“Well, we did want to make sure that you actually did the deed and not just waste time frolicking around. It is a good idea, therefore, to assure that you spend a lot of time clinging to each other.”
“But why?” I demand with a confused shake of my head. “Why do all of this?”
“Compensation,” she says shortly.
“It was your crow that knocked me out of the air that day,” I say slowly as realization dawns and she giggles eerily.
“Of course. The compensation was not only for you, dear boy, but on a much broader scale. For all the harm bone fairies have done to pixies, I had to do something once I overthrew my brother and assumed the rule of the kingdom. He is still pouting about it, but all in good grace since he decided that he hatesruling anyway and it gets tiring being a villain. Hence, he was delighted to champion love.”
“Through terror,” my mate points out.
“Well, as you humans say… Happy Halloween,” Zora replies with another mad giggle.
I think for a moment and nod as I realize exactly what day it is as a group of costumed children burst out with a rush of laughter on the streets nearby. Happy Halloween indeed.
EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE
Havoc
The fairy appletree is in bloom again. Not the one that I swore my love in, but the one that Ammayi’s parents planted at the far end of their yard to give us some privacy. The same tree that Tryst and I spent the better part of the winter painstakingly building our nest in while Ammayi enjoyed the comforts in her maternal home. Comforts that we’ve tried to imitate in our own home right down to a mandir with pixie sized murti that, while being quite small to her human family, fill the space gloriously, bringing comfort to our queen as she shared her human traditions with our young.
All in all, life is good.
Stretching my wings, I smile over my brood as they flit from the nest to circle Tryst with laughter as he plays a melody on his flute. Ammayi leans against his side, a sweet smile playingon her lips as our little ones tuck flower petals into her hair. No sight could make me happier. Triplets, all born three years ago just months after our nest was prepared, are both my delight and the bane of my existence. Fluttering over to them, I chase them away so that they scatter over the yard as they dance around their grandmother’s head.
Mother Nagmati laughs and opens her palms, gathering them to her to cuddle them against her cheek for a moment before sending them aloft once more into the air. The laughter of my children fills the air as their lights skip over the spring flowers growing abundantly everywhere. It is not the Dark Forest—it is better—and there has not been a moment I have regretted remaining here since claiming my queen.
My gaze trails back to my mate and warms as I flit from our nest up through the branches of the trees. Flower petals rain down on me with a gentle breeze, their silken touch brushing over me as I snatch her into my arms and hug her close as Tryst grins and rises to join us. Together we drop away from the tree, our shimmer flickering over our family below us as we dance once more.
