Three Twisted Knots

For the first time, my darlings, I considered staying home this year. I mean, many Realms are still struggling with the pandemic, and in at least one dark timeline, Boris Johnson is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. That’s enough to scare a Fae Queen into holing up in her delightful tiny Realm and just putting more things into the Book Forest and feeling pleased with herself because there are so many pretty things there and there’s always a lovely breeze coming off the water.

But let’s get real for a minute: Miss Faire? That is not happening. Nope. Firstly, it’s the best shopping of the year, and not even The Author’s little drama with moving country (again!) is going to get in the way of that for me.

I have arrived with a small entourage: just Bran and Wulfrich (he insisted!), and of course Friðros is with us as well, but aside from them, Clutie, Nathaniel (he grumbles constantly but he loves it really!), and maybe about forty of the Shining Throng, I’m all by myself.

Of course, the first thing I did was find the Analog Dog salon, where the legendary Queue Marlowe herself did my hair! There’s nothing like being taken care of by a true Mistress of the craft. She also had these beautiful masks and headpieces in her shop, and you know I couldn’t resist those either! Not so far away was the fabulous Belle Époque boutique, where I was able to find just the perfect gown

As you must know by now, each year there are new Realms represented in the Fairylands. Once I’d got my hair done and my gown sorted, I stepped out for my first tourist foray in the town of Brocéliande (named for the nearby famous forest), and it did not disappoint.

Echoes of the nearby forest are everywhere, and it seems this is one of those Realms where there’s always a clear sky. It’s easy to imagine that one is anywhere, when you walk through the store arches and into the higher town.

Further out from the town, some elements suggest that from time to time, the forest takes back what she believes to be rightfully hers and that, despite what folk would prefer to believe, Nature Herself really is Queen here.

I think that’s why I asked Bran to photograph me here. He is so excited about his new collection of lenses, and it’s a good thing he has that daemonbag, because his camera kit must weigh as much as he does by now! I’m sure he prefers our occasional jaunts to Nu Jyorck over the Faire—until he gets here, that is; then he’s just as entranced as everyone else!

Now, of course all the Realms that come together to make up the Great Faire each year are different: No one Realm is ever repeated. We are transported to barren wastelands, abandoned fortresses, musical caverns, and then there are those Realms that clearly have a thriving local culture somewhere; it just might not always be happening right here and right now. In Brocéliande, I’m sure the latter is my favourite, but it’ll probably change tomorrow when I visit another Realm!

I know, I know, I’ve gone on so much about the scenery in the outskirts of town, you’re probably wondering if I ever made my way to the rows and rows of shops that must be inside both the upper and lower towns.

Just kidding: there is shopping here, and no-one wants to miss that, certainly not this Fae Queen!

And so, after months of presiding over Winter in Awenia, I spent my first Faire day in beautiful Brocéliande, and now I cannot even imagine not being here this year, this Faire, every Faire, any Faire. If you RealmWalkers and wanderers are looking for a little joy this spring, there is only one best place to find it, and that’s at the Great Faire.

Notes, Credits, & SLURLs

• Brocéliande is one of twenty regions that make up the 2022 Relay for Life of Second Life’s Fantasy Faire, to benefit the American Cancer Society. Brocéliande is designed by DaveOSaurus and sponsored by Unity Maxim. Fantasy Faire opened on the 22nd of April at 12pm SLT (that’s US Pacific Time!). Visit before the 8th of May, when all the Fairylands will fade back into the mists, never to be seen again as they are this year.
• Gwyneth’s Hair: Analog Dog (natch!), Diana.
• Gwyneth’s Crown & Mask, also Analog Dog (see shop link above!), Soma Queen Crown & Soma Queen Mask
• Gwyneth’s Gown: Belle Époque, Living Echoes in Sky (named after the Realm sponsored by Belle Époque & Harshlands, which will be featured in another post!)
• Gwyneth’s Magical Orb: Jinx, Necturn Moon Hand Orb (named after the Realm sponsored by Jinx, Necturn Moon, which will be featured in another post!)
• Other items not featured at Fantasy Faire: Skin, DeeTaleZ, Salma in Celtic; Eyes, Arte, Husky Blue Eyes; Body, Maitreya; Head, Lelutka, Gaia.