Nature, what wondrous things it holds. The trees that reach up to the sky, the grass that tickles our feet, the flowers that bloom in a rainbow of colours. Yet, do we really look? Do we truly see the beauty that surrounds us?

It's all too easy to get caught up in our daily lives and forget to appreciate the world we live in. We rush from one thing to the next, always in a hurry, always preoccupied. But if we just take a moment to stop and look around, we can see the wonders that nature has to offer.

We can see the way the leaves on a tree dance in the wind, the way a butterfly flutters its wings, the way the sun sets in a blaze of colours. We can hear the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the gentle flow of a stream.

So let's take the time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Let's believe in the wonders that nature holds. For in doing so, we open our hearts and minds to a world of endless possibilities and true magic. 

Welcome to the PalmCove Story.

Chapter 1 - Where do I begin?

On a tiresome day, with a heart yearning for solitude, I knew I had to venture into the great outdoors. I craved the peacefulness of the forest, the whispering of the trees and the soft rustle of the leaves underfoot. So, with a backpack of goodies and a drink, I set off in my trusty little car.

The journey felt like an eternity down the narrow lanes flanked by tall bushes. The bushes finally transformed into an avenue of magnificent trees as I drew closer to my destination and the trees were taller as they started there serene climb up the lush hillside ahead.

At last, I reached the entrance to the forest. The car park lay silent, with not a soul in sight. Locking my little car, I picked up my backpack and started on my way.

As I continued down the well worn path I came across a lively stream, its waters bubbling, churning, and twirling in little whirlpools. It was a magical sight, with the trees bending over, seeming to caress the water whilst the odd leaf shimmered as it drifted by.

Then, as if out of nowhere, a tiny boat with a little person in it floated by! The little person was laughing and jigging about. The boat had a small cabin with a sail that was attached to a tiny pole and the whole thing was about the size of my hand. As quickly as it had appeared it had vanished. I was so surprised, I doubted what I had just witnessed and looked down the stream to see if it was still there. There was nothing to be seen but water, rocks and the foliage caressing the banks. I stood there for a few seconds contemplating what had just happened. I couldn't help but wonder if I was seeing things or what other surprises may be hiding in this mysterious place?

I continued on my walk towards the waterfall whilst the sun streamed through the canopy. The forest seemed to have a mystical aura within it, filling me with a sense of wonder. As I carried on down the path, the forest floor glistened with a blue glow, a breathtaking spectacle caused by an abundance of dainty little bluebell flowers. The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, creating a mesmerizing flow of colour.

As I approached the waterfall I was captivated by the sight before me. The waterfall's misty spray enveloped the banks and the sound of its cascading water filled my ears. It was as if time had slowed it down for just this moment.

With an urge to explore further, I began my ascent up the rocky slope. The climb was a challenge, but my determination pushed me onward. The textures and hues of the rocks, moss, and lichen were stunning, as if they were a work of art created just for me to behold.

I couldn't help but wonder where the water was coming from so I pressed on, my eyes fixed on the summit. Finally, at the top, I was left with an endless view of nature's beauty and directly ahead stood a large grand and ancient looking oak tree.

There is something truly magical about an old oak tree, its regal presence demanding your attention, and this one was no exception. As I moved closer it started to tower over me, with a commanding presence, and to my amazement, there at the base of the trunk was the tiniest little wooden door!

The door sat in a slight dip next to a gnarly old root, and had a quaint little staircase with a handrail leading down to it. At first glance, it seemed to be no more than six inches tall. But as I cautiously approached, something extraordinary occurred. The door and staircase seemed to grow, or perhaps I had shrunk - it was impossible to tell. Yet, the scale remained proportional, and strangely enough, instead of fear, I felt an unusual sense of excitement and calm.

With a quiet knock, I half-hoped that no one would answer, and to my excitement and apprehension, no one did. I twisted the small wooden handle and the door creaked open, revealing a cozy little room with a flickering fire in the hearth. It was obvious that this was someone's special space. There was a chunky wooden mantle, a small chair with a matching footstool and a copper kettle nestled in the fireplace, sending up curls of steam.

