The bustling market faded into the distance as Max and Cloudsong continued their walk through the edge of town and the farming districts. Here the towering trees with their intricately sculpted dwellings still loomed above them along the path, casting dappled shadows on the ground below; however, just beyond the canopies' shelter the trees overlooked carefully tended fields with a variety of crops. A gentle breeze whispered through the leaves, carrying with it the scent of petrichor and recently tilled soil.

"Maximum Million," Cloudsong began hesitantly, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness, "I feel I must explain more about our family situation." She paused as if gathering her thoughts, before continuing. "You see my husband, Malkyn, is a [Cait-Sidhe] and an [Unseelie] fae, whereas we [Eladrin] owe fealty to the [Seelie] court."

Her gaze was fixed on the horizon, her eyes clouded with memories and emotions. "Our marriage was… unconventional, to say the least. I wasn't formally disowned by my family or the court, but since Malkyn cannot live within the city I chose to be with him in a sort of self-imposed exile."

Cloudsong braced herself as if expecting a barrage of questions or judgment from Max. However, she soon realized that as a [Human] infant he harbored no preconceived notions about the differences between [Seelie] and [Unseelie] fae. Relief washed over her like a wave, followed closely by a touch of embarrassment for her earlier defensiveness.

"Ah, forgive me," she said, cheeks flushing a soft pink. "It seems I've become so accustomed to defending our love against prejudice that I forgot you have yet to form your own opinions."

Max's blank stare clearly showed his lack of understanding. He simply reached out, touching Cloudsong's face gently, hoping to offer reassurance that he harbored no ill will.

"Within the Fae domain," Cloudsong continued, her voice growing more confident, "there has always been tension or outright hostility between the [Seelie] and [Unseelie] courts. The balance between chaos and order is both more volatile and in some ways more amicable here than in the mortal realm."

"I believe you may already know, considering your journey here, but we're currently in an entirely separate dimension, separated from the mortal realm by ancient magic. Our continent is mostly divided into two courts- the [Seelie], who strictly adhere to the concept of order and their internal laws, and the [Unseelie] who favor freedom and chaos. It's not yet been 3 centuries since the peace accords and with so many among our kind living for millennia, that is not long enough for prejudice to fade. My [Royal] heritage is the only reason I'm not more formally exiled, your father truly cannot return home to the other [Cait-Sidhe].

"[Cait-Sidhe]?" Max slowly echoed. The unfamiliar words felt strange on his tongue.

"They are a type of spirit beast technically, but an [Awakened] spirit beast is no different than a person. There's an entire tribe of [Cait-Sidhe] living in the Freelands, they cast him out of their clan for marrying me and 'sullying their bloodline'." She sighed again, gaze distant.

Sounds like they've both suffered at the hands of their families as well, the "this is too perfect and scripted" bells are going off again but… maybe I can chalk this up to fate. Hard to ignore how tailored to me this reincarnation or "second chance" or whatever seems to be but until I can figure out who or what is behind my arrival in this world there's not much I can do but try to make the most of what I've been given, right? I can't keep just saying one word at a time, she's really trying and I don't want to appear ungrateful…

"But you st- st- st- sttill love each other," Max said. It wasn't a question. He could see the tenderness in her eyes when she spoke of her husband, a softness that belied her regal bearing.

Cloudsong smiled. "Yes, little one. Love knows no courtly bounds." She leaned down to nuzzle his hair and the small flower buds forming along his temples, as his change to mirror an [Eladrin] continued.

Max blinked back tears, overcome by her fierce devotion. He'd seen that kind of love in his first life, at a distance at least.

As they walked, Max pondered her words, sifting through his thoughts like a miner panning fruitlessly for gold. He couldn't help but worry how this delicate balance might affect him and his new family. His infant mind was awash with questions, yet he still found himself unable to articulate them.

"Rest assured, my dear Max," Cloudsong said softly, sensing his unspoken concerns. "Your father and I are determined to protect you from the prejudices and rivalries that plague our world. Together, we will navigate these challenges and ensure you can grow up living the safe and happy childhood you deserve."

"Mom," he whispered, his voice slow and quiet, "I wantt t- tto be strong like you someday."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

Cloudsong's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she hugged him close, her love for her son radiating from every fiber of her being. "You already are my sweet boy," she murmured into his hair. "You have no idea how strong you truly are."

After a short while spent in comfortable silence, the orderly and tended farmland gave way to expansive wilds that stretched across the horizon. Verdant fields blossomed with various wildflowers, swaying gently in the breeze like a living sea of green. “This marks the edge of the actual city of Elaeden, so our little tour is nearing its end. I'm glad I can show you these fields, they are so much lovelier than the barricades they had before the truce, but the flowers don't properly convey the danger of the Freelands. Don't fret, no harm could befall us on our short trip, it's along the main road and straight to a shortcut we’ll be using. The capacity to easily and safely travel to and fro, despite the actual distance to the Argent Woods, is the primary reason Malkyn and I built our home there.”

