Carefully, so as not to wake her troublesome charge, Fiona quietly slipped from the room. She could’ve used her powers to instantly transport herself to the fairy ring in his yard, but she tried to avoid using her powers when she was this close to one of her charges. Just like all the Fey, her magic left a trace; a trail that her brother, the Betrayer could follow. A trail that would lead him straight to her charge, if he was looking.

Fiona sighed. It really was past time to summon Morganna.

It sounded a lot easier than it was. The other fairy was in Avalon, where only the four Guardians had access, unless you were traveling with one of the four. That’s how Morganna had gotten there; she traveled with their mother, the Lady Igraine through the fairy ring that the mortals knew as Stonehenge. Fiona couldn't just call her sister, because if given a choice, Morganna wouldn’t come, and without a Guardian taking her there, Fee couldn't just pop into Avalon.

She stepped into the center of the ring of flowers that she’d made when her charge moved into the house. It was a simple magical procedure that would make the flowers grow in a circle. Humans didn’t realize the magic contained there, the places they could go through those portals, if they only had the power. Humans planted what they called fairy rings all the time, but a true fairy ring was a doorway to the secret places that He had made, and only the Fey could make a real one.

Fiona closed her eyes and pictured Tír na nÓg, the garden, in her head, along with the exact spot in the garden she needed to be. Time passed more slowly in Tír na nÓg than in the human realm. Days there were like years here, so she needed to pop in and right back out. Fiona needed a pear from the Tree of Life to summon Morganna; a piece of fruit that would be unable to exist outside the magical safety of the fairy ring.

She opened her eyes, and looked up at the tree. Its beauty always took her breath away. She glanced to her left where a few feet away the Tree of Knowledge stood with its beautiful red apples tempting her to have just one. Those apples were another fruit that would be unable to exist outside the fairy ring. She thought about how those apples were the very reason that His chosen ones had been tossed from the garden, thus giving the Fey their chance at redemption. Quickly, her mind back on her task, she picked a pear and popped back to the human realm.

Jon wasn't sure what had woken him. He just knew that he was awake. He lay in bed for several long minutes, staring at the ceiling. "Fuck it," he said, and got up. He pulled on sweat pants and wandered downstairs to the kitchen. He thought he saw something out the window, and went outside for a closer look. His heart seized in his chest when he saw the woman standing in his flower bed. She was young and lovely, and he had the nagging feeling he had seen her before. He watched in amazement as she disappeared from view then re-appeared, and he shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from it. Surely, he was still dreaming.

From inside the circle, she took a bite of the pear then raised her hands above her head and called out in a loud clear voice.

By binding power of a favor owed,
I call upon the ancient code.
To stand before me in this sacred place,
this ring demands you show thy face.
I summon thee with charm and voice.
Don’t you wish you had a choice?

Quickly, she tossed the pear outside the ring and watched as it burst into flames, then abruptly died out; even its ashes gone.

*****

The pearl ring on Morganna's right index finger started to glow. A soft, white light emanated from the cool stone. "Shit," Morganna said under her breath. Through the centuries, she had made many jaunts to the human realm, and much to her mother's dismay, she picked up some of the colorful language used there. She smiled weakly at her mother, at least she wasn't as bad as Fee.

Morganna excused herself from the game she was about to win, and went outside to sit on her favorite bench. "Don't turn amber...please, don't turn amber," she prayed, looking at her ring. "Shit," she said again when the ring appeared to fill with a honey-brown smoke.

"Dammit, Fee," Morganna said, even as she was crossing the garden to the circle of flowers she and her younger sister had planted when they were very young. She passed a hand over herself, from head to knee, and a traveling cloak appeared; fastened at her throat with a golden clasp in the shape of a Celtic cross.

Sighing, she stood in the center of the ring of flowers and raised her arms. "My sister calls me," she began, and the stars swam before her eyes. She cleared her throat, and chanted the spell that would take her to her sister's side.

My Sister calls me, hence I go
So I command the wind to blow
And carry me where, I don't know
So I may pay the debt I owe

A soft wind blew, causing Morganna's waist-length dark curls to swirl around her shoulders. A blink of an eye later, and she was standing in the yard of a gorgeous, huge house, standing in a flower bed.

