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The Blessing of the Earth Faerie


by dragaen_faerie

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"Oh, my!" Calyenta the Fire Acara exclaimed, a hand fluttering to her chest, as her brother, Symester the Split Mynci, slipped down the muddy hill.

     Picking himself up, Symester grumbled as he climbed back up the hill.

     "Why doesn't Mom come and pick these stinking berries herself?" he complained. "All we ever get is stuff she doesn't want!"

     Calyenta smiled and lugged the basket up onto her hip. "Quit whining! You want pie, don't you?"

     Symester paused in his grumbling. "Well, I guess so!" he thought.

     Together, they climbed the hill into Meri Acres Farm and the Pick Your Own Fields.

     "Oy, there!" cried the guardian of the fields, Felix the Yellow Gelert. He prodded at them with his pitchfork and asked, "What do you think you're doing here? These are my fields!"

     Calyenta stammered to him, "Our, our m-mother asked us to pick some berries for her to bake a pie with!"

     Felix stopped his prodding and thought. "Well, I suppose if you're willing to bring back one of your mother's tasty pies, I'll allow you to pick some berries. But only six berries, and get outta here as soon as you've got them. And take nothing else, leave the dung!" Felix stepped back and lowered his head, mumbling to himself about "ungrateful, spoiled Neopians."

     Calyenta and Symester looked at each other, both a little afraid of the grumpy Gelert.

     "Okay, let’s get this done!" said Symester.

     Together, the siblings began to sort through the aisles of berries and weeds that make up the Pick Your Own Fields.

     "Hey! I found a Love Berry," hollered Calyenta.

     "Really? I found a Fish Berry!" replied Symester. "Hmm that sounds good. Fish Berry Pie!"

     Calyenta rolled her eyes and giggled. "You and Mother love your Fish Berry Pie. Me? I love Mother's Blud Berry Pie!"

      Symester moved off to a different part of the field, and left Calyenta by herself to pick berries.

     "Okay, Symester, I think we've got all we're allowed!" she called.

     Symester didn't answer. Calyenta stuck her head up over the bushes.

     "Symester?" She looked around. "Where are you?"

     From behind her, she heard rustling in the bushes and turned quickly, falling to her knees as Symester ran out of the bushes, giggling.

     "Ha, gotcha!"

     "That’s not funny!" Calyenta yelled. "I could've gotten hurt!"

     "I'm sorry, but I was excited. I found something." Symester lowered his voice to a whisper.

     Calyenta put her anger aside for a moment. "What'd you find?"

     Symester motioned her over and said, "Be quiet. I don't wanna get busted by that mean ole’ Gelert!"

     She looked in his hands where, wrapped in leaves from some berry bush, was a doll.

     "Oh!" she exclaimed. "It’s an Earth Faerie Doll!"

     Symester reached over and whacked his sister in the back of the head.

     "Didn't you hear me? Be quiet!"

     He tucked the Earth Faerie Doll back into the leaves and put it in the basket, covering it with the berries.

     "Come on. Let’s get home before he sees this."

     Together, they walked down the hill, cradling the basket this time, since it carried such precious cargo.

     Once home, they ran excitedly into the house.

     "Mother!" they both called together.

     "Hush now," their mother, a pretty Faerie Usul, said. "There's no reason for yelling. I see you've gotten my berries. Well, it's about time. What took you so long?"

     She reached over to take the basket, getting involved in a tug-o-war with Calyenta.

     "BUT MOTHER!" yelled Calyenta "WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU!!!"

     "Well," sighed Mother. "No need to yell. I've got ears, ya know. What is it that's so exciting?"

     Together, Calyenta and Symester pulled out the small bundle of leaves.

     "We found this in the fields!" they crowed together.

     Mother took the bundle and unwrapped the small Earth Faerie Doll.

     "Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "Well, I'll be! Where on earth did you find this?”

     Both Calyenta and Symester began talking all at once.

     “Well, we were...”

     “...picking berries like you asked...”

     “...and all of a sudden...”

     “...I found this doll!” finished Symester.

     “Well,” said Mother, “I think that we need to find a special place to put this.”

     She looked around the home, and smiled, seeing a blank spot on the mantel.

     She walked over and set the beautiful Earth Faerie Doll on the mantel.

     “What do you think?” she asked.

     “We love it!” They replied together.

     Afterward, Mother made her pies, a special Fish Berry for Symester and a special Blud Berry for Calyenta to reward their unique discovery. She also made an extra special Love Berry Pie for Felix, since the Gelert wouldn't know what he was missing.

     Back at home, the pretty Earth Faerie Doll sat on the mantel.

     Now, wouldn’t you know, passing through the village, was Grumpy King Skarl. He was heading out to Brightvale, when he realized he was hungry. He sent some soldiers ahead to scout for food, and what should they find? Calyenta the Fire Acara, Symester the Split Mynci and their mother with her lovely pies!

     The scout ran back to King Skarl.

     “Milord, I’ve found some villagers ahead carrying what seem to be those pies,” he said while bowing.

     King Skarl rubbed his chin with his hand in a very kingly manner. “Well then, we shall stop and have some of these delicious-smelling pies.”

     When they went by Calyenta, Symester, and Mother’s home, the three went outside and bowed in greeting to King Skarl.

     He didn’t bother with introductions, and went straight to the point of his visit. “I’ve been told that you have pies!” he said grumpily.

     “We do,” said Mother.

     “I’m famished, and I want to have one of your pies,” he said.

     To appease the great king, Mother brought King Skarl into the house, set the table, and gently place a pie in front of him.

     “What’s this rubbish?” he demanded.

     “This is a Fish Berry Pie, Milord,” she said.

     King Skarl scowled at the pie and took a tentative bite.

     “Hmmmm,” he thought. “This isn’t half bad!”

     “Well,” he said to Mother. “I seem to like your pies, and I want you to come to my castle and bake for me every day!”

     Mother, Calyenta, and Symester couldn’t believe their good fortune. To live in the palace? Where only the wealthiest even entered, and only the best attendants could serve? It was like a fantasy, something you could only dream about, but that never really ever happened.

     “Yes, Milord. Whatever you wish,” said Mother. “When would you like us to take up residence there?”

     “Immediately!” said King Skarl. “I want pies made and waiting for me when I return from my trip tomorrow!”

     After King Skarl finished his pie, he left, on his way to Brightvale, presumably to see King Hagan. Calyenta went to the mantel, pulled the lucky Earth Faerie Doll down and hugged her.

     “Thank you,” she whispered, convinced in her heart that the doll had brought them such luck.

     The following day, the family moved into the palace, where Mother bakes delicious pies for King Skarl everyday. They placed the Earth Faerie Doll on the ledge in their new rooms. She’s stood there ever since, silently watching over the family and bringing them good fortune.

The End

 
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