The Goddess's Gift

Shaking myself from my sad thoughts, I began to gather the things I’d need to make more burn salve, only to realize that I was running low on whistlebell, one of the herbs I used.

Luckily, whistlebell was a very hearty plant and grew even in the winter. But unfortunately, it wasn’t an herb I'd ever managed to grow on my own, so I’d have to go and forage for it in the forest. Since it was still pretty early in the day, I’d have enough time to go find some and get back before it got dark.

I packed a quick lunch, then bade the cats farewell as I slipped outside, throwing the satchel with my lunch and other supplies over my shoulder, and resting my herb basket in the crook of my arm. Taking a deep breath, I headed towards the forest that my property backed up against.

Hopefully the wolves weren’t out prowling around during the day. It wasn't likely that they would be, but it certainly wasn't unheard of, especially if they got really hungry in the winter months.

I walked slowly for a long while, scanning the ground in the direction I knew I’d gone before when I’d found the herb in question.

“Whistlebell. Whistlebell.” I repeated to myself every so often, carrying the image of the leaves in my mind.

It was a pretty plant, with bell-shaped flowers in a pale, icy blue. The leaves were glossy and spiky, almost like holly. And though the flowers were pretty, it was the spiky leaves that I was after. They had some property that caused a cooling effect, which went very nicely with the healing magic I always infused into the burn salve.

Finally, I spotted the pale, telltale blossom. It was one of the only flowers to live this late into the winter months.

“There we are!” I smiled and knelt, setting my basket down, and then rummaging in my pack to find the knife I used for taking herb cuttings. Soon I was busily trimming leaves and putting them into the basket.

It was a large patch of the plant, and would provide me with plenty of the leaves, but I never took more leaves than a particular plant could handle losing. After all, I wanted the patch to keep growing so I could come back in the future to get more leaves for my salves.

After what seemed like a short while, I stood, stretching my back and craning my neck up. To my surprise, I saw that the sun had climbed high into the sky, and that it was now midday.

“Oh! Time for lunch then!” I’d gather a few more leaves after I’d eaten, then head home.

I found a large tree to lean up against, and settled down, rummaging in my pack once more and pulling out the paper parcel that contained my food.

There was an apple, cheese, bread, pickles, a bit of bacon leftover from breakfast, and some dried apricots. Altogether not a bad little lunch, really. I sipped water from my water-skin as I munched away happily.

The sun came out from behind a cloud and streamed through the barren limbs of the tree I was using as a chair. I closed my eyes, leaning back and turning my face up to soak up the rays.

Despite the nip in the air, the sun was warm enough that, with my belly full, I slipped suddenly into a blissful sleep, which wasn’t surprising, given how I’d had to wake often the night before to check on Biren.

Suddenly, I woke up with a start. “Oh!” I gasped, blinking and shaking my head. Then I froze as I saw an altogether strange being sitting by my feet, looking just as startled as I was.

It had a fairly cute, human-esque face, with large brown eyes much like my own, a button nose, a normal mouth, and curly brown hair. But it also was crouched down on a pair of spotted, deer-like hind legs with hoofed feet, though it did have hands much like my own. I noted it was wearing a faded red shirt and matching pants.

The little creature stumbled away, squeaking in dismay, and my surprise faded. Realizing that it hadn’t meant me any harm, I managed to push away my confusion and smile. “H-hello there! I didn’t mean to scare you! Then again, I didn’t mean to fall asleep here, either.”

The strange being watched me warily, but I saw its eyes flicker down for a moment to the food that lay beside me, the paper wrappings acting as a plate.

“Ah, you’re hungry!” It was mid-winter, and all forest dwellers would be struggling to find anything to eat. Did that mean the fey folk that lived there were hungry as well? “Well, I packed far more than I needed. I can share.” I smiled, moving slowly, and pushing the remnants of my food forward as far as I could reach, then sitting back, and curling up against the tree.

Its dark brown eyes stayed trained on me, but after a few moments, it took a few hesitant steps forward, then reached out and snatched up the food, and retreated once more, sitting down a few paces away to nibble on the food. I’d eaten all the bacon and the apple, but there was a good bit of bread, cheese, and apricots left, and the little creature chowed down on it.

Suddenly, it spoke in a quiet voice, “You’re not fey.” Something about its speech told me it was young, if not a child.

I blinked. “That’s right, I’m human.”

“You smell kind of like one of us.”

“Oh? Well, I can use magic. Maybe that’s it?”

“No.” It shook its head. “You’ve been around a fey person though. Someone strong.”

“Uh…not that I know of? You’re the first fey person I’ve ever met.” I blinked.

“Maybe you were around one and didn't know it.” The small fey person suggested. “We can usually hide from humans.”

“I mean, that’s definitely possible. Are there a lot of fey in the woods here?”

“Not a lot, but not a little.” it told me.

“Well, I live on the border of the woods, so they might pass by my house or something.” I shrugged, then paused, and said, “You’re not hurt or anything, are you? I’m a healer, if you need that kind of help.”

“No. Just hungry. It's close to my snack time.” it shook its head, then paused and said, “Thank you for sharing.”

I smiled at the little thing. “You’re welcome!” I tilted my head to the side, “What kind of fey are you?”

“I’m a faun.”

“Oh, that makes sense, in hindsight.” I laughed a little, then sighed. “I would ask your name, or what you’re called, but names are dangerous things to talk about with fey folk, aren’t they?” Another thing I actually did know about fey folk was that they couldn't actually lie. They could obfuscate in other ways, but not an outright lie.

