the forest altogether. Dryades tried to help but was not any more effective than those already trying to fight it. Suddenly he noticed the dark clouds gathering over the fire and he said a silent prayer that it would rain and douse this fire before it destroyed the whole forest. As he stood there watching, the clouds opened up and the water poured down on the fire. Standing there in awe of what was happening he did not notice that Maritae had walked up to him and was smiling. She took his hand and he was startled that she had come with him. “Maritae, I think I asked you to wait for me back at the river?” “Yes,” she said, “You did but I was afraid that something bad would happen to you so I decided to follow. I saw the problem you and your friend were having with the fire and knew I could help before any more damage was done. Remember, I told you that I am the Goddess of all fresh water. You needed water to put the fire out. So, I summoned the water to help. I hope you are not upset with me. I just wanted to help you save your forest.” Shaking his head at her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Picking her up slightly off the ground he hugged her tight against him. Setting her back down finally, he looked at her and said, “I hate that you risked yourself by coming here but am forever grateful that you did. If not for you, the forest would have burned down completely and it would have been years before it would be restored. This forest is home to the nymphs I am in charge of caring for. If the forest was burned completely down, they would have been forced to find another home away from this forest where they have lived for hundreds of years.” Staring into her gorgeous eyes, he bent his head down and kissed her very softly on her lips. While he kissed her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Stepping away, Maritae struggled with this, her very first kiss and the feelings that she had never felt before. “Do not fear me lovely Maritae. You are very important to me and I would love to show you the world outside of your own. Would you like that?” “Yes, Dryades, I would love that. I would love to spend my days with you from now until you tire of me.” “Maritae, my love, I shall never tire of you.”
With that, they took each other hands and walked back to the canoe. There stood the nymphs of the forest who flocked around them as they approached. “My lady, I am Hamadryas, nymph of wood. My fellow nymphs and I would like to thank you for saving our forest. Without you, we would no longer have our homes. May you go on your way with our God, Dryades, and find true happiness. If ever we can be of service to you, please let us know.”
Maritae looked at the wood nymph and smiled broadly. “Thank you Hamadryas but I was very happy to help out. I am honored that I was able to save your home. I hope to see you again sometime.”
Climbing into the canoe, Maritae and Dryades set off for parts unknown to Maritae. Years later, they sat together on Maritae’s mountain and held each other close. Dryades had shown Maritae all that the world had to offer and they were finally sated from their adventures and had settled into a life in her the glen where they had first met. As they looked into each other eyes, they knew that they had seen and done all that was possible and were happy to stay where they are now and have the life of a couple ready to create their own family.
About the Author
Haven Malone is a new author. She is retired, and enjoys spending time with her family. She loves to create fictional stories and her favorite would be love stories, although she is also partial to fantasy. Her story “Dreams” publication is a mix of fantasy and reality. Her author page can be found on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/HavenMaloneAuthor.
Chinook Winds
By Richard Cotton
Lisa sat looking out of the first floor window out onto the vast green plains that went from the rear of her house. The winds were gentle and made the grass dance as she watched. It smelt like a hot warm day was ahead and a lazy one at that. Lisa had nothing planed. Her hair kept trying to escape from the clips that grasped in place. She saw little figures dancing in the breeze to the left close to the dark forest. There Lisa had heard lay evil and it was a no go area. But that was an old wives tail Lisa didn’t believe in magic. Her dull Boyfriend had shown her the true world of computing and the internet. The real world as he called it John had been with her since they were five. Now he was off in some strange land fighting a war that he didn’t ask to go to but had to when ordered. Lisa sighed. The world had gone mad. She heard the tweet of the robins as they fought over the worms in the back garden again. She would put a bird feeder up for them next time to try to help them out. She would of cause make sure her cat Shamus didn’t eat them. She looked back the large black and white cat lay on the large puffed up duvet sleeping. Not that he would get up to do so. She looked out to see a robin at her window with a daisy in its beak.
