Once upon a time, a maiden surrendered her heart to the mystical whispers of fate.

She stood in the withered doorway of her family cottage, barefoot and caressed by the setting summer sun. As his hand brushed her hair behind her ear, her every nerve stood and purred. Tilting her head, she succumbed to his tender kisses upon her neck, collarbone, and chin, his words and touch transforming her core into molten gold. In a moment, he would vanish into the heart of the forest, shadows enveloping his form like a cloak. A creature so full of light belonging to such darkness did not seem fathomable.

"Come with me,” his voice, a velvet purr in her ear, beckoned. "Come with me to the eternal wood."

Aware of the wood's forbidden allure, ingrained in her very being, she hesitated. Her village shunned the depths of the forest, where faeries dwelled beyond mortal reach. Though her father traded with them for rare herbs, their realm remained forbidden. Yet, fate intervened as she wandered beyond the village's edge, plucking blossoms in the meadow. There, by chance, she encountered him—bent low, unearthing secrets from the earth's embrace.

“What are you doing?” she had asked. He lifted his head and she saw the faerie ears. “Oh!’ she gasped and quickly bowed as she was taught.

“No need for that,” he replied. “I’m looking for snails. You see, they’ve left the forest and been in the meadow and we use them for various things.” His golden eyes blazed. “What are you doing?”

“Selecting flowers for a potion,” she said without a moment of hesitation. Her heart leapt to her throat as soon as he met her eyes. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen yet not a man, a faerie and one that clearly was high born in his tunic of pure gold and pink satin. His curious nature struck her as odd but attractive. Something the men of her village did not possess. He looked at her with such attention and care, like he contained a thousand questions on his curved mouth.

“Are you a healer?”

“My father is. I am helping gather while he is away.” She sucked in a breath. She worried telling a creature such as this that she was alone would entice him to trick her.

“How kind of you,” was all he said in reply. He went back to digging in the dirt. She stared for a moment and turned back to selecting her own flora, her brow deeply furrowed. “Do you have plans to dine this evening?” the faerie male asked.

The girl froze, her fingers curled around the stem of a goldenrod. “I plan to dine at home.”

“May I join you?”

She blinked. “Whatever for?” Her heart thudded in her chest. The faerie smiled and her heart was truly lost.

“I would like to hear more about your father’s healing and sit with the most lovely mortal female I have ever seen.”

She blushed and hid her face in her shoulder. “I’m just a girl gathering flowers.” The faerie stood, his grin broadening. The girl glanced over her shoulder and stopped breathing at his stature. Tall and sturdy, his face carved of stone with golden eyes and soft blueish hair of the faerie.

“Well, even if you don’t see it, I do and I’d like to have a meal with you.”

This was how the girl Rhianna invited Lyre the faerie in for dinner and lost her heart to him all in the same evening. Rhianna made a meal of mushrooms and delicate potatoes with greens from her garden. Lyre told her of ancient healing properties of certain flowers that she was certain her father didn’t even know about. Rhianna resisted the urge to ask him questions about his people, the wood. She was told when a faerie visits, serve him as you would a king and he will reward you. Ask no questions, let them lead the conversation.

Lyre set his fork down and hummed with pleasure.

“That was wonderful, thank you.”

“Of course, my lord.”

Lyre chuckled. “I’m not a lord. That is human. I’m merely a male of the wood. Why are you acting strange?”

Rhianna dipped her chin. “How do you mean?” Was she doing it wrong? She paled, worried she had offended.

“I was curious about you. I wanted to know you. I have no need of these formalities.”

Rhianna stared at him. “Why?”

Lyre shrugged. “I’m not certain. But when I saw you, every part of me turned to look.”

It was then he took her hand, his thumb brushed over her fingers. The girl parted her lips and let him pull her closer. “I only want you to be you. The girl in the meadow.”

“I think I can oblige,” the girl said. “My lord.”

The faerie let out a laugh that rumbled Rhianna’s bones. He pressed his mouth to hers and the world turned into a star filled sky and she could not remember a time before he was there, his taste on her tongue, his fingers in her hair.

Now she stood in the cracked doorway, watching him vanish in between trunks of ancient trees. She wanted to go with him. He offered and she wanted to go. Instead, she said nothing and watched him depart, his eyes downcast, his shoulder slumped even with his poised stature. She wanted him and only him and yet, she had promises to keep in her mortal village. Ones she did not speak of in their time together. She knew so little of him and yet felt she knew it all.

He glanced back once, those golden eyes blazing like coals in a solstice fire. She tried to keep her lip from trembling but failed. Her body lurched towards him and she held herself back in spite of every pulse of her heart calling for him. The woods swallowed him moments later and all she could do was watch. She hoped he would return for her, realizing he needed to ask again. She would say yes if he asked again.

She stares at the wood, still waiting.