Francis had never been too fond of the dark. He liked mornings best, when everything is bright and beautiful and the light shines on the rose petals in the gardens and the leaves and the grass and the whole world becomes pebbled with jewels and sparkling crystals. That night, however, he found his own precious jewels in the darkness that cloaked everything.

He wasn't sure what time of night it was, when the young blond had woken up to the sound of strange scuffing outside his bedroom window. Pushing the covers off of him, and pulling his nightgown about him, he climbed out of bed and tiptoed towards the window.

He was hesitant to look, because he never really liked the dark, but the moon was full and he knew it wouldn't be too dark outside. So he peaked, and he saw the shadow of a rabbit, beside a bigger bundle. This bundle had bright green eyes that glowed in the dark, and Francis knew this wasn't natural, knew he probably should be scared, should hide.

But the bundle was shaking, and sniffing forlornly, so Francis pushed his window opened and invited the bundle inside. It was hesitant, but something in its green eyes shone, and it crept towards the window and clambered in, much to Francis' delight.

Francis had a hamper in his bedroom, full of sweets and nice things, that he liked to keep for when he fancied a bite but not leaving his room. He fancied sharing the things in that hamper with the bundle, but it was too dark, too dark in his room to see much of anything. So he feels for the candle on his night stand and lights it, and peaks at the bundle curiously because- because how could he not?

The bundle was a boy, a small boy in slightly dirty clothes and a slightly dirty cloak over his slightly messy blond head. For a moment Francis thought his face was slightly more dirty than the rest of him but no- no, those were his eyebrows, how strange! But Francis was learning to be polite, so he went about locating his hamper, instead, and dragging it nearer the bundle, who wanted to stay by the window and pretend he was still being wary.

But the bundle was hungry, and tired, oh so tired, Francis could tell. He could tell what the bundle was thinking just with those glowing green eyes. They tried to talk to each other, as kids naturally do, but they didn't understand, they didn't speak the same tongue. So Francis opted for smiles and gestures, and reading those mesmerizing eyes.

After much of the hamper had been shared the green glow began dimming, and for a moment Francis panicked, thinking the curious little bundle was disappearing. But no, he was just sleepy, and tired, and he felt safe enough in Francis' room that he began drifting off. So Francis stood, pulling his night gown about him, and pulling a blanket and a pillow from his bed he curled up by the window. And though the bundle was hesitant- he tried to be wary still- he curled up as well and Francis slept with him.

The next day Francis woke up alone, on the floor of his bedroom. But there were flowers- wild ones, not the ones from his Maman's garden, and a note with two words in them. He didn't know what it said, and for some reason he hid it from his Maman and Papa and the other grownups around the house. He didn't know what the note meant until much later, when he's began his language lessons, and he never did find out what happened to that little boy.

Thank you.