Chapter 8; Welcome to Fey World.
When Timmy opened his eyes, he felt dizzy and disoriented. His limbs felt like lead, weighed down with exhaustion. Groggily, he looked around himself, feeling a sense of bewilderment as he struggled to make sense of his unfamiliar environment.
He had never seen a forest like this before, with its dense foliage and light filtering through the trees. The place seemed to be alive with energy; the lush vegetation and vibrant colors made it seem like it was its own world.
He looked around and marveled at the trees, some no bigger than he, while others towered above him like skyscrapers. Every tree and bush was alive with fragrant flowers and exotic vegetation he had never seen before.
It was odd, though.
Timmy was no expert on flowers, but he knew roses and daffodils did not grow on trees, let alone on the same branch. Unnaturally flowers grew and shared spaces they did not belong on. The blooms were clustered together, as if someone had come and delicately arranged them while they were still on the tree.
Along the path, glossy white berries that looked like strawberries grew in abundance. The setting sun bathed the forest in a warm orange glow, making the snow white berries sparkle like gold.
His eyes were drawn to the juicy, plump berries, and he couldn't look away. He was drawn in by the glittering, succulent look of the fruit, and the sweet smell made his mouth water.
He looked longingly at the succulent fruit on the bushes, but he was too far away to take one. He felt the strength of Jorgen's arm wrapped securely around him. Even if he reached his arm as far as he could, he'd be nowhere close to reaching one of the berry bushes.
"Where are we…?" His voice was strained and weak as he croaked, having gone so long without speaking. Wanda, who had been hovering nearby protectively, whipped her head around in surprise when she saw his eyes open.
"Turner, your awake?" Jorgen appeared dismayed and held him tighter, placing one of his arms in front of him like a shield. The muscular fairy kept his eyes darting around, cautiously scanning the area for any signs of danger.
"Are you feeling better?" Wanda asked, gently touching his forehead, frowning. "Oh, you're so cold, sweetie…."
"Hm. I feel like my body weighs a hundred pounds."
"You a hundred pounds?" Jorgen snorted. "Don't make me laugh! It's more like fifty."
"Seventy one." Timmy corrected automatically, pouting.
"There, there…you'll have that growth spurt, eventually. We both saw what you're going to look like in the future." With a smirk, Wanda glanced up at Jorgen. "Twenty years from now, he'll be as big as you are."
The large fairy let out a booming laugh, the trees rustling around him. "Oh yeah, that's a good one! Tiny Timmy Turner, this puny kid, as minuscule as a flea, grows up to be as manly as me? I'm howling with laughter!"
"No joke." She poofed up a picture from her memories of future Timmy; specifically, the part where he broke out of his bonds.
Jorgen stopped laughing and looked as if he had just gotten hit upside the head. With a perplexed expression and raised brow, Jorgen looked at him, clearly wondering how it was even possible.
"Does it hurt anywhere?" Wanda went back to checking on him, now that she had silenced Jorgen.
"I ache in the places I hurt in my fall, but nothing unusual, except." He placed a heavy hand on his chest. The effort it had taken to raise his arm filled him with anxiety. How long would he be like this? "My chest is burning…. like someone lit a fire inside me. There's no pain, but it's so hot…."
Wanda's expression shifted to one of concern, and she touched his hand before quickly pulling away with a sudden gasp. "I…I can feel it….! The heat….! Something really is burning inside of his chest! Jorgen?"
He could tell that his godmother was trying to maintain her composure, but her voice was trembling with emotion. He felt fear closing in on him, and he reached out for her hand, which she took, gripping it tightly, giving him the reassurance he needed even as her own hand trembled.
"It's probably another complication; but we're at the place where we can get these things fixed. I'm sure we'll find why his chest has been burning, and how to fix it." Jorgen's tone was calm. It was almost enough to make him feel like he was going to be ok.
"…And where are we?" He asked his very first question again, savoring the fresh scent of the forest and taking in the breathtaking view around him. If only his health wasn't so fragile, he'd be able to take in the sights and smells of this place with joy. The forest's enchanting atmosphere made him ache to wander through it, and he wanted nothing more than to do so with his own two feet.
Neither Wanda nor Jorgen answered him, merely continuing their walk deeper into the forest. He was about to voice his frustration when he spotted a bell-shaped fruit, glowing softly in a house-sized tree. A kaleidoscope of pastel colors swirled through each piece of fruit, creating unique patterns. He was curious to see if the flavors of each color would be distinct. Would the flavors be familiar to him? Would they be something completely new to him? With every passing second, his longing intensified as he gazed at the fruit. When Wanda noticed his gaze, she hurriedly moved in front of him, trying to block his view.
