Off and on throughout the years, Aglaia had visited Dante in her dreams. Through their chats and time spent getting to know one another, their friendship had bloomed into close companionship. Although through the years she still hardly knew anything more about him than when she'd first met him...every time she tried to delve into his past or ask him more about his life, he always managed to tell her just enough to not really allow her to draw any real conclusive picture about who he was and instead would turn the conversation back to a topic that seemed to always fascinate him to no end...herself. He would ask her about her likes, her dislikes, her family, and what she had been up to. In this way, they still managed to nurture a unique, yet special bond. Come to think of it, it had been awhile since she'd visited him. Aglaia, as she sprawled upon the hillside, wondered if she would be able to seek him out in her dreams one of these nights. She'd never tried intentionally seeking out others in her dreams before. It usually was simple happenstance.

 

The wind lullingly danced through the tree branches around her and the warm sun made her drowsy. She wondered if she should fall into the coaxing temptation of sleep. The realm of dreams may be more exciting at the moment than sitting on a hill by herself without her friends. As Aglaia's eyes began to flutter closed, her ears picked up a sound. It was so faint, she almost wondered if she had just imagined it. She blinked her eyes open and slowly sat up listeing intently. There it was again, the soft sound of a sob. Someone was in distress.

 

Aglaia pushed herself to her feet and started back down the hill, listening with all of her might for the source of the crying. Carefully, she picked her way through the trees and foliage and after some time, the crying sound became more distinct. It sounded like the cry of a child. After a few more feet, Aglaia finally pushed her way through some particularly dense brush to find herself in a small clearing. The crying that had been loud a moment ago had suddenly silenced. Glancing around, Aglaia saw out of the corner of her eye, a netted mesh trap hanging from a tree. It was translucent, though the texture of the material looked fairly thick and sturdy. Caught inside the net was a little boy who couldn't have been older than five years old staring at her with eyes widened in fear. He was so frightened that he'd stopped crying and just stared at her anxiously. His deep blue eyes peeked out beneath silver-white hair and Aglaia was just able to make out the faint outline of his ears that had decidedly pointy tips.

 

Realizing the little boy, for it was obviously a male child, must consider her a threat, Aglaia quickly raised her arms to show him she meant no harm. Raising her voice so that it carried over to him, she said gently, "Hello. I'm not here to hurt you. I just heard you crying and came to see if you needed help. From the looks of things you've gotten yourself into quite the perdicament, haven't you?" She smiled kindly at him. But the boy just stared back at her, his blue eyes never blinking.

 

"I don't know how you got caught in this trap, but I can help get you down from there." Aglaia offered. She opened her bag and started rummaging through it. "My mother gave me a knife to protect myself in case I ran into any dangerous people out here. I don't think you're dangerous...but the knife can help me cut you down."

 

The boy's eyes widened at the sight of her withdrawing the knife from her bag. Carefully and slowly, so as not to spook the child more than he was, she made her way to where the rope that held the bag was tethered to a stake in the ground. She looked up at him as she began to saw at the rope at the base of the tree. "I'm going to cut this rope. Once it's cut, the net is going to fall. But you look like an immortal of some kind. That kind of fall should not injure you, right? I think you'll be able to make it to the ground without getting hurt."

 

The boy continued to stare at her, but the fear had started to slowly ebb from his tense frame and he gave a quick, jerky nod in the affirmative. The knife was halfway through the rope and Aglaia began to saw at it a little faster. Who knew when the people who had set the trap would be coming to check on it.

 

"When you get to the ground, I'll cut an opening in the net for you to get out. From there, you can go home. I'll even give you the knife to protect yourself on the way," Aglaia offered. With that, the knife sliced through the last little bit of the rope and the net that was suspended in the air went crashing to the ground. However, like Aglaia had predicted, the child inside the net had landed in a way that he had been able to absorb the shock of the fall without being injured. She quickly sliced through the net and helped the boy untangle himself.

 

Looking outside of the net, Aglaia realized that the child looked even more enthralling without a net to obstruct her view of him.She smiled at him again and this time, the boy hesitantly smiled back. She waited for the boy to leave but he stood there silently; his eyes still staring at her with curiosity.

