Chapter 3: Fairy Rings and Cold Pasties

Violet was still coming to grips with the situation when Nori chirped and disappeared quickly followed by the sprite. She looked around for the next source of danger. Peering around the gnarly trunk of another gum tree were two children, a boy and girl, both with wild blonde hair and huge blue eyes. With a start, she realized she was standing there naked as the day she was born. Snatching up her apron, she wrapped it around herself as best she could.

"Haim! Meg!" a man's voice called out from behind them. "What are ye two scamps up to now?"

"We're looking at the naked woman, Pop-pop," the little boy called back.

"What naked woman?" A large man came into view behind them and the tree, stopping when he saw Violet. Wider than the trunk that the children were hiding behind and taller than the witch by more than a head, he squinted at her then chuckled. "Why don't ye run back to the cart an' help yer mee-maw?"

"But, I wanna see the blue kitty again," the girl, Meg, whined.

"T'weren't blue," Haim told her solemnly. "T'was purple."

"Well, it's gone now, so mind me," the man put his hands, big as dinner plates against their backs and gently pushed them back the way he came.

With curious looks over their shoulders, the two children obeyed and scampered away, still arguing about the color of the kitty.

With the children gone, the man stepped away from the tree, holding his hands out away from his body. Violet guessed he was in his late forties or early fifties, a good ten to fifteen years younger than her. Dressed in simple, but sturdy clothes that had been mended numerous times, with skin tanned dark from working outside, he appeared to be a woodsman of sorts.

"Sorry 'bout that, miss. They didn't mean n'harm." He spoke with an odd accent that she couldn't place. His eyes, the same blue as the children, took in her lack of clothing and glanced around the area. "Are ye in trouble?"

She flushed, her pale skin turning pink everywhere from her barely covered breasts up, "I seem to have misplaced my clothes."

"Misplaced?" his bushy eyebrows scrunched together.

"Yes," she nodded. "And I'm lost."

He nodded slowly as if that was the most logical explanation, then began to unlace the neck of his shirt. Pulling it over his head, he tossed it to her. Violet caught it awkwardly with one hand, the other still clutching her apron in front of her.

"Cover ye'self an' come down to the cart. Me missus will get this sorted."

Turning his back, he walked back the way he came, leaving Violet gaping after him. She was faced with a choice; either trust him or continue to walk around in the unknown forest naked.

She snorted, shaking her head, "as if that's really a choice."

She dropped the apron and put on the shirt. It engulfed her like a tent, hanging down to her knees. Despite its rough appearance, the fabric was soft from years of wear and washings and still warm from contact with the man's body. Violet had to pull the laces as tight as they would go to keep it from falling off her shoulders, but at least she was covered.

Picking up her apron, she tied it on then followed him and the children.

Past the tree, the land sloped down for a way. As she wove through the trees and underbrush, she started to hear muffled voices. Before long, she could see a dirt track winding through the forest and a cart loaded with wood stopped on it. A large horse stood placidly in front of the cart watching as the two children chased each other around it and the cart. The man, now shirtless, was talking in deep tones to a woman dressed in a worn blouse and skirt. The children definitely got their blonde hair from her, though there was plenty of gray in her braid also. She was short and plump with a generous bosom and a pleasant face that was currently pinched as she argued back and forth with the big man.

As Violet approached, they ceased their arguing and turned to regard her.

Stepping hesitantly onto the path, she nodded, "hi."

"My, she is a wee little thing," the woman said. Stepping forward and putting herself between Violet and the children. Planting her hands on her wide hips, she appraised Violet, "what kind of mischief have ye gotten into to end up naked as a ninny alone in the middle of the wood?"

Violet had been thinking about how to explain and had decided to keep it simple and as close to the truth as possible without mentioning that she was a witch.

"There was a report of blight in the forest where I lived and I went to investigate," she started.

"Blight?" the man stepped up behand the woman. "There's blight in the forest?"

