THE FOREST WAS QUIET as Calder and I passed through, the only sound being the crunching of the snow under the hoofs of our steeds. It felt like we truly weren't going anywhere, just around in circles, and my impatient nature got the better of me.

"It feels like we're just going around in circles," I said to Calder, "Every tree looks the same."

"Not every tree is going to have a distinct characteristic, Eerika," Calder replied. "They're trees."

"I know, but we're going so slow," I huffed. "I just want to get to the place where the sword is, as fast as we can, and get back to the palace."

"We can't cause any attention to ourselves. We have to make as little noise as possible. Any of my mother's men could be walking around or in hiding, not to mention the other creatures that inhabit both this forest and the dark woods of her territory."

"But the frost giants roam around at night. Sylvi's men stay out of the forest when they're awake."

"That was before you had arrived to this world. I know those men fled the day you arrived, but now that you have settled yourself here I'm sure Sylvi has ordered them on lookout at all times. She doesn't care if the frost giants kill them because she has plenty of traitors and can create even more iron knights," Calder informed.

"How did she accumulate enough faery traitors to create an army along with her knights?" I wondered. "There's only so many frost fey in the realm, and it's not like she has any fire fey at her disposal."

"She already had some gathered from the human world, all of the exiles who wanted to take down the crown as revenge for their banishment. But when your parents died many of their current subjects didn't like your uncle taking the ruling beneath himself," Calder said.

"They understood he wasn't replacing them, simply taking on the mantle until you returned. But many felt betrayed and scared that you would never come back, some that you would even survive amongst the ephemerals. So my mother gave the men an offer to join her in exchange for riches and power. The women who wanted to drop their allegiance as well became her maids, cooks, dress makers. But of course not all of those fey have come to see every light of day. I certainly wouldn't have such an opportunity had I not the strength I did to drag myself to the palace gates."

"Could I ever bring them back?" I questioned him. "The traitors, I mean. Could I ever change their minds to come back to our side?"

"There is no reasoning with those fey anymore, Eerika. I admire your heart to want to change theirs and save them, but some things can't be done when a cause is so far gone."

"Do you think this is a cause too far gone?" I asked, referring to the quest we were on.

Calder sighed, "I don't want to believe so. I just hope the seventeen years that have passed will not go against our favor. I'm trusting you on this."

I turned my gaze away from him and bit my lip, the image of the iron sword in the vision flashing through my memory.

"I'm trusting me too."

There was then a rustle through the bushes and a sound like footsteps approaching, making the horses give a slight jump.

"Go," Calder urged quietly, "Go through the opening of the frozen waterfall down the right of the path. It's a secret passage."

"What about you? What if it's one of the traitors?" I asked with hesitancy to leave.

"I'll be fine. I'm right behind you, just go!"

Nodding I pulled the horse's reigns to urge him in the direction of the right path, transitioning into a fast gallop. After a minute or two the icy waterfall came into sight, and sliding us both through the tight space I slipped off of the horse and waited. My heart raced in my chest in worry for Calder. I kept my breathing as soft as possible to listen for any sound.

I felt something give the very lightest tug at the point of my ear and I jerked my attention behind me, but nothing nor the horse was anywhere close to me. Feeling a slight premonition wave through my stomach I nervously clenched my hands, ready to use my powers for anything that might spring up on me.

There was then a noise a few feet from the waterfall's opening and I hitched my breath, straightening myself in a stance to strike. The crunch in the snow from each foot grew closer and closer until finally Calder's head popped inside. I sighed in relief and lowered my hands.

"You scared me half to death! I thought it was one of them," I spoke irritated.

"No, but they were here," Calder replied as he stepped inside. "Two of them, young boys probably no older than fifteen. Their fathers have dragged them into this hell and I'm sure they go through the same torment as I did. They won't be any threat to us, but they're gone either way. We should be clear to go."

"Ok, but where to? How far is it through the forest until we reach the sword?"

"It will be a three day's ride as long as no obstacles fall in the way," Calder informed. "We'll have to set camp for each night unless you wish to be captured or eaten by some of the moon's creatures. It's risk enough traveling right now. Let's go."

