The Beggar Fairy Queen

The Four Corners of the World

With her mind firm in resolve, Queen Alicia set out to the cross roads of Ce`ile and the four corners of the world.  Her fairy kingdom would not worry or be concerned in her absence.  Queen Alicia often set off unannounced to visit with other fairy kingdoms across the world.  She would be gone only a month on these visits, and this quest would last a month.

Standing at the crossroads Queen Alicia noted here was a path to the Blue Mist Mountains where the fairies lived and she had just come.  There was another path to the kingdom of Ce`ile where the humans dwelled.  This was a place the fairies rarely visited.  The humans often damaged the fairies wings when they tried to capture and cage them as oddities.  It was not good to be a fairy in the kingdom of Ce`ile.

Another path led to East World of fearsome creatures, and to the West World of great waters and sea creatures.

Contemplating her quest, the need to learn how to beg, and not be identified as a fairy had Queen Alicia so focused she did not hear the arrival of a great white Destrier.  Queen Alicia first became aware of the steed when its shadow spread over her like a spider’s web. 

Queen Alicia turned to see the iron shoes of the great horse.  Her eyes traveled upward past the great muscled legs and up to the massive head with long white mane.  The Destrier shook its head haughtily and snorted disdainfully.

Upon the great horse rode a man dressed in an armor that was dirty and rusted.  It was a full suit of rusted armor that turned to speak to someone behind him.  It looked like a large bundle of rags.  “This is far enough little ragamuffin,” said the giant knight in a voice as tight and rusted as his armor.

Queen Alicia warily stepped away from the snorting horse as the bundle of rags detached itself from the saddle behind the knight and climbed down the massive Destrier’s flanks.

The bundle of rags turned into a little girl dressed in a patchwork of multi colored cloth items.  The little girl gave the knight a curtsey as elegant as any fine lady would do and said, “I thank you for the wonderful ride and company, good sir.”

The knight glanced down upon the Fairy with multi colored wings, “It appears that I will leave you in fine company, little ragamuffin.”  The knight reined his Destrier until it turned to return to the land of the West where great sea creatures lived.  The knight gave a salute to the two travelers. 

Queen Alicia thought she heard a chuckle from the knight and watched him disappear from sight.  She wondered out loud, “Who is that strange and quite odd knight?”

The little ragamuffin interested in everything and quite bright for her age, piped in, “It is said this knight has been here for a very long time.  He is like ‘Goodness’ and ‘Truth’ which sometimes seem a bit worn and silly, nonetheless they are still an important part of life.”

Queen Alicia was astounded.  This was a wise and deep thought for such a poor little girl like ragamuffin.  She did not know the child’s name as yet and determined that the title of Ragamuffin quite suited her.  Where did such wisdom come from in a child so young and most likely quite uneducated?  She pondered the fact that as a Fairy Queen she never had thoughts such as these and merely participated in the fairy gossip.

The little girl picked up her tattered bag and motioned to Queen Alicia to begin the long walk into the Kingdom of Ce`ile.  “It’s quite a long walk, but we should easily arrive there by nightfall.”

Ragamuffin’s curiosity was piqued by the beautiful and well dressed fairy queen standing in the middle of the crossroads.

“Where are you bound?” Ragamuffin inquired sweetly.

“I am bound to venture in the Kingdom of Ce`ile.  There I must fulfill a promise,” Queen Alicia replied tentatively.  There had been an instant feeling of trust for this child.  Perhaps it was because an old, but noble knight had given the child a ride to the crossroads.  Truth be told, it was the acts of politeness, her sweet tone of voice, and most of all her seemingly inherent wisdom.  Queen Alicia felt she could trust this child.

“Fulfill a promise?” Ragamuffin chuckled.  “It sounds as if my beautiful fairy is on a quest.”

“It truly is a quest,” Queen Alicia responded now aware of the real purpose for the cursed soldier.  No one should be cursed in the world for trying to do the right thing with the best intentions.  The sorceress was wrong.  There are good people in the world.  Queen Alicia truly believed this.  It seemed to her that Ragamuffin was one of these truly good people.  Queen Alicia and Ragamuffin began to make the long walk into the Kingdom of Ce`ile.  Queen Alicia told Ragamuffin the story of the cursed soldier and how she must beg to receive the most valuable things to end the curse of the sorceress.  She also explained to Ragamuffin who she was and her total inexperience in the ways of begging and what was valuable to humans.

Ragamuffin had a kind heart and offered to help the Fairy Queen learn how to beg.  Ragamuffin explained that humans valued coins and these coins were needed for food, shelter, and clothing in the Kingdom of Ce`ile. 

Queen Alicia was grateful and appreciative of this Ragamuffin.  She noted that Ragamuffin had not asked for any part of the begging or a reward for helping.  Truly this was a kind and good child.

{

Queen Alicia and Ragamuffin had walked for about an hour when they passed several travelers on their way to the land of waters and sea creatures to do some trading.  They stared at the two for an unnatural and considerable amount of time.  The travelers conversed with each other and there was no doubt their conversation was about the fairy and the ragamuffin.

Although Queen Alicia had felt quite uncomfortable the entire time that group of travelers had stared and talked about them, she had not said anything to Ragamuffin.  In fact, she didn’t really know what to say about it.  A fairy queen had never encountered such behavior.

Ragamuffin was quite aware of such ingrained prejudices.  She was quite worldly with her experiences in childhood begging.  Something needed to be done as she was aware of the problem at hand.  “This is a bit embarrassing to say, but it must be said,” Ragamuffin stated solemnly.  “If we are to travel together and I am to help teach the art of begging, we should appear to look similar.  Drawing too much attention might be dangerous.”

