Pixie Tip: Pixies are not immortal, but they can live for a very long time. So looks can be deceiving. You can be fighting a 20 year old or a 200 year old. Time and aging is very different for them.

"Let her go," I yelled, feeling my nails lengthen into claws and my lips withdrawing so that I could snarl with my sharp teeth.

"Now we're getting somewhere," he said with a snarl. "Like I said, you do as I say and she won't get hurt…unless you want me to give her a little kiss."

I wanted to leap across the room and tear those lips right off his face. Astley put an arm on me, sensing my anger, and then slowly began walking toward Garin.

"Are you doing this just to get back at dad? Because if you haven't noticed, he's dead," Astley snarled at him. I was surprised to find myself caught up in some family drama: pixie one at that.

"Me, go after dad's favorite son…never," he said with a wicked grin.

"It wasn't favoritism, Garin. As the eldest, the responsibility and duties fell to me, you know that. You were just pissed I didn't step down and that you got shut out," Astley continued, glaring him down. If he was trying to help the situation any, he wasn't.

"But you got your little tribe of vogue pixies on your side and made your own group. Can't you be happy to just lead them and be on your way," Astley said, now trying to make peace. If he had been at an Amnesty plea, he would have dead lives on his hands.

"You know what pisses me off the most, Lee?" he said calmly. "Is that you never ever wanted the job! EVER! And what did you do…you grabbed it out of spite. And," he said, now looking at me. "You made sure to find a queen a.s.a.p. before your right could be void. How convenient."

"He didn't find me. I found him and changed so that I could help my boyfriend," I shot out in defense.

But my response elicited a large laugh on his end. "Oh, that's fresh. I'm sure Astley was all I'll help you, I'm here for you, it's your choice…if you didn't make it, he would have done it by force. He didn't have much time to find a queen before the right would fall to me…who wanted the job…Sorry, princess but he just used you."

I looked over at Astley in disbelief. He wouldn't do that, would he? No. But something was nagging at me; something he said at the hotel.

"Why did you become king?" I asked curiously, now turning to Astley. "At the hotel the night I changed you seemed upset about it…like you had to become king anyways…"

"See, I'm not making this stuff up," Garin said, throwing his arms up.

"I couldn't leave our people in your hands...it would have been chaos and blood. You're nothing if not war hungry and blood thirsty. You'd never find a queen and we'd all go mad!" Astley said hissing.

That I could believe. Garin was no ray of sunshine. And while I didn't necessarily like the idea Garin placed in my head of Astley turning me for his own reasons, I shoved the thought away. He had yet to disappoint me and I felt like either way, we each had something to gain from my change.

"Alright, so Astley just wanted to lead nicely and without war. You didn't. So now you know why, can't you just umm, make up and let bygones be bygones. I mean it's over. He's king." I blurted out. They both stared at me like I was either stupid or dense.

"I go with you to Valhalla, and we'll…call it even," he said with a wink.

At that point, I walked past Astley and over to Garin to where I stood face to face with him. You make the oath that you promise to release my mother, not kill anyone AND that when you leave you never come back to harm any pixies, I will take you to Valhalla myself," I said solemnly.

Ahh, the good ole Pillhalic oath…Let me get this straight. I swear to release your mom, not harm anyone either pixie or human and this is both before and after Valhalla," he said, listing it off out loud. "If we can rephrase that, I'm game. I can't promise to never hurt or kill any pixies, because they could be anyone's. I can promise not to hurt you or Astley

"Or my father, or our people," I said firmly. I was hoping that the 'our people' part included my father's as well.

"You can't save everyone, Zara," he said with a grin. "I both set your mom free and promise to not kill some lives, or I make no promise and everyone is fair game.

"Fine," Astley said from behind, startling me.

"No. You promise not to harm my mom, Astley, and our people, which includes my father….you can leave me out in replacement," I said firmly. How could I save my own skin with others on the line?

"I swear my Pillhaia that if you take me to Valhalla I will release your mother and not harm in any way Astley or your people, including your father," he said seriously and holding his hand out.

Before Astley had a chance to do anything, I grabbed Garin's hand and shook on it, feeling a small spark of something travel through us once the oath was made. It was weird.

"Zara," Astley yelled at me, snatching me away from Garin's grasp. "You can't do that. He could kill you."

"Well, it's already done. I like you, you've got spunk," Garin said from behind me.

