A Simple Bond of Friendship

Mariusz Lewandowski

In the middle of the lake was a flame: the water was as still as glass, with the light skimming upon the reflection; at its side dipped branches from the holy tree, and standing at its stone walled edge was Jupiter.

“Going back already?” asked a voice from behind.

A golden pinecone came hurling past him and into the water breaking up its cosmic plate.

“Robin, what has brought you all the way here?”

“Concern Brother, concern. For I see you in the World as vulnerable and tossed around. It cannot be good for the high Heavens, nor for the son of a god, to do as you do.”

He continued: “Are you not asleep there most of the time anyway?”

Jupiter looked truly stung by these questions, and the blatant accusation he had been wasting time.

“No god ever wastes time”, he replied in a lordly, unfamiliar tone - almost cold.

“Don’t be like that” Robin said admonishing him yet further. “I say this because of our fondness for one another, and I have seen how the world corrupts so much and so many, and I cannot stand to think of you interred as you have been, and physically harmed, as you are. It is time for you to give this up methinks,” he persisted.

“First, it was you, and then my mother left, and to wit, I know precisely where she has gone and my heart is glad for her. And it will come the day, when then I will join her. However, I cannot sit in this in-between land ad infinitum - Paradise is purgatory without love.

“Surely you must understand - of all the gods - that the Earthly Sphere is a wild and interesting place: it is a realm where one feels alive no matter what form one takes. I am still greatly amused there and cannot give up what I have known of it, and I agree - I agree that it has all gone wrong from the beginning … I do not know what happened to the form - something changed on that particular leap I made, and it ended up as it did - but let me tell you, I do not regret any of it.

“A simple bond or friendship … it is a joy to me … and Robin, you must know this well. I see you - you have such familiar relationships also with the mortals and I know you crave it too.”

Robin of course acknowledged that this was all correct; he did not mean to chastise Jupiter, yet he felt responsible for him and would continue to care for him anon.

“Very well then my dear Granoldi, I shall see you again in the Fall.” 

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Rice Cakes & Happenstance

“I didn’t know you had it in you”, laughed Tu, who was always up for a good joke. He stroked his beard and watched the Brothers hurry in to help the newcomers up, taking the switch brush to their shoulders to knock off the dust, they were surprisingly quiet.

“Had to be done”, said Goober with an old world superiority that Tu had not seen before. He had to admit to himself he had taken the old boy a bit for granted up until now - thought him to be downright meek - but here he was showing some grit. Nothing like tele-transporting fourteen people back in time to make your point.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Petit Fours & Metaphors

Tu drew his cloak tightly around him, somewhat uneasily … the raw silk looked a little frayed compared to the newbies sitting at the table. There was a mixture of tourists, of blow-ins, city folk, who clearly loved the vegetarian cuisine; and then there were the people who inhabited the monastery of today, who gave talks and workshops on being superior in all things spiritual.

Tu was enjoying the variety of conversation; it didn’t bother him that they were wrong with most of the thoughts in their discussion - there was a party atmosphere, and it felt enlivening to be part of it, whatever they were saying.

Goober however, had a different approach, for he was forever frustrated with the limited thinking of the ‘spiritual’ people he had encountered thus far. And, at the same time, many generations later, he was appalled at what had become of the monastery - it was little more than an indulgent B & B.

“It's all in the mind you see.”

“No it’s not” said Goober, shaking his head - disturbed at what was being propositioned.

“No, I think you will find it is” … “you’re probably used to the old school approach, but here, at the progressive Retreat, we practise a scientific, more expansive criteria and philosophy … of course, there is no such thing as Dogma, yet we would like to reiterate that the spirit and the spiritual worlds are marvellous metaphors for the interior of a man and his thinking - but that is all they are - we make our own reality - each to his own etc.”

Goober thought about this for all of one minute and then asked: “Are you telling me that other realms don’t exist?”

“Oh no no no, they exist … but in the mind only” the novice explained pointing to his head, as if to make it clear. He had lowered his voice on the word ‘only’ to emphasis the mystery of it being revealed.

“Well, then - they don’t exist?” stammered Goober.

Here Master Tu interjected, “I think what the young monk saying is that we all have different philosophies, and we all see the world differently, and this is what makes this world fundamentally what it is.”

“Nup” said Goober, emphasising the ‘nup’ shaking his head, “it’s not that I don’t see it that way, I’ve just seen and been to other places … and well, they do exist, outside my purview … fact is they were there before me, and will go on without me - so it can’t just be my doing, there are countless realities independent of my imaginings.”