"No!" She told him, sternly. "Don't look at those!"
"All the fruits in this place have an enchantment placed on them. The sight of the Fey Fruit will make any mortal crave it, but if you take a bite, you'll be stuck here for good." Jorgen warned, his tone severe.
"Is this…not Fairy World?" He hazarded a guess. He was captivated by the place; he felt as though he was in fairy world, yet something was distinctly different. There was a surreal, ethereal feeling in the air that was overwhelming.
"No, it's not." Wanda looked gloomy.
"Then, where are we?" He repeated his question yet again, his eyes searching for a hint of an answer.
Wanda bit her lip, her brow creased in uncertainty. She sought guidance from Jorgen, but the large fairy shook his head. She turned to him, her eyes brimming with remorse.
"I'll tell you everything Sweetie, you have every right to know, but not now. Wait just a little longer." She squeezed his hand. He felt impatient, wanting to know the answer to his question. His anxiety about his health was bubbling, threatening to boil over into fury, but he held his tongue, unwilling to lash out at Wanda. She may have noticed how he had kept his anger in check, and she rewarded him with a sincere smile.
"I'll tell you this much; we are in Fey World. The Fey are like fairies, just more powerful. They are fairies who have not separated from their anti-selves or who have rejoined with their anti-self and became whole again."
"Wanda…" Jorgen's voice was low, warning.
"Oh, it's ok to tell him that much." She brushed off the larger fairy and stroked back his bangs, looking like she hoped he remembered the conversation they had recently.
The fairies from the Dark Ages she had told him about. The ones who would kidnap children. Some had taken them with good intentions but others with ill. He realized now why Jorgen and Wanda were acting the way they were.
Wanda said the fairies from that time had split into two, but apparently not all of them chose to. It also made sense that some fairies who were born separate from their anti-selves, like Wanda and Cosmo, might want to become whole beings.
He could not imagine his own godparents ever wanting to join with their anti-selves but, maybe there were some fairies who would want to do that.
It made sense they'd have their own world to live in.
He mumbled "Fey world" to himself as he surveyed the lush greenery and smelled the delightful fragrance of the flowers and fruits. He was overwhelmed with disbelief that this world was full of kidnappers. It just did not seem possible that such a beautiful place could be home to such dangerous people.
"It would have been best if you stayed asleep until it was time for your treatment." Jorgen admitted. "Since you are awake, there are certain precautions we'll need to take."
"Most fey will see human children as things to play with. Toys." Wanda did not let go of his hand as she explained. "Their magic is much stronger than ours, and we won't be able to undo anything they do to you."
"However…" Jorgen picked up where she left off. "They have rules they need to follow before they can claim a child. They will have no power to do anything to you unless you do one of the following." Jorgen held up a finger. "Eating the fruit of this world."
"Anything made from the fruit also counts." Wanda cautioned. "The fey are tricky. If they know you're avoiding eating the fruit, they could offer you a cookie. You'll bite into it thinking it safe, only to taste a strange type of jam in the center. Or they'll sneak juice from the fruit into your drink, or ground fruit seeds onto your food."
"Two." Jorgen held up another finger. "Ingesting any part of a Fey's body will take control of your thoughts. If you do, you will develop such powerful feelings for them that you will suffer from intense heartache if separated from them. This is the way they manipulate children into becoming servants or pets."
The looks on Jorgen and Wanda's faces made it clear just how much this practice disgusted them.
"W-what do you mean by ingesting their…body?" Timmy cringed. That sounded absolutely disgusting.
"It's not as nasty or as difficult as it sounds." Wanda explained, poofing up a miniature chalk board as they continued their trek through the forest. "Saliva from a kiss. Food that might have a bit of their blood or tears concealed in it. Since Fey heal quick and feel little pain, offering some of their flesh, disguised it as game-meat, is not unheard of."
"…So, eat nothing?" He concluded. "B-but what if they hold me down and force feed me?"
"They can't do that." Wanda shook her head reassuringly.
"Exactly." Jorgen nodded. "That's the rule they must follow. They can present these foods, they can lie and disguise things to make it seem harmless, but they cannot force these things on you. For instance, you could be sound asleep with your mouth wide open, but they wouldn't be able to pour anything into your mouth while you're sleeping. They could, however, offer you a drink while you're drowsy and not thinking clearly."
