londoncallingrpg

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OTA

The first day of Spring had come and gone. The prince had left to the Seelie lands, but only for battle preparations. He was back with the full moon. Phouka had remained behind to see after Winter and Fin, though for them the days were much the same. In truth, Phouka was a bit bored. He longed for court intrigues and gossip. As a guard he'd never been a part of things, always on the outside, but he'd heard and he'd seen. Now he got his entertainment from the telly. He found it to be so contrived. It lacked fire. Passion.

And so with the prince back he had been given leave for the day. He immediately set out to find intrigues. He wandered the park, found a market, sat outside in the chilly air to sip a coffee and watch. Watch and see. Everywhere he looked he saw people with lovers, with friends. He didn't know their lives so some of the drama was lost. But at the cafe he found hope. On one side of him sat two women chatting incessantly about the one's disasterous love life. The friend concurred with the righteous anger over many, many men. On the other side sat a couple who, at first, were the picture of romance. But then he checked a text and the woman...well, she became a bit mad. Angry, yes, but Phouka thought she was absolutely nutters as she questioned him on who he was talking to, grilling him with such jealous fury the Phouka kept waiting for the man to leave. Watching them he saw what others might not see. The man was positively eating up her jealous outburst. It stroked his ego, clearly.

"Hmm." Just that. One small sound. And he sipped his coffee.

[Find him at the cafe or in the park, market, or on the street, wherever works best!]

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"I do not know all the songs you and the prince do," the Phouka replied hesitantly. "And my voice is not as pleasant. You sing, Winter. Sing her a mortal song. She will not have heard one of those."

The elf watched them both closely, waiting for her payment.

Winter nodded a little, fluttering around the elf and considering which song to sing her.

It took him a moment to decide, but eventually the pixie began to sing, a soft song from the radio that echoed off the cave walls as he fluttered around her head, getting close so he could sing right in her ears as he danced happily in the air.

When it was over, he landed gently near the gem and beamed brightly.

"Can we take it now?" he asked.

She smiled, clearly pleased, and she moved to pluck the gem from the stone as if it hadn't been stuck at all.

"Sing it for me one more time so I may remember," she asked softly, this time a gentle request rather than a demand.

Winter was happy to sing some more, and he sang her the song once again, then another and another, forgetting about the time and their need to return home.

She was so luminous, brightening the cave with her own natural light, that the Phouka did not notice how dark it was outside until he looked away from the pair as she'd begun to sing along with Winter. He could see then it was pitch black outside.

"Winter! We must go before the prince discovers us gone," he said with urgency enough to startle them both.

"Oh, but Phouka, this is such fun," Winter chirped. He had landed on the elf's shoulder and was dancing there, and he pouted a bit as he took off and fluttered over to the Phouka.

"Take your gem to the Prince to present to his lover. The song is payment enough. Your debt is settled," she said, then faded and slunk back into the dark of the cave.

Phouka did not wait. He motioned to Winter to follow and he headed out of the cave, seeing stars and the moon above, all fat and full.

"How can we get home quickly from here?" he asked with urgency. "There are no mirrors..."

Winter would usually just find a door, but he could tell Phouka was panicked, and there was one mirror he knew of. One they could use to return home to their flat.

"There is one in Aspid's home," Winter said softly, wondering how the home looked now that Aspid had long been dead.

"But we cannot go there," he replied, giving Winter a sharp look. "The wizards will take you and I will have to kill them all and then we will truly be in trouble."

"Aspid had no friends," Winter said quietly. "He didn't live in the village proper, he lived a fair distance from his kin. It will be safe, just sad."

The Phouka took a deep breath, then nodded. It would be later even than this by the time they got there. He only hoped time in London had stood still.

"All right, little one. Light the way."

Winter whistled, then fluttered off and led the way. He hated how familiar this path was. How often had Aspid taken him out in his cage and asked him to sing while he foraged for ingredients? So many times...

When they reached the little house, Winter slowed down, hesitating outside, then fluttering through the door that was slightly ajar.

Inside everything was as it had been, only with more dust and cobwebs than usual. It was dark and cold, and on the small table Aspid had eaten his dinner at every night sat Winter's old cage.

Drawn to it, the pixie landed beside it, reaching out to touch the bars. Inside his tiny hay bed was rotten and neglected, and he cooed sadly as he wandered around the outside.

He gave Winter time, seeing from the way he drooped a bit that he was having strong feelings about this. For his part he was horrified to see the cage Winter had spent so much of his life. He gave him time, waiting patiently and not a sound came from him.

The pixie shivered, and eventually turned to Phouka. "The mirror is there," he said, pointing at the long mirror by the bed. "Shall we go home now, Phouka?"

"Yes, dove. We should," he said softly. "We shall go home and never come to this place again."

Winter nodded, fluttering over and landing on the Phouka's shoulder so they could pass through together.

Phouka had only a little magic, enough to shapeshift and just enough more to, if he thought very hard, direct a mirror to take them a certain place. He stepped through into their flat and breathed a sigh of relief. The sun was only just setting.

Winter peeped happily, hopping off Phouka's shoulder and returning to full height. With just a little magic his wings were gone, as were the holes in his shirt. Though he felt a bit spent afterwords.

"Where should we hide the stone?" he asked. "It needs to stay secret."

"Under the mattress. No one will look there," he said with a nod. "We are to change our own bedding so we will be careful and they will never suspect."

Winter pouted, but nodded just a little.

"Okay," he agreed. "I will try and remember, Phouka."

"When do you think we should present it to Fin?" he asked, his eyes twinkling merrily at the favour they were going to gain for this feat.

"On the day of the pink rabbit," Winter replied. "Though I suppose we should set it in something."

The pixie hummed, then sat down on the edge of the bed. "It should be placed in something that Fae Willy will view often, so he remembers our generosity always."

Phouka admired the gem for a long moment and then smiled.

"We could set it in a necklace. Fin wears necklaces and any time they undress the prince will see it."

"Gross," Winter replied, pulling a face, then giggling as he flopped onto his side.

"That's a good idea though, Phouka. You're so clever."

"I think you are the clever one to think of the Crystal Caves. We got the gem honestly, no trickery or stealing. You paid the elf. The prince and Finlay can only admire us," he decided.

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