song. Jess closed her eyes and drifted peacefully with the flow of the music. Gradually she let go of the negativity that harbored within her soul and let them slowly dissipate into a distant memory. The notes replaced her thoughts and slowly became the rhythm of her heartbeat.

“Jess, wake up,” Chey hissed in her ear.
Jess’s eyes shot open and she jumped to her feet almost immediately. Their mother was standing there impatiently at the outskirts of the stage so Jess pushed her way through the crowds quickly with Chey in tow.
“Mom, wants to go see “Hey Nunny Nunny” and I’m hungry again,” Chey complained as Jess walked warily towards their mother.
“When are you not hungry,” Jess muttered under her breath and pulled her along before Chey could retaliate.
Ignoring her venomous glare, Jess held her bag full of goods tightly and finally reached their mother with a frown etched deep in her face. Jess could almost imagine all to well what her mother was about to say but it never ceased to leave her slightly shaken.
“C’mon you two, I don’t want to miss the show because you two wanted to walk all the way to the other side of the faire just to see the Scottish bagpipes,” her mother spoke harshly.
Jess looked down submissively and tried to keep her mood cheerful despite her mother’s attitude. She was honestly used to the often-harsh criticism and sometimes understood why she was so strict. But the rift between them was still wider than a raging river.

“Hey look at that faerie! Can we get a picture of her?” Chey called out and pointed towards the path between the rows of shops.
Jess turned and looked, her heart skipping two beats at the sight before her. Standing in the street stood a girl in a sparkling dress with large wings of a butterfly. The faerie looked no more than sixteen maybe but she looked quite tall despite her age. As Chey ran through the crowd with a camera in hand the faerie looked up and smiled shyly at Jess. She gave a small smile in return and waited patiently for Chey to finish taking the picture. Her knees felt weak and her heart quickened at the thought but Jess wanted to walk over to the faerie and slowly embrace her gently, as if she could fly away in an instant never to be seen again.  But once the camera flashed the faerie blew a kiss and slowly turned and was swallowed by the crowds of people wandering down the dusty path.

“Wow this is such a great picture! I wonder who she is,” Chey babbled during the show. Their mother tried to quiet her down but there was no stopping Chey from talking away once she got started. Jess only listened vaguely though while her mind wandered elsewhere. She tried hard to imagine the faerie beside her, her delicate hand intertwined with Jess’s. If she had any courage, Jess would of asked if she could kiss her. Would the question anger the faerie or would it make her smile?
“Hey what do you think of this picture?” Chey asked and shoved the camera in front of her face.
“What?” Jess blurted out without realizing.
“Gosh, you’re so out of it today,” Chey remarked, “Take a look at that picture will you?”

Jess simply shrugged her shoulders and focused in on the screen. If a picture could speak a thousand words then a thousand words were unable to begin to describe such ethereal beauty. Pixie cut locks of golden brown hair framed her delicate features and her eyes were a shade of deep sapphire with a burst of gold around the iris. Jess bit into her lower lip and scrolled down to examine her costume.
A sparkling dress of different shades of blues hugged every curve of her body and her long legs were adorned in leggings of striped blue and black with black leather sandals that flared perfectly with the rest of her costume. Her wings were colorful, sparkling and they seemed more apart of her body then just a separate piece entirely.
“I wonder if she made that dress, it looks so elaborate! And the wings are so huge. I wonder where she got them,” she heard her mother exclaim from behind. Jess only nodded and handed the camera back to Chey. In the back of her mind she was wondering if she could see the faerie again.

The task proved to be more difficult than Jess expected. Twice she tried to call out the faerie during parade but it was almost impossible to hear above the canon fire and the music of the gypsies. With persistence she followed down the path but when Jess reached the end of the parade line she was already gone.
“Aye, she’s a tricky one. Just follow down the path from where you came and you’ll find her by the Maypole,” the Gypsy had spoken.
Jess tired to follow his instructions but she soon became lost while searching through the shops and looking at the amazing crafts the vendors had to offer. By the time she walked to the Maypole, only a few stood nearby and the faerie was nowhere to be seen. But a group of men dressed in Scottish like attire seemed friendly enough so she walked up to them and asked them shyly if they’d seen her nearby.

“Aye, I know the lass alright. Why do you wish to find her dear? She a friend to you?” the Rogue inquired with a twinkle in his eye.
“I just need to find her,” Jess replied stubbornly.
She wasn’t about to admit to a stranger that she felt a certain burning need to find the faerie. That her heart ached at the thought of not finding her again before she left back to her own home. All she wanted was to speak to the faerie at least but she refused to admit this.
“Over there is where her family dwells. The busty blonde in the dark blue skirt is her mother. She could most likely point you in the right direction. If not then ask around, us Rogues and Wenches keep a look out for the likes of her,” he explained.
Jess nodded shyly and he took her hand and gave it a light kiss. Blushing, she took off toward the large pavilion area to where the Rogue had pointed. There were people dressed in colorful clothes and there sitting down on one of the benches appeared to be the woman the Rogue spoke of. But she didn’t dare approach her. Something inside told Jess that this woman was about as protective of her own daughter as her mother was to her.
Instead she wandered through the faire twice over till Jess could feel an ache deep in her body. Her mother called for her several times, each time more angry than before but Jess knew it was worth it. She couldn’t give up just yet. But time and the heat were slowly picking away her patience as she searched harder still.

