Skye the Fairy

Hello I’m Dash. Come along with me for another Fairyland Adventure. Today we join Skye as she visits her grandparents.

Skye, the fairy, ran through the door with pure excitement.

‘Pop! Pop! It’s me, I’m here!’ 

She yelled as she ran about the gum tree hollow home. Skye stopped for a moment. Not far from her, behind a well-worn gumnut chair, came a deep laugh.

‘Pop?’

There was no response to her question, so Skye stepped slowly towards the laughter. The closer she got the rumblier the laugh became. Sticking her head around the gumnut chair she saw…nothing.

Suddenly, two bear like arms picked her up from behind and squeezed her tight. Laughter erupted from Skye and her Pop.

‘You got me good that time Pop.’

Skye and Pop continued to laugh as he plonked into his chair and sat her on his lap.

‘How have you been my little sky dancer?’ Pop used his nickname for her. One of many.

‘I’m good Pop. Been getting things ready for my first year at academy.’

‘Ooo, how exciting.’ His response added to Skye’s excitement, though her eyes weren’t totally happy. ‘Hmm, I remember my first day at academy. Don’t tell anyone but I was a little scared.’ Pop nodded in confirmation.

A curious look appeared on Skye’s face. Her Pop was the biggest and bravest fairy she had ever met. How was he ever afraid of anything?

‘Me too.’ Skye whispered.

‘Don’t you worry my little Skye lark, sometimes the thing that scares us the most, can become your most favourite memory.’ Pop nodded reassuringly.

‘Really?’ Asked Skye unsure how being scared would be a good memory.

‘Really, my little Skye pie.’ He spoke confidently so Skye had to believe him. ‘Meeting your Nana is one of my most favourite memories. Though at the time I was terrified to even speak to her.’

Skye could hardly believe that as the two nattered away all the time. The thought of her Nana and Pop not being together was just plain impossible. They were like two peas in a pod.

‘Tell me how you met?’ Skye pleaded with her Pop.

‘That’s a Nana story.’ He said firmly, meaning she had to go ask Nana. From past requests, Skye knew that badgering him wouldn’t work. Her Pop would hold his ground until she asked Nana.

So off to the kitchen she skipped. The smell in the air meant that Nana was in there cooking something wonderful. Skye’s tummy had known it since she arrived. Pop followed her as his tummy knew there was something good in the kitchen too.

With a squeal of delight, Skye yelled ‘Nana’ and was swallowed in a big hug from her grandmother. Her small arm slipped out the side of the hug in the hopes of grabbing a yummy dandelion muffin.

‘Aah, aah, they’re for dinner.’ Nana said half sternly. ‘But, you can have one of these now.’

From a mysterious place behind her, Nana brought forward Skye’s most favourite snack, blueberry dimple dots. Pop was excited, as they were his most favourite snack too. There was no time to squeal or say anything as the blueberry dots vanished into two very hungry mouths.

‘Just a couple before dinner. You don’t want to ruin your appetite for the walnut roast.’ Nana knew just how to make every tummy yell with delight.

‘Nana?’ Started Skye with food dropping from her mouth. ‘Tell me how you and Pop met?’

‘Surely, I’ve told you that story.’ Nana smiled as she wiped up the crumbs.

‘But I love hearing it!’ Skye washed down her food with a lovely cold glass of lemon zinga. Homemade, of course.

‘It was at the Spring dance. Or was it the Autumn dance?’ Nana paused in thought.

‘You know it was the Winter one.’ Laughed Pop.

‘Yes, you are right. The dancing was very lively. Winter is a great season to celebrate. All the young fairies were bouncing all over the place. Your Pop was with a group of friends, and I thought him very handsome. Though he seemed a little quiet.’ Nana winked at Pop as she spoke.

‘Your beauty took my breath away.’ With a loud laugh Pop continued. ‘That and the dancing.’

Skye loved how they shared the story.

‘Well, we all got thirsty and decided to head over to a wonderful ice table full of the most amazing drinks.’ For a moment Nana’s eyes flickered as if lost in the delightful memory.

