I remember sunlight glinting through cobwebs and bluebells surrounding my bed when I was a baby faery. Our home was in a oak tree whose spirit had been part of our clan for centuries. My room smelled of roses because my mother collected their petals and used them as a carpet. I especially loved the colors pink and blue and the sparkle of dewdrops. My tiny bed was surrounded by gauzy cobwebs and butterflies would fly in and out the opening just to say hello.
My name is Belinda and I am a faery. I've kept a vow of silence for many centuries. It has now been lifted. I hope telling the story of my life will help you to learn and understand the realm of the fae.
I was born into a royal family. My parents were members of the High Courts Inner Circle. My father was a Doctor of History and Ethics and my mother was the High Director of Faery Schools. Education was a top priority in our clan. Both of my parents wanted each in our clan to achieve the highest realm of consciousness. The Faery Realm equates Power with the Light of goodness and enlightenment.
I've learned that most people have strange or no idea about beings of other realms. . Some Humans believe in other realms of existence but most are misinformed. The elementals include brownies, elves, gnomes ,leprechauns, spirits of water and trees as well as rock people and others. We each have attributes that allow us to communicate with each other, we respect our differences and upon many occasions serve each other For most humans, angels are associated with purity, holiness and goodness. Angels don't drink, act frivolous or play tricks. They are usually considered holy and are revered. Faeries are beings also filled with love, but we primarily promote fun and joy, however we are the guardians of the earth.. Faeries, love to dance, play learn and teach the Animals and Humans how to live together. The Plants and the Animals then help Humans who in turn honored them and helped them.
We are mischievous (not malicious). We are taught never to do harm. But, no one ever taught us not to play tricks. In fact, we faeries pride ourselves on our mischief. We hide socks and keys. We love beauty and love to have parties but we care deeply about nature and animals. Our realm of faeries is like the others in the sense we love the earth. Our job is to love and protect nature,, keep it healthy and beautiful. We are not just frothy, we are light and entertaining but we do have substance. We are the custodians of the earth. It is our home and we want to protect and preserve it. It is our sacred space, the rivers, lakes and the ocean are our chalice, and the sky, with all that it contains of weather our dissemination of holy upon this blessed altar. In this we are similar to the elementals who I think are better described as spirits of air, water and things found in nature, like rocks and trees.
Faeries have always had human friends and but we've found over the years we can best play with their children.Human children have much in common with us and love to learn what we teach them. We've taught them the magic of nature and how to use lightning to lift away their worries. They used to gift us with treats. Honey was my favorite!I have to admit I rarely pass an opportunity for chocolate, love it. It wasn't always easy, but we were able to live together and respect our differences for a long, long time.
I love so many humans now and I remember so many others did as well, from my realm. When we love you, we help you. Life is happier, lighter, and more prosperous in love and money. We love to help and make magik. I guess we make joy our credo.
The Human world of beliefs once included many gods and this made it easy to live in respected harmony. There were gods of water, air, fire, to name just a few. Things began to change when Humans became more organized into sets of strict rules and beliefs. There were very structured "rule books" for how to behave and how to think which ended up dividing the "believers" from "non-believers." It was soon apparent that a set of beliefs offered security and structure to many but it also resulted in suspicions and fear of anyone or anything that was different. The division between the believers and non-believers of particular sets of beliefs (called by many ‘religions') grew stronger and stronger and these divisions caused not only distrust but struggles of one group over another for power and control Did you know that more wars have been fought by humans over whose ‘religion' was the truest? Wars! People fought and died both to stay faithful to their beliefs against those who would impose different beliefs upon them. Even stranger most of these" religions" said they believed in love.That was just before a beheading because someone disagreed.
There is a good example of how being fearful of those whose beliefs may be different can be both good and bad. There was a nice man named Jesus who taught everyone the same thing: be kind and whatever you do to the most helpless or small counts. Some of the men who were called priests worked for Jesus were kind but some vicious.
