Lessoc Fountain - a fairy-creature tale

Ch. 20 Home

Captain Thraidox didn't wait an instant. He grabbed Cocot by the arm and was forcing her from the hall before the king's last word fell from his mouth. They reached the door at the end of the dark passage and the captain wrenched it open.

"You heard the king's words," he said in a clipped French. "Do not return. I will not hesitate." He shoved her roughly to the path outside without saying what it was he would not hesitate to do.

Cocot had no doubts, however, that he would kill her if she dared show herself again. The door slammed shut, and she heard the unmistakable snick of a key turning in the lock.

Shaking with cold and fear, she faced the tall spruce near the footbridge. Night was fully on the forest, and the huge tree blended into the shadows and black rock around it. Cocot knew the keeper was watching—the old crone had seen her pushed from the hill by the captain. Just as she now knew that the keeper had watched every time she had passed, probably for her entire life.The keeper had lied to the king about not knowing her.

"Cocohhhh," came the voice in the wind, mocking her.

Cocot turned and ran. She slipped on the dry leaves that littered the dirt path, landing hard on her hands. Her palms smarted, but she ignored the pain and scrambled to her feet.

Lightning streaked across the dark sky, the crashing thunder following fast on its heels. Cocot reached for the cliff; the noise stunned her.

"Cocohhhh," called the trees along the path.

As though the sky had been turned upside down, the rain began pouring to the ground. It fell in slanted lines, blown by the storm. She had to get home as quickly as possible. She inched forward blindly through the driving rain, keeping one hand on the rock wall to guide her.

"Tell me a story, Mother," Cocot begged through chattering teeth.

"There are also evil fairy creatures who will try to lead you astray from the path. They would hurt you, if they can."

"No! Not that! Tell me the story of the prince who loses his way. Tell me that one, or any story that is happy at the end. Please, Mother." The cliff became rocky hillside, covered with trees and prickly bushes. She stretched her hands forward and placed each foot in front of the other, feeling for the path with her soles.

"I must have been very thin when I first met Jean-Baptist walking up to the fountain in Lessoc. After two weeks of his mother's food, I had to make myself a new dress. It's strange, but I don't remember much from before we met. I had an uncle I loved very much and I missed him, although, I loved Jean-Baptist more."

"What was your uncle like, Mother? Did he play games and sing songs?"

"Oh, no. He was very reserved and strict, always correcting me when I made a mistake. I knew he was watching over me, though. He wanted to make me strong and to protect me, but there was something I had to do."

"What? What was it you had to do?"

"I had to go to the fountain. There was something wrong—terribly, terribly wrong and we had to keep it a secret."

"What was the secret, Mother?"

"Why, it wouldn't be a secret if I told you. Besides, it's fine now, Cocot; I fixed it."

"How did you fix the fountain?"

"With magic, of course. Then Jean-Baptist fell in love with me. I knew he would choose me and not the other, if he had the chance to meet me. We understood one another."

Cocot lost her footing on the mud and fell to the forest floor again. She was soaked through with rain water and it washed the tears from her eyes before they reached her cheeks. Had her mother really said those things or was she dreaming them up? Had she been standing in a fairy hall, speaking with the fairy king only a few minutes ago? She could hear her mother's voice clearly in her mind; always repeating the same stories over and over until the day she started to forget them.