Prince Silver crunched golden birch leaves on his way to the Gather.
In olden days, the sacred site had been a fairy mound, in the midst of an ancient oak and pine forest. The Sidhe elders held gatherings before a magic granite obelisk beneath the mound. Then humans cut away swaths of trees and leveled land for house sites. Houses turned backs to the site, and the magic stone hid behind glamours.
Ley lines remained, conduits of magic power, stretching from the new world to the old and to other secret places. At their intersection, none could deceive, either by telling lies or misleading by silence. Prophecy foretold that one day, the ley lines would call to one born to control the power, a Ley Channeler.
Humans became uncomfortable too close to the site. Dark clouds foretold storms or cold winds raised goose pimples. Humans fled the strange weather, they remembered urgent business elsewhere or felt frightened without knowing why, hurrying home. In time, the land healed from the human tumult, and a grove of silver birch sprang up where the fairy mound had been. A brook tinkled musically, separating the grove from the backyard of a blue house.
The Sidhe court approached at twilight for the Grand Gather. They protected themselves by glamour and spells. They were hushed, but a frisson of excitement underlay their slow movements.
Queen Calla Drythorn cast a circle, allowing the others to let slip their glamours. To the fae, the circle looked like a wall of fairy lights, separating them, meant to deceive human eyes and ears. Into the circle, Queen Calla brought her only son, Prince Silver. All the children of the court were tested in their sixteenth year. Each year, the young fae had failed to grasp the powers.
The circle was invisible to humans. Except for Rowan. She was drawn toward the starry lights, twinkling among the amber leaves. She felt the call of a power she did not understand.
She walked toward the circle, unnoticed by all but Prince Silver, who gasped. “Mother!”
“Do you feel the power?” Queen Calla was excited, and her gaze sharpened on him.
“No, Mother,” Prince Silver noticed how disappointed his mother looked. All the other courtiers also heaved sighs of disappointment. “But a human is watching us!”
Queen Calla raised her hand, turning swiftly toward Rowan with amazement….
Copyright 2014 Brenda Davis Harsham
You have a cruel streak that I hadn’t suspected – how can you leave us there like that?
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LOL It was getting too long. And this is also a taste of my new novel. I’m dying to start working on it full-time. I’ve nearly finished editing the old book! Woo-hoo!!
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Wow! Fabtastic!
Editing (shudders) – now there’s a thing that can drive you stir-crazy!
Did I tell you we were making an ebook for someone else? We must have sent the ‘Final Edit’ off twenty times! Not heard for a few days – so fingers crossed this last one is good.
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So exciting. Send me a link when it’s done. 🙂
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We are waiting to hear – and trying to get caught up with everything that should have been done by now!
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You have intrigued me fair lady, I shall await the continuing with a heartbeat gone wild.
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LOL I am so happy to hear that you want more. 🙂
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Oh, I love this Brenda!!! I want to read more!! 🙂 and it features my tree, the silver birch!! 🙂 and fairies! 🙂 and magic! 🙂 How can I not love it! ❤ ❤ ❤ You are such a woderful writert Brenda! 🙂 Thank you for letting me read it! 🙂 It made my morning magical! 🙂 Did you get time to read about the Scandinavian nisse over at Granny's Garden ? I thought you might like a bit of Scandinavian folklore! 🙂 🙂 Big hugs! ❤
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Thanks, my friend. All these smiles made my morning brighter, as do your kind words. 🙂 I will look for the nisse. 🙂
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Hihihihi 🙂 You found him! 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Brenda, can I ask you something? I am looking for a word in English, you know when you build a car out of planks and old pram-wheels and you race it as a kid, what is that car called? It is for one of my stories 🙂
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IT’s a go-cart. 🙂
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Thank you so much! 🙂
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😀
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Reblogged this on 21 Shades of Blue and commented:
Wonderful short story by Brenda! It’s talk of a master of ley lines reminded me of my Tanka “Miracle Merle” (below) posted the eve before the International Day of Peace this year, that foreshadows themes in my “Sonnets From Hush To Hush” of the Raven Queen (they have some Merle-colored wings) who was once a snowbird, and the Snowy Owl who goes incognito as a scourged Red-Winged Blackbird! Very inspiring and interesting Brenda 🙂
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Thanks! I’m glad you were inspired. This is part of a new book I’m working on. Sorry it took me awhile to see this, I don’t go into my dashboard as often as I used to, now that I’m trying to finish my novel. Blessings, Brenda
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oh, i love this so much, brenda. have a wonderful and magical thanksgiving )
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Thanks, Beth. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! 🙂
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Brenda, you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Take care. 🙂
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Thanks, you too!!
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Thanks much! 🙂
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