‘And since it was winter, I asked if I could hold her hand so she did not slip.’ Pop added.

Nana chuckled, knowing that was not the reason for wanting to hold her hand.

‘Back then, all the boys drank lemon zinga, and all the girls drank strawberry marsh milk. So, I got her one of those and some delicious sticky coconut squares.’ Said Pop proudly.

Skye giggled loudly here as it was her favourite part.

‘I don’t like strawberry marsh milk, and I don’t like sticky coconut squares.’ With a comment like that, Skye always thought Nana would have looked madder, yet she didn’t.

‘Did you tell him?’ Skye liked being part of the story now.

‘She didn’t get a chance.’ Pop laughed even louder than before. ‘Every time she opened her mouth, I popped in another sticky coconut square. Who could believe a fairy could hold so many in their mouth?’

All three laughed at the thought of Nana’s mouth being full of such a sticky treat. Skye imagined it would have taken Nana for ages to chew them all down. Probably even longer since Nana hated coconut. The thought of her having no choice but to wash it down with the strawberry marsh milk was even funnier. Nana liked strawberries fresh, just not made into anything else.

‘Oh, what a disaster for a first date!’ Squealed Skye. ‘Pop, you’re lucky Nana didn’t end it right there!’

‘Too right,’ responded Pop.

‘Why didn’t you end it there, Nana?’ Skye looked at her Nana who was smiling warmly at her Pop.

‘He was special.’ Nana nodded. Pop smiled back.

‘I think you made the best choice.’ Nodded Skye.

‘Me too.’ Nodded Pop, grabbing a few more blueberry dimple dots before heading back to his chair.

Nana started humming as she cleaned the kitchen for dinner. Skye climbed up onto a gumnut stool and watched her for a while. With her finger, she drew shapes in the flour splashed on the bench.

With a serious look on her face, Skye asked her Nana a question. ‘What does love feel like Nana? How will I know they are the special one?’

‘Hmm. You have a few years before you need to worry about that.’ Smiling at her, Nana washed the gumnut cups.

‘No. Seriously Nana. How do you know someone is special? I don’t want to pick a dud.’

Nana laughed under her breath. For a young fairy, Skye could be very serious at times.

‘Well, you will know they’re special if you feel safe and loved when you are around them. They will make you feel good about yourself. Even when you are sad or mad or glad, they will still want to be there beside you.’ Nana spoke softly, as if recalling moments from her memory.

‘I can’t wait till someone makes me feel that way.’ Skye imagined how it would be.

‘But don’t forget Skye, love goes both ways. You need to be that someone special for them too. Even when they are sad or mad or glad. You will need to make them feel safe and loved. And to never let them feel bad about themselves. If you can both do that for each other, then it’s true love.’ Nana finished speaking and gazed at Pop through the doorway.

‘Are you saying that when Pop asked to hold your hand, so you wouldn’t slip, you didn’t want him to feel bad by saying no?’ Slowly the pieces came together in Skye’s mind.

‘Yes, and by him asking I knew he liked me. I liked him too.’ A little red flush filled Nana’s cheeks.

Suddenly Pop’s voice came from the other room. ‘Want to go for a walk by the creek before dinner?’

With a definite yes, Skye and Nana met Pop by the door. Each fluttered down the gumtree to the soft green grass beneath. As they strolled along Skye looked at her Nana and Pop. One on each side of her.

‘Can you hold my hands, so I don’t slip?’ She asked.

Her grandparents smiled, happily taking a hand each. The trio walked slowly to the creek in the late afternoon sun. Birds chirped happily in the trees, and Skye smiled too, knowing how loved she was.

Skye is a lucky girl, having two caring grandparents. Not all of us have that, yet that’s okay. Some of us have other people in our lives who love us just as much. Some are related and some are not. Everyone deserves to feel safe and loved. Maybe you can go hug somebody you love?

Well, that was another fun story, I hope you will join me again. See you soon.