Three Twisted Knots

From Friðrós:

I caught Wulfrich singing the other day. I guess I hadn’t thought that he’d have a great singing voice, but he kind of does. It was kind of a furry voice, I guess? Like the sort of voice a bear or a wolf would have if they could sing the way humans and elves sing. That probably doesn’t make any sense. But that’s what I mean.

Anyway, I didn’t want to disturb him or embarrass him, so I didn’t say anything. The song was pretty, though, I guess kind of jazzy, all about unrequited love, which I guess is a pretty common song theme. And I can’t get a few lines out of my head:

Night and day, you are the one
Only you, beneath the moon and under the sun

I can’t remember any more of it. Maybe I’ll look it up later when I have some quiet time— once I’m done with the big work of the day, which is, according to today’s note from Her Fae Majesty, putting up some tents to replace the little meeting spots just to the west of the Crystal Grove and HFM’s new private retreat.

I guess her concern is we’ve been getting an awful lot of rain lately. Huge thunderstorms that turn the sky to night and illuminate it with only lightning. If I were a suspicious Huldufólk, I might think these storms were connected to the large amount of magic I’ve been tasting everywhere in Awenia lately.

And speaking of rain… I was glad I had the crystal gazebo to hide beneath, because just as I finished putting the tent up, the bottom fell out of the clouds and there came another deluge.

Both the larger gathering tent and the smaller stargazing one I’d found seemed to hold up all right, but I still felt safer underneath the solid roof of the crystal gazebo. Then again, I’m sure I remember something about lightning and crystals. Ugh; the current librarian’s not nearly as savvy as Lira was, so I will have to work a bit harder for my information than I used to. Of course, Lira has been gone for years at this point, so maybe we should all just stop grumbling about Ari. I’m sure she will figure it all out eventually. I hope she will anyway.

And speaking of HFM’s new writing retreat—I don’t think it would be too much of an invasion of her privacy if I showed you what it looks like from the outside. Only the demifae, aside from HFM, are allowed to go in, but you can imagine the view from the window in her writing room. Maybe that’s why there’s been so much rain: she just likes sitting up there watching the rain and writing whatever she is writing.

Honestly, it appeals to my sense of minimalism. My house is not so different with its clean woods and lines, and it fits into Awenia Faerie just fine. Folk need to remember this is Her Realm, and if she wants an elevated rock cabin to write in that nobody except her and the demifae are allowed in, that’s her business, and I guess if folk don’t like it, they can go find another Faeryland.

So, the rain turns day to night. And the sun turns night to day. And the Realm continues to exist, solely because HFM Gwyneth created it. Maybe I’ve been here long enough that I’m forgetting all the things I used to gripe about, or maybe I’m just learning.

And, given my own experiences at the Great Faire this year, still so close in my memory, I can’t help but be overwhelmed and grateful because of one significant thing HFM brought back this year.

Many of us have begun coming here in the evening, just when the will-o-the-wisps start to congregate. The Queen says she had to work great magic to bring it to us here in Awenia and that there is not another like it in all the Known Realms, except that now-disappeared Realm, the Mire of Whispers. And although it whispers its secrets to me, I don’t feel ill at ease here; in fact, it’s a calm and thoughtful space. A place we sometimes just all link arms and stare at. She says that once the season turns again, many more folk will come to see it. Which is all right with me: we’re used to tourists. But I like to think some part of it is my own.

And tonight, odd as it may seem, in the quiet with all the demifae preparing for Midsummer on the Grove side (although it’s rumoured we will process from one place to the other on Midsummer’s Eve), I can’t keep my mind off Wulfrich’s song. Night and day, you are the one. Only you, beneath the moon and under the sun. I don’t really know much about romantic love. And my people have never chosen just one, even for those romantic purposes. Or at least I assume that’s what the song is about. And with no warning, as the Well is wont, a whisper came to me: “The next stranger you meet will not be a stranger at all.”

Notes & Credits:

Items marked with a * are things my lovely sponsors and supporters have sent along for me to photograph and write about. I try to put them first on the list, but it’s not always perfect.

Avatar:

• Nose Scar: Hexumbra, Andris Scar* (Available at Bleeding Solstice through 7 July!)
• Ear Jewellery: Miamai, MoonChild Tunnels* for Swallow Pixie Ears (Available at the Miamai Main Store!)
• Cheek Tattoo: Sehas, Vegvisir Tattoo (custom)
• Skin: DeeTaleZ, Bryn, in tone Celtic
• Body & Sleeve Tattoo: Angelicus, We Are Coming
• Additional face freckles: Ophilus, Face Freckles V2
• Hair: Stealthic, Verge
• Clothing: Rakshasa, Phillipa Pants & Shirt (At Vintage Fair)
• Socks: C’est La Vie, Rin Socks
• Shoes: Rakshasa, Lorina Boots, Dark Brown
• Additional Hairbase: Tableau Vivant, EvoX Hairbase 68
• Eyebrows: Nuve, Jamie Eyebrows
• Eyes: VelvetVue, Acantha Grey Eyes
• Ears: Swallow, Pixie Ears S
• Friðrós is styled on a LaraX body and a Lelutka EvoX Avalon Mesh Head.

Fancy Home & Garden Stuff:

• Forest Tents:
  • Raindale, Sunnynook Tent
  • SSMS (SomeoneStoleMySign), Moon Dust
• HFM’s new Writing Retreat: Trompe Loeil, Xoey Elevated Rock Cabin
• Most trees: Heart, Giant Forest Oaks, Silver Birches, and Ivy Ash Trees
• Bounding Rocks: Fundati, group gift Rocks!
• Will-o-the-Wisps: Titans, The Wandering Spirit
• Lotus Flowers in the Well: Fallen Gods, Holi Lotus Lanterns
• The Well of Whispers: Original Mesh by DaveOSaurus, one of a kind.

Everyone is welcome to come visit the Well of Whispers and enjoy other lovely things in Awenia Faerie. Awenia is open to all, and I’m happy to answer questions or give tours if you like!