Pug’s day had gone from bad to worse in a horrid type of escalation, almost as though he had dared the universe to do its worst. Something he would never do, of course. Pug knew full well just how awful and capricious the world could be, and wisely chose to mitigate life’s reasons to visit misfortune upon him by keeping his complaints to himself, never daring the universe to up the ante. Despite his Pug’s reluctance, and against his protests, his father had ousted him from the house to roam the village. His father seemed inclined to believe his melancholic mood was due to a lack of socialization.

Pug knew he meant well of course, however good intentions did little to alleviate his trepidation at the moment. Once Pug was outside of the safety of his home, it was only a matter of moments before the other fairies took note. He could feel their eyes peeking out from behind leaves and through darkened windows, whispered words half hidden by hands over mouths. Imagined or not, the feeling made him duck his head and bring his shoulders high, as if he could hide himself from their attention. His footsteps quickened, the thudding of his feet resounding in his ears as he made his way along the wooden platforms his village was built upon, a network of crisscrossing boardwalks and rope bridges connecting the scattered buildings in a half-hearted attempt to make the village traversable for outsiders. He knew no one on the ground would see their village nestled among branches and hidden in cloaking leaves, the wider thoroughfares disguised as broad boughs. The hidden nature of the village offered him no comfort, as what he wanted to hide from resided in the village itself, soaring through the air all around him.

As though summoned a voice rang out, “Well if it isn’t the mothman himself!”

Though it sounded jovial on the surface, there were barbs beneath the cheery veneer. A hidden malice colored the words, only evident to one who had been on the receiving end for so long. Steeling his resolve, Pug turned to Kudzu, the fairy who called out to him. Kudzu and Pug were of a similar age and height, however their similarities ended there. Calling Kudzu’s build athletic was something of an understatement. He was likely the single strongest fairy in the village, muscles clear and well defined beneath sun-tanned skin. His hair, as black as a moonless night, was slicked back in a curly, tousled mess. Perhaps most catching of all were his purple eyes, a deep and full color, fully displaying the hostility their master harbored for him. Surrounding him were several other fairies, his posse of sycophants. His twin sister Belladonna was at his side, a little thinner and taller than he was, her long hair the same deep shade of black, the same eyes peeking between her carefully managed bangs. They were identical even down to the particular shimmer of disdain that danced in her gaze.

The rest of their coterie surrounded them in a loose crowd, the few fairies assembled with them representing the majority of the people his age in the village. Aconite, Kudzu’s closest friend, stood beside Rose, both of them deep in conversation and ignoring Pug, much to his relief. Tulip and Lily were more engaged, sneering at Pug as Kudzu closed in on him. Their delicate features and the striking color of their wings, normally things of beauty, were intimidating to Pug. His own mousy, mottled brown hair and wings had their mundanity exemplified by the pale green color of his eyes

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Pug asked, exasperated. Kudzu stopped in front of him, a look of annoyance flashing across his face. From the corner of his eye Pug could see Belladonna circling around him behind him. The pair of them were wolves, nipping and harrying at him.

“If you would just ask, I'd be more than happy to paint these eyesores over for you.” Belladonna murmured, fingers poking at Pug’s wing, causing it to flutter unconsciously.

“You’d have to fix his hair too. At least then he could pretend to be normal.” Kudzu dashed forward and tugged at Pug’s hair, pulling back with a laugh as Pug lashed out, all the while hissing in pain. Pug continued to frown angrily in his direction, but did his best to keep Belladonna in his line of sight. He could feel his face starting to flush as his eyes burned from holding back tears. Years of this hadn’t dulled his response to their jabs, most likely because they were right. He didn’t look at all like any other fairies in the village. Their wings were those of butterflies, bright and patterned, their eyes were colorful like flowers. He was dull in comparison, wings brown and mottled while his eyes were a flat stone gray. His skin was pale and freckled, blemished with scars from his adventures.

While Pug was proud of the hard work he had done to earn those scars and his uncharacteristic muscles, he knew it just set him even further apart from the rest of his people. His pride was a weak defense before their judging eyes and harsh words. Kudzu’s face lit up as inspiration seemed to hit him, and he grinned wickedly as he leaned in to Pug’s ear.

“It’s no wonder your mom abandoned you, if you came out looking like this.” Kudzu whispered with gleeful malice.

A burst of fury rose up quicker than lightning through Pug and he lashed out, pushing Kudzu away from him. Kudzu didn’t expect the attack and was caught off guard by the strength in Pug’s arms, stumbling backwards and into his sister Belladonna. She was not expecting the sudden push either, and her light form was bumped over the edge of the bough they were standing on and into open air where she fell with a surprised and unladylike squawk. She floated back up relatively quickly, a sour look on her face as slow wingbeats brought her back to the boardwalk. Kudzu caught himself before falling and immediately fell into a rage, the foul expression forming on his face finally a match for the wickedness in his gaze.

