Sitting on her butt on soft moss, clad in another ridiculous riot of silk and lace masquerading as a dress, Mariah willed herself to cry. She was staring up at Podra, locked in a contest of wills with the green woman. Mariah felt that all she needed was to cry to win, but so far the most she’d been able to manage was slightly watery eyes.
“Why don’t you pick another game? Faerie is full of games. I’m sure there’s one you’ll like.” Podra sighed in annoyance. Mariah wasn’t sure what her loss condition was, but she suspected it might be irritating Podra enough to put her back in the bush that had served as a cage.
“That’s what they said when they made me play Hunt!” Mariah whined. Her eyes felt swollen and itchy, she was so close! “Faerie games are scary, I want to play Cat’s Cradle!”
“Then explain it to me again.”
“You need string, in a loop.”
“As you said before, yes. What comes next?”
“You make the Cat’s cradle.”
“What does that look like?”
“I don’t know, I’m a baby!” Mariah wailed. Podra grabbed her hair in frustration. As the fae woman’s frown turned nasty, Mariah felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. I’m going to lose Connor and Molly – and our chance to make an escape plan!
The threat of that loss was enough to push Mariah into tears. Once she was crying, she leaned into the feeling, piling on her loneliness, and how terrifying being a faerie captive had been. As her tears sprinkled the grass, Mariah’s genuine sobs echoed through the grove.
“What is this?!” The fecund frame of the Garden Mistress swayed into view from around a massive oak. Her purple eyes were narrowed, and her hair-of-wheat waved dangerously despite the lack of breeze. Mariah cowered away from the faerie, clamping down on her cries.
“The human baby is throwing a tantrum.” Podra curled her lip sourly.
A vine burst out of the earth and wrapped itself around Podra. The green fae got a single scream out before the vine crushed the breath from her chest. Mariah watched in horror as cruel thorns grew from the vine and tore through Podra’s clothes.
“She is a captive but she is also a guest of none other than Her Majesty, The Queen of Glass!” Lualdina stumped forward with surprising agility. A quartet of Goblins, who’d been pushing an ornate crib behind the Garden Mistress, cowered back from her anger.
Lualdina shook a bark-like fist in Podra’s face. “If you cannot manage something as simple as hospitality for a single guest then you have no uses here. Do you understand?”
Podra creaked and thrashed in the vine’s grasp. Lualdina watched her struggle coldly before she made a dismissive motion and sent the vine hurtling back into the earth. Podra fell to her knees, leaking sap and gasping.
“Please, Mistress, forgive me. I beg of you, spare my life.”
“Explain your failure to me.”
“The human child is upset because she wants to play a human game, but it’s not one that I know.” Podra braced herself on her hands and knees with her head hanging low.
“Stupid creature. I should have put a beetroot in charge of the girl instead of you.” Lualdina put her hands on her massive hips. “For what other purpose did we task the Hunt to bring us humans? Why have you not already consulted them?”
“They are – of the garden. I used your wand. You cautioned me that it had limited uses. I was trying to avoid freeing them so quickly.”
“Lazy wretch.” Lualdina put her foot on Podra’s shoulder and shoved the green woman onto her back. “You simply don’t want to have to watch three humans. Turn them back, save the wand’s power, and deal with your charges as is expected of you.”
“At once, Garden Mistress. The moment you give me leave to go, I will carry out your will!” Podra was shaking like a leaf. Is that an offensive comparison to make of a plant woman? Mariah wondered, on the edge of hysteria herself.
“Go. Run.” Lualdina glowered at Podra. The green woman scrambled to her feet, heedless of her wounds, and ran flat out. Mariah would have mentally added, “like her life depended on it”, but clearly Podra’s life literally did depend on the speed of her obedience.
Mariah felt terrible for Podra. As much as she resented her chief jailer, no one deserved the kind of terrorizing that Lualdina had resorted to out of nowhere. I wish I could save all these faeries from their cruel leaders – or are they all like this? Podra was pretty awful to Labdyn when he threw me in the pond.
Abandoning that thought before she was forced to speculate on Labdyn’s true nature, Mariah carefully sized Lualdina up. The Garden Mistress turned her attention to Mariah at the same time.
“What’s the game you wanted to play, my baby?” Lualdina scooped Mariah into her arms with all the effortless power of one of the elder fae.
Looking into Lualdina’s ageless eyes, Mariah remembered the last time she’d been in the Garden Mistress’s arms. She’d been playing up the baby quite heavily at the time. She thought it wise to continue the charade. “Cat’s cradle. Is Lady Podra bringing my babysitters back? I want to play.”
