Holy crap I am so sorry I haven't updated in ages!! Things have been super stressful and I haven't had time to do much lately. Sorry again.

Anyway, this is the third installment of the mythical creature series that was inspired by SammyToon's two requests.

I hope you like it!

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It all started with a customer.

Someone had come into the shop looking for a potion in which the ingredients included hawthorn and rowan, among other hard-to-come-by herbs in Vesuvia.

It was just Asra's luck that he was out of these such ingredients and needed to acquire more.

Knowing full well that the local apothecaries prices were far too steep for herbs (and because he was of the opinion that money is fake), Asra's only option was to source these items himself.

He pulled his scarf up around his neck and placed his feathered hat on his head before stepping out the door.

He put out the lantern on the door as he cast the protection charm on the shop.

The magician set out, planning to be away for at least a fortnight if things went smoothly. He was traveling far out to the North-West, across the sea, to the realm of Babblebrook, and more specifically, to the Penrithe Forest, South of Falkirke Farms and West of the Town of Harbington.

The trip to Babblebrook was quite pleasant, with nary a dull moment. Between eccentric travelers and a variety of fantastical creatures, Asra had no lack of interesting and fun experiences.

When he finally arrived in Harbington, he found himself in the middle of festival preparations. Light-hearted music of the fiddle and the flute danced through the air, carried in the wind. The entire town was setting up greenery and flowers of every kind imaginable. Chains of daisies were hung from lamp posts and shop awnings. Many children ran about, adorning fellow townspeople with flower crowns and some even donned green man masks made from leaves.

As he passed through the center square, Asra noticed that there were tall poles of wood, decorated with ribbons and wreaths. People danced around the pole, holding the bright ribbons as they went.

He also saw a tall wood tepee being put together, clearly for a large, townwide bonfire.

While lost in thought about the celebrations, Asra didn't notice a young girl approach him until he felt a soft tug on the hem of his shirt.

He looked down to see a little red-haired girl with her hair braided and tied up in ribbons. She had a smattering of freckles on her pale cheeks and she looked up at the magician with bright green eyes.

Without saying a word, she lifted a flower crown of daisies and daffodils up for Asra to see.

He took off his hat, knelt down on the cobblestone path, and let her place the crown on his head of fluffy white hair.

"Thank you, miss," He said with a warm smile. "Do you think you could tell me what everyone's preparing for today?"

The little girl gave him a puzzled look as she answered. "Why, today is the eve of Beltane, of course!" And with that, she ran off to join her friends who were handing out more flower crowns to any passerby who wasn't already wearing one.

"Beltane..." Asra repeated to himself.

He stood up again and looked about. Whatever this Beltane was, it certainly seemed like a joyous and lively celebration.

Asra continued on a little farther West of Harbington, to the Babblebrook inn.

When he pushed the door open, he was greeted with the warm crackle of the fireplace and the scent of freshly baked bread.

"Hello, Asra!" Came a chipper voice.

Asra looked about and saw a familiar face. It was Bridgette, the innkeeper (not to be confused with the inn owner).

"You sure are far off from Vesuvia," She remarked. "What brings you back to Babblebrook?"

Bridgette pulled a chair from a table and motioned for Asra to have a seat while she poured a cup of hot tea.

Asra sat down and thanked the girl for the drink. He explained how a customer was looking for a potion that included hawthorn and rowan, herbs that couldn't be found in Vesuvia. Bridgette nodded.

"Common herbs around this time," she stated.

Asra furrowed his brow and gave her a questioning look.

"Beltane?" She prompted. "You are wearing a flower crown, surely you must know about the current festivities..."

Asra's face was all she needed to know that the poor magician had no idea what she was talking about.

"Beltane is the celebration of life and birth. It's a greater pagan sabbat and the celebrations are huge. Lots of song and dance, flowers and sweet things. And the Bale Fire, of course! It's the peak of spring and the telling of summer. It honours the Horned God's return and reunion with the Triple Goddess in her maiden form. It's a pretty big deal, and Harbington always has such wonderful celebrations," Bridgette explained. " Hawthorn and rowan are both herbs that correspond with Beltane."