With saying that he snapped his fingers and transported the whole table back to the Monastery of Faerie they originally came from. The food instantly disappeared also, as so did the chairs, and the group of fourteen found themselves upon the mud floor, sore from the fall, and completely perplexed as to what had just happened.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Faerie Bear

Eve had not been expecting a real bear, when Puck had said that he needed help housing Granoldi - she had thought it was an affectionate term for possibly an old man, or a description of a human that merely looked like a bear. However, she found Granoldi to be adorable and fell in love with him at once, surprised with the ease she felt around him.

Transporting the massive creature in the wheel chair was not the easiest of tasks, but with a little manoeuvring through the corridors and into the lift, they managed finally to get Granoldi tipped onto the spare bed in her apartment. There he kept on sleeping, amongst the tennis rackets and boxes of collected artefacts from former moves.

“How long until he wakes?” she asked, daring to touch gently the cream curls on his head, mesmerised by the length of his ivory fur.

“Oh I would give it a month or so”, said Puck, who then added - “I will be back before then to collect him.”

Eve being psychic felt rarely surprised at anything, unlike her human counterparts. Most people cannot sense seeing ahead (or speak to the dead, for that matter), and when it comes to the extraordinary, they may comprehend unconsciously, but not necessarily clairvoyantly, which is quite another thing. Eve was fortunate that her mind could establish its set point in overall wonder, without it ever being displaced, and so this whole scenario really was to her, a bit of fun - without the worry that would overcome most.

“What about …”she began to ask.

“No, no toilet or food - he will be perfectly fine the way he is.”

“Is that possible? I mean, no food?”

“Granoldi is a Fay bear … as he sleeps, he will be eating back in his Etheric realm, and that will keep his body sustained. He returns to his home there subtly on a regular basis. After I leave, I shall go and see him, and have a few words to him about you and where he is now. In truth, we lost touch these last few years and I would like to know how he ended up enslaved in the derelict circus I found him in. We will, of course, have to find some more suitable accomodation when he wakes. And no, he is not in any way vicious, but docile. He enjoys a cup of tea with his toast.”

Eve gently drew a blanket over his big shoulders. She seemed pleased to have the company - and somehow, extraordinarily, this Faerie Bear seemed very familiar.

“Have I known him before? I mean … in the past, is that possible?”

“Yes Dear, you have, and this is precisely why I have brought him to you now.”

Flutterings of a vision rose within her mind …

“Thank you” she said softly, smiling appreciatively, as she knew this to be true. 

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Fried Fish

Tindle spent his days and nights at the water’s edge, looking out into the vast blur of greys and blues across the horizon. He scanned the skies for birds and clouds, and angelic beings; he would spot the odd fishing boat with its flapping flags, and sometimes wave cordially to the silhouetted fishermen, who were clanking their baskets in the misty distance.

He often wondered obsessively about his new friend Jon, and Jon’s spectre-love.

Yes, he had seen her, and it was because of Fatima and her intimacy with Jon he had felt the need to return home. He found it incredibly hard to be around the couple, and admonished himself about the rise of feelings he would experience when he enviously thought of her etherial seductiveness.

He also had visions of Sylphs that came to taunt him on a nightly basis. They would call to him whilst he dreamt, and Tindle would wake in a fever of both disappointment and delight come the morning.

On this day a strange visitor appeared at the cove in the frosty hours - the rocks were wet with the dew of the sea, and the clammy sprays showered all around. Tindle was intrigued to see this man, wearing a leathered hood and cloak, watching him in the distance. In all of his adult life he had never been in the company of someone who was as tall as he, who could speak face to face with him naturally. 

The Elvish Adept Puck/Robin strode the beach just metres before him. The sand at the soles of his feet were aggravating, and he stopped to displace them - some shards worked their way into his boots and he rested his weight from one foot to the other alternating. It looked something like a slow dance.

The Puck had been watching Tindle for some time before he realised.

Tindle approached, and said respectfully to the stranger “Aye greetings vagrant”, (The term vagrant meant displaced: i.e to not belong directly to the local vicinity - it was not a slur on the stranger’s aptitude or character.)

Puck smiled a smile as a prelude to a friendship that had just begun. His long curly hair exceeded his shoulders and glinted gold in the early light. His boots still irked him, and so he sat upon a rock to cast them off and shake them out. Several small silver eels slid out of his boots into the sand, then glided away into the cracks of the dune. 

