“So, how do you know Fen?” Astrid asked me once Fen had left.

I grimaced. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Astrid said, her tone understanding. Fen’s sister had the same lilac eyes as him, but she had pale lilac skin as well, neat white horns that poked up from her dark green hair, and fangs.

“It’s just weird.” I laughed sheepishly.

“Somehow, I’m not surprised!” Astrid laughed. “Let’s get your measurements. You can tell me while I work. I like weird!”

I smiled. Astrid seemed nice too. Not so overtly motherly as Rosie was, but definitely nice. Of course, Fen wouldn't have called for someone who would be horrible to me.

“Alright.” I nodded.

As Astrid took my measurements, I told her the story of how I’d gotten myself mixed up with her half-brother.

“Tssk, tssk, Fen.” she sighed, shaking her head. It hadn’t taken her long to get my measurements, so she’d started sketching in a little notebook as I’d finished my story. “That’s not how you treat people!”

“No, it’s not. But he’s made amends. He’d better not pull anything like that again though.”

“No indeed!” Astrid laughed. “So, here’s what I was thinking for you.” She showed me her sketchbook.

“Oh, those are beautiful!” I gasped.

“Yes, they are!” Astrid smiled.

“Maybe too fancy for someone like me?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know, it won't seem like I’m trying too hard by wearing such pretty dresses? I mean, I know I'm not very pretty.”

Astrid blinked, then frowned, “Whoever told you that? You’re very pretty! Clearly human, but certainly pretty.”

My face heated, “I don’t…I don’t think so.”

“I’m sorry you’ve been treated like you aren’t beautiful, Mercy. That was wrong.” her tone was firm. “So I’m going to make you wonderful clothes that help you feel as beautiful as you actually are. Alright?”

I managed a weak smile, “Alright.” I didn’t actually agree with her, but the sentiment was nice. Astrid really was very sweet.

“I’ll get my team on it, and they’ll be done in two days.”

“So soon!” I gasped in shock.

“It’s a rush order for Fen, of course!” Astrid smiled. “Besides, we can use magic to make things a lot faster. And we can do more than a machine could with it!"

“Oh I’m sure.” I nodded. “I can’t wait to learn how to use it! I know I won’t be able to use it openly, once I can go home, but it might be able to make some things easier.”

“Absolutely!” she nodded, “Even just cleaning can go faster! And given you’ll likely only be cleaning in the comfort of your own home, you could probably use it for at least that without anyone noticing.”

“Which will leave me more time for petting these goofs!” I patted my cats, who were lounging on either side of us.

“Yes!” Astrid laughed, then stood, “Well, I’d best get going so we can start on these!”

“Thank you, Astrid.” I was very grateful. “You’ve been very kind.”

“Well, it’s partway my job, but you also seem very sweet. Let’s be friends, alright?”

“I’d love that!” Maybe I’d have some company other than my cats, Rose, and Fen while I was here, if I was going to be friends with Astrid.

“I know a few other folks who would just love you to death too.” she said thoughtfully. “I’ll have to talk to Fen about jail-breaking you from here for a tea party, or something!”

“He seems to think it’s a bad idea for me to leave, which, given what happened with the spirits when I was back home, I can’t say I blame him, but maybe if I was around enough people, especially magical people, it wouldn't matter.” I said thoughtfully.

“And as long as it’s only people who’d be good to you, I’m sure.”

“Oh, good point.”

“I’ll talk to him about it! See you later!”

“Bye!”

Astrid left, and I sat there for a while, musing over the strange turn my life had taken. It was a sort of forced vacation, yes, but I was choosing to look on the bright side. And heck, I’d already made a new friend! Maybe two, if I could count Fen. He wasn’t as warm as his half-sister, but…yeah, we were friends, of a kind. Not close, but friends.

-

There was a knock on my door, and I called, “Come in!”

“It’s me.” Fen said as he entered.

“Oh, hello! How’d your meeting go?”

“Well enough, I guess.”

“Was it here, or back home?”

“It was here.”

“Was it business related?”

“No. It was about how to handle your situation.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I met with some trustworthy advisors in the government about what it would take in order to get you back home. As well as the fact that you exist.”

“What did they say about both things?”

