The Taste of Sunlight
Once upon a time, a girl wandered into the forest. She walked along a game trail for what seemed like many hours. The poor girl was hopelessly lost and hungry. All around her were dense bushes and tall trees. She couldn't even see the trail anymore! She sniffled and snuffled, trying to fight back her tears. One began to roll down her cheeks and then another. She collapsed to the forest floor in a heap, wracked with sobs.
A break in the leaves of the trees let a shaft of sunlight fall upon her face. A faint noise could be heard in the distance. She glanced up and tried to quiet her sobs. It was... the sound of a flute? Here? In the forest? How could that be? She stumbled to her feet and began to shuffle towards the sound of the music. After several minutes, she could hear more instruments. The gentle strumming of a harp. The soft beat of a drum. She continued moving towards the sound of the music.
The trees opened up into a large clearing and here was the source of the music. A small band of folks were playing their instruments and dancing around a small campfire. She called out to them as she approached.
"Hello.... I'm lost," she stated.
"Oh, indeed, dearie? Well, then, come along. Sit down at the fire and warm yourself. We have food and drink that we can share with you." A beautiful lady pulled her along towards the fire. Her hair was the color of starlight and her ears came to a sharp point. She wore a long gown of silver silk with white embroidered flowers trailing down from the bodice. She asked, "Can I have your name, sweet child?"
"My name is Aleesia. I heard the music. It was so beautiful!"
"That would be Caitlin, Eilise, and Rohan who were playing. Doesn't that music just make you want to dance?" the silver lady asked.
"Oh yes!" the girl replied. "But I'm so tired and hungry that I can barely move my legs. I couldn't possibly dance."
One of the others brought Aleesia a tray of fresh fruit and bread, as well as a silver goblet of a golden liquid. The girl dived into the food and drink. She emptied the plate before looking up at the folks who were smiling at her. "That was wonderful! It tasted like.... sunlight! And summertime. And every wonderful thing I have ever eaten! Thank you so much!"
The silver lady chuckled and grinned at her, "It is good that you enjoyed it so. Now, do you feel like dancing?"
"Oh yes! I feel refreshed." Aleesia got up and danced to the music that Caitline, Eilise, and Rohan created by playing on their instruments. She danced and she danced. All she could think of was dancing! The music was beautiful, the forest was majestic, and the other folks danced along with her so she wasn't alone anymore. She danced so long that she could have sworn the trees started to move in closer to the clearing. The moonlight began to fade. And still she danced and laughed along with the other folks around the campfire. The stars sparkled and shimmered in the sky above her.
Suddenly, she fell to her knees. Her eyes closed. Before the whole world went dark, she heard the silver lady's voice whisper, "You must be more careful when dealing with the Fae, dear Aleesia."
Days later, the girl was found wandering along the road near Aurora Bank in the Borderlands Expanse. Her clothes were torn and ragged as though she had traveled hundreds of miles. She had no idea where she was nor where she had come from. The people who found her cleaned her up and gave her food and water.
"Yuck! It tastes like ashes!" Aleesia cried out. Her rescuers looked at each other and at the food, fresh bread and cheese. From that moment, Aleesia craved to be in the woods and was constantly searching for the Fae, longing to return to the merriment and food that tasted like sunlight.
She disappeared a few months later. Some people say she found the Fae once more and decided to stay with them forever. Others say she's still out there searching for them.
A break in the leaves of the trees let a shaft of sunlight fall upon her face. A faint noise could be heard in the distance. She glanced up and tried to quiet her sobs. It was... the sound of a flute? Here? In the forest? How could that be? She stumbled to her feet and began to shuffle towards the sound of the music. After several minutes, she could hear more instruments. The gentle strumming of a harp. The soft beat of a drum. She continued moving towards the sound of the music.
The trees opened up into a large clearing and here was the source of the music. A small band of folks were playing their instruments and dancing around a small campfire. She called out to them as she approached.
"Hello.... I'm lost," she stated.
"Oh, indeed, dearie? Well, then, come along. Sit down at the fire and warm yourself. We have food and drink that we can share with you." A beautiful lady pulled her along towards the fire. Her hair was the color of starlight and her ears came to a sharp point. She wore a long gown of silver silk with white embroidered flowers trailing down from the bodice. She asked, "Can I have your name, sweet child?"
"My name is Aleesia. I heard the music. It was so beautiful!"
"That would be Caitlin, Eilise, and Rohan who were playing. Doesn't that music just make you want to dance?" the silver lady asked.
"Oh yes!" the girl replied. "But I'm so tired and hungry that I can barely move my legs. I couldn't possibly dance."
One of the others brought Aleesia a tray of fresh fruit and bread, as well as a silver goblet of a golden liquid. The girl dived into the food and drink. She emptied the plate before looking up at the folks who were smiling at her. "That was wonderful! It tasted like.... sunlight! And summertime. And every wonderful thing I have ever eaten! Thank you so much!"
The silver lady chuckled and grinned at her, "It is good that you enjoyed it so. Now, do you feel like dancing?"
"Oh yes! I feel refreshed." Aleesia got up and danced to the music that Caitline, Eilise, and Rohan created by playing on their instruments. She danced and she danced. All she could think of was dancing! The music was beautiful, the forest was majestic, and the other folks danced along with her so she wasn't alone anymore. She danced so long that she could have sworn the trees started to move in closer to the clearing. The moonlight began to fade. And still she danced and laughed along with the other folks around the campfire. The stars sparkled and shimmered in the sky above her.
Suddenly, she fell to her knees. Her eyes closed. Before the whole world went dark, she heard the silver lady's voice whisper, "You must be more careful when dealing with the Fae, dear Aleesia."
Days later, the girl was found wandering along the road near Aurora Bank in the Borderlands Expanse. Her clothes were torn and ragged as though she had traveled hundreds of miles. She had no idea where she was nor where she had come from. The people who found her cleaned her up and gave her food and water.
"Yuck! It tastes like ashes!" Aleesia cried out. Her rescuers looked at each other and at the food, fresh bread and cheese. From that moment, Aleesia craved to be in the woods and was constantly searching for the Fae, longing to return to the merriment and food that tasted like sunlight.
She disappeared a few months later. Some people say she found the Fae once more and decided to stay with them forever. Others say she's still out there searching for them.
Spread
This myth has been spread to most of the human settlements. It is also known among the dwarves, but they don't fret about the Fae as much as the humans do. It is pretty common knowledge and a tale that mothers often tell their children.
In Art
Several paintings and tapestries have been made depicting the feast of the Fae. The Great Library has one on display in their great halls. Aurora Bank also has one on display in the city.
Date of First Recording
1515
Date of Setting
1235
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