A Petulant Pixie
I was taking a turn around the walled gardens this morning, the deciduous forest with its fresh spring leaves the perfect backdrop to the scene. It was early June and warm, despite the early hour.
As I passed a patch of peonies, in shades of palest pink with bright yellow stamens, dusky rose and blush red, I heard a loud and particularly angry buzzing. I turned towards it, observing a bumblebee, legs coated with a thick layer of pollen, staggering and stumbling across the surface of a pale pink petal as if overcome by the sweet nectar. It tumbled over the edge and plunked unceremoniously to the ground.
I stifled a laugh and was about to walk away when I was delayed by a gentle touch to my shoulder. I turned to find myself gazing, once more, into the mesmerising eyes of the Dryad who had become my friend in the past three weeks. I’m sure she’d bewitched me at our first meeting. Her name, as far as I can understand it – she doesn’t speak English – is ‘Oakryn’.
“Karl,” she said, rolling the ‘r’ in my name. She spoke with a soft burr, much like that of the Scots. “You,” she continued, pointing to her eyes and then to the bee who was now upside-down, buzzing feebly as it tried to right itself, “Stay.”
As I watched, a tiny humanoid type being with wings, very similar to those of the bee, and bright yellow hair, the precise shade as that of the peony’s stamen, stepped to the edge of the petal, gesticulating to the bee in much the same way as Oakryn does with me.
“Oh, a pixie,” I breathed, my words barely above a whisper. The minuscule being poked his finger into the nectar and lapped it off with his tongue, smacking his lips in satisfaction. He pointed to the flower, then to himself, before pointing to the bee and waving it away, his meaning clear.
I dropped a kiss onto Oakryn’s nose, pulled out my notebook and wrote, ‘Pixies love nectar. They do not like to share!’
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI first introduced you to Karl Starwin in his excerpt from The Origin of Fae. You can read that story here if you want a refresher: https://voice.club/story/fiction/33497/2022-micro-01-excerpt-from-the-origin-of-fae-by-karl-starwin
A fun look into a fantasy world where pixies are surprisingly human. Beautiful description of a spring forest.

Hi Voice Team. When you get a minute, I noticed a typo that slipped through my vetting process. Right at the end would you change the double inverted comma to a single one please. Thank you ????
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleDone. Great story by the way!
Thank you so much. Glad you liked the story. Just a bit of lighthearted fun. I think we all need cheering up right now ????
I love this world you take us into, Carrie. Full of mischief, magic and fun. Just what we need right now! And just like the sweet nectar… delicious.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, Linda. I think the child in me just about exploded with excitement when the idea hit me. I had to message Em immediately with the bare bones plot, just to get her feedback. I just hope I did it justice ?
You totally did it justice! I laughed out loud when I got to the end of this playful, delightful story. The child in all of us thanks you!!
Thank you so much Fuji. So glad that you had a laugh out loud moment. It can be the best medicine!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleLove your fantasy tale with dryads and pixies, Carrie. Is this story loosely based on folklore?
Thanks for reading and commenting, Margarida. I’m not sure I quite understand your question. Aren’t all stories about the fae based in some degree on folklore? I’m trying to build a parallel universe to our own that is a bit steampunk, as shown in my earlier Shylock Bones story and also contains magical creatures, the fae. My characters will be based on characters, both real, as in Charles Darwin / Karl Starwin… Read more »
I can’t wait for more of Karl Starwin’s observations, being a big fan of all manner of mystical beings!
The light-heartedness and whimsy of this story is just what we all need!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI might have to do water nymphs at some stage. I can quite imagine Oakryn getting in a bit of a snit! ?
Carrie, it was so much fun reading this. I especially liked the ending and his conclusion that pixies don’t like to share! I can absolutely relate where it comes to certain confectioneries! ?
Thank you so much, Marianna. Ditto on the confectionaries, but I’m trying to get them all out the house so I can lose some blinking weight! ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI loved this story, Carrie. It was so much fun to read! Thanks for the laugh of the day!
Thanks, Julie. I’m so glad it had the desired effect 🙂
I am completely charmed and so thankful to be transported in your magic garden. We do forget magic on our day to day basis, don’t we? I am grateful for your reminder through your cute story!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you so much, Greene, I’m glad you enjoyed your journey into my imagination 🙂
Hello, Carrie. Thank you for bringing me into this magical world of pixies and dryads. I am having so much fun like the other. Love it! Well done.
Apologies, Lotchie, I only just noticed your comment. I’m so glad you like the little world I’ve created. It’s fun to write about too. Unfortunately, I always get carried away with my word count and have to cut loads out! Never mind ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleYou don’t need to apologize, Carrie. That’s okay. And by the way, congratulations on your win. I am happy about your achievement.
Thank you ?
You are always welcome.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI agree with everyone re how good it is to read a fun tale reminiscent of childhood favourites. A perfect antidote for all the gloom and doom in the world today. Great story!
Thank you, Sandra, I’m glad you enjoyed the lighthearted theme ?
Another excellent story. Well done.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you for taking the time to comment, Steven. I’m glad you enjoyed it—I have a bit of a soft spot for the characters in this one.
Congratulations on your win Carrie! Such a fun read that took us into a mystical world of pixies and dryads.
Thank you, Linda, I think I’ve fallen in love with these characters. They want to tell their own stories!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleCongratulations, Carrie, well deserved!
Thank you so much Greene. I have big plans for Karl Starwin for the future 🙂
Congratulations to Carrie on a well-deserved win and to all who got their great stories shortlisted.
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