He glanced up behind Tindle to where a mermaid was leaning on a mottled mound. Nathan could not see her, but she seemed to be fixated with him. Puck waved to her, however she did not acknowledge his greeting, except to turn her back and slip into the waters with a splash.

Tindle turned and looked behind him but could not see who the stranger was waving at.

“I have a gift for you - sit boy - and I will explain to you my thoughts.” He drew from a leather satchel a parcel of white linen paper; steam appeared to be rising from it. He solemnly handed it to Nathan, who momentarily winced as the heat which was coming from the package felt as hot as a burning coal.

“Here, come and sit closer so that you may see what is inside” the Elvish master said importantly.

Captivated with this very important moment, Tindle could feel his own history in the making. He carefully unfolded the pages of paper: there appeared to be many layers, and the parcel became hotter the more he unfurled.

A delicious smell preceded the battered fillets of fish and salted potato within.

“What is this packet Master?” the tall boy asked the stranger.

Puck helped himself to a chip and ate it. Nathan did the same.

“This is to be your future Nathan - this handsome meal has a coating of batter and some splendid hot frying … it is to be called ‘Fish and Chippys’ and it will make you your fortune in the days and years to come.”

And so it was, the beginning of a trend that saw Tindle into employment and fortune, with a little batter and a frying, and a paper to wrap and carry the fare. 

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

Tele-transport

Cheryl King

“Where is this Granoldi?” she finally asked.

“He’s in the car having a sleep.”

Sounds promising, she thought wryly to herself, now awoken from her momentary rapture and back into confusion.

“Well then, maybe you should go wake him up and bring him in then,” she said with a sigh. “My spare room’s hardly bigger than a closet”, she then added. “It is safe to have this Granoldi isn’t it?” From his name he sounds like he comes from the continent, she thought.

“Oh yeah, he does come from far away - but he’ll cause you no trouble - probably sleep another month or so I am thinking.” Puck looked around and then said thinking out loud, “I’m going to need a wheelchair.”

The beings of Faerie cannot tele-transport one another as they can themselves or the mortals. It might have something to do with the fabric from which they are made - whatever the reason, even within the material world, they use physical constraints and vehicles, for this purpose.

“I’ll go and see if Lettie has hers left over from her husband still.”

Five minutes later she came back with the sad creaking frame that smelt of old urine.

“Perfect”, said Puck, who took the handle bars and wheeled it to his car. “Won't be long” he called out to the mystified clairvoyant.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series

A Deep Look

Gabriella Barouch

"I have a favour to ask you.” Puck called through the door.

Eve opened it slowly and stood looking at the apparition, who once again, looked as real as herself. She felt a mixture of happiness to see him, and annoyance that it had taken so long for him to call by. Also, she was doubly agitated because she would very much have liked to prepare, but as it was she was wearing a very worn baby pink t-shirt and matching track-pants, and her favourite bright green sandals. Her hair was all over the place as she was only half-way through drying after taking a shower.

“You turn up after three months of radio silence and expect me to let you into my apartment, and then, give you a favour? Is that what you are calling it?” as Eve said this it occurred to her for the first time who the voice was on the radio call-in asking her the obtuse questions …

“No no, you have me all wrong,” said Puck a little irritated. Eve was berating him too harshly - and he really could not stand being talked at angrily - it pricked his skin from the inside. It crossed his mind fleetingly to throw a glamor over himself, or her, or both of them, but his days of Elvish romance were spent.

“I’ll go”, he conceded. This was all too hard. “I can put Granoldi up at my place.”

“Granoldi? who’s Granoldi?”, Eve asked, being surprised at the feeling she was getting by saying his name.

“Granoldi is a prince, trapped in a bear’s body”, Puck said, somewhat sarcastically. This was not lost on Eve, she already knew that as witty Puck could be, he could also be terse. Still, the name, echoed in her mind…

“Granoldi?” she asked, hesitating to shut the door on him.

He stared at her with his best green eyes. She in turn stared back. Sometimes a look, a deep look was more intimate than sex she thought to herself. But then again …

“That’s because it is with someone who feels your weight from the inside,” Puck said out loud. “I not only hear your thoughts, I understand them.”

A sensation in her stomach curled - there was an awkward, yet wonderful silence.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, Finding Self - Second Guesses- Azlander Series