Nystri gingerly pulled her top left wing over her shoulder and began chipping the ice off of it. The sharp change in temperature had ruptured the wing and it was barely holding itself together. Nystri was thankful the demon had offered the truce when she did; had she spent much more time blasted by those wintry winds she would have lost the wing completely, or worse. Maybe Nystri could have won before then. Maybe the roots she had been sending up to spear the demon would have reached in time. Maybe they’d both be dead. She preferred the alternative.

Nystri was seated on a large flat rock. Several streams of ants marched across the stone. Red, black, small, and large. Two bumble bees buzzed and landed near her. They only came up to her shin. They carried a small berry between them. Nystri sighed and shook her head slightly before bending over to pet their fluff. They rubbed against her hand a moment before flying off. A fox emerged from the bushes and bowed its head as it approached the rock. Nystri bid it lift its head and it placed a few acorns at her feet. 

“An impressive retinue, your Grace,” Amorastra smiled easily at Nystri from a few yards away. Nystri glared at her, but said nothing, then watched as Amorastra shifted her gaze to her calf. The long jagged branch that Nystri had hastily sharpened, hardened, and hurled into Amorastra was stuck fast and protruded from both sides of the leg. Its many jagged edges made it like a double barbed spear. Damaging going in, disastrous coming out, no matter how you go about it.

The piles of food and supplies the ants were bringing had continued to grow. More seeds, berries, and nuts, of course, but also sturdy leaves, sap, and resin. Not to mention herbs, roots, and barks. 

Nystri whistled a tune and moments later a cardinal brought a small stone. It was a little awkward, but at least the right size so that Nystri could hold it in one hand. She picked through the herbs until she found the cap vine and thistlefern she was after. She picked more than half a dozen of the largest and most plump leaves and placed them in a small round depression in the rock she was on. She used the stone to bruise and break the leaves up into a sort of paste. Then she used a stick to add a little resin. She worked this poultice for a while longer before she applied the barest bit to her wing. Just enough to seal the edges of the tear that spanned nearly the whole width of the wing. She winced as she flexed the wing. Even though the others didn’t suffer as much damage, it was clear she wouldn’t be flying for a while.

The sound of Amorastra’s breathing through gritted teeth brought her attention back around. Amorastra was standing, trying to put weight on her injured leg. Nystri pursed her lips together and thought of the pact they had made.

 

Solemn oath I speak true.

Bind me ‘til year anew.

Through no malice of mine.

Through no negligence, too. 

Shall any harm come to you.

Lest my soul to void I consign.

 

A pact between fae and fiend. Who would win in such a battle of contracts? Nystri wondered. As far as contracts went, it was simple, but a solid foundation. Plenty of loopholes, plenty of wiggle room in interpretation. All of which she needed, and all of which she knew was a danger, as well. But, better to be playing word games, even with a demon, than to be hurling ice and spears at each other. 

Nystri called out, “Would you like me to take a look at it?”

“You’re under no obligation to help me, your Majesty,” Amorastra said, then looked up from her leg, “But, if you’re offering.” 

Amorastra hobbled over and sat on a log next to Nystri’s stone. Amorastra extended her leg, careful to not disturb the piles being gathered by the ants. Nystri got close and peered at the entry wound. There was surprisingly little blood, but the gnarled branch had pierced Amorastra’s calf in half a dozen places. The largest was poking out the other side. 

Amorastra leaned over a bit and placed an elbow on her right thigh and placed her chin on her knuckles as she watched Nystri. “Perhaps a swarm of termites?”

“Only if you want to lose the leg, too. Now hush while I work.” Nystri placed her hands under the battered bark, lifting some of the wood’s weight from Amorastra’s flesh. The wood was long dead before she had used the wind to rip it from the tree and sharpen it. Yet, even dead trees bow to the Queen of Fae. Nystri whispered a few words and the stick shrunk, its barbs turned, and Nystri pulled it from Amorastra’s leg in one swift motion.

Amorastra marveled at this and began to lift her leg to inspect it, but was met with a swift thwack from a smaller stick Nystril held. 

“Ow! What happened to that ‘no harm’ clause?” Amorastra said with a knowing smile.

“Don’t move,” she said and went to the indentation with the poultice she had been working on. “And you know as well as anyone that a little pain is nothing more than discipline. Warning. Pain is what prevents harm, and is why the both of us still live.” 

“I have it on good authority that pain can be quite fun, too,” Amorastra said.

Nystri ignored her and moved the poultice onto a leaf, bringing it and several more large leaves back with her. She looked into Amorastra’s eyes, “Don’t. Move.” When no objection was raised Nystri scooped up a handful of the green paste and began applying it to the wounds in Amorastra’s deep purple skin. Nystri couldn’t help but inspect the skin closely as she worked. Etched into the skin was a detailed golden filigree that covered most of Amorastra’s body. In fact, as far as Nystri could see, that golden filigree was all that covered Amorastra’s body, though one might mistake it as just a skin tight suit of purple and gold inlay. The only other thing that adorned the demon was a golden tiara with large rubies set between her horns.

Nystri dressed the exit wound, as well, then said, “Let me see your wing.”

Amorastra raised an eyebrow and extended her right wing as far as it would go, turning her own head to look at it. The wing was back to its smaller size now, a foot and a half long at most. There was a small hole near the center which grazed one of the fingers of the wing. 

Nystri nodded and picked up the leaf with what was left of the poultice, “Lift me up, would you?” 

