Chapter 25; Journey to the feast
— Wanda's POV —
"Oh, sweetie, don't wiggle so much." She shifted her weight to get a better hold on Timmy, who, wide eyed and curious, squirmed around in her arms. She had been right to take on the tall form she used whenever she took on a human guise, otherwise, she'd never keep her hold on him.
She could hardly blame him for being rambunctious, though; as Piper led them through the hospital, they passed through various rooms and hallways that made even her head swivel around as she took in the bewildering sights. Hallways that sometimes resembled the halls of Buckingham Palace, that would lead into a room that looked like it had came out of one of Timmy's RPG'S, and then that room lead to a hall that could make her swear she was inside of a cave. She had been hoping she could memorize the route from her recovery room to the exit, but she was so befuddled by the constantly changing interior that she'd be hopeless to backtrack even half the way on her own.
It was a relief when they finally made it outside the Gingerbread hospital. As she stood there, she couldn't help but marvel at how deceivingly small the building appeared from the outside. Just the recovery room assigned to her and Timmy alone seemed far too large to fit within those walls, nevermind the rest of it. The surrounding fields, devoid of any signs of the vibrant garden that was viewable from her room's balcony, further added to the surreal atmosphere. Fey magic truly possessed an extraordinary ability to manipulate reality, though its uncanny ease in doing so left her feeling somewhat unnerved.
"Fluffies!" Timmy excitedly spotted the assortment of…animals… frolicking in the spacious pen outside. This was where she had first met Nova, as he tended to these injured former children.
"No, sweetie, no," She gently chided as he tried to get down from her arms so that he could run over to them.
"Those little ones have bad boo-boos." Piper bent over to be eye-leveled with Timmy, her tone kind but firm. "They can't play until they're better, or else they could get worse. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
"No." Timmy shook his head, eyes getting big as she looked over at them. "They get better soon?"
"Oh yeah, Nova is an awesome vet. These little ones will be fine in a little while."
"How did they get hurt? Are the woods dangerous?" She would need to know if there were any dangerous creatures in the forest, just in case she ever needed to make an escape.
"We don't have any companions that are predators, if that's what you mean," Piper dismissed. "Though the Fey in other parts do choose to have their Fey fruits make protectors rather than companions."
She was guessing 'protectors' was a nice way of saying beasts, just like 'companions' was just another way of saying pets.
"'Round these parts…" Piper continued. "Cute and cuddly is the preference."
The way she shrugged hinted that this might not exactly be her own personal preference.
"Do you….have any natural animals in your forest, or are they all….?"
"All our animals are natural." Piper rose her brows. "Companions aren't the same as animals."
She'd want to debate the difference, but she did not want to upset Timmy with such talk. Luckily, Piper switched the subject, but not without some attitude.
"We've got all sorts of animals, but don't worry, none of them are dangerous. If you wanna talk about the variety, you'll wanna go to Nova—I gotta admit, animals aren't really my thing."
" How did they get hurt, then?" She asked, wanting to have as much information as possible.
"Most of these injuries come from mere tumbles or misadventure. Though…." Piper seemed to consider if she should tell her something or not and then seemed to decide in her favor. "Our village is envied for still having a supply of human children, albeit a sparse one. Sometimes Fey from other Circles will come to try to steal our companions or even nab our Kinders."
She hated hearing kids being spoken of like they were a commodity, but to Fey, that's all they really were.
"So…these kidnappers…" In her opinion, all Fey were technically kidnappers, but she tried to keep this sentiment from her intonation. "…They hurt these…companions? Is there a danger they might come for Timmy…or…?" Her eyes switched to the cage Piper held that contained the little Heart-Soul. Truth was, that she'd like to be the one carrying it, but she had both her arms full with Timmy.
"No one outside of the village knows about the Heart-soul, we made sure of that. Something as rare as a newborn soul would attract all kinds of unwanted attention from very unwanted people."
She gazed worriedly at the little Heart-Soul, safe inside its container from the sun. Piper was carrying the cage backwards so that the door was facing her. Probably so that the Heart-Soul could be comforted by the sight of her and Timmy. It looked nervous, and its anxious eyes rested on her, its bottom lip trembling. Poor little thing…she was sure if those kidnappers got their hands on him. At best he'd become some Fey's caged pet, at worst an experimental subject.
"Nova out of consideration for you would have kept it from our fellow villagers if he could have, but Fey can automatically sense anyone or anything that comes onto our territory, so they all had lots of questions why we brought a living soul here." Piper continued, finishing with an irritated snort. "They practically interrogated me."
""How frequently do these kidnappers show up?" She questioned nervously and hugged Timmy closer to her.