"Shush, Hamish," the woman said, "let the child tell her tale."

"Yeah, blight," Violet continued, secretly cringing at being called a child at sixty-five. "If you're a woodsman, then you know how important it is to find and cleanse, I mean, clear it."

Both nodded.

"It was really bad, and spreading, and I got some on me, so I had to get it off. I didn't want to spread it."

Again, they nodded silently.

"I stripped and bathed in a nearby spring. I think I fell asleep, I'm not sure. But when I woke up this morning, my clothes were gone, and I had no idea where I was."

"What do ye mean?" the woman asked sharply.

They were either going to buy her story or think she was crazy. Either way, maybe they would take her to the authorities so she could get to the bottom of this.

Violet took a deep breath, taking the plunge. "The forest I fell asleep in was completely different than this one. It was full of spruce, aspen, hemlock, and other cold climate trees and plants. And it was on the side of a mountain. I have no idea where we are right now."

With her head down, she waited for their reaction.

"Do ye think ye fell asleep in a fairy ring or under a willow tree?" the woman asked in a quiet voice.

She blinked, "definitely not a willow tree."

The woman tutted, "there's fairy magic going on here for sure." She stepped forward and wrapped a plump arm around Violet's shoulder, "let's get ye clothed and fed. Don't worry, dearie, we'll get this all sorted."

"I'm Violet," she offered in a slight daze. These people believed in magic.

"I'm Etta," the woman replied, "and that big lug is my husband, Hamish. Haim and Meg are our grandchildren."

"It's good to meet you, Etta. Can you tell me where we are?"

"This is Deeping Dale."

"Deeping Dale?" Violet had never heard of it, but that wasn't alarming. "Is that in the US?"

"The US?" Etta looked at her with confusion. "Nay, child, we're in the Dalelands, in the north of Faerun."

"Faerun?" her voice quivered a bit.

"Aye." Etta must have heard her alarm because she stopped and looked down at Violet, "ye had no heard of Faerun?"

Violet shook her head slowly.

"Where are ye from?"

"Near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada," she told the woman.

Etta looked at her blankly then glanced at Hamish, who shook his head.

"Ach, there's dark magic afoot for sure here," Etta pursed her lips. "Yer in luck, though. There's a great library in Highmoon and learned folks aplenty. They'll help ye, I'm sure."

"Hamish," Etta called, "get those wildlings in the cart. I think we have enough wood for the day. Let's get this one to the house and get 'er some decent clothes."

It was well past midday when the group arrived at Hamish and Etta's home. It was in a good-sized clearing with a well-maintained garden and several wooden pens holding goats and pigs. The dirt path continued past the clearing and disappeared into the depths of the forest. As they neared, an older girl with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Haim and Meg ran out to greet them, stopping abruptly when she spied Violet walking alongside Etta.

"Don't just stand their gaping," Etta scolded her gently. "Help your pop-pop with the cart."

Without another word, the woman took Violet by the hand and led her to the house. The house was obviously hand built, made up of logs and stones from the size of her hand to bigger than her head. It had been added to over the years with the additions jutting out from the original structure with different pitches on the roofs, which were made of wooden shingles. Despite its cobbled-together appearance, it looked solid and welcoming.

Inside was charming and tidy. A single, large room served as the kitchen and living area with a large hearth dominated one wall and an oak table separating it from the rest of the room. All the furniture was handmade and simple but sturdy. The kitchen was hung with drying herbs and peppers giving the place a comforting aroma. Around the wall opposite the hearth and the back wall was a loft with section separated with patchwork curtains.

"The children sleep up there in the winter, where it's warm. In the summer, they have their own rooms through there," Etta pointed to a curtained doorway on the back wall.

"The older girl?" Violet asked.

"That's Lettie, Haim and Meg's sister."

"Where are their parents?"

