It had been eight days since the faerie had arrived, and eight days ago the faerie had left. She still kept the necklace, but her dreams of the prince had ceased since she’d received it and she began to fret she had missed the one she was to give it to. Worry consumed her day and night, the fae had said her love may die and that alone kept her awake during the night.  

Her day raged on with doubt and by nightfall she found it impossible to sleep. She paced around her room while the night was moonless. Fiddling with the jewellery box on her dresser she pulled the necklace the faerie had given her from its place. Holding it fast in her hand she walked out to the balcony keeping a blanket around her shoulders. 

She sighed, sitting against the rail and staring up at the starlit sky, “In a way I doubt this will bring him to me or anyone for that matter.” She muttered, running her fingers over the knotwork charm. “The faerie was so terribly vague, if it may not bring my prince then who at all?”

Mavourneen turned to the tree line, gazing at the growth that had recently unfurled their new spring leaves. The misty green yew was speckled throughout this part of the wood, with small yellow blooms that would soon grow to berries red.

From among the branches of the undergrowth a snap interrupted the still air. It went silent for a moment save for the distant sound of the fountain in the courtyard. The princess stood in alarm, prepared to return inside, but she lingered out on the balcony watching the wood with a cautious eye. 

It was there she saw it, on the new moon of that month, a bear. Peculiar it was, for bears were not common sight in those times. Drawn to his very presence, she watched him.

The bear paused beneath where the princess stood and looked up to her bearing a yew branch in its mouth. 

Mavourneen’s stiff shoulders relaxed and out of curiosity she peered over the edge of the balcony at the rust coloured bear. “Hello,” she said, nearly expecting the creature to respond.

The bear however did not speak but looked up at her with warm charcoal eyes. 

She chuckled at the beast and asked him, “How come you carry that branch? Does the yew not harm you as it would I, a human?”

The bear stood, dropped the branch from its mouth, and pushed it forward with its nose.

“A gift?” Mavourneen asked, remembering how the necklace had come in such a form.

The bear looked up at her in a way that nearly answered, ‘Yes.’

She smiled, endeared by the creature’s kind gesture, “Bears are far and few here, do you come a long way?”

Once again he looked at her and ‘Yes’ was his answer. 

For a small moment the warm creature numbed her anxieties and with that action touched her heart.“Then do not stray far please.” Intrigued by the beast she reached out her arm and dropped the necklace to him, “For your kindness and your company,” she beamed, “And for the hope that you’ll return again.”

The bear looked down at the gift and let out a heavy breath as though he agreed to her terms. Late that night, after Mavourneen had gone to sleep, the bear took up the gold chain in its mouth and returned to the forest.