Elavera

I stared outside the bus window, as our driver took a particularly sharp corner and screeched to a halt in front of Elgy Lane bus stop (#2304). People rushed around outside, heading into and out of shops, as the sun hopscotched through the clouds. 

A young boy accidentally dropped his phone and quickly picked it up, stuffing it back in his pocket as he looked around in embarrassment. An older lady shuffled along past him, not noticing or caring about that little incident, her equally aged and unconcerned cocker spaniel setting a stately pace alongside her.  A girl around my age hopped out of a pet shop, delightedly stroking what must be a recent purchase, a lizard that had settled happily on her shoulder, its vibrant jungle green tail curled delicately around her neck. 

It was an odd feeling still, realising I was not like them. 

I settled back against my seat with a slight sigh as the bus started up again and jumbled along towards its next stop. 

The bus drifted along, its abrupt stop and go finally ending for me on the outskirts of our town, at a small picturesque cottage surrounded by aggressively growing greenery. 

I wondered, not for the first time, if that was what had attracted them, my other parents. What had made them feel it was safe or acceptable, to leave their only child here. 

But I suppose that was putting too much of an emotion to the fae, I thought as I irritably dodged a rather fat bumblebee. 

My parents had found me outside their door one day, sitting in a delicately woven basket and covered in a fine silken blanket upon which was lain a letter telling them of an ancient treaty between humans and fae, whereupon a fae child was to be sent once a century into the world of the humans. Upon the child’s eighteenth birthday they would return to the fae world and serve as an ambassador and source of knowledge for all things human  

Despite my obvious propinquity for nature, and my equally obvious inability to interact well with humans, although the latter was perhaps more of a personality trait than related to my fae nature, I had remained blissfully unaware of the truth until my parents had told me everything two weeks ago. 

And that was when the trouble had really started I thought, heavily dropping my bag onto a chair, as I began to pull out an assortment of vegetables and spices for tonight’s supper. 

The day after my parents had told me, my head still reeling from the news that the otherfolk were real, let alone that I was one of their kind, a fae being had shown up at my door. ‘As casual as you please,’ I thought, still miffed about that first encounter. 

I had heard a knock on the door and, still drying my hands from an interlude of washing dishes, had opened it to find what, or whom, could only be one of the fae.

They were not what one would call beautiful, but they held beauty nonetheless, with their skin lightly tinged with the colors of the ivy growing alongside our cottage, and their eyes the color of the wildflowers that sprang up in the fields across town. 

‘Elavera Mae,’ they began formally. ‘I am Endren, and-’

I sighed, holding up a hand, ‘Could you come in first please, I don’t want the cat to get out. And I know they will if I keep this door open any longer.’ If a fae could look taken aback, this one could, but they simply nodded and stepped indoors. 

‘Take a seat,’ I said, gesturing to the rotund couches that lined our living room walls. ‘I will stand,’ they said stiffly. 

‘Elavera-’ they began again, ‘Yes, yes, look I’m sorry to be rude,’ I said waving a hand, ‘But I don’t go by that name. In fact, I didn’t even realise that was my name until yesterday.’

‘Yes, we know,’ they said simply. 

‘I’m sorry, were you eavesdropping?’ I said, getting up to put the kettle on. ‘Because that really was a private conversation.’ 

My back was turned but I thought I heard a slight sigh. 

‘No, Elavera, the fae do not eavesdrop. However, when a changeling is informed of their true nature, we simply know.’ the fae said, the clear superiority rushing off them in droves. 

‘Right.’ The kettle began to whistle, heating up unnaturally fast. I shot a suspicious glance at the fae, but they seemed to be absorbed in watching my cat as it batted lazily at one of the tassels on the couch. 

I poured out two cups of tea and brought them over, handing one to the fae and holding the other close. To my surprise they held it up and drank it, sipping delicately. 

‘Elavera Mae,’ Endren said firmly, as they set the tea cup back down. ‘Now that you know of your true nature, the time is almost upon you to take up the mantle of the Fae Wyld’s newest ambassador. We have eagerly awaited this day and preparations are complete for your arrival.’

I absentmindedly took a long, slurping sip of my tea, slightly coughing as it went down the wrong pipe. Endren watched in what could only be described as thinly veiled disgust. 

I pounded my chest a bit, took a bit of water, and tucked a stray piece of hair back in place. ‘Well, I, sorry, but I have thought about this, in the very very small window of time that you have given me, and I am afraid I am going to have to ah, decline.’ I said primly, as I tried to delicately mop up the tea I had spilled. Endren began to laugh, a delicate tinkling laugh that nevertheless set my teeth on edge. 