Cloudsong paused to wander among the fields; quietly humming, she leaned on her rarely used [Harmonious] and [Botanical Nature] to weave a small charm. The local flora happily yielded to her, allowing her to navigate the dense foliage without treading on so much as even a single blade of grass. She came to stop at a random spot where the plants had parted with enough space for her to take a seat and continued, “For the other children of the city, the threat of wandering past these fields is very real, even after the truce. Not every fae is beholden to uphold the pact, for only the sapient races may swear fealty to a court. The mortal plane has its dangers I'm sure, but the beasts here grow stronger, faster, smarter, and usually have a strong magical aptitude due to the mana density and abundance of natural resources here. Frankly, the bears and wolves that threaten your former people seem like house pets compared to the wildlife we have.”

Lounging amongst the flowers, Cloudsong clung to Max, lost in thought. It had been a whirlwind of a day for her as well, though he had no clue. She'd kept a strong face for him, but it wasn't until they'd finally left the city limits she felt confident no one was waiting around a corner to steal him away from her. No one expects their prayers to be answered after all. What's more, her title bore authority only so long as Tim didn't petition any other member of her family to intervene on his behalf. She knew it had been a gamble and now that it seemed to have paid off she needed a moment to gather herself. When she was ready, she rose and began to sing a new entreaty to the surrounding plants, bringing them back to the path and continuing their journey with no sign anyone had ever stepped foot into the fields.

Following the road for no more than a quarter-hour, Cloudsong brought them to a massive tree, far larger than any Max had yet seen in this world. Though not the loftiest, its gargantuan, distorted trunk was a swollen anomaly, surpassing the girth of a score of mature trees. Bulbous branches dotted the surface, scantily adorned with leaves. Max gawked at the stark incongruity that its sickly mutated form presented amidst the vibrant Fae wilderness, while Cloudsong weaved around the trunk to find the ring of mushrooms she sought.

“Ah, there's the fairy ring! This tree is the reason there used to be so much protection at this edge of the city. The [Mycorrhizal Network] links this tree to another, and these mushrooms indicate the entrance to the shortcut I told you about. While the ring's specific spot around the tree will vary there's no way to close the door, short of painstakingly killing every speck of both the tree and the symbiotic mycelium. Before the accords, the risk was too great to leave accessible but the benefits far too immense to consider destroying.” Cloudsong stepped through while explaining, intentionally not allowing Max time to prepare, as it is gentler on first-time teleporter users.

The sensation of passing through the portal was like a thousand needles pricking his skin, followed by a gentle tugging sensation as he seemed to be stretched thin and pulled in countless directions at once. Time and space lost all meaning and he felt as if they were spinning in an endless array of colors and shapes that swirled around them, enveloping him in a kaleidoscope of wonders. He felt connected to something larger than himself, something ancient and mysterious yet strangely comforting all at once.

As quickly as it began, their journey through the portal came to an end and the duo found themselves standing in a large clearing at the base of a tree nearly as large as the one they left behind. This tree was healthy and vibrant, a welcome contrast to the sickly monstrosity through which they had just traveled. Max took a moment to take in his surroundings, his senses still reeling from the experience. Around the glen stood half a dozen or so other trees, each with its own fairy ring. In between these grandiose trees were paths skirting smaller saplings and patches of colorful flowers, leading to the fairy rings and a handful of massive archways. Cloudsong brought them to one such arch and quickly passed through, avoiding any chance encounters with the denizens and guards of the network hub. She was on good terms with all of them, however, one in particular she worried would have far too much interest in Max for her comfort.

The arch was a super different experience than the fairy ring, there was almost no sensation at all, just the barest moment of darkness like I blinked and then we were already through to a whole new forest.

"Is evv- verything okay?" Max asked hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course, my dear," Cloudsong reassured him, giving him a gentle squeeze as she held him close. "But remember, not everything in this realm is as it seems. Trust your instincts, and never be afraid to question what you've been told."

With that enigmatic piece of advice, she led him onwards through the increasingly dense forest, the canopy overhead blotting out the light and plunging them into a world of shadows and secrets.

Soon enough, they approached the edge of a glade and the outline of their home began to take shape in the darkness. Max felt a sudden surge of relief, followed by a growing sense of unease. The path ahead was fraught with uncertainty, but he knew that he couldn't turn back now. For as they crossed the threshold of his new home, a single question echoed through Max's mind- despite many attempts to block out the apt, but inappropriate, query.

Who’s my daddy?