The Fairy and the Gnome

There once was a fairy who knew no home. She lived upon the wind and traveled with its course. Where she began and where she would end were of little consequence to the fragile creature. She lived for the moment in every action she took and never tarried upon any decision.

As the little violate fairy sailed upon a strong spring wind, she landed herself on top of a lush hill crest. Resting for a moment upon a soft open daisy’s peddle, the young little fey looked down to see a lump of a gnome. The odd little man was doubled over in pain, his wide brimmed hat obscuring his face. Happy for a curious pause from her endless journey, the cheerful fairy fluttered down to investigate. As her dainty bare feet touched the bent grass before the gnome, he looked up in frightened alarm. The fairy simply smiled a warm beam of sunshine into the suffering gnome’s face as she saw the pudgy little figure's torment.

Stumbling backwards, feeling the ground below him, the eyeless gnome cried out, "who's there!"

Shot through the heart with painful empathy, the fairy said, "do not be afraid, I will not harm you."

The magical tenor of the sprite's calm voice relaxed the terrified creature, "Who... who are you?"

The fairy glided towards the gnome taking his hand in her own to show her mercy, "I am Silvana, a fey of the wind. What has happen to you good gnome?"

"A fairy. I was traveling to find my fortune when the Lingarn that haunts this mountain attacked me and took my eyes for his gruesome trophy necklace."

The horror of concept gripped the delicate fairy; to not be able to see the splendors of the world, lost and wandering in fear was a certain nightmare for all free creatures of magic. "Come wounded gnome, tell me your name and I will take you to safety before the setting of the sun.

The thankful small gnome sputtered 'Darmente' before Silvana, humming wings lifting her tether body upward, pulled Darmente to his booted feet.

The two walked as the sun slowly sank in the sky and the fairy was saddened that the tearless sobbing little man could not enjoy the sight with her. To lift his heart she softly sang of the beautiful rose reds and sunflower yellows that caressed the sleepy dusk sky. To her amazement, the smiling gnome picked up his pace, exclaiming, "it’s as if I can see when your voice pours into my ears." The hike quickened and the pair came upon a perfect tinny cave of a crack splitting up a giant bolder.

As the moon began to crest over the tree line, a powerful wind picked up Silvana's dark purple hair and she felt her soul’s natural pull urging her to take flight.

Darmente could feel the tug of her loosening grip and looked up at her with the saddest expression of understanding that any living thing could ever possibly display, "the wind is calling you and you must go. I understand and thank you for your kindness. Silvana is a name I shall never forget.

Sparkling tears rolled down the fairy's cheeks as, speechless, she turned away and flew into the night. As the wind carried her frail body she had an unusual feeling wash over her heart. It was so cold and so warm all within the same breath. Without conscious thought, she felt herself turn and, flying into the howling night's wind, returned to the bolder. She could hear the miserable gnome sniffle and moan in agony as she placed her gentle hand upon his shivering cheek. His sobs softened as he raised his face in knowing bewilderment. The two laid closely together as the grateful Darmente told Silvana a story to ease his own suffering mind as much as to thank her for her return.

Long after the two had drifted into gentle dreams, the pair was awoken suddenly. A crashing of angry careless limbs snapped trees and destroyed bushes. The violate fairy looked out into the moon lit clearing and saw the dreaded Lingarn sniffing at the air with it's grotesquely fused dimorphic heads. The size of a human, the pail gray monster wailed enraged spitting nonsense words. Silvana cupped her fragile ears and Darmente cowered farther into the hole as the evil hulk made its way towards the frightened couple. Sapped of strength by the shrill noise, Silvana collapsed to her knees. The coarse hand of the furless hermaphroditic beast reached down and scooped up a handful of soil along with the tinny fairy.

It was suffocating her as it carelessly squeezed, sniffing and sputtering with its masculine face, "I'm going to pluck those ittsy bitsy wings off you for my neckless fey."