"Don't get so anxious. We're a powerful group, and the barrier we put up around our village to keep out the unwanted is no joke. Anyway, if some did manage to break though, we would just lock down your room—make it impossible to access from the outside…even make it seem like it doesn't even exist until the threats gone. When we Fey want to hide something, we hide it well, unlike you fairies who can't even hide yourselves well enough not to lose your godchildren within the average time-span of a month."
Wanda held her tongue but glared at the woman's back. Leave it to Piper to be reassuring, arrogant and scornful all at the same time. Furthermore, she had dodged her question on just how the companions had gotten hurt in the first place, and before she could ask again, Piper in quick strides began down the path leading from the Gingerbread hospital to the village.
She tried to keep up with the woman's quick pace, but it was hard to do so while carrying a squirming child. Also, at Piper's suggestion, she had dressed up for the occasion, donning a simple yellow sundress with light pink ribbons and small heels…good for having a tea party, but not for walking at a brisk pace, especially on gravel.
She also wanted to keep to a slower pace so that she could really take in her surroundings. She had been too nervous and guarded during her first walk through the village, so she hadn't really been focusing on anything except on keeping Timmy safe.
She tried to memorize the layout, the placement of buildings and what paths to follow to reach the village center. From the center was the path to the woods, and eventually she'd reach the exit to Fairy world. It would be prudent to memorize this, just in case something happened.
However…if she had thought the interior of the Gingerbread hospital was distracting, outside was even worse.
It was a kaleidoscope of colors. The village looked like a painting plucked straight out of a child's storybook that was inspired by a vivid and beautiful dream.
Giant flowers of various breeds dotted the way, their petals shimmering in a myriad of hues—from radiant reds and vibrant purples to delicate pinks and soothing blues. The magnificent blossoms each had an elegant door embedded into them, revealing that they were actually homes; the soft, velvety petals forming the walls that encircle cozy chambers within. They had uniquely adorned each flower abode with intricate patterns of glowing vines and tiny, iridescent crystals that line the thresholds, casting prismatic reflections around. The scent was heavenly, each flower's scent overlapped to create a harmonious combination which managed somehow to not become overpowering, even when passing close by the houses.
Amidst the floral abodes were also towering crystalline structures rising like gleaming spires, crafted from iridescent gems and translucent crystals. Those crystalline edifices emitted a soft, otherworldly glow, illuminating the village with a gentle, ambient light that danced across the petals and leaves. These structures also contained bejeweled doors, and while the flower homes gave off a cozy vibe, these homes gave off an elegant impression. She couldn't help but wonder how pretty they must look at night, when their glow would be even more pronounced.
Mushroom-houses also dotted the landscape, their whimsical shapes adding a touch of playfulness to the village with their spiraling patterns and luminescent spots; simple wooden doors and windows were carved into their soft, fuzzy stems. The mushroom caps looked so soft that she was tempted to fly up and touch them, but that would probably be rude to those living inside.
Most houses seemed to be the homes of the Fey who lived here; but she could also see areas that functioned as restaurants and taverns. There was even a mushroom-shaped library and a small spa made from a giant Chamomile flower.
"Mommy, look! Look!" Timmy exclaimed as he had dozens of times during their walk, pointing at everything that caught his attention, and in the village like this one, that was pretty much everything. "They have tree houses too!"
She followed his gaze upwards to see that there were indeed structures nestled within the tree tops. Most of them were small, except for one she could make out in the distance. Nestled within the branches of an impossibly enormous Rowan trees was an impressively extensive building. She wondered if it was a place of importance.
"Yes, they do have lots of pretty houses, don't they?" She humored Timmy, who was growing fussy, waiting for her to respond to him. Truth be told, she'd love to see inside of them, especially the flower ones.
"I like the tree ones—! But the flower ones are pretty too, and the mushroom houses look fuzzy! Oh, and the sparkly ones are shiny!"
"So you like all of them." She smiled at how cute his excitement was as she squeezed him close to her; he looped his chubby arms around her neck, leaning into her contentedly.
"Mommy, we're in a storybook." He proclaimed, confident that was where they were.
"It does look like a storybook, doesn't it?"
"Is it really all that pretty?" Piper stopped walking, looking at them curiously. "I've been living here so long that I find it really dull. I can't even fathom why you godparents and godchildren who come here are always so awestruck with the place."
"When Timmy saw Fairy world for the first time, he was just so amazed with it, and I ended up thinking the same thing you are now. It's just nature, I guess. When we get too used to something, we stop seeing what makes it special."
"Makes sense, I guess." Piper turned around to face forward again. Despite her own words, Wanda couldn't imagine how anyone managed to get used to a place like this one.