“Yes, she’ll bring them back shortly. Does Podra often disappoint you as a caretaker?”
Mariah shivered. Lualdina had given her the opportunity to doom Podra with a word. There was no chance she was going to answer yes to Lualdina’s question. Primarily, Mariah was not interested in announcing anyone’s death sentence. As a practical matter, she also didn’t want to find out who Podra’s replacement could be. It was obvious that Podra had been on the mild end as far as faerie jailers went.
“No, I think this is the first time?” Mariah shrugged and affected an empty-headed look. “She’s nice and feeds me tasty milk and takes care of me.”
“That’s good to hear, isn’t it Podra?” Lualdina looked up. Mariah followed the Garden Mistress’ gaze to where Podra was staggering back into the grove, with the Irish couple behind her.
The green woman fell to her knees and hung her head. “Mistress, I’ve brought the mortal caretakers back. They know our guest’s game, and are ready to play it with her.”
“Our baby gave you a good report, Lady Podra. You may continue. The Dwarves have finally constructed a fitting crib for Her Majesty’s guest. It will keep our charge safe if you have to step away to watch the other humans.”
“Thank you Mistress.” Podra pressed her face to the moss. “I’m so grateful. I…”
“Oh spare me. Complete your duties, that’s all.” Lualdina put Mariah on the moss, turned on her heel, and lumbered away.
Podra crawled up to Mariah and took her hand. “Thank you, Lady Mariah. Thank you for praising my efforts to the Garden Mistress.”
“You do mostly do a good job.” Mariah smiled at Podra. A cold feeling inside Mariah told her she had to take advantage of her opportunity. Prisoners have to do whatever they can to escape. In a light tone, Mariah added, “I’m sure you won’t make me cry again.”
“N-no. Of course not.” Podra took a moment to regard Mariah with a horrified expression. Mariah’s implication hadn’t been lost on the fae woman in the slightest.
Once recovered, Podra turned to Connor and Molly, motioning for them to approach. “Come here. As I said, you need to play Cat’s Cradle with the baby immediately. I will get her crib situated – and then I must rest.”
Connor and Molly took a seat on the moss next to Mariah. They looked terrified, and Mariah couldn’t blame them. She hoped they could stay strong for a bit, as there’d be no chance to explain with Podra around.
Mariah held up the loop of string that Podra had woven out of dandelion fluff. Molly took the loop and wrapped it around her fingers. They all winced as Podra took her rage and embarrassment out on the goblins, cursing them and kicking at them. Only one of the goblins seemed unphased by Podra’s tantrum. The placid goblin looked familiar to Mariah, but seemed taller than the one that had brought her to the gardens. With the crib positioned next to the changing table, Podra drove the goblins off – all but the largest, who went wandering down a garden path as if she owned the place.
Podra hurried to the pond – without so much as glancing on the trio of humans to check on them – and stood in the water at ankle-depth. The green woman lifted her arms. The guise of her humanity faded away as she became a ragged sapling with blood-red leaves that turned greedily toward the sun.
“That was a bloody mess, and no mistake.” Connor shook his head.
“Mariah, love, what’s going on?” Molly was still holding the cat’s cradle awkwardly. Mariah threaded her fingers into the string and turned it to the next step as she pulled it away from Molly.
“I found a game that Podra doesn’t know – and insisted on playing it so she’d have to turn you back into people.” Mariah took a deep breath as the adrenaline ran out of her. “I didn’t expect it to go so – dramatically.”
“Do we still need ta play the game?” Molly reached for the string hesitantly.
“We should play at least one round, so that we can truthfully say we did if they ask.” Mariah passed the string back to Molly.
“It’s a good job you got us turned back, thank you Mariah.” Connor patted Mariah on the shoulder.
“Did…” Mariah winced. “Did it hurt?”
“Well I don’t want ta do it again.” Connor shrugged. “It didn’t hurt for me at least.”
“It was very strange.” Molly shivered and passed the cat’s cradle back to Mariah. “Thank you for saving us.”
“I have something to tell you…” Mariah lowered her voice to a whisper. “But not around any faerie. Not even when Podra is like that.”
Conner and Molly nodded, looking around nervously as well. There didn’t seem to be anyone watching them. Mariah wondered if all the garden was so sparsely populated, or if people were avoiding her. Considering how extreme Lualdina’s reaction had been to Mariah merely crying, she could imagine that most fae would consider her trouble to be avoided. That could be an advantage too.
