A/N: I don't own A Midsummer Night's Dream, I'm just completely in love with it, and Puck

By Starlight

Chapter One: A Hobgoblin

The moon's beams broke through the monotany of the forest's dense trees. All was perfectly silent, perfectly still. All was empty, except for a lone figured sprawled out on the mossy grass. To find a puck lying alone, causing no mischief is a rare sight, but if anyone had happened through the forest that night, they would have seen it.

"Oberon is gone, and I have no one to please," Robin Goodfellow thought out loud. "And there are no humans in sight, and no rights to make wrong."

Puck rolled over onto his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows. In a voice that did not belong to him, he called over several animals, just for the hell of it. He began to disappear and show up again, just to vex the tenants of his Oberon's forest.

"And yet I am still bored. Is there no one around to entertain me?"

"Hello? Is anyone here?! Please, help me!"

Startled, Puck stood up and looked around. A young maiden was running in his direction. Before he could think to make himself invisible to her, she ran up to him and fell on her knees in front of him.

"Kind sir, I have lost my way in this forest and I can't find my way back home," she panted. "Please, can you help me?"

No words could form in Puck's mouth. He was too dumbfounded. He looked down at the woman in front of him. She was young, maybe thirteen or fourteen, and yet she was alone in the woods. Her long black hair fell to the ground around her, and her clothes were tattered and torn.

"Please sir!" she pleaded. "I must get home, my father is very sick, and I need to get to him as soon as possible!"

Still, no words left Robin's mouth. He wasn't sure how to respond. Normally he would play a nasty joke on this girl, lead her around in the forest until she was even more lost, and laugh at her expense, but something in his heart would not allow him to have such fun. It didn't seem right.

"Will you help me?"

Finally, the words that were once thought to never leave Robin Goodfellow's mouth, did.

"Of course I'll help you."

Puck, himself, was in a state of shock. He didn't know how or why he wanted to help the girl, but for some reason, he did.

"Follow me," he said, as he began to walk off.

Silently, the young woman followed him through the forest. The only sound for a long time was the breaking of twigs under her delicate feet. After a little while, though, she began to run out of breath, and for some reason, Puck pitied her again.

"We can rest for the night," he suggested, though not the least bit tired himself.

The girl nodded, and curled up on the ground where she was. Puck, being wiser to the forest, climbed up a tree and rested there. He watched, with interest, the girl as she slept.

"I've never seen a human rest so peacefully before," he muttered to himself.

"My gentle Puck, has a human struck your fancy?"

Puck nearly fell out of his tree before he looked up at his lord and master, Oberon. The hobgoblin's heart began to beat faster, fearing that in helping the human girl, he had put himself into more trouble than he had ever been before.

"King of Shadows! She was lost, and for some reason I did not feel the need to–"

But Oberon just smiled softly at his servant.

"Robin, I understand. If this human amuses you so, then feel free to frolic with her as you will. Just remember: she may not always return your love. Humans always fall back to each other, no matter how much you play."

Oberon gave Puck one last smile, then disappeared. Frantically, Puck looked back at the girl, but she was still asleep on the ground, without a care in the world. He descended the tree and laid down next to her.

"Why do mortals insist on sleeping on the ground?" he asked himself.

Without really meaning to, he began to pick some twigs and dirt out of the girl's hair as she slept. His eyes drifted toward the sky.

"Could Oberon be right?" he thought. "Is it possible that everyone of his children must fall for a mortal at some time?"

His gaze fell back to the girl.

"If I could be content with a mortal, then I shall make sure she will be content with me. All I need is a flower! Then I will prove Oberon wrong, and....I"

An unwanted sleep fell upon him, and he hit the ground with a slight thud.

"Do you think this wise, my Lord?" Titania asked as she sat in a nearby tree.

"Of course. Puck must learn that he may not always get what he wants," Oberon assured his Queen. "Besides, it is our turn to play with the puck."

Titania smiled, but secretly disapproved of what her husband was doing.

"Fair thee well, sweet puck."