Pɾιɳƈҽʂʂ σϝ ƚԋҽ Dҽαԃ

ȶɦɛ ɢʀօʋɛ

Hayden was an outdoors kid, his parents used to take him and Audrey to the moors where Aurora grew up every summer. The two would play in fairy cottage and woods surrounding it. They would splash around in the streams and help the fairies and pixies. Naiades would braid Audreys hair and spriggans would grow flowers for her. Birds, mainly ravens, would flock to Hayden and help him with various tasks, pixies would come to him sitting on his shoulders or helping him pick the berries twillerbee would grow for him. 

Needless to say, Hayden loved the moors. Part of him was devastated that he couldn't take her there now and show her the home she was denied.  One day, he assured himself, one day he would take Mal back to her home. 

For today though? The grove would have to do. 

Hayden led Mal though the hiking trail then split from it off into the foliage. Mal looked nervous, and stopped keeping her feet on the trail, "Something wrong?" He asked. 

"Um why are we leaving the trail?" 

Hayden just smiled, "because the grove is over here, it's in Dea's part of the forest. I asked her for permission to use it." Mal's eyes widened and sighed but she plucked up her courage and followed Hayden though the forest. He held out his hand to her, "it's a little dense around here," 

Mal bit her lip and grabbed his hand letting him lead her though the foliage. She could practically taste the magic in the air, she could feel the shift from the natural forest to the part Melodea worked in. She could see the shift as well, the bushes went from their natural bare sate with only a few berries growing her and there to being covered in flowers and copper, silver, and golden berries, grapes, and nuts. She could see the leaves changing colors, they turned ruby red, Amber orange, coral pink. Vines started growing on the trees, magical flowers and mushrooms sprang wherever they stepped. The animals in this part of the forest seemed sentient, they couldn't talk but they smiled as a sign of happiness, the laughed in their own little chittering language. There was no malice or violence here every animal seemed to live in harmony. 

"Wow," Mal breathed, the grove itself was beautiful, silver weeping willows, red grass, enchanted flowers, a pond of moon water and a beautiful golden apple tree. Hayden had set up a picnic in the middle on a plush white blanket. She turned to Hayden in awe and saw the prince smiling at her as if she was the whole world, as if she was as precious as the gems she could make from her tears. 

He took her hand and helped her over a log and to the picnic he had set up, "Tell me a little bit?" he asked as he pulled out the sandwiches he had made for them. 

"About?" Mal asked back.

"Anything. You, the isle, your friends, how you like it here. Anything you feel comfortable with." 

Mal thought for a moment then decided on the easiest and safest topic, "I've known Jay since we were little kids, we used to compare what we stole. I guess you could call us close because we were the only ones who could steal the others coffee and not get punched, He's definitely my best friend" She chuckled at the memories of nine-year-old her and ten-year-old Jay sitting in in her hide out comparing their loot like little kids comparing their toys. "I wasn't very nice to Carlos growing up, or Evie really. We got closer over the years and now I couldn't imagine not having them." She couldn't tell them what brought them close. 

"And Holly?" 

Mal smiled softly, "Holly is family, we've known each other even longer than I've known Jay. Our parents hate each other so we mostly played card while they fought. She was the only person I ever played with. She was the only person that ever made me feel like I could make my own choices. We all have to be better than each other, live up to our parents, but with Holly I felt like I could relax."