Sommerlied

I think back to my younger days quite often now, back to the time when my soul's very essence was changed. Who would’ve guessed that one summer could change your life forever…

I’m Hermionë Machart, & apparently I come from a long line of Native American Germans, but I wouldn’t even know since I was adopted… I never knew anyone in my real family, both my parents were killed in an accident when I was too young to remember, & no one wants to talk about that...

It was the summer of my sixteenth birthday, & I lived in Arizona at the time; life was boring since I was an outcast in a high school drama, standing on the other side of an invisible barrier from it all; when my foster parents Alana & Neal decided it’d be nice to travel to Wisconsin to celebrate. I didn’t want to leave what I thought of as the beauty of Arizona; regardless of the fact that when it rained, the air gave off this musky wet desert smell, & during the really dry periods, it smelled of dust, & the occasional rotten egg… delightful. The only plus side to going is that we’d be staying in Alana’s family mansion for the summer, & they have a huge wine cellar! I was excited because it’ll be my first time in a big house; plus I’d get to sneak in the wine stash; then I remember I’d still be with ‘them’. I never really liked my fosters.

“Are you packed & ready to go?” Neal asked me.

“Almost.” I sighed.

“Well be ready by the time we pull the car around.” He said as he walked out.

As Neal pulled the car to the front, I grabbed my bags & headed for the door…

When the sun fell for the first night on the road, & the music echoed in the background, I sat there reflecting. I thought of what a road trip with my real parents would’ve been like.

“What’s going on in there?” Alana noticed my silence.

“Nothing,” I replied.

“Anything you’d like to talk about?”

“Not really.” “Just wondering what a vacation with my real mom & dad would be like” I said disrespectfully.

“Well I’m sure it would’ve been enjoyable, just like it will with us!” Neal interjected.

“Sure...” I mouthed, & stayed silent for nearly the rest of the ride.

It was about a three days drive to Milwaukee from Arizona, so we decided to stop for food & groceries before driving to the mansion. By the time we made it, the evening had arrived. Upon entering the gates, I could see that it was a very old unkempt place with large vines gathering tightly around it. I have a feeling my time here is going to be far more dull than usual.

My fosters Neal & Alana worked even though they’re supposed to be on “vacation” & weren't attentive toward me, so I decided to keep busy by exploring outside for a few days. Then it started raining so I was stuck inside for a while, what luck! I was bored to the core when Alana told me that there are hidden rooms all over the house & suggested I’d have fun trying to find them; I mean who doesn’t love adventures? I was about to give up due to boredom from looking through all the empty rooms when I found a hallway full of covered furniture. When I moved the furniture around, I discovered that a heavy cabinet was hiding something behind it. It was a door to one of the hidden rooms, but it’s been bolted shut. “What're you hiding?” I wondered out loud. Even though this house is huge, I was still bored & determined to unlock the door & find out what mysteries lay behind it.

After descending the steps behind the door, I discovered that it led to the wine cellar; who wouldn’t have fun with that! As I passed rows & rows of wine, making way to the very back, I found an old tattered trunk with “Minnie” etched on the side. Obviously my first instinct was to open it. It was a while before I broke it open, but boy I couldn't believe what I found inside; this was the true definition of a treasure chest no doubt! There were beautiful crystals on the surface, & after digging around, clearing out all the crystals, I saw paper; Lot’s. Of. Paper! Honestly, considering we were staying in a huge mansion, with a winery on the land, I shouldn’t be surprised I found a stash of cash. There was one thing left to do with it; count it obviously!

Half the day of papercuts went by when I realized I counted twenty thousand dollars in the trunk. You heard me, twenty thousand dollars! There has to be a fortune more when you add the precious gems here too. I was so distracted by all the money & crystals that I missed the little black book at the very bottom; it looks pretty ancient, even this has a lock on it… This ‘Minnie’ sure was secretive. As I took a pin from my hair to unlock the book, an old photograph of a young woman standing next to a tall man fell out. “This must be Minnie, wonder who the guy is.” I thought out loud. As I read the first few pages to find out more about the mysterious couple, I realized these entries were Minnie’s diary.

{Minnie} “It was an especially hot day today so I decided to go out & play on the hill. As I was playing by the pond on the hill, I found a group of little people (as in three inch tall) walking around the hill alongside the tree! To my surprise they weren’t afraid that I saw them at all so I gave them a share of my food.” “After befriending them, they invited me to enter their world, & my, was it the most beautiful place I’d ever seen!”

“Wh- Where are we?” I staggered in pure amazement.

“You have entered the kingdom of - Mivaki.” One of the little woodland creatures replied.

