Private Mountain -3-

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Synopsis:

The old saying has it that the third time is the charm. Is it really a good idea to tempt fate when you're already under a fairy curse?

Story:

Private Mountain

by Erin Halfelven

Chapter 3 - Sharp Dresser

For fairies, time is a flexible resource. It can be stretched or compressed to fit one's needs and convenience. Of course, if one isn't careful or paying close attention, time can slip through the grasp of even the canniest of fairies.

"Do this, Toomey. Then do that," Cullain Toomey muttered to himself as he set out along the green byways that fairies use to travel the wide world. As usual when unobserved, his accent tended to drift from Connaught to Cheapside, where he'd actually been born back in the days of gaslight and horse manure. "Oh, be a Seelie Knight, me mum said. Hobnobbing with the Fair and Fortunate. Running wee errands like fetching ice to cool her ladyship's drink from Mt. Kill-you-tomorrow. Nobody mentions the flippin' enormous hyenas they have in bloody Africa, do they?" He sighed, "I knew about the bloody lions, but what Unseelie horr'r thought up them hyenas?"

He groaned. "Now it's go to bleeding America and curse this child of an ancient curse on the First Full Moon of Summer. Then it's, oh, he's too young--she's too young!--to be cursed for something she didn't do, so go back and give her a fairy boon! Isn't that the idea of a family curse? That someone has done something so bleedin' awful as to make their innocent descendants suffer for it, too? I ask you?" He glared at an innocent kitten willow by the side of the path. The downy plant looked as if it had been eavesdropping, he thought, but it made no reply to his challenge.

Toomey snorted. "Powers preserve me from the Curiousity of Cats, the Friendliness of Dogs, and above bloody all, the Sheer Bloody-Mindedness of Bloody Hyenas!" he exclaimed in pained memory. He did a little dance for emphasis, shaking his fists at the sky and his feet at the earth.

Then the little man stopped stock still suddenly, staring. "Was this flippin' signpost here when I come this way before?" He glared about him suspiciously. Fairy woodlands stretched away from him on either side, full of strange fairy plants and animals, and no doubt, the even stranger denizens called fairies. Some of whom were not above trying to pull a trick on a traveler, even on a Seelie Knight.

Squinting a bit, Mr. Toomey read the sign, "America do Sud, this-a-way." He pointed. "America do Nord, that-a-way?" He pointed with the other hand, crossing his arms across his chest. Then he scratched his chin with one long, bony index finger after the other. "There's two of 'em?"

While Mr. Toomey wandered his dyspeptic, copasetic, peripatetic way back toward Bobbi Meehan's private mountain, many things could happen in the mortal world. Many things that Mr. Toomey might have prevented had he the will and the presence of mind; indeed, if he were present at all his very presence might have prevented them.

For now that Bobbi's existence has been illuminated by a fairie curse, other supernatural beings may take notice.

* * *

Bobbi and her mother left Perky's by the door into the mall after a satisfyingly high calorie breakfast. Eunice laughed, thinking about the restaurant staff mistaking her son for a girl. "We'll have to spell your name with an 'i' on the end," she teased.

Bobbi blushed, thinking that that would be cute. "Maybe I could draw a little heart over the 'i'?" she suggested, giggling, then she cringed a bit.

That was too much for Eunice. She giggled and snorted enough to embarrass Bobbi for a whole different reason. "Oh! Your father would...." but she stopped herself realizing that she might have to deal with Charlie Meehan's prejudices herself if what she suspected about Bobby turned out to be true. She wiped her eyes and sighed. "Oh, dear," she said quietly.

"Momma?" Bobbi asked quietly.

"What, honey?"

"You won't tell Daddy what happened today--in the restaurant?"

"No, I don't think I will," Eunice agreed. "But as long as we're arranging to keep secrets, is there anything you'd like to tell me?" She looked at Bobby with the patented, You-Might-As-Well-Confess-Now Mother's Gimlet Glare.

"I--I..." Bobbi stammered. On previous occasions she, well, he, had admitted to all sorts of trivial crimes and misdemeanors when subjected to the Glare. "I can't think," she said now. "I can't say it."

"Shall I guess?" Another Mother's Tactic. "You asked me earlier if I'd wished I had a daughter. Well, have you ever wished you were my daughter?"

Bobbi winced. "Something like that?" she said.

