Lysandra, observing my reaction, wore a knowing smile on her face, clearly satisfied with her work. The next item she handed me was a pair of shoes. Slipping into them, I carefully stepped down from the platform with her guidance. She gave me another thorough once-over, her eyes scrutinizing every detail to ensure everything was perfect.
Then, in a display of Fey magic that still caught me off guard, Lysandra produced a necklace seemingly out of nowhere. The silver chain held a delicate pendant shaped like a cat, its eyes set with two sparkling sapphires. The pendant was not just beautiful; it seemed symbolic, perhaps a nod to my new Fey identity or a representation of some deeper meaning within the Fey world.
The necklace's beauty captivated me, and I couldn't help but comment, "Oh, wow. That looks beautiful. I suspect it's not a coincidence that it is a cat." Lysandra's smile widened, but she raised an eyebrow when I used the term 'cat.' I quickly corrected myself, "Ah, that's right. That's not really the correct term. Feline?" She nodded affirmatively, confirming my guess.
With the initial hurdle of dressing in a dress for the first time in my life cleared, the rest of my preparations proceeded swiftly. I combed my hair, washed my face, and moved around in the new outfit, getting a feel for it. I learned quite quickly that walking in a dress required smaller, more careful steps to avoid tripping over the hem.
Once we finished with the wardrobe change, Lysandra approached the door frame and touched it, transforming it into a kitchen. She gestured towards it playfully, as if encouraging me to explore further. "Okay, I get it. It's a magic door," I said with a hint of amusement. "Hopefully the food in there is something I know how to make. Otherwise, you're cooking." Lysandra's silent laughter was a welcome sight. Her demeanor and the ease with which she navigated this Fey world were gradually endearing her to me. Her presence, once a symbol of the unknown, was now becoming a source of comfort and familiarity.
Stepping into the kitchen, I was greeted by a scene that seemed straight out of a fairy tale, yet it was unfolding right before my eyes. There were more of the red-capped gnomes, each busily engaged in various cooking tasks. Some were chopping vegetables with precision, while others tended to pots simmering over an open flame. Above them, a small pixie, flitting about with an air of authority, was clearly in charge of the culinary operation.
"No, no, no! I told you. The meat has to be cooked! Grilled! You cannot serve it to her Ladyship raw!" The pixie's voice was stern, her tiny wings fluttering with agitation as she directed the gnome cooks. One of the gnomes mumbled a response, his voice reminiscent of a grumbling toddler.
"I do not care if she is a Cheshire! We were told to prepare her meals a certain way, and if I lose one of my wings because of you, then you can be sure you will be itching your cracks for the next several weeks." She paused, sweeping her gaze over the group. "All of you!" Her statement prompted a collective shift in attention among the gnomes, and the one who had been reluctant to cook the meat quickly produced a griddle, placing it over the open flame.
I stood there, a mixture of amusement and fascination washing over me. The dynamics between the pixie and the gnomes were both entertaining and endearing. It was a small glimpse into the everyday workings of the Fey world, a world where the mundane and the magical intertwined seamlessly.
Lysandra's entrance into the kitchen was marked by a distinct tap of her foot on the floor, three times. The pixie, taken by surprise, turned towards us, her voice shooting up an octave in her exclamation, "My Lady!" The pitch of her voice was so high, it seemed to dance on the edge of audibility. "Please sit, your breakfast will be ready shortly. The help today has been..." She glanced back at the bustling gnomes, her wings fluttering more rapidly for a brief moment, "...Absolutely, helpful."
I exchanged a look with Lysandra, my eyebrows raised in amusement. Silently, I mouthed, "Wow," impressed by the tiny pixie's command over her kitchen crew. Noticing that everyone was waiting for my response, the room seemingly holding its breath, I quickly added, "That is fine. We can wait a moment." At my words, the pixie zipped around in a quick circle, and the pace of activity in the kitchen noticeably increased.
As Lysandra and I took our seats at the table, curiosity got the better of me. "Okay, I have to ask. Are you unable to speak, or do you choose not to? Is it rude of me to ask? I mean, if it is, to be fair, you got to invade my privacy earlier, so I think it'd be fair either way," I ventured.
Lysandra responded with a smile and a shake of her head, pointing to her throat and then crossing her hands in an 'X' sign. "Ah, so you cannot speak at all," I deduced, to which she nodded affirmatively. "Have you ever considered sign language?" I inquired, curious to know if such a mode of communication existed here.
