Innocent
Sarah strolled through the park, content she had at least one day to herself with no responsibilities.
She was alone. No one came to the park in late afternoon. No children were playing, no young lovers were holding hands while crossing the stone bridge over the stream.
Sarah was not disheartened, despite her isolation. She needed time to think. The din of playing children and the laughter of young lovers would only drown her thoughts.
The spiritual realms touched Sarah very profoundly. She found that the Fae were quite varied. Not all of them were tiny angels with glittery, gossamer wings. Some were in tune with the element of Earth, and Sarah learned to stay in touch with her mundane life. Others were of the element of Fire, and from their erratic energy Sarah learned to tame harsh emotions.
The element of Water was not directly encountered during her spiritual journey. Water is the epitome of the feminine and deep emotion. Sarah had those qualities in abundance, so it seemed she needed the other elements more.
Air embodies many qualities. The intellect, creativity, imagination. It was obvious to Sarah which Fae represented that element. He understood her desires and dreams far more than any mortal, and perhaps even more than Sarah understood herself.
Dusk was drawing near, but Sarah only wanted a little more time to contemplate. She walked along a path which led into a wood. She had seldom ventured into this region of the park.
Sarah decided to sit on the grass, her back propped against an aged ash tree. She wondered if she were still innocent. The entire journey had been one of self-discovery, gaining of wisdom, and experience.
Was growing up truly the end of the spirit of childhood? Of innocence? Sarah was still only sixteen years of age, but her journey left her feeling years older. Had she lost herself?
Sarah began to weep as these thoughts tormented her heart. She wept for the times she laughed and played as a child, like the children in the park. She lamented over never developing a closer bond with her family, and her birth mother.
What hurt most of all was she never experienced true love as she dreamed of long before her journey even began. Wasn't that one of the treasures of maturity?
Sarah wept more strongly. She was no longer innocent. All she learned meant nothing at all without her dreams coming to fruition.
The Fae she fell in love with was not evil. She thought of him so for a time, but only when it was too late did she discover his true nature.
One lesson of the element of Air is that action follows thought. The beautiful Fae only taught Sarah that what she thought would come to pass.
So, Sarah thought, it is my fault I have no true love or innocence.
As her tears fell, a sudden fragrance overwhelmed her senses. It was far more potent than any flower, and very sensual. Sarah's tears stopped, and she raised her head to look for a source of the aroma.
There were no outstanding flowers nearby. Only wildflowers were in bloom in the path among the trees.
A sudden movement caught Sarah's eye. It was a flash of white light, but its movement was graceful, almost animal-like. As it drew closer, its energy made Sarah feel curiously safe and secure.
The light mesmerized Sarah as it emerged in all its glory. A shape became evident as the light shifted. Once the light dimmed, an animal was visible: a pure white unicorn.
Sarah could not speak. She could only gaze into the dark eyes of the creature.
"Do you know who I am?" the unicorn gently asked Sarah.
"I know what you are," Sarah responded quietly, "but are you real?"
The unicorn's gaze remained fixed on Sarah's jade green eyes. "Is your imagination active?"
Sarah nodded, though she was puzzled at the question.
"Then you know I exist," the unicorn said cryptically. "I am sure you want to know why I came to you."
Sarah swallowed, still in shock. "Yes, that thought did cross my mind."
The unicorn approached Sarah and nuzzled her ebony tresses, then whispered, "I am the overseer of all that is magic, all that is pure of heart, and all that is imagination. Without me, there would be no magic." He pulled away and once more met Sarah's eyes with his own.
Sarah felt confused. "I don't think I understand you."
The unicorn's dark eyes relaxed momentarily, as if he were smiling. "Not everything can be explained, but I will say this. I am the gatekeeper of the realms of Faerie. Mortal imagination provides the key to every door."
Sarah remained uncertain, but she had some comprehension. "You know what I was thinking about?"
The unicorn's eyes widened, sharply alert. "Indeed, I do. If a young maiden opens a doorway in any realm of Faerie, I know about it."
"Why did you really come here?" Sarah asked softly.
"You have doubts. You fear you are no longer innocent."
Sarah's tears returned. "I'm not innocent. I haven't been since I was a small child."
The unicorn's body suddenly glowed, and a tremendous, angelic white light surrounded him. Moments later, Sarah felt more at peace, and without understanding why, her weeping ended.
"There is no sin in tears," the unicorn said sympathetically, "but the reason you cry is because of pain you do not deserve to place on yourself." The light around the creature vanished.
"I'm not innocent," Sarah insisted. "I had terrible thoughts about my family. About me, too."
"Perhaps," the unicorn said. "But, anger is not part of the mortal soul. You reacted to what was outside of yourself. Also, did you not fight to retrieve your baby brother after you had given in to anger?"
Sarah held her head low. "I suppose so, but I rejected the being I fell in love with. I made him out to be something he wasn't, and I lost him."
"True love," the unicorn said solemnly, "is the strongest magic of all. If one can feel it, even momentarily, then purity of the heart is alive and well."
"But, I didn't want to feel it momentarily," Sarah whispered. "I wanted it to last."
"Did you know that not many Fae know how to love? They are often denied the chance to love in a romantic sense. They only know love for friends, or for their ways of life."
Sarah shook her head at this revelation. "I didn't know that. I thought I understood a lot about faeries from what I read in fairytales."
The unicorn blinked softly. "There are many hidden truths in such tales, but so many things are never made apparent. Many mortals have limited knowledge of the Fae, believing them to be tiny and sweet, or more human-like and lustful. Not all Fae are prone to the weaknesses of human nature."
"I think I understand now," Sarah said with a slight smile.
The unicorn closed his eyes for a moment, as if in contemplation, then opened them very widely. "A part of you always did understand the true nature of the Fae. When a Fae falls in love with a mortal, it is a foreign feeling. To give in to love is a great sacrifice, because it involves a power stronger than any Fae magic, and the affected Fae is forever changed."
"Do you know if Jareth loved me?" Sarah asked hopefully.
The unicorn slightly lowered his eyelids. "Surely, you know in your heart that he did. He is certainly a Fae who never knew love. Your imagination drew him to you."
"Is he still alive?" Sarah asked anxiously. "I need to know."
"He lives," the unicorn replied. "If you love him, he is indeed alive."
"Could I be with him? Is it possible for me to leave my world and stay with him?"
"Anything is possible, and nothing is as it seems."
Sarah was eager to get a straight answer from the unicorn. "Can I, then?"
"Yes," the unicorn replied gently, "but, you will never return to your world. Loving a Fae is eternal, and a spell which can never be broken."
"How can I get to him?" Sarah asked impatiently.
"Go home to your room, and read your story of the labyrinth. It will open the door to Jareth's world once more, and he will come for you." The unicorn turned to leave, but Sarah stopped him.
"Wait!" Sarah cried, and the unicorn turned to face her.
Sarah asked a final question, "Am I still innocent?"
"Yes," the unicorn replied. "And, do not fear that you can never be young at heart forever. Mortals cease to age in the realms of Faerie. You will remain as you are once you go there to stay."
The unicorn once again enveloped himself in white light, then disappeared.
Dusk had come. Sarah got up and headed for home.
As she left, another form materialized by the ash tree. A handsome, tall Fae with a long mane of gold, and dressed in a cloak of black, watched the young girl in the distance with his ice blue eyes, knowing he would see her again.