War of Djinn and Men Part 1.

When I enter the Leprechaun home, I’m grateful for the very tall ceilings. Whatever height I’ve gained would have made this uncomfortable. I instantly stopped that thought from shock and awe. The walls are all bookshelves literally top to bottom with 2 ladders on each side. Which are also mounted in the ceiling and floor. So, they look like they can roll along their wall of books as needed. And these shelves are all packed to full capacity with books and what look’s to be scrolls. Continuing to check these new surroundings, there are no windows at all. I see 2 fireplaces at opposite ends of the main room. There is only wood in the fire itself, but not extra to tend the fire. The next thing to catch my eye is a chandelier, which is actually giving light like its powered. I stop dead in my tracks and just stare at it. Aoife chimes in, “More Leprechaun magic boy, the diamonds are enchanted and simply illuminate. We can adjust it how we see fit, giving us better reading light.” I look down again and there is Timous, looking back with a warm smile. Which so far seems to be honest, and constant. “This was the Djinns chair, we made it for him. I think you'll fit just fine boy.” I make my way to a sturdy looking wood rocking chair, and slowly sit. And we start a very painful, grief striking story about what had happened.

We stop for a bit, drink some amazing tea. Then, Timous and his wife start to teach me about both the worlds we are from including countless similarities and differences. And I explore this amazing room with my eyes with absolute fascination. Turns out, the leprechaun's absolutely love information. And with that being said, they also love to practice the information they have learned and try to perfect all of it. Cooking, salves, potions, illusions and so much more. Even little things like tea drinking, they absolutely take it beyond the next level. Since they live so damn long, the trial-and-error means nothing to them. They already have all the time in the world.

As I walk out of the main room, I spot Timous. Hands back-to-back. Palm to sky and palm to ground and spreads his hands toward the floor and ceiling. I see the door leading to the outside world grow to my height, in this small hallway, with more books and with 3 doors. The door to the right leads to the kitchen, what they have is big. As you enter, the wall you face is again filled with books. Thousands of recipes, from making seasoning blends right to 4 course meals start to finish. There are even substitution books. To the left. A sink with a hand pump to a well, with plenty of utensils and counter space. You know they could cook for dozens in a catering event. Now to the right of everything else I can see a massive iron cooking contraption. On closer inspection the furthest right half of the cooking contraption looks like multiple ovens stacked together. The left end looks like a huge cast iron griddle and an oven. When I think about what I'm looking at, I realize on the other side of the wall where this cooking contraption is vented, Is the fireplace. As an Hvac guy I tell myself to circle back and check that. Probably being the one thing, I'll understand here. Aoife points to the back right in the corner, a small door. I walk up and look at it. As I'm ready to ask, “What's this?” she slaps the door with her right hand lightly, she puts her hands back-to-back palms to the ground and sky. And slowly separates them moving up and down. And the door stretches, slowly expanding to my height. The door isn't like what we have on earth, the bottoms are 90-degree angles. And the head tapers to a triangle that I can pass by 6 inches or so.

“We can change our homes however we want, whenever we want. Think of a Leprechaun's home as a world in its own. What we want can be done.” Aoife chimes in, another warm smile that really makes you feel like they want you here.

I open the door. And the ceiling is laced with diamonds, maybe 12 inches apart and 12 inches from the walls. The room is perfectly illuminated by diamonds. The walls are lined with small drawers, all labeled. I walk over and read one on the top left, “Allspice Ground”. Below “Allspice Seeds” then “Allspice Whole plant”. I look back at Aoife, puzzled. “All the known spices in our world. All fruits, vegetables and nuts. Timous’ father might have been the first to make drawers that keep fresh and replenish its stocks on its own. You only need a sample to start.”

My jaw drops for a second, “You mean it never runs out or goes bad?” She smiles bigger and shakes yes, and points to another door at the back of the room. We walk to it and open it, for a giant blast of cool air. It’s a massive meat locker! Meat just hanging off the hook alphabetized again by animal. The walls are again lined with drawers, but something in the middle. I look to the right side of what looks like a half wall, about my chest high. More drawers, hundreds of them! The whole thing again filled with meats, bones, organs... an infinite supply. Right at 2 Leprechauns fingertips. This is truly a potential world changing to me. “How do kings not pay you to feed their people? The Army’s alone?”

