“Frank.”

  “Mr. Snifflesworth the First.”

  “Pepper.”

  “Finley Ash Owen.”

  “Tomtom.”

  “Hokage Hubert the Bold.”

  “Nibbles.”

  It was readily apparent that Bastian and I had wildly different naming conventions. All of his were overly grandiose while mine were superior in their simplicity. We’d been back and forth, on and off all afternoon and passed dinner. Our goose adventure had set us back and the sun was setting fast, the eastern sky cloaked in a creeping darkness. The forest was already black with shadows, but the warm spring air brought out early evening fireflies.

  “If we name him Mr. Snifflesworth the first,” I said, bringing back an earlier name, “Can I call him Sniffles?”

  The capybara chuffed.

  “See,” I exclaimed, “He doesn’t mind.”

  The capybara chuffed a second time, and then a third. The creature probably didn’t even notice my question for what it was, but that didn’t stop me from using its well-timed noise to prove my point.

  “That’s Mr Sniffles,” Bastian replied. It seemed like we had finally come to an agreement.

  “It’s probably best not to name the creature at all, since it will be going back soon,” Lish pointed out, the maid riding behind us.

  “I’m throwing my earlier plan out the window.” I announced, “Even I’m not cruel enough to send the brothers into that mess.” I added as an aside, “Besides, they’d probably abandon Mr Sniffles halfway and go off chasing the Golden Goose instead.”

  “Not true, miss,” Lish countered, “We both know that Herb would get stuck sitting with Mr. Snifflesworth the First, while Bark ran off to join the search.”

  She was right of course.

  “Either way,” I said, “Maybe father will be too distracted with other things to pay Mr Sniffles any mind."

  Other things like a tall armor-clad drakin come to ask for my hand in marriage.

  “We’ll see about that.” Lish said ominously. I ignored her and turned to Bastian, who was otherwise distracted.

  “Do you hear that Mr Sniffleworth the First?” He spoke softly to the content capybara, scratching the creature behind one ear. “Your adventure continues! Let’s see if the Fern’s have any delicious tubers for you.”

  “I’m sure Malory will have plenty of snacks. He's our head butler.” I pointed down the path, “Fern is just around that corner!”

  The road shifted from packed dirt forest path to city road. Sumbrian’s lived in the trees of the great forest - and it was hard to know when one area of the forest met another unless you were familiar with the quirks of each noble family. Hazel liked to add woven branch fences to the sides of the roads. The Oak elves carefully swept fallen leaves off the paths to protect the bugs and butterflies that nested in the fallen foliage. Fern was known for having decorated cobblestone streets, built to help wagons carrying produce to Arbutus Ridge Port on the west coast.

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  The fireflies had thinned out and all but disappeared as we got closer to Fern, but that was fine. Fern was a prominent place for trade, and father had ordered glowstones to be hung from the low tree branches all along the path - helping merchants and other travellers find their way through the wood. Under the soft light, I could make out the white cobblestones engraved with fern leaves. They were beautiful, and a welcome home that made me choke up to see them.

  Unfortunately, the road wasn’t the only thing that shone white under the glowstones.

  “... Does it usually snow in Fern this time of year?” Bastian asked with a polite voice, showing only a hint of concern.

  “No.” I stated, nudging my horse into a gallop, “I think something's wrong with Father.”

  Worry pushed me forward, leaving the two behind in my race towards home.

  The snow fall was delicate and slow, but everything was covered in a hands width of powder. It had been snowing for a while.

  My fears solidified when I reached the clearing. The open area was used to cultivate vegetables and medicine for the county, but no one was out caring for gardens in this weather.

  Oak Lilly was the oldest tree in the area, situated on a small rise, her thirty large roots stretching out protectively. The people of Fern lived in homes built into the space between her limbs, while my home magically wove through the upper tree itself.

  Frost covered Lilly in a layer of ice crystals that gleaned gently.

  “Countess!” The head butler, Malory, hurried down the outdoor main staircase, meeting me on the ground between two of Lilly’s roots. Lanterns with hanging glowing orbs lit up the path up to the stairs. “Thank the gods you’re safe!”

  “What’s happened?” I asked, dismounting and abandoning my horse to rush past him up the stairs, “Where is my father?”

  “I’ve sent Magenta to inform him that you’re here,” Malory said, following me back up the way he'd come, “it’s been–”

  “Peregrine!” Count Valin burst out of the front doors in a panic. Then my father, the calm, the stoic, the most stiff elf in the Queendom, burst into tears and swept me up into a fierce hug. “You’re home.”

  The snowfall stopped. The sky cleared, and a sliver of the waxing moon peaked overhead.

  “Father–” I tentatively wrapped my arms around him, and he squeezed me harder, taking away my breath. It took a second to draw breath again and ask, “Father, what’s happened? Are you alright?”

  “Me?” He ground out, finally pulling away. He looked me over up and down. “What about you? How did you escape? Quick, we should get you out of sight before– too late. By the Blessing of the Undergrowth Shade, [Conceal].”

  The spell wrapped around me, hiding me from sight so that any who looked my way would only see the shadows of Lilly’s root. It was a limited ability, requiring that I remain inside the shadows to stay hidden, but I could move freely without detection if I stayed in the darkness.

  Bastian and Lishinia were riding up the path, slower to account for Mr Sniffles.

  Father frowned, his cobalt blue eyes narrowing, “They have Lishinia. Go, and I’ll deal with this.”

  “But–”

  “Trust me, Sweet pea.” He cut me off, and startled me when he used my childhood nickname, “I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back. Now go, before more of them arrive!”

  “This way, miss!” Malory tried to hurry me, even as my father stepped in front of me.

  The snowfall that had disappeared moments before came back in force as my father turned on Bastian and Lish and released his aura their way.

  “Halt!” Father’s voice boomed out over the clearing, the strength of it coupled with an [Aura] blast hit a tall ice shield Bastian had summoned just in time to protect the capybara. [Aura] was used as a warning for most people, but Mr Sniffles could have been hurt.

  “Wait–” I reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling my father back around to face me. “No one else is arriving! There are no pursuers." I felt my cheeks flush as I stated, loudly. “It's just Lishinia and the Knight Commander Bastian of Peldeep… my, uh, my fiancé.”