The Fairy Lantern and the Fox Doll

The Enchanting Painting, part 1; The Dawn Tree

Sam slipped into bed, the Fox doll on the bedside table. The teenager stared at the figurine, sensing more than seeing the soft swish of it's tails under the wood, the intelligent glint in its ruby amber eyes.

"Kirla, I hope you're ok," Sam whispered, blue eyes closing on their own.

Kirla didn't move but Sam sensed an affirmative gesture. Assured, Sam turned away. Tired energy settled in Sam's bones not letting a mind settle to sleep. Restless, Sam looked at the old room. It had been the same room Sam had slept in every summer since the beginning. Through the window, moonlight spread its gentle tendrils over Sam's bed and into the room. Sam could still see the mythical scenes that covered the walls. The weary teenager hadn't realised before how many had fairies in the pictures. Every artwork had at least one small ball of light hidden in its depths. And every picture shared one other thing, the signature on the bottom.

Lacy Madoc.

Sam's eyes roamed the shadowy images on the walls. They seemed more familiar now than yesterday.

Sam spun around on the bed, all thoughts of sleep swept away, and peered at the large painting above the bed. It was a tree spreading its giant branches high above the forest surrounding it, the light of the coming dawn hinted at behind. The looming tree cast the rest of the forest in midnight shadow. Dotted around the enormous tree, Mother of all trees, were small bright lights of different hues. The colours were vibrant and even in the dim Sam could tell that the picture was not only paint, but charcoal and gold leaf, even what looked like a few small preserved purple leaves.

Sam recognised it instantly.

"Kirla," Sam whispered fiercely to the spirit inside the doll, "It's the home of the Fairies. Grandma Lacy painted the Fairies home! She's definitely been to the Fairy land!"

Sam's heart raced at the realisation. Maybe Grandma Lacy had been the girl the Faun had mentioned?

All thoughts left the whirling mind in an instant. Inside the picture Sam had been furiously looking at, one of the lights had started to shine against the darkness. Weakly at first, the colour from the fairy glowed brighter and brighter until it almost hummed with intensity. Sam was scared the picture might explode with latent magic, until in the blink of an eye, a fairy flew out of the scene.

The small sphere of blue light hung in the teenagers room, silent for a second. In the still, Sam thought the wings could be heard vibrating in the air. Then, the fairy spun into action, ignoring the human on the bed and flew to the fox doll.

"Fox doll," it cried in a tiny bell like voice, "where is the human who knows you? We need you in the Fairy world!"

Sam, unable to contain any excitement, spoke. "I'm here! I'm here! I'm Kir- the fox doll's chosen one. How did you get here through the painting? It is magic?"

The fairy, stunned, flew away from the looming being with the glossy mop of sandy hair. It hovered near the roof in a corner, zipping around nervously.

"How can you be the fox doll's human? I was told it was a beautiful girl!" Its voice, so dulcet still held a condescending tone.

Sam absently patted his body, "I'm a boy in my world, and a girl in yours. Is that so strange?"

The fairy, still not trusting and yet intrigued, flew closer.

"It has been known to happen before. Humans usually aren't the same in my world. And the Fox Doll knows you, so I must believe you."

The tiny fairy settled next to Kirla on the bedside cabinet, hiding a tiny body behind the red-orange wood figure. Sam wasn't sure if it was a female or male fairy, though it had the impression of two arms and legs.