Because believing in us was not a part of a religious “rule book”, people were taught that Faeries weren't real or that we were demons and caused evil. You see we taught freedom and loving what was different whereas the "rules" wanted everyone to be the same. After a time we were no longer welcome.Children were told either we didn't exist or were evil. Humans came with clubs and destroyed our homes. and eventually we were hunted and labeled as evil. It was a time of great fear and darkness.
As Historian of the High Court, my father was in charge of recording and reporting the events not only in our realm but in others. He was so learned and wise, he was also charged with making recommendations of what to do. As our situation became more dire and threatened, our King called a meeting of the Great Council. My father stood in front of the king and told tale after tale of the humans' treatment of us. The king's own son had been put in a cage on someone's porch and poked at with sticks and taunted with insults. A meeting of our entire clan was called. Standing before our entire community my father heaved a great sigh and said "It is as it was feared, yet foretold. We must turn sideways to the Light and disappear. (David Whyte)
There was a rumble of fear and protest throughout the meadow. My father raised his hands to quiet the crowd. "What choice have we my friends? They rage out of fear and will wipe us out. It is the Time of Darkness that we have all heard spoken of. A time of fear and distrust. It will last 7 times as long as the time we have already been given and until we will come to light again. We will celebrate, sing and dance. love and we will live freely again. Now listen carefully as I tell you what you must each do."
"We are going to break into small units. I will come and give you each the spell of invisibility. You will be safe. You will secretly love our sun and moon and will chant with reverence and grace. You are the very important ones who will spread the carpet of future dreams for our enchanted tribe. You are chosen to hold the chalice of love and carry it into the future for those whom we have not yet met."
His face became very serious. "What I am going to tell you next is will be very difficult for you to understand. In order to save our realm, I will be captured and executed. My death will distract those who would harm us from hunting you down as it will quell their fear of the different and unknown.. The execution will happen very quickly so that there can be no opposition. They will believe they have eliminated the High King but he will be safe." Now there was silence amongst the tribe.
"My precious tribe", he continued; "It hurts me to leave you but it would be disastrous if I stayed. Remember our spells, remember who you are, remember kindness is beauty and love is truth."
I stood listening as my father tells of his own impending death. I was overwhelmed and choked with pain. "Belinda," he thundered out, "you will give my death purpose and will be part of the great awakening." I froze as questions filled my head. How could this be possible? I was still just learning magic. How could I give his death meaning? How could I possibly understand how his death would help? My father, the man who had taught me so much. What about my mother?
My head was whirling….suddenly a blue water sprout lifted me high above the meadow, above the King and the crowd and I was given an understanding ,a knowing at once.
The despair that had been visceral throughout the assembled moments before had been replaced by a peaceful scene full of rejoicing and love.I saw many whom I knew but other faces as well, some appeared older though familiar. To my surprise, I stood in the center as an older, almost wise faery, reassuring everyone the time of Light had come..I seemed to be revered and they were listening with great intent.I felt strong and resolute. Was this a dream?
The peacefulness I felt lasted but a few short minutes. I was back, teary-eyed, staring at my father as he continued. "We have 3 days to prepare and then I will go." I could hardly take in what he was saying. My head was dizzy, I looked around searching for my mother. The moment I saw her face, I knew it was real, she already was aware of this plan. They had discussed it. I could tell. There was crying and shouting all through the crowd.
We held each other and cries of anguish filled the woods as we realized we were going to have to leave the woods we had all known as home.Our animal friends looked with great sadness, they were our family as well and we had to part. We were too familiar here and could be found. The skies darkened and wept as we, their beloved worshippers prepared to disband, separate and wander.
The High King stood, and after a few moments quietly hushed the crowd. "Our brave historian and keeper of all that is good has found a way to save us, our beliefs, values and selves. He is standing alone against the humans who fear us ,to distract them as we make our escape. Please my beloved, listen so we can follow his plan. My heart brother will show us how to keep our realms but it will take courage and bravery from all of you, and me, as well."