As the two talked, Bridgette served Asra sweetbreads, fairy cakes, and even a glass of May Day wine. She explained the importance of Beltane in detail and how Harbington's celebrations were truly magical, and not just because of the spell work for love and luck!

"And Beltane is the time when the veil is thin between our world and the realm of the fae. While the fae are certainly wonderful creatures, they have a reputation for being sneaky and mischievous, so don't be going and getting yourself into any trouble with them, alright? They can't lie directly, but they can ask tricky questions. And if you somehow manage to get yourself involved, whatever you do, do not eat their food, lest you be trapped in their realm forever," Bridgette with a grin on her face.

Asra laughed and finished his drink and fairy cake.

"Thank you for that, Bridgette, your advice is almost as good as your cooking!" He said as he stood from his chair.

"You're most welcome," She replied as she cleared their table and disappeared to the kitchen.

When she returned, she looked at the old clock by the wall and drew in a sharp breath.

"Oh my, it's nearly midnight! We have to hurry or we're going to be late!" She exclaimed as she rushed to grab her scarf.

"Late for what?" Asra questioned?

"For the Bale Fire! You don't want to miss this, I promise!" She said as she opened the door.

Asra followed Bridgette outside into the cool spring evening as she practically ran down the road back to Harbington.

When they arrived on the edge of town, they could already hear the music and singing of the townsfolk which lead them back to the center square.

There in the middle of Harbington was the entire population gathered about the pile of wood, all dressed in bright colours and flower crowns of masks of leaves. They were singing and clapping along with the music as they watched the pillar go up in bright orange flames.

They danced about the fire in joy. There were people still handing out flower crowns and ribbons and other symbols of the sabbat.

Bridgette pulled Asra into the festivities and they danced until the earliest hours of the morning, just enjoying the party in all of its glory.

It was Bridgette who was the first to step out to the road and Asra soon followed.

"I hate to leave the party early, but I have to return to the inn. There will no doubt be people who need a place to stay for the night and I can't not open, even on Beltane," She said, a bit sad to leave the fun so soon.

Asra nodded in agreement. "I should get those herbs too so I can leave for Vesuvia in the morning,"

"You'd best be off then. What you're looking for is found pretty deep in the Penrithe forest. Don't be too late or I can't let you back into the inn!" She said as they began to walk back.

When they reached the inn, Bridgette opened up the inn again while Asra kept going farther out to the forest.

When he got there, the waxing moon was close to full in the clear night sky. Asra stepped into the forest and cast a small orb of light to light his way.

He cast out his magic, searching for the herbs in question and followed the tug in his chest.

He found himself at a clearing, where the moon shone directly through a large hole in the treetops.

In the clearing were trees of rowan and bushes of hawthorn, among other herbs and plant life.

But most notably, was the ring of stones and mushrooms in the middle, where graceful beings draped in robes of flower petals and soft silks danced to most alluring and enchanting music.

Asra was awe-stricken by the magic of the fae who's dance was oh so enticing.

He watched their movements and found that he too wanted to dance. However, he did recall Bridgette's words about fae being most troublesome. He decided to leave them be, however when he turned around, he could not remember from which direction he came.

The magician cast out his magic, but to no avail. His senses were completely frazzled and disoriented. He couldn't tell left from right.

He decided any direction was better than here in the clearing and he walked around the fairy ring and out into the forest on the other side.

This part of the forest was unfamiliar, so Asra turned around yet again to try another path, however, the clearing had disappeared!

He found himself wandering the forest completely lost without a magical bearing to guide him.

He could not even receive a signal from his tarot cards as they were silent and still.

Finding himself getting worked up from the panic, Asra seated himself in a patch of grass and closed his eyes, trying to open his gate to seek guidance from the Star.

However, when he opened his eyes, he was nowhere in the realm of the Arcana.

