“I’m nervous!” I told Fen as we walked, arm in arm, down to the front hall, on our way to Astrid’s for tea.

“Don’t be. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’m sure.” I fidgeted with the ring on my finger. Fen had produced it a couple of hours previously, and tested it, then announced it was working. I could tell some kind of magic was in it, but couldn't really tell much beyond that. That said, being able to sense the magic in it was at least of some comfort, since I had proof that it was enchanted to protect me. “I’m more worried about meeting new people than anything else. I’m not usually very good at talking with strangers.”

“You did it every day at work.”

“That’s different though.”

“I guess. That said, Astrid will only have people there who she thinks will like you.”

“Well, I hope they do.” I managed a smile.

Soon, we were walking out the front door. A proper carriage with horses stood there. “Oh, no sports car?”

“Most of Faerie isn’t properly paved for cars. Carts and carriages will work, but it would be rough on most cars. There are a few paved roads, but we still favor the older ways of transport. But to be fair, we can travel quickly by means other than cars, too, so we don’t have to rely on them.”

“Makes sense, then.” I shrugged, smoothing out the dress of my skirt.

My outfit today was pale yellow, dotted with light and dark blue flowers embroidered all over. The jewelry was simple silver jewelry with little blue stones. I also had a purse, but there wasn’t really anything in it except my phone and a handkerchief. Given we were going to tea in Fen’s sister’s home, I hadn’t felt the need to bring my wallet or anything.

“You look fine, don’t worry.” Fen said quietly.

My face heated. “I can’t help it, you lot are very pretty.”

“You don’t stick out all that much.” he told me.

“Don’t go trying to flatter, it won’t work.” I rolled my eyes at him. Though Rosie had helped me put on a little bit of makeup so I wouldn't stand out too badly while I was out.

“I wasn’t. You’re prettier than you give yourself credit for, Mercy.” he sighed, “Even without makeup.”

“I don’t know about that.” I mumbled, feeling my face heat again. He seemed sincere enough, but I found it really hard to believe that he, a beyond gorgeous fey man, would find a rather plain human like myself at all pretty.

“Just relax, it’s going to be fine.” he snorted.

We were quiet for a little while, and then the carriage was rolling to a stop.

“Oh, that was fast.”

“Astrid doesn't live far.” Fen nodded. “It’s convenient that way.”

“I’m sure!”

The carriage door was thrown open, and a fey servant, dressed in a different uniform that they wore at Fen’s home, stepped aside so we could leave the carriage.

Fen exited first, then paused and helped me down the stairs.

“Oh, thanks.” I gripped his hand and carefully descended.

“You were surprised when I helped you in, but I know it’s difficult to do stairs like these in dresses like that.”

“I’m just not used to stuff like that.” I muttered.

“It’s alright.” he snorted a little. “It’s just customary. And polite, really.”

“Well, I do appreciate it.”

Fen reached down and casually took my hand, putting it into the crook of his arm as we headed towards the house. It was a large manor house, not unlike Fen’s own, but was visibly smaller at a glance, though no less nice, from what I could tell.

We were admitted, and Astrid met us at the door. “Welcome!” She cried, coming forward and hugging me, then Fen. “I’m so glad you could come today!”

“I’m glad too!” I smiled.

“She’s nervous, your friends will be gentle, won’t they?”

“Of course! I didn’t invite anyone who wouldn't love her to pieces!” Astrid replied. “And you know all of them already, anyways. Well enough for them to use your first name.”

“Ah, good.”

Fen’s half-sister led us down the hallway, which was decorated sumptuously, but tastefully, with a light, peachy orange as an accent color to crisp whites and some muted blues as neutrals.

We stepped into a lovely sitting room, where three people were already sitting.

“And with these two, everyone is here!” she said. “You all know my brother, of course,” the three fey folk stood, bowing or curtsying to Fen.

He waved his hand mildly, “No need for that or my title here today, alright? Today I’m just Astrid’s brother." he motioned at me, "This is Mercy, she’s a friend and is staying with me as a guest.”

“Mercy, this is Cecily.” Astrid said, motioning at a pale pink-skinned fey woman with darker pink scales around her eyes. She had warm brown eyes, a round face, was pleasantly plump, and as beautiful as any other fey woman I’d ever seen.

