The deeper they went into the forest, the taller the trees grew around them. Their trunks widened and unfolded as an accordion, and the understory grew thicker with wiry branches. Yet no matter how harrowing the foliage became, Fen continued to move through it like a fish through water. Elodie supposed the hound was keeping to some invisible path by scent or memory and kept her body low to his form, hoping it would ease his pathfinding. They stopped only once when Fen lost the way by a frozen stream but quickly resumed after he retraced his steps. The further they went, the more irked his commentary became.

They went so deep into the forest that the light dwindled into nothing until Elodie could no longer see the gaps in the leaves above them. Snow still permeated the canopy, but only as a few flakes. She was reminded of swimming in a lake during the summer when sunk so low that even the surface was indiscernible- a rippled reflection of the true world above. They fell into the forest's embrace, and mischievous shadows played amongst the trunks of the trees.

Fen panted as he ran, "They're probably asleep again with..." He didn't finish the sentence and instead slowed to a stop. "Cover your ears," he instructed her.

Elodie complied and put the butt of her palms against her ears. Fen reared back his head, and even to Elodie's muffled hearing, the howl that came out of his mouth shook her to her core. It was a long, sad note. A melancholic sound that chased the birds from the trees in a cacophonous ascension.

When the noise died down, the mottled brown ferns around the bases of the trees curled backward, and the needles of the pines rippled a little to let light pierce through them as arrows through a battlefield. With the way lit, Elodie could see massive bovine figures moving through the trunks with deep black eyes the size of saucers. Its horns were so large and cupped in a way that could've easily held five or six men, yet it moved them between the trunks of great oaks and pines with the air of regality. She gasped as the creature lumbered away and wondered how she hadn't seen it before.

A minuscule, blue mote of light taking the shape of a butterfly landed on Elodie's shoulder. Then another, nestled in the wave of her curls, and another, on the ridge of her knuckles. What started as a gasp from Elodie turned into a soft noise of delight at the wonder of it all. Dozens of little wings flapped in the glad around them, ushering in a voice that rose just above a whisper.

"Ah, it's just you."

A figure clad in billowing cloths and gossamer furs emerged amidst the flapping wings. Delicate blue butterfly wings wreathed the blonde hair on their head, and small white flowers were set about them. Their eyes were an unusually bright shade of magenta, which they'd further accentuated with audacious makeup. Roots rose from the forest floor to meet each of their steps as they approached, making them appear as though they were merely dancing into each step, and the forest refused to let them fall.

"My, my," they drawled, savoring the sound of each word with a lilt of their head. "Fen, what have you brought to me this time?"

Elodie felt an unspooling in her chest and a weight pressing on her forehead. Across from her, she could see little threads of light forming around the figure's head, shaping into a shining crown with eight looping tines protruding upwards. On her own head formed a crown with ten tines, simplistic but jagged like shards of ice. Both crowns remained present and resplendent for several moments before ebbing away into a flurry of sparkles.

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"How nostalgic!" the figure cried, "I cannot remember the last time I saw a crown."

Fen's cold, wet nose nudged into Elodie's side, and she took the invitation to dismount. Feeling lost, she defaulted into the lowest bow with her fist curled over her chest. "I am Elodie Auclair." Her voice came out of her mouth as barely a squeak. "I'm happy to make your acquaintance."

Spearlike nails cupped her chin and pushed up, lifting her gaze into a face with a jeering expression. The figure tutted like a school teacher, saying, "Excellent manners, but only a half-bow needed when meeting with a stranger of equal standing."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Fen's low, guttural voice chiseled through the trance. "Thalia, queen of the fairies and keeper of the glade," he announced, bowing theatrically low. When he arose, he continued, "The bond I have with you demands resolution by the law of favors."

Thalia was quiet. She stared at Elodie with a lulled, unblinking look. The quiet dragged on so long that Elodie felt she'd done something wrong. She opened her mouth to apologize for whatever slight she had committed but was interrupted. "And resolve it we will," Thalia assured them both with a nod, "However, I've just woken from a nap and am in no mood to do anything at all." The fairy queen yawned into the back of their hand and said, "Come Fen, tell me what happened."