“You’d do well to not talk about my mom again.” Pug warned him, his heart beating rapidly as adrenaline hit him. Fear and shame were gone now, replaced with a focused heat that built in his chest and his hands until they felt as if they were pressed against hot coals. It had been a long time since anyone had talked about his mother, and for good reason. It was just about the only thing he’d fight them on, and it was generally accepted that the rise they got out of him was rarely worth the black eyes and fat lips they’d take home.

Much to Pug’s surprise Kudzu didn’t even bother to respond, instead lunging at him and knocking him onto his back. Apparently his lifelong enemy had become much more comfortable with roughhousing. Caught completely off guard and unready to catch himself, seeing as usually the arrogant sod preferred to talk his way out of trouble, Pug fell back and hit the back of his head on the wooden boardwalk with a crack that sent stars across his vision, leaving him dazed. Kudzu wasted no time straddling his chest, using his positional advantage and leverage to deal out several heavy punches to Pug’s face before he could block them. The barrage didn’t last long though, Kudzu already letting up as he struggled to regain his breath, chest heaving. Kudzu was strong, but he had no training and little self control. His wanton approach to violence caused him to exhaust his energy far faster than he should have, however Pug made no move to retaliate in the brief lull he had been granted. Not yet. Once he caught his breath, Kudzu smiled viciously and leaned forward.

“I know all about your mother you-” Was all he managed to say before Pug whipped his head forward and into Kudzu’s nose.

A muted crack vibrated its way through Pug’s skull before the sound reached his ears, creating a disjointed echo as Pug heard Kudzu’s nose break twice. The other fairy howled, pulling himself back and cupping his hands around his nose, blood already running down his face. As he did so Pug threw his hips up, unbalancing Kudzu and sending him falling towards Pug. In an effort to keep Pug from headbutting him again, or getting thrown off entirely, Kudzu threw a hand out to brace against the ground. Giving him no time to recover, Pug snared the arm Kudzu was using to support himself with his own and pushed at Kudzu’s side with his free hand while he twisted his hips. Kudzu finally brought his other hand away from his face to stop him, but it was too late. The pair of them rolled, swapping places as Pug came out on top. Rather than pummel Kudzu, Pug simply repositioned his free hand on Kudzu’s shoulder, leaning back as he did so to put strain on the arm he still had trapped against his body.

At first nothing changed, but as the force and weight on Kudzu’s shoulder increased, pain began to work its way across his face. Pug had made sure to trap his foe’s free arm under a knee as he pinned Kudzu, and the darker fairy had no way to contest the hold. Perhaps it was his imagination, but Pug thought he could almost hear the creaking and popping of Kudzu’s arm growing in intensity as time went on. Finally Kudzu broke, his firm countenance crumbling as a whimper escaped him. Seeing this caused Pug to relax, releasing Kudzu’s arm and rolling backwards out of his hold onto his feet in a crouch. Standing unsteadily Pug pressed his palm to his face as he realized a small trickle of blood was working its way free of his nose. A little thrill of exhilaration coursed through him as he watched Kudzu struggle to stand, apparently more disoriented by Pug’s headbutt than either of them had realized. He was finally helped up by a serious looking Belladonna. Behind the two of them their coterie stood in a cluster, displeasure writ across their expressions. Aconite was attempting to press forward and fight Pug himself, but was being held back by Rose, who whispered calming words to him. Her eyes flicked briefly from Aconite to Kudzu and Pug, but her expression was inscrutable. Perhaps she didn’t like Aconite’s odds in a straight fight. Pug flinched as a new voice spoke, her arrival unnoticed in the midst of his confrontation with Kudzu.

“You all made quite the disturbance, considering you managed to get my attention all the way from my room.” The voice emanated a short distance to Pug’s right, slow and melodious. Pug turned his head, wincing slightly as an abused muscle complained, to see Orchid, the last of the fairies his age in the village. Her obscenely long, never-been-cut-once hair was bundled in her arms, its silky white waves kept safe from the ground below by her diligence and the gentle caress of her magic that kept it weightless and untangled.

“If I heard this, then we all know someone else had to as well. I’d recommend you all go home before an elder arrives and finds something better for you to put your energy towards.” She warned. Her tone was even and calm, face impassive even as she warned them away. Her pink eyes gave nothing away other than a burning desire to be free of this inconvenience immediately.