Feeling quite weary from my walk, I sank down into the comfy chair with a sigh. "What on earth is going on?" I pondered to myself, trying to make sense of the strange events that had led me to this curious place. Before long, I found myself nodding off, lulled into a peaceful slumber by the warmth of the fire and the gentle ticking of a nearby clock. But my rest was short-lived, for I soon heard a little giggle in the room.

Startled, I sat up and looked around, trying to locate the source of the mysterious sound. "Who's there?" I called out, but there was no answer. "How long have I been here?" I wondered, rubbing my eyes to clear away the sleep. "I must go, before it's gets late." And with that, I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest.

My eyes were suddenly drawn to the mantle above the flickering fire. And there, to my great surprise, sat the most exquisite little fairy. Her hair was a mass of flame-red curls, she wore a beautiful green flower as a dress, and had the tiniest pair of emerald-green shoes on her dainty feet. I sat there, utterly enchanted, as she swung her legs back and forth and giggled with delight. Suddenly the fairy leapt up and scampered along the mantle, her golden wings sparkling in the firelight. As she reached the end, she jumped up into the air and quickly flew towards a gnarly twist of roots in the tree wall. I couldn't resist following her, and I dashed over to the twisted root peering into the small hole where she had disappeared. 

But to my great surprise and disappointment the fairy was nowhere to be seen.

I stood there for a moment, completely bewildered. 

Where had she gone? Had I imagined the whole thing? But as I turned to leave, I heard a faint tinkling sound, like the chiming of tiny bells, and I knew that somewhere, somehow, the fairy was still there.

As I stood, still reeling from the strange encounter with the fairy, my eyes fell upon a small window just above and to the side of the fireplace. It appeared to be a stained glass window, but was very dull and dusty as if it hadn't been touched in years. As I gazed at the window, something strange happened. The center of the glass began to glow with a soft white light, pulsing gently like a heartbeat. I felt a thrill of excitement and apprehension run through me.The window was just a little too high for me to see through the center pane. I searched the room for something to stand on, and my eyes landed on a magnificent old chest in the corner. It was covered in ornate carvings, and had a heavy lid that looked like it belonged on a pirate ship. 

Without a moment's hesitation, I heaved the chest over to the window and scrambled up onto its curved lid. I steadied myself, holding onto the windowsill, and peered through the centre pane.

As I gazed into the window, the glass seemed to clear and a wondrous sight emerged before my eyes. It was another world, a land that shone with a soft, calming light, adorned with the prettiest flowers, trees, and plants - the likes of which I had never seen before!

The flowers were all different colours, pinks and blues and yellows, and they were in full bloom, dancing in the gentle breeze. The trees were tall and majestic, with leaves that shimmered in the sunlight like diamonds. It was a magical place, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and excitement bubbling up inside me.

Just a short distance away, on a small mossy mound, sat a little man with wings. I couldn't believe my eyes! Was he a pixie or a fairy? I had never really thought about male fairies before, but there he was as clear as day. He sat on a bright red toadstool which had striking white spots. He was playing a flute and swayed melodically to the tune. I couldn't hear the music, but I could see he was utterly mesmerized by it.

I watched him for a while, not wanting to disturb his peaceful reverie. There was a beautiful butterfly fluttering around his head. It was a deep shade of blue and had the most intricate markings on its wings. The little man didn't seem to mind its presence and continued to play his tune whilst dancing at his side was the same little fairy I had seen not five minutes earlier. A mass of flame red hair with a platted green hairband and the smallest little butterfly in her hair.

The little man finished playing his flute and placed it down on top of the toadstool whilst the little fairy whispered in his ear. He looked up at her with a stern expression and shook his head. It seemed that he was not pleased with whatever she had suggested. The little fairy then shrugged her shoulders and twitched her wings before flying into the air.

