Seren stared at their desk. Wilbur was already sitting at it.

“Seren, I told you to take today off.” Eric said. He was sitting with Wilbur, pointing out how to do THEIR job.

“I feel better, I’m not in pain anymore. I can do it.” Seren said, stubbornly.

“Not today. Today you are going to take it easy.” Eric said. “And tomorrow too.”

“What? Why tomorrow?” Seren yelled.

“Wilbur, is the list done?” Eric asked.

“Yeah, I’ll just get started.” Wilbur said, hastily getting up and running past Seren.

“Serenity, why don’t you sit?” Eric gestured to Seren’s desk, and the chair that should have been used by them this morning. Seren stomped over to it and sat down. The glare very clear on their face. Eric sighed and looked at his hands, Seren watched. Waiting for him to say something, anything.

“Serenity. As you have probably heard from Wilbur and his mother.” Eric said, finally. “He stands to inherit the business. It’s an agreement made long before you arrived.”

“Okay, and?” Seren asked. Feeling sick to their stomach.

“And I’m not going to break it.” Eric said. “I’m. I’m letting you go.”

“Excuse me?” Seren asked, not comprehending what they were hearing.

“You aren’t working anymore.” Eric said. “And I think it’s about time for you to go to school proper. So you’re not going to have a tutor coming anymore. Next school year, you’ll be going to class with other kids your age.”

“What do you mean, my age?” Seren asked. “I’m seventeen,”

“You’re fifteen.” Eric said, “And I’m going to treat you as such.You are not old enough to legally be-”

“When has that been a problem?!” Seren said, jumping up from their chair.

“Do not raise your voice at me,” Eric said, getting louder.

“What did I do?!” Seren yelled, “I said I was sorry for leaving the city!”

“This isn’t about you disobeying, it's about you being too mature for your age. Go outside and be a kid!” Eric yelled.

“I don’t want to! I don’t know how!” Seren yelled back.

“It’s time to learn!” Eric yelled back. “And I want to make it clear that this room is from here on out expressly forbidden to you!”

“That’s not fair!” Seren shouted. Not knowing what else to say.

“Get over it!”

“I hate you!” Seren turned and fled the study and ran back to their room and slammed the door as hard as they could. Jumping into their bed and screaming into their pillow. Unleashing every frustration. They screamed until they were dizzy and had to come up for air. They laid in their bed, trying not to cry. But their attention was taken by the sprites staring at them in alarm.

“Are you in need of protection?” One asked.

“No. I’m just frustrated.” Seren said. They watched the sprites carefully go back to their nest, it was growing. Now dominating the corner and looking like a hamper full of clothes. They watched the sprites buzz around the nest, irritated though the rage started to subside as they watched the sprites. Seeing little male sprites with no wings stumbling in a drunken fashion around the base of the nest. Seren watched them with growing concern.

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“Excuse me,” Seren asked, and a team of winged sprites flew up instantly. “Are they okay?” They pointed to the wingless sprites.

“Yes, this is their life.” One of the sprites explained. “We maiden sprites are the defenders and makers of the nest. The Waterbearer makes the waters that enchant the wrappings to make the nest. As well as having the daughters to protect and build the nest. The wingless fathers only are good for creating daughters. So they drink the enchanted waters and live lives of relaxation and frivolity.”

“Wow.” Seren said. “I feel like that would drive me crazy if I had to live like that. But I also like the idea of resting.”

“You are not a sprite. You are a fae being. Fae do not live by the same rules we do.” The sprite said before returning to her duties. Seren thought about that, feeling more depressed by the second. They decided there was no reason to be in their clothes but couldn’t get out of bed to do anything about it. They only kicked the blankets up so they could nestle in and stare out their window. Watching the clouds pass. They heard a crackling of the comms stating that there was breakfast.

Then lunch

Then a snack

Seren watched the stars come out and the sky grow dark. They could smell that stale smell of being in bed all day. Thought about a shower but couldn’t get their body to move them out of bed. They heard the knock on their door, but they didn’t move.

“Seren?” Mrs. Houper asked gently, opening the door. “You haven’t eaten anything all day. I brought you some dinner. You must be hungry.”

“I’m not.” Seren said, though their stomach protested otherwise. Even more so when they smelled the dinner being put on their desk.

“Seren, I don’t know what to say.” Mrs. Houper sighed and sat on the end of their bed. “I know it’s difficult to deal with changes, and there’s so many of them right now. But maybe it’ll be okay? Maybe it’s for the best.” Seren curled their lip and held perfectly still.

“Serenity. I don’t know how to say it. But Eric really is trying to do right by you, and by your father.” Mrs. Houper said, resting her hand on Seren’s leg. “He’s not very good at saying it, but he wants you to have a good childhood. No one wants to grow up too soon.” Seren stayed quiet. Mrs. Houper patted their thigh.

“Just give it a try, it took so long for him to see you as a child and not just how much potential you have.” Mrs. Houper said, “I know you want to be useful and have all that potential mean something, but you have more than enough time for that later. For now, enjoy reading. Enjoy writing! Enjoy the things you love, with no limitations.” Seren held their pillow tighter. Still at a loss for words.

“Oh my!” Mrs. Houper said suddenly. Seren sat up instantly.

“Mrs. Houper!” Seren started to explain, though they didn’t know how.

“The plate is empty!” She pointed at their desk and Seren stared at it. Their eyes darted to the nest, in plain sight, just beside the desk.

“Uh. That’s a real mystery.” Seren stood up and went to the desk Blocking the nest with their legs the best they could. “Maybe a dog or a racoon?”

“Oh, I’ll have to call an exterminator immediately.” Mrs. Houper said standing up and inspecting the plate. “Oh, it looks like it’s been licked clean… This isn’t a fae trick, is it?” Mrs. Houper stared at Seren and even they had a doubt that it had been something they’d done. But the hunger in their stomach said otherwise.

“No. That wasn’t me.” Seren shook their head. “I’m still hungry,”

“I see.” Mrs. Houper said, still looking at the plate worriedly. “Why don’t we go downstairs and get you something to eat?”

“Maybe,” Seren agreed, “I’ll be down soon, I think.” Mrs. Houper nodded and took the empty plate. Once their door was shut, Seren turned to look at the nest.

“That was close, you guys have to be a bit more careful when you swipe stuff like that!” Seren said, crouching down to the nest. “And you might have to move this thing somewhere, where it’ll be easier to hide you. If Eric found out about you, he’d have you removed.” The sprites looked up at them curiously.

“This is our home, and we will not be removed.” Said a sprite.

“I understand, hence why we should just move the nest to a place like… like the closet! You can be there, and no one will see you!” Seren said. “I can help if you need it.”

“We will speak with the Waterbearer about this.” Said another sprite before vanishing into the nest.

“SERENITY!”

Seren nearly jumped a top their desk, hearing the yell from downstairs. They froze, trying to consider what it was they did wrong.

“COME HERE NOW!”

They didn’t have time to consider it. Opening their door and going down to find out the hard way. Eric was pacing up and down the hall in front of the stairs. He turned once Seren came into view.

“Serenity,” He started but Mrs. Houper grabbed his shoulder hard.

“Seren,” She said, “You aren’t in trouble, and you’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Yeah. Yes. You’re not in trouble.” Eric nodded and looked at them. “You have a curfew at 8, no 7 pm every night and you are not to leave this house without telling me, ME, where you’re going.”

“What?! Why!?” Seren yelled.

“Don’t-”

“Eric.” Mrs. Houper snapped. “Explain.”

“Right.” He took a breath. “Children have been going missing again.”