Aconite froze and a brief look of worry crossed his face as he considered the chores they’d find themselves doing if an elder did stumble across this scene. Deciding to heed her words, he helped Belladonna prop Kudzu up and together they flew away. They measured their wingbeats diligently, careful to remain in sync so as not to drop their bleeding and bruised parcel. As they flew, Belladonna cupped a hand filled with the glowing green light of magic to Kudzu’s face. The other fairies took off after them, though not without Lily and Tulip giving Pug dirty looks as they flew away. Orchid and Pug watched them until they were gone amongst the leaves and branches before Orchid turned to look at him. She placed her delicate fingers under his chin and firmly tilted his head this way and that, getting a good look at his face.

“If I hadn’t seen Kudzu I would’ve said you lost this fight.” Orchid teased, her joking tone underlied by a note of worry. If he didn’t know her better he might’ve gotten whiplash as she moved to this from her previously dull and uninterested tone.

“That bad, is it?” He asked wryly. She gave him a cute frown, tweaking his nose in irritation before turning away.

“Follow me. I’d like to get you cleaned up, though I should remind you that I can’t use healing magic like Bella can.” She said as she strode away. Pug hastened to follow, and as he caught up to walk beside her she spoke again.

“I worry about you, dealing with Kudzu and the others.” Concern wreathed her voice. It was a conversation hashed and rehashed a thousand times before.

“Sorry.” Pug said sheepishly.

“And you interrupted my reading with all that bother.” She continued, her voice taking on a piqued tone. Despite how aloof she was, he knew it was her way of saying she was glad he was okay and moving past it. In the past she’d rant and rave for hours, but time had dulled her temper somewhat. Especially after they’d been banned from seeing each other for a year after she took a particularly vicious bit of vengeance on his behalf. Her father was insistent she behave like a proper lady, and using magic to glue Kudzu’s eyelids together was not very proper or ladylike in his estimation.

“Heaven forbid I interrupt your reading. Kudzu and I are lucky you didn’t pass judgment on us.” Pug teased, giggling as Orchid responded with dissatisfied harrumph.

The two walked the rest of the way to Orchids house in friendly silence, broken seldomly by idle chatter, a state of being both found oddly comforting. Pug remembered spending a lot of his early childhood simply sharing each other’s presence, Orchid reading on the side as he got up to some mischief on his own. He appraised her as they walked, remembering the mousy fairy who was scared of her own shadow and the world beyond her manor, let alone her magic. Now she exuded a quiet confidence, speaking her mind without hesitation or restraint when she felt she needed to, much to her father’s dismay. Shirking her lessons, and the social roles her father had raised her to play, she spent her days immersed in her interests. Reading, writing, painting, and playing her lyre, she lived a life of idle contentment.

Once her petite build had made her look frail and weak. Now, however, she exuded an ethereal quality that was only enhanced by her calculated disinterest in the world beyond her passions. So engrossed was she in her own world that her very appearance was bent around them. Her clothes were long, loose fitting robes or dresses that required little fitting or effort to dress in, completely unlike the corsets and dresses her maids had once forced her into. Her hair had gone uncut for years now, the waves of full, thick locks long enough now that they ought to drag on the ground behind her when she walked. Her hair, much like her robes and skin, were shades of porcelain white and, also like her robes, were enchanted with minor magics to make them buoyant and resistant to filth.

This buoyancy was just enough to keep it all weightless and, coupled with her general affinity for shades of white, worked to make her look like a wisp of smoke, or perhaps a rolling bank of fog. She was ever wreathed in folds of cloth and silken eddies of hair, the only point of color being piercingly green eyes that regarded others from the shadowed recesses of her general nimbus of being. Her eyes hid her feelings flawlessly, the only expression in them being the sharp points of curiosity and the flash of light as they flicked from one target to the next.

In total her looks added up to her being regarded as disquieting or ghost-like, despite her beauty. Pug knew she preferred it this way, as it helped to discourage prospective suitors or strangers trying to be overly friendly. Coupled with her bad attitude, she’d almost certainly given her father an ulcer or two by now as his desperate search for a well-to-do man to marry into the family came up empty time and again. Catching Pug staring, she arched a quizzical eyebrow and flashed a mischievous grin at him, causing a blush to blossom on his cheeks. Scowling he quickly turned away but not before catching the infuriating smirk on her lips.

Rather than make excuses, which would only earn him further teasing, he turned his attention to the neighborhood around them. Nestled in the oldest part of the village, the buildings here were built into a hollow of the tree, stacked upon each other to conserve as much space as they could. As the village had expanded outward many of the homes had been joined together to create mansions with multiple stories of patchwork aesthetics. Orchid’s family was venerated and well respected, and so their home was one of the largest, three stories tall not including the basement and attic, all of which was built directly into the tree. A living home built with fairy magic, sculpted directly into the wood.

