Fairy’s Hope

Backtracking, the sorcerer and the little fairy returned to the Bergfolk’s village. Where they caused the greatest agitation the village had ever known.

     Overexcited chatter. Ideas clashing. Pencils scratching paper.

     Bunch of savages… They would have almost holed these innocent parchments.

     All the village gathered, all the Bergfolks wanted to contribute to this crazy project.

     It had to be said that when Henox asked them if they would be able to build a ship that sailed through the heavens, that was all it took. One doesn’t ask dwarfs if they are able to build something. It was an insult. Their hands were made to craft anything the imagination was able to conceive.

     At least, as long as they had the right materials.

     Aware of the little time remaining them, Gretel and Henox helped them gathering the missing elements during their excursions. Gathering as well friends met throughout their travel so that they would be present for the last day.

     They weren’t heroes. They could only do derisory things. And as cruel as it may seem, they couldn’t afford to bring much people along with them. It wasn’t like the Bergfolks had the time to build such a large craft, anyway.

     Thus, day after day, moon after moon, the dwarves bustled like bees carrying the pieces of the ship they were building to the top of the mountain. Stone puppets joined the quirky daily parade. Helping to hold in place the bent boards the dwarves fixed to the keel. One by one. Soon, the skeleton took form. The gaps filled with the collected wood.

     The hull shaped, then the deck in turn. Board by board, each soaked with magic. Each infused with the Bergfolk’s craftmanship.

     Like many artists… the limited time didn’t make them less pernickety. If for a reason or another, a wooden plank displeased them, then it was out of the question to include it in their construction.

     What wasn’t without causing the stone puppets despair as – barely had five or seven of them carried it up there – they were chased away with a hand gesture. Taking away the piece of wood judged unworthy of completing this huge naval puzzle.

     Comfortably settled in her courtyard, at the forefront, the Loireag witnessed the progress of the project while weaving. The threads intertwining under the caress of her fingers. She had agreed to sew the sails. Here again, a few little men were needed to assist her and prevent the fabric from flying away. As if wanting to return to the Moon of which reflections it was crafted.

     While the brambles thickened, the sorcerer made sure to cut the ones too close to the boat.

***

The day of the last day. The one when everything happened for the last time. It almost made us wait.

     With the last dawn, the figures of the brambles, still pitch-black, stood out against the orange-pink sky. Wherever one laid their eyes, it was impossible not to see them. Well. As long as you had functioning eyes.

     Murmurs ran through the assembly at the top of the mountain. Amongst the dwarf folk, familiar silhouettes.

     Propping up one of the numerous stacked boxes, ready for boarding, Kemishi seemed concerned.

“Is it such a good idea? Even if we survive the brambles… Where to go after that? Where would I be able to find ingredients to heal Lennac…”

     Though the alchemist’s thoughts faded at the moment Lennac got closer to her, leaning a hand against her back. Leaving there a soft caress. She blushed.

     A jump. Another one. A Bergfolk with a respectable beard hoped to the top of a makeshift platform. He coughed.

     Silence.

“My dear friends. Dwarven people. Creatures and… creatures.” The chief of the Bergfolks began. “First I wanted to thank you for having gathered today. We are about to inaugurate what perhaps will be our last invention. A piece of work of an unprecedented audacity. It was made possible because each of you put his whole craftsman heart into it. We warmly thank the one who gifted us that idea. Henox, the sorcerer. As well as we do thank the ones who joined us.”

     With a respectful move, the Bergfolks’ chief gestured towards the sorcerer. The latter remained motionless, simply following the speech.

     A few steps away, the Loireag was savouring a pudding, holding a plate. Gretel perched on her head.

“It’s with pride and tingling in my stomach – I had to admit it – that I declare finished this ship able to sail amongst the stars, so dearest to us.”

     He turned for a while to the ship, gesturing towards the stone puppets standing on a bas-relief. They rushed forward then, running along a strip of fabric. Until they let themselves fall into the void, grabbing a rope in the process. Under their weight, it freed the fabric from its straps, causing it to fall until in uncovered words engraved in cursive letters. In an alphabet known only by the Bergfolks.

“The Fairy’s Hope.” The Bergfolk added almost with reverence.

     Moored to stakes hammered into the mountain’s ground, there was the craft of dark wood. Its railings painted with night blue. On the sides, opal cannons finely crafted. At the rear, windows with balconies gave a glimpse of the cabins they would occupy.

