Five-year-old Daine Sarrasri yawned and rubbed her eyes. Glancing out the window, she saw it was still dark. She debated whether or not it was worth the effort to get up and get something to drink, and decided it was. She clambered out of her bed and padded down the hallway.
When she neared the kitchen, she heard voices and froze. She remembered that it was Beltane, and that her Ma always went to meet someone, Daine wasn't sure who, on this night. Daine peeked around the corner. Ma was standing in the door way, talking to someone. Daine was pretty sure it was a man, from his size and his deep voice. Daine inched closer, hoping to get a glimpse of this mysterious man.
Despite all her efforts, Daine banged her foot on a chair, making quite a lot of noise. She tried to hide behind the table as the voices at the door stopped, but Ma found her and dragged her out from her hiding place.
"Daine," Ma said in a scolding voice, "what are you doing out of bed?"
"Thirsty," Daine answered, wishing she had just gone back to bed as soon as she saw Ma.
Daine heard a deep laugh from the door. "Now, Sarra, you can't blame the girl for her curiosity," said the stranger. He knelt down to look Daine in the eye, and the little girl's eyes widened when she saw that the man had antlers growing out of his head. "You'd be Veralidaine, then?" he asked her.
"Just Daine, sir," she said, ducking her head shyly.
"Come, now look me in the eye," the man commanded, putting his hand under her chin and lifting her head. Daine stared into his eyes, noticing how similar their color was to hers. "You'll grow up brave and strong," he told her. "Your mother will be proud."
"I'll do my best, sir," Daine answered. She thought she saw amusement and approval in his eyes, as well as something else she couldn't identify - sadness? Not quite, she thought. It was like he wanted something very badly, but couldn't have it.
The man stood up. "Back to bed, now," he said, "or you'll be too tired to get up in the morning."
Daine nodded and scurried out of the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, though, she stopped and looked back. Ma and the stranger were standing close together, talking quietly. They moved closer, and Daine turned away and hurried back to her bed. Questions whirling through her mind.
Who was that man? she thought, as she got comfortable again. Why was Ma talking to him? How did he know my name? Why does he have antlers?
As she drifted off to sleep, one last question presented itself. Was that my Da?
In the morning, Daine didn't remember anything about the stranger with antlers, and Sarra never mentioned it. And for every following Beltane night, Daine slept quite soundly, except for a glimpse in her dreams of a curly-haired man with antlers.