The Little Ones

It wasn't long till the children were drooling from the smell of the potato pancakes, "You can come out and eat whenever you are ready." Epione told the children who were shocked that she knew that they were hiding in the bushes as she was placing the plates of food on a table that she made from plants, "I have extra if you want to bring it back to your other friends." It wasn't hard to figure that there were others back where they were coming from since they would often take the food back instead of eating the food straight away. Epione began to wrap the extra food into another basket and place it on the same table before turning away into the greenhouse to check on the medicinal plants that the nymphs were trying to fasten the growth process.

However, Epione went to dismiss the nymphs so that they could replenish their energy. It wasn't long till the children began to rush to the table grabbing the basket as well as the food. Crouching on the ground as they ate the food in a ravishing manner since it had been a very long since they had eaten a hot meal. The civil war that wreaked havoc on the kingdom had caused them to lose everything that they had; their family, their homes, and their livelihood. Tears befall as they finished their food with their bellies full and the sadness overcame them. Epione was surprised to hear crying in the front garden and she quickly went to check on the children who had finished their meal but she didn't know why they had been crying. Rushing over to see if the child was harmed in any way, fearing that they had an unknown illness that Epione didn't unaware of.

However, the children crawl over to Epione with their tear-stricken faces embracing the beautiful fairy who was so kind to have given them her food. The children had climbed Epione to hug her knowing they could give nothing back to her, "Mummy! Mummy!" They continuously called Epione their mummy seemly since they had no maternal figure in their life anymore. Epione could only feel heartbreak hearing them call her their mother yet she was a different life form in comparison to them. But, there was a sense of familiarity with these children she felt that happened in her past.

Epione gently went to wipe each child's tears with her sleeve as she sat down on the ground in front of her, "You can live here if you want!" Epione could barely keep up with how much the children were crying since her sleeves were quickly soaked with tears and snot, "Bring your other friends here as well since I have plenty of rooms left over." She offered them shelter in her home since she was mainly alone in the house by herself tending to the gardens, magic folk, and the animals in the forest. She was quite lonely by herself. The oldest one lead the way while the twins took her by the hands each one on both sides. They toddled over into the forest where they would escape from her leading her into the desolate part of the forest that was completely dried up since the mana leyline couldn't sustain that area anymore from its weakened power.

Epione was led into the cave where there were four other children; one that was a similar age to the oldest child but was very skinny to the point of malnutrition, a small baby in the arms of the sickly child, and two small children younger than the twins who hid behind the sickly child. The children were all scared of the sudden appearance of Epione who had followed the healthiest and fit children. The cave had the pungent smell of sickness whereas there were beds of dried-up grass on the ground surrounding a small fire in the middle. There were only two blankets; one for the baby and the other to cover the rest of the children. However, the blanket was horridly stinky from the infrequent cleaning. The three children who had led her to this cave immediately went to reassure the scared child saying that she was offering them shelter and food.

Epione tilted her head as she crouched to the ground approaching the child holding the baby in his arms, "Come with me," Epione offered her hands to the sickly child who went to grab onto the offered hand with his weak arms. However, the sickly child began to cough violently as he struggle to breathe. Epione took the baby from the sick child's arm, "All of you have stayed in this forsaken part of the forest for far too long and we must go quickly to save your friend." Handing it off to the oldest child before carrying the sickly child in her arms. She rushed the three children to guide the rest to the forest before flying ahead to her home.

The nymphs immediately came forth from their tree abode as they saw a sick child in the arms of their High Fairy guardian, "My Lady, that child." The nymphs surrounding Epione who was rushing into the house, "He is very ill and malnourished for a human child." The nymphs stared at the sickly child with worry knowing for well that he would probably not survive without any medical attention.

Epione quickly went to wrap the child in some warm blanket that she had used in the winter before coming to the mortal realm and placing him on a couch, "You think I don't know that?" Something urgently was nudging at Epione's heart that was painful and scary, "Call for the Caladrius." Epione asked for the nymphs to seek out the Caladrius bird. Though Epione was well trained with magic. High Fairy magic was not meant for healing at most for energising, preventing, and minimal healing for flesh wounds. A cawing of a bird resounded throughout the forest and a majesty snow-white bird came down landing on the window where Epione had opened. The bird watched the sickly boy staring at him without looking away before placing its head against the boy's forehead before turning away and flying up to the sky towards the sun.

This is good news as the sickly boy's complexion was much better in comparison to before. The nymphs had harvested some medicinal plants which would be stored in some moss to keep them fresh. Epione had been making some medicine with some alcohol and cottonwood buds. Some gnomes obtained the alcohol through destroyed and abandoned distilleries but here had been a couple of bottles that had survived the wreckage. Epione had been allowing the cottonwood buds to marinate in the alcohol that she had received from the gnomes. It had also been infused into the alcohol where Epione diluted some of the cottonwood alcohol infusion into some warm water. She grabbed a spoon as well as gently propped the boy up with pillows before spooning some medicine into his mouth.

The door crashed open with the other four of the children tumbling to the floor while the oldest stood behind them carrying the baby in his arms, "Did you heal him?" The oldest one spoke as he walked over to the previously sickly boy who was now comfortably sleeping, "Thank you for saving him." The eldest boy cried before slumping to the ground. The other rushed over to him as they tried to comfort him.

