I need to preface this. This post is not what I originally had in mind. This was supposed to be a short story involving well a fairy and an artist. But the idea morphed and now has turned into a novel, so instead of a cute flash fiction piece you are getting what is more like an introduction or first chapter of a story. So sorry about that, I almost gave up on this post too. The last few weeks have been a bit tough mentally, and then I got sick.
Cue this getting written last minute in a blind flurry. Whilst stopping to catch up on Buzzfeed Unsolved and read A Darker Shade of Magic. Both preferable options to writing.
Again this is not my best. I wanted to do better I swear!!!
The Invitation
The icy air
had kept most people inside which I preferred, less distractions. I only had a short
time between classes and liked to spend it outdoors if I could. The leaves were
all turning rust colored offset by the burnt umber bark of the skeleton trees,
a stunning contrast my fingers were itching to trace. I wanted to capture
autumn, trap its essence in a bottle. Press its dying leaves between the pages
of a book. It didn’t want to be caught of course.
It always
left too quickly, but part of its beauty seems to be held in the fact that it
fades fast.
I nibbled at
my poor excuse for a sandwich, ignoring the crumbs falling on my frantic lines.
The sketch wasn’t turning out very good anyway. A hollow sound echoed like a
dropped coin, drawing my attention off the page. The park trail I had sequestered
on was noticeably empty. I couldn’t place the sound.
A brisk movement startled
me, a flash of white fur. An arctic fox loped passed me.
I sucked a
gasp in and followed it with my eyes to the edge of the treeline where I lost
sight of it.
I tapped my pencil on the edge of the crumb filled page. I
sketched it out with messy lines; the pencil skimmed across the page, the
scratching sound it made was comforting to me. I tried to do it justice, but I couldn’t
remember the last time I had seen a fox. It was a pale and inaccurate
imitation.
Not that I
had many opportunities to see them, school had been eating most of my time.
“Cass!” the thin, almost weedy voice was unmistakable.
I shut my
sketchbook, feeling a bit insecure about my aimless drawings.
“Yeah,” I
called back.
His voice had arrived ahead of him. He rounded the corner, a
compilation of wild curls and spindly limbs wielding two steaming cups. I could
only hope they held tea.
“I
should’ve known you’d be here.” He slumped onto the worn bench next to me and
waved the cup in front of me.
I took it with
mumbled thanks. The cup warmed my stilted fingers instantly, making them
tingle.
“Christ,
it's cold.”
I nudged
him, “It’s nice.”
“Only you
would think so. All of the other students are enjoying the nice bonfire.” He
eyed me with a heavy dose of skepticism. “Part of your charm I suppose, you
being a hermit.”
I shoved
him, but didn’t bother defending myself. I could be a hermit. The idea didn’t
even bother me it probably should have.“You
could be with there with them.”
His teeth
glinted at me, teeth that were somehow too straight for an odd angle boy. “Then
who would save you from freezing to death so?”
“I’m not
even close to freezing.” I stated with confidence, I had layered up my sweaters
and even brought gloves. I had forgotten about them, but that was hardly the
point. I took a sip of the steaming drink. Not tea, hot chocolate which was
acceptable, especially the twinge of peppermint that wafted through it. I nodded my
appreciation. He waved me off like it was nothing, which was his default it
drove me nuts.
“Liam...” I
ground out. “You didn’t have to come find me, you know.”
He squinted
at me, his eyes devilish. “O, grand! Guess I’ll head back then.”
He made a
grab for my cup, but I held it away from him. “Noo... it’s good!”
I held the
still warm cup under my chin and simpered at him.
His grin
split his face in two. He had the type of face I liked to draw. Angular and
interesting, “It’s not an obligation, Cass. Somebody might actually want to
spend time with you... unlikely, but it’s a strong possibility.”
“A strong
possibility,” I tossed his words back at him, “Is this that, Irish charm I
heard so much about.”
He raked
his fingers across his head, disrupting his already wild hair, “As if I’d waste
such a thing on a wain like you.”
“Course not.” I stuck my tongue out.
He sipped at
his drink, and adjusted himself across the bench. He never did like sitting
still, “Amazing view you have here!”
I ignored
his dry observation, as I stood and started picking up all my tools and
notebooks. The time had gotten away from me. I needed to get ready for my next
class.
Liam picked
up my sketchbook and a dropped eraser, “Are you writing letters now?”
“What?”
“There’s a
letter under your book, or at least an envelope.” He held it out. The blaring
white paper was new to me.
I snatched
it from him, hoping it wasn’t a folded up piece of artwork I had forgotten
about.
It was an
envelope, a sealed one with a small pat of red wax that had some kind of leaf
emblem inlaid in it. I flipped
it around. My name was on it. My first name at least. Liam leaned over, his interest
piqued by my own.
I stared at
it, and glanced up at him to see if there was any sign of a tell. He was the only one who
could have put it there, and there was no reason for him to give me a card. I lifted
the seal gently with my fingernail, cracking it seemed like a waste. I pulled
out a thin leaf-like paper. I was almost scared to touch it. I coaxed it out
and unfolded it.
Dearest Cassie,
You have been granted
the honor of attending to the Autumn Court
An emissary will be
sent to collect you
There was a
signature of sorts scrawled and unreadable underneath the brief message.
I laughed
and waved the page at Liam. “What is this?”
He shrugged,
hands hidden in pockets. “It’s not mine if it were it would be much more
clever.”
“Sure.” I
read it over, ignoring a sudden chill that crept through me. “It’s probably a Halloween
party. Jess’s I think. She likes to do themes.”
Liam nodded
in agreement, looking rather blasé about it.
“I’m not sure what theme this would be.” The
lack of a time and date was also a bit weird.
“Ren Faire,”
He suggested looking over the font. “Autumn court, that’s to do with the fee
ain't it.”
“Fee?” I squinted
at him.
“Faeries,
old wives tales, my Gran used to tell me stories.” He rubbed his arms and
looked around the woods with a strangled smile. “She told me they would take me
away.”
I couldn’t
help but laugh at that, “Take you where?”
His face
crinkled emphasizing his now pink nose. “She never said...somewhere quite bad I’m sure.”
I folded up
the letter, that didn’t sound too bad. In fact, getting taken by a fairy
sounded like a dream.
*From a beneath a blanket* Hope you guys like it! There is going to eventually be a shapeshifting fox fae in this story, and I'm so sorry he didn't show up in this like he was supposed to.
Make sure you go read the third part of
Ashley's story Ghost and Persie on the 28th. It's soo good, if you like Greek Mythology, coffee, graveyards, and ghostly girls this is for you.