They passed over a bridge made of interwoven vines and delicate petals as they crossed one of the many crystal-clear streams that weaved through the village. Timmy peered wide-eyed into the water as they passed, obviously looking for fish and clapping in glee when he spotted them. She had never seen fish like them before, large, silvery things with long elegant fins with the same sheen as mother-of-pearl. She wondered if these were natural aquatic creatures to be found in Fey world or just—a fish version of their 'companions'.
She had to admit; it was a beautiful village. Just as Timmy had said, it had the charming, picturesque quality of a storybook. However, perhaps it was that same quality that brought the image of plastic flowers to mind; perfectly shaped, beautifully colored, eternal…but unnatural.
As they continued down the path, she almost lost her hold on Timmy, who grew overly excited as they passed by a playground. It was filled with all kinds of toys and equipment, and yet there were only three children, or rather Kinders, there right now.
There was a girl, the oldest of the small group, with butterfly wings who swung from the swings gracefully, her hair swaying like vines in the breeze. The youngest, a boy with fox features, had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he spotted them, his tail flicking playfully. The last boy was adorned with shiny jewels, his caw-like laughter echoing through the air as he flapped his wings, which had taken the place of his arms and hands.
"I told you if we waited here, we'd get to meet Timmy!" The crow Kinder exclaimed. "Didn't I say so?"
"Yes, yes, you had a good idea….for once." The fox boy stuck his tongue out playfully, only to get patted on the head by a wing.
"Aw, he's a cutie! And they made him all itty bitty!" The girl jumped off the swing, almost looking like she was floating as her feet delicately came into contact with the sand.
"Oye, seriously? You little brats, you know your not supposed to be out here right now." Piper stopped walking and putting down the cage containing the Heart-Soul, she placed her two hands on her hips as she tapped her foot like a mother scolding her children; yet despite her word choice, her tone was laced with obvious amusement.
She studied the Kinders, taking in the sight of their altered bodies, especially the poor boy that was part crow. He did not have any hands….
"We know auntie Piper, but we heard so much about Timmy from Nova's wife's letters that we really wanted to meet him!"
"Did you really stop the universe from aging for fifty years? That's awesome!" The crow boy cawed, holding onto his pudgy stomach as he laughed.
"Aww, he doesn't remember that right now, I bet. He's just a cute wittle baby now…" The girl walked right up to her, and she almost took a step backwards. Up close….her eyes…bug-like and bright green…but they were so empty…in a way, they were even more unnerving than Timmy's currently foggy ones. "Can I pat his little head, please?"
"These are Eleanor, Theodore and Edmund; our resident troublemakers." Piper ruffled the crow boy's feathery hair with a laugh. "They keep everyone on their toys, specially this little sticky fingers. He'll get his hands back when he learns not to steal."
"Can't help it, grew up on the streets I did, picked pockets for a living, old habits, hard to break, y'know." Edmund winked at her playfully.
"He always gives it back." The little girl, Eleanor informed. "He just likes to play hide and seek with them."
"Their all nice kids even if they have a penchant for mischief; frankly, they're the only ones that stop this place from being a complete snooze fest, but then again, I always preferred puppies that chewed the shoes over the ones that carried them in their mouths." Piper confessed with a shrug. She understood what she meant. Of course, she was always encouraging good behavior with her godchildren, including Timmy, but when a kid was too well behaved, well…it just felt like they were missing something…special.
Timmy was looking wide eyed at the children, looking curious but also a little shy. The girl reached out her hand halfway and gave her the cutest puppy-dog eyes…or they would be cute if her eyes weren't so unsettling.
"Please let me give him a head pat."
"Can she pat your head, Timmy?" She asked her boy's permission, and he nodded shyly. She knelt down and the girl happily gave him head pats whilst she kept a sharp watch to make sure she did not steal any of his hair.
"Don't be paranoid." Piper scolded in a whisper; her thoughts apparently transparent on her face. "We won't gain power over a human if the thing we take from them is stolen—he'd have to give his hair willingly."
She blushed a little; she had to learn to conceal her thoughts better. If she remained so transparent, she wouldn't be able to stay one step ahead of the Fey. The two little boys had knelt down by the wooden carrying case and were peeking through the magnified door into the soul cage within. Piper immediately shooed them away.
"Hey, hey back away from that. It's off limits."
"I just wanted to look, gosh, it's small, isn't it?" Edmund gaped. "It's barely a speck!"
"If the door wasn't a giant magnifying glass, I don't think we'd even see it!" Theodore theorized.
"Yeah, we would; I mean, it's glowing brightly enough."
"We'd see the glow, not the soul itself." Theodore argued, giving Edmund a light push, and then received one in return.
"Let me see, let me see!" Eleanor ruffled Timmy's hair one more time and then ran over to peek into the carrier, but Piper scooped it up and put it behind her back.