“Oh honey... It’s so rare for a human to show kindness to a creature who isn't human. There is a chance one day, Timous and I could. We could easily find other fairy folk and do that. There is a chance we could be in a king's council like my father. But we wanted to expand this before we have babies, give our spawn a good chance to get ahead faster and do better than the two of us. For now, we make do here like this... And now we might have a friend in you.”

Night has fallen and all of us are worn out from the tours and talking. We eat a hearty stew Aoife had been slow cooking for days. It's so perfectly meaty. The vegetables are tender but still have crunch. The meat is soft, and so buttery. The gravy itself is peppery and every wooden spoonful is amazing. Timous and I polish two bowels each. Aoife seems pleased we are pleased with it. But it’s a silent pleasure. No bragging. I stop and wonder, “did she serve this to the Djinn and her husband before? Did she cook for other humans? She knows it's amazing. Is this just there was of bashful after hundreds of years?”

“Come on now son. Let's get you a bed to sleep in.” Timous chimes in and starts walking down the hall to the kitchen...He opens the other two doors. One is the bathroom with tub. The other their room. Like ours, bed, dressers, end tables and more books. Only 100 or so, no bookshelves shockingly. He points to the wall between the bedroom and door going out of their home. He closes his eyes, breaths deep. And the hall just starts expanding, a door forms right where he pointed. He opens his eyes and looks at me pleased as ever to say. “You are our guest here boy. I told the Djinn I would help him however I could. And now I'll help you however I can. If you stay to help, I'll be there. If you want to try to go home. I'll help you find the way. But you take your time and well get some sleep in a nice bed.” He opens the door to the new room, it's all me size. Bed, chair dresser and a coat hanger.

For the next couple of months, Timous and Aoife hand me books for Astro projection, meditation, chakra and Auras. The hope is to get me to at least speak to the Djinn in that all white plain of existence. I have to explain to them how a concussion I got in the Army had almost killed me. And made it hard for me to read and remember things. But the worst was the dip in testosterone. The pain that comes from a lack of testosterone wears you down on all levels. On top of that, with little sleep and night terrors, it's not anything you wish on others. I let them know how I went something close to 7 years in a hazy fog, and no doctors knew why I felt that way. So, there was never any help in site. So, for those 7 years I mostly went day to day on auto pilot. Until I found a doctor talking on a podcast about my symptoms, and how it required me to take testosterone and a few other drugs to get back to normal. And of course,

explaining podcasts took some effort. It all worked, except here I didn’t need it. I read like normal, I even retained the information. I slept like a baby and felt fine. No back aches, Knees don’t ache, my shoulder didn’t feel like shit. I wondered what all this armor left to me had really fixed?

We venture outside from time to time, and they show me around the land, standing side by side with Timous, we look off in the distance at a castle a few days off. A small city under their protection is also a day or 2 away. We just get out of the house. With no tv here, it's very easy to draw yourself outside. To do things and fiddle. I try my hand at flint napping and traditional fire starting. I start getting really good in 3 days or so for each. Both sound like simple tasks. But using only what you find in the woods or on the land. It's much more difficult to get that going than you think. Timous is patient, encouraging and proud to see me succeed. For a guy about 4 foot tall. He makes a positive impression daily.

The main walking road is well withing view of the house. We see people pass pretty frequently, with carriages and farm animals. But one day a mass of people in one direction catches our attention. They are moving away from the smaller city up the road to the castle. We stand in the wood line looking over them one by one family after family... Then maybe a platoon of 40 leather clad soldiers march to the city from the castle, forcing the civilians to move off the road. “That’s a bit peculiar. Why would humans flee, while the city gets reinforced?” Timous asks allowed. “That’s the question of the day...” Is all I can offer. When the movement dies down, we head back to Aoife at our home.