Instead, Asra was in a completely different forest that was alive with bright blue and violet lights in the trees, where fairies flew by on gossamer wings.

He stood and looked around himself. This land was teeming with magic everywhere, making it impossible to tell what was going on or where to go.

Before he could make a move, a fairy in armor approached him, wielding a spear.

"You, human," he said bluntly. "You should not be here. I shall bring you before our monarch, King/Queen/Ruler MC."

Asra only nodded, knowing full well that words were dangerous in the realm of the fae.

The guard led Asra to the Fairy Palace, a decadent building of clear quartz and wood.

The doors opened themselves as they approached, and Asra was taken to the throne room.

The large, gold-accented double doors opened to reveal a long gold and silver carpet that extended to the foot of the throne which sat on a platform at the top of a small set of steps.

On the throne sat the most elegant and beautiful person Asra had ever set eyes on.

Their long, HC hair poured over their shoulders and back. Strands were braided back, with flowers tucked neatly in the braids.

"Kneel," the guard said forcefully as they pushed on Asra's back.

Asra fell to his knees, his head bent, trying not to respect the fairy monarch.

"Now, Aiwin, that's no way to treat our guest," They spoke, their voice silky and rich. "Please, human, rise."

Asra stood and bowed before the King/Queen/Ruler.

"Merry meet! I am King/Queen/Ruler MC of the fae. Do you have a name?" They asked.

Asra took a moment to think of his words carefully. Names had power. It would not be wise to give it away so freely.

"I do," he replied calmly.

"May I know it?" MC inquired, hoping that he would slip up and give information that could trap him in this realm forever.

"You may call me A," He stated.

MC let out a small laugh. "You are wiser than most for not giving away your name, A." MC remarked with a smirk.

"I'm not new to magic binds and ticks, your majesty," Asra stated.

"I see. Then how did you manage to be taken to the realm of the fae?" MC retorted, their eyebrow raised in a questioning manner.

"I said I was no stranger to magic, not that I knew much of fae," Asra explained.

"Very well then, A, why don't you have a seat? We have much to discuss," MC offered, sweeping their arm towards a table and chairs off to the side.

"I would prefer to stand, your majesty," Asra said, unsure of whether taking a seat could lead to some unspoken deal or bond.

"Sitting down will not cause you harm, nor will it trap you here. You may sit without consequence, I assure you. The fae cannot lie, this you must surely know," MC said as they seated themselves in one of the chairs.

Asra nodded and took a seat, confident that this was true.

"Now, A, where do you hail from?" MC asked, sipping a cup of tea conjured from thin air.

"I come from the human realm," Asra said vaguely.

"From Babblebrook?" MC inquired.

"That is where I was when I was brought here," Asra said, knowing that since Babblebrook was not his home, he was not in jeopardy.

This back-and-forth of trick questions and vague answers continued for some time while Asra was constantly offered food and drink or a dance. With each proposal, he declined, proving to MC that he was no fool.

"You are very wise, A. No human has ever answered my questions without divulging information before. No one has escaped without consequence," MC admitted as they stood, prompting Asra to do the same.

"Walk with me," they asked as they made their way to the doors.

Asra walked with the fae ruler down the halls and out into a gorgeous garden.

When MC stopped, they and Asra were in the center of the garden standing in front of a large pool of crystalline waters underneath the moon.

"Now that we are away from the guards and all other fae, we can speak more freely," MC said, their once regal facial expression relaxed and calm.

"What do you mean?" Asra asked.

"In front of my peers, I must remain the ever-perfect monarch, devoid of all emotion with an air of haughtiness that I never cared for. I never wished to rule the land of the fae. Yet, it was my birthright, my duty to my people," they confessed, their tone of voice gentle and somewhat melancholy.

"What did you want?" Asra asked.

"I wanted to see the other realms. I wanted to visit the human world and live their music and culture. I wanted to escape the fairy realm just as badly as any human who entered here," they said, skimming the waters with their fingertips.

"And you didn't because...?"

