Exton

Wow.

That's all. Just… wow.

Understand, it's not just the sex. The sex is incredible, but what really makes Nick and Raina special is the caring.

I never expected it. Never. And now I'm afraid I'm going to lose it.

"Gareth... before we get too - errr - distracted, I'd like to ask a favor of you.

Raina and I are looking for a house. I wonder if you'd help her look during the day, kind of narrow down the list? Then I can take a day to look at the places that are left.

We want a fairly big place - two stories and at least four bedrooms. It should also have a full basement - the life we lead, we may want a secure place we can retreat to if things get bad."

I nodded, listening intently.

Raina chimed in. "It'll need to have a garage for my bike, too."

There was more, but that'll give you a feel for it. They're moving out of the Tavern - sooner, later, it doesn't matter.

I thought I had some time to get acclimated. but it looks like I'd better talk to Monty's friend-of-a-friend while I still have a place to stay.

I lie there with my mind whirling and I decide that maybe a glass of something will help calm my brain. I rise quietly without disturbing my lovers and dress sufficiently for a quick trip downstairs.

I'm on my way downstairs and I meet Star coming upstairs.

She smiles as I approach. She stops and reaches towards me, stopping short of actually touching.

“Gg..gareth? Can you talk to me for a mm..minute? I have so many questions... and I think no one wants me to know what's going on for some reason..”

I nod. I can't help staring. It's not her eyes so much, but the fact that she would be considered a great beauty in Faerie – not that she isn't, even by human standards. “I don't know how much more I can tell you. All I know are the legends. Inari was going to visit with some scholars, to see if there was anything written besides what she knows.”

Star nods, “Tell me about her... and that realm. I know so little of... of my father's people.”

I smile. "That's a tall order. How about we get a glass of something and I'll see how far we can get with it?"

She nods. "I'll wait here, if y-you don't mind."

"I'll be right back."

I get two glasses of raspberry wine and head back upstairs. Star is seated at the edge of the steps, and I slide in next to her.

"Now, let's see where to start…. what exactly do you know of Faerie, or think you know?" But she shakes her head almost on the instant.

"Nothing… I know nothing. It's like people want to keep all that from me."

"Well, we can't have that." I lean back against the riser, thinking. "All right. You're going to have to understand that whatever I tell you is gong to be colored by my own experiences, my own prejudices. I'm not telling you absolute truth, I'm telling the truth as I perceive it. Got that?"

She nods, smiling, and I continue.

"There are two Courts - the Seelie or Bright Court, and the Unseelie or Dark Court - sometimes called the Shadow Court. The Bright Court is ruled over by Oberon and Titania, the Dark by Queen Mab, who has no King - just a series of Consorts.

I am of the Bright Court, so you should treat anything I say about the Dark Court with extreme suspicion. I'm telling you the truth as I know it, but it may not be all truth… you'll need to talk from people on either side and make up your own mind where the truth lies.

There's also the Wyldfae, who belong to neither Court. They live in a border area, a kind of No-Man's-Land between the lands claimed by each Court. We call it the Unformed Plane… more on that later.

Both Courts consider the Wyldfae to be uncivilized, savages, barely one step up from humans." I give her a covert look, and she's taking it all in, totally focused. "The Unformed Plane is also home to a number of other - beings - things that don't have a name because no one who encounters them lives long enough to call them more than arrrggghhhh!!!"

Star giggles. She's really beautiful when she smiles like that.

"The Wyldfae can generally - but not always - be distinguished by elongated ears." I move my hair aside to show mine. "You can see they'd have to be really big to merit that designation from me."

She smiles some more, seeming to relax a little. The Warrior is a lucky man; I hope he knows how lucky.

"The prophecy... the one Inari spoke of....mentions the great darkness... what is that? And why is my son, if I have one, needed to defeat it?"

"Ah, there you have me, little one. I'm no scholar… and our scholars differ on the meaning of the prophecy. Some think it means the Unseelie Court will rise to threaten the Seelie Court; other think the great darkness is something that would consider Bright and Dark Court alike to be a mere annoyance. Bottom line? No one knows for sure.

"But wouldn't it have something to do with the fighting at the borders? or the unformed plane?"

"It could, lady, it certainly could; which is one reason that both Courts keep close watch on the border, and on the Unformed Plane itself. There's a band of mercenaries - the Nighthawks - drawn equally from both Courts, but owing allegiance to neither, or equally to both" - I smile - "sometimes it's hard to tell. These are the toughest, meanest, most hard-bitten veterans you can imagine, and even they don't stay out there constantly. Their tour of duty is three months on the border, three months off. Thus, there are four Companies who rotate border duty, and I'm told it's the toughest duty you can imagine. Both Courts are mandated to support the Nighthawks, but it's subsistence support - food is field rations, shelter is military barracks or any old hut and medical care is of the 'patch 'em up and get 'em out' variety."

I sit and watch while her eyes whirl like a kaleidoscope. It's a bit much to soak in, I think, especially if you knew nothing of the Fae before. After a moment -

"M'lady Star - I'm going to be here for the foreseeable future, I think, and your Warrior is going to wonder where you've gotten off to. Can I take you back to your room for the night? And if you have further questions, feel free to ask. I can get a message to Inari, if you like, and pass your questions to her. She's consulting with our scholars regarding the prophecy, anyway, so it shouldn't be a great matter to add your concerns to the list." I ponder for a moment, then. "And you should have balance, so ask Keon of the Dark Court the same questions you've just asked me. The truth of the matter will probably be a very squiggly line in between the two."

Star smiles as she stands. "Thank you. I will think about it." I take her arm and escort her back to her room.