The Night was a vast wilderness unlike anything found under normal circumstances. Flora championed even the skies, bramble easily being just as common as roads would be elsewhere. Air churned itself heavy and spread itself thin, so palpable with energy that it could not only be seen in an endless array of color, but even felt and molded with but a touch. It was not uncommon to become completely lost in its ever-changing maze of vines and branches, but equally so would it lead wheresoever one might need to go. This was to say nothing of its denizens. An average ecosystem would be filled with rational creatures, not necessarily monsters in design, with a clean, precise economy to their build and purpose. To discover the same within the Night was as rare as a star landing upon soil. As a land reserved for the fae, there existed the grandest of myths along with even the tiniest specks of a thought. Of course, that very fact gave way to a wide range of possibilities, from extraordinarily beautiful beasts to even the most hideous and gargantuan being the human mind could concoct. Build, size, mental capacity, it varied so wildly it was hard to imagine that any form of solidarity could be formed amidst such a diverse conglomerate.

  Dwelling on such a fact only made it stranger to have called such a place home, once upon a time.

  “Lorne, my dear, there must be better things to do than sleep all the while.” The words played melodiously in his ears. Gentle were her words and her smile, affection dripping from every syllable, the nostalgic tones putting him at ease. Such a way with words was to be expected of Fata Titania, Queen of the Night, who regarded any and all ilk hailing from her picturesque woods as a child of her own. Donned in robes that contested the pitch-dark nothingness above her with an otherworldly white, one could easily mistake her for the sole star in all the Night, the wreath of lilies and brambles that adorned her jet-black hair only adding more to her regality. Not a single spectre of age haunted any of her features. She was to remain as timeless as the Night itself, the number of years she has lived nearly comparable to the number of stars the eye could see.

  His head rested comfortably on the lap of his companion. The refreshing fragrance of calla and lilac played with his attention as he began to wake from his short slumber. Truth be told, a terrible headache had seized him, so the thought of even moving was not favorable in the least. Had it not been for his current reprieve, he would scarcely have noticed how tired he was, let alone the aches and pains that came from ceaseless busywork.

  “Do humans truly require so much of your strength?” she asked, stroking his hair with a hand most practiced. None of the contempt hidden in her words displayed itself on any bit of his head, at least.

  “Humans themselves are not so troublesome. It is simply the formalities and regulations they decide to honor with every action that eat away at me.”

  “Needless complexity has always been the greatest error in their design.”

  “It serves a purpose, at the very least. They are folk quite different from yours and mine.”

  “Nevertheless, I regret to see you in such a sorry state,” she started, her tone suddenly sharpening. “Ragged and worn is no way for a child of mine to lead their life.”

  “You add to it much more than you know.”

  Her cheeks inflated with the slightest hint of annoyance. “Are you implying that I am unaware of my own meddling? I thought you knew so much better than that, my dear.”

  “You know what it is I speak of, Titania. No need to be so coy.”

  “Is there something wrong with a mother sharing an interest with her children?”

  “Attempting to steal away my own is much more than merely ‘sharing an interest’.” His response was immediate, stated so plainly it might have been mistaken for sarcasm. This seemed to have no effect on the ancient fae, whose smile had all but returned with the tiniest of fangs slipping through her lips.

  “A child dares to speak back to his mother? Were you not raised better than to question my wisdom, Lorne?”

  This time he rose, ignoring the pained efforts his sluggish body took to keep up with him. His gaze fixed itself quickly on Titania, who eagerly awaited his answer with a gaze of her own. Black holes were the only way he could describe those eyes, devoid of any warmth the living possessed, with an unending appetite for the weak-willed and half-hearted. Yet within them was an irresistible glimmer, a twinkle that inspired a madness too great for most souls to bear. To be bewitched by that swirling stare would be to forgo any and all hopes of keeping oneself whole. He’d already watched countless others lose that spark of sentience due to their own carelessness, and there was no doubt countless more would do the same.

  “Rather than question your wisdom, I simply wished to impart my own. Is it not desirable to have such a comfortable relationship with one another?”

  “Always so sweet with words, you are. What a truly auspicious child.” Her grin had not faded as she slowly caressed his chin, forcing him to keep his eyes locked with her own. “Very well. Although I clearly see through this guise you present, I still cannot muster the will to deny your wishes. Enough so that I still have done nothing to those humans my children seem to adore. Generous is the word you would use for this, right? Do you not think that this deserves some sort of reward?”

  He had no answer queued. It was best to carefully pick one’s words when dealing with fae, especially one aged so well, as twisting words was no different than spinning yarn for them.

