I had dubbed the raven Snappy. He was an angry bird, constantly tugging at my sleeve and squawking at me whenever I slowed down. It was as if he really wanted to get to whatever destination he had in mind as soon as possible. But if I was being led into a trap, I wanted to note down everything I saw. Elre had given me a book of forest creatures so I could properly deal with whatever I came across. I opened the book and started to thumb through it.

"Fairies. Fast fliers, big troublemakers. Love to cause trouble if they find someone weak. Will kill for fun." I snorted and rolled my eyes. "That would've been nice to know. Let's see what else we have… oh!

Mushroom Pygmy! A small creature that has the appearance of a mushroom. Very docile, slightly skittish creatures. Edible… edible?! Why would you want to eat cuties like that?! It just seems cruel."

Snappy let out what sounded like a snort. He tugged at my sleeve again. Really, he was an impatient type. I sighed and kept reading the book for a little longer. Luckily for me, it seemed that most creatures were docile unless provoked. Although based on past experiences, I was a natural at provocation. Probably as good as I was at being a bard. I looked around, my ankle throbbing as we walked. I tried to spot anything moving in the brush of the forest. Most of the creatures were ones that didn't make themselves known to travelers.

It wasn't a surprise. Considering I'm a war elf and covered in injuries, I didn't exactly look too friendly at the moment. I looked up at Snappy who was flying leisurely through the air. I went back to the book and started to find anything related to ravens. There were sparrows, cardinals, doves… nothing about ravens. I hummed and looked up.

"Snappy, there's nothing about ravens in the book. Why is that?"

He didn't answer.

"You're obviously not a normal raven. You're too grumpy. Maybe a new species? Grumpy Raven. Iracundus Corvus." I snorted to myself. "That sounds about right to me."

He didn't respond. Probably because he was a bird. Birds can't talk. I was about to say another comment when Snappy once again started tugging at my sleeve. It seemed like he was at his limit with my teasing. I decided it was best not to anger him any longer.

"Fine. How about I sing instead? I'm not the best, but I'd rather do that than have you peck at me."

Snappy let out a soft caw in response. I took it as a yes and started to sing. Yes, I wasn't the best at singing. But I did know several songs by heart that I was at least decent at. This particular song was one I sang to calm down whenever I was upset. Whether it be getting into fights with my older brothers, wanting to be angsty, accidentally breaking something on one of my instruments, this was the go to song. The lyrics were a bit dark. But it was a type of catharsis I loved indulging in. 

"Take my breath away, oh lonely forest dweller. Take my life story, and become a storyteller. Bury me in the ground, beneath the biggest tree. Let my body decompose and become one with the leaves."

That feeling was there again. My hands were buzzing, my body feeling like it was floating. I continued to sing. But the more I sang, the more things changed. The forest went dark and quiet. Not a bird, rustling leaves, or anything could be heard. I stopped and looked around, my eyes wide. Why did it get so… sunless? The raven landed on my shoulder and started pecking at my neck. He wanted me to keep moving.

"Ow, ow! Okay, stop it!"

Snappy stopped pecking at me.

"Apparently I can't even sing. Where are we going anyway? I hope it's not much further. You're too heavy to keep on my shoulder."

He didn't move. I let out a groan and just kept walking. I didn't know where we were going. My brain started to cloud over. I hated this. Snappy was heavy and my body ached. I wanted nothing more than to rest once again, fairies be cursed. I had been moving constantly for the past several days. I deserved at least two days of rest. Then I would be back on my journey.

Snappy's talons dug into my shoulder as he flapped his wings to get me to stop. I did. My gaze went to the crouched figure in front of me. And for some reason, I didn't feel a sense of danger at all. I stepped forward, my boot landing on a twig. It snapped, causing the figure to stop whatever they were doing. They stood and turned around.

"Stolas! What is this?! What happened?!"

Snappy let out a caw and landed on the man's arm. He leaned in close, as if whispering in his ear. My eyes narrowed before widening in surprise. This man… I know him. Just like everyone knows him. A cape made of moss. A suit that was a deep forest green with accents of white, gold, and colorful flowers. It was him. It was the Fairy King.

Okay, so it wasn't a trap. Snappy was just leading me to the Fairy King. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Absolutely amazing. I totally wasn't a complete nervous wreck. Definitely ready to meet one of the most powerful people in the world. This was great. Snappy, or, Stolas launched off his arm and flew off somewhere. What a cruel bird, leaving me alone like this.

I curtsied awkwardly, bowing my head. "H-Hello… it seems this raven belongs to you."

"In a way, yes." The Fairy King put his hand over his chest and bowed his head back at me. 

My hands were clammy as I rubbed them against my skirt. I stared up at him, his massive form looming down before me. The rumors were true. His skin was this gorgeous shade of a strong oak tree, glistening with sweat from the heat of the day. Springy and curly locks of hair frizzed away from his face from the humidity. His eyes were a deep blue. The color of lapis. I swallowed thickly.

"H-Hot."

"Hmm?" His low voice practically rumbled in his chest as he lifted his head. 

"It's hot! So hot!" I stepped away from him and bowed my head. "I-I apologize for suddenly appearing in your domain. I'll be on my way, your majesty… king… sir."

He tilted his head in confusion. "Please, no need to be so formal. You may call me Alder. You are injured. Why don't you let me patch you up?"

