Epilogue

Coming Home

Vidia was the same afterwards. She "met" with her former self numerous times in her dreams. Soon, though, Megara's memories completely awakened and became part of Vidia. They were as one. The fairy Vidia was only Megara without her memories of Ancient Greece. Now those memories were fully restored. As it turned out Vidia's acerbic personality was no different from Megara's, so no one could ever tell the difference between Vidia as she was before the incident and after. Except for one little tinker fairy.

"So what should I call you now?" Tinker Bell asked. "Megara or Vidia?"

"Vidia will do fine," the fast flyer said. "My days as Megara in Ancient Greece are behind me. I embrace who I am now. I did ask for it after all, even if I had no idea how it would turn out."

"I guess you probably sometimes feel like the gods must be crazy," Tinker Bell said.

"Oh believe me they are," Vidia replied, a smirk across her face, "all the time."

Tinker Bell smiled in return.

Vidia went about her daily routines of collecting pollen, making snide remarks and pretty much acting like she always did. The only true difference Tinker Bell noticed came when the fairies visited the mainland. Vidia marveled at the changes in human civilization since Megara's days in the era of antiquity. She gazed with wonder upon the advancements of human engineering. The horseless carriage; construction of modern buildings; the advancement of medicine and even how books were easily printed and distributed fascinated her. At times Tinker Bell felt like she had a new friend with whom she could explain the entire world.

The second change occurred whenever Vidia was around the Griffiths household. Lizzy had lost her mother several years ago and only had her father. Vidia, who had always kept the Griffiths at arm's length, now embraced them. The motherless child and childless mother found each other. Vidia spent all of her free time with the scientist father and his growing daughter. She would help them cook, clean, put the child to bed at night, wake her in the morning and do all the things that a mother might do for her beloved children. This left Tinker Bell feeling a little jealous.

"Okay, how about this," Vidia said. "I'll be the mother she no longer has and you can be the sister she always wanted?"

Tinker Bell thought about it for a moment. "Okay, deal." She shook on it with the fast flyer. "Wait, how do you know she wants a sister?"

"I don't."

"Why that double-crossing little…," Tinker Bell mumbled.

~O~

For the next several years, Vidia watched with pride as the young girl grew into a fine young woman. Even then, Vidia wouldn't stop watching over the girl. She was critical of all of Lizzy's suitors and vetted them extensively, usually by following them around quietly to see what kind of men they were when they thought no one was watching them. Most didn't meet her high standards. The few that did weren't what Lizzy wanted in a husband. Dr. Griffiths was thrilled to have the help, but became concerned that Vidia was becoming too smothering.

At first, Vidia resented the accusation, but eventually she agreed to back off. Lizzy eventually married a good young man of fine breeding, money, social stature and was a good person when left to his own devices. Something Vidia found most refreshing. When the two had children, Vidia stepped in as a kind of nanny, Megara's maternal instinct never failing her.

For many generations Vidia played this role for the family. She never tired of it. In return the family kept their promise never to reveal a thing about the presence of fairies in the life of humans. Having Vidia around was like having a time machine into the past. She would regale descendants of stories about Dr. Griffiths, Lizzy and her children and their children and so on. Even as the young ones grew up, married, had children of their own, grew old and died, Vidia never stopped being a part of the family. It was who she was now.

After many centuries, Vidia's long and fulfilling fairy life came to its end. Her light went out one evening while tending to the descendants of the Griffiths she once knew. Everyone who knew here, human and fairy alike, mourned her passing.

~O~

The spirit, or soul, of Megara finally made its way to Elysium. It was a paradise, with no foul weather, no disease, no violence or fear, nor did anyone toil. She watched the residents play games or music and everyone lived in pure happiness. While walking among those blessed to be here, she asked about her boys. One young woman pointed her towards a group of children playing games. When she came upon them, Megara saw her eight children happily engaging in friendly contests of strength, agility and physical skill with other boys and girls.

"Momma!" called one of the young boys. The others saw her, elation upon their pretty little faces as they ran to her. "Momma, you came."

"Yes, my darlings. I'm here," she said embracing them first together and then one at a time, tears of joy and love streaming down her face. "I'm sorry it took so long, but I'm here now. We will never be apart, never again."

THE END

I added this after CommonSwift asked a question in the reviews section. I left an answer, but afterwards I began to think that it wasn't enough. So this Epilogue hopefully answers the question and provides some closure for Megara.