“Lily, are you sure this house is for us?” I asked my familiar after Mohe left us.

“Yeppers! This is even better than I had hoped for.”

“I know the house being away from the rest of the village will allow us to use the generator and stuff we got from the lab, but what makes the house better than you hoped?”

“It’s age,” the pixie answered. Seeing my confusion, she continued, “This house is very old and is still standing. If I’m right, the ancients built this place.”

“So, this house should be built a lot better than anything in the village itself just as everything else we took from the lab is better than anything we can build now.”

“Now you’re using your head for more than a hat rack!” Lily replied with a huge grin on her tiny face as she flew around me.

“Ha-ha.”

“I thought it was funny.”

“Yeah, I know. Should we stay here? Is it safe enough to do so?”

Lily stopped in front of me, cradled her right elbow in her left hand, and tapped her lips. “Yeah, we should stay here. That way we can eat some of that cake we found with the other food!”

“Why am I not surprised you’re thinking about sweets?”

“Because you know me so well,” Lily replied giggling as she turned a flip. She stopped and pointed to a tree to our left. “There are pixies watching us.”

“You can see them from here?”

“No, but I can feel them.”

“More pixie magic?”

“Yep. Why don’t I go talk to them and you can either practice your magic or practice your magic and start cleaning up our home?”

“Or I could walk around the forest close to the cottage and see if there are any useful plants or herbs near us.”

“Please don’t. I want to be with you to help keep you safe before you do that. Besides, you don’t know the area.”

“You don’t either.”

“True, but I have a map!”

“Since when?”

“Since always silly! Pixies can’t get lost and can always find their way back to someplace they’ve been.”

“And that isn’t something you felt I should know before now?”

“Uh, nope! It never occurred to me to tell you before now since we hadn’t had a need for my map.”

“Alright. I’ll stay here and start cleaning. I can use the cleaning robot on the floors, ceilings, and walls.”

“Great idea! Let me introduce myself to the locals and I’ll program it for you,” Lily replied and zipped off toward the tree before I could say anything else. Lily returned a moment later followed by two pixies.

“My Jase, this is Willow and Yam,” Lily introduced me to the two local pixies. “Ladies, this is my human, Jase.”

“Possessive aren’t you?” I asked.

“Always!” Lily replied making the other two pixies giggle.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you two,” I told the other pixies.

“Likewise,” they chorused.

“Jase, I promised Yam and Willow a piece of candy each in return for watching over you while I go meet Trillium, the local elder.

“Is that something you have to do now?”

“No, but the sooner, the better.”

“Alright. Be careful.”

“You know I will,” Lily replied flying up and kissing my left cheek.

“Isn’t that sweet?” Yam asked.

“She really does care for the human,” Willow said.

“Knock it off you two!” Lilly replied spinning around to face the other pixies. They erupted in laughter after Willow gave Yam a kiss mocking Lilly and myself. I chuckled as Lilly burst into laughter. After the laughter died, I gave the two pixies each a honey drop.

“Thanks!” they chorused before tearing into the herbal candy.

“Alright. Let’s get out some lights, the cleaning robot, and my clothing. I should take gifts,” Lily told me.

“I thought you wanted the clothing.”

“I do. I’m keeping what I want of the clothing and giving away the rest. Let me have some of that colorful ribbon too.”

*

“Elder Trillium, I am Lilly and have come to present myself to your host,” Lily introduced herself to the older pixie. “I have also brought gifts.”

“You are the one that bonded with the human from Azalea’s territory, aren’t you child?”

“Yes elder.”

“He is with you?”

“Yes, though he is currently at our new home outside the human village.”

“The old stone house?”

“Yes elder.”

“That building is ancient and been here since at least the late 1900s or early 2000s.”

“I suspected it was old, but that old?”

“Yes child. If we weren’t so comfortable here, we would have used it as our abode,” Trillium replied gesturing to the other pixies near her and their surroundings. “What are these gifts you have brought?”

“I have brought clothing, different ribbons, and some candies,” Lily answered removing each item from her nano storage space, which was something else she hadn’t told Jase about.

“I thank you for the gifts. How are the candies?” the elder asked eyeing them.

“Delicious,” Lily answered.

Trillium nodded. “Is there anything we can do to help you?”

“Yes elder. I was hoping to get some help cleaning and repairing the stone cottage as well as helping keep an eye on my Jase and showing us where useful plants and herbs are in the area.”

“Is that all?” Trillium asked with a laugh.

Lily blushed. “Yes elder. Did I ask for too much?”

“On the contrary child. Your gifts far outweigh what you ask. You shall have the help you seek.”

“Thank you!” Lily gushed flying up and hugging the older pixie. Trillium laughed and returned the hug. “One more thing. Is there a beehive nearby?”

“Of course, and you are welcome to take some honey for yourself.”

“I don’t ask for me, but for my Jase.”

“I don’t think I want to share our honey with a human.”

Lily handed the elder one of the honey drops. “Try this.”

Trillium did so. “That is delicious!”

“Jase makes these,” Lily said as a few of the braver pixies picked up some of the candy for themselves.

“In that case, I will grant him permission to harvest honey as well.”

“Thank you, elder!”