“I apologize, I mean no harm. Please, I only want to help you. My name is Ursad; I am a woodland, pool-dwelling faery. I live here, in the forest by the ocean amd I can control the pools of water around me, near the rivers.” He stood quite still, almost statuesque. “Is there anything I can do? I mean, um, do you need anything, water? Are you hungry? Any pain? You looked like you been through a wringer.” He spoke quickly and seemed eager to help her.

Shade’s face was flushed as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to frighten you.”

“Where am I?” She relaxed a little, as he did not try to come closer, again.

“You’re here in my house; it’s not a lot but it’s home. I hope you found the bed to your liking. I really don’t have a lot of room but it’s comfy enough, for me at least.” He paused studying her for any kind of reaction, chewing on his smooth, plump lips.

Shade stared at him, he looked pretty harmless but the hood hid too much of his face to read him well enough. She tried to relax more and sat cross-legged on the bed, pulling the soft worn blanket around her. Her body was cozy warm and her aches weren’t as sharp as they had been. She sighed; at least she wasn’t in Blythe’s care. This was definitely the better half of her current situation.

“I’m sorry, my name is Shade. I just wasn’t sure if it was safe here. I was being chased…” She stopped, wondering if she should trust this stranger with anything, especially with her story. Maybe he knew too much already. “I guess I lost them. How did you find me? Was I out of it for long?”

“Shade, well, nice to meet you. I found you on the beach; it shares the shore with a small pool of water that feeds from a small stream that breaks off from one of the great rivers. I live near it and I happened to walk by when I saw you. You passed out after that, I am truly sorry that I hurt you pulling on your shoulder like that. I didn’t know at first that it was dislocated. Somehow it’s not anymore; you must be full of healing magic because you have healed quite rapidly. It’s amazing, if I can say so myself. I would love to know how you do it.” He was smiling but she definitely did not like to have his face hidden away. She felt brave and reached towards him to pull the hood back as he spoke for he was not too far from the bed. It was his turn to pull away and crouch by the door.

“No please!” He shook his head and hid the rest of his face in his arm sleeve. He bounced nervously back and forth on his feet as though the thought of pulling off the hood caused him great anxiety.

“Why not? I don’t feel too comfortable talking to you when I can’t see your face. Let me see. Is there, um, is there something wrong with your face?” She sat back down and blushed with embarrassment. She realized how forward she was being and possibly even being rude. She hadn’t meant to offend him like that, she was just so nervous she reacted without thinking. Maybe he is badly scarred under there. She swallowed and shook the thought out of her head. How bad can it be?

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. But really, you need to take it off, it’s okay, you’ll scare me more with it on.” She waited and watched him bring his arm down and face her.

He seemed to be thinking about what she was saying because he stared at her for a long moment. Unexpectedly then, he nodded. “You’re right, I am what I am but please don’t be afraid, I tend to frighten everyone. I don’t get too many visitors here at all, not even other fey. I’ve got used to solitude because it has been so long since I’ve been around others.” He sighed and lifted his chin. He reached up and pulled the hood down slowly and away from his face.

Shade tried to keep in the gasp that fought to escape her lips; she knew however, her shock was already given away as her eyes widened. She composed herself immediately and hoped that the slip would not anger him. His face was unusual but she couldn’t say it was scary, not with such sad eyes staring back at her.

“It’s okay Ursad. Can I ask you something? What exactly are you?” I’ve never seen anyone like him, she thought as she observed his face. Where the facial hair ended, his skin grew like tree bark, all tan and dark with lines trailing through it. His hair was made of darkened green, thin leaves with twigs and small thin vines springing from his head. She could definitely tell he was fey or human but he had been transformed into what appeared to be a tree man. His hands were smooth and human in appearance, but nothing above the neck resembled normal human skin.

“I… don’t normally look this way. I was cursed a long time ago and my face and hair have been affected in this way ever since.” He smiled at her but lowered his eyes to stare down at the floor as he continued.

