Three Twisted Knots

From a Distance, the Fairelands Realm of Elemaria looks stately, doesn’t it? I suppose that’s why I, Your Fae Queen, was drawn to it. I do love castles. And as I’ve been absent from my own Realm for some months now, I was looking forward, when I first arrived at the Great Faire (regrettably late this year for reasons beyond my control), to walking the stately halls and pathways of a good, old-fashioned castle.

And it’s true, the pathways are stately, and the bridges are divine, and the views out over the sea are spectacular. And I don’t even need to mention the shopping to you: if you’re here are the Faire, you know that there is nothing better than Fairelands shopping. A balm to soothe the soul, I think, is shopping. If I ever get to the point where I’m tired of ball gowns and flowing skirts, just take me back to Awenia Faerie and turn me into a statue.

It was indeed sunny, a perfect day in early May, and so close to The Author’s birthday. I spent only a little while exploring the bridges and pathways (and possibly buying an entirely new spring wardrobe), but then the seemingly endless gardens called, and so that’s where I found myself, just at midmorning.

Some of you may have already heard from Fen, who I suppose you know better as The Amazing Catwoman. She’s been filling in for Wulfrich as my chief of security. He has gone on a long quest, and if I’m honest I don’t know if he’ll ever be back. The position’s as good as hers, and even though she still seems uneasy with me, I’m glad we’ve resumed our friendship. She’d been here ahead of me, scouting the Fairelands, and when we met my first morning here, she delivered some news that I must confess shook me slightly:

“Gwennie,” she said. “There are bunnies. They are everywhere.” She paused for effect, or maybe because she’s never been super articulate, poor dear. “I am not making this up. I have only seen one or two Realms without bunnies, and I think they might just have been hiding out or something. I suspect a conspiracy.”

I considered. “Is it that thing where that huge drill in Auxentios’ Pass is meant to cause magical ailments and all manner of temporal anomalies?” I wondered.

“I think that’s a rumour,” she said. “I suspect that weird globe in Zodiac. Or, maybe…. maybe….” and she drew a finger across her lips, “I think maybe Sonya has something to do with it.”

And wouldn’t you know it; as soon as I started exploring the Realm’s generous and lush grounds, there they were. Bunnies.

This, I decided, would require rumination, and so I searched around for an out-of-the-way spot. Luckily, Elemaria boasts many of these: you could spend weeks here and never end up in the same quiet space to think.

The first such place I found had only half as many bunnies as the place before, so I settled in.

What possible significance, I wondered, could a large number of bunnies in the Fairelands have? Beings who’ve seen less of the magical world than I have might just think it had to do with spring, but I was not convinced. Also, there was a bunny, just over there. Just staring at me.

I ducked into the nearby cave to avoid the bunny’s disconcerting gaze. Another time, if I visited here, I might wonder who might have made this place, explore the nooks and crannies, but if I’m honest, I was just relieved not to find any errant rabbits within.

Now, everyone knows that the collective term for rabbits is a nest, or that’s what my human granny told me back before all this crap started. But something tells me these rabbits are in fact a conspiracy.

And it all started to roll around in my head. Huge steampunk drills that may be shrunk down and worn as hats. Weirdly glowing blue zodiac balls. No double-entendre intended, I swear. Spring. Propogation. The possibility of poems with an acrostic spelling out S O N Y A  M A R M U R E K hidden away in some dusty corner of the Heliodor Library.

My therapist tells me I may overthink things. She says instead of letting a thing roll around in my head for hours, sometimes years, I could, if I thought about it, expend much less energy and simply confront the source of my worry, let fate take its course (though I have heard recently that fate does not in fact exist), and just move on with my life.

Fine.

I decided I might as well confront the closest bunny and ask what was up with all this.

Unfortunately for me, the bunny wasn’t interested in talking. But it was a nice rock and a lovely day, so I had a bit of a sun before moving on.

Everywhere I went, there were more and more bunnies. Finally, I found a set of steps that led up to a secluded spot that I imagined must be just right for some meditation. And there was food on the table, so I had some lunch. Might as well, right?

Luckily, we Fae Royals are not encumbered by the rule that one must wait an hour after eating before swimming.

I might have said “Cowabunga!” but I’ll deny it if you ask me. Ah, but what a lovely end to a day’s exploration of Elemaria. It was sure to be the first of many forays there: you all know how much I love a beautiful garden, and Elemaria, I decided, is really not a stately palace after all: It is a stunning garden, a forest, a stream system, and apparently a bunny sanctuary, all conveniently housed within the walls of a stately palace.

And the views are to die for.

More on the bunny conspiracy as my research continues over the final week of the Faire.

Credits and Notes:
Location: Elemaria is one of 18 regions in this year’s Relay for Life of Second Life’s annual Fantasy Faire. The region is sponsored by Silvan Moon Designs and designed by Bee Dumpling and Solas Enchantment. You too can visit Elemaria, but be sure to do it before the 10th of May, when the Fairelands will, as every year, dissolve back into the Mists.

Items featured at this year’s Faire:
Items featured at the 2020 Relay for Life of Second Life Fantasy Faire:
Skin: Petrichor, Viscivorus Skin in Trivialis (Find it at the Petrichor Store in Sirens Lore!)
Ears: Petrichor, Viscivorus Ears (Find them at the Petrichor Store in Sirens Lore!)
Dress: Silvan Moon Designs, Water Nymph Dress in Sunset (Find it at the Silvan Moon Designs store in Elemaria!)
Headpiece, Acios, Tamesis Headpiece (Find it at the Acios Store in Cassiopeia!)
Wings: MishMash Fusion, Cracked Wings in Chartreuse (Find them at the MishMash Fusion Store in Lamented Fens!)

Other Stuff in this look:
Body: Maitreya
Head: Lelutka Nova Bento Mesh Head
Hair: Stealthic, Verge