"I...I have been thinking...If Your Majesty would be willing to listen, I may have a suggestion."

There was a bit of a stammer to the young man's voice, he turned to face him with a raised brow.

"Proceed."

"...I heard a rumor once, of a girl some time ago. One that he might have fancied."

"Fancied? There are many he's fancied," he interrupted, laughing as he did so. The young man looked to the floor again, contemplation ridden deep into his brow.

"Yes but- forgive me for being forward- there was something peculiar about this rumor. If we are to make any progress in this endeavor...I believe it is time for more unconventional measures to be considered."

"Unconventional? How?"

"She is of no rank, firstly. No namesake either."

"A peasant?"

"Yes, but...that is not the concern." He saw the lad's eyes peer up, searching for his reprieve before continuing. He gave him a nod. If ever there was a time to entertain something so ludicrous, it was now. "She...they say she is a human."

"What?"

"He let her live, you see. One of his toys in that maze. She should be of a proper age. Is that not...something to investigate?"

His companion stared up at him openly, and he realized that his own expression had become considerably more livid. What in the world? A human peasant?

"Your suggestion is quite audacious..." he said, with warning. This was...highly unprecedented. Could he really allow such a thing?

"Forgive me. I know it is quite...unusual, but then again so is this instance. I simply thought-"

"That we've come to such a point?" he finished. The man shut his mouth tightly. "That is your thinking, yes?"

"Sire, I would never-"

"No. Don't," he interrupted again, raising a hand to calm him as he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "You are right. I have no right to take offense after allowing things to have come so far." There was silence perturbed, weighed heavily by the decision to be made. A human bride...was that really what it'd come to? "Have you no others?" he asked. The man shook his head.

"No, Sire." There was clear affirmation in his response, and The King sighed in reaction to it. T'was a dark night indeed and a bleak day to follow...

"Very well then. I will trust you. Find her. I will judge if she is worthy."

"Of course, Sire. I shall pray the gods shine favorably upon us."

He bowed and left quickly after that. The King stood alone then, his own head lowered under a dismal night sky. He had not the heart to speak it, he had not the strength to say it at all. Pray indeed, young one, pray with earnest. Pray that time would not dwindle in a place where it yet stood, that things would not yet die where they did not live. Pray for the wicked, the restless, and the livid. Pray for them all, he thought. Pray for him especially; for there are very few prayers, even none at all, for those who are damned.

Chapter 2, Threshold

Beep...Beep...Beep…

The sound of the heart monitor on the cart beside her had become jarring to Sarah's ears. It'd been silent for a couple hours now. She was the only one there. Well, there was of course her father in the bed beside her, her father who'd lapsed into a coma just two days prior.

It was strange. She felt hollow sitting beside him, like he was not the only one devoid of consciousness. She'd shed tears when it first happened. Of course, she wasn't there for it. They said he probably wouldn't wake up from this one...she'd never even gotten to say goodbye.

She hadn't left his side since. Instead she wondered what he would think about the decision she had yet to make. She imagined he would tell her to follow her heart, to do what she thought was right for her rather than for others.

She punished herself greatly. Like she'd told Lochlan, there was so much time she'd wasted fretting when she could have been here. Maybe then she would have had the chance. Maybe if she was at the hospital that night, instead of spilling her guts to a fae, she could have said her goodbyes. She felt so guilty. She hoped that he would wake up, but it was false. She already knew of a way to save him, and yet she was abstaining. How much time did he have left to wait on her? Could the fae bring back the dead?

She brushed a stray tear from her eye and sniffled. It'd been nearly three days since Lochlan had conveyed his terms. Three days...would he still be waiting? Had she taken too long? She was just so afraid, afraid of all of this. How would she know he kept his bargain if she never returned? What if the man she was supposed to marry was a monster? Cruel? Abusive? What if he only used her as was her actual purpose? She had so many questions, yet...were any of those possibilities worth more than the man suffering next to her? Or the guilt she would suffer if she said no? She wanted to ease her conscience by playing the martyr, but even she knew better. If she made this decision it would be for selfish reasons: because she was afraid, because she was weak, because she wanted something other than this. The excuse of pursuing an education was now utterly irrelevant.

She glanced over sharply at the sound of the door suddenly opening. She had by no means been crying, but still her red cheeks and pouting lips were something she was too proud to let anyone see. She heard the clicking of Karen's heels moving quickly across the floor, and turned back in slight surprise at the fact that she was actually here. She never liked to visit when things got bad. She didn't like to face it. It was almost alien of her, the way she hunkered down and grasped his hand across the bed from her.