"Nope. Heart souls are delicate, or do you need to sit through Nova's 30 hour video on ' The Appropriate conduct for engaging with souls.' …for a third time?" Piper raised a brow and immediately all three Kinders backed away from the case. From where she stood, she could see the little Heart-Soul hiding shyly in the corner, but curiously braving a peek now and then.
"Mommy, mommy, can I play with them?" Timmy pleaded, staring longingly at all the playground toys and the three kids who had showed so much interest in him.
"Oh, no, we're in a hurry, sweetie."
"Mommy! Just once down the slide, please?" He begged, looking so pitiful as his bottom lip trembled a little bit.
"Oh yes, please!" Eleanor chimed in. "Let me go down the slide with this little cutie!"
"Mommy, can I? Can I?"
"Ok, ok, just once." She gave in, unable to resist how cute he was. Just once ended being three times instead, so he could go down the slide with each child. She sighed a little, chiding herself but also justifying herself at the same time—Timmy was going through so much, and if this made him a little happier, then it was fine.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Piper wagged her finger at the Kinders. "Okay, you guys had your fun, but now we gotta go. Nova will get all antsy if we dawdle."
"Ok, ok! It was nice meeting you, Timmy!" Theodore the fox boy waved his hand and scurried off.
"You are soooo adorable! Hope we can play when you're at your normal age too!" Eleanor flashed them a charming smile as she took off running after her friend, her laughter ringing like a bell.
"Don't tell Nova, ok?" Edmund put his wings together in a pleading motion, grinning as he gave her a wink, then he looked at Piper. "I mean it auntie Piper, you tell him and we'll go nibble on your house again!"
"Well, that's what I get for having the exterior of my hospital made from cookies and candies." Piper shook her head as the little crow boy giggled and ran away with his friends. Timmy waved his little hands 'bye-bye! Bye-bye!' looking happy at having made some new friends.
She found herself very puzzled and conflicted. Those children were not at all submissive or passive. They displayed mischief, energy, curiosity and ran and played with boundless energy, their fading laughter still filling the air like music.
During the history lessons on the Dark Days of Fairy world, and with how Jorgen had spoken, she had always believed that the children Fey took and remade into Kinders became mere playthings with zero autonomy. Their bodies, personalities and wills all reshaped into whatever form the Fey desired. However, the actions of those three Kinders mirrored those of any ordinary child. The Fey had not molded them into obedient dolls, but…it would be a lie to say they had been left natural. That poor boy, Edmund! They took his hands away because he liked to hide things…and she couldn't stop thinking about those spooky eyes. She was sure she'd see them in her nightmares the next time she slept.
"Do them a solid and don't tell Nova. He'll give them a lecture and you had a firsthand experience at how annoying his videos can be." Piper picked up the Heart-Soul's carrier.
"Oh, yes, definitely." She'd have to remember to thank Jorgen for forcing him to fast forward the eleven hours and forty-five minutes of him trying to persuade them into becoming a Fey and Kinder.
She turned to face Timmy, who was wiping sand from his bottom; she had dressed Timmy to match her, picking him out yellow overalls and a light pink shirt to wear, but of course he had gotten them all dirty now. Luckily, a poof of her wand took care of all those stains. Timmy, seeing his clothes get magically cleaned, looked over at her with a big grin and pointed to the see-saw. "Mommy, can we?"
"No. You've already got two extra slides. We really need to continue."
"Aww….we play later Mommy?"
"Of course." She knelt down to cuddle him. "When we get back to our room, I'll poof us up our very own see-saw, in any color you want."
"Can it be pink with stars on it?"
"Of course it can. Now come on, let's continue on our way, sweetie." She lifted him, and then after a moment's thought added. "Don't tell anyone you played with those three or they'll get in trouble, so…secret." She put her finger to her lip and Timmy mimed the action and nodded his little head rigorously.
"Okay, Mommy! Me good at keeping secrets! Daddy told me to keep a secret from other Mommy. He made a mess with juice on her clothes. I never told, even when I sat in the corner 'cause she thought I did it. I keep my promise to Daddy and kept it a secret."
"….My poor angel." She cuddled him tight. Would really let his own little son be punished for something he did? Why even bother asking herself that? Of course he would! She could even envision him doing it with as much clarity as could imagine the sunset.
"Wow…" Piper put a hand to her chest. "Two heart owies in less than an hour."
"Candy-lady, is your milk place hurting again?"
"Chest, baby, it's called a chest." She blushed, correcting him whilst Piper chortled.
"No, no—mommy, a chest is a box. Like other mommy's hope chest…which is all empty." He shook his head at her. "Watch my show with me Mommy, it learns you what words mean. We learn together!"
"O-ok…" She bit her lip to keep from laughing and potentially upsetting him. "We'll learn together, sweetie."