Amorastra offered her left hand, palm up. As Nystri stepped onto the hand she noticed the symbology and the circle Amorastra had engraved on that palm not so long ago. The welts were already fading, but some open wounds remained. Amorastra lifted Nystri up to her right shoulder. Amorastra brought her wing forward until Nystri could take hold of it and begin smearing the poultice over its leathery membrane. 

Nystri then sat on Amorastra’s shoulder and said, “Let me see that palm, while I’m here. I’ve a bit of poultice left.” 

“There’s no need for that, it’s healing well alr–” Amorastra began, but she caught Nystri’s look and apparently thought better than to deny her aid. She lifted her hand up for Nystri to inspect. 

Nystri took a moment just to admire the detail of the circle. “It’s amazing you were able to get so much detail into your symbology.” 

“So much better the magic,” Amorastra said.

“And quite clever…” Nystri trailed off just before she could apply the first bit of poultice. “Color? No, not just color. Rainbows?! You made a spell to capture rainbows?!” Nystri yelled, incredulous.

Amorastra giggled, “Of course. How else am I supposed to catch an opal drakeling?”

“Colors! That’s preposterous on its own, but a rainbow! Where did you come across such a spell?”

“Oh, no, your Majesty. This was one I devised on my own. It took a lot of work, but it’s proven quite useful.”

“And just what did you hope to do with that drakeling, hm? Have it for—” She stopped short, recalling when she first saw Amorastra that morning. A demon walking the Yggswood was strange, but nothing as strange as how this one had acted. No destruction. No wanton killing. Instead, this one was just wandering around—the word that came to mind was innocently, but to apply such a word to a demon seemed inappropriate, at best. Yet, at every turn this one had defied what Nystri knew. Amorastra had watched a litter of sand otters play and snuck by a sleeping doe. Then there were the hippoquirrels. Not only had she taken great care to not disturb them, she seemed quite sad when they disappeared. Then when she–No. Nystri put the thought out of her mind. Regardless of how this one had acted this morning, she was still dealing with a demon. Great care must be taken. 

“Majesty?”

Nystri shook her head and smeared the poultrice over the lines of the circle. “You should leave the Yggswood. Immediately.”

“I don’t really want to, to be frank. And to be franker, even if I did, I'd not know how.”

Nystri narrowed her eyes and screwed her lips to one side, then glanced at Amorastra’s leg. “And I suppose you’re not going too far on that, anyway.” Nystri jumped from Amoratra’s shoulder to her rock. A few rabbits had come bearing tubers. 

Amorastra put her elbow back on her knee and rested her chin on her palm, two fingers curled around her cheek. She had a small subtle smile as she watched Nystri. 

As Nystri looked up and their eyes met her heart skipped a beat. She looked away quickly. “How dare you try to enchant me!”

“Enchant? Not you, my Queen. Never. I merely find myself smitten with you. That’s all.”

Nystri searched the air for signs of magical enchantment and found none. Yet, considering the skill Amorastra had demonstrated so far, she could not rule it out. 

After a moment Amorastra said, “And what of you, Majesty? Will you be returning to those far flung halls of yours now? Though, I suppose it a long journey with your wing in such a state. I do apologize for that, by the way.”

Before Amorastra had even finished her sentence Nystri said, “No. No, I think it best I see that you make it safely out of the Yggswood. Safely for us, that is.”

“Well, then! I truly don’t wish to leave, but if I get to travel with you, I find that a fine consolation. I don’t suppose you could have a beaver or something bring me a crutch?”

Nystri rolled her eyes and hopped from the rock. She went to a sprawling yew and placed her splayed hand on its bark, whispering as she did. A moment later a branch fell from the tree. Amorastra stood and hobbled over to pick it up. It fit under her arm perfectly, and its surface was smooth, as if sanded. She placed its tip on the ground to test its strength; it seemed to twist and bend to best suit the terrain, keeping her steady.

“It is a fine gift, Majesty. I’ll cherish it.”

“It’s just a stick. Come, we should get going,” Nystri said, turning away and starting towards a game trail.

“Should I gather some of the food your subjects brought for you?”

Nystri stopped and hesitated. Once she was sure her face was in place she turned and looked up at the towering Amorastra. “Why don’t we leave it for them? They need it much more than I. Unless you’re in need of provisions?”

Amorastra smiled that smile again. The sort of smile that you get from the other side of the ballroom. Nystri steeled herself against it.

“I’ve brought my own, thank you, Majesty,” Amorastra said. 

Nystri looked puzzled. Amorastra carried no bag, no pack, not even a pouch. She shrugged and said, “Very well. Follow me,” and began walking away once more. Nystri heard Amorastra’s gait behind her. Unsteady for a moment as she adjusted to the crutch of yew, then it sped up a little until the sound was right behind her. A second later Nystri gasped as Amorastra’s hand wrapped around her, bringing her gently up.

“Please, let me carry you, Majesty!”

Nystri squirmed. How dare you! Unhand me! Such impudence! The phrases came to mind easily enough. Phrases she’d read, but never had to say to anyone. Not her subjects, her visitors, dignitaries, ambassadors, nobles. No one. 

Amorastra opened her hand, letting Nystri sit on the palm with her feet dangling off. Nystri crossed her arms and said with a scowl, “Do not presume to touch me without permission.”

Amorastra smirked and did a half curtsy, “Forgive me, Majesty. I meant no harm.” The smirk spread to a smile. Nystri’s eyes narrowed and her scowl deepened, but she did not demand to be put down, nor chide Amorastra further. Instead, she moved to Amorastra’s right shoulder. 

“On, then. I’ll direct you,” Nystri said. Amorastra beamed and they were off.