I rolled my eyes and looked to Astley. "If it means everyone is safe in return, then so be it. Just watch my back a little harder…Now, if you don't mind. Let her go," I said, turning to face them.

Garin lazily nodded his head and the pixie holding my mom released her. I immediately ran to her and held her in a deep hug, grateful that our blood prevented the usual onslaught of images.

She buried her head on my chest and held me tight. "I'm so glad you're ok," I murmured.

"Ditto," she said back to me, stroking my cheek.

"So cute I could puke….Alright. So what's the plan? When do we leave?" he asked, looking smug.

"Three days. Go to her father's home base, which you obviously have the address to, and we will depart from there," Astley said, sounding tired.

"Sounds like a plan. Night folks," he said with a wink. "Don't do anything stupid. I'll be watching."

I waited until the door was shut to relax a bit. I looked at my mom to see her reaction and noticed her staring at my face.

"I'm probably scaring you right now," I said shaking my head. I went full out pixie when I saw her and never put the glamour back on.

"You're my daughter. You can't scare or repulse me," my mom said slowly. "I was just curious. The look…suits you," she said, cocking her head to the side and still looking me over.

"And she's in shock," I said with a laugh to Astley, who in return shook his head in anger and glared at me.

"How could you make a promise like that without finalizing it with me, Zara? I would have agreed to take him, but now he can hurt you Zara and the best I can do is just protect you…." I'd never seen him look so worried or angry before.

"I'll just make sure nothing happens to me. I mean, there's a risk getting there anyway. Who's to say he doesn't get lost or maimed on his way up? Just as changing into a pixie was my choice, so was this. It's the only one I could live with," I said seriously. It was bad enough I had to bend to allow that other pixie get sacrificed. I wasn't going to let something like that happen again; not when it saved multiple lives.

"You always were one for the sake of many," my mom said, sounding exasperated.

"I'm sorry you were taken," Astley told her, brushing aside his anger and seemingly agreeing with what I had to say. "I should have foreseen the danger to you and Betty. Well not really Betty as she is a Were and can handle herself, but regardless…"

"It's alright," my mom said, surprising me. "It's my fault for going a bit crazy and kicking Zara out. I was actually looking for her when I was caught or I would have been better prepared…and I'm sorry I reacted like that, Zara…I didn't trust him and didn't want you making my mistakes."

Did that mean she trusted him now? Why was she deciding to say all this stuff then? Moms can be as unpredictable as the weather.

"I guess what I'm saying is sorry. I feel like I can trust Zara with you…am I right?" my mom asked Astley, standing up to look at him closely.

"I promise you she is safe with me and that I would never let her down," he said almost sounding regal. I felt like it was that part in the movies where a beam of shining light would kind of cascade behind him and that cheesy music would start playing. I stifled a laugh at that point and smiled.

Then my mom did something that surprised me. She walked over to Astley, hesitantly, and held her arms open inviting him in for a hug. His brows rose in surprise, but he grasped her and gave her a small hug.

"But if you hurt my daughter in any way, you will go down," she said with a pat to his back as they let go. I love my mom.

"Agreed," he said with a chuckle." You're as fierce as Betty. And I can see where Zara gets her strong will."

"It's a family thing I suppose…" I said with a yawn.

"You're more than welcome to come home," my mom said in response to my tiredness. Truth is we've been going stir crazy since you've been gone. Betty said that if I didn't wise up, she was going to go out and hunt you herself and tie me up in the basement till I, quote' got over myself'" Yep, that was Betty for you. Though I doubted she would have let Astley anywhere near the house.

"I'm fine staying here for the night, mom. Did you want to stay?" It was really tempting to go with her and sleep in my familiar surroundings and feel the safety that could only come from family, but I couldn't leave Astley like that. I could almost feel the relief flooding through him at my words. I guess my emotion channel thing was on. Huh…

"I need to get back or Betty will be on the rampage. You sure you won't come? Ok, ok. But I'm going to talk to Betty so that next time, you will both feel welcomed to stay there," my mom said, heading toward the door.

"I can take you home," I offered, but she waved me off.

"I'm taking a cab straight home. You can see me off, though." It was more of a statement than a question.

I nodded to Astley and walked my mom out.

When I came back to the room nearly 20 minutes and 2 'making the right choices' talks from my mom, Astley was standing in the living room staring out the window.

"Look, Astley. Don't be mad at me more making the promise. You would have done the same thing."

"I'm not mad. I'm just worried…you don't know what Garin's capable of."