"It's your birthday," Eunice mentioned again. "As a birthday present, would you like to find out what it would be like to, well, to be a girl?"

Bobbi nodded before she could even fully take in the question. "I'm...I feel like..." but she couldn't articulate her dilemma, leaving her at the mercy of her mother's guesses about the true situation. My mom thinks I'm some kind of fruit, she cringed inwardly.

Eunice took a deep breath, wondering for a moment where this crazy idea had come from. "Okay, here's the deal. We're going to visit two more shops. If the shop people think you're a girl--without either of us saying anything one way or another--well, then, counting the restaurant, third time's the charm, huh?"

Bobbi swallowed hard.

"Okay?" her mother prompted, nodding.

"Okay," Bobbi agreed. "But how will we know?"

Eunice grinned. "We'll know."

'Third time's the charm' is a very old saying. Another longer version of it is, 'Once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is policy.' Old sayings have a peculiar verity around fairies. So Eunice's choice of a second place of business didn't matter much; however, her decision about a third place for the Bobbi Test would matter a great deal.

"Here we go," said Eunice. "A t-shirt shop." She stopped in front of a colorful display of casual apparel under a sign reading, "Shangri-La and All That - A Magical T-Shirt Place". It wasn't really but the theme fit.

Bobbi cringed but started in.

"I won't say a thing," Eunice promised. "Just go in, tell them it's your birthday and your mom is going to buy you some shirts."

Bobbi nodded. Several times. Then she swallowed and looked at her mother with such an odd, lost look that Eunice wanted to grab her and hug her and tell her things would be okay. Instead she only nodded back. "Go on, try it."

Bobbi sighed and went into the store, really a narrow kiosk built into the mall. Her mother followed. Only the second test of Eunice's impromptu 'Three times the charm,' it didn't really matter much what happened here. But then, none of them knew that at the time.

Bobbi felt certain that she would pass the test, and that certain knowledge scared her. "I am a girl," she thought, "why shouldn't everyone else think I'm a girl?" Scary either way.

The old man running the little kiosk smiled at her or perhaps at Eunice or at both of them. His own shirt had a picture of the band ZZ Top, and the legend, 'Sharp-Dressed Man.' His name tag identified him as, "Roger Beard, Deadhead Plenipotentary," and he wore a small neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper goatee.

"Hi girls," he said cheerfully.

"Um, it's my birthday and Mom, says she'll buy me some shirts?" Bobbi asked, not really noticing that she had already convinced the man of her gender without saying a thing.

"Sure thing, darling," the man drawled. "Some for Mom, too?" He winked at Eunice.

Bobbi almost bolted, thinking at first that the wink had been aimed at her. She glanced at Eunice, who just smiled.

"Not today," Mrs. Meehan said, reflecting that she had been sure that this would happen, and why was that? Shouldn't it surprise her that her son had suddenly developed a talent at female impersonation? But it didn't.

Roger nodded. "Okay, so how old are you, punkin?" He leaned across the little counter to put his face a bit more on her level.

"I'm twelve, no, I mean, I'm thirteen today?" said Bobbi, uncertainly.

The old man nodded. "Yup. Well do you want shirts you can wear to school or ones just for fun? Or ones that will make you Dad say, you're not wearing that out of the house, young lady?" He grinned.

Bobbi and Eunice both chuckled a little nervously. "Just, just ones for fun, sir?"

"Sir!" Roger yelped and Bobbi flinched. "Now, what did I do to deserve you calling me 'sir'? Oh, guess it's because I'm older than your Mom?" He looked sad then winked again. "We've got a sale on, buy two and the third one is free." He waved at the store contents. "That's for everything in the store, but you got to buy two of the same thing--two shirts, or two coffee mugs, or two bumper stickers--to get the third one free. Okay?"

Bobbi nodded, a little confused. She hadn't even noticed that the little shop had such things as coffee mugs and bumper stickers. "I don't drink coffee," she explained.

Roger chuckled. Coming around the counter, he took Bobbi's had gently and led her to the display of teen babydoll tees. "Bet you're a size XS," he said. "You girls like to wear your shirts tight, I know you." He winked again, aiming this one at Eunice who frowned at him.

The old man, perhaps deciding he had pushed things a little too far, dropped Bobbi's hand to take down a bright fuchsia tee with

Princess

in gold and purple glitter on it. "How about this for starters?" he suggested.

