A short story by Lazarus Carpenter
Image kindly provided by Gill Brooks https://www.gillsplace.com/
Once upon a time, there was a young healer called Fariedae who lived in the mountains of Wales. She was known throughout the country for her beauty and extraordinary healing abilities. People traveled from far and wide to seek her care, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to return to their homes, cured of illnesses that had plagued them for years. Fariedae had always been drawn to the mountains. As a young girl, she would often spend hours wandering through the hills and valleys, marveling at the beauty of the natural world around her. It was during these long walks that she first began to develop her healing skills. She would gather herbs and plants, experimenting with different combinations until she found the perfect recipe for a particular ailment. As she grew older, Fariedae’s reputation as a healer began to spread. People would seek her out for everything from minor cuts and bruises to more serious illnesses. She never turned anyone away, always eager to help those in need. Despite her popularity, Fariedae remained humble and dedicated to her craft. She continued to spend long hours in the mountains, gathering plants and experimenting with new healing techniques. She never charged for her services, believing that healing should be available to everyone, regardless of their means.
One day, she met a dwarf whilst walking in the mountains. His name was Crach Ffinnant, and he had been injured falling on sharp rocks. Fariedae tended to his wounds, and over the course of several months, the two of them became close. Crach was a kind-hearted dwarf, a prophet and seer to Prince Owain Glyndwr, and he was drawn to Fariedae’s gentle spirit and her dedication to helping others. They spent many long hours together, talking and laughing and exploring the mountains that surrounded them. As the weeks turned into months, Crach realized that he had fallen in love with Fariedae. He knew that he could never leave her side, so much to his own surprise after spending so many decades alone, he asked her to be his wife. Fariedae was hesitant at first. She had always been devoted to her work as a healer, and she worried that marriage would distract them both from their callings. But Crach was persistent, and he promised to support her in all of her endeavors.
In the end, Fariedae agreed to marry Crach, and the two of them built a life together in the mountains of Wales on a farm left to Crach by Gwydion a Dragon Master. Fariedae continued to practice her healing skills, and Crach supported her every step of the way as she did him with his inherited role as Master of Dragons. They were happy together, and their love for each other only grew stronger with each passing day. In the end, Fariedae’s legacy as a healer and Crach’s, as prophet and seer lived on long after she and Crach were both gone. People continued to seek them both out, even generations later, and their names became synonymous with healing, prophecy, and compassion in the mountains of Wales. Many hundreds of years later a book was written about Crach Ffinnant, and both he and Fariedae were immortalized and remembered again, never to be forgotten.
Lazarus Carpenter
Fariedae features in the Crach Ffinnant series, written by Lazarus Carpenter and illustrated by Debbie Eve
Lazarus Carpenter - Author 