30 minutes later

“Okay, wait wait.”

They had been walking for a short while when Lynn stopped in the darkness of the woods.

Leaf stopped as well. “I promise that we can sit and rest and talk all you want here in a moment. We’re almost to our destination. The dark forest at night is generally not the best place for a breather though, particularly the fae forest.” He gestured around them and Lynn noticed the multitude of eyes again, still there and still watching them. They set off again.

Gradually, an actual path began to make itself known to her eyes as they walked along. It started with one flagstone here, one there, until they began to multiply and, in time, coalesce into a paved walkway. A little further on than this, lit light posts began to dot their way and, at that point, Lynn felt that she needed to say something.

“Leaf?”

“Yes?”

“This does not look like the way to my house.”

“Er...well...no. We have one stop to make and then your house will absolutely be the next.”

“Leaf.”

“Yes?”

“I am less than enthused over the events of the evening.”

This was actually putting it mildly. Having replayed the night’s happenings over and over in her mind during their walk, she was angry with herself for haphazardly joining this journey, angry at Skullcap for making it apparently necessary, and angry with Leaf for pulling her along.

The walkway came to a small circular garden area. In the center was a raised stone dais, upon which sat a large brazier casting a warm bright light upon the clearing with its flame. Surrounding the dais, planted in thick black earth, were all manner of flowering verdure, growing in organized chaos with the tallest plants closest to the dais giving way to gradually shorter foliage until receding to dark ivy ground-cover close to the walkway. Around the garden circled the walkway itself with two paths forking off of it: the archway through which Leaf and Lynn entered and, precisely mirrored on the opposite side of the garden, another archway, flanked by two rough-hewn white stone statues of men.

The forest encroached along the entire perimeter of the clearing and the closest trees’ roots came right up to the edge of the paved walkway. These trees were peculiar: as white as alabaster, gnarled and thick, but most odd of all, each tree had a large face on their trunk.

And they moved.

As Leaf and Lynn entered, the eyes in the tree-faces followed them and the faces themselves contorted with curiosity. The branches above creaked and rustled as though a wind had picked up, but there was no wind. Lynn’s eyes widened at the scene and Leaf must have noticed.

“They’re guardians. This is the entrance to my personal realm.”

A realm? Who has a realm? Who the hell even says realm? “And if the trees don’t like who comes through?”

The man smiled mischievously. “Depends on who it is and how much the trees don’t like them.”

Lynn rolled her eyes and they passed between the two white statues and into the second archway. Something happened from one step to the next, though she could not have explained what or even given an exact moment in time where things changed; one moment they were beneath a somewhat typical canopy of leaves and then they were in a ghostly cathedral, surrounded by white on all sides and a ghostly glow permeating the air.

It was with a second look that Lynn realized that the columns leading up to the distant ceiling were yet more trees, enormous, leading up to a canopy so dense and uninterrupted that the impression of the overall space was a massive cavernous temple. In front of them, the space extended for several hundred paces before reaching a long mahogany table running widthwise. Looking to either side, the columns extended into the misty distance, with no walls in sight. The floor of the entire place was a broad, uneven jigsaw of flagstones bleached a stark shade of alabaster. It was bisected by a slow, shallow stream that cut through the room running parallel to the table. Beyond the table, the floor and the cavern simply ended into open space and the wilderness below, and through her flabberghast, Lynn felt her stomach twist at what the view from the edge must be.

Leaf gently cleared his throat and when Lynn turned to look at him, she was surprised to see embarrassment lightly etched upon his face. “Well,” he said. “This is the great hall. It’s…erm…a bit big. I suppose in a great sort of way. Once upon a time it was host to massive revelries, but it doesn’t get a lot of use these days.”

“It’s very beautiful.” She thought for a moment. “Though…”

“Yes?”

“Well…there does seem to be a bit of wasted space. Perhaps you could add a bowling alley. Or a swimming pool.” She took another long look at the place. “Or a roller coaster.”

He snorted and drily replied, “I’ll keep that in mind for consideration.” He gestured forward. “Hungry?”

Lynn started, as the once bare and empty table was now full of fare of all kinds, and she discovered that she was famished. The smells were making her mouth water. “Yes, actually, thanks.” She hesitated, a glance at the precipice once more leaving her a bit breathless.

Leaf seemed to notice. “We can eat somewhere more comfortable, if you like.” At her nodding, he said, “Alright. Close your eyes.”