Fen explained in exacting detail how he'd been trapped in the hunter's snare and Elodie's rescue therein. Elodie offered the occasional "ah, yes" and "mm" noise to his story but was far more enamored watching the scenery around them. It was unlike anything Elodie had ever seen. The forest enlivened around Thalia, brightening and chirping at their very presence. The ferns flashed a green color with each of Thalia's steps, only to wither back to brown husks when they'd moved past. Branches reached, grasping fingers at them, and Elodie saw small figures peeking out from behind stones with charcoal eyes. Once, Elodie threatened to trip over roots that gnarled and twisted around Thalia's steps, and Fen paused his story long enough to stoop down beside her. Although Elodie was very tired, she complied and mounted Fen again, grateful for the assistance, if not a bit embarrassed.

"I see," Thalia purred, "What a predicament. I apologize for the trouble my gelert has caused you."

"Ah, well," Elodie responded, "I wanted to meet you ... so ..."

"Naturally," they said with a smile, but Elodie saw something flicker behind their eyes. "But I have a hard time believing you've traveled this far on a fox's word."

"No ... that is, it is important to me, but ... I have a friend who needs help." Elodie's fists balled into her skirt. "I hurt her- with an oration. I'd like to learn how I can undo it."

Thalia's eyes flashed again, though what emotion was crossing them was indiscernible for Elodie. With the same indifferent drawl, Thalia said, "I'm sure we can come to an agreement and get you home quickly, but I must insist you allow Fen to rest."

It wasn't until they'd mentioned rest that Elodie felt the sag in her shoulders and the soreness between her legs from gripping Fen's belly so hard. "Oh ... Yes, goodness," She laughed, and the sound surprised her. "I hope I'm not troubling you or Fen if I stay for a bit."

"She is nice," Thalia said with a side-eyed glance at Fen. "Rest as long as you like, Elodie. I would be honored to host a guest such as yourself. I will even send word to your court that you've made it safely if you'd like."

Relief flooded through Elodie at the suggestion. Ann and Braum's cries still rang in her ears hours later. "Oh, would you?"

Thalia whistled an unusual trill of notes and reached for one of the butterflies fluttering around them. Their stiletto nails plucked through the space in the insect's wings and pinched the body delicately in a way that made Elodie's stomach lurch. With a placid face, Thalia folded their second hand over it like a lotus. Light spilled between their fingers, and a tiny humanoid figure emerged from it with dainty, translucent wings. It was hard to tell where its body began and ended, as pieces of its form flowed outwards as though diaphanous clothing. She couldn't make out any features on the creature's face, nor did it speak any words Elodie could recognize in the jingles emitting from its body. Thalia unfurled their hand, and the little fairy sat on their palm as though it was a capricious swing. They used a single finger to swivel its head toward Elodie to ensure it was paying attention. "Here you are. Let them know what message you'd like them to pass along. I'm afraid Braum is the only one I remember in that dreary castle, so I'll have them deliver it to him."

Elodie was so mesmerized by the display of effortless magic that she perked up a little despite her exhaustion. The prospect of how much she could learn from Thalia was tantalizingly dangling in front of her. She glanced at the haphazard crystals holding Fen's side together and felt slightly embarrassed by how proud she'd been of them. They were clumsy and crude compared to Thalia's work.

Tiny eyes stared up at her from Thalia's palm. "Please tell his highness to inform the others that I arrived safely," Elodie finally said, "and that Thalia has been kind enough to host me and send this message on my behalf. Tell him not to worry and that I will only be here a night, and then I'll return tomorrow." She winced. "And that I'm sorry for any trouble my behavior might have caused."

Thalia held the fairy up to their face and whispered what Elodie thought was some low incantation. The fairy bumped its tiny forehead into Thalia's, and they both shared a quiet smile that Elodie felt she was intruding upon. Thalia held their hand aloft, and the fairy took flight, zipping above until Elodie could only see the faintest outline of blue butterfly wings.

Pleased with the attention, Thalia said, "I'll take you to my cottage. We can talk more privately there. Come."