The Changling

A visit

On the morning of Princess Meadow's christening, the wisest women in all the land were invited to bring their blessings. All day the Queen watched as wishes for grace and prudence and wit rained upon the child. Finally, when night began its creep into the kingdom, the Queen bid the wise women farewell. Her back was turned but briefly, yet when she looked again upon her child, she saw that one guest remained. A traveler in a long cloak stood by the crib staring down at the infant.

"It is late, wise woman," said the Queen.

"The Princess has been blessed and must now be allowed her sleep."

The traveler pushed back her cloak and the Queen gasped, for the face was not that of a wise maiden, but a wizened crone with a toothless smile.

"I come with a message from the Fairy Queen," said the crone.

"The girl is one of ours, thus must she come with me."

"No," cried the Queen, rushing to the crib side. "She is my daughter, my precious baby girl."

"Yours?" said the crone. "This glorious child?"

And she began to laugh, a cruel cackle that made the Queen draw back in horror.

"She was yours only as long as we let you keep her. In your heart you have always known she was born fairy dust and now must you give her up."

The Queen wept then for the crone's announcement was all that she had feared.

"I can not give her up," she said "Have mercy, crone, and let me keep her longer."

Now it so happened that the crone liked to cause mischief and, at the Queens words, a slow smile spread across her face.

"I offer you a choice," she said "Relinquish the child now and her life will be long and happy, spent at the Fairy Queen's knee."

"Or?" said the Queen.

"Or you may keep her here. But only until the morning of her eighteenth Birthday, when her true destiny will come for her and she will leave you forever. Think carefully, for to keep her longer is to love her deeper."

"I don't need to think upon it." said the Queen "I choose the second."

The crone smiled so that the dark gaps in her mouth showed, "She is yours then, but only until the morning of her eighteenth year."

At that moment the baby Princess began to cry for the firs time ever. The Queen turned to scoop the child into her arms, and when she looked back the crone was gone.