Bobbi glanced at her mother. Eunice nodded, feeling just the tiniest bit disconnected from reality. A mental image of Bobby wearing the shirt came to her. So wrong, but she--he!--would look so cute in that! Eunice thought.

"Here's another," said Roger. A deeper rose pink, the second tee read in dark purple lettering:

'I know I'm not
Spoiled!
until Daddy says I am!'

Eunice and Bobbi both giggled at that one. That would probably kill Charlie if he saw Bobby wearing it, thought Eunice. So he'd better not see her! Him.

The pretty feminine colors thrilled Bobbi, she could hardly stop smiling. She knew she had seen her schoolgirl classmates wearing similar shirts last year and right then she wanted to be like all the other girls.

Roger, canny shop owner that he was, knew he'd made two sales alread. He turned to another rack of higher priced items and and picked a longer, dress-length tee in baby pink. A gray and purple cartoon kitten with big green eyes adorned the front of the tee. Red cartoon lettering said:

 Can't never be
Too Cute!

"Nightshirt tee," said Roger. "Good for at least a twenty percent raise in your allowance." He didn't quite leer but fortunately, neither Eunice nor Bobbi were looking at him. "Or you can wear it as a dress. You wanna try any of them on?"

Bobbi nodded a bit numbly. Roger showed her a narrow booth behind the sales counter where she could change. Obediently, she stepped inside, her fingers trembling a bit. In just a few moments, she would be wearing real clothes, girl's clothes. The yellow left over tee that had belonged to Bobbi seemed to itch, she could hardly wait to get it off.

"Close the curtain afore you do that, darlin', " drawled Roger. Blushing, Bobbi quickly pulled the heavy drape closed.

"She's a teenager, now," Roger remarked amiably to Eunice. "You gone have your hands full." He grinned and somehow contrived to waggle his goatee.

Eunice nodded. "I remember being that age," she remarked.

Roger laughed. "Bet you were a pistol," he said.

Boy crazy, thought Eunice. Well, not at thirteen but before I started high school. Heck, I married Charlie six days after my eighteenth birthday, New Years Eve, middle of senior year. She never had graduated and regretted that only occasionally.

A Christmas baby, her parents had christened her Eunice Noelle Biederbecker. Slightly more than sixteen years older, Charlie had turned thirty-four in October, almost twice her age. Eunice shivered, remembering.

Charlie Mean, they'd called him in his football days. College All Star defensive back, eleven years in the NFL before badly torn shoulder ligaments and other accumulated injuries had convinced him to take one of many offers to go into business.

He'd announced his retirement in mid-November that year after the news from the doctors that he'd need at least two operations and a year of therapy before he could safely continue knocking people down by using his body as a missile. "Couldn't wait to get out of Buffalo forever," he'd told the sportswriters. "Gonna move to Los Angeles; they don't have black ice, blizzards or even football there. I don't know that they even remember what it is. Suits me." It got a lot of laughs but it made a lot of his fans mad.

Not that all of Charlie Mean's fans were people who could be easily discouraged by a little sarcasm. Or even a lot; it just added to the legend of Charlie Mean.

Meehan had been a big improvement over Biederbecker, reflected Eunice. But that hadn't been why she married him.

They'd met the summer before at a party before the Bills training camp started. Eunice's boyfriend at the time, the rubber-armed saves leader of the local college baseball team, 'Noodles' Nussbaum, had wangled an invitation to the blowout for them through his coach.

Either that or they'd gate-crashed the party. Probably crashed. Noodles had never made the Big Show, at twenty-one he'd already been a junk ball pitcher, throwing assorted off-speed pitches, anemic fastballs, and a decent if not stellar curve. Funny that she couldn't remember his real first name, now. She could probably look it up, she knew he was a pitching coach in some non-Association midwestern minor league, Eunice considered. But why? She'd backed the right play, picked the right horse, worn the right jersey when she'd dumped Noodles there at the party and became Charlie Mean's latest 'Mean Squeeze'.

No one, not even Charlie, had known her underage status at first. Things had been hot but had cooled off when the season started and she had gone back to high school. She'd been watching the game in October when Riley Underwood of the Saints broke Charlie's shoulder with an illegal block that earned him a four game suspension.

