Chapter 92

They ended their leisurely tour of the faire back at the booth where Warren Johnson was ensconced.

He smiled at them as they approached and called out, "Good day, and how did you like our faire?"

Freya smiled and replied, "Ah had fun, much ay it reminded me ay haem, includin' th' brewery an' helpin' me uncle min' his pots."

Warren smiled, "So you've seen our brewery, eh? We like to gather near there after closing for a toast to a good day's work and to wish each other luck for the morrow."

Roger smiled and remarked, "We have been invited to attend the closing toast by several individuals now, it would behoove us to show up. After all, one does not ignore a royal request!"

Warren chuckled and remarked, "Yes, one does not."

The three of them spent the remaining hour of the faire sitting inside Warren's booth and watching the fairegoers walking past.

The faire workers he knew, Warren would call out a greeting to, they would pause in their journey and exchange a few pleasantries and a wee nip before excusing themselves and moving on.

Apparently they had seen Freya as she walked alongside the queen's four man litter during her processional as none of them remarked on her size.

At the closing of the faire, faire security dressed in Elizabethan era Beefeater outfits came through and politely shooed the dawdling visitors out.

Roger, Freya and Warren remained seated inside his booth as he had vouched for them when the Beefeaters came through.

A quarter of an hour later, they left the booth after Warren had secured his wares for the evening.

With Astrid at his side, Warren led the way to the evening's festivities.

He commented, "Southern Faire no longer allows these sort of gatherings after the faire closes. Here the traditions are still honored, " he grinned, "much like at our place, only without any neighbors."

Roger and Freya smiled, Roger did not have the heart to comment about the tiny wild sprite sitting on Warren's hat, or the coterie of sprites riding on Astrid's back.

The faire folk were all gathering near the brewery and the musicians and singers were beginning to play and sing while the dancers whirled about the gaily dressed throng.

Warren was chatting with virtually everyone there and between exchanges of pleasantries he paused to grin at Roger and said, "I'm cooped up in that booth all day, this is when I get to socialize!"

"Hail and well met, this fine e'enin', shall we bend an elbow or three?" cried Deirdre's grandfather, Tom Shannon as he approached them.

Warren grinned at him and said, "I see you've met my friends!"

"Aye, I did this mornin', at th' gates before opening time."

Tom smiled at Astrid and said, "And a good e'enin' to ye too!" as he gently scratched her velvety ears and received a shlurp in return.

The monks tapped a barrel and loudly declared, "Hear ye! Hear ye! If ye're wantin' a sup, bring up y'tankards an' we'll fill them up!"

Moments later, a line had formed at the tap and Roger found himself standing behind Lord John Thistle with his own silver tankard in hand.

He turned around and smiled at Roger before saying with a wink, "Lording it over the peasantry can be thirsty work at times, eh sir knight?"

Roger just laughed and replied, "I wouldn't know m'lord, having only recently come into knighthood myself."

Warren smiled and remarked, "I see you've met his lordship already, have you met the queen?"

Lord Thistle smiled and replied,"They were presented to the queen and her court early this morning, master merchant."

Warren grinned, "I trust they enjoyed the experience?"

"I daresay they did, her majesty certainly enjoyed meeting our resident giantess. A Flemish painter was deployed to record the event for posterity."

Warren chuckled at Lord Thistle's reply and commented, "My mundane world job is working at the Karloff Research Library near their house, I've become well acquainted with their house as I frequently eat there as a guest."

He caressed Astrid's great head and said, "And this big girl adopted me as her bond companion."

Lord Thistle smiled at Astrid and asked Warren, "Has our gracious queen met this wondrous creature?"

"Yes she has, we introduced ourselves to her just before opening day, her grace was most pleased to make Lady Astrid's acquaintance." replied Warren with a grin.

The conversation was interrupted by the line moving up as they waited their turn at the tap while the monks filled their tankards.

When Freya presented her tankard there was a moment's hesitation, then the monk shrugged and filled her tankard as well.

After all, it was now a private party and only invited guests were allowed.

The faire folk were now seating themselves on convenient straw bales, chairs and benches as they watched the cheery bonfire, drank their ale and enjoyed the singing and dancing.

Roger noticed one of the renfairies approaching them and she said happily, "I couldn't say anything before as I was supposed to stay in character, but you are incredible!" she gushed to Freya.

"I've never seen anyone so tall before and your garb is so cool!"

