Around an oval table of polished wood sat four other wizards in their ceremonial coats. At the head was Lord Naruze himself, his long dark hair held away from his face with a silver pin. Beads buttoned up the front of his black Chinese-style vest embroidered with black thread so the expensive design blended in. His nails were silver, eyes dark.

Everyone aside from Naruze, who examined his nails, and the wizard Doric, who appeared to be examining the grains of wood in the table, looked up to watch Manson enter. He kept his shoulders straight and his steps even, his dog striding easily behind him. Manson took the second farthest seat on the right, the only empty spot. His great grey dog settled beside him.

His late entrance was clearly planned since he had been in the building since yesterday afternoon. Naruze knew he had nothing to worry about. Manson was a child with less magic influence around him than Jent’s female apprentice and Manson had made the same mistake as Vox who had his raven familiar perched on the back of his chair. For a wizard, a familiar cut their power in half because such an unnatural creature had to be constantly maintained.

Naruze lifted his head and took one last look at Vox. The wizard was still looking at him unwaveringly, threatening or thoughtful, it was impossible to tell. He would just need to talk things through.

"You may close the doors Tarin," Naruze told his friend.

Doric lifted his head as though he had only now awoken. As one of the oldest members in the wizard community, Doric's opinion was important. Yet, Naruze wished he had not come for the man cared for little other than his own supremacy. Naruze could do without some of the others as well, but this was no time to think of what he wished.

All eyes were on him and they expected an answer to the seelie king's problematic control over the remaining portals.

"As you know," Naruze began. "Magic, the very source of our lives in this timeless realm, has been greatly depleted since the banishment of the unseelie. And without magic to keep the land alive it is only a matter of time until we starve."

"We know that," Vox said. "If you would be so kind as to rid us of that creature that calls himself king and insists on trapping us in this world, then we can get things in order."

"Unfortunately, kindness doesn’t appeal to me or mine," Naruze said.

He slid a piece of paper he had in front of him towards his guests.

"I require a deal," he told them.

Surely the wizards could fill in the blanks. What other reason was there for going to school.

"What are we supposed to do with a blank piece of paper?" Manson asked for them.

"We make an offer," Jent said knowingly.

Jent was a researcher of culture and a teacher of history at the wizard school. He was likely the only wizard present who still respected tradition. Naruze had to admit that he didn't care much about formalities either, but he could not trust the wizards at their word.

"An offer of what?" Vox questioned.

"Anything you want," Naruze told them. "As long as it is considered of equal value to what I’m giving. I would re-think your desire for death. That one is always tragic."

"I don't see how killing the seelie king could make things worse," Manson said. "That king's tyranny is the tragedy."

"That’s not it," Illia spoke up. "An equal value to death is another form of death."

"Are you saying that someone else has to die just for you to kill him?" Vox questioned.

"Well it would not have to be anyone specific, but I wanted you to understand how absurd your request sounds to me," Naruze told them. "Be creative. I'm sure we don’t need to kill the man to get his mind to change."

"What do you suggest we do?" Vox asked.

Naruze looked at them, all of them. Of course, he had prepared a solution that suited both their needs, but were they really so lazy and so willing to give up their decision making power. What had ever happened to the days when a deal meant something.

"Hold on," Manson said. "Do we really need to make a deal with this person?"

"Were you not listening?" Vox chided. "This world is dying. Do you want to be lost along with it?"

"I heard, but when we get to the human world our priories are going to be quite different."

"Nobody wants your opinion Manson. We have more important matters," Vox told him.

"What is your opinion then?"

"This is not the time," Vox stressed.

"What are your proposed terms for getting past the seelie king?" Doric asked outright.

Naruze was almost disappointed. He had even dressed up just so he could intimidate the stubbornness out of them, but since it was a one-way discussion he decided to get on with it.

"Do not attack any of my kind for a week after this joining business concludes," Naruze recited bitterly, "And I will personally release the restriction on the seelie portals."

"But you're not of the seelie or even of royalty," Vox complained. "How can your magic work where ours does not?"

"Yet, I will do it."

Did these people honestly think that magic solved all their problems? All Naruze wished for was protection for his people. If some lies where what it took, then so be it. Gezel was counting on him for it.

"How?" Manson asked.

Manson may not have attended out of concern, but he had never trusted people who kept to their secrets. Unfortunately for him, Naruze held their only way out.

"The question is: do you want my help or not?" Naruze told them.

Even Manson knew better than to refuse outright. Take the deal, Naruze thought to them.

"You were banished too, weren't you."

Illia's soft-spoken statement drew their attention. She saw in Naruze a human impatience and a concern for his people that could only come from experience. As Naruze looked into her honest face, he saw in her an ability to recognize weakness. It irritated him.

"I wasn't," Naruze responded rudely. "I was merely stuck in this rotting forest, but I know what you ask. It is what all of you are always wondering. Prince Carling is alive, somewhere."

"Alive," Vox repeated. "Then—"

"Perhaps," Naruze interrupted. "We should all keep our opinions for now. Retire to your rooms and we shall speak on better terms tomorrow."

None of them looked ready to give up on the subject, but then Manson's grey dog yawned loudly. They looked at the creature and at the owner himself.

"Time to retire, yes," Manson told them with sleepy eyes.

The room cleared slowly and once it had Naruze remembered the paper still resting on the table. His nerves had been tested enough for one day. He was just grateful that the wizards had some wisdom left in them.