"I see..." He nodded; it sounded like it might be easy to avoid as long as he stuck to the rule of eating and drinking nothing. Then again, if the Fey were as tricky as Jorgen and Wanda were making them out to be, he'd better stay on his toes.
"They can lie or try to fool you by appearing as someone you trust. However, they cannot force you to take anything against your will. If they try to use physical force or verbal threats to make you eat something, their magic against you is rendered useless."
"They Fey must offer and the human child must accept, or else the magic in the object their offering dissipates." Wanda now looked at the fruit hanging above them with a bitter expression. "Or…the human child could steal from the Fey. For instance, if you were to grab one of these fruits and eat it; that would count as stealing from them."
"Stealing from the Fey brings about heavy consequences." Jorgen warned, direly. "They will curse you, and it would be a horrible fate."
"But aren't they enchanted to make people want to eat them?" Timmy furrowed his brows. That hardly seemed fair!
"Yes, yes, they are…." Jorgen glared at the fruit. The Fey are exceptionally selective. In the eyes of the Fey, any child who would not wait to be presented with food before eating was an animal with no sense of manners or discipline. They have hexed each fruit, so that anyone who eats it without permission will be transformed permanently into an animal."
"…I wouldn't have made it past the berries…" Timmy joked about hitting the first barrier. Those things had looked awfully tempting. Wanda laughed a little and stroked his hair affectionately.
"I bet they'd have turned you into a cute little beaver, or maybe a little squirrel…no, a bunny."
He laughed as she tickled him. If it hadn't been for the no body alterations rule placed on him until he recovered his health, she'd likely have playfully turned him into each of those things.
"There is also a third rule." Jorgen held up another finger when he saw that their conversation was threatening to become derailed. "You must give nothing to the Fey. They may ask you for something seemingly inconsequential, such as some strands of your hair, an article of clothing, or an old toy. If you give it to them, however, it will be symbolic of giving yourself to them. Right now, their magic cannot affect you, however if you give them something of yours, their magic can be used on you."
"We cannot undo anything they do to you because their magic is so much stronger, but don't worry, the Fey cannot steal. Well, they can steal, but it won't give them any control over you unless it's given freely by you." Wanda paused for a moment as something occurred to her. "Well, technically, if you gift something to a magical creature, they could gift it or sell it to the Fey. Unfortunately, a transaction like that would still count, as it would stand as you having been symbolically gifted or sold to them."
"Have you given anything to any magical beings, outside of your god family?" Jorgen questioned tensely.
He strained his mind to think of any objects of his that he might have given to anyone counted as magical. "Well, I can't think of anything besides my baby teeth, and that I gave to you."
"And those are safe on my wife's dainty finger," Jorgen confirmed, looking relieved.
"Good." Wanda smiled. "Then you should be safe. Do you understand the rules you must follow while here?"
"Eat nothing and give nothing." He confirmed. "But…can I ask…why did we come here if it's so dangerous?"
Wanda's expression turned really gloomy.
"…The treatment we're going to give you, to make you feel better, was invented by the Fey. They're the only ones who know how to give you the tests you'll need for me to perform it correctly." She gave his hand a tight squeeze. "Otherwise I'd never bring you to a place like this. I promise we won't stay here any longer than necessary."
"Ok, and I promise I won't do anything stupid while here."
"That promise does not instill me with the greatest of confidence." Jorgen remarked dryly.
"Hey, Timmy's improved a lot in the past two years." Wanda defended. "Anyway, how long until we reach the village?"
"It won't be much longer," He said. "let's take a breather and talk over some precautions we should take to protect Turner. Just warning him is not enough. The Fey are mischievous and cunning. They're accustomed to the privilege of getting whatever they want."
Jorgen stepped off the path they were on, stepping deeper into the dense forest. The setting sun shone through the trees, creating golden streams of light in the forest. Everywhere, lush greenery, blooming flowers, and ripe fruit filled the landscape, along with mushrooms big enough to serve as a seat.
Timmy looked around, overwhelmed by the beauty of his surroundings. He had noticed that fairies were depicted as living in forests in every piece of media or storybook he had ever encountered. He was stunned when he was taken to fairy world the first time, and saw that it existed in the clouds. This place felt much more in line with what he had always seen on TV or in fairy tales.
"Mpph?" He squeaked, confused as he was suddenly gagged, and his hands tied together moments after he was sat down on one of the big mushrooms.
