Hesitantly, Aine moved around the leaf and crept toward the grimy window. Rule Three: Don’t let the humans see you. How was she going to get those seedlings away from him?

“They’ve got to be magical.” Aine’s keen ears heard the human mutter. “I wonder what would happen if I eat them?”

“NO!” Aine shouted, her hands unconsciously reaching out toward the human. She could not let him eat those seedlings. Protect the human. Rule One. Don’t let him eat the seeds.

He whirled, wide eyes staring at the window. Unconsciously, she let out a gasp. Aine forcefully covered her mouth with her hands. Oops.

“What was that?” The human demanded, his heavy feet bringing him closer to the window. Aine saw the window rattle with the force of his footfalls and she stumbled back up the tree branch in terror.

Diving behind the leaf, Aine hid herself just in time as the human’s face loomed in the frame of the window and turned this was and that, looking for the source of the outburst. Don’t let him see. Don’t let him see. She pleaded as she crouched.

After a few moments of silence, Aine felt the slow footsteps of the human move away from the window and she dared a peek around the leaf. His face had indeed moved from the window, and she saw his form once again hunched over the seedlings.

“What was that?” The human repeated, but it was soft, distracted, as he gazed at his prize.

They had already gotten to him. The seedlings’ greenish glow already held him tight. They were mesmerizing to those not of the Garden. Those above had cursed them that way. She had to get the Seedlings away from the poor human boy.

How was she going to do this? Aine glanced back towards the Garden. Why hadn’t she grabbed a Sentry to take care of the human? They could shapeshift, could blend into their surroundings. It was what they were created for. But her? A Caretaker? She was made to nurture and to grow. Not to steal back from thieves.

Break Rule Three. Her mind demanded. To uphold One, you must break Three. If the human grew - or stars above ate - the Seedlings, they would win and the Treaty would shatter.

Resolve hardening, Aine stood up on the branch again. She took several steps back and bounced on her toes, unfolding her translucent wings as she did so. I will regret this, she thought as, with a flutter, she hovered above the branch. Aine beat her wings in the air for a breath, deliberating, before charging through the air at the window at full speed.

She collided with its rough surface, hard, and bounced off. She landed solidly on her arm, one of her wings caught underneath. She heard a crack. Pain, brilliant and sharp radiated through the appendage, and she groaned. Did you hear that, human? Tell me you heard that.

She had landed on the wooden sill, in perfect view of the inside of the house - if the human cared to look.

Hurried footsteps approaching told her that the human had indeed heard her efforts and she felt the heat of his gaze as he stared down at her through the grimy, cracked glass.

“What the - ?”

Aine heard him retreat quickly from the window, and she tried to sit up, using her other arm as support. The fairy cradled her arm in her lap and tried not to wince as she folded her wings against her back once more.

A large shadow fell over her frame, and Aine looked up. Clear blue eyes met her gaze, and she couldn’t help but flinch. Rule Three, broken. Aine watched the human’s eyes widen as he registered what it was he was looking at.

“What are you?” His voice was airy and full of wonder. Up close, Aine saw that he was a child, barely growing into adulthood. She had called him a boy, and she had been right. Young, innocent, tender.

They would eat him alive.

The Seedlings. She needed them - she had to get them from him.

“I’ve come to take back what you’ve stolen.” Aine said by way of answer. The boy started in surprise.

“Y-you talk.” He stuttered.

“Yes.”

“You can talk.”

Irritation flared in Aine’s chest. “Yes.”

“But, what are you? Why are you here? Why did you hit the window of my parent’s farm? What do you want?”

“I told you,” Aine replied. “I have come for the things that you have stolen.”

“These?” The human asked, holding out his hand, palm up. The green glow of the Seedlings shone off his palm, even in the midday sunlight. “What are they?”

“Mine. Give them back, and I will leave you in peace.” It was an empty threat, and Aine was sure they both knew it. The boy’s eyebrows creased.

“But what are they? Why do you want them so badly? Can’t you spare two?” His voice took on a whiny tone at the end, and Aine winced as it grated against her sensitive ears.

“No.” She replied, her tone sharp. “I need them back now. They need to be returned to the Garden.”

“The Garden? Is that where I was? Is that where you’re from?”

So many questions. Aine groaned internally. At this rate, she would have to get the seedlings on her own. Tucking her feet underneath her, the fairy stood slowly. She clutched her broken arm to her chest and winced as it twinged in pain.

“You’re hurt.” The human stated. “You hit the window pretty hard.”

He stepped closer, his face leaning over her form and Aine cowered back against the sill. The human’s warm, stale breath fanned her entire form and her wings unfurled, fluttering to keep her upright. He reached out with his free hand, his huge fingers moving directly toward Aine.

With a yelp, she flew backward and up - hovering up at the top of the window and away from the reach of the human. He gaped up at her, squinting his eyes. Her wing, the one she had landed on, throbbed with each beat of her wings. She had probably strained it, too. She wouldn’t be able to hover in the air and away from the human’s clutches for much longer. It would take her only a little bit of time to fix it with her Caretaker Healing. Aine looked around, was there anywhere she could land that was safely away from the curious human?