We think nothing of the migrating hoard for almost a week, just keeping to business as normal. I notice things like no more allergies. And a total indifference to hot, or cold. I have been happy, pain-free and utterly comfortably since I woke up after the Djinn gave me this “gift”. I constantly try to get to the all-white plane to speak with the Djinn, But I fail always. We simply need more information. But I just can't do it. So frustrated I ask if there is anything my new hosts, for any guidance. “I’ve read the same books as you, my boy. I’ve just never been able to do it. When I did get there, the Djinn guided me there.” But Timous added “Maybe you need to try something new son. Let's get your mind off all of this. Come now!” He grabs that Leprechaun backpack, and we leave the house.

We walk down the hill where the house is located. And head into the woods, right up to the river. I laugh out loud as I already know we were about to go fishing. Which I happily will admit to hating. I always found it to be a slow and mindless task, and to add to the insult. It usually includes friends who need to be high, or obnoxiously drunk. He takes his little pack off, and out comes fishing poles. We sit on the rocks and cast. We do this for hours in silence, but it feels very different here. It's calming. It's Timous, mild mannered friendly and warm-hearted demeanor. I make up my mind. Here and now, this place is worth my time. I'll stay here and do what I can to help. If I can help.

“Now that I stop and think of it, there are many more creatures in this world who are not human.” I look to Timous, eager to hear much more. But I noticed something up stream. I know it's not natural. I watch it, worried it's going to be trouble. Timous, who I wasn’t paying attention to senses something is off. He looks at me, studies my eyes and looks up stream to see. “Is that clothes? Garbage from the humans?” He asks. I'm not certain, so at this point put the pole down and start walking up. Hearing stories of humans trying to capture Timous and Aoife, I take my time and scan all around. So far, no traps. He stays back. Halfway there I see something black along the side of the pile, but I still can't think of what this is. I get closer and see a hand, a small dirty hand. I keep going and then I hear coughing, sickly coughing? From the sack? Closer and closer I move on it, until it hits me like lightning. It’s a kid in a big sack washed to the shore in this river. I finish the approach with a hard run and call out for Timous. I get

there and drag the sack further up the shore out of the water. It’s a collection of sacks and cloth bands, wire banding holding this kid in. I tear it apart and I'm able to break the wire by hand with no pain from the wire digging into my skin. Out of the sack comes soccer ball sized rocks. And a small black hair tanned child unfolds from the bundle. Shes got nothing on and is pretty beaten up. Cuts, burns, bruises giant goose eggs all over her. Then, I see her arm has a bad break and bruising. One leg is also too long... a dislocation. I call for Timous again and look back.

He is charging at me as fast as his legs carry him. The girl coughs again. It's deep, and wet. River water in her lungs? Pneumonia? “Oh no! This girl is too wounded to leave... She will die...” Timous says as he finally gets to me. “What? We can't not try to help, she's just a kid!” “I mean if we do nothing! We can't help her here. We need to get home for some serious magic. We need to move now Mark!” I look at her, and tell him “You move too slow, get on my back. “I gestured at him. “I uh.”. He stutters, he stops himself. He glances at me and at the girl. Then makes his way to my back. I pick her up and cradle the girl. Turn back and start running. The walk that took us maybe 45 min. Took me maybe 15 to get to the base of the hill back to the home.

Making our way up the hill Timous calls out “AOIFE!” as loud as he can, moments later I see the door. And charge for it, coming to a stop before I hit the threshold. “What in the hell is this ruckus, Oh no! Our bedroom take her to our bedroom!” She shrieks at me as she sees the bruised bundle in my arms. “‘Aoife get the magic kit now!” Timous says as we lay her on the bed, so I do so. Timous guides me, we need to reset the arm and hip first. He takes the broken arm above the break, I get below. “3,2,1 pull.” The bone sets and the girl winces but doesn’t wake.

Timous comes down to her leg, grabs her ankle and pulls it straight, while feeling the hip itself. “Grab her under her arms. And pull up.” he tugs on her leg, and I tug against him, “Stop!”. He then bends her knee, picks the leg up and puts his body into the leg. Driving the head of the leg into the hip. She coughs violently and still doesn’t wake. Aoife comes in and puts a hand to her head and tells us. “She’s fevered!” She opens the magic kit, it is filled with jewels, and a few potions. She sorts through and grabs all the emeralds she can find. She gets the jewels and positions them under the girl's body, Timous gets a vial from the kit and pours little bits in her mouth. I sit back because I know I'm useless now, I haven't learned any magic.