Near tears, Jess finally sat down on the ground next to the ancient tree beside the looming Maypole. She was ready to give in and search for her mother who probably was madder than a cat drenched in water. But at least Jess could say she tried. At least she could say that she almost had her chance. It didn’t bring her any sort of comfort though.
A horn bellowed nearby in a shop on the corner. Jess looked up and saw a curious man standing with a horn that looked almost to big for him to blow in. He had long silvery hair and a silvery beard that made him look wise in his years. Deciding it wouldn’t hurt to look inside, Jess lifted herself from the tree and walked stiffly to the booth.

Blowing horns and drinking horns ranging in different colors and sizes hung from the walls. Jess stood fascinated but declined when the shopkeeper asked if she was looking for anything in particular. She did however glance in the mirror that leaned against the wooden beam. Her long dark hair was a wavy mess and dark circles surrounded her dark eyes. Even her normally pale skin looked burned from the sun’s rays. How could she even begin to approach the faerie disheveled and hideous as this?
“Excuse me Miss, but I was wondering. Were you looking for a faerie around here?” the shopkeeper asked.
Jess looked from the mirror and nodded automatically. The shopkeeper smiled and put his weathered hand on her shoulder.
“I know someone who can point you in the right direction,” he said with a smile.
Gesturing with his other hand, the shopkeeper pointed to the man in front of him standing only inches away from the two. Immediately, Jess noticed the small drum attached to his hat and she burst into giggles despite herself.
“It’s a satellite system,” the man replied with a twinkle.
Jess giggled more and stared at the white bearded man who had a friendly smile on his face. Immediately she liked him, and that was a rare thing for Jess. She rarely trusted others, and only Chey knew her deep secrets and insecurities. But something about him made Jess like him immediately and she smiled shyly.
“Do you know where I can find a certain faerie in this place?” she asked.
“I do believe she wandered down that path to the woods over there. You can hardly miss her, she’s easy to find if you look hard enough-“
Without warning, Jess threw her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze of a hug before tearing through the woods like a mad woman. Finally she’d find the elusive faerie! Finally after all that searching!

The Drum Master was right. The faerie stood in the corner of the woods where the wooden fence ended and the wild ferns and tree crept around the flowing creek. Jess could feel her heart slowly quicken but she took the brave steps towards the faerie till finally she stood only inches away from her. No turning back now.
“Hey,” she said softly.
The faerie turned and looked at her startled. Sadness flickered to confusion in her eyes and Jess smiled gently. She returned the smile with slight one of her own but the sadness seemed to radiate from her being.
“I’ve been searching for you all day. You do know how to hide yourself well,” she continued, looking at the faerie shyly.
She nodded silently and her smile grew despite the sadness. A twinge of pain ached deep inside Jess. A faerie should never be sad. Especially as one so beautiful as her.
“I guess faeries don’t talk?” she asked.
The faerie nodded and bowed her head slightly, looking down at her feet. Jess felt another twinge, this time more familiar. She often acted in this manner whenever her mother scolded her for something, when she felt she’d done something wrong. Jess wanted nothing more than to take the pain away and see the sadness disappear from the faerie’s eyes.
Slowly, Jess tucked her hand beneath her chin and slowly lifted her head. The faerie looked up and gazed up at her shyly. They were so close, so close that Jess could almost see the deep hues of blue in her eyes and hear the faerie’s racing heartbeat.
No words were spoken for there was no need. Jess only leaned down and pressed her lips against the faerie’s lightly in a chaste kiss. She looked surprised but soon closed her eyes and returned the kiss without hesitation. Their lips lingered together for a moment then slowly pulled away too soon. Jess could feel her face burn, but inside she wanted to shout for joy. The faerie seemed to feel the same way and she smiled brightly at Jess. Timidly, she took her hand and intertwined her finger’s with Jess’s. Jess smiled and squeezed her hand in reply and kissed her forehead.

For a long time neither one looked away or spoke a word. They were lost in the tranquility of the moment. Jess never felt more at peace and yet so alive. She could be lost forever in the gaze of the faerie’s eyes and never even realize how much the time had passed. But finally the faerie released her hand and began, almost regretfully, walk away from her.
“Wait!” Jess called out with desperation. “At least tell me your name. Maybe I could find you tomorrow?”
The faerie turned around slowly, walking back down with lithe steps. Before she realized it, Jess was nose to nose with her and the faerie pressed her lips against hers softly once again. Finally, after the moment faded away she leaned over and whispered in a soft voice “Aine. My name is Aine.”
“Mine is Jess.” She replied simply.

Aine smiled gently and kissed her cheek tenderly. With a last embrace she finally let go and slowly began walking up the path. Jess watched with slight regret that the moment with Aine could of lasted longer. But as she touched her lips with her fingertips, Jess felt her heart slowly release at the lingering feeling of Aine’s faerie kiss.