We were coursing through an ancient forest; the trees arched over us like guardians of the land, wind howling like wolves; & I never wanted to leave. I ventured on with them in hopes that the forest's old secrets would reveal itself to me…

{Minnie} “They led me through the forest to their castle, & that’s when I saw “him”! “There was a boy that was nearly as tall as the trees here, & his skin was radiant & dark like umber. He was absolutely gorgeous.” After chatting for a few hours, he told me his name is Helio & that he’s the prince of Mivaki. I was elated to have met a real prince! Even though he was a fairy, still a prince nonetheless. I stayed so long talking, I didn’t realize the night had come; I was sad that I had to leave; but I thought my parents would worry so Helio escorted me back to the tree & I went home. Turns out, they weren’t here, & the nanny didn’t even notice my absence. I was so fed up with being alone & feeling so unwanted by everyone, that I decided to run away. I packed a large bag & made my move back to Mivaki…”

...

{Minnie} “Three beautiful years went by with Helio when one evening he asked for me to come back to the castle so we could have a talk. I didn’t know what he wanted, & he was being so secretive that I demanded he tell me what was going on right away. He then said to me- “Minnie, when I saw you for the first time I just knew that it was destiny!” “Why Minnie you are my one true love, & I thought it over & would like to ask-” “-and I speak for all of Mivaki when I say that we’d, well that I’d love for you to be my wife.”

I had butterflies in my entire body! I didn’t know what to say, I’ve never been loved like this… Of course I said yes! There was no other way to live if I couldn’t live with him! Years went by & we made five most beautiful children! Two boys Mercury & Stone, & three girls Nyphadora, Pandora, & Rajana being the youngest.”

{Minnie} “Hey diary, I know it’s been a while. A few years ago King Helio fell ill, passing away, leaving the kingdom to our children… Two years later in the human world, my youngest Rajana & her husband had a daughter; she was absolutely beautiful. The bad thing about this is that Rajana & her husband died in a plane crash a few months after the baby was born. Of course the right thing to do was for me to take in my lovely granddaughter.”…

{Minnie} “Diary update (probably my last), I’ve been feeling very ill the last few months, & I haven't told anyone yet. What am I going to do? My granddaughter is only two!”

“I told my children about my conditions & my daughter Pandora & her husband decided it’d be best to take care of their niece. I suggested they didn’t mention her ancestry to her until the time was right. I wonder how she’ll take to being part Faë”

{Hermionë} That was the last thing in her diary… Seconds later, Alana found me in the cellar, eyes still peeled to the little black book. “I see you’ve found my mom's diary” she explained. “Mom?!” “You mean this isn't fiction?” I had so many questions. “T-that makes you one of the princesses, & a... fairy?” I expelled. “Wait, I didn’t see your name anywhere.”

“That’s because my birth name’s Pandora, I just changed it to Alana.”

“Does Neal know this?” I whispered.

Alana laughed, “Yes actually, we were kids when he first found the kingdom. I’m sure it’s obvious why we kept this a secret.”

“This is awesome! What else are you guys hiding?” I laughed. Alana fell puzzled afterward, like there actually was more she was hiding.

“Um, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“Hermionë, there is something else I haven’t told you.” “First, have you read all of the diary?”

“Yes?” I replied.

“Then you’ve read about my closest sister Rajana & how she had a child of her own?”

“Um, yeah. Why?”

“Honey, that child- is well, you...”

I was so lost for words by it all, that the only response I had was “Wow…” as I walked outside for fresh air.

“So Alana’s really my aunt & Rajana’s my mom?”

I thought to myself, “Is this why Neal & Alana wanted so bad for me to come here in the first place?” They came to the pond on the hill minutes later to sit by my side & held me as I cried tears of relief & confusion. “Why haven’t you told me sooner?” I shouted.

“Honey, I know we’ve been withholding the past, but I want you to understand that we never meant to ever hurt you” She confessed. “We know that Rajana & your father loved you very much, as do we Hermionë.” Neal added.

“I’m not even upset about finding out you’re my aunt & uncle, I’m more upset because I didn’t know I was a princess too!” I joked, lightening the mood, then we all laughed.

...

The end of our vacation arrived & it was time to go home. I didn’t want to leave this perfect, beautiful place. I admit, this summer really has been the best time in my entire life. I finally found myself. I finally found… home. As my mom and dad pulled the car to the door, I grabbed the diary & trunk along with my things, & headed for the door. I can still remember Michael Buble’s “Home” playing in the background as my parents and I drove back home to Arizona. I no longer felt so lost and alone, I was grateful because I had & still have people that truly love me.