With the game of Cat’s Cradle finished, Mariah suggested a walk. Connor and Molly agreed, but they both looked uncomfortable. Before Mariah could think of a tactful way to ask the Irish couple if they were hurt or under a spell, Connor cleared his throat.
“I’d love to get clear of this grove but lass uh – well I can see on Molly’s face she’s feeling the same. The come-hither that faerie woman put on us won’t let us go anywhere before we tend to ya.”
“But if there’s nothing ta do, I think we can just move on.” Molly nodded apologetically. “It’s just that we’d have ta check your diaper – quick and respectful-like, I promise.”
Mariah blushed. Her diaper was wet, of course. She’d given up on holding her pee entirely. There was no point in holding it in, and the diapers were excellent at absorbing. Should I start holding it again? Do I lose my potty training if I don’t? Or will I just make myself uncomfortable all the time for no reason?
Life in Faerie was hard enough without eschewing comforts. Between the terrifying mood swings of the fae, the fact that she was a prisoner, and how much she missed her friends and her life – the only thing Mariah had in Faerie were its exaggerated comforts.
“I um… I’m wet.” Mariah sighed. “It’s not like – look, they never let me out of the diapers, okay? It’s not my fault.”
“Christ almighty Mariah, nobody’s blamin’ ya,” Molly said, while Connor nodded along with her. “That Garden Mistress is a weapon. Yer man and I got turned into bloody bushes. It only makes sense you’d be careful about putting a foot wrong.”
“Thanks. But I’m not hungry right now so I guess you both have to – participate?”
“I can stand down if ya like,” Connor said. “Ya don’t want me seein’ yer bits, I’m sure.”
“No.” Mariah stood, drawing herself to her full height. “Molly’s point about being careful with these creatures stands. We don’t know what the spell will do to you if you don’t help.”
I can do this. Mariah stepped over to the furniture and waved a hand. “I guess um – feel free to use my changing table.”
“Aw, lamb, we’re sorry, we truly are.” Molly rose to give Mariah a hug. After a moment, Mariah waved Connor over and pulled him into the hug.
“If we’re going to – share this with each other, I want to have some normal closeness with you too.” Mariah gave Connor an extra squeeze.
“It’s appreciated, lass. Let’s start with liftin’ ya up.” Connor nodded to Molly. The two of them crouched down and lifted Mariah by her knees and back. It was surreal to be deposited on the changing table as if she was an adult sized person, and not a featherlight thing in a monster’s arms.
“Molly if you want to…” Conner stopped in surprise when Mariah grabbed his arm.
“Connor – go ahead please. If we dance around it all the time it’ll make things more embarrassing for everyone.” Mariah smiled weakly at the Irish man. “If you don’t mind let’s just – break the ice and get used to it.”
“Fair enough.” Connor tore the tapes on Mariah’s diaper and braved a small smile. “They’ve got ya diapered like a royal guest, to be sure. Even the royals back home don’t have nappies this fine, I’m sure.”
Mariah giggled, feeling some of her blush fade in the face of Connor’s silliness. Molly awkwardly took up a position next to Mariah and stroked her hair.
“If I was helpin’ one of my friends change their babe, I’d be up here distracting the little one with tickles and such.” Molly blushed. “I’m not saying I expect you ta put up with any of that.”
“Go ahead.” Mariah smiled wearily. “I’d rather laugh than cry, and in Faerie it always seems to be one or the other.”
“You’d make a good Irishwoman.” Molly reached for Mariah’s sides and patted them. “Shall we raise you as one then? Mayhap that’s how it works in Farie?”
Mariah shrieked and giggled as Molly’s pats became tickles that expertly found her weak spots. She gave herself permission to just laugh, ignoring what Connor was doing with her lower half, or the fact that she shouldn’t be getting tickled by a slightly older woman. It was a beautiful moment of joy that was gone too fast when Connor taped her into a fresh diaper.
“You didn’t do a half bad job of that, now.” Molly looked Mariah’s diaper over with grudging respect.
“C’mere to me now, I’ve changed a fair number of nappies.”
“How was I ta know? You never let on that you’d such a skill.”
“When would I have brought that up?”
“At your nephew’s birthday, when the boy was ripe.”
“His ma was right there!”
“The woman had three other children botherin’ her.”
“I didn’t see you offer ta help.”
“Well she wasn’t my family! Next time you see that boy, give yer cousin a break.”
“I will, yeah.”
“Eejit.”
Mariah’s giggle broke the flow of conversation and made her companions look at her. They blushed with the same bashful expression, which was so precious that Mariah had to suppress a squeal.