"Dammit, Fee," Morganna said again. "I was just about to take Mother's queen."

"Nice to see you too, Morganna," Fiona answered, using her sister's full name, knowing full well it bugged her.

"You know I like being called 'Anna'," Morganna sighed. She gathered her sister in her arms for a hug. "It is good to see you again, my sister. What is the payment you have decided upon?"

"I need your help," Fiona said. "Your payment is to assist me with my solemn task. You see, I have two whom I must guard and protect, and I find that it is getting quite difficult to do so by myself."

Morganna rolled her eyes. Fiona had told her all about her two humans. She knew all about their popularity and the publicity surrounding them. Several earth years ago, some of the scraps that Fee had to get them out of had made her cringe.

"I'm not a guardian," Morganna reminded her sister. "Well, not here anyway."

"You know full well that you owe me, Anna. That means you have to make the payment I specify." A pout marred Fiona's otherwise beautiful face. "Remember, I did save you from being recycled."

"I remember all too well," Morganna answered. Many centuries ago, when Morganna was accused of inflicting King Arthur’s mortal wounds, Fiona wove a clever spell that allowed her sister to escape back to Merlin’s caves unseen. The spell also tampered with the memories of the Grand Council, though Morganna didn’t know that part.

"Fine, I'll help, but the debt is paid after this."

"Of course," Fiona said. She held out her hand palm down, her own pearl ring catching the moonlight. Morganna put her hand over Fee's, palm up, so their rings were touching. They recited together: "A debt once owed 'tween sisters is paid in full” and a brilliant green light passed between their rings.

"Holy shit," Jon said, the sight before him finally getting the better of him.

Fiona and Morganna whirled around to look at the source of the voice. Morganna's eyes narrowed. "I don't want him," she said, pointing at Jon. "I'll take the tall one. And now you owe me," she finished smugly.

Fiona just looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"You let your charge see your magic!" Morganna said.

Fiona spun to face Jon. "Damn it, you were supposed to be asleep!"

Morganna's tinkling laughter filled the garden. "Obviously he is not, little sister. I wonder what the Elders would think of this news."

"You wouldn't," Fiona cried, her eyes wide on her older sister.

"Of course not," Morganna assured her, raising one shoulder in a graceful shrug, "but, now I believe a favor is owed in exchange for my silence."

"What the fuck is going on here?" Jon demanded, stomping several steps toward them.

Fiona gave Morganna a curt nod to let her know she acknowledged her debt, then stepped over the circle of flowers and walked slowly and lithely toward her charge. Her green eyes locked on his blue ones, bringing him to a halt. When she reached his side, he stood straight and tall, his muscles tensed. She stepped up and waved her hand across his face slowly, her fingers splayed. In his ear, with a sexy, husky voice, she whispered, "Go back to sleep, Jon. You are only dreaming."

Fiona stood in the corner, hidden by shadows, watching him sleep. He wasn’t exactly her favorite charge, but since she only had him and one other left, and he caused the most trouble, she spent a lot of time watching over him.

She hated his arrogance. He actually thought what he could do was a skill, a talent! He was oblivious to the fact that he could hold an audience of thousands in the palm of his hand because it was a power he’d been given because of right of birth, by the Maker. He had that power over mere mortals; if used against the Betrayer and his minions it would have an entirely different effect, their qualities that had made them evil worked against them. If used against The Fey, it would have no effect at all. That’s why she was immune to his charms.

Well, she wasn’t entirely immune to his charms. Even Fiona could admit he was a nice looking specimen. His high cheekbones, strong stubborn jaw, and piercing blue eyes were very nice indeed. However, she’d liked his hair better when it had been blonde. She liked the way the stage lights had made it shine like a halo around his head. It made her think of Home, even though she’d never been there. But, she could admit, too, that the darker brown suited him somehow, and looked quite charming when he first woke up in the morning and it was sticking up in all directions.

Sometimes, she longed to break the truth to him, just to see his face. His disappointment to find out that he didn’t actually do anything but open his mouth, would probably make up for all the shit she’d put up with out of him all these years. Because, even though he and his friend wrote the words they sang, it was how they sang them that caused women to want to throw their underwear on the stage, and caused some men to stand and stare in wonder.