They look like they are finished. Both back off the bed, and a light hum takes over the room. The emeralds start to glow! You can see them from under the girl, radiating green light. I watch as the bruises and cuts slowly fade away. The goose eggs or hematomas slowly reduce themselves in minutes. I stand still in shock watching all this. The light continues for a few minutes at the most and dissipates as the hum dies down. Timous scoffs and shakes his head,” Shes too weak to complete the healing with magic, we need to watch her.” Aoife rases her hands over the bed, and the sheets and blankets cover the child. She crawls into the bed, tears in her eyes and cuddles right up to the girl. Timous motions for me to leave the room. And we do so together.

Timous and I walked out into the main room. “What you saw there was advanced magic, it takes mages to bestow magic to jewels to reach their potentials. Emeralds, in this case. Have the potential to heal living creatures. The tradeoff is how many emeralds we have, and how much life the person has in them. Since she was near death, we could only speed heal the superficial wounds. The bones and infections we need to fight with medicine. Shes just too sick.”

“So, the jewels need your energy to heal you? No energy no healing? The stones just stop on their own.” I try to understand.

“Mostly, if the stone is made incorrect it can kill. If built better, we can give our energy to help. The stones we have are simple, they require the user's energy. In this case the girl's energy is just too low. Unfortunately, humans have souls which make their magic much stronger than the rest of the non-humans. Think back to our long walk back, Human-eaters that kill humans. They get stronger for a time, then they go back to normal. In this case the best Aoife and I can do together is lesser healing stones.”

“Ok, so we make her medicine for her lungs. What else does she need?”

“Food, rest and time. We have all of it, and we just need to let her rest.”

Over the next few days. The girl sleeps. We get her spoons of medicine and water constantly. Aoife looks over her insentiently. She even sleeps in the room and combs her hair... I feel the need to ask why but I know better, and keep it between Timous and I. So, the next time it's him and I, I ask.

“Aoife and I met some 300 years ago. Maybe 270 years ago her father passed, and the people lost trust of the fairy folk from Rumpelstiltskin's actions. The King told us to run and never return. Out of fear for our safety... Since those days we have moved across the country. And saw countless slaves, murders, raped women and children... all left for dead. Left in agony. There is little we could do to help any. And Aoife has wanted to be a mother for a long, long time. But seeing these babies in this condition or dead... It's always taken a toll on us son. She gets very emotional for these babies, Eh!... No, babies to us Fairy’s, children to you.”

“I get it Timous. All we can do is try to make her well and see if we can send her home.” I try to reassure him that we are doing our best.

Aoife comes out of the room. “She woke for a few moments, got panicked and had an accident... I got it all cleaned, but she looks to be coming out of it love!”

Timous livens up and claps his hands. “We remix our potions! They are working but I'll make them a little stronger to help her. Night Shade may be too strong in her state. But its cousin Henbane. A small amount of that will keep her asleep and calm for some time. Let's get to it my boy!” He hopes out of his chair and walks past me to his wife. Grabs her hand and kisses it. “We’re tying love, it looks good, and we won't stop. Stay strong.” He adds that patented Timous smile, and she smiles back and nods. They kiss, and we all go back to work.

With Aoife watching the girl, Timous and I work on the potions, to keep feeding her. The base is what Timous gave me before. Willow bark to combat her aches and fever. Blueberry roots and now the berries to help her cleanse. Licorice root is there as a general antibiotic. We take it out of the apothecary beaker he had it in and we start to re-heat it in the kitchen.

“So, now we add a touch more water while it warms. 1/8 the flask. Then we add more of the base ingredients to make it more potent. Then we add the Henbane.” We mortar pestle the ingredients and stir them into the potion. He holds up a small white flower, with purple veins and black interior to the flower. “This is henbane my boy. It's lethal if you use too much. But the right amount will keep her calm and asleep. It's what we need for her to just sleep and heal.” He rubs the flower at the base and out falls small seeds. Timous piles them up together in a circle and continues. “Now the whole flower is useable.

