Return to New Arden

A Fae garden

"There are bear markets and bull markets and then there are goblin markets and those are something else entirely" (an old Fae saying)

They originally came to New Arden after the end of the war with the tide of other immigrants that was leaving europe. In that thick currant the Fae did not stand out so much but once they arrived they began to coalesce into specific areas like New Arden. Generally they blended well so that you could not tell them from their neighbours but they did like certain professions, they were gifted in the arts being fine painters and musicians, they were gifted with growing things, they were able to enchant and could sell almost anything. Generations later the Fae are still here, all in all they prospered.

Laura and Lizzie were two sisters who lived by the beach in New Arden. They were both tall and tanned with long blonde hair. They were often mistaken for twins although they were a year apart in age. They hung around together in small cafes like the Puck where they drank self consciously from jars. They shared an apartment and had a self contained worm farm, efficient light bulbs and they used string bags for shopping. Sometimes on the weekend they would join protest rallies usually for environmental causes. For all that they tried to shape their lives with purpose and meaning it was as if each was waiting for something to happen. The sisters were drawn to the Fae market as for them it represented some form of community and civic life.

This is how they came to know the Fae who stood out partly because they would call to the crowds "come buy, come buy," like the street hawkers of old. The sisters agreed that among all the market stalls the Fae sold the best fruit. They sold figs fat and juicy, cherries as red as garnets and peaches plumb and sweet. Every Saturday either Laura or Lizzie could be found fingers hovering over a stall holder's wares, eyes alight as he whispered of the wealth of this crop.

Student debt is a harsh taskmaster. The girls were each plying their way through New Arden College while juggling part time jobs. Laura got into debt with a Fae lender but instead of asking her to pay in the usual way he suggested, perhaps out of kindness, that she go and work for his brother until it was all repaid. Lizzie didn't like it much but what could she do, she didn't have the money to bail out her sister. At first Laura's work was just to help with the stalls each week. As time went and Laura was sent out to the allotments themselves to tend and water the plants. She could take a little of the produce home with her as a reward. Laura did not realize at the time what a rare honour it was to be given such trust.

Among all the usual fruit, there was one she had never seen before and on asking about it was told that it was not for her. In a way it only made Laura want the small bright berries with a greater passion. If I can just gain their trust a little more she thought. Laura went out with a Fae boy named Oliver. She joined him in wild whirling dances, she kissed him in shadowed corners of club Oberon. He gave her fairy dust eyeshadow and mermaid scale blush but would not surrender so much as a berry to her. "That one," he said, "costs more than you'll want to pay." She went home and poured out her frustrations to Lizzie.

Lizzie couldn't quite understand her sister's need but she was always a soft touch where Laura was concerned. This, she thought, is surely something I can get for her if not by wealth then by stealth. On a moonless night she headed out to the allotments. There was one little shack with a light burning in the window where she assumed a care taker rested. Using bolt cutters Lizzie quietly cut her way in and following Laura's descriptions found the mysterious berries. Lizzie filled her pockets and curiously crushed one on her tongue. It's taste was at first sharp like citrus and then burning like chili, eyes watering, she tried to spit it out. Eating it gave her the strangest feeling like a rush of fiery energy rocketing through her system.

When Lizzie's vision cleared and she had her equilibrium back she looked around the garden. She blinked in some amazement for everywhere she looked where tiny coloured lights drifting among the plants like fireflies. Curious she followed one and coming up close to it saw a tiny gauzy human like figure intent upon a flower. The word Faery bubbled up inside her but just as she was about to sweep out a hand and catch the creature a harsh voice spoke behind her.

"Who are you, what are you doing here?"

"Um I'm Lizzie, Laura's sister, she left her gloves behind and I thought I would get them"

It was a very lame excuse but it was all that sprang to mind, she was also having trouble looking at the man who questioned her partly because he held a torch but also because he didn't appear quite human any more, his ears were definitely longer than any she had ever seen.

"Quick girl, show me your hands," Lizzie held out her empty hands aware of the berries tucked away in her pocket.

"Okay, run along and don't come back, tell your sister not to either."

Lizzie ran home as she went, strange creatures appeared and disappeared before her. Troll's huddling under bridges, tree spirits leaning against their trees and sprites of all kinds drifting in the air. The world was at once new and exciting and a place where monsters might be waiting round any corner. Once at home, she poured out her tale to Laura showing her the berries.

"You can see faeries?" Laura was incredulous

Before Lizzie could stop her she took a berry and popped it into her mouth. The fruit burned for her as it had for her sister. She ran to the kitchen and drank a huge glass of water. Looking out of the kitchen window into the night she saw the eyes of a strange creature peering back at her.

Ever since then neither girl has been able to see the world in the way they used to. It was as if a veil had been lifted for them. Oliver broke it off with Laura shortly after saying that he no longer trusted her. She cried for a week but then seemed to get over it which made Lizzie wonder how serious it had been. The sisters didn't go back to the Fae markets for some time but eventually the craving for peaches, apricots and apples pulled them back. Walking among the stalls in wide hats and big sunglasses they whispered about the marvels they saw. No matter how each girl begged the stall holders they would not sell to them, trust was everything in their community and it was generally agreed that the girls had broken it.

This is one possible ending to the story but there are many. There is an ending where after much work, soul searching and perhaps even a quest the girls managed to make restitution with the community. There is the ending where their new way of seeing gave them whole new roles in society and adventures they never could have planned for themselves. There is even the ending, perhaps too idealistic, where love triumphed and Oliver and Laura married and created a whole new generation of interconnection. There are many endings that I have not imagined but you can. You might think that as the author surely I know the ending, but this time I think it's more important that you decide. What ending do you choose today?