Everyone who was going to go back to the feylands with me and Arden stood ready, carrying whatever belongings they’d brought with them to the cottage. My own things, including the shirts Winna had bought me, minus the one I wore, were packed away in the small satchel I carried. I also had one of the shawls that Winna had made on her loom, it was a lovely cerulean blue that matched my eyes, embroidered with pretty seashells, and had been a parting gift from the kindhearted mage, who I now counted a dear friend.

“Take this as well.” Lear had said, reaching out and handing me a paper packet.

“What is it?”

“Money. I know Arden can take care of you, but you might find you want some of your own, just to have.”

“I can’t accept money!” I protested.

“Yes you can.” Winna said firmly, patting my shoulder gently, “We have plenty, I promise.”

I’d pouted for a few moments, knowing I couldn't actually refuse, then sighed. “Alright.” I’d slipped the packet into the inner pocket of the satchel.

True to her word, Winna had gotten Lear to rig up a wheelchair for me, using spare wheels from the cart and a chair with a broken leg that he’d never gotten around to mending. This meant I didn’t have to rely quite so heavily on anyone else to carry me around, which was a welcome change.

Now we all stood outside, or sat in a wheelchair, in my case, waiting for Lear to finish the quick inspection of the mushrooms that he was doing.

It was a small group. Apparently most of the fey folk that Bellows had taken or bought hadn’t lived within the bounds of the feylands.

We were busy finishing up our farewells.

Serha was wiping tears from her eyes, and Irving pulled her close. “Don’t worry, we’ll see them again.” the ogre said, a sad smile on his face.

“I know.” Serha murmured, setting her head against his shoulder.

Rowan knelt before my wheelchair, “It’s time, my little Marri.” he smiled.

Tears came to my eyes. “I-I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too. But we’ll stay in touch. I’ll send word to Lear that I made it home, and he’ll let you know how we can keep in contact, okay?”

“Okay.” I leaned forward and hugged him tightly, bursting into tears. “Th-thank you for taking care of me and being my dad for all these years!” I sobbed.

“It’s been an honor to raise you, and have you as a daughter, Marrina. I’m so, so proud of the person you’ve become, despite our circumstances. If you ever need a home, you’re welcome in mine.” he told me, voice warm, but also thick with tears.

“I-I love you!”

“I love you too.” he said, planting a kiss in my hair.

I hugged him for a very long time.

“It’s time.” Lear said gently, having finished his inspection.

I broke away, and Serha and Irving both gave me another hug as well.

“This isn’t goodbye, remember.” Arden murmured, smiling sadly. “Just see you later, okay? We’re trying to work with Dern and the craftspeople at the palace to set up a way to communicate through mirrors, but it’s finicky magic, so it’s taking a while. Once that’s done, though, we’ll work on getting some for all of you so you can keep in touch more easily.”

“That’d be wonderful.” Rowan nodded. “Thank you.”

Lear now addressed us, “Well, I’m sorry to see you all go. But if any of you ever find yourselves back here, please come visit. Winna likes having visitors, and if it makes her happy, then it makes me happy.”

“Thank you, Lear. You and your wife have been very kind to us.” Pippa said, bowing low to him.

The rest of us nodded and murmured in agreement.

“It’s what we’re meant to do.” Lear shrugged. “Help others, that’s the goddess’ charge for us.” he clapped his hands, “Now, let’s get you all to the feylands.”

The fey captain turned back to the mushroom ring, and his magic began to surge. Reaching out, he sent a powerful stream into the ring, and it began to spark throughout the circle, rushing faster and faster until it was a solid beam.

“Go ahead and step in.” He directed us.

Arden had to lift me, and my wheelchair, over the mushrooms, but we were soon all inside.

“Alright, sending you now!” Lear announced.

There was another surge of magic alongside a last chorus of farewells.

Then the wind whipped my curly blue hair around wildly, prompting me to squeeze my eyes shut and grab for Arden’s hand, clinging to it tightly. His other hand patted my shoulder gently, and I heard him murmur, “It’s alright.”

When the magic and wind faded, I opened my eyes, and saw we were now in what looked like a highly manicured garden.

“Oh, wow. That’s a lot more people than usual.” A voice spoke.

I looked over and saw another centaur. This one wasn’t Rowan, and he wore a shiny golden helmet, and a uniform of dark crimson, and wore two blades strapped across his upper back.

“Sorry, Cedar.” Arden said, stepping from the ring, then leaning over and carefully lifting me and my wheelchair out. “It was something of an unusual circumstance. Captain Lear cleared it, though.” The others stepped out as well, following Arden’s lead.

