The Trickster

I wake to the sound of “Airy” the cock, pushing my quilt to the side of my bed I’m already yelling at his impatience. “Ima comin.” Groaning as I fill a pot with birdseed as I walk outside with my bare feet not even bothering to change into today’s kit. Airy seems momentarily satisfied by the seed I spread through the coop, although he’s quite the unpredictable one, often attacking without warning. As I feel the rest of the chickens, I keep a close eye on Airy.

 My mother’s got breakfast on, amazing how I can smell it over all the animals. I start into the house and she starts the hollerin’ right off “Don ye be bringing scat into me kitchen, you.” I wash my feet in cold water, without the time to warm any for a proper bath. When I return to the table my sisters Edna and Ida were already at their places, waiting prim and proper for the rest of the family to join. Matching yellow dresses and red braids down their backs, as they often liked to dress like dolls. Mother slaps my greedy hand as I reach for a piece of warm bread, I couldn’t help it. It smelled like heaven, the honey my father had harvested at his own detriment was my favorite thing in the world. And Pa, well he was so weak for his girls that he would sport bee stings the size of boils on his face just to make us smile; which he did on occasion. Recently our family had fallen into the good fortune of a bountiful hunting season and harvest, with mild weather and not a single of us fell ill when the fever that took out the Jaminson’s son, from up the way. Good fortune, I smiled. Good fortune.

When Pa and Thomas were finally washed up and seated, we said our prayers to the Old Gods, thanking them for the many blessings bestowed upon the family from spring to summer, I prayed along but I used the closed eyes of my family to sneak a small piece of bread dipped in honey into my apron... Not being greedy this time, I was collecting what was due to the fey folk I knew I had been keeping content with my offerings. I knew where our luck was really coming from and I meant to appease them, as my grandmother once gave me the good word that in doing so my family may prosper. Breakfast passed with laughter as Pa recounted the tale of one of the billies chasing Thomas that morning as he carried water to the troths.

Thomas was the eldest of us, at 22 he could be working the mills and meeting fine young women in town, but being the only son of a farmer had its expectations. I tried to carry the burden by taking on chores with the men rather than inside with Mother and the twins, Edna and Ida- who were only 13. And myself, at the ripe age of 17 could be dressin’ up fancy and findin’ a fella to carry me off to the big city… But unfortunately, fine young gentleman certainly never found themselves around these parts, lest they be lost… And I ain’t exactly what one would call pretty, not by any means. My curly red hair was a mop on the top of my head, with ringlets hanging as they please, unruly and unmanageable. As if that weren’t enough, my freckles were so dark they grouped together all over my body, including my face- which I had recently been told my green eyes were too close together and my nose turned up, making me look like a freckled piglet…

I excused myself and washed my wares before heading into the meadow behind our house where my family thought I spent my leisure time daydreaming, which I often did, my great aunt Flora had gifted me a book identifying different gems and crystals, the likes of which I knew I’d never see, but I loved reading about the different properties and the pictures were magnificent. It was a book of treasures, I would read along an oak tree each day, until the day I found a circle of mushrooms, formed perfectly in the middle of the meadow, and unlike the other mushrooms I’d encountered, these never seemed to die out. I watched them for weeks, visiting the place daily and recalling the words of my grandmother’s old tales of the fey folk. I tried, of course, to jump inside, to the realm of the fey but nothing happened. But something drew me to this place, like whispers of things I had not imagined. So, I brought sweet treats to this place as an offering, for I knew the fey folk could influence the rains and the harvest, and during this time was that of fever and hard times to come. It’s been exactly 39 day’s since I began offering my treats to the fey and each day when I returned, they were gone. Not a drought, blight, or single sickness had befallen my family since then, and personally, I’m tempted to take the credit, but I knew there are certainly forces beyond me, blessing my family.         Today as I strolled up the hill singin’ nearly at the top of my lungs, mind you; I nearly fell back down the hill when I caught sight of something, someone shining right next to the magic mushrooms. He was sitting up against a tree, the sun reflecting off his clothes as if they were made of pure diamonds, this contrast to his ebony skin and blue eyes made him difficult to look at in all of his beauty. This man, this thing was actually shining. His glow was warm and inviting and when I came atop the hill he smiled like something one could only dream, his teeth were perfect and somehow still very visibly sharp as he flashed them at me and opened his arms as if to welcome me.

