There was a crack of wood behind her, but Anansi didn't flinch, she barely blink. "Severyn..." She said, watching the water. The white haired elf lord's son chuckled. "I suppose I could never sneak up on you, Princess." He said, as he rounded the tree, seeing the princess laying on her stomach, moss staining her white silken dress, as well as bits of her golden brown skin, grass tangling in her midnight black hair as it spilled over her shoulder as she rose to an elbow, still looking at the water. "No, yet you try, that is the definition of insanity, Severyn." She said, though her heart wasn't in the jab. He could tell.
"Something is bothering you, Princess, Would you like to talk about it?" He asked, and Anansi gave a shrug. "There is a storm coming, Severyn, I can feel it." She said and Severyn sighed and took a place beside her. he was dressed in his guard's uniform, gold and copper armor, layered like the dragonscales of Otherworld. His bow and quiver strapped to his back. He was her guardian and friend, dutiful as he was kind. Anansi sat up. A frown marring her soft features. "Where are you going?"
"Scouting, that's all, the Dryads warned of mortals passing the border, we are only going to see how far they'd gotten."
Anansi looked at him incredulously, where he mortal, she would have believed him to be telling an untruth, a trait only found in mortals. Fae could not lie, for they'd choke on their words and parish.
"Did my mother sanction this?" She asked and Severyn looked at her. "Aye, Princess, but t'was the Night Queen who thought to send us." He admitted and Anansi sighed. "The mortals won't last long in Fae Woods if the red caps and boggarts have their way." Severyn said is if that would make her feel better. It didn't but she understood why he thought that. Most Seelie Fae like herself just wanted to be left alone, and if the mortals did happen into the Fae Woods so long as neither the Seelie Courtiers or the UnSeelie Coutiers has a hand in their demise, then all was well but that was not what Anansi believed, red caps and boggarts, brownies and pixies, they were like animals, but Fae nonetheless, the mortals, as ignorant as they were, should be protected, not left to die for their ignorance.
"What did the Dryads say about the mortals? What are the mortals after?"
"That's what we intend to find out, Princess, The Dryads only heard it in the wind, and rarely doesn't the wind speak, and she does so in short words." He said and Anansi sighed. "You will interrogate the mortals should you find them."
Severyn was silent.
"Don't, Severyn, what if they are the good ones, the ones the birds told us of."
"Joined Blade."
"Yes, them, what if they've got to broker peace."
"Then we will find out."
"Before or after you hurt them."
Severyn fell silent again and Anansi rose. "Princess, I know how you feel but...Mortals, they can lie." he said and Anansi shook her head. "Surely, but what if they are on our side--"
"They could also be Elvenslaga..." Severyn snapped and it was Anansi who fell silent. The Elvenslaga were responsible for so many Fae Deaths, including the death of her Father, he was a guard, just like Severyn. Anansi huffed and turned away. "Princess..."
"No, Don't." She said, looking back into the river. "I understand that mortals are dangerous, but so are we...if we gave it a chance...."
"You sound like one of those Solitary Fae, and look what happened to them."
Anansi shot him a look. " That was the Night Queen's doing...." She hissed and Severyn looked at her. "Princess....you shouldn't speak of such things, if the Night Queen's that you are speaking like a Solitary..." He didn't finish.
The Night Queen had been systematically killing all of those who were Solitary, all of those who opposed her rule and left themselves unprotected by the Day Queen, The Day Queen knew what she was doing but could nothing to stop it, less they begin their own civil war and that was how the Fae ended up in the mortal realm in the first place, the warring was so fierce they'd ripped a hole in the realm. No one, not even the Night Queen wanted that. The Solitary were still out there, just hidden, getting better every day.
"Well, I'm speaking to you, Severyn." Anansi said deftly. He knew he would never say anything, he was Seelie, just like her and a friend. "Princess...I know you hate this, but it is my duty." he told her and an idea struck her so she feigned relent.
"I understand." She said, "I don't like it, but I understand, you have to do what you must." She said and turned to him, walked up and pressed a soft friendly kiss to his lips. Severyn stood and smiled. "Thank you, Princess." He said and bowed. "Would you like me to escort you home, I'd only come to check on you, but I have to go."
"No no, I can make my own way." She said and with that, Severyn took his leave.
Anansi waited for a while before she took off, following the creek as it broke off into the river, and then followed that river to the border, The Fae call it the Henge, the only link to the mortal Kingdoms. It was like a natural bridge, acres and acres wide, formed by nature, the Fae hadn't the power to destroy it, or it would have been done long before the Elvenslaga could kill her father. Some Fae, Mostly Seelie , still wanted to find a way to destroy the Henge but it would mean scorching the Earth and no fae, night or day, would dare such a thing.
She began her search for this mortal, she wanted find them, protect them from Severyn and the Guard, after that, she had no idea what she'd do.