Loneliness and the Healing Fairy—Short Story by Victoria Beata

In the earliest times, when the world was still learning how to be, there lived a feeling known as Loneliness. This feeling wasn't like the creatures of the forest or the waves of the sea, it was invisible, moving through the world without form or sound, touching the hearts of those who had spaces in their souls.

Loneliness wandered, seeking understanding but finding none. One night, under a sky draped with twinkling stars, it came upon a village where lived a wise Fairy Woman known for curing many woes with her herbs and charms.

 In this village also lived a couple who had grown old together, wrapped in the love and sadness of having no children to call their own. And so, Loneliness often visited them, filling their quiet nights with sighs. But not long after, a young couple came to live with them, bringing the laughter and cries of a newborn baby.

One night, the young wife was troubled, her heart filled with fear as she saw the childless woman walking as a shadow, drawn to her baby's cradle. Unbeknown to herself, the old woman's spirit wandered into the realm of dreams, touched by the same Loneliness that roamed the cottage.

The young father, desperate to soothe his family's distress, sought the counsel of the wise Fairy Woman. The wise woman listened with a heart that knew the depths of Loneliness well. She gathered herbs by moonlight, speaking softly to the plants, which whispered back secrets only they could know.

As she brewed her potion, the Fairy Woman spoke to Loneliness, asking it to help instead of hurt. "Guide me," she murmured, and Loneliness, feeling purpose for the first time, infused the herbs with a gentle power.

The father was instructed to boil the herbs, wash the baby in the water, and sprinkle it around the bed, casting a shield against the night's shadows. He did as told, pouring the remaining potion into the stream where the waters whisked it away, carrying Loneliness along to find a new path.

From that night, Loneliness no longer wandered the world aimlessly. It found a voice through the whispering wind, which sang over the meadows and through the trees, speaking to those who felt forgotten or lost. Where once it had been silent, now it sang a lullaby of belonging, touching not just those in the cottage but all who needed to hear it.

The child grew up in a home filled with laughter and love, the shadowy visits ceased, and the old woman found peace in her heart, knowing the baby was loved. The young wife slept soundly, comforted by the sound of the wind's song, a melody of connection and hope.

And so, Loneliness, once a silent spectre of the night, became a voice that brought together those who listened, weaving a tapestry of whispers that spoke of unity and comfort. It was no longer something to fear but a reminder that in the heart of every empty space, there is a chance to fill it with understanding and love, just so.