Orchid burst into her home, throwing open the door with the disregard only someone raised with people to pick up after them could channel. She darted up the stairs with little in the way of greeting, leaving Pug to smile apologetically at the poor maid standing in the foyer, staring with owlishly wide eyes after her mistress. Anxious to return to her safe space, Orchid was nearly at the head of the stairs before she remembered Pug’s wounds. Embarrassed, she turned around and called back to the maid.

“Bring me something cold for Pug’s eye, as well as a clean rag for his lip.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Please.”

Unseen by Orchid, the maid gave a small smile as she curtsied. It had been a while since Pug had been by to visit, but all of the household staff had known him since he was a toddler, and were quite fond of him. Pug smiled back at the maid and gave a small wave, though he ducked away before she could ruffle his hair as the maids of the household were wont to do, having known him for most of his life. Orchid ran the rest of the way to her room, throwing open the door in a huff. Pug slid in behind her before she could slam the door in his face, a wry grin forming as he found his opportunity to tease her in return.

“You’re just as awkward as ever. Plum Blossom is essentially a member of your family at this point, isn’t she? And here I thought you were actually looking like a lady for once.”

“You be quiet or I’ll have the maid bring some brandy to clean your split lip with.” She hissed back at him.

They stared at each other a moment before each of them began to laugh. Together they sank to the floor, sprawling out on her lush carpet. Orchid let out a sigh of relief as the comfort of being in her own home relaxed her while Pug simply focused on soothing his various bruises. It was only moments before the door popped open, Plum Blossom pushing it open with her hip as she brought in a tray with a bowl of water and a towel. She struggled to keep her expression neutral as she saw them, however Pug could have sworn a slight twist of her lips betrayed her amusement. Their lady would certainly never lay on the floor of her own volition. Only Pug could bring out her bad habits, a behavior that her maids all seemed to find adorable and encouraged as much as they could.

Pug dipped his chin in thanks, however his easy grin turned into a scowl as Plum Blossom exploited his defenselessness to tousle his hair. Grumbling about how Orchid’s maids always seemed to treat him like a child, he reached for the towel to dab his wounds only to have his hand slapped away by Orchid, shooing him away from the platter. Picking up the cloth, she soaked it in the cold water before wringing it out into the bowl and bringing the damp cloth to his lip. Plum Blossom decided to leave it to her mistress, humming happily as she closed the door behind her.

Pug, still nursing his hand from Orchid’s strike, gave her a reproachful, sullen glare. Orchid only scoffed in return, pulling him to his feet and sitting him at the edge of her bed. Looming above him, she worked at cleaning his face with surprising gentleness, though her ministrations held a subtle strength that held him in place. Caught between staring into her eyes, at her chest, or into empty space, Pug rapidly alternated between all three. He could only be grateful that the fairy maiden was far too focused to notice, or she would certainly avail herself of the opportunity to tease him while he was, quite literally, in the palm of her hand. Pug finally settled on watching her enchanted hair and robes drift lazily about, the tepid air currents of the closed room still enough to nudge them about in all their weightlessness. It almost appeared as if each individual lock and curl, each pale fold of cloth, were dancing with one another in a lazy waltz. Some minor spell, too small for codification in grimoires and likely passed from mother to daughter by word of mouth for generations, kept any of it from tangling or binding up. He hardly noticed when Orchid pushed the damp towel against his eye, only startled from his reverie when she spoke.

“The water that cloth is soaked in has an herbal remedy that should reduce your swelling.” She said in a stilted manner as she read from a small note the maid had left on the tray beside the bowl. “Huh, pretty neat.”

“Amazing” Pug smiled back at her. “Any details on how long I have to keep it there?”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“No idea. It looks like you’ll just have to stay here and suffer through your treatment. Until this evening at least. I imagine you’ll be bored.” She replied as she finished tying the bandage tasked with holding the compress in place. Pug suspected she was taking advantage of the situation to keep him around, though he didn’t particularly mind.

“Oh the horror.” Pug shot back sarcastically, falling onto his back in an exaggerated swoon.

Orchid, satisfied with her handiwork, walked away and retrieved her lyre from where it was carelessly left on the floor. Settling into her chaise lounge near the window, she snapped her fingers and released the enchantments on herself. Immediately her hair and robe went limp and fell, creating a cacophony of susurration as they hit the ground. Rearranging herself so she was more comfortable even with her hair wreathing her, Orchid nodded to herself contentedly and began to play a soft tune.