“I had assumed. It’s not like him to just send people through willy-nilly.” he nodded.

“Marrina, this is Cedarmane. Him and his brother, Elmhoof act as the regular guardians of the mushroom portal.”

“You can call me Cedar.” the centaur nodded.

“Arden!” another voice called.

Cedar immediately leapt to attention. “Highness!”

“Oh relax.” the new-comer laughed as he approached. He was about Arden’s height, with copper hair and pale green skin, which belied a pixie ancestor somewhere in his past. His eyes were a warm brown, much like Winna’s, and twinkled happily at us. “I’m so glad Lear sent you along! How are you?”

“I’m doing well, Asher, how are you?” Arden bowed slightly, I followed suit, recognizing that Asher was the king of my people.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Despite Asher’s status, he was dressed simply in a navy tunic belted at the waist, with brown pants and supple leather boots. The only mark of his rank was a simple gold circlet on his head, and an ornate signet ring on the middle finger of his left hand, bearing a coat of arms.

“I’m…well, stressed, but what’s new?” The king smiled wryly, “That husband of mine is still off visiting his family, and that never helps.” Asher sighed, then surveyed the rest of us, wearing a slightly confused, but not unkind, expression, “And who are all these folks? It’s not like Lear to send so many through the portal. I was really only expecting you, Arden.”

“It’s a long story.” Arden sighed, “They really just needed transport back to the feylands.”

“We’ll be on our way, your highness.” Pippa bowed, “It’s not our desire to cause any problems.”

“No, that won’t do! You all are guests. At least have a bit of breakfast with me! I was just going down to eat when I felt the portal activate.” Asher smiled.

“Oh, we couldn't possibly!” Pippa exclaimed, very taken aback. “I don’t think any of us have any proper sort of manners.”

“I’ve never even been in a palace before.” I muttered, alarmed at the idea. “Much less can use a fork very well.”

Asher shook his head, smiling kindly at us still, “That’s alright. Things are a little more relaxed around here than they used to be, I promise.”

“Your uncle would have beheaded me, a filthy half-elf for daring to speak to him.” Arden muttered.

“Yes, I’m afraid he would have.” Asher sighed, then shook himself, “Well, let’s all go in, and you can tell me that long story. I’d be very happy to have company, and can’t wait to see the look on Draka’s face when I tell him we need more plates!”

“Draka?” I asked Arden quietly as we started forward. He pushed me along, since it was a little difficult for me to go particularly fast in my wheelchair.

“Asher’s head butler.” the white-haired half-fey man grinned.

“It’s my job to make his job difficult!” Asher shot a grin back over his shoulder at me.

I smiled. Despite being a king, Asher was surprisingly personable. Then again, someone who grew up with Lear would be, wouldn't they? “Aren’t you supposed to be ruling your people?”

“Well, it is that, too, but I take joy in annoying him. But he deserves it, the stuffy old curmudgeon. Still won’t address Arden directly because he’s half-fey.” Asher’s face hardened into a line.

“Can you fire him?” I frowned.

“No, not really. His family line is bound into the service of mine.” the king sighed. “But I can make his life so difficult that he finally decides to pass off the duty to his niece, who is a no-nonsense kind of woman, but also doesn't look down on anyone.”

“That’s nice.” I smiled.

“Ah, I should introduce you. Asher, this is Marrina.” Arden said, somewhat belatedly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Marrina! I’m Asher, as you’ve no doubt already heard.” he smiled, “And none of that your highness stuff alright? You’re not a servant or military or…anything like that.”

“Alright.” I smiled. Asher really was a pleasant man.

Soon, we left the lovely palace gardens, and entered the palace through a small side door, with Asher holding the door open as we all entered. Given that he didn’t have to give us any kind of direct permission to enter, Asher either didn’t actually live in the palace, or didn’t see the entire palace as his home, which was an interesting thought.

I stared around me, awestruck. Everything was white marble and gleaming gold. The ceilings were high and vaulted, and plush, crimson rugs lined the walkways, trimmed in gold tassels. Enormous windows let light stream in from the outside, and every so often one was a lovely stained glass image of flowers or a famous fey person from history, which cast a rainbow of colors onto the floor. The furniture was all dark hardwood, carved with beautiful floral sprays that were embellished with gold inlays.

“Lear was right, this is fancy.” I muttered.

“It is.” Arden agreed, smiling down at me.

The king led us through several hallways, and had stopped just outside a set of double doors when someone called, “Arden!”

