Helen had to play her cards right if she was not going to end up captive of the fairy folk for all of eternity. Having found out she had been tricked into this position by her fiancé’s mother and finding out that there was only one way out of this other than giving up her sweetheart, she started to prepare.
First of all she had to convince Brigid that she was unaware and uninterested in fairy stories and that she wanted them to be friends. This wasn’t too difficult as after the visit to old Mr O’Neill, Brigid immediately asked her if Helen had been told any stories about their family.
‘Oh yes,’ she replied,’ but he is terribly old isn’t he? He has a very strong accent as well, if it doesn’t sound rude. I just haven’t got the ear for it yet.’
Brigid was obviously relieved at this and so they relaxed together into a pseudo mother-daughter relationship, but all the time Helen was trying to work out how she would get Brigid to repeat the words that would release her from the spell and make Brigid her substitute. Apparently it had to be said voluntarily.
Brigid was surprised when Helen suddenly said, ‘Oh I remembered one of the things that the old man said.’
‘Uncle Oren, do you mean?’ Brigid asked with a frown.
‘Yes, sorry. He said something about fairies not releasing people from spells unless they repeated the curse in some way or the other. So the curse on your family…’
Brigid choked and coughed on the digestive she was eating.
‘…are you ok?’ Brigid nodded and wiped her eyes. Helen was returning her wedding shoes to their box. ‘Sean says there is supposed to be a curse of some sort on you all – which is stupid because you’re all rich and happy –and it has to be said out loud. Hmmm like…’ She was struggling to come up with how to do this but was very aware she was to be married tomorrow and didn’t want it to be to the fairy king. Brigid unknowingly helped her.
‘What, I remove the curse by saying…?’
Helen butted in ‘By becoming a substitute for the bride.’
‘By becoming a substitute for the bride?’ Brigid asked bemused.
‘Yes, by becoming a substitute for the bride.’
‘By becoming a substitute for the bride.’ She repeated thoughtfully
Helen could hardly breathe. She thought she detected a change in the air pressure and a faint, distant drum but decided it was her own heartbeat.
‘Right I’m going for a long soak in the bath’ she said and gathering up her things left a slightly less relaxed Brigid to her thoughts.
Outside, around the whole house, a wall of mist within which all sorts of shapes could be imagined, awaited the coming day. (follow the wedding shoes link to find the other chapters and continue reading)