She called the number she had for Charlie, left a message on the machine, and later that night he had called her back. "Hell of a birthday present," he'd slurred, his voice thick with pain-killers. "How about you come out here and keep me company while the doctors figure out if they can fix this?"

He'd bought the ticket for her with his credit card and six hours later, she took the evening flight to Houston where Charlie had been taken to see the shoulder specialists. In less than a week, it really was Charlie's birthday and by that time she must have been pregnant.

During the affair, her parents had been divided about Charlie and her relationship. On the one hand, Didi, her mother, had also married a football hero after a torrid underage romance. But Stack Biederbecker had been only a few weeks older, not a grown man in his thirties with two ex-wives. For his part, Stack considered Charlie one of the most underrated defensive players in the league, but shitfire!, this was his daughter! Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell her not to do as her heart led her. But it wasn't as if Charlie were a Steeler, the hometown favorite team of the little West Virginia village where her parents had grown up.

On Halloween, she'd slipped up and told Charlie that her eighteenth birthday would be on another holiday, two months away. Charlie had hit the ceiling. Literally, he'd been so angry he'd jumped into the air and punched out the light fixture in the hotel room. He'd used his right hand, not the injured left. He hadn't hit her though. After he stopped shouting, he gave Eunice all the money in his wallet and told her to get out of his sight.

She'd been back home with her parents when Charlie announced his retirement, tearful and worried that Charlie Mean had dumped her for good, now that he knew the truth. By Thanksgiving, she knew she was pregnant and a drugstore test kit confirmed it. Weeping, she'd called Charlie's number and left another message on his machine. He'd sent her $500 dollars and told her in a terse note that she knew what she had to do.

She did it. She bought a ticket to Los Angeles and paid for a cab ride to Charlie's apartment with her last fifty dollars. He'd been impressed. Charlie Mean respected her courage and go-for-it attitude. He played football the same way after he'd been told repeatedly that he wasn't quick enough for offense and nor big enough for defense. "Marry me and we keep the kid," he'd said. Not exactly the most romantic of proposals.

Thirteen years later, Charlie Mean was Chaz Meehan, vice-president of media operations for Numinous Entertainment Group. Eunice blinked, startled out of her remiscence by Bobby's emergence from the dressing booth.

Bobbi stood there shyly in the ankle length pink t-shirt with the 'Too Cute' legend. Her tiny breasts made little tents in the fabric and her hips flared just the slightest bit below her delicate waist. Her face glowed in pleasure and embarrassment. "I really like this one, Momma," she said softly. "Can I wear it while we shop?"

"I guess so, honey," Eunice mumbled, numbly. Now she knew what divided feelings over a child felt like. That's my son, she told herself, and she's beautiful.

Bobbi beamed. It was just a simple t-shirt but it was her first dress, her first female clothing. And it felt so good to be wearing it. There were a lot of other things she would need but it was a start.

Roger Beard beamed at them while Eunice paid for their purchases. It did seem to have made a big difference--Bobbi would certainly not be mistaken for a boy now--but in the long run it really didn't matter. It would all depend on which shop they chose for the third test, because the third time really could be the charm.

Notes:

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Comments

After reading the chapters,

After reading the chapters, it seems to me that part of the curse is people can see you are changing or have changed, but when asked you are unable to say what is going on. Mom seems to be partly aware but also acts as if she does not get it. Looking forward to more chapters of this interesting story. Perhaps even with Bobbi actually meeting the Fairy Queen and showing her that her curse is rather a blessing. Now that would really set the Queen back on her heels. J-Lynn

Someday . . .

I enjoyed this story a lot. I know it's been awhile, but I hope you continue it someday!

Loved it

I really enjoyed the story. It's very well written and it's amusing to follow but it's been a long time since it was last posted so I'm guessing there isn't anymore coming. That's really a shame. Oh well maybe one day you'll consider coming back to this? =D

I'm certainly looking forward to more.

giggles

I adore this story, wish I knew how it turns out but maybe this was meant to be the end

Feeling happy & sad

I'm so happy I got to read this story, but I'm a little sad it ended just as things started to get interesting. Of course, I've got a few stories I've started, but never finished, so I don't have any room to talk. Even though I'd love to see more, I'm happy I got to peek into another universe you've created. Thank you so much, Erin! :D

More, please? :)

Hmm. With her wearing that shirt, doesn't that kind of jinx their so-called "experiment"? No way is anyone going to see "Bobby" with her wearing that, no matter what store they pick for the third try. :)

I really liked this. I usually don't care for the brainwashed/mentally altered aspect, but you made it work pretty well. I liked how Bobbi initially tried to hide that she'd changed; it seemed a totally realistic reaction to the situation. It probably would have been Bobby's reaction too, had there not been any extra magical mental changes.