 

"I'm Aglaia. What's you're name?"

 

"Fionn." the childlike voice sounded like little silver bells; it had a musical quality to it.

 

"It's nice to meet you Fionn. How in the world did you get stuck up that tree?" Aglaia laughed. Fionn scowled.

 

"It's a fairy trap. It's made with magic specifically to contain immortals. But it has no effect on humans. That's why you could touch it and cut it without any problems. I couldn't tear through it even with my strength...

 

"But wouldn't that kind of trap be more for creatures with smaller magical capabilities? Strong immortals would have been able to handle something like that right?" Aglaia asked curiously.

 

Fionn's frown deepened at what he percieved was an implied insult. "I'm just a kid. When I grow up, I'll be so strong that nothing can trap me ever again," he growled. "Right now I am not as powerful as I will be when I'm an adult. And besides...I was hungry. I didn't have much energy and there was a cake in the trap so I got distracted. If I hadn't been so hungry, I would have noticed it and never fallen for it..."

 

Aglaia saw that Fionn was embarrased and quickly comforted him, "No doubt about it. When we're hungry, it's easy to not notice things we normally would. And why didn't you tell me you were hungry? I have something I think can help with that!" Opening her bag again, she quickly withdrew some of her leftover cinnamon buns and the a part of the lunch her mother had packed for her. She set it all out before the child and they sat under the tree together. Fionn's blue gaze practically glowed in delight as he beheld the food. Within moments, he was contendedly stuffing his face, his little cheeks bulging with food. Aglaia privately was reminded of a little chipmunk.

 

"Where is your family?" Aglaia asked presently, "I can't believe they let their own child wander alone like this. You even were put in danger! Do you know the way home alright?"

 

Fionn, who had started to bring another biteful of food to his lips froze. He didn't meet her gaze but rather took a decided interest in a butterfly that was fluttering amongst some flowers a few feet away.

 

"My parents are gone." he finally said. His silver-bell voice broke as he continued, "They were killed. My big brother and I escaped and came here. He left to make sure we weren't tracked. He'll be back for me any minute."

 

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry." Aglaia's mouth dropped open and she felt distressed especially when she saw Fionn's eyes beginning to glimmer with tears. He had lost his parents and on top of that, very recently from the sounds of it. She tentatively reached out to pat him comfortingly on the back when suddenly, her outstretched arm was yanked back and she was dragged roughly to her feet.

 

Before she knew what was going on, she had been shoved mercilessly against the tree she'd been sitting under and her arms had been pulled painfully behind her back. She cried out in surprise and pain. Squirming around, her eyes came level with a chest. As she raised her eyes, a pair of shoulders came into view, eventually followed by a neck and then a face that looked strikingly similar to Fionn's but more mature, slender, prominent, and under the silver hair, instead of blue, light lavender eyes glared menacingly down at her.

 

"Aodhan, no!" Fionn's distressed voice came from somewhere to the side.

 

But this man, Aodhan, ignored him. "Trying to hurt a helpless child, were you?" he growled, his growl sounding beast-like and his voice sounding like smooth steel, "I see the trap you set! Tell me!" he slammed Aglaia against the tree and she cried out again in pain, "What were you going to do with him? Kill him and sell him for parts? Sell him as an exotic pet on the black markets? Torture him for sport? Speak! Whatever your plans were, I will do to you and a thousand fold worse."

 

"I--I didn't...I wasn't..." Aglaia choked out.

 

"Aodhan!" Fionn ran up and grabbed at Aodhan's hands pulling as hard as he could to get him to let go, "She rescued me from the trap! She's a friend!"

 

"How do you know she wasn't the one who set a trap and then pretended to rescue you to get your trust?" Aodhan spun around and levelled his glare at Fionn. But Fionn didn't back down.

 

"She didn't. She just found me. She was surprised to find me trapped and then she helped me. Besides, she shared her food with me! She's really a good person." As he spoke, Aodhan's gaze seemed to soften from murderous to only intense suspicion. After a moment, he released Aglaia who sprang away from him and began rubbing her arms stiffly.

