Groaning, Pella sat up in bed and stretched. Something had triggered her alarm spell and her eyes swept across the room to figure out what. Alarm spells were useful for knowing when someone had invaded your space but they weren't really great for knowing where they were. Hell, it could even just be a pet moving to the windowsill if you weren't smart enough to mark them as an ally. 

Alright, the purple door to her room was open, the doorway empty. There wasn't anyone by the windows either. Had someone come in and left? She had another spell that dispelled illusions in her room so no one could be invisible in here. 

"I'm sorry is someone there? I was actually having a nice dream for once and I'd like to get back to it," Her eyes never stopped moving, dully noting that it was still dark outside. She couldn't have been asleep long then since she'd gone to bed maybe three hours before sunup. "Look I've not got much sleep so if you don't want to deal with a cranky mage zapping you I'd suggest just coming out." 

"Well I'm not exactly hiding. Can you not see me? I'm standing right by your bed," A small voice pitched up close by and indeed she discovered there was a figure there. She'd missed them due to their small size she suspected. They were kind of adorable really, what with the somewhat large ears that fae tended to have, the silver eyes that seemed to shine with moonlight. The figure was around one and a half to two feet tall, she wagered. "Honestly you folk are all so blind sometimes. I even made myself look like an elf for you." 

"Ah well I've got a disillusion spell up. You're pretty though, now I see you. Why do I have a fae coming in my room just before morning though? I'd just gone to bed." Pella let out a soft yawn after she spoke and tried to think why her brother wasn't coming. The alarm should have been triggered in his head too. Brows furrowing in thought, she let her green eyes focus on those of the fae. 

"Ah, you wonder why we haven't been disturbed. I placed a small spell on the male figure in your house so that I wouldn't wake him. I really only need you after all." The fae fluttered up and stood on the bed so as to be closer to her level. She was wearing a rather lovely blue dress and oh, hold on, what had she just said? Needed her? 

"What do you mean you only need me? I mean, I'm a mage but that doesn't exactly give me anything you don't have, does it?" She adjusted her green nightgown so it was a bit less revealing almost without realizing. Her mother had insisted on it, and Pella was happy to have a reminder of the woman who had raised her. "What's wrong with Lenny anyhow?" 

"Lenny is fine but I don't need him. I need a woman with relative youth. One who can either sacrifice some of it or go on an adventure." Oh that was odd. What in the world was this girl talking about? Didn't the fae always make deals? This sounded like a request or a plea. 

"Why do you need that? What's going on that you're here in my house and asking for my youth. I'm not sensing any magical imbalances." Gosh she was getting worried. Nothing about this encounter was making sense. What was really going on?

"Well there isn't an imbalance. This is something else and I'm not quite ready to reveal it." Oh no, not doe eyes. That was completely unfair, this captivating beauty using something like that. 

"Alright, fine. Whatever it is that drives you to come to me I can understand must be important. I offer up whatever youth you may need. Though I wonder if there is something else that might be of more use to you." 

"Ah you are indeed a kind soul. The animals spoke well of you with good reason it would seem. I will admit that your youth may not be as good to me as a bond. I do wonder though that you did not ask for anything in return." 

"I'm sorry but I don't understand. You came and asked for youth or something else for some purpose. I can give youth easily and helping is the right thing to do. Why are you really here and who are you?" 

The fae started and shook her head with a groan. "I see you have caught onto me. I still wonder that you want nothing in return. My name is Ilana and I came to judge you. I am to find a worthy mage with which to bond. I had specifically asked the animals about women because they are easier to me. And so I have judged you worthy of a bond with me that I now offer. It will make us both stronger but we will also be unable to ignore the other, always sensing each other." 

Well this was probably something that a lot of people would tell her to think very carefully about. Not that Pella was most people. She already knew that there would be both ups and downs to this deal. None of that was important compared to helping this girl though. "I accept your offer of a bond. By the strength of my soul I offer myself to you for as long as I live and beseech upon you a request for your soul and life in return. I offer my body and blood in service to your health, offering to put you before myself. I bind myself to you with the magic that composes me and allow you the air that I breathe."

"I accept you for as long as you live and give my soul in return. My body and blood will be your health, your life the most important to me. I offer the magic that composes me and the breath in my breast in hopes that we may complete each other for eternity. By the grace of Gaia may we be bound together, now and forever."

As each of them had spoken, a glow had surrounded each of their bodies and stretched out to the other. Meeting in the middle the silver and green energies had mixed and danced together, joined in the end with a single gold and red thread. The ritual complete and Gaia's blessing upon them, the two panted and stared at each other. Every breath, every feeling, was crystal clear to them. 

"So I'm not entirely sure what all that means to a fae but for people like me that amounts to a wedding ceremony. So uhh welcome home, my wife." Pella couldn't help but blush and fidget. She really hadn't been expecting anything like this when she'd gone to bed that night. 

"I see. In that case, my bride, I'm happy to be home. Please rest, I can tell how tired you are. I will lay with you and we can finish the night together." Shifting and moving, Ilana cuddled up to Pella and closed her eyes. They could address other things when they woke up.