***
When they reached the portal some time later – the main city portal this time, not the little one in the mountains that Pefryn had used – Demi-Lee felt torn between wanting to get the goodbyes over with, and stretching out the moment as long as possible. She was still holding Vicky’s little basket; among other things it contained a small gift and a message from Blackbird to Vicky. She was dying to know what it was. Part of her hoped it would be something wonderful from Annwn, but a bigger part of her hoped it was rubbish and Vicky would hate it. And she knew that was bad, but Blackbird was her fairy.
She was so preoccupied, waiting for Tefyn to start his goodbye speech, that she didn’t even notice Hafren approaching them until she was pushed aside by one of his throne-bearers. Hafren moved his throne right up to Tefyn, a little too close for courtesy, his back to Pefryn as usual. Hafren was holding two books – one old and tattered, the other pristine. Blackbird explained what they were – the ancient constitution of Annwn, and Hafren’s own modern translation and assessment.
Even Blackbird would admit that Hafren was an intelligent and gifted man. He knew many ancient languages, and had devoted many years to studying and translating elfish law, lore and customs. Sceptical minds might be moved to question the impartiality of his versions – particularly with relevance to the rights of citizens versus inhabitants. Citizenship – such as Tefyn had granted Blackbird – included privileges denied mere inhabitants. But there was debate over whether a citizen by definition had to be an elf, or whether fairies also could become citizens.
This was the point Hafren was arguing now with Tefyn, in front of everyone who’d assembled to bless and give farewell to Demi-Lee. She’d become popular among the ordinary people of Annwn, who appreciated her courage and her halting attempts to learn their languages. But the human visitor was pushed behind the throne-bearers whilst Hafren dismounted and squared up to Tefyn, challenging his right to confer honours on those who weren’t, and could never be, citizens of Annwn, because only a full elf could be a citizen. Hafren was talking in a low voice with his back to Demi and Blackbird, so that, even with the translation spell, Demi couldn’t make out what he was saying. It seemed to go on forever, Hafren barely pausing for breath, let alone giving anyone else the chance to speak, but then Hafren used a word, obviously aimed at Blackbird, which caused outraged reactions from many of the people there.
People were looking from Hafren to Blackbird and back again, shock and distaste on their faces.
‘What did he just call you?’ Demi-Lee demanded. ‘It was something pretty bad, wasn’t it?’
‘A kind of bad animal,’ Blackbird struggled to explain, ‘like something that gets into your house and nibbles your food.’
‘A mouse? He called you a mouse?’ Demi said. ‘Is that such a bad insult?’
‘All those animals,’ Blackbird explained. ‘Ones that steal food, destroy, spread disease, have too many babies. All those bad animals.’
‘Vermin? That’s pretty low.’
‘He says it doesn’t matter how you dress them up and teach them tricks, vermin are never elves. He means me and Pefryn.’
‘The bastard!’ Demi said.
‘What is that?’ Blackbird asked.
But Demi-Lee had no time to explain as Hafren shot her an angry look. It was meant to silence her, but she took it as an opportunity to speak.
‘He’s not vermin. He’s Blackbird, and he’s my friend.’
‘We have a saying, which translates as, “Vermin swarm together”. Declaring him your friend does neither of you any favours,’ Hafren sneered.
Demi-Lee tried to think of a smart come-back, but Hafren was advancing on them, standing over Blackbird, trying to intimidate him. Blackbird stood his ground and held Hafren’s gaze, although he was pale and trembling faintly.
‘Show respect,’ Hafren snapped, but Blackbird continued to look the elf in the eye.
‘This is your last warning. Show respect, or it will go ill for you.’ But Blackbird stayed where he was, head tipped back, looking up into Hafren’s furious face. The little fairy was no longer shaking but calm. He gave Hafren a challenging smile as he unclenched his fists. This was too much.
‘Then if he is Blackbird,’ Hafren declared, giving a sign to one of his hangers-on, ‘a blackbird let him be.’
Hafren’s henchman directed a curse at Blackbird, who grasped at air as his shape was forcibly shifted, agony clear on his face in that second it was still fairy.
Demi-Lee ran at Hafren, her fists drawn back. ‘You damn lazy coward; you can’t even cast your own spells,’ she yelled at him.
Hafren glared at her and touched his own crystal, ‘Be silent and still, outworlder,’ he commanded, but it was he who crumpled, unable to move, choking on the words that wouldn’t come. Demi-Lee stood over him in shock, until she worked out what had happened.
‘You stole Rusty’s charm!’ she shouted. ‘And that bound us. So whatever you do to me comes back on you. You’ve cursed yourself – hope you know someone who can lift it.’ As an afterthought she delivered a hard kick to Hafren’s crotch. It rebounded on her, of course, but girls don’t have balls, so it was no big deal.
Tefyn, cool-headed as ever, had lifted up the panicking bird, and was gently soothing him. Blackbird stopped fluttering, and settled in his friend’s gentle grasp.
‘Try it,’ Tefyn suggested as he held the bird high, and Blackbird took off, flying unsteadily to the nearest tree, where he chirped a small song of triumph. ‘Now change back.’ But the bird just stayed on his branch, looking quizzically at them, so Tefyn lifted him down.
‘This is what you do,’ he told Demi-Lee. ‘Just picture him in your mind, and let him absorb some of your energy.’ He lifted the bird to his face, where it pressed its beak to his mouth, and turned back into Blackbird, who swayed a moment before collapsing to his knees and retching noisily.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hands as he sat back on his heels and looked expectantly up at Tefyn.
‘Well? Can I go now, with Demali? You did promise,’ the fairy said.
Tefyn sighed. ‘Go, with my blessing. Return at new moon. And I want a full report from you of all you’ve learnt in Terra.’
Blackbird scrambled to his feet, dipped his head in thanks to Tefyn, then hugged Pefryn. There were tears in both pairs of eyes as she told him to stay safe. ‘I’ll be back before you know it,’ he murmured.
Then it was Demi-Lee’s turn to be hugged, kissed and blessed by everyone there.
Tom was the last person to say goodbye. He was now the size of a small cat, sitting awkwardly in Rusty’s arms. ‘Come back soon, tell me all about life back home. Give my regards to our friends, and remember to comfort Mary.’
‘I will. Have you got a special message for her?’ Demi asked.
‘So much I’d like to say to her. But no, she needs to believe I simply died. Just give her some time, be willing to listen. I know it’s dull for a young person like you; you’ve no idea how much she’ll appreciate it.’ He saw the look on Demi-Lee’s face. ‘Just do your best.’
‘I will,’ she said. Then she took Blackbird’s hand. Together they walked to the pool, and held out their free hands to the nixie who was already waiting…
THE END
###
Author note
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A Pinch of Moonlight is the first book in the Full Moon Dancers series.
I am working on the second volume in the series, along with some unrelated story ideas.
I am also writing a screenplay and stage play as part of an MA in Creative Writing.
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