Lysandra looked at me, a hint of confusion in her expression. "Ah, well, that answers that question," I said, understanding her lack of familiarity with the concept. "It's a series of gestures from my world that are used in place of words. It's quite literally a language all on its own. Maybe the humans...ah, Mankin have something similar."
At the mention of humans, Lysandra's expression changed subtly; a slight sniff conveyed her less than favorable opinion of them. It was clear that she wasn't a fan, a sentiment that seemed to be common among the Fey.
The small pixie hovered near me, a buzz of excitement in her movements. "My Lady, your breakfast is ready. Today we have..." She paused, glancing at the steak being placed on my plate. "Ah, a thin medium rare steak with a side of grilled pine nuts," she announced as the plates were swiftly set before us.
"Pine nuts? I'm not familiar with those," I admitted, intrigued by the unusual breakfast item.
"They come from our home court," the pixie explained with evident pride. "Special pine trees grow in the grotto, producing nuts that emit a sweet, minty aroma when roasted. They're quite popular beyond our court. You'd be surprised at the bargaining power they hold."
As I processed this new information, Lysandra tapped her plate, signaling that it was time to start eating. Her glance towards the window conveyed a sense of urgency. "Okay, Lysandra. We need to hurry and eat. We're taking too much time," I echoed her unspoken message. Without a word, she began to cut her steak and eat with a practiced efficiency.
Eating steak for breakfast was unexpected, to say the least. It wouldn't have been my first choice for a morning meal, but observing the chefs and their sharp teeth, I understood this might be standard fare in the Fey realm. They probably preferred their meat much more raw than what was served to me. I took a bite of the steak, finding it surprisingly tender and flavorful.
After finishing our breakfast, Lysandra and I prepared to leave the hovel. As I stepped outside, I took a moment to survey the surroundings. The yard, tended by the industrious red-capped gnomes, was immaculate, a testament to their gardening skills. However, their natural messiness was evident in the array of tools scattered haphazardly around. It seemed that while they were meticulous in their gardening, they were less so in organizing their equipment.
My attention was then drawn to one of the little red-capped gnomes sitting by the pond. He was licking his lips, clearly fixated on something in the water. The sound of a frog croaking nearby suggested that the gnome might have been contemplating a different kind of breakfast. The scene was both amusing and a little unnerving, a stark reminder of the primal and untamed nature of the Fey and their world.
As we left the hovel Lysandra and I approached the two trees that leaned into each other, forming a natural arch, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. The path continued forward through the arch, leading towards the glade where I had first arrived the night before. The familiar yet mystical scenery reminded me that I was still adapting to this new world, still learning its secrets and ways.
We reached the arch, and I paused for a moment, recalling the enchantments and transformations I had already witnessed. Emboldened by these memories, I reached out to touch the trees, half-expecting to trigger some hidden magic. I glanced at Lysandra with a faint glimmer of pride, hoping to have correctly anticipated the Fey world's workings. However, my pride quickly turned to confusion when nothing extraordinary occurred.
Lysandra, with a grace that spoke of her familiarity with these mysteries, walked calmly between the arching trees and, to my astonishment, disappeared. I peered through the arch, seeing only the path stretching ahead, seemingly unchanged. Cautiously, I extended my hand through the archway, only to watch it partially vanish into thin air. The sight was unnerving, challenging my understanding of reality.
Before I could retract my hand, I felt a gentle but firm grasp. A small hand was pulling me forward. For a brief moment, I resisted, the instinctive reaction to an unknown force. But then, recognizing the touch as benign, possibly Lysandra's, I allowed myself to be guided through the arch.
Crossing under the arched trees, I experienced a sudden and dramatic shift in my surroundings. Where there had once been a simple path through the woods, an entirely different city now lay before me. This new city was a stark contrast to the one I had previously encountered. On the ground level, there were numerous hovels spread out as far as the eye could see, similar to the one I had just left but without the wide gardens.
However, it was the city's upper layer that truly captured my attention. Enormous trees, which I estimated to be several hundred feet tall, supported a second tier of the city. Buildings were wrapped around these massive trunks, connected by bridges that appeared to be part of the trees themselves. It was as if the trees and the structures were coaxed to grow together, creating a harmonious blend of nature and architecture. I stood there, awestruck, wondering about the methods and magic used to achieve such a feat.