"Oh, I do. He killed my boyfriend, tried to kill me, and he kidnapped my mom. I get it…not to mention he probably went after you many a time," I said, taking a guess. "I just have one question."

"Only one?" he asked, turning around.

"Well, probably more than one, but this one's more pressing…I know you said you took the job for your people because Garin's the bad guy I get it. But…"

"I promise I didn't turn you for my own gains, Zara." He said, walking over to me and cupping his hands on my cheeks.

"No, that wasn't it," I said, seriously. "But I believed you when you said you didn't and I still do. Was it weird timing? Yes. But I don't believe you would have ever forced me. Well, now at least. Then I thought you were an evil pixie…anyways, what I was going to ask was how did Garin become the bad guy? I mean was it just normal family angst?"

At this he sighed and moved away from me, breaking the contact we had. "Now that's a long story, but in part, yes. My father was firm and harsh and had favorites. My mother favored Garin, though. When she died when we were younger, I believe that's when things changed. He didn't get the attention he craved and tried to gain respect through brutality…"

"I'm sorry about your mom," I said, reaching out for his arm. He looked really sad at the moment and I could feel his pain.

"She was a compassionate lady. My dad took a long time finding her replacement, only settling before his need grew too large…but I feel like ever since she died, he was never the same."

"May I ask how they died?" I asked softly. "I mean, do pixies die of old age…Sorry if that's a stupid question, I don't really know how the whole pixie life span goes…" I rambled off

He laughed humorlessly. "Pixies can die of old age, but it would take a long, long time. Pixie years are different than human years. "

Hmm. That was something to think about later. How long was long?

"But my mother died in the war by one of our enemies. It's…it's not rare for them to attack the queen first since it weakens the king…" He said looking uncomfortable. I closed my eyes and shook my head. So that's why he was so upset about me agreeing to the oath; I was the number one target.

"And it wasn't until recently that my dad died when after years of finally settled peace, he decided to attack and get the one who killed my mother. They attacked in retaliation and he died, his partner dying with him because he was careless," Astley said angrily.

"What do you mean, careless?"

"Remember when I gave you that branch that is to be your life-force?" he asked me seriously.

I thought back to the hotel room and when I grasped that branch in my hand. The energy flowing through it was amazing. I nodded my head, wondering where he was going.

"Well it's custom that the king and queen's branches are combined, like ours were…my dad was no exception…but he didn't protect the branches well enough and the enemy took advantage….snapping it apart, killing both him and the queen in one decisive move."

My heart dropped at that one. That was serious. I couldn't believe that had happened to him. But what was crazy was that I now felt worried about our branch. That could happen to us.

"Ours is safe, I promise," he said, sensing my unease.

I nodded my head and gave him a hug. "I'm so sorry for the loss in your life, Astley."

He hugged me back and we stood there for a moment, somehow comforting each other. We each had lost family in different ways and we came out stronger for it. "So what happened after they died, then? Did you get revenge back?"

He shook his head, still remaining where he was. "I never found out who took the branch or who started what. I was only a prince in training, really. I just knew we always kind of had territorial disputes."

I can only hope that when this whole Valhalla thing is done and the pact with my father is over that your…our people can be safe," I said lightly.

"Me too," he whispered.

"We should head to bed," I said, breaking our hug. "We have a lot to get accomplished before the 3 days pops up."

He nodded his head and brought his lips down to mine for a quick kiss. "Thanks for listening and for your compassion, Zara."

"You don't need to thank me…"I told him, leaning my head against his forehead. It was weird this connection I felt to him. It was nowhere near what Nick and I had. It felt like it was some pixie bonding thing; something that drew us together when we were close. Did I love Astley? Yes. Was I in love with him? That was something I was still debating.

I sighed and moved away heading toward the bedroom. Astley, however, plopped down on the couch and started to shift around to get comfortable.

I knew I was going to regret it later but I couldn't help myself since he was all sad. "As long as you don't try anything funny…you can sleep in the bed to, but no cuddling or anything or I will kick you where the sun don't shine." I said with a smile.

He grinned at me mischievously and got off the couch without complaint. "I mean it," I reminded him as he settled into the bed and he jokingly patted the other side seductively. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

I have to get dressed and such, I said, heading toward the bathroom. I could already tell it was going to be an interestingly long night.

Remember, the action will pick up since they will be heading to Valhalla soon, so I'm keeping it a bit slower and putting the backstory in. Anyways, sorry for the wait! Enjoy and review. Cheers!