She took a last look around the room and closed them. He gently touched her shoulder, and as soon as he did, there was a sudden change in the air, from open, chilly, and slightly damp to warm, thick, and comfortable. She opened her eyes in surprise and found herself in a dim room much smaller than the one previous. The walls were adorned with a comfortable clutter of knick-knacks, a fire crackled in the large fireplace set in one wall, and the same table sat centered in it all, the same food atop it.

They sat on the benches on either side, facing each other, and began to eat in silence.

After several minutes, Lynn broke it. “You said to trust you. To let you do all of the talking.”

Leaf paused in his eating. “I did.”

“You signed me up as your servant. Without asking. Was that the plan all along? Some free labor?”

He put his food down and looked into her eyes, sincerity stretched across his features. “I can see why you’d think that. I’m sorry that it came to that and I’m sorry that it happened so suddenly. Once I saw how determined Skullcap was, it was the only solution that I could think of that didn’t end in your death.” He paused. “What I can promise is that I will only ask for your assistance on occasion and I’ll interrupt your life as little as possible. And I’ll try to think of ways that I might be able to offer payment. For starters…how about giving you a bit of a magical hand with the garden? Everything you grow being healthy and bountiful?”

Lynn was quiet for a moment, then sighed. “Everything?”

“Everything.”

“Fine. You can start with that.” She raised a grape to her mouth then stopped. “Wait, do you think I need help with my garden?”

“If I did, the rose bush would agree with me.”

“That is an unfair attack and I am offended.”

Leaf chuckled. “Let me know when you’re finished. As it happens, I have an errand to handle this very morning.”

“Leaf. No. You said one more stop!”

He held up a hand in surrender and pulled the rolled documents out of his satchel with the other. “You’re right, I did. This particular errand doesn’t actually have us going anywhere. A simple delivery, right here in my realm, and then I take you right home. Promise.”

She held his gaze. “Right. Home.”

“Indeed.”

She picked up her plate and started piling some of the food on it. “And I’m taking some of this for lunch later. Maybe dinner too.” She startled as the plate in her hand and the food on the table disappeared and she turned indignantly towards the spirit. “Hey!”

For the first time, he was showing the barest signs of impatience, as he said, “I went ahead and sent it all on to your house. It’s sitting comfortably on your own table. Whatever you don’t eat will just disappear by the next day. Now, on to our delivery.” He turned to a dark mahogany door in the wall that Lynn swore hadn’t been there a moment ago and placed his hand on the handle with a smile. “Ready?”

With a grumble and a shrug, she acquiesced and walked through the door as he held it open for her and into a narrow, stone-floored, well-lit hallway. Pulling the door closed behind himself, Leaf set off briskly down the hall, Lynn in his wake.

“In a bit of a rush?” she huffed.

He ignored the question with an odd knowing grin and instead said, “I noticed you had several shelves of books in your room. A bit of a reader?”

“Yes. Do…do uh your…type read as well?”

He laughed. “You can call us the fae, collectively. And yes. In fact, if I’m being truly honest, we’re rather responsible for many of the stories you’d be familiar with. Inspired some, spoke directly to the writers for others. Those were different times of course, when relations were friendly, but regardless, yes,” he stopped at a set of double-doors on the right, “I think you’ll find we can be a bit bookish.”

He opened the doors and Lynn’s jaw dropped. The round room beyond was massive, with a deep balcony wrapping around the second floor, the wide set of stairs for which was directly ahead. From floor to ceiling climbed more shelves than Lynn had ever seen and stocked on the shelves were an innumerable amount of books. Peppered about the shelves between the books and on the tables scattered throughout the room there were scrolls and stacks of paper, odd artifacts, various sized jars, and lanterns and lamps that glowed rather than burned. Through the glass dome above, she could see the first vestiges of dawn lightening the sky, the stars still visible.

“I take it you’re impressed?” Leaf had joined her and stood pleased with himself, his hands behind his back.

“I’m…without words.”

“An accomplishment! Fortunately, there are plenty of words already here. Feel free to peruse and borrow as you will.”

“Thank you! I don’t know what to say. But…do you have any in English?”
He grinned and gestured around at the room. “This…is a magic library. The book will be in whatever language you read. Which is a treat, I’ll tell you, considering many of these come from countries or worlds with their own stories. There are books and pages here that you wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere. That don’t exist elsewhere. Please. Enjoy. Meanwhile, I have business with the librarian.”