Cecily smiled warmly, “Hello! Astrid said you were a dear little thing and she’s absolutely right!”

“I-I don’t know about that!” I laughed a little, but felt my face heat a little.

“This is Mara.” The next woman was tall and intimidating in stature. She had warm brown skin, orange eyes, long white hair, a pair of tawny hawk-like wings, and looked like she could have broken a tree trunk over her knee without so much as breaking a sweat. She was also impossibly beautiful, as was the trend.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Mara said in a quiet voice.

“The pleasure is mine!” I replied, nodding my head in lieu of bowing. I wasn’t sure what was appropriate. I would ask Fen what I should have done later, and could kick myself for not thinking of what I should do or how I should act before we arrived.

“And finally, this is Micah!” The last person was a human man. He was in his early thirties, I guessed, with practically crimson red hair, and sparkling, slightly mischievous blue eyes.

“She didn’t lie about how pretty you were, either!" Micah shot me a flirtatious smile.

“Not today, Micah, alright?” Fen muttered.

“Oh alright.” the redhead gave a heaving sigh, then grinned wickedly, and asked, “Can I flirt with you then, Fen?”

“I’m really not in the mood.” Fen said mildly, seeming almost annoyed.

“Oh fiiiine.” Micah flopped back down into his place on the couch, and the other sat as well.

Fen went to a loveseat, pulling me with him, and we sat.

“You’re not from Faerie, are you?” Cecily asked me, watching me curiously.

“No, I’m not.” I grimaced slightly, “Is it that obvious? I probably stick out like a sore thumb."

“No, not at all! We’re used to humans from your world!” Cecily assured me, smiling warmly. “You’re just less formal than people who grew up here. It’s actually very nice!”

“We feel less constrained to play the part that’s expected of us when we’re around humans like you, simply because you don’t expect it.” Astrid told me.

“It’s true for humans from Faerie as well. We’re not often a member of the upper classes, but we hold to the class system almost more tightly than fey folk do, in some ways.” Micah said thoughtfully.

I knew that was true of humans from my world, specifically back in time. People frowned on marrying outside of your own social class, whether that was marrying up or down.

“I won’t pretend to know all the nuances.” I shrugged, “This is really my first time leaving Fen’s house since I arrived, so I haven’t gotten to experience much of anything here yet, including how society works. Although Fen has servants, of course.”

“He treats them well.” Micah said, “I know several people who worked for him.”

“I hoped you did.” I laughed, looking at Fen.

“I try to.” he shrugged. "Happy employees are good employees."

“Let’s have some tea!” Astrid said, changing the conversation, and beginning to pour. She handed me the first cup, then said, “Help yourself to whatever food you want, okay?”

“Thank you!” I added milk and sugar, then waited to see how much food everyone else took, lest I seem greedy, before getting a small plate of treats for myself.

“I’m glad to see you eat.” Mara commented, she was the one who’d remained quiet during our previous discussion. “So many human women worry about their figures.”

“Well, we’re not naturally pretty like fey.” I shrugged. “But I do like food…maybe a little too much.”

“Fat doesn't mean not pretty.” Cecily piped up, “Even with humans! But not everyone thinks that, I know. And it’s true, our people were blessed with natural attractiveness.”

“It’s a little dazzling sometimes.” I admitted with a laugh.

“Is it? You never seemed dazzled by me.” Fen said, sounding vaguely amused.

“Then you weren’t paying enough attention at the coffee shop!” I snorted.

“How did you two meet, anyways?” Micah wanted to know.

“At the coffee shop I worked at. He came in all the time.” I shrugged, not sure what all they could know, and glancing at Fen.

“These three can know.” he told me, then said, “Mercy can use magic. Because of that, she can see through glamours, and can see spirits without any assistance.”

Cecily, Mara, and Micah stared in shock for a moment.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Oh really?” Mara seemed intrigued. “That’s quite a gift!”

“Less a gift, more of a curse.” I frowned. “No one ever believed me as a child when I told them what I could see.”

“I’m sure they didn’t.” Cecily said softly, seeming sad on my behalf.

“You can use magic?” Micah asked.