"Seeing as you dare not make a move I’m guessing it went badly," Tarin said, approaching him now.

"No," Naruze replied picking up the paper and turning it over to see the writing. "They might agree this time."

"Is that why you arranged a welcome on the other side?"

Naruze smiled.

"You know me. I can’t expect that anyone will be on my side."

"Except for me," Tarin said. "You haven’t eaten dinner yet have you?"

Naruze lowered the paper.

"No. Maybe...is Ris working still?"

"She’s finished organizing the kitchen inventory if that’s what you mean. The guests may be calling for her now."

"Bring her here. Tell them service is suspended and have Trisha bring some food."

"I’m glad you’re cutting off their comforts."

"If they are as great as they claim they can do some things for themselves. As much as I wish I had the resources to run a proper house I do not. I will not delusion myself."

"That’s good to hear," Tarin said, because it could be all too easy to do just that.

***

Manson was not satisfied. Beside him his dog familiar Hūge huffed in reaction to his own displeasure. In truth he had not come for negotiation. He had only wanted to assess this wayward noble who thought he could call upon high wizards. So far he had concluded that Naruze was a fraud. Manson couldn’t understand how the others could stand him. As for the banished Prince Carling, he was as good as a myth, a rumour of false hope.

It was the same as these dumb flowers placed in the entrance hall. It maddened him to see the decorations up. It was clearly a show put on to gain favour, a show of money from a poor ruler. Idiotic. Yet...he stopped before entering the male servant quarters where his borrowed room awaited.

The large dog Hūge had became distracted.

"What?" Manson asked it.

Even being able to see through the dog’s eyes he could not fully understand the creature. It made him angry, but he liked the intimidating effect his familiar had on others. As it was, the beast sniffed at the air. All Manson noticed was the scent of dawn lilies. The dog moved slowly towards the female servant’s hall across the room, still sniffing.

Was there something there? If he could get something against Naruze then...

"Manson," Tarin spoke up.

The hairs on the back of Manson's neck rose. He disdainfully looked to the back chamber entranceway where Tarin stood.

"Don’t let your dog frighten the workers. We need them," Tarin explained.

Manson glared, but there was no reason for him to stay where he was.

"Hūge," he called the dog to follow.

If there was something going on in the servant’s quarters he could find out tomorrow once they went to work. He would simply send his dog out for a walk.

***

"Are you alright? I heard you were in the kitchen, but Ris wouldn’t let me go," Selene said, stopping by Edith’s open door.

"It’s a good thing," Edith said sitting up on her bed. "That old cook gets cranky when his work is slowed down. I can’t believe you had to listen to Ris the whole day."

"She wasn’t bad," Selene replied.

"Seriously. Well maybe it’s just one of those days."

"What do you mean?"

"It started raining."

Selene raised her head to look out the window over Edith’s shoulder. It really was raining. After all the grey clouds it had finally rained.

"But you know what that means," Edith said.

"No."

"Clear skies tomorrow. This place is going to shine."

"You said it was always grey."

"Almost always. You tend to forget that the sky can clear, but it does. Do you want me to wake you up for the sunrise?"

"Sure."

"Alright. I’ll see you then."

"Wait," Selene said. "Could you...tell me more fairy tales. It might help me remember something."

Selene thought that if only she remembered then Tarin wouldn’t have to be disappointed. Then maybe things could go back to normal.

"Well sure. Let me change first. Close the door and come in," Edith said.

"Thanks."

Selene shut the door and sat on the end of Edith’s bed while Edith searched her wardrobe. Selene turned her head towards the window. She couldn’t remember the last time it had rained, but the sound of it tapping against the window and the sight of it streaming down from above filled her with nostalgia. There was something memorable about it.

"Was there anything specific you wanted to hear?" Edith asked, approaching in her nightdress.

"No. Anything is fine," Selene said keeping her eyes on the rain.

Hypnotic. That was another thing the rain was. Bright. Spinning. Slipping. Silver threads.

"Remember what I told you about the white stag," Edith said joining her on the bed. "It’s said that the pond he drinks from gives him eternal youth. Hey are you listening?"

She wasn’t. It was like her mind had slipped into a crack.

"What’s wrong?" Edith asked.

"I don’t know. I don’t..."

There was just something missing inside.

"Selene. It’s alright to be homesick," Edith consoled her.

But she was not sure that was possible. Selene was, after all, living in the only place she knew.

"I don’t know what that means Edith. I’ve been staring at this forest my entire life."

"That doesn’t mean anything."

"How can you say that?"

"Selene. Right now you’re not seeing everything, but it’s always going to be like that. I’ve been living here for three years and in that time I have not once been back to the city and I have no idea of what might be past that. My life isn’t about the things I can and can’t see or know or remember. It’s about the people I can be with, and right now I’m happy to have you here. And you have us. I know we don’t compare to some perfect past life, but we are here now."

"I’m sorry," Selene said looking at Edith. "You are my friends. It’s just that…what if I left someone behind? My friends could be out there and I left them with no explanation."

Edith took Selene’s hand.

"It’s not your fault."

But Selene didn’t believe that. She didn’t want to leave things behind or let things go. She didn’t want to change. She wanted to shut her eyes and hold onto the life she knew forever. She had forgotten how much she loved the feeling of a calm eternity.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," Edith told her.

Selene opened her eyes and smiled.

"Wake me up for the sunrise," Selene said.