Meeting the King of the Fae

[Estruds78]

"Be cautious of where you sleep, sweet one," was what Aridel's mother always said. It was the first thing she'd said once Aridel was old enough to understand, and it was the last thing she uttered before she bid her to hide in the tall grasses, as Aridel's mother ran. The loud noises and barking that had followed them for hours, chased after her mother's footprints. Aridel, ever willing to listen to her mother's orders, wandered only a bit further into the grasses, before the hours of running caught up to her. Facts were, she just wasn't as strong as her mother.

Blearily blinking her eyes, her long legs gave out under her, and she fell asleep to the sounds of a soft, humming voice, giggles interspersing its song.

~

When she next awoke, it was both darker and lighter around her. She looked up at the sky to gauge how long she might've been asleep, but the sky was completely dark except for the twinkling stars. Around her, however, it was as if the sun stood high in the sky. She wasn't cold, rather the opposite, and she took a moment to just enjoy the cosiness.

Just then, she noticed that the light around her wasn't constant, but seemed to flow in gentle circles all around. She took a moment to focus her tired eyes, and was shocked to see what appeared to be tiny, blue suns. They seemed to have realised that she'd seen them, and they let out soft giggles, before continuing with the humming from before she'd fallen asleep.

It was so soothing. Almost as pleasant as her own mother's humming lullabies.

The reminder of her mother had her anxious to find her again, and she made to get up, only to be stopped when a new sort of light approached her. This one was a different colour from the rest, and the more she looked, the more it changed. It flowed through all the colours she knew; blue, like the other lights, pink like the cherry trees, green like the freshest grass, red like the darkest rose, yellow like the sun in the sky. And even other colours she had no words for. It was beautiful.

"Little Fawn," it said to her. "Won't you stay a while longer? We will take care of you until you're ready to go on."

It sounded so sincere, that Aridel wasn't sure how to refuse. But she had to. She had to find her mother again.

"Dearest Light, I cannot. For I have to find my mother and stay by her side till I'm grown enough to be on my own," she bleated regretfully at him. It truly did seem so wonderful, all of it.

"Oh, but Little Fawn, I'm sure your mother knows you're here and will come for you if you are but patient." It floated a bit closer, now seeming more red than any of the other colours. It stopped right in front of her nose, and swayed back and forth. "Come, stay with us for a time, and we will keep you until your mother returns."

All around her, the other blue lights started dancing faster and their melody grew louder and, well, it all just seemed so nice and lovely and, oh, how could she refuse?

She nodded her head slightly at the light. "Alright, Dear Light, I will stay with you till my mother returns for me."

With those words, the little light moved quickly through all the colours she knew, and all the ones she didn't before it settled on a light pink one. The others started giggling to themselves, as if satisfied, but she paid them no mind.

"Wonderful!" her light cried out in a jubilant tone. "Then, I shall hide you in the colours of my people, so that you may always belong to us," it declared, and before she could stop it, it landed on her nose. She sneezed, for it was magic and dust feel in her eyes and nose. When she opened her eyes again, the light was once more floating in front of her and the others were still blue, but everything else was different.

The sky looked red and the sun looked blue and her own fur was a light pink. Gone were the dark brown she'd been told resembled her father's mighty coat and gone was her black nose that she shared with her mother. All of her was light pink or dark pink, except for her white spots. And all around her white flowers were sprouting and white leaves feel from the trees above.

The tall grasses were gone, only a few at her back staying to cushion her.

She'd been tricked, and she only truly realised when she noticed that the tall grasses she'd fallen asleep in, had hidden a circle of small mushrooms.

How would her mother ever recognise her now?