In sheer panic, I tripped past him, and my intended circle; I muttered my apologies and pretended to carry on elsewhere, until he spoke, his voice like low ringing bells in my ears. “Lana, did you not bring me a gift on this day?” I turned, puzzled and saying nothing I pulled a honey-covered piece of bread from my apron I had carefully wrapped with my handkerchief. I handed it to the strange man whose blue eyes seemed to contain oceans, and from my hand, he took his bread. Nibbling happily, he danced around the circle and sang in a language I had not yet heard but was sure he was singing his blessings. “I am Sciban.” He said as he savored the honey on his tongue.

I couldn’t form the words. I knew well of my intentions but often thought myself a dreamer of worlds that could not exist, and so I would have so much faith in them that they would exist for me, places in my mind when I slept. Never had I actually considered the possibility of the fey actually meeting me in person for a simple piece of bread.

“Yes, you’ve been generous in your offerings.” Sciban was licking his fingers, “I- we have become quite fond of you Lana.” His eyes met mine, and he extended his hand, holding out the handkerchief I had made years ago. “Keep it,” I told him, mesmerized. I watched him tuck the cloth into the breast pocket of his luminescent coat, the look on his face was genuinely pleased, he seemed touched. “I have decided to offer you an invitation to my home, for your many offerings you have earned blessings beyond your wildest dreams.”

I opened my mouth to speak but Sciban took my hand and he stepped into the fairy ring. “I know you’ve tried it at least once.” He smiled knowingly, as if he’d been watching all along this strange lanky girl trapesing up the hill to offer sweets to the fey folk. “Now Lana, learn the truth from the lore and step inside with me.” And without thinking I was already stepping into the ring of mushrooms, his beauty overpowering my will to do anything but stare in awe.

Suddenly, the world was a kaleidoscope, spinning into infinity I felt as though my body were somehow non-existent, but I could feel the warmth of Scibans hands wrapping and holding me tight as reality seemed to just slip away around us. Abjectly I wondered if I were dying, and couldn’t seem to connect that thought with the proper emotion. When the swirling stopped, I nearly fell over, instead, I fell into him, our lips inches apart. Sciban helped me to my feet and extended his arms out dramatically for me to take in the beauty that surrounded me. We were in the exact same place! Or at least It seemed to be the very same meadow, but a vail of luminescence covered everything within. And we had become very small, the mushrooms now a circle of pillars, every minute detail became a work of art before my eyes. Through the silk diamond vail from this vantage on the hill, I could see my sisters playing in the yard back at the house, I wanted to call to them but as if reading my thoughts Sciban informed me that they would not hear or see me in this realm, nor would I see him from the outside. He formed a glowing ball of energy in his palm. “Cloaking magic.” Flashing a sharp grin. Then he put both hands behind his back and seemed to observe me… A feeling of familiarity came from this as I thought of the pull of this place, the whispers, things I had not yet dreamed. I touched a leaf that seemed to glow upon being touched and somehow, I could feel happiness coming from the tree, like mother nature telling me hello. 

Overwhelmed I turned to Sciban shouting about how this couldn’t be real and I must have hit my head on a rock, somewhere in this rant I may have mentioned that he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, before promptly falling to the ground and having to catch my breath. This angel came to me, kneeling down he took my hand, I had not yet noticed his nails were sharpened, or the storm clouds that were brewing in his ocean eyes. “Lilly said the same thing.” He smiled, and you are free to leave, Lana, I will bring you to your family at once.

I had so many questions. “Lilly.” My mind raced, “my grandmother Lilly?”

A nod from Sciban.

“Which makes you…” Trying to calculate age in my mind that would make sense of this revelation.

“Ancient.” He interrupted my thoughts and stood, offering his hand. “We were good friends.” He said softly. “And she passed her knowledge of my kind to your father and aunts, but they must have forgotten. He smiled softly at me. “Someone must have listened. I remember a curious sort of creature jumping into the ring.” I was blushing and he continued, “I knew you were the one… I’ve been calling to you.”

“I heard.” I knew something was pulling me to this place. It felt so familiar, and yet like nothing I could have imagined. The grass was monolithic, everything was glowing, Sciban was perfection. He picked a berry the size of his face and took a chomp into it, digging his nails into it, I watched the juice run down his arms. “I don’t get my sustenance from your gifts.” He tells me, his diamond cloak turning the color of the berry, amethyst crystals seemed to be forming on his skin. “It’s more like…” He trailed off as he chewed.