“Yes, but not much, yet.”

“I’ll teach you more.” Fen said quickly.

“Thank you.” I nodded.

“You don’t feel like you can.” Mara said thoughtfully.

I held up the hand that bore the ring, it was on the index finger of my right hand. “Fen made this for me.”

“Oh, I see.” Mara nodded, “That makes sense. Does it mute the magic?”

“Yes. It’s just a prototype. I have to make another one that will mask her presence from spirits as well, but that’ll take me a little longer to figure out.” Fen replied.

“I might know someone who can help with that.” Mara said thoughtfully. “I’ll get you two in touch.”

“I’d appreciate it, thank you.” Fen nodded.

“Did you bring her here to study her magic, Fen?” Cecily asked.

“Uh, yes and no.” he muttered, “I kind of, well, I realized she could see me properly, and went overboard trying to prove it and make her admit to it, and she got hurt because of me. So I took her to Amilee, who used magic to see how bad the injury was, and her magic sort of just leapt to life.” That was it, in a nutshell. “Spirits used to ignore her unless she acknowledged them, but they started noticing her once the magic was awake, for lack of a better term, so it became necessary to bring her here.”

“Fen!” Mara shook her head disapprovingly, “You have to be more careful!”

Fen looked away, grimacing, “I know. I got carried away.”

"You do tend to get carried away." Astrid sighed, rolling her eyes a little. None of this was new information to her, of course.

“You don’t see any spirits right now, do you?” Micah asked, interest piqued.

I glanced around the room. “No. I’d have said immediately, if I had, it’s not safe for me to be around them, now.”

“I think that there are enough fey people here that they won’t try to get at her. But we should return to my house before it gets dark.” Fen told them. “Like I said, the ring still needs work.”

“We’ll make sure you head home with plenty of time before the sun sets.” Astrid nodded.

We sat and drank tea, chatting idly about various pleasant things for a while.

But the amount of tea I’d drank soon caught up with me, and I had to use the restroom.

I leaned towards Astrid, who was in the armchair next to the loveseat Fen and I occupied. “Is there a restroom I can use?” I asked softly.

“Of course, dear!” she smiled, “Go through the door and turn left, then head all the way to the back of the hallway, past the stairs and everything, it’s the last door on the left. You really can’t miss it though!”

“Thank you!” I excused myself, and waved Fen away, “It’s just the bathroom, it’ll be fine. I’ll shout if there are any spirits.”

“Alright.” he nodded, turning back to Mara, who he’d been absorbed in a deep discussion with about some weapon or other that they both preferred. From what I'd gleaned of their conversation, Mara's family was a group of famous warriors, and she herself was no exception.

Leaving the sitting room, I glanced around, admiring the decor for a moment. A fey footman glanced up from where he sat at a bench near the front door, and I smiled politely, then went on my way,

I followed Astrid’s directions, and found the bathroom pretty easily, though the hallway itself was much longer than I expected, but it was exactly where she’d said it would be.

After using the restroom, I washed my hands, then left, meaning to head straight back to the sitting room, but I paused, surprised to see the footman from the front door leaning against the wall just outside the bathroom.

Well, that was odd. I offered another polite smile, and went to step around him.

But he immediately blocked my way, speaking in what I guessed was Faerie. In his hand, he held out a strange apple that was entirely golden, and practically glowed with a rich luster.

“Sorry, I-I don’t speak Faerie.” I mumbled, confused and taken aback. “Please let me through.” Was he holding a Faerie fruit? I remembered Fen saying not to accept any food, especially fruit, that I thought was suspicious, and something told me this golden apple was sus as hell.

A wicked sort of grin crossed his face, and suddenly I felt magic thrumming. When the fey man spoke again, his voice was laced with it, holding out the apple towards me, clearly wanting me to take it. I could feel the magic compelling my limbs to move, but found myself able to resist as my own magic rose, deflecting the spell.

“I-I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but please stop!” I said shortly, trying to push past him, confused and more than a little alarmed.

But the fey man grabbed my arm roughly, throwing me back. I hit the floor hard, and had the breath knocked from me for a moment.