Pug couldn’t help but laugh at her awkward attempts to distance herself from her previous openness, though he wisely bit it back lest she hear him laugh at her expense. Checking his bandage to ensure it was firmly affixed, he stood and moved over to a large wooden chest by the wall. Opening it up he could see many of the toys the two had played with through their childhood inside. He was rooting around, looking for something in particular when Orchid paused her playing to speak.

“Things are only going to get worse after today. With Kudzu and the others, I mean.” She clarified.

“I know. I shouldn’t have reacted like I did but… he insulted my mom.” Pug said. A fortunate discovery stole his attention before the memory lit his temper again. “Yes, you still have it!”

Alongside his exclamation Pug withdrew an old wooden staff, which was still wrapped in the ragged old cloth he’d used to preserve it.

“Of course I still have it.” Orchid reassured absentmindedly, plucking at a few strings on the lyre.

“Do you remember when Rose’s mother Briar would show up to train us? Me on the spear and bow, you on your dainty little sword.” He smiled at the memory.

“I remember being hot, sweaty, sunburned, and hating the world, yes.” Orchid stated dryly. Briar was always easier on her than she had been on Pug, so he felt she had little room to complain.

“Such a delicate flower.” Pug teased as he unwrapped the cloth to reveal the wood of the staff, worn smooth by years of work and sweat.

Orchid stuck her tongue out at him before resuming her playing. To the sounds of music Pug moved through various forms and strikes, a reliable way he’d found to bleed some of the remaining aggression and rage he felt. He had a similar training weapon at home, put to use often in recent memory as life around the village grew more difficult. Peace was elusive here, and he often found himself leaving for days at a time, only returning to reassure his father he wasn’t hurt or dead. The Wylde beyond the village was dangerous, and keeping up with his training had saved him more than once. He tempered his irritation, which urged him to move quickly and aggressively, favoring slow, graceful movements that were unlikely to agitate his bruises or loosen the bandage over his eye.

Occasionally Orchid would sing as she played, and at one point directed Pug to move a podium to her side so she could take notes as she played. She would stop to amend a lyric or note, then continue with the song. She either completed or grew tired with the piece, as she closed the journal she was using for songwriting and propped her lyre up against the wall on the floor. She lazily pulled her novel out from underneath a one of the many pillows that threatened to swallow her whole, and began to read. This was relatively common for her, to flit from one thing to the next. It was perhaps her most whimsical and fairy-like trait. Pug wrapped up his exercises and sat on her bed, exhausted by the day even though it had only just begun. He meant to say something or Orchid, but in the light of the midday sun and the softness of her blankets he was powerless to resist the spell of sleep, and was almost immediately curled into a ball and softly snoring. Orchid smiled to herself as she glanced up and saw him fast asleep. The room took on a relaxed air as she read her novel to the backdrop of Pug’s sleep filled murmurs.

***

Pug awoke some time later, though how long he’d been asleep was at first indiscernible. He must have been asleep for quite a time as the light in the room had grown dim. The room was quiet and still, and Pug wondered where his friend was. Expecting to see her asleep on her chaise lounge he rolled over, only for his breath to catch in his throat as his eyes met her as she loomed over him. Her face was within a hand’s breadth of his, and her hair was floating again, locks curling around and framing her eyes which seemed to glow in the shadows. Grinning at the surprise on his face, she leaned back so he could sit upright.

“I finally got you to wake up. I've been trying for a while now.” She grinned. “You look like you saw a ghost or something though.” Orchid tittered as she embraced her image as a phantom-like fairy, lifting her hands in dual claws as she pantomimed attacking him.

Pug made no move to correct her as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, conveniently hiding his flushed face. Calming, he looked out the window, confirming the sun had begun to set. A little embarrassed, he returned his gaze to Orchid and apologized.

“I didn’t mean to sleep for so long. Sorry for leaving you all by your lonesome.”

“Nonsense. Being able to pursue my hobbies without feeling like I have to cater to your whims is why I like you so much.” She reassured Pug. “Though I’m afraid we must end it for today, someone is here to see you.”

Pug looked at her quizzically. He couldn’t imagine anyone would be looking for him, and even if they were he didn’t think they would look here for quite some time. His father would know of his friendship with Orchid, however he wouldn’t be likely to look for him sometime yet. Orchid saw his confusion and shrugged helplessly.

“I don’t know who it is or how they knew to look here.” She stated.

“How do you not know who’s at your door?” Pugs brow furrowed in confusion.

“Our butler is the one who answered the door. He just told me someone was out there.” She said defensively.