"Their ma, my daughter dinna survive birthing the two wee ones an' their da was taken in a border skirmish a year later. That one," she snorted, "never had the sense the gods gave a goat in rut."

Violet didn't know whether to offer her condolences or giggle, so she kept quiet and let Etta continue.

"Now here Hamish and meself are raising youngins at our age instead of enjoying the fruits of our labors. Now don't get me wrong, we love em dearly, but raising children is no easy thing once ye get to a certain age."

Violet let herself be led through one of the curtained doorways into the room that served as the couple's bedroom. Together the two women pulled an ancient trunk from under the bed, then Etta dug through it, pulling out various garments.

Standing, she handed the clothes to Violet, "these belonged to my daughter. She was a little taller than ye, but they'll fit better than any of mine."

Violet pulled off Haim's shirt and laid it and her apron on the bed. Etta had given her a muslin shirt with a gathered neck and loose sleeves along with a long skirt of the same material with a drawstring waist, deep pockets, and odd loops along the waistline. Putting them on and securing them, she took the next garment, a heavier green over-skirt that laced up each side. She had to lace them up tightly to keep them from slipping down over her hips. This skirt had hidden slits that allowed her to reach under it to the pockets of the underskirt. Following the skirt was a sleeveless, vest-like garment in a darker green that also laced up.

Violet looked at Etta, "you aren't wearing one of these?"

Etta laughed, "ach, child, I'm too old and fat."

The woman helped her lace it up, pulling it tighter than Violet would have liked, cinching her waist and pushing her breasts up high. She was thankful for the high neck of the undershirt. Next were a pair of light stockings with more laces that tied to the odd loops of the under skirt, holding them up. Violet was immediately gripped with the urge to scratch her legs. Finally, a pair of sturdy shoes that were only slightly too large for her feet.

Violet brushed out her hair and plaited it back into a single braid that almost reached the backs of her knees then let Etta wind it up around her head before securing it under a simple kerchief.

When Etta was satisfied Violet was properly dressed, she picked up the apron. "I'll add this to the washing tomorrow," she said. As she turned away to leave the room, something fell out of the pocket onto the floor. "What's this?" she asked, picking it up and holding it up.

It was the key that one of the Fae had given her last week. Violet had completely forgotten about it. With everything that had went on this morning, it was a wonder it was still in the pocket.

"I'm not sure. I found it last week and forgot I had it."

"Huh," Etta held it out to her, "it's a pretty trinket. Ye should put it on a cord so you don't lose it."

Violet took it from her warily, remembering the power she had felt when she first touched it. This time, though, there was no prickle of power from the artifact. Odd, she mused, as an unsettling thought. Did the artifact have anything to do with transporting her here? It was possible. She dropped it into her pocket until later.

Back out in the main room, Hamish and the three children were waiting.

"I suppose ye think yer going to be fed now," Etta looked at the trio with her hands on her hips.

Meg nodded her head vigorously, but her brother tried a different angle, "the lady must be hungry, what running around naked an' all."

Violet hid her smile with her hand and met Etta's amused glance. "It would be rude for me to eat by myself," she offered.

Haim and Meg bounced up and down. "Please!" they both begged their grandmother.

"Well," Etta sighed, "I think I have some pasties that need to be eaten before they go bad."

Chaos broke out as the children celebrated and Etta retrieved the pasties and a pitcher of fresh milk. Setting the wooden platter holding them on the table, she fended off the eager hands of the children until Violet chose hers, then there was a mad scramble for the rest.

"Me-Maw's pasties are the best!" Haim announced, taking a huge bite out of his.

Violet took a nibble of hers, not knowing what to expect. Pasties could contain anything imaginable, meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, or any combination. The crust was still flakey and tender and melted in her mouth. The next bite revealed a bit of shredded meat and lots of turnips and carrots with herbs. While she wasn't necessarily vegetarian, she didn't eat meat often since her mother and grandmother died. She couldn't bring herself to kill anything for food and didn't go into the city often enough to keep fresh meat in the house. The only freezer she had was the small one above the refrigerator and it didn't hold much. Getting meat in a meal was almost a treat.