My white-haired fey soldier looked in their direction, then smiled. “Meadowbell! How are you?”

The person who’d greeted him was a pixie with navy skin, dark crimson hair, and tawny hawk feathers. She bobbed in the air, seeming pleased to see Arden. “I’m alright.”

Arden turned to us, “Go on without me, I’ll be right along!”

“Alright, we’ll be in the breakfast room.” Asher nodded, taking over pushing my wheelchair.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“One of Arden’s squad members.”

“Oh! Right.”

“I’m sure he’ll introduce you later.” the king added. We reached a set of double doors, and he flung them open, then wheeled me in, saying, “Draka! I have guests. We’ll need more place settings!”

A very stiff-looking fey man stood there, dressed in a severely cut black suit. I sensed he was an ogre. The butler frowned deeply at the king, but muttered, “Yes, your highness.”

“And be snappy with it, I’m hungry.” Asher said lightly.

“My liege.” The ogre bowed.

“Go ahead and take a seat.” Asher said, taking me with him to the head of the table. “The servants will be along shortly with more place settings and all the food.” He pulled a chair back from the table for me, letting me sit at his right hand, and then sat down himself.

Everyone else settled in the other seats, but left a spot to my left for Arden, who slipped into the room a while later.

“Oh, good. You’re here. And you managed to not have to deal with Draka glaring daggers at you! He probably won’t be back, either, I don't think he was best pleased with me for having so many unexpected guests. But he’ll get over it!” Asher snorted. “Come sit! I’d love to hear the story behind how you all wound up here.”

“It is quite a story.” Arden laughed, taking the seat beside me and reaching out to pat my hand gently.

“Ohhh, so that’s why you brought her. I knew Lear had a thing for mermaids,” Asher said teasingly, winking good-naturedly at me, “but I didn’t know you did too, Arden!”

Arden flushed red, muttering, “Well, uh…I don’t have a thing for mermaids, per say. Just Marri.”

“I’m teasing you, you know that.” Asher snorted, rolling his eyes a little.

“I know.” the half-fey man muttered, still red.

I giggled, then sighed. “Arden saved us, Asher. We were slaves.”

Asher’s face hardened into a surprisingly grim expression. There was the leader. “That’s most unfortunate. Humans, or…what?”

“A dwarf.” Arden told him, “I got Winna and her close friend, a centaur, out of there, then Lear and I went back for the others.” Arden took a few moments to briefly explain the entire story.

As he was talking, servants came in and carefully laid out place settings for each of us, except for Asher who’s place was already set. But true to the king’s predictions, we didn’t see hide nor hair of the disagreeable butler again.

Then breakfast foods of every variety were laden on the table, and Asher motioned that we should all dig in, which we eagerly did.

I had gotten to eat so much good food lately! A girl could get used to it!

“Marrina wants to try to find her family, so I thought we’d try to pick the brains of some experts here whenever I’m not busy with work. The rest of her friends are from the feylands, originally, and it didn’t make sense to not bring them with me.”

“Of course. I’m glad the portal was useful in that way.” Asher nodded.

“It will be good to see my family.” Pippa said. She was sitting across the table from me.

“They live within the feylands?”

“Not far from the palace, actually.” Pippa smiled. “They’re potters in the artisan village.”

“Oh how wonderful!” Asher beamed at her.

Arden took a sip of tea then said, “That reminds me. Did you ever know of an ogre named Irving who worked with the smiths?”

Asher thought for a few moments. “Yeah. That fits the bill for one of the blacksmiths that used to be here. Had to leave here to help pay back some family debts or something, though. I know they were sad to see him leave.”

“He was one of the captives.” Arden grimaced. “Whoever his family owed money to broke the law.”

“Hm.” the king frowned deeply. “I’ll have to look into that. His family doesn't live in the feylands though, so it might be a bit.”

“Of course.” the white-haired soldier nodded.

We ate for a little while longer, enjoying ourselves greatly.

“Oh, I meant to ask, Asher said that was one of your squadmates, was something wrong?”

“No. I thought she’d want to tell me about what she and Lear had been up to, but she said she’d leave that to Asher.” he shot a quick glance at the king, who nodded almost imperceptibly. “She wanted an update on Lear and Winna, wanted to know if the baby was born, stuff like that.”

“Oh, that was nice.” I smiled.

“We’re all very fond of them.” he nodded. “And we’re all always welcome there, even if we wouldn't all fit at one time.”

“How many people are in your squad?”

“Eight right now, counting Lear and me.”

“I see.”