The eave of the roof was only a little bit higher - she could probably make it up there. But that would take the human - and the Seedlings - out of her line of sight. Focus. The Seedlings are your biggest priority, Aine. She scolded herself.

“Where did you go?” The human’s voice took on the whiny tone again. “Come back, little fairy. I promise I won’t try and touch you again. It’s just - you’re hurt. I thought I could bandage up your arm for you.”

While Aine disbelieved heavily that he wouldn’t try and grab for her again, bandaging her arm would take both of his hands and almost all of his concentration. He’d have to set the Seedlings down. Maybe she could grab them and make a run for it when his back was turned.

Slowly, she fluttered back down to the sill, looking up at him as she landed.

“Okay.” Aine replied softly, feigning hesitancy.

He reached out his hand again, but this time it was flat, palm up, his fingertips barely brushing the edge of the sill.

“It will be easier if you climb onto my hand so I can take you inside. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Climb onto a human’s hand? Surely she could if it meant she could take back the Seedlings. He had already seen her, and there was no rule specifically prohibiting her from climbing up. Carefully, she took a few steps toward his hand.

It was so big. She was sure that if she were to compare, she would not even reach the full height of his thumb - and he was not yet a man. The fissures in his palm were filled with dirt, and the fingernails that peeked out were ragged and uneven. Aine’s heart fluttered against her ribcage, but she continued her slow pace toward the awaiting hand.

“It’s okay.” The human almost crooned, leaning closer to his waiting palm.

Everything in Aine told her to turn away, to fly back to the eaves. Her mouth dried and her limbs quaked. But still she continued forward until her bare feet met the rough flesh of the human’s palm. She walked along one of the fingers, the tightness of her chest lessening slightly when she reached his palm.

“Okay.” The human said, beginning a slow walk back around the farmhouse.

Aine knew that the boy was trying his hardest to keep his hand steady, but with each footfall his hand rose and fell. It turned Aine’s stomach and she felt a burning in the back of her throat.

The Seedlings. Where are they? Aine watched the human swing his other hand. It was clenched into a tight fist. There they are.

She just had to make it to the house. He’d set them down, and she could be out of there.

When they finally made it inside after what felt like an eternity and he had placed her gently on the large table in the corner of the room, she finally took an easy breath.

“I’ll be right back. Stay here.” The human ordered.

Aine watched him turn and cross to the other side of the open room in disappointment. His fist was still clamped around the Seedlings. She let out a puff of frustration, but did as the human ordered - though not because he ordered it. Because it was the only course of logical action.

He soon returned, iron scissors and a needle in his hand and a sheet tucked underneath his arm. All the while, his other hand still clenched the Seedlings.

Aine watched the deliberation on his face as he stopped in front of the table. He would have to set the Seedlings down to do anything.

“If I set them down, do you promise not to take them?” The human asked sternly.

“Where would you even take them?” He wondered aloud. “I would only catch you if you tried.”

Aine’s pulse quickened. He was right. She had no defensive magic. She had no way to fend off the human if he caught her. As if sensing his victory, the human set the Seedlings down on the table carefully, just at the end of his reach and so very, very far from hers.

“I’m going to make you a sling.” The human said slowly, explaining to her as if she was a frightened animal. Perhaps in his mind, she was. “I’m going to have to wrap it around your arm and around your neck to hold it in place.

“Oh.” He said in afterthought. “I’m going to have to reset your arm so it heals properly. Don’t worry. I’ve reset plenty of bones. Our goats get themselves injured all the time.”

Re-reset my arm? In a panic, Aine stumbled backward from the human. She tripped over the rough, uneven wood and fell flat on her back. She heard a tear and once again felt pain sear through her. Gasping for air, the  fairy began to sit up and she heard another tear.

She screamed.

“Stop!” The human shouted. “Your wings!”

Aine saw the human reach for her again, but moving meant pain so she remained still. Thick fingers wrapped around her frame and she shuddered. The human lifted her gently - more gently than she thought any being of their size could possess. He set her on her feet, and she wobbled, her vision warping.

If only the human would leave her alone for a moment. She could heal both her broken arm and her wings, grab the Seedlings, and bolt. But as she swayed where she stood - only remaining upright thanks to the fingers of the boy. Aine wondered if she could even Heal in her current state. She had never had injuries this major - I’ve never intentionally injured myself.

“You’ve nearly ripped one in half.” The boy scolded, turning her slightly so he could examine it. Aine turned her head so she could see it too, and what she saw made her hurl.

Yellow bile and the contents of her morning meal spewed from her mouth and onto the wood. Her stomach emptied and she heard the human groan above her. But the image of the state of her wings was branded in her mind in that moment and the rest of the world around her muddled.

One of her wings was indeed torn nearly in two - a fine bone the only thing holding the wing together. The rest was all jagged edges and silvery blood. The silver substance dripped onto the wood and added to the mess. She didn’t want to think about it - about what the human would attempt to do to help her.

“I’m going to need more that needles and some sheets for those.” The human boy commented, his eyes still on her wings. “Stay here.” He said again, as if she had anywhere to go.

She watched the boy leave again, this time passing through the only other door in the entire structure and disappearing into the other room.