Turning and grasping my horse's reins once more, I glanced behind him to notice another opening in the rock wall of the waterfall's cliff. Both puzzled and curious I gestured to Calder.

"Where does that lead? Is it an exit?"

"It is a place we were not invited to enter, so let's leave it in peace," Calder said, placing his hand on my back and patting the horse's hip to move us forward.

"Wait, what do you mean? Is there something in there?" I castigated, but Calder shook his head.

"Eerika, for once please let your urge to know everything that goes on in this world go."

"Is it anything dangerous?"

When Calder didn't reply I shoved him off and turned towards the entrance. "Ok then, I want to know. It could be something to help us find the sword."

"Eerika," Calder warned, chasing after me but he didn't catch up before I was inside.

"Wow," I breathed out, eyes darting all around the small cave. Beautiful ice crystals lined the walls in all different places, their reflections sparkling onto my skin. It was like a diamond mine, and I half expected seven little dwarves to come through and start whistling and hitting the crystals with their axes.

I went to touch a crystal but something flittered past my peripheral vision and tugged a piece of hair from my braid.

"What the. . .?" I mumbled to myself, twisting the strand in between my thumb and forefinger.

Calder ducked through the entrance and stood beside me. The reflection washed over his hair and revealed its blue glint it held under the sun and moon that I loved.

"I see the nixies are playing with you," he said, tucking the strand behind my ear.

"Nixies?"

"They're like pixies, but more of a light being than an actual form though they can touch people and cause mischief. They create and live inside these crystals. They're a little shy at first, too."

"Well I won't hurt them," I told him, turning to gaze at a large crystal protruding from the wall. "I'm. . .Princess Eerika," I spoke to it. "You can come out, it's ok."

The crystal flashed a small white light, and then a small head emerged from it. Though it was of pure light the nixie had faery ears larger than its head, with a button nose and big round eyes. It rose out the rest of the way to show fast fluttering wings and a naked body, with a flat chest and no reproductive part. Its legs were short and feet tiny, its smile making it more human than anything else. It was skinny and bald, no taller than four inches exactly.

The being laughed that tinkled like a bell, and then it landed on my hand and ran up my arm. Sitting on my shoulder and gently pulling on my hair, the other nixies followed and undid my braid.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I asked them, and at that remark they flew off and I turned to Calder.

The nixies too were messing with him, only they were more pesky and tugging at his strands to look them over and poking at his face. He waved his hands around to shoo them away.

"They're inspecting us," Calder said, "More-so me than you."

"Why?" I wondered, but by the look on Calder's face I could tell that he already knew.

The one who had sat on my shoulder returned there and patted my cheek, hugging it. I giggled and watched it look over at Calder and give him a mean face.

Calder lightly chuckled, "Someone doesn't approve of me."

"What do you mean?"

Another nixie flew onto my shoulder and curled itself up in my hair, side-eyeing Calder as if being protective of me.

"They know I have partial human blood running through my veins. They smell it as does every other creature in this realm. They're afraid I'm going to hurt you."

I turned my gaze to the nixie still snarling at Calder and spoke softly to it. "Hey, it's alright. He would never hurt me."

I glanced at Calder and threw a small smile. "He cares for me. He keeps me safe."

A smile was perched at the corner of Calder's lips, his eyes gazing over me with something I couldn't read. He shifted his attention to the spunky nixie.

"That's right, squirt," he mocked to it, the nixie poking its tongue out at him at the name calling. "I protect the princess with my life, there's no need to think of me a monster. I'm not a part of my mother's men anymore."

His icy blue irises turned back to me, and the smile on his face caused a blush to flush my own. The nixie tangled in my hair noticed this and began poking my cheek with a curious look.

"I would give up the very last breath in my body for her if she asked of me," Calder said, but it sounded more like he was talking to himself rather than to the nixie. At the claim I looked down and fiddled with the ends of my hair.

The two nixies exchanged a glance and then flew off my shoulders, gathering the others together. There were hundreds of them, tinkling fast as if they were all conversing at once. Then they swarmed Calder and I, fiddling with our clothes and hair. Their light blinded me and wings tickled my skin, like tiny bugs attacking a flower.