  “Not as though I have an option to refuse you,” he muttered to himself. The fairy made no attempt to keep her pointed ears still. “Would you like more chocolates? As I recall, you mentioned it was the one thing those sightless buffoons could do right. Enjoyably nostalgic, no?”

  She giggled lightly. “Sweet the confectionary may be, but I do not crave such short-lived delights. There is little for me to gain in a few moments of bliss, doubly so if those moments become repetitious. A darling idea though, Lorne. Certainly more refined than a thought from that oaf I call a husband.”

  “I assume you have little interest in other foods then?”

  “Not all of us are so simple. Although I cannot say I would not be beguiled had you proposed such a thing sooner.”

  He made a show of his condition by rubbing his temple. “Must you truly have me rack my brain while I suffer such a terrible headache?”

  “I must. Otherwise, who knows what ploys I would devise to meet this new child my own has taken under himself? Can you not understand the excitement I must feel at having another like Viola? It is only common sense that I rush to see them immediately. The whispers in the woodland all shudder at my lack of delicacy once I grow impatient, you know.”

  His heart jumped at the mention of a name. Viola. A bitter pit began to eat away at his stomach, but he ignored it as a plan sprung to mind.

  “Then I suppose I have a solution: a single visit. Whether I come to you or the reverse, I can at least familiarize that child with you.”

  All tension seemed to disperse as the queen squealed to herself in glee. He lied back down in exhaustion. Had this been his first time seeing this, Lorne might have even questioned whether or not this ageless scion of nature had truly been entrusted with a proper station. But then all fae were childish in some part of their nature, and who better to exemplify that than their very ruler? He couldn’t be bothered to rationalize it any other way, not while his body began to remember how pained it had been.

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  “There is a reason you are one of my most cherished children, Lorne! Ah, to see another beautiful Star so soon after the last, I can hardly contain myself. What shall I teach them? Where shall I take them? You must help me decide, Lorne.”

  “I have yet to set my conditions.” Immediately the fairy deflated, an easily audible “poo” escaping her lips.

  “First and foremost, this is a visit. As their primary caretaker, I have final say in all matters regarding this occasion. You will not force them to see, hear, or touch anything that they do not agree to or that I do not allow. Is this understood?”

  “You make more of a mother than me, my dear.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Second, I want you to keep exposure to denizens of the Night to a minimum. The last thing I need is more busy work due to your habit of showing off. Lastly, there shall be a ceasefire of one month after the agreed upon date has passed so that I may finally rest easy. These terms are more than agreeable, no?”

  “Precise as the worst of those humans, unfortunately. Yet to meet another Star, I would agree to these terms and so much more.”

  “Well spoken, as usual. We shall discuss more later. Send a message for me as to the date and location. I still have some business to attend to.”

  “Going, and so soon? Our visits are always so short, why not stay for a while longer, perhaps visit the Black Sea and rest?”

  “Sadly, I have too little time to spend on such personal luxuries.”

  “That accursed Circle, I surmise. Policing nature has no merit, and only its wrath awaits those that try.” Her voice, harsh and low, began to soften as she spoke again. “I advise you, not as fae, but as a companion, a good neighbor, to distance yourself from that wicked lot as soon as possible. I dread to see you crushed by forces beyond even your power.”

  Once again, he had no response ready. He had no true rebuttal to the warning he had been provided, nor did he have the resolve to combat the concern he’d been gifted. Most of all, though, he knew that in some way, she was right. One does not live so long without accruing some wisdom, a lesson he learned many, many years ago. The only uncertainty was the severity of her words.

  He rose from the lap he had laid on so graciously, cupping his temple once more before rising to his feet. Already he had wished for nothing other than to lie down again and close his eyes for a few days, but too much had to be done before he could get any sort of break.

  “Until we meet next, Titania,” he said, looking over his shoulder to the sulking figure. He could already imagine what it was she was thinking, something along the lines of ‘at least call me mother’ or ‘spend more time with me if you are going to visit’. Or maybe that’s all he wanted her to worry about, to remain the carefree spirit that had cared for him as a child. A happy thought, at the very least. Much better than sparing a moment for its contrast.

  Best leave now, he thought to himself. And for that, he would require a spell.

“The road I seek is paved with gold

‘Neath blackened bough and twisted thorns

I tread this path with nary a fear

As home is at my feet.”

  He stood calmly as leaves and stems swirled around him. The scenery around him grew dim, the fragrance of holly tickling his senses. In the corner of his eyes he could see sylphids dancing around him, though none dared to speak a word. Their mischievous giggles echoed in the empty space that had once been Titania’s own sanctum. They knew better than to pull any pranks on a Savant, but it was better to keep an eye on them just in case. Before long the everlasting spring he’d grown so accustomed to quickly gave way to winter. Snow turned his surroundings into a fresh manuscript, not a single track dotting the page. The moon was out, but clouds kept its light from illuminating much more than the tips of the evergreens living on the slopes. This was definitely the place he wanted to be, but he couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.