"How is he doing?" she asked. Sarah's eyes drifted away absently.

"The same."

She cringed a little at the sound of Karen's pitiful whimper, dotting her running mascara with a tissue.

"I see. Well, at least he's not worse."

"He's in a coma, Karen. It doesn't get much worse than that."

Karen was silent at first, her gaze and her smile forced as she stared at her husband.

"I always said you had your father's bluntness. Look, doesn't he look like he's sleeping so peacefully? Do you suppose he's in any pain?"

"I doubt it. The doctors said he doesn't feel anything now." Was she being cruel on purpose? She knew the answer was yes. It was wrong of her to torture Karen like this, but she couldn't stop the bitterness. Lochlan was right. He said he sensed resentment looming over this family. It probably all stemmed from her… "Where's Toby?" she asked.

"At a playdate. I'm picking him up around four."

Sarah's eyes lowered again.

"He hasn't been to see him in over a week. Don't you think he'd want to see his father?"

"Yes...just...not right now. It's not a good time…"

"When will be a good time, Karen? When he wakes up? When he's dead?"

"Sarah!" Karen interjected, in a quibbling shriek of sorts. Her eyes closed tight and the hand holding her handkerchief rose in a plea to cease. "I know you're upset with me. We are all going through a lot. But please, not now."

For once Sarah actually listened. Instead of retorting, she merely stomped to her feet and stormed out the door. This was ridiculous. Toby may be young but their father had been asking for him for days before he fell unconscious. Toby was so confused. Karen refused to explain anything to him. She was claiming to be a parent, but all she was doing was forcing her own denial unto him. It infuriated Sarah like nothing else.

She left the hospital. It was about mid-day. She had a shift in the afternoon, but to hell with it all. She drove back to the park instead, to the place she should be more wary in approaching. She stormed her way to the swing and spun in a circle as she pulled on her hair. She was angry.

She knew she was being irrational. She needed to calm down and think clearly but God, it only took one wrong word from Karen to royally set her off these days.

She closed her eyes and pressed a palm to her forehead. Okay deep breath. Deep breath…

"Lochlan? Are you there?" she called out, with one hand on her hip and the other against her temple. She was sure to give herself a migraine over this...All she hoped was that she wouldn't regret it.

"Ah. Sarah, fancy meeting you here."

She spun around on a dime to find him sitting in the swing behind her. She looked around frantically. It was the middle of the day. What if other people saw him?

"Have you been there this whole time?" she asked. The man called Lochlan stood and approached her.

"No. You summoned me here. Did you not realize?" he asked, almost laughing as he paced around her. Sarah's furrowed brow furrowed harder, and she followed him.

"Summon?"

"You didn't think I was going to dwell in this forest indefinitely, did you?" he asked. Sarah just stared. Well, putting it like that…

"No...I just…"

"Granted, three days is no time at all. I half expected to be waiting far longer than that," he interrupted. Sarah peered up.

"Well, things have changed. I no longer have the time to dawdle...I guess," she said, quickly looking back to the ground. Lochlan stopped his pacing and looked her up and down.

"Is that so...Have you made your decision then?"

Sarah nodded. Man, she'd driven down here with such resolve, but now her feet were getting colder and colder.

"I think I have. ...I...have a lot of questions, you know."

"Yes, I imagine so."

"I have a lot of concerns too."

"Even more, I presume."

She stared up at him, hoping to find a trace of sincerity on his face, but she just couldn't tell.

"This man you want me to marry...this prince...if he doesn't like me, you'll take me back? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"How...how will I know you've actually healed my father?"

"I could show you through a scryer, but ultimately it will be up to you whether or not to believe it."

Sarah lowered her head. That was true, wasn't it? The fae had the ability to create illusions...there would be little tell whether or not it was a lie. All of this...it could all be a huge bluff. A lie.

"I know that expression. And that is precisely why I told you to take your time in deciding. It is good that you are so guarded. It means you are strong. However, it is a fact that the fae cannot lie when staking a contract. Where we give our word we stake our very souls. I have promised to do these things for you. Perhaps one day you will understand the gravity of such a statement."

Sarah paused for a moment. She really had no grounds to believe any of it, and yet...

