Three Twisted Knots

From Gwyneth:

My darlings, we have come to the end of another Great Fantasy Faire. As this is a bittersweet year, I thought it would be good to end our sojourn in the Realm of Stoneveil Crossing. Here, we wandered through a Realm of memory and, although it may be difficult to imagine endings endlessly enacted, a land of memories making their way into myth, or oblivion. Oblivion, I think, is harder to consider when you are young, or at least I found it so. I found myself thinking of that human girl I once believed I was, and of her journey, my journey, through experience, into the world of story and beyond.

From the Stoneveil bridge, which I think of as the memory bridge, we were able to see so many Realms! These two guardian statues face inward, as do all the statues in Stoneveil, as if their mission is to keep those inside safe from all outside harm. We knew at once we were in a world of reverence.

Kvit, bless him, immediately realised there were birds here he wanted to commune with, so he left us near the gates and told me not to bother waiting up. Who waits up for a raven? Is that even a thing. OK. OK, I wait up for a raven. But just Kvit. Not all the ravens. Anyway.

Shortly after Kvit left us for the pleasures of his own kind, we were joined by a cat! I’d say she was delightful, but she was a bit sarcastic, if I’m honest. She informed me that her name was Slaine (“that’s pronounced SLAN-yah,” she made it clear). “I’ll be accompanying you home to Awenia,” she announced.

I have learned not to question the decisions of cats. Still, there was something a little strange about her. Every so often, she’d almost go translucent, and once I’m sure she blinked invisible altogether. She’d just come back, exactly where she was and as she was, and I figured it would be best to approach the “why do you not seem firmly anchored on this plane of existence” question later in the progression of our relationship.

I have known a lot of cats in my life, but I just felt there was something special about Slaine. As if she were somehow put in the world because I needed a cat and didn’t know it. I hope she will get along with Kvit when he returns, or at least keep up a lively banter.

Stoneveil Crossing is majestic: there’s no other word for it. The buildings rise high like cathedrals, and the roses cover the walls, and through it all the canal winds through and falls, eventually, to the sea.

What we learn, through reading the architecture and the landscape and what little is left of the original inhabitants of this place, is enhanced by the Gleamfolk, who keep the stories and memories of Stoneveil alive. Here, the faint echoing of a hammer. There, the buzzing of a loom. When we reached out with our extra senses, we began to get a feel for the city that now stands guarded by its implacable sword women and by the Gleamfolk themselves.

Here, near the heart of the Realm, we see the translucent petals as they fall, seemingly from nowhere, into this garden (one of many, I am sure) as seeds.

The Gleamfolk describe this object as a mirror. To me, it looks more like a portal, but it is intraversible. I suspect I am not who it’s meant for. Passage is a delicate thing, and I am sure the Gleamfolk know how to attune every part of their landscape, whatever landscape they happen to be in, to their purpose.

The Gleamfolk themselves are about, floating, not frantically but busily: they seem to be a shy folk, and they do not want their photographs taken by us; they say something about unintended memories being caught in the wrong places. They will speak to us of the memories they hold, their sacred trust, but it is clear to me this is not where they come from. They have come here for the work of preserving memory.

We can tell the original inhabitants here were human folk, elven folk, or some other variety of human type, because all the carved statues are of humanoid type, armed or winged. The Gleamfolk on the other hand resemble gently floating seed pods with leaf tufts for hair and little arm and leg sprouts. I feel sure they could walk on land if they so chose, but these garden tenders prefer to float most of the time, although we have seen some standing.

And now, I find myself curious about the Gleamfolk themselves. I would like to know more about them. I will check in our Library to see if there’s any known information, but some of the Realms called together for the Great Faire are beyond the reaches of my imperfect library. And they staunchly refuse to tell their own stories, because this is not the place for their stories.

My loves, as I write this, the mists have risen and the Fairelands are no more. And we will not see these Fairelands again; that is their nature. They come together, out of time and space, and grace our plane for only these few days each year. Only the Fairelands Junction and the Golden Hour, wrought by the Faire itself as anchors for the other Realms, may stay from year to year. I look back on Fairelands past not with sadness but with calm. I look toward Fairelands future not with excitement and anticipation, but with joyful knowledge.

I was thinking over all of this when I noticed one of the Gleamfolk floating nearby. ‘Would you mind,’ it asked in a voice of both bubbles and earth, ‘if I looked into your heart and mind and made impressions of these memories you seem to have of many Realms? It seems you have travelled very far.’

‘As long as I do not lose the memories you use, I would be honoured,’ I replied.

My scalp began to tingle first, and then, then the inside of my head seemed to — the only word I can think of is sparkle. My head sparkled. It made me giggle. And then I realised the Gleamfolk, two of them, were making impressions of my memories of the Great Faire.

They saw me. They read me. They heard my thoughts and lifted my spirits at the idea that my memories might be important somehow.

And it’s true, you know.

The stories we tell, and the stories we leave for other folk, are important. And in this liminal space where memory is in the process of being turned into something that suddenly seemed far greater than just a remembrance of one Sidhe, things could be in shadow, like the memory garden. As for light, it’s filtered here as if the clouds protect the earth from it. But light is everywhere, my darlings, if you know where to look. Learning how and where to look is the journey of a lifetime.

Notes & Credits:

Gwyneth’s Gown: Laminak, Ardelle Dress. Since the Faire is now closed, I’m sure it will appear at the Laminak Main Store before too long. This is such a lovely dress; I felt wonderful in it, and I hope you will too.

Wings and Ears: Aii and Ego, Dark Fae Wings, Dark Fae ears. Again, check out the Aii & Ego Main Store for these beautiful, customisable wings and ears.

Nails: Eventyra, Gothic Cathedral. These were released for Faire, but I’m sure they’ll be in the Eventyra Main Store soon.

Pauldrons: The WinoMino, Leaf Spaulders. I hope you can find them in the WinoMino Main Store soon.

Necklace: Slavia, Aradia Necklace. I hope it will be in the Slavia Main Store soon.

Slaine: Masterfully portrayed by CKit Falconry’s Maine Coon Brown Tabby. It is at the CKit Falconry Main Store.

• Hair: Sintiklia, Boheme
• Crown: SynRJ, Frozen Crown
• Skin: Lumae, Edie, in T1
• Lashes: Void Mirage Lashes, MJN Infinite Wisps appliers
• Eyes: Shimm, CXLIII, Bonus 4
• Gwyneth is styled on a Legacy Classic body with a Lelutka EvoX Billie Mesh Head.

Stoneveil Crossing was designed by Janire Coba and Kadaj Yoshikawa and sponsored by Belle Epoque and Harshlands. It was one of 20 regions in the 2026 Relay For Life of Second Life’s annual Fantasy Faire.