But I think their berries to be potent enough. Now this amount will be lethal. So half is a powerful dose for any brew. Shes a child, so we need to cut it again.” “So.” he cuts the pile and continues. “She is sickly and weak.” We cut one more time"

For days we all worry for her, and Aoife. But 3 days in, her fever from the pneumonia broke, and we gained a massive boost of hope and confidence. In another 3 days we stopped Henbane, to let her wake. It reminded me of being in recovery after surgery. She looks so groggy, so foggy minded and weak. It took her several minutes to stop trying to open her eyes and just open them.

She looks scared and very confused... we sit by the bed and talk as gently as we can. But for some reason, the girl and Aoife bond instantly. With tears falling from her eyes uncontrollably reaches out for Aoife and without hesitation, Aoife jumps in the bed and holds her. I motion to Timous that we should leave, and we do. Aoife only comes out to ask for food. This time I showed them a few days ago what chicken soup was... And this world's first chicken soup was ready for a taste!

Thick rounds of carrots, chunks of celery and green peas. Spaghetti squash and pearl couscous replaced noodles. Ginger, garlic and turmeric all in that perfectly rich broth. Of course, Timous had suggestions, and I wisely listened... Cause that little lady kept asking for more. Us boys even got to enjoy a meal with her in the bedroom. We do get a little information out of her. She told us she was named Angela, mom and dad where gone. We all finished a large kettle with 2 chickens worth of soup.

The next 2 months are spent just letting her know she's safe here. And slowly Angela warms up to all the adults. We are soon to get hugs, kisses and cuddles from her, almost constantly. Angela tells us she's almost 7. She was sold to the governor of a city, ironically the one Timous showed me that’s 2 days away. But she was sold as a kitchen servant. Her job was cleaning and foraging for herbs veggies and mushrooms. But she wouldn’t tell us what led to her being beaten, sacked or left for dead. And we knew better than to pry. We did, however, see more troops head to the village in this time, and more wealthy people fleeing. We all know something is up, but our concern was the kid. Her parents are long lost. We for sure won't give her back to the asshole who allowed all this.

With no luck on the Astro projecting to speak to the Djinn I now call Hugh. I keep exploring this world in bits and pieces. I wonder outside and take Angela often. Otherwise, Aoife is more than pleased to start her education. The consensus thus far, Timous and Aoife want to officially welcome her and myself to stay. As long as we like or need. That we'd always have a family here. When we all sit down that night and let Angela know. She cries and runs to Aoife calling her “Mom”. At first, it's heartwarming to watch her go from shy little girl to this. but then I realize the shit she went through, to get a family of 2 Leprechaun's and whatever Mortal Djinn I am for an uncle. But that night they made another room just for her. Shes beyond impressed with the magic, yet we find out she struggles to sleep alone the same night. Going to Aoife and Timous in the middle of the night. Or my room to have someone to sleep with her. We know it'll be hard getting her out of this. But we keep trying, and constantly let her know she has a home.

But here we are, weeks after telling her she's pretty much adopted, we get her to bed after a long day of schooling and discovery. Aoife, Timous and I are in the main room. Drinking tea and eating short bread cookies. Just talking about nothing, when I get a feeling like something is wrong. I look back and see nothing, just the inside of the house. I get up to check on Angela, I hear the Leprechauns follow me like

they know what I feel, or they just want to be reassured. We get to her room and find her floating over the covers. Little wooden toys and some plush dolls are circling her.

We look on in shock, not knowing what to do or what happens if we do anything. “Shes a watcher witch... she can see the world through other people's eyes. They were terrified of her.” Aoife whispers. I know right away her being a witch meant they wanted her dead. But I can't figure out a reason why other than being a witch you'd put her through all that suffering. Then the toys drop with her right down and she screams bloody murder. ”Aaahhh! They're killing and eating the other kitchen servants!” Aoife rushes to her and starts calming Angela. Timous and I know where to go now. Her old city, that’s where something is happening. We pack our bags and plan to leave at daybreak. The girls sleep together, timous heads off to bed and I try one more time to Astro project, to try and talk to Hugh for guidance. I need to know why all of this is happening now. I need to know what I'm up against and what to do. With a sense of urgency and a newfound reason of purpose. I try in the living room to astro project And tonight, of all nights, it works.