Chapter Text
There’s always something intriguing about the forests of Germany that’s fascinated humans for millennia. It is a birthplace for myth legends and folklore. Stories often told as a way explaining what humans couldn’t understand. While it might seem anything considered ‘magical’ or supernatural would be easy to dismiss, in the midst of the thick forest trees, there are indeed magical creatures, fairies, who protect nature and grant miracles to those they find deserving.
The fair folk were known for having both powerful magic and keen intellect. Some specialized in helping plants grow, others could make the rivers flood if they felt like it. There were those who could manipulate multiple elements to do all kinds of enchantments. The fae were a fickle folk, acting on whims and self-indulgence. Tales of the fae were rather mixed on whether they were creatures of good or evil. There were some stories that they would grant wishes and give good fortunes, while others told of curses and even stealing away human babies, replacing it with one of their own. Whatever their true nature was, either way, humans knew better than to cross one, and those who didn’t would learn quickly.
Humans and fair folk used to have a closer relationship than they do currently. The old pagan tribes worshipped the gods of nature and made offerings to the fae for their blessing for a bountiful year. But over the centuries humans began to distance themselves from the spirits. Those who remained loyal to the old traditions were driven out, replaced with something called Christianity. This religion took over the entire continent, and while it carried very noble teachings on how humans to live morally, the followers would frown upon anyone who was different. The fair folk and their magic became more feared and the fae themselves largely cut their ties with humans and withdrew to themselves. But they made sure the humans never forgot about their existence. Some fairies would still give blessings to those who wished them. There were encounters from time to time, but the closeness between the races was long gone.
Such relations, or lack thereof, would remain so for centuries, until one notable member of the Fair Folk would stir up quite the commotion in a certain part of Germany, involving a young human woman.
The best place to start is on a beautiful morning. Sunlight peered through the trees thick with their summer foliage. Birds were chirping, some had a light airy whistle while others would make a loud cackle. A charming young girl who was no older than the age of ten, joined the chirping with her own sing-song voice. It was a ritual she performed whenever she went into the trees beyond the outskirts of her home. Wrapped up in her happiness, she was unaware that something was approaching her.
Snap.
The sound wasn’t loud but it was enough to make the girl perk her head around. Just meters away from her, was a young red deer, frozen in place. In all her visits here, she had never seen a deer of such a beautiful color. It was close to her size and the dark eyes stared right at her. The child felt he was looking into her soul. The deer, obviously startled at being seen, snapped out of its frozen state and leaped to the side to get to safety from what it had perceived as danger. The girl was sad that she had scared it but knew deer were easily frightened by humans.
Suddenly the tranquility of the forest was shaken by a loud cry. This startled the nearby birds and they flew off in a panic. The child didn’t panic. The creature sounded in pain. She ran toward the source, determined to help.
There was a small village close by carved out of the trees. At the edge of town was a river where a mill stood, producing flour with a water powered wheel. The hardworking miller was at his work, grinding the grain into flour. As he was about to empty the bin full of flour, he heard a familiar voice calling outside,
“Mama, Papa!”
“Lilith, can you go see what Charlotte wants? If I leave the bins unattended right now there’s going to be a mess.” The miller requested, not taking his eyes off the pouring flour.
The miller’s wife, Lilith, got up from her sewing and went outside to meet her young daughter. From the sound of her voice, it was urgent.
“Charlotte, what’s wro- Oh my!”
Her daughter was coming out of the woods…and she wasn’t alone. She had her arms around a red deer trying to keep it walking. It wasn’t very tall, so it had to be a fawn. One of its front legs was limping and it appeared Charlotte wrapped a handkerchief around it though it didn’t appear bloodied. She kept coaxing and assisting it walk toward the mill.
"Charlotte why did you bring a deer here?"
"It got caught in one of those rope traps Mama! It hurt its leg and I wasn’t going leave him alone when he’s hurt. Will you help me?"
Lilith took a moment to process. Her husband would have seen an injured animal as dinner. But Charlotte was too kind. She couldn’t bear to see an animal in pain, and this one was just a baby. Lilith also found the idea of putting down a baby abhorrent. She rushed to her daughter to get a closer look at the animal. The fawn finally gave into its pain and exhaustion. Aside from the obvious limp, nothing else appeared to be wrong. It was swollen, but there was no open wound. The trap must have just sprained it.
Lilith cautiously touched the hoof. The animal didn’t flinch but it made a whining sound. He looked right at her, as though he was asking her for help. Lilith felt there was something about those eyes, telling her that there was something special about this fawn. The woman’s mind momentarily drifted to stories she had heard from around here. There was a secret, but what? After a few moments staring into the creatures scared but pleading eyes, Lilith made her resolve.