Freya smiled at the girl and replied, "Me clase cam frae me haem, weel most ay them at least. Uir hoose keeper Silky embroidered me vest 'at me friend Zenobia had made fur me, an' me boots were made fur me by me neighbors at haem, they mak' aw th' boots an' shoes we wear."

Freya stifled a giggle at the sight of the renfairy standing there, blissfully unaware of the tiny sprite child sitting in her hair.

"There you are!" called a voice, it was Anita who was striding towards them with her own coterie of sprites, of which she was well aware.

Having been given the 'sight' by Titania herself, she could see the many 'neighbors' living all around them.

Anita too, stifled a giggle at the sight of the tiny sprite child sitting atop the little renfairy.

"How are you liking the faire, thus far?" Asked Anita.

Freya smiled and replied, "Ah'm likin' it verra much, it reminds me ay uir summer solstice faires at haem, oanly e'ery one haur is ay th' wee fowk."

The renfairy looked slightly puzzled until Freya smiled at her and said,"Me fowk ur frae auld Jotunheim, th' scandis cawed us frost giants."

The girl's eyes got very big and she gasped, "Y, you mean the stories were true? You're a real frost giant?"

She grinned hugely and exclaimed, "This is wonderful!" she giggled, "I met a real frost giant today! Wait'll I tell my faire friends down south."

Her excitement caused the tiny sprite child to briefly flutter into the air and hover a moment before settling back onto her ivy wreath to watch.

She asked, "Are you coming back tomorrow?"

Roger replied,"Not sure to tell you the truth. We have a couple of half grown pups at home and they can get into mischief when we're not there to watch."

Warren chuckled and commented, "Yes, my Astrid chewed up some old boots of mine. They were worn out so no harm done but still, I've got to get her some more rawhide chews."

Anita spoke up, asking, "When you go to get some let me come with you, I need some too. Otherwise, Axel will chew on something irreplaceable."

Warren smiled at her and said, "We'll get some Monday afternoon, is that okay?"

"Monday would be great!"

The renfairy smiled and said cheerfully, "I love puppies, what kind are they?"

Warren smiled and said, "Great guardian wolf pups, of which Astrid here is one of them."

The renfairy gaped at Astrid and exclaimed, "She's still a puppy? I thought she was fully grown, she's so huge!"

Warren grinned, "Nay, she only about seven months old, she's got some growin' to do yet."

Roger at that point asked, "How is it you were able to bring Astrid in here when pets are generally not allowed?"

Warren smiled and replied, "I basically told them the truth, that Astrid is my companion and she doesn't like to be separated from me."

He shrugged and said, "They bought it, she brings in customers, I can't complain."

Anita chuckled and said, "Maybe I could do that with Axel, wouldn't that be cool?"

She laughed and said cheerfully, "Maybe we could bring Axel and his parents!"

The renfairy stood there with her eyes even bigger than before and she finally asked, "How many pups are there and how big are the parents?"

Anita smiled and replied, "The parents are about the size of standard ponies and there was five pups in all. Two of them stayed here and three went up to Canada, in fact, they just got back in time to come here. We have our own wolf pack at home, in a way."

Roger merely rolled his eyes and commented, "I'm not sure Olde Canterbury Shire summer faire is ready for a pack of giant wolves. Generally they're very well behaved and socialize well with humans and other dogs. I just think their coming here would inspire others to turn up with their own dogs who may not be as well behaved."

The renfairy looked thoughtful and after a moment, said quietly, "Yes, you're right there would be problems. Dogs get into fights and make messes, and their owners don't always pick up after them."

She sighed rather prettily and said brightly, "Ah well, at least I got to meet a giant wolf pup!"

Warren grinned at her and said, "You're always welcome to come up to the Karloff Library where Anita and I work. The Portland Science Fantasy society has their meetings up there and they see the wolvies all the time."

He chuckled and commented, "In fact the wolvies like to visit and beg treats from the members."

He played with one of Astrid's velvety ears and said wistfully, "I gotta watch this one's diet, 'cos she'll get too heavy if'n I let her get too many treats."

The renfairy smiled and replied, "I think one of my boyfriends told me about the library, it's in a big old mansion kind of in the woods, innit?"

"That sounds like the place. Astrid and I live in one of the cottages behind the library and we eat regularly at the giant's house down the hill from the library."

"Giant's house?"

"That's whaur Anita, Roger an' Ah abide, th' hoose war built fur a retired circus giant couple an' it's plenty big fur me an' me kinfowk." replied Freya with a grin and a twinkle in her bright blue eyes.

