Garrison Fawkes’ POV

Rolling over to see Uriel certainly explained why I’d just woken up from the best night I’d had in a while. They were still here like they’d promised. My relief must have been glaringly obvious to them, but I couldn’t help it. Uriel had almost left—would have left—if I hadn’t gotten a premonition first. Selfishly, I was glad I managed to stop them.

Still, now that we were rested and I’d recovered enough to travel again, there was no more reason to linger in the village. Before we left, we had to ask the village head (whom I’d mistaken as the village head’s wife) where the Puckwudgie settlement was. Her reaction, however, was more hostile than expected.

“Don’t you bring trouble back with you or I’ll kick you and your friend out of my village!” she told us when I asked. 

“We won’t,” I promised.

“The little devils are a ways North of the village,” she grumbled. “And if you see my husband, tell him to come home for dinner.”

I blinked. “Your husband?”

She explained that the Puckwudgies had been extra annoying lately and her husband, a mage, had decided to do something about it. We agreed to pass on her message if we bumped into him.

Promise extracted, she handed me a packed lunch with two portions. One of them, I assumed, was meant for Uriel. Though once we were out of earshot, Uriel informed me I could have their share, to which I shot them a grateful smile. I was very easily famished these days.

We trekked Northwards in search of the Puckwudgie settlement. Uriel and I would have portalled, but they had only marginally regained their strength and I was hardly strong enough to carry anyone to safety if we had a repeat of the lake incident. Besides, if the village mage could get there on foot, so could we. 

Uriel had changed their attire once again, back to black lace skirts that weren’t as heavy as the first time we’d met. Their new skirts were lighter and shorter at the front for ease of movement. It meant that I could see the paleness of their calves and the delicate bone structure of their ankles. I didn’t understand their wardrobe choices, but as they lead the way, the black lace only hinted at the entrancing silhouette of their legs. My mouth dried at certain…thoughts I had about those legs.

It wasn’t long before we came upon a circle of huts. The structures weren’t particularly well-constructed, and I wondered if this was perhaps a magic thing. There was a smoking pile of wood in the centre, a bonfire that had been doused. I couldn’t see any Ramiel or any other puckwudgies, yet I couldn’t shake off the unnerving feeling of being watched.

“Ramiel,” Uriel said calmly, and a slight hush fell over the area. We stood in silence, waiting. Uriel turned. In confusion, so did I.

Ramiel stood grinning behind us. “I could never sneak up on you,” he says with an unrepentant show of teeth. “Well, come into my hut. Get away from prying eyes.”

Uriel and I exchanged glances and followed him. The inside was as small as it looked on the outside. A thing which surprised me. 

“Don’t look so surprised,” Ramiel snorted. “Us Puckwudgies aren’t that magical,” he snorts.

“Um, prying eyes?” I wondered.

“Yes, the human.” Ramiel rolls his eyes, his features twisted with an ugly sneer. “Thinks he’s so clever by hiding behind his wards and moving his camps. We’ve been messing with his belongings for weeks!”

I winced internally. That was probably the Village Head’s husband. “He hasn’t come to talk to you?”

Ramiel shrugs. “We don’t welcome outsiders in our village, just like they don’t welcome us in theirs.”

The declaration reminded me vividly of the time the older boys wouldn’t let Alex and I play with them. It was an incredibly petty remark to make, but I understood. Alex and I had made our own game and when the others came to join, we turned away the ones who had been mean.

“I take it you’ve had no trouble other than the human?” asked Uriel. 

“Of course not.” Ramiel grins proudly. “I know how to keep my people safe.”

It was a jab at Uriel. We all knew it. Ramiel looked disappointed when they didn’t dignify him with a response, but I saw the tightening at the corners of their mouth. The Puckwudgies were jealous creatures. Annoying at their constant resentment for others and unbearable when they thought they should be envied instead; this I was learning.

“Inform me if anything changes.” Uriel leaves the hut and I follow.

We left the Puckwudgies’ charitably termed village. 

“Where to now?” I wondered.

Uriel hummed consideringly and turned confidently in the opposite direction of the human village. And as was my habit now, I followed without question. We walked until we came upon a small camp that I only noticed because they pointed it out. Otherwise, I would have walked right past none the wiser. But once alerted, I could sense the low hum of magic in the air. These were powerful wards for a village mage.

They knocked. Sort of. Uriel picked up a stick and poked a hole in the wards. I watched with raised eyebrows as they simply stood back and waited. It wasn’t long before our presence was noticed.

The protective dome shimmered into view and with it, the campsite I couldn’t see earlier. Within the dome stood a man whose familiar features were painted with annoyance. His irritation turned to surprise when he saw us.

“The barrier will let you through,” he called and beckoned us inside hurriedly. “Quickly, before the little monsters see.” Uriel and I went in, and the dome shimmered around us. “I should have asked earlier, but who are you?”

“Garrison Fawkes,” I introduced. “This is my friend—”

“Uriel,” they answered before I could go through the awkwardness of whether to call them ‘Madame’ or not. 

“Are you the village mage?” Uriel asked.

He nodded.

“Your wife requests your return home,” they told him.

The mage looked around and sighed. “I suppose there’s no point staying,” he muttered to himself. “Nothing seems to work with them pests.” 

“Have we met?” I blurted. The mage’s face was incredibly familiar, but I couldn’t seem to recall where exactly I had seen it.

“Hm. Who did you say you were?”

“Captain Garrison Fawkes, Second Commander of Nasales.” Powerful sorcerers tended to cycle through royal courts. I was sure I had seen him before.

“I’m afraid I don’t remember meeting you, but I have visited the Nasales court.”

It struck me then. “You are Elian Bernstine! You came to our court once and then never visited again.”

“I am somewhat retired,” he answered wryly. 

He didn’t look old enough to be a retired sorcerer. “If you don’t mind me asking…” I trailed off.

“Why did I retire?” Elian smiles. “I got married. Here we are now.”

Well, Elian seemed happy enough with his choice. I didn’t know him well, so I had no comments. “We are very happy for you. Would you be packing up whatever you are doing here to go home?”

Elian made a face. “Yes, alright. Let me just pack my things. Wouldn’t want the pucks to get into them. I’ll walk you back to the village.” 

Uriel shrugged when I sent them a questioning look. 

As we walked back to the village, Elian explained what he was doing around the Puckwudgie settlement. It turned out that the Puckwudgies had been exceptionally mischievous lately and the villagers were increasingly frustrated at the malicious pranks. In response, Elian had tried to scare the Puckwudgies into backing off by taking their magic away for a while. 

I got the sense that Uriel was amused by that. But when I sent them a curious look, they didn’t say anything. 

Elian confessed that nothing he did worked. The Puckwudgies were still able to mess around though they seem too busy disturbing him to disrupt life in the village. Which was a sort of win, he supposed. 

He waved us off at the gates of the village once we explained to him that we were going to carry on our way now and promised to thank his wife for her hospitality once more. I did not know where Uriel planned to go next, but wherever it was, I would follow.