“I do know it is dangerous for fairies in the Kingdom of Ce`ile, but what can I do?” Queen Alicia sighed.  “I am committed to ending the soldier’s curse.”

“A costume would be in order,” Ragamuffin replied firmly.  “We shall make you up to look the part of a beggar.  You are far too pretty and well dressed to be a beggar.”

Ragamuffin rummaged through her tattered bag and pulled out a quilt of warm brown earth colors.  “We will wrap this around you.”

At first it was little hard to get Queen Alicia’s wings folded comfortably under the quilt and cover her head.  Once that was accomplished, Ragamuffin lifted some moist dirt from the road and smeared it upon Queen Alicia’s cheeks, forehead, and chin.  Ragamuffin stood back to look at her handiwork.  She remarked proudly, “There that’s much better.”

The two looked very much alike now.  They looked like simple beggars walking down the road looking for alms from the wealthy.

Ragamuffin had reason to be pleased with her work since not too much further down the road they encountered more travelers.  These were rough looking and burly men.  They were probably hunters on the road to the East World.  In that world they could hunt large, but dangerous animals.  It would be a profitable business bringing back the meat of those large creatures to sell in butcher shops for coin in the Kingdom of Ce`ile.

The travelers paid the two beggars little mind as they passed.  Ragamuffin’s costume for the Fairy Queen had worked.  It worked well enough that the travelers tossed coins into the Queen Alicia’s broken bowl.

The generosity of the hunters truly surprised Queen Alicia.  “That seemed easy enough,” she whispered to Ragamuffin while watching the hunters continue down the road.  “I would consider that lot to be least likely to give anything away.  I had not asked for what they gave me.”

Ragamuffin laughed heartily, “And you seem to be the least likely person who would want to become a beggar.  Life would not be interesting if there were no surprises, now would it?”

Queen Alicia had to agree with Ragamuffin.  Her life was indeed more interesting since she took on this quest and meeting the ragamuffin.  Living in the Crystal Caves had kept her sheltered from the world.  In the Caves as the Fairy Queen her world had been limited to her and the fairy gossip.  There was a bigger purpose to life and this experience she was certain would make her a better queen.  She understood the Fairy Lynette and her interest in communicating with the human magician.  This quest was becoming a most an interesting adventure.

{

Nearing the boundary of Ce`ile’s capitol city, Ragamuffin and Queen Alicia noticed three small bundles ahead on the road.  As they approached nearer one of the bundles stood and spoke.  “Are you the child merchants?

What a totally absurd question that was.  Queen Alicia and Ragamuffin looked at each other showing surprise.  They looked like beggars, didn’t they?  Both had heard the stories of these evil and cruel men selling children into slavery throughout different kingdoms.

“We are most definitely not!” Ragamuffin exclaimed in high dudgeon.  “Why is it you ask such a question when every child hides in fear of being carried off by these evil hunters?”

“Aye tis true we’ve heard before and run,” mumbled a child still huddled in a bundle and quaking.

“Please understand mistresses,” the one standing offered in explanation. “We come from a poor and large family.  Things have been very hard of late; there has been little work for my father.  Our father loves us all, but to feed us he has to sell his tools.”

“If he sells his tools to feed us,” the middle bundle stated timidly.  “Then when work comes, he will have no tools.  Either way, there are too many children and no coins for food.”

“We cannot let our father sell his tools,” The child standing said stubbornly.  “We thought if we sold ourselves to the child merchants, they would give the coin to our father and mother.  Then our family could eat and there would be fewer mouths to feed.”

Ragamuffin’s dropped open in disbelief.  Her usual polite and soft voice was firm and powerful in reprimand.  “That is positively the worst plan I have ever heard.  Your thinking is quite defective.  In the first place would keep any coin they had for themselves.  They would never allow you to return to your mother and father.  They would keep you and their coin.  You are completely foolish in your thinking.  Your parents who love you would have lost you forever.  Never try anything like this again.”

Ragamuffin looked at Queen Alicia’s bowl filled with the coins from the travelers.  She put her hand in the bowl and took all the coin to give to the children.

“Go home and remember that your are more important to your parents than any coin or anything the child merchants would have given them even if they were a mind too, which they would not give them anything,” Ragamuffin scolded.  “Be grateful you have a family.  Treasure them as others do not.  A family can face the good and bad together as long as they are family.”

The children left bidding the Fairy Queen and Ragamuffin gratitude and blessings.

Queen Alicia did not attempt to prohibit Ragamuffin from giving the children the coin.  She was however surprised when Ragamuffin did so.  She turned Ragamuffin around to look her straight in the eye and asked, “How is it possible to fill this bowl if we keep giving it away?”

“Your bowl will be filled with my help when we arrive in the city.  I know the city well and I am proficient in begging.  There is plenty of coin to fill your bowl with overflowing.  If coin is what you truly need to help the soldier in your quest, it will be there,” Ragamuffin comforted.  Her sweet and kind voice had returned.  “I know you understood these children and their family had an urgent need for the coin right now.  You know that is more important.”

Queen Alicia did understand.  The plight of the family was more important than any specific coins that could be gotten again and somewhere else.  She wasn’t even certain why coins seemed so important.  The fairies certainly had no need of these coins.  It was important to find the most valuable objects to humans.  Since coins seemed to be of such value, perhaps it didn’t matter what coins filled the bowl.  It was more important to care for those poor children.  Queen Alicia was amazed at the compassion the children showed for their parents.  These children loved their family so much they were willing to sacrifice themselves to a potentially frightening fate.