Over two hundred years ago, she’d been given a list of five family lines that she was to watch over until the chosen ones from each line could be born. Her job had been to ensure the birth of said chosen ones. At the time, she hadn’t known that she would be charged with babysitting those chosen ones as well.

She’d been doing a terrific job. She’d managed to see all five chosen ones born, then been assigned to their protection, which involved keeping them hidden from her older brother, the Betrayer. But, then she’d lost Jimi and Elvis to their own self destructive tendencies, and John to a gunman’s bullet. She’d been horrified to learn that the gunman in question had been controlled by her brother. That’s when she’d hatched the plan.

The plan that if the Elders ever learned about would surely get her powers stripped and her essence ‘recycled’. But, she’d been unwilling to lose even one more charge. So, she’d used a little magic, and put the two of them in the same little bar so that they could meet, become friends and in effect make her job easier. If they were always together, she could watch them both at the same time. Right? Brilliant!

At least as long as the Elders didn’t find out about it.

Because, not only had she made it easier for her to keep an eye on them, but by putting them together, she’d made it easier for her brother to attack them. And, he would if given the proper incentive.

That’s why she was ever vigilant. Especially now, since this one couldn’t seem to quit calling attention to himself. He did way too many good acts! He couldn’t continue to do these good deeds, tipping the scales in the Good’s favor, not if he expected to escape her brother’s notice. Talk about proper incentive for her brother. He couldn’t be a selfish person, no. His friend wasn’t much better, but at least he didn’t call so much attention to himself.

He stirred slightly in his sleep, and she tensed. Fiona waved a hand down the length of her body making herself appear transparent and took a step farther back into the shadow of the tall highboy dresser she was standing beside. She stood tensed for flight, just in case he came fully awake. After several long seconds, when he didn't stir any more, she finally relaxed.

She shouldn’t have to put up with his shit! She was a princess for crying out loud. Her own mother was one of the chosen four Guardians at Avalon. She watched over Arthur himself while he slept, awaiting England’s need of him.

Fiona knew that she needed help. She could sense the growing evil around this man. Her brother, the Betrayer, was coming for him. She could feel it. She had yet to feel the warning tingle in her veins as if even her blood was electric that would tell her that her brother or one of his minions was near one of her charges, but that only meant her brother was still planning his move.

That’s why she was calling in a favor. Morganna owed her, damn it. And it was time to pay up.

We were among the favored. There was no good, no evil, only us and Him. Some sat by the throne all day, gushing love and praise upon Him. Some frolicked on the earth, enjoying the lushness that He had created there, oblivious to what was going on at Home.

And some plotted a takeover.

The chief betrayer was His most favored, the most beautiful of us all. When the day of attack came, the earth bound among us continued in their joyous celebration of all things Him, while a battle raged at Home.

When the smoke cleared, the most beautiful and his followers were cast out, sent to a most terrible place. In their anger, hatred and jealousy they became truly evil. The ones that had remained by the Father's side were able to stay Home, but He shut the gates.

We were left on earth, unable to go Home.

No longer among the favored, but not among the hated, we were offered a chance at redemption. We were given a most important job. When His favored 'children' were made and then cast from the garden, we learned of our calling. We became guardians. Guardians of heroes. Guardians of all things good. Our job is to stand against all things evil, until death. Never wavering, protecting our charges. Immortal in age and health, only dying if our hearts are pierced with silver.

Only in death against evil, may we be allowed back Home. That is our most cherished wish, to go Home.

Over the years, we have mated, had families, and continued to enjoy all that the earth had to offer. We have access to the garden, and all the other secret places that He made.

His special 'children' were endowed with powers that mere mortals did not possess. In order to protect them, we have far more abilities than these 'children'. And we need these powers. For though the Hated were cast away, they, too, long for Home. They long to return Home and finish the battle they had started. We must be stronger, smarter than the Hated.

And ever vigilant.

For the Hated also know of His special 'children'. And they long to cause Him pain by causing them pain.

Ever vigilant. Ever strong. This is our destiny. This is our purpose.

Over the years we have had many names. The one we prefer is The Fey.

But, you can call us fairies, if you like.

~ An Elder