“How about that walk?”
“Aye, grand, grand!” Connor dusted his hands off on his pants. “A walk’s the very thing. Grand suggestion, Mariah.”
“Grand is it?” Molly smirked. “Tell us again how grand it’ll be.”
“Yer as scarlet as I am.” Connor laughed.
Mariah hopped off the changing table and took her companion’s arms, marching them off with one on each side. “So when’s the wedding?” Molly and Connor both broke into guffaws and squeezed Mariah’s arm fondly.
Once they were clear of the grove, Mariah filled her new friends in on her theories. They were nervous about using the wand against the fae until Mariah told them about her newfound control over the locket and the Drupe of Tuatha. Her companions were a mixture of worried for her, and in awe of her on hearing of Mariah’s magical strength.
When she told them about her friendship with Labdyn – and an abbreviated version of her relationship with him – the Irish couple swung fully to concern. Though they sympathized with Mariah for making a friend in captivity, both were solidly against trusting any faerie to help them escape.
Mariah had gone back and forth with Molly and Connor a few times on Labdyn when she spotted the larger goblin meandering down a garden path. “Wait here,” Mariah commanded, releasing her friends and hurrying to intercept the goblin.
“Are you Wunk?” Mariah planted herself in the goblin’s path.
“That’s a name you can use.” Wunk’s voice was as much of a horrible burble as always. Importantly though, it was a bored tone that came through, not a cruel one.
“When I came here you demanded a reward from Lualdina. She said you could have any fruit. You managed to get your hands on a Drupe of Tuatha, didn’t you?”
“What makes you say that?” Wunk narrowed her eyes at Mariah.
“You’re bigger than you were. I’ve had one too. It changed me.”
“What if I did?”
“Do you want another?”
“I – I – I…” Wunk stared at Mariah in shocked greed. “You can’t get me one!”
“No, I can’t.” Mariah smirked. “But Podra got me one. You saw what Lualdina did to her. She did that because Podra let me cry. Now Podra has to be sure I don’t cry again.”
Wunk’s eyebrows rose, swarming with mites in the garden sun. Mariah fought to keep a smile on her face. Her smile held, but she couldn’t stop from scratching at a sympathetic itch on her arms.
“Lualdina would turn Podra into a swamp weed if she took one of those without permission.” Wunk frowned, which was a blessing on her since it put her eyebrows back in the shadow of her wrinkled forehead.
“What do you care? You’d have a Drupe.”
“Don’t you care? I thought that’s all humans did, was care about things.”
“I care about a lot of things, and most of them are back on Earth.”
“You want me to help you escape.” Wunk snorted, blowing snot down her front. “Who’s to save me from the Garden Mistress?”
“You already don’t fear Podra anymore. What would a second Drupe do for you?” Mariah put her hands on her hips. “Goblins seem sneaky. I’m sure you could hide until Lualdina was mad at someone else.”
“None of this means anything until you have the fruit.” Wunk snarled. The way the goblin’s hands quivered made Mariah sure that Wunk would cooperate when the time came.
“And you don’t get the fruit until I’m outside the Kingdom of Glass, on a road that will lead me home.”
Wunk ground her teeth with a sound of sand on metal. “Fine. It’s a deal. IF you get a Drupe.”
“Pleasure doing business with you, you disgusting creature.” Mariah grinned. She hated Podra being polite to her so maybe…
Wunk’s mouth spread in a terrible smile that wafted fungal miasma at Mariah. “A pleasure all around.” The goblin scooted around Mariah and stumped off down the path.
That worked. Maybe it would have been better if it didn’t. Mariah rubbed her nose and wiped her watering eyes before returning to her friends.
“What’s the craic?” It was Molly asking, but Conner was hanging on the answer just as much.
“I got us an ally.” At the Irish couple’s disapproving looks, Mariah shook her head. “No you don’t, we’re not starting that argument again. Where’s the exit? Which way do we start walking to get back to America? To Ireland? To Earth?”
Conner and Molly looked around as Mariah swept her arm to the horizon. After exchanging a long look, they nodded.
“It’s obvious you made some kind of deal with the goblin,” Connor said. “But are ya sure we can trust the dog boy? Just because you’re sweet on him…”
“We’re sweet on each other. You’ll get to meet him anyway. I was hoping to run into him out here.”
“Planning ta have his puppies already?” Molly smirked.
“Keep that up and I’ll make you watch.” Mariah stuck her tongue out at Molly to laughter from both her friends. Arm in arm again, they wandered into the garden.