Moonie's Ramblings

[Prof. Moonie]

“Take me to the flowers, to the place where petals rest, when the nights are dark and the air is cold and there’s nothing gentle left. I want to wake up in a meadow warmed by golden light, and see the butterflies again, and know I’ll be alright.”

— Ellis Nightingale

 

[Prof. Moonie]

 

[Prof. Moonie]

 

[Prof. Moonie]

 

[Prof. Moonie]

 

[Prof. Moonie]

 

[Prof. Moonie]

Shanairra stepped through the arch, hearing the tree creak back into place as the portal closed behind her. She blinked her eyes as she took in the view before her. While her heart swelled at the success of casting Tree Stride on the tree form of her Staff, she felt it quickly being smothered by the emotions of confusion and anxiety. Typically Tree Stride helped transfer one from the tree you casted to a similar tree nearby. Maybe something got mixed up because of the magic existing already in the Staff because the view before did not match anything she was familiar with at home. Was she still on her home plane? Or had she somehow managed to plane shift at the same time of striding between trees?

"Are you a fairy?" asked a young voice from behind her.

Shanairra turned to look down at the golden curled haired girl in a icy blue dress staring up at her with wide, sparkling hazel green eyes.

"No," replied Shanairra, kneeling down so she could look at the girl on the same level. "I'm a wood elf."

"That's the fairy tree!" the little girl exclaimed pointing at the tree Shanairra had come from.

"Fairy tree?" echoed Shanairra, glancing over at the tree. Perhaps this was the clue she was needing to explain the unexpected results of where she ended up. After all, from her trip to the Faewild, she knew all too well how chaotic fay magic could be.

"Mommy says the tree is the doorway to the fairy realm," continued the little girl, reaching down to pluck one of the dandelions waving in the breeze between them. Then she looked up at Shanairra before her gaze shifted further up to the antlers upon her head. "If you no fairy, why do you wear those?"

"Oh, these?" said Shanairra, raising a hand of gently touch one of the antlers. "I guess you could say it was a gift from the faeries."

"You've seen fairies?" the little girl exclaimed in delight.

Shanairra chuckled. "Yes. They are... an interesting sort."

 

[Prof. Moonie]

https://meadowrest.tumblr.com/page/79

 

[Prof. Moonie]

A deep hearty laugh pierced the air from a distance. Shanairra looked in the same direction as the little girl.

"Daddy!" screamed the little girl, laughing as she ran through the dandelions sending the white puffed seeds into the breeze towards the man walking towards them.

"Hey there, princess," he said, as he reached down swinging her into his arms. He then turned his attention back to Shanairra. "Did Hil put you up to this?"

"Hil?" asked Shanairra, standing back up looking at him in confusion.

"My wife," he replied.

"Oh, I take it you must be this little one's father then?" asked Shanairra. "She mentioned her mother told a tale of this tree being a portal to the fairy realm."

"And is it?" he asked, smiling mischievously and winking.

Shanairra realized he wasn't going to challenge her on being on his land while in front of his daughter and she wasn't about to break the little girl's imagination-driven dreams either. Plus there was something about this gentleman that pulled at her heart like no one else had. Not even her beloved faun in the faewild had made her feel this way.

"To the land of the faeries? No, I don't believe so. But if the magic that brought me here will work the same going the opposite direction, it can take you somewhere just as magical."

 

[Prof. Moonie]

"Daddy, daddy! We should make her a flower crown! A crown with bisou-lions and daisies!" exclaimed the little girl, once again entranced by Shanairra's antler headdress.

"Bisou-lions?" asked Shanairra, her head tilting in confusion.

The man laughed again though Shanairra detected a hint of sadness mixed in. "It's a family thing. It's what we call dandelions. Bisou... Bisou was the name of one of my dogs that passed away a few years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear of your loss."

"Thanks," he said. They gazed at each other for a time before he smiled again and looked down at his girl. "You know... I think you're right. She would look nice with some bisou-lions and daisies with those antlers, huh? Assuming that's okay with you?" He continued, looking back at Shanairra.

"I have been wanting to decorate them. Maybe you are exactly what I needed to accomplish just that," replied Shanairra, smiling at the little girl.

 

[Prof. Moonie]

Almost done with my shift.

 

[Prof. Moonie]

I thought it was an interesting concept of casting Tree Stride on the tree form of the Staff of Woodlands. Others have inquired about it and it sounds like it should be able to work just fine. Either it would allow you to transfer between the same type of tree the staff transforms into... or some stated perhaps with it being a magical item/tree, you would only be able to travel through it to another magical tree.

Obviously Tree Stride requires the trees to be on the same plane. But I thought it would be fun to add a slight twist where the tree on Mischief Farm contains faewild magic, which might bend the rules on what typically happens - hence essentially traveling between planes. xd

And for those not familiar with it, yes, Hilarie has a story she's told the kids about a particular tree on their farm where at a certain point of time a door/portal to the fairy realm opens up.

 

[Prof. Moonie]

La di da...

 

[Prof. Moonie]

I really miss having my own car. Didn't realize how much of a hindrance it was going to be having no car for a week or so until it can get fixed. xp

 

[Prof. Moonie]