"This is amazing," she told Etta, "I really like the turnips. They have more flavor than potatoes."

"I agree," Etta nodded, "but potatoes do have their uses."

Violet felt a bump at her elbow and looked down into the big blue eyes of Meg. She moved her arm and the child crawled up onto her lap, then twisted to look at her.

"Did ye really get taken by the fairies?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," she answered.

"Me-maw says they take babies and turn them into changelings."

"Well, I'm not a baby, so I guess I'm safe," Violet smiled and stroked the girl's hair. Even though she was Haim's twin, she seemed younger and less sure of herself than the boy.

Across the table, Lettie watched her warily, "if yer a changeling, that's what ye would want us to believe."

Violet nodded, "true, but if you don't trust me, you can trust your grandparents, right?"

Lettie looked at the couple. Haim thumped his cup down on the table, "she's not a changeling, girl."

"How do ye know?"

All three children looked to him for an answer.

"Ach," Etta said, standing up, "there's one test that will prove it out." She went to the hearth and picked up a poker. "Everyone keens fairies can no tolerate iron, right?"

The children nodded.

Coming to Violet's side, she held out the poker, "this is pure iron, hammered out by ye own grandfather." She turned to Violet, "go ahead, touch it an' put this to bed."

Violet reached out without hesitation and grabbed the poker. She was tempted to pretend it burnt her hand but decided this was not the time for humor. Holding if for several seconds, she turned to Lettie, "are we good?"

"Aye," Lettie replied. "I meant no disrespect. These days ye can no' be too careful."

"What do you mean?"

"There's been rumors of unnatural things in the woods," Hamish answered.

"Oh, shush," Etta said, returning to her seat, "don't ye start too."

"Yer lucky nothing ate you, Violet," Haim told her.

"It's nothing but a bunch of ner'do wells trying to cause alarm amongst us simple folk," Etta told Violet.

"Well, I was attacked by something strange just before you found me," Violet told her.

"Was it a kobold?" Haim asked excitedly.

"Um, I don't know what that is," Violet answered. "There were two of them and they looked like giant mosquitoes with bat wings," she cringed; hearing it said out loud sounded insane. "About this big." She indicated the size with her hands.

"Stirge," Hamish told her. "Not common around here, but we see em from time to time. One or two aren't anything to worry about. Now a swarm, that's a problem."

Violet shivered at the thought of dozens of the nasty things.

After everyone finished their pasties and milk, Violet followed Etta and Lettie to the garden to help them do some weeding, while the Haim and Meg ran around the clearing chasing each other or the occasional animal. Before long it was time to prepare dinner, a thick vegetable stew with delicious wood-fire baked bread.

Full, Violet retired to a pallet made up on the loft. As soon as the rest of the household settled down for the night, Nori appeared and swirled around her shoulders with a happy chirp.

"I'm happy to see you too," she smiled and stroked the fae. "Where's twiggy," she asked the fae, worried about the little creature in this strange world. Were there fae here? Could he and Nori still travel between this dimension to theirs? Or were they as trapped as she was?

Nori bumped her head against Violet's and an image of the sprite nestled in the branches of a large oak flashed through her mind. He seemed to be alright.

Her concern about her two fae companions, reminded her about the artifact. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled it out and squinted at it in the darkness. The ruby was so dark, it appeared black and lifeless. She could still feel a bit of power in its depths, but not like before. That meant it had either expended the power somehow or something had drained the power. Had it been enough to transport her through space and time to a different world? She had no idea. Nothing in all her reading had mentioned portals, except for the ones that the fae used to slip between dimensions.

Having no answers, just more questions, she put the key back in her pocket and lay down. Soon she was fast asleep with Nori tucked in beside her.