Summer Garden

Trei

Trei looked at the strange Fae, trying to work out what was going on inside her mind. Ever since she'd come back from speaking to Summer she had been different. Fidgety. When she was acting still and speaking calmly her wings were flapping nervously, furling and unfurling. The woman was clearly not a poker player, not with a tell like that.

He'd hurt her when he'd asked so directly, so he was guessing she either shouldn't or couldn't answer. But he didn't retract the question. His patience was wearing thin. Everyone walking around him, keeping secrets. This might be his second life, but it was still his. This marriage was being forced on him, and he needed to have some sort of say in it.

The Fae slowly sat down, looking down at the grass and running a hand through it, "Because I don't want to, sir."

Trei sat down next to her slowly, not speaking. He tried to soften his appearance, a difficult position when his body was little more than a mess of scars. He looked every part the bandit warrior at the moment.

She sighed, dropping her head further and letting her hair hide her face. "I want to run... Because I want to stay here. I'm scared. I'm terrified. Every time... I don't know how to explain this in human terms. I am beyond my knowledge. I am weak."

"You're not weak." Trei reassured her, "If you were, you'd run without talking to me. You're trying, which is more than a coward would be able to. I don't understand, true enough, but I want to."

Her head snapped up, blue eyes glaring at him through the strands of her blonde hair, "Stop that."

Trei cocked his head, "Help a dead guy out."

Her hands balled into fists and pressed into her knees, her wings stuck out behind her, "Being so nice. You always have to be nice. We ruined your life. Why do you have to be so... Kind!?"

So he hadn't insulted her then. She was going through some kind of internal conflict. Did she want to hate him? Is that what this was? She found herself unable to hate the dead human, despite the xenophobia innate to the Fae? "I am still angry, yeah. Doesn't mean I have to be a jerk to the people trying to help."

Astrian looked down quickly, and Trei winced as he saw wet spots appearing on the white threads that covered her knees. "Are you okay?"

"No!" Astrian screamed, and punched the dirt weakly, "I am not okay! I wish none of this had ever happened! I wish you didn't exist!"

Trei winced. So she did hate him, then.

"Idiot!" The Fae screamed, glaring up at him, "I don't hate you, that's the gods damned problem!"

He stared at her in shock, "Wait... You can-"

"Yes!" Astrian growled, "Your thoughts are like a damned town caller! You just broadcast them without giving a damn because you're mortal. I don't hate you, idiot. Summer is going to marry you. You belong to her. You are, according to our laws, her property. In every sense of the word. And I... I wish that wasn't the case."

Trei's brain ticked over the new information slowly. When the realisation dawned on him he felt like he'd swallowed a brick. He'd never had anyone agree to go on a date with him before, and now there was someone who was jealous that she couldn't have him. It didn't make any sense to him. No one had ever wanted him, and now there were two who wanted to own him? Did Summer want to own him? Or was she just doing this because of politics?

Astrian sighed heavily, looking at him with teary eyes, "You're an idiot. Summer loves you. She doesn't have a choice in it, Trei. Why do you think she attacked us earlier? She noticed I fell for you. She will always be there for you, and I am her sworn servant. You just... Go and make everything harder."

Trei gently shifted her hair to the side and out of her eyes, "Astrian. I will never do anything to hurt either of you, not intentionally. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

The woman glanced away from him, blushing. "Did you see anything?"

Trei frowned, "What?"

Astrian looked back at him in shock, "You didn't?"

"See what?" Trei asked, "I saw an upset Fae. If you're asking if I saw some emotion or-"

"No." Astrian looked at him seriously, returning to her upright posture, "Tell me. Do humans have visions?"

Trei shook his head, "The only humans who see things are mages, and the insane."

Astrian's eyes widened in shock, "Oh. Oh wow."

Trei cocked his head, "Did... Did you see something?"

"Yes." Astrian said, blushing again, "Uh... How do I explain this? When a Fae is... Bound to another... When they touch each other, they see their entwined future. That is how Lady Summer knew that she loved you, even as you were still returning to life."

Trei was surprised. He wasn't sure how to process that. Fae could see the future. Summer had feinted. She fell over when she took his hand, when he was just learning to walk. That must be why. She'd seen something, and it had taken all the strength out of her. "Astrian. How terrible is my future?"

The butler swallowed nervously, "I should not tell you. That is for the Lady Summer."

"You saw a future with me." Trei insisted, "Isn't it fair I know?"

Astrian sighed heavily, "It isn't fair to keep it from you. No. I saw you, in this garden. I saw moments of happiness, and of horror. I saw violence, and beauty. I saw this garden burn to cinders... And I saw you rebuilding it, laughing, with a child on your shoulders. Like all things, the future is not clearly either good or bad."

It was Trei's turn to blush, "We have a kid?"

"No." Astrian whispered, "The child looked like the Lady's."

"I don't understand, Astrian. If our future is together, why would you see Summer and I having a kid?"

The Fae looked at him with amusement, "You do not understand, ghoul. There has been no Fae child born since we were first created."

Trei scratched his head, "Wait. What?"

"There are no new Fae." Astrian shrugged, "We were created, and live and die, and are reborn from our own flesh. An endless cycle of rebirth, until it is interrupted by anything that breaks our connection to magic. However, we cannot get pregnant like mortals do. The Fae can only dwindle in numbers. However, it appears a half-Fae child will one day be born. That makes you the most important figure since Sumner."

Trei rubbed his face with his hands, wincing as he felt several scars tear gently, "This is heavy."

Astrian nodded, "Perhaps we should adjourn inside the cottage for a time. I will prepare you a meal."