She dropped the wooden bird. It broke the silence as it clattered to the floor.

"I can't promise that,"

"Then you'll die."

She stared at his hand, silver rings speckled with gold dust glittering in the moonlight.

"You don't know that I'll ever have a child,"

"You're soon to be married. It seems likely."

She shivered, picturing the king's merciless face. Maybe death was preferable after all. The fey's eyes softened.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll give you a way to break the deal. Find out my name and say it to my face, and your child is yours again."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way. Do we have a deal?"

"Can't you just break the bars and carry me down the tower?"

"No."

She breathed out, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She didn't know for sure if she would have a child. And if she did, surely it couldn't be too difficult to discover the fey's name. And none of it mattered if she was dead.

"Deal."

The fey grinned, his teeth as pointy as ever. He sat down on the floor, looking at her intensely, his pupils less narrowed.

"You've figured out how to work the magic. But you haven't figured out how to control it. And therein lies your problem, and your solution. Tell me, what were you doing just before you turned the straw and yourself into gold?"

"I was..." she felt foolish for admitting it. "I was angry at the king and my father for putting me in this situation in the first place."

"You were angry." The fey's eyes sparked. "And there lies your key. Feelings. Emotion. That's the first and last step needed for magic, any magic at all. Now all you have to do is temper your emotions just enough so that they don't fly out of control and cause things like this." He tapped her on the arm, with one finger, all the gold dissolving into dust and settling on his hand.

"Okay..."

"Close your eyes. Try to bring forth an emotion, any emotion at all, but it must be strong. Do you have it?"

She thought back to the last time she and her father had talked. The emotion was there, although she couldn't put a name to it. She nodded.

"Good. Now take that emotion, and channel it into the handful of straw you're holding. Not too much or you'll change yourself, too. Not too little or nothing will happen. Yes... good... that's it..."

The straw felt heavier. She opened her eyes, and looked at the straw in her hand. It was solid gold. The fae was grinning ear to ear with all his teeth, the look in his eyes one of approval.

She turned more of it into gold for practice.

"There are worse fates than marrying the king," the fey mused. "You'll be queen. A powerful human."

"Humans are nothing but trouble."

He studied her for a moment. "Don't forget about the way to break the bargain. I'll give you a guess now, if you like."

She studied him in turn. His face, she noted, was dotted with freckles, which she thought to be cute. But then, what did fey name their children?

"Rowan," she guessed.

"No, but an admirable guess. Now I should go."

He slipped through the bars, but before he could leave, she grabbed his hand.

"Wait, I want to give you something."

"What?" The fey's expression showed a hint of confusion.

"My name. I want to give you my name."

"Oh, no, you shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Names have power, you see. It's not wise to go skipping about, handing them around to just anyone. You never know when someone might want to use them for... nefarious purposes."

"Well, I'm giving it to you, anyway, no deal necessary."

"Of your own free will?"

"Yes."

He waited.

"Emalyne. My name is Emalyne."

"Emalyne..." he said, seeming to roll it around in his mouth. "What a lovely name."

Then he disappeared from view.