“I guess I should explain further.” He looked up at her and paused, waiting for her approval.

She studied him and nodded and was eager for his explanation.

“I was a fey prince once, a long time ago. I was very handsome and women threw themselves at my feet and my every whim. I had a choice of any fey or human woman. Well, you could say I was pretty arrogant too, knowing my effect on woman. I thought myself undeniable and irresistible. That is, until one night, I was in a tavern, enjoying the party and drinking a bit too much liquor. I was surrounded by beauties and laughing with the lot of them. It was quite fun.

‘One woman approached me then. She was not the most beautiful woman I had ever seen but definitely not the ugliest. She was quite plain in appearance, flat brown hair, plain brown eyes and nothing amazing in her smile to speak of. It was as if when she was made, she was made without animation or a personality of any kind. I was just not interested… but she had other ideas.

‘I am Elinia, daughter of Talik, the were-stone maker. I am here to offer marriage to you. I love you and would be honored to be your wife,’ she had said without much warmth.

‘Of course, I didn’t know who she was or what she was for that matter. I laughed at her request and snubbed her in front of the whole tavern in my drunken stupor. Everyone laughed at my smart antics and I gave her a quick shove to get her out of my immediate sight. I didn’t know what it was I was doing. I laughed and laughed until she scrambled off the floor and ran out of the tavern crying. To my satisfaction, I was glad not to have to ridicule her anymore. I was glad she was gone.

‘I finished out the night laughing and having a fabulous time. Not once giving a thought to the girl again. When I readied myself to leave, I walked out of the tavern and to the stables where my horse was waiting. When I was untying my horse, she approached me from behind.

‘I curse you Ursad, Prince of the lands of Santire, prince of nothing you will be! Fair as the bark of a tree. I curse you for infinity! Return you to how you are freed, gentle kiss from a queen-to-be!’ I stared at her as she finished her words and started laughing again.

‘You’ll regret this Ursad. You will look back with a heart broken and filled with remorse. I promise you that.’ She disappeared then, as suddenly as she had appeared. I was left alone in the silence of the dark stables. I didn’t feel different but curses are not taken lightly in fey culture. I began to wonder what she meant by her words. I shrugged them off and rode off into that night, back to my kingdom. It was a long journey home, so I had to stop for the night. As I walked to a lodge at the side of a country road, I wiped my face because it was covered in dripping sweat. I felt almost sick then, wondering what was going on. I checked into the lodge and fell into a deep sleep that night, exhausted.

‘The next morning, after I woke, I walked to the mirror hanging in the room to comb my hair. My hair and my face were changed, to my utter disbelief. What I saw, well, I saw what you see now. Horrified, I fled my country, for no one would recognize me looking like such a monster. I haven’t returned since. So here I am, alone.” He looked back up at Shade as their eyes met.

“I am drawn to the forest, the ocean and the pools of water. They pull me like a magnet. They give me solace in my pain and exile. The waters bless me with their favor, leaving bits of the world, and food is easily attainable here on the banks. Now they have brought you and I can’t help but wonder why. You were hurt so, I had to help. I hope you are not afraid of me, I mean no harm, really. I guess you could say, I have been humbled from the years of isolation.” He stared into her eyes, watching her so intensely. He spoke rapidly and it was clear he had been lonely and was excited to be with another other person.

Shade fought to look away. His face was smooth and serious, but his deep green eyes were wrought with sorrow. She looked back up to see him still watching her. “Again, I’m sorry I hope I didn’t insult you,”

“No, you did not,” said Ursad with a kind smile.

It was alarming to look at him, at first, but she could see his handsome features underneath all of it and in a peculiar way, found him striking. Time had not withered this man; he was preserved in the prison he made for himself. I wonder if he really was a prince, this is so strange, she thought to herself. He was the prince of the Santiran lands, of all things, the very place she needed to get to.

“Ursad, I am thirsty and hungry too. I could use something to eat, if you have anything to share. “And do you know where my things are?”

