“I am glad you have arrived,” Aluwein bent over on the forester and kissed her crown.

Like breathing, Bernadette felt the cold rush of spring in her very veins. She gasped at the high fae as the scratches and ache marring her very soul drifted away.

“There, all better,” Aluwein could have grown brighter than the beam at the sky. “Come now, you two. You must not keep bowing for someone like me. Especially you warrior.”

Bernadette staired at Aluwein as she stretched out a hand for them. Tagrain immediately stood up and scurried to one side of the willow, leaving Bernadette reeling inside alone on her knees. She lost track on the iridescent hand that still was waiting for her before the high fae’s onyx eyes rose to someone arriving the gathering. The young forester could have applauded for the individual’s silent steps but it was the witch’s leer that had caught her by surprise.

“Ah. Aleisten, wonderfully that you are here,” Aluwein joyfully whistled. “I think you have already met your future companion but I also think you weren’t introduced.”

Companion? Bernadette teetered and snapped her head to the deer. Rather, white fawn. He was gloss. He was liquid sun and Bernadette could not help herself but gape at the dignified creature. Gawking at the male, it was long for a child of a guardian to realize the spilling questions that have ached her heart. Ever since her encounter with these beings, these fae, Bernadette had been lost in her own forest of discord. Like her father’s boot crashing unto a twig, obliterating it without a sound, Bernadette’s patience went into dust.

The same dark eyes of his mother brightened in question as the deer saw Bernadette’s forehead vein popped. Bernadette bit her bottom lip and tore her eyes from Aleisten. Stood-spun to the gleaming Aluwein, she barely shackled her storming mind before confronting the high fae. “I know I do not have the right to hurt you high lady without preamble, but I’m not able to hold this much longer.”

As she said this, Aluwein blinked, the witch raised a brow, and Tagrain coughed.

With much decency a common child like her can share, Bernadette said, “I am my father and mother’s daughter. Since I have no brother to keep our family’s passion, I insisted to take over my father. A forester like my fathers before me. But ever since we have arrived, my chances of becoming so thinned. High lady, I must request that you should stop whatever you are planning. My dah and I followed your promise that we prepare the oaks and the eggs. We did it with great honor. But you lost me when I was easily cursed and flew off a cliff, breaking your promise for protection. Then you took over my dream and charged me responsible for choosing between becoming a warrior or protector. Then you sent Sir Tagrain, dragging me into the woods until here. Now, I think that witch,” she pointed, “even took the chance to curse me again! And then you say I am to be a companion? I remember so little from what you said in my dream but I am not babysitting anything that rings fae. I am tired, high lady. I am just child! I also have my sister to care off and an entire town to prove that girls like me. A girl like me, has a chance of becoming a forester.”

Bernadette huffed. The day’s toll now reaching her head as a piercing needle blooded a dull throb. It took dozens of breathes before the witch laughed. The dead woman laughed, and her hackling echoed beyond the imaginary valley. The witch bundled over the willow as Aluwein closed her eyes and internally sighed. Bernadette could have dreamt seeing Tagrain nodding and Allura still perching on his head smiling. The forester was but scattered about before she clenched her fists and patiently waited for the high lady’s response. Sadly, it was the witch who stoke her concern.

“Alright… hahaha… goodness! I cannot,” the witch chocked onward. “You have… you have outdone yourself this time sister. Ha ha!” and like a soldier cinching over a command, the witch broke free from her revelry and quickly brandished her incisors on Bernadette. “You have peeked me girl and earned my respect. Everyone knows my sister does not know how to handle humans. Much less so, children.”

Aluwein rolled her eyes but her smile remained on her lips.

“You have questions,” the witch continued. “And I will answer.”

Surprised by the curser’s return, Bernadette was able to nod.

“Unless, you wish to take over sister?” the witch asked the high fae.

Aluwein differed. “As you have said sister, I am bad with children.” She met Bernadette’s tired glamour. “Pardon my disabilities, Fegahum. And everything I have failed you. I shall silence my endeavors and rethink my choices. I trust Saiwane to do hers.” Her attention lifted from the forester and settled on her son. “Aleisten, please listen to your blood and stay safe.”

Bernadette did not find the deer ascending but she, his mother smiled again. She nodded to the children both before taming a glance at the clandestine Tagrain. Tagrain saluted a palm to his heart and bowed. Not but a hair breathe later Aluwein instantly disappeared from sight.

The high lady’s loss bristled the back of Bernadette’s neck and it was Saiwane’s tsk that swayed her and her new companion, who somehow now stood beside her, to attention.

“You may call me mistress for now on,” the witch announced.

“What!” Bernadette wailed. Alestein, who was a deer, stamped a hoof as well.

“As I have said, I will answer your questions. Clearly, from your recent complaints, there were constellations. But for now, I will answer those that are relevant.”

“But—,” Bernadette was about to say when the witch silenced a hand.

“Because you say you wish to remain as a forester. And forester you shall be but this is my sister’s forest and you will follow my sister’s way of protecting the forest.”

“What…” Bernadette paled.

“The warrior,” she acknowledged Tagrain entering in plain sight. “Will teach you the path of the ranger. Do not try to correct me between the difference of a ranger and a forester because they are basically the same. You primarily will need the way to fight creatures this forest claims to hold,” her empty eyes steeled to air before continuing. “And you, you gong head of a son should know better before putting your own sire and dam in dept.”

Like a human, the deer’s head turned away like a nagged child.

“We will find time for everything else. Lastly,” the witch bitterly snarled. “I am not a witch, but a druid. I will be teaching the both of you Faerian.”