"Because of my father, the king before me. He hated my fascination with other creatures, humans in particular. He forced me to abstain from curiosities and made me focus only on lessons of becoming a monarch. The wanderlust was bored right out of me for hundreds of years,"

"So you've never seen the world beyond your own?"

"All I know is from information given to me by humans who relinquish their secrets. All I've seen are backward visions from this pool when a human leaves," MC said, sitting on a nearby bench.

Asra sat next to them for a moment in silence.

MC was the one to speak first.

"This is your way out of the fae realm," MC stated as they rose to their feet. "It will transport you back to the woods from whence you came and it will illuminate a path in blue for you to follow back out."

"Do you still want to see the rest of the world?" Asra asked, looking at MC's elegant features, their shimmering hair, their piercing EC eyes and their iridescent wings that shimmered in the moonlight.

MC's mouth opened and closed, unsure of how to respond.

"I... I can't... I shouldn't leave my people.." they stammered, looking down at the waters at their feet.

"You mean they couldn't survive for a week on their own? There's absolutely no one else who could be left in charge while you take a vacation?" Asra pushed.

A look of confliction passed over their features. "I suppose Halaema could keep things in order..."

Asra raised his eyebrows in curiosity, a smirk coming to his features, knowing he's won them over.

"That's it!" MC exclaimed. "I'm leaving this realm to visit the human world. I've waited hundreds of years for this chance, I won't let it slip through my grasp now." They snapped their fingers and a piece of parchment and a quill appeared in the air. "I'll leave Halaema instructions for the week or so..."

"So, are you ready to experience the rest of the world, MC?" Asra asked.

"Only on one condition," MC stated.

Asra looked at them with curiosity and concern, not wanting to get tricked.

"Will you be my guide through the human realm? You look like a man well-traveled. I wish to see the world with you," MC said, with a smirk that was oddly charming as if they intended for this all along.

"You want me to show you the human world?" Asra repeated.

"Yes,"

"Did you plan for this to happen?"

"Not originally," MC confessed. "It was only after we had talked on our way here that I realized that I wished to spend more time with you. And what better way to do that that to accompany you back to your world?"

Asra flushed a bright pink, clearly taken aback by the flirty words and tone of voice coming from the fae monarch.

"When we reach the human world, can you still bind me with words and will you still be incapable of lies?" Asra asked, still red.

"I will not be able to coerce you into any bonds or tricks or deals. And I will not be able to lie there either. That is simply a fairy trait," MC clarified.

"Well then, I guess you'll be visiting the human world with me," Asra agreed.

And with that, MC took Asra by the hand and the pair stepped into the pool of water.

Within seconds, they were right where Asra had been sitting before, the herbs still left on the ground beside him.

Asra stood and gathered his items.

"Look," MC said, pointing to the ground. "The blue path."

Sure enough, a thin blue, shimmering line snaked through the forest as a guide back to the entrance of the forest.

Asra and MC walked out of the forest to see the sunrise cresting over the horizon.

"It's daybreak already?" Asra asked, taken aback at the passing of time.

"Time passes differently in the realm of the fae. For some, a day in my world is seven years here. But don't worry, I know that for you, it was just a mere 5 hours that have passed out here. Not too long at all," MC reassured Asra who looked much more relieved to hear that he had not lost seven years of his time.

"We should head to the Babblebrook Inn, Bridgette will be all worried that I wasn't back last night," Asra said as he led MC down the path.

When they reached the Inn, Asra gently opened the door and the two stepped inside.

Alerted by the bell on the door, Bridgette came hustling in, prepared to greet strangers but instead...

"Hello! Welcome to - Asra?! Where have you been? I was so worried when you didn't come back last night? What happened and who is- Ohmygoodnessyour'eafairy!"

Asra chuckled a little. "Bridgette, I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, I got lost after I passed a fairy ring and then was taken to the realm of the fae where I met King/Queen/Ruler MC, here. They told me they wanted to experience the human world since they were little. And they can't lie, so... Here we are," Asra explained.

