The Light of My Hearts
Brunch

Later in Twillow’s room…

After their bath, Twillow went out to make plans for the brunch and left Kendrick to relax in her room. Bored, he found a book on one of Twillow’s shelves and was thumbing through the pages when he caught the scent of a fairy nearby.

He didn’t turn around but his tone was annoyed, “If you are curious and want to meet me then do so, but if you’re spying on me, I suggest you find some other way to fill your time. I don’t like being followed.”

The scent didn’t fade and Kendrick slowly turned around to behold a little fairy with fluffy cotton-candy hair and a maid outfit standing on the desk near the wall. Her tiny rose-colored hands were gripping her apron nervously and her head was bowed.

Kendrick lifted a brow, “Oh. Are you here to clean?”

Her head remained bowed and her delicate feet went to fidgeting.

Kendrick frowned with a sigh, realizing his terse tone had probably frightened her, “I’m…sorry I sounded rude. I’ve just had a Hell of a day and wasn’t in the mood for more trouble.” He put the book down and went for the door, “I’ll leave so you can clean.”

“I-…I’m not here to clean!” the cute fairy piped up. “I’m here to apologize.”

He stopped and turned back to her, “For…what?”

Even from across the room he could see the fairy glowing brighter. Twillow did that when she was embarrassed.

Then he abruptly realized why, “It…it was you! In the bathroom!”

Her head bowed deeper, her tone becoming mortified, “I’m so sorry! I was just cleaning and didn’t hear you come in! You…” her pink glow intensified like a tiny star, “…you startled me.”

A brief laugh and an uncomfortable expression came from Kendrick, “You startled me as well.”

“I’m so sorry and I don’t want you to get into any trouble.”

“Oh…well…thank you, Miss…?” he prompted for her name.

She flared her apron in a curtsy, “Petal.”

“Ah.” He recollected as he sat on the bed near her, “Twillow mentioned your name. Said you were a twin. Was that who was hitting me?”

She blinked her large eyes and then looked away uncomfortably, “Yes. That was my twin brother Epi. I-I’m sure he’s sorry for that too.”

Kendrick smirked, “I doubt it.”

Petal pursed her lips and nodded silently in agreement. Kendrick laughed gently. It was almost comfortable seeing Petal as she was nearly the same proportion as Twillow when he was at his true size. The tiny fairy was cute with her dark eyes, fluffy hair, and dainty proportions.

He smiled gently as he leaned forward to rest her arms on his legs, “Well, I’m sorry too, Petal. I should have asked if anyone was in the room before I undressed. Guess I’m just so used to my private life I didn’t consider it.”

The fairy’s wings flickered and she glowed brighter, “You…you don’t have to be sorry.” She looked up at him and then down bashfully again, “You…you’re not at all what I expected.”

“Oh? Not barbaric enough?” he gibed with a grin.

She made a shrugging motion. All at once a hiss made her whip around to the wall. One of the decorative panels was open just a bit and Kendrick could see the faint glow of another pink fairy inside the wall.

Again, she flashed with a glow, “I-I’m sorry. I-I should be going.”

She gave a fast curtsy and disappeared behind the wall panel.

Inside the wall, her brother Epi was indignant, “Petal! What are you doing?!”

“Apologizing…for today.” She explained.

“Apologizing? Petal, no! We have to tell Mrs. Birchwood about this! He can’t just go around exposing himself like that! Especially not at you!” Epi fumed midair.

“It-it was an accident, Epi! I was cleaning the hot pool and the steam was so heavy I couldn’t see and I’m sure he couldn’t see me either. He’s not at all like we thought.” Petal was blushing profusely just remembering.

“Why are you defending him? He’s a-a- pervert!” Epi’s pink coloring flushed darker, “We have to tell Mrs. Birchwood. This is exactly the kind of thing she wanted us to inform her of! We can’t lie to her.”

“We’re not lying! And there’s nothing to tell. It was just an embarrassing accident and I don’t want you to tell Mrs. Birchwood anything about it.” Petal insisted fervently.

“Petal…” he buzzed his wings with a chagrined tone.

She took her brother’s hands, “Promise me, Epi!”

Her twin brother looked angry and frustrated. As much as he was loyal to Mrs. Birchwood, Petal was at the top of his priority list.

He whipped his pink hair with a growl, “Oh…all right. But I don’t like it.” He pointed back at the panel Kendrick was most assuredly still behind, “But if he does something…ANYTHING close to what happened today, I’m notifying Mrs. Birchwood!”

