3 Concerning a Meeting with a Lady

(Credit: Biostm on Deviantart)

After a struggle through bushes, which had suddenly surrounded me and reached for me with their thorns, I found myself in a large garden. There were numerous fruit trees (I did not recognize the fruit), and around them floated bluish, slightly glowing creatures. The creatures were about a yard long and looked like snakes with the heads of dragons. They seemed to swim through the air.  I saw no wings on them.

At the far end of the garden, I could see a palace and in the middle was a fountain consisting of three fauns on a pedestal pouring water. When I came closer, I noticed the water was flowing up from the basin into their pitchers.

I sat down on the edge of the fountain to record my observations. I had not been there long when a voice spoke to me.

‘What are you doing?’

I looked up and saw a dark haired lady in a flowing dress made of a piece of night sky. I know she was probably a fairie, but her whole manner told me she was a lady, so I shall record her as such. I stood up and bowed.

‘I am writing down my observations,’ I said, ‘I am describing this realm to the best of my ability, my lady.’

‘So you are a writer?’ she inclined her head.

‘I suppose I am, my lady.’

‘I see,’ she said with a smile, which made my heart beat faster, ‘you want to pour your soul into these pages.’

This conclusion took me aback and I did not manage to formulate a response even in my mind before she continued.

‘Here, I’ll help you,’ she seemed to reach into me and closed her hand on something that made my entire being tingle. I heard the jingling of silver bells as she pulled me into the pages.

(Credit: Madly Mel on Tumblr)

4 A Request

If a human being should ever read this, please, if you cannot change me back, I implore you; do your best to let me become a part of the library at Hurtfew Abbey. It is about fourteen miles north-west of York. There might be someone there able to help me. And if the change is permanent, then at least in that library I know I will be in good company.