‘I’m afraid that is not an option,’ they began.

I cut them off again irritably, ‘I am afraid, actually, that it is an option.’ I said firmly, ‘as, truth be told, I could care less about the fae, and more about my life here on this earth.’ 

‘Ah yes,’ they said, chuckling lightly, ‘your dream of becoming an inventor.’ 

I restrained myself from chucking the tea cup at their face. ‘Yes, that dream.’ I turned away and picked up my cat from his lazy lounging on the floor. He meowled unhappily but soon settled purring into my arms. 

The fae set it’s somehow now-empty cup down on the table, ‘I am afraid Elavera, that you do not have a choice in the matter.’ 

I looked up to retort, but they had gone.  

Now was the day before my eighteenth birthday, and I was armed with every charm our small library had listed about protecting oneself against the fae, along with every invention I could think of. 

My parents joined me for dinner, a happy, cosy affair, one that would perhaps be our last, although none of us said it. The night wore on, and mother insisted on staying on the downstairs couch. I gratefully accepted. 

Perhaps as a result of nerves, my mother’s snoring, or the several pots of tea I had had earlier, I found myself wide awake as the clock slowly, relentlessly moved closer to midnight. 

As the last chime sounded, I allowed myself one sigh of relief, before suddenly finding myself in a world not my own. 

I let out a few choice swear words, especially when I saw the fae who had visited me earlier gliding towards me. ‘I thought I had told you I did not want to come here,’ I said through clenched teeth, barely restraining myself from swinging a now chlorophyll tinted fist at them. 

‘I demand to be sent back,’ I said firmly. 

Suddenly, I found myself back in my house. However, this time Endren and another, an elegant looking fae woman, stood crowded in my small room. I didn’t even bother trying to put on something more decent over my moth-eaten looking pajamas, although I caught a hint of disdain in my fae’s eyes. 

‘What, exactly, is going on.’ I said, rubbing my forehead and sitting down heavily on my bed. 

The fae woman looked surprised, ‘You asked to be sent back, did you not?’

‘Well, yes,’ I rubbed my forehead a bit harder, ‘But I didn’t really think you would,’ I muttered.

‘Oh, well we can send you back…’ 

‘No!’ I stood up and grabbed her half raised arm. 

Endren instantly pushed away my hand, ‘How dare you touch the Queen’s arm.’ 

‘I didn’t know she was the queen,’ I growled back, ‘In fact, I don’t know a single damn thing that is happening.’ 

The queen held up a hand between us. ‘Perhaps I had best explain. Elavera, or Alice, if you prefer to be called, would you mind terribly accompanying us back to the Fae Wyld?’ 

I hesitated, but then nodded as a few seconds I found myself in a luxurious room that appeared to be formed entirely of plant life. 

The queen gestured elegantly to some chubby plants that appeared to double as couches. 

‘You are, as Endren has told you, the new ambassador between humans and fae.’ 

‘Yes, I know, and I declined,’ I said with a pointed glance at them. ‘I prefer to stay on earth.’ 

The queen looked surprised, ‘Didn’t Endren mention? You can stay there.’ 

I must have looked completely flummoxed because she sent a piercing look at Endren, who looked away. ‘Perhaps I forgot to mention that part,’ he muttered, looking slightly embarrassed. 

She sighed lightly, ‘Most changeling children in fact spend the majority of their human years upon Earth, ferrying knowledge between the two worlds. Since Fae are immortal, once their human years are up they then settle in the fae world, and we choose a new ambassador.’ 

‘While we do expect you to spend some of your human time here, conveying the knowledge of the humans, it is not what you call ‘a full-time job.’ ’ she finished with a warm smile. 

I was silent for a moment, and then nodded, ‘I will, try,’ I said hesitantly, ‘But if I do not like it, I will not continue,’ I warned.

Endren looked annoyed, but the queen simply nodded, ‘Of course.’ 

____

After a quick visit home to tell my parents I would be able to see them again, and could they please watch my cat for now, I spent the next week in the fae world learning more about their life and my new responsibilities. I was able to talk with old ambassadors who, to my surprise, waxed enthusiastic about the job, telling me of the adventures they had had in centuries past. 

As time went on, I found myself settling into my role with ease, enjoying my companionship between the worlds. Even being able to implement new policies, one in particular I firmly insisted on, that the new ambassador be thoroughly informed and trained prior to their eighteenth. 

It was not what I had expected in my life, but then, perhaps, reality never is.