"I came here just now...with the intention of saying yes. I can't...I just can't let Toby be without a father. He...he never even got to say goodbye. What if he dies, and Toby….I...and I never got to say goodbye either. If I do this, there's a chance we might be a family again. If I do this, at the very least Toby will have both his parents back. I want him to be happy more than anything else and I-I don't want my father to die!" Her shoulders were starting to shake and she forced her gaze to the ground to prevent the release of tears. This was pathetic of her. She needed to be strong. To show resolve. If she acted like this, beings like Lochlan would only take advantage of her.

She jumped at the feeling of a hand pressing against the back of her head, and became even more startled when that hand pulled her into his chest.

"Your integrity is admirable and...if I were not in such a position, it would be enough to sway even this cold fae heart." He pulled away from her and cupped the side of her face to bring their gazes together. "However, I am in such a position. I am...merely a messenger. I came to you with a need just as you have come to me. It would be within my capability to heal the afflictions upon this reality of yours, to return you there without cost, but it is not within my authority. In order for me to help you...I need you to come with me, Sarah. Will you do that?"

Sarah's blurry eyes beamed up at him, so desperate and so tired. This stranger had showed her more compassion in the past ten minutes than she'd felt in months. Perhaps it wasn't rational, perhaps she wasn't thinking straight. Still, she bit her lip as she nodded her head yes, then closed her eyes as tears fell, silently of course, and she pressed the side of her face back against his chest.

"Go, take the night to say your farewells. Pack a bag meant to travel. Some clothes, provisions, but mostly food. Pack a fair amount of food. It will be a few days' journey to our destination."

Sarah was so overwhelmed, she'd completely forgotten to ask Lochlan the millions of questions she'd told herself she needed to know. Now she found herself back at home, doing as he'd said and packing a bag. In the back of her mind she was confused. If he could appear in random places why would the journey be so long? What...what kind of things should she bring? Just the essentials? Should she bother with mementos? She was supposed to meet him the following night, right at sunset. She had to admit, he was being awfully accommodating all things considered…

Actually, that was what worried her most. He was being considerate. Too considerate for the reputation of his kind. It made her suspicious, like he was hiding something important. He said the fae didn't lie, but that didn't mean they didn't omit the truth. That didn't mean they didn't keep secrets. Her next priority needed to be finding out all she could about the situation she was walking into…

"Sarah! Sarah!"

Sarah jumped at the sound of Karen screaming from down the hall. She turned and burst through the door.

"What? Karen, what's going on?" she yelled back. Storming down the hallway, Karen met her at the top of the stairs. She was confused as to why she had Toby in her arms, already dressed as if to go…

"The hospital just called. Sarah, he's awake. Your father's awake!"

"W-what?"

The drive to the hospital was swift but silent. Sarah, deeply unnerved, skeptical even, stared straight ahead with worry. Karen, however, could do little to contain her excitement. Oh, the mixed signals this must be sending poor Toby.

Like a stampede, Karen led the way to their father's room. It was well past visiting hours, but the doctor there was a friend and let them come whenever they wanted. Sarah lagged behind as Karen threw open the door.

Indeed her father was awake. He was groggy, weak, but still he held up open arms as Karen and Toby threw themselves at him. Like a twilight zone, Sarah failed to believe. Was this...was this for real? Was this Lochlan's doing? How...what should she do?!

"I didn't even realize I was asleep. I woke up an hour ago and all the nurses looked so shocked! They said I've been in a coma for days!"

She could hear her father talking, hear the sound of his voice, raspy but still his, clear as day. Was this...was this magic?

"To be honest, I don't know how it's possible." She darted her head to the side to see her father's doctor looming over her shoulder. He looked about as happy and as skeptical as she did. "When we told you our projection was about five weeks, that didn't include the probability of a coma. I believe we also told you if that happened his time frame narrowed considerably." Ah, so it seemed he was indeed talking to her. She looked away from him and back to her family.

"Yeah...how...why did he wake up?" she asked.

"I don't know. How, if, and when some patients come out of comas is still a total mystery to us. All I know is that several hours ago your father's vitals started improving. We're of course running tests, but his physical lividity has improved greatly already. With any luck, perhaps treatment is finally starting to work."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked. The doctor peered down to her with a smile, like that was a question he was so often asked.