“Don’t be silly, Epi. Nothing is going to happen.” Petal shook her head.

Epi could get so wound up about things and Petal had always been the one to reel him back down. As they flew through the walls to attend to their next duty, Petal couldn’t help but think about Miss Twillow’s…er…Mrs. Twillow’s beau. He wasn’t at all what she thought he might be given his fierce appearance. His eyes were very intense and he was rather handsome. And his body was…

A flashing blush lit the walls around her as her hands flew to her embarrassed cheeks. Why had she thought that? It was so inappropriate!

...

The next day...

Kendrick peered at himself in the full-length mirror in Twillow’s room. Twillow had picked out a simple but nice outfit for him to wear to the brunch with her mother. She adjusted the collar of his dark green dress shirt she’d given him and brushed off some stray lint.

He frowned, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“You’ll never get to know each other if you don’t talk.” She insisted, adjusting an errant hair near his ear.

Kendrick sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to this. From the moment he was introduced to Twillow’s parents it was evident that her father was fine with him, friendly even, but her mother detested him. He thought it might just be simple high-society snobbery but it was probably deeper than that.

“But...what if I make it worse? Say the wrong thing?” he asked.

Twillow remained positive, “Just be yourself. Be honest but polite. The way I know you.”

Kendrick growled subtly, “I’m sorry to doubt you my light, but I think your mother will hate me no matter what I do...like most people.”

She gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek, “You’ll do fine. Besides, this might be good practice for when you make peace with the humans. If you can make peace with my mother then they should be easy.”

Twillow could tell her mate was still unconvinced and nervous, “Don’t worry...I won’t leave you alone the whole time. But I want you two to speak alone for a bit.”

It was a small reassurance but Kendrick decided it was better than nothing.

“Any tips?” he asked.

Twillow nodded and began rattling off things, “Well, I would call her Mrs. Birchwood until she says you can call her by her first name. Sitting up straight is something she notices. When you greet her, it would be formal of you to bow afterward until she asks you to sit. Speak gently and make eye contact. Oh...and don’t eat with your hands. She hates that.”

He nodded, making mental notes.

“Ok. I think you’re ready. Here. I’ll walk you there.” Twillow offered, taking his arm.

Together they traversed the mansion, exited out onto the veranda, walked down the steps, and followed the garden path to a fancy gazebo situated amongst some glowing golden flowers. It was sunny out but shady in the gazebo. Underneath the fancily cut trellises of the gazebo was a table dressed in a white silk tablecloth brocaded with roses at the bottom. A pair of male servants, one who looked part goblin and the other a fae

And at the table sitting straight and primly was Gelilah. She was dressed in a long, elegant bluish-white dress with glimmering accents. Pink flowers decorated the sides of her head through her long, straight, bluish-white hair. Though much taller than her daughter, the visual similarities between them in the face were undeniable. Gelilah still appeared young, only seeming slightly older than her daughter. But she had an aura about her that bespoke years of experience and upbringing. She saw them coming and gradually stood from her seat. The elven servant pulled her chair away dutifully. Her graceful hands pinched the edges of her dress as she curtsied in greeting.

“Thank you for joining me for brunch.” She said in an even voice.

Twillow subtly nudged Kendrick and he bowed in response, “Um...thank you for the invitation.”

Gelilah returned to her seat and gestured for Kendrick to take the seat across from her. He gave Twillow one last look (hopefully not his last) and took a careful seat, making sure to sit up straight.

Twillow kissed his cheek and mouthed, ”I’ll be by soon."

He watched her leave until she disappeared. Then he glanced over at Gelilah who was draping a cloth napkin across her lap with elegance. He searched the table for his napkin and did the same, though not as elegantly. Gelilah gave a subtle nod and the pair of servants began serving the food and drinks.

“What would you care to drink, Sir?” the goblin server asked in a voice that was very refined (especially for a goblin).

“Um...just some water I guess.”

“Very good, Sir.”

A chilled glass of water was brought from a nearby cart promptly. He picked it up and took a quick sip.

“Thanks.”

Gelilah was served a beautiful china cup of something hot as it was wafting steam. She took a dainty sip and set the glass down. She nodded and the food was served. Fruit plates with the custard cream, several types of fancy pastries, salads, cheeses, and even a small meat plate were served. Kendrick blinked at the menagerie. Though he was an accomplished cook himself, Marci was certainly leagues above him. Everything was pretty and set perfectly in place on each plate. He started to get anxious when he noticed there were almost a dozen pieces of flatware in front of him; none of which he was certain of their purpose.