His voice broke. My father and the King were great friends. They had gone to the wizard academy together and had learned so much magik. Sometimes I wondered if it was hard for the King that he loved my Father and must have had some envy because my father was so revered.It is almost as though the King was the younger brother whom my Father protected, gave him the title but a deeper power lay in him. They truly loved each other but it was complicated because of their positions. I used to tiptoe and listen when they would visit about their daring escapades as young Fae. He gathered himself and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Obey my cherished ones" he commanded, "obey."
So it came about that we broke into study groups, each given a leader and an assignment of where to go, who to trust or contact and how to hide. We learned what the old ones knew about light and how to hide in it so that we could not be detected. We could become deer or hare or any creature among us.We learned of spells and ways to distract humans.We practiced on each other, learning more of our own power.
We learned which of the elementals could be trusted and who and how to test for safety. We took classes in testing humans called ‘scanning' to see which were friends or foes. Many of us had wonderful human friends we loved and yet we had to turn our backs to them for the sake of our realm.
At the end of the second day, my Father came to our group " Belinda, come child, your mother and I must speak to you." My mother was waiting for us.
He held me so tightly, tears in his strong face.
I will never forget his next words. "Your Mother is coming with me". My eyes widened in terror. I was losing both of them? My mother put her hand on my face. "I must, my child. You are the best of the two of us. You have both of us in you. For our plan to succeed, you are the future. Everything depends upon the plan we will now tell you. "I leaned into my safe haven, realizing she was leaving me, how could I cope without her.She was so calm and wise, she could dry my tears, allay my trouble with a whisper of a kiss.
My father continued. "I am going to caste a spell of sleep and forgetfulness. You will sleep for centuries and when you will wake up you will be in the form of a human. At the right time it will be your job to wake the others." I began to sob. How would I be able to do anything without my parents to guide me? "There will be good humans, ones who will love you and help you in your mission. They will teach you how to recognize the best in humans."
"My little honey girl, so bright, so brave, we will meet again but this task is ours to take. Come young beauty; be our wonderful child and listen." My mother continued. "You trust Dakeh, don't you? When you were born Dakeh the mystical dragon appeared in the sky. It was a special blessing. I know she has been your best friend throughout your young years and she will always be close to you, accompanying you on your journey. She is a rare Dragon, red with scales tipped in green. She has a heart filled with more love than many can imagine. She will look out for you as will others who will be working in the shadows.""When you wake as a human you will begin to remember more and more of your life here. Dakeh will be nearby though she won't appear often at first.You are my darling daughter whom I love."Dakeh was near and blinked her gorgeous eyes at me, nodding a message of reassurance that she would guard me.
I listened for what seemed like hours as my parents spoke of spells and mystics, tricks and love. As they spoke, I began to better understand what they were asking and I made a solemn promise to honor my parents' plan. Finally, the three of us clung together knowing our love would be a bond that wouldn't die.They were such an extraordinary couple,it was just dawning upon me the rarity of parentage I had, soon to be lost.
All at once there was shouting and thrashing as the clergy marched into the meadow shouting "evil, demons, blasphemers!" My parents stepped into the path and were immediately surrounded by " the holy" and were put in chains and taken away.My father held my Mothers hand and softly chanted what the fae knew was sacred text. "Remember to remember, remember to forgive, remember to love" Belinda stood frozen she watched them leave with their heads held high.I stood staring after them.I don't remember much after that.
The next day, the fae told me what had happened. My parents had been mocked, stripped and stoned in the courtyard of the Church. They died with their arms around each other. My Father's last words somehow soared over the haters, the jeers, the raucous ignorance. "Remember to love, remember to remember, remember to forgive." He died , holding my dying mother as the priest spat his righteousness in his face. They were left in the rubble. After the crowd dispersed , the Priest had said " let them rot with the filth they are!",the elves went to gather their bodies but found only small rainbows with no sign of carnage.There was a sweet smell and a sense of love.
I looked at the High King, his eyes were filled with tears, he nodded.I think I also saw shame, as though he should have gone but that was what my father chose.He said the King needed to fill his destiny as our leader and help us regain our strength. How difficult to be in his place, my respect for him deepened.He had a deep courage that showed differently from my Fathers.