I let out a soft yawn as I leave my room trying to tell myself I am ready for another day.

"Excuse me Miss, a note for you." A servant girl says stopping me outside my door.

"Thank you." I say, taking the note, she curtsies before hurrying off.

Dear Dae,

I've thought of a new place. Meet me in the atrium after your classes.

Your Friend, Alvaryn

I smile wondering where the atrium is and how I'm going to find it.

After the morning lesson, the girls walk into the sunroom for their morning tea break only not all the girls take their seats.

Hannah, Lillith, Elsie and Isbeth all stop her from walking in, I see Rue behind them standing with Layla.

"Daella," Hannah smiles sweetly. "We haven't spoken much, come join us for tea won't you?"

"Okay." I smile, following them to their usual table.

"That blue dress you are wearing suits you so well Daella," Hannah smiles while Elsie pours her tea.

"Thank you, yours suits you as well."

I wasn't sure what was happening but I had the feeling it had something to do with Aeris decision to announce our afternoon to everyone here.

"We noticed Prince Aeris invited you out yesterday afternoon, did you have a nice time?" She asks, picking up her cup and saucer.

"Yes, I did." I wait for her questions, what would she want to know? Would it matter if I told her? I doubt she would have been interested in the kennels.

"What did you do with him?" Lillith asks smiling from behind her tea cup.

"He showed me the kennels and a new litter of puppies."

"Truly?" Lillith asks, looking at the other girls. I nod picking up my cup.

"Why did he take you there?" she asks.

I shrug. "I'm not sure, he likes the kennels."

"Well what did you talk about?" Hannah asks.

"We mostly just played with the puppies," I answer, not wanting to tell them what we had spoken about. It wasn't for them to know. It felt like I was keeping a secret of sorts. Would Aeris even mind if I did tell them?

After a few more questions and short answers they lose interest.

"Will you be going to the library this afternoon?" Rue asks quietly so only I would here.

"No, not today." I answer with a small smile.

I needed to ask two different servants where the atrium was, the first had led me in the right direction but then I became lost, the hallways all looking the same.

I manage to find the atrium, I open the glass doors and breathe in the heavily scented air. The walls are made of windows, light fills the space, flowers and plants of all varieties surround me.

"I thought you would like it here." Alvaryn smiles, walking up behind her.

I gasp. "Why do you always insist on sneaking up on me?" I ask watching his smiling face.

"It's funny seeing your reaction."

I shake my head, turning to look around. It's amazing, the glass roof shaped like a dome above. Vines climb around the columns, flowers of every colour and shape dot the various green leaves.

"Come, there is a tree at the centre."

He leads me to the centre tree, it is so tall its leaves escape the top of the open dome letting in air and light.

"Is this where you hide when you're not in the library?" I ask, running my hands around the tree.

"Sometimes, it's usually quiet. I wasn't sure if you would have more guests if we went to the library. But, I did bring some more books if you have finished the other one." He says, putting his finger up and turning to the bench where a stack of books sat.

"You came prepared." I note, sitting on the bench as he sits on the other side of books.

"Have you finished the book I suggested?" He asks.

"I have."

"And?"

"And, you were right, I loved it, everything about the world and the characters was perfect."

He smiles. "I knew it."

"Don't look so smug."

"I'm just happy you enjoyed that book as much as me, it's my favourite."

"Truly?"

He nods. "I read it for the first time over a hundred years ago and have read it many times since then."

"Over a hundred years ago?" I question. "How old are you?"

"249, it's my 250th name day soon."

I sit stunned for a moment.

"You look like you might be sick." He says, concern in his voice.

"No, just processing. I guess I forgot about the long life spans of fae, you look much younger." I reply.

He only smiles and nods in understanding. "I won't tell you how old my father is then." He teases.

"Probably for the best." I agree. "What about your brothers?"

"Demwyn is 262 and Aeris just turned 238." He answers.

"I must seem like a child to you then."

"Humans and fae mature at different rates, and time isn't the same when you're fae."

"Wait, what does that mean for the humans that are here, the ones that married fae?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Well they would age, I mean many of them would have already died. So they marry these immortal fae and then grow old and die." I stop not sure if I wanted to think about this anymore.

"Well, Fae aren't immortal, just long lived, and yes, the humans age, they are cared for in their old age and then put to rest." He answers with a small nod.

"And the fae males, do they just go on with the rest of their lives alone?" I ask.

"No, once they have heirs they are then free to marry a fae female if they choose to." He answers.

I stare at the ground, my thoughts running a riot in my mind.

"You look like you're going to be sick again, maybe we should change subjects."

"No, no it's good for me to know what my future holds."

"Well it wouldn't be much different than in your human world, you would age and die there, maybe even sooner, many of the human women here live to be over a hundred."

I look at him wondering if he thought that would make me feel better, by the expression on his face he did.

"That doesn't make the situation any easier for to accept. In my human world I would age with my husband, we would grow old together and die most likely around the same time or close enough. Here I would be left to get old and grey while my husband continues living like he is 25 with youth and power and I would look like his mother, or his grandmother, and my children would live almost their whole lives without me there with them. Another fae female would step into that role and raise them instead of me."

He is quiet for a long while.

"I guess I hadn't stopped to think about it from that perspective, again." He admits quietly.

Silence fills the space, I can hear the rustling of leaves on the tree over us and reign in my heartbeat and breathing.

"If you had the choice though, to stay here and be cared for, or to return home and live with a human husband, would you choose the latter?" He asks, surprising me.

"I would choose neither." I answer honestly, smoothing down my skirt.

"You would prefer to be a hero, travelling and smiting pirates and stealing treasure?" He smirks.

"Finding new lands and meeting new people, camping in the woods and watching the stars at night." I say closing my eyes and holding my face up to the sunlight.

"You should come here at night time if you like star gazing." He says, looking up at the domed ceiling.

"If only I were allowed."

"We must follow the rules." There is a sombre tone in his voice.

After a while. "Why is it our conversations always end up being so disheartening?" He asks.

"I think it speaks more about our surrounds then our own minds."

He nods. "Can we pretend for a while that everything that is happening out there," He points back to the way I came in. "isn't happening, and we are just here, in our own world?"

I smile at the idea and nod.

"I know, what is your favourite colour? I'm sure I can find a flower to match, they grow everything here." He asks.

"You won't have to go very far, its dark green." I point to the leaves of the tree over our heads.

"Oh, well at least you are surrounded by it."

"What's yours?" I ask.

"Dark blue."

"Are there any flowers here that are dark blue?" I ask looking around.

"Not dark blue, but there are some cornflowers and some Iris, though they really look more violet then blue." He answers.

"Should we go find them?" I ask.

"If you like, or I could read to you from this book, there is a chapter at the start that I know you will love." He says picking up the first book excitedly.

"Read away." I say, leaning back into the chair.

After listening to him read I realise it is getting late.

"I need to go, it would be almost meal time." I stand.

"You're right." Alvaryn stands, picking up the books. He reaches one hand up to the tree plucking a leaf before setting it on the open page of the book he had been reading to me before closing it.

"Here." He says holding it out towards me. "So you can find your place."

"Clever and beautiful." I say opening to the page and running my fingers over the dark green leaf.

"I'll walk you out." He says quickly before leading the way.

We both say a goodbye with warm smiles and I walk back to my room holding onto my book closely.