Rolling his eyes at her rich-girl-helplessness, Pug rolled out of bed. She sputtered indignantly as she read the look on his face, but didn’t manage to say anything cohesive before he was out the door and striding down the hall. Though he did his best to hide it he was anxious at the thought of what sort of emergency would warrant someone seeking him out here. He pulled the bandage and compress from his face, where they were sitting rather haphazardly after being battered to and fro in his sleep. Satisfied his eye wasn’t too swollen, he approached the butler by the door with a nod. The butler nodded back as he stepped aside, and Pug opened the door. In the dim light outside Pug could make out a village guard, looking impatient and frustrated. Recognizing Pug immediately the guard let out a relieved sigh.

“See, there he is. Now you stick with him and don’t bother me any further.” The fairy blurted in a rush, before flapping his wings hurriedly and rushing into the night.

The second figure rushed up to him, seeming relieved to see him. The figure got closer than he was comfortable with before tilting her face up to look at him. Simultaneously she pulled back her hood, shocking Pug with her familiar face.

“Tourmaline? What in the name of the Queen are you doing here?” He exclaimed.

Before she could say anything, a chilly voice called out from behind Pug. “Tourmaline? How do you know this gnome, Pug?”

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Orchid’s face was a mask of displeasure. She was never one to enjoy new people so he hastened to explain before she lynched him for bringing a stranger to her door. Gesturing at Tourmaline, he introduced them.

“Orchid, this is Tourmaline. She’s a gnome I’ve become acquainted with recently. I help her and her friend forage in the forest sometimes. Tourmaline, this is Orchid.” He said hurriedly.

“Hello Orchid, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Pug has told Jet and I so much about you, it’s a bit like meeting a celebrity.” She said softly, a weak smile on her face. This mollified Orchid somewhat, her frigid demeanor thawing. Pug turned back to his gnomish friend.

“You’ve never roamed so far from home before. Is everything okay?”

Getting a better look at the gnome, it was clear she was in some sort of distress. Her clothes were muddy and worn, and her face was dirty. Her hair was matted and tangled, her eyes wide and bloodshot. Pug went to question her further but was interrupted by Orchid, who put a hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s get her into a bath and get some food in her belly before you start interrogating her, okay?”

Pug stepped aside and allowed Orchid to lead Tourmaline away, swallowing his questions. He returned to Orchids room and paced about, gnawing at the worry and frustration in his heart. After a while Orchid returned to inform him Tourmaline was in the bath now and the staff were preparing a meal. Apparently her parents, both village elders, would not be eating at home tonight.

They sat together in silence while they waited for Tourmaline to return. While the quiet between them had previously been pleasant, this one was fraught with tension. They exchanged a few bits of small talk, wondering what dinner would be -probably something foreign Pug couldn’t pronounce- or whether Pug’s father was wondering where he was yet - Pug was sure he wasn’t. Just when Pug felt as though he couldn’t take the waiting anymore the door opened and Tourmaline was led inside by Plum Blossom. Her dirty clothes were temporarily replaced with spider-silk pajamas of Orchid’s, the gnome clearly unnerved at the open-backed design of fairy clothing, a design meant to accommodate their wings and probably felt a little too open to the gnome.

Tourmaline plopped herself down on the bed next to them as several other maids filed in, bringing stands with trays for their meal, as well as silverware. They were followed by the butler, who had a cart staked with various dishes. He served out a slightly opaque vegetable broth, salads, some sort of berry pie, and roasted grouse before taking his leave. It was a decidedly simple affair for Orchid’s household, the butler and his aides leaving quickly. Pug and Orchid were eager to question Tourmaline, however they were unfortunately too slow, as the gnome fell onto the meal ravenously as soon as she had the opportunity. The two fairies looked at each other with arched brows before smiling and following the gnome’s lead, though at a more reasonable pace.

The food was delicious and despite Pug attempting to match Orchid in speed, as to not look like a gluttonous boor, the leisurely pace at which she was eating was far too slow for his stomach. He wound up finishing his meal right after Tourmaline. Orchid watched the two lean back and pat their stomachs with twinkling eyes. Pug began to ask Tourmaline about their earlier conversation when the Gnome sat bolt upright as she remembered why she came to the fairy village.

“Jet’s missing! I think he was kidnapped by humans” She blurted.

“What? Humans? Why would Jet be anywhere near humans? Why do you think they took him?” Pug asked, questions tumbling out one after another. “Why were you so worn out, dirty, and hungry by the time you got here? Your burrow isn’t far from here.”