So, ever coming back to write more? Please? :)

UnSub

UnSub

Can't remember

erin's picture

I can't remember what derailed this story but I do remember that I started it because of a lack of currently ongoing stories on BC. Then something happened to cause me to move on to another problem, and when that was solved, my muse was resting on a coat hanger in the downstairs closet. :)

I've never been able to reignite the flame of imagination that was driving this story. I'm very sorry, I'd love to know what happens as much as anyone but I was riding a runaway laenmower down Mt. Everest and had no real idea of what was supposed to be next.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

So now we ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... know that Bobby/Bobbi can't talk about the curse. He has to act like he wants to be a girl - But I'm confused: After the abortive attempt to explain to mom, it seemed as if Bobbi had taken over completely. Since this is a curse, I would think that Bobby would have to be in there somewhere screaming soundlessly about this; it wouldn't be much of a curse if Bobby just disappeared leaving a happy through and through Bobbi.

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

You're confused?

erin's picture

I'm writing this without a map, you know. :)

Bobbi does seem to like this, doesn't she? What kind of curse would that be? I've got some ideas, but I wonder what others think.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Characters

I like the gentle approach to the revelation of his change.

Is the third stop a lingerie shop?

I like the way you identify the characters and interact with them. It allows the reader to identify with them, as we call up our own memories of similar people. A journey to a destination is nothing unless we interact with the people along the way.

Bobby's Dad is shaping up as a scary person! But then what can he do? He can like it or lumpit. Due to his high profile position he will probably try to keep this sex change business a secret. Does that mean he will want Bobby to dress as a Boy?

Bobby seems to be responding as a girl to the various encounters today. Is this due to the faerie glamour forcing a FRT (Female Role Template) upon his pysche?

Keep the chapters coming!

Lynn

Lynn

Private Mountain

What a delightful smorgasboard ! The wonders that surround Bobbi , Mom has a bit of a giggle and Dad is in for a testing time . Not to mention the boon to come. Oh what fun. Keep the episodes rolling,

Holiday speeches flowing with a wet finger.
HUGS,
Sir Earle

Holiday speeches flowing with a wet finger.
HUGS,
Sir Earle

Thanks for commenting...

erin's picture

...glad you're enjoying it. No speculations or suggestions, though? If you're happy just to see where I end up with this, that's fine, too. :)

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Charlie Mean...

erin's picture

...almost ran away with the story, or at least, Eunice's reminiscences of him did, huh? Wonder what he's going to be like when he gets on stage?

An FRT glamour? Interesting idea. I was thinking of it differently but I guess that amounts to almost the same thing. Maybe someone in the story will explain it eventually.

A lingerie shop? Seems obvious but what could go wrong there? Anybody else have an idea why the narrative voice could be building it up so much? I do have a clue on this but if someone has a better idea...?

Glad you like it so far. :)

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

I'm just enjoying this.

I have read the above comments and agree with most. I can't wait to hear what the boon will be. Will the third place seal his fate "third time is policy". and our little friend has traveled in the wrong direction; meaning he will get there to late to reverse the "policy"!

Glad you like it. :)

erin's picture

It's been a lot of fun to write so far and not having a plot or ending in mind, I'm just letting the characters invent stuff to do. I'm wondering how the three wishes will be used same as everyone else. :)

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Has to be shoe's

It has to be a pair of new shoes as the 3rd test.She/he hates her/his boy cloths and what 13 yr old girl in a long pink sleepsirt that says 'Too Cute' dosn't want a pair of pink tennies to go with it.

love it so for can't wait for more.
Thelma

That's a cute thought

erin's picture

Shoes and lingerie have been suggested. I thought of jewelry, myself but there are other possibilites.

Glad you like it. :)

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

I would think ...