“Your father is not going like this...Charlotte, fetch some water from the river. Then grab the bandages from inside. Cold water and tighter bandaging should bring down the swelling.”
Charlotte immediately did what was asked. Lilith put his swollen hoof in the water and started massaging it for the swelling.
“What is this!?” Lucifer, the miller, had now taken a moment to find out what was going on with Charlotte. Lilith took the initiative to explain.
“This fawn had his foot sprained in a snare trap. Charlotte managed to free it and bring it here. It doesn’t look serious so we’re tending to it.”
“Seriously? Charlotte, that’s a wild animal! It could hurt you, especially if it’s injured.”
“Papa, he’s just a baby! Look, it’s not doing anything and letting Mama touch him.”
“Why are you doing this, Lilith? I’m not surprised Charlotte would do this but I am surprised that you’re encouraging it.”
“I see it no differently then tending to one of our livestock. If you see one of the goats limping, you would do the same thing.”
“Livestock and wild animals are completely different. Lilith, you’re crazy to think she could bring any creature home and then it turns on her and hurts her!”
“Papa!”
“Ignore your father Charlotte. You did the right thing bringing him here.” Lilith gave her husband a stern gaze, firmly telling him this discussion was over and the deer was staying.
Lucifer knew when he lost arguments. No use fighting anymore, so he went back to the mill to return to work, grumbling all the way. Charlotte knew saving the deer was the right thing, but she hated upsetting him nevertheless.
“He’ll get over it, dearest. He always does.” Her consoled her as she finished tightly wrapping the bandage around the fawn’s ankle.
Hours later, Charlotte was getting ready for bed. The deer was put in the fenced enclosure where they kept their chickens. He would rest there for the night recovering and they would check on him in the morning.
“Papa still looked upset at dinner.”
“He may not look like it now, but he’ll be proud of you for what you did soon enough. He wanted you to be kind and help the less fortunate, and that’s exactly what you did.”
That made Charlotte finally smile. Remembering when she looked into the deer’s eyes, Lilith was reminded of something she wanted to tell Charlotte about.
"I don’t think I’ve told you this but deer are more special than Papa thinks. I believe there may be more to your new friend.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“You know those stories I told you about the fairies who protect these forests? Deer are said to be their familiars. They can connect our world with the magical.”
Charlotte sat up, eager to hear more. She had always been fascinated by her mother’s stories about magical beings. Lucifer was a little more uneasy. Everyone knew how real, and powerful fairies were.
“You think he was a friend of the fairies?”
“Anything is possible Charlotte. When I looked into his eyes, I was taken back to the time I encountered a fairy long ago.”
“I remember you telling me you met a fairy once, after you lost a baby.”
“Yes.” Lilith reminisced. “But there was more. I didn’t think you were ready for the details. I was grieving after giving birth to your stillborn brother. Due to complications, the doctor told me I may not be able to carry again. When I was sitting outside alone and recovering, a beautiful lady came to me. She gave her condolences for the loss, then said my dream for children wasn’t over,
“She came closer, and gave me this gentle look, while placing her hand over my belly. She said ‘Your second chance will come before the year is over.’ As she backed away, my pain eased. Then she left. Sure enough, less than three months later, I was pregnant again, with you.”
“I was predicted by a fairy?”
“I have no doubt you were blessed by a fairy. The way that fawn looked at me reminded me of that woman’s gaze as she healed me.”
“So, if he was a fairy’s friend, you think I might see one?” Charlotte beamed.
“Again, anything is possible. The fae are known for being rather unpredictable, and some believe they are bad, but everyday I have a reminder of what good they can do.” Lilith said as she tenderly caressed her daughter’s cheek. “Time for sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” Mother and daughter shared gentle kisses, then Lilith left the room.
When Charlotte woke up, she immediately went to check on the deer. To her dismay, there were only chickens in the enclosure. The deer had left. At breakfast, her father told her that it was for the best he had gone while her mother tried to assure her that the animal must have felt better if he was able to leap over the fence. But Charlotte was left wondering if he was really okay with that sprain.
After breakfast she walked outside again and found something odd on the doorstep. It was a golden flower. Charlotte had seen plenty of flowers in the forest, but this looked very different from any other she was familiar with. The flower was a cluster of layered petals that almost formed a spherical shape. It had a strong pungent fragrance. The leaves were divided into serrated blades. There was a note attached. It only had one word: Danke.
Charlotte thought back to what her mother had said, that she surmised that the deer was a fairy’s familiar. Could it be she was right? If so, then perhaps the fairy had come by to thank them with a present. She looked up toward the trees and smiled, hoping that whoever sent this saw her appreciation for it. She then went back inside to show her parents, not seeing the red cervid figure running away.