“Only true names are dangerous. What you’re called by everyone isn’t a true name. It’d be silly if it was.” the little faun told me, smiling a little.

“Oh, I see! I don’t know much about fey folk.” I shrugged. The fey person’s statement did beg the question what exactly a true name was, but I wasn’t about to grill the kid about it right then and there.

“I’m Mira.”

“That’s a pretty name.” I smiled.

“Mama says it’s a pretty name for a pretty girl.” She smiled shyly now.

“Of course it is!” I assured her. “I’m Winna.”

“I like that name.”

“Thank you!” I laughed a little.

“What are you doing in the forest?” Mira asked.

“Picking whistlebell leaves.” I motioned at my basket. “I make a burn salve with them. Do you live in this area?”

“Not far from here.”

“I see. Well, if you ever see me out and about in the forest, feel free to say hi.” I stood, knowing I needed to get back to picking so that I could make it home at a reasonable hour. “And you can come visit me at the cottage sometime, if you like. As long as your parents are okay with it, anyways. I’m not sure they’d want you to visit a stranger.”

“My mama would like you.” Mira tilted her head to the side. “You said you’re a healer, right?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “You and your family can come to me if you need healing, and I’ll do my best to help. I’m not very strong, but my familiar is. Just promise no trouble will come of it, and everything will be fine.”

“We don't cause humans trouble.” Mira murmured, “We’re peaceful for high fey.”

I didn’t know quite what she meant by being ‘high fey’, but I nodded. “Then you’re most welcome.”

“Be careful of saying that to other fey folk, not all of us are nice.” Mira warned me.

“I know that much. But I’m a pretty good judge of character, and can see you’re very sweet.” I assured her, then picked up my basket and knelt in the patch of whistlebell once more. “Want to keep me company while I finish picking?”

“Sure!” the little faun chirped happily.

“When you’re done with that paper, put it in my pack right there, okay? I’ll take it home so I don’t leave garbage in the forest.”

“Okay.” Mira nodded, taking the seat I’d vacated against the tree.

I set to work picking some more leaves. “I never knew there were fey folk in the forest here.”

“We live everywhere. Since we can hide ourselves, humans often don’t know we’re around. It’s mostly low fey folk in these parts, but there are some high fey folk around."

“I’ll admit, I don’t know what you mean by low and high fey folk.” I laughed a little, sitting back on my feet to wipe my face off.

“Oh!” she blinked. “My family are high fey. We’re kind of shaped more like humans. Low fey usually aren’t. Normally they’re not as strong as us, either, it depends. But they can still use magic, too.”

“Ah, I see.” I nodded, leaning over again. “What kind of magic can you use?”

“My family can use all kinds! We’re not particularly tough or strong in our bodies, but we can use a lot of different kinds!”

“I’m only a healer, so that must be incredible!”

“Yes, we were blessed.” she giggled.

“I have a blessing too, which is why I can heal, but it’s very old and getting weak, so I’m not very strong.”

“I’m sorry.” Mira sounded sad.

“Oh, it’s alright.” I looked up to smile at her. To my surprise, I saw another faun approaching. This one was larger and taller than Mira. “Oh! Hello!” I sat back, wiping my face, having a feeling this was one of Mira’s family members.

Mira looked over, “Mama!”

“Mira, haven’t I told you not to talk to strangers?!” the fey woman scolded, then looked warily at me, “Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Winna. I’m a healer that lives on the edge of the forest.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of you from some of the animals.” The mother faun relaxed a little. “I’m sorry if my daughter bothered you. She shouldn't be showing herself to humans, she knows that.” She cast a stern look at her daughter, who quailed a little.

“Well, she wasn’t bothering me. I’ve never met one of the fey folk before, but she mistook me for another one, at first, somehow, so please don’t be too upset with her.”

The mother tilted her head to the side, “I can see how a little one like her would have.” she tousled her daughter’s hair lovingly, “You do have the lingering scent of one of the fey on you, a strong one, too. I’m shocked to hear you say you haven’t met one of us before.”

“Well, from what I understand, you’re all able to hide yourselves from humans very well, so maybe they’re hiding themselves from me? There’s an owl I see pretty frequently around my barn, maybe that’s actually a fey person.” I shrugged.

The mother smiled a little, “It’s possible.”

Standing, I stretched. “Well, I have enough whistlebell for my salves now. I hope I wasn’t trespassing or anything by being here.”

“No, not at all. We don’t begrudge humans use of the woods. At least not in these parts. We’re a peaceful bunch, and everyone can benefit from the forest.”

“Thank you.” I bowed to her.

“Here’s your pack!” Mira scampered forward and handed me my pack, and her mother came forward as well.

“Thank you!” I took the bag from her, then told the mother, “If you or your family, or any fey person that promises not to cause me any trouble needs healing, they can come to my cottage and I’ll do my best to help.”

Mira’s mother blinked, looking momentarily surprised, then smiled. “You’re very kind. Thank you. Hopefully we won’t ever have to take you up on that, but it’s much appreciated.”

“I didn’t really know I had neighbors here in the forest, or I’d have extended the invitation sooner!” I laughed.

“I’m Pima.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Pima. And your daughter.”

“You as well, Winna.” She nodded.

“Well, I’ll be going, I need to get home to my kitties, and start on some more salves.”

“Safe travels.” Pima said.

“Bye!” Mira giggled.

“Goodbye!” I waved as I turned and left, going the way I’d come.