AN: Shout out to - Like u would care -, for the character Aivanna. I thank you for your idea. Anyone who wishes to send me anything, please feel free. Now let us read.

Chapter 3 The Realm of the Fey

The smell was of a well kept garden, in the middle of a forest. Strife took a step, once on the outside of the portal, and was instantly hit by this warmth. The air was thick and soothing in the realm of the Fey. There were trees that lined the area, almost making a wall. The grass was thick and long with a few flowers sprouting out of the tangled mass. There was a pond near him, the water was clear and clean, and it seemed to flow on its own. The sky was a crystal blue that was complemented by a golden star shining brightly in the sky. He could feel the stars warmth glaze over his skin like water. He looked around in amassment by the realms stunning beauty.

"Are you coming?" Naerdiel asked as she walked through the trees.

Strife scrambled his thoughts and turned to follow. When he caught up to her, she looked darker. She just seemed so at peace and relaxed, she didn't have an emotion, she was just... There.

Naerdiel realized Strife was studying her and she knew why. "The Fey is my home. It does this to all Fey, they become more like their court, like a flower does in a garden, it's at peace. At home," She said the last part with what sounded like sorrow. None the less, she answered his unspoken question, he would ask more unspoken questions, but was worried she would actually answer them.

"Why did the Council... Treat you the way they did?" Strife had to ask, it had been bothering him, and since they were probably not going to stop anytime soon, Strife decided he would try and pass the time.

"Like what?" She asked as they continued walking, her gaze ever forward.

"Well... Equal."

She cut a glance at him and then forward again. "For starters, the Fey are also keepers of balance. The balance of nature, but still balance. The Council keeps balance of society, but to have balance there you need nature at peace. I mean you don't was a war between trees and angles do you?"

Strife chuckled at her comment and listened. "Well while you laugh, that war is just still going, the angles stand no chance." They both burst into laughter. Her gaze started to shift from him to forward as they laughed.

When the two calmed down she continued, "But you wanted to know why the Council was at a equal stance, well that is the background of it."

"I use to be held at high regard to the courts, for that, a long time ago, I use to consult with the Council a lot. Mostly because I was the Hunter of the Autumn Moon, and would go to different worlds and realms doing business for the Lady."

Strife asked, "Do you not still hold that title? You say it like you no longer have it."

"I do, but, the power behind the title, I no longer carry."

"And who is the Lady?"

She looked at him as she spoke, "A lady you don't ever want to upset. She is basically the queen of the Fey, to put it simply. What she says goes. Her words are the same thing as the Law's of Nature, absolute."

Strife thought about it and let it sit. "How did she get her power? The nature thing, I mean."

She looked forward. "She was picked by Nature. That might sound stupid to you, but it's not really. Like at one point I almost became the holder of the crown, luckily I didn't, but the reason is if you are true enough that Nature can bind its soul to yours, it will and that gives you a chance to take to crown."

The Horseman started to feel like Naerdiel was only give him more questions. "How did you almost become 'holder'?"

"Well..." She rubbed the back of her neck before she answered. "I am apparently, true enough, to where that Nature..." She gestured her hands indicating what she was implying. "So to that, well let's just say, me and the Lady had a falling out, and I won. But I didn't kill her, I was to angry at her to kill her, so I left her."

"What happened after you left?" Strife now quite intrigued was right next to her.

"As I left, she stripped me of the power I held, I know why too. She knew I was right. She didn't want anyone to believe me so she had told me to keep silent, and as a loyal Fey, I must obey." A hint of anger was in her speech as she said this.

"That is part of the reason I came to you, for help, I mean."

Strife looked at her surprised. "Why, what did you fight over?"

She just looked at you like she just told him why. "She told me not to repeat it, I might be exempt from the Law's of Nature, but not from her word."

"So what if she told you not to. Just tell me." Strife now thinking she was just complaining.

"I know you don't know much about Fey stuff, but when I said her word is like law, I ment it." She was now looking directly at him.

"So, break the law."