"It's nice to meet you, your majesty," Bridgette said with a curtsy. "Welcome to the Babblebrook Inn!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Bridgette. But please, call me MC," MC said with a bow/curtsy of their own.

"I'll go fix you both some breakfast," Bridgette said as she went off to the kitchen.

Asra, in the meantime, pulled out a seat for MC and then sat opposite them.

"So," MC began. "Asra is your name then? Is that why you went by A?"

Asra nodded. "I can't just be giving out my name to fae so freely, you know?" He said with a laugh.

The two kept on talking through breakfast and when she wasn't too busy, Bridgette would sit with them for a minute before going to tend to other guests.

When the clock struck 9, Asra stood and paid Bridgette for her food services.

"Thank you, Bridgette. Your cooking is amazing as always," Asra said.

"No problem, it was so good to see you again," She replied. "I have something for you for your trip back."

She handed Asra a bundle of white linen cloth.

"There's a loaf of flaxseed bread, two fairy cakes, some cheese, and some May Day wine, all in celebration of Beltane. Safe travels, Asra, MC!"

"Thank you," Asra said as he and MC made their way to the door. "I'll be sure to come back another time for more of your cooking!"

And with that, Asra took MC by the hand and led them back through Harbington where they stopped to adorn MC with a flower crown and to see the rest of the Beltane festivities, a date of sorts with dancing around the maypole and a quick kiss by the Bale Fire that would burn until midnight. They made their way out of Babblebrook and East across the sea to the wonderful city-state of Vesuvia.

For the next two weeks, Asra showed MC around Vesuvia, introduced them to Countess Nadia, Julian, Portia, and even Muriel. They shared a loaf of pumpkin bread at the market and caught a play at the community theater. Asra, of course, showed MC the shop and how he went about his magic. He even took them through his gate to see the realm of the Arcana.

He guided her out to his sanctuary on the outskirts of Nopal and even brought her farther to Prakra and the surrounding areas to see the wonderful, rich desserts and magical towns.

When it was all said and done, MC had fallen in love with the human world, and even more so with their guide. People were much less deceptive and more relaxed than any fairy. And Asra was so kind and gentle and good. His heart was pure and he treated MC as any old friend, and even more.

And Asra? Well, he couldn't have been happier to have stumbled into the realm of the fae. He had completely fallen for MC's sense of wonder and kind-hearted spirit. He loved how they found everything so wonderful and beautiful. He had never before been so enamored with another person.

Two weeks had passed far quicker than either would have liked and Asra and MC stood in the magic cave back near Vesuvia so MC could use the water to return home.

"Thank you so much for showing me your world, Asra," MC said softly with a sad smile on their face, his hands in theirs. "I loved every minute, especially by your side."

"And I loved showing you around, MC. I wish you could stay longer, spend more time with me. I have an extra room in my shop, you could live with me if you wanted," He said, looking into their soft EC eyes.

"I cannot leave my people for too long. I am still their King/Queen/Ruler. But I do hope to visit you again one day. This cave is perfect for reaching across the veil, no matter the time of year. Do contact me, I would love to hear from you. And if you wished to visit me, you would be well met by the fae, that I guarantee,"

A moment passed in silence before MC embraced Asra in a tight hug.

When they separated, Asra said nothing more, but instead cupped MC's face in his hands and gently pulled them in for a soft, yet loving kiss.

"Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again, Asra Alnazar. I love you," MC said softly before stepping into the water.

"I love you, MC," Asra said as he watched them sink slowly into the shimmering magic waters.

When they were gone, all that was left was a trace of their magic and if you listened closely, the gentle whisper of MC's voice, speaking Asra's name.

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Okay, that was really long!

I hope that you enjoyed this little fae chapter! I had a lot of fun with the lore and pagan traditions. Also, Babblebrook, Bridgette and those places are all names and places from a fictional world created by YouTuber, GoodnightMoon, credit to her. The next chapter will be Portia's experience with a mythical MC.

Thank you so much for reading!

- Fandoms <3