Archen Am Gwydr

by Aedyn Star

A crystal to open the gates between the mortal and fairy world. A pair of cleverly disguised class slippers. A kingdom whose fate rests in the hands and feet of one young girl. Cinderella retelling. Title roughly translates from welsh to "shoes of glass"

2. Anrheg

The children still watched her, waiting for more. Glancing out the window Slaine saw the sun was almost beyond the horizon.

"Go on, off to bed." she said, and stood up slowly. The children stood dejectly, and were unwilling to leave with their mothers as they were carried home. Only four children remained, and Slaine smiled at them. They were her children, three boys and one girl. Saraid watched her mother silently as the boys Seamus and Sorley complained boisterously about having to go to bed so early. Nearly 16, Sorley was the oldest of the four children, with the twins Seamus and Strahan following at 14, and Saraid the youngest at 13.

"Hush, hush!" Slaine shushed her children and sheparded them off to bed. Saraid was the last to stand, and followed close behind Strahan as they went into the bedroom.

A family abject to poverty, Slaine and her family lived in a one room hut. The "bedroom" was made by pulling a cloth curtain between the rooms, separating the hearth from the sleeping quarters. Five woolen pallets lay on the floor, and Slaine put each of her children to bed, except for Sorley, who refused to be put to bed. Sorley, with his curly black hair and sparkling blue eyes was a handsome lad, but one who refused to settle down. Since the children had no father, Sorley was the man of the house, and the only one of the five embers who brought in an income working as a stable boy at the manor just east of the village.

Saraid was the last to be laid to bed, and Slaine slowly lowered herself onto her own pallet. The room grew quiet, and soon all the children were asleep. Slaine closed her eyes; t was distracted by a small voice.

"Mother?" Saraid's musical voice cut through the silence. Slaine rolled over on her side and faced her daughter.

'Yes Saraid?"

"Will you finish the story tomorrow?" Saraid asked innocently. Slaine smiled in the darkness at her youngest child.

"Of course dear." Slaine replied. Saraid did not answer, and Slaine rolled back over, thinking to herself about the rest of the story, and how Saraid might play a role in the ending.