“For me?”
It dropped it on the window ledge. Picking it up the first thing she noted was that it seemed heavy. Then there was a flutter of wings and a little lady with a fancy dress flew out of the flower close to her face.
“This can’t be happening you’re not real there is no magic,”
“Oh but then you must be dreaming and I am so not going to pinch you to show you how real I am,”
“But my boyfriend showed me that you were made up on his computer,”
“Ah I spit on them. You need to follow me and you need to do it now,”
“I can’t I have my cat to look after and my parents to visit,”
“Don’t worry about that you will still do that as I am leaving a Doppelganger,”
“Oh right so where are we going?”
“You are needed in the forest of the fairies,”
“I am. Why is that?”
“We will show you. Just take hold of my wrist,”
“But you’re so small I will crush you,”
“Wait and see Lisa,”
Lisa reached out and felt a tingle as she did so. Her hair stood on end as some sort of force surrounded her. Her room grew around her soon she was stood on the window ledge looking back into her bed room. Sitting there was another Lisa.
“She will make sure your cat don’t die and feed your parents,”
“Ah what did you say?”
“Oops sorry that came out wrong,”
“Good I don’t want that to happen,”
The fairy flapped her lacy wings and they lifted up off the window ledge. Lisa hugged the fairy hard for fear of falling.
“You have no worry I have a spell that will stop you from falling,”
Lisa saw the land below zip past as they flew at speed.
“Is there a reason for the hurry?”
“Yes there is dear little one,”
“You’re not going to tell me?”
“Nope I am not,”
Lisa felt warmness to her back as a yellow light flash behind her.
“What was that?”
“Don’t worry that was us passing into the forest boundary where our magic is the thickest,”
Lisa looked around to see that they had entered the thick pine woods. Up above there was a squirrel scampering around screeching as it did so.
“Don’t worry about him,”
“Do you understand what he is saying?”
“Yes he is our guard he keeps a look out for the large ones,”
“I bet he is also good when it come to keeping you safe from owls?”
“Yes he does help with them too,”
We soon reached a wooden platform that hung from the branch by a lot of Ivy tying it there. There was several more fairies stood there watching us land.
“You have found her Rosy,”
“Wasn’t too hard since you cast the spell to guide me to her room,”
“Ok fine. Welcome Lisa Stanford. I am Queen Rainbow Susan the forth,”
Lisa took the soft hand that was offered to her and shook it. Looking around these fairies seemed all to look almost alike. There were small differences if you looked very close but it was so subtle you wouldn’t know.
“Why am I here yo
ur highness?”
“Call me Rainbow please. Follow me to the throne room and I will tell you why you’ve been summoned here,”
Lisa followed the queen as she seemed to float effortlessly across the lolly stick floor boards. They were slightly sticky but Lisa didn’t find her trainers getting stuck at all. They entered a room that was separated from the others by a crisp bag curtain. Lisa saw Rainbow sit down in an Acorn cup chair which had some stuffing from a toy in the hollow bit to make it more comfortable.
“Now Lisa. Sit and take the weight off your feet for now you may need it,”
Lisa found a plastic chair that may have been in a Barbie house at some point in its life but now had found its home up here in the queens’ chamber.
“Rainbow I am sure you have a great reason for me been here but I do feel a bit thirsty,”
“I shall summon you a drink and a nibble. That’s if you don’t mind eating some of the local things we grab when we can,”
“What about magic?”
“That takes more time dear little one,”
Lisa saw a fairy bow as she entered the wings touching the ceiling made from the plastic bag from a shopping centre.
“Please Primrose bring us a cup of drink and some of those nibbles we have here,”
“As you wish queen,”
Lisa waited for the drink to return watching the queen as she pulled up a chalkboard that had been in a dolls house as there was still part of the wall attached to it from this someone had made legs so that it could stand. Primrose returned with a small cup that Lisa knew had been action mans