"Precaution," Jorgen said, the leaves rustling above him as he glanced up at the tree they were sitting under. He followed the direction of his eyes. They were under an apple tree that had fruits that were the size of watermelons, glistening in the streams of sunlight. The apples were all different colors, pink, green, orange, blue—they almost looked like giant gumballs. The tree its self stretched up so far towards the sky, he could not see the top.
'If any of those fall on us, we're crushed.' He thought. The colorful apples were tempting, but not nearly as much as those bell-like fruits, which he still could not chase away from his mind entirely.
"So that you don't get tricked, let's think of a safe-phase; so you know it's really us," Jorgen stated. "Turner, I want you ask me what your favorite shape is, each time you see me." He leaned in and whispered to him so low that even Wanda could not hear. "The answer you want to hear is Bermuda Triangle, got it?"
Unable to answer because of the gag, he nodded his head.
"And I'll ask you what your favorite game to play with me is." Wanda gave him a playful wink, and he blushed a little as he smiled through the gag and nodded. She did not need to tell him the safe word for that one.
"Do not get friendly with any of the Fey." Jorgen instructed. "They will try to be really nice to you. Get on your good side, don't fall for it. They are just trying to lure you; to them you are a plaything—an amusement. Look, look over there."
Jorgen pointed to something in the trees. A small creature that had the body of a ferret, but the head of a rabbit came into view. It had little green wings, like leaves, and its fur was all white but with spots of blue and yellow that were shaped like flowers. Big green eyes stared at them, as if curious, and it came running over to sniff at him. He looked at Wanda for permission to pet it, but saw that her eyes had filled with tears that were threatening to run down her face.
"That, Turner, used to be a human child."
He stared at the creature, stunned. It continued to sniff at him curiously, displaying no sign mentally that it had ever been anything but an animal.
"Those who eat the white berries at the entrance to the forest are cursed to become this type of creature, robbed of human form and mind. This is what you would have become if lured here on your own."
Jorgen referenced the joke he had made earlier about not making it past the berry bushes. His stomach churned, and he felt sick and guilty. The creature had jumped into his lap and was rubbing its head against his bound hands. This creature who had been a child like him…a child who had been punished for eating berries from the same bush he had joked about eating from.
Wanda hugged him, consoling, perhaps sensing how he felt. "…I've always read about the crimes committed by my ancestors, but seeing it like this…it really feels so much more real, doesn't it?"
Joking about eating the berries was one thing, but seeing what happened to someone who had eaten them was another.
He nodded, staring at the thing in pity, petting it. It made a chirping noise. Was it somehow still happy, even in such a state?
"There are much sadder sights in the village. Trust me, it's much worse when they still resemble something human." Jorgen grimaced, tightening his hands into fists. "I'd hate to see you end up like any of them, Turner, so make sure you listen to our warnings and don't fall for any tricks."
He nodded, staring at the animal that sat in his lap, wondering what type of child they had been before they had lost their humanity forever. It seemed like an enormous price to pay just for eating some berries.
— WANDA POV —
Her stomach twisted into knots the closer they came to the village. Would Timmy be ok? Had she and Jorgen warned him enough? Was he clever enough not to get fooled? Timmy wasn't as dumb as many people made him out to be, but he was sometimes a bit too naive, too trusting…
What if the Fey exploited that?
She stayed close to her godson's side, and Jorgen's grip on him was reassuringly tight. They had undid his gag and bonds, but she'd poof them right back on him if it seemed he was in danger of eating something.
"Ok, we're here." Jorgen warned, and Timmy gave her a nervous look. She gripped his hand and pulled him close as Jorgen stepped into the clearing.
"WELCOME!"
"HIIII!"
"CUTE LITTLE HUMAN CHILD, WELCOME!"
"SUCH A DARLING, COME, COME!"
"WE HAVE TREATS!"
"COME DINE WITH US!"
"EAT, DRINK AND MAKE MERRY!"
Cheers erupted as they arrived and she was astonished to see many fey sitting around an enormous oak table laden with food and drinks. A chair at the head of the table was decorated like a throne. A small, child sized throne. The center piece of the feast was a large diamond statue of a fairy-tree, each branch acting as a plate holder to one of the enchanted fruit found in the forest.
The smell of the succulent meat, the sight of the glistening and juicy tarts, the sparkle of the frosting on the cupcakes–even she found herself licking her lips as she stared at the feast.
