A Modern Fairytale

The little match girl

A story begins long before the protagonist enters the frame. Each individual is shaped not only by their own upbringing and experience but also the history they were born in and the stories of those who came before them. Roughly a hundred years ago, Annegrette Echethier vanished. Her father did too, but...it was the girl's disappearance that had a more profound impact on the remainder of the family. After all, although Myra loved her husband very much, she had known from the start that he was a fairy, and fairies were known to be a fickle species.

That afternoon, their good neighbor Dorothy Lauregnory and her son spent a long time in their house. Dorothy brought with her the cake she had just finished baking when Ulric alerted her of the incident, and Ulric brought with him the natural charisma that he had inherited from his mother. The four people gathered around a dining table where an untouched cake sat until it turned cold. The widow Dorothy offered solace, Myra received it with utmost gratitude and a sweet, though saddened, smile; Ulric said little but listened closely as Iefan recalled for the second time everything that happened in detail. When evening came, Dorothy and Ulric left with a promise of tomorrow.

Iefan embraced his mother. The gesture was not foreign to them, and this fact certainly helped. From this day on, he hugged his mother every morning before they parted ways and every evening when they reunited. They never stopped looking for Annegrette and Tallis; they never stopped seeking answers and closure. Even as the days and years went by, the pain never dulled.

One day, a closed envelope was left on their doorstep. No address was written on the back, only the words "Tallis Echethier. From, the merchant's daughter." It was Iefan who came upon it first; he took it home and left it on the table, unopened, until Myra returned later. Then, with a tinge of apprehension and also excitement, they opened the envelope. From it they pulled out a letter.

Dear little mermaid,

Of course, I am aware that you are not a mermaid. Our fateful encounter simply reminds me of a tale I heard as a child: a mythical creature of the sea cuts all ties with her family, surrenders her most valuable asset, all for a chance at romance with a good-looking man who can't swim if his life depended on it. Does this description ring any bells for you? If you recall—as I am sure you would, as fairies never do age past a certain point—some twenty-odd years ago, you were washed up ashore from a river. The first person you saw was a bewitching, young human. She had hair the color of dark magic, gaze sharper than an elven arrow, bloodred lips the shape of the archer's perfect bow, and the physique of a statue carved by the most infatuated of lovestruck fools. She refused to give you her name until you gave your flimsy word to act as if she never existed, as if you never met, because it would meddle with her grand schemes otherwise. Once you made your promise, she told you she would reach out to you again when her transformation was complete.

Truth be told, my transformation was complete only a few years after that. I spent the remaining years stabilizing my territories, trying to stay alive—and now, I am ready to reopen my journal to settle whatever old debts I have left. My promise with you is one such debt.

However, I have made myself aware of the tragedy that befell you and your family, and I have made myself aware that this letter will never reach Tallis Echethier, only what is left of his family: Myra and Iefan Echethier. To the two of you I extend my invitation: walk out of Venethema and follow the brightest star at night until you reach my kingdom. My regime is one of dimensional chaos, and surely it will fall apart after my death; but yours is much, much worse under the surface. Do you not question every day where your patriarch has gone? Do you not mourn every day for lovely Annegrette?

Mrs. Echethier, does curiosity not burn your heart as you chance upon the notion that your beloved kept a damsel from your knowledge? Do you not wish to know why the secrecy of my name was so important he never mentioned it once?