Why were there three different forks?!

He frowned and chose the one that looked the biggest and began to slowly eat.

Nothing had been said yet but already Kendrick was growing nervous. He hated feeling this way. He rarely felt nervous in his true form but cursed he felt vulnerable and on edge. Not to mention he was trying not to make matters worse with Twillow’s mother and please Twillow as well. He could smell that musty scent of detestation coming from Gelilah, although it wasn’t as potent as before.

Maybe that was good?

After eating for a bit, Gelilah began with a question, “Do you have a last name?”

“Last name?” Kendrick paused his eating.

“Yes. A family name. Like Birchwood is my last name.”

He shook his head, “Uh...no. Just Kendrick.”

She sighed quietly, “Very well...Kendrick...I wanted to formally apologize for how I acted earlier. It was unbecoming of me and I hope you can forgive my behavior so we can start anew for Twillow’s sake.”

Kendrick blinked, unsure if he was hearing correctly. She didn’t sound overly remorseful but it was an apology he never thought he’d hear.

“Oh. Well...sure.”

She nodded, acting satisfied with the answer and took up her hot drink for another sip.

“I am sure you are aware that Twillow is my only daughter and I will do whatever is necessary to protect her.” She stated.

Kendrick nodded, “Protecting those we love can make us do...extreme things.”

“Then we understand each other in that regard.”

“If you only knew how extreme...” Kendrick’s mind pondered.

She put down her drink with a soft clink and set her hands in her lap, “So, Kendrick, tell me a bit about yourself. What do you do in the Lower Realm?”

“Do?” Kendrick wondered how loaded that question was.

“Yes. Surely you have a job?” she prompted.

Kendrick was taken aback by the question. He didn’t have a job. For some reason he’d never thought about such a thing and yet it perturbed him. He just...existed. He took care of himself and his father to a degree... but a job? He knew it was a probe to discover his worthiness of Twillow...and it wasn’t starting well.

“Well...I farm and cultivate my own crops.” He tried.

Gelilah didn’t say anything and gave a short nod. The musty smell was stronger now. She was not impressed by his statement.

“Is this farming you do your only source of income?”

“Income? You mean money?”

“Yes.”

Of course, that would matter to her. Living such an opulent lifestyle she would naturally want her daughter to have the same. Ironically Kendrick was excessively wealthy. He’d collected and hunted gold and other ores since he was a boy. It was a fun pastime his father had taught him. Despite his wealth he never had to pay for anything. Who would ever stick around to accept payment?

Kendrick gave a soft wry laugh, “It keeps me busy and fed. But if you are concerned about how I can financially support Twillow, you will not have to worry about that. I’ve hoarded away more gold and ores than she could spend in her lifetime.”

Gelilah tipped her head slightly and moved her thin eyebrows as if trying to determine if he was telling the truth. The musty smell faded only a bit.

“I see.” She continued, “And how is it you came by such wealth? Surely farming doesn’t pay that well?”

“Finding and digging up gold is just a pastime.” He admitted, “But I’ve had nearly three hundred years to amass my collection.”

Gelilah nodded, “So your kind has a long lifespan?”

“Well...nowhere near as long as you fae. Maybe a thousand years.” He admitted.

“And where do you live in the Lower Realm?” she continued her questions.

“I live in a mountain I carved out myself amid a dense forest.” He gestured to the grounds around them, “My house is not nearly as pretty and posh as this place.”

“I would think not.” She stated dryly.

Kendrick felt mildly insulted but kept it internalized for the moment. He took another bite of food and drank some more. An awkward silence settled like dust between them. Kendrick wanted to ask something but decided to just keep quiet since the conversation still felt like an interrogation. One wrong misstep and things would get ugly. He hated not feeling confident in the conversation.

“My daughter tells me you helped her during a thunderstorm when her wings got wet.” Gelilah continued the conversation.

A fond reminiscing smile crossed Kendrick’s lips as he nodded.

“What exactly were your intentions toward her when you helped her?” she asked abruptly.

The tone she used seemed benign enough, but Kendrick could definitely sense the hidden barbs in that question. They were barbs that Kendrick resented deeply.

Kendrick sat his fork down and stared at the elegant fae across from him as he lowered his eyes lids knowingly, “How about we drop the false formalities and speak plainly to one another.”

Mrs. Birchwood’s folded wings shifted slightly against her back.

“I value honesty even if it’s not what anyone wants to hear. So, let’s be honest. I know you are only having this brunch with me because Twillow wanted it, not because you genuinely wanted to talk to an uncouth barbarian such as myself.” He leaned back in his chair, “So speak what you’re really thinking and spare me the social platitudes.”

