Awakening

Change

  After having said farewell to Rhiannon and Falcon the trio made their way further into the ancient forest and then following a little stream. All morning the girl had a nasty itch on her shoulder blades and she often reached back and scratched the offending area. Finally Fana had had enough and asked to have a look where Dagmar had been scratching to make sure it was not something more serious than an annoying itch. The shirt was lifted and to Fanas amazement there were two small wings growing right where the shoulder blades were. Calling for a halt she inspected the tiny wings more closely and saw that they were growing right in front of her eyes, at a rapid pace. “Oh dear! My sweetling it seems you are growing into your wings!” gasping with alarm Fawn stared at her friends back. Right in front of her eyes she was watching small wings growing out of the shoulder blade and gently tearing the skin to accommodate for the circumference of the base, as Fawn stood and stared the wings had grown a good two hand spans.

  Dagmar spun around and stood staring at Fana “I AM WHAT?” she screamed nearly hysterical. She could only bear so much in one go and THIS was just too much. “How can I grow wings? That is just impossible. But then again NOTHING is impossible in this place. Oh what is going to happen NOW?” “We set up camp and wait it out sweetling. It should have been obvious to me right away! Since you have had your gifts opened there have been slight changes about you darling. They have been subtle but I should have seen them. I know you will ask what changes. Fawn, you obviously have not seen, otherwise it would have all been explained and expected. Fawn be a dear and get the mirror out of my bag.” Fawn began rummaging around the indicated bag while Dagmar reached behind and without much effort she touched one of the wings, snatching her hand back as if burnt. “It is alright sweetling, it would feel very strange for you. Normally this happens when a child is in their first five years, well the ones who grow wings any way. Some of us don’t grow wings. Fawn will you get on with it please?!”. Fawn triumphantly pulled out a large mirror and then found another smaller mirror attached by a chain to the bigger one. “Here they are!” shouted Fawn as she jumped up and ran to her friends side. Fana set the large mirror up in front of the girl and then stood with the smaller mirror in her hand ready to focus it. Dagmar looked into the mirror and saw faint lines on the side of her face and as she looked closer she saw that they were spirals which all made a beautiful pattern on the side of her fore head and her cheek bone. The lines were white and a little faint but could be seen more clearly the longer she looked at them. Then she locked eyes with Fana and nodded her head. She watched in wonder as Fana focused the mirror so it would reflect the wings clearly. A small scream escaped the girls’ throat as she saw the wings, now the length of a fore arm and still growing. The itch was now bearable and as she wriggled her shoulder blades she saw her wings flutter, so she wriggled again and her little wings fluttered and tried to lift her of the ground. In wonder the girl stared at Fana and then caught her friends’ eye, who was also staring in disbelief. “Well my darling it looks like we need to make adjustments to your wardrobe.” Smiled Fana reassuringly as she moved to prop the larger mirror against a tree so that Dagmar could look at her wings a while longer. They had doubled in size during that small time frame and were becoming translucent as they grew, mesmerised by the sight, the girl wriggled her shoulders again and nearly lifted off the ground. Suddenly a smile lit up her whole face “I think I can get used to this Fana. They are such a lovely colour. They look almost gold and look I think they have stopped growing.” Exclaimed the girl as she looked into the mirror and saw the tops of her wings peeping over the top of her delicate shoulders. They were now about the length of an arm and were very delicately shaped. As the girl flexed her shoulders the wings began to unfurl into not two as she expected but four separate wings, two on each side overlapping where they met at her back. Fawn became very excited and let her own wings out, seeing her friends face was priceless for her, she rolled around the grass laughing so hard her side began to hurt. “What’s the matter? Never seen a faery let her wings out?” she looked at Dagmar and realised that was exactly it; the girl had never seen that actual process “Oh! You truly haven’t seen this! After your wings finish growing and have dried, yes just like a butterfly, I can teach you how to make them go away until you want them out. Most of the time we don’t use them as a rule, but there are times in need or special occasions such as finding a life partner. Your wings are BEAUTIFUL!!!” exclaimed Fawn looking at the full extended wings which had stopped growing a little while ago.

  The girl twitched her shoulders and felt her wings fluttered erratically, stopping that action she looked at her friends fully extended wings. Fawn had wings which resembled autumn leaves in colour and were like her own four separate wings that had golden brown ragged edges. The wings became a darker gold brown as they neared her body and when she fluttered them they moved in synchronicity and gently lifted Fawn off the ground. Laughing Dagmar also fluttered her wings only to lift suddenly and drop just as suddenly falling onto the soft grass. As she sat there and gently moved her shoulders she began to control the movement and began to gently lift off the grass. Her wings were also in four sections, with the wings when fully extended, reached over the girls blond head. Dagmar’s wings had an elegant sweep which made them come to elegant points both at the top and bottom. They shimmered and glittered as she gently moved them.

  Fana returned and saw that the girls were both happy and relaxed. Pleased that the girl took the news of growing wings and developing a sacred mark on her face so easily. She then busied herself by making expert cuts in the back of the girls shirt as well as the dress and the cloak. Dagmar watched and winced as she saw Fana cutting into the fine material of the cloak. Fana noticed and explained “We can mend the cuts when you have learnt to put your wings away, but that won’t happen right away, so until you do we will have to make room for your wings and later mend the cuts again. “smiling all the time. “We will make camp here for tonight and start again early in the morning. This will give you time to get used to your new accessories” said Fana as she turned to find the tent in her satchel to set it up.

  Fawn helped Dagmar put on her shirt with the adjustments and the girl found it to be very comfortable. “Fawn. How do you sleep with these things?” asked the girl fluttering her wings in emphasis. Fawn looked at her friend and shook her head “Funny, I never even thought about THAT! We will have to work it out. I honestly don’t know. Fana” called Fawn “How do you sleep with wings?” she asked. Dagmar looked at Fana and asked “Do you have wings, Fana? Could I see them please?” Fana turned her back to the girl and took off her shirt, she immediately began groping around in her satchel for a replacement, which she soon found and slipped over her head, making minor adjustments she then turned and faced the girls. Slowly, ever so slowly gossamer fine wings appeared from behind the womans back, they were the colour of earth with the shimmer of moonshine with the two top points that reached up very high and the two lower wings were solid with a rounded edge. She fluttered her wings a little and then flew elegantly over to where the girls were. “There sweetling! How do you like them?” asked Fana. “Oh Fana, they are beautiful. I had NO idea that the faeries that I saw at the palace that did not have wings, actually did but chose not to have them out. They are SO pretty!” said the girl in awe. “They are pretty BUT they do get in the way and we avoid injury by having them not out.” Replied Fana. She fluttered about setting up camp while Dagmar practiced fluttering her wings in unison and to lift her off the ground.