The trail to the hidden lake was hard to find, and twice Christof had to turn around and go back the way he had come to find the path again. The thick tangle of bushes blocked his path, and they clawed at him and his clothes as he pushed through, getting a number of painful scratches in the process. When he finally emerged on the other side, it was as if he'd stepped into another world.

The air was warm, and his breath was no longer visible. The trees and flowers were vibrant colors more intense than he'd seen elsewhere. A stream of water tumbled down a rock wall to gently splash into a crystal clear lake. Despite the depth, he could see all the way to the bottom and the ripples of light washing over the sandy floor. An incredible variety of fish floated weightless in the waters, swimming placidly here and there. With the ease of a water droplet on a pane of glass, a flock of radiant white swans glided over the surface of the lake. Because of the lake's clarity, Christof could see the feet of the swans moving slowly and rhythmically in the water.

Christof was so transfixed by the scene and the overwhelming feeling of tranquility, he hesitated, nearly forgetting the reason for his going there in the first place. Taking down his shotgun, he carefully checked to be sure it was loaded before aiming at the closest of the swans.

"Stop!" came the shouted command.

Startled by the unexpected shout, Christof flinched and pulled the trigger. The shotgun fired loudly, the sound intensified by the echo off the rock walls. He was startled again when smoke and shot didn't come out of his gun but a cloud of pink flower petals amid a burst of golden sparkles. Before he could think about what was going on, a bright point of near blinding gold light streaked out of a flower and hovered before him as he tried to shield his eyes.  The intensity of the light reduced, letting him see a diminutive blonde woman. Strips of red cloth crisscrossed her chest while leaving her stomach bare, and a short skirt of matching material encircled her slender waist. She was small enough to stand in the palm of his hand or among the petals of a flower. Fluttering butterfly wings from her back caused her to hover in the air in front of him.

"What gives you the right to come to my garden and shoot my swans?" the fairy demanded. Christof couldn't speak right away for it was the first time he'd ever met a fairy.

"What's the matter?" the fairy asked. "Do you not take me seriously?"

The fairy gestured toward one of the trees, and the vines tangled around it struck like vipers, wrapping around Christof's shotgun and ripping it from his grip. Pulling back, the vines slammed the shotgun against the tree trunk, and the bark closed in around it until the weapon was half-buried in the tree. A bright flash of gold, and the fairy stood before him as tall as Christof. She extended a hand, causing a shower of golden sparkles to flow from her fingertips. When the sparkles ended, a sword had appeared in her hand. The fairy raised the blade to his throat.

"Do you take me seriously now?" she questioned.

"Very," he managed to say quickly.

"So tell me," the fairy continued. "Why are you trying to kill my swans?"

"I didn't know they belonged to anyone," Christof explained. "My prince wanted a roasted swan to give to his guests, so I went to get him one."

"If a prince wants to give to his guests, why does he not give out of what he has rather than asking for another to provide?" she inquired. Her tone was less accusing, but the sword hadn't moved away from his throat.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I didn't think about it. My prince asked, so I went to do for him what he wished."

"You seem honest," the fairy decided, finally lowering the gleaming blade in her hand. "I will let you go as long as you cause no harm to my swans or this place."

"I promise," Christof agreed instantly.

"I require one thing more," the fairy added. "Since your kind is aware of this place, I need someone to keep them out.  You."

"Why?" he asked. "You have greater power than I. What can I do that you can't do, and better?"

"The more people who know about this place and about me, the more it is in danger," the fairy explained. "By having a human protector, it is less likely word will spread."

"Guarding this place would be a full time job,' Christof pointed out. "I have an elderly mother to take care of. I can't spend all my time here."

"Yes you can," the fairy countered. She waved a hand, and a flurry of golden sparkles erupted from the ground. When the pinpoints of light faded away, the little cottage where Christof lived with his mother had appeared on the far side of the lake, the front door only a few feet from the edge of the water.

The door opened and a gray-haired woman exited the house, a black shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

"What's going on here, Christof?" his mother questioned. "Where are we?"

"I was hunting a swan, met the fairy protecting the flock, and now I've become a guard of this place," Christof explained quickly. "Would you like to live here?"

"It seems nice," she answered, slightly puzzled by the strange talk. One of the swans floated over near her. "Hello there, pretty one."

"Since mother is happy here, it seems as if I'll be accepting your offer," Christof told the fairy.

"I want you to know this will not be a prison," the fairy told him. She released her sword and it dissolved in a shower of glittering light. "You are free to come and go as you wish, but should there be trouble, I may recall you."

"That's acceptable," Christof agreed.

"I do have one errand for you now," the fairy added. She waved a hand a made a large leather pack appear on the ground in front of him. "Do not open it before you reach your prince as the enchantments will only keep it warm and preserved until it's opened. It's not a roasted swan, but you may find this better."

"Thank you," Christof accepted, picking up the offered bundle.

"Safe journey," the fairy bid to him, placing a gentle kiss upon his cheek. In a flash of light, she reduced in size and landed gracefully on a red flower, waving to him from where she sat upon its petals.

"Goodbye," Christof said in return. As he passed his mother, he paused to give her a hug. "I'll be back soon, Mother."

As he approached the scratchy bushes, the plants pulled aside for him, creating a way through without trouble, and he knew the fairy was using her powers to make it happen. Smiling, Christof hurried to the other side. He'd originally been excited about his opportunity to be at the ball hosted by the prince, but now, he couldn't wait to come back and start watching over the fairy's garden.