"I can't." Her voice was calm but strong. The two now had stopped.

She continued. "Strife, Fey cannot break the Law's of Nature, unless you are one with Nature, but the Lady's words are like the Law's, Fey can physically not break the Law's or her words. There is no possible way to do this. This shell we live in will not let us break it."

Strife took a moment to digest this before answering, "So unless you are with Nature, you cannot break the Law's or word's?"

"Yes." She sounded relieved as continued walking.

As Naerdiel walked ahead he felt a pang of déjà vu. He studied her and started walking again, trying to place where he had done this before.

Unable to remember where or even when he had seen her or someone like her before, he decided to ask more questions, because why not.

"Well, what do you need my help with?" Strife said now walking next to her again.

She looked at him. "I need your help in stopping corruption in the Fey."

"Wait, what? I believe you just said, corruption?!"

"Well yea, because I did say it. Why what's the big deal?" She asked a little worried.

"Well for starters, it caused the apocalypse," He said it like it was clearly a issue.

She looked at him in a way that a teacher dose a student that is clueless. "Precisely why I need help, I know nothing of this enemy and need someone who does. And if it has corrupted the Lady, well let's just say that the apocalypse that you just when through, won't be anything to the Armageddon that is upon everyone at this point. Because, there will be nothing to bring back."

Her look was hard and stern, and her words where nothing less. She continued, "This wouldn't have been as big of a deal, if, the demons and angles of another time hadn't come back. But now that they have, I need to convince the Fey to take arms against them, and if they a corrupted I can't do that, because they won't listen!" She started yelling at herself rather than Strife.

Strife now feeling a pang of guilt as her eyes turned to sorrow at the thought of losing her home and everything with it. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. She felt uncomfortable with him so close, but accepted the notion of the gesture.

Strife, liking the fact he was so close, still felt bad for the woman, she was facing the possibility of losing her life, not her soul, but her work, her dreams, her loves, her... Home. Strife might not have known what having a home was like, for the fact he never really had a place to call home, knew it must be devastating.

"Strife... Strife, you know, you can let go, right?" Naerdiel said, now muffled slightly, because Strife had pulled her head into his neck.

"Yea, yea, whatever you say, princess," Strife said, trying to evoke something from her.

Her reaction was to bite him.

"Ow! Why would you do that!?" Strife now let go of Naerdiel and clamping his neck mostly from shock rather than pain.

She pointed at him with a smirk across her face. "Don't ever call me princess."

"What are you two doing?" A voice from the trees said to them.

Naerdiel looked up in confusion. "Aivanna? Is that you?"

A graceful woman jumped down into the clearing. She had soft strait brown hair with small pink flowers and petals that laid on her head. Her skin was tan and smooth, she was small and petite. Her eyes were a icy blue, and her face had freckles covering her cheeks and nose. She wore a mithril chain shirt that hugged her small form, her legs covered by soft white leather shorts. She had a green leaf pouch that was slung over her shoulder. Strife also noticed her ears were much like Naerdiel, but they were longer and greenish at the tips.

"Yep! How did you guess?" She smiled wildly. Her face showed innocence and curiosity.

"Because no one could be as chipper as you, "Naerdiel said with a soft smile.

"Who's you friend, Hunter?" Aivanna looked a Strife and pointed.

Strife didn't let Naerdiel say anything. "My name is Strife. Now shoo."

Before Strife could say more, Naerdiel lifted her hand and hit the Horseman on the back of the head. It was quick enough so he couldn't stop it, but not so he wouldn't notice.

Before he could speak she said, "Be aware of what I said earlier. While she might not kill you, I won't hesitate." She spoke in a low dull tone so only Strife could hear it.

"Hunter! Calm down. I am sure Strife is just unaware of your meaning. He will get it I am sure. Hey! I am not a child!" Aivanna shouted at Strife.

Strife looked at the little woman in shock.

Naerdiel decided she would enlighten Strife on this, as she turned around to leave. "By the way, Strife, Aivanna, yea she can read minds."