Rose's Faerie Tale

Tilly

As Tilly sat upon her hearth, she stared hard into the coals that burned dimly in the evening light. Her icy eyes pierced them, searching for ancient meanings that she had known as a child.

Rose's mother had, of course, come looking for her here. She always had that bitter look on her face. The one that made her look as though someone were pulling sharply down on the sides of her face to exaggerate her frown.

When she had come knocking, Tilly had known it was her. She had known long before the irreconcilable woman had come even up her path of blue flagstones. Still, she had known that the woman meant her no harm. Well. Not any harm that she would ever inflict on her own, at any rate. Otherwise she would have grown an intense headache once she started down the well marked blue path.

"Rose isn't here, Ma'am." she had said politely, brushing off her own skirts, "I haven't seen her since she went to the fields."

It was at that moment that she knew that Rose had been taken away. Rose was never late for supper or chores, no matter how badly she hated them. She silently cursed the tall blond haired Elvish brat. She'd pull both his ears clean off the next time she caught fair sight of him again! Oh yes. And she'd make it painful too.

The coals were telling her nothing. Her tarot cards were laying on the table. Aside them were her rune-stones. She was burning incense. Tea sat, unfinished in her speaking cup. The leaves were laying in a damp pile on the saucer.

'He's placed up that damned barrier around the palace,' she thought bitterly, 'And I just can't get through.' chewing on a fingernail absently, she tossed a handful of herbs into the fireplace. It was about that time that the message came.

There was a firm knock on her door.

'One of them.' she thought suddenly, as she stood. She was wearing her denims and one of the loose blouses that she always wore.

Opening the door, she saw nothing but a tiny bird. It looked up at her.

"Ventane says," it chirped, and tilted it's head, "Ventane says that Lady Rose is safe with him. He says.. Oh bother." it chirped and hopped back as Tilly knelt before it, "Oh bother. He says- says that he will send word when to meet him."

"Will you be flying back round, Thrush?" Tilly asked gently, holding out her hand.

The thrush hopped away, flapped it's wings and chirped like a normal bird again before flying off. The spell, of course, had only been there long enough for it to find her.

Tilly cursed the blond elf. "Bastard." she spat suddenly.