The Secret of the Westbury Faery

Part 5

I left Philip and went into hiding, too ashamed of what I had done. I knew that if I approached too soon he would shrug me off, his heart still broken from the death of Lauren. I waited following him as he stowed away onto a boat headed to Australia.

He didn't have long to mourn, since he had to leave because he had been recognized from one of the wanted posters. I followed him and used one spurt of magic stored in my bracelet to alter the mind of the captain to make him believe that I was his daughter.

I took care of Philip watching over him as he lay in one of the cabins, which I had convinced my 'father' to let him use. One day he awoke as I was drying tears off his face, while I had been reading his diary, and he stared directly in my eyes and asked me my name. I was puzzled at first but I quickly replied, saying that my name was Grace and I was the Superintendent's daughter. Then I held his diary up to him and asked if he believed in faeries. He thought about it for a while, then said, believing is only the beginning.

I gained his trust little by little, and his smile, penetrated the darkness in my heart filling it with light. We arrived in Tasmania, Australia and I told my dad that I was going to stay here with Philip, and he agreed saying that it was a splendid idea.

We were there a few years, helping to build houses for the officer and we were charged with caring for the pear and quince trees and I finally I had the life I wanted. I had gained Philips friendship and I thought we were finally happy yet, Lauren showed up again.

I never sensed her but I knew that Philip had and Lauren had as well. At that moment I knew that it was true. You can't separate people truly in love. Philip left me leaving behind his diary, that dated March 27, 1842.

Out of spite I burned down the quince trees and pear trees, destroying all the good memories we ever had together. My heart was left broken into tiny pieces that would never come together. Yet a bit of compassion remained in those tiny pieces, and I knew that if I couldn't be happy I would let him be happy. So I grabbed the tea caddy I had hidden so many years ago and touched the seal. My circlet burned around my wrist and fell to the floor along with my body as golden runes circled around me and a blue wisp flew out of the tea caddy. I took in my last breath, "I'm sorry."