A Midsummer Night’s Dream

But before she could get through the doors of the Lodge, she found the Regent, who seemed to be waiting for them. In the hall that was being cleaned up after the previous night's celebrations.

Before she could speak, he let out a word that he already knew about what had happened in the woods when Varjo was supposed to be hunting.

Noting the injuries suffered by the children that decided to accompany him, he tried to console him that it was his duty to punish the one who was responsible for putting them in danger.

"I understand that he shouldn't have been out there with the children, but he didn't drag them along. Varjo would never do that"

"And how can you be so certain?"

"Because I forbade him from doing so. If anything he left the lodge with the sole intention of doing his duty and nothing else."

"Miss Nia, are you saying that all those children's parents are liars?"

"I don't know what they are, but what I do know is that last night, Varjo was the only one to return in a sorry state, and yet the other children were playing throughout the feast. Shouldn't we be concerned for him?"

"You may, after all, he is your responsibility. However those children are the progeny of some very important figures in the Lakewoods, and if they were to raise considerable commotion during the King and Queen's visit, well then we'll all have hell to pay"

"I...I understand, but it isn't right to punish him when he did nothing wrong"

"Well, that's not what the other children said. And I cannot simply let this be. Your punishment, Varjo, will be to..."

"You'll do no such thing, Lord Niall. The child did no harm" the golden-haired Laoise, the spouse to Bryon the builder.

While her husband serves as an apprentice to one the Lakewoods oldest builders, she works in the service of the Regent as their honoured seamstress. For the glorious garbs, he and his wife don are the work of her and her aid's countless efforts.

Standing beside her with eyes such a vivid green, that they would even the clearest emeralds in her presence.

"Finley, tell the Regent what you told me" with her hair braided into bright locks of gold, which she would often find herself brushing as their impressive length over her shoulder to her back

"Only what I saw. We followed after we saw him leave the city and head into the forest. When we found him, he had been cornered by an unfamiliar beast, Fionn managed to scare it off with his magic"

"The youngling can already cast magic? So those scars then" Niall wondered in surprise as he heard the little girl's words.

"Only the burns, the scars I believe were from his encounter with the beast."

"I see so what you are saying is that he was saved by the arrival of the other children"

Watching her nod as he asked.

While he still held true to his frustration, the presence of Laoise and her daughter had done quite the deed in quelling his need to reprimand the young hunter.

"Uggh, while I have their words, your careless actions cannot go unpunished. But there are greater matters of importance to address right now.

And would not like to waste another moment on this matter. So off with you, bring me the quarry for the breakfast feast."

"My lord." comforting the stressed Nia as he managed to free the bow from her grip.

"I'll return as soon as I am able." giving Finley a curious glance as he spoke to his caretaker.

"...Are you still in pain?"

Noting the first question to parse her lips, Varjo mustered the strength to wear his best attempt at an endearing smile as he spoke:

"I'm alright. No need to worry yourself or cause any more concern for the Regent" letting go of her before leaving the Lodge.

While it may have been late in the morning, the heavy fog that settled in the city made for the haze that would dull one's sense of time as even the King found himself waking up long after he was expected.

"Well if she is already out, I'm sure they don't need me. Which means..." getting ready while embraced by the morning breeze. All of a moment was needed to dress himself in the style of the common people.

His magnificent mane even took on a brunette tone under his spell before sitting far above his shoulders.

"Looks like there's an interesting place I can finally visit" leaping out of the window of the Lodge and landing beyond the boundary of the Shimmering Pools.

He gave the vast structure another look to ensure he wasn't seen before moving the aid of the butterflies he had previously adorned himself with.

Vanishing in their mesmerizing and innumerable dance.

Taking a step through the fluttering display dispersed the creatures, revealing the expansive groves and thick meadows all underneath the dew-touched canopy of immense trees that tower with darkened barks that hosted a variety of luminescent moss and toadstools.

"It must be somewhere around here" taking care to step without so much a bent branch or crushed flower petals left in his wake, as though the forest itself would guide him every step.

Eventually, his trek through the forest would open up into an immense glade that seemed to only end after meeting the River Rua, with twin streams parted by the open space before joining at the mouth of the river.