It was her chance.

Turning her head to look at the Seedlings that glowed down the table from her, Aine had to make a decision. She wouldn’t be able to heal herself in time to get out before the human came back. But with one broken arm, she wouldn’t be able to climb down from the table with two seedlings that were half as big as she was.

How for would she make it as she was? She had to try, she decided. It was what she came for.

As quickly and quietly as she could, Aine tiptoed over to the Seedlings and picked one up. It hummed as she cupped it in her hand, sensing the touch of a Caretaker.

“Not yet, little one.” She whispered to it. “Not until we can get you somewhere safe.”

Aine cradled the first Seedling between her abdomen and her broken arm and picked up the second. After she whispered words of patience again, she tucked it under her other arm.

The table was tucked into the corner of the room and the window that she had so carelessly thrown herself against stood above it. There was a gap between the table and the window, though it was too large for her to jump in her state.

It’s the only option, Aine told herself.

The table was too high up. She couldn’t jump down without breaking more of her limbs. Could she throw the Seedlings to the window sill and try to jump? With one hand?

She had to try.

Mind set, Aine crossed to the other end of the table, shooting a quick look over her shoulder. The door to the other part of the house was still closed and she could hear the human rummaging around.

When she made it to the edge of the table, she heaved the Seedling cradled in her good arm. It landed on the sill with a bounce, but it stayed. Aine took a breath, switching the other Seedling to her good hand to repeat the process.

She threw the other up and it too bounced but stayed. Aine silently thanked the humans who had built the house for the wide sills.

Now, me. She thought with a huff. Taking a few steps back, Aine prepared to take a running leap. She took a deep breath and then, considering, backed up a bit more. Then, before she could talk herself out of it, Aine burst into a run and threw herself out and up toward the window sill.

She missed, her chest hitting the corner of the sill. Her good hand scrabbled against the uneven wood, trying to find a handhold. The tips of her fingers found a lip and Aine gasped in relief.

Adrenaline thrumming through her, Aine attempted to heave herself upward with one hand. Her muscles strained, but she couldn’t pull herself up with just one hand. Instead, she lifted her other arm and rested it on the sill’s lip as well, using it as support. She used her elbow and her fingers to pull her top half up onto the lip.

Pain flashed through her broken arm and the fairy gritted her teeth.

Slowly but surely, she managed to drag her entire body up onto the sill. And still the human hadn’t returned from behind the door. Breathing heavily, Aine stood and grabbed the fallen Seedlings.

She then looked at the grimy window. A new obstacle. She couldn’t reach the latch, let alone slide the entire window open. The glass would be too strong too, for her to break it. Aine huffed out a breath of annoyance. There was nowhere to go.

A series of sharp raps against the glass made the fairy jump. Turning her gaze to the source, she saw the form of a large fairy hovering on the other side of the window.

A Sentry.

Aine nearly cried in relief. Help was here.

She stepped up to the glass and the Sentry on the other side did the same. The face that met her eyes was a familiar one. Thorne.

“I’m stuck.” She explained when he met her gaze with a questioning one of her own.

“Ah.” She heard his voice, muffled through the window, and saw the incline of his head in understanding.

“Can you help? I have the Seedlings.” She tried to keep her voice down so the human didn’t hear, but Thorne titled his head in confusion.

Aine lifted her good arm with the Seedling cradled in it, nodding towards the outside. “I need help to get out of here.”

Throne nodded, seeming to understand. Giving her a shooing gesture, the Sentry raised the javelin that he carried with him everywhere and mimed hitting the glass with it. Aine backed away, moving to the other side of the window and pressing herself against the wooden frame.

She heard a crack and Aine saw spiderweb lines shoot from the small dent the weapon had made in the glass. Another hit, another crack and the fairy’s sharp ears caught the groan of the glass as it began to give.

Aine crouched, tucking her head down against her knees as much as she could with the Seedlings in her embrace. She heard Thorne hit the glass one more time, and the resulting shatter pierced her ears and reverberated in her bones.

Shards of glass rained down on her, and she yelped.

“Hurry.” She heard Thorne urge her. “The human must have heard that.”

Not checking if Thorne was right, Aine lurched to her feet and stumbled over the huge chunks of the window to where the Sentry hovered. He watched her slow progress with concern before sliding his javelin in its sheath on his back and flying towards her. Hooking one hand under her knees and one around her waist, Thorne lifted Aine into his arms and zoomed out the broken window.

Back to the Garden. Back to Safety.

“He is going to come back for them, you know.” Aine warned as they flew.

“Don’t worry,” Thorne assured her, “we’ll be ready this time.”

------------

And after all this time, here it is everyone. I hope you enjoyed it, I loved writing it. It turned out a lot longer than I originally intended. It was supposed to be a longer drabble that I finished in an evening, but it turned out to be a smaller fic - I guess.

This isn’t where I originally wanted it to end either, but it’s a good spot to pause. I have another fic that is pressing more urgently to be written at the moment, so that is where my focus has turned.

Please feel free to tell me what you thought of my piece - whether praise or constructive criticism.

And as always, have a wonderful rest of your day, my fairies!