As Ludwig walked through the forest, he smiled, feeling the bulk of his heavy backpack on his shoulders. He sighed happily.You can't find tranquility like this in a city. He looked down at the tiny path that he was on. Every few feet, there were these strange markings etched into metal poles that came up to his ankle. He couldn't help but remember how the people in the village at the edge of the forest acted when he had said that he was going into the woods. They tried to stop him and warned him of creatures that lived in this forest, but he had decided to ignore the warning and venture on. When they had seen that they could not change his mind, they told him to at least stay on the thin, marked path, lest he be taken away by those who lived in the woods. I haven't seen any of these supposed creatures yet,. Ludwig then looked up at the sky to mark where the sun was. The sun was just past the halfway mark in the sky. I have a couple more hours until I need to find a clearing to rest for the night. He was then distracted from his thoughts as he suddenly heard someone crying softly. He stopped and looked around but didn't see anyone. He focused on his hearing and tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. He then noticed movement from the left of him. He saw what looked like a young man. He had blond hair and blue eyes with very pale skin. He had on a flowing white top with ice blue embroidery in the design of snowflakes on the sleeves, collar, and hem. He also wore white pants that stopped at his knees. He was holding his side where red was staining the top. He walked towards Ludwig, but stopped when he was a few feet away from the path.

"Please, help me," the young man said, his eyes threatening to soak his already tear-stained cheeks. Ludwig narrowed his eyes with concern. "What happened?"

The man's lip quivered. "The villagers thought that I was some kind of monster because I came from the woods. They came after me with weapons." Ludwig quickly set his backpack on the ground and fished out his emergency first aid kit. He motioned for the man to come over. The man shook his head.

"You have to come with me. My friend is hurt too." Ludwig became confused.

"I thought you said that the villagers attacked you." The man's eyes darted away.

"U-um, I'm sorry, the loss of blood is making me mess up. I had a friend with me and now he's hurt too. You need to come with me." Something in the back of Ludwig's mind was telling him to be suspicious and wary of the man, but he ignored it to repack his pack. He stood back up, bag in hand, and was about to step off the path when he heard warning bells practically sounding off in his head. Again, he brushed the feeling away before finally passing the metal pole.

"Alright, now where's you-" Before he could finish speaking, the man put out an arm and quickly said a few words. Ludwig suddenly stiffened and fell to the ground. As he lay on his back, The man leaned over him, his eyes now violet, before mouthing what looked like an apology before he said a few words and Ludwig was out.

A pounding headache. That was the first thing Ludwig felt as he returned to his senses. He groaned as he looked around, slowly taking in his unfamiliar surroundings. He was sitting on what looked and felt like a bed of stone, surrounded by four walls of dirt. As his mind began to clear, he looked around to try to find an exit. As he was beginning to become nervous about his seemingly sealed room, he heard a soft rumble and and watched as part of the wall somehow moved away to reveal a scowling woman with blue hair and piercing green eyes.

"Come on, human. The prince would like to speak to you."

Ludwig looked at her in confusion.

"What prince? Where am I?"

The woman's scowl somehow grew bigger. "I don't have time to answer your questions. Now, come on!" As she emphasized the last word, she pointed at Ludwig's feet and muttered something. To Ludwig's shock, he stood and walked over to the woman against his will. The woman then began to walk down the dark, dirt passage, Ludwig following, though he attempted to stop his legs. Suddenly, they stepped out into a bright hallway and Ludwig blinked at the sudden change in lighting.. Around him, he heard muttering, and he looked up to see other people standing in groups, glancing at him. When they noticed him looking, they quickly stopped talking and stared back at him. He then looked back in front of him as he noticed the woman stop in front of a set of huge, doors that towered over them. She put out her arms and made a few signs with her hands. The doors slowly opened, revealing a large room. The marble white walls were covered in swirling ivy that seemed to move. There were large stands to two sides of the room, where people were also muttering and gesturing at him. In the back, across from him, was a large throne, surrounded by flowers and plants. Someone was in it, but he could not tell from this distance. He walked in behind the woman, going to the center of the room before the woman told him to stop.