Lynn noticed then that sat next to the left side of the stairs was a large round reception area with a counter-height desk that wrapped around it. Piled on the surface of this were books, scrolls, quills, and ink wells and in the middle of it all, stood a shorter buxom fae lady with cherubic features. She had a look of vague curiosity on her face and it was clear that she had been waiting patiently for the visitor to come to terms with the magnitude of her space. Leaf made his way over to her while Lynn floated dreamlike to the wall and took down a book at random with a robin’s egg blue binding. She opened it and found that it was in English, just as Leaf had said, titled The Beginnings and Ends of the Sister Rivers.

A moment later, Leaf rejoined her. “Lynn, allow me to introduce you to Magnolia, my librarian.” The librarian trailed behind him, holding what appeared to be one of the rolled documents he’d had in his satchel.

Magnolia stepped forward, bearing the same curious expression, inspecting Lynn from head to toe. “A human? In our realm?” To Lynn, it seemed as though this statement was made in the same tone that one might say Oh dear, the dog has shat on my favorite chair.

Leaf seemed to hear it too, as the light in his smile faded a bit. “Yes. And she is a welcome guest.” He looked at the librarian meaningfully. “She’ll be working with us for some time.”

Magnolia did little to temper her skepticism. “As you will, m’lord.” She held up the document. “I’ll go ahead and take a look at this list and get back with you.” She glanced at Lynn and said tonelessly. “Fair travels.” Then she turned and walked back toward her desk.

Leaf sighed with obvious annoyance, watching the librarian walk away. “I’m sorry. The fae have a…complicated history with humans. Particularly we of the forest spirit ilk. It’s not an easy thing to overcome.”

“You seem to have managed.”

“Eh, I leave the realm with some frequency. That comes with its share of mingling with other folk I wouldn’t normally see here. Including humans. Plus, the people that have lived in that house of yours always seem to end up good people. Mayhap it’s enchanted. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Lynn didn’t deign to answer the question, preferring not to think of a house that magically changed its tenants personalities. Instead, she held up her book and said, “May I borrow this?”

“Of course! And as promised, it’s time to head you home. Ready?”

“I am, but…didn’t you have two messages to deliver?”

He laughed. “Nosy little thing…yes, but a promise is a promise and this is an errand I best do alone.”

With a wave to Magnolia (who did not glance up from the sheaf of papers she was ruffling through), Leaf led Lynn back through the doors and down the hall. They came to a grey door and he pulled it open. Instantly, the hallway was filled with a thick roar that sounded remarkably like…

A waterfall. Lynn blinked at the unlikely scene over the door’s threshold of the shallow cavern and the waterfall pounding just beyond, the dawn’s light filtering through. She followed as the fae man stepped through the doorway and, after they were both in the cavern, he closed the door behind them. Instantly the texture and color of the door shifted and it blended with the rock. Lynn could still make it out, barely, but only because she knew it was there.

Through a natural arch way in the wall of the cavern, the two briefly made their way through tight tunnels with several twists and turns, out into a small wooded alcove and then down a pebble-strewn path to the lake in front of the falls, where Lynn was surprised to discover her sitting rock. She glanced at the stone where Leaf had slipped the previous day and smirked. “Hey, while we’re here, aren’t the fae supposed to be graceful?”

He groaned, continuing forward with a glance back at her. “Yes. And I usually am, when not being startled by noisy things.”

“Uh-huh. So are most of the errands going to be this simple? Just deliveries like the one to Marigold?”

“Magnolia. And with luck, yes.”

Lynn didn’t question him further, but as they walked back along the comfortable path that she was so familiar with, she couldn’t help wondering what the errands would look like without luck.

The house was soon before them and Leaf cleared his throat. “Erm, do you mind if I grab my fishing rod. I forgot it when we set out earlier.”
“Clumsy and forgetful? You really just want to strip all the magic away, don’t you?”

They laughed together and Lynn opened the door, grabbed the fishing rod in question, and gave it to him. With an exaggerated bow, he said, “Until next time, madam.”

“And when will next time be? Tomorrow, next week?”

“Hm. We’ll see. Time moves a wee bit different for us fae and it may be a bit longer than you expect.”

As it turned out, it was much longer even than that.