"Yay!" Timmy looked so happy with that; maybe she'd start playing the Toddler-game along with the Baby-game, not only so that she could keep that promise, but because he was just so absolutely precious.
He was the same age equivalency as Poof this way; but the differences were stark. Sure, he had better vocabulary than Poof did, but his understanding of the world was so much less. Poof wasn't very mature, but he was still more mature and sensible than a human two year old, and unlike a two human two year old, Poof could dress himself, poof himself up food or drink, and while not old enough to leave unsupervised, he wouldn't be helpless if he were alone.
Two year old Timmy, on the other hand, wouldn't even be able to completely dress himself. He couldn't make himself a sandwich, if he tried to pour a drink he'd spill it….unlike Poof, who'd heal in moments, if he got hurt…all he would be able to do is cry…or…she looked into his foggy, dead eyes, and felt some tears well up in her own. Little humans when they got hurt could…end up…her Timmy had ended up…all broken…
"Mommy, it's ok." Timmy snuggled up to her, wiping her cheek. "I don't know lots of things too. We both learn ok? It's really fun show, promise, Mommy."
She laughed, wiping at her cheeks. How completely innocent he was this way…! If only she could protect him from all the pains in the world…so that nothing could ever hurt him again, physically or emotionally.
They continued on their way. Timmy started fussing, complaining that his neck was starting to hurt—the pain killer he took must have started wearing off, perhaps because of all the playtime. Oh….she couldn't forget what she saw in those fun house mirrors. His poor limbs snapped, severed…his tiny broken neck dangling at an angle…
Why….? Why hadn't she sensed he was in danger? She was his mother…she should have…she should have been there for her poor blue-eyed baby…so that those beautiful blue eyes wouldn't be so foggy now.
"Here, baby, drink this." Piper flicked her fingers and a small dosage cup of medicine appeared in her hand. She could tell from the smell that it was more of that gummy medicine. Timmy immediately stopped whimpering about the soreness and was licking his lips at the candy-like flavor.
"It wouldn't be possible to get some of that to bring back with us when we do return home, would it?" She ventured to ask; without it she was sure Timmy would be in a lot of pain but Piper and Nova had already made it clear that the Fey rarely handed out freebies though with how much Timmy had to overpay for his treatment, by sacrificing his dreams to Nova…a little take home medicine ought to be included. Then again, Piper had been kind enough to heal the wounds Jorgen had sustained while capturing Timmy's Heart-Soul and they had given medicine to Cosmo as to not cause Timmy distress, so it did not hurt to ask.
"Normally that comes with an extra price…but…" Piper trailed off, teasingly keeping her hanging for several moments. "Since little Timmy is giving me such a fascinating case, I'll let him take some pain medicine with him….though I'll put a spell on it, so that if anyone else takes any besides him, they'll break out head to toe in gross pustules."
"Eww." She wrinkled up her nose and Timmy mimicked her, even though he probably did not know what pustules were.
"I no want it if it can hurt my baby brother. He might think it smells yummy and sneak some." Timmy shook his head; hmm, so even in a two year old body and mind, he could recall Poof. She wondered how his mind was piecing everything together. As a baby, he apparently only thought in emotion, not yet knowing words, but he could remember everything in perfect clarity once returning to his own age. She'd have to ask him how his thoughts worked when he was in toddler form once he was back to being 12 again.
"Oh, that's true. Nova would let me have it if I covered his grandson in sores." Piper shuddered. "Fine, I won't put any spells on it….but you better only use it for Timmy, I have ways to find out if you lie, and if you do, I'm making you sit through every single stupid video Nova ever made….and there's a lot of them. A lot. It's his hobby and he has a lot of free time…."
"I'd rather endure 24 hours of being waterboarded than that." The sad thing was that she wasn't really sure whether or not she was exaggerating. "I promise, I'll only use the medicine on Timmy."
"You can use it on your baby….or Cosmo if it's an emergency….because, well, Nova really loves his family."
"…You two are very close friends?" She asked, pretending to not have noticed that Piper had not okayed her use of it.
"Yeah. He's chill and we vibe. Even if we sometimes clash, we always patch things up. Nova's good at seeing things from another's perspective and understanding them, even if he doesn't agree. He's really good at listening...will let you talk for as long as you want without interrupting. He's like the big brother I never had, even though I'm older than him by a few thousand years. But he lets me act like the younger one. That's cool. Being the oldest in the village and expected to act like it is a real pain in the butt."
"Huh," she thought, feeling a desire to contribute something more profound to the conversation. This was the most Piper had ever opened up about herself, and she wanted to reciprocate. However, every possible response that came to mind seemed to evoke the mental image of Piper either getting angry or dismissing it with a scoff.
Apparently, her response, or lack thereof, had been the right one as Piper laughed and, swinging the case carrying the soul cage lightly, she began to walk with a skip to her step.
