Well, it’s fiction Friday again! I swear that the week has started to go quicker since I’ve been completing these! I think the piece this week is going to have to go with the other short pieces that I’ve completed which relate to Phoebe and her adventures into another world. I’m not exactly sure where it starts and ends but the ideas which I have that relate to her and her quest just won’t leave me alone. At the moment I’m really just ridiculously excited to have some ideas of a children’s novel perhaps? But I do realise that these short pieces will need to be reworked and have things added to bring them to life a bit more, but for now it’s such a rush to get the ideas out of my head and onto paper!! So, here is my attempt.
Arthur looked into her eyes. He’d never seen eyes so deep with sadness. Something pouring out of her had made him stop and look. It wasn’t like he needed a fairy. In fact, he’d only been passing through the market to get to the library, but he just couldn’t bring himself to leave her.
The fairy just sat on the bottom of the jar, her knees up to her chin. It was as though she was waiting for someone, looking deep, deep into the distance far from the edge of the valley.
‘How much for this fairy?”. The words just came out. He never bought things he didn’t need and certainly not living things. He’d never even owned a pet snail, never mind a fairy!
‘Ah yes’, the sales man replied, ‘She’s a bit of a moody one that one, but, she’ll work hard. Cleaned all my store she did, using a bit of magic. Hmmm, she’ll set you back a good number of acrons and shells will that one’.
‘I’d be prepared to pay 5 acorns and 2 shells.’ Arthur knew he could go as high as 10 acorns if needs be but he had been saving to buy a new pair of shoes.
‘Oh, I couldn’t let her go for less than 12. Most of the other fairies are 15 at least!”
Arthur realised he would have to do some serious bartering if he was to take her home. Was he really prepared to lose all 10 acorns? He tried to get away with just 8 acorns.
’11, I won’t go less than 11.’
‘Look, all I have are 10 acorns and if I’m completely honest I don’t even need this fairy. It’s just… well, for some reason I feel compelled to buy her, but if you won’t take less than 11…..’Arthur began to walk away.
Worried that he was about to lose the sale the man hurriedly chased after Arthur holding the fairly in his hand. ’Fine, fine, alright…10 acorns should do it.’
Arthur put his hands into his pockets and delved deep to grab his 10 acorns. Suddenly these were replaced with a very small, unhappy fairy in a jar. He took a long careful look into her face. She hadn’t moved, still staring out into the distance. Arthur hoped he could help her in some way and perhaps come to understand why she appeared to be so unhappy. Thinking that he was unlikely to get into the library with his new purchase, Arthur decided to turn around and go back the way he’d came. He would certainly have to wait a while for a decent pair of shoes.
And so the two faces left the hustle and bustle of the market and headed out towards Arthur’s hut, neither really sure of what would happen next.
Posted by newtowritinggirl on March 19, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Ah I liked that – it’s really cute. I hope Arthur can help to make her happy. If not, at least he’ll get a clean house out of it. Although for some reason I can’t see him making her do that?
Have you got a name for the fairy? I started a story once with a fairy and called her Tillerberry. I thought it was such a cute name.
Posted by adampb on March 19, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Love the other-worldly feel about this piece. It has lots of possibilities. Does the fairy wear hob-nailed boots? Always wanted to have a fairy that wore big boots.