The Sun Veil - Pt. 3

Aerya had made new curtains for Fiona’s room. The jigsaw puzzle pieces were reconnected in an intricate mosaic. The new curtains were many layered, made from the old curtains, and the sheet. These individual pieces of fabric were different too; Aerya had used the sewing needle to push the threads in the fabric into different patterns. Light came through brighter in some areas, darker in others, making the curtains seem like a view to a different world. Like frost on a window in winter, these curtains had intricate patterns and spilled beauty into the room.

“Aerya, these are gorgeous!”

“Check that out,” said Aerya, pointing at the wall and jumping up and down with excitement, her black hair bouncing on her shoulders.

Fiona turned and saw that the light passing through the curtains made a picture on the wall. In fact, it made two pictures, since Fiona had a corner room with two windows. Side by side on the wall was a picture of Fiona, and Aerya.

“Oh, Aerya, this is awesome!”

The two girls projected on the wall were smiling. Fiona could make out her features in the sun beam picture, right down to the tiny scar between her eyebrows. It was crisp as a photograph, yet unlike any photo Fiona ever saw. Aerya was also exactly portrayed by the light cast on the wall. Yet the pictures were so light, it was as if both girls were ghosts, shimmering and hovering on the wall.

“Aerya, this is amazing!”

“Do you like them?”

“Oh Aerya, this is the most incredible present I ever got! This is magical!” Fiona was standing by the wall, running her hand over the surface, watching her own face appear on her hands.

“It’s called a Sun Veil. My mother taught me how to do it. In the fairy world, we make them for our best friends.”

“How many have you made?” Fiona turned her head to look at Aerya.

Aerya blinked, her eyes liquid soft, then she tilted her head bashfully. She smiled a little.

“This is the first Sun Veil I ever made.”

Fiona swooped over and hugged Aerya, squealing and squeaking in excitement.

“Thank you so much! Oh, Dad is going to love these!”

“Didn’t I say it would be alright?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t I say you would understand?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t I say to wait and see?”

“Oh come on, Aerya - you were right, get over it!” Fiona laughed along with Aerya. 

As the two girls cleaned up the scraps and threads, the air shifted in the room, causing the curtains to wave. When Fiona saw the Sun Veil pictures made by the moving curtains, it looked like the pictures were laughing. They put the ‘good scissors’ away, back in the drawer under the pad of paper, and soon there was no trace of the project.

That evening they were in their bedroom, playing a little before bed. Aerya was trying to teach Madigan Marbles to hold up his furry paw. Fiona was resolving a fight between Blubbanol and Baby Mushroom. Aerya got up and looked out the windows.

“What are you looking for?” asked Fiona.

“I’m waiting until the time is right.”

“For what?”

“To show you the other side of the Sun Veil.”

Putting Baby Mushroom aside, Fiona got up and stood next to Aerya.

“You mean, they do more?”

“Yes. The best comes at night.”

“Like Santa,” said Fiona.

Aerya pulled away from Fiona, and looked at her a little worried.

“You talk about this Sanda Claws like he was someone you want to know. Fiona, he scares me.”

“Aerya, it’s not ‘claws’, like dragon claws. It’s spelled different.”

Aerya rolled her eyes.

“No matter how you spell it, danger is still a danger. I hope that we will be safe from Sanda Claws.”

Fiona made an exasperated sound. She had tried to explain her favorite holiday hero, the loving stranger dressed in red. It went well until she said the name, Santa Claus, and Aerya became alarmed. No matter how she, Maggie, or Aerya’s other friends tried to explain Santa, Aerya always backed away, as if Santa might appear at any moment!

“How long do we have to wait?”

“Just a little longer. Let’s turn the light off and get into bed.”

They did. Fiona waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. 

“Well, now what?”

“Wait,” said Aerya, “just wait.”

Fiona looked at the ceiling, rubbing her toes together. She could hear her dad watching a movie in the living room. When he came by to check that their light was out, he would be pleased that they were already in bed. When the light was off, he never opened the door to check on them, which gave Aerya and Fiona lots of time to talk at night. Sometimes they would smuggle in a flashlight, heap the covers on themselves, and read or draw or play a game. Until Fiona could not stand the hot air, then she would turn off the flashlight and throw off the covers, gasping. Tonight, there was no flash light or hot covers. It was just waiting, until Aerya said,

“Fiona, look at the pictures now.”

Fiona looked where the earlier images of her and Aerya appeared on the wall. They were gone, but lower down, she saw a silver gray patch on the wall.

“Keep watching. The moon is almost perfect.”

The silver grey patch grew clearer. Then, as if a switch was flipped, the image was crisp on the wall.

She saw a scene with rocks, and water streaming down to a pool. Around the pool were enormous flower buds on thin stems. Away to the right was a dragon. It was drawn in silver, accented with gray and black. The scene was so clear, Fiona felt as if she could take a step and feel the water on her toes. 

“Can you see it?” asked Aerya in a whisper.

“This is fantastic! Aerya, where is that place?”

“It is a place in the fairy world that is supposed to exist. No one has seen it, but they say that dragons go there to drink. There is something special in the water. They say that if you are there when the flowers open, you’ll never leave. Hold on, there’s more.”

Aerya stood up in the bed, and raised the window a little. The air made the curtains flutter. Fiona clapped and exclaimed.

“Aerya, the picture is moving!”

As she watched, the water flowed, the flowers opened, and the dragon flapped its wings. Over and over, flowers burst into bloom, the dragon flew, and water rippled on the wall. It was a moving picture, indeed!

“How do you like it now?”

“Aerya, I will never get a better present! Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of them lay on the bed, silent, friends watching the magical pictures made by the Sun Veil until they fell asleep.

-- The End --

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