As I gasped for air, the fey man grabbed me by the neck and hauled me upright, slamming me against the wall, now clearly furious as he snapped at me in Faerie again, words still full of magic. He lunged forward, trying to shove the strange apple into my mouth, but I managed to jerk my head away, and it smacked painfully against against my face instead.

Finally catching my wind, but still struggling to breath because the fey man had me by the throat, I gasped, “St-stop!” As I struggled against the attacker’s hold on my throat, desperate to breathe.

The attacker threw the golden apple to the floor, and began to tear at my jewelry. He ripped the necklace off my neck and the bracelet from my wrist, but instead of stuffing them in his pockets to steal, he spat in anger and tossed them to the floor.

Then he began to tear at my clothes, and I gave a choked cry of terror and pain as the claws on his fingers tore both the dress and my skin.

Suddenly, he seemed to notice the ring on my finger, and wrenched it off, nearly breaking my finger in the process.

Likely surprised at the magic he now felt spilling from me, he stepped back, and dropped me to the floor where I landed in a heap, gasping.

The fey man stared at the ring, then back at me.

There was an immense crash, and then an impossibly powerful magic blasted down the hallway, lifting the footman that had attacked me and slamming him brutally down onto the ground.

Then Fen was there, spitting and hissing in Faerie, magic surging wildly. It was dark and hot and terrifying. The footman screamed, writhing in fear and pain as Fen's magic surged again.

Astrid was on her brother's heels, tugging on his arm and shouting at him in Faerie, seemingly trying to get him to stop whatever he was doing. Mara and Cecily and Micah trailed behind hesitantly, clearly not knowing just what was going on.

Cecily caught sight of me, now practically half-naked and bloodied, still gasping for air. She hurried forward, exclaiming, “Oh honey!” The fey woman immediately pulled the wrap from her shoulders and covered me with it. “You’re all cut up!”

Immediately, Fen's magic subsided, and he was kneeling beside me, swearing. “I am so sorry!” he whispered, expression tortured.

“S’ not your fault.” I mumbled.

“Shh.” Cecily murmured, “Let’s get her back to the sitting room. I can use a little healing magic."

Fen lifted me easily, carrying me down the hallway. Astrid stayed behind, giving orders to other servants in Faerie, who were busy tying up the footman that had attacked me. I saw one of them pick up the golden apple and hold it up to Astrid, who blanched, and shook her head.

After carefully putting me on the sofa, Fen stepped back, expression miserable. He was about to speak when Mara interrupted “Out of the room, boys.” She stepped forward, easily picking up Fen and Micah by their collars and practically tossing them from the room, despite Fen's vehement protests. After shutting the door firmly in their faces, she nodded at Cecily, “Go ahead, Cec.”

“Alright, honey. Let’s have a better look.” Cecily pulled away the covering, and inspected the throbbing injuries. “Just cuts, I think. No poison. That’s good.” she sighed. "We’ll have to get Amilee to look at them properly, but I can at least stop the bleeding. I saw there was a Faerie apple out there, he didn't manage to make you eat any of it, did he?”

“N-no, he didn't."

"Good. They're extremely dangerous for humans." her voice was deeply concerned.

"Wh-what does it do?"

Mara was the one who answered, "It depends on the variety. Faerie fruit can do anything from plunge you into an eternal sleep, make you gorge yourself until your stomach explodes, make you want to eat nothing but Faerie fruit for the rest of your life to the point that you'd literally starve otherwise, or some other horrible thing." She paused for a moment. "I doubt it was any of those though, all things considered. I think it's more likely that it was a fruit that would make a human totally compliant to fey suggestion." she said thoughtfully, "I think the fool wanted to keep you under his thrall without having to exhaust himself because he's quite weak in the way of speech magic. It's a dirty old trick."

"That's horrible!" I shuddered in distaste.

"It is. I'm very glad you're safe.” Cecily told me earnestly. "Now, just hang in there for a moment..." I felt her magic surge, then push into me. It was warm and comforting, and slowly pushed the pain away. “There we are.” she sighed, and the magic receded. “I think I numbed the pain as well. But you still need to be careful.” The pink fey woman put the wrap back over me, like a blanket. “There we are.”

I caught her hand. “Th-thank you!” I whispered. “I-I…n-no one g-got an eyeful while I was lying out there with my dress torn, d-did they?"