"What are they doing?" I asked Calder, but before he could reply they stopped. I felt tiny hands pushing on my back towards Calder, and some tugging on his cloak to pull him towards me.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," he told the nixies, shooing them away once more. He sighed as he spoke to me.

"The nixies, they. . .have a mischievous obsession with romance. If they think someone is compatible they urge them together, and don't let up until the two confess their feelings, kiss, or even make love. And it has to be exactly the way the nixies want it done or they'll keep you until it is. No matter if the two's relationship ends horribly, they get a satisfaction of causing it to happen."

I could feel my cheeks' color change from a rosy tone to a deep crimson, embarrassed of the situation. I didn't want to be watched kissing Calder by hundreds of tiny eyes when no one had seen me even touch him since our dalliance began.

"So. . .does that mean they won't let us leave until we kiss in front of them, or-"

"Now you see one reason I told you to stay out of here," Calder interrupted.

"Yeah," I gave a small, dry laugh. "I guess so."

It grew silent around us though I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Calder drew closer, stroking my cheek and slowly running his hand down my waist. His lips then suddenly crashed against mine and caused me to gasp into his mouth.

I grasped onto his cloak and stood on my toes, his hands crushing me to his chest just like our first kiss. My lips moved roughly against his though he seemed to overpower me, his tongue gaining entrance and dancing with mine. My legs felt weak just as they always were when he kissed me, and I had to wrap my arms around his neck just to keep myself upright.

There were excited tinkles that I could faintly hear over mine and Calder's ragged breaths. I tried to tune them out and just focus on him and this moment because it had never been this fervent before. I bit down on Calder's bottom lip and caused him to growl into the kiss, then broke us apart to push me against a bare spot of the cave wall.

His lips moved to my neck and I gasped once more, but it was only a mere seconds until he was back on my mouth. I ran my hands through his locks and Calder shifted his own to grip the wall on both sides of my head, pinning me. As his kiss grew deeper I noticed a cracking sound erupt, though I shrugged it off and continued to melt in our revelry. But it was then that a cold sensation hit my lips and felt as though it was spreading across the skin of my face.

Calder must have realized it too because he quickly split from me. After catching my breath I looked into his eyes which now seemed dark like the ocean at night.

"What was that?" I asked him, my mind jumbled. With no reply he stood straight and ran a hand through his hair, turning away from me. I touched my lips and looked over at the wall to see two patches of ice where his hands were.

"Is that satisfactory enough for you?" Calder asked the nixies, and they all tinkled happily in return.

Calder turned to me and grabbed my hand to leave. "Come on. We need to go before anyone else shows up."

"Like who?" I questioned as he practically dragged me back through the entrance.

I heard the nixies screech from behind me, and looking back I noticed them flee back into their crystals. Calder abruptly stopped and held me behind him, talking low.

"Stay behind me. Don't move, or you'll be seen as a threat."

"Why?" I questioned him, trying to see what had approached but his tall frame ailed me.

Moving his right arm aside a small blue skinned creature came into sight. He was twenty four inches tall, with large feet and ghastly toenails. His hands dragged the floor with long icicle-like claws and a large nose. Warts trailed all over his skin and he wore nothing but a sack on his back and a hat that was too small to cover his giant hair filled ears. I already knew he had to be some type of dwarf, but he certainly wasn't a cute one like I had imagined. I laughed a little in my head.

"That's the other reason I told you not to come in here," Calder pointed out. "It's a dwarf. They mine the crystals that the nixies don't inhabit and stash them away in their huts. They normally don't pay attention to the things around them but if you approach they feel threatened and become rabid. They think you're going to steal their crystals from them."

I rolled my eyes, "Well that's stupid. Why would I want their crystals?"

"Would you just hush for the moment?" Calder spat in annoyance.

The dwarf squinted his black beady eyes and growled at us, his yellow overbite showing promptly. Clomping along he entered the cave and began pulling crystals from the walls.

"Come on," Calder said, "Let's leave him be."

Holding my hand gently this time we mounted our horses outside and rode off from the path, back into the unknown silence of the moonlit night.