“Offerings.” I used the word my grandmother had spoken to me when I was so young, I hardly remember her face.

He was reading my mind. “You have her face.”

I was as puzzled as my mind would allow me to be at this point.

“Exactly.” Sciban didn’t bother to wipe the juice from his face and I wanted nothing more than to taste it on his beautifully full lips. He gave me the full flash of his sharpened grin, somehow his teeth were unmarked and I realized he knew what I was feeling, and he is enjoying this!

“Oy” I took a pebble from the ground and threw it at him. “Out of my mind,” I demanded, suddenly embarrassed and furious all at once.

“Many pardons.” He pled, both hands in the air. He took a cautious step toward me as if I were the one with fangs and talons, and brushed a ringlet out of my eye. I was keenly aware of the homeliness of my appearance and I turned away from his stare. “No,” he said, admitting to invading my mind once again. “You are the most magnificent thing I’ve seen in so long. I pray you come along with me for an afternoon.” The oak tree behind him had an entrance I hadn’t noticed, not a door, just an arch, but inside was pure decadence. Everything was made of crystal, he had plates and furniture and even a little stove, they were quartz, rubies, obsidian. He motioned to a chair that looked like it might stab me, but when I sat down, I sank right in like I was sitting in cotton. Sciban had his back to me as he seemed to be boiling water.

“Where are your wings?” I asked abruptly.

I could hear the smile in his voice, “lore.” I think he sensed my disappointment. “I can jump from really high and land like a feather. I can call the birds to carry me.” He held up his hands and showed me his claws that felt soft as skin to me just earlier. “I’m a good climber.” His hair was twisted into dreadlocks that reached down his back, red against his dark skin. Biting my lip, I wanted to touch the glowing of his skin like sunlight and twilight existed together there in his skin. I knew he could hear my thoughts, I started thinking about things like the dogs and how my mother must be getting worried, anything to get my mind off of him.

Sciban sat next to me, handing me a geode that I realized was a cup. I peered inside, the fluid was swirling with colors that were glowing, allured but curious I looked at Sciban who sipped from his cup that looked to be made of fluorite, “Tea. But of the likes of which you could never imagine…” He watched me hesitate. But smiled like the sun when I took a sip.

My gods, there was pure happiness in this cup. It tasted of love, rose, promises and moonlight. I was swept away in the euphoria of it all as he spoke. The words seeming to fall from his tongue and float in the air. 

“I’ll admit to watching you, fair Lana. Like you’ll admit to wanting me because you do. And I have a proposition for you, my love.” He motioned for me to take another sip and absentmindedly I did as I was directed, letting myself get swept away in tastes and emotions that I’d never imagined. “Blessings on your household. No illness or blight should ever befall your family or the generations to come.” His words were bittersweet because they felt too good to be true.

“You.” He kissed me and I could taste everything from honey to sunshine on his lips. I kissed him back, wanting to say yes and fall into his arms and let him take me any and everywhere imaginable. Everything was swirling and I could feel his hands soft against my skin which I knew was wrong because I knew his nails were basically daggers, I found a moment of clarity in this, and I drew back from his kiss. Thinking of my family.

“You would watch them grow.” He told me.

“I would watch them mourn me,” I said solemnly. “And I would watch them get old, and die.”

“New generations will come!” He exclaimed, “And you will be witness to it all!”

My heart broke at that moment because I knew I couldn’t disappear without a trace.

“Please no.” Sciban’s eyes were hurricanes, I imagined sailors being swept away in their waves. “I didn’t want to have to do this.” He said, his eyes filling with tears. It’s the law of the fey, once you accept a gift from us, you are forever in our debt.”

Filled with rage I threw a cup of sunshine at him. That’s what this was. I thought to myself, a stupid trick.

“Please don’t.” He said with his head bowed, you are my love, I knew it when you answered my calls please don’t ignore the-“

“You tricked me.” My words cutting him off like a knife. He looked wounded.

And beautiful and I wanted him, but I wanted my life as well. And I would have them both. I kissed him softly and told him he would bring me back home and I would return tomorrow, and all the days that followed. One day, I told him. I might just stay because I liked him, but I would not be tricked.

“I am sorry,” He told me. “It’s too late” He motioned to the cup of luminescence on his selenite floor.

I smiled and kissed him once more, my demand still on my tongue. “These are my terms.” I pulled my handkerchief from his pocket and he knew, he was in my debt as well.