On the outside, a castle stood upon the highest hill in the capital of the Stolen Lands. A solitary palace above the cacophony of a bustling city. Some may say the castle was far beyond the average life of the city, which, on the contrary, was false.

Inside the castle, chaos reigned supreme. The building was empty of people, the servants found a good reason to take the day off. They had noticed the smell of singed ozone floated throughout the castle. Small vines whipped around in the halls with ensnared furniture dragged inches back and forth.

Muffled voices could be heard, but they grew louder and clearer closer to the royal bed chambers. Shouts were punctuated with inhuman strength and power. Squalls of wind and rain flew from underneath the door and overturned carpets 20ft down the hall. The door slammed open by a draconic roar, the words lost in anger. Nyrissa stormed into the hallway. Her face a twisted visage of frustration, her hair and wings billowing from the forceful roar.

Bramble and thorns sprouted from the stone behind the fae. Nyrissa ignored the roars of frustration behind her as the foilage grew thicker with each step. A wall of thorns jammed the door open as she made her through the city. Citizens clambered away from her furious expression as she strode toward Tuskwater lake with purpose.

On the shore, dryad paced back and forth, only for her sister to appear in a flourish of watery mist. Evindra watched her warily, "Cousin, are you well?" She asked. The stare the water nymph got in response made her shy away and pulled her shawl tighter to her body. The terrified look in her eyes brought up painful memories for Nyrissa.

Nyrissa tried her best to placate the other nymph, despite her own foul mood. "Sorry, Evindra. It's just-" She took a deep breath to steady her emotions. "The king can be so frustrating." The nymph fumed as she curled her hands into fists and growled. "He's a stubborn, short-sighted, egotistical-Ugh!" She threw her arms in the air in frustration before she descended into a rant.

Evindra waited for Nyrissa to run out of steam and words. Once she struggled to find something to say, she spoke up. "Anything else?" She questioned.

"Not at the moment," Nyrissa said lowly.

"I'm surprised it took so long for this to finally happen." Evindra turned away and focused on the distance, where children frolicked in the water.

The older fae asked the unspoken question, "For what to happen?"

The nereid sighed, then she turned toward the other fae. She clapped her hands together, placed them against her cheek. "Your lovey-dovey life came to an end." She stated in a cutesy voice. Her face then slacked with a complete lack of empathy. "The honeymoon phase is over." Evindra shrugged. "Eventually, something would come between you two, and neither of you would just agree with the other and kiss-and-make-up."

Nyrissa scowled. "Excuse me! There has been plenty of times when we have disagreed with each other before this."

"Really?" Evindra crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight onto her back foot. "Stop me if any of this sounds unfamiliar." She paused and lowered her shawl to her shoulders. The nereid whipped her hair out behind her head into the same shape as Nyrissa's own. "Oh my Spring, we need more cows and chickens to feed the people-" She paused as if in an imaginary conversation. "Let them grow their own vegetables? You are so right, my Spring." The water nymph cooed only for both her face and hair to fall flat.

Even after millennia, her grumpy cousin continued to live up to her title. Something on Nyrissa's face must have given her feelings away because the nereid continued to speak. "There were quite a few times when you two certainly sound like that. Sickeningly sweet." Evindra gagged. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm happy you two finally had a good fight."

"Why in the world are you happy that we had a fight?" The dryad collapsed onto the ground in frustration. "I am due for misery for my sins against these lands. Can I not at least take solace in the arms of another?" She raked the fingers through the grass along the shore of the lake in thought.

Evindra sighed before she joined Nyrissa on the ground with her feet in the water. "How well do you know his highness?"

Nyrissa started, "I've watched his every move for half a decade!"

"Where was he born?" Evindra asked.

The dryad's mouth fluttered open and close, but Evindra was relentless. "How did he first learn about his magic? Has he always dressed so fancy?" Their eyes remained locked together as the nereid leaned toward her cousin and whispered in a low, sultry voice, "Late nights or early mornings?"

The soundless squawk from Nyrissa was the voice of her indignation.

"I meant when he does prefer to get work done. You succubus in disguise." She said cheekily. Evindra leaned back and watched the ripples she made in the water. "I am happy to have you back as yourself again, but-" She placed her hand on Nyrissa's chest. "Your heart was returned to you, and you have embraced the love that you have nearly forgotten. You have found yourself swept away by a man and a kingdom where all your dreams are waiting to come true, yet you know nothing and everything."

Evindra let that comment hang in the air between them before continuing. "Your life had become a fairytale. A dashing hero fought against ever-rising odds and broke your curse, and I think both of you assumed it would be a happily ever after." She paused. "But life and people don't work like that, that goes for mortals and fae as well. You two need to talk and to fight, or else you would never understand each other."

The wood nymph sighed the anger that simmered in her since the fight started left her as Evindra's words sunk in. The nereid became her closest confidant because she fought every single one of her ideas. "You are right, I guess we have been caught up in the ideal romance." Nyrissa gathered her thoughts before she said, "I'm going to take a long walk before I head back to the castle. I need to think of what I want to say without losing my own temper." Both fae stood up from the shore. "Next time I come to see you though-" Nyrissa smiled widely. Mirth in her eyes and teasing in her tone, "We are going to talk about your second job."

At the mention of her job, Evindra groaned. "You help one child, next thing you know, your baby-sitting the lot of them." The words sounded rude, but Nyrissa could see the happiness in the nereid face.

The sun was setting by the time Nyrissa returned to the castle in a much calmer mood than she left it. The brambles and thorns had been removed for the most part. It made the walk through the stone halls different than yesterday. Was it because of how Evindra opened her eyes or the missing singed furniture?

The throne room was empty so that only left one place where Her Spring might be if he was here. She knocked on the door to the royal chambers, and he immediately answered her. Nyrissa opened the door and saw him. He smiled at her warmly, though the wary look in his eyes showed caution that she had not seen before today.

It was time to get to know the more subtle things of each other.

A/N:

Its been a week or to, but here's the next chapter. I got the next 90% percent done, then I released that it felt off and a little too soon without a fight beforehand. Wanted to skip the whole fight topic, so I leave that up to your imagination.