OCTOBER 23rd-"This wasn't a little girl. This was something else. It might look like a little girl and it might talk like a little girl, but it sure as wasn't one."

“Okay Nicola, you can go play now.” Helene informed her daughter.

“Bye Nicola, maybe I can play with you next time.” I tell the retreating child.

She turns around, innocent brown eyes twinkling, and waves goodbye.

Looking at her soft auburn curls, chubby cheeks, and dimples it would be hard to think she was anything but a sweet little girl who lisps a little on her ‘s’. She was sweet, that much is true, but she wasn't a little girl. “She” was something else. She might look like a little girl and talk like a little girl, but she sure as heck wasn't one.

Nicola was a changeling: A child of the fae, handed to human parents to be raised in place of their own babies. Not that she knew this, Nicola believed she was the human child of Helene and Dan. Unfortunately, as she grew, her parents couldn’t help noticing a few odd things.

The first was Nicola’s shadow; it wasn’t attached to her the way it should be. Instead it seemed to be almost independent of her. It was Helene who first noted it-Nicola was picking flowers in the garden while her shadow was playing with the shadows of leaves. At first Helene had thought it was her imagination, but more and more instances occurred.

The next were the insects: The fire, dragon and butter flies all loved Nicola. They would tell the child stories of their day, and Nicola would respond with her own stories. They followed her everywhere, Helene and Dan were constantly shooing butterflies out of her hair. Whenever it was time for bed, turning out the lights was useless as hundreds of fireflies would light up Nicola’s room. The girl was constantly followed by the hum of dragonfly wings, giving background noise to any silent time.

There were other signs as well. That’s why I was called in. Helene and Dan wanted to understand what was happening.

“She’s a changeling alright, no doubt about it.” I tell Helene and Dan, once Nicola is back in her playroom.

“What’s that mean?” Dan asks.

“It means your child isn’t your child. She’s a faerie.” I reply flatly.

“What? That’s insane!” Helene says in disbelief.

“It is,” I agree, “But it’s still true. And judging by the tests I put her through, she’s not just any changeling. She’s the child of Fae nobility.”

“So, what do we do? Where’s our actual Nicola?” Dan asks.

“For now, do nothing. Treat Nicola as you always have. I’m going to do some research, and I’ll get back to you. Remember, she doesn’t know what she is and it’s important she doesn’t find out.” I warn.

“When will we hear from you?” Helene questions.

“I’m not sure, I’m hoping in a week but it could be a little longer.” I say. I grab my coat and hat and say goodbye. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do for this case, but it will be a doozy for sure. The big questions are: Where is the human Nicola? Would she want to leave wherever she is? And lastly, what are we going to do with the changeling?