Alea went back to the woods the next day. She wanted to see if the faery she’d met yesterday was still there. She knew it was a dumb idea, considering March had warned her not to go back, but she was bored.

This time Alea decided to stay on the path and get re-acquainted with the forest. She hadn’t been in the forest properly for quite a while now and was still a bit mixed up on where everything was. Starting high school had kept her too busy to go further into the woods than needed to get the plants her mother asked her to get. Alea knew that she did want to see March again, but she also wanted to find the pond her mother had sworn to her, had the cleanest water she’d ever seen. Since her summer vacation had started, and Alea didn’t have many friends she considered close enough to visit over the summer that often.

Alea could see water up ahead. She decided to run, to get there quicker, and in doing so tripped over a rock.

It most definitely wasn’t the worst pain Alea had experienced (breaking her leg would take first place in terms of pain, though her period was a close second)

Alea looked down at her ankle to see that her ankle was at an angle that human limbs should not be at. Luckily she had a habit of bringing a walking stick into the woods, so she would have some help getting home, but when she went to grab it she saw March.

“March!” Alea exclaimed in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you today! Especially considering I’m on the path this time!”

“What can I say,” March said. “You intrigued me human. That is not something that happens often, so when I saw that you were in my forest again, I decided to pay you a little visit.”

“My apologies March, it was not my intention to trespass. I was unaware that the woods belonged to you. I will not bother you again.”

“Why on earth not? This is the best fun I’ve had in a long time. All the other fae around here are much older than me. You are the first person I’ve met that’s around my age of course I want you around!” March exclaimed.

“Then would you like me to visit more?” Alea said, carefully avoiding using lord, or lady for March, not knowing how zey would react.

“Yes!” Zey said loudly. “It’s been ages since I last met someone my age, please do visit me much more often human.”

Alea just nodded, not wishing to anger March, who seemed to have a drastically different personality than when she’d last saw zem, although, perhaps that was due to the fact that they’d only talked for what seemed like not even fifteen minutes the last time they’d seen each other.

“May I have your permission to leave March? I would like to get back to my house before it gets dark today.”

“Do you swear to visit me again?”

Alea knew it was dangerous to swear to a faery but she needed to get back home. “Yes, I swear to visit you again March.”

The wair around Alea felt heavier but March was satisfied, and Alea was happy because she could return home safely.

--

When Alea returned home later that day her mother was cooking the dish she saved for special occasions, her grandmother's special pasta.

“Did I forget a special day mom?”

“No, I just felt like celebrating my daughter’s first time meeting a faery!"

“I didn’t meet a faery though mother?”

“Don’t be silly dear! I’ve met my share of faeries! I know what a promise with a faery looks like. What’s the name the faery gave you sweetheart?”

“... March, the fairy called zemself march”

“Well, that’s just a wonderful name! I’m making some cookies, you can take them to your new friend tomorrow darling!”

“Yes mom, do you want me to set the table?”

“Yes, get the pitcher too please darling. I’m making apple cider for later!”

--

Later, when Alea was in bed, she thought over the time she’d spent with March and realized that though she had spoken even longer with March today, she had been in the forest a fraction of the time she was in the forest last time she had met March.

Alea decided to go to bed and think over it later.