“Little one, lend an ear to what there is to say.”
“Mama! Ellie is playing in the garden again!” A little voice called out as the little girl ran into the small cottage where she lived with her mother and twin sister. “I told her not to… but she said the faeries wanted her to play with them!” The little girl continued to whine, her foot stomping on the ground as she tugged at her mother’s skirt. “She won’t play with me anymore!”
The older woman sighed before quickly becoming irritated when she realized what her daughter had said. Wiping off her hands, she then made her way outside and to the small garden where all of their vegetables grew. “Elizabeth!” She called out the girl’s full name, going over to her and grabbing onto her arm. “What have I told you about playing in the garden?” She scolded angrily, dragging the little girl behind her and towards the cottage. Going in, she closed the door behind her. “And now look at you! You’re all filthy!” She quickly started rubbing the girl’s face, ignoring the little whines of pain from the roughness. “And faeries… stop talking about such nonsense! Really… I have no idea where you get such strange ideas. Must be the old hag down the lane…” She muttered the last part to herself.
Pulling back then, the woman straightened and stared down at her daughter. “That’s enough of that. It’s getting dark outside anyways. I shouldn’t have let you stay out so long.” She hadn’t been paying much attention to the time, concentrating on her baking. And now she had to get dinner finished so they could eat something. “Go on. Go wash up. And to bed early with you tonight.” She scolded before turning away so she could finish the stew and get the bread into their little oven.
“Come with us, human child. Don’t you want to play?”
“Go wash up and then change into your nightgown.” The older woman pointed towards the stairs as she paused in her cleaning of the dishes from dinner. Ellie climbed off the chair with a pout before making her way towards the stairs. Her sister, Catherine, giggled softly from her spot before climbing of her seat. “I’m going to go play with my dollies, mama.” She called out happily before going over to the fireplace to play with the dolls that her mother had made for her, using the light of the fire and a few candle to see.
Upstairs, Ellie went into the room she shared with her sister before pulling off her shoes and stockings. Pulling off her dress then, she packed everything carefully away in the trunk at the end of her bed. Pulling out her little nightgown, she pulled it on carefully before grabbing her brush. Carefully undoing the plaits of her curly auburn hair, she placed the ribbons carefully side before starting to brush out her hair like her mother had taught her. Putting the brush away then, she climbed onto her bed and grabbed her little dollie. Clutching it into her arms, she sat on her bed until her mother came in to say goodnight.
“I’m not mad at you, sweetheart…” Ellie knew she was lying. Her mama had been mad at her. “…I just don’t like that you went into the garden. I’ve told you not to play in there.” The older woman gently ran her hand over her daughter’s head. “Alright… let’s get you under the covers. I want you to go right to sleep. Your sister will be up in a short while.” The older woman smiled and tucked her daughter into bed. Leaning in, she pressed a kiss against her forehead. Straightening then, she blew out the candle that was resting on the table between the two little beds. “Remember… faeries are not real. They’re just stories.”
“We’ll take you to a magical place far, far away!”
There was a small rustle at the window and the old hinge squeaked softly as the door slowly opened. The curtains swayed in an invisible breeze, a rocking horse slowly starting to sway on its rockers. There was a soft giggle upon the breeze, and then Ellie started to wake up. Rubbing at her eyes, she sat up slowly with a yawn. “Who there?” Her small voice was slurred slightly with sleep, not quite awake. But then her eyes opened up and a sweet little smile crossed her lips. “You’ve come to play!” She whispered, not wanting to wake her sister in the bed next to her.
But then a frown crossed her lips and she looked down at her quilt. “But mama… said you weren’t real, so I can’t play with you anymore.” She whispered sadly before looking up a few moments later with an uncertain emotion in her eyes. “You… really think so? You promise?” She asked softly before brightening and nodding her head. “Okay!” She whispered quickly.
Climbing off her bed then, she pulled on her boots carefully before grabbing her dollie. Holding it tight to her, she carefully made her way out of the bedroom. It was late at night, so her mother was asleep in her little bedroom across the way. Slowly tiptoeing past, Ellie then put her hand on the railing to the stairs as she made her way down. Careful not to step on the squeaky stairs, she walked slowly. Once in the kitchen, she walked over to the door and reached up on her tippy toes to reach the lock. Sliding it over, she then turned the handle on the door and slipped outside. She shivered a little with the breeze, but quickly closed the door. Giggling then, she took off after the little creatures that only she could see. And following after them, she ran through the garden and past the gate. She continued to run after them, telling them to wait for her.
Still running, Ellie burst into the forest and through the thick trees. She ignored all warnings her mother had ever given to her, running after her little friends who were urging her on. And then suddenly… there was a clearing. Stopping in awe, Ellie gasped softly at all of the little faerie lights that were dancing in the full moon light. Letting out a giggle, she ran out into the middle of the lights and danced with them. She twirled around and around again, laughing and squealing when the little faeries teased her. She danced until she could no more, falling into the grass and falling into a deep sleep.
“Come dance in the moonlight, beyond where the shadows lay.”
“Mama… mama…” The little voice of Catherine, teary sounding as she spoke, woke the older woman from her slumber. Sitting up, she pulled her long braid over her shoulder and gently picked her daughter up to sit on the edge of the bed.
“What is it, my girl?” She asked softly, not quite awake yet. But her eyes quickly opened fully when Catherine said that Ellie wasn’t in her bed. “Stay here, Cattie. Don’t move.” She said quickly, slipping out of bed and pulling on a robe. She then pulled on some slippers and made her way out of her bedroom, hoping that Ellie was just playing a game. Why so late, she didn’t know… but it was better than any alternative. So, she called out to her daughter. “Ellie? Ellie, where are you, baby girl? Come on, it’s no time to play!” She called out, checking the house everywhere she could think of for her daughter, wondering if she was just hiding.
But when coming into the kitchen and she saw the door swinging open, her blood ran cold. “Ellie…” Her voice came out in a whisper as she ran for the door, her heart nearly stopping in her chest. Why would Ellie go outside this late at night? Surely… surely someone hadn’t stolen her from her bed? But then why hadn’t Catherine seen? With these thoughts in her head, she was sprinting out into the yard. There, she screamed out her daughter’s name, “Ellie!” Where had her daughter gone? “Ellie! Where are you?” The woman called frantically, hoping to catch sight of her daughter. Maybe she was back in the garden…
But standing at the gate stood an old woman, bent and grey, her head covered in a shawl and her face shadowed. She cackled softly as the mother appeared. “Silly, woman… she’s gone. The faeries have taken her!” She cackled again, louder this time, before suddenly disappearing in the early morning mist. “They’ve taken her… and you’ll never get her back.” The old woman’s voice floated to the mother’s ear through the breeze, making her let out a wail of sorrow as she collapsed to her knees.
Beside her, Catherine suddenly appeared from the house and took hold of her mother’s robe. “Mama… there are faeries in the garden, just like Ellie said!” She whispered in wonder, her eyes lighting up as she took a step closer. And far away, in the ever moonlit field, Ellie danced with the fae. And she waited.
“Come away, little child, to where the faeries stay.”
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