Gelilah sighed heavily, “I told Twillow I would try to make this civil.”

“You’re not the first person to hate me...that line is extensively long. And I could tell you didn’t like me from the first time I met you. Your “greeting” when I arrived two days ago confirmed that.” He tipped his head, “Is it because I’m a non-magic? Or is it my species you can’t abide? Because I can’t seem to pinpoint how I wronged you to provoke such disdain.”

“Very well.” Gelilah’s relented as her magenta eyes met his with a sharpness, “You have no business being with my daughter...much less impregnating her.”

“Why? Be specific.” He demanded in a flat tone.

“I think Twillow was desperate to survive in the Lower Realm and she made a desperate decision to live with you so she wouldn’t perish. I believe she developed feelings for you out of convenience without considering the repercussions and you took advantage of that vulnerability.”

Kendrick listened without reacting much. Harsh words annoyed him at the worst, never penetrating very deep if at all. That statement found a sensitive, squishy nerve inside him. How many times had he thought that exact statement brutally in his own head?

Why was Twillow with him?

No matter how many times Twillow reassured and proved her love for him, he couldn’t kill the horrible little gremlin of doubt lurking in the dark corners of his mind whispering:

“This won’t last forever...”

“You’re going to mess this up and scare her away eventually...”

“She’s much too good for you...”

“There’s NO way you will be a good father for this child...”

His eyes dropped briefly as he sighed and tried to keep his temper low, “I never took advantage of Twillow. I admit, I was...probably lonely...but I never forced the relationship.” He gave a huff, “I didn’t think she’d stay much less like me.”

Gelilah then looked a bit exasperated, “But you’re a giant and she’s a fae! Surely there are other females of your own kind to pursue?”

Kendrick blinked and scratched at the tablecloth near his plate, “No...there are not.”

She stared at him.

“My father and I...are probably the last of our kind. My mother died when I was too young to remember her so I’ve never even seen a female of my own species.” His eyes hardened, “And even if I had, that wouldn’t change the fact that I fell in love with Twillow for who she is...not “what” she is.”

His gestured with his hand, “But whether you hate me, like me, or merely tolerate me, I don’t truly care. Nothing will change the love and loyalty I have for your daughter.” He stiffened his lips, “I would think you’d be happy to become a grandparent to our child?”

She sighed, blinked slowly, and seemed to think for several minutes until she said, “You do realize what you’ve done has never happened in the history of fae-kind.”

Kendrick leaned on the table slightly, “You mean a giant and a fae?”

Gelilah gave a small nod, “I am many, many centuries old and I have never heard of such a mix. A fae birth is rare as it is, but this...”

“I’m sure you don’t approve since I’m not a fae.” Kendrick predicted with sourness.

Twillow’s mother gave a look like she didn’t want to say it aloud but then said, “Partly...but are you aware that the Tree of Eilithyis doesn’t always bloom for every offering of Life Water?”

Kendrick gave a questioning look to her, “What do you mean?”

“To put it plainly: some Life Water offerings don’t bear blooms. Even pure fae Life Water offerings can bear no blooms. The very fact that you are not a fae increases that chance.” Her voice seemed to hitch slightly. “I do not wish that and would hope Twillow does not have to suffer that heartache.”

Kendrick was struck silent by that statement. There was a likelihood that there would be no child...because he and Twillow were a mix? He wasn’t sure if he believed her, or rather, he didn’t want to believe her. The very thought of his dream of starting a family with Twillow shriveling into nothing made him sick.

Very slowly, Kendrick stood from his chair and slightly bowed his head, “Thank you for the food. I...I hope our mutual love of Twillow will at least allow us to tolerate one another.”

A long silence reigned until Gelilah finally bobbed her head, “For Twillow’s sake ...I can agree to that much.”

Kendrick gave a curt nod, turned, and he left, knowing that was probably going to be the best he could get at this point. Even though he knew in his gut that this wouldn’t be a good conversation, he didn’t expect to feel so weighted down by it after leaving. The prejudices Gelilah held toward him he recognized and could deal with. But the cold hard facts she had dropped on his head were gnawing at him.

Would he and Twillow’s Life Water be viable? Or would it yield nothing but disappointment and heartache? What if it didn’t give them a child? Would Twillow even want to be with him anymore if he couldn’t give her children? The whole scenario of her being pregnant had been a wish come true. But was reality lying in wait to crush that dream to dust?

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