“Sorry, let me start at the beginning. See, Jet had bartered for a good location for alchemical reagents from a myconid who stopped by our burrow to trade…”

The tired little gnome explained her story between long yawns, clearly sleepy now she had eaten. After Jet hadn’t returned home when he was expected to, she and her family had gone to the myconid merchant who was all too happy to direct them to where Jet was supposed to have gone. Her father took some city guards and searched the area, but could not find Jet. He did find a recently abandoned campsite there, and believed humans were the ones who had stayed there. Despite knowing humans were in the forest the night Jet disappeared, her father didn’t believe they had enough evidence to take before the Queen and the Queen’s blessing was necessary to pursue the Wylde’s justice upon the humans. Frustrated and upset at her father, Lina had run away from home without packing much of anything.

The brave gnome had first gone to the clearing where Jet had supposedly disappeared, but didn’t find anything to clue her in to his current location. Not wanting to give up on him, she decided to seek out help the only other place she could think of. She backtracked, her goal in mind in the opposite direction of the clearing Jet had disappeared from her home. It was risky, and if her people had caught her they would have forced her to stay. Because of this she had little in the way of provisions, and nothing but the clothes on her back which were meant for comfort rather than travel. All this to find Pug. He was her friend, yes, but moreover he had built something of a reputation as a reliable helper, taking on odd jobs for whoever asked. If anyone was going to be able to help her, it would be him.

Orchid listened to the story with rapt attention. She didn’t know much about Pug’s life outside the village, and was surprised to hear he was living like an adventurer from the stories told to them when they were children. Once the gnome was finished speaking she took a deep breath as though she had forgotten how to breathe while telling her story. Tourmaline looked to Pug, who had sat through the entire explanation in stoic silence, expectantly.

“Sure, I’d be more than happy to help. Jet is my friend too, after all.” He assured Lina, pushing her back into her seat as the gnome leapt up.

“We’re definitely not leaving tonight! I have to get some things ready if we’re going to go on a long trip. Besides, you need to sleep before we do anything.” Lina looked as though she wanted to argue, despite being on the edge of nodding off in her seat.

“Here in a moment we’ll head over to my place. We’ve got a spare room, you can rest there while I get everything in order.”

“Tourmaline can stay here for tonight, actually.” Orchid cut in. “We have more than enough rooms.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness. She’s my friend, after all.” He replied, uncertain.

“Having a young woman stay in a house along with two bachelors would be a poor look for all of us. Don’t you agree?” She asked, sweet words reinforced with a glare of her narrowed eyes.

Pug coughed and turned from her pointed gaze, nodding in agreement. Tourmaline would have blushed if she had any presence of mind to do so, but the gnomish maiden had already succumbed to the plush softness of Orchid’s furniture. Seeing the gnome was well into the land of dreams, Pug stood and made his way to the door. He opened it but stopped before leaving the room, addressing Orchid.

“Thank you for taking care of her. If you’d bring her to my place in the morning, we have some things to do before we can leave.”

Orchid nodded rather than reply as Pug left the room, clearly deep in thought. Orchid brushed a few loose hairs out from Tourmaline’s face as she watched the gnome sleep. With worry nestled deep in her heart Orchid left the room, closing the door behind her. She would sleep in a guest room, just for tonight.

***

Pug’s walk home was uneventful, though the village could have been on fire and he wouldn't have noticed. He was deep in thought wondering why anyone would want to bring harm to Jet. The little gnome was friendly to the point of fault, and brimming with childlike wonder and curiosity. In Pug’s mind only someone truly evil would endeavor to harm him. His imagination idly dreamt up thoughts of evil wizards and foul demons, Pug shaking his head to clear the images away. It was likely far simpler. Jet got lost, or perhaps he was attacked by a hawk or some other wildlife. Creatures of the Wylde their size tended to be easy prey for a lot of creatures. Regardless, Pug knew exactly who to speak to about his next step.

The windows of his home were lit by candles and lamps, the only one this late at night. Pug did not even realize the oddity, and instead walked right in. He was so deep in thought as he pulled off his shoes and headed to his room he entirely missed his father, Erinus, sitting moodily at the dining room table. His father, shocked at being ignored, stood from the table and called out to him.

“Hey! Where were you? Do you have any idea how late it is?” Pug jumped, shocked out of his reverie. Turning to his father, he completely missed the frustrated look on his face.

“Dad! Good, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you too. Where were you? Kudzu’s father came by trying to say you assaulted his son.” He said exasperatedly.

“Ah, sorry I’m late, I ran into Orchid today. We hung out for a little bit like we used to, but I fell asleep and woke up pretty late.”

“You fell asleep!?” His father cried, pulling at an errant lock of his flame-red hair.

“Well her bed is really soft.” Pug explained innocently.

“In her bed? Asleep in her bed? Dear Queen, what are people going to think?”

