#bergen_county

(Continued from PBEM)

Nadeen whips and whirls , twirls, moving between the liquid lesser dancers who venerate her every movement.

"Wow, she's beautiful," A voice speaks up behind Dagmar. "is she an angel?"

Dagmar startles. "Wha?"

Blink and turn, hand going to Flyswatter.

There's a mortal child! about six! She isn't enchanted, but she's got so little banality it's spooky.

And she looks oddly familiar

but Dagmar is sure she hasn't seen her before

This is a potential risk to the Right of Ignorance. And.. that could be a problem

"She could be. She could be an angel, or a fairy, or a synchronized swimmer, or a mermaid... what do you think?"

"Oh, if she's a fairy then she's a fairy queen" the girl observes "See.. fairies often have like little wings in the story books? And they're short...and that's okay, but the queen is..." A breath "She's right sized for mortal prince, so they can hold hands and walk... and talk...and unite the Fairy Kingdom with the human kingdom, and a thoooousand years of wonder and stuff"

"Ohhh." A serious nod. "That's good to know."

"I presume there are things I'm too little to know" She sighs "There usually is." A blink "You know, if I close one eye, you look taller"

"I'm pretty tall. I play basketball."

"oooooo" the little girl says "That explains it" She accepts whole heartedly

"What's the Fairy Kingdom like? It sounds nice." Dagmar sits down so her head is more level with the girl's.

Nadeen dances as they talk, and the little girl and Dagmar watch.

"Oh, it's a magical place" the little girl says "it has to be, without magic, fairies fade away...but it's not small, there are whole kingdoms...Beanstalk forests and resting homes for old witches and castles made of clouds that caught and then shaped by the dwarves... who I guess are Scotish. I've seen movies."

"Oh, I see. That makes sense. 'And my axe!' right?" A Gimli impression.

"RIGHT! " A look at Flyswatter "Wow, Basketball players have big ones!"

"Oh, yeah. For monsters."

"So you fight the monsters?" She says "Just BAD monsters right?"

That brow of lecture ready to go

Nadeen steps off the water, then sees the little girl, and grows alarmed

"Just bad monsters. So you won't have to worry when you go to bed."

"Hello, Princess Fairy."

"Hello" Nadeen says "And who do we have here?" a smile

The girl nods approvingly "My bed monster is pretty nice. he grabs at my feet but he never pinches... so I don't want him axed"

"Duly noted."

"My friend was telling me about the fairy kingdom."

"Oh?" Nadeen says "I hear the fairies don't like folks blabbing about that"

"I wouldn't tell" The girl assures "If you tell on fairies you stop seeing them" SHe sighs "Beside,s I told ONE adult about my friend and they said he was make believe. Well, who wouldn't make believe a good friend? They're like the neatest"

"Absolutely. Well, we won't tell on your monster OR hurt him."

"Oh my monster's not my ...well, he is a friend, but he's not my Friend Friend... that's.. oh wait, I shouldn't tell," the girl says "Sometimes folk act funny when I say things"

"Indeed, well, if you keep our secrets, we'll keep your friends" Nadeen assures

"Deal" The little girl says and sticks out her hand to either fora shake

Dagmar shakes.

A firm nod then the girl whispers "My imaginary friend is bigger even than you, but it's okay. He loves me."

Firm shake

"Yeah? How big is he?"

She points up

"Oh!" Blink.

The floating... thing, not quite a cat, not quite a bunny, seems to shift in size hovering over them.

Nadeen looks up "My ..goodness"

"Hello there."

"Helllo" It's voice rumbles

"I'm Dagmar, what's your name?"

"I am Flufnabins..." The thing says

"You protect this girl?"

"course he does." She says "We're friends"