Chapter Eleven: Of Fairies and Moths

Jenny looked at the miniature person in a miniature house. She wondered what to do. Believing in magic was one thing, but to have a fairy living in your nieces dollhouse was taking things a little far. What if Astrid were discovered by Travis or Clare and Carla? What would they make of her? She suddenly felt tired, and looking at Astrid and Elizabeth she realised that they were all in need of a good lie down. It was still only 11am and the house would be all theirs for a few hours yet, so Jenny suggested the three of them sleep on it.

She tucked her niece in her bed with strict instructions to rest, and left the fairy to settle herself under the handmade doll size quilt. Upstairs once more, she found it difficult to relax. But after a short while she dozed off on the couch.

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Someone was shaking her awake. Jenny didn't remember going home. And then she realised she wasn't home, she was in a shop. There was piles of dusty bric-a-brac about the room and whoever was shaking her had come up quietly behind her. She turned and saw the little old woman shopkeeper smiling kindly at her.

"I'm sorry to startle you dear, but I was just thinking of shutting up and came to see if you were ready for me to wrap up your purchases?" she said in her soft, kind voice. Jenny looked at her watch and was surprised to see it was just going on to five o'clock. Hadn't she just walked into the shop a few minutes ago? She wondered.

The little old woman had picked up the wicker basket at her feet and was heading out to the front room. Jenny followed her, dizzily. Each item from Jenny's basket was placed on the counter and wrapped in brown paper while she watched.

"That will be $133 total dear," said the little old woman.

"Wasn't there something else?" Jenny asked, confused.

"Oh you mean this," whispered the shopkeeper as she placed a porcelain fairy onto the counter. "No sorry, I couldn't possibly part with her. She has been in my family for years. But you know fairies, they are like moths to a flame when it comes to little girls, they just can't keep away." And to Jenny's confusion she wrapped the fairy and put it in with the rest of her purchases.

"Thankyou Rebecca," said Jenny as she pushed open the front door.

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Jenny woke with a start. There was a moth flying about her face. She swished at it before she was fully awake and her hand connected with something much larger than a moth.

Astrid picked herself up off the ground and glared at Jenny.

"Oh I'm so sorry" apologised Jenny as she went to the fairies aid. She wasn't hurt, only her pride was bruised.

"I came to tell you I am leaving" said Astrid.

"No wait, I have something to tell you first. I think Rebecca knew you would try to find her. But she is an old woman now. You were under the curse of Shiraz for such a long time. She said that Fairies couldn't stay away from little girls, and if there was no Rebecca and no Elizabeth, you would just find another little girl to attach yourself to."

Astrid smiled at Jenny. She was surprised that a human could show such insight. Deep inside herself she had known that Rebecca would be old by now, but she thought she would try to find her anyway. Now she was having second thoughts. Perhaps these two humans could be trusted after all.

"I'm not a pet to be kept like a bird in a cage. I am a wild thing who likes to play among the ferns" she warned.

"You obviously have not seen the Himpy Grotto then," laughed Jenny Himpy as she picked up the light as a feather fairy and carried her outside.

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Elizabeth woke to the sound of her aunt's voice outside her window. It was followed by a high pitched tinkling laughter, and she remembered the fairy Astrid. She ran to her window and looked out at the garden as she had done many times before. Jenny was seated on the stone bench that faced the waterfall watching as something bright and fast flickered in and out of the maidenhair ferns.

Suddenly a delighted face appeared at her window. "I'll stay!" shrilled Astrid and instantly disappeared to play again amongst dripping plants.

 Note from the author: I once had a comment that this ending was too sudden and have considered adding another paragraph or chapter that describes Elizabeth's joy of having a fairy in the doll's house, and her temptation to tell her friend. What is your opinion?