"No. Not at all. It's a very real possibility that this is just a blip, that his case will resume and worsen, so I don't want to get your hopes up. But, with any hope at all I'd say we're looking at an honest miracle." Sarah's eyes widened as the doctor glanced down to his chart. "To be completely frank Sarah, I didn't think he was going to survive the night. Whatever changed...we should all be thankful for it." He gestured to the happy scene before her and then turned to walk away. Sarah just stood in the doorway. She was stupefied. She really was just plain-

"Sarah! What are you doing over there? Come here already!"

That night was spent with much rejoicing. She completely forgot about packing, forgot about everything. Morning came, and so Karen took an exhausted Toby home to rest. It was just Sarah and her father now. They spent most of the day together, hanging out, acting as if nothing was unusual. Karen came back alone later that afternoon. The doctors had gotten back some of the lab results from the previous day and wanted her there.

Much to everyone's surprise, it wasn't a blip. The tests showed real improvement and, while they didn't want to jump the gun, were suddenly very hopeful for remission. They couldn't explain it. They had no idea, actually, not that it mattered to anyone. Everyone was so happy. The world was changing around her so drastically it left her numb. That night she would have to pay for this miracle. She'd have to leave it all behind, possibly for good. If Lochlan really was behind this...no, no she knew he was. She would be eternally grateful. She now realized, as bittersweet as it was, there was no price she could put on this moment, on the relief and joy it brought everyone.

The day passed far too quickly. Karen left, came back with Toby, and then left again, and all the while Sarah did her best to make the moments count.

"Dad?" Sarah asked. It'd been quiet for a while. It was getting later in the evening and the bustling hum of the day was lulling smoothly. Toby had fallen asleep in a chair. Her father had been drifting off as well, and while she knew he needed the rest, she was running out of time. Though Karen hadn't realized it, Sarah had taken a moment to say goodbye to her earlier when she'd left to fetch everyone fresh clothes. She'd said a few words to Toby, filled with all the love in the world, and squeezed him tight as she tucked him into his napping place. Now this was the only thing left, a moment she'd been putting off for as long as possible. She glanced out the window and gazed at the fading sun. It would be twilight soon. She needed to get a move on.

"Yeah sweetie?" Her father spoke in a mild groan as if waking from a deep sleep. She turned back to him and smiled at the way he stretched his arms.

"I know this isn't the best time, but I have to go soon."

"Oh, that's fine. You've been here since yesterday. Go home, get some rest," he said, and she cracked another grin at such innocent words. Her eyes lowered subconsciously, and she jolted at the feeling of his hand suddenly patting her back. "I know you've been dealing with a lot, taking care of your brother and everything. I know it's not fair to put all that on you. But something I want you to realize is that, even now, don't be afraid to do something for you. You spend so much time taking care of everyone else, it scares me to think that you spare no time to take care of yourself too." Sarah's eyes went wide with impending tears. She stared hard at the floor and kept herself angled starkly away from his gaze. Of course he would say something like that. Of fucking course. She fisted a hand in the sheets of his bed and forced it all away.

"I know. I'll try harder. I just want you to get better," she said, and that was all she could manage without her voice cracking. Apparently her act was convincing enough, or he was simply too worn to notice her tension, for he withdrew his hand and eased back into bed.

"I know. I love you, honey, and I'm proud of you- for everything."

And now she bit her lip.

"I love you too, Dad."

In her head, she imagined herself turning around to embrace him, to at the very least reach back and squeeze his hand. However, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was overwrought, terrified, heartbroken. She looked sharply out the window at the falling sun and took a few seconds to get her shit together. She couldn't allow herself to regret this moment. She needed to buck up and move her damn body.

She managed to glance back, barely halfway, enough to see him but to keep her glistening eyes from being seen in return. She reached up, hesitated, but finally was able to grasp his hand. She was worried he would catch on to her fear by the tremble in her hand, but no such thing. He merely squeezed back, and smiled.

"I have to go now," she said.

"Okay."

"Get some rest, alright?"

"I will."

She was silent for a moment, then stood quickly and brushed a hand across her heated cheeks.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" she asked, taking one step away.

"You bet."

And with that, she spared one last glance around the room, at Toby and her father, and briskly walked out the door.

She drove back home to find the house empty. Apparently Karen had already left to return to the hospital. In a way, she was glad for the solitude. The silence helped her greatly. She finished packing, and counted her fingers as she checked everything on her list. Lochlan never said how long this "journey" would be, but he did seem to emphasize the need for food. She'd quickly rummaged through the kitchen for anything that wasn't perishable. Sadly, all she'd managed to gather was some fruit, enough bread and meat for a couple sandwiches, and some small snacks. That would be fine, right? Should she run to the store?

