Once Upon A Time

As I lay there in the dark woods, listening to the burble of the stream next to

me, I close my eyes. I let in all the scents of the woods, hearing and feeling all that’s

around me. Becoming one with the earth. I could hear an enchanting flow of flutes and

drums in the distance. Instantly I knew what it was, and it brought me back to my

memories of my mother and father before they passed away.
Growing up as a child, my mother and father always told me about fairy tales,

about men and women who were unbelievably beautiful, Shape-shifters and Sprites who stole

new borns and took their place, Elves, Dragons and Griffins, and every creature in

between. I remember my mother sitting by the fire on the hearth one winter night, with me

by her side wrapped in a blanket given to me by a neighbor in the village. She was

telling me an old fairy tale that was one of her favorites, my father sitting close by at

the table sipping at a goblet of wine.
The story was about a young woman who traveled around the city, and was betrothed

to a butcher. One night the woman ventured into the woods, charmed by music, leaving

behind the bonfire in the city square where villagers were at, singing, and dancing,

celebrating because it was a holiday. The woman walked into the woods, and sat by the

little brook deep in the heart of the woods. As she sat by the brook, watching the

fairies celebrate, she saw a man dressed in earthy colors, pointed ears, skin pale, and

beautiful with astonishing features. He noticed her staring at him, and flashed her a

radiant, yet sheepish smile. She was enchanted by this mysterious man, but she never felt

like she was in any danger. He took her hand in his and they danced together to the fairy

music behind them. Little time had passed but her old, worn brown dress turned into a

beautiful and magnificent blue silken gown, the bodice running in a deep v-neck, and

covered with diamonds and sapphires that shimmered and sparkled in the

moon light. A fine chain of diamonds mad a cobweb necklace that rested on her collar bone.
As they twirled and danced, her dress flowed with the flight of their movements.

The two fell in love. In the midst of the music and the full moon light, he kissed her.

My mother loved that story, and it’d always been my favorite. My mother’s golden hair and

big blue eyes glowed and shimmered in the fire’s light.
I was brought back to reality as I heard the faint noise of a twig snap in the

distance. I looked quickly, my eyes adjusting to the blackness around me; I could make

out a doe on the other side of the stream. The moon light seemed brighter now, and the

woods seemed to be lit up by a gentle light. I sat up, leaves sticking to my hair and

back, I brushed and picked out the leave. I pulled my royal purple velvet cloak close

around me. The warm summer night started to cool, but it still brought all sorts of

sounds, but the most I enjoyed was the sound of the fairies’ laughter and their music. I

looked over to the fairy ring where the fairies were gathering and celebrating the summer

solstice. Their bonfire glowed with colors of blues, greens, and pinks. My heart longed

to join them, or at least be with a fairy.
In the corner of my eye, I could see the pale clothes and the proud body of a

person standing several feet from me. My heart hammered in my chest as I barely

recognized who it was. He was holding onto the reigns of his white horse with a black

spatter pattern by its legs. The horse stood proud and tall, and shook its black mane. I

was mesmerized by the man’s face and his beauty. He spoke to me in a tongue that I’ve

never hear before, but it was so musical to me. He spoke to me again, this time I could

understand him. He called my name, and his voice was still whimsical. As he looked at me,

I gazed at him walking toward me, his white hair all feathery and blown by the gentle

breeze- even in the moon light I could see his features wonderfully- his green eyes

glowed an dark emerald green, and his skin as pale as star light, yet there was a slight

flush to his cheeks. His sharp features of his face seemed so unreal to me. My heart beat

faster and harder, and I could have sworn he heard it.
As he was arms length away from me, he flashed me a magnificent smile, and then

he spoke in his musical tone, “June, you were calling me, weren't you?” I hadn’t realized

that I had called him, but everything happens for a reason. In the midst of my

daydreaming, had I called out to this man? I don’t think that I had.
His light blue cloak shimmered, and it looked like it was made out of scales of

some sort. He shifted his weight as he waited for my response and his horse nudged his

arm. I could feel my face heat up as I responded, feeling embarrassed. I’ve only seen him

once before, but I feel like I’ve known him my whole life. He said he heard me, my heart

to be exact. That was what called to him.
I remember seeing him for the first time. I was only a child then. I was out

playing in the woods, and that’s when I saw him, laying in a patch of forget-me-not

flowers, gently patting the head of a fawn next to him. He was my age, and his name was

Kheelan. After returning home late that night, my parents no longer wanted me out playing

in the woods by myself, and especially that it was almost autumn and the King’s Royal

Hunter and his companions were going to be out there. From that day forward, I began

seeing Kheelan in my dreams, and seeing him take me to the most wonderful palace in a

crystal wood.
He took my hand from my side, bringing me back from my thoughts, and brought it

up to his lips. I could feel the warmth of his lips against my cool hand. His emerald

green eyes searched mine and I could feel the longing in my heart for him. Even though I

was a normal human girl who lost her parents at the age of twelve, and he, a fairy who

could possibly live forever, but seemed to age with me, I doubted that he would want me

by his side.
Oh how I was about that. Every night I would venture out into the woods for a few

weeks, getting to know him better. Each time I saw him, my face burned. Just being with a

fairy, and one that I loved, seemed very unreal to me. Kheelan would take me out to the

fairy rings when they were celebrating, and even though I never blended in with them,

they still accepted me, and especially because I was Kheelan’s. But whenever I took him

out to the city, he was able to blend right in, with everyone, no one could tell he was a

fairy, except for me, I was the only one who could see through glamour. But where ever a

fairy touches, they leave behind a sparkling silver or gold dust. I find that dust more

and more on my face as he caresses my cheeks in his hands and kisses passionately. My

love for Kheelan will continue to grow, and will never die.