“Well, they were taken aback that you exist, but did their best to wrap their minds around it. As to how we’ll be able to make it so that you can go safely home, we discussed a couple of ideas. I think we’ve settled on some kind of amulet or ring that you can wear, and then we would put some kind of spell on your place of residence as well. Those two things, coupled with helping you learn how to control your magic, and be able to keep it from spilling so obviously from you, as it does right now, should be plenty to keep you safe. I think we could get away without putting a spell on your residence, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Well, that sounds like a plan to me.” I nodded.

“Then we’ll move forward with it. I’ll try and start on whatever item we decide to use for you to wear. And then I’ll have to get the spells set up on your apartment. They’ll be like the ones on this house.”

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“Right.” I nodded, then laughed, “Pity my apartment isn’t as nice as this house!”

Fen was thoughtful for a few moments. “I own many properties back in your world, perhaps we should just move you into one of those. I could have some of my people who live there that I trust help keep an eye on you, that way.”

“Fen, I can’t afford-”

“I wouldn't charge you rent.” He interrupted, shaking his head.

I gaped, “I-I…no, that’s not…that’s not…”

“Not what? It’s a good idea.”

“I-I can’t…accept that kind of thing!” I protested

“Why not? Do you feel you somehow don’t deserve it? My actions jeopardized your safety and basically ruined your life, Mercy.” he said in a very matter-of-fact tone. “And besides, none of it would cause me any kind of strain, financial or otherwise. Helping you after what I’ve done is no burden. It’s the very least I can do.”

Tears welled in my eyes, “I-I…”

“I’ll arrange a virtual tour for you, and you can pick whichever of the properties you’d like. How many bedrooms do you want? Three?”

“I-I really only need one!”

“No, you’ll want more in case you have company. Like Michael.” Fen waved his hand absentmindedly. “Yes, at least two. Maybe three, the cats could have a playroom. A fourth if you want an office/studio area?” He looked at me.

“Th-that’s huge!”

He shrugged, “I think four rooms would do nicely. I’ll tell my realty team.” he tapped out a message on his phone. “We’ll get some virtual tours set up, and you can decide. I can have your things packed up and moved into it before you even leave here.”

“That…I-I…” I didn’t know what to say. I stared at him, overwhelmed. “Th-thank you, Fen.”

“It’s no big deal. It’ll even help me, too. The property won’t be sitting empty, that way.” he shrugged. “But you’re very welcome, again, it’s the least I can do. You might even feel more at home, with a couple of fey neighbors who you can really trust around you.”

“They won’t think I’m nuts.” I murmured.

“No, they wouldn't.” he nodded.

“I would like that, I think.”

“You could talk to them about everything. We could have enchanted mirrors put in, too, so any fey folk there could more easily detect spirits if they did manage to get by the protective spells that I’ll put up.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Hopefully they’d never have to serve that purpose, if all goes to plan.”

“Yeah.”

It was quiet for a few moments.

“Yes, that’s a good plan.” he nodded.

Another knock at the door made us jump, “Come in!” I called.

“It’s me, dear!” Rose pushed in, smiling. “I brought dinner for the both of you!”

“Thanks, Rose.” Fen said quietly. “I’m starving.”

“I had a feeling you would be!” She laughed, “You always are after meetings. Now, Mercy, you’ll have to let me know if you like this dish, alright? Cook tried her hand at a new dish, I think it’s human.”

“I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.” I assured her.

“Why don’t you make a list of your favorite meals and give it to me to take to the cook? She’s very good at her job and will figure them out for you.”

“She’ll probably make them even better.” Fen added.

“Yes, she will. She’s a genius with food!”

“Alright!” I smiled. That was easy enough, and would give me something to do.

“Excellent! You two enjoy!”

Fen was already putting food on a plate. It was spaghetti, and smelled amazing. Much to my surprise, he asked, “Do you want garlic bread?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course I want garlic bread.”

“Alright.” he added some to the plate, then motioned questioningly at some asparagus, roasted zucchini and squash, and some kind of fried mushroom.

“All of them, please.”

He nodded, put more on the plate, then handed it to me. “There. Do you want wine?”

“No thanks. Water is fine.”

