From mountains and valleys to rivers and streams – even the ocean they flit, flutter, and hide among us. They leave blessings and care for nature – they are the life of the land. They are faeries.
As she fluttered above the waves – watched people walk and laugh along the shoreline – Bauble was nervous. Tomorrow she would take part in Newport’s Annual Festival of Fishing Floats. Swirled with shades of purple, small and delicate just like her, Baubles float stood out from the crowd.
‘Oomph! That hurt. I think I’m the only faerie that can’t fly without tripping over themselves,’ Bauble thought as she crashed into something hard.
“Watch where you are going, freak!” said the Wall.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” She apologized, not daring to lift her eyes to her tormentor.
“Sorry? I almost lost my float thanks to you! You are a disgrace to faerie kind,” spat the hostile faerie.
‘Why can’t I be good at something? I’m a clumsy flyer and last time I tried to use magic I turned Elder Trinket into a swan.’ Her belittling thoughts filled her mind as she flew from the scene of her latest embarrassment.
. As she fought to avoid further incidents of embarrassment, the glass blowing room came into full view. With the annual Festival of Fishing Floats occurring tomorrow, the room was surprisingly empty. Though, that emptiness was of great delight to Bauble; it meant she would not have distractions.
‘A little of this, a little of that, some heat here, a twist there.’ Bauble got lost in the world of glass blowing. With each new addition to her float she would spin around the room to watch the light cast rainbows as it was reflected off the smooth, sparkling surface. For over twelve hours, she sang, hummed, twirled, danced, and designed her way to a completed float.
"Bauble, where are you? It’s nearly time to hide the floats, child. I do hope you are finished with yours." She heard her mom call her, but Bauble was lost as she put the finishing touches on her float.
The float she worked on was a deep purple. She had gotten the glass to crackle just the right way that it looked to be a swirl of sparks dancing along the surface. Then she added a tree to the front of the float that looked alive and growing. Though, she had to be sure that this float was perfect. It was her one chance to prove herself.
"Coming, I just had one last thing to finish up," she answered, coming down to meet her mother outside the main hall, "Well, what do you think?" She held up her masterpiece.
"This is the finest float I have ever seen. Now, do you remember the rules? Your float must be well concealed for only a very special human can find a faerie float. You must remain hidden at all times, no speaking to the human that finds your float, just listen to their heart and bestow upon them the blessing you see fit. And most important, do not jeopardize the other faeries or mess with their floats, is this understood, Bauble?" Her mother crossed her arms, giving her a stern stare.
”I understand, but what are you so worried about? I know how to be a good faerie and would never do anything to risk my family. I promise this will be the best year ever.” Bauble said with a hopeful expression.
As the mother and daughter spoke, a faerie stepped into a podium and tapped a microphone.
"Fellow faeries, I would like to thank you all for your hard work this last year in teaching the upcoming recruits the ways of our ancestors. I would like to welcome the new members today and wish them luck on their first hide. Today, we are offering a blessing to select humans; only those who have a true heart can find our floats, and will receive a special dose of faerie magic. Be careful to remain hidden and offer your blessing, not the gift of faerie sight. Adults, please give the children room. They will never grow unless they are on their own. Most importantly, have fun! Today is a day to celebrate. Tomorrow begins another year and a new group of pupils,” the faerie elder spoke, bringing each and every faerie in the room to full attention. She addressed the group and then sent them off to hide their special gifts.
Bauble had already decided where she was going to hide her float: a tide pool. Her float was small and she knew it would be well concealed by an urchin or anemone. Where better to hide something that must be found by a pure heart then in a tide pool; a place children play? She really hoped a child would find hers. What a gift she could give: a faerie blessing.
'Hmmm, now which tide pool do I hide this in? I need a place to hide and watch, but I don't want to make this too hard. I wonder what the person will be like, what gift they will need to receive. Oh, all of this is just so exciting,' Baubles thoughts ran wild as she fluttered about all the different tide pools. Suddenly, she remembered the swimming hole. It was a large tide pool that the older children would swim in. At the bottom was a bed of starfish, anemones, and sea urchins; that was the perfect place to hide her special little float.
