Fate or Choice?
“Your apology is heartfelt and true, Zoubaraera Teutona.”
The silver oak fairy greeted me with the Teutonic words, Teuton witch, like it always did. My elemental gaze zeroed in upon it as it shimmered into being atop the branch to my left. The genderless creature used the leaves as its cloak, its winged torso, kaleidoscopic eyes, and silvery face and hair catching traces of starlight, making the air around it sparkle with enchantment. The squirrel-sized tree spirit had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember, my father having introduced us when he held my infant body against his chest.
The sense of homecoming that had comforted my unquiet spirit several times today arose anew as I met the Eihalbe’s mesmerizing gaze. When I opened my mouth to thank it for u