It was then, standing at the open fridge and scratching her head, that she realized the time. It was nearly 8:30 pm. It would be sunset soon. Feeling frazzled and out of time, she gave up on the groceries and headed out. It would be easiest to just get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid, she thought.

She drove to the park and waited where he'd told her at the spot between the trees. She was the only one there. The park officials would probably be making rounds soon, closing the gate and kicking out any straggling ne'er do wells. She began to grow antsy. How awkward would that be?

"Ah, so you're right on time. Wonderful."

She turned around to find Lochlan standing behind her. He had a smile on his face that showed his ease, relief even, to see her there.

"Yeah…" was all she said. He started to approach her with a familiarity that she didn't quite share.

"To be honest, I was a little worried," he said, smiling more broadly as he passed by her.

"Why?"

"Oh, not that you wouldn't show, if that's what you're thinking," he was quick to assure her. "No, I was merely worried about the timing. You see, I realized that what I consider twilight might be different than you, and timing is key."

He started walking towards the forest and she instinctively followed, readjusting the strap of her backpack as it hung from her shoulder.

"Why does that matter?"

They were nearing the treeline, and with the growing shadow she found herself starting to squint.

"Well…" Lochlan started, then paused, turning back to throw her a glance. "Perhaps I'll simply show you." He offered out a hand and she took it tentatively. He smiled again, a sly little smile, and turned back to lead her into the forest. "Watch your step," he said, taking the time to make sure she didn't trip and stumble as they ventured through the underbrush, and she was genuinely surprised that a fae could be so accommodating. It put her nerves at ease, at least for the time being.

"Um...how far are we going? I'm pretty sure the forest lets out to a highway soon…" she said, taking tall steps and pushing stray branches from her path. It was plenty dark now, but oddly enough the forest showed no sign of thinning. Lochlan smiled to himself.

"Don't worry, we're almost there."

"Wh-really? I thought you said this was a jour...ney…" Her speech came to a stop along with her feet as she spied on what lay ahead. Her hand, which had been gently seeking guidance in Lochlan's, now fell limply from his grasp, and she looked around with a wide-eyed stare.

It was a tree. No, it wasn't just a tree. It was a massive, absolutely monstrous tree. Its trunk loomed over them, and as they approached she guessed it had to be at least ten feet wide. What the hell? Since when was there a tree this colossal in the park woods? Better question, shouldn't they be standing in the middle of a paved highway right now?!

"Something wrong?" Lochlan asked, tongue-in-cheek. Sarah skipped away from him to inspect the tree closer. Not only was it large, but it was tall too. So tall she could barely gauge the top. Moonlight shone brightly through its branches and by that did she realize the moon was even out, that at some point it had become the dead of night. She scrunched her brow as she reached out to touch its bark.

"What is this?"

"Rather than what...I believe it is more of a where."

Sarah turned back, bright-eyed, and started glancing all around.

"Where are we?"

"We're here...there...everywhere really."

There was a sense of mystery to Lochlan's slow reply, something curious that begged her attention. She turned around to face him directly.

"Wait, you mean we're in the Underground?" she asked. Lochlan shrugged and put his hands in his pockets.

"Eh, somewhat."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Lochlan strode away and began to pace around the tree where two hitched horses were soon revealed.

"You see...to explain it simply...the barrier between our two worlds thins at twilight. It is much easier to walk over precisely at that moment. Think of this tree as...something like a road sign. It lets us know that we are crossing the threshold." She watched him unhitch the horses' reins, and only grew more confused.

"But...why does that matter? Couldn't you have simply teleported us over?" she asked. Lochlan paused and a humble grin spread across his face.

"Heh, I suppose you would expect that," he mumbled, but carried on before she could question it. "Sadly, no. Only beings with enough skill can transport themselves across planes at will. I, unfortunately for you, must either be summoned or travel the old fashioned way."

Sarah let go of some of her skepticism at his words and approached one of the horses, assuming it was meant for her.

"So...you have enough power to cure my father of cancer but not enough power to cross worlds?" she asked. That didn't seem quite right to her.

"Actually...no. Or rather, it was not my power that cured your father." Sarah peered up sharply at that, getting the grave sense that a whole lot of fine print was about to be aired.

"What?"

Rather than balking at her suspicion, it seemed Lochlan was rather anticipating the moment. He started rummaging through a saddle bag until a familiar crystal-like ball emerged in his grasp.

