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The Deep Sleep

I sank into the wicker chair I was sure she made with her own hands. I felt a joy so great I thought I had lost them all and here was my grandmother looking as she did before. Silently I offered my thanks to the Phoenix that led me here. "My sweet granddaughter you must tell me what has happened to you. How you found me. Where you have been why you didn't come when I called you when The Evil Ones left. Who took you in ? How did you not die that day?" my grandmother asked in that ever so strong voice of hers. Oh how I had missed that voice, so forceful yet so loving. "Grandma I cannot tell you much." Then I went on to tell her of the unicorn and the cave. Of how I couldn't remember ten years that it was as I was in a deep sleep. I told her of how without any recollection on my part how I knew how to fight with all the weapons of men. "My little lost one. Don't you fret soon you will have all the answers that have plagued you all these days. But first I am sure you are famished. Please eat I picked them with my own hand and sweetened them with honey just as you love them." Grandma said . With that she held out a bowl of strawberries. So red and ripe, looking so good. I reached out and took the fattest one I could see. Honey was dripping off of it just like I loved them. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten a strawberry soaked in honey.
   Slowly I took a bite savoring the flavor. As soon as I took the bite my head began to swim. The walls began to fade to black. "What have you done to me grandmother. I am sorry I wasn't there for you, I thought certainly that you died that day. " I screamed with disappointment. Then I fell into a deep sleep. When I awoke my grandmother was standing over me. "My darling how are you feeling? Do you remember anything?" With those word suddenly in a wave I remembered everything. I remembered the gnome teaching me the proper way to hold a sword. I remember the fairies spending endless hours with me teaching magic. As I looked back to my grandmother I saw her change into Maxie, the fairy that told me to rest so many years ago. "Sweetness you have passed your last and final test. You followed your heart and when you saw your grandmother you believed that it was she for your heart told you it was so. Many things we taught you for we knew as your father knew that you were the one. Your life was set for you. Always you were special you could always hear the Phoenix. You could always charm the most timid of unicorns. Never did fairies run in fear of you. " Maxie said "Why would you portray yourself as my grandmother, that was so cruel. To make me feel as though I wasn't alone in the world. How could you do such a thing to me?" I yelled in pain. "You still don't quite understand. Let me explain. You are my granddaughter and I your grandmother. I have always been Maxie. Yet I had to hide my true identity for always I knew that the day would come when you would have to defend our way of life. I never meant to deceive you my love. Did you not ever wonder why you could speak with all the creatures of the forest?"Maxie/Grandmother(?) tried to explain. "My father taught me the languages of the creature. That is how i knew how to speak to the creatures." I replied with more than a little anger "No my sweet. Your father only taught you the language of the unicorns the rest you knew. Think back to the times your father taught you the language." Maxie said
   At those words it all became clear to me. My father did teach me the language of the unicorns yet I remember now that I knew them when he was talking to them before. I knew now that he never did speak to the Pegasus or Phoenix. Yet I always knew what they were saying. Now I understood I was not just a human. I was one of a kind. I was the combination of the humans and the fairies. It was always prophetic that one such would come to save the world of man and mystical creatures alike. Everything came back to me. I remembered all. I remembered going back to where my mother and father laid in their death and burying them. I remember all the creatures coming and weeping at their death. All the spells that my grandmother had taught me came rushing back. There was so much my head swam with the memories. "Oh my grandmother please forgive me for disbelieving you." With that I placed my arms around her. I hugged her till I thought she would surely break. I cried tears of relief and anguish. For now I knew that it was all true. That my fate had indeed been sealed at my birth. I knew that I must save them all, for if I didn't no one else could.
   "Rest now, for tomorrow will be the longest day of your life." my grandmother, the fairy said. As I gave her the look of oh no not the deep sleep again she laughed. What music it was to my ears. "No silly little one. This will not be the deep sleep as you liked to call it. This will be just a sleep for rest of body and soul. Never again will you have that deep sleep for now is your time." Grandma said with laughter. I now knew that all was well with the world. For no matter what happens I no longer had empty time in my head. I would always know that the tales of old were indeed true. I could only do my best and from all the memories my best was good. Very good indeed. No wonder I had such a hard time with my spells. Most that I had learned were hidden from me, but now that has all changed. As I looked out the single pane windows I saw to my amazement that the sun was again at half. Was there some reason that for the past two days I saw the sun as it reached half? I told myself to remember this for it might be the key to save all. As I fell into a deep restful sleep I thought to myself I would never quit I must see this mission to the end no matter the outcome. With a smile upon my lips I slept.