"Did you think there was something romantic going on between us because we live together?"
"What? Oh! No, that….that wasn't what I was thinking." She blushed; it really hadn't been.
"Nova is 100% dedicated to Stella. He had offers from some of the most gorgeous Fey in Fey world; even Queen Mab digs him, but he wants to stay true to his wife, even if they're never reunited." Piper snorted. "A real romantic, huh? And…" Piper lowered her voice to a whisper. "I've seen her picture and I really don't get it. Love really must be blind."
She awkwardly wondered what Nova would do if he learned that Mama Cosma had dated her father, albeit briefly. She did not have the heart to ever tell him…
"Look up there!" Piper swiftly changed the subject and pointed upwards. Up in the branches of ancient gnarled and impossibly huge rowan trees was the huge structure she had seen from a distance earlier.
"Big tree house!" Timmy proclaimed, eyes shining. It was an enormous tree house decorated in vibrant, luminescent flowers.
"That's our community center." Piper explained. "It's interior changes to whatever we want it to be. A cafe for a cozy coffee and a story time, a movie theater, an arcade, a music lounge, art studio, gaming center, you name it. Every night everyone gathers in the community center for some togetherness time. They're always coming up with ways to entertain themselves, but it's all so boring to me." Piper paused a moment and then added. "I think you and Timmy would like…if you ever decide to join us."
She chose not to respond to that.
"…You saw for yourself that Kinders aren't all that different from normal children and if you were his Fey mother…well, you wouldn't even have to change anything about him, if you wanted to keep him as is. Forever."
"I think Nova must be wondering why we're so late." She spoke through gritted teeth, wondering now if the encounter with those three Kinder hadn't actually been planned.
Piper shrugged and continued along the path, seemingly unbothered. Finally, a scent caught her nose, which made her wrinkle it—the scent of black liquorish.
They turned the corner of a Mushroom building that seemed to operate as a toy store and stepped into a large clearing; finally the village center.
There was a table laden with sweets; cotton candy, cupcakes, chocolate-covered toffee—all treats that had 'fairy' as part of their name in some parts of the world, thus preventing them from being enchanted by the Fey. Fairy bread and fairy butter were also available in large quantities. There were table ornaments created from the same sweets; cute, whimsical ornaments of children playing. It would be a shame to take them a part to eat the candy. They were actually really cute. The thing that caught her eye, however, was the popsicle stick creations. She'd recognize Cosmo's handiwork anywhere. When they had been dating, he had made her a customized doll house full of adorable and detailed furniture.
….She remembered when her father, who had, (and still did) strongly disapprove of Cosmo, had thrown it into the fireplace and the fury she had felt over that had been the spark she needed to finally disobey her beloved father and elope with Cosmo. Otherwise, she might have never found the courage she had needed to disappoint the only member of her family that had valued her.
She owed a lot to those silly popsicle stick creations, and she found herself happier than she had expected to be at the idea that he had made some for Timmy. The messy way they had been painted made it obvious that Poof had helped, but that just made them all the more special and endearing a gift for the tiny little Heart-Soul.
Finally, she braved herself to look at the people gathered; trying to mentally prepare herself to be surrounded by Fey and Kinders…and silently praying Bubbles and poor Dahlia would not be amongst them.
"Wanda my dear! And little Timmy, how adorably you are both attired!" Nova's eyes sparkled upon seeing them. Jorgen, who was begrudgingly sitting amongst the gathered Fey, rose a brow, seeing that she had matched her and Timmy's outfits.
"You couldn't resist, could you?" He asked her, dryly.
"I couldn't." She admitted with a laugh. She had tried matching outfits with Poof several times before, but he would just keep making his clothes disappear.
"Well, at least Timmy doesn't have access to magic, so you don't have to worry about being fined for indecent exposure again." Jorgen couldn't completely hide his smirk. Poof had, after several attempts on her part to their outfits, decided one day to use his magic to poof away her clothes instead of his own. Unfortunately, they had been at a very crowded Jorgen's Pizza and Duck-zooka parlor at the time…
"I feel that there is a story in that!" A fey she had not met yet, and there were several of them along with some Kinders, laughed and invited her over.
"Mommy! Candy! Cake!" Timmy's eyes sparkled at the array of sweets. Nova gestured to a chair at the head of the table; a small throne shaped chair…. the same one they would have the children they had taken away to their enchanted feast sit at. This dampened her mood a little, but she made her way over to sit down. As Piper brought over the carrier containing the Heart-Soul's cage, all the Fey and Kinder leaned forward in awe and curiosity.