“Just me, I think.” She smiled reassuringly, “And I don't count, alright?”

“I-I ruined your wrap.” It was now stained with my blood.

“I was happy to make the sacrifice!” Cecily told me, shaking her head, “Think nothing of it, okay?”

“Th-thank you!” I started to cry, and hid my face in the wrap.

“Oh sweetie.” she patted my shoulder comfortingly.

“Can I let them back in?” Mara asked.

“Yes. Thank you, Mara.”

“Happy to help.” she nodded, letting Micah and Fen back in.

Fen was immediately there by the couch, kneeling, “Are you alright?”

“N-no!” I sobbed, clutching the wrap tightly.

“Here.” he slipped the ring onto my left index finger, and I felt its magic once more. “We’ll go home. Can I move her, Cec?”

“Yes. Just be careful. Carry her like you did earlier.”

“Alright.”

Astrid entered, expression clouded with distress, “I am so, so sorry, Mercy!”

“I-it’s alright.”

“No, it’s not.” she shook her head, “That never should have happened! Apparently someone hired a new footman and never told me. I will be having words with the butler over this!”

Fen lifted me easily. “We’re going home.”

“Please heal quickly, Mercy.” Astrid murmured as her brother carried me from the room.

We left the house and he climbed into the carriage somehow, still carrying me. If the coachmen thought anything was odd, he didn’t say.

Instead of putting me on the seat, Fen kept me in his arms as the carriage took off.

“I am so, so sorry, Mercy.” he whispered.

“S’ okay.” I mumbled.

“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have let you go by yourself. I shouldn’t have-”

I cut him off. “Fen, it’s only the fault of the person who attacked me.”

He was quiet for a few moments. “I guess.”

“I thought I was safe, too. But it…it wasn’t my fault, either.”

“No, it absolutely wasn’t your fault in any way.”

“And it wasn’t yours. Or Astrid. Just the one who attacked me.”

“But I should have-”

“No, Fen. No.” I shook my head.

“I-I just…I’m sorry.”

“Cecily stopped the bleeding. I’ll just have to take it easy for a bit.”

“I’ll get Amilee to come.”

“That’s what Cecily said to do.” I managed to smile weakly.

“Gods.” he sighed, shaking his head and squeezing me gently for a moment. “That scared the hell out of me.”

“Me too.” I mumbled.

“I know.” Fen reached up and cradled my head against his shoulder.

“I-I’m not too heavy, am I?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” he muttered.

“Sorry.”

“Don't apologize.”

“Sorry.”

“Mercy…”

Soon, the carriage stopped again, and Fen was climbing out, still carrying me.

Axl and Rose met us, “Oh sweetie!” Rose cried.

“Want me to take her, Fen?” Axl asked, stepping forward.

“I’ve got her.” Fen shook his head and going directly into the house. He lapsed into Faerie, speaking rapidly to Axl, who listened closely, then darted off, moving faster than his bulk would have suggested he could have.

Then we were in my room, and he put me on the bed.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

“I-I’m better now that we’re home.”

“I’m sure.” he sighed.

Rose came in with an armful of bandages.

“Will you bandage her, Rose?”

“Of course.”

“Come get me when you’re done.” he said, then left.

“I-it tore up my dress.” I mumbled.

“Ah, thus this.” she carefully lifted Cecily’s now-ruined wrap, and clucked her tongue disapprovingly. “Bad, but not so bad that Cecily couldn't heal it, thankfully.” she sighed, and started to carefully bandage me up.

After a little while, and not too much pain, she finished, and helped me slip into a nightgown. “There we are. Can I let Fen back in?”

“Yeah.”

The housekeeper admitted Fen once more, “She should rest, now.”

“I know.” he nodded.

Rose left.

The fey man came and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry, Mercy.” he whispered.

“Stop apologizing.” I mumbled, “I’m gonna be okay.”

“Amilee said she’d come by tomorrow.”

“Okay. Do you think she’d be willing to teach me some healing magic?”

“Probably. Just ask her.”

“Okay, I will.”

Fen stayed a moment longer.

“I’m not about to die, Fen, I promise.”

He sighed, “I know. Get some rest.” he stood, then left.