 

"I'm Aglaia," she introduced herself, "And I take it you're Aodhan?" The older brother just stared at her, his frown deepening at her attempts to engage him in conversation.

 

"Well I normally would be furious at such ungallant treatment and accusations," Aglaia shrugged, "but considering all you and your brother have been through, I'll let this one slide." She reached into her bag and pulled out the remainder of the food.

 

"Would you care to accept a peace offering? We can let bygones be bygones. Fionn seemed pretty hungry earlier and I can only imagine you haven't been able to eat that well either." Aodhan made no move to accept the food.

 

"If you'd like, you both are more than welcome to stay at my place. My parents and I live in a little house about a mile that way," Aglaia pointed.

 

"No." the word rang with finality.

 

"Alright, no worries either way. But just know you are always welcome should you need it." Aglaia sighed. She leaned to the side where she could get a better view of Fionn whom Aodhan had been sheilding protectively with his body.

 

"It was really good to meet you Fionn! I live right by the lake down that way. Stop by on your birthday and I'll make you more cinnabuns. You seemed to like those a lot!"

 

Fionn's eyes lit up at her words. "You promise? You can't take it back! I definitely will!"

 

Aglaia chuckled at his childlike enthusiasm. "Of course I won't take it back. You're my friend and besides I always keep my promises." Straightening back up, she looked at Aodhan who had (ever so slightly that it was barely noticeable) relaxed his posture. His suspicion was still there but not as strong as it had been. This time Aglaia addressed him again, "Look. I really mean you and your brother no harm. He told me that you just lost your parents and I'm really sorry to hear it. I mean it when I say if there's anything I can do for you both, I am happy to help. I understand if you don't trust me. You have been put through a terrible ordeal. I can't even imagine losing my parents. On top of that, you're trying to keep your brother safe. I think that's admirable. That's why, if you ever need a friend, or help, you can at least know you have someone you can reach out to. My door will always be open."

 

With that, she set the food on the ground and began to walk away. Calling over her shoulder she said simply, "If you don't want the food, at least let Fionn have it. I'm full anyways and it'd be a waste to throw it away. You also might not want to stay in the area much longer. I don't know when those who set that trap will come to check on it." Then she continued till she was out of their sight.

 

When she made it through the door of her home that night, Aglaia's mother looked at her daugher fondly. "So my little adventuress, did you find any new haunts? New daring stories and adventures?"

 

"I made a few new friends," Aglaia smiled, "And Aysun and Aylin thank you frot the cinnamon buns." Her mother hummed in acknowledgement.

 

Aglaia curled up on the windowsill. Her father wasn't back yet, but that wasn't new. Sometimes he'd come back late and sometimes not till the next day. As she stared out at the sky that glittered with millions of stars she frowned.

 

"Mamma?"

 

"Yes darling?"

 

"Today as I was wandering in the forest, I found a trap. It was a trap set for immortals. I took it down, but who would do something like that and why?" The cruelty of it had her biting her lip in concern.

 

Her mother stopped in surprise, open. "Well it could honestly be anyone, my darling. It would most likely be a mortal if it was a trap for immortals. Or it could be a powerful immortal who would be impervious to the traps magic. But it is very disturbing that there was one out in the middle of nowhere like here...I suggest you stay inside for the rest of the night and tomorrow we will tell your father about it so he can look into the matter. When we know more, we'll know how to act in regards to this matter."

 

Aglaia nodded in understanding. "Alright mama. But I do want to run over to the lake tomorrow to warn my friends. If there really are people out there doing such horrible things, I want them to be on their guard."

 

With that, she turned and made her way to her attic room. A small window set in one of the walls overlooked the garden and as Aglaia donned her nightgown, she peeked out and watched the little fairies glowing in their own aura of golden light dance through the flowers with one another. A soft, loving smile graced her lips and as she climbed under the covers, she closed her eyes. In the darkness behind her closed lids, she saw the rigid, stern face and light lavender eyes of Aodhan and the softer, laughing expression of the blue-eyed Fionn. She silently wished them both well before her mind drifted off to sleep.