Jezzi Stewart's picture

... would be a good choice, where there are male, female, and androgynous things all together, and suddenly He/she is free of the curse, but doesn't know it, to buy an item. Wiill it be an evening gown or a chain saw? OR Perhaps a book store and the type of book she buys shapes her future - Will she buy a Jane austin novel or a Mickey Spillane - if Mickey, will she be a lady detective or the lady who always enters Mike Hammer's office - "She walked into my office like jello on Springs. I knew right away she spelled Trouble."

"All the world really is a stage, darlings, so strut your stuff, have fun, and give the public a good show!" Miss Jezzi Belle at the end of each show

BE a lady!

Jello on Springs

erin's picture

Oh, come on, Jezzi. :) She's only 13. LOL.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

No stereotypes please

I was reading and I got sickened to my stomach when I saw the part where she said seemed like she was going to give up video games. I don't like stereotypes sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, I'm sorry if I seem that way. videogames are not JUST for boys, every girl I know plays video games, as do I, so I'm sorry I just get upset when people say that video games are only for boys. Sorry...

--
Just a normal tg girl in a cruel cruel world.
Tiffany

I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D

That was the point. It IS a s

erin's picture

That was the point. It IS a stereotype that girls don't play video games. Most of the other things she said had to do with stereotypes too.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Oh I see, sorry then

Sorry I didn't mean to make you upset, please forgive me kay? Also, I see, what an evil curse too, it isn't right to force a change on someone you know. OH Oh I forgot, sorry, I really like the way you write, it is a good story. Good luck kay?
--
Just a normal tg girl in a cruel cruel world
But someday I hope to see a light in the darkness

Tiffany

I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D

No problem

erin's picture

LOL. I'm not upset, Tiffany, except perhaps at myself that I had not made that point better in the story. :)

I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I hope to have a new chapter up next week, been moving this week.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Glad To Hear...

...that a new chapter will be out soon! :)
Hmmm, I haven't commented on ch 3. Ooooops!

Well, the one thing I should really mention is that Bobbi wearing that nightshirt out of the store as a dress is cheating. Bobbi and her Mom are basically participating in a magical experiment, 'Third Time's the Charm', and the rules were set at the beginning that neither of them would do anything special to influence the outcome. So, the magic in their situation should cause Mom to change her mind about letting Bobbi wear it to the next store. Besides, without the proper accessories to go with the nightshirt, like a belt and broach, I figure that a lot of people will realize that the nightshirt is a nightshirt and not a dress. It's just too long to be in style as a dress. :)

"Nobody mentions the flipping enormous hyenas they have in bloody Africa, do they?" *snicker* Toomey is becoming a fun character in the story. I realize that Toomey's confusion over there being two American continents could get Toomey to loss focus on the time in the mortal world he is aiming for, 'Time can slip through the grasp of even the canniest of Fairies',but make sure you don't give the impression that Toomey might have gotten lost. For Toomey to have found Bobby at all, he must have been given some kind of locator spell by the Queen. So, Toomey couldn't possibly go off to South America by mistake.

'Third Time's a Charm', Old sayings have a peculiar verity around fairies.
Now this has possibilities. There are a lot of other old sayings whose power effects fairies that apparently will now effect Bobbi as well if they are spoken in her presence. Have any more ideas along this line to make Bobbi's life interesting? :)

'For now that Bobbi's life has been illuminated by a Fairie curse, other supernatural beings may take notice'.
Tsk, your just being sadistic now. :) You would think that curses can't be that unusual in the Fairie realm for most of them to care one way or the other. Can other supernaturals tell by looking at Bobbi what the nature of the curse is, or whether the curse is a Royal curse from the Queen? The power of the curse might, at first glance, give the impression that Bobbi was a young untrained mage to some supernaturals. That could cause some interesting confusion. :)

Sorry this is so late. Looking forward to the next chapter. :)
KenJ

Nice comments

erin's picture

Thanks, I really enjoyed your comments. I'm still hoping to post a new chapter by this weekend but the move I'm making got very complicated, so it isn't done yet. Maybe by Thursday I can relax and do some writing.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Is there more?

I really like this story, and even though it doesn't appear to have been updated in over a year, I would very much enjoy another installment. Any plans to continue it at all?

I'd love to continue this

erin's picture

I do have a sort of general outline in my head but I was writing this as comments came in then real life interrupted. Someday I will get back to this, I hope. It was lots of fun to write. :)

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.