"Back, back, give the precious little thing space." Nova chided, and they reluctantly backed away as Piper sat the carrier down on to the table as if it were an ornament. Politely, Nova pulled the small throne out for her and she took the seat, with Timmy in her lap, his eyes shining at the sight of all the sweets. It at least seemed to be the normal excitement a child would have when confronted by cakes and candy rather than an enchanted one.
"Wanda, my dear, these few individuals are a humble representation of our village. Please allow me to introduce them to you." Nova gestured to each person at the table, starting with the one who had spoken earlier.
She was pretty, her hair a pastel blue, cascaded down her back in gentle waves, and her blue and green flowing gown made her think of the ocean. Next to her, a little girl…A Kinder she had seen before, the first Kinder she had seen—Rachel Drover, the child Jorgen had brought here to be treated sometime before Timmy, only for her to end up claimed by the Fey. The little girl now was a cross between a sheep and a flower, but was contentedly cuddled up to the Fey beside her—the Fey who had done this to her.
"This is Bliss Wave, and her Kinder Rachel, they're quite inseparable."
"Chelly is my girl." Bliss playfully tickled the little girl on her sheep like nose, making her laugh. "Every day has been fun since we became family, hasn't it?"
"Yup!" Rachel's voice was a high, cute squeak. Wanda observed that the child looked so happy, it's eyes full of nothing but love and devotion…but…how much of that love was from having Bliss's blood or tears, or some other part of her body, snuck into her food regularly?
Several other Fey were introduced to her, Aelar Stonehaven, the one who had made those remarkable homes she had passed by. He was a big, strong looking guy but had a nervous and somewhat shy demeanor. Alethea, who was soft-spoken, and who had a striking appearance due to being dressed head to toe in bright red; her hair and skin were as white as snow, and her bangs covered her eyes. Melika, a Fey with frizzy honey colored hair and eyes, who seemed the chipper and lively type. She had a Kinder named Kieran, a little boy around 12, his body was covered in a tawny brown fur, black gemstones acted like spots and his face had a slight canine touch to it. The boy seemed really eager to meet Timmy and had prattled on about some of his favorite stories he had learned from the letters Mama Cosma had sent Nova. Melika had to chidingly tell him to settle down so that Nova could continue the introductions. There were a few more Fey and Kinders she was introduced to, but there was no way for her to remember the names and faces of so many new people when they were all introduced to her at once.
She frankly did not really want to get to know any of them; because she wasn't planning on staying here. She had no desire to be a Fey, and making Timmy a Kinder would only be a last ditch option if his soul became so damaged that it couldn't be returned to his body, thus dooming him to oblivion upon his eventual death.
…Death….something all humans faced without fail…one day, it came for all of them, no matter how protected they were…
She gave Timmy's arm a small squeeze, and he looked up at her, face shining. "Can I have some yummies? Can I?"
"Otay, wittle Timmy, let Gwanpa Nova get you somefing, huh? Yesh, yesh he will!" The moment she gave the smallest of nods, Nova excitedly poofed up a plate and, once again, dissolved into baby-talk, as he asked Timmy to point out the treats he wanted. She noticed that Jorgen's gaze sharpened as he kept a close eye, despite the fact that these were all foods that could not be enchanted.
"We hope that you're okay that we have a little alcohol present?" One of the Fey she was introduced to, but failed to retain the name of, held up a fancy glass filled with an emerald green liquid. Some of the Fey were drinking it, but not all—but the ones who had none, had no beverage and none of the Kinders seemed to have a drink.
"We wanted to only have enchantment proof foods and drink available, but…the only drink humans named after us, Green Fairy, was absinthe." The Fey named Aelar laughed awkwardly.
"You can go ahead and poof up something for yourself and for Timmy." Bliss offered, but Jorgen made a snort and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't do it. They'll sneak something in there the moment you blink."
"Boo!" Piper tossed a piece of toffee at Jorgen's head. "Your such a paranoid jar-head."
"Mr Jorgen, my fey Mommy and my fey uncles and aunties are all really lovely people." Rachel spoke up, holding a cupcake in her hands, but waiting to eat it, probably wanting to let Timmy, as the guest of honor, have the first bite.
Jorgen squeezed his eyes closed and looked away from the child; the one he had failed to protect from the Fey the last time he was here.
"Whelp!" Piper clapped her hands together cheerfully in order to prevent an awkward mood from settling in and lightly slapped a hand down onto the side of the carrier. "Let's meet the precious little new born!"
"Let us not forget that if it becomes nervous or distressed, we should provide it with a brief period to settle down." Nova instructed, seriously, pausing in helping Timmy fill his plate with the sweets he wanted. "This newborn soul has the ability to exhibit poltergeist phenomena when distressed, therefore, it is important to remain vigilant regarding its emotional state."