"Do you remember this?" he asked, and Sarah instinctively scowled. He smiled at the memories he could only imagine it brought her, and tossed it up in the air. "Think of these as conduits. Objects where we can store magic for later use. Incidentally, once magic is placed in here, it can be used by anyone."

"Meaning?" Sarah asked.

"Meaning that my prerogative was winning you over by whatever means necessary. The King gave me enough of his magic to ensure that. It was actually his power that saved your father and will ensure their longevity, not mine," he explained, something which had Sarah's brow softening. He peered over with a lopsided grin. "I told you, I'm merely a messenger."

"I see," she replied, pensively, giving in to stroke the horse's mane.

"Yes…" Lochlan said, though now his head tilted with concern. "Do not fret though. As I said, a fae must keep their word when making a contract. There was enough magic in that crystal to sustain my end of the bargain eternally, regardless of how this all ends. What's done is done."

"Well that's reassuring," she said, forcing a smile but her eyes stayed low. Lochlan had been purposefully avoiding it for her own sake, but her turmoil now showed clearly on her face. It was not particularly in his nature to empathize. Should he just continue distracting her?

"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" he asked, changing the subject. Sarah peered up and blanched.

"Uh, no actually. Well, when I was young, but I can't say I know how to ride," she explained.

"Not to worry. I figured as much," he said and led the horse meant for her out into the open. "This one will simply follow behind me. All you have to do is maintain balance. Think you can manage?"

"Um, yeah."

He almost snickered at the look of bewilderment she was giving the saddle as she tried to process how exactly to even mount it. He stepped towards her and offered a hand.

"Here, grab on and I'll help you up," he said, and hoisted her up in a manner that was as non-awkward as she could make it. Seriously, this guy was so nice. She just couldn't trust it. She watched as Lochlan mounted his own steed, and in the next moment they were trotting off.

For some reason, she was surprised by how slow they were moving.

"So um, how long will this journey be? Where are we even going?" she asked, feeling awkward as the sway of the horse's gait had her rocking side to side.

"About four or five days-"

"What?!" Sarah interjected, then quickly bit her tongue when he peered back towards her.

"It will be about a day and a half to get to the checkpoint, from there you'll take a day to rest, and then it's about another two days by boat to my master's castle," he explained. Sarah's look didn't relax any.

"Checkpoint?"

"Yes. You see, my master -The Prince- is the leader of his own principality. The capital, of my king's nation that is, is significantly farther away. He, however, wishes to meet you prior to your possible engagement. So he will be receiving us at a military outpost nearby."

And now, for a myriad of reasons, Sarah's heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

"You mean...I have to be interviewed? By The King?" She sounded shocked by her own words even though she'd just plainly answered her own question. She'd been so wrapped up in her own issues she hadn't even stopped to process the gravity of her commitment, or rather the pressure it put her under. God, she was just some random human who had to somehow impress a king of fae?

Lochlan laughed and slowed his horse so they both strode together.

"Sarah, you sound positively terrified. Did you not think you would be meeting The King?" he asked teasingly. The pale look on Sarah's face spoke for itself, and to that he did laugh. "Heh, relax. All things considered, you're handling this extremely well. I commend you, really. I won't say that meeting His Majesty will not be intimidating, but everything will be fine. It may be unconventional and he may not like it, but even he is humble enough to acknowledge that we need you."

"Wait, he doesn't like it? You told me it was normal!" Sarah suddenly proclaimed. "So not only do I have to be evaluated as being good enough for his son, I have to go in knowing he's already frowning on the whole thing?" she asked him, incredulously. Lochlan just stared at her for a moment, then scratched his head.

"Hm, I guess when you phrase it like that, it does seem a bit daunting. But like I said, we came to you. Just act polite and confident. No pressure."

She just gaped.

"No pressure. Yeah. Gotcha," she muttered and turned to face straight ahead. Again, Lochlan smiled to himself. She was already taking this seriously. It was so very surprising. He could only wonder how she would react, how they would both react, once they finally saw each other once more.

A/N- So, as I said, I have a few chapters already written and I realized I have no real reason for not posting them haha. I just finished a commission that I wasn't feeling particularly interested in, so I guess posting this is a treat for both you and me.

P.S. That "massive tree" is Yggdrasil -the world tree from Norse mythology. I thought it would be neat to use it as the marker between dimensions. So, for those of you who fancy Norse myth, enjoy the Easter egg =P