  A single light was on in his study on the second floor. That could only mean trouble had transpired while he was out. Brushing away as many of his dark thoughts as he could, he made his way inside, uttering a quick “open” to dispel the barrier that locked his door. The great oak square creaked quite loudly with such an empty living room to greet it. None of the counters that decorated the hall had been disturbed, neither did the walls seem to be damaged. While it was dark, none of the lights seemed to be blown out. He could at least take a guess and say that nothing disastrous had occured on the first floor.

“Will o’ the wisp, guide me.”

  A short incantation later, a small glowing sphere joined Lorne as an aide. It would be much easier to observe details on his way to the study with a lantern at his side. He made his way to the stairs, noting any irregularities as he made his climb. The blue shine caught nothing of interest at first, but as he stepped foot on the second floor, he noticed a small stain on the hardwood. A reddish-brown hue that reminded him of rust. There were a few specks going down the right side of the landing, the same direction as his study. It must have been worse than he had hoped. He shuffled his feet quicker than before, ignoring how heavy his body was from casting such a long-distance spell as well as the fatigue piling up. He could sleep after Selkie filled him in on the situation.

  Two short raps were all it took before the door opened. His relief at seeing the girl resting up in his chair let him ease some of his fears.

  “Thank goodness you’re finally home. I was worried Etoile would wake up before you got back.” The relief in the self-fashioned maid’s voice told him all he needed to know.

  “Uninvited guests, I presume?”

  “Yes. Thankfully, it was only one nymph, but the exposure to a fairy’s raw magic had a severe adverse reaction in the poor girl. Did you know something like this would happen?”

  Silence was all that answered her. His mood dove.

  “Normally you would deny something like that outright, right? You understand how angry I’ll be if you don’t say something, don’t you?”

  His lips refused to move. All he could do was look at Etoile, then stare at the ground.

  “Great. Fantastic. This is absolutely unbelievable. It’s like you don’t trust me at all! How many decades have we been together, nursing each other’s wounds? Do you want another case like Viola’s? I have half a mind to flay you!”

  “Truly, I’m sorry. I couldn’t risk anyone finding out-”

  “Finding out that she’s a Beacon as well? A lot of good that did you. I had my suspicions, but it’s more than obvious after what happened earlier today. Did you forget that Beacons are like honey to fairies? That they can’t keep their hands away from them? That their love and adoration more often than not destroys children just like Etoile before they even have a chance to learn what they are? You thought that I couldn’t keep something so important a secret, when I’ve already done that and so much more before?”

  “Selkie, you know that wasn’t my intent.”

  “Your intent can freeze outside. I can throw you out there with it.” She let out a deep sigh before pushing past Lorne. “We will have a very long conversation about this nonsense later. For now, wait here, and greet our lady when she wakes up. She’s been looking forward to seeing you since your last meeting.”

  She slammed the door as she left. There would be respite while she was like that. He couldn’t do much to calm her down aside from wait, so he simply stood watch over the girl as she rested. Her breathing was light, but it seemed like she’d be fine after resting. He sighed. He really did owe Selkie an apology, seeing how she was doing so well taking care of the girl in his stead. It reminded him of their time with the child before this one, the prodigy they had lost due to Lorne’s carelessness. How cruel it was to have to remember such a thing twice in one day.

  Looking around to distract himself, his study turned out to be more sparse than he remembered. Aside from his desk and chair, there were only two bookshelves and a mirror to decorate the room. Plenty of books and papers stacked themselves in front of his sleeping charge, but other than that it was simply dead air. It gave him an idea.

“Slumber soundly, slumber deep

As the fields that wait for spring

You too shall bloom

Greeted by the season’s caress.”

  The room began to fill with flowers, petals taking up more and more of the study until they reached Lorne’s shins. There was a lot more of a selection than he had in mind, colored in so many shades of currants, tulips, chrysanthemum, and even a few kalanchoe. The fragrance of spring settled very nicely, sweet and sharp but not overwhelming, May as well try and get some rest of my own, he thought to himself, keeping his back to the wall as he slid into a makeshift seat. It was a bit difficult to not crush all of the plants that now occupied the floor, but he managed to move them enough that he could stretch his legs out without destroying anything. It would be a while before she woke up, he may as well try to get comfortable.

  Thinking back on it, he knew the child told him she liked flowers once, but perhaps he had gone a little overboard.