The house of the Earth Fairy lay in a corner of the Fairy Kingdom, between two marvelous birch trees, and surrounded by flowers of all sorts. It was a comfortable house made of tree bark; not very big perhaps, but snug and homelike. Out of the roof stuck the chimney, which was always smoking. The door leading into the house was rectangular at the bottom, but oval-shaped at the top, and on this hung a large mat made of grass. Dried flowers were woven in it, making a cheery picture. Inside a little carpet of the same material lay on the dirt floor. Curtains of a light substance embroidered with flowers and trees were draped on the three windows. Along the wall ran shelves with strange and outstanding carvings, on which rested shapely glass vases filled with many different kinds of flowers and bushes. In a corner sat a fat stove with a merry fire, and copper-bottomed baking dishes and pans hung on gold hooks above. An open doorway showed a small bedroom with a mattress and pillow filled with the down of cattails. A table made of cherry-tree wood with a candle on its top rested there, too. It was altogether a pretty, comfortable house.

The Water Fairy’s house was just as comfortable, but in a much different way. It was a cave beside a tremendous waterfall that poured into the Anomiada. The front of the house looked east toward the Fairy City. The inside of the cave had beautiful symbols and pictures painted on its walls. Delicate tapestries and curtains made of water lilies hung on the walls and windows. Soft mats of rushes lay all around the floor. A curious cupboard holding wonderful earthenware sat in an opening in the wall, and a fireplace cut into the rock was below it. A miniature waterfall springing from the larger one shot through a hole in the roof, ran splashing down the southern wall and out into the river. Light streamed in through other holes in the roof and through the windows, mingling with the spray from the waterfalls and casting cheery bits of rainbow around the cave.

It was in this bright house that the lost baby boy laughed and played, shoving his wee hands into the dancing spots of light. Anomien started to call him Ficum. Every morning she gave Ficum his breakfast and played with him. Then she carried him down to the riverbank, and leaving him in the care of the water animals, who were her fellow river guardians and better caregivers than any nurse, she mounted a dolphin and sailed down the water to patrol the border. Finding all secure, she would return to her riverbank, and usually discover Ficum sleeping deeply on the blanket of grass, a sweet smile on his face.

Near the end of the week, Anomien received a message from the Queen’s court, telling her to wait another seven days to meet with her sister, as Asani was still in counsel with her wise advisors. Evidently she was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery which enveloped Ficum and his box. Anomien was grateful for the delay, for she was still recovering from the first shock of finding the babe and his mother. The Water Fairy in turn sent a message to the Earth Fairy, telling her what the Queen said. On her part, Syla was disappointed in the delay, for she was extremely curious about all that happened, and sighed to think of how long it would be before she learned any answers. However, it turned out the week was shorter than she expected, for Anomien invited her many times to visit with her and Ficum. Syla was delighted with this arrangement. In this way they passed the week of waiting, and as was expected received at its end a summons to have an audience with the Fairy Queen.

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Anomien and Syla walked the road to the Fairy Queen’s palace once more. The Earth Fairy chattered excitedly, describing her curiosities to Ficum as she held him in her arms, while the Water Fairy glided behind, smiling softly to herself as she watched them. Arriving at the palace, they found Queen Asani pacing the room, again impatiently waiting to see her visitors. She bounced toward them, and bestowed kisses on all three, even the startled Syla. Then sweeping the baby up into her arms, Asani skipped back towards her throne and plopped herself upon it. She said with a giggle,

“Pardon my, well, un-ladylike enthusiasm, but I can’t tell you how I’ve been longing to see you!” Anomien replied, laughing,

“You sound like my dear friend Syla! Although I think she was more impatient for answers to her questions than anything else.” Syla grinned sheepishly while Asani exclaimed,

“And you shall get your answers, at least some of them. I don’t know all, but I shall relate what I have learned.

“Having consulted with my counselors about this matter, and having made many explorations, we have arrived at the simple conclusion that the writing on this box is written in some ancient script known only to a particular race of humans, those to whom our Ficum belongs. We do not know what the writing says, but are hoping that in time, Ficum himself will be able to read it. We have a feeling that there is something of great importance in the box, most likely concerning Ficum. So far, that is all we have been able to discover, which, unfortunately, is not much; after all, we fairies are very unacquainted with humans and their ways.” Asani leaned back in the throne, her slender fingers drumming the armrests. Anomien gazed out of the throne room window while Syla sat brooding. She abruptly broke the silence:

“But why did Ficum’s mother get murdered in such a brutal way? What could have caused such a tragedy?”

“We are not even sure that the girl was actually Ficum’s mother,” answered Anomien. “Perhaps she did not have anything to do with the boy? Maybe it was just a coincidence that we found her beside the child?”

“No,” said Asani. “It was not a coincidence; I am sure of that. I suppose that the people who killed Ficum’s mother wanted to do the same with Ficum. It was lucky that Ficum’s enemies didn’t find him. Poor girl!” (She sighed, thinking of Ficum’s mother.) “If only we could find out who was responsible for her death. Then we could do something, we could act.”

They continued in this manner, talking far into the morning. The outcome was that they would raise Ficum themselves in the arts of combat, riding, swimming, everything a fairy boy would learn, and even more. When he was of age, they would reveal to him his true heritage (if he had not guessed it already) and as much of his story as they knew. Then they would send him with their blessing on a journey, a perilous one, to find those who were his real family. Anomien, the softhearted, shed silent tears at the anticipated parting.