She shook her head, trying to regain her senses, and then noticed Timmy's eyes, wide and shining with amazement. His hands stretched out, trembling with anticipation, as he eyed the dishes that had been magically charmed to entice. Jorgen's grip tightened as Timmy wriggled and twisted in his arms.
If Timmy had came here unprotected, the Fey would have offered him a seat in that little throne. They'd have told him to pick one fruit from the centerpiece. He'd have eaten it without hesitating and would have been trapped in this world the moment he took a bite.
Then, the Fey would tell him to pick a dish to eat; and she was sure that every single bit of food was laced with a body part of each Fey present. It was a cruel game. 'Whoever's dish he picks, gets the keep him'—treating her boy's life like a plaything. It was unforgiveable!
"You bunch have no shame at all!" Jorgen growled as he was forced to put Timmy into a headlock to stop him from squirming about. "He is here for treatment. None of you are going to lay your hands on him!"
"That's what you said about the last one." One of the Fey chortled in a singsong voice as she gestured with her thumb to a young girl. The girl's hair was white and fluffy, like wool, her nose and ears that of a sheep. Big peony flowers grew on the sides of her head, and pink and yellow hooves made up her feet. The little girl was hugging the Fey, who had spoken with obvious affection, her eyes twinkling.
"Jorgen….?" Wanda asked uneasily, unable to take her eyes off the little girl.
"Little Rachael Drover." Jorgen's face twisted into regret. "She came here for the same treatment as Timmy, but unlike him, she was strong enough to walk on her own. Her godfather had only let go of her hand for a few moments. By the time we found her, she was already at the Fey's feast."
"Timmy! Sweetie, listen to me, shh, stop struggling. Coem back to your senses." Wanda tore her gaze away from the tragic girl and turned Timmy's face towards her so that he could no longer look at the food. She took him into a hug, holding him tight and protectively against her as she tried to snap him out of his trance. The Fey all laughed as if the horrible story Jorgen had just told had been a funny one and her actions amusing.
"Can't blame us for trying. How often do we get a new human child here?"
"Ever sense the fairy council created that lock over our world, we can't access children easily anymore, so we need to make the most of every opportunity."
The Fey gathered defended their actions, while laughing as if trying to steal her boy's humanity and free will away from him was some giant joke.
"You listen here, all of you!" She held her wand out threatening. "You do anything to MY boy and you will regret it!"
They all laughed at her, ridiculing, scornful laughs that mocked her feelings.
"Wanda…." Timmy spoke just as she had been prepared to get into a shouting match with the Fey. He burrowed his head against her, as if trying to hide from the sight of the food. His body shook fearfully, no doubt struck with horror at how easily he had almost fallen prey to their enchantment despite all their warnings. It was not his fault. Fey magic was incredibly strong.
She squeezed him tighter to her. The way his body relaxed in her arms revealed just how safe she made him feel, and so their taunts and jeers had no more effect on her. She'd protect her boy from their machinations. They weren't getting their hands on him.
"Come, let's go see Dr. Pied…." Jorgen cast the Fey a nasty look as he lead her past flower and tree shaped houses. She saw many other children, like Rachel. These kids were part animal, some part flower, or tree, even gemstones. Some were a chimera, being a combination of several things. Some of these children skipped along the streets, singing, playing, dancing, while others were hard at work, doing various chores. All of them had wide unnatural smiles on their faces and wide doll like eyes. She shuddered, knowing these kids would haunt her dreams for years to come.
"Here we are." Jorgen pointed to a large building that looked like a gingerbread house. There was a large fenced-in yard attached to it. She put a hand to her mouth, feeling sick as she saw various animals wandering the yard, animals—who were once human.
Some wore splints and others were bandaged. She did not know if they had received treatment for injuries or if they had been brought here to be injured. A fey with slightly longish green hair was tending to a creature that looked part dog and part calf, humming a song, 'the old lady who swallowed a fly.'
"There, there now, little buddy, all better, are we?" He spoke lovingly to the creature as he patted it on the rump where it was all patched up.
"Nova!" Jorgen called without an ounce of friendliness. "Is Dr. Pied in?"
"Piper? She's gone out to gather some fairy tree branches, you know—for the little ones' treatment." The man, Nova, turned his head and greeted them with a warm smile. Wanda gasped and Timmy stiffened in her arms, also shocked. The man looked identical to Cosmo.
"Wanda…" Jorgen did not take his eyes off Nova even as he spoke to her, staring him down as though he was someone dangerous and not to be trusted in the least. "Meet your father-in-law, Nova Cosma."