"Now, kneel and look down." His legs continued to obey her, his knees hitting the ground hard. He looked slightly ahead of him to see the woman kneeling as well.

"I've brought him, my prince."

"I can see that, Aria." The voice sounded familiar to Ludwig somehow.

"Human, you may look up if you wish." He did so and was surprised by the sight before him. In the throne sat the most beautiful person that he had ever seen. The person had brown hair that looked like it had been tousled by the wind a bit. He could not tell from the body, but the voice somehow rang with hints of masculinity. He wore a long, light blue cloak that wrapped around his throat and upper chest before falling to the sides, revealing a white tunic. Upon his head was a small, thin crown that had a jewel in the center. Who is he? Ludwig was startled out of his thoughts as the man spoke.

"Human, do you know why you are here?" Ludwig shook his head.

"Where am I? And why do you keep calling me human?" He saw the man glare at the one known as Aria.

"You told him nothing?"

Aria winced. "You told me to bring him, so I brought him as fast as I could." The man sighed.

"I apologize, young one. Aria was supposed to inform you, but I suppose I shall do it now. I am Feliciano Vargas and this is the Faerie Kingdom. I am the prince of the faeries. You were brought here because you are the only human to actually go off the path since the sigils were placed there." As the man spoke, Ludwig's mouth opened more and more.

"Are you trying to tell me that faeries are real?" Feliciano chuckled lightly.

"There are many things that exist in this world, but yes, faeries are one of them. And from now on, you will be staying with us."

Ludwig shook his head. "I can't stay here, wherever I am. I have someplace I have to get back to. And besides, you expect me to suddenly believe that little winged people exist?"

Feliciano frowned.

"You're in my palace. And you have no choice in the matter. Also, we're not tiny." Feliciano then stood up and looked around.

"Now, I'm going to show our new guest around." He stepped down the small set of stairs and walked up to Ludwig and put out his hand. Though the warning bells were ringing again in his head, Ludwig couldn't help but take the hand, curious as to where this man would take him. Feliciano gave him a glowing smile as Ludwig stood up, making him feel happy for some reason. Feliciano then gestured at a set of doors near them that Ludwig had not noticed.

"Now, shall we go?" Feliciano led him through the door and into a garden. Ludwig looked around in amazement as he followed Feliciano to a set of two chairs that sat across from each other, a table between them. He sat down in one as Feliciano sat in the other. Feliciano looked at him.

"Now do you have any questions?"

Ludwig nodded. "Can you give me proof that you're a faerie?" Feliciano looked hesitant but nodded.

"I suppose it's alright to show you." He then closed his eyes and concentrated. After a few moments twin balls of light unfurled from his back into giant, transparent blue wings, similar in design to a butterfly's. Ludwig looked at them in awe. Feliciano gave him a small smile before the wings slowly furled back up and disappeared. Ludwig sat there for a few minutes in shock at what he had just seen. Finally, his mind processed what had just happened as well as the words that Feliciano had said.

"What did you mean when you said that you supposed it was alright?"

"Oh, because a faerie's wings are very important and aren't even shown to family usually. You only allow your mate to see them. Showing your wings is like bearing your naked body for humans, except much more personal."

Ludwig became confused. "Then why did you show them to me?"

"Because you are to be my mate." Ludwig's eyes widened.

"Wh-what?!"

"You see, long ago, a faerie king signed a pact with the humans stating that after that, faerie royalty could only have humans as mates, so as to make sure that the humans would not attack the faeries and vice-versa. You are the first human to actually ignore the warning sigils and go with one of us in a very long time. That is why you are here. You are to be my mate."

"B-but we're both males," Ludwig stuttered. Feliciano chuckled again.

"Yes, but gender doesn't matter to faeries. What matters is that the pact is kept." Feliciano scowled. "That village outside the forest has been trying to stop anyone from going off the path and keep me from getting a mate so that they could use the absence of a human mate as a reason to attack." Feliciano looked directly into Ludwig's eyes.

"But now, I can protect my people, if you will be my mate."

Ludwig thought about it before he finally gave his answer.

"I will."