     And, at the bow, the golden figure of a fairy with white wings had been carved. Lapis-lazuli inlays refined the details of the wings. Her hands joined, she seemed to pray. Stars on either side.

“Now, let’s not lose time.” The chief of the Bergfolks resumed. "We have until sunset to load the ship and embark. Don’t forget the feeling of grass under your feet. You may never tread it again.”

     The crew, thus composed of Bergfolks and stone puppets, then took care of loading the ship. Provisions and inventions they couldn’t part with. What their bodies needed and what their souls craved for. Those who had joined them lent a hand, ready to leave this world. Or almost.

“Where is Tomoo? He’s not here yet. We have to wait for him!”

     Worried, Gretel fluttered all around the sorcerer. Looking all around, as if she hoped to catch glimpse of their friend. The boat was loaded, the Sun was beginning to set.

“Unfortunately… We can’t wait longer for him.”

“But…”

     Henox lowered his head, shaking slightly his head. They already had delayed their departure in a hope he would join them on time. Alas, the itinerant painter hadn’t shown the tip of his nose.

     The crew teemed in all directions, checking the ropes until, finally, Bergfolks and stone puppets pulled on the ones hoisting the many sails. Swollen by the wind, made of fabric with selenian reflections, they were already trying to rise the ship to the heavens.

“CAAAAAST OFF!!”

     One by one, the tethers holding the ship to the stakes were cut off. Until finally the Fairy’s Hope, free of all restraints, left the surface of the mountain. Slowly, it began to rise.

     Sailing through wind swirls.

     Gathered on the deck, the passengers observed as the land gradually receded. Of course, they rejoiced the boat had left the ground safely. Though if there had been a few cries of delight, they quickly faded.

     Numerous Bergfolks took off their blue caps, pressing them against their chests. Their eyes were grave.

“To leave these lands where I met you… I didn’t think it would be this much of a struggle.” Lennac admitted, hugging Kemishi.

“Lennac…”

     Henox glanced at them. He who was even paler than when they met. How much time did he have left?

     He turned his attention back to the lands below. Apart from the mountaintop, almost everything was already covered with brambles. They had smothered nature. They had grown beyond the forest trees, uprooting countless ones. As thick as their boat was wide.

“I think I understand what you’re saying.”

     At Henox words, Lennac turned an astonished glance at the sorcerer.

“Even though I don’t hold this world as dear to my heart, I acknowledge it forms a part of us. Whether beautiful or ugly, it harbours memories that are risky to forget. Who knows what we might become without them…” He added thoughtfully.

“I didn’t know you were this nostalgic.” Lennac wondered.

“Nostalgic?” Henox wondered in turn.

“It doesn’t matter.” Kemishi intervened, squeezing her hands against Lennac’s. “We’ll continue to create new memories, okay? What matters is for us to stay together.”

     Neither of them added a word, Lennac simply smiling.

     The celestial ship had already left the mountainside when the Bergfolk on lookout leant forward. Checking what he could see through his spyglass.

“Creature in sight off the starboard side! A giant fl- uh no! A huge frog heading our way.”

     The sorcerer looked for the figure at once.

“There’s someone riding it!”

     Overstuffed saddlebags flapped from side to side with each bounce. The straps barely held everything together. The shape of the canvases was easily recognisable.

“It’s Tomoo.” Henox noted.

     Kemishi glanced at him before leaning forward, cupping her mouth.

“Hurry up!! Come on, faster!”

“Just one more effort!”

     Lennac joined the prodding. And soon, others voice joined in.

“Come on! Come on! You can do it!”

     Bouncing from bramble to bramble, they reached the highest point of the mountain.

“Come on!”

     Tightening the bridle, Tomoo leant forward in the saddle, his steed bounding near the edge of the mountain. Too low. A brush came loose from one of the saddlebags.

“Higher!!” Kemishi screamed.

The frog’s legs once again found contact with the brambles, bending her legs as much as possible before bouncing back. Then propelling herself as high as she could in the heavens with Tomoo. They soared high into the sky… before landing on the deck. Sending fly a few stone puppets in the gust of wind.

     The sorcerer joined Tomoo while the latter descended from Molok. Sighing.

“Oh! I thought I wouldn’t make it.”

“Welcome aboard, I guess.” Henox said.

     Nodding, Tomoo began to glance around them. To the right, to the left. Adjusting his glasses.

“Where is Gretel?”