The Fairy Godmother: Part Two (special preview)

Danvers has revealed her intentions and purpose to me. She has shown me her powers, better yet, her powers combined with mine. She is able to soothe the anger of the girls in these walls, granting them wishes which are not always pretty. One would never assume a young lady would have such hatred and bile inside them, no one wants to, but in truth, they sometimes have more than anyone. It is Danvers’ job to alleviate that agony.

I start to witness her machinations from there on. She finds the girls in the house who are most in need. Those who usually go to the attic are taken into her care. She listens to them and finds within them the stories that they carry. Some girls are abandoned, others are used, but all of them have a wish worth granting.

Danvers takes the children born of these girls and she takes them to her people. In return, the girls’ wishes of revenge are granted. I understand now why she had never given me her name, and how relieved I am that I do not share my given one. I know who she is now and where she comes from. The Fairy folk are not kind, they are cruel in their ways. To be taken by one is usually a fate worse than death, but I cling to Danvers anyways.

Stories of horrible deaths and accidents have risen all over. There are men who are attacked by wolves, stung to death by bees, even one who was found with beetles coming out of every orifice. When news of one such death is heard by the girls, one girl breaks down in hysterically happy tears. 

It happened one evening that a girl had come to us in a frenzied state. Danvers was immediately drawn to her. The girl was frightened, panicked, and incoherent. She would sit babbling in the corner to herself while rocking back and forth. She bit anyone who tried to come near her. She never bathed or took care of her hair. She screamed at everything and nothing. It was pitiful watching her. 

I then never again heard from her family. They paid me for her stay and the birth of the child, but when I tried to reach out to them again, I received no reply. It became apparent to me the woman was abandoned here.

I didn’t know her name, her family never gave it, but Danvers spent a great deal of time with this troubled young woman. She sat with her, spoke gently to her. She eventually got to a point where she got the young woman to sit still and in a chair. Danvers was able to brush her hair and give her a bath.

“How are you doing this?” I ask her.

Danvers smiles as she gently pats the young woman’s head. “I earned her trust.” She smiles up at me. “She’s just scared is all. No one understands her. They don’t want to.” She frowns deeply. “No one cares, I should say.”

The young woman gazes out the window and makes a small, soft noise. 

“Don’t worry, dearest,” Danvers coaxes her. “I will take care of you. I am going to help you. Your wish shall be granted, I promise.” She looks back at me. “She was in a sanatorium, her parents kept trying to pretend she didn’t exist. That is why she is with us now.”

“She’ll be with us for as long as we are here.” I shake my head. “I can’t get in touch with them. I have tried just so I can update them.”

“Then stay she shall.” She smiles down at the young woman. “We will take care of her.”

She looks at me with eyes of silver before looking back down at her hands. 

When she gives birth, the baby is born almost completely white. Danvers takes the child and lets it nurse from her breast. The young woman sleeps for days, all the while Danvers takes and cares for the child.

“He is of my kind,” she whispers. “Whoever harmed her is of my blood, but they will pay all the same.” She bounces the small pearl-like child who nurses and grunts at her breast.

“Are you going to keep it?” I ask. “You’ve taken all the others?”

“This wish is different, and it fulfills something I have been working on.” She gently brushes aside the thick curls on his forehead. “So I will need this one to stay with us.” She hands the baby to me. “He will be ours.”

I hold the little one in my arms. I was of an age where I never expected to have children. I was beyond it or the marrying age. Aside from Danvers, I was happy to live the life I had within the Boarding House. The baby looks at me with golden eyes and spits up on my jacket.