Fen poured a glass of water, and gave it to me as well.

“Thank you, Fen, but I could have done it all for myself.”

The fey man shrugged slightly. “I felt like it.” He got his own food, then settled back into the couch.

The cats had joined us, and purred happily as we stroked them idly between bites.

We fell quiet as we ate for a while.

“How did things go with Astrid?”

“I think they went really well! She’s very nice.”

“I thought you two might get along. You’re both creatives.”

“She said she wanted to have me to tea.”

“Oh?” he blinked, “Well, we’ll have to figure out how to make that happen.”

“I’d like that, thank you.” I'd thought it might take some convincing, but he'd agreed to it the moment I'd even brought it up.

“Once you have some proper clothes, then all we’ll have to think about is safety.”

“She said it wouldn't take very long.”

“It won’t.”

“Good. I can’t wait to see what she makes, her sketches were amazing!”

“She’s very good at what she does.” Fen nodded.

“I can tell!”

“Was today a good day, then?”

“Yeah, it was.” I smiled.

-

Fen was glad to see Mercy was enjoying herself in his home. That she was able to see the good things in the situation was baffling, but encouraging, and did help to assuage some of the guilt he felt for causing so many problems.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep you company much tomorrow, will you be able to occupy yourself?”

“Yeah, I’ll write some, I think.”

“Good.”

“Are you busy with meetings?"

“Yes.”

“Here or back home?”

“Both, actually. In your world in the morning, then here in the afternoon. Want me to bring you anything from home? Literally anything. Money is no issue.”

“Hm, some Indian food would be great!”

“I can do that. I’ll tell Cook not to worry about lunch. I’ll bring her some so she can recreate it for you. Tell me what you want.”

I told him what dishes I wanted and from what restaurant, and he jotted them down on a note in his phone.

“Alright.” he nodded.

“Thank you!”

“Of course.” he paused, “You really like food, don’t you?”

“Doesn't everyone?”

“You’d think so, but not everyone does.”

“I do like it.” I shrugged. “It’s a way for me to enjoy something even if it’s just a cheap little candy bar. Keeps my life from getting too monotonous, even if I can’t afford anything fancy.”

“Makes sense.” Fen nodded.

“Do you like food a lot?”

“Yes, I like trying new foods, too.”

“Me too.”

“Good. Would you be interested in trying some fey recipes? They’d be made so you could eat them, of course. I wouldn't give you faerie-fruit of any kind, but we can substitute most faerie-fruit and food to make a human-safe version of our traditional foods.”

“I’d love to try fey food! I mean, human-safe fey food.”

“Alright.” She was really very easy to talk to, and he’d found he enjoyed her company. Mercy was honest, humble, and positive. She was also very brave, to have gone through the life she had. The young woman was also remarkably well-adjusted, given she’d been called a lying attention-seeker or just plain crazy by so many people for so long.

He found he could sit and chat idly about nothing with her, and still enjoy it. Small talk, that’s what it was called. Fen didn’t usually enjoy small talk with just anyone.

The fey man realized that he already saw her as a friend, though they hadn’t really known one another for very long. Well, to be fair, he’d known of her existence simply because she’d worked at the coffee shop he frequented, but really hadn’t paid her any attention until recently.

“Maybe I’ll buy the coffee shop too.” he said idly.

“The Thistle and Thorn?” If the change in topic seemed to come out of the blue, Mercy didn't question it.

“Yes. It has a name fitting for a coffee shop owned by fey folk.”

“You do what you want. You’re there enough that it wouldn't be weird.”

“Yeah.” he shrugged.

“Oh, what you said to those sorority girls, that gave us a good chuckle behind the counter.” She paused, “Although I think a lot of women have more boobs than brains. I think brains only weigh about three pounds, on average, which really isn’t that much.”

Fen snorted. “I actually heard your discussion. We have inhuman hearing.”

“Oh.” she blinked.

“Your discussion gave Aren and me a good chuckle. So thank you for that. Your manager really did only barely get out of it without insulting you and your redheaded friend. He didn't think before he spoke and got himself involved. I would have just stayed out of it.”

“A wiser man would have.” I nodded.

“I wouldn't say I’m wiser, I’m just older.”

“Fair enough.”