“C’mon dad-”

“Wait, a woman came by with a town guard earlier looking for you. She looked like she had been crying. Was because-”

“Oh yes, she found me at Orchid’s. I’m glad I got the chance to introduce the two of them.”

“You introduced them! Ash and Oak boy, you don’t mean-”

“She fell asleep at Orchid’s too! So it’s not just me!” Pointed out.

“She did too? How could you do that to Orchid!”

“Well I didn’t want her too, I was going to bring her back here but Orchid insisted she stay with her tonight.” He explained.

Pug was just now focusing on his father, confused by the path the conversation had taken. His concern spiked as he saw his father sputtering, red-faced and angry. His old man had quite the temper when set off, a truly passionate fairy down to his bones. Pug wasn’t sure why his dad was so upset until he thought back over their conversation so far. Though he had been distracted he remembered the gist of it. His face flushed as the realization of the nature of his father’s misunderstanding struck him, and he backed up with his hands in front of him as a warding gesture as he tried to defend himself.

“Now wait-” He began, but Erinus was brooking no argument.

“Boy, I’m as familiar with the passions as any other fairy. Perhaps more-so.” He growled

“Dad really, this is a misunderstanding.” He tried to reason in vain. His father was now circling the table to get to Pug.

“But to toy with a woman’s heart like this is unacceptable. I know I raised you better than this.”

“Look, it's not my fault your dirty mind has you confused. If you’d let me explain-”

“Dirty mind? You think I’m a pervert? A depraved fiend, do you?” His father was veritably roaring now. As Pug knew from experience, there was no reasoning with him when he got like this. He also knew according to village bylaws he was an adult fairy, and he would be damned before he let his old man spank his ass ever again. Deciding the better part of valor was indeed discretion, Pug took off out of the room and through the house, throwing furniture into his father’s path and dodging him where he could. Erinus on the other hand charged straight and true like a bull, tripping over obstacles and slamming into walls. The resulting ruckus was loud enough to wake their neighbors who, down to the last fairy, smiled and thought about how long it had been since they had last heard a fight like this. Used to the commotion, the common response was to turn over and go right back to sleep, though Mrs. Tulip brewed a cup of tea and sat in her recliner listening to the drama until it came to an end.

After what felt like an eternity, the two fairies had come to a stop, both panting heavily. Taking the opportunity to prove himself innocent, Pug hastened to explain what had happened today to his father. After several minutes his father’s anger subsided, and a thoughtful look grew in its place. Mulling it over as he listened, his father nodded along as told him about the missing gnome, and his friend Tourmaline coming to seek his help. After he finished his story, Pug waited to see if his father would go off again. Instead the old man remained calm, and spoke in a more normal tone.

“So I expect you want to help the young lady then” He asked.

“I do. I know you might object since this will be my longest trip yet but-”

“Nonsense. We’re fairies, spirits of whimsy and flight. We’re made to dream, and to follow those dreams. Why, I left the village myself around your age!” his father interrupted him with a wave of his hand and a smile. “Besides, after your tussle with Kudzu, it might be wise to give him a little room to breathe.”

“Looking at the others, I find it hard to believe we’re spirits of whimsy and dreams.” Pug said bitterly, bringing his fingertips to his split lip.

“Some people waste their dreams, waste themselves, on small and petty things.” Erinus said gently, placing a reassuring hand on Pug’s shoulder. “They hope to be popular, well-liked, to fit in. Personally, I’m of the belief that dreaming of helping someone is a far grander thing.”

Pug smiled at his father. The old man cleared his throat, not used to saying such sentimental things. Turning away in embarrassment, he continued.

‘“Is there anything you need from me before you go?”

“Actually if you could pack two travel packs for me, I would really appreciate it. I’m exhausted, and I want to get a good amount of sleep before we set off tomorrow.” Pug asked gratefully.

“Consider it done. Is there anything else you can think of?” Pug thought for a moment before nodding enthusiastically.

“Could you get me a sacrifice for Baba?” He asked, his exhaustion forcing him to choose sleep over getting the sacrifice. His father grimaced at the thought, but nodded anyway.

“Sure thing. I’ll have it loaded up in a wagon come morning. It might be a little later, depending, but it’ll surely be there before noon.” His father said. Pug couldn’t help but smile as his old man’s time management skills leaked through

His father headed to the front door to make arrangements for the sacrifice. Pug bade him goodnight, and shuffled off to his bed. He didn’t even bother disrobing, instead falling flat on his face into the mattress. He was far too tired to think over any of his worries, however, for a brief moment, he did wish he was back in Orchid's soft, soft bed.