Hidden through time

30. The story about the changeling

Written 2015 by VeGirl ©

Once upon a time a young woman lived in a little house by the forest. The house was a mere cottage with shingled roof, but the woman who lived there was perfectly happy with it.

This was a long time ago, a time where legends were true and when everybody knew about dragons and faeries.

"I remember this book. Nanna used to read it to me when I was a child," I interrupted curiously and moved closer with a wide smile on my face. "I had forgotten about that old book."

We were now sitting on the floor in the little office of my Nanna's; no, my mother's. I still had difficulties to grasp the changed dynamic of my family.

Both Ty and Quin watched me with a troubled expression. Quin started to leaf through the book with renewed interest. It had an old swirly text and soft aquarelle paintings to illustrate.

"Is this a published book?" 

"It sure looks like it." Quin who had been reading it studied the front and back. "But old."

"When is it published?"

He checked the back again and then the first page. "It says here that it is published in Glasgow 1885."

"1885? That is long time ago."

The men said something in that language of theirs and I got irritated, mostly by my inability to understand. "Can you keep reading or are you two busy talking?"

Quin gave me a bemused look and again they shared another look before he continued reading.

One day a handsome man came walking out from the forest. He was the most beautiful man the young woman had seen and they fell instantly in love. The man of the forest was a prince.

"Aren't they always princes?" My tone was little tart as I turned and glared at Ty.

"Don't glare at me like that, I'm no monarchist," he answered defensive while changing the position of his long legs on the floor. "I believe in creating your own future, not just waiting to be judged by somebody else's actions."

I was momentarily stunned, since that was my own thought in the matter.

"What's the matter, don't you agree?"

"It's a matter of fact that I do." I gave him a smile and got a hint of smile back.

"So your gra... mother read this to you as a child?" Quin interrupted what could have grown into a delicate moment. "I can see that you liked it."

"Yes."

"And you never thought...?

"She never said anything about it being...?"

"True? Are you saying this might be a true story?" As for protection I bent my knees and leaned my elbows on them.

"Fran, this might be your story."

My legs instantly shot out along the floor again. I snapped the book from Quin's hands and started to flip through it. The pictures were familiar and it offered a calm security. Memories of the woman that turned out to be my mother sifted back to me and I was momentarily lost in a memory where I sat in her lap as we were reading this specific book. I returned to the story.

Circumstances played in this young woman's life and the man had to part from her.

Some time thereafter she gave life to a little girl. The girl had the same blonde hair that her mother had and her eyes were blue like the summer sky.