Epione placed her hand on the resting boy's hand before a small blue light began emitting from her hand, "No, the Caladrius was the one that healed him." The boy slowly began to wake as he stared at Epione with a dazed look like she was a divine being, "You have come around, that's good." Epione, when to check his temperature by using her hand before she stood up grabbing some of the potato pancakes from the table that were meant for Epione to eat for lunch by it, had become cold. She began heating it up gently with some fire. Epione spun her hand around the potato pancake to use some wind to make a barrier of sorts before putting it on top of a small fire that she had produced with her other hand. It was another way of heating food without the use of a pan.

As she was heating a couple of potato pancakes. Multiple stomachs began to growl at the smell of the pancake as she was heating them up which caused her to laugh. The potato pancake soon was hot enough to eat as she placed them onto a plate before serving them to the children who immediately grabbed a piece before digging into the pancakes. Epione had to ask the magic folk to find a cow or a goat so that she could feed the baby. They all complied as they rushed off in all sorts of directions in the forest to find what their High Fairy was asking from them. The sight of the children eating her food. It made her feel happy. After they were done with the food. A nymph had brought a goat which bleats for its arrival, "My lady, the goat that you requested." The goat was tied outside to a post with some rope tied around its neck before Epione took out a container but paused as she was still in front of the goat, "Is there something wrong with the goat?" The nymph inquired as she turned to look at the goat but saw that nothing looked out of the ordinary to them.

Epione stared at the container before looking back at the goat, "I don't know how to retrieve milk from a goat to feed the baby." She was completely left stumped on how to retrieve the milk. The eldest boy took the container from her hand and began milking the goat for her under there was nothing left in the container. He was about to fill up half of the container before handing the container to the twins who went to spoon-feed the baby the milk that was retrieved. Soon, the eldest child who was on the couch took the baby before propping the baby's chest on his shoulder where he began to gently hit the baby on the back. Epione watched them in fascinating. Never knowing that this was the way to look after the baby let alone milk a goat. It wasn't long before the baby released a burp which immediately began to make a cooing sound out of happiness.

Now, that was hunger issue was solved. It was not time for hygiene. These children would have barely been able to take care of themselves. This meant that they could have gotten sick like the older one who was nearly on his death bed, "My Lady, shall I take them to a bath in the lake?" The nymph asked as she got ready to assist the children in their bath.

Epione nodded her head as she began to open a cupboard where there was fabric laying around that could be perfect to make some clothes for the children to sleep in for the night, "If you could then I would very much appreciate it." She began to grab some threads and needles to begin making the clothes. But, before they left to bathe in the lake. Epione took their rough measurement before she began patterning, cutting, and sewing the fabrics to make some undergarments and nighttime clothes. It was like an unconscious movement for Epione who never learned how to sew, not that she was aware of. She pushed the thought away as she began to make the clothes. It was a quiet meditative moment for Epione who was making the clothes in silence and without her realising it had become dark. A candle was lit and was placed near her, "Thank you, Lisa, if you don't mind could you make some mint tea for me?" Epione stared up at the person that was in front of her dryad but she was immediately met with disappointment as she mistook the dryad for someone else.

The dryad immediately bowed their head, "My Lady, is that what you wish to call me?" Being bestowed a name by a High Fairy was the grandest honor to any magical being. It was a life bond till the High Fairy passed. However, it was a bond that was sacred and not something easily entered into unless both parties requested it. However, this was the fault of Epione who thought that this dryad was someone that was familiar through the image of the person was very fuzzy.

Epione tried to rub her temples to help bring up the memory but nothing came to mind, "I'm sorry but it's my fault for calling you that name but I thought you were someone familiar to me." She apologised to the dryad who didn't take any offense to the mistake. She continued to take her place nearby so that she could protect her but also serve her whenever she needed it. Epione manage to finish up all the clothes for the children before they came back and she began to create some makeshift beds surrounding the fireplace in her living room. She didn't have another room for the children to sleep in but for now, this would do for the night. Making the extra rooms for the children could be done tomorrow. The beds were made of compacted cotton so that the children won't sleep on the hard ground as well as soft pillows to accompany each bed.

A cot was made by the dryad who used her powers to create one out of branches so that Epione could add the compacted cotton for the baby to sleep on. She began thinking about what other things children needed, toys. But, she had no materials to use to make the toys, "My Lady, the children, and the nymph have returned from the lake." From the window plane, the children were covered in some cloth fashioned to cover the children, and Epione went to welcome them in.

Epione quickly ushered the children into the house before helping them to dress into undergarments and nighttime clothes before she went to dry their hair from their bath, "Come now, children, I must apologise that you will have to endure the night on these beds." She quickly moved them to the compacted cotton beds on the bed, "Since I have no room at the moment and the magic folk that could construct your room is currently resting for the night." However, the children rushed over to their beds in excitement seeing the comfortable beds for the night as they had to sleep on the cold stone floor night previous to tonight. It was soft to the touch and once the covers were over them it instantly warmed them.

Epione took the baby from the nymph's arms and began to place them in the cot and began to sleep soundly within seconds, "Thank you so much for saving us." The boy who was previously sick thanked Epione profusely as he watched the other children begin to slowly succumb to sleepiness. Epione smiled as she patted the boy's head before a small light was emitted from her hand causing his body to move to the empty bed and began to rest immediately.