I watched in amazement as she flew towards me, her wings fluttering so fast they were a blur. I quickly  jumped down from the chest and moved back to the chair, my heart was racing with excitement at what I had just witnessed. I couldn't believe that I had just seen fairies and a magical land beyond the window. As I sat down in the chair I heard a little voice say "Hello". I felt a sense of joy and wonder at the realization that a real fairy had popped out of the root and was speaking to me. "Hello there!" I said, peering closer at the tiny creature. She had wings that shimmered like diamonds, and her hair was the colour of fire. The fairy smiled mischievously. "I couldn't resist coming out to see who you are, what is your name?". Her wings twitched excitedly as she asked, "My name is Dorothy?" "That's amazing!" she exclaimed. "My name is Phoenix." I couldn't believe my luck - I was actually talking to a fairy! "It's so wonderful to meet you, Phoenix," I said. "I've never seen anything like you before." Phoenix giggled. "Oh, there are many more like me in the oak trees within the forests," she said. "You just have to look carefully." I nodded, feeling like I was in a dream. "I'll remember that," I said. "I'm so glad I found your little home. It's beautiful." Phoenix smiled. "We think so too," she said. "We do our best to take care of it. It's our home, after all." I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. I had never really thought about how peoples actions might affect the creatures living in the trees and forests. 

Phoenix's wings twitched excitedly as she asked, "What brings you here to our land, Dorothy?" I explained how I had been out walking and found a door in the tree, the door lead to this little room. Phoenix listened intently, nodding her head and occasionally smiling. "That's amazing!" she exclaimed when I finished. "You're the first human I have ever seen. We've been waiting for someone like you." I was taken aback. "What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "We need your help, Dorothy," Phoenix said seriously. "Our land is in danger, and we need someone brave and kind like you to help save it." 

Just then another little head popped up. It was the little man I had seen with the flute. "Phoenix you need to come back," he said with a very annoyed tone in his voice. "You are going to get in trouble again." She looked at the other fairy with determination in her eyes. "I don't care, Aled. I know she can help us." She then turned to me and said, "Dorothy, will you keep our secret and help us?" I nodded my head bemused. "Yes, I will help if I can and I promise I won't tell anyone." 

"Good," said Phoenix. "Because our land is in trouble and we don't know what to do. We were hoping you could help us find a way to save it." I was stunned. Me? Help them? I didn't know the first thing about magical lands or how to save them. But I knew I had to try. "I'll do my best," I said, feeling a sense of purpose and excitement rising within me.

And so began my adventure with the fairies of the oak tree, as we worked together to try and save their magical land from danger. It was a journey full of wonder, danger, and unexpected surprises, and one that I would never forget.

Chapter 2 - A History Lesson

I looked at the fairy for a moment.

"So before we go any further," I said in a curious way, "why are you living inside of a tree?" The fairy shuffled around a little, getting into a comfortable position, and then began to tell me the most extraordinary story. "I will start from the beginning," she said." 

As the fairy began, her voice was tinged with sadness. ”The fairies lived in harmony with the humans, the humans knew of their existence but generally left them alone. However, one fateful day, everything changed. A young fairy named Lily had been out gathering honey when she was captured by a group of humans.

They were fascinated by her magic and demanded that she grant them wishes. But Lily was frightened and her magic was weak, so she could not grant their wishes as they had hoped.

The humans were angry and believed that Lily was holding back her magic from them. In their rage, they stripped her of her wings, leaving her unable to fly and use her magic to escape. The other fairies tried to save her but it was to no avail, the humans trapped them as well and took their wings. The humans then went on to find all of the blue spirit flowers, the flowers that give life to all fairies. They planted them in their garden hoping they would bring new fairies but most of them withered and died, and the remaining ones never bloomed again. The humans kept the fairies locked away in small reed baskets for many years, their once vibrant spirits broken. At this time there were still a few fairies that remained free  but they were constantly on the run with the Elders, never able to use their magic for fear of being caught.”

