"The Faeries' Gift"

by JLynn

A dreamy moon, a curtained sky,
a cobbled trail to lead her by…
The dewy air to chill her skin,
a whispered wind to bring her in
to this, the shadowed garden-grove,
where Faerie hides its treasure trove.

But fiddled forth comes a midnight song
of ages past and legends gone,
of humans searching, led astray,
touched by something old and fey.
“ ‘Ware, o’ ‘ware,” the grasshopper sings,
“For even worse, there's worser things…”

Still she moves, her nightgown clinging,
hastened on by a different singing.
Other voices, sage and bright,
calling to her through the night,
lead her further, closer in,
until the garden’s borders thin.

From beneath the flowered hedges now
and every low and draping bough,
pastel colours peek and grow,
gossamer patterns shifting, flow,
throwing back the nighted sky
and steal from her an eager sigh…

Slow and stately, from a lowly knoll,
springs Faerie full and wondrous whole.
Its figures fair and beauteous seem
a thing of memory, perhaps a dream.
Music soars and to its sound
come others, dancing, from Faerie's mound.

Her eyes alight, her heart now flutters,
she hears a voice that clears, and utters,
“What is this? A child of Eve?
Abide a while, and let us weave
a sight for you such as few do know
for you are chosen, we will bestow
a gift so rare, a gift so sought,
one that cannot be found or bought.”

Her tender lips form a soundless O,
her eyes reflecting the golden glow,
as before her stands the Faerie Queen
clad in ermine and silks of green.
“Come before me, mortal child.”
And so she does; enthralled. Beguiled.

“Come with us, receive your gift,”
the Queen says grandly, a hand does lift
to point towards the mound's bright door,
“Come, join us now and ever more…”
Wing'ed fairies surround her height
and beckon towards eternal light…

She shakes her head, for once unsure,
dazzled by the Queen's allure.
“What is this? Why do you pause?
Will you not forgo your flaws?
And join us in the ever life
to leave behind your mortal strife?”

Bereft of breath, her tongue laid still,
she stands and stares and waits, until
the welcome fades from the Queen's fair eyes
and the girl recalls the warning cries
of a midnight song, its words now clear.
And suddenly she feels deep fear…

“Spurn us now, you wretched child?”
the Queen's smooth voice turns cold and wild.
At its sound her dread grows strong,
knowing now she does not belong.
One step back, one more still,
to ease her path from the gaping hill…

“Stand you there, you ungrateful thing,”
a new voice orders in a chilling sting.
A dark cloaked Faerie ascends the mound,
his movements slow, his look profound.
With hand outstretched he points her way
and so she gasps - her pallor grey.

“Fie on you, O child of Eve!
May you suffer now 'ere you leave!”
his voice rings out across the dell,
his arms wave twice in a Druid's spell.
Once welcome music dims and growls
to a fierce and hot, fiery howl.

Terrified beyond all scope
and clinging to a shred of hope
she turns and beats at the Faerie'd air,
but the hum of wings drowns out her prayer.
The blast of power engulfs her whole
and lights the night as it steals her soul.

She falls forever to the lawn below,
her eyes grow dim, her skin like snow.
As darkness cloaks her gaze in sadness
her last thoughts trip through dreams and madness,
for a piece of verse, its words still ring;
'For even worse, there's worser things…'

* * *

A faded moon, a lightened sky,
a cobbled trail to lead her by…
The dewy air to chill her skin,
a whispered wind to bring her in
to this, the shadowed garden-grove,
where the nurse's charge was wont to rove…

A lamp in hand, a shawl clutched tight,
she paled and moaned at the awful sight.
Upon the grass in the dawn's grey hour
at the foot of the Faeries' bower
Lay the girl all still and silent; gone.
Left behind… all gifts withdrawn.