Three Twisted Knots

From Lira:

Well. I’m not even going to try and explain where I’ve been for the last six months. It’s just too much. And for most of this year’s Great Faire, I’ve been too busy running around with — OK, most of my friends seem to be animals, and that isn’t strange or weird at all — a cat called Slaine (that’s pronounced “Slan-yah,” according to her), and a Wolf called Peregrine.

Uggla declared he had waited long enough, and now that it is Spring, he has buggered off to find a mate, because, says he, “Oughta have some owlet. Gotta go.” That was verbose for him; I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe my chatty manner is influencing him. I mean, one could do worse than be influenced by me, right? And I think I do know him well enough to presume that he was off to search for a mate and sire some owlets, not off to raid some owl siblings nests and ingest some owlets. That would not make him popular with the Owls of Owlville, or wherever they all get together. Assuming they get together at all.

Now, you know, because you met me there (assuming you’ve been reading The Author’s blog for a little bit now), that I have somewhat of a History with the Great Fantasy Faire and all her many quest-called Realms. You also know, because I’ve taken you back every year with me since that fateful portal incident, that I find these Lands unbearably beautiful.

And then. And then we crossed into Ülim’Hyl.

It felt like the whole world gasped.

We had a choice of ascending the steps up into the wide paths of the city, but I took one look at the velvet-red ground (red like the darkest vermillion, red like the red velvet cake I had at The Author’s place last year, red like watered wine or minute-old blood, red like garnets-not-rubies, red like a lipstick my mother, if I had a mother, would not want me to wear, red that makes me feel red, turn red, be red, am red now, not coming back red), and I knew which way I wanted to go. Slaine didn’t seem to mind, and she made her way beside me, chatting offhandedly to the birds, the flowers, the glowing mushrooms. Some mushrooms she made ugly faces at; I’ll have to find out what’s up with that at some point, I thought, but for that time, all I wanted to do was enjoy this rich cake of a landscape.

A long, nameless river splits the Realm in two and then in three and then in many. No-one has come to change the river paths, since the city in whose shadow we were walking here is all above us in the massive tree known as Mother.

Here, you can see some of the building foundations. Like all Elvish architecture that I have seen, there is a contained beauty here that seems to be mandatory whether or not anyone is ever likely to see it or see it often. I giggled when I first saw the white meadows: they looked like nothing so much as The Author’s cream cheese icing, which was ever so good on the Red Velvet Cake. Slaine and I stopped to take a drink of water here, and it was cool, and clean, and perfect. (Like Scotland, says The Author in my head. She is talking to me a lot more these days.)

I’ve learned more and more about the magic of wild spaces: that’s the benefit, I guess, of travelling with an owl. Even though Uggla is not the most talkative companion (he mostly complains, if I’m honest), he has instincts, and he is very clear about them. Also, since he is not here. I can note that owl pellets are disgusting.

The city itself is an Elven marvel. Supported both by the towering mother tree and massive stone supports, it must seem to float above the forest when you are on those paths. Because it’s appeared as part of the Great Faire, the main focus is mercantile. There are so many beautiful things to be found in all the Faire Realms! I don’t doubt that after the Mists rise once again, the owners of these shops will be able to support their families for months on their profits from the Faire.

Slaine seems largely unimpressed by the city above, but she loves the forest.

I don’t think she understands about the Faire’s impermanence, but when I explained we live in a treehouse back in Bellisseria, that piqued her interest.

’Can we go there right now?’ she wanted to know.

’When the Faire’s over,’ I promised. ‘If you decide you want to stay there with me, of course.’

She mrrped. ‘I might,’ she said, ‘if you promise to feed me properly.’

Now, nobody who has been on the Internet for a hot minute doesn’t know about cats. So I figure she will complain about food constantly, because that’s what Internet cats do.

Of course, when you are in a Faire Realm, nothing else seems to exist, but it is also possible to see into the next Realm, if you are lucky and have good eyesight. Part of the process, I’ve come to believe, is looking ahead gives you this strange sense both of a sharp juxtaposition on the one hand and a rightness of blending on the other. I think when the Realms are called, something about their edges begins to blur, maybe, just a little. Now, I have never been in a world that’s receded into the Mists, but it seems to me that the Elves, the Howlers (that’s what they call the wolves here; isn’t that odd?) and all the other folk, seen or unseen who might live here, would be forever changed. What tales do they bring back with them?

‘You think too much.’ Slaine was pawing at my leggings. ‘Have we had lunch?’

‘I’m sure we had lunch,’ I replied. ‘It was a while ago, but we had quite a lot. There was that dragon café in the last Realm.

‘That place had a maze,’ Slaine said. ‘I do not like mazes. This is probably why it feels like I have not eaten in ever.’ She full-on yowled. ‘I know you have something. I can smell it. You have food. In your pouch. Give it to me.‘

Is this what my life is going to be like now?

Notes & Credits:

Clothes: Eudora 3D, Lyra (belts, boots, shirt, skirt), available at the Eudora 3D Faire Store through the 13th of May (we got an extension!)

Hair: Raven Bell, Soleil. This is not the newest RB hair, but it might still be at the Raven Bell Faire Store through the 13th of May. Otherwise, try the Raven Bell Main Store.

Necklace: Oblivis Solem, Mysterious Medallion, available at the Oblivis Solem Faire Store through the 13th of May.

Collarbone Tattoo: Dragon Magick Wares, Fairelander, available at the Dragon Magick Wares Faire Store through the 13th of May.

Eye Makeup: Faeble, Florest (in multiple layers), available at the Faeble Faire Store through the 13th of May.

Badge: Fairelands Quest Badge. You can pick up your Fairelands Quest HUD at any landing point in the Faire through the 13th of May.

Glasses: Contraption, Traveller’s Spectacles. Check out Contraption’s Faire Store!

Skin: EnLight, Dia. Check out EnLight’s Faire store!

Eyes: Shimm, CCCLXI, bonus 2.

About the Region:

Ülim’Hyl is one of 20 regions in the 2026 Relay For Life of Second Life’s annual Fantasy Faire. Sponsored by Teegle and EnPointe, Region Design by Ketsui Naidoo and Fable Fairelander. Be sure and visit before the Mists descend again and the Faire closes on the 13th of May, 2026!