My whole life, my mother warned me about the Fair Folk. As a child, I only thought they were the richer people, who would snub us when we had to walk through their parts of town. I would always avoid them when I could, keeping my eyes down and stepping a little faster.
"Mind the Fair Folk, Cara," her words would echo. "They are tricksters, ruthless in their demands."
Except the rich never made any demands, aside from getting out of their way.
Then, when I was thirteen, I was out pruning the garden, checking for weeds on the vegetables, when I saw a rather large bug floating around the tomato plants. Grabbing my swatter, I marched over to it, ready to murder the grotesque thing. To my surprise, it was a tiny human with wings. I hesitated and that was when it came at me, teeth bared, sharp as razor blades slicing into my skin, leaving a gauge in my arm.
I ran back to Mother in a fit, clutching my arm. She ushered me inside, muttering about pixies.
"What are pixies?" I wondered.
"Nasty little nuisances. Mostly pests, pixies are. Sadly, they're the only tolerable Fair Folk. Do you never listen when I warn you of them?"
That's when it struck me what the Fair Folk. Faery tales were told around campfires but I never actually believed them. After all, the first time I saw a faery was the pixie, so they couldn't actually be walking among us. If they were real, I should've seen one way before that day.
At least, that's what I told myself.
Now, I stare into my mother's concerned eyes, unwilling to tell her. I know her distrust for the creatures. Her constant warnings should've made me distrust them. But Kailan had been so convincing, and Mother already is looking better than she's looked in years.
Wringing my hands together, I tell her, "You're right. There was no herbal remedy. I made a deal with a faery." The words claw out of my throat, so unwilling am I to admit to them.
Mother falls onto to the sofa, burying her face in her hands. "Oh, Cara. What have you done?" She shakes her head, then rapidly looks at me again, her gaze intense. "What did you trade?"
"My firstborn."
A pause. "How long do you have?"
"He said a year."
"Cara." Her voice, strong moments ago, sounds weak again, like she isn't healed after all. I've brought her pain after curing her of all her ailments. Even the doctors stopped coming, saying there was nothing to be done for her. But there was. Kailan proved it.
"I'm--"
"Do you know what this means?" she demands, interrupting me. "It means you need a baby in your arms in one year's time. A breathing baby, of your flesh and blood. They don't want you pregnant, they want a child."
"But I don't even have a husband! No way am I going to marry within three months."
"I hope you know what you've done."
"But you're healed now. You'll be able to enjoy life again." Confusion swirls around in my brain. How is she not thankful?
"You should've let me die. I was ready and willing. And if you think I'll enjoy my life, you're sorely mistaken." She stands, going into her room and leaving me alone in the main room.
Feeling worse than ever before, I trudge outside and begin my chores. I feed Betsy her oats first, patting her swollen belly and calming in her thankful whinny. "Can we trade lives, girl? I feel as if I've royally messed up."
She just chews her breakfast, not looking at me.
"Perhaps I can help," a new voice croons.
Startled, I step back from Betsy. On her fence sits another faery, looking humanlike, as Kailan did. She swings her long legs, a ghoulish smile on her angelic face. Her hair is black as coal and her eyes are equally dark. "What's your name, child?"
I've been down this road before. "With all due respect, I won't give you my name. But you can help me. I'm looking for a faery who calls himself Kailan."
Her eyes narrow. "I may know him. How do you know him?"
"It's personal. Tell him I'm looking for him and I'll see him tonight where we first met."
"I don't do anything for free, girl. And Kailan doesn't do what he's told by humans."
"A dozen eggs will be your payment. It'll be worth his while if Kailan shows."
The faery ponders a moment. "Two dozen. And I'll tell him."
I collect the eggs, offering them to the faery. She scoops them all up and puts them in a woven sack, giggling happily, the sound like little bells. "Don't forget about telling Kailan to meet me."
"The Fae forget nothing. As I said, I will tell him."
"Thank--" I stop, remembering Mother's harsh insistence to never thank a Fair Folk. If you thank them, you owe them an open ended favor. "Just tell him."
She skips into the forest, disappearing into the shadows. I pray I haven't messed up more. Giving Betsy a final pat, I return to my chores. After giving the faery two dozen eggs, there's hardly any left to sell at the market, but it'll have to be enough. I collect the rest of them, organizing them in a basket.
I go into the cottage to grab my shawl. Mother's door is still closed. Out of habit, I want to go check on her, but I don't want to deal with her anger right now. Putting on my shawl, I gather the eggs and go into town.
Halfway to town, footsteps sound behind me on the gravel path. A cool voice speaks, the tone eerily familiar. "Cara."