Her mind raced with worry and doubt as she tried to prevent her body from mirroring her inner turmoil. Her hands, wrapped around Timmy's tiny waist, to hold him steady on her lap, trembled slightly, betraying her anxiety. A knot was forming in her stomach, causing her to feel nauseous, and she had to look away from the mountain of sweets.
Every nerve in her body seemed on edge, making her feel as though she could snap at any moment. Her eyes darted nervously around the table, scanning each face that peered intently at her boy's precious soul. She couldn't help but imagine the worst-case scenarios playing out in her mind, each one more terrifying than the last. Her palms grew clammy, and a thin sheen of sweat formed on her forehead, betraying the fear that consumed her.
Despite the vibrant atmosphere around her, with the Fey and Kinder showering Timmy's soul with adoration, she couldn't find solace in their actions. Instead, she felt a deep sense of unease, a nagging voice in the back of her mind questioning her decision to bring the soul out into the open. Doubt gnawed at her, making her question her own judgment and wonder if she had indeed made a grave mistake.
Her thoughts became a tangled web of conflicting emotions, fear battling against hope, caution clashing with the desire to help her son.
But amidst the chaos of her emotions, she held onto a glimmer of determination. She knew that she had taken this risk for a reason, driven by the hope that reducing the Stigmata would bring relief to her son's suffering. Though plagued by doubt, she steeled herself, clinging onto the belief that she had made the right choice.
As the minutes ticked by, her body remained taut with tension, her mind racing with what-ifs. But deep down, she couldn't shake the flicker of hope that danced within her, a flame fueled by a mother's love and the desperate need to help her child.
Once the soul had passed the hands of the last person at the table, and finally circled back to where she was sitting, it felt like the weight of a thousand pounds had lifted off her back. She looked into the door of the carrier, peering into the cage. The little Heart-Soul looked dazzled, its eyes sparkling with all the attention and admiration that had been showered on it. With hope she looked towards Timmy's wrist and almost slumped down the chair in relief, as she saw it fading to a lighter shade right before her eyes. All of the tension on her body left at once and her body felt like it turned to Jell-O.
"Get a hold of yourself, Wanda." Jorgen whispered, clamping a hand onto her shoulder.
"Protective mother; aren't you? Oh, we don't mind." Bliss laughed at her reaction. No surprise she hadn't done a good job at hiding her feelings. "I get the same way whenever any outsiders come to the village and ask to look at my little Chelly."
"People like to pet me 'cause I'm all fluffy." Rachel bragged, touching her fluffy white hair, that had puffy pink flowers growing on the sides of it like ornaments, except they were part of her actual hair.
"Your—really pretty." She tried to be polite; frankly…she'd look so much better as a normal child, rather then as something half sheep, and part flower…. "Peonies are my favorite flower."
"Yay!" Rachel seemed happy.
"It's only natural when you love a child like they're your own; that you get nervous when people you don't know get near them." Bliss's voice was kind and understanding, but she was here just to get Timmy's Stigmata faded, not to make friends with people who would shower her with kindness, understanding and compassion only for the sake of having her and by extension, Timmy, join them. However, she did not want to make enemies with them, so she responded to them friendly, thinking that the more hope she gave them, the less hard they would try to push.
Eventually, everyone started eating the sweets, especially the Kinders; there were six of them, each one was polite, cute, sweet-tempered or cheerfully excited. All of them seemed like very nice, well-behaved kids…far less natural than the ones she had encountered on the way here. They spoke to Timmy, telling him he was adorable. She took notice that whenever they paid Timmy a compliment, the Heart-Soul beamed brightly, seemingly happier to have its body and the Mind-Soul inside complimented then receiving them it's self.
Each of the Fey took turns engaging her in small talk and friendly banter and she was very thankful for Jorgen's watchful eye so that she did not have to worry about the distraction.
"Mommy! Mommy!" Timmy tugged on her arm with a hand stained with a little bit of pink frosting as he held a chunk of chocolate-covered toffee in his other hand.
"This one has lots of chocolate!"
"It does!" She agreed, though all the toffee seemed to have even amounts. "You found the one with the most chocolate, such a clever little boy you are."
"For you mommy!" He held it out further.
"Oh, how sweet, thank you." Her eyes misted; this was….this was exactly like the cookie interaction he had tried to have with Mrs. Turner…when she hadn't realized he was trying to gift it to her. "Your such a kind little thing. Do you want to share it with mommy?"
"Yay!"
"Wanda…." Jorgen gave her a dry look, and she smiled sheepishly. She had to remember, Jorgen was just as capable as the Fey in taking Timmy away from her. In a way, Jorgen posed much more danger than the entire table of Fey, but it was not from his magic, his ability to deceive, cajole, manipulate or convince—he did not need to beat around the bush with tactics and sneakiness. He had the authority to rip Timmy away from her arms the moment he found an excuse to do so.