Pushing and kicking and screaming, Silvana did everything she could to break free with no result. The Lingarn used its boney thumb and finger to catch Silvana's translucent glittering purple wing and began to slowly pull to prolong her suffering. She could feel the pain scraping and ripping down her back as the Lingarn suddenly tensed and cried out in pain itself. The fairy's tender wing was released as the frantic monster grasped at its own back. The fairy bit and clawed at the Lingarn's tightening grip as she saw the gnome evade the demon's clumsy blows. Like a gleaming needle, the gnome produced and thrust his dagger deeply into the beast's shoulder. He rappelled down it's bicep to the elbow leaving a spurting blacken gash. The Lingarn, howling in painful surprise, threw the battered fey to the forest floor and began clutching at himself for the gnome. The abomination turn and twisted as his claw like fingers struck their mark. Darmente cried out as he renewed his bloody upward climb around the boney spine.

Silvana wretched her wing back into place with a wincing tremor. Looking up she saw the ashen colored spinning beast with the gnome reaching for its hunched neck. Darmente clasped his talon like grip securely around the Lingarn’s insidious chain of evil trophies and leapt away from the hideous creature. A flurry of rotting fey wings and elf ears flung into the air as the jerking tether pulled the Lingarn off his stride and into a stout pine. Darmente swung around the tree as the necklace twisted and noosed the despicable fiend. Pulling the Lingarn to the ground, Darmente steadied himself and pulled upon the foul rope. A second later Silvana joined him in the mortal struggle as the Lingarn savagely ripped and tore chunks of bark in its attempts at seizing its attackers. Sputtering and yakking, his face draining to a flour white, the dreaded Lingarn twitched his last spasm and then moved no more.

For a long time the two lay panting, their hands still loosely holding the heinous necklace. As the bruised fairy sat up she began the task of searching the line of withered parts.

Darmente stood up curious at her movements, “what are you looking for Silvana?”

Her grateful heart searched in silence as she acted without decision. At last she came upon the eyes, tied to the chain by a sturdy braded knot, and pulled them free. Even in the din of this dark evil night, she could clearly see the radiant soft blue of fair gnomish eyes. She knew well that the price for restoring the beauty that was taken from Darmente in the most gruesome way was to give up a naturally charmed part of herself. As she reached under her arm and felt her smooth and battered wing stem she prepared herself for the pain of detaching it from her slender form. Just as she was about to pull, eyes tightly shut, she felt a large pudgy hand fall heavily upon her shoulder.

“You must’nt do that wind fey,” said Darmente as Silvana’s eyes whipped open into the gnomes hollowed face. “I have lost my keen sight and it is true that this is a tragedy for me, but you would lose so much more than your wing and your flight. You would lose the freedom of the wind... the liberty that makes you who you are. I would not let you change that beauty that is within you even for my own living breath.”

The tears rolled down Silvana’s florid cheeks as she let go of her lavender wing. As the pair stood in quiet agreement, the first hint of light flashed on the horizon. Both the gnome and the fairy turned their faces to greet the warm light as it began to pour over the distant mountains. As the birds started to chirp high above them, Silvana let the glorious sunrise fill her body and wove from it a single gentle humming note. As more of the white and yellow rays washed over the forest, the fairy’s note formed into the most beautiful enchanted melody. Darmente smiled at the newly seen day while simply whispering “Thank you.”

Of course the two enjoyed each others company as the gracious gnome tended to the fay’s wounds and, in time, nursed her back to full health. When she was once again well she accompanied him to the labyrinth of gardens and mines that the adventurous gnome had long sought. On the way they enjoyed games, stories, music and all the merriment of a new friendship. Nevertheless, the wind did eventually call the fairy once more and, with grateful well wishes and a tender embrace, Silvana set off into the heavens.

Many centuries have passed in our world since that noteworthy event occurred. Even so, some would say, when the wind is just right, on rare cool sunsets, you can still some times hear exquisite vocal music drifting on the breeze; a song telling of vibrant colors and natural beauty sung in a foreign melodic tongue.