I shook my head, lifting my hands. "I c-couldn't possibly! I'm just passing through and-"

"Nonsense! You are in my dominion and you are injured. It's my duty to care for those who are hurt. Come, come."

A warm feeling spread through me as he motioned for me to follow him. I don't know exactly what I was expecting. Yes, the rumors about him being insanely attractive were true. But the other rumors I've heard didn't seem to be accurate at all. Many believed the Fairy King to be someone who was cruel. A hermit that killed anyone who dared harmed the forest and its inhabitants. Yet here he was, offering to help a random traveler.

We came across the biggest tree I had ever seen. It was so tall, the top disappeared into a fog that only seemed to exist around the tree. The trunk was giant, thick and wide. I watched in astonishment as the Fairy King lifted his arm, the dark green tattoos on his forearm glowed. A creaking echoed through the forest as a section of the tree opened to reveal an entrance.

The Fairy King glanced over at me. He cleared his throat slightly. "Have you ever seen magic before?"

"No."

"I see. Come, follow me."

I did as he asked, entering the tree after him. We walked down large winding steps. Deeper and deeper into the ground we got, the cooler it became. My heart was racing. I was in the home of the Fairy King. This was inconceivable. The inside of the tree was ornately decorated, the wood carved to depict the beautiful scenes of nature outside. It was almost like a castle made of wood. We weaved through the halls until we got to a large kitchen. It was a total mess. Books, pots, and pans covered almost every countertop. There was a shelf on one wall that had jars. Some were filled with herbs, some filled with liquids, and others empty. 

There were small squeaking noises. I looked over to the stove. Empyrians help me, what adorable creatures! I gasped and immediately went over to inspect them. They looked like small balls of moss with black eyes and the cutest arms and legs. Two were stirring a pot while one was studying a book. It turned to me, gazing up at me. 

"What are these?" I murmured, watching as one waved at me. I waved back.

"Bryum. They are a type of moss plant. Quite adorable and helpful if I do say so myself."

"They definitely seem helpful." I giggled, straightening and looking over at the Fairy King.

He smiled, and motioned to a stool. "Please, sit. I will examine your injuries. Tell me if anything hurts, alright?"

His touch was surprisingly gentle. I looked down at his face. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes focused as he looked over my injuries. I could feel my face heating up in a blush. I was not used to attention from such a handsome man. I cleared my throat and started to look around the kitchen again to distract myself. There was a surprising amount of wooden trinkets laying around. From little statuettes, to normal sized utensils, to tiny utensils that looked like the perfect size for the bryum. 

"Who carved all of the statuettes?" I asked, trying to distract myself from his touch.

"I did." He spoke softly, as if he'd hurt me if he spoke any louder.

I tilted my head slightly. "Really? You're quite talented, your majesty. They're so detailed."

"Please." His eyes raised to meet mine. "Call me Alder."

His eyes were like deep pools I wanted to jump and drown in. I quickly looked away. "A-Alder… are some of them for the bryum?"

"That is correct. Sometimes it's easier for me to make them items that are fit for their size." He straightened and crossed his arms. "It seems your injuries aren't too severe. I will treat them accordingly. Stolas!"

I was expecting a bird to fly while carrying a basket with supplies. Not a man, with large black wings tucked neatly against his back. Part of his dreads were pulled back in an updo while the others rested on his shoulders. He had golden glasses and wore a silver and black sleek outfit. He almost looked like a mercenary. There was a smirk on his face. 

"You're not Snappy!"

"No, I'm not. I'm Stolas!"

"You…" I stood up, a glare on my face. "You let me talk to myself for a good twenty minutes!"

He shrugged and didn't answer. I could already tell that he would do his best to annoy me. I huffed and angrily crossed my arms. Alder walked over to Stolas and looked over the supplies. They both started to whisper to each other. My stomach sank. There it was. That feeling of something about to go wrong. As Stolas said something, Alder's eyes flickered over to me. What could they possibly be saying? Was Stolas telling him I was an idiot with no survival skills at all? Was he snitching about how I accidentally murdered all those fairies?

"I apologize." Alder said, walking over to me. He held a bottle in one hand and a rag in the other. "Stolas is quite… facetious with his antics. Please do not pay mind to him."

I shot another glare towards Stolas. "It's alright. I hold no ill will."

"Your expression says otherwise, elf." Stolas quipped.

Before I could respond, Alder interrupted. "May I ask your name?"

"Oh, I am so sorry, how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself! I am Cahira."

"Cahira…" He smiled softly. "Would you care to tell me how you got injured?"

I frowned. I guess I would snitch on myself, then. As much as I wanted to lie, he was the Fairy King. He could probably tell. I recounted my run in with the fairies. I was slightly embarrassed to tell the Fairy King how I so idiotically stopped for a nap, but I figured he wouldn't judge me too much. When I got to the part about the fairies attacking me, he hummed in thought. And when I mentioned how all their heads suddenly exploded, it was as if he got a revelation.

"Anyhow, I think I learned a valuable lesson about fairies. At least I didn't get hurt too badly."

Stolas rolled his eyes. "Besides several dozen bites and a twisted ankle."

"Besides that."

"Cahira." Alder's voice was filled with curiosity. 

I looked up. "Yes?"

"What do you know about magic?"