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I carefully checked all my weapons and supplies before I started out. I double checked my herbs and potions to make sure I didn't forget any for the spells I might be needing. As I headed out I stopped, not sure which way to head. I supposed that I should go towards The Evil One's castle for there is where the one lay that I must slay. I headed eastward following the stars. I was humming a tune to myself when I felt eyes upon me. I turned around yet I did not see anyone. I dismissed it as jitters. I mean I was a lone female barely 25 on a mission that truly seemed foolish.
As I was thinking of the dangers that lay ahead, softly at first, I heard the Phoenix song. So sweet and soothing I felt a pull towards the song. Fearing that I might be being tricked by a siren I removed the amulet from my pack and gently placed it around my waist. This was an amulet that protects one's ears from the dangerous siren songs. Yet I still heard the song and remembering the unicorn's advice of following my heart I decided to continue in the direction of the Phoenix.
I followed my ears for hours, then at daybreak I saw a house. Just a simple little house. One that looked so inviting, warm and cozy. I knew I couldn't afford to dally so I just kept following the music. Funny thing was that the music led me right to the house and there it stopped. I looked gingerly into a window and there was an elderly woman. To my delight it was my grandmother, the very one I was so sure had been killed by The Evil Ones. I knocked on her door with butterflies in my stomach, hoping she'd know it was me. She slowly walked to the door and opened it wide with such strength it belied her age. "Grandmother it is me Qweenity, your granddaughter." I exclaimed. "I have no granddaughter, she was taken away 20 years ago. I never saw her again. Who are you to try to trick an old lady?!" she said with contempt. "It is me grandma. It truly is me. Remember, you used to teach me spells of old and I was the worst pupil?" tears threatening to fall. "If it truly is you Qweenity where is my precious gift? For only she would have such a prize" Grandmother replied. With that I reached beneath my shirk and pulled out her paring knife, the same one I felt so compelled to bring. "Oh my darling one it is you! Come and sit. Let me go and get you some nourishment." she said with love so evident in her heart.

Once again the old man appeared in my dreams. He was smiling widely nodding his head in approval. "Yes you will do fine. All of the secrets of the world have been given to you. You must remember to never doubt yourself. If you can do that you will be victorious. Yes my special one you must attack The Evil One at mid-day when the sun is half. He cannot stand the brightness of the sun. With the sun on your side he will be weakened, he will not be able to call his minions. With only you and him you shall win." the old man said to me. "Also keep the spell of enchantment close. For you will need it to bypass his followers. He is in fear, do not think he isn't weak. He is a very weak man he only has such strength for others in their fear gives it to him. Watch for the seer she is the clue to all his answers. For without her he would never have known of the many that came to kill him. She is a weak woman yet she has a repayment to give to him. Show her that you can do the magic of the fairies. When she sees that you can indeed fight him she will no longer warn him. As she sees that you can do the magic give her a single mustard seed and tell her to sleep with it beneath her pillow under a full moon. Let her know that this will bring her many sons and one daughter to care for her broken heart. Let her know that this spell is from the greatest wizard of all times. She will know who I am. Also let her know that this spell will only work once The Evil One is dead. Be kind to her for she has many regrets and cannot forgive herself. Let her know that I forgive her and always I shall love her." he slowly faded as the last words were spoken. I never again saw the old man, not in life nor dreams.