The renfairy smiled and said wistfully, "It must be so cool living in a fantasy sort of house."

Roger smirked, "You have no idea..."

His eyes were looking not at the slightly built renfairy, but at the tiny sprite child nestled in the ivy circlet on her head.

Little April had stowed away in Roger's van and had been flitting about all day playing with the wild sprites and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Canterbury Shire summer renaissance faire.

Thus far, she had mostly avoided being seen by Roger and now, he was looking right at her as she perched in an ivy circlet worn by an unsuspecting renfairy.

April made no effort to hide from him as she was now tired and hungry and sleepy, getting seen by Roger was actually a good thing, he would feed her and bring her home.

Smiling at the diminutive renfairy, Roger said thoughtfully, "You make me wish my poor art skills were adequate to capture you in a drawing. In my mind's eye, I can see you poised on a great tree limb, looking into the distance while a tiny sprite standing on your shoulder, is pointing out something only you two can see. A lost human child perhaps?"

The tiny renfairy smiled as she listened and replied, 'I would be happy to pose for such a drawing, so long as I can keep a copy of the drawing to show to my friends and family."

Roger grinned, "Of course, only I need to work on my drawings skills more before tackling such a project."

Anita chuckled and said brightly, "Don't let him kid you, he's actually pretty good at drawing sprites, because cameras don't work on them or I should say, they tend to disappear when cameras are around."

"They do? I mean, you can see them?"

Anita smiled, "Yes, and yes."

"Really? Are there any around here?"

"Actually, there are," Remarked Roger "There is one perched on your ivy circlet as we speak, she seems to like you as you are dressed to be a fae or a 'neighbor' as they like to be called."

The renfairy's eyes grew very wide and she whispered, "For real? I have a sprite sitting in my head piece?"

She started to reach for her ivy circlet when Roger said softly, "You'll never get to her that way, let her come to you. When she feels comfortable with you, she will let you know she is there."

The girl was almost in tears by this time, "H, how will I know if she likes me?" She stammered.

"When she lets you see her if you have the sight, or if you have an adder stone, such as this one." Said Anita as she held up a bit of water worn rock with a small hole worn through its middle.

The girl said miserably, "I don't have the sight, although I've heard tell of those who do."

Anita said quietly, "Having the sight is not necessarily a gift, it can be a curse. Those that lack the sight have nothing to fear from the fae, while those who do, the fae will react to."

She smiled, "Everyday I am thankful I have Axel to protect me from those neighbors who would hurt me."

"Who is Axel, you've said that name before?" asked the renfairy.

Anita grinned, "Axel is the brother of Astrid, that giant wolf you were so happy to meet. We bonded while he was very young and now we live together, the only reason he is not here is because I couldn't bring him with me."

"Where is he now?"

"At home with his parents and probably snoozing in the front parlour."

The girl laughed at that and said cheerfully, "Just like our family dog, she'll lie in front of the fireplace all day if we let her."

Roger grinned at the mental image and said, "Yes, canids will do that. Sasha likes to be within reach in case I want to play with her velvety ears. Sasha being Axel and Astrid's mom."

Digging into his holding bag he took out a small ziploc bag filled with trail mix and opened it.

April stirred and stood up, her lacy wings vibrating, Roger had brought trail mix, her favorite snack!

He took out a tiny chocolate morsel and gave it to the renfairy, "Hold your hand out flat, like you're giving a sugar lump to a horse."

As the girl complied, he said softly, "Be patient now and relax."

Moments later, April, no longer able to resist the lure of the chocolate morsel took off with a faint whirring of her lacy wings while the young woman's eyes grew very wide.

She had heard the faint beating of April's wings.

April flew about the girl's hand much like a hummingbird will do, while she looked the bit of chocolate over.

The girl's face was a study in wonder as she whispered, "Her wings sound like a hummingbird's, is she really hovering around my hand?"

April looked up at Roger and he smiled at his tiny companion and nodded his approval.

With that settled, April set down on the girl's palm and sat cross legged before picking up the bit of chocolate.

With bated breath, the girl whispered, "Ohhh, My Gawd! I can feel something sitting on my palm...I can't believe this is happening!"

Anita handed the girl her adder stone and murmured, "Look through this..."

Before she walked away to talk to one of her friends.

Taking the water worn stone, the girl looked through the hole and her jaw dropped.

Sitting in the palm of her hand was a sprite child noshing on a bit of chocolate and not being particularly neat about it.