"Did they escape?" I asked, as my curiosity piqued.

She continued “One day many years after they had been captured, a young human called Juli came upon the baskets and peeked inside. She was so struck by their look of fear and sadness as they huddled together in the bottom of the basket, she decided to release them from the cage and help them to escape.

The fairy now had a glimmer of hope in her voice as she carried on."Juli took the last blue spirit flower from the human’s garden and planted it in a tiny pot. She brought it with her and collected a basket of fairies; she had also brought Keidow the Elder. Keidow had been locked up in a box within the human's home, unable to escape with his only view of the outside world, a tiny little keyhole. She put Keidow and the flower in the basket and quietly slipped away, taking them deep inside the forest to release them all.

The flower was heavy and it needed four of the weary fairies to carry it, but they knew this was their future and they did it with great care and devotion. Juli told them to find the biggest majestic oak tree in the forest and ask for its help, but they must summon all of their strength to open the tree's heart so it will let them inside”

 I gasped in horror, imagining the poor fairies frightened and alone. It seemed like a terrible fate. 

The fairy carried on with the tale after again shuffling around, "after many days of searching for the tree, they came upon the magnificent oak. 

At first, when Keidow asked the tree to let them in there was no response. But Keidow and the other fairies did not give up. They formed a circle around the tree and with all of their heart and soul they asked the tree to help them again. And then, in a sudden burst of magic, in all of its glory a little wooden door appeared before their very eyes! The fairies were overjoyed, and they knew that they had found their new home. With Keidow's guidance, the fairies set about building a new community in the tree.

They planted the last blue spirit flower as they knew that this flower was special and the key to their future. Its petals shone like sapphires in the sunlight, and its fragrance was sweeter than honey. The fairies took great care to nurture it, watering and feeding it every day, whilst singing songs of love and happiness. And then, one sunny morning, something amazing happened. From the heart of the flower, a tiny fairy emerged! She was a sight to behold, with delicate wings and a beaming smile. The fairies were overjoyed! They knew that this was a very special occasion and the celebrations went on for days, with music, dancing, and feasting. As time went on, the blue spirit flower continued to produce new fairies. The family grew and grew, until something miraculous happened. From the heart of the flower, a seed appeared. It was the most beautiful seed the fairies had ever seen, made of crystal moonstone that shimmered in the sunlight. 

The fairies knew that this seed was precious, and they held it gently in their hands. They could feel its power, and they knew that it would bring them great joy and happiness. Keidow was overjoyed, for he knew that this crystal moonstone seed was a sign of great things to come. Hey knew that it would grow into a magnificent blue spirit flower, full of magic and wonder. And so, they set about finding the perfect spot for the seed to grow. They chose a place where the sun shone bright and the soil was rich and fertile. They dug a small hole in the ground, and placed the seed inside. They covered it gently with soil, and then sang it a lullaby of love and hope. And then, they waited. They waited with bated breath for the seed to sprout, and for the flower to grow tall and strong. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. But still, the seed did not sprout. The fairies began to worry. They wondered if they had done something wrong, or if the seed was not meant to grow after all. But Keidow told them to be patient, and to trust in the power of nature. And so, they continued to wait. And then, one sunny morning, something amazing happened. A tiny green shoot emerged from the soil, reaching up towards the sky. The fairies were overjoyed! They knew that their blue spirit flower was going to be magnificent. And so, they tended to the shoot with love and care, watching as it grew taller and stronger each day. And they knew that as long as they had the magic of the blue spirit flower, they would never be alone in the world of fairies and magic. 

As the little fairy finished her tale, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and inspiration. How their belief, love and commitment had carried them through the darkest times but I had a nagging question sitting at the back of my mind. If the fairies come from the blue spirit flower, where do the Elders come from? I couldn't hold my thoughts any longer. "You talked about the Elders and Keidow. Where do they come from?" I asked, unsure if I had missed her explanation.

This time she stood up as she started to explain………. 

To be continued……..

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