FAIRYTALES FOR A HUMAN (Lesbian)

Part 10 DRYAD

Sweet days of Indian summer were over, and the autumn took possession of her right. Like a ruthless Queen, she gave strict orders to demolish everything that reminded her about tender days of a diseased ruler. I huddled up from the crispy air. The stillness of the field was bitter like my mood. The burial ceremony was over, but I couldn't get over it.

***

I brought the fairy's body to the nearest fay family I knew. A little one was so mutilated, so I had to wrap her in my old handkerchief in order not to shock her kins. Having no idea whether she belonged to that family or not, I was indecisive and stood ten elbows away from the hidden grotto I was sure they lived in.

Fairies had a reputation of simpletons among creatures. Not everyone bothered to learn their chiming language or silly traditions. They were like a part of the interior nobody cares about until it disappears. I knew only several phrases and could hardly pronounce them. I learned them for fun when I was small and we sheltered two lost flower fairies in our house. I felt a pang of remorse: my sister and I played with them as if they were toys, not living beings. "When did they live with us?" I tried to dig it out of my mind, holding the kerchief in my trembling hand. "I don't remember; it was summers ago. Probably, I got tired of them and found a new game or a toy. I never asked where they went," I thought, filling with shame.

Some of the watchers must have noticed me, for dozens of tender bodies surrounded me, swarming around. I felt giddy, as if I was swinging on a rope to and fro, to and fro.

"I'm very sorry!" That was the only thing I could say, putting her body on the ground. My lower lip started trembling and I bit it till it really hurt. I was sure they would be angry and blame me or demand the details of the circumstances. I wish they would scream at me, but they were tender and thankful. Thankful for what? For thinking how to save my own skin, when it was tearing her? I didn't care a bit about her then; she's just a stupid fairy. They are like butterflies one more one less. I cuddled myself tighter in a sheepskin and hid my trembling chin and red nose behind a warm collar. I was too tall to get into the grotto where they spent cold winters in hibernation, for their weak bodies could not resist bad weather. In defiance of the cold, they decided to bury her outside. Her relatives fluttered touching my cheeks or my fingertips, as if comforting me. Me! Every time they did it I shuddered. I wanted to burn with shame not to look at them. The worst thing was when came her partner and cried over her wrapped body. She was still in my tattered, old kerchief; if only I could bring something better for her! We didn't talk much: maybe they understood that a gigantic dryad had bad command of their language. I stayed with them till the end of the funeral.

Her name was Ida.

***

Doris might have problems if anyone from the creature committee finds out her affair with a human. It's one thing to have a secret crush till a human girl dies or the mermaid gets bored of her, but open relations with other humans and undeads involved, that's quite another matter. Thinking about the girl now when I had a chance to see her, I couldn't help myself wondering what was so special about her, that made Doris obsessed. She was obviously pretty and attractive, as far as I can tell, but not so beautiful and elegant as my elder sister was. I sighed, seeing her jubilant image in my head.

I don't think it's all about the coin, there is something else. Unlike Doris, I didn't fully trust her witch friends. Vera, Alex, and all their line are human descendants which, obviously, weren't their honour or privilege. Could siblings have used any spells on mermaid just for fun?

Above all, I had bad feeling: in my experience, undeads and fairies never come in so close to the human settlements. Having been repeatedly told to stay away from humans, I was restless. "They are evil, Juni. Never trust them," my teacher would say. I should have informed the elders about the talp, but they could ask me why I had been on human territory myself. They might find out that I wasn't alone at the pond. But I can say nothing; I am constrained by the promise to help her!