"Faery Sidhe" By: SarahLeeAnn Site: I want to whisper in your ear Wisteria blossoms hung from the oak like grapes, and she watched the bees dance in the violet. This high up, she could see over the roof of her house, and the wind swayed the tree. She never wanted to come down, never wanted to leave the rich sweetness of the flowers, or the gentle movement of the tree, or the sun filtering down like warm rain. Her husband stood on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. He looks like a wild man, she thought, with all that hair. She smiled, then began to sing, "Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone..." He looked up and met her eyes. "You look like an elf, my dear. No, a faery," he called, "I love you." Sarah sighed in mock exasperation, "That, angel, is because I am a faery." She paused, "I love you, too." "Come down. I have something to show you." "But I don't want to come down. Why don't you come up?" "Because I can't climb trees like you do. I'll meet you halfway." She watched him disappear into the house and reappear in the yard. He picked his way carefully with bare feet, and she called down teasingly, "Tenderfoot!" He grinned. When he reached the tree, she began her descent. But the branch she stepped down on moved, and she fell. Scrabbling, she managed to catch herself on the next branch. She hung by her hands, panting. "Honey, I think I'm stuck." "Oh Goddess, I thought you were going to fall." "I did fall. Now I'm stuck." "Just let go, the ground isn't that far." Sarah looked down. "Yes, it is. Will you help me please? I know it's too much to ask, but please." "Babe, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." "Just please help me down." He moved under her and tossed the cigarette. "Okay, Sarah, now drop. I'll catch you." "Promise?" "Promise." "Shit. Okay." She took a breath, closed her eyes, and let go. And never hit the ground... Or her husband's arms. From Brandon's point of view, Sarah just vanished in mid-fall. He stood there for a long moment, with his arms still out-reached, until he shook his head and went back inside. In the kitchen, he sat at the table and lit another cigarette. Taking a drag, he began to cry. Suddenly, he fainted, his head on the table, his hands hanging by his side. The lit cigarette dropped to the floor and began to smolder the linoleum. A voice, almost silent, whispered, "Go out!" The cigarette obediently grew cold. Brandon slept on. The next morning he awoke to the sound of the wind shaking the tin roof. "Sarah? Shit, babe, I had the strangest dream," he called, "Sarah?" Panic spread across his face, and he rushed outside. "Sarah!" No one answered him. The wind was incredible. He went to the oak tree, not knowing where else to go. As he entered its shade, the wind ceased blowing entirely. Not finding Sarah, he sat at the foot of the giant tree in defeat. From the other side, he heard soft singing. Unreasonably afraid, Brandon crawled around the trunk, and came face to face with his wife. She was dressed in a flowing gown of violet and green, her long hair filled with flowers and ribbons. As he stared open-mouthed, she smiled, "One must please the faeries." (c)opyright 1999 by SarahLeeAnn