Forming quite the set of fairy rings embrace it.

While well within the borders of the forest, King Anu could still recognize the scene from the young hunter's memories.

Leaning against the nearby trees, he almost seemed to merge with it as he completely vanished before it, whilst never having left.

Remaining unseen and unmoving for a few moments, his patience and curiosity would pay off with the confirmation of a truly unusual sight, a Sol'ruaig stag appeared to walk through a veil at the mouth of the river. With its hooves stepping over the streaming waters before coming upon the Glade.

The mane of the beast seemed whiter than even the fiercest winter's snow and flowed like a sunlit waterfall under the luminance of the stag's brilliant antlers. Helping itself to the various bushes holding berries that looked a pearlescent violet.

Anu was so taken in by the beast's appearance that his guise almost disappeared when he inched over to get a better view. These creatures have the ability to step through a veil that conceals their presence, not unlike the King employing the same trick to watch it.

Though the sight he was enjoying would be disrupted the moment the sound of snapping branches in the treeline above, brought his eyes upwards.

With the morning's light bleeding through the leaves above, not much came into view.

Before a whistling streak rained from the mosaic of light patches above.

Moving with such speed that the streak was only seen in its form after ripping through the stag while it continued to feed without any notice of the red stream flowing down its throat.

Anu's eyes, now widened and drawn to the stag, watched its legs begin to give out with shaking before keeling over in no apparent struggle.

Tingeing the bush with its bloody spray, as it stopped moving.

Still uncertain of the source of the streak, the King maintained his guise while watching the glade. When not long after, a shadow descended the canopy, leaping through the nearby branches before landing on the forest floor.

Wearing some sort of covering that was a mix of matted leaves and bark, all tied and bound to the woven mesh of string and muddied straw that gave the figure the appearance of a strange-limbed tree, which was all the odder considering all manner of flora that exist within the Lakewoods.

Still, even with how disarming the figure appeared, Anu was easily able to figure out what he had been looking at. Choosing to continue watching it as it approached the dead stag, before brandishing a piece of dull steel from its breast, as it knelt down beside it.

The figure would be at work on the carcass for some time before finally standing up and binding the stag to its frame with a surprising amount of ease.

"You seem quite busy today" appearing in a flurry of petals swirling about his presence. The King's voice seemed to stun the figure.

"..."

"Oh…right. We'll you may speak, after all, I am the one who interrupted your work"

"Your Majesty" the figure placed the stag down again before turning around and removing the part of its covering from his neck allowing him to remove the headdress, before taking a knee.

"It's fine. It's fine. I wasn't exactly thinking of getting any sort of royal attention when I dressed in these garbs, so you can relax, Varjo"

"I see. But sire, where are your guards? Actually, why are you out here unaccompanied? The forests aren't always timid and I thought you would be with the Regent?" the young hunter asked, still kneeling in front of the curious fae.

"So many questions from someone who was dead-silent just a moment ago. I came here out of my own interest after I saw something peculiar during of conversation last night"

"Ah then I must excuse myself" lifting his quarry and firmly binding it onto himself once more, the young hunter tried to head on his way, and yet, the King continued to follow, reappearing behind every other tree he would walk past.

"Oh and now you're back to being quiet"

"..."

"If you won't speak I can always find out for myself, though I don't always find the forceful measures to be enjoyable for everyone involved."

"...not quite, I am just trying not to cause trouble for the Regent again"

"Again? Hmmm. And you believe that you may find yourself drawing the Regent's ire once more by speaking to me, well you are nothing if not a cautious young man" finally stopping in front of Varjo as she spoke.

"But I was informed of any trouble, so as far as I'm concerned that has nothing to do with me. Besides…" bringing a flush to Varjo's cheeks as he drew close enough for him to be met with his scent.

His senses were tended to by smells that felt foreign despite how much time he has spent in the forests.

"If there's someone you should be worried about upsetting it should be me, young one" placing his hand on his head.

"So you'd best entertain me" smiling with an expression that left him in knots.

"Now let's be on our way" patting his matted hair before leaping away cloaking in a flurry of the same butterflies. Whose grasp grew to cover Varjo who had stumbled back as they get too close.