.Always, just after sunset, the fairy folk came to the garden beneath her window and called her name. Lying beside her mortal husband, she wept silently as she listened.
She gave him a promise and now she must stay.
She loved him dearly but it was so lonely in the land of the mortals with no-one to keep her company.
Her brethren and sister fairies stayed until dawn and then they left, their silvery voices fading into the distance.
"Farewell, my dears," she wept, "Farewell. If only one of you could stay."
* * * * * *

One night, a moth fluttered through the open window bearing a message.---

"Beloved Elven sister, after the night of the next new moon we can come no more. Leave Mortal world and come with us then, or nevermore. Be waiting."

On the night of the next new moon they came again to call to their lost companion, but she did not come to greet them and they dared not venture closer.

They sent spells and fairy tokens through the window, hoping to bewitch and entice her from the mortal man who had taken her from them, but to no avail. The spells whirled around her and vanished in a puff of spangled dust.
She held the tokens tenderly and wept over them, but sent each one back. The Elven folk watched the sky anxiously. Soon it would be dawn and they must leave her forever.

"Why does she not come?" sobbed Leafwing, a small flower garden fairy with barely showing wing buds.
"What more can we do?"

An older fairy, Dame Thistledown , patted her gently
"We've done all we could child, only Darkwing could have done more."
Leafwing looked at her in amazement. Darkwing! Greatest and wisest of all the Old Elven Folk.
It was rumoured there were some elven folk who doubted his existence.
Darkwing , so greatly revered, so seldom seen, but wise and all knowing.
How was it no-one had thought to seek his advice about their errant fairy sister.?
Leafwing hid her face in her hands and sobbed,
"Oh Darkwing if only we had asked you".

There was a sighing in the trees although the branches were still, and with a flash of purple light, Darkwing came among them.
For a moment he floated in the air over them, his huge purple wings whirring behind him, then he folded them and landed gracefully.

His name went like a blessing among them as young Elf lords pressed forward to touch his hand or sleeve and lovely young Elf dames brought their Elf babes for him to see, blushing and curtsying at his smiling response.

He greeted each by name, his fathomless midnight eyes gazing into each Elven heart. Then he saw Leafwing and held out his arms and she ran into them.

"Children," he chided gently,
" Dawn approaches We must soon be gone from here."
He looked down into Leafwing's upturned face .
." I know of your lost loved one. I have watched from afar, but if she chooses of her own free will not to return, there is no power known to Elfdom to bring her hence."

Leafwing gave a sob and hid her face in Darkwing's midnight purple doublet.
."There is something which holds her there," he told them,
"Something that withstands all your tokens and spells.
" But,"
he went on , as he stroked the little elf's tumbled curls,
" Now I am here, I'll do what I can."
Pressing Leafwing into Dame Thistledown's arms he spread his great gossamer wings and flew fearlessly through the open window.

He stood at the foot of the bed and called her name. As she opened her eyes, he sent a spray of slumber dust over her husband ,sending him even more deeply into sleep.

"Darkwing!" she gasped.
He bowed his silver head in greeting.
"Yes, it is I, Darkwing, Lord of Elven land, watcher of stars, keeper of winds, comrade of storms. What keeps you here, child of Elfdom? Your brethren weep for your return. Do you not hear them? "
She could not trust herself to speak, but bowed her head.
He came close to her side , reached out his hand and swept it through the air above her. It halted above her heart and then just below it.
"Ah." he said and nodded understandingly,
"So this is why you remain?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms protectively around the tiny life within her.
"Tell them I love them and always will, but that I am happy here."

He shook his silver head sadly.
" I cannot return to our brethren with a lie my child. You know we may not lie or break a promise given freely. "
He saw her soft chin lift slightly and went on
"Which is what you have done, have you not? Given him a promise which now you must keep, despite the cost to you."

She nodded, tears falling down her lovely face.
"I love him and he loves me. We want to be together and bring children into the world who will be wise and kind and good. But, the child before this one didn't survive beyond my womb and died before she was born.
This child is just as frail and I fear for him . I promised my husband I would give him children, but it seems that our union of Mortal and Elven is too much for them and they die before their time"

Darkwing nodded.
"They know in advance what their life may be , and some do not wish to be branded a changeling". '

He gazed at her with his wide elfin eyes and then asked,
"What manner of man is he whom you have wed? Does he realise the consequences of fathering a half elven child? Would he be as protective of it as with a fully mortal child?"
She glanced across at the handsome face of the man sleeping deeply along side her and nodded .
"Yes, he knows and would do all he can to protect and rear our baby . His grief was as great as mine when the little one died."

Darkwing's eyes closed for a moment as strange lights and shadows flew around the room.
"So", he said softly
"There is a way. Will you take what ever comes, then?"
She suddenly remembered that Darkwing's greatest title was "Keeper of Elven Souls."
She nodded, wide eyed and silent and reached for her husband's hand, feeling his warm fingers curl around hers.
Darkwing's face lifted as he whispered an ancient Elven prayer and although his voice was almost inaudible the sound of it echoed off the walls like distant thunder. There was a moment of utter silence as they waited.
Then a wraith of silvery mist appeared at his fingertips . He caught it and rolled it into a shining , silver ball and sent it floating through the air towards her.
"There!" he breathed, with a note of triumph.

The Elven soul reached out to her in greeting and she felt a great surge of joy in response.
"Bid it welcome" he told her, and with a radiant smile she opened her arms and the orb flew to her bosom and vanished within.
"Now you have two souls to bring into the world," he explained.
"While they grow within you the Elven soul will comfort and strengthen the mortal soul. The mortal soul will reassure the Elven soul of welcome and safety . All will be well. Good go with thee."
He leaned over and kissed her tenderly.
" You will not lose your memories of Elfland my child. It may bring you sadness, but that is a price you must pay."
"I am glad of it Darkwing, my life will be all the brighter for being able to tell our children about it."
He smiled down at her and then with a flick of his wrist he woke her husband from his sleep and stood quite still as the mortal man stared at him in amazement. His eyes went from Darkwing to his wife and back again , realization in his face. Elven lord and mortal man regarded each other for a moment as the lovely Elven lady gazed from one to the other . Then Darkwing smiled and turned away. His whirring purple wings swept him out through the window and away as the first
rays of dawn spread rosy fingers over the hills.
They lay back on their pillows, arms entwined ,the hearts of their unborn children beating sweetly in unison with their own.
A spray of slumber dust came through the window, enveloping them both, her husband said,
"Good be with us" and they fell asleep , smiling.