He paused as he turned towards the door. “I will get them for you; I left your pack near the fireplace to make sure it dried out a bit, though it seems impervious to water. I could not take out whatever you had in there; it has a personalized lock charm on it, and would not open for me. I do hope your things are not ruined in it.” He ducked out the door and Shade was left staring at it after him.

She suddenly became aware she was not wearing her own tattered muddy clothes from before, but wearing soft cotton drawstring pajama pants and an oversized tunic instead. They were clean and soft but she pulled the blankets even tighter around herself. She tried not to imagine him changing her out of her soaked clothes. She squirmed at the thought, feeling flushed.

Ursad returned with a tray of fruit, a meat sandwich and a cup of juice. Her stomach growled at the sight of food. He set it slowly in front of her, not smiling but extremely serious. She tried to smile and soon forgot her embarrassment; she settled in and started to inhale the meal. Food in Faerie seemed to taste so much better than in her world. She wondered if it was because it really was better or simply because she was ravenous because she hadn’t eaten in hours, not to mention was getting a lot of exercise on this journey. She chewed and ate so fast, she started hiccupping. She guzzled down the juice hoping to stave them off.

As Shade finished, Ursad had stayed and watched her. Realizing she had been gorging herself, her face suddenly flushed, as she slowed her chomping to a slow chew. She swallowed her last bite and stared right back at Ursad. Brilliant green eyes that shined in the dim light of the room, those eyes seem to pierce her. She ran her eyes over his hair of vines and leaves; so long they fell down past his waist like tendrils of flowers. She wondered if it hurt to pluck a leaf off the thin vines that draped him like shroud and dangled over his shoulders. He was dressed in dark brown clothes; they were frayed and reminded her of peasant’s clothing from fairytale stories.

She laughed to herself. Maybe this was her ‘fairytale’ in a way. Nothing is as it should be. Nothing is going the way it should be. The world is not what it seemed and somehow, Shade wasn’t sure she liked it much at all. And now I’m lost.

“Is everything alright? Was the food good, Shade?” Ursad asked breaking her thoughts, dragging her back to the present.

She nodded and pushed the food tray away, signaling that she was done.

Ursad promptly stood up, collected it and left through the door. He was now smiling widely and seemed to walk with a happy skip in his step.

Shade shook her head. Fey men are so strange! She sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed the footboard and stood up slowly, feeling her legs wobble beneath her. She stood for a minute, relaxing her muscles and breathing through the dull pain that resonated throughout her bones. She remembered the cold chill of the river and shivered.

She glanced down at her fingers now and flexed them. They felt slightly stiff but functional; the slight ache wasn’t bothering her much at all. She sighed and counted her blessings. Somehow she had healed and maybe her spirit guides had done what they said. Thank you for the gracious gift. She hoped somehow they were hearing her.

Ursad entered the room and stopped. He held out her pack and a folded pile of clothes that she had been wearing before. They were now washed, repaired, and folded neatly. Shade smiled and let him place it on the bed next to her. “I took the liberty of repairing your clothes; the rocks nearly ripped them to shreds. Your pack seems pretty dry. I take it you don’t want to be staying very long, which is really too bad. I would like to get to know you and hear your story. Like I said, I haven’t had any company in such a long time.” He paused, waiting for her reaction.

When she didn’t say anything, just sat frozen and staring at him, he continued. “I mean, you shouldn’t hurry out, you are welcome to stay as long as you like of course.” He waited again, shifting nervously. He rushed out of the room then and closed the door behind him.

Shade smiled, his nervousness seemed to calm her anxiety.

Rummaging through her pack, she pulled out a fresh set of clothes. She grabbed jeans, socks, underwear, a bra and her black sweater. Her repaired clothes were tucked into the backpack and she reached for her brush. She wondered if there was a shower or restroom in the little cabin. She sighed, slipping some house shoes on that she had thrown into her pack, just in case. Opening the door she peeked out, and called out to Ursad. “Is there a bathroom I can use? I could really use a shower.”