April grinned at the renfairy through the melted chocolate smudges around her tiny mouth and waved at her.

The girl's eyes sparkled and she whispered, "She's so beautiful and so tiny...Where did she come from?"

Roger chuckled softly and replied, "She came from our house. It looks like she slipped into our van when none of us were looking and hitched a ride. Didn't you April?"

To the girl's great joy, the tiny sprite grinned through her chocolate smudge and nodded a 'yes'.

Roger murmured, "You know I'm going to have to tell your mother, don't you? You took quite a chance coming with us, there's no Old Poe here to watch over you and chase away the mocking birds who would chase after you."

April slumped as he spoke and looked very sad, in her defense the renfairy spoke up, "Do you really have to tell her mom? She looks so sad."

Roger hemmed and said, "Well, I suppose I could say I took her with me and forgot to ask if she could go. But, and there is always a 'but' in these sort of matters, you will have to keep an eye on her until we all leave and she will ride home with me."

He smiled at the diminutive renfairy, "Is that acceptable?"

The girl nodded a yes and looked fit to burst with happiness.

She paused in mid stride and asked, "So, how do I keep an eye on her when I can't see her without an adder stone?"

Roger smiled and held up his little bag of trail mix, "Give her some of this, April loves trail mix. I think she got it from her mother, she loves trail mix too."

The tiny renfairy took the trail mix and offered it to April who smiled and reached into the bag and picked out another morsel of chocolate.

Roger chuckled and murmured, "Somebody's gonna need a bath tonight to get all the chocolate smudges off of her."

April merely giggled, which sounded like a cricket's chirrup and the renfairy whispered, "Is that her laughing, that cricket chirruping?"

"Yep, not all crickets you hear, are crickets. Some are sprites singing to each other or gossiping. They're such little gossips!"

The renfairy marveled as she watched the bit of chocolate disappear into thin air, then moments later, another bit of chocolate rose out of the bag and began diminishing in size.

At this, Roger commented, "Okay April, I think you've had enough chocolate for now..."

A tiny, drawn out chirp was heard that sounded for all the world like. "Awwww.."

The renfairy giggled and said merrily, "I don't need a translator for that, she said 'Awww' didn't she."

Roger grinned and softly replied, "Yes, she certainly did."

He directed his next comment to April, "Now April, you're going to make yourself sick if you pig out on chocolate and I don't think..."

He looked at the renfairy and said, "I didn't get your name..."

"It's Maribel, my name is Maribel." replied the tiny renfairy.

Roger chuckled and remarked, "Small world time...April's mother is named Maribel, how's that for a coinkydink!"

Maribel laughed and replied, "That's pretty cool, I don't run into too many Maribels in my travels. What a connection, having the same name as a sprite's mother, I didn't know they even had name or even really existed, and now I've got one sitting in my hand!"

Roger smiled at Maribel and said softly, "Oh, they're real all right and few normies get to see them, which is probably a good thing in a way."

He said quietly, "Sadly, many of those who love them never can see them, even though they believe in them. My friend Warren is a good example of that."

Roger pointed out Warren who was chatting with some friends while Astrid relaxed nearby.

Looking through Anita's scrying stone, Maribel could see a couple of sprites sitting on his head while a whole slew of them were snuggled into Astrid's deep fur.

Maribel sighed and said glumly, "That is so unfair. Most of us here would love to be able to see and interact with the fae. Isn't that the whole point of these renaissance fantasy faires? To pretend, if only for a little while, that normies and fae can interact?"

Roger smiled and replied, "The museum I work for has been looking into that and we have concluded that humans have a lot more growing up to do as a species, before they can interact with their unseen neighbors."

He pointed out Freya who was laughing while a team of acrobats took turns piling themselves up just to talk to her at eye level.

"Freya's people left northern Europe over a thousand years ago to escape the spears and sharp swords of the encroaching Scandis, as they called them.

Only now are they emerging from the boreal forests of the northlands."

He smiled, "Norway has actively encouraged a number of them to repatriate to Norway, where they will live in their ancestral lands known as Jotunheim National Park. In fact Freya's oldest brother Harald and his family has already moved there and so far, they're quite happy there with their guardian wolves and the wood elves who've decided to join them."

"They have wood elves with them? You mean the stories are true? About the wood elves, I mean?"

"Yes, to all three questions. Wood elves are real, although they're mostly up in Canada. There are some living down here, now that there is a Jotun presence this far south."

"Because of Freya?"

"Yep."