Chapter Four

Ghillie Dhu POV

He stared down at her in curiosity. Something about the petite woman pulled at him. Why didn't she know what she was? And why was he so drawn to her? He knew that the Great Goddess sometimes fated people together, but was that what this was? He wasn't sure.

"Let me actually introduce myself before we move on. Most merely call me the Ghillie Dhu. You may call me Arandir. "

"Arandir? My name is Wynne. "

"Beautiful.. " Arandir mused, watching her cheeks flush as she became flustered. She truly was. Her high cheekbones and the dusting of freckles upon them were the highlights of her face. And then there were her eyes, he could see the compassion in her through them. He shook his head, wiping the dirt on his hands off. Must not get distracted. They had much to discuss.

"Please, come with me. I wish to learn more about you in order to give you the help you need. " Wynne wasn't like the humans he normally assisted. But everything in him was telling him that to help her would be the right course of action. He waited for her nod, dismissing Yerrow from their presence, before he lead her further into the field of flowers. It didn't take them long to come to the outskirts of the field, bordered by trees.

Small paths were here, ones he tended to himself, along with elaborately carved stone benches. Pixies fluttered about the area, disguised as butterflies and other small insects. It'd be impossible to shoo them all away, and they were harmless if not provoked. What harm was it to let them listen, since the creatures in this area held allegiance to him?

He was the protector of Summergate, and the one that kept those here safe. In return, the fae here pledged to him. After all, Summergate was a place outside of the control of The Seelie and Unseelie courts. Neither court wished to claim the fae here, nor did the fae have a true court to belong to. So Arandir had made a court of his own. It didn't take much on his part to keep things in Summergate peaceful. The fae here were mostly nature fae, and were only interested in keeping nature's balance.

Occasionally, there were wanderers or rogues, that waged skirmishes on the outskirts of the forest. Over the last 100 years or so, the skirmishes had diminished. But now that the Wild Hunt had rode through, it was getting a little harder to keep the peace. The fae were in an uproar. Over the two days that had passed since Yerrow brought Wynne to his care, Arandir had had several meetings with fae wanting answers of their own. They wanted to know why the Hunt was riding, and why it had brought back with them someone unfamiliar. Truthfully, Arandir didn't have those answers. He was making guesses off of his own gut instincts. He knew that Wynne was not human. But how to truly prove it?

While he had been lost in his thoughts, Wynne had hesitantly sat at his side, gazing up at the multicolored leaves on the branches. Looking at her made his breath catch. Just being next to her so set him alight, and he felt like he needed to touch her or he would burn up. Was she truly the one the Goddess had fated for him...?

Wynne POV

She stared up at the leaves, wondering in the breathtaking colors. Being out here put her at ease. Something about the nature and the quiet made it easier for her. She couldn't help but take glances at Arandir though. If there was any word that fit him, it was Majestic. Though, Wynne wasn't sure she was thinking with her brain and not her nether regions. He was gorgeous, and she was so attracted to him that it made her head fuzzy. But he had asked her out here so they could discuss her current situation.

Wynne was the one to break the silence. "Why is it that you are so adamant that I'm not human? " She asked, shifting to lock her green hues on him. She had to crane her neck a little to do so. After all, he was a little over a foot taller than her.

Arandir froze, his cheeks reddening a bit. He looked like he had just gotten caught with a hand in the cookie jar. He had been staring at her. It was okay, Wynne didn't mind. His gaze was nice, and she didn't dislike his attention. Her attraction to him helped as well.

"I am sure you didn't notice it, but when I touched you earlier, your skin began to glow. This is one of the signs of you being of Sidhe heritage. "

She hadn't noticed. At the time, she was more focused on easing her anxiety, and the feelings she had at his touch. She had noticed the glow from him as he worked some sort of enchantment upon her though. She had thought that was the only light made at the time.

"I... Glowed? Is there... A way to make it happen again? "

Arandir chuckled at her. "I'm assuming it was whatever magic you might have reacting to my own. I'm not sure if it will happen again in the way that it did then. " There were a few other ways Arandir could think of that would bring her buried magic to the surface. And they were all much more enjoyable than merely working a small enchantment upon her. But now wasn't the time.

"The only sure way to know about your heritage, and to get the answers to questions we both have, is to visit the Cailleach. " Arandir states grimly.